Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	covenant_n	sacrament_n	seal_n	4,627	5	9.5821	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02919	The faith of the church militant moste effectualie described in this exposition of the 84. Psalme, by that reuerend pastor, and publike professor of Gods word, in the famous vniuersitie of Hassine in Denmarke, Nicholas Hemmingius. A treatise written as to the instruction of the ignorant in the groundes of religion, so to the confutation of the Iewes, the Turkes, atheists, Papists, heretiks, and al other aduersaries of the trueth whatsoeuer. Translated out of Latine into English, &c. by Thomas Rogers.	Hemmingsen, Niels, 1513-1600.; Rogers, Thomas, d. 1616.	1581 (1581)	STC 13059; ESTC S118432	286,633	582

the minde of the bodie and externall Both his Ciuilian and Contemplator hee saith stande in neede of these thinges but the Ciuilian more and the other lesse Secondlie hee placeth the blessednesse of the ciuile man in vertue of the contemplator in contemplation that is in the deepe action of the minde But each felicitie as he saith is by prosperitie bewtified encreased by aduersitie obscured diminished and oftentimes defaced vtterlie The Stoikes with weightie arguments did shake this opinion of Aristotle both for calling them good thinges which were not and for saying y t outward thinges did auaile much vnto blessednes especialie seeing hee himselfe had placed the perfection of the same in the minde Nowe if there it be perfect doutlesse outwarde thinges which come not nigh the mind cannot alter the minde but the verie minde as of externall thinges he hath set-downe But to bee briefe seeing Aristotles felicitie is contrarie to our religion yea and to reason also who maie embrace the same as true What vertue I pray you is perfect without godlinesse What contemplation but is erroneous if it haue not the light of Gods heauenlie worde What goodes of fortune are not transitorie vncertaine Vndoubtedlie as Cicero doth saie If à blessed life maie bee lost it cannot bee blessed Whoso feareth alteration is not with out griefe Let Aristotle therefore consider more aduisedlie what kinde of happinesse it is which hee promiseth to his Ciuilian and Contemplator I ouerpasse in silence that the ende of mans nature is à far other thing than à tēporal function or office In the booke of Iob there bee fiue thinges numbred wherein the wise men of this world doe place their chiefest happines to wit in the multitude of children in aboundance of riches in the health of the bodie in sumptuous buildinges and to bee famous in the worlde These together are thought to make à mā happie But because such as abound with these thinges doe hange betweene hope and feare they are in verie deed moste miserable For they doe alwaies feare least some euil doe happen and fortune change her face And therefore miserable as I maie saie is their blessednesse which is subiecte to so manie chances and whose ende is endles miserie as the Psalmes 37. and 73. doe teach The vanitie of all these wee maie ouerthrowe euē by this onelie argument Nothing is so great or so heaped-together in this life that it can suffice him which desireth more according to that of Seneca Fortune hath giuen much to manie men but enough to none Wallowe thou in pleasures exceede in banquetting excell thou Sardanapalus passe Epicurus yet thine vncleane mind wil continualie wish-for somwhat else Gather thou so muchwealth as thou wilt excel Craesus passe thou Crassus yet thy minde wil continualie desire more Enlarge the boundes of thie dominions as much as thou wilt yea though thou ouercome the whole worlde yet another worlde will bee sought which thou must ouercome In all other thinges either wee attaine not so much as wee woulde because our desire is vnsatiable or wee repent that wee haue our wishe and when man hath best fortune then commonlie either some woefull chaunce or à gnawing conscience doeth trouble him And nothing is so fortunate in this life but it hath much miserie and bitternes admixed therewithall as Pindarus saide right wel One good thing present hath two discommodities therewithall Socrates who in my iudgement is more to be commended than al the aboue named Philosophers placed the felicitie of man not in this life but in another life following therein not the brutish beastes nor the folish multitude nor Craesus nor anie of them who in this world seeme fortunate but nature for his capitan● his argument which he vsed was this The natural desire of man is not vane But all men naturalie desire to be happie Therefore this desire is not vane But none come vnto this happines in this life For in this life nothing maketh à man perfecte Therefore it is to bee sought for in an other life Hitherto Socrates was in the right waie According to whose mind Plato his scholer doth call the true happines sometime the contemplation of the beste as the waie vnto blisse sometime he maketh the loue and imitation of God the ende of man or chiefe selicitie as that wherein the soueraigne blisse of man doeth consist And although Socrates Plato approach nighest vnto the trueth yet because that smal sparcle of the trueth is often ouerwhelmed with varietie of opinions and disputations as it were with dirt and dregs bestained let vs acknowledge the great benefite of God who by his worde sheweth vs the readie waie both vnto the knowledge of true happines and also vnto the endles enioieng and possession of the same For the word of God sheweth that onelie pearle that soueraigne blisse wherein the minde of man doth rest the sweetnes whereof whoso once hath tasted for euen in this life also it is also tasted though not vnto satietie he forthwith begins to abhor al those things which the miserable multitude and men of power in this worlde haue in admiration But that we maie attain vnto the quiet possession of this happines