both for taking vppon him mannes nature subiect to death and other miseries and also for his seruisablenesse in teaching and suffering as he himselfe sayeth Math. xx The sonne of man is not come too haue seruice doone vntoo him but too doo seruice himselfe and too giue his lyfe as a raunsome for the whole multitude of mankynd Also let the yonger sort beare in mynd that this most cōmon and ordinarie maner of spéeche of the Churche wherby wée say that the sonne tooke vppon him the nature of man is taken out of this place of Paule and out of the second too the Hebrewes for hée tooke not vppon him the Angels but the séede of Abraham that is too say he cuppled not too himselfe the nature of Angels but the nature of man of the posteritie of Abraham Framed after the likenesse of men that is too say he became altogither like other men He was no Ghost or counterfet of a man as Marcion and the Manichees surmysed but a very man and in all things like his brethren yea and mortall also sinne only excepted Heb. ij iiij And in fashion he was found as a man that is too say not only in proportion and gesture of bodye but also in inclinations and motions of mynd in fearfulnesse sorowfulnesse ioyfulnesse and other affections whiche notwithstanding were well ordered in Chryste and conformable too his heauenly mynd He humbled or cast himself downe becoōming obedient too death euen too the death of the crosse This notable sentence hathe Ciprian expressed with great lyghtsomnesse of woords in his sermon of Almesdéeds Chryste the sonne of God would become the sonne of man that he myght make vs the sonnes of god He brought himself lowe y he myght lift vs vp which lay vnder foote he tooke vpon him the shape of a seruaūt that he myght make vs frée He was wounded that he might heale our wounds He was contented too dye that he myght gyue vs mortall wyghtes immortalitie Wherfore God hath also exalted him on hygh God hathe exalted Chryst the man and seruant that was crucified and dead for vs as in respect of his manhod He hath giuen him a name which is aboue all names that is too wit Iehoua or the Lorde which is the peculiar name of the onely true and most hygh God the maker of heauen and earth as is sayd in Esai xlij I am the Lord this is my name and I wil not giue my glorie too another This name Iehoua or Lorde is not onely attributed too his Godhead which had it from euerlasting but also too his manhod the which is ioyntly woorshipped and serued in one selfesame woorship and seruice toogither with the sonne of God the woord to which it is vnited That in the name of Iesu euery knee should bowe Some deryue the name Iesu of the Hebrewe woord Iehouah which being vnutterable of it selfe is as they wryght made vtterable by putting in the letler Ieschua and so by contraction Iesu that is too say the Lorde incarnate or God become man Paule taketh these woordes out of Esay xlv Turne vntoo mée and yée shall bée saued all the endes of the earth for I am the Lord and there is none other vntoo mée shall euery knée bow and vntoo mée shall euery tung swere That IESVS Chryste is the Lord that is too say that he is the Lorde or in very déed and nature god By this Grammaticall declaration of the woordes the ruder sorte may the ryghtlyer vnderstand the Text of the Epistle Which in as much as it is red vppon this day chéefly in this respect bycause it maketh mention of the wonderfull abacement and death of the sonne of GOD the memoriall whereof is celebrated by all the Christen Churches of the whole world as the next wéeke Let a summe of the doctrine concerning the passion and death of our Lord Iesus Chryste included in the vsuall questions of Methodicall order bée repeted in this place The consideration of the wonderfull purpose of GOD concerning the redemption of mankynd wrought by the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryste who suffered and was crucifyed for vs farre surmounteth the wisdome of all Angels and men Too this end hath God by the wonderfull temperature of his Iustice and mercie stablished this secret decrée and made his sonne who is the Mediator a sinne offering and sacrifyse too the intent that wée men being set frée from Gods wrath from sinne and death might bée made the rightuousnesse of God as is sayd .ij. Cor. v. And in consideration of this maruelous benefite let vs acknowledge the horrible wrath of God ageinst our sinnes and the vnmeasurable largenesse of Gods mercye towardes vs and also let vs stirre vp the feare of God fayth and thankesgiuing in our harts It is an eternall and vnchaungeable Maxime of Gods iustice that the reasonable creatures shold eyther thorowly agrée with the wisdome and rightuousnesse of god or else suffer due punishement and bée horribly destroyed for not obeying Forasmuch therfore as the first man and woman had of their own frank fréewill cast from them the rightuousnesse and purenesse whiche God had giuen them in their creation they ageine on the other syde were too bée cast intoo eternall peynes But the sonne of God of his vnmeasurable goodnesse pitying mankynd made intreatance for vs and too the intent Gods wrath myght bée satisfyed he offered himselfe too punishement and too make amendes vntoo Gods most iust displeasure and so in that secret counsell of the Godhead this decrée was made that the sonne of GOD taking mannes nature vpon him should becōme a sacrifise and by his passion and death pacifye Gods dreadfull wrath and satisfye his iustice and restore forgiuenesse of sinnes ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe too all those that flée vntoo him by faith Now the passion of Chryst is first a féeling of Gods dredfull wrath ageinst all the sinnes of mankynd which were poured out vppon Chryst as vppon a sacrifyse which great burden of Gods wrath enforceth Chryst too say thus My soul is heauy euen vntoo death And agein my God my God why haste thou forsaken mée Mennes myndes are not able ▪ too sée throughly the greatnes of this extreme vnutterable sorow of Chrystes bicause they vnderstande not she greatnesse of sinne and of Gods wrath which is a consuming fire Notwithstāding mennes myndes are too bée stirred vp too consider truely and earnestly the horrible wrath of God ageinst sinne bothe by the miseries of all mankynd and the examples of the consciences of wicked men and also by the testimonies of Gods woorde too the entent that they on their behalfe may the cléerlyer perceyue the greatnesse of the mercy and benefits of Christ who hathe vndertaken that dreadefull burthen of Gods wrath for vs. Notable testimonies of the true horrible wrath of God are first the innumerable calamities of all mankynd as the death of all men swarmes of diseases fluds burnings
is the scepter of thy kingdom But the Angels are but only the seruauntes of this king and impart not their rightuousnesse vnto any others 5 Christ is verely and naturally the sonne of god Ps. 45. O God Christ thy God the eternall father hath anoynted thée with the oyle of gladnesse for thy felowes sakes Now the Angels are not God but creatures 6 Christ is anoynted with fulnesse of the holy Ghost too the entent he may annoynt his felowes that is too say the rest of the members of the church The Angels are not anoynted with fulnesse of the holy Ghost neither can they of their owne power anoynt others and garnish them with the giftes of the holy Ghost 7 Christ sitteth at the right hand of the eternall Father that is too say reigneth in equal maiestie and glory with the euerlasting father The Angels sit not at the right hand of the Father nereigne in equall power with the eternall father but are the ministers of Christ and of the whole churche pitching their tents round about all those that feare him according as is sayd more at large concerning the office and benefites of the holy Angels vppon S. Michaels day ¶ The second Epistle Titus iij. BVT after that the kyndnesse and loue of our sauiour God to manward appeared not of the deedes of righteousnesse which we wrought but of his mercie he saued vs by the fountayn of the newe byrth and with the renewing of the holy Ghost whiche he shed on vs abundantly thorowe Iesus Chryst our sauiour that we once iustifyed by his grace should be heyres of eternal lyfe thorowe hope This is a true saying The disposement IT perteyneth too the kynd of caces that instruct For it is a doctrine cōcerning the benefits of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God borne too vs and giuen too vs comprehending a summe of the Gospel concerning our iustification saluation Now forasmuch as there is no wisdom more néedful and profitable for mākynd neither any other good thing greater to bée sought of mē with more earnest desyre and endeuer than the doctrine that concerneth the maner meane how too atteyne euerlasting lyfe and saluation Let the doctrine of this epistle bée with singular héede and diligence fastened in the innermost closets of mens harts For the righter consideration and weying wherof I wil reduce the same too the accustomed places of instruction or orderly questions This woord Saluation comprehendeth all the good things that God bestoweth vppon his Church for hys sonnes sake which was giuen to vs and borne too vs of the virgin Marie that is too wit forgiuenesse of sinnes attonement with God deliuerance from Gods wrath from sinne from death and from the Deuils tyrannye the gift of the holy ghost regeneration renewing of our nature abolishment of sin and death and restorement of rightuousnesse lyfe and endlesse ioy All these benefits dooth Paule méene in this place when he sayeth he saued vs And the Angell in the first of Mathew Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinne Paule distinguisheth the parts of Chrystes benefits intoo twoo members which cleaue toogither as it wer the cause the effect namely rightuousnesse and lyfe and these things repeteth he in sundry woords Wée are iustified that is too saye wée obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and are accepted for rightuous through his grace or frée good will and are made heires of euerlasting lyfe The same Paule had sayd a little before that wée are saued by the wasshing of regeneration that is too say by Baptim wherwith wee are dipped in token of remissiō by renewing of the holy ghost by whom a new lyfe rightuousnesse is kindled in our harts The chéef efficient cause of our saluation is God regenerating vs iustifying vs and receyuing vs too the inheritāce of euerlasting life of his excéeding great goodnesse and loue towards mankynd and of his frée mercie and grace And the woords are piththye effectual wherwith Paul describeth the efficient cause of our saluation in this place The gréeke woord Chrestótes signifieth properly goodnesse coueting too doo good too profit all men of a frée good will. It cōmeth of the woord Chraomai which signifieth too vse and therupō cōmeth Chrestós which signifieth such a one as willingly easly yéeldeth himself vnto other mē to vse