firste place THere haue bene greate disputacions and controuersies at all times both in the Churche and among the Heathen concerning this question which of al others is of greatest weyght how men may be iustified afore God or by what meanes men may atteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting saluation Diuers haue dreamed that they might pacifie Gods displeasure and obteyne his fauour and endlesse blisse by certeine Ceremonies and sacrifises Many haue beléeued that they should be rightuouse and blissed before God by their honest behauiour in outward conuersation or by shunning outward offences and by dooing good workes Some againe haue imagined that they should become righteouse by vertues poured intoo them and some by rauishements and inspirations and other some by other meanes But Peter in short sentēce compriseth a moste learned discussemēt of this controuersie and a summe of all the whole doctrine concerning iustification in this place when he sayeth All the Prophetes beare witnesse vntoo Christe that euery one which beleeueth in him receyueth remission of sinnes by his name Now that the largenesse of the doctrine conteyned in this short sentence may in some sorte bée considered and vnderstood I will expound the woordes in order First of all therfore least any man might doute of the certeintie of this doctrine Peter alledged the authoritie of the Synode or generall determination of all the Prophetes and Apostles and the consente of the vniuersall Church which now also may bée set against our aduersaries when they yell out that they are the church of God and that they follow the consent of the Churche And we may know that one self same doctrine concerning rightuousnesse or remission of sinnes too bée giuen fréely for Christ our mediatours sake was alwayes preached in the church of the Fathers and the Prophetes and that for the same cause chéefly God raysed vp Prophetes that they should bée witnesses interpreters of the promise according as the testimonies of Moyses the rest of the Prophetes did shew Iohn v. If ye beléeued Moyses yée would beleue me for he hath written of me Ge. iiij xxij Heb. xj By fayth Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain by whiche he was pronounced rightuouse by the witnesse of god Gen. xij xxij Gal. iij. In thy seede shall all nations bée blissed not in séedes as in many but in thy séede as in one whiche is Christe Genesis xv Abraham beleéeued God he was accoūted rightuous Deut. xviij The Lord shal raise you vp a prophet hear him Psa xxxij Blissed ar they whose sins are forgiuē Esa. xliij I am he that wipeth out thine iniquities for mine own sake I wil not remēber thy sins any more Ier. xxxij xxxiij The Lord is our rightuousnesse Dan. ix Hear vs for the lords sake Also euerlasting rightuousnesse shal bée brought in c. Rom. j. The Gospel which the Lord promised by his Prophets c. Secondly he defineth mans rightuousnesse before God to be forgiuenesse of sinnes giuen fréely for Christs sake and that too bee iustified is the same thing that to receyue remissiō of sinnes or too be acquit and set frée from sin as Paul sayth Act. xiij Through Christ is remission of sinnes preched vnto vs by him is euery one that beléeueth iustified from al things frō which ye could not bée iustified by the law of Moyses Also Ps. xxxj Blissed are they whose iniquities are released whose sins are couered Blissed is the mā to whom y Lord imputeth not sin Then is not the rightuousnes wherby the sinfull mā is reputed iust before god a qualitie or vertue in our selues nor the essētial rightuousnes of god but a relatiō or imputaciō wherthrough we ar acquit reputed rightuous for Christs sake Now let vs consider how great a benefit is the remission of sins which Christ bringeth For what should it profite a man though he wan the whole world if he lost his own soule Thirdly he expresseth the efficient forcing cause of Iustification when he sayeth that wée receyue forgiuenesse of sinnes by his name that is to say not for our own sorowfulnesse for our owne vertues for moonkish merites for Masses or other woorkes This Antithesis or matching of contraries this exclusiue or disbarring is to bée fastned in mens mindes with great héede to the intent the honorable title of redéemer Iustifier which is due only to the sonne of God our Lord Iesu Christe may be giuen vnto him and that the consciences which are throwen downe may haue assured and stedy comfort too hold by Fourthly let the vniuersall part of spéeche which teacheth that God in is very déede vpright to all men be set ageinst the tēptacion of particularitie And let such like sayings be ioyned with it as shew y al which repēt not ar reiected of God togither that on y cōtrary side all that resort vnto Christ do assuredly obtein remissiō of sins j. Ti. ij God wil haue al mē saued Io. 3. So god loued the world that he gaue his only begottē son to the intēt that euery one which beleueth in him shuld not perish but haue life euerlasting He that beleueth not in the son the wrath of God shal abide vpon him Fifthly the instrument or meane wherby we may acknowledge Christes person benefites both receyue apply to our selues the forgiuenesse of sinnes offred to vs by him is only faith according as Peter saith here that euery one which beleeueth in him Now to beleue on the sonne of God is first to acknowledge aright the person benefits of Christ crucified raysed agein for vs that he is verely by nature God the sauiour promised by the Prophetes pacifying God giuing peace rightuousnesse saluacion euerlasting to those that beleue Secondly to assent to al the whole doctrine deliuered vs by Christ or with a stedy assent to embrace al the articles of the Christen faith among the rest this also I beleue remission of sins to be giuē me freely for Christs sake Thirdly it is to rest vpon Christ the Mediator with stedfast trust to assure a mās self for a certeintie that his sins are forgiuen him for Christes sake that he is in Gods fauor that God accepteth him heereth him receyueth him to euerlasting life for Christs sake who hath suffered and is risen ageine for vs and not for our owne vertues or good workes Sixthly let the obiect of faith y sum of y who le Gospel which is lernedly bréefly cōprehended in this sermon of Peters be cōsidered For he saith that God by his word hath brought tidings of peace through Christ who is lord of al. First therefore he comprehendeth the doctrine concerning the person of Christ in the word Lord namely that he is Iehoua in very déede and by nature God the maker and Lord of Heauen and earth of all thinges that are in them as
although he excelled Loth his brothers sonne both in age wisdome vertue and authoritie yet giueth he place too him adding this most sage saying I pray thée lette there bée no quarell betwéene thée and mée for wée are brothers Behold the whole land is before thée If thou choose the right hand I will take the lefte or if thou go to the left hand I wil goo too the right So Iacob humbled himself too his brother Esau Gen. xxxiij So Chryst the welspring of vnitie and mutuall loue abased himselfe beneath all men Phil. ij Through humilitie or lowlynesse let eche man think an other better than himselfe And let the same mynd bée in you that was in Chryst Iesu c. Oftentymes also there ryse debats and quarels vpon casting foorth of reprochefull termes of witlessenesse foolishnesse beggerlinesse and rascalnesse But like as the obiecting of such woordes springeth of pryde so dooth the cléering of a mannes selfe of them also Therefore they must bée vtterly vnregarded set light ▪ by and quietly put vp for the common peace sake The second is Meeknesse which represseth yrefulnesse and desirousenesse of reuenge euen when wée are able too defend our selues and too maynteyne sute As for example If thy companion haue vppon spyght sought too diffame thée or too heaue thée out of thy place and gone about too hurte thée thou must passe it ouer like as Moyses for putting vp the wrong that Aaron and Marie did him Numer xij is reported too haue bin the méekest man that euer was And Chryst sayeth of himself Lerne of mée for I am méeke and lowly of hart Dauid is not inflamed with wrathfulnesse ageinst Saule least he should stirre vp greater troubles Ioseph is not desirous too bée auenged of his brothers But Arius burneth as whot as fire with anger and desire of reuenge ageinst Alexander who was preferred before him in sute for the Bishoprike so as he troubled the whole Churche with his noysome doctrine concerning the sonne of God. The third is Longsufferance or Patience whereby wée beare one with another through Charitie For there sticke many blemishes in all men As for Example Some man is more wayward and testye some is more desirous of vayn glorie some is more curiouse some hath lesse staye of himselfe an other is more giuen too ouerearnestnesse and an other is more yresome and hastie These common fraylties of men must wée hyde and beare with if wée will haue true concord too growe strong and continue Paule therefore like a most wyse Gouernour hath put toogither the chéefe sinewes and limbes of Concorde and the vertues that are néedfull too the knitting of mennes fellowshippes in the band of peace There myght bée made a larger discourse of euery of these vertues And the laying of their contraries too them and the Examples of things that maynteyne societie will make the matter both more pleasaunt and more large The second place THe causes or reasons whereby the héerers are too bée in flamed too the desire of cōcord Now all men are too bée inflamed too the maintenance of concord with their fellowe cōpanyons and with other men First by the most streight commaundements of God which enioyne mutuall loue Iohn xiij and .xv. My cōmaundement I giue vntoo you that you loue one another Philip ij Bée of like affection one too an other hauing one loue being of one mynde and of one opinion j. Corinthians j. Let there bée no diuisions among you Secondly by the most large rewardes which GOD hath promised too such as maynteyne concord Mathew v. Blissed bée the peace makers for they shall bée called the children of god Thirdly by the great commodities of concord and the vnmeasurable huge heape of miseries which discord bringeth bothe in the church in the common weale in householdes in vniuersities and in all the whole lyfe And fourthly before al things let the six reasons bée considered which Paule vseth in this Epistle First one bodye and one spirit Like as in mannes bodye there bee diuerse members differing in dignitie and offices and yet agréeing among them selues and too the common vse of the whole bodye which doutlesse are gouerned and moued all by one spirit or soule So in the Church there bée diuers members differing in giftes and yet but one holy Ghost the author of this doctrine set foorth by the Prophetes and Apostles Therefore let there