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
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
it is sayd I am the Lord and this is my name I will not giue my glorie too an other Now the name of Iehoua is attributed too Christ in Iere. xxiij xxxiij Dan. ix Num. xxj Therfore Christ is verely by nature God. Againe he cōprehendeth a summe of the doctrine concerning these twoo woordes Remission of sinnes and peace purchased by Christ Wherin hée méeneth not bodyly and worldly peace but the appeasement of Gods wrath against our sinnes attonement with God quietnesse and ioy of conscience in all aduersities and in death and lastly desire too mainteyne outward concord and peace Thirdly that faith is not only a bare knowledge of the persone and benefites of Christ but also a trust settled in Christ it appeareth openly be this phrase All that beleeue in him For it is well doone in the schooles that they make this distinction in the maner of spéeches folowing that too beléeue of God is to beléeue him too bée to beléeue God is to giue credit too him and to beléeue his woorde and to beléeue in God is to trust in him too stay vppon him and too repose the whole hope of our saluation in him These six places conteyned in this notable sentence of Peter To him doo all the Prophetes beare witnesse c. Let the studiouse sorte consider and ioyne thereuntoo a summe of the doctrine concerning the Iustifying of man before God out of the writinges that comprehended the substaunce of the Christen doctrine Vppon Trinity Sunday The Epistle Rom. xj O The deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsercheable are his iudgementes and his wayes past finding out for who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde or who hath bin of counsell with him Eyther who hathe giuen vntoo him first and he shall bee recompenced ageine For of him and through him and in him are all things Too him bee glory for euer Amen The disposement of this Sermon concerning the Trinitie THe first and chéefe care of all men ought too bée too knowe God aryght too call vpon him and too set foorth his praise For too that end chéefly wer they created and redéemed by the sonne Neither is there any other higher or greater wisdom than the true knowledge and woorshipping of God which bringeth most assured cōfort in all tribulations and gouernment of lyfe in greatest affaires and saluation glory euerlasting both of body and soule Now forasmuch as vpon this day the Doctrine concerning the vnitie of the béeing of the Godhead and the Trinitie of the persons is woont too bée set foorth in the Churches we wil distribute this dayes doctrine intoo three places 1 What God is 2 That there is but one God only 3 That there are thrée persons in the one being or in the one substance of the Godhead the father the sonne the holy ghost and of either of their properties and differences First what God is GOd wil haue his béeing and wil knowne too mē this only one way according as he hath manifested himselfe in his church by the certen woord that is to wit by the law and the gospel the notable records deliuered by Chryst the prophets Apostles And there is very great ods in the difference béetwéen the heathenish knowing of God the christen For although the heathen by the natural lyght shed into their minds and by this most beautiful Theatre of natural things doo after a sort know God too bée a mynd euerlasting wyse well dooing iust the beholder of things and the iudger of mennes dooings too whom according too that lyght ingraffed in mens minds which discerneth honest dishonest things a sunder obedience is too bée performed yet haue they not knowne eyther the difference of the thrée persons or the will of God reueled in his gospel Yea and contrarie too this knowledge ingraffed in them by nature they allow the Idolatrous woorshipping of the monstrous multitude of Gods and bicause in the confusion of this present lyfe they sée the good ofte tymes in ill case the ill in good case they are ouerwhelmed eyther with Epicurish or with Academish doutfulnesse wherthrough al that religion of theirs is appalled and falleth too the ground But the summe of the Doctrine concerning the béeing of the Godhead which the vsuall description of God compriseth is this God is a béeing or substance spirituall vnderstanding euerlasting soothfast good ryghtuous mercifull chast most frée of infinite power and wisdome and another from the bodyes of the world The euerlasting Father who begate the Sonne his image from before all worlds and the Sonne the coeternall image of the Father and the holy Ghost procéeding from the Father and the Sonne According as the Godhead hath disclosed it selfe which toogither hath created and mainteyneth heauen and earth and all creatures and in mankynd gathereth too it selfe a Churche too the intent that by the same this one and true Godhed which is manifested by assured testimonies and by the woorde deliuered too the Prophets and Apostles may bée acknowledged and called vppon and glorifyed in the eternall lyfe This definition is compacted out of many recordes of Gods woord which may bée plenteously enlarged And it consisteth of foure members First it reckeneth vp in order the twelue properties peculiar too the béeing of god Secondly it reciteth the thrée persons the differences of them Thirdly it declareth the operations of God and his creation preseruation of all things And fourthly it sheweth the chusing of his eternal church by which he wil be knowne magnified The second place THat there is but one God euen the soūder sort of the heathen being conuicted by demonstrations taken of the orderlynesse of causes in nature haue taught And woorthy of remembraunce are these sentences There is one God onely and there is none other God. Also there is but one God wyse mightie and there withall blissefull And ageine there must needes bee some one thing and that immortall whoo was the first mouer of all things and which preserueth them nowe in good gouernance The rule of many is not good let there bee but one gouernour Notwithstanding contrary too this opinion knowne too nature the Heathen men admitted an abhominable sorte of Gods which as Paul sayth truely an idoll is nothing in the world are not euerlasting Gods but eyther surmysed and vaine names or very féendes or else other things created by god Agein in the very church also the Manichées imagined twoo Gods bothe of them myghtie and eternall the one good and the cause of good in nature the other the cause of euil Ageinst these madnesses let this doctrine bée most firmly held that there is but one God almightie euerlasting good ryghtuous the iudge the maker and the preseruer of all things manifested in the Church by the sōne our Lord Iesus Christ sent among vs and by his Gospel deliuered too vs according too the sayings of
then serueth the Lawe The lawe was added bycause of transgression till the seede came too which the promise was made and it was ordeyned by Aungels in the hande of a Mediatour A Mediatour is not a mediatour of one But GOD is one Is the Lawe then ageynst the promise of God God forbyd Howbeit if there had bin a Lawe giuen which could haue giuen lyfe thē no dout rightuousnesse shold haue come by the law But the Scripture concluded all things vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Chryste should bee giuen too them that beleeue The disposement THe Epistle is of those sort that instruct For the doctrine therof concerneth mannes iustification before god The proposition that conteyneth the summe of the Epistle is Wee are iustified before God for Chrysts sake only freely by faith and not for our own good woorkes The Arguments wherewith he confirmeth this proposition are three FIrst of the weightynesse of the woords The Testament or promise of God is out of all dout true certein vnchaūgeable and too bée vnderstood simply as the woords sound Gods Testament or promise deliuered vntoo Abraham In thy seede shall all nations bee blissed affirmeth by expresse woords that Blissing that is too wit remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluatiō is giuen not in seedes as in many that is too wit not partly for Chrystes sake and partly for our owne good woorkes but onely for the one séede whiche is Chryst Ergo it is a true certein and vnchaungeable ground that wée are iustified or accepted as rightuouse before GOD for Chrystes sake onely by faith onely and not partly by faith for Chrystes sake and partly for our owne good woorkes Paule amplifieth the first proposition by a matter of lesse likelyhod or force thus If it bée not lawfull too alter the Testament or last will of a man much lesse is it lawfull too alter the Testament or will of God. The second argument is of things that hang not togither FOr yf the inheritaunce come by the law then is it not by promis but God graūted it to Abraham by promis This argument may bée included in this Syllogisme Whatsoeuer is giuen by the law as a wages eyther for our own obedience to the law or for our own workes and desertes is not giuen fréely by the promis taken hold vppon by fayth onely The heritage of rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe is giuen fréely vnto Abraham by promis Ergo the inheritaunce of rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe befalleth not by the law or is not giuen for our own woorkes or our obedience towardes the law This argument dooth Paule amplifye with two preuentions Of which the firste is this The Testament or promis that was made to Abraham concerning Christe was ratified and approued by God foure hundred xxx yéeres before the publishing of the law Ergo after the deliueraunce of the law our obedience towards the law or our good works also must néedes mete to iustification To this obiection Paule aunswereth thus that the testamēt which was ratified before by God through Christ or the promis of frée reconcilement is not made voyde or disanulled by the lawe but that it continueth alwayes stedfast vnmouable without putting any thing to it or taking aught away from it by the publishing of the law Hereuppon riseth the second obiection To what purpose is the law then why was it made by God yf it iustifie not ne bée néedfull to saluation Paule aunswereth it was added bycause of transgression that is to say for this cause was the law made that it should shew accuse and condemne the sinne that sticketh in vs and driue vs too seeke the séede Christ who was made sinne for vs that we might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him Out of this aunswer is buylded the third argument of the effects hanging vppon it If the law coulde deliuer from death and restore lyfe and effectuall comfort then might wée bée iustified also by the law But the law can not deliuer men from sinne death and restore lyfe Ergo it is impossible for vs too bée iustified by the lawe He proueth the minor or second proposition thus The law promiseth or giueth eternal life to all those that yeld perfect obedience without any sinne But the scripture hath closed all things vnder sinne that is to say the woord or law of God conuinceth accuseth and condemneth all men that they are defiled with sinne and giltie of Gods wrath and endlesse damnacion Ergo the law deliuereth no man from eternall death neyther can it giue lyfe but the promised rightuousnesse and life is giuen fréely through fayth in Iesus Christe too them that beléeue This is the disposement of this Epistle in which there appeare chéefly two places of doctrine which are also the cheef places throughout all the Christen doctrine The one is the glad tydings or promis of remission of sinnes rightuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting too bée fréely bestowed vppon them that beléeue for the onely one séede of Abraham our Lord Iesus Christ The other is the law giuen of God to shew accuse and condemne sinne and to driue men to true repentaunce or sorynesse for theyr sinnes committed and the séeking of help at the sonne of God the Mediator shewed in the promis Therfore the definitions of the law and the Gospell and the foure differences of the law and of the Gospell taken of the forme of vnderstanding of the forme of the promises of the effectes and of the obiectes and also a declaracion of the causes and effectes of the law the Gospell may be repeted in this place out of the Catechisme The promis concerning Christe made vnto Abraham in these woordes In thy seede shall all nacions bee blissed Gen. xij is bréefly declared alredy where wée haue harde that the cheef places of the Gospell are conteyned in it First concerning Christes person in whiche the twoo natures of man borne of the séede of Abraham Dauid as touching the flesh and of God enduing the churche with heauenly blissing and taking away sinne and death are verely personally vnited togither Secondly of Christes office benefites which are comprised in that one worde blissing For blissing signifieth deliueraunce from curse from Gods wrath from sinne from eternall death and the frée giuing of lyfe and rightuousnesse euerlasting For so dooth Paule himself interprete the word Galat. iij. and Ephe. j. and Peter also Act. iij. Thirdly of the difference of the law and the Gospell The law is a doctrine that curseth as it is written Cursed is euery one that cōtinueth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the law But the Gospell bringeth heauenly and euerlasting blissing promised fréely for Christes sake Fourthly of Iustification or remission of sinnes and eternall saluacion which may befall vs for the one onely séede of Abraham which is Christ or by fayth only
counsel of the Godhed for mankind and turning vppon himselfe the most rightful wrath of God against sin ioyning too himself our nature by euer lasting and indissoluble bond Secondly the holy ghost hath sanctified the flesh taken of the substance of the virgin Marie and fashioned in Maries wombe the body of Chryst redy too bée borne Luke j. The causes inforcing the birth and Incarnation of the Sonne of God our mediatoure were chéefly foure First the excéeding loue and mercy of God towardes mankind which he would not haue forlorne for euer Secondly Gods iustice binding men either too obedience or too sufficient punishment Therefore when man had transgressed it was of necessitie that the punishment should be performed by man Thirdly Now that the pryce might bée of full value and the greatnesse of the desert might excéede the greatnesse of the sinne it béehoued the redéemer too excell all creatures and too bée a person of the Godhed Fourthly It is the duetie of a redéemer and high priest too appease Gods wrathe and too ouercome sinne and death and too bée at hand in all places and too héere and defend the Churche and too restore ryghtuousnesse and eternall life vntoo it But this can no man doo that is not also Emanuell that is too say in very déede and by nature God. The outward forcing cause is sinne and the most sorowfull damnation of all mankind which God wold not should vtterly perish The finall cause is shewed in the Sermon of the Angell Beholde I bring you tidings of great ioy for there is borne too you a sauioure Chryst the Lord. For the highest benefit that the sonne of God hath wrought vntoo vs by his birth is saluation that is too say deliuerance from Gods wrath from sinne from death from curse of the law from the tirannie of the deuil and from endlesse damnation and on the other side attonement with God ioy of conscience adoption too be the sonnes of God the gift of the holy ghost rightuousnesse and euerlasting life Too bée short the woord of God Iesus Christ is become that which wée bée too the intent he might make vs fully that which he is For that I may vse the woordes of Ciprian Chryst the sonne of God voutsaued too become the sonne of man to the intēt he might make vs men the sonnes of God He tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant too the intent he might set vs frée that are the seruauntes of sinne and death He was wounded that he might heale our wounds and it was his will too die that he might giue vs mortal wights immortalitie These benefits are brefly conteined in the promises made too Adam Abraham In thy séede shall all nations be blissed Also the womās séede shall tread downe the serpents head And the summe is vttered in cléere and lyghtsome woords by Paule Galath 4. After that the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne borne of a woman made vnder the lawe too the intent he myght redéeme those that were vnder the law that wée myght bée adopted the sonnes of God of which notable sentence I will intreat more at large the next Sunday The .iij. Of the applying NOw forasmuch as these are great good things which the sonne of God bringeth the sorowful minds demād how wée wretches defiled with sinnes can atteine them That do the Angels teach vnto you is borne a sauior And Esay a child is born vnto vs a sonne is giuen vntoo vs And hereuppon is grounded this sentence Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne to the intent that all y beleeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting For too this purpose was the sonne of God sent that wée al whoo are vtterly vnwoorthy and horibly defiled should bée accepted of God for his sake and atteyne remission of sinnes and eternall saluation And wee are most straightly commaunded of God too beléeue assuredly that these good things are giuen vs for his sonnes sake and through this faith shining before vs too sing all our life long with the Angels 1 Glorie bee too God on high that is too say nowe that the sonne is borne for the same sonnes sake is true and perfect glorie yéelded vntoo God not only for that he is God wyse rightuous and a iudge but also for that he is mercifall and certeinly accepteth vs for his sonnes sake and rewardeth vs with eternall life This glorie doo neyther heathenmen nor Turkes nor hipocrites but only they that beleeue in the sonne that is borne too vs and giuen too vs yéelde vntoo God. 2 In earth peace that is too say men haue God reconciled and fauorable too them and mainteine mutuall loue among themselues 3 Too men gladnesse that is too say although miseries and distresses befal them yet are their hartes quiet and merie and rest stedfastly in this souereine goodnesse that the sonne is borne too vs and giuen too vs. ¶ THE CONCLVSION In the knitting vp let the thrée places bée repeted and let a thanksgiuing bée added for the sending of the sonne and a prayer that God will voutsaue to gather a churche too his sonne among vs and kindle our mindes and hartes with his holy spirit so as wée may looke somewhat more déepely intoo this woonderfull deuise of our redemption and magnifie it with thankfull hartes Vppon Christmas day ¶ The Epistle Heb. j. GOd in times past diuersly many ways spake vntoo the fathers by Prophets but in these last days he hath spokē vntoo vs by his own sonne whom he hath made heire of all things by whō also he made the worlde Which sonne beeing the bryghtnes of his glory and the very image of his substāce ruling al things with the woord of his power hath by his own person purged our sinnes and sitteth on the right hand of the maiestie on hie beeing so much more excellent than the Angels as he hath by enheritaunce obteined a more excellent name than haue they For vntoo which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my sonne this day haue I begottē thee And agein I wil bee his father and he shal bee my sonne And agein when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne intoo the world he saith And let all the Angels of God woorship him And of the Angels he saith he maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire But vnto the sōne he saith thy seat o God shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter Thou hast loued rightuousnesse and hated iniquitie Wherefore God euen thy God hath anointed thee with Oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foūdation of the earth And the heauens are the woorkes of thy handes They shall perish but thou endurest They all shall wex old as dooth a garment and as a vesture