him such a one is Chryst in déed a good man yea a cōmon good thing ▪ Philanthropia louingkindnesse betokeneth not only a courtesie gentlenesse to speak vnto or a méeldnesse in ordinarie méetings in coūtenance in spéech in outward behauiour but in especially a burning loue towards mākind which y sonne of God hath vttered by this notable warrantyze in that he hath by euerlasting and indissoluble bond cuppled too himself the masse of our nature and is becomme our Emanuell and brother flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones and vndertooke the most bitter tormentes of death for vs. Of this louing kindnesse is spoken 1. Iohn 4. Herein is the louing kindnesse of God towardes vs made manifest that he hath sent his only begotten sonne intoo the world that wée might liue through him Also Christ Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. Eleos Mercy is too bée touched with the féeling of another mannes miserie too succor the distressed and too asswage and take away their miseries of a fréeharted goodnesse and pitifulnesse which executeth not the sharp extremity of the law Therfore albeit that al calamities death and euerlasting torments too which wée are subiecte by reason of sinne bée most rightfull punishments yet notwithstanding God of his excéeding goodnesse pitying vs is in déede sory for our losse lyke the louingharted father that is strikē with great gréefe for the miserie of his sonne and of his woonderfull gentlenesse and mercy helpeth vs and by sending his sonne who for vs was borne crucified and raised from death againe hath restored vntoo vs rightuousnesse and euerlasting saluation Grace signifieth the frée good will or fauor or the mercie of God receiuing vs for his sonnes sake The forcing cause or the mediator and spokesman that moueth God too bestow euerlasting saluation vpō vs wretches and vnwoorthy is the only sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who by his birth hath deliuered vs from the Deuils power and voutsaued too become the sonne of man that he might make vs the sonnes of God hath taken vpō him the shape of a seruaunt that he might set vs at libertie And by dying vanquished death that he might giue too vs mortal wightes immortalitie life and glory euerlasting This man alonely dooth truly possesse the name of Iesus or of the sauyoure of mankind neither imparteth he this his honor too any creature too any vertues or too any deserts of oures And like as the Arians by taking away the
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
read He shall ouerthrow death for euermore But wée may most safely folow Paules translation The other place is in Osee xiij I Will redeeme them from the hand of hel I wil deliuer them from Death where are thy plages O Death wher is thy destruction O hell Oseas also preacheth of this most souerein benefite of the sonne of God that although his Church in this world bée oppressed with manyfold persecution and miseries as well as the rest of men that are vngodly yet will he vndoutedly deliuer it from Death and out of the very iawes of hell and wil endue it with new lyfe and euerlasting ioyfulnesse For the Hebrue woord Scheol ▪ which vsually they translate hel dooth properly signifie the graue wherin the bodyes of deade folkes are bestowed also the place in which mennes soules departing from their bodyes are reserued till the last iudgement day The Prophet therfore promiseth deliuerance too the godly members of the church not that they shalbée priuiledged in this lyfe from all miseries and from death it selfe but that when they are dispatched out of this lyfe and buryed in their graues euen then he willeth them too looke for assured deliuerance or resurrection a much better life which shall continue for euer bicause Death which héertoofore was the plage and destruction of all mankynd and deuoured al men is now ageine deuoured and swalowed by Chryst our redéemer who paying the full pryce or raunsome for vs hathe borowed vs out for so doo the Hebrew woordes Pada and Gaal signifie which the Prophet vseth in this place And as touching the woordes that ensue which Hierom hathe translated thus Ero mors tua ô Mors Ero morsus tuus ô Inferne That is too say O Death I will bée thy Death O hell I will bée thy sting and which Paule hath expressed by an Interrogation O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie It is euident that the diuersitie of the interpretations ryseth of the Hebrew woordes which haue many significations For the woord Ehe and the future tence Cal is of the verb Haiah by Apocape which is a figure that taketh away a letter or a sillable from the end of a woord for the whole woord is Ehieh I will bée And so is the aduerbe where which also by transposition of letters is red Aieh It appéereth therfore why Paule and the .lxx. Interpreters and Aquila of Sinope and the fifth edition all which Ierom citeth haue translated the woord Ehe where and not I will bee Where is thy inditement or accusation The woorde following Deuareca which S. Ierome translateth Mors tua thy Death the thrée score and ten Interpreters translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy accusation or inditement and Aquila sermones tui thy sayings is likewyse of many significations For the woord Dibber signifyeth too speake and also too kill or destroy ij Reg. xxij Athalia Dedabber slew all the kings stocke Héeruppon Deber is as muche too say as a plage a murreine or a destruction Exod. ix ij Reg. vlt. iij. Reg. viij And the other word Keleb in the part folowing is almost of the same signification for it signifieth a wasting plage or destruction and rooting out As in the Psalme xcj. Thou shalt not bee afrayd of Deber the plage that rageth in the darke nor of Keleb the destruction that wasteth at the noone day Where wée in our Latin translation haue A negocio perambulante in tenebris ab incursu a Daemonio Meridiano Which is of the businesse walking in the darke of the sodein rushing in and of the Diuel of the noone day Therfore the proper méening of Osée is out of all dout this Where are thy plages O death where is thy rooting out O hell Death and Hell did héeretoofore bring plage and vtter destruction vppon all men through sinne wherewith all mankynd is horribly atteinted and appaired And then cheefly is this plage felt then dooth it shewe it self then dooth it strike a man intoo horrible fearfulnesse and sorowes which are the enterances intoo euerlasting Death when sinne is stirred vp and rowzed by the lawe of God as Paule sayeth Rom. vij But Chryste by his death and gooing downe intoo hell hath brought a plage and destruction vppon deathe and hell So that from hence foorth not only Chryst himselfe but also all the godly that beléeue in Chryst may vaunt themselues ouer vanquished Death and destroyed Hel with these woordes Death vvhere is thy plage or sting wherwith thou haste heretofore murdered all mankynd Hell where is thy victorie whereby thou hast vanquished all men Thankes bée vntoo God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryst for God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the entēt that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting For like as Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse so behoued it the sonne of man too bee exalted too the intent that all that beléeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Therfore my deerbeloued brethren bee stedfast vnmouable and alwayes abounding in the woork of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vayne in the Lord. He concludeth his disputation with a short Exhortation that they should stedfastly hold them too the true doctrine cōcerning the Resurrection of the dead and the other Articles of the Christen fayth which they had receyued of Paule and not suffer themselues too bée drawen away from it by any likely persuasions of the false Apostles but endeuer too profit in true godlynesse and full assurednesse of fayth and the spreading abrode of the true doctrine and in executing the residue of the labours of their vocation vpon trust of Gods helpe and hope of luckye successe and such as may bée too the welfare of the Churche according too this most swéete promise Your labour shall not bee in vayne in the Lord. Vppon the Sunday called Quasi modo geniti or the first Sunday after Easter IT tooke this name of the Introit taken out of j. Pet. ij As newborne babes desyre the reasonable and pure milke that you may growe in it if so bée you haue tasted that the Lord is swéete For in the auncient Churche when in manner men growen were baptized it was a custome too baptize on the Easter holydayes and too giue milke to taste too those that were baptized and a whyte garment too put on whiche was a token of freedome and innocencie Whereuppon the wéeke is called yet still in Albis and the Sunday is called the Sunday in Albis or whyte Sunday and it is that which foloweth next after Easter And the verses out of the hymne Salue festa dies are knowen Behold o holy King great part of thy renowne is seene When sacred baptim doth aduāce the soules by thee made cleene Thy souldiers from the siluer streame come pure and whyte of hew Cleane washed from
intreat of euery of these thrée Epistles in order the exposition of which may bée distributed intoo thrée birthdayes But first of all I will recite a disposement of a sermon which may bréefly comprehend a summe of the doctrine concerning the Incarnation or birth of the sōne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst too bée vttered too the people ¶ THE ENTERANCE The consideration of Gods secret purpose concerning the redemption of mankind and the woonderfull coupling of the Godhed and manhod in the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst farre surmounteth the wisdome of all Angels and men Yet will God haue vs too lerne the beginnings of this wisdom in this lyfe and toogither with the Angels and all the sainctes in heauen and earth too béehold this woonderfull birthe of the sonne of God with earnest mind and too magnifie it with true faith and thankfulnesse For the sonne of God hath voutsaued this most hygh honor chéefly vppon vs men that he would take the substance of our nature vppon him And for our saluation sake is he become man that setting vs frée from sinne and endlesse death he might restore vntoo vs rightuousnesse and life And therefore all the church euen from the beginning of the world which is now 5531. yeeres hath kept this feast renewing and spreading abrode the promis concerning the womans séede that should crush the serpents head Wherfore let vs also ioyne our endeuor too the felowship of the whole Church and toogither with all Sainctes consider the beginnings of the doctrine which concerneth the woonderful aliance of the Godhed and manhod in Chryst and the benefites that he hath brought vs by his birth specially seeing the euerlasting saluation of vs all consisteth in the true acknowledgment of our Lord and sauyoure Iesus Chryst the very sonne of God and of Marie The proposition and partition Now will wée distribute all this most large doctrine of this feastfull day intoo thrée places And first by Gods helpe wée will speake of Chrystes persone issuing of the virgin Marie 2. Of the causes of this woonderfull coupling of the twoo natures and of Chrystes benefites 3. Of the applying of the same Of the first IN our Lord and redéemer Iesus Chryst borne of the virgin Marie there bée twoo natures knyt toogither by an indissoluble bond that is too wit the Sonne of God the woord of one selfe same substance and of one selfe same continuaunce wyth the eternall Father and the nature of man taken of the substance of the virgin Marie Iohn 1. The woord became flesh that is too say the sonne of God became man or the sonne of God tooke too him flesh or the nature of man so as they bée one persone Iesus Chryst Philip. 