Bycause yee are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirit of his sonne into our hartes which crieth Abba Father VVherfore now thou art not a seruant but a sonne If thou bee a sonne thou art also an heyre of God through Christ The disposement It perteyneth too the kynd that instructeth For it reckeneth vp in order the effectes or chéef benefites of the sonne of God who is borne too vs and gyuen too vs and he setteth them playnly out by a similitude taken of Seruantes and Heires The chéef benefits which the sonne of God hath obteyned for the churche by his wonderfull birth are fower 1 Redemption from the curse of the Lawe 2 Adoption too bée the sonnes of God. 3 The giuing of the holy ghost who cryeth Abba father 4 The heritage of eternall lyfe Of these benefites will I speake in order and bréefly And I exhorte the héerers too consider diligently and aduisedly and too bestowe in the bottome of their hartes this notable sentence which comprehendeth the summe of the whole Gospell After that the fulnesse of the tyme was come or after that the tyme appoynted by the eternall purpose of God was fully come that is too wit ▪ the yéere frō the creation of the world 3962. God sent his sonne borne of a womā made vnder the lawe too the intent he should redeeme those that were vnder the Lawe that wee myght receyue the adoption of sonnes And bicause wee are sonnes God hath sent the spirit of his sonne intoo our hartes crying Abba father Therfore thou art no longer a seruant but a sonne And if thou be a sonne thou art also an heire of God through Chryst Now let vs first consider the notable record concerning the twoo natures in Chryste God sent his sonne borne of a woman This Iesus borne of the virgin Marie is the onely begottē sonne of God that not by adoption but by nature Ergo he is by nature very God also according as wée haue hard the other day of Chrystes birth out of the first Epistle the first Chap. too the Hebrewes And herevntoo let vs adde the like sayings Iohn iij. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. and Ioh. j. Wée haue seene the glorie of him as of the fathers only begotten j. Ioh. iiij Herin appéered the louingnesse of God that he hath sent his onely begotten sonne intoo the worlde that wée might liue through him This sonne of God was borne of a woman Ergo he is by nature very man also Paule taketh these woordes out of the first promise concerning Chryst made too Adam Eue the womans seede shall crush the serpents head And it is woorth the considering that he saythe Of a woman that he might gyue vs too vnderstand y the sonne of God tooke vpon him mannes nature of the substance of the virgin Marie and not that he was sent downe from heauen through the Uirgin Marie as through the pype of a conduit Here ensueth a beadrol of the benefits which Christ hath brought vs by his birth MAde bond to the Lawe too redeeme them that were vnder the Lawe Excéeding great and vnserchable wisdom is conteyned in these fewe woords Whiche though wée bée not able too perceyue throughly in this Dimnesse yet is it too bée vnfolded bréefly that the héerers may looke somewhat néerer vppon it Gal. iij. Paule sayeth Chryst hath redéemed vs from the curse of the Lawe and is become accursed for vs For it is written cursed is euery one that abydeth not in all things that are written in the Lawe For it is an euerlasting and vnchaungeable Maximée of Gods iustice that men must eyther obey Gods Lawe without any sinne or else by sinning become accursed and so bée caste intoo eternall peynes Therefore when as all whole mankynd was become subiect too the curse of the Lawe too Gods dreadfull wrath and too euerlasting damnation thorough sinne Rom. iij. Too the intent all mouthes myght bée stopped c It was decréed by the wonderfull aduice of the Godhead that the sonne taking our nature vppon him shold turne vppon himself the burthen of the Lawe of Gods wrath of sinne and of eternall damnation and pay the full raūsome for vs like as if one were greatly oppressed with det or hild prisoner in Turkie and should be set free by another that would vndertake eyther the burthen of the det or of prisonership for him and pay his raunsome Therfore vseth Paule in this place the woord Raunsome whiche is as much too say as too buy a man out by paying his full woorth for him Wée could not bée set frée by our owne deseruings vertues or weldooings Not Abel by his death not the meeknesse and patience of Socrates or Phocion not Royaltie not power not artillerie not welth could compasse this thing Oaly wée may thank God who hathe giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryste who hath nayled the curse of the Lawe too his crosse Collos ij And he shall say too vanquished death Death where is thy sting Hel where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the Lawe j. Corinth xv And death did spred it selfe intoo all men bycause all men haue sinne But sinne is not imputed where there is no Law c Rom. v. All these mischéeues that is too wit sinne Gods wrath the curse of the Lawe the Deuils Tyrannye and endlesse damnation hath the sonne of GOD who is giuen too vs turned vppon himselfe and redéemed vs from these euils That wee by adoption myght receyue the heritage of sonnes The second benefit is Adoption too bée the sonnes of god The only begotten and naturall sonne of God begotten of the substance of the Father before all worlds is our Lorde Iesus Chryst Iohn j. and .iij. j. Jhon iiij By and for this only begotten sonne are wée receyued too bée sonnes by adoption whom the eternal father embraceth with fatherly good will for his beloued sonnes sake as brethren of Chryst and heires of the heauenly light wisdome rightuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting Than which benefite a greater cannot bée deuised j. Iohn iij. Sée what a louingnesse the Father hathe voutsaued vppon vs to name vs the sonnes of god Ryght déerbeloued Now are wée the sonnes of God and yet hathe it not appéered as yet what wée shall bée hereafter But wée knowe that assoone as that shall appéere wée shal bée like vnto him bycause wée shall sée him as he is Iohn j. He gaue them power too become the sonnes of God as manye as beléeue in his name Math. vj. Our father whiche art in heauen And bycause yee are sonnes GOD hath sent the spirit of his sonne intoo our harts crying Abba father The third benefite is the giuing of the holy Ghost who kindleth in our hartes the true calling vppon god Héere must the whole doctrine concerning the holy ghost bée repeted what the holy ghost is how great a benefite of
second benefit is remission of sinnes Ephes 1. and Col. 1. In whome wée haue redemption remissiō of sinnes by his blud The third is reconciliation or attonement with god Rom. viij When as wée were enemies too God wée were reconcyled too him by the death of his sōne Eph. v. Making peace that he myght reconcyle the Iewes and Gentyles in one body vntoo God ▪ by his crosse The fourth is Iustification Rom. iij. Wée are iustifyed fréely by his grace through the redemption made by Iesus Chryst whom GOD hath appoynted a seat of mercy through fayth in his blud too declare his ryghtuousnesse in y he forgiueth y sinnes which are past The fifth is the giuing of the holy ghost of holynesse Gal. iij. Chryst hath redéemed vs and is become accursed for vs that wée might receiue his spirit by fayth Iohn vj. If I go not away the comforter shall not come too you The sixth is the destruction of the Diuels kingdome Hebr. ij By death he hath abolished him that had the power of death that is too wit the Diuel and reconciled those that for feare of deathe were in bondage all their lyfe long The seuenth is the abolishing of sin death j. Cor. xv Death is swalowed vp intoo victorie O death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie For the sting of death is sinne and the power of sinne is the lawe But thankes bée vntoo God who hathe giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryste The eyght is euerlasting lyfe and saluation Iohn iij. The sonne of man must bée lifted vpon the Crosse too the entent that euery one which beléeueth in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting The application of these benefits is made by true repentance and faith That is too wit when acknowledging gods wrath and the horiblenesse of our sinnes wée are earnestly afraide and hartely sory that wée haue offended God and by faith acknowledge that Chryst the sonne of God suffred and was crucifyed made a sacrifise for vs persuade our selues assuredly that for this sacrifyse of Chrystes our sinnes are forgiuen vs ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe giuen vs. Of this Application there are testimonies too bée séen euery where And notable is this saying of Chryst Iohn xvij I sacrifyse my selfe for them that is too say I offer my selfe for them that they also may bée holy in déede And I pray not for them only but for all that shall beléeue in mée through their prayer In this prayer Chryst our byshop or préest executeth the chéefest duetie or office of a high préest and applyeth his sacrifyse too the whole Churche Therefore in this place the whole Doctrine concerning the préesthoode and sacrifyse of Chryst is too bée thought vppon and repeated Vppon Easter day ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xv PVrge therefore the olde leuen that yee may bee new dowe as yee are sweete bread For Chryste our Easter Lambe is offered vp for vs Therefore let vs keepe holyday not with olde leuen neyther with the leuen of maliciousnesse and wickednesse but with the sweete bread of purenesse and truthe The disposement THe foūdacion of our fayth and saluacion and the end and marke of the whole storie of the gospel the chéefe hauen of comfort in which only our hartes may rest in all troubles in death is the most ioyful resurrection of the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst where through he being conqueror of sin death hel and the féends hy him vanquished leadeth a glorious triumphe and imparteth vntoo vs that flée vntoo him ryghtuousnesse eternall saluation calling agein euen our bodyes from death vntoo lyfe This excéeding great and wonderful woork of God and benefite towards vs worthy too bée had alwayes in memorie let vs embrace and set out cōtinually with thankfull hart and voyce This Epistle is of that kynd that is perswasiue For it is an exhortacion too the true celebration of the feast of Easter that is too say too the true acknowledgement of the persone and benefites of the sacrifyse or Lamb Chtyst slaine and offered vp for vs vppon the Altar of the Crosse and too true repentance or acknowledgement of our owne sinne of Gods wrath conueyed intoo this Lamb too true faith in the gréefes which rise vppon the féeling of Gods wrath and the beholding of our own sinne death and other calamities assuredly beléeuing that our passeouer is slaine and offered vp already for vs that our sinnes are taken quite away by this Lamb of God and that euen when wée bée dead lyfe and ioy euerlasting shall doutlesse bée restored too vs with Christ who is risen agein Uppon which Faith there must ensew new obedience or clensing from the sinne that yet remayneth in our nature and a beginning of new lyght ryghtuousnesse and conuersation wholly agréeing with the will and woorde of God and continewally setting foorth these incomparable benefites of Chryst with godly minde and voice This is the true Celebration of the Passeouer in this lyfe yea and for euermore Untoo which Paule exhorteth vs by a representacion of leuened bread taken of the custome of the Iewish Passeouer Now too the entent the summe of the most large Doctrine set foorth in this Epistle may the easlyer bée comprehended in mynd Let vs distribute it intoo thrée places 1 Of the woord Pascha or Passeouer 2 A conferring of our Passeouer with the Passeouer of the old Testament which caryeth with it the doctrine of the benefites of Chryste the Lamb that suffered for vs and rose agein for vs. 3 How wée may celebrate this feast of Passeouer aryght in this lyfe The first place THe woord Pascha which is an Hebrew woord deriued of the verbe Pasah signifyeth in Englishe a Passingby or a Passingouer namely in that the Lord passing through Egipt slew the firstborne of the Egiptians and spared the Israelites whose doore poostes were sprinkled with the blud of a Lamb. Exod. xij Secondly it signifyeth the holyday wherin the rememberance of that Passeouer is continued by killing of a Lamb. Luke xxij The feast of swéete bread drew nye which is called Easter Thirdly in this Epistle it signifyeth the Paschall Lamb which was a signe or rememberance of the Lordes passing through Egipt and of the passing of the Israelites through the red Sea And it was a figure of Chryst the true Lambe that was offered vp for vs and passed by death too the eternall Father that by his passage he myght obteine vs deliuerance out of the bondage of Egipt that is too say of the Diuell sinne and death and restore vs ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe Now assoone as Chryste the true Passeouer was once offered the figuring passeouer ceased and there was instituted a new Passeouer the name where of dooth properly agrée too that day in which the sonne of God our Lord Iesus was offered vp for our sinnes vppon
that is vvritten Death is swallovved vppe intoo victorie Deathe where is thy styng Hell where is thy victory The styng of Deathe is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lorde Iesus Chryste Therfore my deare brethren be yee stedfast and immoue able alvvayes rich in the woorks of the Lorde for as much as yee know how that your laboure is not in vayne in the Lorde The disposement of the .xv. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians which is the seat of the Doctrine concerning the Resurrection or rysing of the dead THe most ioyful end and hauen of the whole Christen lyfe and Faith and the souereine and most assured comfort in all the miseries and sorowes of this most flightful and wretched lyfe is the Resurrection from death and the blissed and euerlasting lyfe with God In which not only our soules remayning after death shall enioy the beholding of our Lord God in quiet peace ioyfulnesse but also our bodies which were rotted and consumed in the dust of the earth shall liue ageine and bée repaired and being ioyned with their soules ageine and set frée all sinne and death shall bée glorifyed and receyue immortall honor And where in death they heertofore were dround they shall heerafter weare the rayment bryght Of true renowne and euermore bee found before the Lord in endlesse lyfe and lyght This doctrine concerning the Resurrection of our bodyes which is the peculiar wisdom of the christen church is euidently confirmed and lyghtsomly set out by Paul in this xv chapter of his first Epistle too the Corinthians Therefore it is of that kynd of cases that instruct The cheefe partes of the whole disputation are three 1 Whither there bée any rysing of the dead 2 What manner a one it is or what manner of bodyes they shall ryse with 3 Of the cause of the rysing of our bodies which is Chrystes victorie in which he swalowed vp sin death and hell by his death and restored eternall lyfe and glorie too his Church by his Resurrection THe enterance intoo the matter putteth vs in mynde that the true and néedfull Doctrine concerning the chéefe articles of the Christen faith is often continually too bée repeated and beaten intoo the hearers eares Euen in this consideracion bicause the Gospell is the power of God effectuall in woorking saluacion too euery one that beléeueth I do you too vnderstand or I put you in mynd of the Gospel which I haue preached vntoo you which you haue embraced by fayth by which also you bee saued if you holde it fast by faythe onlesse peraduenture by this tyme hauing shaken off fayth you haue beleeued in vayne This selfsame gospell I say doo I put you in mynd of that you may bethinke you wirh what words I haue preached vntoo you For I haue deliuered c. The proposition state or ground of the first part is The dead shall vndoutedly ryse agein THis proposition doth he warrant by sixe Argumentes First of the efficient cause The totall or sufficient cause of a thing being set downe the effect foloweth of necessitie in such tyme and maner as the cause or the wil of God hathe appoynted Chryst who is the cause of our Resurrection and lyfe is verely risē in his very body from death and hath promysed of certeyntie that he wil rayse vntoo lyfe the bodyes of all men that bée dead Ergo without any dout euen our dead bodyes shall also ryse agein Paul concludeth this argument in the forme of an Ethuthymema Chryst who was dead is risen ageine in very déed Ergo wée also shall ryse agein when wée bée dead The consequent is of force holding from the efficient and sufficient cause too the effect which he will accomplish as he hath promysed This reason of the consequence Paule himselfe poynteth out a little after For séeing that by man came death by a man also must come the resurrection of the dead For like as in Adam all men die So also by Chryst shall all men bée called agein too lyfe The Antecedent which is the ground woorke of the Resurrection of our bodyes and of our whole Fayth and saluacion is confirmed at large by Paule First by witnesse of the Scripture which testifyeth that Chryste dyed for our sinnes Esay liij Daniel ix Zach. iij. and .xiij. Psalm .xxij. And that he rose agein the third day Osée vj. in the storie of Iones Psalm .xv. Zach. xiij Esay xj Actes .xiij. Secondly by the record of many that sawe Chryst after he was risen and were familiarly conuersant with him full fortie dayes Chryst the same day that he rose from death appéered not only too Cephas or Simon Peter and the twelue Apostles of whom Paule maketh mencion in this place but first of all too Marie Maudlin Iohn .xx. Marke .xviij. next too the rest of the women Math. xxviij Thirdly too a cupple walking intoo the féeldes whom the Apostles beléeued not Mark .xvj. Fourthly too Cephas or Simon Peter Fifthly too Cleophas and Nathanael as they were going toowards Emaus too whome at their returne all the Apostles giue credit Luke the two and twentith Sixthly too all the Apostles as they were assembled toogither sauing Thomas Luke the foure and twentith Iohn the twentith j. Corinthians xv And all these appéerings were made the very day of his Resurrection vppon which day also S. Hierom is of opinion that Chryst shewed himselfe too Iames the lesse of whom Paule maketh mention in this place Afterward he shewed him selfe sundrye tymes too the Apostles when Thomas was with them and at the sea of Tyberias Iohn xx xxj Also in Galilie too mo than fyue hundred brethren at once And also too his Apostles or too the thrée score and tenne and too all the rest of his Disciples Finally after his Ascention Chryste shewed himselfe too Paule also that hée was risen ageyne Paules second argument WE sée the Apostles doo preache that Chryste is risen from death Ergo there is in very deede a rysing ageine of the deade The consequens holdeth of the authoritie of the Apostles who are sent from God and are assured that they cannot erre The third argument is a bringing back by impossibilitie It is impossible that twoo ful contraries should both at once be true or false This Exposition The deade ryse not ageine or no deade folkes ryse ageine is false Ergo the contradictorie or full contrarie proposition The deade shall ryse ageine is true and certeine The minor or Second parte of the Argument is proued thus of truthe there can come nothing but truthe But of this proposition No deade folks rise ageine folow things manifestly false and irkesome too heere namely that not euen Chryste is risen ageyne and that the preaching of the Apostles is vayne whych are false witnesses of GOD and so GOD himselfe who hath auouched that he raysed Chryst
