fastinge lyke almes geuynge He nothynge regardeth mens tradicions diuersites of sectes long garmentes outwarde appearaunce their clensynge neâ— all their ypocrisie He goeth into the temple ouerthroweth casteth downe powreth out euery thynge that is to be solde in the temple he dryueth the byers and sellers out of the temple with a whippe For the temple was ordeyned for generall prayer thankesgeuing and preachynge and not for choppinge and chaun gynge or other suche lyke thynges These thre poyntes doth he teach vs diligently to obserue First that we obteyne remission of synnes true righteousnes euerlastinge lyfe onely thorw hym and by hys passion and death and els by none other meane For he is the onely mediatoure prest intercessoure comforter the onely righteousnesse satisfacion raunsome santifyeng the onely perpetuall sacrifice the suertye of grace and saluacion Speciall testimonies hereof hast thou Johan iii. vi xiiii and .xvi. Secondly that we can not serue and pleace God with exterior sacrifices or any outward pompe but with suche workes as proceade of loue mercy And thirdly that all the children of God are bounde to kepe them selues from the workes of darekenesse and to applye them to lyue in righteousnes and in the lighte And herein also is comprehended all godlynes that is all right good Christen workes So whan he had taught all righteousnes and discloysed and ouerthrowen all ypocrisye in religion he offred vp hym selfe vpon the crosse for the remissyon of all oure synnes For wyllingly paciently put he him selfe in to the handes of hys enemyâ—s and of his betrayer suffred him selfe to be taken to be bounde to beled from one iudge to another to be langhed to scorne cried out vpon to be spytted on and at the last to be adiudged vnto death to be scourged to be crowned with a crown of thorne He himselfe bare hys owne crosse to the place of execucion where he was crucified hanged vp betwene the murthurers Then lyued he in greate payne from the sixte houre vntyll the nyenth At the last he cried It is fynished father in to thy handes commende I my sprâ—te thus offred he him self for oure synnes and dyed that we myghte lyue But soone after folowed the thinges wherby the frute of Christes passyon might be perceaued For the vayle which in the temple seâ—arated the holy from the moost holy dyd rent from the toppe tyll the botome wherby Christ testified that now with his death all ceremonies figâ— ratyue thinges were at an ende and nomore of value that the waye to eternall saluation was opened that all thinges significatyue in the tabernacle in sacrifices rytes and obseruaunces were nowfulfilled and abrogate that now the bare onely cross of our Lorde Jesus Christ is al together vnto the faythfull that the hele of the virgines sede is well troden vpon his flesh well rente and slayne but that yet also in the meane reason he hath troden the serpent vpon the head Therfore dyd the deed also aryse and appeared vnto certayne at Hierusalem For the death of Christ is oure life The erthquaked the stones harst asunder For the preachinge of the death of the sonne of God hath altered the whole worlde and many hard stonye hertes are moued to repentaunce faith and good workes But whan the syde of the deed body of Christ was opened with the speare â–ª and the rocke as zachary saieth was dygged vp â–ª there ranne out water and bloude declarynge manifestly therby that vnto vs out of the death of Christ foloweth life and purifyenge For water cleÌ„seth in the bloud is the lyfe of man And with the bloude of Christ is all bloude stanched and now is Christes bloude onely avaylable beynge sprenkled thorowe fayth in oure hertes This oblacion and passion of Christ the rawnsome for the synne of the whole world was done in the. xviii yeare of the Empyre of Tiberius rekenynge from the begynnyng of the worlde 4007 yeres the .xxv. daye of Marche So the whole body of Jesu was taken downe from the crosse and honorably buryed and on the thirde daye after he rose vp agayne so that his soule came agayne to the body and his very flesh was raysed vp from death how be it now nomore mortall and passible but glorified For he is the first in the resurrection of the deed For lyke as by one man came deathe so by one man must come the resurrection of the deed And lyke as in Adam we all dyed in body and soule so shall we be all together restored agayne to lyfe in Christ Jesu This hope vnto lyfe wolde the Lorde prynte substancially in vs with the resurrection And therfore after his resurrection he contynued fortye dayes wyth his disciples that he mightwell instructe them of his resurrection and that they shuld haue no doulte therin So whan he had shewed and declared vnto them his very resurrection dyuerse wayse and had perfourmed all that the father commaunded him to fynde he ascended vp vnto heaueÌ„ with body and soule fro mouÌ„t Oliuere in the sight of his disciples and is set at the righte hand of God there to remayne