2. Christ being in the shape of God thought it no robbery too bée equall with God but abased himselfe taking vppon him the shape of a seruaunt and became vtterly like too the residue of men Too the intent these things may bée the easlyer vnderstoode the doctrine of the common Cathechisme is too bée repeted in this place What God is how he is too bée discerned frō counterfet Gods how many persons of the Godhead there bée how the thrée persones are too bée discerned one from another by euident markes For only the second persone the sonne of God coupled mannes nature vntoo him And let the description of the persone of Gods sonne bée recited out of the Cathechisme the which I will expound in the disposement of the foresayd Epistle Heb. 1. Also let the names of the sonne of God bée declared among which the chéef is the woord which is attributed to him for many causes But the chéefest are two First for that the sonne is the ful and perfect image of the euerlasting father like as our spéeche is the image that expresseth and sheweth the thoughtes of our mynd Secondly for that by the sonne Goddisclosed his woonderfull purpose concerning the creation and redemption of mankind and vttered to our first parentes his promis concerning the séede that should crush the serpents head Basilius Why is he called the woord Bicause he procéeded out of the mind and was begotten without all affection and is the image of him that begate him Nazianzen He is therfore called the woord bicause he is in respect of the father as the woord is in respect of the mind not only bicause his generation was voide of all affection but also for the knot of coniunction and the liuely representation This only begotten sonne woord of God was alwayes at hand too mankind euen from the beginning of the world He receiued our first parēts he sate at the helme in the Ark of Noe he was a guest with Abraham he shewed himselfe too Iacob face too face that is too wit in the selfe same shape and paterne of mannes nature which he should afterward take vppon him he appeared too Moyses in the bush he was with the people of Israell in the wildernesse and he inspired all the Prophets At length when the fulnesse of time foresette of God was come namely the yéere of the world 3962 he tooke vppon him mannes nature in the wombe of the virgin Marie and by personall vnion cuppled it too himselfe according as was foretold of him in the promisses that he should bée borne of a virgin For in this respect is he called the womans seede Gen. 3. and Siloh that is too say the virgins issue Gen. 49. And in Esay the. 7. Behold a virgin shall conceiue and his name shall bée called Emanuell that is too say God with vs Now although wée cannot by the sharpnesse of our owne wit spye out the maner of this wonderfull cuppling of the Godhed and manhood in Chryst yet notwithstanding these entrances which God hathe opened vnto vs are too bée faithfully lerned and beléeued And chilorē may lerne the summe of this doctrine out of the Créede of Athanasius This therefore is the right faith that wée beléeue and acknowledge that our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God is both God and man God of the substāce of the father begotten before all worldes and man of the substance of his moother borne in the world Perfect God and perfect man of reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Equall too the father as touching his Godhead and lesse than the father as touching his manhood Who though he bée both God man yet is he not twoo but one Christ One not by turning the Godhead intoo flesh but by taking manhood intoo god One altoogither not by confounding the substance but by vnion of persone For like as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ The .ij. Concerning the causes of the coupling of the twoo natures and of the benefites of Chrystes birth THe principall efficient cause of the woonderfull coupling of the Godhed and manhod in Chryst is the very persone of the sonne of God making sute in that secret
the Lawe by the ordinance of angels and haue not kept it VVhen they herd these things their harts claue a sunder they gnashed on hym with their teeth But he being full of the holy Ghost loked vp stedfastly with his eyes intoo heauen and sawe the glorie of God and Iesus standing on the right hande of God and sayde Beholde I see the heauens open and the sonne of man standing on the ryght hande of god Then they gaue a shout with a loude voyce and stopped their eares and ranne vpon him all at once and cast him out of the Citie and stoned hym And the witnesses layd downe their clothes at a yong mans feete named Saule And they stoned Steuen calling on and saying Lord Iesu receyue my spirit And he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voyce Lord laye not this sinne to their charge And when he had thus spoken he fell a sleepe The disposement of the accusation of Steuen of his defence out of the readings vppon the Actes of the Apostles The summe of the accusation may bee included in this Sylogisme IT is a blasphemie too teache that the law of Moyses giuen by God himself iustifyeth not but is to bée abolished togither with the temple and the rites of the sacrifices and all the politicke ordinances of Moyses Steuen teacheth that the Law and sacrifices of Moyses are not néedfull too the atteynèment of forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting saluation nor the chéef woorshipping of God but that they and the whole common weale of Moyses and the temple shall decay togither Ergo Steuen is giltye of blasphemie and treason and is too bée stoned to death according too the Lawe Leuit. 14. Ageynst this so heinous accusation Steuen hauing hys hart and countenaunce cléered with the light of God maketh a long defence wherein he answered too the Maior or first part denying it too bée blasphemie to teach that the law of Moyses iustifieth not and that the ceremonies and sacrifices of Moyses are not the true and chéef woorshipping of God and that the rites of Moses togither with the common weale and temple must bée doone away Therefore the summe of Steuens aunswer for his defence may bée included in foure Syllogismes The .j. Of iustification RIghtuousnesse and eternall saluation is bestowed after one selfsame maner vppon the fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob and all holy men in all times of the world The Fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob c obteyned forgiuenesse of sinne and euerlasting saluation not for the law and sacrifices offered in the temple which at that time were not yet ordeyned but only by the promise of the blissed séede which they tooke hold on by fayth Ergo wée also are made heires of rightuousnesse and euerlasting saluation not by the Lawe and sacrifices of Moses but by that only séede of Abraham that was promised euen our Lord Iesus Chryst according also as Peter witnesseth afterward wée beleue that wée are saued by the grace of our Lord Iesus Chryst like as our fathers were saued also Her vppon it is rightly concluded that the ceremonies of Moyses or the lawe and sacrifices of Moyses are not néedfull to saluation The .ij. Of the promises ALl Saints must néedes obteyne the principall promise made too all the Saincts For otherwyse the promise were in vayne and too no purpose Vntoo Abraham and the other Fathers was giuen promis of blissing and of the inheritance of the land of Canaā and yet Abraham obteyned not so much as one foote bredth of the land at any tyme in possession Ergo the blissing that was promised too Abraham was another thing than this bodyly common weale and sacrifices of Moyses that is too wit forgiuenesse of sinnes and the true and euerlasting good things The .iij. Of the true worshipping of God. THe principall woorshipping of God is alwayes one and cōmon too all the saincts throughout al times of that world The fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob and Ioseph dyd doutlesse woorship God a right and yet obserued not the ceremonies of Moyses Lawe which at that time was not yet deliuered ne offered sacrifices in the temple which was not yet at that tyme buylded Ergo the Mosaicall ceremonies and the sacrifices that are offered in the temple of Hierusalem are not the true chéef woorshipping of God according as the Prophete sayeth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings The .iiij. Of the abrogating of the law and common weale of Moyses MOyses himself sayeth The Lorde our God shall rayse vp vnto you a Prophet from among our brethrē Héere yée him Whosoeuer shall not héere that Prophet I wilbée reuenged of him But now is that Prophet come that Moyses promised which teacheth playnly that the Law and ceremonies of Moyses are not necessary too iustification and saluation Ergo he is too be heard or it is too bée beléeued for a certeintie that the law is abrogated Or let the Argument bée framed in thys wyse Chryst whom Moyses himself commaunded too bée herd is the end of the Law for the ceremoniall politike lawes and all the common weale of Moyses was ordeyned too this end that it might bée the seate of the churche and a place for Chryst too bée borne in and that it should ceasse assoone as Chryst was exhibited Chryst whom Moyses in the .xviij. of Deut. commaundeth too bée herd is now exhibited Ergo the Lawes of Moyses toogither with his common weale temple shall bée abrogated and that too this end that the very same dooing away of it may bere witnesse that the Messias which was promised too the Fathers is already exhibited and that the lawes of Moyses are not necessarie too saluation This is the summe of Steuens long oration which comprehendeth the chéef Articles of the Christian doctrine Of which things the full exposition may bée fetched out of my wrytings that conteyn the summe of the doctrine of my expositions vppon Genesis and Exodus the notablest Stories of which bookes Steuen citeth for the most part in this Oration Of Steuens martyrdoome MArtyrdoome signifieth witnes bearing wherby wée witnesse before other men not only in voyce ▪ but also with our blud and by our death that the doctrine of the Gospell concerning the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst is certein and vndeuybable and neuer shrink from our confession of the true doctrine for all the most bitter hatreds terrours and bodyly tormentes in the world too this ende that the true knowledge of God may bee preserued and the certeyntie of the true doctrine and the fayth of others that bée of the weaker sort may bée cōfirmed And finally that it may bee a witnesse of the iudgment to come and of the endlesse immortalitie and glorie of the Saincts The partes of martyrdoome may bée called the confession of the true doctrine which is made with the mouth and the sufferance or torment of the bodye and