Also there bee heauenly bodyes and there bee earthly bodyes that is too say there shall bée a difference betwéene the bodyes of the godly and the bodyes of the vngodly There is one glorie of the Sunne and another glorie of the Moone and another glorie of the starres y is to say euē amōg the godly and the Saincts in heauen there shall bée a differente of glorie For like as one Starre excelleth another in bryghtnesse so shall Chryst the Prophetes Apostles and other constant Martyrs and acknowledgers of the sonne of God shyne bryghter than the other common sort of the godly as is sayd Dan. xij Then shall the lerned shyne like the bryghtnesse of heauen and those that haue instructed many in ryghtuousnesse shall shyne like the Starres for euer and euer Then declareth he by foure Iscolies set one ageinst another what maner of bodyes the bodyes of them that ryse agein shalbée verely euen the selfsame that they bée at their buriall as touching their substāce but immortal made bright and glorified Wherein the phrase of Paules wryting is too bée considered how the nowne adiectiue in forme of a substantiue is ioyned too the subiect by the preposition In. It is sowen in corruption that is too say it is buried in the ground a mortall or corruptible bodye ▪ It ryseth in incorruption that is too say it ryseth an incorruptible or immortall bodye It is sowen in dishonour that is too say a foule or ylfauoured bodye stinking and crawling full of wormes It ryseth in glorie that is too say glorious shyning cléered and pure from all blemish It is sowen in weaknesse that is too say weake frayle transitorie of a dayes continaunce a shadowe a froth a Ghoste a steme a blast a fether a breth a puffe a dreame a bubble a flud a temple a strydey a wynd a dust It ryseth in power that is too say myghtie strong florisshing and frée from all infirmitie It is sowen a natural body that is too say liuing the naturall lyfe by reason sense and nourishing power which is susteyned with meat and drink and is encreased and begetteth and may dye It ryseth a spirituall body that is too say liuing the spirituall lyfe kindled by the holy Ghoste which is not maynteyned with meate drink ne begetteth ne dyeth but is like the lyfe of the Angels Math. xxij and like the lyfe of God. The first man was made a liuing soule Gen. ij That is too wit not simply as the beastes liue but such a one as Chryst should also with his spirit quicken without meat and drink too the spirituall and euerlasting lyfe The first man is of the earth earthly Hée alludeth too the originall of the woord Adam which signifyeth earth or clay whereof he was made like as also among the Latines man is called Homo of Humus which signifyeth the earth as if he had sayd made of the earth clay and earthly The second man is the Lord from heauen Chryste being risen from Death hath now a heauenly immortall and glorious body too which our bodies shall in all respectes bée like and conformable when they are raised ageine from Death Phil. ij Like as before Death they were altoogither like Adams body which was subiect too Death and other miseries Flesh and blud cannot inherite the kingdom of God that is too say this corruptible body defiled with sinfull inclinations and fleshly affections and subiect too death cannot possesse the kingdome of God vnlesse it bée altered of a body mortall defyled and stained with sinne bée made a body pure and cleane and fined from all filthinesse immortal The same flesh that is buryed shal rise agein and the same substance of flesh and blud shall remaine still as Iob sayth I shal sée God in my self whom I my self shall sée and none other for mée For as Tertullian reasoneth plainly in his bóoke concerning the resurrection of the flesh God forbid that God should for euermore abandon too destruction mannes flesh which is the woorke of his handes the care of hart the case of his breth the Quéene of his woorkes the heire of his liberalitie the préest of his religion the souldyer of his warfare and the sister of his Chryst ▪ c. Behold I shew you a mysterie that is too say I will more plainly expoūd and declare that which I told you more darkly in my former woords when I sayd that flesh bloud shuld not possesse the kingdome of god For that saying is too hée vnderstood not of the substance of fleshe and bloud but of the exchaunge of their properties For it behoueth this corruptible body which wée now beare about vs too put on incorruption and this selfsame mortal body too put on immortalitie before it can obtein possession of Gods kingdom Some also shall not die at all whom the sonne of God shal find aliue at his comming too iudgement but they shalbée sodeinly changed endued with new lyght glory power immortalitie The third part of the Chapter THen shal the saying be fulfilled which is written Esay xxv Osee xiij Death is swallowed vp intoo victorie O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks bee to God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryst The efficient cause of the raysing of our bodyes and of restoremēt of ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe is the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who in his Death hath swalowed vp our Death and by his ryghtuousnesse obedience hath purged our sinnes and pacifying Gods wrath taking away the curse of the law hath gottē vs victorie ageinst sin death and the curse of Gods law For these thrée are the cruellest enemies of mankynd and the chéef mischeues plages which moost cruelly and féersly make hauock of all mankind without difference killing them and deuouring them euerychone Therfore Paul in this place by feining a person peinteth out death like a most mischeuous outlaw or cruell souldier armed with a pike or a darte that is too wit with sinne wherwith he assaileth all mankind without gainsaying and pusheth all men through and killeth them For by reason of sin all men are subiect too death and are slaine by death as is sayd Rom. v. By one man sinne entered intoo the world and by sinne death And so death ran ouer al men bicause al men haue sinne Also sinne reigned by death slaying all men The very same is the méening of the woords in this text the sting of Death is sinne that is too say all men are slaine by Death bycause of sinne Now when this sting or speare of Death wexeth dul and blunt so as sin cannot execute his ful force vppon vs and bée felt Gods law like a whetstone sharpneth sin and both sheweth the greatnesse and horriblenesse of sin and also maketh it more
read He shall ouerthrow death for euermore But wée may most safely folow Paules translation The other place is in Osee xiij I Will redeeme them from the hand of hel I wil deliuer them from Death where are thy plages O Death wher is thy destruction O hell Oseas also preacheth of this most souerein benefite of the sonne of God that although his Church in this world bée oppressed with manyfold persecution and miseries as well as the rest of men that are vngodly yet will he vndoutedly deliuer it from Death and out of the very iawes of hell and wil endue it with new lyfe and euerlasting ioyfulnesse For the Hebrue woord Scheol ▪ which vsually they translate hel dooth properly signifie the graue wherin the bodyes of deade folkes are bestowed also the place in which mennes soules departing from their bodyes are reserued till the last iudgement day The Prophet therfore promiseth deliuerance too the godly members of the church not that they shalbée priuiledged in this lyfe from all miseries and from death it selfe but that when they are dispatched out of this lyfe and buryed in their graues euen then he willeth them too looke for assured deliuerance or resurrection a much better life which shall continue for euer bicause Death which héertoofore was the plage and destruction of all mankynd and deuoured al men is now ageine deuoured and swalowed by Chryst our redéemer who paying the full pryce or raunsome for vs hathe borowed vs out for so doo the Hebrew woordes Pada and Gaal signifie which the Prophet vseth in this place And as touching the woordes that ensue which Hierom hathe translated thus Ero mors tua ô Mors Ero morsus tuus ô Inferne That is too say O Death I will bée thy Death O hell I will bée thy sting and which Paule hath expressed by an Interrogation O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie It is euident that the diuersitie of the interpretations ryseth of the Hebrew woordes which haue many significations For the woord Ehe and the future tence Cal is of the verb Haiah by Apocape which is a figure that taketh away a letter or a sillable from the end of a woord for the whole woord is Ehieh I will bée And so is the aduerbe where which also by transposition of letters is red Aieh It appéereth therfore why Paule and the .lxx. Interpreters and Aquila of Sinope and the fifth edition all which Ierom citeth haue translated the woord Ehe where and not I will bee Where is thy inditement or accusation The woorde following Deuareca which S. Ierome translateth Mors tua thy Death the thrée score and ten Interpreters translate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy accusation or inditement and Aquila sermones tui thy sayings is likewyse of many significations For the woord Dibber signifyeth too speake and also too kill or destroy ij Reg. xxij Athalia Dedabber slew all the kings stocke Héeruppon Deber is as muche too say as a plage a murreine or a destruction Exod. ix ij Reg. vlt. iij. Reg. viij And the other word Keleb in the part folowing is almost of the same signification for it signifieth a wasting plage or destruction and rooting out As in the Psalme xcj. Thou shalt not bee afrayd of Deber the plage that rageth in the darke nor of Keleb the destruction that wasteth at the noone day Where wée in our Latin translation haue A negocio perambulante in tenebris ab incursu a Daemonio Meridiano Which is of the businesse walking in the darke of the sodein rushing in and of the Diuel of the noone day Therfore the proper méening of Osée is out of all dout this Where are thy plages O death where is thy rooting out O hell Death and Hell did héeretoofore bring plage and vtter destruction vppon all men through sinne wherewith all mankynd is horribly atteinted and appaired And then cheefly is this plage felt then dooth it shewe it self then dooth it strike a man intoo horrible fearfulnesse and sorowes which are the enterances intoo euerlasting Death when sinne is stirred vp and rowzed by the lawe of God as Paule sayeth Rom. vij But Chryste by his death and gooing downe intoo hell hath brought a plage and destruction vppon deathe and hell So that from hence foorth not only Chryst himselfe but also all the godly that beléeue in Chryst may vaunt themselues ouer vanquished Death and destroyed Hel with these woordes Death vvhere is thy plage or sting wherwith thou haste heretofore murdered all mankynd Hell where is thy victorie whereby thou hast vanquished all men Thankes bée vntoo God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryst for God so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne too the entēt that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting For like as Moyses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse so behoued it the sonne of man too bee exalted too the intent that all that beléeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Therfore my deerbeloued brethren bee stedfast vnmouable and alwayes abounding in the woork of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vayne in the Lord. He concludeth his disputation with a short Exhortation that they should stedfastly hold them too the true doctrine cōcerning the Resurrection of the dead and the other Articles of the Christen fayth which they had receyued of Paule and not suffer themselues too bée drawen away from it by any likely persuasions of the false Apostles but endeuer too profit in true godlynesse and full assurednesse of fayth and the spreading abrode of the true doctrine and in executing the residue of the labours of their vocation vpon trust of Gods helpe and hope of luckye successe and such as may bée too the welfare of the Churche according too this most swéete promise Your labour shall not bee in vayne in the Lord. Vppon the Sunday called Quasi modo geniti or the first Sunday after Easter IT tooke this name of the Introit taken out of j. Pet. ij As newborne babes desyre the reasonable and pure milke that you may growe in it if so bée you haue tasted that the Lord is swéete For in the auncient Churche when in manner men growen were baptized it was a custome too baptize on the Easter holydayes and too giue milke to taste too those that were baptized and a whyte garment too put on whiche was a token of freedome and innocencie Whereuppon the wéeke is called yet still in Albis and the Sunday is called the Sunday in Albis or whyte Sunday and it is that which foloweth next after Easter And the verses out of the hymne Salue festa dies are knowen Behold o holy King great part of thy renowne is seene When sacred baptim doth aduāce the soules by thee made cleene Thy souldiers from the siluer streame come pure and whyte of hew Cleane washed from