corporally vntyll the last daye in the which he shall â–ª come agayn bodelye to iudge the quycke deed And all suche as haue walked in faith shall he take to him with body soule in to heauen lyke as he himselfe is receaued in to heauen And shall with body and soule condemne all them that haue walked in the waye of the olde serpente and haue not conuerted from vnrighteousnesse to the righteousnesse in Christ And thus shall saluacion be perfectly fynished and gods chyldren shall lyue eternally with God thorow Jesus Christ To whome be prayse for euer Amen ☞ That also the electe Apostles preached thys olde fayth and declared that all saluacion is â–ª onely in Christ THus thorow Christ Jesus is al fulfilled that the prophetes prophecied of hym a fore thus is he become y â— saluacion of all faithfull beleuers euen the lampe of God whiche hath bene sacrificed sens the beginninge of the world that is this is he whose power and delyueraunce hath clensed all them that euer put their trust in God thorow the blessed sede Herein now is the righte true â—aluacion this is the summe of the right perfecte religion Who so peruerteth thys from him shall God turne him selfe who so addeth oughte vnto this to hym shall God adde his wrothfull hand who so taketh ther froÌ„ his lyfe shall God â—â—nishe But blessed are they which walke in this simplicite clennesse contynue so vnto the ende euen they that heare gods worde do therafter whose onely hope is Jesus Christ This onely true and euer durynge saluacion wolde he to be shewed and declared to all nacions whiche came to saue all nacions but he wold it sholde be declared by the preachinge of the holy gospell and thorow the ministracion of the holâ— sacramentes And therfore by his
beleue to folowe and to serue Contrarywyse he forsoke God and so came he vtterly in to the bondage of the Deuell and darknesse And thus haue we now the goodnesse and faythfulnesse of God Agayne the wyckednesse great vnfaythfulnesse of man ¶ The fyrste and ryght foundation of our holy Christen fayth HEre now had the iust god occasion and ryght to expell man to destroy hym to dampne hym and to leaue hym vtterly to the deuel And the same also dyd hys ryghteousnes true the requyre For he had sayde In what daye so euer thou eatest of the fruyte thou shalt dye the deeth Contrary wyse the goodnesse and mercye of God requyred not vtterly to suppresse man a poore and naked creature In the meane â—eason was there founde awaye wherby the ryghteousnesse and trueth of god shulde be satysfied and in the whyche the mercy of god shulde specyally be exercysed and declare it selfe that is to say Chryste Jesus whyche is geuen vs by the manyfeste grace of god was offered for our synnes satysfied and recompenced the ryghteousnesse of God and so delyuered vs out of the bondes of the Deuell For he dyed for vs all in asmuche as god sayd In what day so euer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye the deathe Therfore dyed Christ for vs all that throw hys death we myght lyue and be taken out of the kyngdome of darknesse and be sette in the kyngdome of the deare beloued sonne of God Thys deuyse of gods wysdome whych no doubte was determynate from euerlastyng was also directly opened vnto AdaÌ„ after the fall in maner folowynge Whan man had eaten of the frute of the forbydden tree immedyatlye hys eyes were opened in so much that he was ashamed whaÌ„ he sawe that he was naked â–ª Hytherto had he lyued in innocencye therefore beganne he now to couer hym selfe but wyth symple clotynge whych they trusted not muche to lyke as it is a â— vnprofytable that man of hym selfe wyll couer hys synn wythal sauynge that they sled from the Lord and hyd them selues from hym But the Lord folowed vppon the fugytiue put hym in mynde of hys decaye mysery and the lyfe that he was fallen from and sayde Adam â—here art thou Or knowest thou what misery thou art fallen into from great felicite Nowe shuld man haue knowleged hys faute but he shewed hym selfe styfnecked â–ª And the Lorde moueth hym styll to se yâ— he wyll knowlege hys synne and sayd â—ho tolde the that thou art naked Yee to helpe hym in the matter and to make hym confesse hys synne he sayeth moreouer â–ª Hast thou not eaten of the tree of the which I â—orbade the â—â—â— thou shuldest not eate But man was lothe to knowleg his synne and layed it first â—â—on the woman hys companion â–ª and the same dyd he with so froward and vnaduised wordes that a man maye easely see that secretly in hys hart he wyckedly and vnreasonably layed the faulte vpon God For he sayd not onely The woman gaue me of the tre to eate but added proudly thereto The woman whyche thou gauest me c. As though he shuld say Thou thy selfe art in the fault If thou haddest not geuen me the woman I had not ben disceaued And yet the righteous God gaue not hym the woman to disceaâ—e hym but to be an helpe to hym Wherfore appeareth it here agayne that the synne of maÌ„ was the more wylfull and