be concord in your doctrine wils This comparison is handled at length in j. Cor. xij 2 Likewyse also as you bee called in one hope All are called too one hope of euerlasting lyfe Therefore let there bée vnitie of spirit and doctrine and consent of wils 3 There is one Lord. There is one Lord Chryst whom only and alonly the eternall Father hath commaunded vs too héere Therefore lette vs all embrace this one doctrine taught by Chryst and let vs bée one mynded like as the seruauntes of one Maister ought too agrée in willes and purposes 4 One Faith. There is but one faith of all the godly in all tymes Therefore let there bée vnitie and consent in the doctrine of the Gospell concerning Chryste whom faith embraceth Héere may the whole doctrine of faith bée set out and specially this warning that the faith and manner of iustification and saluation of all the Saints from the beginning of the world is euermore al one Act. xv Wée beléeue that wée are saued by the grace of our Lord Iesus Chryst like as our Fathers also were saued 5 One Baptim The strength and effectualnesse of the Sacraments in the Church of all ages is alwayes one and wée haue all bound our selues by one Baptim too yéeld faith and obedience too the one Chryst Therfore let vs all bée but as one among our selues let vs teache all one thing and let vs all professe one thing 6 One God and Father of all Therefore let vs all bée as children of one father of one mynd and louing one an other like brothers Who is aboue al. God who is aboue all things and whose being dooth infinitely differ from the creatures is present euery where loueth defendeth and gouerneth all godly folke and all such as are desirous of concord and dwelleth in them as in a temple or house that he liketh well off Vppon the .xviij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. j. I Thanke my God alwayes on your behalfe for the grace of God which is giuen you by Iesus Chryst that in all things yee are made rich by him in all vtteraunce and in all knowledge by the which things the testimony of Iesus Christ was confirmed in you so that yee are behynd in no gift wayting for the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ whiche shall also strength you too the end that you may bee blamelesse in the day of the comming of our Lord IESVS Chryst The disposement THis Epistle is of those cases that are
Hither may the ten commodities of persecution and afflictions bée referred And to the minor I aunswer Wée Christians are in déede most full of miseries but it is but the turning of a hand bycause sinne sticketh still in vs which must bee doone away by affliction and death Howbeit in the meane while euen in the very afflictions wée finde Gods presence and help and wonderful deliueraunces and wee are strengthened by the holy Ghost so as wée may assure our selues that no afflictions can plucke vs away from Gods louingnesse wherewith he loueth vs for his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake according to this saying Iohn x. No man shall pull my shéepe out of myhandes Hither to I haue shewed the state of the Epistle and set out the argumentes after the order of Logicke And I dare auouche that there is no one part of the sermons of the Prophetes Apostles that in so few woords conteyneth larger wisedome me places of Christian doctrine more effectuall comfort in sorowes and calamities more vehement motions more force of persuasion perâ—ing into mens mindes and more notable figures and ornamentes of Rhetoricke than dooth this Epistle which is wont to bée read in the Church as this day And therefore I will bréefly picke out the rest of the places of doctrine whereof there bée testimonies in this Epistle j. Of the causes why the Church before the rest of mankind should bée vnder the crosse and of true comforts too béé set ageynst it ij Of Gods predestination which is Gods eternall purpose or decrée of chosing his Church out of al mankind of such as are called into that company by mercy for his sonnes sake and so of euery one seuerally that shall continue in the fayth to their departing out of this lyfe iij. Of the Churche and of the wonderfull gathering preseruation gouernement and Glorification of the Churche iiij This saying Whom he hath chosen them also hath he called conteyneth a moste swéete and comfortable doctrine namely that there is no where any election too euerlasting Saluation but in the companie of them that bée called that is too say whiche héere Chrystes Gospell And that GOD in déede worketh effectually in the visible congregation of this called church imparting rightuousnesse and glorie euerlasting vnto men Therfore let vs not séeke for Gods chosen or for his churche among Turks Hethenfolks and others that are ignorant of the gospell v. Of the benefits of the Son of God which was giuen for vs. vj. Of mans iustification before God which is the absolution of the sinfull man from the accusation of the lawe and from endlesse damnation and the imputation of rightuousnesse wherthrough for Chryst the mediators sake who dyed and is rysen ageyn and maketh intercession for vs he is accepted for rightuouse by the frée mercy of god and receiued to lyfe and glorie euerlasting vij Of the kingdom of Chryst sitting at the right hand of God or reygning in equall power with the eternall Father viij Of the préesthoode of Chryste pacifying the Father with his sacrifise and intercession ix Of the stedfastnesse of election and of the certeyntie of fayth that leaneth vnto Gods louingnesse to vs wards and beleeueth that both the whole church is preserued by God ageinst the furiousnesse of féends and vngodly folke and also that euery godly person that continueth in faith shall be saued Concerning these nyne places let the full exposition bée taken out of the writings that conteyn the sum of the doctrine Moreouer let the studious consider eche seueral woord the vehemencies the phrases and the notable ornaments of figures as first the Gradation of four steps 2. the Homaeoteleuts 3. the Homoioptots 4. the rife interrogations 5. the subiections 6. the often Antithesies 7. the streynes beginning all with one woorde 9. the heaping vp of things 10. the Iscolies and similitudes c. Vpon the feast day os S. Mathew the apostle and euangilist ¶ The Epistle Ephes iiij VNto euery one of vs is giuen grace accordyng to the measure of the gift of Chryst VVherfore he sayth He is gone vp an hye and hath ledde captiuitie captiue and hath giuen giftes vnto meÌ„ That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also desceÌ„ded first into the lowest partes of the earth He that descended is euen the same also that asceÌ„ded vp euen aboue al heuens to fulfil al things And the very same made some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Shepeherdes and some teachers that the Saincts might haue al things necessary to worke and minister withal to the edifying of the body of Chryst til we euery one in the vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God growe vp vnto a perfect man after the measure of age of the fulnesse of Chryst The disposement IT is of that kynd that is instructiue For it is a doctrine of the ministerie of the Gospell and of the teachers or ministers of the Gospel The chéef partes thereof are thrée applyed to places of Instruction j. The efficient cause from whence springeth the ministerie of the Gospel and by which it is preserued is the sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe who is ascenddd intoo heauen and reigneth at the right hand of the father that he may giue gifts too men ij The speciall or particular kyndes or degrées of ministers of the Gospell 1. Apostles 2. prophets 3. Euangelists 4. Shepherds 5. Teachers or instructers of yong beginners iij. The finall cause for which the ministerie of the gospell is ordeined and for whiche it is maynteyned is that the true knowledge of God and the true and vncorrupte doctrine of the gospell might bée continued and spred abrode among men And that ther may from time to tyme be gathered a church that rightly acknowledgeth woorshippeth and glorifieth God euerlastingly And these are the chéefe benefits of this epistle And héere withall let other of the notabler places be obserued j. Of the diuersitie of gifts in the church which Chryst distributeth to eche seuerall person according as he thinketh good that they may be employed to further the common profite of the whole church ij A description of the triumph of Chryste the conquerour leading prisoner the prisonership of sin death and the diuell and ascending into heauen and reigning at the right hand of the father iij. A witnesse of the two natures in Chryste cuppled by personall vnion to be set ageinst Arius Nestorius and Eutyches iii. j A witnesse of the almightinesse and euery where being of Chryst v. Of the ministration of the gospel and of the sending of teachers and renuers of the doctrine I wil at an other tyme speake more at large of the other parts of the Epistle which conteyn most ample doctrine But at this tyme I will bréefly ouerrun onely one place concerning the ministerie of the Gospell which peculiarly perteyneth to the storie of this dayes feast God created men to the intent he may gather himselfe
a churche out of mankynde too acknowledge him and set foorth his prayse and that God ageyne on the other syde may communicate himselfe too those that acknowledge hym And too the intent hée myght bee knowne hee hath of his excéeding greate goodnesse disclosed himselfe to mankind by deliuering him a certeyn doctrine of the Law and the Gospell concerning his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ whom he hath set foorth too bée a mediator and redéemer too the ende that men being receyued for his sake myghte bée endued with godly lyght wisedome ryghtuousnesse and eternall lyfe For although God could without mean haue conuerted men vntoo him and coulde garnysh them with hys lyghte and glorie yet notwithstanding of his woonderfull wisedom he hath appointed this order to the intent that men in this lyfe myght thorough the doctrine of the lawe bée stirred vp to acknowledge their sinnes and too repent them earnestly for the same and by the Gospell conceyue Fayth wherthrough they may in their extréeme gréefes flée vntoo the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who dyed and rose ageyne for vs and for his sake obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes ryghtuousnesse and the inheritance of euerlasting life Wherefore too the intent this doctrine of the lawe and the gospell by whiche only and not any otherwise God hath determined to conuert men vntoo him and too gather an euerlasting church too himselfe myght bée continually knowne and spread abroade among mankynde GOD of his vnmeasurable goodnesse hath ordeyned the ministerie of publik teaching and preaching his doctrine and hath appointed certeyne persons to teache partely