the Altar of the crosse But the Christians to the intent they would dissent from the Iewes who kept their Passeouer the .xiiij. daye of the moone of the first mooneth did after the tyme of the Apostles remoue the feast of Easter vntoo the Sunday that folowed next after the sayd foortéenth day of the moone or the full moone of the first mooneth vppon which day Chryst rose agein frō death Therfore in this saying Our Pesseouer for vs the woord Passeouer is in the Predicament of Relation the foundation whereof the persone of Chryste and the bound is that Chryst is appoynted too bée slayne too pacifye Gods wrath ageinst our sinnes which are conueyed intoo this Lambe or layd vppon this Lamb too beare Let the yoonger sort at the beginning consider this signification of the woord Passeouer and therewith all let them also marke the tymes The first passeouer was instituted at the passing of the Israelites out of Egipt the yéere of the world 2453. From the first passeouer or frō the departure of Israell out of Egipt vntoo this Easter of the yéere after Chrysts birth 1570. are passed 3079. yéeres From the first passeouer vntoo the passion of Chryst the Pascall Lamb that was offered for vs are 1542. yéeres From the last Iewish passeouer which Chryst hild with his Disciples before his passion are passed 1537. yéeres And frō the beginning of the world vntoo this present yéere 1570. are accounted 5532. yéeres The second place A comparing of the Iewish Passeouer with passeouer of the Christians THe Storie of the institution of the Iewish passeouer and the ceremonies ▪ of the same are described in Exod. xij which in very goodly portrayture peynteth out the doctrine concerning the persone and benefits of Chryst concerning the new obedience that is too bée yelded too god All the sayd comparison may for instructions sake bée diuided intoo six Articles The marking out of the tyme. For as in the first mooneth the beginning wherof was always the coniunction or méeting of the Sun and the Moone next too the equinoctial of the spring tyme the tenth day of the mooneth the pascall Lamb was too bée chosen out of the whole flocke and too bée kept til the .xiiij. day or full moone So Chryste the tenth day of the first mooneth that is too wit vpō Palmesunday entered into the citie of Hierusalem and the .xiiij. daye was taken in the Gardein and sacrifysed for the saluation of mankynd 2 Of the persone of Chryst As the Lamb was too bée chosen without spot a Male and a yéerling So is Chryst a Lamb without spot without guyle vndefyled and cléerly without all sinne and blemish j Pet. j. Hebr. vij 3 Of the sacrifise of Chryst Like as it behoued the Lamb too bée slayne and offered by the whole multitude So was Chryst our Passeouer offered for vs Hither may all the doctrine concerning the passion and sacrifyse of Chryst offered vppon the Alter of the crosse bée referred 4 Of the benefits of Chrysts sacrifyce Like as God spared the Israelites whose posts were sprinkled with the blud of the Lamb euen so all they that are sprinkled with the blud of Iesus Chryst obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe according too this saying Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world j. Pet. j. Yée are redéemed with the precious blud of the immaculate Lamb Chryst 5 Of the applyment of Chrystes benefites Like as the posts of the Israelites were sprinkled with a bundle of Isop dipped in the blud of the Lamb So is the vertue and woorking of Chrystes blud or sacrifise offered and applyed too vs by his woord by the sacraments of Baptim and the Lords Supper Psalm lj Thou shalt sprinkle mée with Hisop O Lord and I shall bée made cleane 6 Of conuersion or new obedience Like as it behoued the dowe too bée taken out of the houses of the Israelites and that they should eate vnleauened bread So Paule willeth vs too put away the old Leuen that is too say sinne false opinions and leawde lustes and earnestly too practise sincere fayth prayer and al vertues that please God and so to kéepe a continuall feast of Passeouer in vnleauened bread of vncorruptnesse and truthe The benefites of Chrysts resurrection are cheefly three FIrst glorious deliuerance from the tyrannye of the Deuill sinne and death and restorement of rightuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe whiche Paule setteth foorth with excellent lyghtsomnesse of woords and figures Col. ij Yée are rysen agein in Chryst through faith in Gods power who hath raysed him from death and with him also quickened vs who were dead in our sinnes forgiuing vs all our trespasses and putting out the hādwriting that was ageinst vs in the lawe written which he hath taken away fastened too his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and made a shewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his own persone Let vs alwayes haue before our eyes this most beautiful description of the victorie and triumphe of Chryst rysing frō death And bycause he termeth it a Triumphe let vs consider the comparison Whē the Romane Captaynes made warre with puissant Kings and ouercame them in battaill they were woont too bée caryed intoo the citie of Rome sitting in a charyot of gold and a chayre of Iuorye which was drawen by foure whyte horses Before the Charyot were led and set out too the showe the vāquished enemies Kings that were prisoners And alost before the charyot were caried tables in whiche were paynted the battels the winnings of Cities and the other things doone by the conquerour After the charyot folowed the souldiours by whom the conquest was made Vntoo them were rewards giuen The Graundcaptein that was the Conquerour being crowned with bayleaues or fig leaues was led intoo the Capitoll where knéeling downe before the Altar of the most mightie and most mercifull Iupiter he gaue him thankes for bestowing that victorie vpon the Romanes and when he had made his sacrifise departed too the court So when Paulus Aemylius had vanquished Persey King of Macedonie he led him prisoner in Tryumph his sonne also who afterward became a Clerk in Rome Of this maner of the Romane triumph dooth Paule take patterne in this place Chryst our king hath hild continual and sore warre with the whole kingdome of Sathan whiche is diuided intoo certein principalities Potestates and degrées At length by his owne death he hath ouercome death by his passion he hathe taken away sinne by becōming accursed he hath set vs frée from the curse of the Lawe These thrée enimies sin death and the curse of the lawe or the handwryting of our owne cōscience are the chéefest sinewes of the Diuels power These hath Chryst vanquished and taken away not with gunnes swoordes and speares but with his owne crosse This caryeth he in Triumph and vppon it fasteneth he
is woorkfull in you that beléeue ij Cor. v. God hath reconciled vs too himselfe by Iesus Chryst and hath béetaken vnto vs the office of preaching the attonement Therfore are wée messengers in the roume of Chryst euen as though God did exhort you by vs j. Cor. j. It pleased GOD through foolishnesse of preaching too saue them that beléeue Act. xj Peter shall speake woordes vntoo thée by which thou shalt bée saued bothe thou and thy housholde Esay lv The woord that passeth out of my mouthe shall not returne emptie vntoo mée but shall woorke all things that I haue sent it vntoo Rom. x. Faith commeth by heering and héering by the woord of god Rom. xv Whatsoeuer things bee written c. Iohn xvij I pray not for the Apostles c. Iohn xv You are made cleane by the woord The second place Of the efficient cause of the woorkfulnesse of the ministerie and of all good and healthfull deedes NOt by mannes power dooth the preaching of the Gospel woorke saluation too euery one that beléeueth neyther is true knowledge of God and rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe wrought in the hartes of the héerers by the woord of the Gospell for the woorthinesse and vertues of the ministers or preachers but by the woorking of God himselfe who thorough the ministerie and preaching of his woord kindleth godly thoughts or the light of the true knowledge of Chryst which is faith and quickeneth or trāsformeth our harts and mynds intoo the same likenesse that they may bée made partakers of the light and lyfe of god And therefore Paule sayeth Such trust haue wee through Chryst to Godward not that wee are sufficient of our selues too think any thing as of our selues but all our ablenesse commeth of God As though Paule should say Whereas I auouche that you Corinthians being conuerted by my preaching doo beare witnesse of my faithfulnesse and disproue the slaūders of the false Apostles I say so not trusting too myne owne strength but onely vntoo God who wrought mightily by my preaching And herewithall this sentence of Paules concerning the weaknesse of frée will or of mannes owne power dooth vs too vnderstand that it is so poysoned weakened and fordoone with the venim of sinne that of it owne strength it can neither woork the rightuousnesse that liketh God nor atteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and saluation nor think any thing that pleaseth God or may bée helpfull too it selfe in the conuersion or iustifying of it selfe and much lesse can woork toward it like as also he sayeth j. Corin. ij The naturall man perceyueth not the things that are of Gods spirite For vntoo him they are foolishnesse and he can not vnderstand them bicause they are too bée weyed spiritually ▪ Thirdly also he dooth vs too wit in generall that nothing can bée doone eyther in the spirituall lyfe to soule health or in the ciuill lyfe rightly and fortunatly but by the helpe and gift God as it is sayd Iohn iij. A man can not take aught too himself except it bee giuen him from heauen And Nazianzene Onlesse God giue labour auayleth nothing The third place Of the Letter and the Spirit or the difference betweene the ministerie of the old Testament of the new which is taken of the effects or formall cause THe new Testament dooth most properly betoken the same thing that dooth the Gospell or the promise that concerneth the sonne of God our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ and Gods grace remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation too bée giuen fréely for Chrysts sake onely too those that beléeue by the ministerie of which promise the holy Ghost woorketh and kindleth new light new rightuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe in our harts The Letter signifieth the lawe of Moyses both ceremoniall and morall written with letters in tables of stone and all obedience or indeuer of dooing the ceremoniall or moral woorks of the Law without the holy ghost or without true faith kindled by the holy Ghost The Spirit signifieth Chryst himselfe or the holy spirit of Chryst who by the preaching of the gospell kindleth true light of the knowledge of God true comfortablenesse rightuousnesse and lyfe in mennes hartes as is sayd j. Iohn v. This is the witnesse of the Gospell that God giueth vs eternall lyfe of frée gifte and this lyfe is in his sonne Hée that hath the sonne hath lyfe and hée that hath not the sonne of God hath not lyfe Therefore the Spirit and lyfe of the whole doctrine deliuered by GOD in eche of the Testamentes yea and of all good woorkes ceremonies and good intentes is all only Chryst And therefore sayeth Paule that God made him a Minister of the new Testament or of the Gospell and not of the Letter or of the Lawe onely or of figures and woorkes what soeuer c. But of Chrystes Spirit which woorketh by the Gospell For the Letter that is too say Gods Lawe and all manner of doctrine or imitation and obedience and good intent of dooing the Lawe without the holy Ghost killeth that is too say bringeth not lyfe and true comfort too mennes myndes And in especiall the morall Lawe by shewing accusing and condemning sinne and by reueling Gods displeasure dooth onely kill and cast away all men intoo euerlasting damnation And therefore it is called the ministration of death as it is sayd j. Corinthi xv The sting of death is sinne and the power of sin is the lawe And Austin expoundeth this saying lernedly and godlily in his booke Of the spirit and the letter Cap. iiij and in the chapters folowing And Roma vij At the comming of the commaundement sinne reuiued and I was dead But Chrysts Spirite is effectuall by the Gospell and lighteneth and quickeneth mennes hartes and stirreth vp in their myndes not onely the shadowes of outward woorkes or imitations and gestures or vayne conceytes and good intentes but a true and new light rightuousnesse and lyfe and also kindleth and inflameth them with a burning fayth and loue toowardes GOD and other motions conformable too the wil of Chryst Vntoo this auouchement of the effectualnesse of the Gospel Paule addeth a comparison of the ministration of Moyses Lawe with the ministerie of the Gospell and by the figure of Rhetorike called Expolition repeteth the selfsame sentence well néere foure tymes in exchaunge of woordes The pubishing of Moyses Lawe was doone with great miracles and was exceeding glorious Ergo much more shall the publishing of Chrystes Gospell bee glorious and mightie in woorking and in déed bring eternall lyfe and lyght considering how all that ordināce of Moyses ministration was appoynted and all the figures ceremonies and lawes of Moyses were set out for Chryst Now if the ministration of death through the letters written in stones was glorious that is too say if the ministration of Moyses Lawe written with letters in Tables of stone whiche killeth all men and condemneth them too endlesse death were glorious beautifull and cléere in so
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
counsel of the Godhed for mankind and turning vppon himselfe the most rightful wrath of God against sin ioyning too himself our nature by euer lasting and indissoluble bond Secondly the holy ghost hath sanctified the flesh taken of the substance of the virgin Marie and fashioned in Maries wombe the body of Chryst redy too bée borne Luke j. The causes inforcing the birth and Incarnation of the Sonne of God our mediatoure were chéefly foure First the excéeding loue and mercy of God towardes mankind which he would not haue forlorne for euer Secondly Gods iustice binding men either too obedience or too sufficient punishment Therefore when man had transgressed it was of necessitie that the punishment should be performed by man Thirdly Now that the pryce might bée of full value and the greatnesse of the desert might excéede the greatnesse of the sinne it béehoued the redéemer too excell all creatures and too bée a person of the Godhed Fourthly It is the duetie of a redéemer and high priest too appease Gods wrathe and too ouercome sinne and death and too bée at hand in all places and too héere and defend the Churche and too restore ryghtuousnesse and eternall life vntoo it But this can no man doo that is not also Emanuell that is too say in very déede and by nature God. The outward forcing cause is sinne and the most sorowfull damnation of all mankind which God wold not should vtterly perish The finall cause is shewed in the Sermon of the Angell Beholde I bring you tidings of great ioy for there is borne too you a sauioure Chryst the Lord. For the highest benefit that the sonne of God hath wrought vntoo vs by his birth is saluation that is too say deliuerance from Gods wrath from sinne from death from curse of the law from the tirannie of the deuil and from endlesse damnation and on the other side attonement with God ioy of conscience adoption too be the sonnes of God the gift of the holy ghost rightuousnesse and euerlasting life Too bée short the woord of God Iesus Christ is become that which wée bée too the intent he might make vs fully that which he is For that I may vse the woordes of Ciprian Chryst the sonne of God voutsaued too become the sonne of man to the intēt he might make vs men the sonnes of God He tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant too the intent he might set vs frée that are the seruauntes of sinne and death He was wounded that he might heale our wounds and it was his will too die that he might giue vs mortal wights immortalitie These benefits are brefly conteined in the promises made too Adam Abraham In thy séede shall all nations be blissed Also the womās séede shall tread downe the serpents head And the summe is vttered in cléere and lyghtsome woords by Paule Galath 4. After that the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne borne of a woman made vnder the lawe too the intent he myght redéeme those that were vnder the law that wée myght bée adopted the sonnes of God of which notable sentence I will intreat more at large the next Sunday The .iij. Of the applying NOw forasmuch as these are great good things which the sonne of God bringeth the sorowful minds demād how wée wretches defiled with sinnes can atteine them That do the Angels teach vnto you is borne a sauior And Esay a child is born vnto vs a sonne is giuen vntoo vs And hereuppon is grounded this sentence Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne to the intent that all y beleeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting For too this purpose was the sonne of God sent that wée al whoo are vtterly vnwoorthy and horibly defiled should bée accepted of God for his sake and atteyne remission of sinnes and eternall saluation And wee are most straightly commaunded of God too beléeue assuredly that these good things are giuen vs for his sonnes sake and through this faith shining before vs too sing all our life long with the Angels 1 Glorie bee too God on high that is too say nowe that the sonne is borne for the same sonnes sake is true and perfect glorie yéelded vntoo God not only for that he is God wyse rightuous and a iudge but also for that he is mercifall and certeinly accepteth vs for his sonnes sake and rewardeth vs with eternall life This glorie doo neyther heathenmen nor Turkes nor hipocrites but only they that beleeue in the sonne that is borne too vs and giuen too vs yéelde vntoo God. 2 In earth peace that is too say men haue God reconciled and fauorable too them and mainteine mutuall loue among themselues 3 Too men gladnesse that is too say although miseries and distresses befal them yet are their hartes quiet and merie and rest stedfastly in this souereine goodnesse that the sonne is borne too vs and giuen too vs. ¶ THE CONCLVSION In the knitting vp let the thrée places bée repeted and let a thanksgiuing bée added for the sending of the sonne and a prayer that God will voutsaue to gather a churche too his sonne among vs and kindle our mindes and hartes with his holy spirit so as wée may looke somewhat more déepely intoo this woonderfull deuise of our redemption and magnifie it with thankfull hartes Vppon Christmas day ¶ The Epistle Heb. j. GOd in times past diuersly many ways spake vntoo the fathers by Prophets but in these last days he hath spokē vntoo vs by his own sonne whom he hath made heire of all things by whō also he made the worlde Which sonne beeing the bryghtnes of his glory and the very image of his substāce ruling al things with the woord of his power hath by his own person purged our sinnes and sitteth on the right hand of the maiestie on hie beeing so much more excellent than the Angels as he hath by enheritaunce obteined a more excellent name than haue they For vntoo which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my sonne this day haue I begottē thee And agein I wil bee his father and he shal bee my sonne And agein when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne intoo the world he saith And let all the Angels of God woorship him And of the Angels he saith he maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire But vnto the sōne he saith thy seat o God shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter Thou hast loued rightuousnesse and hated iniquitie Wherefore God euen thy God hath anointed thee with Oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foūdation of the earth And the heauens are the woorkes of thy handes They shall perish but thou endurest They all shall wex old as dooth a garment and as a vesture