greuous Yet for al thys dyd the gracious God proceade further and woulde proue whether he myght fynde anye knowledge of the synne wyth the woman the begynnynge and occasyon of the synne But nothyng at all coulde he fynde The one persone was as the other and they hoth had no power Therfore lyke as Adam put all the fault to the woman euen so â—ayâ—â—â—he woman all the faulte vppon the serpente that is vppon the deuell Whyche nature doth yet to thys daye â—leue in man But what man whych hath well coÌ„sydrâ—d â—his forsayde matter by hymselfe woldâ— noâ— saye or durst thyâ—ke that any parte of the promes of ryghteousnes and saluation of man were to be ascribed to hys owne power and deseruyng For asmuche as it is so manyfest how vnable aâ—â—â—â—stâ— man is of hym selfe whych doth nothynge but he peth synne vpon synne and dysohâ—dâ—ence vpon disobedience Agayn who is so blinde but he seyeth that all saluacion is to be ascrâ—bed to the onely merâ— grace and mercy of god For now foloweth it fyrst how god handled in thys matter Now whan all the complynt was made vpon the serpent the Lorde asketh and examineth the Serpente nothynâ—e at all for the dede was opeÌ„ nether was the serpent created of God to speake and wyth the deuyll was there no trueth Therfore doth the Lorde ryghteously curse â—hâ— serpent the deuell Unto the bodeâ—y sâ—rpeÌ„t also whom the deuell vsed as an instrumeÌ„t he geueth a sore curse and sayeth â–ª Uppon thy bely shalt thou go and erth shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy lyfe When thys was done it was ordeyned now first for man that accordinge to the righteousnes and trueth of God he shulde be punished also with the curse and with eternall death but for the causes expressed in the begynnyng of this chapter the curse was directed vnto Christ who also with cleare wordes was promised and so was lyfe in hym promised lykewise Therfore sayeth not the Lord now and cursed be thou maÌ„ because thou hast done agaynst my commaundement but And I will put enemyte betwene the and the woman betwene thy sede and hir sede the sâ—me shall treade the on the heade thou shalt treade hym on the ele Which is thus moche to saye Thou hast vsed the woman to the distruction of meÌ„ so that from hens forth they bring deth â–ª and by kynde nature are damned whan they are borne Therfore will I also vse the woman but to saluatioÌ„ for of the woman shall a sede or chyld be borne which shall breake thy beade power and kyngdome synne damnation and death howeâ—eit in hys manhode he shalbe troden downe and bytten That is Whan with his transgression hath deserued eternall death to that after the rigoure of my iustice he shuld perishe and belonge to the â—euell for euer neuertheles I will haue mercy vpon hâ—m and receaue hym to grace agayne â–ª but to the intent that my trueth and righteousnesse maye be satisfyed â–ª I wyll cause my sonne to take the very nature of man vpon hym Then will I that he take vpon hym selfe the curse and damnacion and dye and with his innocent death to take awaye that noysome deathand curse and so to set the generation of man out of death â–ª in to lyfe out of the dominion of the deuell in to his owne kyngdome out of darckneesse into light Thus â—â—e right foundation or ground of our holy fayth continueth fast and vnmoued in somoche as all the generation of man
is whole and clensed from synne and delyuered from the curse from the deuell and euerlastinge damnation onely thorowe the mercy and mere grace of God by Jesus Christ As touching this Paul sayde whan he wrote to the Romaynes in the ighte chapter God â—eet hys sonne in the simylitude of synfull fleshe and thorowe synne that is to saye thorow the synne offring and willyng death of Christ he condemned synne in the fleshe * And in the fyrste Epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter the same P. sayeth Christ Jesus is appoynted of god to be oure wisdome and righteousnesse and sayntifieng redempcion that as it written who so glorieth reioyseth let hym glory and reioyse in the Lorde But for asmoche as this is the ferst promes and the first sure Euangelion â–ª I wil now speake of euery worde in especiall First God calleth his sone our lord Je sus the sede of the womaÌ„ A sede because of the very nature of man and because that our Lorde shâ—lde not take vpon hym a phantasticall but a very true bodye But to these wordes ther is added Of the woman For our Lord was not conceaued and borne of maÌ„s sâ—de but of the holy goost out of the virgyn Mary Therfore can not this sentence be vnderstonde of Eue but of the virgyn Mary Nowe where as she is called a woman it is done because of the kynred For euen the daughters also and maydens are rekened in the womens kynred and yet contynue vndefyled virgins God also hath spoken here distinctly and sayde not I will put enemyte betwene the and this woman but betwene the and haischah the woman vnderstand some speciall woman no doubte euen suche one as he