Bycause yee are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our hartes which crieth Abba Father VVherfore now thou art not a seruant but a sonne If thou bee a sonne thou art also an heyre of God through Christ The disposement It perteyneth too the kynd that instructeth For it reckeneth vp in order the effectes or chéef benefites of the sonne of God who is borne too vs and gyuen too vs and he setteth them playnly out by a similitude taken of Seruantes and Heires The chéef benefits which the sonne of God hath obteyned for the churche by his wonderfull birth are fower 1 Redemption from the curse of the Lawe 2 Adoption too bée the sonnes of God. 3 The giuing of the holy ghost who cryeth Abba father 4 The heritage of eternall lyfe Of these benefites will I speake in order and bréefly And I exhorte the héerers too consider diligently and aduisedly and too bestowe in the bottome of their hartes this notable sentence which comprehendeth the summe of the whole Gospell After that the fulnesse of the tyme was come or after that the tyme appoynted by the eternall purpose of God was fully come that is too wit ▪ the yéere frō the creation of the world 3962. God sent his sonne borne of a womā made vnder the lawe too the intent he should redeeme those that were vnder the Lawe that wee myght receyue the adoption of sonnes And bicause wee are sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his sonne intoo our hartes crying Abba father Therfore thou art no longer a seruant but a sonne And if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Chryst Now let vs first consider the notable record concerning the twoo natures in Chryste God sent his sonne borne of a woman This Iesus borne of the virgin Marie is the onely begottē sonne of God that not by adoption but by nature Ergo he is by nature very God also according as wée haue hard the other day of Chrystes birth out of the first Epistle the first Chap. too the Hebrewes And herevntoo let vs adde the like sayings Iohn iij. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. and Ioh. j. Wée haue seene the glorie of him as of the fathers only begotten j. Ioh. iiij Herin appéered the louingnesse of God that he hath sent his onely begotten sonne intoo the worlde that wée might liue through him This sonne of God was borne of a woman Ergo he is by nature very man also Paule taketh these woordes out of the first promise concerning Chryst made too Adam Eue the womans seede shall crush the serpents head And it is woorth the considering that he saythe Of a woman that he might gyue vs too vnderstand y the sonne of God tooke vpon him mannes nature of the substance of the virgin Marie and not that he was sent downe from heauen through the Uirgin Marie as through the pype of a conduit Here ensueth a beadrol of the benefits which Christ hath brought vs by his birth MAde bond to the Lawe too redeeme them that were vnder the Lawe Excéeding great and vnserchable wisdom is conteyned in these fewe woords Whiche though wée bée not able too perceyue throughly in this Dimnesse yet is it too bée vnfolded bréefly that the héerers may looke somewhat néerer vppon it Gal. iij. Paule sayeth Chryst hath redéemed vs from the curse of the Lawe and is become accursed for vs For it is written cursed is euery one that abydeth not in all things that are written in the Lawe For it is an euerlasting and vnchaungeable Maximée of Gods iustice that men must eyther obey Gods Lawe without any sinne or else by sinning become accursed and so bée caste intoo eternall peynes Therefore when as all whole mankynd was become subiect too the curse of the Lawe too Gods dreadfull wrath and too euerlasting damnation thorough sinne Rom. iij. Too the intent all mouthes myght bée stopped c It was decréed by the wonderfull aduice of the Godhead that the sonne taking our nature vppon him shold turne vppon himself the burthen of the Lawe of Gods wrath of sinne and of eternall damnation and pay the full raūsome for vs like as if one were greatly oppressed with det or hild prisoner in Turkie and should be set free by another that would vndertake eyther the burthen of the det or of prisonership for him and pay his raunsome Therfore vseth Paule in this place the woord Raunsome whiche is as much too say as too buy a man out by paying his full woorth for him Wée could not bée set frée by our owne deseruings vertues or weldooings Not Abel by his death not the meeknesse and patience of Socrates or Phocion not Royaltie not power not artillerie not welth could compasse this thing Oaly wée may thank God who hathe giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryste who hath nayled the curse of the Lawe too his crosse Collos ij And he shall say too vanquished death Death where is thy sting Hel where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the Lawe j. Corinth xv And death did spred it selfe intoo all men bycause all men haue sinne But sinne is not imputed where there is no Law c Rom. v. All these mischéeues that is too wit sinne Gods wrath the curse of the Lawe the Deuils Tyrannye and endlesse damnation hath the sonne of GOD who is giuen too vs turned vppon himselfe and redéemed vs from these euils That wee by adoption myght receyue the heritage of sonnes The second benefit is Adoption too bée the sonnes of god The only begotten and naturall sonne of God begotten of the substance of the Father before all worlds is our Lorde Iesus Chryst Iohn j. and .iij. j. Jhon iiij By and for this only begotten sonne are wée receyued too bée sonnes by adoption whom the eternal father embraceth with fatherly good will for his beloued sonnes sake as brethren of Chryst and heires of the heauenly light wisdome rightuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting Than which benefite a greater cannot bée deuised j. Iohn iij. Sée what a louingnesse the Father hathe voutsaued vppon vs to name vs the sonnes of god Ryght déerbeloued Now are wée the sonnes of God and yet hathe it not appéered as yet what wée shall bée hereafter But wée knowe that assoone as that shall appéere wée shal bée like vnto him bycause wée shall sée him as he is Iohn j. He gaue them power too become the sonnes of God as manye as beléeue in his name Math. vj. Our father whiche art in heauen And bycause yee are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirit of his sonne intoo our harts crying Abba father The third benefite is the giuing of the holy Ghost who kindleth in our hartes the true calling vppon god Héere must the whole doctrine concerning the holy ghost bée repeted what the holy ghost is how great a benefite of
not bee heire vvith the sonne of the freewoman So then brethren vvee are not children of the bond vvoman but of the free woman The disposement THis Epistle is of that kynd that instructeth For it is a Doctrine concerning the difference of the old Testament and the new set foorthe with a similitnde of Abrahams twoo wiues and their children taken out of the .xvj. and .xxj. of Genesis And therewithall are mingled places concerning the church or the difference betwéene the true church and the hipocritall church and concerning christen libertie The first place concerning the difference of the old Testament and the new A Testament in generall is a promis whereby one that is towardes death leaueth his will vntoo others vnder witnesse and bequetheth his goodes too his heires and declareth what he will haue performed on the behalfe of the heires Paule in the nynth too the Hebrewes sayeth Chryste is the mediator of the new Testament that through his death which befell for the redemption of those transgressions that were vnder the first Testament they which were called myght receyue the promis of euerlasting lyfe For wheresoeuer is a Testament there also must néedes bée the death of him that makes the Testament for the Testament is not of authoritie and force till the Testator bée dead Christ therfore when he was redy too die for vs made his Testament in which he witnesseth this too bée the will of him and of his eternall father that all which repent and flée too him by Fayth should obteyne forgeuenesse of sinnes and endlesse saluation for his bodyes sake which was deliuered for vs and for his bluds sake which was shed for vs and these his goods dooth he distribute too vs by his woord and Sacramentes The new Testament Then too define it most proprely is nothing els but the gospel y is too say A promis of remission of sinnes of the holy ghost and of life and soulehealth euerlasting too bee giuen freely too those that beleeue for Chrystes sake who dyed and rose agein for vs. This definition is builded vppon the woords of our Lords supper and vpon the .viij. and .ix. chapters too the Hebrues and vppon the .iij. and .iiij. chapters too the GalathiaÌ„s The mediator of this new testament is Chryste bycause he hath vttered too men the promis of forgiuenesse of sinnes and by his owne bludshed death fully discharged the raunsome or pryce sufficient for the sinnes of men which could not bée purged by our owne woorks and sacrifises and hath performed such an obedience as is the very desert for which remission of sinnes the holy Ghost new ryghtuousnesse eternall lyfe are bestowed vpon vs These benefits applieth he vntoo vs by his intercession and the outward meanes of his woord and sacraments The olde Testament is properly a publishing of the lawe or a couenant whereby God bounde the people of Israell too keep the law deliuered by Moses on the otherside promised them the laÌ„d of Canaan a certein coÌ„mon weale defence and all good things and added ceremonies and sacrifyses too bee figures of the persone and benefites of Chryste for whose sake only the beleeuers are at all tymes receiued into the leage of eternall saluation For there is but one selfsame principal and euerlasting Testament or couenant of God by which al the Patriarks Prophets Apostles and the rest of the chosen at all tymes are receyued that is too wit The promis of Gods fauor or of forgiuenesse of sinnes too bée giuen fréely for Christes sake Act. xv Rom. iiij By these definitions it appéereth that the difference betwéene the old Testament the new is in maner the same that is betwéene the law and the gospell In another place wée haue recited .vj. differences of the law and the gospel among which the chéef are these two The first is in the maner of the promisses The lawe or the old Testament promiseth good things but vntoo such only as kéepe the lawe vncorruptly But the Gospel or the new Testament promiseth remission of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe fréely for Chryst The second is of the effects The law or old Testament deliuereth no man from sinne and death ne giueth inheritance of eternall lyfe but denounceth vs the bondslaues of sinne and death accusing and encreasing our sinne casting vs intoo endlesse damnation But the Gospell or promisse of the new Testament deliuereth the children of the promisse from sinne and death and maketh them heires of euerlasting lyfe and of all heauenly good things This difference of the old Testament the new or of the lawe and the Gospell or of the people of the lawe and the people of grace is chéefly set out by Paule in this Epistle and garnished with the Allegorie of Abrahams two wiues and their children which Allegorie is brought in this place not too confirme but too beautifie and garnish the matter For like as Abraham had twoo wyues Agar a bondwoman and Sara a fréewoman by whom he had twoo sonnes Ismael bond and Isaac his heire Euen so God deliuering too men twoo kindes of doctrine the lawe and the gospell or the olde and the new Testament hath twoo peoples among mankynd of which the one embracing only the lawe séeketh ryghtuousnesse and eternall saluation by obseruing the law deliuered by God in mount Sinai and proudly despiseth the glad tydings of Gods frée fauâ—r and of faith like as the most part of mankind and specially the â—ewes other hipocrites which know none other ryghtuousnesse than the ryghtuousnesse of the law the image of which people is Ismael born as touching the flesh without Gods promis of the handmaid Agar by which name the Arabians are wont too cal mouÌ„t Sinai Gen. xvj who imagineth that the true children of Abraham or heirs of God are made or begotten by the fleshly regeneration and by the lawe or by desertes and woorkes of men This people béeing begotten too bondage vppon Agar or by Gods law published vppon Mount Sinai extendeth euen too the same Citie which is now called Hierusalem or too the sinagog of the Iewish people which although it vaunt it self stoutly too bée the true Churche and people of God descended from Abraham hauing the lawe and Ceremonies deliuered them by God yet is it in bondage with the children therof that is too say is not by the lawe deliuered from sinne and death nor made heire of ryghtuousnesse and eternall saluation but continueth oppressed with the thraldome of sinne and death and is cast out of the heauenly house or Church intoo endlesse damnation Now if the very lawe of God deliuered by God himselfe vppon mount Sinai begetteth none but bondmen ne deliuereth any man from death and sinne muche lesse can the woorkes of mennes traditions procure ryghtuousnesse and inheritance of eternall lyfe The other people or sonne of God by Sara the frée womaÌ„ borne ageine of the frée promis of the gospell trusteth too no
dayes but in all our whole lyfe and in our dayly prayers Yea and at all tymes there hath bin sacrifysing in the world euen among the Heathen not only of beasts but also of men as Calchas Alexander lulian the Frenchemen at their passing ouer Po and others slew men and offered them in sacrifise These customes were borowed out of the church of the Fathers which had spred abrode the doctrine concerning the sacrifysing of the man Chryst that was too come and of euill zeale in coūterfetting the example of Abraham And here vntoo were added superstitious opinions that God was pacifyed and made at tone with vs for the preciousnesse and woorthynesse of the sacrifyses But in deed there is but one only sacrifyse of Chryste that reconcyleth too God the merit and recompence whereof pacifyeth Gods displeasure of whiche the other sacrifyses of the Fathers and of the Leuits were but shadowes The second place PAule therfore in this Epistle compareth the figuratiue préesthod of the Leuits with the préesthod of Chryste And before in the vij chapter he rehersed eyght differences which I haue expounded in another place In this dayes lesson are reckened vp foure differēces betwéene the sacrifyse of Christ and the Leuiticall sacrifyses of which the chéefest is First Chryst being a hygh préest of good things too come or of eternall good things that is too wit of blissing and deliuerance from sinne which the Fathers by their sacrifyses witnessed themselues too looke for found euerlasting redemption that is too say deliuerance from sinne frō gods wrath and from euerlasting death and attonement with God and clenzing of the conscience from dead woorkes that is to say from sinnes for which wée are subiect too death and also the frée giuing of the heritage that was promised But the Leuiticall préests by their sacrifysing of Cattel of Calues and of Gotes deserue not eternal redēption but only are figures of the true préest Chryst and make men holy only concerning the outward clennesse of the flesh Secondly Chryst offered but once only and but one sacrifyse by which he purged all sinnes of the whole world But the Leuiticall préests offer sacrifyses dayly and enter intoo the holy of holyes euery yéere and can not deliuer those from sinne for whom they offer as is sayd more at large in the beginning of the .x. chapter Thirdly Chryste is entered in by his owne bludshed or hath purged the sinnes of all men by his owne bludshed as is sayd .j. Iohn .j. The blud of Chryste clenzeth vs quite from all sinfulnesse But the Leuitical préestes sprinkle the altar with the bloud of Calues and Gotes whiche purgeth not sinnes but all the bludsheds of beasts in the Leuiticall sacrifises were only figures of Christs bludshed by which only the church is redéemed as in Act. xx Ephe. j. Col. j. j. Iohn j. Rom. v. and elswhere is written Fourthly the Leuiticall préests when they should make sacrifise entered yéerly intoo the holy place or temple made with mannes hand But Chryste is entered euen intoo heauen that is too say intoo the syght of GOD and is priuie too Gods secret purpose concerning mannes redemption Vppon Palmes Sunday ¶ The Epistle Philip. ij LET the same mynd bee in you that was also in Chryste Iesu whiche when he was in the shape of God thought it no robbery too bee equall with God neuerthelesse he made him self of no reputation taking on him the shape of a seruaunt and became lyke vntoo man and was found in his apparell as a man He humbled himself and became obedient too the death euen the death of the crosse Wherefore God hath also exalted him on hygh and gyuen him a name whiche is aboue all names that in the name of IESVS euery knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earthe and that all tongues should confesse that Iesus Chryste is the Lorde vntoo the prayse of God the Father The disposement THis Epistle is of that kynd that is persuasiue For it is an Exhortation too lowlynesse or humilitie taken of the examples and rewardes of Chrystes humilitie The places of doctrine are these 1 A notable witnesse of the twoo natures in Chryst very God and very man to bée ioyned too the rest which are gathered toogither in the place concerning the sonne of God. 2 Of Chrysts passion and death 3 Of the aduauncement or glorie of Christ reigning 4 Of humilitie or lowlynesse The text of the Epistle THe ground of the exhortation whiche Paule purposeth is set downe next before the woordes of this dayes Epistle Let euery one of you through lowlynesse think another man better than himself Bée lowly Too this proposition he addeth a reason grounded vppon the example of Chryst Let the same mynde bée in you that was in Iesu Chryst that is too say Let there bée true lowlynesse of mynd in you as was in Chryste who being in the shape of God that is too say being God in verye déed and by nature did notwithstanding abace himselfe before the eternall Father beneath all Angels and men Who being in the shape of God that is too say in the nature and substance of god For the Gréeke woord Morphe signifieth a substātiall shape or expresse and personal image and not a proportion figure or counterfet wauing before ones eyes This therfore is the méening Chryste when as he was in the shape of God that is when as he was in déed and by nature God or whereas he was the shape and lyuely ymage of God the father begotten of the substance of the father and equall too God the father in power maiestie and glorie Thought it no robberie too bee equall with God. The Gréeke phrase is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is too cōmit robberie Like as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too make a passage or too passe So like wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too count it robberie that is too say too robbe So is there a very like phrase Heb. x. Treading the sonne of God vnder foote and accounting the blud of his Testament vnholy that is too say dishonouring it The méening therfore is He thought it no robberie too bée equall with God that is too say He vsurped not equalitie with god In this his calling when it was decréed that the sonne should béecōme a sacrifyse and obey God in suffering death he vsed not his power ageinst his calling nor was proud or haultye for this his equalitie of the Godhead whiche he vsurped not ne possessed too the wrong and dishonour of the other but obteyned it by birth as a good thing of nature But humbled him self that is too say he exercysed not his godly power but humbled and abased himself in such wyse as he tooke vppon him ▪ the shape of a seruaunt that is too say the substantiall shape of man or the verye nature of man bodye and soule He is termed a seruaunt