godlines the steps whereof we haue afore in this chapter set downe bringeth to passe Which godlines doth maruelouslie couple vs to God yea in such wise that we become one with him being conformed to him shall so liue for euer euer in the life to come where the chiefe happines of man as aboue we haue declared doeth abide On the otherside vngodlines seuereth the wicked and the vnbeleuers from God so that being driuen from the soueraigne happines they become one with the diuel and his mēbers To conclude as Blessed is that nation whose God is the Lorde So miserable are they who are without God be they neuer so highlie in fortunes booke For the more fortune doeth fanne the more shee deceaueth and him she maketh à verie foole whom shee fauoreth ouer-wel This nowe being spoken concerning happines returne wee vnto the wordes of the Psalm Blessed are they which dwel in thine house But wherefore blessed Because they haue begunne that euerlasting felicitie where-vnto they tende and for which they were both at the first created and afterwarde redeemed But who are they which dwel in the house of God Through sinne we are al the sorte of vs with our parentes Adam aud Euah excluded out of the house of God through faith of the promise we are brought in againe being called through the sounde of the Gospel the state whereof by the sacramentes as by the seales of God is assured vs vntil we swarue from the couenant that is from faith and obedience towarde God And forsomuch as great is our weakenes whereof it is that euen à iust man falleth in à daie seuen times we are to set à difference betweene those sinnes which exclude vs out of

the righteousnes thereof 4. Of the sacraments how manie theie are and what theie signifie THe sacrifice of Christ is applied both by the worde by faith and by the sacrament but diuerslie For by the word which is written in the heart by the holie spirite it is offered as by the hand of God By faith beeing conceaued of the word through the holie spirite it is receaued as by the hand of man And by the Sacraments as by the seale of God it is signed For he that beleeueth the preaching of the Gospel wherbie the benefite of Christ his sacrifice is offered by faith which is à worke not of nature but of grace in man he receaueth Christe wholie together with his benefites which benefites are sealed by the sacramentes as that holie Apostle Paule doeth teach Wherebie it appeareth how needeful the ministerie of the worde is as that which is ordained from heauen to offer this incomparable treasure to vs this is it which the Lorde saith Preach the Gospel to euerie creature Againe Teach al nations This ministerie the Apostles deli●ered by the handes as it were to posteritie and from them it is come vnto vs and shall not be abolished while this worlde shal endure although Satan with greate rage do persecute such as syncerelie do sound-out the Gospel And therefore it is our partes if we loue our saluation to heare to vnderstand to loue the worde of God to meditate ther-vpon al our life long yea and to beleeue the same and to liue thereafter that at the length we maie come vnto the desired end of happinesse For Dauid in the beginning of his Psalmes sange not in va●e when he sange on this wise Blessed is the man who doeth meditate in the lawe that is in the doctrine of the Lorde daie and night But wherefore is he blessed Because the meditation of the worde worketh two thinges First that thou neither listen vnto the counsels of the wicked nor stand in the waie of sinners nor sit in the seate of the scorneful Secondlie that thou become like à tree planted by the riuers of waters that wil bring forth her fruite in due season vntil thou attaine vnto verie happines it selfe And therefore it is added in another Psalme Blessed are al that trust in him But on the other side where this worde of the Lord is neither loued nor hearkened vnto nor thought-vpon nor beleeued nor done man by litle and litle is wrapped in the counsels of the wicked carried violentlie into the waie of the sinners and at length blasphemeth God and al religion and becommeth à plaine epicure so that at length he feareth not in his hart to saie There is no God although the lieng toung saie otherwise And so he proueth like à tree planted in moste horrible filthinesse and diuelish mud to bring forth fruite meete for death damnation according as it is written in à certaine Psalme Theie be corrupted and abhominable in their waies And that deseruedlie For y e contempt of this word wherbie Christ himselfe doth offer himselfe vnto vs doth highlie offend God yea and bringeth vpon the contemners themselues and vpon their posteritie too blindenes or a reprobate minde al maner wickednes and filthinesse as Paule in his first Chapter vnto the Romans teacheth at large And in another Chapter the same Apostle doth saie Because theie receiued not the loue of the truth and therefore God shal send them strong delusion that there should beleeue lies And the euent in manie nations where Christ himselfe and the Apostles haue preached doth aunswere to this prophesie of Paul touching the punishment of such as contemne the worde of God Neither be the Turkish warres anie thing els but verie tokens of Gods displeasure for the contempt of his worde And therefore let vs be more circumspect by the harmes of other men and esteem● we greatlie the benefite of God who hath deliuered to vs his pure worde wherebie he doeth offer this infinite grace and benefite of the sacrifice of his sonne by whose merite we be deliuered from the power of sinne and death and endued with eternal righteousnesse and glorie Secondlie in the application of the sacrifice of Christ it is required that euerie one of yeeres doe beleeue For as the worde doth offer So faith which commeth by hearing of the worde doth receaue Christe wholie with al his merites and beleeueth that al sinnes