afterwarde set forth clearly by Esaye sayeng Beholde a virgyâ— shall conceaue and beare a sonne c And this worde â–ª sede was alwaye afterwarde in euery renewynge of this promes concernynge Christ Jesu amonge all the patriarkes and prophetes rehearsed vsed and expressed vntyll the tyme of Dauid Of whome the Lord afterwarde was called a floure the rote sprâ—wâ—ing or blossome of Dauid The holy apostle Paul expoundeth this worde sede clearly and planely and sayeth it is Christ Gal. iii. More ouâ—r it serueth to the prayse of the Lordes mother that â–ª God sayeth I wyll put enemytie betwene the woman and the. For he meaneth the difference of both their na â—urs The deuell is proude sotle wicked false and vntrue but the mother of Christ is lowlye symple vertuous faythfull and vpright â—haist and cleane And the same pure vyrgin and gratious mother hath borne vnto vs hym that trode downe the serpentes heade The heade of the serpent is the power and kyngdome of the deuell euensynne the curse and damnation All thys hath that blessed sede broken for hys faythfull All which thynges the holy apostle Paul also hath taught with these wordes The Lorde is become partaker of our flesh bloude that he thorow death mighte take awaye the power from hym which had the lordshippe ouer death that is to saye the deuell and to delyuer them whiche throwe fear e of death were all their lyfe tyme in bondage For he toke not vpon hym the aungels but the sede of Abraham toke he vpon hym c. * And to the same meanyng doth thys also serue that foloweth And thou shalt treade him on the hele The hele is the lowest parte in man and here it singnifieth the mooste inferiour thinge in Christ euen his fleshe Thys hath the olde serpent the deuell persecuted and troden downe by hys meÌ„bres Cayphas Annas Herode and Poâ—teâ—s Pâ—late For Peter sayeth Christe hath suffred for vs in the flesh The godhead is impussible and the soule immortall But by this treadynge downe of the lord hath God troden dowen the kyngdome of the deuell That is to saye by his death hath he destroyed death and brought lyfe agayne to al them that beleue Her of commeth it that Chryst sayeth hym selfe JohaÌ„ xii â–ª Nowe is the iudgement of the worlde nowe shall the prynce of thys worlde be thrust out And I whaÌ„ I am lyfte vp that is to saye cruâ—yfied from the earthe wyll drawe all thynges to me At the last sayth the Lorde that he wyl put enemytie betwene the serpente and the womans sede Thys maye we se in the deuell and hys membres and actes how they are contrary to Chryste and hys membres and dedes But how strong so euer the serpent is yet shall he be troden downe thorow Chryst and hys faythfull â–ª Herof commeth it that Paul spake so comfortable to the Romaynes Roma xvi The God of peace shall shortly treade downe the deuell vnder youre fete And here wythall is the dewty also of the faytfull in Chryst shortly comprehended For as touchynge them that saye It is ynoughe then and is all well whan I knowlege that I am a synner and saued thorow the blessed sede onely To them it is here answered and clearly geueÌ„ to vnderstande that all they whych put theyr trust in the blessed sâ—de take vpon them the kynde of the sede and hate the kynde of the serpent that is to saye synne and blasphemy and fight alway more and more agaynste the worlde and the Deuyll as longe as they lyue yee and occupie them selues moost faythfully about that whych is gods wyll And here to nowe serueth it that foloweth after For whan the Lorde had taken awaye the euerlastynge death he layed vppon man a tempoâ—all punyshement correction discipline in the whych he shulde be exercised as longe as he lyued vpon earth And vpon the womaÌ„ he layed combre sorow and payne whan she shulde beare and bringe forth chyldren Subiection also and seruyce wyth feare obedieÌ„te which she oweth to the maÌ„ To man he enioyneth laboure for the Lord cursed the erth and sayde Wyth sorowe shalt thou get thy lyuynge all the dayes of thy lyfe Yee in the sweate of thy face shalte thou eate thy breade Moreouer he layed temporall death vpon them bothe and sayeth Earth thou arte and to earth shalte thou returne Of the fyrste doth Paull speake also .i. Timo. ii The woman shalbe saued by bearynge of chyldren yf she contynue in fayth and loue and in holynesse or clennesse and nurtoure Of the seconde speaketh the same Paul lykewyse to the Ephesians and Tessalonians Let noman vndermyne or dysceaue hâ—s brother in occupâ—enge and who so hath vsed falshed and dysceate let hym do it nomore but let hym rather labour wyth hys handes some honest thyng that he maye haue to distribute vnto such as haue nede And as touchinge death â–ª Paull also sayeth to the Hebrues in the .ix. Chapter Howe that it is oppoynted vnto men ones to dye and that euen to Chryste Jesus was offred vp and dyed ones for all Of Adam ¶ Of the fyrst faith full Christen Adam and Eue. ANd hytherto I trust we haue