the Altar of the crosse But the Christians to the intent they would dissent from the Iewes who kept their Passeouer the .xiiij. daye of the moone of the first mooneth did after the tyme of the Apostles remoue the feast of Easter vntoo the Sunday that folowed next after the sayd foortéenth day of the moone or the full moone of the first mooneth vppon which day Chryst rose agein frō death Therfore in this saying Our Pesseouer for vs the woord Passeouer is in the Predicament of Relation the foundation whereof the persone of Chryste and the bound is that Chryst is appoynted too bée slayne too pacifye Gods wrath ageinst our sinnes which are conueyed intoo this Lambe or layd vppon this Lamb too beare Let the yoonger sort at the beginning consider this signification of the woord Passeouer and therewith all let them also marke the tymes The first passeouer was instituted at the passing of the Israelites out of Egipt the yéere of the world 2453. From the first passeouer or frō the departure of Israell out of Egipt vntoo this Easter of the yéere after Chrysts birth 1570. are passed 3079. yéeres From the first passeouer vntoo the passion of Chryst the Pascall Lamb that was offered for vs are 1542. yéeres From the last Iewish passeouer which Chryst hild with his Disciples before his passion are passed 1537. yéeres And frō the beginning of the world vntoo this present yéere 1570. are accounted 5532. yéeres The second place A comparing of the Iewish Passeouer with passeouer of the Christians THe Storie of the institution of the Iewish passeouer and the ceremonies ▪ of the same are described in Exod. xij which in very goodly portrayture peynteth out the doctrine concerning the persone and benefits of Chryst concerning the new obedience that is too bée yelded too god All the sayd comparison may for instructions sake bée diuided intoo six Articles The marking out of the tyme. For as in the first mooneth the beginning wherof was always the coniunction or méeting of the Sun and the Moone next too the equinoctial of the spring tyme the tenth day of the mooneth the pascall Lamb was too bée chosen out of the whole flocke and too bée kept til the .xiiij. day or full moone So Chryste the tenth day of the first mooneth that is too wit vpō Palmesunday entered into the citie of Hierusalem and the .xiiij. daye was taken in the Gardein and sacrifysed for the saluation of mankynd 2 Of the persone of Chryst As the Lamb was too bée chosen without spot a Male and a yéerling So is Chryst a Lamb without spot without guyle vndefyled and cléerly without all sinne and blemish j Pet. j. Hebr. vij 3 Of the sacrifise of Chryst Like as it behoued the Lamb too bée slayne and offered by the whole multitude So was Chryst our Passeouer offered for vs Hither may all the doctrine concerning the passion and sacrifyse of Chryst offered vppon the Alter of the crosse bée referred 4 Of the benefits of Chrysts sacrifyce Like as God spared the Israelites whose posts were sprinkled with the blud of the Lamb euen so all they that are sprinkled with the blud of Iesus Chryst obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe according too this saying Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world j. Pet. j. Yée are redéemed with the precious blud of the immaculate Lamb Chryst 5 Of the applyment of Chrystes benefites Like as the posts of the Israelites were sprinkled with a bundle of Isop dipped in the blud of the Lamb So is the vertue and woorking of Chrystes blud or sacrifise offered and applyed too vs by his woord by the sacraments of Baptim and the Lords Supper Psalm lj Thou shalt sprinkle mée with Hisop O Lord and I shall bée made cleane 6 Of conuersion or new obedience Like as it behoued the dowe too bée taken out of the houses of the Israelites and that they should eate vnleauened bread So Paule willeth vs too put away the old Leuen that is too say sinne false opinions and leawde lustes and earnestly too practise sincere fayth prayer and al vertues that please God and so to kéepe a continuall feast of Passeouer in vnleauened bread of vncorruptnesse and truthe The benefites of Chrysts resurrection are cheefly three FIrst glorious deliuerance from the tyrannye of the Deuill sinne and death and restorement of rightuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe whiche Paule setteth foorth with excellent lyghtsomnesse of woords and figures Col. ij Yée are rysen agein in Chryst through faith in Gods power who hath raysed him from death and with him also quickened vs who were dead in our sinnes forgiuing vs all our trespasses and putting out the hādwriting that was ageinst vs in the lawe written which he hath taken away fastened too his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and made a shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his own persone Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes this most beautiful description of the victorie and triumphe of Chryst rysing frō death And bycause he termeth it a Triumphe let vs consider the comparison Whē the Romane Captaynes made warre with puissant Kings and ouercame them in battaill they were woont too bée caryed intoo the citie of Rome sitting in a charyot of gold and a chayre of Iuorye which was drawen by foure whyte horses Before the Charyot were led and set out too the showe the vāquished enemies Kings that were prisoners And alost before the charyot were caried tables in whiche were paynted the battels the winnings of Cities and the other things doone by the conquerour After the charyot folowed the souldiours by whom the conquest was made Vntoo them were rewards giuen The Graundcaptein that was the Conquerour being crowned with bayleaues or fig leaues was led intoo the Capitoll where knéeling downe before the Altar of the most mightie and most mercifull Iupiter he gaue him thankes for bestowing that victorie vpon the Romanes and when he had made his sacrifise departed too the court So when Paulus Aemylius had vanquished Persey King of Macedonie he led him prisoner in Tryumph his sonne also who afterward became a Clerk in Rome Of this maner of the Romane triumph dooth Paule take patterne in this place Chryst our king hath hild continual and sore warre with the whole kingdome of Sathan whiche is diuided intoo certein principalities Potestates and degrées At length by his owne death he hath ouercome death by his passion he hathe taken away sinne by becōming accursed he hath set vs frée from the curse of the Lawe These thrée enimies sin death and the curse of the lawe or the handwryting of our owne cōscience are the chéefest sinewes of the Diuels power These hath Chryst vanquished and taken away not with gunnes swoordes and speares but with his owne crosse This caryeth he in Triumph and vppon it fasteneth he
alreadye and will hereafter call all the deade ageyne too lyfe shoulde be a lyar But for asmuch as these thyngs are manifestly false and impossible it followeth that the proposition out of whiche these thinges ensue is false And therefore the playne contrarye is true namely that the deade shall ryse The fourth argument IT is impossible that the best and holyest part of mankynd should bee created only too the miseries of this present lyfe and too eternall destruction For séeing that God is ryghtuous and also a iudge it must néedes fall out that the godly and the ryghtuous must at one time or other bée in good case and the wicked in ill case But those that liue godlyly in Chryst Iesu are of all men most miserable in this lyfe Ergo it must néedes bée that there remayneth an other hauen and another lyfe in which the godly béeing raysed from death shalbée set frée from all miserie and bée crowned with eternal blisse and glorie The fifth argument BVt now is Chryst risen from death and is the first frutes of the dead Fifthly he repeteth the first Argument and reason which holdeth of consequence expounding and enlarging the consequence with many woordes Chryst is rysen ageine Ergo all the dead shall ryse He proueth the consequence For like as by Adam death entered vppon all men So by Chryste the cause and author of lyfe all men shal bée called too lyfe agein In this order that the first frutes or fyrst of them that ryse ageine from death bée Chryst himself Then those that bée Chrystes or which haue departed out of this life in the faith of Chryst shall rise at Chrystes comming too iudgement Afterward shall bée the ende of the world or of worldly things when he shal deliuer vp his kingdom too God the father that is too say when he shall bring vntoo his Father all the whole Church gathered toogither on earth by the ministerie of the Gospell too the entent that all kingdomes being abolished and all power as well of Diuels as men suppressed yea and the ministerie of the sonne of God whereby he gathered his Church in this world cessing onely GOD without other meanes may reigne in the godly and bée all in all filling all things with his lyght wisdome ryghtuousnesse lyfe blissednesse and glorie vnspeakable The sixth Argument THe very maner of Baptim whereby wée are first graffed intoo the churche or body of Chryste betokeneth that wée looke assuredly for the resurrection from death for they are baptized ouer the deade or ouer the graues of the dead as it is vsed in these dayes also protesting in the behalfe of the dead that they beléeue of a certeintie that they shall returne too lyfe ageine according as the Créede whiche wée hold professeth in our Baptim And the very dipping in the water and taking out agein is a token and representation not only of the abolishment of sinne and of the regeneration and renewing of the soule but also of the death of our bodyes and the rysing of them ageine The .vij. Why are wee also in daunger euery houre HErepeteth the .iiij. Argument and amplifyeth it by an absurditie of Epicure heathnishnesse ensewing it which he describeth in woordes taken out of the .xxij. of Esai And he expresseth the reproof of it in a verse of Menanders Euill communication corrupteth good manners With whiche agréeth this saying of Theogius Thou mayst lern good of the good but if thou kéepe companie mith the wicked thou marrest thyne owne mynd The .viij. Argument of a like LIke as séedes that are cast intoo the ground doo rotte there and spring vp agein and eche of them yéelde foorth most goodly frute in their kynd So our bodyes being sowen intoo the ground and buryed shall certeinly liue agein ryse ageine much more beautifull and bryght than they were héere vppon earth This comparison hath Stigelius expressed in very trim verses This corne that growes of bodye voyd of blud in lyuely plyght Immortall honor after death our bodyes dooth behyght Deepe vnderneath the turned clod the dryed seedes lye hid In which a man would ill suppose that any strength abid Yet growing vp by secret meane they ryse agein and beare A greater strength encreast too more thā heretofore they were Euen so our courses being layd too rot in holowe graue A lyuely beautie afterward in glorious state shall haue When death hath hild thē downe awhyle anon they shal aryse ▪ Eternally too liue in lyght with God aboue the skies Right many and notable tokens of the resurrection hathe God imprinted in the whole nature of things which too consider after a reuerent and godly fashion it is behouefull The day dooth dayly fade intoo nyght and is buryed in darknesse But in the morning killing his death and breaking out of his graue of darknesse it becommeth alyue agein as Tertullian sayeth And this entercourse of dayes and nyghts is fynely expressed in this Gréek ridle A father there is that hath sonnes nine and three And eche of those sonnes eke hath children thrice ten Not one like another some fair and white bee Some black all immortall yet dead now and then The Moone dying euery mooneth quickeneth agein and recouereth hir lyght that shée had lost The beames of the Starres whiche are dimmed by the rysing of the Sunne are kindled agein in the nyght The foure seasons of the yéere Lenton Sommer Haruest and Winter doo fade and returne by mutuall course In Springtyme the earth that was dead and barrein in the winter becōmeth lyuely agein bringeth foorth herbes grasse floures and frutes The trées are clad agein with leaues floures and fruites The swallowes which were dead and buryed in the waters in wintertyme recouer lyfe agein in the Springtyme Flyes also and other Cutfoules whiche were killed with cold recouer their former force and lyfe by warmth The Phenix bréedeth ageine with fyre and hir own asshes For shée perisheth too liue and yet shée ingenders hirself atteyning immortalitie by the benefite of death as Lactantius sayeth Finally all this most beautifull Theater of heauen and earth which was made of nothing giueth vs to vnderstand that God who made all things of nothing may with much more ease at the latter day restore our flesh or bodyes agein which haue bin somewhat before than he made them at the beginning But in thinking vppon this Article let vs alwayes haue our myndes and our eyes fastened vppon our Lord Iesus Chrystes death and resurrection and vppon the promises concerning the restitution of our bodyes and the eternal lyfe too ensue without fayle after this lyfe warranted by the Resurrection of himself and the raysing vp of Lazarus and others Iohn xj I knowe he shall ryse agein in the resurrection at the last day Iesus sayd vntoo hir I am the resurrection and lyfe He that beléeueth in mée yea though he were dead he shall liue Iohn
Also there bee heauenly bodyes and there bee earthly bodyes that is too say there shall bée a difference betwéene the bodyes of the godly and the bodyes of the vngodly There is one glorie of the Sunne and another glorie of the Moone and another glorie of the starres y is to say euē amōg the godly and the Saincts in heauen there shall bée a differente of glorie For like as one Starre excelleth another in bryghtnesse so shall Chryst the Prophetes Apostles and other constant Martyrs and acknowledgers of the sonne of God shyne bryghter than the other common sort of the godly as is sayd Dan. xij Then shall the lerned shyne like the bryghtnesse of heauen and those that haue instructed many in ryghtuousnesse shall shyne like the Starres for euer and euer Then declareth he by foure Iscolies set one ageinst another what maner of bodyes the bodyes of them that ryse agein shalbée verely euen the selfsame that they bée at their buriall as touching their substāce but immortal made bright and glorified Wherein the phrase of Paules wryting is too bée considered how the nowne adiectiue in forme of a substantiue is ioyned too the subiect by the preposition In. It is sowen in corruption that is too say it is buried in the ground a mortall or corruptible bodye ▪ It ryseth in incorruption that is too say it ryseth an incorruptible or immortall bodye It is sowen in dishonour that is too say a foule or ylfauoured bodye stinking and crawling full of wormes It ryseth in glorie that is too say glorious shyning cléered and pure from all blemish It is sowen in weaknesse that is too say weake frayle transitorie of a dayes continaunce a shadowe a froth a Ghoste a steme a blast a fether a breth a puffe a dreame a bubble a flud a temple a strydey a wynd a dust It ryseth in power that is too say myghtie strong florisshing and frée from all infirmitie It is sowen a natural body that is too say liuing the naturall lyfe by reason sense and nourishing power which is susteyned with meat and drink and is encreased and begetteth and may dye It ryseth a spirituall body that is too say liuing the spirituall lyfe kindled by the holy Ghoste which is not maynteyned with meate drink ne begetteth ne dyeth but is like the lyfe of the Angels Math. xxij and like the lyfe of God. The first man was made a liuing soule Gen. ij That is too wit not simply as the beastes liue but such a one as Chryst should also with his spirit quicken without meat and drink too the spirituall and euerlasting lyfe The first man is of the earth earthly Hée alludeth too the originall of the woord Adam which signifyeth earth or clay whereof he was made like as also among the Latines man is called Homo of Humus which signifyeth the earth as if he had sayd made of the earth clay and earthly The second man is the Lord from heauen Chryste being risen from Death hath now a heauenly immortall and glorious body too which our bodies shall in all respectes bée like and conformable when they are raised ageine from Death Phil. ij Like as before Death they were altoogither like Adams body which was subiect too Death and other miseries Flesh and blud cannot inherite the kingdom of God that is too say this corruptible body defiled with sinfull inclinations and fleshly affections and subiect too death cannot possesse the kingdome of God vnlesse it bée altered of a body mortall defyled and stained with sinne bée made a body pure and cleane and fined from all filthinesse immortal The same flesh that is buryed shal rise agein and the same substance of flesh and blud shall remaine still as Iob sayth I shal sée God in my self whom I my self shall sée and none other for mée For as Tertullian reasoneth plainly in his bóoke concerning the resurrection of the flesh God forbid that God should for euermore abandon too destruction mannes flesh which is the woorke of his handes the care of hart the case of his breth the Quéene of his woorkes the heire of his liberalitie the préest of his religion the souldyer of his warfare and the sister of his Chryst ▪ c. Behold I shew you a mysterie that is too say I will more plainly expoūd and declare that which I told you more darkly in my former woords when I sayd that flesh bloud shuld not possesse the kingdome of god For that saying is too hée vnderstood not of the substance of fleshe and bloud but of the exchaunge of their properties For it behoueth this corruptible body which wée now beare about vs too put on incorruption and this selfsame mortal body too put on immortalitie before it can obtein possession of Gods kingdom Some also shall not die at all whom the sonne of God shal find aliue at his comming too iudgement but they shalbée sodeinly changed endued with new lyght glory power immortalitie The third part of the Chapter THen shal the saying be fulfilled which is written Esay xxv Osee xiij Death is swallowed vp intoo victorie O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks bee to God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryst The efficient cause of the raysing of our bodyes and of restoremēt of ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe is the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who in his Death hath swalowed vp our Death and by his ryghtuousnesse obedience hath purged our sinnes and pacifying Gods wrath taking away the curse of the law hath gottē vs victorie ageinst sin death and the curse of Gods law For these thrée are the cruellest enemies of mankynd and the chéef mischeues plages which moost cruelly and féersly make hauock of all mankind without difference killing them and deuouring them euerychone Therfore Paul in this place by feining a person peinteth out death like a most mischeuous outlaw or cruell souldier armed with a pike or a darte that is too wit with sinne wherwith he assaileth all mankind without gainsaying and pusheth all men through and killeth them For by reason of sin all men are subiect too death and are slaine by death as is sayd Rom. v. By one man sinne entered intoo the world and by sinne death And so death ran ouer al men bicause al men haue sinne Also sinne reigned by death slaying all men The very same is the méening of the woords in this text the sting of Death is sinne that is too say all men are slaine by Death bycause of sinne Now when this sting or speare of Death wexeth dul and blunt so as sin cannot execute his ful force vppon vs and bée felt Gods law like a whetstone sharpneth sin and both sheweth the greatnesse and horriblenesse of sin and also maketh it more
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
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
