been before him and raigned in the seat of Dauid For Ieremy saith that he shall execute iustice and iudgement in the earth through the whol world cōdemne destroy the wicked make them which were vniust and sinful very pure righteous For his kingdome is a kingdome of true iustice and innocency And Iuda Israel that is both those people shall haue help of him not that the x. tribes shold returne out of Assiria into Samaria and there haue a king of their own and set vp a corporall kingdome as Iudah had before time in Ierusalem when they liued vnder Dauid and Salomon with peace and quyetnes but that they shold haue a spiritual help through Christ who should deliuer them from sinne and death that so they might dwel boldly and safely that is that they might haue their consciences quyeted appeased and mery as men which now by faith in Christ haue their sinnes forgeuen are at peace with God through Christ So that they need not dread nor feare death or any other euill because that this wise king the most pure and florishing blossome of righteousnes is made the righteousnes of all Christians that all faithfull beleeuers the spirituall Israell consisting both of the Iewes and Gentils may through faith receiue the holy Ghost which testifyeth in their harts that they are the children of God heyres of God and coheires with Iesus Christ and so with bouldnes of siprite say with Paul We are perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Is not this a famous help and a strong and firme fortresse for the godly that they can say we know that we are translated from death vnto life That is the holy spirite hath taught vs by the word and heauenly vnction that Christ hath freed vs both from sinne and death and that we by him after death shall rise from death and liue for euer This is that hope of Israell which neither Gentil nor Infidel hath Now marke what noble and miraculous works of diuinity which none could doe but very God him selfe the prophet ascrybeth to this sonne of Dauid He sayth He shall execute and set vp iustice and iudgement in the earth And he shall iustify others Ergo he must not only outwardly but also inwardly purge the hart and forgeue sinne And this is only the worke of god For it is he onely that can change a wicked and malicious hart and it is he which can illuminate and regenerate vs and none but he And agayn if he can forgeue sinnes he can also abolish death which is the reward or stipend of sinne and the sting of death If then he could ouercom death and make vs righteous and geue vs euerlasting life he is true God which can only in deed deliuer vs from our sinnes and eternall death and geue and preserue true tranquility and peace If then Iudah and Israell that is the hole church of the godly shall be delyuered from their sinne and death then must it needes follow that they shall liue with Christ for euer Here then in this prophecy if we marke it wel we may see that Christ should dye as the naturall sonne of Dauid but not abide in death but that he should iustify and saue Iudah and Israel that is to say his people the godly and faithful And for this cause should he first rise again from death that he might rayse his Israelites that is his faithful from death and that he might purchase for them and geue them eternal life securitie for euer For if he should haue geuē them peace but for a time he should not truely and in deede haue delyuered them neither were it a true tranquility and peace Wherfore it was necessary that that peace and saluation which he should geue his elect should continue for euer and euer Thus then in this short prophecy haue we this eternall king together with his death resurrection and euerlasting kingdome expresly and soundly descrybed And so doth Ieremy again teach vs in the 33. chapter calling the gospel the voyce of ioy which God speaketh to Israel and Iuda For the law only sheweth Gods wrath and punishment but the gospel that new couenant promyseth meere grace and redemption And then he prophesieth how the helpe and redēption which this king bringeth shal extend it selfe to all people farre and nere The people of God in tyme past soong and spake of the great benefits of god how he brought them forth out of the land of Egipt and deliuered them by many marueilous miracles but when Christ that sonne of Dauid shall come then shall they gloriously triumph and tell of farre greater good gifts of God to wit how Christ hath brought and deliuered vs out of the hellish black Egipt and kingdome of sin death and euerlasting damnation and gathered not onely the Israelites after the flesh but all his elected children in all the world out of all nations into this Church of the godly which thing hath ben done euer since the Apostles time euen to this daye For wee which beleue in Christ haue a more excellent and notable