name of god in vayne or lightly And that we shuld halow the Sabbath daye In the other table ordeyned he sixe commaundementes concerninge man And lyke as the soure first are comprehended in these wordes Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hert c. Euen so are the sixe conteyned in these woâ—des folowynge Thou shalt loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe The commaundementes are these Thou shalt honoure father mother Thou shalt not kyll Thou shalt not breawedloke Thou shalt not â—â—eale Thou shalt beare no false witnesse Thou shalt not lust In all these commaundementes is comprehended all that serueth for a godly lyfe and that any where is written of God of true seruynge of God and of right vertue towarde thys worlde Who so now doth well pondre these ten chapters or commaundementes compareth them to the doynges and workes of the holy Patriarkes and olde fathers whiche had no lawe in writtynge He shall fynde that the Lorde now with thys hys written law beganne no new thing nether oughte that was not afore in the worlde but rather renewed the olde and the lawe that he hytherto had wrytteÌ„ in the hartes of holy men now whaÌ„ the people had gotten them stony hartes he wrote the same in tables of stone For that we oughte to worshyppe and serue God onely and haue none other goddes the same dyd the holy fathers so beleue kepe that all theyr coÌ„uersacion doyng beareth recorde therof CoÌ„ternyng ymages or ydols it is euydeÌ„t that Jacob buryed the ydols of Mesopotamia vnder an Oke besyde Sichem Genesis .xxxv. We may perceyue also by the dothes of AbrahaÌ„ Jsaac and Jacob how the name of god was had in reuerence among theÌ„ of olde not takeÌ„ in vayne The Sabboth dyd not the Lorde ordeyne here first but on the seueÌ„th day of the creatioÌ„ Gen. i. The same dyd the fathers kepe a ryght no doute JohnÌ„ vii Where as Cham had not hys father Noe in reuereÌ„ce he was cursed for it Gene. iâ— Aduoutry dyd the HeytheÌ„ rulers forbyd vnder paine of death as we may se Gen. xxvi Wherby it is casye to vnderstande how the blessed frendes of God kepte holy wedlock Howe contrary the holy men were vnto theft and dysceate it apeareth in the parting of Abraham and Loth Gen. xiii And in Jacobs faithfulnesse handlyng wyth Laban hys father in law Gene. xxix xxx xxxi Lyenge false dealynge was so farre from the holy Fathers that for kepynge theyr credence and trueth they opteyned very great commendacion Notwithstondynge they were tempted with euell as all men be but they resisted the wicked lustes For manifest is the chaist acte of Joseph which wolde not touch hys maisters wyfe nor desyre her Wherfore in these commaundementes is nothynge written or requyred that was not also requyred of the fathers afore the lawe perfourmed thorow true fayth in Christe The Lorde therfore beganne no new thyng with his people whan he delyuered them the tables of the law Onely he wolde brynge in to a shorte summe and set in wrytynge all the lawe that the feathers had but not together ner comprehended in a summe to the intent that they shuld the lesse be forgotten of the people which thorow their dwellynge in Egipte amonge ydolaters false beleuers were brought in to sore offence and slaunder Thys must now be rectified agayne after thys maner As for all the lawes and ordinances whiche afterward were added vnto these two tables they were not ioyned ther vnto as principall lawes but as by lawes for the declaracion and better vnderstondynge of the ten chapters or commaundementes For the perfecte summe of all lawes the very righte rule of godlynesse of god seruyce of righteousnesse of good and euell conuersacion is comprehended already in the two tables But here might some men make obieccion and saye Yf all trueth be conteyned in these ten commaundementes how happeneth it that by no token there is mencioÌ„ made of the blessed sede promised vn to the fathers Hitherto is it declared and promysed vnto the holy fathers that they shal be saued thorow the blessed sede out of the very grace of God and for none of their owne deseruinges but now are written lawes which commaunde and forbyd vs as though we thorow oure owne workes and deseruinge as namely yf we kepe these commaundementes shulde be saued and accepte vnto God Where is nowe Christ Where is the faith of the Patriarkes Here is nothinge heard of faith but moche yee onely of workes Answere This obiection hath disceaued many that they haue had no right opinion and faith of the grace of God oure righteous making Therfore wyl we now geue no answere out of our selues but set forth holy Paul let hym answere that the answere maye be the more sure the better estemed Paul in the .iii. chapter to the Galathians wryteth after this maner Deare brethren I will speake after the maner of men whan a mans testament is confirmed no man doth lightely regarde or despyse it ner addeth oughte therto Now were the promises made vnto Abraham and to hys sede He sayeth not In the sedes as in many but as in one And in thy sede which is Christ All these are Pauls wordes and the meanyng of them is For asmoche as the testamentes or wor kes of men are of suche reputacion in the worlde that whan they are made ordeyned and confyrmed no man darre adde oughte to them or mynyshe any thyng froÌ„ them but euery man muste let them be as they are of them selues It is muche more reason that gods TestameÌ„t or bequest remayne styll and that nothyng be added to it or taken from it Now dyd God make a testament or bequest wyth AbrahaÌ„ and promised hym therin that he woulde geue hym a sede in whom he hys childreÌ„ shuld be saued And the same saluatioÌ„ dyd he expresly appoynte in one and not in many Wherfore we must adde nothynge vnto gods bequest seyng he hath promysed vs saluation in Christ only and not in many that is to saye in no creature not in our owne power and workes of the law nether must we thinke that the law was afterwarde added to the intent as thoughe Chryste were not able to saue vs or as though we myghte opteyne saluation by oure owne workes oute of the lawe For thus foloweth it in Paull word to word Thys testameÌ„t I saye whych afore was confyrmed to Christward is not dysanulled or made of none effecte by the Lawe whyche was geuen beyonde foure hundreth yeares ther after For yf the enheritaunce be gotten by the Lawe then is it not geuen by the promes But God gaue it frely vnto Abraham by promes These are Pauls wordes out of the which euery man maye vnderstande that to the generacion of man saluacyon is geuen onely oâ— the grace of God thorowe the promes and thorow no deseruyng at all And that the
