vs too rise froÌ„ sléepe bicause saluatioÌ„ is néerer thaÌ„ wheÌ„ we beléeued Bee enlightened Heare receiue and embrace Chryst the true lyght which lyghteneth euery man that commeth intoo this world by which light the true knowledge of God true rightuousnesse and eternall life is kindled in our hartes The first place is of the person and benefites of Chryst THrée notable names are giuen vntoo Chryst in this prophesie which lernedly describe and beautifully set out his person and benefites For first he is named Lord or Iehoua that is too say in very déed and by nature god Like as also in Ieremy the .xxiij. and .xxxiij. he is called the Lord our rightuousnesse Secondly he is called the glory of the Lord first for his being bicause he is the full and expresse image of the euerlasting father representing and shewing the whole father as in the Epistle too the Hebrewes he is called the bryghtuesse of his glory and the very image of the fathers substance Also Exod. xxxiij Shew mée thy glory And secoÌ„dly bicause that by his gospel he procureth true and due glory too his eternal father according as the angels sung when Christ was born Glory bée too God on hie The foundation of Gods glory are the being the power of god The bound therof is our acknowledgement and setting of it foorth Therfore wee theÌ„ yéeld true glory vnto God when wee acknowledge and confesse that God is that God hath care of mankind that God hath truly opened his wil to mankind in his woord vttered by his soÌ„ne that God is wise rightuous soothfast frée chast pitifull y he releaseth vs our sinnes receiueth vs when wée flée too his sonne of his owne frée grace and not for our worthinesse or deserts that he harkeneth too those that call vpon him and that he saueth them for his sonnes sake who was borne too vs and giuen too vs. This doctrine concerning the true acknowlegement of Gods being and wil and concerning the true seruices too bée performed too God dooth the sonne of God spred abrode among mankynd by his ministers and boweth mennes myndes and hartes too the acknowledging of this doctrine and too true obedience that God may be magnifyed at many mennes hands with true glory which cannot otherwyse bée yéelded vntoo God but by acknowledging of Chryst y lyght of the world For although the heathen Philosophers the hipocrytes doo after a sort graunt that there is a God that the wicked are punished yet yéeld they not too God his true and full glory bicause they are ignorant of Gods wil disclosed in his Gospell Thirdly Chryst is called our lyght bycause y in the harts of men who erst were ouerwhelmed with the mist of ignorance of God of sinne and of death he by his Gospel kindleth the lyght of the true knowledge of God true comfort ryghtuousnesse and eternall lyfe by which lyght they are defended ageinst death sinne the Diuels tyrannye and endlesse damnation Iohn j. The sonne of God is the true lyght which lighteneth euery maÌ„ that commeth into this world Ioh. viij I am the light of the world Esay xlix I haue giuen thée too bée a light too the Gentiles that thou maist bée my saluation too the endes of the world Also Esay ix The people that walked in darknesse hath séene a great light Al whole mankind Kings Princes Philosophers wisemen lerned men euerychone of them walke in most thicke darknesse ouerwhelmed with sinne and death so long as they are without Gods woord vntill the starre that appered too the wise men that is too wit the woord of God doo rise in their hartes and woorke euerlasting life and rightuousnesse in them The second place coÌ„cerning the church of Chryst gathered of the Iewes Gentils or concerning the calling of the Gentils THe true Church or people of God are all those that with stedfast fayth embrace the lyght of the world our Lorde Iesus Chryst or which beléeue in Chryste not only Iewes borne of the offpring of Abraham dwelling at Hierusalem which had the Lawe giuen by GOD himself with notable signes and wonders and the state of gouernement ordeyned by the voyce of God and the kéeping of the promises concerning the Messias which were from tyme too tyme renewed and alwayes preserued in this people But also the Gentyles that walke in the lyght Chryst that is too say whiche are lightened with the true knowledge of Chryste and by fayth receyue forgiuenesse of sinnes ryghtuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting offered too all Nations in the promise of grace made vntoo Abraham Héere may the whole doctrine coâ—cerning the churche and the calling of the Gentyles bée repeted out of Rom. ix x. xj xv Ephe. ij Act. x. xv c. Esay ij xj xlij xlix lj liiij lv lvij c. For vppon singular forecast did God put a difference betwéene the Iewish people and the Gentyles by circumcision and other ceremonies deliuered in the Lawe of Moyses for this cause chéefly that the true church of God the piller and seate of the true doctrine concerning God and his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst myght bée knowen and séene with mennes eyes For inasmuch as it is his wil that euery man which is too bée saued should bée graffed intoo the Churche and ioyned too Chryste by the ministerie of his Gospell he chose a certein people in which the promises coÌ„cerning Christ should bée preserued and Chryst the redéemer bée exhibited and teache and woork miracles and bée made a sacrifice and bée séene rysen agein from death Excéeding great therefore were the priuiledges of the Iewish people whom God hath chosen too himselfe from among all Nations too bée his peculiar possession a Royall préesthod and a holy Nation with whome he made a couenant with his owne mouth and by circumcision whom God had garnished with his owne woord with his promises with his Testamentes with Fathers Lawes woorshippings euerlasting préesthod and with the birth of Chryste as touching the flesh On the contrarie part the Gentyls wanted all these good things they were without Chryste straungers from the state of Israell forreners from the Testamentes and promises without hope and without GOD in the world And therfore did the Iewes very farre prefer theÌ„selues before the godlesse and Idolaters Gentyls and déemed that Chryst togither with his kingdome and benefites perteyned only too themselues It is then an excéeding great benefite of God that he hath called too the lyght of his Gospell not onely the Iewes but now also the. Gentyles Greekes Arabians Madianits Nabathyes and others according as they are diuided by distribution in this prophesie of Esay But in the doctrine of the calling of the Gentyles these thrée articles are alwayes too bée considered First that the promise of the Gospell is vniuersall and that God is not an accepter of persones but is indifferent too all men according too that one rule expressed in the
it punisheth vs with death sicknesse and other miseries all which are sermons of the lawe concerning Gods dreadfull wrath ageinst sinne And the lawe is called our schoolemaster vntoo Christ for thrée causes First bycause the lawe by shewing vs the hugenesse and horriblenesse of sinne and by pronoūcing vs subiect too Gods wrath and euerlasting damnation driueth vs too séeke oure Phisitian and helper the sonne of God who alonely hath by his owne death taken away sinne and death and deliuered vs out of the prison of the lawe Secondly bycause Chryste orderly is effectuall onely in those that eschue the outward offences forbidden by the law of God and frame their manners according to Gods lawe He is not effectuall in those that wittingly willingly perseuer in outward offences contrary too Gods lawe Thirdly bicause the Ceremonies of Moyses were preachings or figures instructing the church concerning Christes benefites as the Lambe that was slaine for Passeouer betokened Chryst the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world All the Leuiticall sacrifices were sermons of Chrystes sacrifice Let yoongmen beare in mynd this exposition of Paules saying The lawe is our schoolemaister vntoo Chryste and so muche the more let them looke that they frame their manners according too honest discipline too the intent they shake not off the grace of Chryste but continue the Temples and dwelling places of God that Chryst may dwell in them and bée woorkfull in them Vppon the Sunday next ensuing the Circumcision of our Lord. In this church of Rostocke before noone is expounded the storie of Chrystes Baptim out of the third Chapter of Mathew and after noone the Epistle Tit. iij. concerning the lauer of regeneration and renewment by the holy ghost The disposement of which Epistle is recited heretoofore on the feast of Chrystes birth Vppon twelfth day ¶ The Epistle Esay lx GEt thee vp betimes and be enlyghtened O Hierusalem for thy lyght commeth and the glory of the Lord is risen vppon thee For lo while the darknesse and cloud couereth the earth the people the Lord shall shew thee lyght and his glory shal bee seene vppon thee The Gentyles shall walke in thy lyght and kings in the brightnesse that springeth forth of thee Lift vp thyne eyes and loke round about thee al these gather themselues and come vntoo thee Thy sonnes shall come too thee from a farre and thy daughters shall gather about thee on euery side Then thou shalt see and bee a flote thy hart shall wonder and bee enlarged when the abundance of the sea shall bee turned vntoo thee when the power of the gentiles shall come vntoo thee The multitude of Camels shal couer thee the dromedaries of Madian and Epha All they of Saba shall come bringing golde and incense and vttering the praise of the Lord. The disposement THis feastful day which commonly is called the day of the thrée kings was in ancient time named Epiphanie that is too say the feast of Christes appéering or shewing himselfe openly too the world For they wryte y as on this day being the .vj. of Ianuarie how bée it in sundry yéeres both y starre appéered too the wise men or diuines of Persia and Chryst was baptised in Iordan where the whole Godhed did shew it selfe openly by euident witnesse so as the thrée seuerall persones were séene and beheld by Iohn Baptist and also Chryst vttered his own glory by his first miracle at the mariage in Cana of Galilie And therefore in the hymne of Sedulius which beginneth O Herod wycked fo c. they are ioyned all toogither And although it bée a more likelyhod that the mariage in Cana was kept some other day yet notwithstanding dyuers old fathers are of opinion that the selfsame day twoo yéere after Chryst was borne the wysemen came vntoo him and that the same day in the thirtyth yéere after his birth was Christ baptyzed also according as Nazianzene of set purpose taketh vppon him the story of Chrystes baptim too expound vppon the day of Epiphanie which they name also the holy-day of lyghtes And Epiphanius in his disproofe of fond tales the hundred foure score and seuenth page hath noted many pleasant things woorth the knowing concerning the time of the comming of the wise men and other storyes which bring singular lyght too the things that are declared by the Euangelistes And this sermon of Esay is red vppon this day bicause it séemeth too agrée with the story of the wysemen which comming too Hierusalem by the lyght of a starre that went before them offered golde and frankincense too Chryst our lord Héeruppon also peraduenture it myght ryse that they were called kings wheras they were not kings but Magies that is too say préests and diuines of the Persians Neyther is it certeinly knowne whither they were but only thrée or mo that came vntoo Chryst And that they came not immediatly the .xiij. day after Chrystes birth bothe the length of their forney sheweth for the néerest borders of Persia vntoo Iewry are twoo hundred and twenty Germane miles off from Iewry And Saba the head Citie of happy Arabie is about twoo hundred and foure score miles from Hierusalem and also Luke the Euangelist manifestly proueth who writeth that Christ the .xxx. day after was offered in the temple and born in Simeons armes Wherupon it foloweth he was not the same time a banished person in Egipt Moreouer the names of the wisemen are pleasantly and lernedly deuised Melchior that is too say a king of light or a lightsome king Balthazar that is too say a captaine or generall of the warres Caspar a secretarie or Chauncelor For these names betoken that the king wyth his Capteines and officers of courts or that the whole state of gouernmēt both of peace and warre ought too serue Chryst But I will leaue these vymatters and go in hand with Esays sermon which is woont too bee set foorth this day in the church which is altogither a prophesie of Christes kingdom The chéefe places are thrée j Of the person and benefites of Chryst the king ij Of the multitude or Churche gathered toogither of Iewes and Gentiles which is subiect too this king iij Of the tributes or dueties and seruices which the Church on hir behalfe dooth yéeld and perform agein too hir king Chryst THe Prophet beginneth with an exhortation wherwith he prouoketh the whole churche and all men too receiue Chryst the king and light of the world reuerently and too embrace his doctrine Get thee vp betimes neglect not despise not thy Lord and king Iesus Christ bée not luskish or cold in héering and learning his doctrine but get thée vp betimes that is too say vse watchfulnesse diligence and earnestnesse in hearing and mainteining the doctrine of the gospel embrace thou Christ the lyght of the world reuerently and hartely and endeuer too holde him fast As is sayd Rom. xiij It is time for