by him selfe without meanes and partly by his Church And the sonne of God himselfe was the first preacher or minister of the Gospell in Paradyse vttering the woonderfull promis concernyng the séede by which our first parentes were receyued intoo fauour Afterward hée raysed vp Patriarks and Prophets and by his power in them maynteined the ministration of his doctrine ageynst the furiousnesse of féendes and tyrants At length taking mans nature vpon him he hym selfe preached visibly vpon earth and wrought miracles And as soone as he was risen from death he sent his apostles sainct Mathew and the rest too spreade this doctrine abroade through the whole world By these were others called too bée teachers and ministers of the Churche and so from thensfoorth by continuall succession vntoo our tymes the ministerie of the Gospel hath bin preserued and maynteined by the infinite goodnesse and power of the son of god And therfore sayth Paule in this place And the very Son of God our Lorde Iusus Christe hathe gyuen some apostles that is too say ministers called and sent immediatly by Chryst him selfe too teache the Gospell euery where hauing assurednesse that they doo not erre To the doctrine of these must wée certeinly giue credit as too the voyce of God sounding from heauen Some prophets that is to say teachers or interpreters of the scriptures written by the prophetes and Apostles furnished with singular giftes for the setting vp ageyne of the doctrine héeretofore darkened and decayed such as were Austin Luther and others Some Euangelists that is to say ministers that teach the Gospell receyued of the Apostles and sette vp churches in mo places as Timothie ij Tim. iiij Some shepherds that is to say ministers called not immediatly of God but by men to teach the Gospell to minister the Sacraments and to rule some one churche in some certeine place These doothe Paule call Elders and Bishops who when they step asyde from the rule of the Apostles doctrine do erre and fall And some teachers which in the churche in schooles or in mens houses doo teach the true doctrin of God but minister not the Sacramentes To the building vp of the Saincts intoo the woorke of the ministerie that is to say that the holy church may be builded vp by the ministerie of the Gospel and that mē which are drawen away from God may bée lynked too GOD ageyne To the building vp of the bodie of Chryst that is too say that the Church which is Chrystes body may be buylded that is to say that out of mankynde there may bée gathered a congregation of men that rightly acknowledge and prayse God and his sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe and become heires of the euerlasting lyfe Till wee come into the vnitie of faith and of the knowledge of Gods sonne that is too say vntill we all come too one fayth whiche is the acknowledgement of the Sonne of God. Intoo a perfect man after the measure of age of the fulnesse of Chryst that is too say vntill fayth which at the beginning is small babish and weake may by little and little grow and become strong manly and fulsome or perfect For he taketh a similitude of the age of men whervnto he compareth the encreasments of Faith. That we may be no longer children wauering and caryed about with euery wynde of doctrine that is too say that the one true and vncorrupt doctrine of the gospel may be preserued among men the losse whereof maketh infinite errours to créepe in as it is to bée séene among the Heathen folke and the Papistes And Paule vseth lyghtsome metaphors 1. First of the childish age whiche is vnconstant and easy to be bowed changed 2. Of a ship floting on the waues 3. of a réed which yeldeth to euery blast of wind In the lewdnesse of men and craftynesse wherby they hem vs in with errour That is to say by the sleights and wyles of men wherwith they compasse vs to deceiue vs. But let vs folow the truth in loue and in all things let vs grow into him that is the head euen Chryst that is too say Wée that bee godly teachers let vs with agreeable endeuer spreade abroade the true doctrine of the Gospell and by our ministration knit ageyn vnto our one head Chryst all men that bée pulled away from God. In whome all the bodie is coupled and knit togither in euery ioynt by the ministration according too the operation as euery part hath his measure and encreaseth the bodie too the edifiyng of it selfe in loue that is to say Like as in mās body the power or spirite of lyfe spreadeth from the head into the rest of the membres knitte togyther by ioyntes that they maye excecute their propre seruices or offices according too the operation that is giuen too eche seuerall limbe whiche serue too the encrease perfection and welfare of the whole body Euen so in the churche gathered togither by the ministerie of the Gospel all the members of the churche being knit too Chryst the head by ioyntes that is to say by the ministers of the gospel doo vndertake sundry seruices and duties according as Christ hath giuen too euery of them conuenient power and ablenesse woorking in suche wyse that the body of the Church may growe and bée buylded in
tokens shewed that he had a fauour to that people Euen so dooth God impart his benefites too vs by the water of Baptim washing vs from our sinnes and hyding and couering vs as it were with the shadowe thereof from the heate of his wrath Concerning the spirituall foode whereof the Manna gyuen from heauen in the wildernesse Exo. xvi was a figure with whiche the soules of the beleeuers are fed and euerlasting lyfe is begonne in them like as this bodily lyfe of men is susteyned with wheaten bread more plentifull exposition may bée taken out of the sixth Chapter of Iohn Vppon the Sunday called Sexagesima or Shrouesunday ¶ The Epistle .ij. Cor. xj xij FOR yee suffer fooles gladly bycause that yee your selues are wyse For ye suffer euen if a maÌ„ bryng you intoo bondage yf a man deuoure if a man take if a man exalt himselfe if a man smyte you on the face I speake as concerning rebuke as though we had bin weake Howbeit wherein soeuer any man dare be bolde I speake foolishly I dare bee bold also They are Ebrewes euen so am I. They are Israelites euen so am I. They are the seed of Abraham euen so am I. They are the ministers of Chryst I speake as a foole I am more In laboures more aboundaunt In strypes aboue measure In pryson more plenteously In death oft Of the Iewes fyue tymes receyued I euery tyme .xl. strypes saue one Thryse was I beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffered thryse shipwracke Night and day haue I bin in the deepe of the sea â–ª In iorneying often in parelles of waters in parels of robbers in ieopardies of myne owne nation in ieopardies among the Heathen in parels in the citie in parels in wildernesse in parels in the sea in parels among false brethren in labour and trauayle in watching often in hunger and in thirst in fastings often in cold and in nakednesse And besyde the things which outwardly happen vntoo mee I am combred dayly and doo care for all congregations Who is weake and I am not weake Who is offended and I burne not If I must needes reioyce I will reioyce of myne infirmities The .xij. Chapter THE God and father of our Lord Iesus Christ which is blissed for euermore knoweth that I lye not In the Citie of Damascon the gouernour of the people vnder king Aretas layde watch in the Citie of Damascens and would haue caught mee and at a windowe was I let down in a basket through the wall so scaped his hands It is not expedient for mee no doubt too reioyce Neuerthelesse I will come too visions and reuelations of the lord I knowe a man in Chryst aboue .xiiij. yeares agone whither he were in the body I can not tell or whither he were out of the body I can not tel God knoweth which was taken vp into the third heauen And I knowe the same man whither in the body or out of the body I can not tell God knoweth howe that he was taken vp intoo Paradise and herd woordes not too bee spoken which no man can vtter Of this man will I reioyce of my selfe will I not reioyce except it bee of myne infirmities And yet though I would reioyce I should not be a foole for I would say the truthe Neuerthelesse I spare least any maÌ„ should thinke of mee aboue that he seeth mee too bee or heareth of mee And least I should bee exalted out of measure thorow the abundance of reuelations there was giuen vntoo mee vnquietnesse of the flesh the messanger of Sathan too buffet me bycause I should not bee exalted out of measure For this thing besought I the Lorde thryce that it might depart from mee And he sayd vntoo mee my grace is sufficient for thee For my strength is made perfect thorow weakenesse Very gladly therefore will I reioyce of my weaknesse that the strength of Chryste may dwell in mee WElnéere all the whole latter Epistle to the Corinthians is an Apologie of Paule defeÌ„ding himself ageinst the y slauÌ„dersof the false Apostles who despysed his doctrine authoritie ministration preferred theÌ„selues before him vpheld that the Iewish ceremonies were to bée layd vpon the GeÌ„tyls as of necessitie too saluatioÌ„ And truly they alledged the examples of Peter the other Apostles who in Iewrye the countryes bordering thereabouts hild still the ceremonies of their own countrey And this defence of Paules is necessarie too the intent the truthe certeintie of the doctrine of the Gospell which Paule had taught the authoritie of Apostleship the fayth might bée preserued in the churche It perteyneth too the kynd of cases that are Iudiciall The grouÌ„d of the Epistle before red is I Paule am a farre more excellent minister of Chryst than are the rest The cheef Arguments or reasons are twoo FIrst he that with greater faythfulnesse coÌ„stancie spreddeth abrode the gospel of Chryst endureth more trauel persecution trouble for profession of the gospel and for the fayth is woorthely also too bée déemed greater and excellenter than the rest I Paule haue endured greater peynes mo in number mo perils imprisonments punishments such other miseries in spredding of the gospel thaÌ„ any of the false Apostles Ergo I am farre too bée preferred before them SecoÌ„dly too whoÌ„ more manifest visioÌ„s of greatest things are shewed froÌ„ heaueÌ„ by god himself he as more familiar déerer to God ought of right to bee preferred before others Paule was caught vp intoo the third heauen there had shewed vntoo him a notable reuelatioÌ„ from God Ergo c. This is the effect of this dayes Epistle which our aunceters haue in this respect appoynted too this tyme of the yéere for that it maketh mention of fasting labours watching other exercâ—ses that serue to kéepe vnder mortifie y flesh whiche things their méening was that men should take vppon them specially these fortye dayes going before Easter too the intent that the bodye béeing chastized and brought in subiection meÌ„nes mynds bée more fit more bent and more desyrous too consider the wonderfull passion and death of the sonne of god and too repent themselues earnestly of their misdéeds Out of this Epistle may bée picked foure places of doctrine First of the duties or true ornamentes of an Apostle or any minister of the gospel which are faythfulnesse in spreading abrode the doctrine of the Gospel and stedfastnesse and patience in bearing out the labours trubles tormentes whiche accompanie the profession and ministerie of the Gospell Secondly the doctrine of the crosse and of the twelue causes for which God dooth cheefly lode his Churche and the godly sorte with so huge a heape of aduersities whiche are too bée fetched out of the place that concerneth the crosse and aduersities Thirdly of the visions and reuelatioÌ„ made vntoo Paule Fourthly the most sweete comfort set foorth in this saying My grace suffyseth thée for my power is made