the trueth righteousnes Then to offre hymselfe to the father for our synnes and after the sacrifice done to ryse vp agayn froÌ„death to asceÌ„de vnto heaueÌ„ there to seyt at the ryght haÌ„de of god and eueÌ„ there as a true hye bisshoppe to appeare alwaye in the presence of god and to praye for vs. Thys is the summe of the rytes and ceremonies of the olde fathers the vnderstondynge of the figures and the sprete of the lettre wher of holy Paull hath written moche in the moost excellent epistle to the Hebrues Out of all thys is it easye to vnderstoÌ„d howe that these rytes ceremonies of the fathers were sacramentes and geuen to the people of god Not that they with the lettre and outwarde visyble and corporall thynge shulde sufficiently serue God whiche is a sprete but that they shuld lift vp their myndes aboue the same to the spirituall thynges pondrynge the mercy of God out of the whiche he beynge moued is become gracious vnto vs. And whan he might haue damned vs for oure synnes and mysdedes he spared vs for hys sonnes sake whome he gaue vnto death and hys innocent death hath he accepted for our synnes Soche a faithfull consideration whiche is the true beleue pleaseth god and with soche a fayth is god serued and soche a fayth wolde the Lorde haue taught andplanted in wyth the â—oresayde rytes and Ceremonies Therfore all they that pleased god among the olde fathers pleased hym not for the letters sake but by reason of the sprete Whaâ— the sacrifice also and ceremonye was executed after the ordinaunce of god in the congregation the beloued frendes of God had not onely respecte vnto the outewarde thynge but muche rather behelde they Chryst with the eyes of fayth thought thus Beholde the wyll of God hathe ordeyned to do sacrifice for synne now are we all synners and detters vnto god in so much that he hath power right ouer vs that lyke as the beeste whyche is now slayne and offred dyeth hath hys bloud shed Euen so myght God now also kyll vs all and coudemne vs for euer Neuerthelesse he hath takeÌ„ vs to his mercy and promysed vs a sede whiche shulde thus dye on the crosse and clense vs wyth hys bloud wyth hys deth restore vs vnto lyfe Whyche thynge no doute shall as surely come to passe as thys beest is slayne offred now a ore our eyes And lyke as the bloude is sprenkled ouer the people for the bodely cleÌ„syng So shall the bloud of Christ be sprenkled vpon oure soules c. And out of suche thoughte and faythfull consyderacion of the sacrifices grewe repentaunce and sorow for theyr synnes a gladnesse prayse comforte and thankes geuynge vnto God the mercyfull father And to thys do serue certayne Psalmes whyche were made concernynge the sacrifices To thys also serue all the rebukynges of the holy Prophetes and the refusinges of the oblations For the exteriour pompe and shewe of the offrynges wythout fayth in God and the blessed sede is nothyng worth yea it is rather abhominacion vnto god as thou seyst in the first chapter of Esaye Thou wâ—â—t aske Might not god haue taught and shewed his people the cause of Jesu Christ and of true beleue none other waye then thorowe and wyth suche cost pompe and glory of sacrifices other gorgiousnesse of the churche I answere Yf the people had not falleÌ„ to more wyckednesse in Egypt thorow their dwellynge amonge the ydolaters but had constantly and stedfastly remained as dyd theyr fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob then myghte they well haue contynued by the olde shorte symple fourme as it was amonge the holy fathers But nowe had they sene in Egypte an outwarde costlye gods seruice wyth temples altures sacrifices preâ—â—hode holy daves ornameÌ„tes c. Lykewyse the ydolatrye increaced dayly in all the worlde so that nowe there was vtterly no people whyche had not theyr owne outwarde ceremonies â–ª wherewyth they serued God To the intente then that God myghte reâ—â—â—ne hys people wythin the compasse of fayth in one God and in the blessed sede promysed afore to the intente also that they shoulde shewe no outward â–ª seruyce to any other goddes or take vpon them to serue God after the maner of the EgipciaÌ„s or after other HeitheÌ„ he appoynted an outwarde gods seruice and coÌ„maunded to do the same vnto hym and els to none and in the same pleased it hym to set forth all the cause of the forsayde sede tyll he came and perfourmed all thynges indede that they hadde fygurally in theyr sacrifices Morouer god accordyng â—â— hys wysdome of hys speciall mercy and good herte that he hath vnto mans generation wolde wyth these outwarde tokeÌ„s tender oure weaknesse whiche of spirituall heauenly thynges hathe better vnderstandynge whan they are shewed vnto it by corporall vysible thynges God therfore thorow suche corporall representations laboured to shewe vnto that grosse and fleshly people the heuenly cause of hys sonne Neuerâ—theles the corporall visible thynges were geuen for no longer but vntyll the tyme of the fulfyllynge But now that Câ—râ—st hath appeared and fulfylled and