not bee heire vvith the sonne of the freewoman So then brethren vvee are not children of the bond vvoman but of the free woman The disposement THis Epistle is of that kynd that instructeth For it is a Doctrine concerning the difference of the old Testament and the new set foorthe with a similitnde of Abrahams twoo wiues and their children taken out of the .xvj. and .xxj. of Genesis And therewithall are mingled places concerning the church or the difference betwéene the true church and the hipocritall church and concerning christen libertie The first place concerning the difference of the old Testament and the new A Testament in generall is a promis whereby one that is towardes death leaueth his will vntoo others vnder witnesse and bequetheth his goodes too his heires and declareth what he will haue performed on the behalfe of the heires Paule in the nynth too the Hebrewes sayeth Chryste is the mediator of the new Testament that through his death which befell for the redemption of those transgressions that were vnder the first Testament they which were called myght receyue the promis of euerlasting lyfe For wheresoeuer is a Testament there also must néedes bée the death of him that makes the Testament for the Testament is not of authoritie and force till the Testator bée dead Christ therfore when he was redy too die for vs made his Testament in which he witnesseth this too bée the will of him and of his eternall father that all which repent and flée too him by Fayth should obteyne forgeuenesse of sinnes and endlesse saluation for his bodyes sake which was deliuered for vs and for his bluds sake which was shed for vs and these his goods dooth he distribute too vs by his woord and Sacramentes The new Testament Then too define it most proprely is nothing els but the gospel y is too say A promis of remission of sinnes of the holy ghost and of life and soulehealth euerlasting too bee giuen freely too those that beleeue for Chrystes sake who dyed and rose agein for vs. This definition is builded vppon the woords of our Lords supper and vpon the .viij. and .ix. chapters too the Hebrues and vppon the .iij. and .iiij. chapters too the GalathiaÌ„s The mediator of this new testament is Chryste bycause he hath vttered too men the promis of forgiuenesse of sinnes and by his owne bludshed death fully discharged the raunsome or pryce sufficient for the sinnes of men which could not bée purged by our owne woorks and sacrifises and hath performed such an obedience as is the very desert for which remission of sinnes the holy Ghost new ryghtuousnesse eternall lyfe are bestowed vpon vs These benefits applieth he vntoo vs by his intercession and the outward meanes of his woord and sacraments The olde Testament is properly a publishing of the lawe or a couenant whereby God bounde the people of Israell too keep the law deliuered by Moses on the otherside promised them the laÌ„d of Canaan a certein coÌ„mon weale defence and all good things and added ceremonies and sacrifyses too bee figures of the persone and benefites of Chryste for whose sake only the beleeuers are at all tymes receiued into the leage of eternall saluation For there is but one selfsame principal and euerlasting Testament or couenant of God by which al the Patriarks Prophets Apostles and the rest of the chosen at all tymes are receyued that is too wit The promis of Gods fauor or of forgiuenesse of sinnes too bée giuen fréely for Christes sake Act. xv Rom. iiij By these definitions it appéereth that the difference betwéene the old Testament the new is in maner the same that is betwéene the law and the gospell In another place wée haue recited .vj. differences of the law and the gospel among which the chéef are these two The first is in the maner of the promisses The lawe or the old Testament promiseth good things but vntoo such only as kéepe the lawe vncorruptly But the Gospel or the new Testament promiseth remission of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe fréely for Chryst The second is of the effects The law or old Testament deliuereth no man from sinne and death ne giueth inheritance of eternall lyfe but denounceth vs the bondslaues of sinne and death accusing and encreasing our sinne casting vs intoo endlesse damnation But the Gospell or promisse of the new Testament deliuereth the children of the promisse from sinne and death and maketh them heires of euerlasting lyfe and of all heauenly good things This difference of the old Testament the new or of the lawe and the Gospell or of the people of the lawe and the people of grace is chéefly set out by Paule in this Epistle and garnished with the Allegorie of Abrahams two wiues and their children which Allegorie is brought in this place not too confirme but too beautifie and garnish the matter For like as Abraham had twoo wyues Agar a bondwoman and Sara a fréewoman by whom he had twoo sonnes Ismael bond and Isaac his heire Euen so God deliuering too men twoo kindes of doctrine the lawe and the gospell or the olde and the new Testament hath twoo peoples among mankynd of which the one embracing only the lawe séeketh ryghtuousnesse and eternall saluation by obseruing the law deliuered by God in mount Sinai and proudly despiseth the glad tydings of Gods frée fauâ—r and of faith like as the most part of mankind and specially the â—ewes other hipocrites which know none other ryghtuousnesse than the ryghtuousnesse of the law the image of which people is Ismael born as touching the flesh without Gods promis of the handmaid Agar by which name the Arabians are wont too cal mouÌ„t Sinai Gen. xvj who imagineth that the true children of Abraham or heirs of God are made or begotten by the fleshly regeneration and by the lawe or by desertes and woorkes of men This people béeing begotten too bondage vppon Agar or by Gods law published vppon Mount Sinai extendeth euen too the same Citie which is now called Hierusalem or too the sinagog of the Iewish people which although it vaunt it self stoutly too bée the true Churche and people of God descended from Abraham hauing the lawe and Ceremonies deliuered them by God yet is it in bondage with the children therof that is too say is not by the lawe deliuered from sinne and death nor made heire of ryghtuousnesse and eternall saluation but continueth oppressed with the thraldome of sinne and death and is cast out of the heauenly house or Church intoo endlesse damnation Now if the very lawe of God deliuered by God himselfe vppon mount Sinai begetteth none but bondmen ne deliuereth any man from death and sinne muche lesse can the woorkes of mennes traditions procure ryghtuousnesse and inheritance of eternall lyfe The other people or sonne of God by Sara the frée womaÌ„ borne ageine of the frée promis of the gospell trusteth too no
second benefit is remission of sinnes Ephes 1. and Col. 1. In whome wée haue redemption remissiō of sinnes by his blud The third is reconciliation or attonement with god Rom. viij When as wée were enemies too God wée were reconcyled too him by the death of his sōne Eph. v. Making peace that he myght reconcyle the Iewes and Gentyles in one body vntoo God ▪ by his crosse The fourth is Iustification Rom. iij. Wée are iustifyed fréely by his grace through the redemption made by Iesus Chryst whom GOD hath appoynted a seat of mercy through fayth in his blud too declare his ryghtuousnesse in y he forgiueth y sinnes which are past The fifth is the giuing of the holy ghost of holynesse Gal. iij. Chryst hath redéemed vs and is become accursed for vs that wée might receiue his spirit by fayth Iohn vj. If I go not away the comforter shall not come too you The sixth is the destruction of the Diuels kingdome Hebr. ij By death he hath abolished him that had the power of death that is too wit the Diuel and reconciled those that for feare of deathe were in bondage all their lyfe long The seuenth is the abolishing of sin death j. Cor. xv Death is swalowed vp intoo victorie O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie For the sting of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the lawe But thankes bée vntoo God who hathe giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryste The eyght is euerlasting lyfe and saluation Iohn iij. The sonne of man must bée lifted vpon the Crosse too the entent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting The application of these benefits is made by true repentance and faith That is too wit when acknowledging gods wrath and the horiblenesse of our sinnes wée are earnestly afraide and hartely sory that wée haue offended God and by faith acknowledge that Chryst the sonne of God suffred and was crucifyed made a sacrifise for vs persuade our selues assuredly that for this sacrifyse of Chrystes our sinnes are forgiuen vs ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe giuen vs. Of this Application there are testimonies too bée séen euery where And notable is this saying of Chryst Iohn xvij I sacrifyse my selfe for them that is too say I offer my selfe for them that they also may bée holy in déede And I pray not for them only but for all that shall beléeue in mée through their prayer In this prayer Chryst our byshop or préest executeth the chéefest duetie or office of a high préest and applyeth his sacrifyse too the whole Churche Therefore in this place the whole Doctrine concerning the préesthoode and sacrifyse of Chryst is too bée thought vppon and repeated Vppon Easter day ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xv PVrge therefore the olde leuen that yee may bee new dowe as yee are sweete bread For Chryste our Easter Lambe is offered vp for vs Therefore let vs keepe holyday not with olde leuen neyther with the leuen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse but with the sweete bread of purenesse and truthe The disposement THe foūdacion of our fayth and saluacion and the end and marke of the whole storie of the gospel the chéefe hauen of comfort in which only our hartes may rest in all troubles in death is the most ioyful resurrection