captaine then Moses and Iosua Wee haue Iesus Christ for our captayn who hath deliuered vs out of the bondage and howse of the spirituall Pharao to wit from the captiuitie of Sathan This eternall redemption doth euery day renew in vs the remembraunce of our god so that we say the Lord liueth who hath deliuered vs from sin death and Sathan hath brought vs from all errors to the true knowledge of the Gospell This is a spirituall deliueraunce and bringing out of Egipt and a spirituall kingdome where in wee see Iudaisme should once cease Christianisme by Christ our king be set vp through all the world and therefore it was conuenient that he should rise agayne that he might erect this kingdome vpon earth and conserue it for euer To which sence the prophet speaketh saying Therfore behold the day is come sayth the Lord that they shall no more say the Lord liueth which brought vp the children of Israell out of the land of Egipt but the Lord liueth which brought vp and led the seed of the house of Israell out of the north country and from all countryes where I had scattered them and they shall dwell in their owne land Here we must note that all temporall deliuerances which the Iewes had here vpon earth from the hands of earthly tyrants and the gentiles were but figurs of the true and euerlasting deliuerance which we haue by our Messias Christ of which in this place to speake is not to our purpose The prophets for most part set downe such circumstances in their writings that we may well gather they had a farther respect then
what els I pray you do they and haue they sought in Christ all their tyme but temporall riches carnal commodities and worldly dignities ☞ Vrb. Well let vs here leaue these vagabonds ill men let vs returne to the interpretatiō of the prophets ¶ Anna. To that am I most ready for I had rather heare of my Christ my lord then of their villanies and wickednes which for a tyme were coloured hid with the cloke of religion and profession of the gospel but now God be thanked wel discouered and brought to light Wherfore I pray you go to the exposition of the prophets ☞ Vrb. Esay vnderstandeth an other kind of Christ he setteth him forth after an other sort then this fantasticall and folish kind of people do He sayth not that he should stand on his pantophles in princely pomp and magnificēce either yet be a prouider only for the belly or a minister of pleasures but he sayth that he shold come as a preacher apostle who should rule his empire by the word spirit And to the ende we should not looke for any magnificence carnall pompe pride or worldly insolency in Christ Esay sayth He commeth to preache good tidings or the gospell to the poore that is to the afflicted and men oppressed with calamities and miseries Worldly kings and princes haue nothing to do vouchsafe not to deale with the feble vile contemptible deafe lame blind wretched poore afflicted miserable and diseased persons but they are delighted in the company of the healthfull handsome pleasant headed well mannered beautifull iocund ioly rich honourable and couragious courtiers I say they loue and desire the company and presence of such that they may serue them honour them and be delighted with them But Christ came into this world for the miserable afflicted that he might cōfort encourage heale help deliuer thē For Christ is not such a poore simple king as erthly kings be who stand in need of other mē must nedes haue their help counsails comfort seruice ministrations Christ is no such king but an euerlasting king a rich king a plentifull king a king of wonderful great power maiesty might who is the welspring author and giuer of euerlasting lyfe and therfore standeth in no need of our seruice riches or obedience But he is a king of such great mercy goodnes liberalitie bountifulnes that he hath not these great treasures glorious riches for himselfe alone lying on them like a couetous 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 miser and pinch peny but he maketh them common vnto vs and largely and liberally bestoweth on vs these his great substance wonderfull treasures and precious Iewels Wherefore he cōmeth not to the strōg mighty but to the afflicted poore sinful S. Luke translateth the Hebrue word Enonim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to the poore And the 70. Translators vse this same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherupō it is likely the the Hebrue text which the seuenty interpreters folowed hath not Enonim but Eniim of Eni which worde Zachary hath in his 9. chapter And that word signifieth poore heauy humble oppressed brought low of base condition and afflicted But howsoeuer it signifieth whether poore or afflicted all is one for by both these words are ment those whō Christ in Math. called poore in spirite who receiue the gospell