despysed God and became the serpentes generacion Wherfore whan Adam had gotten another sonne he was of a good hope that in Abels steade God had geuen hym another sonne whiche shulde do right and of whome the roâ—e of the blessed sede shulde sprede oute afterwarde For the which cause also he called hym Seth which by vs is called a plâ—â—â—â— meanynge that God had set hym plaÌ„ted hym as a braunche out of the which Messias shulde be borne For â—s for Cain he douted of hym And from the same Seth â–ª proceadeth the generation of the ryghteous vntyll Noe and from hym to AbrahaÌ„ and so vnto Dauid and from theÌ„ce forth vnto Christ This Seth repayred our holy fayth â–ª which receyued great hurt at the death of Abell Thys dyd Seth I say for asmuche as he beynge taught inwardlye of god by mouth or outwardly of Adam lerned hys chyldren and theyr sede to put theyr truste in God and comforte them selues in the blessed sede and to cleaue vnto the same For it is wryten manifestly And than beganne men to call vppon the â—ame of the Lorde Tyll thys tyme was Adam wyth Heue hys wyfe onely a true frende and seruer to god The generation of Cain was now well spred abrode and come to two hundreth and fyftye yeares aboue but the more parte lyued wythoute the feare of God vnrepentaunt and vngodly Wherfore in asmuche as the generation of Seth now increased the feare of God and right beleue was among theÌ„ the scripture sayeth well And than beganne men to call vpon the name of the lorde And by thys callynge vppon dothe the Scripture meane the true ryghte beleue and Gods seruice that he mooste aloweth Of the progenie therefore of ryghteous Seth sprange the seruauntes of god and presidentes of our Chrysten fayth As for the cursed generation of Cain and of the vngodly it was destroyed and drowned wyth the floude To the holy genealogie of the true beleuers pertayneth the Patriarke Enoch of whome it is wrytten that he walked before god that is he ordred hys lyfe and conuersation altogyther after the wyll of God beynge constante and vpryghte no doute in all that whych God hadde spoken vnto Adam Therfore became he also an ensample of the immortalite of the soule and resurrection of the bodye and that all goddes seruauntes shalbe saued after thys lyfe For thus sayeth the scripture And in asmuche as he aplyed hym selfe to walke after god god toke hym away and he was nomore sene The holye Apostle Paule also in the xi chapter to the Hebrees speakethe very excellently of Enochs fayth so that no man may doute but that he had respecte to the blessed sede pleased god thorow Christ Moreouer the enemyte betwene the children of god and of man that is the yssue of the serpent grew euer more and more so that on the one syde the multitude of god increased on the other syde the multitude of the deuyll Jet at the last the multitude of the wycked was greatest â–ª For whan the chyldren of god wyth helde not them selues from the chyldren of the worlde â–ª but toke wyues and husbandes amonge them they begat roughe people which had no fayth at all and lyued only after theyr owne luste and tentatioÌ„ forgat God vtterly and regarded not the hundreth twentye yeares which God gaue them to amende Therfore was God constrayned so to punishe the vnfaithfull worlde ones that all posterities vnto the ende of the worlde myght haue a terrible ensaple of the iust wrath of God whereby they myght lerne how vngodlynesse vnrighteousnesse displeaseth God Thus the Lorde brought the floude vpon all the erth oaerthrew all that stode vp and destroyed euery thynge that had lyfe whan the worlde had stonde now a thousande sire hundreth and sixe and fyftye yeare For so many yeares fynde we in the fiâ—th and seuenth of Genesis where it is written that Noe was â–ª 600. yeare olde whan the floude came vpon erth Now yf we reken the yeares of the olde fathers in the fifth chapter vntyll Adam we shal fynde the forsayde summe And thus the yssne of the serpent had an ende and all vngodly and vn righteous lyuynge was myghtely supprest and destroyed of God And in thys horrible destruction of the vngodly was faithfull Noe saued he beynge the eight and preserwed in the Arke thorow the grace and mercy of God Here oure holy true ChristeÌ„ faith had the victory and triumphed For Noe was of oure fayth euen of the sede of God put hys trust in the blessed sede oure Lorde Jesus Yee the Arke or shyppe of Noe was a figure of Christ as we maye easely vnderstande by the wordes of saynt Peter i. Petri. iii. Seynge then that Noe was preserued thorowe the Arke it foloweth that he was saued by Jesus Christe therfore is it manifeste that he fyrste beleued in Christ Noe also was he with whome God first renued the couenauÌ„t made with Adam For it is but â—one couenaunt onely euen the foresayde promesse ende made by God vnto Adam Howe beit the same couenaunte was afterwarde at certayne tymes renewed by reason of certayne occasions Here myght Noe haue thoughte that all the worlde and all men shuld vtterley haue bene vndone for as moche as the Lorde sayde I am determyned to destroye all flesh Therfore immediatly he addeth moreouer and sayeth But with the will I set vp my couenaunt that is to saye what soeuer pertayneth to my couenaunt and what I haue promysed AdaÌ„ already the same wyll I surely and constantly make good and thoughe I nowe destroye the worlde yet wyll I perfourme my trueth thorow the. For I wyll preserue the alyue that the blessed sede promysed afore maye here after be borne of the in hys generation To thys dyd Noe trust was preserued of God thorow Christ Moreouer whan he was come out of the Arke he dyd sacryfice and therby declared the thankfulnesse of hys hert and beleue how that he knew that he had all good of hod which shuld also geue him a sede that with sacrificinge of him self shuld recoÌ„cyle pacifie god For thus saieth the scripture Noe buylded an altare vnto the Lorde and toke of all maner of cleane beastes foules and offred brent sacrifice vnto the Lorde and the Lorde smelled the swete sauouâ—e and sayde in hys herte I wyll nomore curse the erth for mans sake c. So sayeth Paul â—n the fifth to the Ephesians Walke ye in loue lyke as Christe hath loued vs and gaue hym selfe for vs an of frynge and sacrifice of a swete sauour vnto God Wherby euery man maye lerne and se that the swete smel of the outward sacrifice of Noe dyd not chefely pacifye God and was pleasaunt but rather that thorow the bodely sacrifice was figured the sacrifice of Christ and for hys sake was he mercifull vnto the worlde For ouer Christ he sayd at