sinfull inclinations or of the darknesse and vnrulynesse of all the powers of man raging ageinst the Lawes of god This concupiscence like a welspring bredeth and bringeth foorth actuall sinnes euen in the regenerate when ouer and besydes the mistinesse of mynd and the sinfull inclinations and the sodein brayds of affections there commeth also an assent or agréement of the wil and a ful purpose too commit the sin euen in outward woork And so hath sinne his being not of God but of concupiscence sticking in vs or of originall sinne whiche is bred and borne with vs And therefore dooth Iames ryght sagely affirme that nothing commeth from God but good as is sayd in Genesis God sawe all things that he had made and behold they were excéeding good and Psalm 91. They shall declare that our Lord GOD is ryghtuouse and there is no iniquitie in him The same is the méening of Iames in this place Euery good gift is from aboue and commeth from the Father of lyght with whom there is no variablenesse nor shadowing of chaunge that is too say like as God is good so there procéedeth nothing but good from him Yea all good things vertue wisdome and happynesse in compassing things are the gifts of God only according too this text what hast thou whiche thou hast not receyued And godlyly and sagely sayeth one in Plutarch God hath made these things and he dooth lende his hand vntoo mée All good things come downe from the Father of lyght that is too say from God who is the souerein and eternall lyght or the fountaine of lyght and of al good things And in asmuch as he is vnchaungeable and alwayes good without alteration and shyning with light of ryghtuousnesse and vpryghtnesse he is neuer turned or shadowed with the darknesse of sinne or at any tyme the cause of sinne as is sayd in Deut. xxxij God is voyd of all iniquitie vpryght and ryghtuouse Let this text therfore bée ioyned with the rest whiche auouche God not too bée the cause of sinne and ageinst al the sleyghtye disputations concerning Gods foresight and sufferance of sinnes and mayntenaÌ„ce of the nature that sinneth set this one true certein and vnmouable sentence with which the sounder sort euen of the Heathen also doo agrée As Euripides in his Bellerophon sayeth If the Gods peocure any dishonestie then are they no Gods. And Plato also most reuerently in the second booke of his Common weale the. 390. page sayeth It is too bée endeuered with all earnestnesse that inasmuch as God is good no man may in this common weale which we will haue too bée well gouerned say that he is cause of any euill â–ª neyther yoong man nor olde man eyther in Poetrie or in other Discourse The second place Concerning regeneration GOD of his owne good will hath begotten vs with the woord of truthe that wee myght bee the first frutes of his creatures God by his woord or by his lawe hath kindled in mennes myndes a knowledge of their sinnes and a fearfulnesse and gréef rysing of the féeling of Gods wrath ageinst sinne And afterward by shewing in his gospell the remission of sinnes too bée giuen fréely for Chrystes sake he kindleth fayth in their hartes whereby they persuade themselues assuredly that their sinnes are released and intoo the hartes of them that beléeue he poureth the holy Ghoste who by little and little mortifieth the remnant of sin and woorketh new lyght and new ryghtuousnesse or obedience agréeing with the wil of god This whole conuersion of a man wrought by the ministerie of the woord or Gospell and of Baptim is called Regeneration of which is spoken in Iohn j. and .iij. j. Pet. j. and elswhere more at large For as by Adam men are begotten of mortall séede of the flesh too this bodyly lyfe subiect too sinne and death So are wée begotten a new of pure and vncorruptible séede by the woord of the liuing God and as it were created a new too a new and spiritual and eternal lyfe which is the true knowledge and calling vppon God true confidence settled in god and true and earnest loue and obedience which are the sacrifise and seruices most acceptable too god Iohn xvij This is the eternall lyfe that they acknowledge the true God c. Wée are his worke created too good woorks Too the enlightening of this short saying of Iames there may bée brought in the sermons that are in Iohn j. As many as receyued him he gaue them power too becoÌ„me the sonnes of GOD too them that beléeue in his name which are not borne neyther of the séede nor of the will of the fleshe nor of the will of man but of god Ioh. iij. Onlesse a man bée borne from aboue he can not sée the kingdome of God. The third place is A Precept concerning willingnesse to lern and the shunning of headye iudgement and babling which giueth sentence rashly of gods sufferance or determination coÌ„cerning sinnes and fallings And it is a generall warning that wee should bée swift and vnsâ—outhfull too héere but slow to speake and well aduised ere we iudge Which warning perteyneth too the whole lyfe of man and specially too the studie of diuinitie of other in which nothing is more hurtfull than toâ— bée rype too soone to carie about a vayne persuasion of lerning to determine vppon most weightie coÌ„trouerfies rashly and headely Therfore did Pythagoras enioyn fyueyéeres silence too his Disciples that they should not rashly burst foorth to teaching others before they had furnished their own brest with true and substantiall lerning yea and grounded themselues in their doctrine by practyze of certein yéeres And Nazianzene wittely reproueth the fondnesse or pride of those that become teachers vppon the sodein as the Gyants in the Fables of the Poetes are sayde too bée bred and borne vppon the sodein These as a most noysome plage dooth Plato in Thaeeteto will men too shunne describing theÌ„ among their things in these woordes None of these héereth another man too the intent too lerne but they bréede of their owne accord and burst out with sodein brayde when the toy takes them in the head and they think no man knowes aught but themselues For as much as such selfelerned and selfewilled Doctors import verye great harme and assured destruction too the Churche let vs with all earnestnesse diligence and héed obey this rule of Iames that we bée swift quicke chéerful and alwayes redye too héere lerne but in speaking and teaching slowe circumspect or that I may vse Platos woords desirous too lerne desirous too héere and alwayes inquisitiue For therfore hath God giuen vs twoo eares but one tong that he might doo vs too vnderstand how there bée mo things too bée herd than too bée spoken The fourth place is of of brydling yrefulnesse and specially of brydling impatience or grudge and repyning ageinst God in aduersities oâ— when things go ageinst
that dye in Chryste shall ryse first then wée that are liuing shal be taken vp with them in the clowds too méete the Lord in the aire and so wée shalbée with the Lord for euer Ioh. xiij In my fathers house bée many dwellings I go too prepare you a place and Iohn xvij Father I will y those which thou hast giuen mée bée where soeuer I am c. This fourth benefit dooth TertulliaÌ„ set foorth with a most graue sentence Iesus sitteth at the right hand of the father Man though also God The last Adam though also the first woord flesh and blud though purer than ours yet notwithstanding he is the selfsame both in substaÌ„ce and shape in which he ascended and such also shal he come down agein as the Angels affirme He being termed the vmper betwéene GOD and man and hauing committed too him a pawne of eyther part too kéepe kéepeth also the pawne of flesh in himselfe as a scantling of the whole péece For like as he hath left vs the scantling of the spirit so hath hée also receyued of vs the scantling of our fleshe and caried it vp intoo heauen in token that the whole péece shall bée brought thither in tyme too come Bée of good chéere flesh and bloud for you haue gotten both heauen and the kingdome of God in Chryst c. Fifthly Chrystes ascending vp intoo heauen warneth vs too lay a syde all desire of earthly things and too set al our care vppon this poynt how wée may come too our celestiall countrey of the kingdome of heauen Math. vj. First séeke the kingdome of god Coloss iij. Séeke for the things that are aboue where Chryste sitteth at the ryght hand of God regard heauenly things and not earthly things Sixthly the cause why Chryst went vp visibly was too shewe vntoo his Disciples that he vanished not away like a Ghost and that they should not thencefoorth enioy Chrystes visible companie and that his kingdome should not bée worldly wherein there should bée one visible head garded with armour and armyes The third place Of Chrystes kingdome LVke wryteth that Chryste forty dayes full after his Resurrection did talke with his Apostles concerning the kingdome of God and that the Apostles dreaming yet still of a bodily kingdome of the Messias asked Chryst whyther that were the tyme that he would restore the kingdome of Israell And therefore I will in this place repete the whole definition of the kingdome of God. The kingdome of Chryst or the kingdome of God in this lyfe is Gods gouernement whereby he not only maynteyneth and preserueth all things by him created and specially mankynd and punisheth the wicked but also throughe the preaching of the Gospell doone by Chryst and the Apostles other Ministers gathereth too himself a Churche that is too say a companie of men ryghtly acknowledging and calling vppon God who forgiueth their sinnes and deliuereth them from the Diuels Tyranny not by politike Lawes and bodily weapons but by the holy Ghoste and his woord defending them wonderously when they are oppressed with persecution in this lyfe and at length raysing them vp from death and crowning them with glorie and lyfe euerlasting By this definition it appéereth that Chrystes kyngdome is not bodyly or worldly as the Apostles dreamed that the tyme was now at hand in which the Israelites should haue the souereintie of all nations but that it is spiritual which shalbée gouerned mainteyned by y only woord of the gospell the woorking and power of the holy ghost and not by force of armes and mannes power according as Chryst interpreting the sayings of the Prophetes concerning the kingdome of the Messias sayeth in this place yée shall receyue power or strength and ablenesse too spred abrode and too establishe Chrystes kingdome of the holy Ghoste whose gifts shalbée sheaded out abundantly vppon you and you shal bee vntoo mee not Captaynes or warryours but witnesses that is too say Preachers of the Euangelicall doctrine whereby you shall enlarge the bounds of Chrystes kingdome throughout all Iewrie and Samaria yea and too the vttermost costs of the earth and subdue men vntoo Chryst that they may obey and beléeue his Gospell Vntoo this place may the like sayings bée referred Iohn ix My kingdome is not of this world Lur. xxij The Kings of the Gentyles are Lords ouer them â–ª but you shall not bée so Saint Iohn sayth in his twentith Chapter of his Gospell As my Father hath sent mée so send I you And vnder the name of Gods kingdome are comprehended these things folowing First the preseruation and maintenance of the whole nature of things created by God or Gods generall operation and woorking Secondly the gathering of the Churche by the ministerie of the Gospell Thirdly the very doctrine of the gospel it self by which the kingdome of Chryst is mainteyned Fourthly all benefites which Chryst bestoweth vppon his Churche as true knowledge of God forgiuenesse of sinnes deliuerance from sinne and death and the heritage of eternall lyfe And fifthly the beholding and companie of GOD as lyfe lyght ryghtuousnesse wisdome and ioy euerlasting wherewith all the godly shall bée filled in heauen By this declaration of the woord it appéereth that when Chryste talked full fortye dayes with his Disciples he instructed his Apostles â—ath diligently and at large in all the poynts of Christian Doctrine and in all such things as are necessarie too the true knowing of God too the gouernement of the Churche and too true godlynesse and our eternall welfare The fourth place AN exposition of the phrases He ascended intoo heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father almightie The Article of our fayth concerning the Ascension of Chryst intoo heauen is set foorth in the woorde of GOD with many notable recordes As in the foure and twentith Chapter of the Gospell of Saint Luke the Euangelist Further in the sixtenth Chapiter of Saint Markes Gospell And in the thrée score and eight Psalme of Dauid the Prophet And likewise in the fourth Chapter too the Ephesians Item in the third Chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Peter the Apostle And in the sixth and the twentith Chapters of Saint Iohn the Euangelist And forasmuch as I haue a little afore spoken of the benefites in Chrystes Ascension too the intent the Phrase may bée the ryghtlyer vnderstoode I will now declare the significations of this woord Heauens For the first Heauen in the holy Scripture signifyeth the skie or the nyne Celestiall compasses That is too witte the first moueable or mouer the Firmament or compasse which is decked with the fixed Starres and the seuen compasses or welkins of the Planets which starres the Scripture calleth the powers or hoste of heauen As is sayde by the holy Prophet Dauid in the thrâ—◠〈…〉 thirteth Psalme By the woord of the Lord the heauens are stablished and all the powers or hoste of heauen by the breath of his mouth The second Heauen
declare the weight and pithinesse of the woordes I will poure out my spirite vppon all flesh Firste and formost must bée considered the persone of him that speaketh which is the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christe for so doo the wordes going next before euidently declare And yee shall know that in the middes of Israell I euen I the Lord your God and none other c. By which wordes may bée gathered notable proofes of the two natures in Christ For séeing he shall dwell in the middes of Israell after a farre other nâ—erer sort than be dwelt in the Tabernacle he must néedes bée very man 〈…〉 is â—ayde Iohn â— The woorde became flesh and dwelt among vs Also he is in the middes of you who though â—e were before mée yet came he after me Agein in as much as he is called Iehoua he must néedes bée very God by nature which thing is also gathered manifestely by this that he poureth out the holy Ghost vppon all that call vppon the name of the lord For to giue the holy Ghost is the propertie of the onely true God the lord Christe giueth the holy Ghost â–ª Ioh. xx Receyue ye the holy Ghost Iohn xv whom I will send you from my Father Ergo c. Secondly the poynting of the tyme must be vnderstood aright And it shal be in the later dayes not in the end of the world but at the last cast of the Iewish common weale and of the lawe giuen by Moyses Now there are from the publishing of Moyses lawe vntoo the pouring out of the holy ghost vpon the apostles a thousand fiue hundred and twoo and fortie yeares Thirdly is to be considered the pithinesse of this word Power by which God ment to betoken great aboundance and large plentuousnesse of a moste bounteous gift For whereas before that tyme the giftes of the holy ghoste florished only among the Iewes in the latter dayes not onely these gifts of the holy ghost which are common too the godly but also those peculiar and wonderfull giftes shall be poured by heapes vpon all flesh and vpon all nacions that beléeue the gospell And here withall the Prophet alludeth too the custome of anoynting the préestes which was a foreshadow of the giuing of the holy ghost as appeareth in j. Iohn ij Fourthly the testimonie concerning the person of the holy ghost in the pronoun My is to be obserued For ther is nothing in the godhead of the father the sonne which is not diuine euerlasting and almightie This spirit which is powred out vpon all flesh is the spirite of the Lord God and is poured out of the being of the father and the Son. Ergo he is very God by nature of one selfsame substance with the father and the sonne Although that in the Hebrew it bée written Ruhi my spirite yet notwithstanding the same thing altogither is in the word of Peter I will powre out my spirite whiche things agrée with the maÌ„ner of spéeche that Chryst vseth in Iohn xvj The spirite of truthe shall take of myne All things that my father hath are myne Therfore sayd I that he shal take of myne and shew vnto you For as the father hath a being euerlasting almighty incomprehensible true good of it self and standing by it selfe So also hath the Son the self same things taken of the Father And the holy Ghost is sayde to take the same being of the father and the sonne that in the trinitie wée may beléeue the nature of the holy ghost too bée the same that the nature of the father and the sonne is Fifthly is to bée obserued the moste swéete comfort set foorth in this vniuersal peece vpon al flesh which teacheth that God is not an accepter of persons but vpright to all men that behaue theÌ„selues vprightly For as it is his will to haue al men saued so also poureth he out his spirite vp-all that repent and beleue the Gospell Sixtly ther is also set foorth a swéet coÌ„fort in this woord flesh to be set ageinst the teÌ„ptatioÌ„ of vnworthines Wherby the prophet méeneth that this heauenly gift of the holy ghost is poured out not only vpon angels or holy men and such as excelled in vertue but also vpon the weake wretched y are subiect vnto deth defiled with sins how be it repenting fleing vnto Chryst by fayth and prayer Seuenthly in these woords folowing And your sons daughters your yong men your old men your bondmen your haÌ„dmayds shal prophesy is declared by a distribution y vniuersal parcel al flesh for the differeÌ„ces of sexes ages estates are takeÌ„ away for in Christ Iesu ther is no male or female no bondmaÌ„ or freeman no Iew or Gréeke Gal. iij. but all are one in Chryst all become partakers a like of the benefites of Chrystand the holy Ghost Eightly these spéeches Your sons shal prophesy see visioÌ„s dream dremes ar asmuch to say in this place as they shal know god aright also his son our lord Iesus Christ they shal rightly vnderstaÌ„d in their roome calling teach the gospel they shall direct al their deuises and doings by the woord of God they shal be heires of eternal saluation Ioel speaking of the benefites of the new testament vseth the woords that were best knowne in his tyme lyke as in an other place the true knowledge of God fayth prayer and praysing of God are termed by Malachie a pure incense and a cleane sacrifise And this phrase of Ioels is taken oute of Moyses the schoolemaster of all Prophetes Num. xij If there be any prophet of the Lord among you too him will I appéere in vision or else I wil speake vnto him by dreame And prophesying in the olde Testament signifieth reuelation or foretelling of things to come or of Chrystes kingdom or of Empires or of other things These reuelations did God disclose to the Prophetes eyther by the ministerie of his woorde and the promises written before by Moyses kindlyng a cléerer lyghte in their myndes or else by shewing himselfe in the shape of mans nature which afterwarde was too bee taken vppon him and by talkyng with Moyses and the fathers as Iacob sayeth I haue séene God face too face Or else he cast shapes pictures and images of things before the eyes of the prophets being awake as Esai saw the glorie of Chryst Daniel in his vij chapter séeth foure beastes which paynted oute the foure monarchies of the world Dan. vij being awake he séeth a Ram and a gote by whiche were signified the Monarchies of the Persians and of Alexander Hereafter in the .x. of the Actes Peter séeth a linnen shéete let downe from heauen Heereto perteyne the visions of Ezechiell in his j. x. and .xl. chapters and the Apocalips of Iohn Or else in dreames eyther by himselfe or by his good Angelles he imprinteth in mens myndes euident and notable betokenings or images of things to