of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst where through he being conqueror of sin death hel and the féends hy him vanquished leadeth a glorious triumphe and imparteth vntoo vs that flée vntoo him ryghtuousnesse eternall saluation calling agein euen our bodyes from death vntoo lyfe This excéeding great and wonderful woork of God and benefite towards vs worthy too bée had alwayes in memorie let vs embrace and set out cōtinually with thankfull hart and voyce This Epistle is of that kynd that is perswasiue For it is an exhortacion too the true celebration of the feast of Easter that is too say too the true acknowledgement of the persone and benefites of the sacrifyse or Lamb Chtyst slaine and offered vp for vs vppon the Altar of the Crosse and too true repentance or acknowledgement of our owne sinne of Gods wrath conueyed intoo this Lamb too true faith in the gréefes which rise vppon the féeling of Gods wrath and the beholding of our own sinne death and other calamities assuredly beléeuing that our passeouer is slaine and offered vp already for vs that our sinnes are taken quite away by this Lamb of God and that euen when wée bée dead lyfe and ioy euerlasting shall doutlesse bée restored too vs with Christ who is risen agein Uppon which Faith there must ensew new obedience or clensing from the sinne that yet remayneth in our nature and a beginning of new lyght ryghtuousnesse and conuersation wholly agréeing with the will and woorde of God and continewally setting foorth these incomparable benefites of Chryst with godly minde and voice This is the true Celebration of the Passeouer in this lyfe yea and for euermore Untoo which Paule exhorteth vs by a representacion of leuened bread taken of the custome of the Iewish Passeouer Now too the entent the summe of the most large Doctrine set foorth in this Epistle may the easlyer bée comprehended in mynd Let vs distribute it intoo thrée places 1 Of the woord Pascha or Passeouer 2 A conferring of our Passeouer with the Passeouer of the old Testament which caryeth with it the doctrine of the benefites of Chryste the Lamb that suffered for vs and rose agein for vs. 3 How wée may celebrate this feast of Passeouer aryght in this lyfe The first place THe woord Pascha which is an Hebrew woord deriued of the verbe Pasah signifyeth in Englishe a Passingby or a Passingouer namely in that the Lord passing through Egipt slew the firstborne of the Egiptians and spared the Israelites whose doore poostes were sprinkled with the blud of a Lamb. Exod. xij Secondly it signifyeth the holyday wherin the rememberance of that Passeouer is continued by killing of a Lamb. Luke xxij The feast of swéete bread drew nye which is called Easter Thirdly in this Epistle it signifyeth the Paschall Lamb which was a signe or rememberance of the Lordes passing through Egipt and of the passing of the Israelites through the red Sea And it was a figure of Chryst the true Lambe that was offered vp for vs and passed by death too the eternall Father that by his passage he myght obteine vs deliuerance out of the bondage of Egipt that is too say of the Diuell sinne and death and restore vs ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe Now assoone as Chryste the true Passeouer was once offered the figuring passeouer ceased and there was instituted a new Passeouer the name where of dooth properly agrée too that day in which the sonne of God our Lord Iesus was offered vp for our sinnes vppon
alreadye and will hereafter call all the deade ageyne too lyfe shoulde be a lyar But for asmuch as these thyngs are manifestly false and impossible it followeth that the proposition out of whiche these thinges ensue is false And therefore the playne contrarye is true namely that the deade shall ryse The fourth argument IT is impossible that the best and holyest part of mankynd should bee created only too the miseries of this present lyfe and too eternall destruction For séeing that God is ryghtuous and also a iudge it must néedes fall out that the godly and the ryghtuous must at one time or other bée in good case and the wicked in ill case But those that liue godlyly in Chryst Iesu are of all men most miserable in this lyfe Ergo it must néedes bée that there remayneth an other hauen and another lyfe in which the godly béeing raysed from death shalbée set frée from all miserie and bée crowned with eternal blisse and glorie The fifth argument BVt now is Chryst risen from death and is the first frutes of the dead Fifthly he repeteth the first Argument and reason which holdeth of consequence expounding and enlarging the consequence with many woordes Chryst is rysen ageine Ergo all the dead shall ryse He proueth the consequence For like as by Adam death entered vppon all men So by Chryste the cause and author of lyfe all men shal bée called too lyfe agein In this order that the first frutes or fyrst of them that ryse ageine from death bée Chryst himself Then those that bée Chrystes or which haue departed out of this life in the faith of Chryst shall rise at Chrystes comming too iudgement Afterward shall bée the ende of the world or of worldly things when he shal deliuer vp his kingdom too God the father that is too say when he shall bring vntoo his Father all the whole Church gathered toogither on earth by the ministerie of the Gospell too the entent that all kingdomes being abolished and all power as well of Diuels as men suppressed yea and the ministerie of the sonne of God whereby he gathered his Church in this world cessing onely GOD without other meanes may reigne in the godly and bée all in all filling all things with his lyght wisdome ryghtuousnesse lyfe blissednesse and glorie vnspeakable The sixth Argument THe very maner of Baptim whereby wée are first graffed intoo the churche or body of Chryste betokeneth that wée looke assuredly for the resurrection from death for they are baptized ouer the deade or ouer the graues of the dead as it is vsed in these dayes also protesting in the behalfe of the dead that they beléeue of a certeintie that they shall returne too lyfe ageine according as the Créede whiche wée hold professeth in our Baptim And the very dipping in the water and taking out agein is a token and representation not only of the abolishment of sinne and of the regeneration and renewing of the soule but also of the death of our bodyes and the rysing of them ageine The .vij. Why are wee also in daunger euery houre HErepeteth the .iiij. Argument and amplifyeth it by an absurditie of Epicure heathnishnesse ensewing it which he describeth in woordes taken out of the .xxij. of Esai And he expresseth the reproof of it in a verse of Menanders Euill communication corrupteth good manners With whiche agréeth this saying of Theogius Thou mayst lern good of the good but if thou kéepe companie mith the wicked thou marrest thyne owne mynd The .viij. Argument of a like LIke as séedes that are cast intoo the ground doo rotte there and spring vp agein and eche of them yéelde foorth most goodly frute in their kynd So our bodyes being sowen intoo the ground and buryed shall certeinly liue agein ryse ageine much more beautifull and bryght than they were héere vppon earth This comparison hath Stigelius expressed in very trim verses This corne that growes of bodye voyd of blud in lyuely plyght Immortall honor after death our bodyes dooth behyght Deepe vnderneath the turned clod the dryed seedes lye hid In which a man would ill suppose that any strength abid Yet growing vp by secret meane they ryse agein and beare A greater strength encreast too more thā heretofore they were Euen so our courses being layd too rot in holowe graue A lyuely beautie afterward in glorious state shall haue When death hath hild thē downe awhyle anon they shal aryse ▪ Eternally too liue in lyght with God aboue the skies Right many and notable tokens of the resurrection hathe God imprinted in the whole nature of things which too consider after a reuerent and godly fashion it is behouefull The day dooth dayly fade intoo nyght and is buryed in darknesse But in the morning killing his death and breaking out of his graue of darknesse it becommeth alyue agein as Tertullian sayeth And this entercourse of dayes and nyghts is fynely expressed in this Gréek ridle A father there is that hath sonnes nine and three And eche of those sonnes eke hath children thrice ten Not one like another some fair and white bee Some black all immortall yet dead now and then The Moone dying euery mooneth quickeneth agein and recouereth hir lyght that shée had lost The beames of the Starres whiche are dimmed by the rysing of the Sunne are kindled agein in the nyght The foure seasons of the yéere Lenton Sommer Haruest and Winter doo fade and returne by mutuall course In Springtyme the earth that was dead and barrein in the winter becōmeth lyuely agein bringeth foorth herbes grasse floures and frutes The trées are clad agein with leaues floures and fruites The swallowes which were dead and buryed in the waters in wintertyme recouer lyfe agein in the Springtyme Flyes also and other Cutfoules whiche were killed with cold recouer their former force and lyfe by warmth The Phenix bréedeth ageine with fyre and hir own asshes For shée perisheth too liue and yet shée ingenders hirself atteyning immortalitie by the benefite of death as Lactantius sayeth Finally all this most beautifull Theater of heauen and earth which was made of nothing giueth vs to vnderstand that God who made all things of nothing may with much more ease at the latter day restore our flesh or bodyes agein which haue bin somewhat before than he made them at the beginning But in thinking vppon this Article let vs alwayes haue our myndes and our eyes fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Chrystes death and resurrection and vppon the promises concerning the restitution of our bodyes and the eternal lyfe too ensue without fayle after this lyfe warranted by the Resurrection of himself and the raysing vp of Lazarus and others Iohn xj I knowe he shall ryse agein in the resurrection at the last day Iesus sayd vntoo hir I am the resurrection and lyfe He that beléeueth in mée yea though he were dead he shall liue Iohn