Jordan whaÌ„ Christ was baptysed Thys is my deare beloued sonne in whome I am pacified or reconcyled Besydes thys the Lord gaue vnto Noe certayne lawes but none other then euen soche as he had geuen to hys fore fathers and written in their hertes The first pertayneth to mariage and bringynge vp of chyldren in the whiche is comprehended all that is written concernyng nurtour clenlynesse and temperaunce of care and bryngynge vp of chyldren in the feare of God vertue obedience and lerninge The seconde forbybddeth violence and diseate namely that no man shall eate bloude For it is a figuratyue precepte commaundynge that no man get hys lyuynge by murthur by oppressyng the poore by vsury by extorcion by falshode and disceate Moreouer all thynges lyuynge were subdued vnto hym and all meates were permitted hym In conclusion what soeuer concerned to loue God and their neyghboure the same is here renewed vnto Noe and his chyldren and requyred of them Of Noe came afterwarde all people yea amonge hys thre sonnes Japhet Sem and Cham he had both the sede of God of the froward serpent that is soche as had respecte vnto God and them also that regarded the deuell Of Cham came the Egipcians Assyrians Babylonians by and frome whome sprange ydolatrye offryng to ymages and frome whome false religion came vp first and was brought in amonge other nacions by the helpe of the olde serpent as amonge the Grekes Romaynes and other people By this is it good to vnderstande that our holy Christen faith is elder then anye other For here maye we se clearly that after a thousand and certayne hundreth yeares almoost in the eight hundreth or nyne hundreth yeare came vp the first begynnynge of the Heithens beleue offrynge to ymages and yet came it of wicked cursed men For cursed Cham was the begynnynge of the EgipciaÌ„s and Nimroth the vngodly extorcioner and tyrauÌ„te was the first founder of the kingdome of Babilon which kyngdome with the buyldinge of a mightie tower set forth his pryde Neuerthelesse the hande of God declared it selfe immedyatly as it is red in the eleuenthe chapter of Genesis Summa in the generation of Cham had the serpent great power howebeit in the posterite of Japhet also of whome the Almaynes come and in the posterite of Sem he had hys ysâ—ue lykewyse Of the progenie of Sem were borne AbrahaÌ„ Isaat and Jacob. Gene. xi And as it is sayd afore the syncere fayth was somewhat darkyned in Caldea therfore dyd God call Abraham out from the ydolatrie and renewed wyth hym the old true Christen fayth begonne wyth Adam and sayde Genesis .xii. Get the out of thy couÌ„tre and from thy kynred in to a laÌ„de that I wyll shewe the and I wyll blesse the and make a greate nacyon of the. And in the shall all the nacion of the earth be blessed Item in the. xxii Chapter speakethe God yet more clearly and sayeth In thy sede shall all the nacyons of the earthe be blessed Thys dothe Paull declare in the iii. to the Galathiaus and sayeth In thy sede whyche is Christe Therfore was the same now an other renewyng of the promesse of Christe the blessed sede For fyrst whaÌ„ he promised vnto Adam afterwarde was the promes renewed wyth Noe and now wyth Abraham And al thys now is but one promes one sauioure and one fayth AbrahaÌ„ also beleued in Jesus christ and was saued by fayth For Jesus christ sayeth hym selfe in the eyghte Charter of Johan Abraham sawe my daye and reioysed What is now the daye of Chryste but the clearnesse of y e holy gospell This lyght had he not bodely but sawe it wyth the eyes of fayth and the same made hym ioyfull and saued hym For Chryste is the true ioye of troubled consciences Thus became Abraham the father of all faythfull beleuers Roma iiii And yf we beleue and do as AbrahaÌ„ dyd then are we Abrahams chyldren and shall rest wyth him in hys bosome eueÌ„ in the kyngdome of God Luke .xiii. xvi xix Mat. viii Paull also to the Galathians in the .iii. chapter sayeth Yf ye be Chrystes then are ye Abrahams sede and heyres accordynge to the promes Out of thys fayth in Christ dyd AbrahaÌ„ ChristeÌ„ workes For with a good wyl left he hys own natyue countre all ydols and all ymages all mysfortune honger miserye toke he paciently he was not harde agagynst Loth hys neuye but ioparde his body and lyfe for the oppressed he was liberall mercyfull harberous he prayed ferueÌ„ty vnto God for the poore synners he suffred oppresion violence wronge and for Gods sake also he thought to sacrifice and offre vp hys own moost dearly beloued sonne Isaac Summa there is no reasonable good Christen worke but thou seyst it in y e lyfe of AbrahaÌ„ Therfore to vs also for an ensample of oure fayth and conuerâ—acion he is set forthe of the Lorde hym selfe and hys apostles thorow out the new Testament Here also is it manifest that our holy faith is elder then the Jewish faith For the Jewes do boaste them selues of the Circumcision and because they are called Jewes and Israel and that the lawe the presthode and the gods seruyce was geuen vnto them And yet Gene xv and .xvii. and Roma iiii is it euydent that AbrahaÌ„ was gods frende and iustified or made righteous or euer he was circuÌ„cysed For whan he was circuncysed he was 99. yeare old Gene. xvii Nowe was the promes made vnto hym many yeares afore The scripture also sayeth planely Abraham beleued God the same was couÌ„ted vnto him for righteousnesse Genesi xv So was it many yeares after or euer Israel Juda was borne of whome they haue taken their name The lawe also was geuen 430 yeares after the promes as Paull made the rekenynge Gala. iii. It foloweth therfore that oure christen fayth is 2048. yeares elder then the CircuÌ„cision and. 2449. yeare elder then the lawe the presthode ceremonies of the Jewes For from Adam vnto the floud were 1656. yeares And froÌ„ the floude vntill the departynge of Abraham out of Caldea 363. yeares From that tyme are rekened 430. yeares vntyll the departynge of Israel out of Egipte And on the. 50. daye after the departinge was the lawe geuen vnto Israel vpon mounte Sina Exo. 19. 20. And after certayn dayes was the presthode ceremonies appoynted them Where as God then made a couenaunt with AbrahaÌ„ whan he ordeyned the circuncision It serueth more to the coÌ„firmacion of oure holy christen faith then to the mayntenaunce of the Jewish ceremonyes Isaac and Jacob were Abraham chyldren not onely after the flesh but also after the sprete For they had the fayth of their father and graundfather Abraham put their trust onely in god thorow Jesus Christ and lyued a sober vertuos lyfe Of thys doth the scripture beare them recorde thorow out Jea Jacob whome the Lorde also called otherwyse Israell of whome