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
by Chryst himselfe are included in seuen petitions This profitable and necessaris Doctrine let the well mynded diligently and earnestly lerne and exercise ▪ For the whole diuinitie or doctrine concerning God is not a cō templatiue science whose end consisteth only in knowledge But it is also a woorkfull conscience which consisteth in dayly exercises of repentance faith Inuocation aduersities and comfortes and is too bee practysed and put in vre in all the deuyses and dooings of our lyfe like as Iames admonisheth vs in this present Epistle that it is not inough too héere the doctrine of the gospel and too allow of it and that they are deceiued which bestow the whole effect of their godlynesse vpon that poynt But that there must bée ioyned vntoo it faith obedience as well of the hart as of outward woorks that I may vse the woordes of Herodotus thou must make thy deedes like vntoo thy woordes Now are there of the whole Epistle of this day twoo partes THe first warneth vs that wée haue néed of new obedience or amendment of life according too Gods word as Christ sayeth blissed are they that heare the worde of God and keepe it by fayth with a good conscience Iames cōpareth Gods woord too a glasse in which wée behold both the filth of our sinnes which is too bée scoured of cleused and also the rule of Gods wil according too which all the deuises and dooings of our lyfe are too bée directed They therfore that héere the woord of God and doo it not or which endeuer not too wash of the filth and vnclennesse of their nature and too eschue sinnes and too begin a new and faire lyfe agréeing with the woord of God they I say are like a man that beholdeth his bodely shape in a glasse and thinketh no whit of chaunging the faultes of his countenance But he the looketh intoo the perfect law of libertie that is too say he that diligently héereth lerneth and considereth the doctrine of the gospel by which wée are deliuered from death and continueth in stedfast faith and obedience of life he bicause he is not a forgetfull héerer but also a performer of the woork shalbée blissed in his woork that is too say shall witnesse and declare himself too bée blissed bycause he expresseth true faythe in his déedes For it is not the méening of Iames that wée become ryghtuous before God by our own woorks and wel dooings for he himselfe in the Synod of the Apostles Act ▪ xv ratifieth this decrée wee beleeue our selues too bee saued by the grace of our Lord Iesu Chryst And all the whole Doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles witnesseth vs too bee made blissed or saued through frée mercyfor Chrystes sake only Therefore the true blissednesse and christen Religion is too acknowledge God and his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryste aryght according too his woord too haue remission of sinnes for Chrysts sake and through this knowledge of Christ foreshyning in vs too bridle our tung by faith in our talk concerning God Gods seruices and other things that it speake not things repugnant too the word of God and too doo good too the fatherlesse and widowes and too kéepe our selues vndefiled from the world that is too wit from all sinne Vppon the day of the Assension of Gods sonne intoo Heauen ¶ The Epistle Actes j. IN my former treatyse deere Theophilus wee haue spoken all that Iesus beegan too doo and teache vntill the day in which he was taken vp after that hee through the holy Ghost had geuen commaundementes vntoo the Apostles whom he had chosen too whom also he shewed himselfe alyue after his Passion and that by many tokens appearing vntoo them fortie dayes and speaking of the kingdome of God and gathered them toogether and commaunded them that they should not depart from Ierusalem but to waite for the promisse of the father wherof sayth he ye haue heard of mee For Iohn truely baptised with water but ye shall bee baptised with the holy ghost after these few dayes When they therfore were come toogether they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this tyme restore agayne the kyngdome of Israell And he sayd vntoo them it is not for you to know the tymes or the seasons which the father hath put in his own power But ye shall receiue power after the holy Ghoste is come vppon you And yee shall bee witnesses vntoo mee not onely in Ierusalem but also in all Iewry and in al Samaria and euen vntoo the worlds end And when he had spoken these things while they behelde he was taken vp on hie and a cloud receyued him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly vp towarde heauen as he went behold two men stoode by them in white apparel which also sayd ye men of Galilee why stand ye gasing vp intoo heauen This same Iesus which is taken vp from you intoo heauen shall so come euen as yee haue seene him goe intoo heauen The disposement A summe of the doctrine concerning Chrystes Ascension out of the readings vppon the Actes of the Apostles The cheefe places are foure 1 The storie of Chrystes Ascension and triumph is too bée considered 2 A doctrine of the vse and frute or benefites of the Ascension of our Lord Iesu Chryst 3 A description of Chrystes kingdome 4 An exposition of the phrases in the Articles of our beléef he ascended intoo heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie The first place THe foundation of the Christen faith of true comfort in death and all aduersities and of the resurrection of our bodyes and of euerlasting saluation is the storie of the resurrection tryumph of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ ascending into heauen leading captiuitie captiue sitting at the right hand of God as Paule sheweth euidently j. Cor. xv If Chryst bée not risen from Death then is our preaching in vaine and in vaine is your Faith and you are still in your sinnes And if wée trust in Chryste but in this lyfe only then are wée most wretched of all men Therfore let those that be wel minded diligently and héedfully read the whole storie of Chrystes resurrection and Ascension and gather the testimonies or proofes as Luke nameth them in this place which auouch Chryst too bée in his owne very body and in very déed risen from the dead and ascended intoo heauen As for the record of those too whom Chryst shewed himselfe after his rysing from death they are declared in the holy days of Easter last past Agein y he might not séeme too haue bin a ghost but might shew himself to be risē in déed with his true body he was visibly conuersāt by the space of whole xl dayes toogither with the Apostles a great congregation of that time for Paule declareth that he was séen of mo than fiue hundred brethren at once and in his company a great
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
promis Luke xj How much more shal the heuenly father giue the holy ghost to those the ask him Therfore let this most large promise stir vs vp to sue daily vnto God with most harty and ernest entreatance that this gouerner the holy ghost may be sent into our harts his gifts be incresed in vs And let vs with so much the more héed circumspectnesse modestie rule our behauior least through our offences coÌ„mitted ageinst coÌ„science the holy ghoste be gréeued and so taking displeasure depart out of the teÌ„ple of our hart vtterly forsake vs Finally let vs coÌ„tinually recite this prayer of Dauids A clean hart create in me O God renue a stedfast spirit in my bowels Cast mée not away from thy face and take not thy holy spirit from mee Restore to mée the gladnesse of thy saluatino and strengthen mée with thy free spirite Vppon Whitson Monday ¶ The Epistle Act. ij BVt Peter stepped forth with the eleuen and lift vp his voyce and sayd vnto them Yee men of lewry all yee that inhabite Hierusalem be this known vntoo you and with your eares heare my wordes These are not drunkeÌ„ as ye suppose for it is yet but the third houre of the day But this is that which was spoken by the prophete Ioell It shal be in the last days sayeth God of my spirit I will poure out vppon all fleshe And your sonnes and your doughters shal prophesy and your yong men shal see visions and your old men shal dreame dreames And on my seruaÌ„ts and on my handmaydens I will poure out my spirit in those days and they shal prophesie And I will shewe woonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath bloude and fyre and the vapour of smoke The Sunne shal be turned into darknesse and the Moon into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lord come And it shal be that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Yee men of Israel heare these woordes Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God among you with miracles woonders and signes which God did by him in the mids of you as yee your selues know him haue ye taken by the hands of vnryghtuous persons after he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and fore knowledge of God and haue crucified and slayne whom God hath raysed vp and loused the sorowes of death by cause it was vnpossible that he shoulde bee holden of it For Dauid speaketh of him A fore hand I saw God alwayes before me for hee is on my right hande that I shoulde not bee moued Therfore did my hart reioyce my tongue was glad More ouer also my flesh shall rest in hope bicause thou wilte not leaue my soule in Hell neyther wilte suffer thyne holy too see corruption Thou haste shewed mee the wayes of lyfe and shalt make mee full of ioy with thy countenaunce Men and brethren let me freely speak vnto you of the patriark Dauid For hee is bothe dead and buried and his sepulchre remaineth with vs vnto this day Therfore seing he was a Prophete and knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that Chryst as concerning the flesh should come of the frute of his loynes and sit on his seat he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Chryst that his soule should not be left in hel neither his flesh shoulde see corruption This Iesus hath God raised vp wherof we al are