the Lawe by the ordinance of angels and haue not kept it VVhen they herd these things their harts claue a sunder they gnashed on hym with their teeth But he being full of the holy Ghost loked vp stedfastly with his eyes intoo heauen and sawe the glorie of God and Iesus standing on the right hande of God and sayde Beholde I see the heauens open and the sonne of man standing on the ryght hande of god Then they gaue a shout with a loude voyce and stopped their eares and ranne vpon him all at once and cast him out of the Citie and stoned hym And the witnesses layd downe their clothes at a yong mans feete named Saule And they stoned Steuen calling on and saying Lord Iesu receyue my spirit And he kneeled down and cryed with a loud voyce Lord laye not this sinne to their charge And when he had thus spoken he fell a sleepe The disposement of the accusation of Steuen of his defence out of the readings vppon the Actes of the Apostles The summe of the accusation may bee included in this Sylogisme IT is a blasphemie too teache that the law of Moyses giuen by God himself iustifyeth not but is to bée abolished togither with the temple and the rites of the sacrifices and all the politicke ordinances of Moyses Steuen teacheth that the Law and sacrifices of Moyses are not néedfull too the atteynèment of forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting saluation nor the chéef woorshipping of God but that they and the whole common weale of Moyses and the temple shall decay togither Ergo Steuen is giltye of blasphemie and treason and is too bée stoned to death according too the Lawe Leuit. 14. Ageynst this so heinous accusation Steuen hauing hys hart and countenaunce cléered with the light of God maketh a long defence wherein he answered too the Maior or first part denying it too bée blasphemie to teach that the law of Moyses iustifieth not and that the ceremonies and sacrifices of Moyses are not the true and chéef woorshipping of God and that the rites of Moses togither with the common weale and temple must bée doone away Therefore the summe of Steuens aunswer for his defence may bée included in foure Syllogismes The .j. Of iustification RIghtuousnesse and eternall saluation is bestowed after one selfsame maner vppon the fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob and all holy men in all times of the world The Fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob c obteyned forgiuenesse of sinne and euerlasting saluation not for the law and sacrifices offered in the temple which at that time were not yet ordeyned but only by the promise of the blissed séede which they tooke hold on by fayth Ergo wée also are made heires of rightuousnesse and euerlasting saluation not by the Lawe and sacrifices of Moses but by that only séede of Abraham that was promised euen our Lord Iesus Chryst according also as Peter witnesseth afterward wée beleue that wée are saued by the grace of our Lord Iesus Chryst like as our fathers were saued also Her vppon it is rightly concluded that the ceremonies of Moyses or the lawe and sacrifices of Moyses are not néedfull to saluation The .ij. Of the promises ALl Saints must néedes obteyne the principall promise made too all the Saincts For otherwyse the promise were in vayne and too no purpose Vntoo Abraham and the other Fathers was giuen promis of blissing and of the inheritance of the land of Canaā and yet Abraham obteyned not so much as one foote bredth of the land at any tyme in possession Ergo the blissing that was promised too Abraham was another thing than this bodyly common weale and sacrifices of Moyses that is too wit forgiuenesse of sinnes and the true and euerlasting good things The .iij. Of the true worshipping of God. THe principall woorshipping of God is alwayes one and cōmon too all the saincts throughout al times of that world The fathers Abraham Isaac Iacob and Ioseph dyd doutlesse woorship God a right and yet obserued not the ceremonies of Moyses Lawe which at that time was not yet deliuered ne offered sacrifices in the temple which was not yet at that tyme buylded Ergo the Mosaicall ceremonies and the sacrifices that are offered in the temple of Hierusalem are not the true chéef woorshipping of God according as the Prophete sayeth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings The .iiij. Of the abrogating of the law and common weale of Moyses MOyses himself sayeth The Lorde our God shall rayse vp vnto you a Prophet from among our brethrē Héere yée him Whosoeuer shall not héere that Prophet I wilbée reuenged of him But now is that Prophet come that Moyses promised which teacheth playnly that the Law and ceremonies of Moyses are not necessary too iustification and saluation Ergo he is too be heard or it is too bée beléeued for a certeintie that the law is abrogated Or let the Argument bée framed in thys wyse Chryst whom Moyses himself commaunded too bée herd is the end of the Law for the ceremoniall politike lawes and all the common weale of Moyses was ordeyned too this end that it might bée the seate of the churche and a place for Chryst too bée borne in and that it should ceasse assoone as Chryst was exhibited Chryst whom Moyses in the .xviij. of Deut. commaundeth too bée herd is now exhibited Ergo the Lawes of Moyses toogither with his common weale temple shall bée abrogated and that too this end that the very same dooing away of it may bere witnesse that the Messias which was promised too the Fathers is already exhibited and that the lawes of Moyses are not necessarie too saluation This is the summe of Steuens long oration which comprehendeth the chéef Articles of the Christian doctrine Of which things the full exposition may bée fetched out of my wrytings that conteyn the summe of the doctrine of my expositions vppon Genesis and Exodus the notablest Stories of which bookes Steuen citeth for the most part in this Oration Of Steuens martyrdoome MArtyrdoome signifieth witnes bearing wherby wée witnesse before other men not only in voyce ▪ but also with our blud and by our death that the doctrine of the Gospell concerning the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst is certein and vndeuybable and neuer shrink from our confession of the true doctrine for all the most bitter hatreds terrours and bodyly tormentes in the world too this ende that the true knowledge of God may bee preserued and the certeyntie of the true doctrine and the fayth of others that bée of the weaker sort may bée cōfirmed And finally that it may bee a witnesse of the iudgment to come and of the endlesse immortalitie and glorie of the Saincts The partes of martyrdoome may bée called the confession of the true doctrine which is made with the mouth and the sufferance or torment of the bodye and
it punisheth vs with death sicknesse and other miseries all which are sermons of the lawe concerning Gods dreadfull wrath ageinst sinne And the lawe is called our schoolemaster vntoo Christ for thrée causes First bycause the lawe by shewing vs the hugenesse and horriblenesse of sinne and by pronoūcing vs subiect too Gods wrath and euerlasting damnation driueth vs too séeke oure Phisitian and helper the sonne of God who alonely hath by his owne death taken away sinne and death and deliuered vs out of the prison of the lawe Secondly bycause Chryste orderly is effectuall onely in those that eschue the outward offences forbidden by the law of God and frame their manners according to Gods lawe He is not effectuall in those that wittingly willingly perseuer in outward offences contrary too Gods lawe Thirdly bicause the Ceremonies of Moyses were preachings or figures instructing the church concerning Christes benefites as the Lambe that was slaine for Passeouer betokened Chryst the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world All the Leuiticall sacrifices were sermons of Chrystes sacrifice Let yoongmen beare in mynd this exposition of Paules saying The lawe is our schoolemaister vntoo Chryste and so muche the more let them looke that they frame their manners according too honest discipline too the intent they shake not off the grace of Chryste but continue the Temples and dwelling places of God that Chryst may dwell in them and bée woorkfull in them Vppon the Sunday next ensuing the Circumcision of our Lord. In this church of Rostocke before noone is expounded the storie of Chrystes Baptim out of the third Chapter of Mathew and after noone the Epistle Tit. iij. concerning the lauer of regeneration and renewment by the holy ghost The disposement of which Epistle is recited heretoofore on the feast of Chrystes birth Vppon twelfth day ¶ The Epistle Esay lx GEt thee vp betimes and be enlyghtened O Hierusalem for thy lyght commeth and the glory of the Lord is risen vppon thee For lo while the darknesse and cloud couereth the earth the people the Lord shall shew thee lyght and his glory shal bee seene vppon thee The Gentyles shall walke in thy lyght and kings in the brightnesse that springeth forth of thee Lift vp thyne eyes and loke round about thee al these gather themselues and come vntoo thee Thy sonnes shall come too thee from a farre and thy daughters shall gather about thee on euery side Then thou shalt see and bee a flote thy hart shall wonder and bee enlarged when the abundance of the sea shall bee turned vntoo thee when the power of the gentiles shall come vntoo thee The multitude of Camels shal couer thee the dromedaries of Madian and Epha All they of Saba shall come bringing golde and incense and vttering the praise of the Lord. The disposement THis feastful day which commonly is called the day of the thrée kings was in ancient time named Epiphanie that is too say the feast of Christes appéering or shewing himselfe openly too the world For they wryte y as on this day being the .vj. of Ianuarie how bée it in sundry yéeres both y starre appéered too the wise men or diuines of Persia and Chryst was baptised in Iordan where the whole Godhed did shew it selfe openly by euident witnesse so as the thrée seuerall persones were séene and beheld by Iohn Baptist and also Chryst vttered his own glory by his first miracle at the mariage in Cana of Galilie And therefore in the hymne of Sedulius which beginneth O Herod wycked fo c. they are ioyned all toogither And although it bée a more likelyhod that the mariage in Cana was kept some other day yet notwithstanding dyuers old fathers are of opinion that the selfsame day twoo yéere after Chryst was borne the wysemen came vntoo him and that the same day in the thirtyth yéere after his birth was Christ baptyzed also according as Nazianzene of set purpose taketh vppon him the story of Chrystes baptim too expound vppon the day of Epiphanie which they name also the holy-day of lyghtes And Epiphanius in his disproofe of fond tales the hundred foure score and seuenth page hath noted many pleasant things woorth the knowing concerning the time of the comming of the wise men and other storyes which bring singular lyght too the things that are declared by the Euangelistes And this sermon of Esay is red vppon this day bicause it séemeth too agrée with the story of the wysemen which comming too Hierusalem by the lyght of a starre that went before them offered golde and frankincense too Chryst our lord Héeruppon also peraduenture it myght ryse that they were called kings wheras they were not kings but Magies that is too say préests and diuines of the Persians Neyther is it certeinly knowne whither they were but only thrée or mo that came vntoo Chryst And that they came not immediatly the .xiij. day after Chrystes birth bothe the length of their forney sheweth for the néerest borders of Persia vntoo Iewry are twoo hundred and twenty Germane miles off from Iewry And Saba the head Citie of happy Arabie is about twoo hundred and foure score miles from Hierusalem and also Luke the Euangelist manifestly proueth who writeth that Christ the .xxx. day after was offered in the temple and born in Simeons armes Wherupon it foloweth he was not the same time a banished person in Egipt Moreouer the names of the wisemen are pleasantly and lernedly deuised Melchior that is too say a king of light or a lightsome king Balthazar that is too say a captaine or generall of the warres Caspar a secretarie or Chauncelor For these names betoken that the king wyth his Capteines and officers of courts or that the whole state of gouernmēt both of peace and warre ought too serue Chryst But I will leaue these vymatters and go in hand with Esays sermon which is woont too bee set foorth this day in the church which is altogither a prophesie of Christes kingdom The chéefe places are thrée j Of the person and benefites of Chryst the king ij Of the multitude or Churche gathered toogither of Iewes and Gentiles which is subiect too this king iij Of the tributes or dueties and seruices which the Church on hir behalfe dooth yéeld and perform agein too hir king Chryst THe Prophet beginneth with an exhortation wherwith he prouoketh the whole churche and all men too receiue Chryst the king and light of the world reuerently and too embrace his doctrine Get thee vp betimes neglect not despise not thy Lord and king Iesus Christ bée not luskish or cold in héering and learning his doctrine but get thée vp betimes that is too say vse watchfulnesse diligence and earnestnesse in hearing and mainteining the doctrine of the gospel embrace thou Christ the lyght of the world reuerently and hartely and endeuer too holde him fast As is sayd Rom. xiij It is time for
perteine these dueties of louing too woorke none euill too our neybor or too impaire no mannes body good name or goodes but too defend and mayntein them too our power Which vertue is named ryghtfulnesse and manlinesse Also too this commaundement perteineth frindship which is a cherisher of mutual good wil a faithfulnesse a séeking of coÌ„cord a méeknesse which yéeldeth not to anger and desire of reuengement a gentlenesse which beareth with the blemishes or defaults of other men c. Vntoo the sixth commaundement thou shalt not commit aduoutry perteineth the mutual loue of maried couples earnest pure not lusting after other men or other womeÌ„ Also chastitie which appaireth not the cleÌ„nesse of it self or of others And stayednesse which yéeldeth honor to the parties own body Vntoo the sâ—uenth thou shalt not steale belongeth ryghtfulnesse absteining from other mennes goods and weldoing or liberalitie towards whosoeuer is in néede Vntoo the eight thou shalt not bear false witnesse is referred not to hurt a mannes neibor by false witnesse slauÌ„ders back bitings raylings or other vntruths but in al a mannes dooings sayings to be soothfast freÌ„dly curteous faithfull c. In the nynth commaundement thou shalt not couet is required a perfect soundnesse of all the powers and desires of mannes nature agréeable with the rule of Gods law burning with the pure and chast fire of the loue of God and our neybor and voyde of all lust or concupiscence or of all sinfull inclinations affections or desires of corrupted nature wherwith men being now stirred vp do set more by mony or glory than by God himself like as that foolish loouer in Plautus crieth out I had leuer this woman loued mee than all the Gods that â—n the world bee So Paule in this place referreth almost al the vertues of good woorks to this one poynt of louing and maketh the precepts of the. x commaundements too bee the ground and rule of loue or of all good woorks For God wil haue al the whole life of christen folke al their thoughts deuises endeuers and dooings too bée ruled by the squire of the woord which he hath left among vs as he sayth in Deut. xij What I commaund thée that doo thou vnto the Lord neither put thou too neither take thou away Ezech. xx Walk not in the coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts of your Fathers for I am the Lord your God walke in my commaundements and keepe my iudgements and doo them Then are not the .x. coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts to bée hissed out of the church out of the life of christiaÌ„s as the Antinomians cauil which banish the law into the court of the ciuil magistrate