come whervnto hée added assured recordes as the giftes of interpretation and other things whiche confirmed that those dreames were sent from god Suche were the dreames of Ioseph Gen. xxxj Of Pharao Gen. xlj Of Nabuchodonosor Dan. ij and .iiij. Of Ioseph the husbande of Mary Math. j. and .ij. c. These were the chéefe wayes by which God reueled to his prophetes the things that were to come But in this saying of Ioels these woords prophecie visions and dreames betoken the very gyft of the holy ghost whereby he with a new lyght cléereth the mynds of those that beleue the Gospell and gouerneth them And in the new Testament prophecie oftentimes signifieth nothyng else but a lyght ryghtly vnderstandyng the doctrine of the Gospell and the gift of expounding or opening the propheticall Scriptures as may be gathered by the texts Rom. xij j. Cor. xiij xiiij and in other places And if any maÌ„ now a days wil surmise himself to haue Propheticall dreames or visions let them be compared with the woord deliuered by god For if things stryuing with the doctrine of the lawe or the Gospel be commaunded in those dreames no doute but they be fantasticall and accursed And in generall let the saying of Salomon concerning dreames be alwayes had in sight Where as bée many dreames there bée many vanities But feare thou God. Ninthly the woonders which Ioell wryteth shal go before the greate day of the Lorde dreadfull too the wicked that is to say the day of Chrystes Resurrection or of the Reuelation of the holy ghost are thought of the learned sorte too bée vtterly the selfe same whiche are reported by the Euangelists too haue happened at the time of Christes passion when the sonne in the firmament was ouer cast with darknesse froÌ„ aboue as with the lay of a smoke and the earth quaked and the stones claue in sunder And it is a likelyhod that in the moone also appeared sorowful and bloudy spots The fire is expouÌ„ded by Hierom of the fyry tungs that sat vpon the heads of the apostles Other some are of opinion that in the time of the Eclips whiche happened at the passion of Chryst the heauen also flashed fyre and flames lept out of the clyued stones Tenthly let this last sentence in especially bée fastened in the innermost bowelles of the hart Euery one that calleth vppon the name of the Lord shall bee saued This is the onely way and meanes of obteyning remission of sinnes the holy Ghost and eternall saluation namely too aske these benefites at Gods hand for Christes sake and too apply them too a mans self by faith This place dooth Paule cite Rom. x. and addeth a most learned exposition in these woords There is but one Lord of all ritch to all that call vpon him for euery one that calleth vppon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued But how shall they call vppon him in whome they haue not beleeued how shall they beleeue on whome they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher c. Therefore with this place let the studiouse sorte conferre all that Sermon of Paule which comprehendeth a most large doctrine concerning the maner of atteinyng too euerlasting saluacionâ— of inuocation of the ministerie of the woorde by preaching through which faith and inuocation are kindled in the hartes of the faithfull of the workfulnesse of the woorde of Apostles of the vniuersall calling of all nacions and of the cause of the reiecting of the wicked The second part of Peters Sermon WHich conteyneth y doctrine concerning the cause of eternal saluacion that is to wit y death resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ for whom and by whom alone remission of sinnes rightuousnesse the holy Ghost euerlasting saluacion are bestowed vppon vs men Afterward Peter in a short abridgement coÌ„prehendeth the chéef articles of our faith concerning the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ Wheras in our Créede wée say I beléeue in Iesus Christ the only sonne of God our lord who suffered vnder Ponce Pylate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell rose agein the third day from the dead he ascended into Heauen sitteth on the right hand of God y Father almighty froÌ„ thence he shal come to iudge the quick the dead I beléeue in the holy ghost Al these articles of our belefe dooth S. Peter set forth with singular light somnes of words in this part of his sermoÌ„ Repent THe third part of Peters Sermon conteyneth the doctrine concerning the maner of Iustification or of the meanes wherby God offreth applyeth vntoo vs the benefites of Christ that is to say forgiuenesse of sinnes euerlasting saluacion For like as Christ in the last chapter of Luke commaundeth the Apostles to preach repentance forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name so in this place Peter when his hearers demaunded of him by what meanes they mighte obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting saluacion willeth them to repent to beleue that for by Christ theyr sinnes are released the seale of which releasement is Baptime Assuring them that they also shal be partakers of the gifte of the holy Ghoste who purging away the dregges of their sinnes shall begin a new light rightuousnesse life in the hartes of the beléeuers And it is not to bée douted but that Peter did in this place set out with many mo wordes the doctrine of fayth which receyueth forgiuenesse of sinnes for Christes sake who was crucified for vs according as he sayth hereafter in the .x. Chapter Vntâ—â— this man do all the Prophetes beare witnesse that euery one which beléeueth in him receyueth forgiuenesse of sinnes by his name Vppon Whitson Tuysday The Epistle â—â—â— x. ANd he comaded vs to preach vnto the people testify that it is he that is ordeined of god a iudge of quick and dead To him giue al the prophets witnesse that thorow his name all that beleue in him shall receue remission of sins Whyle Peter yet spake these woordes the holy Ghost fell on all them whiche hard the preaching And they of the circumcision whiche beleeued were astonied as many as came with Peter bycause that on the Gentils also was shed out the gifte of the holy Ghoste For they harde them speake with tongues and magnifie god Then aunswered Peter can any man forbidde water that these should not be baptised which haue receyued the holy Ghoste aswell as wee And hee commaunded them to bee baptised in the name of the Lorde Then prayed they him to tary a fewe dayes The places are foure 1 A notable saying conteyning the summe of the doctrine of mannes Iustification before God. 2 Of the holy Ghost what he is why and too whome he is giuen that is too wit those that heare the woorde 3 Of the calling of the Heathen 4 Of Baptim At this time I will speak of no more but the first place and that bréefly The
For when wicked men obiected vntoo Paule if good woorkes deserue not forgiuenesse of sinnes iustification and saluatiō there is no need why wée should regard too doo wel or it néedeth not too doo good woorks Paule turneth this obiection vppon them and raesoneth thus For this cause dooth grace surmount aboue sinne and for this cause are forgiuenesse of sinnes and the holy Ghost giuē vs through frée mercy that sinne and death should bée taken from vs and new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe bée kindled in vs. All Christians or as many of vs as are baptised intoo Iesus Christ haue obteined remission of sins through frée mercy for Christes sake and sin is dead buried in vs by baptim Ergo it is of necessitie that all Christians or all those that are baptised must no more sin héereafter but must begin a new obedience and life agréeable with the will of God. The second argument is of the efficient cause That which is dead dooth nothing and so sinneth not Wée are dead too sin that is too say sin is dead or released and abolished yea and drowned buried in baptim that is to wit by the frée remission of the sin and by the imputacion of Christes rightuousnesse by the beginning of such mortificatiō or abolishmēt of sin that hēcefoorth although sin be not vtterly suppressed yet not withstanding it may not reigne any more Ergo sin must not héerafter bée effectuall and woorkfull any more in thse that bée baptised or those that bée baptised must not sin any more The third argument is of the efficient cause also That which liueth and reigneth is woorkfull and effectuall that is too say is alwayes dooing of somewhat Newnesse of life or rightuousnesse is kindled by the holy ghost in those that bée borne a new or iustifyed by fayth Ergo the regenerate must néedes from hencefoorth walke in newnesse of lyfe that is too wit in new lyght and knowledge of God and in new ryghtuousnesse and obedyence according too all the commaundements of God. Then folow thrée similitudes or rather arguments groūded vppon the effectualnesse of the baptim and of the death buriall and resurrection of Chryst First of his Baptim Like as in baptim a man is ducked intoo the water and ducked out of the water ageine so likewise sin or the old man is by the effectualnesse of baptim drowned in vs and the new man or new lyfe and obedience ought too ryse out and fiorish ageine Secondly of the death and resurrection of Chryst ▪ Like as Chryst béeing raised from death liueth vntoo God so wée also béeing set frée from sin in true repentance or mortifying of sin by Chryst or in the effectuall woorking of Chrystes death and resurrection must héereafter not sin any more but liue vntoo God that is too say enter intoo a new lyfe and obediēce acceptable too God. Thirdly of Chrystes buriall Like as Chryst béeing buryed rose ageine so wée also béeing buryed with Chryst or hauing killed and buryed sin in our selues through Chryst must ryse agein and yéeld vntoo him the seruiceablenesse of a new life acceptable too God. These arguments grounded vppon the effectualnesse of baptim and of Chrystes death buryall and resurrection are repeted foure times by Paule with exchaunge of woordes in this Epistle As many of vs as are baptised in Iesus Chryst are baptised too dye with him Then are wée buryed with him by baptim for too dye that like as Chryst was raised vp from death so wée also should walke in newnesse of lyfe That is to say all that bée borne ageine by baptim through fayth or all Christen folke are by the merite and operation of Chrystes death dead and buryed vntoo sin or set frée from sin and by the operation of Chrystes resurrection new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe is kindled in them Therefore like as Chryst rose ageine from Death and from his graue So wée also hauing deathe killed and buryed in vs by Baptim and Fayth that leaneth vppon the Death and Resurrection of Chryst must walke in newnesse of lyfe that is too say in new lyght or knowledge of God and in new ryghtuousnesse and obedience acceptable too God. He repeteth the same sentence with exchaunge of woords in the next processe folowing For if wee bee graffed in death or bee made partakers of death like vntoo him wee shall bee partakers of his resurrectiō also knowing this that our old mā is crucified with him also that the body of sin might be vtterly destroyed that wee shuld no more bee feruaunts vnto sin for he that is dead is iustifyed from sinne That is too say like as Chryst hauing bin dead is risen ageine So also our nature béeing dead in Baptim and by true conuersion from sinne vntoo God and set frée from sinne by the merit of Christes death must rise ageine and not sinne any more but lead a new life such a one as pleaseth god Our old man or sinne sticking in vs or our sinnefull nature is crucifyed dead and buryed with Chryst that is too say is clensed and set frée frō sinne by the merite and operation of Chrystes death and resurrection and is mortifyed by true repentance persecution troubles that the body of ūnne or our sinfull nature may bée put away not so as it should vtterly perishe but that it should no more bée subiect too sinne For he that is dead too sinne is iustified or set frée from sinne or sinne which is dead and put away and buryed with Christ must not from hencefoorth woorke and bée effectuall any more The third tyme he repeateth the same sentence in other exchaunge of woordes thus For if wee bee dead with Chryst wee beeleue that wee shal liue with him also And the fourth tyme he repeateth euen the selfe same sentence in somwhat more euidēt woords Knowing that Christ beeing raysed from death dyeth no more Death hath no more power ouer him For in that he dyed too sinne he dyed once and in that he liueth he liueth too god So thinke you also your selues too bee dead as touching sinne but too bee alyue vntoo God in Chryst Iesu our Lord that is too say like as Chryst hauing died once for our sinnes and risen ageine dyeth no more but liueth too God So wée being dead vntoo sinne and béeing set frée from sinne through the operation of Chrystes death by baptim and fayth must not sin any more nor liue in subiection too sinne but vntoo God in Christ Iesu who kindleth new life and rightuousnesse in vs and maketh the same acceptable and pleasant vntoo God. This is the disposement as it wer a short enlargement of the text of this Epistle in which wée sée set foorth the doctrine concerning the new obedience whiche of necessitie is too bee performed by those that are borne a new And therefore a summe of the whole place concerning good woorkes may bée opened too the full vntoo the people Whither
the office and benefits of the holy ghost wherof there bée reckened three in the lesson of this Epistle Fyrst the holy Ghost leadeth and ruleth the mynds willes counsels endeuers dooings of the godly so as they may plese God become conformable to the wil and law of God as it is sayd ij Cor. iij. We are transformed into the same likenesse by the spirite of the lord Secondly he is the spirite of the children of adoption witnessing in our mynds that we are the children of God and that the euerlasting father adopting vs for his natural only begotten sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake loueth vs with a true fatherly affection and that we are heires of al Gods good benefits Thirdly he kindleth in our mynds fayth prayer by means wherof we doo not any more shun God through slauish feare as though he were an angry iudge but approch vnto him as to a kyndeharted father and in all perils doo through stedfast fayth looke for succor and al good things at his hand These two benefites of the holy ghost dooth Zacharie comprehende in twoo woords in his xij chapter I will poure out the spirite of thanksgiuing and prayer vpon the house of Dauid The fourth place is a difference of slauishe fear wherethrough men that are slaues of sinne and death being dismayde at the beholding of Gods wrath and endlesse damnation doo dreadfully shunne God and specially in trouble freat at him and hate him as a cruell tormenter as it appéereth in Saule Iudas and innumerable others And of the chyldly feare wherethrough mens willes and hartes submit them selues to God with a childely awe loue preaching vnto God by faythe and obeying him and resting vpoÌ„ his fatherly good wil promised for his sons sake The fift place coÌ„cerneth the true calling vpon God. The sixth place is of the euerlasting lyfe Vpon the ix Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. x. THese are ensamples to vs that we should not lust after euill things as they lusted Neyther be ye worshippers of images as were some of them according as it is written The people sat down to eate and drink and rose vp agein too play Neither let vs coÌ„mit fornication as some of them comitted fornication and wer destroyed in one day xxiij thousand Neither let vs tempt Christ as som of theÌ„ tempted and wer destroyed of serpents Nether murmur ye as some of theÌ„ murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer All these things happened vntoo them for ensamples and were written too put vs in remembrance whome the ends of the world are come vpon Wherefore let him that thinketh he staÌ„deth take heed lest he fal Ther hath none other temptation taken you but suche as foloweth the nature of man But God is faithfull which shal not suffer you to be tempted aboue youre strength but shall in the mids of temptation make a way that yee may bee able too beare it The disposement THis Epistle is of those sort that are persuasiue For it is a dehortation The proposition of this Epistle and of the whole viij and .ix. and .x. chapters to the Corinthians is this Flée from idolatry and things dedicated too Idolls And there withall is set forth a generall exhortation to shun backeslydings ageinst conscience The argumentes of his dehortation are taken of foure places First of the examples of the Isralits in the wildernesse who by defiâ—ing themselues with worshipping the golden calfe Baal Peor and by tempting God with grudging ageinst him or with impacience in their troubles were horribly plucked from god ouerwhelmed with dredful punishments These punishments sayth Paul are set before vs as figures exaÌ„ples to warne vs of Gods wrath to shun lyke sinnes for fear of eternall punishments The second is of the effects or punishments which light on those that defile them selues with idols such like fallings The third is of possiblenesse or of gods help who suffreth not those that are newly entred into true godlinesse the exercises of repeÌ„taÌ„ce faith to be teÌ„pted beyoÌ„d their streÌ„gth but withholdeth from them the greater daungers that is to wit the temptations of the diuel aydeth them in their encounters that they may be able to withstaÌ„d the allurements of fallyng and auoyde the snares of the diuell The .iiij. is of the honestnes of the matter or of Gods coÌ„maÌ„dement who giueth most streight charge to eschue with all diligence the infections of worshipping idols and of other fallings ageinst conscience The cheef places of doctrine are these THe first and chéefest is a dehortation from the infection of woorshipping Idols and specially from eating meates offred vnto idols The occasion wherof is this It was a custome in sacrifises too burne part of the offering vpon the Altar and to set parte of it too eate before them that bestowed the offering Vnto these feasts resorted certein of the Corinthians that wer conuerted to the true knowledge of Chryst who vaunting of their lerning and wisdome reasoned that Idols were nothing and that it was laufull too vse indifferent things as men listed and that it is a thing indifferent to eate fleshe offered too idolles or not to eate it That this is the occasion of al this whole discourse and the mark wherat it shooteth it appéereth by the beginning of the .viij. chapter by the latter part of this tenth chapter For Paul answereth that the godly ought in no wise to be present at such feasts where flesh sacrifised to idols is set vppon the table bycause that by their example the worshipping of Idols myght bée confirmed and the consciences of the weak might be offeÌ„ded and wounded For it is the most streyght coÌ„maundement of God which willeth men to eschue idolatrie all the infectioÌ„s of idoll seruice But in this Epistle Paule reasoneth chéefly vppon the discoÌ„moditie or the exaÌ„ples of punishment which lighted vpon the Israelites for lusting to eate of Idoloffrings for eating drinking at the feast of the Idolatrous offerings to the golden Calf Exo. xxxij and when they wer bidden by the Moabits to the sacrifises of Baal Peor Num. xxv Idolatrie is not only the worshipping of images or of the heathen Gods but also of mans owne brayn wilfulnes without gods words either to imagin som thing to be a God which yet is no God or too yéelde to any creature which is not God the honor and seruites due too the only true God as Inuocation and other sacrifices or to worship God with the woorks of mens hands as Paule speaketh in Act. xvij that is to say with images and pictures and to bynde God too those images or to choose and set vp seruices and ceremonies at a mans owne plesure and to imagin that God is therby appeased and made fauorable too vs or to confirme other idolaters by his example and by obseruation of outward ceremonies A larger opening of this description may bée taken oute