witnesses Since now that he by the ryght hand of God is exalted and hath receiued of the father the promise of the holy ghost he hath shed foorth that which ye now see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but he sayd The lord sayd to my Lord syt on my right hand vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole So therfore let all the house of Israell knowe for a suretie that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified Lord and Chryst When they heard this they were pricked in their heartes and sayde vntoo Peter and vntoo the other Apostles Yee men and brethreÌ„ what shall we do Peter said vnto them repeÌ„t and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remissioÌ„ of sins and ye shal receiue the gift of the holy ghost The disposement of Peters Sermon taken out of the redings vpon the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles THe state of Peters first Sermon which he made vpon Whitson Sunday is a doctrine concerning the holy ghost of the maner how to obtein euerlasting saluation The parts of this Sermon are chiefly three FIrst of the principall efficient cause of oure conuersion and saluation that is to wit of the holy ghost by whom the eternal father kindleth in mens harts the true knowledge of himselfe and true fayth and Inuocation Secondly of the forcing cause or the deseruing of our saluation that is too wit of the death and Resurrection of our lord Iesus Chryst by whom and for whom only forgiuenesse of sinnes the holy ghost rightnousnesse and saluation euerlasting are giuen to them that belâ—eue Thirdly of the means by which the holy ghost worketh and by which he offreth and applyeth vnto vs Chrysts benefites or euerlasting saluation Which are the Woorde Of the law Repentance Of the Gospell Faith. Sacraments Of Baptim Of the Lords supper THe enterance of his oracion though it bâ—e shorte hath neuerthelesse the two places of Beneuolence and attentiuenesse He seeketh beneuolence or the fauour and good will of his héerers by a most honorable title such a one as was wel liked of amoÌ„g theÌ„ Yee men of Iury and ye that dwel at Ierusalem For like as Demosthenes doth ofteÌ„times speak to his couÌ„trimeÌ„ by these words Ye men of Athens bicause they thought theÌ„selues farre to excell the inhabiters of all other cities of Grece for many giftes so it liked well the people of IerusaleÌ„ too bée termed by the name of Iewes as wherby was mente that they were the professers of the true God and of the true doctrine woorshipping of God and that they were better than all other nations And he procureth attentiuenesse in these wordes Let this bee knowen vnto you and geue eare vnto my woordes This doone like as Cicero in his oration for Milo before â—e entreate of the matter dooth dispatch certeine doutes out of the Iudges mindes and preuenteth certeine foredéemings So Peter first of all displaceth out of the minds of his hearers that brute which wandred farre abroade that opinion y the Apostles were dronke with wine Afterward be steppeth too the case it selfe and that it may bée of the more authoritie hée vseth the saying and witnesse of the Prophete Ioel whiche in singular lightesomnesse of woordes comprehendeth the doctrine concerning the persone and benefites of the holy Ghoste Of which doctrine for asmuch as the chéef pointes are touched in the story of Whitsun Sunday I will now breefly
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
of theyr places Of this fayth he speaketh thus in the chapter folowing If I haue neuer so greate fayth yea that I can remoue mountaynes out of their places Such fayth was in the Apostles and in our dayes with Luther who with a stout and vnabashed courage of hart did spred abroade the doctrine of the Gospell when all the worlde was ageinst him iiij The gifte of healing as the Apostles healed the diseased and S. Pantaleon restored health to many that were sicke in Maximilians Court. v. Operations of power or mightie operacions or working of miracles and wonderfull deliueraunces as Esay deliuered Hierusalem from beséeging or of the dueties of a mans owne calling like as Paule is paynfull and laboursome in his vocation and spréedeth the Gospel further abroade than the rest of the Apostles vj. Prophesying that is to wit the gift of foretelling things too come suche as was in Agabus Act. xj and .xxj. and in the daughters of Philip the Gospeller Act. xxj or els a singular aptnesse and fitnesse in expounding the prophesies of the scriptures and such a singular aptnesse was there in Luther euen by the witnesse of Erasmus vij Iudgement to discerne spirites or discernement of opinions whiche are decked with a counterfet colour of truth like as Malchion was the firste that discouered the slightes of Samosetane Alexander spyed out that Arius taught false doctrine and Hilarius found fault with the crafty conueyaunce of Auxentius viij Diuersitie of tongues as Ierome was séene in diuers tongues as in the Latin Gréeke Hebrew Slauonish and the Chaldey tongues ix The interpretacion of tongues or the ablenesse too translate forreyne languages properly and expressely intoo a mans owne toong as Luther with a singular cléernesse turned the Psalmes and the Prophetes intoo the Dutch toong or generally it is an eloquence or gifte of vtteraunce and handsome expounding of entangled opinions in controuersie whereof many ryse onely of the ignoraunce of the toong and of the phrases of the same Hitherto I haue reckened vp a beadroll of the cheef giftes of the holy Ghost The second place THe efficient cause or author and giuer of all spirituall gifts is the one and self same holy Ghost which distributeth seuerally to eche mā according as he listeth Then it is the greatest foly in the world too bee proude of an other mans goods whiche neyther are in our power nor can bee gotten by our owne cunning and too vaunt ones self aboue other men for them and too kindle harteburning and cherish hatred for them as it happened in the Church of Corinth and in other places at all times The third place IF God of his goodnesse haue bestowed any gifts vpō vs they are to be vsed reuerently not to boasting or to the disdeyne and contempt of other folkes the nurrishment of such like fond affections but too the common profite welfare of the whole Church like the members of mans body which though they bee one vnlike another and some haue more excellent offices than the rest yet striue they not ambitiously among themselues but employ all theyr workings to the common welfare of the whole body And hereuntoo may this most honest sentence of Euripides bée referred If euery man taking the benefite or good gift of God bestowed vppon him would regard it and employ it too the common profite of his countrey then should Cities bée afflicted with fewer inconueniences and become happy hereafter The fourth place LEt the notable testimonie concerning the person and benefites of the holy Ghoste set foorth in this Epistle bée considered For by expresse woordes the title of Lord and God and the peculiar woorkes of the diuine and almightie nature are attributed vnto him which do conuince that the holy Ghost is God in very déede and by nature and that he is of one substaunce and of one continuaunce with God the Father and the sonne But a more plenteous and full declaracion of this doctrine may bée fetched out of the place that concerneth the holy Ghost Vppon the .xj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xv BRethren as perteyning to the Gospell which I preached vnto you whiche ye haue also accepted and in the which ye continue by the which ye are also saued I do you to wit after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleeued in vaine For first of all I deliuered vnto you that which I receyued how that Christ died for our sinnes agreeing to the scriptures and that he was buryed and that he rose ageyne the thirde day according to the scriptures And that he was seene of Cephas then of the twelue After that he was seene of moe than fiue hundreth brethren at once of whiche many remayne vnto this day and many are fallen a sleepe After that appeared he too Iames then to all the Apostles And laste of all he was seene of me as of one that was borne out of due time For I am the least of the Apostles whiche am not worthy to bee called an Apostle bycause I haue persecuted the cōgregacion of God. But by the grace of God I am that I am And his grace which is in me was not in vayne But I laboured more aboundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God whiche is with me Therfore whether it were I or they so wee preached and so ye haue beleeued The disposement ALl the whole xv Chapter of the firste Epistle too the Corinthians perteyneth too those kinde of cases that instructe For it is a doctrine concerning the resurrection of the dead And the partes of the whole discourse are thrée 1. Whither there shall bée any rysing ageyn of the dead 2. What manner of rysing that shall bée or what maner a bodyes they shall rise withall 3. What is the cause of the rising ageyne of our bodies that is to wit the death and resurrection of Christe whereby he hath swalowed vp our sinne and death restored lyfe and glorie euerlasting to his Church The firste parte of this discourse namely that there shall bée a rising ageyn of the dead is confirmed by Paule with foure reasons of the whiche the firste in this dayes Epistle is taken of the efficient cause Christ hauing bin dead is risen ageyn Ergo wée also shall ryse ageyn He proueth the antecedent first by the holy scripture as Psal xv Esa. liij Ose vj. and also by the story of Ionas And secondly by the record of many that with theyr eyes saw Christ risen from death For Christe the same day that he rose ageyne to lyfe appeared first too Marie Mawdline alone Iohn xx Mar. xvj Secondly to the rest of the womē togither Mat. xxviij Thirdly too the twoo men that were going intoo the féeldes whom the Apostles beléeued not Mar. xvj Fourthly too Simon Peter or Cephas Luk. xxiiij j. Cor. xv And sixthly to all the Apostles at once as