receaued the same at the custome of their father Who wyth hys wyfe Eua the mother of vs all was saued by none other worke or merite of maÌ„ but onely thorow and in the blessed sede of oure Lorde Jesu Christe ¶ That the holye Patriarkes also were Chrysten â–ª and saued by Chryste SUche faith in christ Jesu as we now haue spoken of dyd the holy father Adam no doute teache hys chyldreÌ„ that they also myghte plante in to theyr chyldren the promes of god his mercy and deuyce concernynge the Messias or Sauioure that was for to come And truly Abell had suche a notable fayth in god that the holy Apostle Paul wrote of hym after thys maner Thorowe faythe dyd Abell offre a greater sacrifice theÌ„ dyd Cain therby opteyned he wytnesse that he was ryghteous For god bare recorde to hys gyftes In asmuche then as it can not be denyed but that all they whych are iust ryghteous he made ryghteous thorow the blessed sede And Abell was iustifyed It foloweth that he was made ryghteous thorow fayth in Jesus Chryste In that he dyd sacrifice it is a token frute of a hart that was thankfull and feared God It was no suche interpryse that he wolde clense and make hym selfe accepte vnto God thorow that outward sacrifice For certayne it is that no outward oblacion purifieth man wythin But the grace of god graunted vnto vs thorowe Jesus Christ purifieth vs a right And the out warde sacrifices of the olde fathers besyde that they were tokens of thankfulnesse prayse and magnifyenge of God as it is sayde afore were figures of the onely perpetuall sacrifice of our sauiour Christe And in this behalfe they were eueÌ„ asmoche as sacramentes of thinges to come Thus also and in lyke vnderstondynge haue oure first fathers done sacrifice as hereafter it shall folow more largely Nowe lyke as in Abel there is set forth vnto vs an ensample of Gods sede of a regenerate true faithfull Christen man So is Cain a sede of the serpent a chylde of the deuell which despysed the inspiracion of God and harkened to the disceatfull serpent And in these two brethren we maye se what God meaned whaÌ„ he sayd I wyll put enemyte betwene the sede of the woman and thy sede As though he wolde saye There shalbe two maner of people the one shall cleue vnto Christ the blessed sede the other shall cleue vnto the deuell And these two generacioÌ„s shall in no wyse a gree but be at variavnce in fayth and religion I will endew my sede that they shall cleue onely vnto me feare me honour and worshippe me seke all saluacion in me thorow the blessed sede lyue vertuousâ—y honestly soberly Then shal the serpent tempte their â—ede with ypocâ—ysye not to loue me ner serue me right not to holde of me as they shulde not to trust in me but to loue the worde to folowe the lustes and tentacions therof All thys fynde we here in these two brethren in whome begynneth the firste difference of true and false beleuers For Abel was simple godly and of a constant faith in God And in asmoche as he toke God for his refuge he broughte hym giftes of hys bâ—ste substaunce no doubte because he had first geuen ouer hys soule and all hys power vnto God at whome alone he soughte all good without any ypocrisye He was also innocent â–ª veriuous and frendly and folowed not hys owne tentacions And for thys faithes sake dyd hys sacrifice please God but Caines pleased hym not for hys hert was not right with God he was a dissembler gredye vnfaithfull personne which set hys hert and mynde vpon erthlye thynges allwaye despysinge Gods worde and folowyng his owne tentacion Whiche thynge was euydeÌ„t in thys that he hauynge no cause onely of a wilfull hert and thorow the tentacion of the serpent murthured his own brother Wherby he hath opteyned to be the arâ—hfather of all murthurers whiche persecute and murthur the sede of god that is to saye the true beleuers onely for their faithes sake â–ª Thus became abel the firste martyr and instrumente of god and yf Christ in the holy church For these two brethren haue set forth before vs the wole battayl stryfe which the worlde the cytye of the deuelâ— the chyldren cytesyns of the cursâ—d cytye wherin the serpent is heade and master and hath the dominion shal make agaynst the cytie and cytesyns in whome Christe is the heade vnto the ende of the worlde The fre men of the cytie of God and of Christe do â—leue onely vnto God serue hym with all theyr hart buylde only vpon Christe The cytesyns of the serpent despyse god yet make they theyr boaste of God to whome also they offer and do seruice but not as they ought to do Now whaÌ„ they perceyue that theyr fayth is not ryghte and that theyr ypocrysie is spyed and myslyked then fall they to murthurynge to the whych god is an enemy and forbyddeth it wyth hys worde For Cain also exhorted he from hys purpose sayd Thou nedeste not to arme the because of thy brother for thou haste none occasyon to be angry wyth hym For yf thou doeste ryght thou shalte fynde it and haue ioye therof but yf thou doest not ryght then is thy mysfortune synne and trespace opon and thou shalte shame destroye thy selfe Thy brother goeth on wythout faulte he shall do the no hurt nor harme he shall also not be Lorde ouer the nor myny she thy â—yght Yea he shall haue respecte vnto the and thou shalt haue dominion ouer hym and so kepe thy byrth right styll remayn the fyrste borne although hys sacrifice be acceptable vnto me and not thyne Ceasse therfore from thy wicked purpose and offende not agaynst thy brother But Cain dyd as al vngodly do For he went forth and sâ—ue hys innocent brother And afterwarde whan the Lorde wolde haue brought hym in to the knowlege of hys great synne and pardon hym he despised the voyce of the Lord with crakyng and facynge For the which cause the lord was wrothe with hym and cursed hym Then dispayred he first and went forth became yet more wicked dealt altogether vngodly set first his mynde vpon earthly thynges thought to exalte hys name vpon erth and buylded the fyrst cytye whiche he called Hanoch he begat sonnes daughters but litle feare of God was before their eyes in so moche that the scripture sayeth Adam layâ— with his wyfe agaâ—â—e and she bare a sonne whome she called Seth. For God sayde she hath geuen me another sede for Abel whome Cain â—lew Seth also had a sonne and he called hym Ends. And than beganne men to call vpon the name of the Lord Out of the whiche wordes it is easie to vnderstonde that as touchynge holy Adam he helde no more of Cain then as thoughe he neuer hadde chylde For Adam feared God Cain with hys progenye