be forgiuen for the sacrifice sake of the Sonne of God And therefore in the Christian Creede it is saide I beleeue the forgiuenes of sinnes that is I doe knowe and am firmelie persuaded that God according to his promise wil receaue me into fauour because of the sacrifice obedience of his Sonne and wil not impute my sinnes to me anie-more but vtterlie blot and forgiue yea and remember them no more For faith is not a wauering opinion but à certaine knowledge of the free promise and à firme confidence that sinnes be forgiuen for Christ his sake This faith as touching the certaintie thereof dependeth both vpon euident testimonies of the Scriptures vpon parables and vpon approued examples but as touching confidence it resteth onelie vpon the merite of Christ. Paul after Dauid saith Blessed are theie whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whome the Lord imputeth no sinne And Christ doth saie Sonne be of good comforte thie sinnes are forgiuen thee And to the ruler of the Synagogue the Lorde saith Onelie beleeue And to the woman which had an issue of bloud Thie faith hath made thee whole Among manie parables that is notable which is in the 18. chapter of Matthewe of him which did owe tenne thousand talentes and hauing not wherewith to discharge he was of meere grace forgiuen the debt Hitherto belongeth also the parable of the two debters and of the prodigal sonne Among examples the most excellent is of the Theefe whose sinnes were forgiuen him without anie merites either going-before or comming-afterward I omit Dauid Manasses Peter Paul Magdalene and others With this faith of the remission of sinnes two thinges are continualie ioined which although theie differ from the faith of the remission of sinnes yet can theie be separated at no time And theie are to speake with the Apostle Grace and Gifte of which I wil speake more distinctlie that we maie the better consider what à great blessing faith of the free remission of sinnes is Grace in this place is the verie iustification of à beleeuing man and from the cause is so caled For Paul in the 5. Chapter vnto the Romanes doeth saie so where he compareth sinne and grace together The iudgement came of one offence vnto condemnation but the grace of manie offences vnto iustification And As by the offence of one the fault came on al men to condemnation So by the

poore in spirit to the meeke to peace-makers to such as endure persecution c. But al those and the like sayings are not contrarie to our iudgement if any wil rightlie distinguish betwene y e causes and effectes of iustification the qualities of the iustified For it is one thing to speake of the reward of obedience and of the qualities of those who are alreadie iustified through faith and another thing of the causes of the matter that is of iustification Againe it is one thing to vse the wordes of Bernarde to speake of the causes of gouernement another of the waie to the kingdome Also it is one thing to speake of the essential principles of à thing another of the principles of knowledge But they obiect against vs as à strong buclar the saying of Christ If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundementes That is fulfill the lawe I aunswere Christ shewed à most readie waie vnto life euen the keeping of the commaundementes or fulfilling of the lawe But for that the fault is in vs that wee cannot fulfill the lawe Christ is become the ende of the lawe for righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth And this is it which the same Paul saith in another place Through faith wee establish the lawe euen because through beleefe wee obtaine that which the lawe requireth namelie righteousnes The gift which we saide is conioined with the faith of remission of sinnes is the giuing of the holie Ghost whereby the man iustified onelie by faith is regenerated or sanctified that is is mortified quickened and becommeth à newe man purposing thence-forwarde as much as in him is to order his life according to the rule of Gods worde So that this gift is the cause and beginning of à newe life and obedience For wee are not iustified freelie by faith to the ende wee shoulde hence-forth liue to sinne but that deliuered from sinne wee shoulde serue God in righteousnes and holines all the daies of our life For Zacharias in his songe maketh this to bee the ende of the knowledge of saluation concerning the remission of sinns through the tender mercie of our God This ende of iustification Paule setteth in the 6. vnto the Romanes where by most euident argumentes he sheweth that sanctification is ioined with iustification And thus much briefelie touching y e grace of iustification and of the gifte of sanctification the which are linked with the faith of remission of sinnes and can no more be seuered from the same than maie heate from fire or the beame from the sunne Whereby it is apparent that the Papistes offer vs great iniurie in saying that we do abolish good works and loase y t bridles to men because we saie that by faith alone wee are iustified For they marke not howe wee doe put a difference betweene the proper benefite of Christ and our duetie which is ioined with faith But of iustification God willing wee will speake more at large in the exposition of the last verse of this Psalme the sundrie sorts of testimonies which are commonlie handled in this controuersie being distinguished The thirde place in the application of Christ wee ascribed to the sacramentse which not onelie do offer the merites of Christ the priest as the word doeth but also as seales doe assure thē vnto vs if so be the merits of Christ be reteined fast in the harts through faith For as without faith the word doth not applie the merites of Christ so without faith I speake of the elder sorte the sacramentes doe no good The sacraments which Christ hath cōmended to his Church be two to wit Baptisme the