they were gathered toogither sauing Thomas Iohn xx Luk. xxiiij and .j. Corinthians xv And all these discoueries were made in one day on which day Ierom supposeth that Christ shewed himself to Iames the lesse also Afterward he shewed himselfe certeine times too the Apostles when Thomas was with them and at the sea of Tyberias Iohn xx and .xxj. Also in Galilée too mo than fiue hundred brethren at once Mat. xxviij j. Cor. xv Also hée appéered too all the Apostles or Disciples And this is the proofe of the Antecedent And the consequent of this argument is euidently confirmed by this Syllogisme Whatsoeuer Chryst bothe will and can bring too passe shall out of all dout take effect Chryst bothe will call the dead too lyfe ageine as the sayings of Iohn doo witnesse Iohn v. vj. and .xj. And also he can restore lyfe too the dead for by his death he hath swalowed death intoo victorie and by his Resurrection be restoreth lyfe euerlasting too vs when wée bée dead Ergo wée also shall out of all dout bée called too lyfe ageine The cheefe places THe first and most principall place is the doctrine concerning the rysing agein of the dead which perteyneth to the Article of our Créede I beléeue the resurrection of this flesh and the life euerlasting This is the end mark of the whole lyfe and fayth of christen folke and the chéefest and most stayed comfort in all the tribulations of this most miserable and flyghtfull lyfe yea and in death also that wée for a certeintie persuade our selues beléeue that wée are not created too the miseries of this troublesome and mortall lyfe only but that after the death of this bodie there remaineth assuredly a blissed and euerlasting lyfe in which receyuing ageine the same bodyes howbéeit renued and the same flesh which wée now beare about vs and that béeing set vtterly frée from all sinne labor and sorow wee shall face to face enioy the sight of the whole Godhead and so béeing filled with heauenly lyght rightuousnesse life and gladnesse shal praise God for euermore The doctrine of this Article is most euidently confirmed by many Sermons of Chryst of the Prophets and of the Apostles and most bryghtly set foorth in this fiftene Chapter of the first too the Corinthians Too the intent therefore that wée may surely fasten in the inward bowels of our hartes this wholsom and most effectuall comfort in all miseryes Let the chéefest textes bée alwayes in our sight As these Iob. xix I knowe that my redéemer liueth and I shall ryse out of the earth in the latter day and shall bée compassed agein with my skin and in my flesh shall I sée my God whom I shall beehold euen I my selfe and myne eyes shall behold him and none other for mée This hope is layd vp in my bosome Iohn v. The houre shall come that all which are in their graues c. Iohn vj. This is the will of the father that sent mée that euery one which séeth the sonne beléeueth in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioh. xj I know that he shall ryse agein at the last day The foundacion and cause of the rysing ageine of our bodyes and of lyfe and saluation euerlasting is the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God whereby he hath swallowed vp sinne death hell and the diuell intoo victorie and conueyeth all those that flée vntoo him from death vntoo a blissed and endlesse lyfe And this is the cause why Paul in this Epistle confirmeth this sentence with so many woordes that Chryst is risen from death in déede I doo you too wit of the Gospell The second place THe enterance intoo this Epistle dooth vs too vnderstand that the true wholsome and necessary Doctrine concerning the chéef Articles of the christen faith ought oftentimes and continually too bée repeated yea and the self same things too bee beaten intoo the héerers eares in the self same woords that they may déepely sinke and stedfastly sticke in their mindes as Paule sayth Phil. iij. It is no paine vnto mée but it is for your welfare that I wryte one thing oftentymes béeware of dogges which chaunge and marre the doctrine of the Gospell which I deliuered you Therefore let those that teache faythfully repete oft times one doctrine that is profitable and necessary as that wyse man sayd that he speaketh the selfe same things too the selfe same persons And this most profitable rule of studyes giuē by Epictetus is wel knowne Knowe thou that it is not easie for a man too bée lerned vnlesse that he doo euery day either heare or read suche things as he would be grounded in and likewise vse them in this lyfe So Paule in this place sayeth that he deliuereth not a new Doctrine too them but that he putteth them in mynd of the Gospel by the same woordes that he had preached it too them before The third place OF the effectualnesse of the Gospell or of the liuely woord sounding in the mouth of the ministers by which woord only and not otherwyse God imparteth the true knowledge of himselfe true faith the holy Ghost and euerlasting welfare too those that beléeue Therefore sayth Paule in this place by the Gospell which I haue preached vntoo you which you haue embraced and by which you are saued if yée hold it fast by fayth onlesse perchaunce which God forbid yée haue now shaken of the faith and beléeued héeretoofore in vaine And it agréeth fully with this sentence Rom. j. The Gospel is the power of God too the saluation of euery one that beléeueth Act. xj Peter shal speake woords too thée by which thou and thy house shalt bée saued Such other texts as these wée shall héere in the Epistle of the next Sunday which are too bée set ageinst the Enthusiastes who imbrace the woorking of the woord sacraments and looke for new enlightenings and heauenly traunces without the woord The fourth place OF the passion death and resurrection of Christ and of the witnessings of the Prophets in the scripture as Esa. liij Dan. ix Psal xxij Zach. xiij in which places Chrystes death and passion is foretold and of the causes benefites of Chrystes death which things wée haue made mencion of alreadie vppon good Friday last The fifth place OF Paules modestie in boasting who termeth himselfe the least of the Apostles and vnwoorthy the name of an Apostle yet declareth of himself that he hath labored more than the rest of the Apostles Modestie or mildnesse and true glory are cousin vertues like as sparingnesse and liberality vprightnesse streightnesse true dealing and streight iustice Modestie acknowledging a mans owne weakenesse and filthinesse is not proud ne exalteth himself either in conceit or in talke or in dooings aboue that he is able too performe but vppon trust of Gods help diligently executeth
learne throughly to beare away and sted fastly to reteyne The third concerneth the interpretation of the propheticult scriptures The fourth place IN reaching it is very 〈…〉 repete oft and in the same words to beate into 〈…〉 heads the summe of the true doctr â—â—alâ—â— the matters that are profitable and need full that they may sticke the faster and take the déeper rootein the harts of the héerers Therfore Paul sayth to the Philipians I am not wéery too wryte the selfesame things too you and for you it is he bâ—uefull And the wyse counsell oâ— Socrates is known 〈…〉 in Xenophon sayth that the selfesame things are to he spoken to the selfsame persones And the saying of Epictetus conteyneth a most large rule of oure demeanoure Hée spake alwayes one thing This you must knowe that it is not possible for a man too bée learned vnlesse that euery day hée reade or heare suche things as he hath learned and also vse them in his lyfe Wherefore Sainct Peter also sayeth in this place that as long as hée liueth he will neuer cease from admonishing and stirring vp his héerers to embrace and hold fast with a firme and stedfast faith the true doctrine concerning Chryst deliuered by himself and approued by the records of the prophets And there is a notable metaphor in the terme Tabernacle wherby wée are doon to vnderstand that a man hath no certeyn and continual seate of lyfe in this body nor any euerlasting citie allotted him in this world but that wée must fléet out of this lyfe within a whyle Therfore séeing that lyfe is shorte and cunning long in getting wée had néed too vse continual warnings and puttings in mynd that the cunning of all cunnings that is too wit the true doctrine concernyng God and our euerlasting welfare may bée lerned by vs aright and too the full and kept faythfully The first and principall place THe foundation of the whole religioÌ„ and fayth of a'christen man is this méening or opinion that there is in déed among mankynd y doctrine deliuered by god himself which discloseth vntoo vs the being of God and also thys secrete will of his concerning remission of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe assuredly to be giuen for Christes sake that this doctrine comprehended in the wrytings of saint Peter Paule and the prophets is in déede that only one certein and vnmouable wisedome concerning God the very true religion And that all other opinions concerning God all the religions and woorshippings of the heathen and others disagréeing with this doctrine are reiected of God and damâ—â—s Although this sentence be vnto christians a most sure infallible principle of principles yet not with staÌ„ding it is woont coÌ„monly to be confirmed with too elue arguments to y intent y heathen men others y gayn say it deny it may the easlyer bée persuaded Some suche degrées of testimonies are cited in the preface vpon the .iiij. tome of Luthers woorkes and in an oration of the lyfe of Ambrose And in the .xij. chapter of the Arguments concerning the authoritie and certeyntie of the Christen doctrine they are set foorth in a booke by themselues and are to bée seene bréefly noted in the beginning of my commentarie vppon Mathew Vnto which also may bée ioyned these reasons folowing that the Church only hath always possessed whole and sound the doctrine not only of the Gospel but also of the Lawe concerning the one true God and concernyng wedlocke and chastitie ageinst which doctrine al the heathen haue admitted an innumerable and monstrous multitude of Gods euen cleane contrary to the iudgement of nature and also rouing and outragious kinds of lecheries And the church only hath kept the continuall accoÌ„pt of the yéeres of the world euen from the creation therof Vntoo these fiftéen testimonies concerning the certentie of the christen doctrin may also be referred these four argumentes which Peter vseth in this Epistle when he exhorteth and stirreth vp his héerers to reteyne and kéepe stedfastly the present truth that is to say the true doctrin which he had taught them concerning Chryst 1 Of the matter or the kinde of doctrine it self which is not a tale or a flimflawe nor a sophisticall paynted and vayne Fable as the Epicures déeme but a true declaration of the power and mighte of the comming of oure Lorde Iesus Christ and in very déede the power of God to the saluation of euery one that beleueth For he distributeth the whole doctrine concerning Chryst into the coÌ„ming of Christ who for vs men for our saluation came down from heauen and becam flesh or was made man for vs and came to vs by his doctrine miracles passion death and resurrection that he might offer and yeld vnto vs him selfe and all his benefits and secondly in too the almightinesse and effectual operation of the doctrine passion deth of Christ whereby he hath wrought remission of sinnes soulhelth vntoo vs which he imparteth to vs by his word 2 Of the testimonie of Peter and the rest of the Apostles that behild with their eyes Christes maiestie glory and heuenly miracles For one witnesse that séeth a thing is woorth ten that doo but héere of it 3 Of the record of the euerlasting father vttred by this voice sent down from heuen vpon mouÌ„t Tabor This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased heare yée him Nowe out of this woonderfull story of Chrystes transfiguration which the Euangelistes haue set foorth Math. xvy. Luke ix Mark. ix and specially out of the eternall fathers saying This is my beloued Son there are seuen notable places noted in the xvy. third chapters of Mathew which places the studiouse sort may allege for the enlightening of this Sermon of Peters 4 Of the record of the Prophetes who haue playnely taught the selfe same doctrine concerning God the person office and benefits of Christ whiche sainct Peter and the rest of the Apostles haue spread abroade through the whole worlde like as our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of god testifieth himself saying Iohn â— Serch the scriptures for it is they y beare witnesse of mée If yée beléeued Moyses yée would also beléeue mée for he hath written of mée Also Act. x. All the prophetes beare recorde vnto Chryste how euery one that beleeueth in him receyueth forgiuenesse of sinnes through his name Therefore in this place Peter willeth vs to take heed that is to say hée defully and continually to reade to think vpon with stedfast faith to embrace and constantly to folow the doctrine of the prophets as a lampe shining in a dark place For Gods word is the candell that putteth away the mist and darknesse of not knowing God of sin and of death out of our minds kindleth in theÌ„ the day or light of true knowlege of God and true lyfe and comforte in all gréefs and tribulations For like as those that iorney
this say wee vnto you in the worde of the Lord that wee whiche liue and are remayning in the comming of the Lord shall not come ere they which sleepe For the Lord him self shall descend from heauen with a shout and the voyce of the Archaungell and trompe of god And the dead in Christ shall arise firste then shall wee which lyue and remayne bee caught vp with them also in the cloude to meete the Lord in the ayre And so shall we euer be with the lord VVherfore comfort your selues one another with these woordes The disposementes IT is of that sort that is persuasiue For it is a comfort to bee set ageynst death or ageynst the moorning and heauinesse that wee take for the death of our selues or of some others that are deere vnto vs. And in the ende of the Epistle there is shewed this bound vse of this present discourse concerning the resurrection of the dead Comforte your selues one another with these wordes For the most effectual most stedy coÌ„fort in al the tribulacions of this most shorte miserable lyfe which in very déede is nothing els but Dust shadow deaw but a Ghost but a steam but a puffe fâ—ther aire blast cinder a dreame froth a storme but a stadge but a span but a footstep Yea and in death it selfe is the assured hope of the resurrection of the blissed lyfe and euerlasting company whiche wée shall haue with God verely bycause wée are throughly perswaded that wée which embrace Christes doctrine by fatyh are not created to the miseries of this troublesome mortall lyfe onely ne that he meaneth the soul which was created of nothing the thing which was sometime nothing dooth vtterly perish and decay so as it should vtterly returne to nothing ageyn but y our soules do in déede remayne aliue after death the assoone as they are loosed from the bond of their bodies they are out of hand with the Lord enioy the sight of God in quiet peace ioy that our bodies also which sléepe in death shall assuredly reuiue become agein the dwelling places of their soules so as we hauing receiued the same bodies ageyn â–ª which shal be glorified haue a liuely beautie the same flesh which we now carie about vs and beyng vtterly free from all sinne labour and gréef shall liue for euermore with the Lord enioying the sight wisdome light rightuousnesse and blisfulnesse of the whole Godhead and glorifie God ageyne on our behalf for euer and euer Of this hope which is peculiar to the Christians and the very helmet of our saluation holy Iob sayeth this hope is layd vp in my bosome I know that my redéemer liueth and I shall rise out of the earth in the last day and shall bée compassed ageine with my skinne in my flesh shall I sée God whom I shall sée and none other for mée with these eyes shall I behold him and with none other Apoc. vj. xxj The soules of the saincts are before the throne of God and serue him day and night And God shall wipe all teares from their eyes and there shall bée no death nor moorning nor crying nor labour c. Apo. xiiij Blissed are the dead that dye in the Lord from henceforth The Philosophicall consolations that are to be set ageynst death and whiche burie a man with somewhat lesse sorow are gathered by Cicero in his first Tusculane question and by Plutarche in his booke to Apollonius And the summe therof is comprehended in this oration of Socrates in Plato I am in great hope O yée Iudges that it falleth well on my behalf that I am sente to death For one of these two things must néedes bée eyther that death taketh vtterly away all féeling or els that we fléete out of this place into some other Therefore whither all féeling perish and that death bee like that kinde of sléepe which oftentimes without sight of dreames yeldeth most quiet rest good God what a gayne is it to dye Or yf the things be true which are reported that death is a remouing into such coastes as they inhabit which are passed out of this lyfe that is now a farre greater blisse that when a man hath escaped from these that will néedes bée counted for Iudges he shall come to those that deserue the name of Iudges in déede I meane Minos Rhadamanthus Aeacus and Triptolemus and be conuersaunt with those that liued rightuously and faythfully Now to haue communication with Orpheus Musaeus Homer and Hesiodus what estéeme you it too bée woorth Truely I could finde in my harte to dye oft entimes yf it were possible so that the things whiche I speake of might befall mée what a pleasure would it bee too mée thinke you when I should talke with Palamedes with Aâ—ax and with others that were entrapped by the iudgement of vnrightuous men neyther would I wish you yee Iudges to feare y death where by ye haue set mée at libertie For there can no manner of euill befall vnto a good man eyther aliue or dead neyther shall his case bée at any time neglected of the Gods immortall neyther is this thing happened to mée by chaunce Now forasmuch as according as Basilius right grauely counselleth it is for the behoof of Christian folke to reade the writings of Philosophers and Poetes bycause eyther they say the same that wée doo and so their consent is profitable or els they speake diuers things so it auayleth to conferre them wée will in this place recite in forme of logicke the chéef argumentes of Ciceros firste Tusculane question wherein he hath comprehended the comfortes and remedies too bee vsed ageynst death to the intent that the laying of them togither may enlighten both the kindes of doctrine and that wée considering the doutes and darknesse of the Philosophers about this article may be the more in loue with the doctrine of the Church deliuered by God warranted of God by raysing ageyn of dead men and other notable miracles The proposition of the firste Tusculane question is this Death is not euill or death is not to bee feared For eyther mens soules are not quenched by death but remaine aliue depart into those places which the blissed sort doo inhabite or els they perish vtterly with the bodyes so as there remayneth in them no féeling sense or perceyueraunce of any harme The firste parte of this Dilemna that mens soules are immortall Cicero proueth by six argumentes which wée haue recited héeretofore in the disposement of the .j. Cor. xv vppon the second holy day in Easter The latter part that though the soules dye with theyr bodyes yet there is no harme in death Cicero likewise goeth about to proue by six argumentes also The first Argument IF there bée any euill in death eyther it is to the soule or to the body But neyther in the body nor in the soule that are quite dead can