perfourmed all that was wryteÌ„ and figured of hym in the law and the prophetes the figure ceasseth â–ª and the outewarde Sacramentes of Moses lawe â–ª are of no more value to be exercised and vsed Thus muche â—â—sayde of the ceremonyes Where as besyde the ceremonies there is muche wryten also in the lawe concernynge cyuyle policye ordynaunce iudgement to lyue peaceable and well in cytye and lande Of biyng and sellyng of warre and peace of enherytaunce and propertyes of lawes matrimonyall of punyshement of the wycked of the iudgement and connsaill of leadynge and borowynge c. It is no newes at all and serueth altogether for the declaratioÌ„ of the fyre â—oÌ„maundementes of the seconde table and is comprehended in the wordes of Paul Roma xiii Loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe â–ª And in the wordes of Christe That thou woldest not haue done vnto the doo not thou to another Math. vii Suche lawes and rules to lyue in peace in a cyuyle ordre and vertue haue also the good holy fathers had froÌ„ the begynnyng of the world wrytten in theyr hartes by God hym selse Nowe hathe God also caused all to be comprehended in wryttynge by Moses to the intente that the World myghte haue all more clearlye and perfectly and that no man myghte excuse hym selfe of ignoraunce ☞ The originall of the holy scripture and fayth thereof THys mater which I haue hytherto treated vpon haue I not feyned of my selfe but taken it out of the mouthe and worde of God For god styred vp Moses to wryte and leaue behynde hym all the matter for our lernyng and knowlege Thys dyd now Moses wyth great faythfulnesse coÌ„prehended all in foure bokes The fyrste is called the boke of the creation from the be gynnynge of the worlde vnto hys tyme of the creacion of
describeth he also in the foresayde verse the pure and holy Conception and byrth of our Lord Jesu Chryst And thys doth he wyth a goodly similitude sayeth Thy byrth shalbe holy and very excellent not vncleane as the byrthe of other men For lyke as the dew out of the cleare heauen out of the fayre mornynge is borne as it wereout of a mothers wombe EueÌ„ so also shalt thou be borne holy and cleane of an vndefyled virgin Wherof thou findest more instruction Luke i. The Lorde hath swome and it shall not repeÌ„t him thou art prest for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech In thys fourth verse descrâ—beth he the office of Jesu Christ how that he is ordeyned of God to be one onely preist for euer whych shuld offer vp hym selfe for the synne of the world and alway appeare in the syght of God the father and to praye for vs. All thys doth holy Paull declare at large to the Hebreues in the .v. vii viii ix and. x chap. And specially in thys verse is grounded all that is red thorowe out the scripture of the merites of Christ of the forgeuyng of sinnes of righteous making of beynge mediatoure and that he alone is the onely saluation aduocate satisfaction and ryghteousnesse of the faythfull The Lorde is at thy ryght hand he in the tyme of hys wrath shall wounde euen kynges Thys fyfth verse teacheth howe God wyll ener more and more stand on hys soÌ„nes syde further hys cause and brynge downe and destroye those kynges princes and Lordes that wyl not amende and beleue in Christ but wyll rather prouoke his wrathe then â—elyre hys grace Whyche thynge Herodes Nero Domicianus Maximinus and Julianus haue proued Yet foloweth the syxte verse declarynge the fyfth He shall iudge amonge the Heythen and fyll all full of deed bodyes and smyte the heade on the wyde grounde Christ is also preached vnto the HeitheÌ„ and reigneth among theÌ„ but many wythstande Chryste and them dothe he iudge And lyke as a kynge ouercommeth hys enemyes wyth a battayle and couereth the whole playne wyth deed bodyes visiteth also and smyteth the head of the warre the head cycie of the enemies EueÌ„ so doth Christ to his enemies and destroieth their power and kyngdome All whych thynges we haue sene in the olde vnchristeÌ„ empyre of Rome and in many other potentates and powers But specially he breaketh the head of the olde serpent accordyng to the promes Gene. iii. And at the laste shall he come to iudge the quycke and deed and destroye hys enemyes for euer Out of the broke in the way shall he drynke therfore shall he also lyfte vp the heade Fynally and in the seuenth verse he describeth the passion of Christ and his glory In the waye sayeth he that is in hys lyfe whyle he is in thys miserie He shall drynke oute of the broke that is he shall suffer be ouercome For to drynke out of the cuppe is asmuche as to suffer But to drynke oute of the broke is to be altogether full of trouble to be vexed and â—ormeÌ„ted wythoute victory and vtterly to be ouerwhelmed wyth a broke strong streame of troubles Thus was it hys mynde to declare the passion of Christ After the passioÌ„ foloweth the glory wyth the resurrection and ascensioÌ„ Paul Philip. ii speaketh of both and sayeth Chryste humbled