Also there bee heauenly bodyes and there bee earthly bodyes that is too say there shall bée a difference betwéene the bodyes of the godly and the bodyes of the vngodly There is one glorie of the Sunne and another glorie of the Moone and another glorie of the starres y is to say euē amōg the godly and the Saincts in heauen there shall bée a differente of glorie For like as one Starre excelleth another in bryghtnesse so shall Chryst the Prophetes Apostles and other constant Martyrs and acknowledgers of the sonne of God shyne bryghter than the other common sort of the godly as is sayd Dan. xij Then shall the lerned shyne like the bryghtnesse of heauen and those that haue instructed many in ryghtuousnesse shall shyne like the Starres for euer and euer Then declareth he by foure Iscolies set one ageinst another what maner of bodyes the bodyes of them that ryse agein shalbée verely euen the selfsame that they bée at their buriall as touching their substāce but immortal made bright and glorified Wherein the phrase of Paules wryting is too bée considered how the nowne adiectiue in forme of a substantiue is ioyned too the subiect by the preposition In. It is sowen in corruption that is too say it is buried in the ground a mortall or corruptible bodye ▪ It ryseth in incorruption that is too say it ryseth an incorruptible or immortall bodye It is sowen in dishonour that is too say a foule or ylfauoured bodye stinking and crawling full of wormes It ryseth in glorie that is too say glorious shyning cléered and pure from all blemish It is sowen in weaknesse that is too say weake frayle transitorie of a dayes continaunce a shadowe a froth a Ghoste a steme a blast a fether a breth a puffe a dreame a bubble a flud a temple a strydey a wynd a dust It ryseth in power that is too say myghtie strong florisshing and frée from all infirmitie It is sowen a natural body that is too say liuing the naturall lyfe by reason sense and nourishing power which is susteyned with meat and drink and is encreased and begetteth and may dye It ryseth a spirituall body that is too say liuing the spirituall lyfe kindled by the holy Ghoste which is not maynteyned with meate drink ne begetteth ne dyeth but is like the lyfe of the Angels Math. xxij and like the lyfe of God. The first man was made a liuing soule Gen. ij That is too wit not simply as the beastes liue but such a one as Chryst should also with his spirit quicken without meat and drink too the spirituall and euerlasting lyfe The first man is of the earth earthly Hée alludeth too the originall of the woord Adam which signifyeth earth or clay whereof he was made like as also among the Latines man is called Homo of Humus which signifyeth the earth as if he had sayd made of the earth clay and earthly The second man is the Lord from heauen Chryste being risen from Death hath now a heauenly immortall and glorious body too which our bodies shall in all respectes bée like and conformable when they are raised ageine from Death Phil. ij Like as before Death they were altoogither like Adams body which was subiect too Death and other miseries Flesh and blud cannot inherite the kingdom of God that is too say this corruptible body defiled with sinfull inclinations and fleshly affections and subiect too death cannot possesse the kingdome of God vnlesse it bée altered of a body mortall defyled and stained with sinne bée made a body pure and cleane and fined from all filthinesse immortal The same flesh that is buryed shal rise agein and the same substance of flesh and blud shall remaine still as Iob sayth I shal sée God in my self whom I my self shall sée and none other for mée For as Tertullian reasoneth plainly in his bóoke concerning the resurrection of the flesh God forbid that God should for euermore abandon too destruction mannes flesh which is the woorke of his handes the care of hart the case of his breth the Quéene of his woorkes the heire of his liberalitie the préest of his religion the souldyer of his warfare and the sister of his Chryst ▪ c. Behold I shew you a mysterie that is too say I will more plainly expoūd and declare that which I told you more darkly in my former woords when I sayd that flesh bloud shuld not possesse the kingdome of god For that saying is too hée vnderstood not of the substance of fleshe and bloud but of the exchaunge of their properties For it behoueth this corruptible body which wée now beare about vs too put on incorruption and this selfsame mortal body too put on immortalitie before it can obtein possession of Gods kingdom Some also shall not die at all whom the sonne of God shal find aliue at his comming too iudgement but they shalbée sodeinly changed endued with new lyght glory power immortalitie The third part of the Chapter THen shal the saying be fulfilled which is written Esay xxv Osee xiij Death is swallowed vp intoo victorie O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks bee to God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryst The efficient cause of the raysing of our bodyes and of restoremēt of ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe is the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who in his Death hath swalowed vp our Death and by his ryghtuousnesse obedience hath purged our sinnes and pacifying Gods wrath taking away the curse of the law hath gottē vs victorie ageinst sin death and the curse of Gods law For these thrée are the cruellest enemies of mankynd and the chéef mischeues plages which moost cruelly and féersly make hauock of all mankind without difference killing them and deuouring them euerychone Therfore Paul in this place by feining a person peinteth out death like a most mischeuous outlaw or cruell souldier armed with a pike or a darte that is too wit with sinne wherwith he assaileth all mankind without gainsaying and pusheth all men through and killeth them For by reason of sin all men are subiect too death and are slaine by death as is sayd Rom. v. By one man sinne entered intoo the world and by sinne death And so death ran ouer al men bicause al men haue sinne Also sinne reigned by death slaying all men The very same is the méening of the woords in this text the sting of Death is sinne that is too say all men are slaine by Death bycause of sinne Now when this sting or speare of Death wexeth dul and blunt so as sin cannot execute his ful force vppon vs and bée felt Gods law like a whetstone sharpneth sin and both sheweth the greatnesse and horriblenesse of sin and also maketh it more
sinfull inclinations or of the darknesse and vnrulynesse of all the powers of man raging ageinst the Lawes of god This concupiscence like a welspring bredeth and bringeth foorth actuall sinnes euen in the regenerate when ouer and besydes the mistinesse of mynd and the sinfull inclinations and the sodein brayds of affections there commeth also an assent or agréement of the wil and a ful purpose too commit the sin euen in outward woork And so hath sinne his being not of God but of concupiscence sticking in vs or of originall sinne whiche is bred and borne with vs And therefore dooth Iames ryght sagely affirme that nothing commeth from God but good as is sayd in Genesis God sawe all things that he had made and behold they were excéeding good and Psalm 91. They shall declare that our Lord GOD is ryghtuouse and there is no iniquitie in him The same is the méening of Iames in this place Euery good gift is from aboue and commeth from the Father of lyght with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadowing of chaunge that is too say like as God is good so there procéedeth nothing but good from him Yea all good things vertue wisdome and happynesse in compassing things are the gifts of God only according too this text what hast thou whiche thou hast not receyued And godlyly and sagely sayeth one in Plutarch God hath made these things and he dooth lende his hand vntoo mée All good things come downe from the Father of lyght that is too say from God who is the souerein and eternall lyght or the fountaine of lyght and of al good things And in asmuch as he is vnchaungeable and alwayes good without alteration and shyning with light of ryghtuousnesse and vpryghtnesse he is neuer turned or shadowed with the darknesse of sinne or at any tyme the cause of sinne as is sayd in Deut. xxxij God is voyd of all iniquitie vpryght and ryghtuouse Let this text therfore bée ioyned with the rest whiche auouche God not too bée the cause of sinne and ageinst al the sleyghtye disputations concerning Gods foresight and sufferance of sinnes and mayntenaÌ„ce of the nature that sinneth set this one true certein and vnmouable sentence with which the sounder sort euen of the Heathen also doo agrée As Euripides in his Bellerophon sayeth If the Gods peocure any dishonestie then are they no Gods. And Plato also most reuerently in the second booke of his Common weale the. 390. page sayeth It is too bée endeuered with all earnestnesse that inasmuch as God is good no man may in this common weale which we will haue too bée well gouerned say that he is cause of any euill â–ª neyther yoong man nor olde man eyther in Poetrie or in other Discourse The second place Concerning regeneration GOD of his owne good will hath begotten vs with the woord of truthe that wee myght bee the first frutes of his creatures God by his woord or by his lawe hath kindled in mennes myndes a knowledge of their sinnes and a fearfulnesse and gréef rysing of the féeling of Gods wrath ageinst sinne And afterward by shewing in his gospell the remission of sinnes too bée giuen fréely for Chrystes sake he kindleth fayth in their hartes whereby they persuade themselues assuredly that their sinnes are released and intoo the hartes of them that beléeue he poureth the holy Ghoste who by little and little mortifieth the remnant of sin and woorketh new lyght and new ryghtuousnesse or obedience agréeing with the wil of god This whole conuersion of a man wrought by the ministerie of the woord or Gospell and of Baptim is called Regeneration of which is spoken in Iohn j. and .iij. j. Pet. j. and elswhere more at large For as by Adam men are begotten of mortall séede of the flesh too this bodyly lyfe subiect too sinne and death So are wée begotten a new of pure and vncorruptible séede by the woord of the liuing God and as it were created a new too a new and spiritual and eternal lyfe which is the true knowledge and calling vppon God true confidence settled in god and true and earnest loue and obedience which are the sacrifise and seruices most acceptable too god Iohn xvij This is the eternall lyfe that they acknowledge the true God c. Wée are his worke created too good woorks Too the enlightening of this short saying of Iames there may bée brought in the sermons that are in Iohn j. As many as receyued him he gaue them power too becoÌ„me the sonnes of GOD too them that beléeue in his name which are not borne neyther of the séede nor of the will of the fleshe nor of the will of man but of god Ioh. iij. Onlesse a man bée borne from aboue he can not sée the kingdome of God. The third place is A Precept concerning willingnesse to lern and the shunning of headye iudgement and babling which giueth sentence rashly of gods sufferance or determination coÌ„cerning sinnes and fallings And it is a generall warning that wee should bée swift and vnsâ—outhfull too héere but slow to speake and well aduised ere we iudge Which warning perteyneth too the whole lyfe of man and specially too the studie of diuinitie of other in which nothing is more hurtfull than toâ— bée rype too soone to carie about a vayne persuasion of lerning to determine vppon most weightie coÌ„trouerfies rashly and headely Therfore did Pythagoras enioyn fyueyéeres silence too his Disciples that they should not rashly burst foorth to teaching others before they had furnished their own brest with true and substantiall lerning yea and grounded themselues in their doctrine by practyze of certein yéeres And Nazianzene wittely reproueth the fondnesse or pride of those that become teachers vppon the sodein as the Gyants in the Fables of the Poetes are sayde too bée bred and borne vppon the sodein These as a most noysome plage dooth Plato in Thaeeteto will men too shunne describing theÌ„ among their things in these woordes None of these héereth another man too the intent too lerne but they bréede of their owne accord and burst out with sodein brayde when the toy takes them in the head and they think no man knowes aught but themselues For as much as such selfelerned and selfewilled Doctors import verye great harme and assured destruction too the Churche let vs with all earnestnesse diligence and héed obey this rule of Iames that we bée swift quicke chéerful and alwayes redye too héere lerne but in speaking and teaching slowe circumspect or that I may vse Platos woords desirous too lerne desirous too héere and alwayes inquisitiue For therfore hath God giuen vs twoo eares but one tong that he might doo vs too vnderstand how there bée mo things too bée herd than too bée spoken The fourth place is of of brydling yrefulnesse and specially of brydling impatience or grudge and repyning ageinst God in aduersities oâ— when things go ageinst