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
tokens shewed that he had a fauour to that people Euen so dooth God impart his benefites too vs by the water of Baptim washing vs from our sinnes and hyding and couering vs as it were with the shadowe thereof from the heate of his wrath Concerning the spirituall foode whereof the Manna gyuen from heauen in the wildernesse Exo. xvi was a figure with whiche the soules of the beleeuers are fed and euerlasting lyfe is begonne in them like as this bodily lyfe of men is susteyned with wheaten bread more plentifull exposition may bée taken out of the sixth Chapter of Iohn Vppon the Sunday called Sexagesima or Shrouesunday ¶ The Epistle .ij. Cor. xj xij FOR yee suffer fooles gladly bycause that yee your selues are wyse For ye suffer euen if a maÌ„ bryng you intoo bondage yf a man deuoure if a man take if a man exalt himselfe if a man smyte you on the face I speake as concerning rebuke as though we had bin weake Howbeit wherein soeuer any man dare be bolde I speake foolishly I dare bee bold also They are Ebrewes euen so am I. They are Israelites euen so am I. They are the seed of Abraham euen so am I. They are the ministers of Chryst I speake as a foole I am more In laboures more aboundaunt In strypes aboue measure In pryson more plenteously In death oft Of the Iewes fyue tymes receyued I euery tyme .xl. strypes saue one Thryse was I beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffered thryse shipwracke Night and day haue I bin in the deepe of the sea â–ª In iorneying often in parelles of waters in parels of robbers in ieopardies of myne owne nation in ieopardies among the Heathen in parels in the citie in parels in wildernesse in parels in the sea in parels among false brethren in labour and trauayle in watching often in hunger and in thirst in fastings often in cold and in nakednesse And besyde the things which outwardly happen vntoo mee I am combred dayly and doo care for all congregations Who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not If I must needes reioyce I will reioyce of myne infirmities The .xij. Chapter THE God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is blissed for euermore knoweth that I lye not In the Citie of Damascon the gouernour of the people vnder king Aretas layde watch in the Citie of Damascens and would haue caught mee and at a windowe was I let down in a basket through the wall so scaped his hands It is not expedient for mee no doubt too reioyce Neuerthelesse I will come too visions and reuelations of the lord I knowe a man in Chryst aboue .xiiij. yeares agone whither he were in the body I can not tell or whither he were out of the body I can not tel God knoweth which was taken vp into the third heauen And I knowe the same man whither in the body or out of the body I can not tell God knoweth howe that he was taken vp intoo Paradise and herd woordes not too bee spoken which no man can vtter Of this man will I reioyce of my selfe will I not reioyce except it bee of myne infirmities And yet though I would reioyce I should not be a foole for I would say the truthe Neuerthelesse I spare least any maÌ„ should thinke of mee aboue that he seeth mee too bee or heareth of mee And least I should bee exalted out of measure thorow the abundance of reuelations there was giuen vntoo mee vnquietnesse of the flesh the messanger of Sathan too buffet me bycause I should not bee exalted out of measure For this thing besought I the Lorde thryce that it might depart from mee And he sayd vntoo mee my grace is sufficient for thee For my strength is made perfect thorow weakenesse Very gladly therefore will I reioyce of my weaknesse that the strength of Chryste may dwell in mee WElnéere all the whole latter Epistle to the Corinthians is an Apologie of Paule defeÌ„ding himself ageinst the y slauÌ„dersof the false Apostles who despysed his doctrine authoritie ministration preferred theÌ„selues before him vpheld that the Iewish ceremonies were to bée layd vpon the GeÌ„tyls as of necessitie too saluatioÌ„ And truly they alledged the examples of Peter the other Apostles who in Iewrye the countryes bordering thereabouts hild still the ceremonies of their own countrey And this defence of Paules is necessarie too the intent the truthe certeintie of the doctrine of the Gospell which Paule had taught the authoritie of Apostleship the fayth might bée preserued in the churche It perteyneth too the kynd of cases that are Iudiciall The grouÌ„d of the Epistle before red is I Paule am a farre more excellent minister of Chryst than are the rest The cheef Arguments or reasons are twoo FIrst he that with greater faythfulnesse coÌ„stancie spreddeth abrode the gospel of Chryst endureth more trauel persecution trouble for profession of the gospel and for the fayth is woorthely also too bée déemed greater and excellenter than the rest I Paule haue endured greater peynes mo in number mo perils imprisonments punishments such other miseries in spredding of the gospel thaÌ„ any of the false Apostles Ergo I am farre too bée preferred before them SecoÌ„dly too whoÌ„ more manifest visioÌ„s of greatest things are shewed froÌ„ heaueÌ„ by god himself he as more familiar déerer to God ought of right to bee preferred before others Paule was caught vp intoo the third heauen there had shewed vntoo him a notable reuelatioÌ„ from God Ergo c. This is the effect of this dayes Epistle which our aunceters haue in this respect appoynted too this tyme of the yéere for that it maketh mention of fasting labours watching other exercâ—ses that serue to kéepe vnder mortifie y flesh whiche things their méening was that men should take vppon them specially these fortye dayes going before Easter too the intent that the bodye béeing chastized and brought in subiection meÌ„nes mynds bée more fit more bent and more desyrous too consider the wonderfull passion and death of the sonne of god and too repent themselues earnestly of their misdéeds Out of this Epistle may bée picked foure places of doctrine First of the duties or true ornamentes of an Apostle or any minister of the gospel which are faythfulnesse in spreading abrode the doctrine of the Gospel and stedfastnesse and patience in bearing out the labours trubles tormentes whiche accompanie the profession and ministerie of the Gospell Secondly the doctrine of the crosse and of the twelue causes for which God dooth cheefly lode his Churche and the godly sorte with so huge a heape of aduersities whiche are too bée fetched out of the place that concerneth the crosse and aduersities Thirdly of the visions and reuelatioÌ„ made vntoo Paule Fourthly the most sweete comfort set foorth in this saying My grace suffyseth thée for my power is made
behalfe that you bée reconcyled to God Secondly they must exhorte by sound doctrine and allure and incense their héerers to the earnest embracing and practizing the rightuousnesse of fayth and of a good conscience according as Paule exhorfeth and beseecheth the Corynthians in this place Thirdly they must beware that they estraunge not mennes myndes from the Gospell of grace from the ministerie by giuing them cause of offence in their doctrine or conuersation as is sayd héere Gyuing no cause of offence in any thing least the ministerie bée misreported And fourthly that they beautifie the doctrine ministerie of the gospel with examples of al vertues and specially of patience vnder the crosse and of stedynesse in their profession According as Paule sayeth in this place setting foorth your selues in all things as Gods ministers by patience And it is a most weightie saying of Nazianzene They that teache well liue amisse snatch away that thing with the one hand which they reache foorth with the other It is better not too teache at all than too teache for a fashion Thou must not pull too thée with the one hand and thrust away from thée with the other hand Thou shalt néed too talke the lesse if thou doo as thou oughtest too doo The third part of the Epistle is ABundell or beadroll of the vertues with which the ministers of the Gospell and all the godly must serue God and beautifie the Gospell and mortifie and hold in the flesh not only these fortie dayes but also all the whole tyme of their lyfe Paule reckeneth vp in order .x. vertues the which too the entent they may the easlier bée discerned and applied to the preceptes of the ten commaundements agréeable too them I will set them downe by tale i Patience that is too say stedfastnesse in daungers aduersities that accompanie the ministerie of the Gospell Of this vertue there bée six obiectes or six kyndes of miseries in which patience is too bée performed whiche Paule gathereth toogither so as they may bée discerned ij Labour or peynfulnesse performing continuall diligence and earnestnesse in executing faythfully the duties of ones vocation For honest labours are brydles of lustes But ydlenesse bréedeth vyces and men by dooing nothing doo lerne too doo euill iij Watchfulnesse iiij Fasting or sobernesse and measure or abstinence from meate and drink v Chastitie vj Skilfulnesse or true knowledge of Gods being will disclosed in the Lawe and the Gospell wisdome able too iudge what is too bée earnestly followed in what place afore whom vij Long sufferance viij Gentlenesse and Courtesie ix Zeale of the spirit x Loue vncounterfetted VNtoo these vertues he addeth in the ende the touchestone and rule of religion and christen cōuersation The woord of truthe whiche wée must embrace hold fast spred abrode by firme faith And all these things may bée brought to passe and performed of vs not by our owne power but by the myght of God who helpeth those that séeke ayd at his hand The fourth place PAule entreateth in this Epistle chéefly of Patience which is too obey God in suffering miseries plages strypes imprisonment pouertie reuylings slaunder punishments of body death and other daungers which accompanie the godly profession of the Gospell and not too bée so discouraged for these euils that a man should cast away the Gospell but too brydle sorowe and too abyde stedfastly in the acknowledged truthe and by grounded fayth and hope too wayt for deliuerance and euerlasting lyfe And this latter part of