the necessary dueties of his vocation and ruleth all his sayings and behauiours by graue iudgement True glorying or boasting is as Paule defineth it the witnesse of our owne conscience too acknowledge and mainteine the rightuousnesse of a good conscience and Gods gifts and the vertues wel doings and successes giuen vs of God and too set our selues ageinst the lesings of slaunderers that God may bée glorified and other folkes may not bée withdrawne from the ministerie by our misreport dishonestie but rather may bée allured too the knowledge of the gospell and too true godlynesse by the auouchment of our good name and our good examples Paule therefore sayeth that he is vnwoorthy the name of an Apostle that is too wit as in respect of his owne desert or as perteyning too his owne infirmitie and sinnes And agein he gloryeth that he hath labored more than they all that is too wit as in respect of the giftes and good successe of his vocation giuen vntoo him by the frée fauor and ayd of God. The sixth place COncerning the frée fauor and help of God néedfull too the ryght and prosperous performance of all the woorkes of our vocation And also concerning the difference of Gods grace woorking in vs and with vs which the schooles haue taken out of this place of Paules is spoken in the .xxv. and xxvj distinctions of the second booke of sentences Vppon the twelfth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle ij Cor. iij. SVch trust haue wee thorowe Chryst too God-ward not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as it were of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God which hath made vs able too minister the new Testament not of the letter but of the sprite For the letter killeth but the sprite gyueth life If the ministration of death thorowe the letters figured in stones was glorious so that the children of Israel could not beholde the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance which glory is done away why shal not the ministration of the sprite be much more glorious For if the ministring of condemnation bee glorious much more doth the ministration of ryghteousnesse exceede in glory For no dout that vvhich vvas there glorifyed is not once glorifyed in respecte of thys exceedyng glorye For if that vvhich is destroyed vvas gloryous muche more shall that which remaineth bee glorious Seeing then that wee haue such trust wee vse great boldnesse and do not as Moises which put a vaile ouer his face that the children of Israell should not see for what purpose that serued which is put away But theyr mindes wer blinded For vntil this day remaineth the same couering vntaken away in the olde testament when they read it which vaile in Chrystis put away But euen vntoo this day when Moses is read that vaile hangeth before their harts Neuerthelesse when they turne to the Lord the vaile shall bee takē away The Lord no doubt is a spryte And where the sprite of the Lord is there is libertie But wee all beehold in a myrror the glory of the Lord with his face open and are changed vntoo the same similitude from glory to glory euen of the sprite of the Lord. The disposement THis Epistle is of those kynd that instruct for it is a Doctrine concerning the ministerie of the Gospell The cheefe places are three 1 Of the effectualnesse of the ministration of the gospell by which there is a new light or knowledge of God new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe kindled in the harts of the héerers 2 Of the efficient cause of conuersion or quickening and of all spirituall dooings that are stirred vp in vs by the Gospell 3 Of the letter and the spirite or the difference of the ministracion of the old testament and the new or of the law and the gospell Now forasmuche as the manner of spéeche and phrase in this whole third Chapter of the second Epistle too the Corinthians is somewhat darke and vneasie I wil toogither with the exposition of the places declare the full text of the whole chapter in a bréefe paraphrasis The first place concerning the effectualnesse of the ministration of the Gospell THe most part of the second Epistle too the Corinthians is spent in this auouchment which Paul setteth ageinst the slaunders of the false Apostles I auouch that I Paule am not a deceyuer or a huckster that corrupteth the truthe for ambition or gaines sake but a faythfull minister and that I haue faythfully deliuered too you the sincere and pure Doctrine of the Gospell vvythout corrupting it Concerning this auouchment he appealeth too the Corinthians themselues for record in the béeginning of this Chapter You are our Epistle vvritten in our hart vvhich is knowne and red of all men in that yee are manifested too bee the Epistle of Chryst ministred by vs and vvritten not vvith inke but vvith the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in fleshly Tables of the hart As if a man should say I confirme not myne auouchment with forreine and farre fet testimonials or letters of commendation in behalfe of my ministerie But you your selues beare witnesse with mée in my harte that I haue deliuered vntoo you the vncorrupted woorde of the Gospell faithfully as long as all men know and see that you hauing forsaken vngodlynesse and heathenish Idolles are turned too the true knowledge of Chryst by my ministration and as long as you your selues shew that your harts are Chrystes Epistle or the tables wherin Chryst himself is imprinted dwelling in you and woorking in you that there is kindled in you true knowledge of God new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe by the spirit of the liuing God who is effectuall by my ministerie And so the liuely law and obedience agréeing with Gods law is not grauē in tables of stone or in the tables of Moyses wherin were grauen the letters or words of the law written with the finger of God but in your fleshly or obedient hartes with the finger or spirite of the liuing God as is said Ier. xxxj I will put my law in their mindes and in their harts will I wryte it This effectualnesse of my ministerie is an euident token that I am a faithful minister of the gospel and that the woord of the gospel sounding in the mouth of mée and of all faithfull ministers is not a fond tale or emptie woords and a fable as good as a sick mans dreame but a thing effectual that worketh saluation in déede too euery one that beléeueth as is sayd Rom. j. Let such like testimonies full of cōfort bée alwayes in sight which auouche that the church is verely gathered too God by the voyce of the gospel and that by this ministerie God woorketh in déede and imparteth the true knowledge of himself ryghtuousnesse lyfe euerlasting too those that beléeue j. thess. ij Yée haue receiued not the woord of man but as it was in déede the woord of God which
riches of his glory that yee may bee strengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man that Chryst may dwel in your hearts by faith that yee beeing rooted and grounded in loue might bee able too comprehend with all sainctes what is the bredth length depth and height and too know the excellent loue of the knowledge of Christ that ye might bee fulfilled with all fulnesse which commeth of god Vntoo him that is able too doo exceding aboundantly aboue all that wee aske or thinke according too the power that woorketh in vs bee praise in the congregation by Christ Iesus throughout all generations from time too time Amen The disposement THis Epistle is of that sorte that is persuasiue For it is an encouragement that they should stedfastly reteine the Doctrine of the Gospell that they had receyued and not faint for offence of persecution And it is a prayer that God will preserue confirme and strēgthen true faith and stedfast loue among them The cheefe places of Doctrine therfore are these 1 Of constancie or continuance 2 Of true Inuocation 3 Of faith which embraceth Chryst that he may dwel in our harts acknowledgeth the largenesse of Christes mercy and excéeding great loue towardes vs. 4 Of thankes giuing or praysing God concerning whose almyghtinesse not tyed too second causes héere is put in a notable testimonie méete too be set ageinst Stoicall madnesse Of the first place I Beseeche you that you faint not in my tribulations for you which is your glory Like as Cicero in his Oration for Flaccus giueth his opinion concerning the miseries of the Iewes saying this nation hath well shewed how déere it was too the God immortall in that it is subdued in that it is let out too ferme in that it is reserued too bondage So also doo the wise men in the world iudge of the Church and of euery godly member of the same that are oppressed with the houge heape of miseries Namely that God regardeth not and much lesse loueth and receyueth too the felowship of eternall lyfe and ioy men so miserable néedie fewe in number drawne asunder with inward debates and laid open to the most bitter hatred of the world and too most cruell tormentes suche as in Paules tyme he himselfe and the rest of the Apostles were and suche as our congregations are in these dayes the wretched soules that are put too deathe for the pure Doctrine of the Gospell in Fraunce in Spaine and in the kingdome of Naples like as nowe of late at Montola in the kingdome of Naples foure score godly men like shéepe in a slaughterhouse had their throtes cutte by the hangman at the commaundement of the Romishe Bishop In this sorowfull shew of the fewnesse miseries and infirmities of the professers of the gospel all men perceyue this encouragement and entreatance of Paules too bée néedfull least the weaker sort taking offence at the miseries imprisonments and tortures of themselues and of other godly folke should reiect Chrystes true doctrine But let them turn away their eyes from the prosperitie power authoritie and multitude of the persecutors and from the fewnesse and the miseries of the godly let them settle themselues only vppon the word and the truthe deliuered by God Like as Noe in tyme of the flud Loth in Sodom the Machabées in the time of Antiochus and Paule and the rest of the Apostles in the time of Nero held fast the profession of the true doctrine though they had neuer so many wyse men and mightie enemies ageinst them Constancie or continuance is a vertue which abideth firm and stable in the true knowledge of Chryst and in faith and in profession of the true doctrine and cannot be quailed with any prosperities or aduersities that it should faynt from the truthe and giue ouer Now forasmuch as this stoutnesse of courage and strēgth that yéeldeth not too terrors torments farre surmounteth the power of man Paule beséecheth God with most earnest desire too strengthen the myndes of the Ephesians with his holy spirit and too stablish and vpholde their inward man or their fayth in Christ Like as he armed the Apostles at that tyme now in our dayes Luther with stoutnesse and strength of haultie and inuincible hart so as no threainings and terrors could make them faint but that they spred abrode the true doctrine of the gospell though the wisdome and power of the whole world fretted and fought ageinst it neuer so much Now Paul in this Epistle addeth two reasons why they should not take offence at his troubles and afflictions or bée moued too fall away from the true Doctrine For first I suffer these afflictions for you or for your sake not for any offence of myne but bycause I haue by preaching the Gospel called you Gentyles too the felowship of the Churche and eternall saluation too bée giuen fréely for Chrystes sake And by these my troubles and bandes I beare recorde that I doo in very déede and in good earnest thinke that the Doctrine of the Gospell is not a fond fable but true assured and taught by God in the behalfe whereof I endure