Lords supper wherof baptisme is à sacrament of the entrance into Christianitie therefore is but once takē as Christ died but once for vs. For as baptisme is an effectuall token of the death burial and resurrection of Christ so is it à sacrament of the couenant which God entereth-into with the baptized touching y e purging of sinnes and our reconciliation through Christ so is it also à signe of repentance and of the crosse and à testimonie of the resurrection to come And the Lord his supper is a sacrament of the confirmation and conseruation of Christianitie yea and a remembrance of the couenant established through the blood of Christ. Furthermore it is the meate whereby we are spiritualie nourished in the bodie of Christ therefore often it ought to be receaued The summe of al is this that the sacrament of the newe testament is both an externall signe of the couenant concerning our free iustification before God through the sacrifice of Christ and also a testifying and confirmation of the faith righteousnes of Gods people to him warde CHAP. 40. Of the perpetual vse of the sacrifice of Christ both in the conscience in the whole course of our life and at the houre of death AND although the vse of the sacrifice of Christ is wel nigh seene in the application yet the efficacie and power thereof is more apparent when the knoweledge is reduced vnto practise as it were This practise hath place in the conscience of euerie man in the whole course of life at the agonie of death The conscience of each man is stricken sore with a deadlie wounde vntil it bee healed by the application of physike with Christ alone the Physition doeth minister by his worde spirit In which respect he calleth himselfe the Physition of soules So y t when the conscience is stricken with y e remēbrance of sinne it must be healed by the faith of Christ his sacrifice which if it be liuelie it be sprinckeleth the cōscience with the most comfortable balme of the holie spirite wherewithal it is healed made quiet so that now it is iocound and merie and reioiceth as it were in the crosse of Christ whereas before it was troubled and greatlie vexed Whence proceedeth that saying of the triumphing conscience in Bernard Of the remission of sinnes saith hee I haue an vndoubted argument euen the passion of Christ. For the voice of his bloode crieth more shrillie than did the bloode of Habel crying in the heartes of the elect the forgiuenesse of all sinnes For he was betraied for our offences And no doubt his death is of more power and more effectuall to helpe vs than our sinnes to hurt vs. Such à conscience is neither broken with the threates of the lawe for it knoweth howe it is not vnder the law but vnder grace nor yeeldeth to the suggestions of satan for it knoweth howe the Prince of this worlde is alreadie cōdemned nor is moued with the argumentes of reason for it knoweth the power of him which hath promised and therefore glorifieth him To conclude it resteth quietlie in Christ looking for à ful redemption through the comming of the Sonne of God who shal change our vile bodie that it maie be fashioned like vnto his glorious

we stand Fourthlie it is to be noted that the praiers of Saintes are therfore acceptable in the sight of God because they depend vpon the intercession of Christ the highe Priest For when we make intercession for others we praie not trusting in our owne merites or price which we haue paide for redemption but in the merite of Christ his righteousnes and in the ransome which he hath Therefore saith Christe Whatsoeuer ye shal aske the Father in my Name that is depending vpon my merite and intercession he will giue it you Hitherto pertaineth that compellation in the Lordes praier O our Father For as the name of a Father putteth vs in minde of Christ in whom through faith we are the sonnes of God and he is our father So the pronoune Our doth admonish vs of faith that through confidence in the sonne wee should cal vpon the father not trusting in anie worthines or merites of our owne For which cause the Apostle saith Let vs approch vnto God through him For he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. As often therefore as wee would praie let vs consider the cause whie we saie Our Father that we maie both thoroughlie be persuaded that for his sonnes sake we please God and without al doubting also beleeue that for the intercession of the sonne whose members we be through faith we are heard Wherefore theie which bring not this faith do but waste winde when they praie For theie haue none accesse vnto y e father Let such then looke what they do who contrarie to the word of God do depend vpon other patrons Fiftlie forsomuch as the sonne of God is the perpetual priest which maketh intercession for the Church whensoeuer it doth amisse we maie not flie vnto other patrons but vnto Christ alone as the onelie patron and most trustie anchor of safetie Therfore the Apostle Iohn doth saie If anie man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust And he is the reconciliation for our sinnes But then do we rightlie approch vnto this Aduocate for the attainment of the remission of sinnes whē we are sorie for our wickednes cōmitted when we rest our selues with à faith vnfained vpon Iesus Christ the propitiator and intercessor when we purpose afterward through God his grace to leade à pure life and finalie when we cast from our heartes à purpose to sinne Vnlesse these be ioined-together in vaine doest thou boast y t Christ is thie patron Some there be who think theie be pure if once theie haue poured their sinnes into the bosome of some pastor some pastors too do thinke that by their magical absolutions theie can vnburden sinners but both sortes doe most filthilie erre out of y e waie For both Christ alone is y e purger of sins in whō if thou repose not a liuelie faith which hath those foure cōditions which we