or else bear folk in haÌ„d that the law serueth to none other purpose but too accuse condemn For wée see that Paul in this place vrgeth the .x. commaundements vpon christiaÌ„s as the squire and rule of good woorks and of all their lyfe Of the third LOue is the fulfilling of the lawe that is to say sound perfect and continuall obedience towards al the commaundements of Gods law without any sinne or blemish such as is required in the law of god Deut. vj. Math. xxij Loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule thy neybor as thy self .j. Iohn â–ª v. This is the louing of God that wée kéepe al his coÌ„maundements Such a louing of God and our neybor burning perfect with the whole hart without any lusts or sinful inclinatioÌ„s without any sin befalleth to no man Christ only excepted For in al men yeÌ„a euen in those the be regenerated the law of the members or y sinfull inclinations affectioÌ„s keepe war like enimies ageinst the law of god Gal. v. Roâ— vij and they striue against the spirit of god And in al meÌ„ yea eueÌ„ in the holiest there remaines lothsom filthinesse of sin which hindereth our loue obedience that it cannot fully perfectly satisfie y law of God nor of it own woorthynesse please God .j. Ioh. ij If wee say wee haue no sin wée deceiue our selues and the truthe is not in vs. Then séeing no mannes loue bée he neuer so holy is the perfect fulfilling of Gods lawe it is plaine too bee séene that no man is iustified before God by his owne loue or his own good woorks but that wée are freely for Christes only sake deliuered by faith from the cursse of the law from sin death and restored too rightuousnesse and lyfe Gal. iij. Rom. iij. Now when wee through the frée mercy of God for Chrystes sake are receiued and iustified by faith and endued with the holy ghost then also is the law stablished by faith not only bicause that through faith the full perfect rightuousnesse which Gods lawe claimeth is imputed too vs as though wée our selues had throughly satisfied Gods law but also bicause that through faith the true knowledgment of Chryst foreshining in our harts through the help of the holy ghost mouing our harts ther is kindled in our mind a new brighter light a stedier assent a confidence gladnesse settling it selfe in God a childly awe a pure and more burning loue of God a stedier purpose of obeying God according too all the commaundements of his holy law Which newbegonne obedience liketh God not for the owne worthinesse thereof but through faith in Christ that is too wit bicause the person of him that obeyeth is accepted by faith for Chrystes sake as in .j. Pet. ij is sayd Offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable too God by Iesus Chryst Vpon the Sunday called Septuagesima ¶ The Epistle .j. Cor. ix and .x. PErceiue ye not how that they which run in a race run all yet but one receiueth the reward So run that yee may obteine Euery man that proueth masteryes absteyneth from all thinges And they doo it too obteine a corruptible crowne but wee too obteine an vncorruptible crowne I therefore so run not as at an vncertaine thing So fight I not as one that beateth the ayre but I tame my body and bring it vntoo subiection lest by any meanes after that I haue preached to other I my selfe should bee a castaway The .x. Chapter BRethren I would not that yee should be ignoraunt of this how that our fathers were all vnder a cloude and all passed thorowe the sea and were al baptised vnder Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eate of one spirituall meat and did all drinke of one maner of spirituall drinke For they dranke of the spiritual rock that folowed them and that rocke was Chryst The cheefe places are three 1 Of diligence and busying our selues in the woorks of our owne vocation and in the folowing of the actions of all our whole lyfe in suche wyse as they may serue too Gods glory and atteine reward in euerlasting life 2 A generall exhortation too new obedience or a lyfe agréeing with Gods will and too shunne the offences
perfect by infirmitie Now forasmuch as the text of the Epistle is some what lōg and in diuerse places somewhat dark I will orderly and bréefly expound the phrases and woords of the Epistle Bycause many boste according too the flesh I will boste also True glorie is the allowable consent of God and of a mannes owne conscience iudging a ryght and of other men iudging a ryght of vertue or weldooings Or it is a notable and renowmed fame spred abrode euery where for many and great desertes eyther towardes ones countreymen or his country or all mankynd The vyces that encounter it are brauery or vaūting wherthrough wée set out ourselues beyond measure euen without cause And blockishnesse or lyghtnesse caring no whit at al what other men déeme or report of vs And forasmuch as the groundworke of glory is excellent vertue and too deserue well at other mennes hands The directest pathway too glory is too haunt vertue and not too couet too séeme best but too bée best as Aeschylus sayth Agein it is the greatest foly that can bée a plain token of dotage too couet the bare gloryousnesse or opinion of excellencie and the brute of the people without the foūdation which is true vertue Or too boast according too the flesh that is too say of fleshly outward and vaine things as of the nobilitie of a mannes country or house of a mannes owne wisdome and vertue or of ceremonies and in especially too vaunt and preferre him self before other like a Thraso For so doo fooles in déede whome vayneglorie setteth in a gog And Plutarch sayeth most fynely it is a ryght pleasaunt thinge too vs too héere oure owne prayses blazed by others but too héere another man praysing himselfe it is the irkesomest thing that can bée Paule minding too eschue that fault telleth the Corinthians before hād that forasmuch as he was compelled by the false Apostles he would take vppon him too play the foole a while to the entent they might vnderstand the doltishnesse and fond bragging of the false Apostles ageinst which if it were lawful too bost of himself he was able too set true prayses beséeming the Apostle of Chryste which all godly men myght acknowledge in him And he addeth iestingly ye willingly bear with fooles bicause your selues are wise And he ouerth wartly girdeth the false Apostles which vnder pretēce of the ministerie vsurped Lordship and tyrannye too themselues ouer the church and tooke meat drinke which Paul earned with his own hands and wages and rewards of the Corinthians And vaunting themselues wyth Thrasolike bragging vexed the Corinthyans with Tyrannicall reproches I speake as concerning rebuke as though wée had bene weake That is to say I am compelled to obiect this tiranny and couetousnesse of the fals Apostles to you to the intent yée may perceiue how reprochefull and vnbeseeming things yee bear with and that yee may bée ashamed that wheras we as weake and féeble haue vsurped vntoo our selues no tyranny ouer you no nor so much as taken due meat and drinke of you you notwithstanding haue more willingly obeyed the false Apostles than vs. Howbeit wherin soeuer any man dare bee bold that is too say Of what thing so euer any man dare boast or wher of soeuer the fals Apostles dare vaūt and brag themselues I also dare brag as well as they I speake through foolishnesse that is too say through the fond bragging of the false Apostles I am also constreyned too play a fooles part and too set out mine owne commendation They are Hebrewes that is too say the offspring of Heber the great graundchilde of Sem the sonne of Noe. Gen. xj the which Heber was borne the yéere of the world 1723. the yéere after the flud 67. and he liued vnto the yéer of the world 2187. which is the. 79. yéere of the age of Iacob or Israel the father of the twelue Patriarkes of whom all his posteritie were called Israelites that is too say vanquishers or Princes of God or fréemen of Shara and El like as of Heber they were called Hebrewes that is too say wayfarers of the woord Yauar hath passed ouer whereof commeth Bethabara that is too say the house of passage The seede of Abraham that is too say the offspring of Abraham and heirs of the most ample promises which are deliuered to Abraham in Gen. xij xv xviij xxij That is to wit not only the Iewes borne of the séede of Abraham as touching the flesh but also all nations that with the faith of Abraham embrace the promisse concerning Chryste made vnto Abraham that is to say the father of a great multitude Vnto this place may bée laid the Sermon of Paule made at Hierusalem Act. xxij and the beginning of the third chapter to the Philippians In labours more aboundant that is to say I haue endured more paines in spreading abrode the Gospell as he sayeth .j. Cor. xv I haue labored more than they all In stripes aboue measure that is to say I haue oftentimes receiued stripes for profession of the gospell In death often I haue oftentimes bin in danger of death I haue oftentimes had Death before mine eyes when all things manaced present death Fortie strypes saue one haue I receyued vnder colour of the law of Moyses Deut. xxv Thrice haue I bin beaten with roddes that is to wit by the sergeants of the heathen Act. xvj and elsewhere Once I was stoned Act. xiiij Thrice haue I suffered shipwrecke And within two yéeres after Paule suffered shipwrecke the fourth time at the I le of Malta Act. xxvij For he wrote this Epistle at Philippos the yéere of Chryste 56. and sailed to Rome in the Winter time 57. or 58. In iournying often that is too say I haue traueled much Let the windlasse of Paules trauels bée séene in the Table gathered out of the Acts of the Apostles and out of his owne Epistles In ieoperdie of mine owne nation that is too wit for the traines that were laid for mée by mine owne kinsmen the Iewes With singular diligence and cunning was all this sermon layd toogither by Paule and distinguished with Comaze Colons and Periods and flourished with Antitheses Iscolies Homoioptots and Interrogations that nothing could lightly haue bin more trimly compacted Which thing also S. Austin in his fourth Booke of Christian Doctrine Chap. 7. marketh vnfoldeth at large the cunning handling of this present place God knoweth A warrantize assured by taking the true God too witnesse The Lieuetenaunt of Aretas king of Arabie by the prouocation of the Iewes layd wait for Paule Act. ix thé third yéere after Paules conuersion Herodes Antipas had taken the sister of this Aretas too his wyfe and put hir away vppon his rauishment of Herodias and for that cause there arose warre betwixt them Surely it is not expedient for mee too boast namely least I may séeme
hathe not broken the agréement of the Church A like place is too bée found in the Tripartite storie in the .xxxviij. chapter of the nynthe Booke But in processe of tyme custome tooke such strength that this Fast was thought too bée vtterly of necessitie and that it could not bée broken without deadly sinne And there is mention made euery where of it in Austin who pleasantly playeth the Philosopher euen about the number of the fortie dayes employed vntoo Fasting by Moyses Helias and Chryst in his second boke of the consent of the Euangelistes the fourth chapter and in his hundred and nyneteenthe Epistle too Ianuarie and in his Sermons of the tyme In the Gréeke Churche the Wedensdayes and Frydayes were appointed too bée Fasted as it appéereth by Epiphanius and others Among the Romanes Bishop Innocent who ruled about the yéer of Chryst 420 is reported too bée he y commaunded first the Saturdayes fast when as before him Calixtus who was Bishop the. 220. yéer of Chryst had ordeyned the ember dayes in the foure seasons of the yéere But too the intent the summe of the true méening of Fastings may bée discussed wée will first distinguish the seueral kindes of it For our disputation is not concerning the fast that is of necessitie as some terme it nor of the Allegoricall fast which is too absteine from all offēces and sinnes wherof mention is made in Esay lviij and oftentymes is spoken among the Fathers as Basill sayeth The true Fast is the shunning of wickednesse the brydeling of the tung the restreyning of anger the banishing of concupiscences as fals backbyting lying swearing The cleane riddāce of which things is the true fast nor of the continuall fast or sobrietie and stayednesse in the measurable vse of meate and drinke too bée performed all the tyme of a mannes lyfe of which Hierom sayeth Let thy fastings bée pure continual and moderate and a repaste shunning fulnesse For it auayleth thée nothing too cary thy bellie emptie twoo or thrée dayes toogither if afterwarde thou stuffe it as full as it can holde nor of all kynde of abstinence from the outwarde commodities of the bodye and from all affliction and outward gesture or countenance of mourning which procéedeth from the sorowe of a broken hart and of one that in very déede and earnestly repenteth Of which is spoken in Ioel. ij Turne vntoo mée with all your hart in fasting and wéeping and wayling and rend your harts not your garments which in diuers places elsewhere of the Prophetes signifyeth true and earnest sorinesse of hart or repentāce shewed by outward mourning As in Dan. ix x. Leu. xxiij Ioh. iij. With which signification agreeth the originall of the Hebrue woord for the woord Ianah wherof they fetch their fasting signifieth too afflict or punish But properly in this disputacion wée entreate and argue of the dayes fast if I may so terme it namely when as it falleth out y men abstein frō al meat drink somtimes one day or mo or a whole day that is too wit. 24. houres or but till the euentide This manner of Fasting was vsed euen in the new Testament how bée it in such wyse that neither the day nor any certeine meates from which a man should absteine were appoynted but the whole thing was left frée too euery good mānes conscience and the opportunitie of the time But afterward came in superstitious and tyrannicall lawes concerning certeine meates and dayes and vngodly opinions which it behoueth too bée reproued by the woord of god There are therefore twoo distinct questions concerning fasting One of the difference and choyce of meates and dayes and the other of the abstinence of meates or of other for bearing For the Papistes doo not only commaund men too vse a more spare dyet or vtterly too absteine all the whole Lent tyme and euery wéeke vppon Fridayes and Saturdayes too the entent the mind may bée more meete too thinke vpon heauenly things but also forbid the eating of certeine meates as of flesh butter chéese egges c. And bear men in hand that it is deadly sinne if any man in the tyme of fasting doo eate flesh imagining this forbearing of certeine meates too bée Gods seruice and a woorke of necessitie euen though it tend too the offence of others Also they taught in tymes past that sinnes were purged by fasting or at least wyse that the merit of Chrystes Passion is applyed too vs for them It was hygh tyme that these vngodly and Idolatrous opiniōs woorking reproche too the merit of Chryste should bée found fault with For all men doo ryght well know the texts of the Gospell which expressely forbid men too obserue differences and choyce of meates in the Churche with opinion of Gods seruice or of necessitie Coloss ij Let no man iudge you in meat and drinke Also if you bée dead in Christ from the elements of this world that is too say from the worldly ordinaunces why as though yée liued too the world are yée led with the traditions of them that say touche not taste not handle not c. Also .j. Timothie .iiij. Paule termeth it the Doctrine of Diuels which commaundeth men too absteine from the meates that God hath created too bée receyued with thankes giuing Mathew .xv. Not that which entreth in at the mouth defyleth a man but that which procéedeth out of the mouth Romaines xiiij The kingdome of god is not meate and drinke but true godlynesse ryghtuousnesse peace and ioy .j. Corinthians .viij. Meate commendeth vs not vntoo God For neyther are wée the godlyer if we eate nor the vngodlyer if wee eate not And it appéereth not by the whole Doctrine of the Gospell that eyther by Fasting our sinnes are purged or remission of sinnes obteyned or the merits of Chryste applyed too vs but cleane contrarywyse it teacheth that the sacrifice death of our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God only purgeth and taketh away sinne And that this benefite is applyed too vs by fayth alone without any woorks of the lawe and much lesse by woorkes of mennes setting vp without Gods woord and ageinst Gods woord Concerning the other question that is too wit abstinence from foode forpyning a mannes selfe and such like exercyses of disciplyne wée also teache that it is frée for euery godly man too choose such exercyses of temperance agréeable to his yéeres and power too this end that his mynd being sober may bée more fit and bent too thinke vppon God too call daily vppon him too studie and too go through with all the affaires of his vocation more rightly But a man must not surmyse these exercises too bée of themselues the seruice of God neyther are superstitious lawes too bée made too bynde men too certeine dayes The true and most weighty causes for which these exercyses of sobernesse are too bée taken in hand and practyzed may bée fetched out of my exposition of the .vj.