afterward all the people of God receaued the name Israel had many vysions of the Lorde Christ as with the ladder that stode vpon the erth the toppe reachynge to heaueÌ„ on the which the angels of god wente vp and downe For herewith was represented vnto hym the Lord Jesus whiche is the waye vnto heaueÌ„ the trueth and lyfe without whome no man commeth vnto the father Upon the vision of Jacob sayeth he also hym selfe Joh. i. Uerely Isaye vnto you heÌ„ce forth shall ye se the heauen open and the aungels of god goynge vp and downe vpon the sonne of man And so constant was Jacob in remembryng the same that afterward at the commaundement of the Lorde he set vp in the same place an altare no dout as it is sayde afore for a figure of the crosse and sacrifice of Christ and there honoured he and worshipped the Lorde he commaunded all hys people also that they shulde forsake straunge goddes and geue him the ydols that they had brought with them out of Mesopotamia he buryed them vnder an Oke that stode besyde Sichem Gene. xxxv And whan he wolde now dye he prophecied very clearly of the lord Christe how he shulde be borne out of the kynred of Juda and that he shuld be born the same tyme that the kyngdome shulde be taken from Juda. Whiche thyng also came to pas in Herodes tyme. For in the xxxii yeare of the raygne of Herode was Christe borne at BethleeÌ„ in Jewry Wher of the wordes of Jacob are these The sceptre shall not be taken awaye from Juda ner a ruler from hys fete tyll Schilo come that is to saye the sauioure and he in whome all nations shalbe blessed and the people shall fall vnto hym This sted fast fayth of Jacob dyd Joseph folow also which mortified hys owne flesh declared patience in aduersite preson and exercysed great iustice and equyte in hys gouernaunce He was a figure of oure Lord Jesus Christe who also beynge folde of hys owne vnto the Heythen preserued hys brethren alyue So that from the begynnyng of the worlde vntyll the death of Joseph the righte Christen fayth endured 2300. yea res And thus all holy patriarkes before the lawe were saued not thorowe the lawe ner by their owne strength and deseruynge but â–ª thorowe the blessed sede oure Lorde Jesus Christ The lawe of Moses ¶ The lawe of God geuen by Moses leadeth vnto Christ and maketh mention of all hys doynges THe Israelites after the death of Joseph vntyll their departyng delyuerannce out of Egipte were in the lande .c. xl yeares And lyke as afore in the tyme of Noe the dwellynge among the wicked became occasion of fallynge vn to the righteous Euen so now dyd the Israelites lerne ydolatrye and all vnhappynesse of the Egiptians For the whiche cause also they were sore opprest a longe season howbeit there remayned yet many excellent men whiche kepte styll the olde faith and hated the abhominations of the Egiptians For of Moses which was born .c. vi yeare after the death of Joseph saâ—â—th Paul Moses thorow saith whan he grâ—w vp and was great refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter and chose rather to suffre aduersite with the people of God then to enâ—oye the pleasures of synne for a season and estemed the rebuke of Criste greater ryches then the treasures of Egypte for he had respecte to the rewarde Hebre xi Now can no man desyre to suffre with Christe except he haue know lege of Christes sufferynge Therfore Moses in the myddes of all persecution had know lege of Christe the fayth in Christe So is there no doute but moo vertuous people had thys true fayth whiche were all oppressed and vexed in Egypte lyke as afterwarde the right faithfwll beleuers were somwhat more persecuted as amoÌ„g the Heythen in the tymeof the Judges and kynges of Juda and Israel vnder kynge Antiochus vnder the Emperous Nero Traianus Domitianus Maximianê° Julianus and other As for the vnbeleuers they in suche myserable tymeys receaued the reward of theyr vnthankfulnesse disobedience ydolatrie and blasphemye But whan the appoynted tyme came whych god had forsene and opened vnto Abraham Gene. xv he brought the people of Israell by Moses out of Egypt wyth and thorowe great wonders and tokens By the whych he fyrst declared hys power then hys louyng kyndnesse and mercy towarde hys owne and hys terrible iustice and vengeaunce agaynste hys enemyes Wherby all the worlde myghte knowe that there was none other iust true god saue the God of Israell in whose hande onely consiste all thynges whyche also of hys mere mercy preserueth hys owne and wyth ryght indgement rewardeth hys enemyes Specially thys is mooste wonderfull that in thys great busynesse worke he hath so myghtely set forth the redemption perfourmed by oure Lorde Jesus Chryste yea and expressed it to be a very myghty redemption For the same nyght whan they shulde departe awaye and be dyspatched in the mornyng the Lord commaunded them to kyll a lambe and wyth the bloud therof to sprinkle the dores and postes of the house So whan the aungell that in the same night slew the fyrst borne of the Egyptians sawe the bloude he shuld do no harme and sley no man therin Exo xii Now te stifyeth Paul .i. Cor. v that Christ Jesus is our Ester lambe and passeouer â–ª So sayeth S. JohaÌ„ Beholde the lambe of God whyche taketh awaye the synne of the worlde Therefore were not the Israelytes spared because of the bloud of beastes but for the bloudes sake of the blessed sede that was promysed for to come And thus the whole delyuerauÌ„ce out of Egypt was a figure of the true redemption by the whych we are delyuered from the power of the deuell from euerlastynge death thorow Jesus Christe and brought into the lande of promes euen to eternall ioye and saluation whyche God promysed vnto our fathers AdaÌ„ Noe Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Now whan the Lorde had caried hys people out of Egipt and brought theÌ„ thorow the reed see drye shode and had drowned Pharao wyth all hys people he commaunded hys folke to prepare and clense theÌ„ selues at mouÌ„t Sina For he wold binde hymselfe vnto them receaue them as hys owne people and gaue them hys law and ordynauÌ„ce Which thing he also dyd and appoynted hys law himselfe spake it wyth hys owne mouth and wrote it with hys owne fyngers in two tables of stone In the one fyrst table he ordeyned foure commaundementes concernynge the wor shippe and loue of God Namely that we shulde take hym onely for the true right God and none els besyde or excepte hym That we shuld worship and honoure hym onely and in no wyse to haue anye other God coÌ„forte nor hope Item that we shuld in no wyse make any ymage or picture of any thinges and nether to worshippe them nor serue them Morouer that we shulde not take the