haue recited in vaine dost thou vnburden thie self in the bosome of y e priest Christ alone it is y t absolueth from sins vnto whom if y u aproch not through faith y u sahlt die in thy sins But the absolution of à priest is then profitable when the confession is tempered with true repentance turning from sin And this absolution of the priest is nothing else than à testimonie of the absolution which is giuen in heauē by our hie priest Iesus Christ. And therfore saith y e Lord Whatsoeuer you loose on earth shalbe loosed in heauen So that the absolution which is pronounced by the minister of the Gospel dependeth vpon his faith which requireth absolution not of the merite either of confession or of pronouncing any wordes whatsoeuer This place would craue a confutation of them who chose other aduocates beside Christ but because this madnes is alreadie mentioned aboue where we dealt with Popish sacrifices I wil not with moe wordes refute them in this place And thus much of y e three parts of Christ his priest-hoode to wit of doctrine of sacrifice and of intercession The other pointe contained in the definition of the priesthoode touching the preseruation of the church the remission of sins the gift of the holie Ghoste and euerlasting life be rather most pleasant fruites than partes of Christ his Priesthoode CHAP. 38. 1. Of the couenant which Christ our hie Priest hath entred into 2. The special pointes to bee considered therein 3. Of the olde and newe couenant or Testament wherein theie doe differ 4. The difference betweene the newe Testament and the Gospel 5. Whether with the olde Testament the tenne commandements be abrogated or no. FOrsomuch as euerie priest as y e Epistle to y e Hebrues doth testifie is a suretie of some couenant for it is behoueful that some certaine couenant be set according to which the mediator betweene the parties at controuersie maie determine that sure peace and friendship maie be established betweene God and men Christ our Priest hath à certaine couenant For as the Leuitical priest had his priesthood and à certaine couenant annexed to the priesthood So Christ our Priest to whome the Leuitical priestes with their sacrifice and couenant gaue place hath his priesthood and certaine couenants annexed to the priesthod For the priesthood being changed as the Epistle vnto the Hebrues doth saie of necessitie there must be a change of the law Againe for this cause is he the mediator of the newe Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former Testament they which were called might receaue the promise of eternal inheritance For where a Testament is there must be the death of him that made the Testament For the Testament is confirmed when men are dead for it is yet of no force as long as he that made it is aliue Wherefore neither was the first ordained without bloud For when Moses had spoken euerie precept to the people according to the lawe he tooke the bloud of calues and of goats with water and purple wool and hyssope and sprinkled both the booke and al the people Saieng This is the bloud of the Testament which God hath appointed vnto you And although by these words of the Apostle it is euident that as the former that is the olde Testament is a couenant annexed to the priesthood of Aaron confirmed by the bloud of brutish creatures whereby GOD did binde himselfe to the Iewes for to giue them the lande of Canaan to their possession if so be for their partes theie obserued the condition which was the fulfilling of the lawe so the newe Testament should be a couenant annexed to the Priesthood of Christe confirmed with the bloud of Christ whereby God doth binde himselfe to forgiue sinnes and to giue a celestial and euerlasting inheritance in heauen but with a condition of faith whose true and right fruite is perfect obedience toward GOD.

And although this couenant be ratified onlie to such as be called and doe beleeue yet least we should thinke that the Fathers before the incarnation of Christe were destitute of the grace of the newe couenant it is good that we make a better and a more distinct explication of this doctrine so necessarie to be knowne First therefore and aboue all we must constantlie beleeue that in al ages euen from the fal of our first parentes the waie to be saued both was and is yet one and the same to wit by the Priest Christe alone of whose righteousnesse theie be partakers and be saued whosoeuer beleeue in him So that as touching the purgation of sinne and attainement of euerlasting life there is but one perpetual couenant or testament of God whereby God doeth binde himselfe to pardon such as doe ●lee vnto Christe And although if you respect the expresse worde there is no mention of this couenant concerning remission of sinnes before the Lord entered thereinto with Abraham yet the thinges themselues which appertaine vnto the substance of this couenant were verie wel knowne to the Fathers before the floud By the thinges I meane both the promise of the restoring of man through Christe and also the faith of this promise For the promise in GOD and the faith in man are the substantial partes as I maie saie of this couenant The couenant betweene GOD and Abraham was this I wil establish my couenant betweene me thee and thy seede after thee in their generations for an euerlasting couenant to be GOD vnto thee and thy seede after thee And somewhat afore in the same Chapter there goeth an oath of GOD Beholde I make my couenant with thee that is as truelie as I liue I wil establish my couenant c. Here first of al would be considered y e matter or foundation of this couenant which is y e promised seed by whose merit intercession there is an attonement made betweene God and men Wherefore whatsoeuer good thing the Lorde doth promise it is ratified in the Sonne who hath reconciled vs and the Father together God was in Christ saith Paule and reconciled