to whom the gospell with fruit is profitably preached Which haue broken and contrite harts and troubled consciences which feele the burden of their sinnes and tast of the wrath and iudgement of God which are horribly afrayd of gods indignation and for feare thereof begin to dread quake tremble which vncessantly long loke for the grace and helpe of God and which with ardent great and continual prayers desire and craue nothing els but that they may be deliuered from their sinnes and obtayne the grace and fauour of God these men which are thus affected are most fit scholers and disciples for the doctrine of the gospell And these are that good grounde in Luke which bringeth forth fruit On the other side they which do not acknowledge their sinne which see not their misery which feare not God which desire not his grace and which couet not his mercy such as be the hard harted and blind childrē of this world holy hypocrites and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secure fellowes which know not how to repent thē of theyr sinnes These I say desire not regard not and waigh not Christ and his Gospell And therefore doth Christ pronounce a sharpe sentence against them saying The whole neede not a Phisition but they which are sicke I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance By these righteous in this text are ment such as be negligent proud and hautie spirites which are bewitched by a false persuasion of themselues and thinke that they be alredy iust and do not acknowledge their sinnes And therfore are presumptuous carelesse and stubborne and feele not their owne miseries and remember not as they should death the day of iudgement and the wrath of God to come All which must needes come vpon this world but beyng deeply drouned in carnal securitie haue their myndes busied about nothing but the transitory thinges of this world are nothing touched with the desire of the lyfe to come euerlasting saluation The Prophet teacheth in the wordes followyng what the fruties of this gospell are who these poore and afflicted are saying That I might bynd vp the brokē harted These tidings are in deed true ioyfull tydings these are comfortable and pleasaunt newes to heare these tydings are ful of consolation Moises his law teacheth vs to acknowledge our sinnes and the curse due to vs for our sinnes This knowledge of the lawe terrefieth our consciences For the law onely sheweth and reueleth sinnes but it taketh them not away but leaueth them still in our remembraunce And where sinnes be there death hath dominiō there is trēbling feare horror heauines and desperation so long as the conscience which is the place of tormēt and storehouse of sinne is disquieted and feareth death Such then as feele their sinnes are the contrite in hart and most afflicted of all men these see their misery calamity and danger but to heale themselues and to deliuer them selues out of such danger and miseries they are of thēselues in no wise able But when as Christ commeth accompanied with the healthfull preaching doctrine of the gospell then commeth their comfort and consolation Because the gospell offreth and frely giueth forgiuenes of sinnes true holines euerlasting lyfe to all that faithfully beleue For thus it sayth speaking vnto the poore sinner If thou be a sinner if thy cōscience be troubled if thou be afraid of deth if thou feare gods iudgement marke what thou must do Fly vnto Christ who only can and wil of his own good wil
run hither in this iuel I find that only heroical helper which both wil can deliuer me frō al perils dangers For he is that true God Iehouah He became also true man that he might beare my offences die for my sins giue himselfe all that euer he had for me When my consciēce beginneth to dispaire saith how wilt thou stand before God how wilt thou escape euerlasting death thou art a sinner the stipend wages of a sinner is nothing els but wrath ire affliction tormēt both in this life in the life to come When I am thus I say shaken with these forceable violent tēptations I run to this saying my iuel sacredanker This saying is my sword my complet harnes my chief armour my strōg tower of defēce then I burst forth into these words say I cōfes it is true ah alas it is to to true that I am a miserable sinner as far as belōgeth to my self my own person therfore haue I deserued very sharp punishment but God promised to send vs sinners a bud of righteousnes but of the stocke of Dauid that he should be God and also our righteousnes And he hath long since performed this his promise made vnto sinners in that he gaue and sent his sonne to vs that he might be our righteousnes which wordes Paul vseth respecting only this posy Wherfore although I know my selfe most guilty of many diuers hainous heauy sinnes yet wil I not discourage my self or dispaire