the Epistle is pullished and garnished by Paule with shyning lyghts of figures that is to wit with tenne Antithesies and as many Iscolies and moreouer with Homoeoptots and Homaeoteleuts and Anaphoraze Also a little afore with a long heaping vp or gathering toogither and a repetition wherby one selfsame woord is repeted in the beginnings of eyghtéen Cōmaze This is the bréef disposemēt of this Epistle which being wel weyed there may bée set foorth too the héere recerteyne notable places as some Exhortation too fayth embracing the frée fauor of God offered in his gospell or some Doctrine of patience and constancie in tribulation and aduersitie which accompanie fayth or some other of the vertues out of the register which wée haue reckened vp I at this tyme will say some what of Fasting FOr too this entent haue our aunceters apoynted this Epistle in the beginning of Lent bicause in it there is mention made of the fasting watching painestaking and other afflictions in which the godly shew foorth the true and earnest repentance of a sorowfull hart and tame and subdue their flesh And although the olde primitiue Churche prescribed no formes or lawes of meats and fastings yet would it that during these .xl. dayes men should haue more stay of themselues too liue soberly and to forbeare euen their lawful pleasures that their mindes myght bée more fit fit ▪ and ardent in bending themselues too the consideration of Gods wonderful purpose concerning the passion and death of his sōne our Lord Iesus Chryst and also too true repentance and earnest Prayer Afterward also suche as were defiled with outward offences excommunicated were woont this Lent tyme before they were assoyled too bée chastyzed and tryed with certeine ceremonies whither they repented in good earnest and amended from their hart or no. A description of these Ceremonies of open penance woorth the reading taken out of the ninetenth Chapiter of the Agathine Counsell is recited by Gracian in his fiftith distinction in the Chapiter of Lent 33. q. 2. c. beginning with these woordes Laborem praesentium c. admonere The Catechumeni also whom it appéereth by the stories too haue bin baptyzed only vppon Easter day and Whitsunday vntoo the tyme of Charles the great were woont after that they had giuen their names too bée tryed all the Lent season and too bée instructed and apposed in the true Doctryne of Chryste and too bee as it were purged with the Ceremonies of Fasting and other things that they might come the more woorthely and reuerently too the Sacrament of Baptim at Easter And they wryte that Telesphorus was he that first enioyned the fortie dayes Fast before Easter who was Bishop of the Romane Church about the hundred and thirtith yéer after Chryst But it appéereth plainly by Irenaeus who florished about the twoo hundredth yéer after Chrystes birth that as yet in those dayes men were vtterly at theyr owne choyce for their Fastings This mannes woordes which are woorthy too bée marked are recited by Eusebius in the .xxiiij. chapter of his fifth booke Some are of opinion that the Fast ought too bée kept but onely one day some twoo dayes some thrée some mo and many also the whole fortie dayes And yet all these notwithstāding that they disagrée among them selues in keeping the fast haue alwayes bin and are at peace with vs and the disagréeablenesse of the Fast
warres destructions of Cities and other innumerable miseries of all men and the slaughters of all the Sainctes as of Abel and Iohn Baptist by which notwithstanding Gods wrath could not bée pacifyed but that the sonne of God must bée made a sacrifyse Ageine the greatnesse of Gods wrath is after some manner shewed by the examples of many men who for the conscience of one wickednesse haue bin striken with most heauie fearfulnesse which hathe driuen them too fordoo themselues As the examples of Orestes of Aristobulus king of the Iewes of Iudas the traitor of Theodorich of Verona and of dyuers others Now if the féeling of Gods wrath ageinst one sin alone doo bréede so bitter sorow in the hart that it dispatcheth a mā of his life What an vnmeasurable huge heape of Gods wrath and of horrible sorowes think you wer thronged vppon Chryst who susteined not one sinne alone or the sinnes of some only one mā but mine and thine yea and al mennes offences Idoll gaddings and murders all their sinfull inclinations affections and outward faultes toogither with the fire of Gods wrath ageinst these sinnes Being ouerwhelmed with this houge burthen of Gods wrath he cryeth out Psalm xxij O God my God why haste thou forsaken mée My hart is become like melting wax my strength is withered like a potsherd and thou hast brought mée downe too the dust of death This féeling of the houge and horrible wrathe of God ageinst al the sinnes of all men was the first and chéefest part of Chrystes passion The second part was the heauinesse and excéeding great torment rysing in his hart for the féeling of Gods wrathe ageinst sinnes and for the feare of death and tearing of his bodie which so appalled all the partes of his bodie that he swet droppes of blud The third and lyghtest part of all was the tearing of his bodie and streyning of his sinewes when he was whipped ▪ buffeted and fastened too the crosse with nailes The causes of Chrystes passion IT is not the wisdome of any creature that can serche out the causes of Gods woonderfull purpose concerning the redemption of mankynd too bée brought too passe in this wyse that the sonne of God should make intreatance for vs take our nature vpon him and bee sacrifysed for vs neuerthelesse God will haue the consideration of this woonderfull Decrée begonne in this lyfe The principall efficient cause is the will of Gods sonne making intercession of his owne mere motion for mankind falne intoo sinne and death and offering himself too this obedience and punnishment wherby he myght make satisfaction for mankynd Iohn .x. I am the good shepeherd and I giue my life for my shéepe The inward cause that moued or enforced him too doo so is the vnmeasurable mercy of God tēpered with his iustice For sith that God is vnchaungeably iust he is in déede and horribly angry with sinne and destroyeth sinners like a consuming fire Neyther relenteth he his anger ageinst sinne of a fondnesse lyghtnesse but vnchaungeably most streightly kéepeth this rule of iustice that men shall eyther performe due obedience or else abyde the fire of Gods wrath Therefore God receiueth not men that are faln without equal and sufficient amends which forbicause mākind was not able to yéeld therfore was too bee cast intoo endlesse torments the sonne of God béeing inflamed with vnmeasurable loue and mercy towards mankynd maketh intretance for vs and too the entent Gods iustice should be satisfied he vndertaketh him self the punishmēt amends making for our sinnes taking our nature vppon him becometh a sacrifise susteining Gods dreadful wrath ageinst sin payeth too Gods maiestie a rāsome too the full value of our sin vanquishing sin and death and restoring men too ryghtuousnesse and eternall lyfe The outward cause that moued or enforced him so too doo was the fal of our first parents the sin that frō thens did shed it self intoo all vs who for the same must haue perished in euerlasting paynes had not the sonne of God bin sacrifysed The instrumentall and outward woorking cause are the Diuels and their instruments the Iewes who burning in hatred ageinst Chryste for finding fault with their wickednesse and false opinions coueted too rid him away and too destroy him too the entent they myght without checke maynteine their hypocrisie and wicked lustes These enforcing and finall causes make an infinite difference betwéene the will of the Iewes crucifying Chryste and the will of God Who béeing moued by his owne exceeding mercie toward mankynde and through the entreatance of his sonne would haue Chryst too suffer too dye and too ryse alyue agein too the entent he might restore men too lyfe and euerlasting saluation The matter wherin as in moulds Christes Passion was wrought are the mynd will hart and body of Chryste The forme or manner is the very feeling of Gods horrible wrath and the anguishe as well of Chrystes mynd as of his bodie and his chyldly obedience through which he willingly submitted himselfe with true reuerence and woonderfull lowlynesse too the eternal father and without grudging or repyning endured Gods wrathe poured out vppon him and most bitter formentes for the loue of Gods iustice and mannes saluacion The end of his Passion is first that mankynd béeing redéemed with sufficient ransome from Gods wrath and euerlasting damnacion myght bée rewarded with ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe Iohn .iij. Like as Moyses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp too the entent that all that beléeue in him should not perishe but haue lyfe euerlasting Secondly that wée myght become conformable too the image of Gods sonne that is too say that wée myght bée like the sonne of God our patterne in bearing the Crosse Romaines .viij. Thirdly that wée should folowe the example of Chrystes patience and méeknesse .j. Peter ij Fourthly that wée in all our lyfe should expresse the humilitie that Chryste performed in his passion Philip. ij Through lowlynesse of mynde let euery man estéeme others better than himselfe And let the same mynd bee in you that was in Iesus Chryst Fifthly that being dead to sinne wée might liue vprightly and blamelesse For like as Chryst caryed downe our sinnes intoo his graue and abolished them by his death euen so wée mortifying the dregges of sinne as yet sticking in our flesh must performe new obedience and ryghtuousnesse agréeing with the will of god j. Peter ij Chryste bare our sinnes in his bodye vppon the trée that wée béeing dead to sinne should lyue too ryghtuousnesse The effectes of Chrystes passion are all his benefites which for instruction sake wee will distribute intoo eyght formes FIrst the redemption of mankynde from Gods wrath sin death and the diuels tyranny j. Tim. ij There is but one mediator betwéene God and man the man Iesus Chryste who gaue himselfe for vs too redéeme vs The
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