hymselfe and became obedieÌ„t vnto death euen the deathe of the Crosse Wherfore God hath exalted hym and geuen hym a name whyche is aboue all names c. Thus muche be spoben of thys Psalme and of Dauids vnderstandyng â—hych he had of Christ Jesu and of the christeÌ„ faith Upon thys I maruayll yf after so euidente testimonies there be yet any man whych perceaueth not that Dauids faith and vnderstandyng of Christe was euen one fayth and vnderstandynge wyth the fayth that we knowlege and say I beleue in one God father alymightye c As it is in the xii articles of the Chrysten faythe For the holy trinite in one godheade doth he knowlege not onely here but also in the .xxxiii. Psalme sayenge Thorowe the worde of God were the heaueÌ„s made and all theyr power thorow the sprete of hys mouth For certayne it is that there is but one onely God maker of heauen and of erth but here is the trinite called Lord or God worde and sprete Nether is there any thynge in the Articles of the beleue concernynge the Godhead and manhode of Christ of hys concepcion byrth passioÌ„ crosse and death of the resurrection asceÌ„sion and iudgement but ti is clearly comprehended here in thys Psalme The articles of the holy churche of forgeuynge of sinnes the resurrectioÌ„ of the fleshe and an euerlastynge lyfe are conteyned in thys Psalme and are treated vpon yet more clearly and wyth many moo wordes very substantially in other Psalmes of Dauid Therfore had he our holy fayth knowleged the same was saued therein and of all holy meÌ„ was called the father of christ wyth hye commendation bycause of the promes that was made vnto hym Moreouer all the holy Prophetes folowynge had respecte vnto Dauid as to another Moses and toke many thinges out of his wryttynges For there is scace any other that so clearly wrote of the cause of christ as thys prophet Dauid and therfore hath he honoure and prayse aboue other in Israel Of whome thou readest also â–ª Eccle. xlvii Such fayth and confidence in God thorow Jesus Christ had Dauid oute of the holy goost and out of the doctrine of hys Prophetes Samuel Nathan Gad and of other hys preistes whych also had the same of God and of the holy fathers specially of Moses And no doute he desired the honoure of God and of hys soÌ„ne not to kepe it onelye hym selfe but also muche rather to requyre it of all hys people Wherfore no doute he set vp and furthured thys hys fayth and religion amoÌ„g all hys men of warre kynstolke in al hys courte Edominion before the whole congregation and in all hys kyngdome soâ— diligently ernestly and feruently that afterwarde certayne hundreth yeares they whych beleued ryghte lyued well were praysed for walkyug in the wayes of Dauid theyr father They also that dyd euell and set not forth the true fayth of them is it wryten They walked not in the wayes of Dauid theyr father Of thys hast thou many ensamples in the bokes of the kynges and in the Cronicles Many thynges also were forgeuen the kynges and all the people of Juda for Dauids sake that is for the promes sake mode vnto Dauyd euen for Jesus Christes sake whom Ezechiel calleth Dauid In the. iii boke of the kynges the xv chapter it is wrytteÌ„ thus The hert of Abia was not ryght toward hys Lord God as was the hart of Dauid hys father And for Dauyds sake dyd the Lorde geue hym a lyghte at Hierusalem so that at HierusaleÌ„ he set vp hys sonne and
lyfe tyme he dyd chose Apostles whome he receaued to be witnesses of all hys doctryne miracles enfourmyng them diligently helde nothyng backe from them For he sayeth vnto them Ye are my frendes yf ye do all that I commaunde you I wyll hence forth call you no more seruauntes for a seruant woteth not what hys Lorde doth But I haue called you my frendes for all that I haue heard of my father haue I opened vnto you Joh. â—v But for asmoche as they yet lacked vnderstondnge were forgetfull and had euer straunge ymaginacions of the kyngdome of Christ therfore whan he now ascended vnto heauen he charged them not to departe from Hierusalem but to wayte for the holy gooste whome he also gaue vnto them vpon the fiftieth daye after his resurrection that is vpon the tenth daye after his ascension euen the fiftenthe daye of Maye by the which holy goost they beynge illuminate spake with all maner of langagâ—â— and were myndfull of all that the Lorde had commaunded them aâ—oâ—e For the holy goost dyd not endew them with a newe doctryne but it that the Lord had taught them out of the lawe and the prophetes the same dyd he bringe to their remembraunce and illucidate all thinges prynted them more clearly in ther hertes For so sayeth the. Lorde in the gospell The conforter euen the holy gost whom the father wyll sende in my name he shall teache you all thinges and bringe all thynges to youre remembraunce that I haud sayde vnto you Therfore so longe as the Lorde was with them and tolde them all the matter of hys passion they were sorye and coulde not beare awaye all that he sayd vnto them