one summâ— whych fayth Adam Noe AbrahaÌ„ Mosâ—s and Dauid had And thys dyd they the more euideÌ„tly because they applyâ—d theÌ„ selues to opeÌ„ the lawe and to dryue awaye the mysvnderstandynge whyche was rysen vp among and in the people therfore poynte they euery where froÌ„ the letter vnto the sprete froÌ„ y â— outward sacrifice vnto christ Jesus from all ydolaâ—rye vnto the onely God whyche saueth vs thorow hys mercy only in the blessed sede horowe none of oure deseruinges This dyd Paul se therfore sayde he Roma iii. Thorowe the workes of the law shall no man be iustified in the syght of god For thorow the law coÌ„meth the knowlege of synne But nowe is the ryghteousâ—es of God declared wythoute the lawe for as muche as it is alowed by the â—estimoâ—y of the law the Prophetes The ryghteousnes of God coÌ„meth by the fayâ—h of Jesus Christ vnto al and vpoÌ„ al theÌ„ that beleue So sayeth Peter also in thâ— â–ª â—â— â–ª of the Actes All the prophetes from Samuell thence forth as many as haue spoken haue tolde of thâ—se dayes And in the. â— â–ª chapter â—â—oâ—hys Jesus Christ geue all the prophetes wiâ—nes that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shall thorowe hys name recyeue forgâ—uenâ—sse of synnes Who so now is lerned in the wrytynges of the Prophetes knoweth well that there is nothyng red concernyng the Lord in the new Testament whych the prophetes haue not prophecyed of afore He that is then any thynge iustructe in the Prophetes hathe no doute consydred thys in the new testameÌ„t that the apostles proue all theyr doctrine of the Lorde Jesu out of the lawe and the Prophetes Yea that the Lord hym selfe confyrmeth hys owne doynges wyth the scriptures of the prophetes and that the EuaÌ„gelistes thorow out the holy gospell set vnto the doctrine and miracles of Christ these wordes And this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken dy the prophetes Neuertheles for theyr sakes that are not yet instructe I wyll nowe declare the principall articles of our Lord Jesu Christ out of the holy prophetes As touchyng the true godheade manhode of oure Lorde Jesu Christ and that he shulde be borne at BethleeÌ„ in the lande of Jewrye of a pure virgin and maide out of the kynred of Dauid the Prophetes testifie after thys maner Esaye in the. vâ—i Chapter â—ayeth Beholde a virgin shall conceaue and beare a sonne and shall call hys name Emanuell that is to saye God wyth vs. Micheas saieth in the .v. chapter Though thou Bethleem Ephrata arte to small to be rekened amonge the pryncypall cyties of Juda yet oute of the shall there come one vnto me whych shalbe ruler in Israell whose forth goyng is from euerlastynge In the nynth Chapter of Esaye it is wrytten Unto vs is a chylde borne and to vs is geuen a sonne vppon whose shulders the kyngdome shall lye and he shalbe called after hys own name euen the wondefull counsaill geuer the myghty one of Israel the eternall father the Prince of peace hys kyngdome shall increace and of hys peace there shalbe no ende and he shall reigne vppon the seate of Dauid hys father In the. xxiii of Hieremy it is wrytten thus Beholde the tyme commeth sayth the Lorde that I wyl tayâ—e vp the ryghteous blossome of Dauid he shall be kyng and reygne and prospere iudgemente and ryghteousnesse shall he eâ—â—cute vpon earth In thys tyme shall Juda be saued and Israell shall dwell wythoute feare thys is the name wherwythe he shall be named euen God oure ryghteousnes Concernynge the commynge of John the baptist wâ—ych was the fore runner of oure Lorde Christ and prepared the people for hym Hath Malachy wrytteÌ„ in the thyrde chapter after thys maner Beholde I wyll sende my messaunger whych shall prepare the waye before me and the Lord whome ye longe for shall shortly come to hys temple and the messaunger of the couenaunt whome yâ— wolde haue Beholde he commeth sayeth the Lord zebaoth And after warde Beholde I wyll sende Helias the Prophete afore the commynge of the greate and fearefull Daye of the Lorde Of Christes preachynge of the grace of God of the forgeuing of synnes of the wonders also and tokens of the Lorde speaketh Esaye in the. lâ—i Chapter after thys maner The spirite of the Lorde god is vpon me and therfore hath the Lorde anoynted me to preache the Gospel to the meke harted hath he sente me to heale the broken harted to preache delyueraunce to the captyue to open the pryson to suche as are in bondes to proclame the yeare of Gods gracyous wyll and to brynge consolation to all them that are in heuynes In the .xxxiiii. chapter of Ezechiell it is wrytten thus Ouer my shepe wyll I rayse vp one onely shepherde whych shall fede theÌ„ eveÌ„ Dauid my seruaunt whych shall fede them and he shalbe theyr shepherde I the Lorde also wyll be theyr God and Dauid shalbe theyr prince euen I the Lorde haue spoken it In the .xxxv. Cha. of Esaye it is wrytten thus Saye vnto them that are of a feble hart Be stronge and feare not beholde oure god commeth to take vengeauÌ„ce reward God coÌ„meth hym selfe wyll delyuer you Then shall the eyes of the blynde be opened c. Then shall the lame man leape as an hert and the tonge of the Domne shall geue prayse Of the kyngdom of Christ in the which he hym selfe alone is kynge all the world beynge subiecte vnto hym declarynge hys dominion and royall maiestye wrytteth Esaye thus in the seconde Chapter And it shall come to passe in the last tyme that the hyll of the house of the Lorde shall be exalted vpon the hyght of mountaynes aboue all litsâ— hylles and all nacions shall come together vnto hym the people shall go to him and saye Come let vs go vp to the mount of the Lorde euen to the house of the God of Jacob that he maye shew vs hys waye and we wyll walke in hys pathes For the lawe shall come forth froÌ„ Sion and the worde of God from Hierusalem In the .vii. of Daniel it is writteÌ„ thus I sawe a vision in the nyght and beholde there came one in the cloudes of heauen like the sonne of man which came to the olde aged and they brought hym before hys presence And he gaue hym power glorie and the kyngdome and all people nacions and tonges must serue him his power is an euerlastyng power which shall not be taken from hys hys kyngdome shall not perishe Esaye sayeth in the ixii capter And the Heythen shall se thy righteousnesse all kynges thyne honoure and he shall call the by a newe name O Syon and the mouâ—h of God shall geue the name And thou shalt be a crowne of glorye in the hand of the Lorde and a royall crowne of the kyngdome in the hand of thy God And soone after it folowethe Make ready make ready the