heinous so as sin may become out of measure sinful and being fully felt too bée so may strike dreadfull feares and astraughtments into mennes consciences which immediatly vppon the stirring vp and discouering of sin by the law do giue sentence of death ageinst themselues find themselues giltie of eternall damnation Too this méening it is sayd The power of sin is the law as in Rom. v. The law entred in that sin myght abound Also Rom. vij I had not knowne sin but for the law For when the commaundemēt came sin reuiued and I am dead that is too say the law shewed the hugenesse and heynousnesse of sin and of Gods wrath ageinst sin and assoone as Gods wrath was once known sin which héertofore slept in quietnesse was stirred vp and became more strong and effectual and ouerwhelmed man with the féeling of Gods wrath and with horrible dreadfulnesse and endlesse Death For the law exacteth alwayes of vs suche an obedience and conformablenesse as is vnpossible too mannes nature and too those that are not conformable it thundreth out this thunder bolt Curssed is he that continueth not throughly in all thinges that are wrytten in the lawe And so there was no shift but that all mankynde béeing subdued and oppressed by these moste cruell enemies sinne Deathe and the cursse of the lawe which are the chéefe sinewes of the Diuels kingdome must haue perished vtterly Neyther could he by any power of man or succor of Angels haue rid himselfe out of this cruell Tyrannye onlesse these myghtye and dreadfull enemies of mankynde had bin vanquished and ouerthrowne by the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Chryste who was born too vs giuen to vs who died for vs and rose agein for vs that his victory had bin bestowed vppon vs by faith j. Ioh. v. Heb. ij By his own death he put downe him y had Lordship ouer death that is too say the deuil and reconciled those which through feare of death wer all their life time oppressed with bondage Coloss ij Yée are risen ageine with Chryst through faith that is wrought by the operation of God which raised him frō death And with him he hath quickened vs also that were dead in our sinnes and hath forgiuen our trespasses and put out the handwryting that was ageinst vs in the law written and hath takē it away and fastened it too his crosse and spoyled rule and power and made a shewe of them openly and tryumphed ouer them in his owne person Esay ix For the yoke of his burthen that is to wit death and al calamities wherwith mankynd is ouerloden the staffe of his shoulder that is too say sin which is the thing the staffe or the dart with which death pusheth all men through killeth them and the scepter of his exaction that is too say the law which exacteth perfect obedience with horrible wrath condemneth all men that are not conformable vntoo it hast thou ouercome or vanquished as in the day of Madian For like as Gedeon did put the Madianits too flight not with bodyly armor and weapon but only with the sound of a trūpet and by putting them in feare with burning cressets euen so the sonne of God vanquisheth his enemies sin death and the diuel with none other weapōs than a trumpet that is to say the sound of his Gospel and the fire of his holy spirite which kindleth in mennes harts the light of true fayth settled vpon the sonne of God the conqueror of sinne and death as is sayd j. Ioh. v. This is the victorie that ouercōmeth the world euen your faith And .j. Peter v. Whom resist you strong in Faith. This excellent doctrine in al miseries and sorowes the most souerein and assured comfort whereuppon our whole saluation is stayed Paule setteth foorth in this place beautifyed with twoo testimonies Esay xxv Death is swalowed vp intoo victorie Ose xiij Death where is thy sting Hell wher is thy victory ▪ Now too the entent these textes alledged by Paule may bée vnderstood the better and the largenesse of the Doctrine and comfort comprised in them bée looked the néerer vntoo and the easlyer cōsidered I wil adde the grammaticall exposition of them The woordes of Esay are these In this mountaine shal he swalowe vp or deuour the wrapping of faces wherein all people are wrapped and the couering wherewith all nacions are couered And he shall swalowe vp death intoo victorie And the Lord God shall wipe awaye the teares from all faces and shall take away the rebuke or reproche of his people out of all the earth Esay preacheth of the benefites of the sonne of God that he most puissantly deliuereth his Churche bothe from all other moste sorowfull and principall euils and in especially from Death which no force and wisdome of man can ouercome When as by his Death he not only vanquisheth and ouerthroweth our Death but also vtterly abolisheth it and swalloweth it vp and wypeth away and crosseth out the reproche and teares of his people that is too wit sinne and all other miseries and sorowes But in the beginning he speaketh figuratiuely when he sayeth that the wrapping of the face wherwith all people are wrapped shall be deuoured For by the figure Metonimya which is a transposing of names he noteth the thing signifyed by the name of the thing that betokeneth it For the faces of dead folkes are woont too bée wrapped and hidden in clothes These wrappings shall bée taken away that is too say death it selfe shallbée taken away or deuoured according as Esay himselfe anon after expoundeth that properly which he had spoken erst figuratiuely as the Prophets are accustomed too doo He shall deuour or swalow vp death intoo victorie or by swalowing vp deathe the sonne of God shall get the vpper hand and shall reygne and triumph like as death had erst reigned ouer mankinde and made hauocke of all menne and none coulde wythstande him The thrée score and ten interpreters haue trāslated these woordes of Esay thus And Death preuayling deuoured bycause Death wasteth away deuoureth all men But Paul too the intent too set foorth the true and natiue meening of Esay and too shewe that it ought not too haue bin translated Death preuayling deuoured But he that is too say the sonne of God deuoured Death chaungeth the verbe actyue intoo a passiue and so expresseth the same méening how bee it muche more plainly and piththely Death is swallowed vp intoo victorie that is too say Death which héertofore deuoured al mē is now it selfe deuoured and swalowed vp intoo victorie by the sonne of God the conqueror of Death so as nowe from hencefoorth the sonne of God is a continuall conqueror and euerlasting tryumpher ouer Death For the Hebrue woorde Nitzach is as muche too say as too vanquishe too preuayle too tryumph and now and then it signifieth also euerlasting continuall and for euermore Therfore in the Latin translacion of Esay wée
their aūcient sinne with water fresh new Their raimēt whyte betokeneth eke the brightnesse of their mynd It is the shepeherds ioy so fair and whyte a flocke too fynd Therfore also were the reading of this dayes Epistle and the Introit in which mention is made of regeneration ordeyned that the baptized might bée instructed concerning their regeneration or newbirth and of their encounters and victories ageinst the Diuell and the world ¶ The Epistle j. Iohn v. ALl that is borne of God ouercommeth the world And this is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our fayth Who is hee that ouercommeth the world but he that beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God This Iesus Chryst is he that came by water and blud not by water onely but by water and blud And it is the spirit that beareth witnesse bycause the spirit is trueth For there are three which beare recorde in heauen the Father the woord and the holy Ghoste and these three are one And there are three whiche beare recorde in earth the spirite and water and blud and these three are one If wee receyue the witnesse of menne the witnesse of God is greater For this is the witnesse of God that is greater which he testified of his sonne Hee that beleeueth on the sonne of God hath the witnesse in him selfe He that beleeueth not God hath made him a lier bycause he beleeueth not the recorde that God gaue of his sonne And this is the recorde howe that GOD hath giuen vntoo vs eternall lyfe and this lyfe is in his sonne Hee that hath the sonne hath lyfe and hee that hath not the sonne of GOD hath not lyfe The disposement THis Epistle is of that kynde of caces that instruct The state of it is a doctrine concerning fayth leaning vppon the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst which fayth ouercommeth sin death and receyueth rightuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe The cheefe places are these 1 Of faith wherby wée are borne of God. 2 Of the obiect of fayth or of the persone and benefites of Chryst 3 A testimonie that the thrée persones of the Godhead are all of one substance 4 Of the ministerie of the Gospel and of the Sacraments of Baptim and the Lords Supper The first place THe welspring aud soule of godlynesse and Chrysten lyfe and the originall and head of our endlesse welfare is fayth in the sonne of God our Lord Iesu Chryst our Mediator King and Préest which fayth is in no wyse an ydle and vayne persuasion but the liuely and effectual instrument of our saluation wherby wée receyue intoo vs the true knowledge of God forgiuenesse of sinnes and all Gods benefites yea and euen God himself and ouercome sin and death and obteyne rightuousnesse lyfe and glorie euerlasting Of this true and effectuall faith there is a notable description in this dayes Epistle which wée will vnfold in these woordes Fayth is a true perceuerance of Chrysts persone and benefites of al the whole doctrine deliuered by God and it is an assent wherby wée persuade our selues that all the Articles of the doctrine are true and in especially beléeue that Iesus is the sonne of God and Chryst or the anoynted of God that is too say our King Hygh preest Mediatour and Redéemer And it is an assured trust stedfastly settled in the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst the vanquisher of sin death and the Diuil assuring a man for a certeintie that for Chrysts sake his sinnes are released and himselfe set in gods fauour who receyueth héereth helpeth defendeth and freely rewardeth with lyfe and glorie euerlasting This fayth in Christ ouercommeth the world that is too say sinne and the entycementes of sin and the Diuell himselfe the Prince of the world and death which is the chéef sinew of the Diuels power as is sayd j. Iohn ij If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him for euery thing that is of the world as the lust of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and pryde of lyfe is not of the Father but of the world Now the lyfe of man vppon earth is a continuall warfare and deadly foode ageinst foure cruell and mightie enemies that is too wit the Diuell who is furnished with a thousand pollicies too anoy the sinfull prouocations of our owne nature rebelling ageinst the Lawe of God the persecutions of Tyrants and the afflictions of all sortes bothe of mynd and bodye With these foure enemies must al godly folke fyght continually as long as they are in this world Neyther is any man able too ouercome them saue he that is borne of god But they are borne of GOD that beléeue in Chryst as is sayd in the beginning of this Chapter Euery one which beleeueth that Iesus is Chryst is borne of God and whiche with stedye fayth embrace and hold fast the woord that is deliuered by God and in whom the holy Ghost dwelling purgeth and putteth away the old Leuen or false opinions and sinfull inclinations and affections kindleth in them a new lyght new ryghtuousnesse new lyfe and newe obedience agréeing with Gods will. For in asmuch