the world to him selfe not imputing their sinnes to them and hath committed to vs the worde of reconciliation And for this cause this couenant is called by Isaiah the couenant of peace Secondlie we should cal into mind y e wonderful humilitie of God whereby the diuine maiestie so debaseth it selfe of meere benignitie and good will to manward hauing consideration of our humane frailnesse that not onlie he doth simplie promise free benediction to miserable and wretched sinners but also bindeth himselfe by couenant that we may knowe his fatherlie goodwil to vs ward Thirdlie the immutabilitie and constancie or perpetuitie of this couenant confirmed by an oath would be thought-vpon Whereof the Epistle vnto the Hebrues doth saie When God made the promise vnto Abraham because he had no greater to sweare by he sware by him selfe saieng Surelie I wil abundantlie blesse thee and multiplie thee marueilouslie He addeth à reason saieng So God willing more abundantlie to shewe vnto the heires of promise the stablenesse of his counsel bound him selfe by an oath that by two immutable things wherein it is vnpossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which haue our refuge to hold-fast the hope that is set before vs. Fourthlie we are to weigh the largenes of the couenant entred-into with Abrahā namelie howe it extendeth vnto the seede of Abraham and that for euer and euer But what is that seede of Abraham Paule both in the 4. and 9. chapters vnto the Romanes and also in the 3. vnto the Galathians defineth the seede of Abraham to be euen al those of what nations soeuer which doe walke in the steppes of the faith of Abraham that al which beleeue the promise of grace as Abraham did Fiftlie when it is saide howe this couenant was entered into with Abraham and his seede for euermore it is meant that God bestoweth immortalitie to such as are linked to him in cōfederacie For if by death we should perish the perpetuitie of the couenant could no way stande Nowe on the other side the faith of Abraham and of his seede aunswereth to the couenant of God For when God bindeth himselfe to vs by couenāt to giue saluation he bindeth vs withall vnto faith and vnto newe obedience which cannot be separated from faith And therefore God saith to Abraham Walke before me to wit in faith and be thou vpright that is serue me syncerelie and preferre obedience toward me before al things This obedience through his faith Abraham declared when he was readie most willinglie to sacrifice at the commaundement of God his beloued sonne Isaac whome he loued aboue al the world Whereby it maie easilie be gathered that the endeuouring of the minde obtaineth the praise of perfection before God Moreouer as this eternal couenant of God with the Church hath for foundation and substance the promised seed So being shadowed by sundrie types in the old lawe at the length it was fulfilled by the comming of Christ into the world and confirmed with the bloud of Christe For the remembrance and ratifieng whereof Baptisme and the Lordes supper be instituted For as Baptisme is a couenant of a good conscience with God depending vpon the bloud of Christ whereby it is purged from dead workes So the Lordes supper is a commemoration of the same couenant touching our redemption established by the bloud of Christ. And therefore it is called the cup of the new Testament or cup of the couenant Wherfore you maie rightlie define this eternal couenant of God if you saie It is a couenant of attonement betwene God and men wherby both God and men are bound together God for his part promising yea by oath remission of sinnes and euerlasting life for the merits of Christe by whose bloud this couenant is confirmed men for their parts do both accept the promise through faith and also doe not onlie promise but also shewe due obedience through their faith Which being so it maie be asked whie in the scripture mention is made of a double couenant or testament namelie an old and a new For both the Lord by the Prophet Ieremiah doth saie so and the auctor also of the Epistle vnto the Hebrues stādeth vpon that same groūd Behold the daies come saith the Lord that I wil make a new couenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Iudah Not according to the couenant that I made wi●h their fathers when I tooke thē by the hande to bring thē out of the lande of Egypt c. But this shal be the couenāt I wil make with the house of Israel After those daies saith the Lord I wil put my lawe in their inward parts and write it

Christ. But in à consideration they differ Because the one which is the Gospel hath à name from bringing ioiful and good newes touching the attainment of euerlasting life through Christe and by the other that is the Testament is signified that God not content with à simple promise doth binde himselfe to vs by couenant an oath comming betweene that we maie vnderstand both the immoueable decree of God touching the attaining of saluation by Christ and howe we also for our partes are bound to God by faith For faith is one part of the couenant to wit of mans part For in al couenants as aboue also hath bene shewed mutual conditions and lawes be required The same is to be saide of the olde Testament and of Moses lawe Furthermore when the Scripture is diuided into the lawe and the Gospel it is to be vnderstoode that the difference is taken from the things subiect and when it is diuided into the old and newe Testament the differences are taken from certaine circumstances of the things subiect But when the holie Scripture which we cal the old and newe Testament is so caled it is rather of custome than of any difference of things subiect except you speake by the figure Synecdoche And therefore Augustine doth saie Where I saide the authoritie was included within the 44. bookes of the olde Testament following the vsual maner of speaking which the Church hath