waye gather vp the stones out of the strete and hang out the banner vnto the people beholde the Lorde hath caused it to be proclamed vnto the ende of the worlde Tell the daughter Syon beholde the sauyoure commeth lo his treasure and his rewarde bringeth he with him his dedes go before him And they that are redemed of the Lord shalbe called the holy people zachary sayeth in the .ix. chap. Reioyce O daughter SioÌ„ be glad O daughter Hierusalem beholde thy kyng coÌ„meth vnto the euen the righteous and sauyoure meke and symple is he he rydeth vpon an asse vpon a yong colt of the she asse He shal preach peace vnto the Hevthen his kyngdome also shall reach from the one see to the other from the ryuer vnto the vttermost parte of the erthe Of the death and passion of Christ speaketh Daniel in the .ix. chapter after this maner And after two and sixtye wekes shall Christ be slayn put to death and yet shall they haue no true testimonye that he is giltye of death Esaye in the .l. chapter sayeth thus The Lorde God opened myne eare and I refused it not nether wente I bacwarde I gaue my body to the smiters and my chekes to the nyppers and my face haue I not turned from theyr shamefull intreatinge and spittynge vpon me The Lorde God also shall help me therfore shall I not be confounded And therfore haue I hardened my face lyke a flynt stone and am sure that I shall not be confounded In the liii chapter there is writteÌ„ of Christ after this maner He shall haue nether bewtye ner fayrnesse we shall loke vpon him but we shall haue no desyre vnto hym He is despysed and conteÌ„ned of meÌ„ a maÌ„ of trouble and one that hath had experience of infirmyte He is so despysed that we shall hyde our faces from him and haue hym in no estimation And yet hath he borne oure vnperfectnesses and felt oure sorowes We also thought that he shulde be wounded smyâ—ten and punished of God But he was wounded for our synnes and slayne for oure wyckednesse sake And the punishment wherby we haue peace is layed vpon him and thorow his woundes are we made whole All we haue gone astraye lyke shepe euery one of vs hath had respecte vnto hys owne waye and the Lorde hath layed all our synnes vpon hym Uiolence and wrong was done vnto hym he hath bene euell intreated yet opened he not his mouth He shall be led as a beest to be slayen and as a shepe domme before the sherers so shall he not open hys mouth c. The whole chapter descrybeth all the cause of Christe so clearly that holy Hierome sayd not in vayne Esaye is not onely a Prophet but also an Euangelist zachary descrybeth the presthode and sacrificie of Christ and testifieth that with the same onely oblacion he hath opteyned grace for all synnes and therfore seueÌ„ that is to saye all eyes shall haue respecte vnto him and shall seke peace rest of theyr consciences in hym and shall fynde it Heare nowe O Josue thou hye prest thou and thy coÌ„panyons that syt before the seynge ye are meÌ„ of ensamples For lo I wil bring my seruauÌ„t eueÌ„ the blossome For beholde the stone whiche I haue layed before Josue wyll I brynge To the same onely stone shall seueÌ„ eyes loke Beholde I wyll dyg it vp and dssclose it sayeth the Lorde zabaoth and the synne of the erth wyll I take awaye in one daye And in that daye shall euery man call hys neghboure vnder hys vyne and fygâ—tre The buryall and resurrection of oure Lord Jesu Christ hath the prophet Jonas figured very excellently For thus sayeth oure Lorde Christ hym selfe Lyke as Jonas was thre dayes and thre nyghtes in the whalles belye so shall the sonne of man be thre dayes and thre nightes in the hert of the erthe Of the ascension of Jesu Christ and sendynge of the holy gooste hath Joel also written in the .ii. chapter and it is alledged of S. Peter Act. ii Of the callynge gathering together the Heythen and of euery thynge pertaynynge to the holy church doth Esay wryte in the .xlix. chap. and so forth to the ende of his prophecye Thus hast thou that the prophetes also in their tyme dyd preach Jesus Christe poynted not the people to truste vnto the workes of the law their own deseruing but vnto christ of whome they prophecied euery thinge that folowed after Therfore dyd Peter speake right .i. Pet. i. sayenge Ye shall receaue the ende of your fayth euen the saluacion of your soules After which saluacion haue the prophetes enquyred and searched whiche prophecyed of the grace that shulde come vnto you searchinge whan or what tyme the sprete of Christ which was in them shuld signifye which sprete testified before the passions that shuld happen vnto Christ and the glory that shulde folowe after Unto the which prophetes it was also declared that not vnto them selues onely but vnto vs they shuld ministre the thynges which are now shewed vnto you by them which haue preached vnto you the gospel thorow the holy goost that was senâ—e vnto them from heauen c. In the which testimony the holy Apostle Peter had a speciall respecte to the prophecye of Daniel whiche dyd not onely recorde the passion glory of Christ but also poynted to the tyme in the which Christ shuld come For lyke as God in the greatest parels daungers and alteracions hath alwaye renewed more clearly expressed hys promes conceruyng the blessed sede as in the tyme of Noe whan the worlde was destroyed in the tyme of Abraham whan God wolde prepare hym selfe a new people in the tyme of Moses whaÌ„ God receaued his people and caryed them out of Egipte to bringe them in to the lande of Canaan in the tyme of Dauid whan all thynges stode so well and it must nedes be auoyded leste any man shulde thynke Dauid were the blessed sede Before the captiuite of Babylon also and in the tyme of the prophetes which as it is sayde afore preached and wrote that no man shulde doute in gods promes as who saye they were geuen vp and cast a waye though the temple were broken the cytye brent though the people of whome Christ shuld be borne were led awaye in to captiuite Euen so nowe also in the captiuite whan the faythfull might all moost haue thought that the promes of God concernynge Messia were cleane gone Euen than dyd God shewe hys seruaunt Daniel a more cleare vision of Christ after thys maner The people shalbe let go agayne out of captiuite and shall come home to HierusaleÌ„ buylde the temple and cytie agayne but with a sore tyme. And after that the cytye is buylded vnto the tyme of Christe shall be .lxix. wekes that is c. xâ—viii .iii. yeares And euen so was it from the. xxxâ—i yeare of Darius