as all men are conceyued in sinne and borne the children of wrath and bondslaues of the Diuell they can not become the sonnes of God and inheriters of euerlasting lyfe and saluation before such tyme as they bée borne agein or begotten agein of GOD that is too say endewed with true fayth or new rightuousnesse and lyfe God regenerateth or begetteth men a new by twoo meanes by the Gospell concerning Chryste or by the woord receyued by fayth and by the Sacrament of Baptim j. Pet. j. Yée are borne agein of vncorruptible séede by the woord of the liuing god Iohn iiij Except a man bée borne ageine of water and the holy Ghost c. Tit. iij. He hath saued vs by the fountaine of the newbirth And these woordes or termes iust ryghtuouse godly holy beléeuing in Chryste borne of God childe or sonne of GOD new man perfect swéete or vnleuened bread c signifie in a maner all one thing The second place THe chéef obiect of fayth is our Lord Iesus Chryst And it standeth the godly in hand too haue a ryght opinion and beléef concerning the persone office and benefites of Chryst according as Iohn sayeth in this place that wée must beléeue that Iesus is the sonne of God and that he is Chryste and that he came by water and bloud like as also in this dayes Gospell he appoynteth the same end and shooteanker of the storie of the Gospell and of the whole sacred Scripture These things are written too the intent yee should beleeue that Iesus is Chryst the sonne of God and that by beleeuing yee myght haue lyfe in his name The name of Sonne sheweth that Chryst is in very déed and by nature God begotten of the substance of the eternall father as it is sayd in the Psalme Thou
you VVee knowe that wee are translated from death vntoo lyfe bycause wee loue the brethren He that loueth not his brother abideth in death Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a manslear And yee knowe that no manslear hath eternall lyfe abyding in him Hereby perceyue wee loue bycause he gaue his lyfe for vs and wee ought too giue our liues for the brethren But who so hath this worldes good and seeth his brother haue neede and shutteth vp his compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him ▪ My babes let vs not loue in woorde neyther in tong but in deede and in veritie The disposement THis Epistle is of those sort that persuade For first there is a comfort too bée set ageinst the hatreds of the world Secondly there is an Exhortation too louingnesse and liberalitie towardes a mannes neyghbour The first place MAruell not my brethren though the world hate you Mannes reason iudgeth of the tooyles and troubles of the godly and specially of the contentions among the teachers euen for all the world after the same manner as Salust sayeth in his preface too the warres of Iugurth Too labour in vayne and too preache nothing else by ouertooyling a mānes selfe but hatred and slaunder is a poynt of vtter madnesse For all the godly and specially the Ministers of the Gospel who performe the déedes of most singular louingnesse and most earnestly séeke the euerlasting welfare of their héerers and execute their dutie most faithfully doo reape in manner none other reward than most bitter hatred and vtter vnthankfulnesse at the hands of those vppon whom they haue bestowed greatest benefites Ageinst this temptation and the bitter fordoomes spyghts and hatreds of the wysemē of the world whereby many are woont too bée withdrawen from the ministerie Iohn comforteth vs in these woordes Maruell not my brethren though the world hate you as if he had sayd the iudgement of God and of the godly is farre of another sort than is the iudgement of the wicked worlde The greater that any man is before God the more contemned and abiect is he before the world And seing that at many mennes hands there is no token of a thankfull mynd rendred too God for his excéeding great benefites which he poureth out by heapes vppon all men but all kynd of spyght Let not vs wonder if the world hate vs also For the Diuell enuying vs this so greate felicitie that wée are conueyed from death too euerlasting lyfe stirreth vp his instrumentes and inflameth mennes hatreds ageinst vs Therefore ageinst the most bitter hatred of the world and of the vngodly let vs set Gods good will and fatherly loue towardes vs which the sonne of God hath shewed by this notable token that he hath spent his lyfe for vs and deliuering vs from death by the death of him selfe hath restored vs to the possession of eternall life Wherefore let eche of vs bee so disposed in mynd that they may with a true harte say thus It is sufficient for mée hauyng my full delyght in Chryst too doo those things which are godly and to speake such as are godly The second place AN exhortation too louingnesse and liberalitie towards a mannes neybour and the argumentes of this exhortation are three Of the honestnesse of it Of the profitablenesse of it And of the example of Chryst FIrst of the honestnesse or the necessary couplyng of the cause and the effects I knowe that we are translated from death too lyfe bycause wee loue the brethren or bycause our fayth is effectuall by loue For too this end are wee washed from our sinnes by the bloud of Chryste and translated from death intoo lyfe that wee shoulde hereafter eschue sinne and earnestly execute loue towardes God and our neybour which is the fountayn of all vertues Now like as mouing in a mannes bodie is an vndouted token effect of lyfe yet left in the body euen so louingnesse is the next effect and an vnfallible signe of fayth shyning in the hart wherby wée are translated from deathe vntoo lyfe And like as in this Euthymeme I knowe there is lyfe still in him bycause there is stirring yet left in his bodye it foloweth not that stirring is the efficient cause of life but by the effect I gather according too reson that the cause is present so in this place of Iohns wee know wee are translated from death to life bycause wee loue the brethren this part of spéeche bycause betokeneth not the efficient cause of whiche is spoken in the fifth of Iohns Gospell in this wyse He that beleeueth in the sonne is passed from deathe vnto lyfe but it betokeneth the effect whervpon the argument is gathered that we are verely translated from deathe vntoo lyfe like as Luke in his vij Chapter reasoneth vppon the effect that many sinnes are forgiuen too the sinfull woman bycause she loued muche Likewise as if I should say I knowe for a certeintie that the Sunne is vp bycause I sée the sunne beames glaring in my chamber And in this selfesame Epistle is sayde In this haue wee knowne his loue bicause he hath spent his life for vs. The second argument of the profitablenesse or of the necessitie of holding faste Fayth lyfe and euerlasting saluation For he that loueth not hath not lyfe euerlasting abyding in him but he continueth in deathe according also as Paule sayth j. Cor. vj. No whoremongers Idolaters abusers of themselues with the mankynde pillers c. shall inherite the kingdome of god Therefore too the intent wee lose not the remission of sinnes receiued the deliueraunce from Deathe the grace of GOD and the euerlasting lyfe wée must of necessitie fall to louingnesse and new obedience agréeable with Gods will. And yet it foloweth not therevppon that oure louingnesse or newe obedience deserueth forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall lyfe For this louingnesse cannot so muche as bée begon neyther pleaseth it God except remission of sinnes be first freely giuen for Chrystes sake and that faith shyne in the hart Bréefly euen altoogyther after the manner of Logicke hath Iohn included this argument in the forme of reasonyng agréeing to the moode Celarent But in the first place he hath put the conclusion in the second the minor and in the last the maior Ce Euery murderer hath not lyfe euerlasting abyding in him or abydeth in death la Euery one that hateth or loueth not his brother is a murtherer before god Math. v. rent Ergo he that loueth not his brother abydeth in Death or hath not eternall lyfe abyding in him The third Argument OF the example of Chryste who spent his soule or his lyfe for vs as he sayth in Iohn xv Greater loue than this can no man haue than that a man shoulde giue hys lyfe for his freends Paule Rom. v. GOD commendeth his owne loue towardes vs in that when wée were his enemies Chryst dyed for vs. Vntoo these three arguments Iohn addeth a warnyng
through rough vnknown grounds in the deepe and dark night do long for the rising of the morning star and for the breaking of the day with great desire So the miserable mynds of men and theyr blynde harts that walke in the sorowfull and great dangers of this life can neither knowe God aright nor rule the deuyses and doings of this lyfe stedyly nor haue stedfast comfort in tribulatioÌ„s but if the lamp of Gods word shyne before them and the son of God the son of rightuousnesse direct and gouerne their harts And therfore they long most ernestly to see that cléere light in the euerlasting company of the Son of god But concerning the effects profitablenesse of the prophetical and Apostolical doctrin wherby eche man may be enflamed with more ernest desirousnesse of it I shal speake more at large an on after in the second Sunday of Aduent The third place OF the interpretation of propheticall scripture Peter coÌ„mendeth the doctrine of the prophets to the churche by two arguments 1. Of the efficient cause bicause it is deliuered by the instinct and inspâ—ration of the holy ghoste 2. Of the finall cause or the effects bicause it is a burning cresset lyghenyâ—ng our myndes with the true knowledge of God true ryghteonsnesse and lyfe putting away the mist and darknesse of not knowing God of sinne and of death that the very day or the cléere and bryght light of knowing God the very light of the worlde or the morning star our Lord Iesus Christ may arise in our hartes For the common ground the very drift of al the Prophetes or the marke that they shoote at is the promysed Redéemer our Lorde Iesus Christe as it is sayde Act. x. All the Prophets beare record vnto Chryst Rom. j. Put a part for the Gospel of God which he promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures concerning the son And Peter addeth That no prophesie in the scripture hath any priuate interpretation that is too say it is not too bée expouÌ„ded according to euery mans fansie nor according to the iudgements and lykely persuasions of mans reason nor as euery man listeth but accordyng as the very holy ghost the best interpreter of hymselfe hath opened it in the cleere and lyghtsome testimonies of the woord by him deliuered As Chryst sayeth Iohn xvj The holy ghost shal teach ye al things and shal bring you in remembrance of those things that I haue sayd vntoo you j. Cor. u. He hath reueled these things to vs by his spirite For the naturall man perceyueth not the things which are of Gods spirit For they are foolishnesse too him and he is not able to vnderstand