But after that he was taken vp frome the erth in to heauen he sent the holy goost euen him whome the prophetes also had before that led them into all Christen veryte So whan they were endowed with the holy gooste they beganne accordige to the Lordes commaundemente to preach in all the world the foresayde matter of saluacion purged and obteyned onely by Christ and gotten by true faith For he had sayde Go your waye in to all the world and preach the gospell vnto all creatures Who so beleueth and is baptised shalbe saued c. And therwith comprendeth he both the poyntes whiche the Apostles vsed and practised euen the preachyng of the faith in Jesus Christ and of the ministracion of the sacramentes And how the Apostles doctryne was it is manifest out of the Actes of the Apostles But shortly and in a summe they preached amendement of lyfe and remission of synnes thorow Jesus Christ That is to saye howe that the whole generacion of man laye in the dominion of the deuel and in y e bondes of synne cursed and damned but God had mercy on vs all sente his soone in to this worlde to dye and with hys death to restore vs vnto lyfe and to wash vs with his bloude that who so euer beleueth in hym shulde not perish but haue eternall lyfe All this declared they out of the lawe and the prophetes proued that Jesus Christ whome they preached is the blessed sede promised vnto the fathers Who so is desyrous to haue a perfecte ensample of this declaracion he fyndeth two sermons of the famous Apostles Peter and Paul the one in the Actes of the Apostles the secoÌ„de chapter the other in the. xiii chap. There doth the holy Apostle open the mistery of our holy faith very excellently declaringe it from the tyme of Abraham vnto Dauid from him vnto Jhon the baptist There vpon sheweth he how Christ suffred dyed was buried and rose agayne from death All this confirmeth he with the scriptures of the prophetes At the last he concludeth the sermon after this maner Be it kowen vnto you therfore ye men and brethren that thorowe Jesus is preached vnto you forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all they that beleue are iustified from all thynges from the which ye coulde not be iustified by the lawe of Moses To this now also the sermon of Peter Yee all the scryptures of the Apostles do fynally accorde to the same effect Hereout also bring they y e doctrine of repentaunce and amendment of lyfe the rebuking of synne conslacions exhortacions and drawyng to all maner of good workes that folowe out of faith The speciall sacramentes whiche the lord dyd chefely institute and commaunde the Apostles to praise in the churche are holye Baptyme and the blessed supper of oure Lorde Jesus Christ Concernynge y â— first he saieth To me is geuen all power in heauen and in erth therfore go youre waye and teach all people baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy goost and teach them to kepe all that I haue commaunded you The other dyd he institute at the last supper For thus is it written in the holy gospell WhaÌ„ they were eatynge he toke bred and whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue them sayeng Take eate this is my bodye whiche shall be geueÌ„ for you this do in the remembraunce of me So toke he also y â— cuppe whan they had supte and sayde Drynke ye all out of this This is my bloud of y â— new testament which shall be shed for the remission of sinnes With suche sacrameÌ„tes thorow outward visible stourmes for our infirmities sake pleased it the lord to shewe set before oure eyes his heueÌ„ly in visible grace not that we shuld continue still hanginge in the visible thing but that we shuld lyft vp our myndes and with a true beleue to holde fast to prynte sure in oure myndes to worshippe and to enioye the thinges that faith sheweth vs by the outward sacramentes With these outward sacramentes also hath it pleased him to opeÌ„ declare and shewe vnto vs his grace and louynge kydnesse Namely how that he geueth vnto vs him self and all his riches clenseth vs fedeth and moystureth oure soules wyth hys flesh and bloud that he is at one with vs and we with him so that we vse and practise the sacramentes with a true faith For the outward enioyeng of the sacramentes of it selfe alone doth not reconcyle vs wyth God but yf they be vsed with fayth than as Saynte Peter saieth Act. xv thorow faith doth God purifye the hertes With the sacramentes pleased it hym to leue behynd him a remembraunce of his giftes benefites to the intent that we shuld neuer forget them but prayse and thanke him therfore Morouer with vysible sacramentes was it his will to gather vs together and to marke vs in remembraunce of oure dewty how we are one body to gether and ought to applye our selues to all righteousnesse All which thinges are foude at lenthe in the scriptures of the Apostles As for the Apostles they mynistred the. sacramentes diligently puâ—râ—ly and symply and so without anye addicion distributed them vnto