For in sacred baptisme I haue put on Christ our saluation giuen of god by whom he hath both promised and geuen vnto vs euerlasting life That Christ out of all doubt is holy enough And seing he is mine although I be neuer so loden with sinne yet for all that in as much as I haue repented do repent me hartily of my sinne and seing that I do lament that euer I sinned I haue sufficient to answer my sinnes to wit that euerlasting righteousnes euen Christ himself with his passion resurrection which is freely giuē me of God. Him may I set forth to answer the heuy and grieuous wrath of God behind him as a true propitiatory may I hyde and shroud my selfe and so be remaine vntouched eyther of sinne death or Satan For the innocency righteousnes of Christ is infinite euerlasting inuincible yea it is more mighty then all the sinne of man and able to answer for al sinne if there were a thousand mo worlds of sinne His life was such so proper so passing forceable and mighty that it got the victory ouer death sinne and hell To be brief no tong can tell nor hart thinke what treasure what riches what wealth it is to vs that Christ the true naturall sonne of God is become our righteousnes If he had bene righteous and holy for himself alone then had it profited vs nothing But now seing he needed not be righteous for himselfe but is become righteous for vs who I pray you if we beleue this faithfully if we persuade our selues herein certainly cā hurt vs who can make vs afraid or what can make vs dispaire nay may not we with Paul holily triumph glory say If God be with vs or on our side who can be against vs who spared not his own sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shal he not with him geue vs all things also who shal lay any thing to the charge of gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who shal condēn it is Christ which is dead for vs yea or rather which is risen agayne who is also at the right hand of God and maketh request also for vs Who shall separate vs frō the loue of Christ Behold how full of hart how proud in holines and how couragious this sentence made s Paule Lo what strength what stomacke it ministreth vnto him in so much that he feared himself nothing but stood stoutly vndiscouraged with any euill or temptation may not we thē likewise recreate solace our selues therin If Christ be our righteousnes as he is in deede then must nedes all our sinnes be forgeuen vs then God himself accounteth vs righteous for Christes sake For before this righteousnes of his can no sin remain but must nedes be quēched out euen as a litle spark of fire is put out in the great sea And if our sinnes be blotted out then is death also so choked that the death of the godly is but a slepe a redy way vnto immortallity then hath Satan no more power ouer vs but we being clothed with the righteousnes of Christ are become the sonnes of God and shal with Christ inherite euerlasting lyfe Chrisostome saith vpon Iohn 2. Who so euer hath Christ hath all welth and treasure For he hath perfect holines which he may set against the law iudgemēt of God true life to set against death euerlasting saluation against damnation As Paul sayth Christ is the ende or fulfilling of the law for righteousnesse vnto euery one that beleueth who so beleueth in him is righteous Paul tooke such a holy pride and trust in these wordes of Iere. that he was not afraid to iest at death sinne the deuil saying O death where is thy sting O graue or hell where is thy victory The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victory through our Lord Iesus Christ Lo Christ as you see is our righteousnes his righteousnes and victory ouer sinne death and hel is giuen vnto vs that it may be our own that we may chalenge it by right for our owne O would to God that all which doe professe the name of Christ did thorowly vnderstand and beleue this ¶ Anna. O how happy were we if these so excellent and precious words of God were so depely printed in our mindes that we could surely ground them in our hartes This saying hereafter shall also be my iuell And God graunt me faith that I may euer kepe it in my hart Amē But why do you translate these wordes Edonai zid kennu the lord of our righteousnes or the lord our righteousnes and not rather our righteous God as the common translation hath it ☞ Vrb. Some do read it our righteous God but seing S. Hierom readeth it out of the Hebrue the God of our righteousnes I had rather folow him For so is it fuller hath more force to make vs know Christ and to comfort vs And so hath the holy ghost by s Paul translated it saying Christ of God is made vnto vs wisdom righteousnes and sanctification redemptiō He that reioiceth let him reioyce in the Lord. Christ is also called God in other places as in Esay where the prophet calleth Christ El whereof commeth