at this daie I called it the old Testament But the Apostle seemeth not to cal anie thing the old Testament but that which was giuen in mount Sinai And therefore y e same Augustine writing vnto Bonifacius doth saie howe they might more truly be called instruments than testaments that that might be called the old and this the new I wil add also herevnto à question out of Augustine whose words be these Howe is it named old which after 430. yeares was made by Moses and howe is it called newe which before so manie yeares was made vnto Abraham The reuelations are to be cōsidered in these names and not the institutions The reuealing of the olde Testament was made by Moses but the reuealing of the new was done by Christ when he manifested himselfe in the flesh in whom the iustice of God appeared Againe because the old testament pertaineth vnto the old man from which mā of necessitie is to begin the new vnto the new man of which man must passeouer frō oldnes therfore in that earthly promises are conteined but in this heauēly Furthermore seeing the Apostle saith the old testament is abrogated by the newe and the olde was giuen in mount Sinai where the Ten-commandements were published-out it maie in this place be asked touching the Ten-commandements whether they also be taken-awaie as part of y e old testament Vnto which question I do thus answere The Ten-cōmandements as they be a part of Moses law do no whit bind vs but as they containe the eternal pleasure of God they do must continue euē as manie other things in Moses which are natural But a double vse according vnto y e consideration of double man is to be respected in the decaloge For if you respect y e time of man before the reuelation of Christe in man that is before the iustification of man through y e faith of Christ as man himselfe is called old who is bound either perfectlie to obeie the law or to be punished according to our Sauiours words vnto the proude Lawer If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements So the Ten-commandements by a certaine analogie maie bee comprised vnder the olde testament For it is a certaine Schoolemaster to bring vnto Christe as the olde testament accusing and condemning man for that he hath not the righteousnesse which the lawe requireth whereby man is driuen to seeke Christe who is the end of the lawe for righteousnesse vnto euerie one that beleeueth In this sense Paul opposeth the moral lawe against the newe Testament But if you haue an eie vnto the time of man after the reuelation of Christe in man as man himselfe is become newe So the Ten-commandements is a rule how a newe man should leade his conuersation and shal neuer be abolished Whose newe obedience doth please because y e person pleaseth for Christ his sake whose perfect obedience to the lawe is imputed to the beleeuing man Now of that which hath bene saide let vs make manifest the differences betweene the old and the newe Testament The which although they differ not in respect of the last end seeing they both do respect the reconciliation attonement of man with God as the final end yet if we doe consider the endes comming betweene and circumstances the olde Testament doth goe before the manifestation of the new if the mediators the old by the seruant Moses y e newe was administred by Iesus Christe the Sonne if the maner of the dispensation the Old was but in à shadowe the Newe hath the verie image of things The shadowe and the figure was the deliuerance of Israel from the bondage of Aegypt Pharao being oppressed The truth is the deliuerance of the faithful from the bondage of sinne Satan being ouercome The bringing of Israel into the land of Canaan and the possessing of the same was the shadowe y e bringing of the spiritual Israel into heauen and the hereditarie possession thereof is the truth The giuing out of the lawe vpon mount Sinai by Moses was the shadow The truth is the word which came frō Sion by Christ. The lawe written in the tables of stone was the shadow but the lawe of God written by the finger of God in the harts of men is the truth The ministerie of death was y e shadowe but the ministerie of the spirit and of life is the truth To speake in a word al y e Mosaical things as his gouernment priesthood purgations sacrifices and the rest were but shadowes but Iesus Christ the eternal Priest with his benefites is the truth Or to speake both with Augustine In the olde Testament there is a hiding of the newe in the newe a manifestation of the olde Againe The olde is the beginning the new is the end with Ambrose It is called a testament because it is dedicated with bloud the olde in a figure to wit by the bloud of à brutish beast The newe in the trueth namelie by the bloud of Iesus Christ. Thus much concerning the couenant annexed to the priesthoode of Christe and of comparison betweene the olde and the newe Testament whereof we haue spoken the more at large because both olde and late writers doe varie in this point but we hope we haue made it manifest according to the trueth of Gods worde CHAP. 39. 1. Howe man is to applie to himselfe the sacrifice of Christ 2. Of Gods worde the happinesse of the imbracers and the punishment of the contemners of the same 3. Of Faith and of