not bee heire vvith the sonne of the freewoman So then brethren vvee are not children of the bond vvoman but of the free woman The disposement THis Epistle is of that kynd that instructeth For it is a Doctrine concerning the difference of the old Testament and the new set foorthe with a similitnde of Abrahams twoo wiues and their children taken out of the .xvj. and .xxj. of Genesis And therewithall are mingled places concerning the church or the difference betwéene the true church and the hipocritall church and concerning christen libertie The first place concerning the difference of the old Testament and the new A Testament in generall is a promis whereby one that is towardes death leaueth his will vntoo others vnder witnesse and bequetheth his goodes too his heires and declareth what he will haue performed on the behalfe of the heires Paule in the nynth too the Hebrewes sayeth Chryste is the mediator of the new Testament that through his death which befell for the redemption of those transgressions that were vnder the first Testament they which were called myght receyue the promis of euerlasting lyfe For wheresoeuer is a Testament there also must néedes bée the death of him that makes the Testament for the Testament is not of authoritie and force till the Testator bée dead Christ therfore when he was redy too die for vs made his Testament in which he witnesseth this too bée the will of him and of his eternall father that all which repent and flée too him by Fayth should obteyne forgeuenesse of sinnes and endlesse saluation for his bodyes sake which was deliuered for vs and for his bluds sake which was shed for vs and these his goods dooth he distribute too vs by his woord and Sacramentes The new Testament Then too define it most proprely is nothing els but the gospel y is too say A promis of remission of sinnes of the holy ghost and of life and soulehealth euerlasting too bee giuen freely too those that beleeue for Chrystes sake who dyed and rose agein for vs. This definition is builded vppon the woords of our Lords supper and vpon the .viij. and .ix. chapters too the Hebrues and vppon the .iij. and .iiij. chapters too the GalathiaÌ„s The mediator of this new testament is Chryste bycause he hath vttered too men the promis of forgiuenesse of sinnes and by his owne bludshed death fully discharged the raunsome or pryce sufficient for the sinnes of men which could not bée purged by our owne woorks and sacrifises and hath performed such an obedience as is the very desert for which remission of sinnes the holy Ghost new ryghtuousnesse eternall lyfe are bestowed vpon vs These benefits applieth he vntoo vs by his intercession and the outward meanes of his woord and sacraments The olde Testament is properly a publishing of the lawe or a couenant whereby God bounde the people of Israell too keep the law deliuered by Moses on the otherside promised them the laÌ„d of Canaan a certein coÌ„mon weale defence and all good things and added ceremonies and sacrifyses too bee figures of the persone and benefites of Chryste for whose sake only the beleeuers are at all tymes receiued into the leage of eternall saluation For there is but one selfsame principal and euerlasting Testament or couenant of God by which al the Patriarks Prophets Apostles and the rest of the chosen at all tymes are receyued that is too wit The promis of Gods fauor or of forgiuenesse of sinnes too bée giuen fréely for Christes sake Act. xv Rom. iiij By these definitions it appéereth that the difference betwéene the old Testament the new is in maner the same that is betwéene the law and the gospell In another place wée haue recited .vj. differences of the law and the gospel among which the chéef are these two The first is in the maner of the promisses The lawe or the old Testament promiseth good things but vntoo such only as kéepe the lawe vncorruptly But the Gospel or the new Testament promiseth remission of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe fréely for Chryst The second is of the effects The law or old Testament deliuereth no man from sinne and death ne giueth inheritance of eternall lyfe but denounceth vs the bondslaues of sinne and death accusing and encreasing our sinne casting vs intoo endlesse damnation But the Gospell or promisse of the new Testament deliuereth the children of the promisse from sinne and death and maketh them heires of euerlasting lyfe and of all heauenly good things This difference of the old Testament the new or of the lawe and the Gospell or of the people of the lawe and the people of grace is chéefly set out by Paule in this Epistle and garnished with the Allegorie of Abrahams two wiues and their children which Allegorie is brought in this place not too confirme but too beautifie and garnish the matter For like as Abraham had twoo wyues Agar a bondwoman and Sara a fréewoman by whom he had twoo sonnes Ismael bond and Isaac his heire Euen so God deliuering too men twoo kindes of doctrine the lawe and the gospell or the olde and the new Testament hath twoo peoples among mankynd of which the one embracing only the lawe séeketh ryghtuousnesse and eternall saluation by obseruing the law deliuered by God in mount Sinai and proudly despiseth the glad tydings of Gods frée fauâ—r and of faith like as the most part of mankind and specially the â—ewes other hipocrites which know none other ryghtuousnesse than the ryghtuousnesse of the law the image of which people is Ismael born as touching the flesh without Gods promis of the handmaid Agar by which name the Arabians are wont too cal mouÌ„t Sinai Gen. xvj who imagineth that the true children of Abraham or heirs of God are made or begotten by the fleshly regeneration and by the lawe or by desertes and woorkes of men This people béeing begotten too bondage vppon Agar or by Gods law published vppon Mount Sinai extendeth euen too the same Citie which is now called Hierusalem or too the sinagog of the Iewish people which although it vaunt it self stoutly too bée the true Churche and people of God descended from Abraham hauing the lawe and Ceremonies deliuered them by God yet is it in bondage with the children therof that is too say is not by the lawe deliuered from sinne and death nor made heire of ryghtuousnesse and eternall saluation but continueth oppressed with the thraldome of sinne and death and is cast out of the heauenly house or Church intoo endlesse damnation Now if the very lawe of God deliuered by God himselfe vppon mount Sinai begetteth none but bondmen ne deliuereth any man from death and sinne muche lesse can the woorkes of mennes traditions procure ryghtuousnesse and inheritance of eternall lyfe The other people or sonne of God by Sara the frée womaÌ„ borne ageine of the frée promis of the gospell trusteth too no
woorks or merits of his owne nor too any prerogatiue of the flesh But resteth by fayth vppon the only and frée mercy of God promised for Chrystes sake accounting his owne ryghtuousnesse which is of the lawe too bée but dung so he may win Chryst and obteyne Gods ryghtuousnesse by Fayth This Church embracing the frée promis of the Gospel by Faith is that heauenly or spirituall Hierusalem dispersed through the whole world and the moother of vs all bearing new children and new heirs too God from tyme too tyme by the ministerie of the gospell without the law without woorks Now albeit y this true church which without the law without woorks is madè heire of ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe bée despysed before the world and oppressed with persecutiō and hath not the lawe too hir husband and therefore séemeth vtterly barrein and hath not so many disciples nor so many sonnes as Agar hath or as the law hath that was made vpon mount Sinai yet is shée before God most glorious and most fruteful and dayly not by hir husband the law but by the gospel and spirit of Chryst conceueth beareth and bringeth vp children without number exempted from the bondage of sin and death and set frée from the tyranny of the law and made heires of all Gods benefites Of this frée woman Sara and this heauenly Hierusalem wée know our selues too bée Citizens and the heirs of God when wée embrace the promis of the Gospell by true and effectuall faith By this applying of the figures too the difference of the old Testament and the new and of the people of grace or of the true Church and the counterfet Church it is no hard matter too espye after what fort eche member in the text agréeth too this Doctrine and how the phrases are too bee vnderstoode Vppon the Sunday called Iudica or the fifth Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle Heb. ix CHrist beeing an hye preest of good things too come came by a greater and a more perfect tabernacle not made with handes that is too say not of this building neyther by the bloud of Goates and Calues but by his owne bloud he entred once intoo the holy place and found eternal redempcion For if the bloud of Oxen and of Goates and the ashes of a yong Cowe when it was sprinkled purified the vncleane as touchyng the purifying of the flesh how much more shall the bloud of Chryst which through the eternal spirit offered him selfe without spot too God purge your conscience from dead woorkes too serue the lyuing God And for this cause he is the mediator of the new Testamēt that through death which chaunced for the redemption of those transgressions that were vnder the first Testament they which are called myght receyue the promis of eternall inheritance The disposement THis Epistle is of that kind that instructeth And the state of it or the matter wherof it entreateth is a doctrine concerning the préesthod and sacrifise of Chryst The cheefe places are three 1 Of Chrystes préesthood and of the benefites of his préesthode 2 The foure differences betwéene Chrystes sacrifice and the sacrifyse of the Leuites 3 Of the difference betwéene the old Testament and the new The first place concerning Chrystes preesthod FIrst and formest let vs consider the definition A préest in generall is a person ordeyned of God too teache the gospel and too offer Sacrifyses too pray too God both for himselfe for others hauing Gods promis wherby he may warrant himself that he is herd By this description there appéere too bée thrée chéefe dueties of a préest First too teach not only the lawe but also the Gospel concerning Chryst Secondly too offer Sacrifyses commaunded by god For a Sacrifyse is a ceremonie or woorke commaunded of God which wée yéelde vntoo God too honor him withall that is too say too witnesse that he is the true God whom wée woorship after that sort That preest dooth offer God a sacrifyse That shewes the Gospell foorth in ryghtfull wyse These offices are cōmon too all préestes But in this Epistle is entreated of the hyghest préest of whom let this definition be fastned in mind The high préest Christ is a person immediatly ordeined by the eternal father anoynted with the fulnesse of the holy Ghost too the entent he should bring foorth the Gospel out of the secret bosom of the euerlasting father and make intercession for the whole Churche hauing promise that he shall assuredly bée herd and too offer sacrifice that is too wit himselfe once for all By which sacrifice he deserueth remission of sinnes rightuousnesse and euerlasting saluation too the whole Churche This whole definition may bée builded and warranted out of the textes of the Epistle to the Hebrewes But this dayes lesson of the ninth chapter entreateth chéefly of the third part of Christs préesthod that is too wit of his Sacrifice And too the intent this doctrine concerning the sacrifyce of our hygh préest Chryst may bée drayned from the verye springs first let vs consider that God is verely and vnchaūgeably iust and that it is an euerlasting and vnchaungeable rule of Gods iustice that the reasonable creatures should eyther perfectly and throughly agrée with Gods wisdome rightuousnesse or if they agréed not that they should suffer punishment accordingly and bée horribly destroyed Therefore in as much as the first man and woman had offended forgone the ryghtuousnesse and soundnesse that was giuen them in their creatiō they were too bée cast away intoo eternall damnation But of his vnmeasurable mercie the sonne of GOD made intreatance for mankynd and too the intent Gods Iustice might bée satisfyed he offered himselfe too punishement and too make amendes too Gods most rightfull wrath And so vppon the wonderfull tempering of Gods Iustice and his mercie toogither there was a decrée enacted of receyuing men intoo fauour for the sacrifyce of the sonne of God whereby Gods wrath was too bée pacifyed and rightuousnesse and euerlasting saluation too bée recouered too mankynd For this sacrifyce of the sonne of God all the elect haue at all tymes obteyned remission of sinnes and inheritaunce of eternall lyfe as is sayd Actes iiij There is none other name vnder heauen in whiche wée must bée saued than the name of Iesus Chryst And too the intent men should bée put in remembrance taught of this sacrifyce of Chrystes God ordeyned the sacrifysing of beasts euen frō the beginning of the world whiche in no wyse purchased remission of sinnes as is sayd in this Epistle It is impossible for sinnes too bée taken away by the blud of Buls and Gotes But were figures or images of Chrystes true sacrifice by which is obteyned continual and euerlasting redemption from sinne and the heritage of eternall lyfe This doctrine concerning Chrysts sacrifyce which is the foundation of rightuousnesse saluation fayth and christen Inuocation let vs myndfully think vppon not only these fewe
heinous so as sin may become out of measure sinful and being fully felt too bée so may strike dreadfull feares and astraughtments into mennes consciences which immediatly vppon the stirring vp and discouering of sin by the law do giue sentence of death ageinst themselues find themselues giltie of eternall damnation Too this méening it is sayd The power of sin is the law as in Rom. v. The law entred in that sin myght abound Also Rom. vij I had not knowne sin but for the law For when the commaundemēt came sin reuiued and I am dead that is too say the law shewed the hugenesse and heynousnesse of sin and of Gods wrath ageinst sin and assoone as Gods wrath was once known sin which héertofore slept in quietnesse was stirred vp and became more strong and effectual and ouerwhelmed man with the féeling of Gods wrath and with horrible dreadfulnesse and endlesse Death For the law exacteth alwayes of vs suche an obedience and conformablenesse as is vnpossible too mannes nature and too those that are not conformable it thundreth out this thunder bolt Curssed is he that continueth not throughly in all thinges that are wrytten in the lawe And so there was no shift but that all mankynde béeing subdued and oppressed by these moste cruell enemies sinne Deathe and the cursse of the lawe which are the chéefe sinewes of the Diuels kingdome must haue perished vtterly Neyther could he by any power of man or succor of Angels haue rid himselfe out of this cruell Tyrannye onlesse these myghtye and dreadfull enemies of mankynde had bin vanquished and ouerthrowne by the Sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Chryste who was born too vs giuen to vs who died for vs and rose agein for vs that his victory had bin bestowed vppon vs by faith j. Ioh. v. Heb. ij By his own death he put downe him y had Lordship ouer death that is too say the deuil and reconciled those which through feare of death wer all their life time oppressed with bondage Coloss ij Yée are risen ageine with Chryst through faith that is wrought by the operation of God which raised him frō death And with him he hath quickened vs also that were dead in our sinnes and hath forgiuen our trespasses and put out the handwryting that was ageinst vs in the law written and hath takē it away and fastened it too his crosse and spoyled rule and power and made a shewe of them openly and tryumphed ouer them in his owne person Esay ix For the yoke of his burthen that is to wit death and al calamities wherwith mankynd is ouerloden the staffe of his shoulder that is too say sin which is the thing the staffe or the dart with which death pusheth all men through killeth them and the scepter of his exaction that is too say the law which exacteth perfect obedience with horrible wrath condemneth all men that are not conformable vntoo it hast thou ouercome or vanquished as in the day of Madian For like as Gedeon did put the Madianits too flight not with bodyly armor and weapon but only with the sound of a trūpet and by putting them in feare with burning cressets euen so the sonne of God vanquisheth his enemies sin death and the diuel with none other weapōs than a trumpet that is to say the sound of his Gospel and the fire of his holy spirite which kindleth in mennes harts the light of true fayth settled vpon the sonne of God the conqueror of sinne and death as is sayd j. Ioh. v. This is the victorie that ouercōmeth the world euen your faith And .j. Peter v. Whom resist you strong in Faith. This excellent doctrine in al miseries and sorowes the most souerein and assured comfort whereuppon our whole saluation is stayed Paule setteth foorth in this place beautifyed with twoo testimonies Esay xxv Death is swalowed vp intoo victorie Ose xiij Death where is thy sting Hell wher is thy victory ▪ Now too the entent these textes alledged by Paule may bée vnderstood the better and the largenesse of the Doctrine and comfort comprised in them bée looked the néerer vntoo and the easlyer cōsidered I wil adde the grammaticall exposition of them The woordes of Esay are these In this mountaine shal he swalowe vp or deuour the wrapping of faces wherein all people are wrapped and the couering wherewith all nacions are couered And he shall swalowe vp death intoo victorie And the Lord God shall wipe awaye the teares from all faces and shall take away the rebuke or reproche of his people out of all the earth Esay preacheth of the benefites of the sonne of God that he most puissantly deliuereth his Churche bothe from all other moste sorowfull and principall euils and in especially from Death which no force and wisdome of man can ouercome When as by his Death he not only vanquisheth and ouerthroweth our Death but also vtterly abolisheth it and swalloweth it vp and wypeth away and crosseth out the reproche and teares of his people that is too wit sinne and all other miseries and sorowes But in the beginning he speaketh figuratiuely when he sayeth that the wrapping of the face wherwith all people are wrapped shall be deuoured For by the figure Metonimya which is a transposing of names he noteth the thing signifyed by the name of the thing that betokeneth it For the faces of dead folkes are woont too bée wrapped and hidden in clothes These wrappings shall bée taken away that is too say death it selfe shallbée taken away or deuoured according as Esay himselfe anon after expoundeth that properly which he had spoken erst figuratiuely as the Prophets are accustomed too doo He shall deuour or swalow vp death intoo victorie or by swalowing vp deathe the sonne of God shall get the vpper hand and shall reygne and triumph like as death had erst reigned ouer mankinde and made hauocke of all menne and none coulde wythstande him The thrée score and ten interpreters haue trāslated these woordes of Esay thus And Death preuayling deuoured bycause Death wasteth away deuoureth all men But Paul too the intent too set foorth the true and natiue meening of Esay and too shewe that it ought not too haue bin translated Death preuayling deuoured But he that is too say the sonne of God deuoured Death chaungeth the verbe actyue intoo a passiue and so expresseth the same méening how bee it muche more plainly and piththely Death is swallowed vp intoo victorie that is too say Death which héertofore deuoured al mē is now it selfe deuoured and swalowed vp intoo victorie by the sonne of God the conqueror of Death so as nowe from hencefoorth the sonne of God is a continuall conqueror and euerlasting tryumpher ouer Death For the Hebrue woorde Nitzach is as muche too say as too vanquishe too preuayle too tryumph and now and then it signifieth also euerlasting continuall and for euermore Therfore in the Latin translacion of Esay wée