bée afrayde bycause thou Lord art with mée Esay and Ezechias although the Citie was beséeged by Sennacherib yet faint they not for pensiuenesse but flée vnto God by earnest prayer and wayt for deliueraunce Hereafter ensue the disposements of of certeyne Epistles which are vsually read to the people vppon the feast dayes of Sainctes Vpon the feast of the Annunciation of our blyssed Lady Sainct Marie or vppon the feast of the conception of Christ The Epistle Esay vij GOd spake once ageyn vnto Ahaz saying require a token of the Lorde thy God whether it bee towarde the depth beneath or towarde the hevghte aboue Then sayde Ahaz I will requyre none neyther will I tempte the Lorde And he sayde hearken to ye of the house of Dauid is it not ynough for you that ye be greuous vntoo men but yee must greeue my God also And therefore the Lorde shall giue you a token Beholde a virgine shall conceyue and beare a sonne and thou his mother shall call his name Emanuell Butter and hony shall he eate that hee may knowe to refuse euill and chose the good Therfore before the childe may know good or euill malice shall dissuade from choosing the good THe first feast of the new Testament and the beginning welspring of our redemption and euerlasting welfare is the wonderful coÌ„ception or cuppling of the two natures of the Godhead and manhood of our Lorde Iesus Christe the Sonne of God the memoriall whereof the Churche celebrateth as this day And of singular purpose was it Gods wil that the times of his wonderfull works and of his reuelementes should agrée For vppon this day beyng the .xxv. day of Marche was the Sonne of God conceyued in the wombe of the Uirgin Marie or as this day he cuppled too himselfe mans nature by eternall alyaunce a thousand fyue hundred thréescore and ten yéeres ago The yeere after the first promis making of the womans séede in Paradise 3962. After the renewing of the same promis vntoo Abraham that all nacions should bée blissed in the same séede 1938. After the prophesiyng of Iacob concerning Syloh or the Uirgins issue a thousand seuen hundred and six yéeres and the same day beyng the xxv of March now ful a thousand fiue huÌ„dred xxxvij was our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God made a sacrifise for vs vppon the Altar of the Crâ—sse The same day also is Adam the first man reported to haue bin created 5532. yéeres ago And afterward about the same time it is thought that Abell was slayne and Isaac layd vppon the Altar to haue bin sacrifised Therefore inasmuch as the day it selfe putteth vs in mind of most weyghty matters as of the sonne of God the founder and redéemer of the Church of the creation of our selues of the wonderfull alyaunce of the Godhead and manhoode made in the Uirgins wombe and of the causes and benefites of this wonderfull vnion let vs with all godlinesse and reuereÌ„ce cast our selues downe before God and yéeld him thankes for his so excellent woorkes and benefites and by deuout and earnest musing vpon so great things kindle and confirme in vs fayth prayer and most assured hope of euerlasting saluation And to the intent our hartes may bée the more fitte and earnest to the reuerent minding of them and to thankesgiuing for the same Let vs also celebrate this feast with greater modestie and sobernesse of behauiour The doctrine of this holy day concerning the causes and benefites of the wonderfull Incarnacion of Gods sonne is all one with the doctrine that is set forth vppon the byrthday of the same sonne of god And therfore the disposement of that matter may bee borowed out of that place into this day Now will I bréefly entreate of the prophesie of this dayes Epistle Behold a virgin shall coÌ„ceyue and bring forth a child and thou shalt call him Emmanuell which was vttered by the Prophet Esay seuen hundred and lvij yéeres before that the Angell Gabriell brought woord of the fulfilling of it too the virgine Marie and conteyneth the doctrine of the conception of the sonne of God whiche is the foundacion of our redemption and saluation I will therefore in few woordes set out the chéef pointes of this doctrine comprised in accustomed questions or orderly instruction The conception or incarnation of the Sonne of God is the wonderfull cuppling or personall vnion of the two natures that is to say of the Godhead begotten of the substance of the euerlasting Father and of the manhood taken in the wombe and of the substaunce of the virgin Marie wrought in Christ our Mediator that he may bée Emmanuell y is to say God with vs of one substaunce both with God the eternall Father and with vs reconciling God vnto vs and by paying the full raunsome for vs appease Gods most iust wrath ageynst sinne and restore to vs men rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe The partes of the Emmanuell conceyued in the virgin Marie may bée sayde to bee two the Godhead or the sonne of God the woorde the manhood taken of Maries substaunce and of the ofspring of Dauid Hither may all the whole doctrine concerning the person of Gods sonne the differences of the persones of the Godhead and of the two natures in Christe c. bée referred The causes THe efficient cause of the conception or incarnacion of the sonne of God is the whole Godhead For although that the persone of the sonne cuppled to it selfe mannes flesh by personall vnion yet is it the worke of all the thrée persones togither which also go ioyntly togither in this saying the holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the hyghest shall ouershadowe thee The hyghest is God the Father The power of the hyghest is the sonne of God who ouershadoweth the virgine Marie and the whole Churche making intercession for vs too the euerlasting Father cuppling our nature to him selfe and couering vs as a shadow ageynst the heate of Gods wrath The holy Ghost halloweth the flesh taken of the virgine Maries substaÌ„ce therof shapeth in the virgins wombe the body of the Messias redye too bée borne which body togither with a reasonable soule the woord the sonne of God by taking vnited by vniting tooke vnto him And therefore it is sayd in our Créede whiche was conceyued by the holy Ghost The inward forcing cause of the conception byrth passion and death of Christ is al one that is to wit the infinite goodnesse and mercy of God toward manhood tempered with his heauenly Iustice for the full satisfiyng whereof with sufficient amendes the very sonne of God taking our nature vppon him became both man and a sacrifise for vs. The outward forcing cause was the fall of our firste parentes and the sinne that soked from thence into all men with death and moste sorowfull damnacion of all mankind which the sonne of God was Loth should perish vtterly Now the
causes why it behooueth our redéemer too bée both God man are twelue which I haue gathered out of the booke of Athanasius concerning the incarnation recited them in another place First it behooued him too be man For like as the impe that is graffed into a trée is borne by the trée and taketh sap and life of it euen so our humane nature shuld haue vtterly perished bin brought to nothing like as the body perisheth that is forsaken of the soule yf the masse of our nature were not vphild and mainteyned by the sonne of God the woorde Secondly forasmuch as man had sinned the order of Iustice required that man should aby the penaltie On the other side it behooued him to bée God that he might be able to pay the full pryce and to vanquish sinne and death and to restore rightuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting The matter wherof the sonne of God our Immanuell tooke mans nature is the virgine Marie according as Esay interpreting the first promis of the séede and the prophesie of Iacob concerning Siloh that is to say the Virgins issue sayeth in this place behold a Virgin shall conceyue and bring forth a Sonne For in asmuch as of the mixture of the séede of man and woman is engendred a nature defiled with sinne according as it is sayde In sinne hath my Mother conceyued mee it was the will of Christ our Immanuell whom it behooued to be vndefiled and faultlesse to bée borne not of the séede of man but onely of the Virgins séede halowed and clenzed by the holy Ghost The manner of this wonderfull cuppling or vnion of the twoo natures is expressed with lightsome and most weyghtie wordes in the Créede of Athanasius The righte fayth therefore is that wée beléeue and confesse that our Lord Iesus Christ is very God and very man God of the substance of the Father begotten before all worldes and man of the substance of his mother borne in the world c. The endes and effectes of Christes conception are described in the two names of Immanuell and Iesus For Christ is called Immanuell that is to say God with vs not only for the taking vppon him of our nature but also bycause he is our patrone and aduocate not accusing and condēning vs any more but stāding on our side couering excusing and defending vs embracing vs with brotherly good will and receyuing vs to the felowship of al heauenly good things according as is sayd in these verses Christ is aright our Immanuell not only because he is bloud of our bloud now and flesh of our flesh alike But for that to the Father in heauen for vs al he becōming our Preest and patrone offreth a sweete sacrifise And for that with an earnest zeale of loue he receyueth all that long for his help or couet health at his hand The other name which the Angell Gabriell interpreting this place of Esay attributeth too Christe is Iesus which is as much to say as a sauiour or deliuerer And in déede the highest benefite of all that redound to vs by Christes incarnacion or conception is deliueraunce from sinne from Gods wrath and from curse of the law and the giuing of rightuousnesse saluacion life euerlasting Too the setting foorth of this benefite may all the sayings of the Gospell bée referred out of the whole scripture Of kin to this wonderfulll vnion of the twoo natures in Christ may these things bée named namely the similitudes and shadowes of that wonderfull alyance which are settled in nature That is to wit the vnion of the reasonable soule and of the body in man The coniunction of the Christall humor and the spirite of sight whiche is as it were a little fire in the apple of ones eye And also a péece of iron or stéele red whot The things that fight ageynst it are the chéef errours wherewith the doctrine concerning the conception or incarnacion of the sonne of God is corrupted by the heretikes Valentine Apelles Marcion Nestorius Eutyches Apollinarius and other The Antheme vppon the day of the Annunciation of our Lady sainct Marie THis is the day whiche the Lorde hath made This day hath the Lord looked vppon the affliction of his people and sent redemption This day hath the séede of a woman chased away the death whiche a woman first brought in This day is God become man continuing still the same thing that he was and taking vppon him that which he was not Therfore let vs deuoutly hallow the beginning of our redemption and let vs leape for ioy saying Glory bée to thée O lord This day is God become man This day is God become man c. Vppon the feastday of Iohn Baptist The song of Zacharie ¶ The Epistle Luc. j. BLessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raysed vp an horne of saluation vnto vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid Euen as he promised by the mouth of his holy Prophetes which were since the world began That wee should be saued from our enemies and from the handes of all that hate vs. To fulfill the mercy promised to our Fathers and to remēber his holy couenaunt And to performe the othe whiche he sware to our Father Abraham for to geue vs. That we deliuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him without feare all the dayes of our lyfe in holynesse and rightuousnesse before him And thou childe shalt be called the Prophete of the hyest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord too prepare his wayes And too geue knowledge of saluation vnto his people for the remission of sinnes Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day spring from an hie hath visited vs. To giue light to them that sate in darknesse and in the shadow of death and to guide our fete into the way of peace The disposement THis song of Zacharie perteyneth too the demonstratiue kind For it is a thanks giuing wherby Zacharie setteth out this excéeding great benefite of God for that according too his promises made too Dauid and Abraham he sendeth Chryst the redéemer too deliuer men from sinne from death and from the Diuels tyrannie and too giue them lyght lyfe and soule health euerlasting The partes of this song are two In the first viij verses be setteth out the benefite of the sending of Chryst And in the last foure verses he entreateth of the office of Iohn Baptist and therwithall of Chrystes benefites also Blissed bee the Lord God of Israell who hath visited and redeemed his people The proposition I thanke the Lord the only true GOD who hath discouered himselfe among the people of Israell by his woorde and by assured witnesse of miracles that he hath exhibited Chryst the redéemer according too the promises made too the fathers The woord blisse signifieth ere whiles too wish good too one and ere whiles too praise or glorifie As in the
this heauenly promisse of his concerning the sending of Christ 6 The othe which he sware too our father Abraham that he would giue vs. 7 That we being deliuered from the hand of our enimies might serue him without feare 8 In holynesse and ryghtuousnesse before him all the dayes of our lyfe The construction of the sixth verse is clipt for there wanteth too keepe or too performe the othe which he sware too our father Abraham The promisse concerning Chryst made vntoo Abraham confirmed by God with an othe is too bée séen in Genes xxij By my selfe haue I sworne sayth the Lord thy séede shal possesse the gates of their enimies and all nations of the earth shall bée blissed in thy séede This othe of Gods is set out with many woordes by Paul. Heb. vj. For God deliuering the promisse too Abraham bycause he had no greater by whom he myght sweare sware by himself For God méening too shew his vnchaungeable purpose more at the full too the heires of promisse assured it with an othe that by twoo vnchaungeable things in which it was impossible for God to lye wée myght haue stedfast comfort c. Galath iij. No man breaketh a mannes Testament or addeth any thing too it Vntoo Abraham and too his séede were the promisses giuen He sayth not in thy séedes as in many but in thy séede as in one which is Chryst c. But if the inheritance come by the law then is it not by promisse But God gaue it too Abraham by promisse That he would giue vs that we being deliuered c. Too bée deliuered out of the handes of our enimies is too bée set frée from sinne Death the Diuels tyrannie and euerlasting damnation and too obteine the forgiuenesse of sinnes too bée receyued intoo Gods fauoure too bée endued with the holy Ghost and too bée accepted too euerlasting lyfe Therefore too bée deliuered frō the hands of our enimies is in this place the same thing that too bée iustified Iohn viij He that woorketh sinne is the bondslaue of sinne If the sonne make you frée you shalbée frée in déede Rom. viij The lawe of the spirite of lyfe hath set mée frée from the law of sin and death Also let like sayings bée layd too them out of j. Corinth xv Rom. vj. And let vs know that the deliuerances out of the hand of Pharao or out of Egipt and out of the Captiuitie of Babilon were figures of this deliuerance by Chryste These woordes without feare may bée expounded by the saying of Paule Hebr. ij Chryst by Death destroyed him that hathe power of Deathe that is too wit the Diuell and delyuered those which through feare of Death were held in bondage all their lyfe VVee myght serue him in holynesse c. Therefore are wée sette frée from sinne and Death that héereafter wée should no more serue sinne but God in holynesse and rightuousnesse imputed and begonne Holynesse and ryghtuousnesse are woordes almost of one signification For Holy betokeneth properly one that is cleane pure voyd of all sinne and spot and acceptable too god Now God is perfect holy But wée in this lyfe are holy and ryghtuous by hauing imputed too vs the holynesse and ryghtuousnesse of Chryste through Faith and by enterance intoo newe ryghtuousnesse or obedience towardes Gods lawe which ryghtuousnesse pleaseth God not for the selfe woorthynesse thereof but for Chrystes sake only through fayth Therefore too God in holynesse and ryghtuousnesse is nothing else but too acknowledge God aryght and through fayth too beléeue that our sinnes are forgiuen vs for Christes sake and in this Fayth too begin a new obedience or life that pleaseth God according too all the commaūdements of god In fine Zacharie in these verses comprehendeth the whole Doctrine of Iustification and good woorkes Before him as in the third Chapter of the Romaines By the déedes of the lawe shall no man bée iustifyed before him or in his sight Philippians the third Chapter That I may bée found before him not hauing myne owne ryghtuousnesse which is of the lawe but the ryghtuousnesse which is through the faith of Chryst which is of god All the dayes of our lyfe All our lyfe long and not on certeine dayes as in the lawe Esay lxvj There shall bée Sabboth vppon Sabboth that is too say a continuall Sabboth The second part of the song of Zacharie 9 ANd thou childe shalt bee called the Prophet of the hyghest c. The foure last verses entreate of the office of Iohn Baptist and of all ministers and therewithall they conteine the Doctrine of Chrystes benefites or of our iustification and eternall saluation And he reckeneth vp thrée speciall benefites First Chryst is the Sauioure that releaseth sinne Secondly he is the lyght that enlyghteneth all that sitte in darknesse Esa. ix Thirdly he is the author of peace towards God and towardes men Concerning these matters a larger exposition is too bée fetched out of the summe of the christen Drctrine Now will I a little expound the pitthynesse of certeine woordes the considering of which will make the things themselues the more lyghtsome Shalt bee called the Prophet of the hyghest Of this woord Prophet there bée chéeflye foure significations vsually in the Scryptures First a Prophet among the people of Israell is a persone called immediatly by God too rebuke sinne too set foorth the Gospel concerning Chryst and too rule the counsels and deuyses of ciuill gouernment as Elias Esay c. Secondly a Prophet in generall signifyeth one that foretelleth things too come As Agabus foretold of the famine Actes xj Thirdly it signifyeth a teacher raysed vp by God and endued with singular giftes for the setting vp ageine of Gods doctrine and seruice decayed Such a one was Iohn Baptist who purged the Doctrine concerning Chryst which was defaced with the erroures of the Pharisies sharpely rebuked Idolatrous woorshippings repaired the Church of God and with his finger poynted out Christ who was then exhibited Such Prophets also were Austine and Luther Fourthly a Prophet in general signifyeth an expoūder of Scripture or a teacher of the Churche j. Corinth xiiij Thou shalt bee called that is too say thou shalt bée he shalbée called the sonne of the hyghest that is too say he shall bée the sonne c. Thou shalt goo before the face of the Lord too prepare his wayes Like as Princes when they are comming towardes a Citie or too Churchward haue of their garde that go before them make them way through the thicke preace of men ageinst they come that they bée not stayed with the thronging of the people So did Iohn Baptist go before Chryst too prepare his way First too shewe him openly too the Churche of his tyme And secondly too prepare the hartes of men by his preaching that they might by faith receiue and embrace Chryst comming vntoo them y Chryst on the other side myght bée woorkfull in them These woordes of