calling for helpe cryeth as one helpeles My God my God why hast thou forsaken me And where as he had sayd that who so beleued in him should not see death for euer yet he himself both suffered death and was buryed in the sepulcher Here if we were led by humayne reason we should with Cleophas and his companion say Wee hoped that he had bene the redemer of Israell whiche should haue saued vs all but now he himself is dead Howe shal a dead man saue vs and how can he which is slain haue an euerlasting kingdom You see howe this name Pele was not without special cause geuen to this child whō it doth by that name of sauiour represēt For so he is in deed the true sauior redemer which deliuereth vs from all our sinnes and miseries And so it pleased him by hys pouerty to blesse vs with spirituall riches by the tauntes and checkes which he suffred to deliuer vs from euerlasting shame by his crosse to bring vs to eternall honour and glory by his weaknesse to giue vs eternall strength and by his death to giue vs a flourishyng lyfe and to abolish our death by dying hymselfe All these he hath done and daily doth in vs when he maketh vs like himself that is to say weake in body but strong in spirite base lowe and contemptible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 very ofscouringes before the world but the vessels and instruments of glory in the sight of god And thus he suffereth vs to dye that the Infidels may thinke there is no difference betwene a Christian and no Christian as Turke or iewe But yet our death is precious in the sight of the lord neither doth he suffer vs to abide in death All these things are great meruelous wonderful and far passing our reason and vnderstāding yea far exceding all the strength power effect working of our nature An other name is Ioetz that is councel For though this Pele doth lead and gouerne vs thus wonderfully by his crosse ignominy maketh vs glorious yet are we ignorant rude fayntharted fearfull and therfore is it necessary that he merueilously prouide for coūsail and help vs For it is not in our power and strēgth to endure and stand in trouble and persecutiō But what counsel geueth he verely cleane contrary to the world The world willeth vs to beware flie and eschue the cros affliction to reuenge our selues But Christ casteth hys seruantes into trouble and vexations and therein trieth them as gold is tryed in the fire furnace But yet so that he comforteth them alwayes most louingly as it appereth in Ioh. where he saith vnto the Apostles Be of good chere I haue ouercome the world And a little before he sayth Ye shall weep and lament the world shall reioyce ye shall sorrow but your sorrow shal be turned to ioy and your ioy shal no man take from you What els I pray you is the whole sacred scripture but a plentifull and rich Pharmacopole whence wee may fetch present help and most fruitfull and sound comfort for all sicknes calamities and euils as Paule witnesseth saying what soeuer things be writtē afore tyme are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope For hee whiche speaketh in the scriptures is almighty and both can will help vs alway His word is not spoke in vayne but al things are done which he hath promised Yea the holy ghost himselfe whiche is the spirit of truth is our comfort and help For thus we read in the book of wisdome O Lord neyther herbe nor plaister healed thē but thy word which healeth all things hath made vs safe And Ionathas the high priest saith vnto the Spartanes We Iewes stand no nede of the societie and friendship of the Gentiles hauing the holy bookes which are in our hands for our cōfort And now I pray you what trouble what affliction what calamity or what dāger in al this world cā be so great how great so euer it be against which the word of god that most holesome and holy gospel cannot minister giue most holesom plētiful perfect sound consolation and comfort seeyng that it promiseth not only corporal but heauenly help And the promises therof are by Christ confirmed established and sure yea and Amen If you read better read all the workes of the Heathen philosophers you shal find nothing in them and yet their whole study trauel was to find some comfort against death wherin you may take true cōfort All their arte al their knowledge all their wisdom and all the remedies that euer they found are nothing if thei be compared but with these two comfortable sentences in Mat. The first is Feare not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soule Here you see the immortalitie of the soule of which the Ethnikes speake euen as blynde men of coulors But the words folowing which is the second are not vttred by any philosopher but by Christ himself the euerlasting truth and very true lyfe Euery one sayth he that beleueth in the sonne of God hath euerlastyng lyfe and I