good woorkes bée néedfull What they bée What kyndes there bée of them What are the efficiēt causes of them or in what wyse they may bée wrought What is the formall cause or howe they become good and acceptable too God. Of the finall causes or wherefore they are to be done And of their effectes or rewardes both in this lyfe in the lyfe too come Vppon the seuenth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Rom. vj. I Speake grosly bycause of the infirmitie of your fleslie As yee haue gyuen your members seruauntes too vnclennesse and too iniquitie from iniquitie vntoo iniquitie euen so nowe giue your members seruauntes vntoo rightuousnesse that ye may bee sanctified For when yee were the seruauntes of sinne yee were not vnder ryghtuousnesse VVhat frute had yee then in those things whereof yee are now asshamed For the ende of those things is death But now are yee deliuered from sinne and made the seruants of God and haue your frute that yee should be sanctifyed and the ende euerlasting lyfe For the rewarde of sinne is death but eternall lyfe is the gift of God through IESVS Chryst our Lord. The disposement IT entreateth all of one matter with the Epistle which we herd vppon this day seuennyght The ground thereof is this All that bée borne a new or all that bée set frée from sinne by frée giuen mercie thorough Chryst must not sinne any more but must begin a new lyfe or obedience agréeing with the will of God. The principall reasons are grounded First vppon the honestnesse of the matter EVery man must obey him whose seruant he is You that bée borne ageine haue renounced the seruice of sinne and are become the seruants of rightuousnesse Ergo yee must no more yéeld yourselues too sin but must begin new rightuousnesse or obediēce agreable to gods wil. A kin to this reason is the Argument of coincidents THe rightuouse man dooth ryghtuouse things Christen folke are rightuouse Ergo They must liue rightuously and not sin any more The third is vppon the profitablenesse ALl christen folkes must with earnest endeuer seeke eternall lyfe by all meanes stryue too shun eternall death The reward of rightuousnesse or of newe obedience is eternall lyfe and the hyre of sinne is eternall death Ergo rightuousenesse or new obedience towards al gods commaundements is by all earnest endeuer too bée folowed of the godly and disobedience or sinne is by all earnest endeuer too bée eschued By these thrée Argumentes dooth Paule confirme his proposition The cheef places of doctrine are three FIrst of the the necessitie of weldooing or of new obediēce which is a stedie and continuall will through a forelyght of the true knowledge of Chryste and fayth too eschue all sinnes and too obey GOD according too all his commaundements too this end that God may bée honored This definitiō may bée most plentuously enlarged by declaring in order thorough euery of the ten cōmaundements the sinnes ageinst which the godly stryue the good woorkes or vertues in which they vtter their obedience And also by reckening vp the causes of this new obedience and of the effectes of the same Secondly concerning Christen libertie whiche is a setting frée from sinne from death from the curse of the morall Lawe from the obedience that was too bée performed too the ceremoniall and politike lawes of Moyses and frō mennes traditions out of the case of offence giuing And christen libertie is not a loosenesse of lustes and wickednesse or an exemption from the obedience that is due too the lawe of God or good manners But wée are set frée from sin and from the condemnation of the lawe by Chryst too this ende that wée shold from hence foorth serue rightuousnesse or God and our neyghbour like as Paule sayeth héere Now being set frée from sinne yée are made the seruaunts of god And Gal. v. Brethren yée are called too libertie now sée that yée turne not your libertie intoo an occasion of fleshlynesse but serue one another through mutuall louingnesse j. Pet. ij Not as making your libertie a couer of maliciousenesse but as the seruants of God honor yée all men loue the brethren feare God and honor the King. Thirdly of this saying which comprehendeth a summe of the whole Gospell Eternall lyfe is the gift of God in Chryst Iesu our Lord. For like as remission of sinnes and imputation of ryghtuousnesse and the holy Ghost are of frée mercie giuen too the beléeuers for Chrysts sake so also euerlasting lyfe is not due too any desertes of our woorkes as a wages but is the méere gift of GOD whiche wée obteyne by onely fayth for Chrystes sake Iohn iij. and .vj. Hée that beléeueth in the sonne hath lyfe euerlasting Now although eternall lyfe bée giuen fréely for Chrystes sake yet is it also the wages of good woorkes not due by our desertes but promised of Gods frée mercie For godlynesse hath promises of the lyfe present and too come j. Tim. iiij The darker sort of phrases in the Text may bée vnderstood in this wyse I speake grossely for the weaknesse of your flesh that is too say I will vse a similitude whiche you of the ruder sort may vnderstand taken of the most customable vsage of mannes lyfe by which seruants are cōpelled too obey their Maisters Like as you haue yeelded your members that is too wit the powers of your soule and the instruments of them namely your mynd your will your hartes tungs hands féete the rest of your limbes vnto vnryghtuousnesse that is too the committing of it For the Gréeke woord Anomia which is as much too say as lawlessenesse signifieth all affections and déedes that fyght ageinst the lawe of God. Seruaunts of rightuousnesse vnto sanctification that is too say too the dooings of holy woorkes and vertues that please God or that yée may liue holyly and purely and serue god in all vertues or good woorkes kindled in your hartes by the holy Ghost Yee were free from rightuousnesse that is too say yée obeyed not rightuousnesse The end of them that is too say the reward payment or vttermost wages of sinne is death You haue your frute too holynesse that is too say you haue holy and acceptable woorkes vntoo God and he will recompence them with most ample rewardes in the eternall lyfe The wages of sinne is death The Gréeke woord Opson signifieth properly al kynd of meate that is dressed with fire sauing bread and specially fish Wée call it in some places of England Suwle In old tyme there was giuen vntoo souldiours for their pay not only coyne of brasse or of siluer but also vittels as flesh fish horsecorne c. Hereuppon commeth the latin woord Obsonium which signifieth not only al kynd of foode and vittelles but in general the same thing that the woord Stipendium dooth which is as much too say as a Pay. Vppon the eight Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Rom. viij BRethren wee
much as the maiestie brightnesse of the countenance of Moyses the Lawe giuer was so great that the children of Israel by reason of the glorie or glistering cléernesse of his face were not able too hold their eyes ageinst it How should not the ministration of Chrystes spirit which giueth lyfe or the ministration of the Gospell bée much more glorious and effectuall For if the ministering of condemnation bee glorious that is too say if the ministering of the Lawe whiche condemneth all men and soundeth out this voyce Cursed is euery one that abydeth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the Law bée glorious how much more dooth the ministration of rightuousnesse exceede in glorie That is too say in how much greater glorie excelleth the ministration of Chrystes Gospell by which wée are deliuered from the condemnation of the Lawe and made heires of rightuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe For no dout that which was there glorifyed is not once glorifyed in respecte of this exceeding glorie that is too say the ministration of Moyses or of the Lawe which was instituted and glorified with so many signes and woonders is not too bée counted glorious in respect of the excellent glorie of the ministration of the Gospell For if that whiche is put away was glorious much more shall that which continueth bee glorious that is too say If the ministration of Moyses Lawe whiche was too bée doone away the ordinance of a state of gouernemēt which afterward should decay was set vp with so glorious miracles how much more shall the ministration of the Gospell which bringeth not the decaying and flightfull benefites of this lyfe nor vayne shadowes but the true euerlasting and continuall benefites of rightuousnesse lyfe and light in heauen bée glorious and mightie of operation in all those that embrace the Gospell Therefore hauing such hope that is too wit of the true and euerlasting lyfe and glorie set foorth in the Gospell wee vse great assurance and libertie in our ministration and neglecting the figures and shadowes of Moyses lawe preache Chrystes Gospell openly boldely and fréely And not as Moyses did put a veyle before his face that is too say wée doo not hyde ouerwrap or darken Christs Gospell so as Christes face can not bée knowen and séene like as Moyses when he put the veyle afore his face ment that he should kéepe many from looking intoo the ende of the lawe which is abolished that is too say from looking vntoo Chryst who is the end of the lawe whiche was too bée abolished For the ende of the lawe is Chryste too iustifye euery one that beléeueth Rom. x. And Chryst him self sayeth If yée beléeued Moyses yée would also beléeue mée for of mée Chryst hath Moyses written peinting out Christes sacrifise and redemption in the promises of the seede that was too come and in the figure of the Easter Lamb and in all the sacrifises But their senses are blinded Esai vj. For vntoo this present day the same veyle that is too say the same mist and blindnesse of hart in not acknowledging Chryst the end and spirit of the lawe continueth in the reading of the old Testament neyther is this veyle taken away whiche is abolished by Chrystes spirit For Chryst hath reueled him selfe too vs by his spirit j Cor. ij But assoone as the Israelites shall bee conuerted vntoo the Lord that is too wit vntoo Chryst the veyle shall be takē away that is too wit the blindnesse of mynd which kéepeth them frō knowing Chryst and they shal rightly acknowledge Chryst the ende of the lawe whom only GOD hath made our wisdome rightuousnesse holynesse and redemption that he whiche glorieth may glorie in the Lorde The Lord is that quickening spirit or Christ is the spirit and lyfe of the Lawe too whom those that bée conuerted doo vnderstand that the ceremonies and figures of Moyses Lawe were but shadowes of the good things too come and that the bodye of them was Chryst Colos ij Ebr. x. and that the morall law is the letter that killeth or which pronounceth the sentence of death and eternall damnation ageinst this corrupt nature and that wée bée not able too begin obedience of the lawe so as it may please God but if Chrystes spirite or God himselfe shyne in vs and make our hartes comfortable too him Now where soeuer the spirit of the Lorde that is too say of Chryst dwelleth and woorketh there is freedome from the Lawe from sinne from Gods wrath and from euerlasting cursednesse and there is kindled new ryghtuousnesse and lyfe acceptable too God which shall cōtinue world without end But all wee that is too wit as many as are cōuerted vntoo Chryst and embrace his Gospell by fayth beholding in our harts as it were in a myrrour receyuing by faith doo rightly acknowledge the glorie of the Lorde that is too say Christ for so is Christ named Exo. xxxiij Esai lx Ebr. j. Iohn j. and in other places or the true light and glorie of Chryst with his face open that is too say cléerely and manifestly without any veyle without any mistinesse without any comberance and being set frée by the spirit of the Lord or by Chryst himself are chaunged intoo the same likenesse that the like new light or true knowledge of God true rightuousnesse holynesse and lyfe as shyneth in Chryst may bée kindled and framed in vs also from glorie too glorie that is too say with encreasement and augmentation of new light rightuousnesse and lyfe from time to time by the light of the Lordes spirit shyning in vs The terme of glorie or glorification whiche Paule vseth in this Sermon is taken out of Exod. xxxiiij where it is written of Moyses departing from communication with the Lord Cicaran or panau that is too say that his face glistered like vntoo a horne This haue the threescore and ten interpreters translated thus that the beautie of the skin of his face was glorifyed that is too say that the skin of his face was become cléere glistering and bright like the shyning Sunne Of this translation of the threescore and ten Interpreters did Paule borow the woord glorie in this comparison of his which thing it is good for the reader too beare in mynd Vppon the .xiij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Gal. iij. BRethren I will speake after the manner of men Though it bee but a mannes Testament yet no man despiseth it or addeth any thing thereto when it is once alowed To Abraham and his seede were the promises made He sayeth not in the seedes as many but in thy seede as in one which is Chryste This I say that the law which began afterward beyond foure hundred and thirtie yeeres doth not disanull the testament that was confirmed afore of God vnto Christward to make the promise of none effect For if the inheritaunce come of the lawe it commeth not then of promise But God gaue it vntoo Abraham by promise VVherefore
then serueth the Lawe The lawe was added bycause of transgression till the seede came too which the promise was made and it was ordeyned by Aungels in the hande of a Mediatour A Mediatour is not a mediatour of one But GOD is one Is the Lawe then ageynst the promise of God God forbyd Howbeit if there had bin a Lawe giuen which could haue giuen lyfe thē no dout rightuousnesse shold haue come by the law But the Scripture concluded all things vnder sinne that the promise by the fayth of Iesus Chryste should bee giuen too them that beleeue The disposement THe Epistle is of those sort that instruct For the doctrine therof concerneth mannes iustification before god The proposition that conteyneth the summe of the Epistle is Wee are iustified before God for Chrysts sake only freely by faith and not for our own good woorkes The Arguments wherewith he confirmeth this proposition are three FIrst of the weightynesse of the woords The Testament or promise of God is out of all dout true certein vnchaūgeable and too bée vnderstood simply as the woords sound Gods Testament or promise deliuered vntoo Abraham In thy seede shall all nations bee blissed affirmeth by expresse woords that Blissing that is too wit remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluatiō is giuen not in seedes as in many that is too wit not partly for Chrystes sake and partly for our owne good woorkes but onely for the one séede whiche is Chryst Ergo it is a true certein and vnchaungeable ground that wée are iustified or accepted as rightuouse before GOD for Chrystes sake onely by faith onely and not partly by faith for Chrystes sake and partly for our owne good woorkes Paule amplifieth the first proposition by a matter of lesse likelyhod or force thus If it bée not lawfull too alter the Testament or last will of a man much lesse is it lawfull too alter the Testament or will of God. The second argument is of things that hang not togither FOr yf the inheritaunce come by the law then is it not by promis but God graūted it to Abraham by promis This argument may bée included in this Syllogisme Whatsoeuer is giuen by the law as a wages eyther for our own obedience to the law or for our own workes and desertes is not giuen fréely by the promis taken hold vppon by fayth onely The heritage of rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe is giuen fréely vnto Abraham by promis Ergo the inheritaunce of rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe befalleth not by the law or is not giuen for our own woorkes or our obedience towardes the law This argument dooth Paule amplifye with two preuentions Of which the firste is this The Testament or promis that was made to Abraham concerning Christe was ratified and approued by God foure hundred xxx yéeres before the publishing of the law Ergo after the deliueraunce of the law our obedience towards the law or our good works also must néedes mete to iustification To this obiection Paule aunswereth thus that the testamēt which was ratified before by God through Christ or the promis of frée reconcilement is not made voyde or disanulled by the lawe but that it continueth alwayes stedfast vnmouable without putting any thing to it or taking aught away from it by the publishing of the law Hereuppon riseth the second obiection To what purpose is the law then why was it made by God yf it iustifie not ne bée néedfull to saluation Paule aunswereth it was added bycause of transgression that is to say for this cause was the law made that it should shew accuse and condemne the sinne that sticketh in vs and driue vs too seeke the séede Christ who was made sinne for vs that we might bée made the rightuousnesse of God in him Out of this aunswer is buylded the third argument of the effects hanging vppon it If the law coulde deliuer from death and restore lyfe and effectuall comfort then might wée bée iustified also by the law But the law can not deliuer men from sinne death and restore lyfe Ergo it is impossible for vs too bée iustified by the lawe He proueth the minor or second proposition thus The law promiseth or giueth eternal life to all those that yeld perfect obedience without any sinne But the scripture hath closed all things vnder sinne that is to say the woord or law of God conuinceth accuseth and condemneth all men that they are defiled with sinne and giltie of Gods wrath and endlesse damnacion Ergo the law deliuereth no man from eternall death neyther can it giue lyfe but the promised rightuousnesse and life is giuen fréely through fayth in Iesus Christe too them that beléeue This is the disposement of this Epistle in which there appeare chéefly two places of doctrine which are also the cheef places throughout all the Christen doctrine The one is the glad tydings or promis of remission of sinnes rightuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting too bée fréely bestowed vppon them that beléeue for the onely one séede of Abraham our Lord Iesus Christ The other is the law giuen of God to shew accuse and condemne sinne and to driue men to true repentaunce or sorynesse for theyr sinnes committed and the séeking of help at the sonne of God the Mediator shewed in the promis Therfore the definitions of the law and the Gospell and the foure differences of the law and of the Gospell taken of the forme of vnderstanding of the forme of the promises of the effectes and of the obiectes and also a declaracion of the causes and effectes of the law the Gospell may be repeted in this place out of the Catechisme The promis concerning Christe made vnto Abraham in these woordes In thy seede shall all nacions bee blissed Gen. xij is bréefly declared alredy where wée haue harde that the cheef places of the Gospell are conteyned in it First concerning Christes person in whiche the twoo natures of man borne of the séede of Abraham Dauid as touching the flesh and of God enduing the churche with heauenly blissing and taking away sinne and death are verely personally vnited togither Secondly of Christes office benefites which are comprised in that one worde blissing For blissing signifieth deliueraunce from curse from Gods wrath from sinne from eternall death and the frée giuing of lyfe and rightuousnesse euerlasting For so dooth Paule himself interprete the word Galat. iij. and Ephe. j. and Peter also Act. iij. Thirdly of the difference of the law and the Gospell The law is a doctrine that curseth as it is written Cursed is euery one that cōtinueth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the law But the Gospell bringeth heauenly and euerlasting blissing promised fréely for Christes sake Fourthly of Iustification or remission of sinnes and eternall saluacion which may befall vs for the one onely séede of Abraham which is Christ or by fayth only