with his sacrifice taketh awaie all feare of death and maketh à mā no more to dread death than a sweet sleep Whereof it is that a godlie man desireth death euen as à passage out of these miseries vnto euerlasting life Then shal he find the saying of Christ to be true If à man keepe my worde hee shal neuer tast death Hence proceedeth y t willingnes in manie of the Martyrs who had in minde Christ not onelie that died but also y t did rise againe by whose power we shal be raised vnto immortalitie and our soules in the meane space euen vntil the daie of the laste iudgement shal possesse the ioies of heauen with the chast spirits and then ioined to their bodies shal enioie the sight of God immortal glorie for euer and euer And therefore it is not without iust cause said both in the Reuelatiō Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord and also by Dauid Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saincts Thus hitherto we haue spokē concerning the propitiatorie sacrifice of Christians of such things as do seeme to make for the plane declaration of the same nowe wee are brieflie to speake of the other sacrifice of Christians which they cal Euchatistical CHAP. 41. 1. Of the Priestes of the newe Testament howe they be consecrated 2. the couenant betweene God and them 3. The excellencie of the Priesthood 4. What is Eucharistical sacrifice 5. Whie so called 6. The kindes thereof 7. Ministers of the Gospel whie and howe Priestes THE Apostle Peter applied to such as doe conuert both from the Iewes and the Gentiles the promise of the Lorde which is in the 19. of Exodus to this purpose If yee wil heare my voice in deede and keepe my couenant then yee shal bee my chiefe treasure aboue al people though al the earth bee mine Yee shalbe also vnto mee à kingdome of Priestes and an holie nation à peculiar people that yee maie shew-forth the vertues of him that hath caled you out of darknes into his maruelous light Out of these words to omit other places it is manifest that all Christians bee Priestes to offer sacrifices of thankesgiuing and praise vnto God Firste therefore it is to bee noted that as by nature wee bee sinners and the children of wrath So by our owne strength worthinesse and merites wee can chalenge nothing at Gods hande And therefore as by that onelie sacrifice of Christ wee bee reconciled so of his goodnes wee enter into the order of priestes and are consecrated to him for to dedicate our selues and al ours vnto the glorie of God This our inauguration into y e priesthood because it is merlie spiritual internal is wroght by a secrete maner how it maie be declared after à sort by cōparing the truth vnto y e shadow As then they which were to be made priestes out of the tribe of Leui did first of al washe their bodies with water secondlie put vppon them the garmentes appointed of God thirdlie did annoint their heades and fourthlie filled their hands so they which shal be priestes in the newe Testament be spiritual ordained For first the high priest euē Christ doth wash them both with water and bloode Hee cleanseth vs saith Paul by the washing of water throgh the word to wit of God instituting ordaining baptisme Ioh. in the Reuelatiō saith He hath loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his bloode and made vs kinges and Priestes vnto God euen his father Secondlie the same Christ adorneth vs with spiritual garmentes much whiter and cleaner than those Leuitical garmentes For so Paul saith Alyee that are baptized into Christe haue put-on Christe And hauing him vpon vs wee seeme white that is righteous and holy in the sight of God Of this apparel the Psalme meaneth where it is said Let thie priests be clothed with righteousnes and let thie saintes reioice Thirdlie theie are annointed not with material fleeting oyle as Leuitical priests but with inward spiritual and immortal Whereof Paul speaketh saieng It is God who establisheth vs with you in Christ hath annointed vs. Who hath also sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirite in our heartes Of this ointment wherewith Christe annointeth vs we be called Christians and Priests Kinges and Prophets Marueilous is the force of this spiritual vnction For as the nature of the oile wherewithal the Priestes of the olde Lawe were annointed is to shine and to burne so the holie Spirite wherebie we are annointed for Priestes both lighteneth our mindes and setteth our heartes on fire that both the minde maie vnderstand what is good and behooueful and the heart zealouslie couet after the same And this commeth to passe when through faith conceaued by the preaching of the worde we bee rauished wholie with admiration of the great mercie of God who hath called vs out of darkenes into his marueilous light Last of al theie fil their handes that is theie shewe them-selues readie to offer vnto the Lorde For nowe they are no more their owne men but consecrated to God theie surcesse to liue and theie dedicate all the actions of their life vnto the seruice of God And being thus ordained we haue a certaine couenant also concluded betweene God and vs what that is I wil shew out of the words of Malachie The words of the Prophet are these My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The lawe of truth was in his mouth and there was none iniquitie founde in his lips he walked with me in peace and equitie and did turne manie awaie from iniquitie For the Priestes lips should preserue knowledge and theie should seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lorde of hostes And although the Prophete here speaketh of the Leuitical priestes yet it is fitlie applied also to al Christians who are in the sight of God much more excellent priestes being roial than were the Leuitical Out of which wordes of the Prophet the forme of the couenant maie thus be made As the Lorde promiseth life and peace so doth he require also feare through faith For as in al couenantes there is à mutual obligation so here too God promiseth peace and life which two thinges are opposed against the wrath of God and euerlasting death But the partes of the couenant in respect of our selues are manie in this place which naturalie do hang together The first whereof is à syncere feare of God springing of Faith which the Prophete meaneth when he saith The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lorde Againe The holie feare of the Lorde endureth for euer The second the lawe of truth in his mouth that is true holie sounde doctrine And although eùerie Christian màie not teach