sort of the fathers prophets that were raised with him as Mathew saith that many bodies of Sainctes which had slept rose with Chryst and came intoo the holy Citie and were séene of many And Epiphanius declareth that our first father Adam arose with Christ It is a good likelyhode therfore that these Saincts which rose age in with Chryst were the first fathers prophets too whō the promis was first made of the séed that shuld crush the serpents hed and vanquishe sin death restore ryghteousnesse and life euer lasting as Adam Abel Seth Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Eue Sara Rebecca c. With these did Christ and his Apostles and Mary the moother of Christ and other godly folke of that time talke toogither by the space of ful xl dayes concerning the kingdom of God diuine reuelations the fal of the first man the promis of the séed the wonderful gathering and defending of the Church the ministerie of the Gospel the redemption of mankynd the restoremēt of rightuousnesse euerlasting lyfe as is expresly said in this place Hee was visibly conuersant with them by the space of xl dayes talking of the kingdome of God. Also the contentes summe of these sermons of Chrystes which he made those xl dayes are noted in Luk. xxiiij where it is written that he expounded al the testimonies cōcerning Christ which are writtē in Moyses the Psalms the prophets cōmanded repentāce forgiuenesse of sinnes too bée preached in his name Iohn xx As my father sent mée so send I you Receiue yée the holy Ghost c. And in Math. xxviij and Mark. xvj the commission of preaching the gospel and of Baptim are repeted After this scholing by the space of xl dayes in which by many most cléere certein credit woorthy and vnfallible testimonies he shewed himself too bée risen in his own very body and in very déede and that the doctrine of the Gospell concerning the kingdome of God is true and from heauen He led his Disciples intoo Bethanie and from thence to Mount Oliuet where lifting vp his handes he had his Disciples farewel Luke xxiiij and in most gloryous tryumph accompanyed with an innumerable multitude of Angels and with that great train of holy fathers which were risen with him was caryed vp intoo heauen in the sight of his Disciples wher he hath set himselfe downe at the ryght hand of God reigning in equal power and maiestie with God the father almightie j. Pet. iij. Mark. xvj Act j. Luk ▪ xxiiij And too the setting foorth of this storie of Chrystes Ascension let the description of his tryumphe ascending intoo heauen hée added which is written by Dauid in the Psal lxviij The chariot of God with thousands of thousands reioysing God is among them vppon the holy hill of Sinai He is ascended intoo heauen he hath led captiuitie captiue he hathe giuen gifts too men Our God is the God of saluacion our Lord is the Lord that deliuereth out of death For like as they that tryumphed at Rome were caryed in tryumphant Charyot through the Citie too the Capitoll vppon which attended many thousandes of men and Kings and Princes were ledde before the Charyot as prisoners and rewardes were woont too bee giuen among the Souldyoures So the Psalme peynteth out Chryste the conquerour of Death and the Diuels kingdome sitting in a triumphant Charyot too bée caryed vp intoo heauen before a greate hoste of the Churche of that tyme wyth clappyng of hāds of thousand thousands of Angels and the féends and all the kingdome of hell too bée led prisoners before his charyot as it is sayd in the second too the Collossians that hée spoyled rule and power and made a shewe of them openly and tryumphed ouer them in his owne persone and most large and bountifull giftes of the holy Ghost and of euerlasting saluation bée poured out by the king Chryste who gyueth some too bée Apostles some Prophetes some Shepherdes and some Teachers too the intent wée may all come intoo the vnitie of fayth and of the acknowledgement of the sonne of God as is sayd more at large Ephes iiij The second place VVEe will recite six of the chéef benefites of our Lorde Iesu Chryst builded vppon this saying of the psalme cited by Paule Ephe. iiij He ascended vp aloft led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts too men The first and peculiar benefite of Chryste the Redéemer ascending vp aloft is too deliuer the Church from the captiuitie of sinne death the Diuell and the whole kingdome of Hell wherein all men are hild prisoners That Chryst hath brought this deliuerance too passe he sheweth euidently when by the power of his Godhead hauing vāquished death and the kingdome of the Diuell he ascendeth intoo heauen and leadeth captiuitie captiue Psal 68. Ephe. iiij Hereuntoo may bée referred the like texts out of Zachar. ix Thou hast brought the prisoners out of the pit Ose ix I will rid them from the hand of death I will redeeme them from death O death I will bée thy death O Hell I will bée thy sting Psal xiij ▪ Who shall giue saluation too Israell out of Sion when the Lord shall haue turned away the captiuitie of his people Psal lxxxiiij Thou hast turned away the captiuitie of Iacob Secondly he ascended intoo heauen too the intent that executing his peculiar office of Mediatorship and hygh Préest in his owne very temple he may make intercession for his Church too the eternall father and performe the duetie of an aduocate and Patrone as it is sayd Hebr. ix Chryste is entred intoo heauen it selfe that he may appéere in the syght of God for vs Roma viij Chryste being raysed from death sitteth at the right hand of the father too make intercession for vs j. Iohn ij If any man sin wée haue an Aduocate with God the father euen Iesus Chryst the ryghtuouse Hebr. iiij Therfore séeing wée haue a hygh Préest who hath perced the heauens euen Iesus the sonne of God c. Let vs approche with boldnesse too the throne of grace that wée may receiue mercie Thirdly he is ascēded aloft that he may giue gifts vntoo men namely that vppon such as beléeue the gospell he may poure out the holy ghost who kyndleth true knowledge and calling vppon God in all the godly and garnisheth the church with sundrie gifts néedful to the spredding abrode of the gospell and sendeth foorth Apostles Euangelistes Shepherdes and Teachers intoo the woorke of the Ministerie for the restorement of the Saints c. Ephe. iiij Fourthly by Christes ascension intoo heauen the way thither is set open for vs also And like as Chryste in his own bodye or in his humane flesh is ascended intoo heauen where his godhead was before So our bodyes being raysed out of the dust of the earth vnto immortall life shalbée caried vp into heauē and there bée garnished with euerlasting life and glorie j. Thes iiij Those
that dye in Chryste shall ryse first then wée that are liuing shal be taken vp with them in the clowds too méete the Lord in the aire and so wée shalbée with the Lord for euer Ioh. xiij In my fathers house bée many dwellings I go too prepare you a place and Iohn xvij Father I will y those which thou hast giuen mée bée where soeuer I am c. This fourth benefit dooth TertulliaÌ„ set foorth with a most graue sentence Iesus sitteth at the right hand of the father Man though also God The last Adam though also the first woord flesh and blud though purer than ours yet notwithstanding he is the selfsame both in substaÌ„ce and shape in which he ascended and such also shal he come down agein as the Angels affirme He being termed the vmper betwéene GOD and man and hauing committed too him a pawne of eyther part too kéepe kéepeth also the pawne of flesh in himselfe as a scantling of the whole péece For like as he hath left vs the scantling of the spirit so hath hée also receyued of vs the scantling of our fleshe and caried it vp intoo heauen in token that the whole péece shall bée brought thither in tyme too come Bée of good chéere flesh and bloud for you haue gotten both heauen and the kingdome of God in Chryst c. Fifthly Chrystes ascending vp intoo heauen warneth vs too lay a syde all desire of earthly things and too set al our care vppon this poynt how wée may come too our celestiall countrey of the kingdome of heauen Math. vj. First séeke the kingdome of god Coloss iij. Séeke for the things that are aboue where Chryste sitteth at the ryght hand of God regard heauenly things and not earthly things Sixthly the cause why Chryst went vp visibly was too shewe vntoo his Disciples that he vanished not away like a Ghost and that they should not thencefoorth enioy Chrystes visible companie and that his kingdome should not bée worldly wherein there should bée one visible head garded with armour and armyes The third place Of Chrystes kingdome LVke wryteth that Chryste forty dayes full after his Resurrection did talke with his Apostles concerning the kingdome of God and that the Apostles dreaming yet still of a bodily kingdome of the Messias asked Chryst whyther that were the tyme that he would restore the kingdome of Israell And therefore I will in this place repete the whole definition of the kingdome of God. The kingdome of Chryst or the kingdome of God in this lyfe is Gods gouernement whereby he not only maynteyneth and preserueth all things by him created and specially mankynd and punisheth the wicked but also throughe the preaching of the Gospell doone by Chryst and the Apostles other Ministers gathereth too himself a Churche that is too say a companie of men ryghtly acknowledging and calling vppon God who forgiueth their sinnes and deliuereth them from the Diuels Tyranny not by politike Lawes and bodily weapons but by the holy Ghoste and his woord defending them wonderously when they are oppressed with persecution in this lyfe and at length raysing them vp from death and crowning them with glorie and lyfe euerlasting By this definition it appéereth that Chrystes kyngdome is not bodyly or worldly as the Apostles dreamed that the tyme was now at hand in which the Israelites should haue the souereintie of all nations but that it is spiritual which shalbée gouerned mainteyned by y only woord of the gospell the woorking and power of the holy ghost and not by force of armes and mannes power according as Chryst interpreting the sayings of the Prophetes concerning the kingdome of the Messias sayeth in this place yée shall receyue power or strength and ablenesse too spred abrode and too establishe Chrystes kingdome of the holy Ghoste whose gifts shalbée sheaded out abundantly vppon you and you shal bee vntoo mee not Captaynes or warryours but witnesses that is too say Preachers of the Euangelicall doctrine whereby you shall enlarge the bounds of Chrystes kingdome throughout all Iewrie and Samaria yea and too the vttermost costs of the earth and subdue men vntoo Chryst that they may obey and beléeue his Gospell Vntoo this place may the like sayings bée referred Iohn ix My kingdome is not of this world Lur. xxij The Kings of the Gentyles are Lords ouer them â–ª but you shall not bée so Saint Iohn sayth in his twentith Chapter of his Gospell As my Father hath sent mée so send I you And vnder the name of Gods kingdome are comprehended these things folowing First the preseruation and maintenance of the whole nature of things created by God or Gods generall operation and woorking Secondly the gathering of the Churche by the ministerie of the Gospell Thirdly the very doctrine of the gospel it self by which the kingdome of Chryst is mainteyned Fourthly all benefites which Chryst bestoweth vppon his Churche as true knowledge of God forgiuenesse of sinnes deliuerance from sinne and death and the heritage of eternall lyfe And fifthly the beholding and companie of GOD as lyfe lyght ryghtuousnesse wisdome and ioy euerlasting wherewith all the godly shall bée filled in heauen By this declaration of the woord it appéereth that when Chryste talked full fortye dayes with his Disciples he instructed his Apostles â—ath diligently and at large in all the poynts of Christian Doctrine and in all such things as are necessarie too the true knowing of God too the gouernement of the Churche and too true godlynesse and our eternall welfare The fourth place AN exposition of the phrases He ascended intoo heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie The Article of our fayth concerning the Ascension of Chryst intoo heauen is set foorth in the woorde of GOD with many notable recordes As in the foure and twentith Chapter of the Gospell of Saint Luke the Euangelist Further in the sixtenth Chapiter of Saint Markes Gospell And in the thrée score and eight Psalme of Dauid the Prophet And likewise in the fourth Chapter too the Ephesians Item in the third Chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Peter the Apostle And in the sixth and the twentith Chapters of Saint Iohn the Euangelist And forasmuch as I haue a little afore spoken of the benefites in Chrystes Ascension too the intent the Phrase may bée the ryghtlyer vnderstoode I will now declare the significations of this woord Heauens For the first Heauen in the holy Scripture signifyeth the skie or the nyne Celestiall compasses That is too witte the first moueable or mouer the Firmament or compasse which is decked with the fixed Starres and the seuen compasses or welkins of the Planets which starres the Scripture calleth the powers or hoste of heauen As is sayde by the holy Prophet Dauid in the thrâ—◠〈…〉 thirteth Psalme By the woord of the Lord the heauens are stablished and all the powers or hoste of heauen by the breath of his mouth The second Heauen