so great miseries emprisonment yea and death also And so by mine example I confirme your faith Ageine my afflictions are your glorie That is too say they are not slaunderous and shamefull too mée or you they are not signes of Gods wrathe and casting of mée away But they are things that bée good healthfull honourable and too the glory of Gods Churche as in the fifth of the Actes the Apostles reioyce that they were counted woorthy too bée put too rebuke for the name of Chryst And Romaines the fifth Paule sayth wée glory in afflictions bycause affliction bréedeth patience patience bréedeth triall triall hope and hope of eternall lyfe maketh not a man ashamed or disappointeth not him that hopeth And the lyghtnesse of afflictions for the turning of a hand procureth an inestimable weight of glory for euer and euer j. Cor. iiij The second place I Bowe my knees muche more weake and féeble is mannes nature than that it can of it owne power continue stedfastly in the true acknowledgement of God and in Faith and despise and ouercome the terroures hatred imprisonments and other perils that accompanie the profession of the Gospell Therefore let euery one of vs daily make our hartie and earnest Prayer vntoo God the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst that he wil stablish and strengthen our hartes with his holy spirit that wée may hold fast the true acknowment of Chryst true faith euen too our last gasp according as he hath promised I haue praied for thée that thy faith may not faile And my shéepe héere my voyce I giue them eternall life no man shal pul them out of my hands Also God is faithful who suffereth vs not to be tēpted aboue our power but with the temptation maketh a way out y we may bée able
another place bring foorth frutes woorthy repentance that is too say agréeing too repentance that you may please him in all things or that you may please him thorowly Heere is too bée told howe good woorkes please god Which thing is declared in these foure Articles First the persone that bringeth foorth the frutes of good woorkes must bée Gods fauoure for Chryste the Mediatours sake by fayth For without Fayth it is impossible too please god Ebr. xj And all that is not of fayth is sinne Rom. xiiij 2 Wée must acknowledge that many inward sinnes sticke still in vs whiche are a let that our good woorkes are not perfect ne please God of their owne woorthynesse For there is no rightuouse man vppon the earth that dooth good and sinneth not 3 Yet notwithstaÌ„ding wée must bée fully persuaded that it is Gods will that wée should walke agréeably too his wil and yéeld frute in all kynds of goods woorks 4 These good woorkes or new begoonne obedieÌ„ce please God not of their owne woorthynesse but for Chryst the Mediatours sake through faith out of which as out of the trée of all good woorkes spring all good frutes This then is the true woorthinesse of good woorks that they bée Gods seruices and sacrifises acceptable too God through Chryst j. Pet. y. Offer yée spirituall sacrifises acceptable too GOD through Iesus Chryst Paule in this place reckeneth vp six good woorks of which may bée spoken in order The first is the true acknowledging of GOD or faith which is the piller and foundation of all the reste of the vertues The second is Manlynesse or Constancie and Perseuerance whiche continueth in the true knowledge of God and in faith vntoo the houre of death and by the almightie power of God valiantly ouercommeth the Diuels craftes the assaultes of corrupted nature and the outrages of Tyrants The third and fourth are Patience and Longsufferance which calmly outweareth the miseries that accompanie the profession of the Gospell and is not discouraged with continuance of long delay so as it should fret and repyne at God or séeke for other vnlawfull helpes Concerning these vertues is spokeÌ„ alredy in the first and fifth commaundement The fifth is Ioyfulnesse of conscience settling and delighting in God which perteyneth to the first coÌ„mandment The sixth is thanksgiuing wherof I haue spoken in the second commaundement The third place Of Christs benefits or of remission of sinnes and Iustification PAule sayeth VVhich hath made vs mete to be partakers of the lot of saincts in light that is too say who of his owne frée goodnesse and mercy and not thorough our power or for our deseruings hath made vs méete to becom partakers of the lyght or true knowledge of his Gospell and of the lot of the saintes or of the inheritance of lyfe and glorie euerlasting â–ª such shal be bestowed vpon al saintes who hath deliuered vs out of the power of darknesse that is to say of sinne and death wherthrough the diuel kepte all mankynd oppressed in most miserable thraldome and translated vs into the kingdom of his dere son that is to say hath adopted vs to bée the sonnes of God for his déere beloued sonnes sake by whome we haue redemption through his bloud that is to wit forgiuenesse of sinnes This sentence comprehendeth in singular lyghtsomnesse of woorkes a summe of the doctrine of the Iustification of a christen man and in especially these twoo places First what it is â–ª Iustification is a riddance of a man out of the power of darknesse sin death or it is the forgiuenesse of sins the adopting vs to bée the sons of God and a partnershyp with the saincts in lyght that is to say the inheriting of eternall lyfe lyght ryghtuousnesse and all good things whiche are giuen too the Sainctes for the price which our Lorde Iesus Chryst the son of God hath payed for vs by sheading his owne bloud Secondly what is the enforcing cause or the desert for which we are deliuered redeemed made partakers of this light lot of the godly y is to wit the only blud or passion death of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of god It was not the bloud of Abell it was not the bloude of the lamb and of all the sacrifises it was not the bloud of all the martirs and much lesse is it the ceremonies and rites of Moyses or of the munks or of the masse or oure owne vertues and good deedes that do it as is sayd more at large Rom. iij. we are iustified fréely by the grace of god through the redemption made by Iesus Chryst whome God hath set foorth a mercy feate through faith in his bloud Vppon the .xxv. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle ij Pet. j. NOt with standing I thinke it mete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by putting you in remembrance forasmuch as I am sure how that the tyme is at hand that I must put of my tabernacle euen as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath shewed me I wilenforce therfore that on euery side ye might haue wherwith to stirre vp the remembrance of these things after my departing For we folowed not deceiuable fables when we opened vnto you the power and coming of our Lorde Iesus Chryst but with our eyes we saw his maiestie euen then verily when he receiued of god the father honor and glory and when ther came such a voyce to him from the excelleÌ„t glory This is my dere beloued son in whom I haue delite This voyce wee harde when it came from heauen being wyth him in the holy mount Wee haue also a ryght sure woorde of prophesy wherevnto if yee take heede as vntoâ— a lyght that shyneth in a darke place yee doo well vntill the day dawne and the day starte aryse in youre hartes See that yee fyrste knowe thys that no prophecie in the Scripture hath any priuate interpretation For the Scripture came neuet by the will of manâ— but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy ghost The disposement THis epistle is partly persuasiue and partly in structiue The proposition and summe of it is this I counsel you to reteyne stedfastly the true doctrine concerning Chryst deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles which is the only fountayn and rule of the true religion and of oure euerlasting saluation The cheef places of doctrine are these FIrst it belongeth to the duetie of a faithfull Bishop too repete oft and to beate into the heads of his héerers the sum of the true doctrin and to admonish and exhort them continually that they kéep it pure and vn corrupt vnto the last gaspe of theirly â—â— and that they eschue false teachers The second and principal is that there is but one true religion and doctrine concerning GOD which is vttered in the writings of the prophets and Apostles whiche all the Godly are bound diligently to
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
through rough vnknown grounds in the deepe and dark night do long for the rising of the morning star and for the breaking of the day with great desire So the miserable mynds of men and theyr blynde harts that walke in the sorowfull and great dangers of this life can neither knowe God aright nor rule the deuyses and doings of this lyfe stedyly nor haue stedfast comfort in tribulatioÌ„s but if the lamp of Gods word shyne before them and the son of God the son of rightuousnesse direct and gouerne their harts And therfore they long most ernestly to see that cléere light in the euerlasting company of the Son of god But concerning the effects profitablenesse of the prophetical and Apostolical doctrin wherby eche man may be enflamed with more ernest desirousnesse of it I shal speake more at large an on after in the second Sunday of Aduent The third place OF the interpretation of propheticall scripture Peter coÌ„mendeth the doctrine of the prophets to the churche by two arguments 1. Of the efficient cause bicause it is deliuered by the instinct and inspâ—ration of the holy ghoste 2. Of the finall cause or the effects bicause it is a burning cresset lyghenyâ—ng our myndes with the true knowledge of God true ryghteonsnesse and lyfe putting away the mist and darknesse of not knowing God of sinne and of death that the very day or the cléere and bryght light of knowing God the very light of the worlde or the morning star our Lord Iesus Christ may arise in our hartes For the common ground the very drift of al the Prophetes or the marke that they shoote at is the promysed Redéemer our Lorde Iesus Christe as it is sayde Act. x. All the Prophets beare record vnto Chryst Rom. j. Put a part for the Gospel of God which he promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures concerning the son And Peter addeth That no prophesie in the scripture hath any priuate interpretation that is too say it is not too bée expouÌ„ded according to euery mans fansie nor according to the iudgements and lykely persuasions of mans reason nor as euery man listeth but accordyng as the very holy ghost the best interpreter of hymselfe hath opened it in the cleere and lyghtsome testimonies of the woord by him deliuered As Chryst sayeth Iohn xvj The holy ghost shal teach ye al things and shal bring you in remembrance of those things that I haue sayd vntoo you j. Cor. u. He hath reueled these things to vs by his spirite For the naturall