them bicause they must be weyed spiritually Of interpretation IN the good writings and authors of other arts in generall Interpretation is to shewe the proposition state or ground of the matter written and the order of the partes and Arguments and aptly to bring the cheef poynts into the common places of the same arte of which the writing entreateth and too enlyghten them by putting them intoo theyr definitions diuisions sentences and examples and to open the maner of handling it with the phrases and figures of the wordes according to the preceptes of the artes after the order of Rhetorike But in the right vnderstanding and expounding of the propheticall Scripture beside these ordinarie tricks of all good interpreters it behoueth that a lyght be kindled by the holy ghoste in the myndes of the godly by the foreshinyng wherof they may handsomly receiue and vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Chryst which is set aboue and beyonde the sight of mans reason and discerne it aryght from mans wisedome This lyght dooth the holy ghost kindle by the woord which himself teacheth whyle it is herd red and thought vppon and when the textes are conferred by the godly who are more skilfull too learne than to presume more earnest to beléeue than to stryue more in loue with Gods wisdome than in liking with theyr owne as Tertullian sayeth The best manner of interpreting the Prophetes is which wée sée Luther hath folowed in his thirde fourth Tome that firste a man do thorowly consider wey the naâ—â—ue signification of the wordes and weyghtinesse of the phrases and then reducing the matters to the places of the Gospell enlighten them by comparing them with the textes of the new Testament For it is as true as coÌ„monly sayd y there is no better way to interprete scriptures than to expound one text by another and that the old Testament or the Prophetes is the fountaine of the new Testament the new Testament ageyn the light of the olde Testament Wée sée all of vs that there commeth a wonderfull light to the sayings of the Prophetes by laying to them the like textes whiche are in the wrytings of y Apostles like as Paule expoundeth very lightsomly the promis made to Abraham coÌ„cerning the seede Galat. iij. and. Rom. iiij And the whole doctrine touching the passeouer mencioned in Exod. xij is expouÌ„ded in this short saying of Paule Christ our Easterlambe is offered vp for vs. All the whole Prophesie of Esay is enlightened in the sayings cited by christ the Apostles through whose fore-light the true and natiue méening of the whole Prophete may bee the easlyer and rightlier vnderstood Now whereas the Papistes prate that the holy scripture is darke and doutfull and therfore there is néede of some other more certeine rule to interpret it by they are manifestly conuinced by this place of Peters which compareth the scripture to a cresset or a light like as the Psalme also sayeth Thy woord is a lanterne to my féete Also the commaundement of the Lord is bright and giueth lighte to the eyes And it is manifeste that the chéef pointes of the Christian doctrine the ten Commaundementes and the promis of the Gospell are not written darkely or doutfully but in euident and propre termes And bycause the ruder sorte in some places vnderstande not the kindes of spéeche phrase and figures of woordes and the matters them selues set aboue the reach of mans reason It is Gods will that the voyce of interpreters should sound in his Churche and he hath giuen moreouer the giftes of tongues of eloquence and of other artes which are helpes of learned interpretacion But concerning the whole maner of interpreting scripture there is more sayd in another place And certeine rules of the maner of interpreting sayings that are contrarie in Rhetoricall order one to another are recited in the case of coÌ„trarietie of lawes Vppon the .xxvj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Thes iiij I Would not Brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sleepe that ye sorow not as other do which haue no hope For yf wee beleeue that Iesus dyed and rose ageyne euen so them also which sleepe by Iesus will God bring ageyne with him For
a churche out of mankynde too acknowledge him and set foorth his prayse and that God ageyne on the other syde may communicate himselfe too those that acknowledge hym And too the intent hée myght bee knowne hee hath of his excéeding greate goodnesse disclosed himselfe to mankind by deliuering him a certeyn doctrine of the Law and the Gospell concerning his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ whom he hath set foorth too bée a mediator and redéemer too the ende that men being receyued for his sake myghte bée endued with godly lyght wisedome ryghtuousnesse and eternall lyfe For although God could without mean haue conuerted men vntoo him and coulde garnysh them with hys lyghte and glorie yet notwithstanding of his woonderfull wisedom he hath appointed this order to the intent that men in this lyfe myght thorough the doctrine of the lawe bée stirred vp to acknowledge their sinnes and too repent them earnestly for the same and by the Gospell conceyue Fayth wherthrough they may in their extréeme gréefes flée vntoo the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who dyed and rose ageyne for vs and for his sake obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes ryghtuousnesse and the inheritance of euerlasting life Wherefore too the intent this doctrine of the lawe and the gospell by whiche only and not any otherwise God hath determined to conuert men vntoo him and too gather an euerlasting church too himselfe myght bée continually knowne and spread abroade among mankynde GOD of his vnmeasurable goodnesse hath ordeyned the ministerie of publik teaching and preaching his doctrine and hath appointed certeyne persons to teache partely by him selfe without meanes and partly by his Church And the sonne of God himselfe was the first preacher or minister of the Gospell in Paradyse vttering the woonderfull promis concernyng the séede by which our first parentes were receyued intoo fauour Afterward hée raysed vp Patriarks and Prophets and by his power in them maynteined the ministration of his doctrine ageynst the furiousnesse of féendes and tyrants At length taking mans nature vpon him he hym selfe preached visibly vpon earth and wrought miracles And as soone as he was risen from death he sent his apostles sainct Mathew and the rest too spreade this doctrine abroade through the whole world By these were others called too bée teachers and ministers of the Churche and so from thensfoorth by continuall succession vntoo our tymes the ministerie of the Gospel hath bin preserued and maynteined by the infinite goodnesse and power of the son of god And therfore sayth Paule in this place And the very Son of God our Lorde Iusus Christe hathe gyuen some apostles that is too say ministers called and sent immediatly by Chryst him selfe too teache the Gospell euery where hauing assurednesse that they doo not erre To the doctrine of these must wée certeinly giue credit as too the voyce of God sounding from heauen Some prophets that is to say teachers or interpreters of the scriptures written by the prophetes and Apostles furnished with singular giftes for the setting vp ageyne of the doctrine héeretofore darkened and decayed such as were Austin Luther and others Some Euangelists that is to say ministers that teach the Gospell receyued of the Apostles and sette vp churches in mo places as Timothie ij Tim. iiij Some shepherds that is to say ministers called not immediatly of God but by men to teach the Gospell to minister the Sacraments and to rule some one churche in some certeine place These doothe Paule call Elders and Bishops who when they step asyde from the rule of the Apostles doctrine do erre and fall And some teachers which in the churche in schooles or in mens houses doo teach the true doctrin of God but minister not the Sacramentes To the building vp of the Saincts intoo the woorke of the ministerie that is to say that the holy church may be builded vp by the ministerie of the Gospel and that mē which are drawen away from God may bée lynked too GOD ageyne To the building vp of the bodie of Chryst that is too say that the Church which is Chrystes body may be buylded that is to say that out of mankynde there may bée gathered a congregation of men that rightly acknowledge and prayse God and his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe and become heires of the euerlasting lyfe Till wee come into the vnitie of faith and of the knowledge of Gods sonne that is too say vntill we all come too one fayth whiche is the acknowledgement of the Sonne of God. Intoo a perfect man after the measure of age of the fulnesse of Chryst that is too say vntill fayth which at the beginning is small babish and weake may by little and little grow and become strong manly and fulsome or perfect For he taketh a similitude of the age of men whervnto he compareth the encreasments of Faith. That we may be no longer children wauering and caryed about with euery wynde of doctrine that is too say that the one true and vncorrupt doctrine of the gospel may be preserued among men the losse whereof maketh infinite errours to créepe in as it is to bée séene among the Heathen folke and the Papistes And Paule vseth lyghtsome metaphors 1. First of the childish age whiche is vnconstant and easy to be bowed changed 2. Of a ship floting on the waues 3. of a réed which yeldeth to euery blast of wind In the lewdnesse of men and craftynesse wherby they hem vs in with errour That is to say by the sleights and wyles of men wherwith they compasse vs to deceiue vs. But let vs folow the truth in loue and in all things let vs grow into him that is the head euen Chryst that is too say Wée that bee godly teachers let vs with agreeable endeuer spreade abroade the true doctrine of the Gospell and by our ministration knit ageyn vnto our one head Chryst all men that bée pulled away from God. In whome all the bodie is coupled and knit togither in euery ioynt by the ministration according too the operation as euery part hath his measure and encreaseth the bodie too the edifiyng of it selfe in loue that is to say Like as in mās body the power or spirite of lyfe spreadeth from the head into the rest of the membres knitte togyther by ioyntes that they maye excecute their propre seruices or offices according too the operation that is giuen too eche seuerall limbe whiche serue too the encrease perfection and welfare of the whole body Euen so in the churche gathered togither by the ministerie of the Gospel all the members of the churche being knit too Chryst the head by ioyntes that is to say by the ministers of the gospel doo vndertake sundry seruices and duties according as Christ hath giuen too euery of them conuenient power and ablenesse woorking in suche wyse that the body of the Church may growe and bée buylded in