they were gathered toogither sauing Thomas Iohn xx Luk. xxiiij and .j. Corinthians xv And all these discoueries were made in one day on which day Ierom supposeth that Christ shewed himself to Iames the lesse also Afterward he shewed himselfe certeine times too the Apostles when Thomas was with them and at the sea of Tyberias Iohn xx and .xxj. Also in Galilée too mo than fiue hundred brethren at once Mat. xxviij j. Cor. xv Also hée appéered too all the Apostles or Disciples And this is the proofe of the Antecedent And the consequent of this argument is euidently confirmed by this Syllogisme Whatsoeuer Chryst bothe will and can bring too passe shall out of all dout take effect Chryst bothe will call the dead too lyfe ageine as the sayings of Iohn doo witnesse Iohn v. vj. and .xj. And also he can restore lyfe too the dead for by his death he hath swalowed death intoo victorie and by his Resurrection be restoreth lyfe euerlasting too vs when wée bée dead Ergo wée also shall out of all dout bée called too lyfe ageine The cheefe places THe first and most principall place is the doctrine concerning the rysing agein of the dead which perteyneth to the Article of our Créede I beléeue the resurrection of this flesh and the life euerlasting This is the end mark of the whole lyfe and fayth of christen folke and the chéefest and most stayed comfort in all the tribulations of this most miserable and flyghtfull lyfe yea and in death also that wée for a certeintie persuade our selues beléeue that wée are not created too the miseries of this troublesome and mortall lyfe only but that after the death of this bodie there remaineth assuredly a blissed and euerlasting lyfe in which receyuing ageine the same bodyes howbéeit renued and the same flesh which wée now beare about vs and that béeing set vtterly frée from all sinne labor and sorow wee shall face to face enioy the sight of the whole Godhead and so béeing filled with heauenly lyght rightuousnesse life and gladnesse shal praise God for euermore The doctrine of this Article is most euidently confirmed by many Sermons of Chryst of the Prophets and of the Apostles and most bryghtly set foorth in this fiftene Chapter of the first too the Corinthians Too the intent therefore that wée may surely fasten in the inward bowels of our hartes this wholsom and most effectuall comfort in all miseryes Let the chéefest textes bée alwayes in our sight As these Iob. xix I knowe that my redéemer liueth and I shall ryse out of the earth in the latter day and shall bée compassed agein with my skin and in my flesh shall I sée my God whom I shall beehold euen I my selfe and myne eyes shall behold him and none other for mée This hope is layd vp in my bosome Iohn v. The houre shall come that all which are in their graues c. Iohn vj. This is the will of the father that sent mée that euery one which séeth the sonne beléeueth in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioh. xj I know that he shall ryse agein at the last day The foundacion and cause of the rysing ageine of our bodyes and of lyfe and saluation euerlasting is the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God whereby he hath swallowed vp sinne death hell and the diuell intoo victorie and conueyeth all those that flée vntoo him from death vntoo a blissed and endlesse lyfe And this is the cause why Paul in this Epistle confirmeth this sentence with so many woordes that Chryst is risen from death in déede I doo you too wit of the Gospell The second place THe enterance intoo this Epistle dooth vs too vnderstand that the true wholsome and necessary Doctrine concerning the chéef Articles of the christen faith ought oftentimes and continually too bée repeated yea and the self same things too bee beaten intoo the héerers eares in the self same woords that they may déepely sinke and stedfastly sticke in their mindes as Paule sayth Phil. iij. It is no paine vnto mée but it is for your welfare that I wryte one thing oftentymes béeware of dogges which chaunge and marre the doctrine of the Gospell which I deliuered you Therefore let those that teache faythfully repete oft times one doctrine that is profitable and necessary as that wyse man sayd that he speaketh the selfe same things too the selfe same persons And this most profitable rule of studyes giuē by Epictetus is wel knowne Knowe thou that it is not easie for a man too bée lerned vnlesse that he doo euery day either heare or read suche things as he would be grounded in and likewise vse them in this lyfe So Paule in this place sayeth that he deliuereth not a new Doctrine too them but that he putteth them in mynd of the Gospel by the same woordes that he had preached it too them before The third place OF the effectualnesse of the Gospell or of the liuely woord sounding in the mouth of the ministers by which woord only and not otherwyse God imparteth the true knowledge of himselfe true faith the holy Ghost and euerlasting welfare too those that beléeue Therefore sayth Paule in this place by the Gospell which I haue preached vntoo you which you haue embraced and by which you are saued if yée hold it fast by fayth onlesse perchaunce which God forbid yée haue now shaken of the faith and beléeued héeretoofore in vaine And it agréeth fully with this sentence Rom. j. The Gospel is the power of God too the saluation of euery one that beléeueth Act. xj Peter shal speake woords too thée by which thou and thy house shalt bée saued Such other texts as these wée shall héere in the Epistle of the next Sunday which are too bée set ageinst the Enthusiastes who imbrace the woorking of the woord sacraments and looke for new enlightenings and heauenly traunces without the woord The fourth place OF the passion death and resurrection of Christ and of the witnessings of the Prophets in the scripture as Esa. liij Dan. ix Psal xxij Zach. xiij in which places Chrystes death and passion is foretold and of the causes benefites of Chrystes death which things wée haue made mencion of alreadie vppon good Friday last The fifth place OF Paules modestie in boasting who termeth himselfe the least of the Apostles and vnwoorthy the name of an Apostle yet declareth of himself that he hath labored more than the rest of the Apostles Modestie or mildnesse and true glory are cousin vertues like as sparingnesse and liberality vprightnesse streightnesse true dealing and streight iustice Modestie acknowledging a mans owne weakenesse and filthinesse is not proud ne exalteth himself either in conceit or in talke or in dooings aboue that he is able too performe but vppon trust of Gods help diligently executeth
is woorkfull in you that beléeue ij Cor. v. God hath reconciled vs too himselfe by Iesus Chryst and hath béetaken vnto vs the office of preaching the attonement Therfore are wée messengers in the roume of Chryst euen as though God did exhort you by vs j. Cor. j. It pleased GOD through foolishnesse of preaching too saue them that beléeue Act. xj Peter shall speake woordes vntoo thée by which thou shalt bée saued bothe thou and thy housholde Esay lv The woord that passeth out of my mouthe shall not returne emptie vntoo mée but shall woorke all things that I haue sent it vntoo Rom. x. Faith commeth by heering and héering by the woord of god Rom. xv Whatsoeuer things bee written c. Iohn xvij I pray not for the Apostles c. Iohn xv You are made cleane by the woord The second place Of the efficient cause of the woorkfulnesse of the ministerie and of all good and healthfull deedes NOt by mannes power dooth the preaching of the Gospel woorke saluation too euery one that beléeueth neyther is true knowledge of God and rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe wrought in the hartes of the héerers by the woord of the Gospell for the woorthinesse and vertues of the ministers or preachers but by the woorking of God himselfe who thorough the ministerie and preaching of his woord kindleth godly thoughts or the light of the true knowledge of Chryst which is faith and quickeneth or trāsformeth our harts and mynds intoo the same likenesse that they may bée made partakers of the light and lyfe of god And therefore Paule sayeth Such trust haue wee through Chryst to Godward not that wee are sufficient of our selues too think any thing as of our selues but all our ablenesse commeth of God As though Paule should say Whereas I auouche that you Corinthians being conuerted by my preaching doo beare witnesse of my faithfulnesse and disproue the slaūders of the false Apostles I say so not trusting too myne owne strength but onely vntoo God who wrought mightily by my preaching And herewithall this sentence of Paules concerning the weaknesse of frée will or of mannes owne power dooth vs too vnderstand that it is so poysoned weakened and fordoone with the venim of sinne that of it owne strength it can neither woork the rightuousnesse that liketh God nor atteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and saluation nor think any thing that pleaseth God or may bée helpfull too it selfe in the conuersion or iustifying of it selfe and much lesse can woork toward it like as also he sayeth j. Corin. ij The naturall man perceyueth not the things that are of Gods spirite For vntoo him they are foolishnesse and he can not vnderstand them bicause they are too bée weyed spiritually ▪ Thirdly also he dooth vs too wit in generall that nothing can bée doone eyther in the spirituall lyfe to soule health or in the ciuill lyfe rightly and fortunatly but by the helpe and gift God as it is sayd Iohn iij. A man can not take aught too himself except it bee giuen him from heauen And Nazianzene Onlesse God giue labour auayleth nothing The third place Of the Letter and the Spirit or the difference betweene the ministerie of the old Testament of the new which is taken of the effects or formall cause THe new Testament dooth most properly betoken the same thing that dooth the Gospell or the promise that concerneth the sonne of God our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ and Gods grace remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation too bée giuen fréely for Chrysts sake onely too those that beléeue by the ministerie of which promise the holy Ghost woorketh and kindleth new light new rightuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe in our harts The Letter signifieth the lawe of Moyses both ceremoniall and morall written with letters in tables of stone and all obedience or indeuer of dooing the ceremoniall or moral woorks of the Law without the holy ghost or without true faith kindled by the holy Ghost The Spirit signifieth Chryst himselfe or the holy spirit of Chryst who by the preaching of the gospell kindleth true light of the knowledge of God true comfortablenesse rightuousnesse and lyfe in mennes hartes as is sayd j. Iohn v. This is the witnesse of the Gospell that God giueth vs eternall lyfe of frée gifte and this lyfe is in his sonne Hée that hath the sonne hath lyfe and hée that hath not the sonne of God hath not lyfe Therefore the Spirit and lyfe of the whole doctrine deliuered by GOD in eche of the Testamentes yea and of all good woorkes ceremonies and good intentes is all only Chryst And therefore sayeth Paule that God made him a Minister of the new Testament or of the Gospell and not of the Letter or of the Lawe onely or of figures and woorkes what soeuer c. But of Chrystes Spirit which woorketh by the Gospell For the Letter that is too say Gods Lawe and all manner of doctrine or imitation and obedience and good intent of dooing the Lawe without the holy Ghost killeth that is too say bringeth not lyfe and true comfort too mennes myndes And in especiall the morall Lawe by shewing accusing and condemning sinne and by reueling Gods displeasure dooth onely kill and cast away all men intoo euerlasting damnation And therefore it is called the ministration of death as it is sayd j. Corinthi xv The sting of death is sinne and the power of sin is the lawe And Austin expoundeth this saying lernedly and godlily in his booke Of the spirit and the letter Cap. iiij and in the chapters folowing And Roma vij At the comming of the commaundement sinne reuiued and I was dead But Chrysts Spirite is effectuall by the Gospell and lighteneth and quickeneth mennes hartes and stirreth vp in their myndes not onely the shadowes of outward woorkes or imitations and gestures or vayne conceytes and good intentes but a true and new light rightuousnesse and lyfe and also kindleth and inflameth them with a burning fayth and loue toowardes GOD and other motions conformable too the wil of Chryst Vntoo this auouchement of the effectualnesse of the Gospel Paule addeth a comparison of the ministration of Moyses Lawe with the ministerie of the Gospell and by the figure of Rhetorike called Expolition repeteth the selfsame sentence well néere foure tymes in exchaunge of woordes The pubishing of Moyses Lawe was doone with great miracles and was exceeding glorious Ergo much more shall the publishing of Chrystes Gospell bee glorious and mightie in woorking and in déed bring eternall lyfe and lyght considering how all that ordināce of Moyses ministration was appoynted and all the figures ceremonies and lawes of Moyses were set out for Chryst Now if the ministration of death through the letters written in stones was glorious that is too say if the ministration of Moyses Lawe written with letters in Tables of stone whiche killeth all men and condemneth them too endlesse death were glorious beautifull and cléere in so
leauing the woord looke for new enlyghtmentes and reuelations or traunces and iudge of Gods election not by the vniuersal promise writtē but by imaginatiōs of mānes reason With most thankfull mynde therefore is this excéeding great benefit of God too bée embraced that he hath deliuered vs the doctrine written whereby he will haue our faith and all our thoughts concerning him our own saluatiō ruled And therfore let vs reade these writings diligently and heedfully let vs bée in hand with them night and day as Chryste cōmandeth Serche the scriptures And Paule biddeth vs take héed too reading and doctrine And for this purpose chéefly are the first traynements of learning in schooles and the whole maner of spelling and reading too bée lerned that wée may reade and vnderstande the booke heretofore written too the church by the prophets and Apostles Secondly let vs consider that by these writings or by this woord of God which wée héere reade and think vpon God in very déed woorketh mightily in vs that by this only meane and not otherwise he teacheth cōforteth draweth begetteth a new and saueth men and kindleth in vs the faith whereby wée receyue these benefites as it is playnly sayd Roman x. How shall they beléeue onlesse they héere Howe shall they héere without a preacher Faith is by héering and héering by the woord of god Rō j. The Gospel is the power of God too saluation to euery one that beléeueth Act. xj Hée shal speake woordes too thée by whiche thou shalt bée saued thou and all thy houshold ij Cor. v. Wée are messangers in sted of Christ as though God exhorteth or comforteth by vs And in this place Paule expresly sayeth that wée may haue hope by cōfort of the Scripture His méening is that in all our troubles banishments diseases and death wée should séeke comfort out of this woorde which is written before tyme for vs and that wée should by fayth rest vppon God knowen by the woord beléeue this woord written as well as if wée should héere God declaring his will with his owne lyuely voyce from heauen Let vs set these testimonies ageinst Stinkféeld who cryeth out that GOD conuerteth sanctifyeth and comforteth vs not by thinking vppon the woorde written but immediatly by himselfe without any meanes Whiche fantasticall imagination dooth vtterly put away all the exercyses of faith and Christen inuocation Thirdly Whereas Paule fayeth that these Bookes of holy writ were written before for oure learning he the rewithall counselleth vs too reade the same diligently continually and héedfully For he hath not set foorth these holy Bookes for myse too knibble in bencheholes or for flyes too ray in the pulpit or for mothes and bowds too consume in corners but for vs too reade that wée may sucke wholesome instruction and comfort out of them Ageine this selfesayd parcell dooth vs too wit that all the promises of grace helpe deliuerance and of all Gods benefites and that all the examples of Gods wrath in punishing and of his mercie in receyuing those that bée falne perteyne too vs also and are also too bée applyed too vs. Fourthly let vs in this saying of Paules cōsider the foure chéef ends vses or profites and effectes Of which the first is the doctrine of the most high matters vnknowen too mānes reason and perteyning too the eternall saluation of vs all concerning which things all other bookes written by men can vtterly teache nothing at al that is sound and substantiall that is to wit concerning the true knowledge calling vpon the true God the father the sonne the holy Ghost euerlasting concerning the twoo natures in Christ the creation of all things of Angels and men of the cause of sinne miserie and death vntoo mankynde of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and attonement of man with GOD for the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst sake who was crucified rose agein for vs of true comfort too bée set ageinst death and all tribulations of the abolishement of sinne and death of the restorement of our bodyes of the euerlasting punishments of the vngodly of the eternall lyfe and glorie of the godly Of these so great matters and specially of the persone and benefites of our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God who hath vanquished sinne death and the Diuell for vs there are none other bookes eyther in heauen or earth that instruct vs. The second is Patience a vertue no lesse necessarie too a godly and right christen man than meate and drink is néedful too the mayntenance of the lyfe of this body For persecution and aduersitie are vnseparable companions of true godlynesse and christen profession according too Paules saying All that will liue godlily in Chryst must suffer persecution Otherwyse al the whole lyfe of man were nothing else but miserie as Euripides hath truly sayd This life in good sooth is not lyfe but miserie Nowe in these miseries there can no calmnesse and ioy of mynd bée settled in God without disobedience and repyning nor yet continue without the comfort of fayth which the holy scripture onely sheweth And therefore in this place vntoo patience is foorthwith added comfort of the Scriptures But patience is a vertue whiche in bearing aduersities quietly and myldly dooth reuerently submit it selfe too Gods will séeketh not vnlawful helpes but assureth it self by faith too bée in Gods fauoure séeking looking for helpe assuagement and deliuerance at Gods hand and by this faith and hope alayeth the gréef and féeleth peace and gladnesse in harte All the whole orderly setting out of the doctrine of patience and the difference of the philosophical patience and the Christen patience may bée conueyed hither out of the Exposition of the ten commaundements The third end of holy writ is true certeine and firme comfort too bée sette not only ageinst pouertie sicknesse and aduersities but also ageinst Gods wrath sinne and death which comfort none other bookes besydes these wrytings of the Prophetes and Apostles doo shewe For onely the scripture teacheth that our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God did by his owne death ouercomme our death and the sting of death whiche is sinne and that all the other troubles of this lyfe are not tokens of Gods wrath but of his fauoure and fatherly good will toowards vs who doutlesse is at hand with vs in our troubles mitigating and taking them away and at the length will recompence the lightnesse of affliction which continueth but a whyle with an éncōparable weight of glorie By these comfortes written in Gods woorde the sonne of God woorketh mightily in vs and when we think vppon them and embrace them by fayth he kindleth in oure hartes peace ioy and tranquillitie quietly resting in the louing kindnesse of God the father Now the whole doctrine of the Gospell is in manner nothing else but a comfort of the conscience that is afflicted with gréefe that ryseth of the feeling of Gods