wil raise him vp in the last day Here you haue the resurrection or rising againe of the flesh of which the Gentils and the whole world with all their wisdome had no knowledge Go to then if any be in the agony of death or assailed with the tempests of persecution afflictiō either els vexed pinched with the bitter dolors terrors of conscience for his sinnes as soone as he shal lay hold on these two sentences by faith lay them vp in his hart he shall find comfort haue true and plenteous consolation For he hath forgiuenes of his sins sure hope of euerlasting life nay rather he hath life alredy because he is in Christ Christ in hym This in dede is true counsell For all mens counsels consolations are vaine momentany cannot help deliuer vs in extremity peril danger but the counsel of the lord doth abide continue for euer God the father commaunds vs to heare this counsailor saying Heare him The 70. interpreters haue expounded this word Ioetz the angel of the great counsail beautifiyng Christ with the notable and apt epitheton giuing him the proper title For Christ is the legate angel of the great counsail of the triple vnitie and most holy trinity and is also the eternal wisdom of the father The third epitheton or name of the child is El it signifieth strēgth fortitude or God as the 70. interpreters haue translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mighty god This name conteineth a singuler cōfort For it telleth vs that Christ doth not only prouide for vs by the word of his gospel but also is presēt with vs doth mightily help vs faithfully perform to vs those
the gospel of Ioh. witnesseth that Christ came to teach vs the truth And therfore he sendeth the holy ghost to teach vs the pure verity wherby we might be deliuered from our sins be redemed frō the kingdom of Satan You haue heard before in the prophet Esa. that Christ should be called Ioetz that is a counsailer For he teacheth vs which be rude ignorant so prouideth for vs by his doctrine that we may ouercome our enemies eschew the that is euil God himself commendeth this teacher and maister vnto vs by his word from heauen and commandeth vs to heare him For he taught as Mat saith as one hauing autority And the Psalmist saith The Lorde sware wil not repent thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech All the priests with their sacrifices in the old testament did foreshew the true Christ euerlasting priest And Paul to the Hebr. doth with a plentiful spirit explicate handel this saying that it is spoken of the priesthood of Christ And he declareth with what faithfulnes and diligence Christ executeth the office of priesthood for vs to wit he prayeth maketh intercession for vs to God the father he is our mediator reconciler he teacheth vs the way of truth geueth him self a sacrifice oblation for vs blesseth vs Al with functions offices of the priesthood were liuely prefigured by the Leuitical priesthood in the law and by Moses and by that wōderful priesthood of Melchisedech Wherefore in all things it became Christ to be made lyke his bretheren that he might be a mercifull and a faythfull high priest in thinges concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that hee suffered and was tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Seeyng then that we haue a great high priest which is entred into heauen euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs holde fast our profession for we haue not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all thinges tempted in like sorte yet without sinne Let vs therefore go boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receiue mercy and finde grace to helpe in tyme of neede Christ tooke not to himselfe this honour to bee made the high priest but he that sayde to him thou art my sonne this day begate I thee gaue it him As he also in an other place speaketh Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech which in the dayes of his fleshe did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong cries teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared And though he were the sonne yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffred being cōsecrate was made the author of eternal saluation vnto all thē that obey him and is called of God an hie priest after the order of Melchisedech In the 17. of Iohn Christ prayeth earnestly for the whole church Read the whole chap. and you shal see how faithful a priest Christ is And Paul to the Hebr. sheweth the difference betwene the priests of the law Christ our heauenly priest saying Among them many were made priests because they were not suffered to indure by the reason of death but this man because he endureth euer hath an euerlasting priesthood wherfore he is able also perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seing he euer