lyfe tyme he dyd chose Apostles whome he receaued to be witnesses of all hys doctryne miracles enfourmyng them diligently helde nothyng backe from them For he sayeth vnto them Ye are my frendes yf ye do all that I commaunde you I wyll hence forth call you no more seruauntes for a seruant woteth not what hys Lorde doth But I haue called you my frendes for all that I haue heard of my father haue I opened vnto you Joh. â—v But for asmoche as they yet lacked vnderstondnge were forgetfull and had euer straunge ymaginacions of the kyngdome of Christ therfore whan he now ascended vnto heauen he charged them not to departe from Hierusalem but to wayte for the holy gooste whome he also gaue vnto them vpon the fiftieth daye after his resurrection that is vpon the tenth daye after his ascension euen the fiftenthe daye of Maye by the which holy goost they beynge illuminate spake with all maner of langagâ—â— and were myndfull of all that the Lorde had commaunded them aâ—oâ—e For the holy goost dyd not endew them with a newe doctryne but it that the Lord had taught them out of the lawe and the prophetes the same dyd he bringe to their remembraunce and illucidate all thinges prynted them more clearly in ther hertes For so sayeth the. Lorde in the gospell The conforter euen the holy gost whom the father wyll sende in my name he shall teache you all thinges and bringe all thynges to youre remembraunce that I haud sayde vnto you Therfore so longe as the Lorde was with them and tolde them all the matter of hys passion they were sorye and coulde not beare awaye all that he sayd vnto them But after that he was taken vp frome the erth in to heauen he sent the holy goost euen him whome the prophetes also had before that led them into all Christen veryte So whan they were endowed with the holy gooste they beganne accordige to the Lordes commaundemente to preach in all the world the foresayde matter of saluacion purged and obteyned onely by Christ and gotten by true faith For he had sayde Go your waye in to all the world and preach the gospell vnto all creatures Who so beleueth and is baptised shalbe saued c. And therwith comprendeth he both the poyntes whiche the Apostles vsed and practised euen the preachyng of the faith in Jesus Christ and of the ministracion of the sacramentes And how the Apostles doctryne was it is manifest out of the Actes of the Apostles But shortly and in a summe they preached amendement of lyfe and remission of synnes thorow Jesus Christ That is to saye howe that the whole generacion of man laye in the dominion of the deuel and in y e bondes of synne cursed and damned but God had mercy on vs all sente his soone in to this worlde to dye and with hys death to restore vs vnto lyfe and to wash vs with his bloude that who so euer beleueth in hym shulde not perish but haue eternall lyfe All this declared they out of the lawe and the prophetes proued that Jesus Christ whome they preached is the blessed sede promised vnto the fathers Who so is desyrous to haue a perfecte ensample of this declaracion he fyndeth two sermons of the famous Apostles Peter and Paul the one in the Actes of the Apostles the secoÌ„de chapter the other in the. xiii chap. There doth the holy Apostle open the mistery of our holy faith very excellently declaringe it from the tyme of Abraham vnto Dauid from him vnto Jhon the baptist There vpon sheweth he how Christ suffred dyed was buried and rose agayne from death All this confirmeth he with the scriptures of the prophetes At the last he concludeth the sermon after this maner Be it kowen vnto you therfore ye men and brethren that thorowe Jesus is preached vnto you forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all they that beleue are iustified from all thynges from the which ye coulde not be iustified by the lawe of Moses To this now also the sermon of Peter Yee all the scryptures of the Apostles do fynally accorde to the same effect Hereout also bring they y e doctrine of repentaunce and amendment of lyfe the rebuking of synne conslacions exhortacions and drawyng to all maner of good workes that folowe out of faith The speciall sacramentes whiche the lord dyd chefely institute and commaunde the Apostles to praise in the churche are holye Baptyme and the blessed supper of oure Lorde Jesus Christ Concernynge y â— first he saieth To me is geuen all power in heauen and in erth therfore go youre waye and teach all people baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy goost and teach them to kepe all that I haue commaunded you The other dyd he institute at the last supper For thus is it written in the holy gospell WhaÌ„ they were eatynge he toke bred and whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue them sayeng Take eate this is my bodye whiche shall be geueÌ„ for you this do in the remembraunce of me So toke he also y â— cuppe whan they had supte and sayde Drynke ye all out of this This is my bloud of y â— new testament which shall be shed for the remission of sinnes With suche sacrameÌ„tes thorow outward visible stourmes for our infirmities sake pleased it the lord to shewe set before oure eyes his heueÌ„ly in visible grace not that we shuld continue still hanginge in the visible thing but that we shuld lyft vp our myndes and with a true beleue to holde fast to prynte sure in oure myndes to worshippe and to enioye the thinges that faith sheweth vs by the outward sacramentes With these outward sacramentes also hath it pleased him to opeÌ„ declare and shewe vnto vs his grace and louynge kydnesse Namely how that he geueth vnto vs him self and all his riches clenseth vs fedeth and moystureth oure soules wyth hys flesh and bloud that he is at one with vs and we with him so that we vse and practise the sacramentes with a true faith For the outward enioyeng of the sacramentes of it selfe alone doth not reconcyle vs wyth God but yf they be vsed with fayth than as Saynte Peter saieth Act. xv thorow faith doth God purifye the hertes With the sacramentes pleased it hym to leue behynd him a remembraunce of his giftes benefites to the intent that we shuld neuer forget them but prayse and thanke him therfore Morouer with vysible sacramentes was it his will to gather vs together and to marke vs in remembraunce of oure dewty how we are one body to gether and ought to applye our selues to all righteousnesse All which thinges are foude at lenthe in the scriptures of the Apostles As for the Apostles they mynistred the. sacramentes diligently puâ—râ—ly and symply and so without anye addicion distributed them vnto