and not in many séedes that is to say partly for Christes sake through fayth and partly for our owne good workes Fifthly Paule in expounding the promis made to Abrahā sheweth in this chapter the applyment of Christes benefits in these words They that are of fayth y is to say they y beléeue are blissed as faythful Abrahā was Sixthly of the calling of y Gentiles Seuenthly of original sin For all y promises commaūdementes of God are to be vnderstood with a certeine contrarietie as thus God promiseth his blessing too all men for Christes sake Ergo all men are cursed for sinne before And eyghtly the Article of our Créede concerning Christes conception and birth of the virgin Marie may bée buylded out of this promis For seeing it was of necessitie that the promised deliuerer who beyng blissed himself should blisse others must be voyd of al sinne that al which are cōceyued of mans seede are borne defiled with sin It foloweth that Christ was not conceyued borne of mans séede Concerning the law there be foure admonishments or lessons in this Epistle THe first is of the time of the publishing of the law vppon mount Sinay that is to wit the foure hundred thirtith yeare after that the séede Christe was promised to Abraham Now the first promis concerning the séede was reueled to Abraham Gen. xij in the thousand xxiij yeare of the world the thrée hundred thréescore seuenth yeare after the floud the thréescore and fiftéenth yeare of Abrahams age a thousand nyne hundred fortye yéeres before Christ was borne Now from the deliueraunce of the promis concerning the séede which was the .lxxx. yéere of Abrahams age Gen. xij vnto the byrth of Isaac were xxv yéeres Gen. xxj from Isaac to the birth of Iacob thréescore yéeres Gen. xxv from the birth of Iacob vnto the goyng down into Egipt which was the .xxxix. yéere of the age of Ioseph are a hundred thirty yéeres Gen. xlvij From the going down into Egipt to the death of Ioseph are thréescore and eleuen yeares Gen. l. From the death of Ioseph to the birth of Moyses are thréescore and foure yéeres From the birth of Moyses to the departure out of Egipt the publishing of the law are lxxx yeares And so the whole number is foure hundred and thirtie yeares The second admonishement is concerning the propre vse and effect of the morall law which was added bycause of transgression and not to iustifie men ▪ bring them to lyfe and saluacion euerlasting neyther alonly to restreyne mens misdooings and offences and to represse them and hold them short with commaundementes and penalties nor too bée a chastisement of wilfull and vnwilfull offences as Demosthenes defineth it but to augmente mens transgressions or sinnes and to make them greater by shewing vs the hugenesse horriblenesse of our sinnes and of Gods wrath ageynst sinne whiche things wée knew not of before and by horrible accusing fraying ▪ and condemning men for sinne and to worke most sorowfull dismayednesse and despayre in our harts vntill the promised seede do come and that the comfort of fayth bée kindled in the hart As for example the voyce of Gods law bewrayed accused and encreased the transgression of Adam and Eue and strake them with horrible dreadfulnesse and feare vntill the promis of the séede that should come was vttered by trust wherof they were deliuered out of the dread of sinne death the curse of the law Of this spirituall chéef vse of Gods law Paule speaketh in this Epistle he enlighteneth it with many woords in the Epistle to the Rom. the v. vij viij chapters The law entered in y sinne might abound Also what shal wée say Is the law sin God forbid But I had not knowen what sinment yf it had not bin for y law ▪ For I wist not that lust was sinne yf the law had not sayd Thou shalt not lust For without the law sinne is dead Also by the law sinne becommeth out of measure sinfull And ageyn the law is the power of sinne The third admonishment is of the efficient cause or the author of the law that is published The law was ordeyned by Angelles or deliuered by the ministerie of Angels vpon mount Sinay as it is sayd Act. vij Moyses was in the church in the wildernesse with the Angell speaking too him vpon mount Sinay who receyued the worde of lyfe that was too bee giuen to vs but your fathers would not obey him Also ▪ Ebr. ij For yf the woord that was spoken by Angelles was stedfast and that all transgression and disobedience hath receyued iust rewarde howe shall wée escape yf wée neglect so great saluacion vttered by the lord the very sonne of God The same setting togither of contraries dooth Paule vse in this place The promis was spoken vntoo Abraham immediatly from God himself but the lawe was vttered by his seruaunts the aungels and that in the hand of a mediator which was Moyses who in Deut. v. sayeth thus I was a meane went betwixt you God at that time brought you woord what he sayd for you were afrayd of the fyre went not vp into the mount Now séeing that the people was not able to abyde so much as to heare the voyce of the law much lesse the thunder lightning of Gods wrath darted forth by the law It is an euidēt matter that they are not iustified by the lawe but that they haue neede of the true Mediator of whom Moyses was a figure too go betwéene the two parties that is to wit betwéene God who beyng wroth with sin beateth mens hartes a péeces with the curse of the law as it were with a pestle or with thunder and men who are giltie of sin subiect to Gods displeasure to thintent that he participating both the natures of Godhead manhood may vndertake Gods displeasure for vs by his intreatance merite satisfie Gods iustice set vs in his good fauour grace For a mediator is not of one but goeth betwixt two parties namely God man that were at debate whiche debate the law discouereth nourisheth encreaseth confirmeth by be wraying accusing condēning sin But God is one who of his excéeding great frée goodnesse hath made a promis of the séede and sent his beloued son that he by taking mans nature vppon him should take away the debate the curse of the law giue to the beléeuers the blissing or rightuousnesse lyfe that was promised to Abraham Héere may the whole doctrine concerning the mediator ▪ concerning the office and benefites of the Mediator Christ and of the causes why it behooued the twoo natures too bée vnited in the Mediator bée repeted Fourthly Paule answereth to this question whither the law striue ageinst the promis of the Gospell bycause wée are iustified not by the law but by the promis
torments The frutes of the spirit or the vertues that please God which are kindled in the godly by the holyghost are 1. The loue of God and our neighbor which comprehendeth most of the vertues of the first and secoÌ„d table For Loue is the fulfilling of the law Rom. xiij and j. Cor. xiij 2. and. 3. Ioy and peace or quietnesse and gladnesse of the hart setled in God and persuading a man assuredly that God is at one with him and at hand with hym helping him and giuing hym lyfe and gladnesse euerlasting for Chrystes sake 4. Long sufferance or pacience beareth with other folks infirmities and with wrongs doone and is not discouraged with mysdealings or other ouerthwarte things that it should doo ageynst any of Gods commaundements and it perteyneth too the first and the fifth commaundement 5. Gentlenesse or curtesie yéelding it selfe willingly to other folks to vse and willingly dooing good to others perteyneth to the seuenth and fifth commaundements 6. Goodnesse or vprightnesse hurting no man endeuering too doo good and to profit all men is of as greate force as vniuersall ryghtuousnesse whereof men are called good And it comprehendeth chéefly liberalitie and courtesie 7. Faith or true knowledge of god trust settled in Christ the mediator or faythfulnesse performing coÌ„staÌ„cie in woord deed and in true mutuall good will and all dutifull poyntes of Fréendshyp and déemyng fréendly of other mennes willes and meenyngs perteyneth to the fifth commaundement 8. Meeknesse brydâ—yng wrath desire of reuenge perteyneth lykewyse too the fyfth commaundement 9. discretenesse sobernesse stayednesse temperaunce or chastitie perteyneth to the sixth commaundement From thence therefore may a more plentyfull exposition of the vertues bée fetched Ageinste suche there is no lawe that is too say the Lawe prohibiteth not these woorkes or there is no Lawe appaynted for the ryghtuous whiche are guyded by the holy Ghoste That is too say the Lawe dooth not accuse or condemne the ryghtuous neyther dooth it holde shorte or constreyne those that are obediente But as for those that fulfill the lustes of the fleshe or forbeare outward offences ageynst their willes those dooth the Lawe restreyne accuse and condemne They truly that are Chrystes haue crucified the flesh with the affections and lustes therof that is too say those that bée godly in déede or that beléeue in Chryst fulfil not the lusts of the flesh or their sinfull inclinations and affections but doo keepe them vnder and restreine them and mortify theÌ„ with the spirite as is sayd Rom. viij If ye mortifie the déedes of the flesh by the spirite yée shall liue Vppon the .xv. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Gal. v. IF yee liue in the spirit let vs walk in the spirit Let vs not bee vaineglorious prouoking one another and enuying one another Brethren if any man be fallen by chance into any fault ye which are spirituall help to amend him in the spirit of meeknesse considering thy selfe lest thou also be tempted Beare ye one anothers burthen and so fulfil the law of Christ For if any man seme to himself that he is somwhat when he in dede is nothing the same deceiueth himselfe in his imagination Let euery man proue his owne worke and then shall he haue reioycing in his owne selfe and not in another For euery man shall beare his owne burthen Let him that is taught in the woord mynister vnto him that teacheth him in all good things Be not deceiued God is not mocked For whatsoeuer a maÌ„ soweth that shall he reape For he that soweth in the flesh shal of the flesh reape corruption But he that soweth in the spirite shall of the spirite reape life euerlasting The disposement THis Epistle perteineth to the kind of cases that is persuasiue For it conteyneth precepts exhortations too good works and namely too modestie and new obedience The parts or cheef places are two 1 Of modestie and lowlynesse which restreineth pride and beareth with the infirmities and blemishes of the brethren and performeth faythfulnesse and diligence in executing aryght the duties of a mans calling which true glorie that is too say the witnesse or allowment of a mannes own conscience iudging aryght dooth always accompany of it owne accord 2 Of thankfulnesse and courtesy too bée vsed towardes all the godly and specially towards schoolemasters and ministers of the Gospell IN the beginning of the Epistle is set a general exhortation vntoo new obedieÌ„ce If we liue in the spirit let vs walk in the spirite that is too say séeing wée be deliuered from euerlasting death by the sonne of God and the holy ghost and that new lyfe is kindled in our hartes let vs also reuerently obey the holy ghost dwelling in our hartes and directing oure intentes and the dooings of our lyfe according to the rule of Gods lawe Let vs not be desirous of vaynglorie prouoking one an other and enuying one an other Of lowlynesse or modestie MOdestie or lowlynesse and the desire of true prayse fyght not one ageynst an other but are neybour vertues lyke as are liberalitie and sparyngnesse Grauitie and courtesie or gentlenesse iustice and mercy or pitifulnesse For the desire of true glory and of a good name is a vertue commaunded by God which liking wel of a mans owne worke that is too say faythfully executing the duties of a mannes vocation and endeuering to doo well too the church and the common weale in their place obteyneth the allowment of God and his owne conscience déemyng aright which is continually accompanyed with the commendation of other good men iudging aright also as Ionathas j. Reg. xviij Ioseph Gen. xxxix and Paule who though they bée mylde and lowly do not withstaÌ„ding like well of their owne worke and buzyly and faythfully execute the labors of their vocation And therfore they obteined the allowment of God and their own conscience and the commendation of all godly menne and of the whole church This vertue doth God coÌ„mand Philip. iiij What soeuerthings are of honest report if there bée any vertuous thing if there bée any coÌ„mendable thing those same haue yée in mynd which yée haue both lerned séen in mée those things doo yée Also Math. â— Let your lyght so shine before men that they may sée your good works and glorifie your father which is in heauen Good name therefore must of necessitie bée soughte euen for this cause that others may by good exaÌ„ples bée allured to the true acknowledgement of God and the felowship of the Churche But good name cannot bée soughte onlesse wée also earnestly séeke after vertue or true godlynesse to Godwarde and all good woorkes and labours wherby wée may in our vocation deserue wel of the church and the common weale For the foundation of true glorye is excellent vertue which is always accompanied with the glorie or coÌ„mendation of good men and with the enuie of euill
beware of false teachers and bée stedfast and set folks at one that are at ods The cheefe places are foure FIrst the teachers of the church must bée as patterns or examples for their héerers too looke vppon that they may folow their behauior and doctrine and eschue such as differ and disagrée from this sampler Secondly our conuersation is in heauen that is to say the ministration of the gospell is not a ciuill gouernment but a spirituall and all the whole conuersation and lyfe of a chrysten man must bée ghostly and heauenly not directed too the séeking of the commodities of this present lyfe but too the atteinement of the glory and life that is in heauen Thirdly there is a testimonie concerning the raysing and glorification of our bodyes Fourthly concerning the desire too maintein concord and too knit toogither the minds of those that bée at oddes The first place BRethren bee yee folowers of mee and looke on them that walke euen so as yee haue seene vs for an ensample Paule setteth foorth himselfe too the Philippians as an example for them too folow in Doctrine and maners that they might beware of false teachers whose doctrin maners differ from this patterne And let the studious beare in mynd the counsell of Paules which he setteth foorth too Timothie and all godly teachers as a rule of al their lyfe and of al their deuises and dooings Bee a patterne of the faythful in Doctrine in conuersation in louingnesse in spirit in faith and in chastitie and giue heede too reading The first counsell of Paule is that we shuld be patterns that is too say that we shuld shine before others by our example of Doctrine and conuersation For it is a common ordinarie in this lyfe that wée the inferiour sort doo followe the examples of our gouernours and teachers as these verses admonish In sooth th'examples of rulers flowe too the people And as their Capteins demeane thē so do the whole Cāp And Plato sayeth that the best manner of instructing is If the Teacher shyne before his héerers by his example and bée séene too doo the same things himselfe which he exhorteth other men vntoo Therefore must teachers vse much more warynesse héede and diligence in ruling their behauior than other men must bycause the people must looke vppon their examples according as Paule commaundeth heere that the Philippians should bée followers of him that is too wit in doctrine fayth and other vertues And that they should haue an eye too such as walk so that is too say as liue so teache so beléeue so and professe so namely that wée obteyne remission of sinnes and euerlasting lyfe onely for Chrystes passion and death and not for the woorkes of the Lawe and for our owne vertues But if the teachers eyther spred abroade any false doctrine or bée defiled with heynous offences their héerers are easly infected with their opinions and examples And concerning the faultie behauiour of the teachers it is a cōmon sayd sawe he that teacheth well and liueth amisse reacheth foorth with his one hande and pulleth backe with the other Afterward he peynteth out as it were in a table the chéef vertues wherein the Teachers must shyne before their héerers 1 In talke and doctrine For the true doctrine concerning GOD is the ground woork of Gods Churche and of euery mannes welfare Therefore let the teachers take héede that first they themselues lerne a right and then teache a right orderly properly and playnly too their héerers the true and full doctrine of the Gospell concerning the true knowledge of Gods being and will concerning the persone and benefites of Christe concerning Iustification faith inuocation good woorks affliction and all other articles and also that they learnedly and aptly confute the corruptings of them They must not bée dull in lerning the doctrine and in framing themselues too an apt and lerned trade in teaching They must not bée ambitiouse in deuising newe opinions and formes of speaking They must not rashly alter the accustomed and profitable manner of teaching but must endeuer that one true and agréeable summe of doctrine may bée deliuered ouer too those that come after like as Paule in this place willeth the Philippians too kéepe the doctrine that he had deliuered them concerning iustification as a pattern and so too conuey it ouer to their posteritie 2 In conuersation or in directing all the outward deuyses and dooings of the lyfe according too all the commaundements of god Their manners must not bée defyled with ambition couetousnesse and lustes least eyther mislibertie might bée confirmed in some or occasion ministred the vngodly too slaunder the doctrine Mat. v. Let your light so shyne before men c. 3 In Louingnesse There must bée in you a hartye good will towardes God towardes your fellowministers and towardes your héerers ▪ Yée must bée iust softe beneficiall treatable and séekers of the common concorde and quietnesse Yée must not nourish spyte malice hatred quarels backebytings or priuie mischéeues Yée must not trouble the quietnesse of the Churche But yée must bée the sinewes and bandes of louingnesse and fellowshippe or of the glewing toogyther of the reste of the congregation in the Churche 4 In Spirite Vntoo your Louingnesse yée must mingle sharpnesse of Spirit not winking at the falsifying of doctrine at Heresies Blasphemies and wicked behauiours but endeuering too hold shorte both false opinions and blasphemies and also dishonest demeanours throughe earnest zele of the Spirite 5 In Fayth which is stayed vppon GOD looking for helpe and defence at Gods hande in all perilles and continuing firme and stedfast in teaching and professing the true doctrine without wresting the doctrine too the willes of great men or without starting from the true profession for feare of forgoing office glorie riches or pleasures as doo the false Teachers whom Paule describeth in this place too bée The enimies of Chrystes Crosse bycause that too the intente they myght escape trouble and persecutions at the Iewes handes they taught that wée are iustifyed not for Chrystes sake onely who was crucifyed for vs but also that the woorkes of the Lawe are néedfull too saluation The ende of these men is destruction that is too say Althoughe they florish a whyle in lyfe yet shall they at length bée ouerwhelmed with endlesse tormentes VVhose belly is theyr God that is too say they preferre the belly and the pleasures of the belly before God and all other things and imploye all the déedes of their lyfe too the atteynement thereof And therefore they bée Idolaters For looke what thing euery mā loueth and woorshippeth aboue al other things the same is his God who onely ought too bée loued and woorshipped aboue all things Now the greatest part of men being Epicures make a God of their belly and though that all of them be wray not the méening of their mynde in so grosse woordes yet in the inwarde bowelles
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