man perceyueth not the things which are of Gods spirit For they are foolishnesse too him and he is not able to vnderstand them bicause they must be weyed spiritually Of interpretation IN the good writings and authors of other arts in generall Interpretation is to shewe the proposition state or ground of the matter written and the order of the partes and Arguments and aptly to bring the cheef poynts into the common places of the same arte of which the writing entreateth and too enlyghten them by putting them intoo theyr definitions diuisions sentences and examples and to open the maner of handling it with the phrases and figures of the wordes according to the preceptes of the artes after the order of Rhetorike But in the right vnderstanding and expounding of the propheticall Scripture beside these ordinarie tricks of all good interpreters it behoueth that a lyght be kindled by the holy ghoste in the myndes of the godly by the foreshinyng wherof they may handsomly receiue and vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Chryst which is set aboue and beyonde the sight of mans reason and discerne it aryght from mans wisedome This lyght dooth the holy ghost kindle by the woord which himself teacheth whyle it is herd red and thought vppon and when the textes are conferred by the godly who are more skilfull too learne than to presume more earnest to beléeue than to stryue more in loue with Gods wisdome than in liking with theyr owne as Tertullian sayeth The best manner of interpreting the Prophetes is which wée sée Luther hath folowed in his thirde fourth Tome that firste a man do thorowly consider wey the naâ—â—ue signification of the wordes and weyghtinesse of the phrases and then reducing the matters to the places of the Gospell enlighten them by comparing them with the textes of the new Testament For it is as true as coÌ„monly sayd y there is no better way to interprete scriptures than to expound one text by another and that the old Testament or the Prophetes is the fountaine of the new Testament the new Testament ageyn the light of the olde Testament Wée sée all of vs that there commeth a wonderfull light to the sayings of the Prophetes by laying to them the like textes whiche are in the wrytings of y Apostles like as Paule expoundeth very lightsomly the promis made to Abraham coÌ„cerning the seede Galat. iij. and. Rom. iiij And the whole doctrine touching the passeouer mencioned in Exod. xij is expouÌ„ded in this short saying of Paule Christ our Easterlambe is offered vp for vs. All the whole Prophesie of Esay is enlightened in the sayings cited by christ the Apostles through whose fore-light the true and natiue méening of the whole Prophete may bee the easlyer and rightlier vnderstood Now whereas the Papistes prate that the holy scripture is darke and doutfull and therfore there is néede of some other more certeine rule to interpret it by they are manifestly conuinced by this place of Peters which compareth the scripture to a cresset or a light like as the Psalme also sayeth Thy woord is a lanterne to my féete Also the commaundement of the Lord is bright and giueth lighte to the eyes And it is manifeste that the chéef pointes of the Christian doctrine the ten Commaundementes and the promis of the Gospell are not written darkely or doutfully but in euident and propre termes And bycause the ruder sorte in some places vnderstande not the kindes of spéeche phrase and figures of woordes and the matters them selues set aboue the reach of mans reason It is Gods will that the voyce of interpreters should sound in his Churche and he hath giuen moreouer the giftes of tongues of eloquence and of other artes which are helpes of learned interpretacion But concerning the whole maner of interpreting scripture there is more sayd in another place And certeine rules of the maner of interpreting sayings that are contrarie in Rhetoricall order one to another are recited in the case of coÌ„trarietie of lawes Vppon the .xxvj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Thes iiij I Would not Brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sleepe that ye sorow not as other do which haue no hope For yf wee beleeue that Iesus dyed and rose ageyne euen so them also which sleepe by Iesus will God bring ageyne with him For
Psalm xxxiij I will blisse the Lord continually that is too say I will thanke I will prayse I will glorifie the Lord at all tymes Psalm Ciij Blisse thou the Lord O my soule that is too say giue him thankes So also in this place Blissed bee the Lorde is as much too say as I thanke the Lord or I prayse glorifie the Lord God of Israell for sending Chryst our redéemer according too the promises made to the fathers For he hath visited and redeemed his people The chéefe benefite of the sonne of God is the redemption and deliuering of man from the Diuels tyrannie from sin from Gods wrath from Death c. And the restoring of ryghtuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting Therfore too y more enlyghtening of this place let the sayings of Paule concerning redemption bée added out of Rom. iij. j. Cor. j. Ephes j. Coloss j. j. Timoth. ij Heb. ix Gal. iij. Tit. ij Esay xliij xliiij lij lxiij c. Too visit signifyeth not only too looke vpon or too sée how one dooth but also too ayde and succor suche as wée loue as in Exo. iiij The Lord hath visited his people that is too say hath helped and deliuer his people from the tiranny of Pharao Psal viij What is the sonne of man that thou visitest him that is too say that thou louest and defendest miserable men rewarding those with eternall life and glory y flée vntoo thy sonne Lu. ix He knew not the time of his visitation namely in which God by his gospel offred remission of sinnes euerlasting saluatiō And so speaketh Zacharie in this place god hath visited his people that is too say not only hath looked vpon them but also redéemed his church and set it frée from all euils by his sonne which was promised too the fathers and now performed In the Gréeke it is hath made redemption that is too say hath redemed And the Gréeke woorde Lutrosis which commeth of the verbe Luo too pay signifyeth a redemption or deliuerance which is made by paying the pryce of one that is too say a raunsoming And therof commeth the woord Lutron which is the raunsome that is payde for the deliueraunce or setting one frée from captiuitie Chryst vseth this woord now and then as Math. xx The sonne of man came too giue his lyfe for the raunsome of many 2 And hath raysed vp a horne of saluation too vs in the house of his seruant Dauid He termeth the kingdome of saluation or Christ the sauior by the name of a horne of saluation And these woordes are taken out of the Psalm cxxxiiij There wil I bring foorth the horne of Dauid I haue prepared a lyght too myne anoynted The woord Horne being borowed by a Metaphor of Oxen dooth after the maner of the Hebrue spéech betoken strength power and plenteousnesse as Thren 2. He hath broken all y horne of Israell that is too say all the strength of the kingdome of Israell ij Reg. xxij and Psal xxij My defender the horn of my welfare Psa lxxxviij In my name shal his horne bée exalted that is too say the strength and power of Chrystes kingdome So also in this place he hath raysed vp a horne of saluation that is too say a Sauiour who by his power shall helpe vs and giue vs plenteous and eternall saluation In the house of my seruaunt Dauid that is too say borne of the stocke of Dauid according to the promisse ij Reg. vij j. Paralip xvij I will raise vp thy séede after thée which shall issue out of thy loynes I will stablish his throne for euermore I will bée his father and he shall bée my sonne c. This promisse is vttered out at large Psal lxxxviij I haue found Dauid my seruaunt with my holy oyle haue I annoynted him Also Psal Cxxxj. for Dauid thy seruaunts sake turne not away the face of thine anoynted These places may bée added for the enlyghtening of this song of Zacharies 3 As he hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets since the world began He hath sent Chryst the sauyor as he promised by the prophets Genes 3. 12. 49. 2. Reg. 7. Esay 9. 7. 11. 42. and elsewhere Ierem. 2◠31. 33. Dan. 9. Mich. v. c. Of these promises speaketh Peter 1. Peter 1. Of this saluation haue the Prophets made inquirie and serche which haue Prophesied of the grace that shuld come vpō vs serching when or at what time the spirit of Christ which was in them should signifie c. And Paule Rom. j. put a parte for the Gospell which God had promised afore by his Prophets concerning his sonne which was borne of the séede of Dauid as perteining too the flesh c. In generall also this verse giueth vs too vnderstand that the doctryne which is comprehended in the wrytings of the Prophets and Apostles is not deliuered by the authoritie of mā but by God himself and therfore that credit ought too bée giuen too this Doctrine as too the voyce of God himselfe sounding from heauen 4 That wee should bee saued from our enimies and from the handes of all that hate vs. God hathe promised vs saluation he hathe promised for a certeintie too deliuer vs from sinne Gods wrathe death the tyrannie of the Diuell and of all the enemies of his churche This interpretation must bée taken out of the conference of like sayings as j. Corinth xv He must reigne till he haue brought all his enimies vnder his féete The last enimie that shall bée destroyed is death c. Colos ij He hath forgiuen vs all our trespasses hath put out the hand wryting that was ageinst vs in the lawe written c. 5 Too performe the mercy promised too our fathers and too remember his holy couenant The foure verses next folowing are a garnishment repeting and enlyghtening the méening of the third and fourth verses The causes that moued God too send his sonne the Redéemer are twoo that is too wit mercy and soothfastnesse in képing promisse Of his owne free goodnesse mercy is God led too performe the benefite promised too the fathers and too exhibit Chryst the author of eternall saluation These woordes Testament Promisse Couenaunt Agreement or Leagues are in manner all of one signification The olde Testament was a promisse of a certeine politike state and defence made too the people of Israell vnder condition y they should kéep the law that was deliuered by Moises The new Testament is a promisse of Chryste or a promisse of remission of sinnes of Gods fauor of ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting saluation too bée giuen fréely for Chryst the mediators sake Of this new Testament or of this promisse of Chrystes made too Adam Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid and others dooth Zacharie sing in this place he auoucheth that God is myndfull of this holy Testament that is too say that his promises stand stedfast or that he kéepeth sure and vnuiolable
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