vseth in an other place also Eph. iij. and Rom. xvj Where he calleth the Gospel a mysterie hidden from the beginnyng of the worlde For it was not knowne to any creature Angell or man that God woulde deliuer mankynde from sinne and deathe and garnish him with euerlastyng saluation by the death of his owne sonne This mysterie or hidden woord of the Gospell vnknowne too mannes reason dooth Paule and all other ministers distribute and spreade abrode among mankynde ij Corin. v. God hath put intoo vs the woorde of attonement Therfore wée come of message in Christes steade as if God exhorted by vs. 2 The second poynt of the ministration of the Gospel is to minister the sacraments instituted by Christ that is too wit Baptim and the Lordes Supper whiche Sacramentes reason giueth too bée comprehended toogither in this place vnder the name of mysteries For lyke as Gods secrete will concernyng Reconciliation Remission of sinnes ryghtuousenesse and euerlasting Saluation is disclosed and exhibited vntoo vs by the woorde of the Gospell receyued at oure eares So are the same secrete and woonderfull benefites of Gods Sonne offered and applyed vntoo vs by the vse of the Sacramentes enteryng in at oure eyes For the vse strength and efficacie of the woorde and of the Sacramentes is all one Therefore doothe Austine learnedly and wittyly define a Sacrament to be a visible woord Of these two duties of the minister is spoken Math. xxviij Go and teach all nations baptising c. 3 The third poynt is The preaching of remission of sins or the assoyling of those that repent whiche is applyed eyther in the publik ministration to all in generall or else priuately to eche person seuerall in confession in sicknesses or in other gréefs Math. xvj I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen And Chryst priuatly pronounceth forgiuenesse of sinnes to the palsyman and to Mary Mawdlin Math. ix Luk. vij 4 The fourth poynt is too bynd sins or to excommunicate such as are defiled with manifest wickednesse which will not amend when they are warned 5 The fifth is to shyne before their heerers in example of all vertues like as Paule willeth Tymothie to bee a pattern of the faithfull 6 The sixthe is too ordeyne necessarie Ceremonies by the consente of the Churche or to appoynt the order of tymes of readinges of examinations of persones and of places that all things may be done after a comely and orderly fashion The ministers that performe these duties rightly and faithfully are all equal and péeres as apperteining to the efficacie and power of the ministration neither is there any greater or more superiour than an other For they are altogither not controllers of the doctrine nor Lordes of the church but Chrystes Handseruants by whose seruice Chryste himselfe worketh and Stewardes not of their owne propre goods but of the Gospell and benifits of Chryste Therefore let no man vaunt himselfe aboue others in the churche or stirre debate and strife for the authoritie and power of the teacher or minister of whom he receiued the doctrine Let suche spéeches as these are bée banished the Churche and congregation I holde of Paul I of Peter I of Apollo and let al men esteeme them selues as the members of one Chryste and ministers equall among themselues Who if they doo their dutie aryght let the matter be put ouer to God to iudge whiche of them excelleth other priuately And the minister that doothe the partes of his duetie aryght let hym not passe for mans day that is too say for mans iudgemente or for the rashe and venomous verdytes of other men wherby hée is déemed eyther inferiour or superiour too others but let hym contente him selfe with the witnesse of all good conscience Nowe where as afterwarde the degrées of Mynisters are set foorth one from an other that is doone by mans deuice for orders sake concernyng which matter lette Hieromes Epistie too Euagrius bée redde wherein hée auoucheth at length that Préestes and Bishoppes are all one thyng And where as afterwarde one was chosen to bée sette aboue the rest that was doone for the auoydyng of Schisme But wheresoeuer a Bishop bée whether it bée at Rome or at Eugubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium or at Alexandria or at Thanis hée is all of one woorthynesse and all of one préesthode The abundaunce of Ryches or Lowlynesse of pouertie maketh not a Byshop hygher or lower but are all alike the successours of the Apostles The differences betwéene the minister of the Gospell and the ciuill magistrate are chéefly foure First the ciuill magistrate hath to doo with the mayntenance of outward discipline and peace or keepeth the outward members in awe that they breake not the politike lawes or trouble the common peace The ministration of the Gospell ruleth mens hartes or consciences and offereth and giueth remission of sins and the heritage of eternall life to those that beléeue and kindleth true knowledge of God in their hartes and the inward and spirituall rightuousnesse and lyfe And yet it leaueth men frée to vse any maner of honest lawes and politike cōstitutions in the outward conuersation of life As for example it giueth men leaue too vse diuersitie of meates or vnlyke spaces of dayes Secondly the ciuill magistrate punisheth the disobedient wyth the swoorde or with bodyly punishementes But the mynistration of the Gospell punysheth not the stubburne with the swoorde or wyth bodyly rigoure but wyth the onely woorde of god Thirdly the Ciuill Magistrate prohibiteth and punysheth onely outwarde offences But the Ministerie of the Gospell forbyddeth the inwarde vncleannesse of the harte and the synfull affections of the whole nature and exacteth a full conformitie of the whole nature too the will of god Fourthly the ciuill Magistrate hath worldely defences treasure armor and degrées of persones and iudgementes and power too make new lawes and to execute them The Ministerie of the Gospell hathe no certeyne visible defences no degrées of gouernoures that may haue superiour power or lordeshippe ouer others but altogyther are the hande seruauntes of Chryste and of his Church Wherevppon no man muste exalte him selfe aboue others nor passe for the iudgementes of others wherby he is déemed hygher or lower but muste content hym selfe wyth the iudgemente of a good conscience that he executeth his dutie faythfully yet iustifieth not himselfe before God for so dooing but thinketh vpon this that all men must abyde the iudgement of God who at the last iudgement shall iudge which of the ministers doo priuately excell others The second place ALl modest and wyse men which measure themselues by their owne abilitie and by theyr owne foote and consider their owne great weakenesse in no wise answerable to the most difficult vocations of teaching and gouerning other folkes are woont to debate carefully and thoughtfully with them selues whither they may with good conscience take vpon them and execute the
and forgiuenesse of sinnes promised for the woorthynesse of our feare faith or new obedience but is giuen fréely for Chrystes sake onely too him that repēteth and beléeueth as is sayd more at large in the doctrine of Iustification Hee hath shewed strength c. This is the summe of the next thrée verses GOD preserueth and defendeth his Church ageinst the wisdome power abilitie of the whole world Hath shewed strength that is too saye dooth mightily preserue and defend his lowly and weake Churche like as he defended the Israelites mightily at the red Sea and repressed the tyrannie of Pharao With his arme that is too say by his sonne For so is the sōne named Exo. xv Esai liij Who hath beléeued our saying and too whom is the arme of the Lord reueled Esai xl His arme shall beare rule ouer all He hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their hartes as the Pharaos who by their owne wisdome went about too oppresse the people of Israell Exod. j. ij xiiij c. as the purposes of Diocletiā a most suttle and cruel Prince who entēded too haué destroyed the church as he disappoynted the coūsell of Achitophel ij Reg. xv So also now of late yéeres he hath disapointed very many suttle practises of y Pope and his Prelates that endeuered to haue wiped out the church He putteth downe the mightie from their seates that is to say Tyraunts which trust in their own power and wealth and specially whiche are persecuters of the Church them dooth God cast downe headlong from the hyghest top of their souereintie into dreadful calamities As for example Apries king of Egipt who boasted that no body eyther of the Gods or of men was able to beréeue him of his kingdome was afterward strangled Nabuchodonosor who hild the kingdome of Babilon the largest and mightiest empyre of the world when he waxed proud stahis was depriued not onely of his kingdome but also of his reason Iulian the regenerate beyng wounded casting vp his bloud with his owne hand cried out thou hast ouer come O Galilean Hath exalted the lowly that is to say such as were caste downe to the ground miserable and despised persones like as he lifted vp Moyses out of pryson to the Lordship of the kingdome of Egipt He remoued Dauid out of his shepeheards cotage into the throne of the kingdome of Israell He made Daniell his fellowes rulers of prouinces in the kingdome of Persia Chaldey He maried Hester the prisonner to the most puissant King Assuerus So also God lifted vppe the base and wretched handmayde Marie to this most high honour that shée became the Mother of the Sonne of god He hath filled the hungry with good things according to the saying of the xxxiij Psalme the rich haue wanted and bin a hungred but they that feare the Lorde shall want nothing Or els let it bée applyed too the consciences that are made afrayd at the beholding of their sinnes and which thirst and hunger after the rightuousnesse of Christ These shall bée refreshed with healthfull comfort filled with euerlasting good things But the rich or such as trust in theyr owne rightuousnesse and holynesse shall bée shaken of The .ix. and .x. verses HE remēbring his mercy hath hild vp Israel his child as he spake to our forefathers Abraham and his seede for euer The second and cheef part of this song in which shee giueth thankes for the sending of Christ according to the promises made to the fathers Now to the enlightening of these two verses may bee referred all the promises and Sermons concerning Christ which are written by Moyses in Gen. iij. xij xxij xxvj xxviij xlix in Deut. xviij and by the rest of the Prophetes and also all the whole doctrine of the Gospell concerning the person and benefites of Christ At this time I will but open the woordes after the order of Grammer He remembring his mercy namely whiche he promised for Christ the Mediators sake For this is the whole sum of the gospel that God of his free mercy for Christes sake holdeth vp men that are falling into endlesse destruction that is to say deliuereth them from sinne and death and giueth them euerlasting saluation Hath hild vp Israell his seruaunt It is a figure of grammer called Apposition God hath hilde vp Israell his seruaunt that is to say God of his excéeding goodnesse and frée loue pitying his people Israell that is to say the whole Church which was like to fall into euerlasting destruction sent his sonne the redéemer to succour vs falne into sinne and death and to deliuer vs from the kingdome of Sathan and death and to restore vs rightuousnesse euerlasting lyfe Hath hild vp In the Gréeke the word antilabeto is the Aorist of the meane voyce of the verb antilambanethos whiche properly signifieth to catch hold of one that is falling by thrusting out his hand to stay him to succour him and help him that he may scape safe and harmelesse out of the daunger Israell is the propre name of the Patriarke Iacob giuen him by the sonne of God in wrestling with him Gen. xxxij It is an ordinarie thing among the Hebrewes too terme the ofspring by the names of the stocke or aunceters from whiche they come So he calleth the people of Israell by the name of their founder that is to wit of Israell or Iacob frō whom al the Israelites or Iewes issued And bycause the promis concerning Christ was betaken chéefly to the people of Israell among whom was alwayes the seate of the church for the same cause the name of Israel is oftentimes among the Prophetes taken for the whole Churche gathered of the Iewes and the Gentiles togither And this phrase of the Prophetes doth Marie kéepe in this place His child whom he embraceth with fatherly loue as his sonne which people is the child or sonne seruaunt of God chosen out of whole mankind to serue God and to say and do things acceptable to God. As he spake to our Fathers Abraham his seede for euer This last part for euer would bee ioyned to the first part of the next verse before which is he remembring his mercy for euer that is to say his euerlasting mercy or his mercy which he hath promised to performe euermore towards all those that flée vnto Christ as it sayd Psal Ciij The mercy of the Lorde is for euer and euer vppon them that feare him The promises concerning Christ the defender and deliuerer of the people of Israell or of the Church were deliuered first to Adā Eue in Paradise Gen. iij. Secondly to Abrahā Gen. xij xxij xv xvij c. Next to his séede or ofspring Isaac Gen. xxvj Then to Iacob Gen. xxviij and xlix Afterward to Moyses Deut. xviij And specially to king Dauid ij Reg. vy and .xxiij. and .j. Paral. xvij I hope that this bréef disposement of