Zacharies are taken out of the Prophet Malachie iij. Beholde I will send myne Angell or messenger too prepare my way before my face And by and by after shall the mightie one come too his Temple whom you long for and the messenger of the Testament whom you would haue Also Esay the .xl. Chapter The voyce of a cryer in the wildernesse make redy the way for the Lord. And this is the common dutie of all ministers too prepare the way of the Lord that is too say too prepare the hartes of their héerers by their preaching that they may embrace Chryst by faith For when Chryst is comming towards vs and is offering vs his benefites there are lettes cast in his way eyther our owne rechlesselesse or our presumption or trust of our owne woorkes c. These must bée rid away by the ministration that Chryst may bée receyued by fayth and woork effectually in our hartes 10 To giue knowledge of c. An other dutie of Iohn and of all other Prophetes is too teache the Churche concerning the eternall saluation of mankynd Zacharie in the last thrée verses dooth lernedly comprehend both the definition of our saluation or iustification and the chéef causes and effects thereof and also the meane whereby wée may atteyne to it Our saluation or rightuousnesse is the forgiuenesse of sins which is bestowed vppon them that beléeue through the frée mercie of God for and by Iesus Chryst The efficient cause of our saluation is Gods incōprehensible mercie who being led of his owne frée goodnesse forgiueth vs our sinnes The forcing cause or the desert for whiche wée are receyued is Chryst the sonne of rightuousnesse that ryseth from on high The formall cause of our rightuousnesse is the forgiuenesse of sinnes The effectes are the light of the true knowledge of God deliuerance from the darknesse of sinne and death and peace of conscience before God as in Rom. v. is writtē Being iustified by faith wée haue peace too Godwarde thorough our Lord Iesus Chryst Nowe that the summe of the doctrine which Zacharie cōprehendeth in these last verses is considered and expounded after the manner of Logicke Let vs also wey the piththynesse and weyght of the woords 11 Through the bowelles of the mercie of our GOD in which the rysing from on hygh hath visited vs. By the bowels of mercie he méeneth true earnest vnfeyned and hartie mercie For the Gréek woord Splagchna signifieth properly the inward members of fleshe such as the Hart the Liuer and the Lungs bée Therefore in as much as the Harte is the instrument and seate of loue mercie sadnesse and the rest of the affections Hée méenes by the bowels of mercie not a fayned and cold mercie but a burning mercie issewing euen from the very harte After the same manner speaketh Paule Colloss iij. put on the bowelles of compassion Also Philip. ij and elswhere Mercie properly is too bée touched with the feeling of an other bodyes gréefe and too succour euen those that are falne intoo miserie by their owne default of a frankharted kyndnesse which mitigateth rightfull punishments and releaseth somwhat of vttermost or extréeme rigour with which he hath visited vs with whiche frée incomparable mercie Chryst hath visited vs embraced vs helped vs receyued vs intoo fauoure and accepted vs too lyfe and glorie euerlasting Rysing This woord is a nowne and not a participle and it signifieth Christ the day sunne of rightuousnesse rysing or springing from euerlasting out of the substance of the most high Father and shyning intoo ours hartes by his Gospell whereby he kindleth a new light of the knowledge of GOD of ryghtuousenesse and of eternall lyfe This exposition is taken out of Malach. iiij And the sunne of rightuousenesse shall ryse vppon you that feare my name Also Zacha. iij. I will bring foorth my seruaunt the Rysing Zach. vj. Behold the mā whose name is the Rysing Esai lx Vp and bée enlightened O Ierusalem for thy lyght is come and the glorie of the Lord is rysen vppon thée For behold darknesse shall couer the earth and clowdes shall couer the people But the Lordryseth vntoo thée and the glorie of the Lord shall bée séene in thée 12 Too giue lyght to them c. Chryst is the true lyght whiche lighteneth men walking in the darknesse of ignorance of GOD of sinne of death and of endlesse damnation that is too wit by endewing them with the true knowledge of God true rightuousenesse comfort lyfe and glorie euerlasting For customably in the holy Scripture the woord Lyght signifieth the true knowledge of GOD comforte lyfe deliuerance from death and miserie and all things that bée of the best sorte And contrariwyse Darknesse signifyeth ignorance of GOD sinne death and all most sorowfull euilles Zacharie tooke these woordes of the last Verse out of the nynth of Esay The people that walketh in darknesse hath séene a great lyght Lyght is rysen vppon them that dwell in the lande of the shadowe of death Intoo the way of peace Roman v. Being iustifyed by fayth wée haue peace with GOD through our Lorde Iesus Chryst Philip. iiij The peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstanding kéepe your hartes Vppon the day of the Visitation of our Ladye ¶ The song of Marie Luke j. MY soule dooth magnifie the Lorde And my spirit hath reioysed in GOD my Sauiour For he hath regarded the lowlynesse of his handmayden For behold from hencefoorth all generations shall call me blissed For hee that is mightie hath magnifyed mee and holy is his name And his mercie is on them that feare him throughout all generations He hath shewed strength with his arme hee hath scatered the proud in the ymagination of their heartes He hath putte downe the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke He hath fylled the hungrye with good things and the rich he hath sent emptie away He remembryng his mercie hath holpen his seruaunt Israell as he promysed too our forefathers Abraham and hys seede for euer The disposement THis song of Maries perteyneth too the kynd of cases demonstratiue For it is a Thankesgiuing where withall Marie in the persone of the whole Church setteth out the benefites of God with prayse vntoo God. First for that God loueth preserueth and defendeth Marie and the whole Church being brought lowe despysed weake ageinst the wisdome and power of féendes tyrantes and all enimies Secondly for that he hath sent his sonne Chryste according too the promises made too the Fathers There bée of the whole Song ten verses Whereof the first twoo conteyne the proposition The next six set out the first benefite that is too wit the wonderfull preseruation of the lowly and weake Churche ageinst the wisdome and power of the whole world And the twoo last set out the second benefite that is too wit the sending of Chryste the Redéemer My soule dooth magnifie the Lorde The proposition I yéeld thankes
loue wherethrough eche seuerall member serueth not too the welfare of it self alone but too the welfare of the whole body Concerning the life and dooings of the apostle Mathew ther ar few thīgs left in any stories of credit His fathers name was Alphei which word in the Hebrue is as much to say as a lieutenant of men of armes or a captein of a thousand souldiers His owne name Matthath signifieth a present or gift in greeke Theodoros that is to say Gods gifte or giuen of god Before his conuersion hée was a Publicane that gathered the comon customes and reuenues of the people of Rome whiche he had hyred at a certeine rent and wrested as muche as he coulde from their subiects The storie of this calling and the notable sermō of Chryst which he made in Mathews house may be known by reading the gospel of this day It is written of him that after Chrystes resurrection he preched about ten yéeres in Iewry and afterward taughte the Gospell more than twentie yéeres in Aethiope and there founded churches which as it is certeinly knowne doo flourishe at this day vnder the Empyre of the most puissaunt king whome we call Prester Iohn Vppon the feast day of Sainct Michaell the Archangell The Epistle Apocalips xij ANd there was a greate battaile in heauen Michaell and his angels fought with the dragon and the Dragon fought with his angels and preuayled not neyther was their place found any more in heuē And the great dragon that old serpent called the deuyl and Sathanas was cast out which deceyueth all the worlde And he was cast into the earth and his angels were cast out also And I harde a loude voyce saying In heauen is nowe made saluation and strength and the kyngdom of our God and the power of his Christe For the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before God daye and nighte And they ouercame him by the bloud of the lambe and by the word of their testimonie and they loued not their lyues vntoo the death The disposement of a sermon concerning the holy Angels AS this daye the Churche haloweth the feast of the holy Angells to the intent the godly may consider this excéeding great and woonderfull benefite of God that he hath appoynted vs Angels too garde vs and yéeld him thankes for it and pray vntoo him that the sonne of God himself will defend them ageinst the Deuils assaultes and secrete traines by the watch and warde of his holy Angels Now that this benefite of God may bée the ryghtlyer acknowledged I will bréefly expound the doctrine concerning Angels which shall bée comprysed in thrée places 1 What Angels bée 2 What is the office or duetie of the holy Angels 3 Of the euil Angels or Féends First What an Angell is THe woord Angell is a Gréeke woord and signifieth a messenger Like as Sophocles sayth No man rewardeth an Angel that is too say a messenger that bringeth all tydings And Homer in the .xv. booke of his Jliades This also is good when the Angell that is too say the messenger is a wise and politike persone Theruppon is the woord Euangelion that is too say good and glad tydings which wée call the Gospell And the sonne of God himselfe is diuers times called an Angell by Iames and Malachie and in others places by reason of his office for that he is the eternall fathers messenger or Ambassador which sheweth men the Gospel of glad tidings or the secrete will of God concerning forgiuenesse of sinnes for Chrystes sake according as he himself sayth This is the wil of the father that sent mée that euery one which séeth the sonne and beléeueth in him should haue euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day But when it is spoken of the Angelicall natures or substances let this description suche as it is bée had in sight An Angell is a spirituall or bodilesse substance created by GOD after his ovvne image that is too say vnderstanding free and ryghtuous vvhich is not a parte of another nature lyke as the soule is part of a man and is immortall ordeined of God too set out his prayse or too sing glorie too God on hygh and too bee a seruaunt too the Churche and a keeper of the godly vppon earth This Description may bée set out and confirmed by adding testimonies of the Scripture That there bée Angels the sayings of GOD of Chryst of the Prophets and of the Apostles and the Stories bothe of the Byble and also of later tymes doo testifie That they are spiritual substances and not bodily masses compacted of the Elementes it is euident in the hundred and third Psalme Which makest thine Angels spirites And in the twentie and foure of Luke A spirit hath no flesh and bones After what manner Angels were created it is not certeinely expressed But the common opinion is that all the Angels were created togither the first day and set in the heauen of heauens That they were created after the image of God Chryst witnesseth Iohn viij And he abode not in the truthe Then were the Angels created too the entent they should bée endued with true ryghtuousnesse and holynesse They are immortall bycause they alwayes behold the face of the Father Concerning their Office or charge I will speake afterwarde The multitude of Angels is infinite as it is sayd in the seuenth of Daniell thousandes of thousands ministred vntoo him Dyonisius distinguisheth them intoo nyne Degrées Cherubin Thrones Dominations Principals Potestates Vertues Archangels and Angels These names are taken out of the sixth of Esay and Collossians the first and Ephesians the first and first Peter the third Chapter and also in the hundred and third Psalme Seraphin signifyeth burning Cherubin commeth of Rubih which woorde signifieth a little boy And thereuppon they thinke that the Angels appeering with face fulsome fresh liuely and chéerefull suche as Childrens faces are woont too bée are called Cherubin In the Scryptures there are the names but of fyue Angels expressed Michael that is too say who is like too god Gabriel that is too say the strength of God or the Gyant of god Raphael that is too say the Phisition of god Vriel that is too say the lyght of god Hierameel the mercy of god But wée will let this géere alone and entreat of a more profitable Doctrine namely of the Office or benefites of the holy Angels The first and principallest Office or duetie of Angels is too glorifie God the creator with a thankfull voyce and wyth all manner of seruiceablenesse As in the .xxij. Chapter of S. Lukes Gospel They sing glory too God on high As the Prophet Esay in his sixth Chapter dooth testifie Holy holy holy Lord God of Sabaoth Heauen and earth are full of the glory of his maiestie Let this song bée bréefly expounded which conteyne a summe of the Doctrine concerning the being of God concerning the thrée persons concerning
Gods sonne Gods mercie tempered with iustyce The fall of Adam The feendes the Iewes The matter of Chrystes Passion The forme or maner The endes too which Chryst â–ª suffered Redemption Remission of sinnes ReconciliatioÌ„ Iustification The holy Ghost The destruction of the Deuils kingdom Abolishment of sinne and death Euerlasting lyfe and saluacion How Chrystes benefites may bee applyed too vs. Our hauen and comfort â–ª Pascha or Passeouer The true passeouer * Marchâ— The tyme. Chrysts person Chrysts sacrifyse The benefites of Chrystes sacrifyse The applyment New obedieÌ„ce The benefites of Chrystes resurrection A descriptioÌ„ of a Triumph The Triumph of Chryst The true ioy and comfort The true keeping of Easter Leuen New dowe Sweete bred What it is too keepe holyday Old leuen The efficient cause of our resurrection which argument holdeth of consequence That Chryst is risen By testymonies of the prophets By record of such as sawe him Of the authoritie of the Apostles An argument by impossibilitie An argument of ryght and reason A repetition confirmation of the first argumeÌ„t which holdeth of coÌ„sequence or of necessitie An Argument taken of our profession and order in baptim A repetition of the fourth argument which holdeth of ryght reasoÌ„ An Argument taken of the like thing Tokens of the resurrection impressed in nature The Moone The Starres The seasons of the yeere Svvalovves Flyes The Phenix This is the surest ground ArgumeÌ„t for a Christian SufficieÌ„t vvarrant for a true Christian Philosophie knovveth nothing of the resurrection Antiquitie Consent of all Nations The best natures Selfmouing Simplenesse vncoÌ„pounded Ryght and reason Gods almyghtynesse Diuersities of glorie in the resurrection Liuing soule The state of our bodyes in the resurrectioÌ„ Liuing soule The first man. The second man. Flesh blud The efficient cause of our resurrection Death and sin Gods lawe The cheef finewes of the Diuels kingdome Our victorie in Chryst Esays prophesie of the taking away of death by Christ Esays prophesie expounded by Paule Osees prophesie expounded Interpretation of the grammaticall sense of the vvordes The proper meening of Osce An exhortation to stedfastnesse The custome of baptizing in old tyme. The coÌ„mendation of fayth A description of fayth Mannes lyfe a vvarfare Who are borne of God. Hovv folke are borne a nevve The cheef obiect or thing vvhereon fayth resteth The name of Sonne The name Chryst Water blud To come in vvater The spirit is a vvitnesse of Chryst and his doctrine The three persones of the Godhead The end vvhy the ministerie vvas ordeined What the vvoord spirit signifyeth in the foresayd text What vvater and blud signifye MaÌ„kind vvyth out Chryst Errour touching Gods beeing Touching Gods vvill Errours of the papistes in seruing God. Chryst is the only vvay too â–ª God and godlynesse Chryst is lyfe Repentance Pointes of a good shepherd Good Princes be shepherds Bishops and ministers are shepherds Hovv Chryst is a shepherd Fleshly lustes what they be Magistrates ordeyned by God. The definition of a Magistrate Magistrates must be obeyed as God. An excellent saying Obedience too Princes Lords and Maisters for conscience sake Christen libeÌ„â—tie Not God but wee our selues are cause of euil too our selues Good things are all of God and none euill commeth of him Regeneration or newbirth A similitude Against rash speaking and hasty iudgement Against aâ—geâ— and treaâ—nesle Rogation weeke Of Inuocatioâ— and prayer The partes of true prayer What diuinitie is Gods worde a looking glasse True blissednesse The Ankerâ—old of christian welfare Chrystes conuersation with his disciples after his resurrection Chrystes tryumphant Asâ—â—nsion Deliuerance from sin death the Diuell Mediatorship Giuing of gifts vnto men Opening our way intoo heauen Putting away of worldlinesse â–ª Too rayse our myndes tovvards heauen The kingdom of God or of Chryst The right haÌ„d of God. Too sitte A commendation of prayer Ageinst dâ—onâ—â—â—â—esse Sobrietie which is a spice of stay â–ª ednesse Watchfulnesse Of Louâ— Hospitalitie * Pleasantnesse * Gladsomues * Merinesse Doing of good â—urnes Pentecost Why Easter Whitsontyde other feastes were ordeined of God. Why Whitson tide was ordeyned too be continually kept The holy Ghost Two sortes of giuing the holy Ghost A descriptioÌ„ of the holy ghost Proofes of the godhead of the holy Ghost Basill Eusebius Palestinus Proofes that the holy Ghost is a distinct persone from the father and the sonne The office and benefits of the holy Ghost The spirit of Truthe Paracletus The seuen giftâ— of the holy â—host The gift of â—isdome The spirit of Counsell The spirite of Strength or Manlynesse The spirit of Knoâ—ledge The spirit of Godlynesse The spirit of the Feare of God. BeneuoleÌ„ce â–ª Proofes of Christes Godhead Proofes of the Godhead of the holy ghost Fleshe No accepting of persones vvith Chryst Prophesying in the old Testament Diuersities of appeerings Dreames Prophesying in the nevv testament The onely vvay too saluacion The cause of our eternall saluation Iustification Diuersitie of opinions concerning Iustification Ryghtuousnesse what it is The efficieÌ„t forcing cause of iustificacation The meane or Instrument of our saluation what it is to beleeue What ought too bee the cheefe care of men How God wil haue his being knowne What God is The Gods of the Heathen The vnitie and trinitie of the Godhead The first person The second person The third person The marke of the Father The marke of the Sonne The marke of the holy ghost â–ª The offyce of the father The offyce of the sonne The offyce of the holy ghost God is loue Our only haueÌ„ and fortresse The phisike of our soules Examples who loueth God. Sparkes of knowledge in nature why they were giueÌ„ â–ª Loue towardes God. Causes of louing God and â–ª our neighbour â–ª Gods loue towardes vs. Commaundement Woorthinesse and profit What is comprehended in the loue of our neighbour The hatred of the world ageinst the godly This folowing is worth the beating away Necessitie Example of loue Hypocrysie to be eschued Selâ—e loue and selfvveening Vyces accompaning pryde Carelesse Stately Lovvlynesse Vertues conteined in lovvlynesse Causes that should moâ—e to Lowlynesse The profit of Lowlynesse God resisteth the proude The Diuell Snaâ—es wherwith the dyuel intangleth folkes Fortification ageynst the Diuelles traynes Watchfulnesse Remedyageynst the enterance of despayre Sobrietie and stayedensle Fayth Example Gods grace Gods order to be followed This argument holdeth of right and equitie A coÌ„parison of vnequalitie Common harmes ought too greeue the lesse Example of the Apostles The maner of saluation How we be saued by hope Argument of possibilitie One myndednesse Like affectionednesse Brotherly loue Mercifulnesse Gentlenesse Meeknesse Gelons answer too a rayler Patience Faint hartednesse Wilfulnesse or stifnesse of opinion Stedfast profession of the true doctrine The finall cause of iustification The efficient cause of iustification A similitude of baptim Of Chrystes death and resurrection Of Chrystes buryall Ageinst Libertines carnall Gospellers Necessitie of weldooing Christen libertie Eternal lyfe
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