liueth to make intercession for thē For such an hie priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmlesse vndefiled seperated from sinnes made higher then the heauens which nedeth not daily as those high priest to offer vp sacrifice first for his own sinnes and then for the people For that did he once whē he offred vp him self For the law maketh mē high priests which haue infirmities but the word of the othe that was since the lawe maketh the sonne who is consecrated for euermore And in the 8. chap. he saith We haue such an high priest that sitteth at the right hand of the throne of the maiesty in the heauens And in the 9. chap. he saith Christ being come an hie priest of good things to come by a greater more perfite tabernacle not made with handes that is not of this building neither by the bloud of goates calues but by his own bloud entred once into the holy place and obtained eternal redemption for vs. And in the same place hee calleth him a mediator of the new testament Also in the 10. to the Hebr. Paul sayth euery priest appeareth dayly ministring and oftentimes offereth one maner of offering which can neuer take away sin but this man after he had offered one sacrifice for sins sitteth for euer at the right hand of God and from henceforth tarieth till hys enemies be made hys footstoole For with one offering hath he consecrated for euer thē that are sanctified ¶ An. If he must be an euerlastyng king if the father hath confirmed it with an othe thē can he not abide in death but must needes rise againe liue euerlastingly For how could he otherwise deliuer vs bles vs eternally This might haue cōforted Cleophas his companion if they had vnderstood the scriptures ☞ Vrb. Truly we haue a plentiful and vnspeakable comfort laid vp for vs in the hie priesthoode of Christ For if the sonne of God be our priest if he make intercession for vs sitting at the right hand of God then are we happy in good case For this priest out of doubt pleaseth God the father For the father himself consecrated him installed him in this priestly dignity And Christ hath offred vp for our sins a sacrifice such so great as had bene sufficient for the deliuerance of many thousand worlds he obtained purchased al things necessary for our saluation he teacheth vs by his spirit What hurt then I pray you can sin do vs seing it is purged wiped away That satisfactiō of his is ours if we beleue in Christ acknowledge him for our priest sacrifice for sin What hath death to do with vs how can it hurt vs this priest hath by his sacrifice broken beaten to pouder the cruel horrible sting of death Besides all this Christ is our eternal king who in all dangers can deliuer vs Both these two offices to wit of priest and king belong duely to him the true and first begotten son of god the father and the blessed virgin Mary We also by faith in him are made priests as Pet. witnesseth that by faith we may be bold to go to the father as children aske those things of the father which we desire And the apostles out of this ground of the 110. Psalm as is before said borowed their doctrine of Christ as that he
moueth sedition bloudshed warre strife brauling grudging debate hatred He neuer slepeth he is alwayes watching he daily traueleth laboureth very sedulously and all to this ende that he may hurt man bryng him into some misery destructiō of body soul name goods He stirreth vp most cruel persecutiōs sharp stormes and poisonfull hatred against the godly To be short what euil calamity wickednes abhominations diuelishnes is done in al the earth he is the causer therof and to speake at a word he hindereth as much as in him lieth the gospel kingdom of Christ and laboreth both day night with all his might with hand and foote with tooth nayle that the territories therof be not augmēted enlarged But al his force studies and practises shall be frustrate For we haue on our side with vs the angels the good spirits of god which repugn and resist Satan Yea we haue Christ himself with vs who is a fiery brasen wall about al that faithful that the euil spirits do thē no harme nor iniury but that they may be in safety and with out danger Satan is an horrible enemy in deede so forceable that vnles god by his holy angels hindered and destroied his deuises withstood and resisted his assaults there should be no family in the whole world in which he should not euery day cause worke wickednes slaughter calamity tumultes sorrow debates mourning all kind of mischief nay rather he would disturbe destroy dissolue ouerthrow and make a confusion hauocke of the whole world he is an euerlasting irreconcilible bloudy deadly sworn enemy to al the godly And he maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bellum continual war without any truce vpon the godly euen to the last day And therfore we must both morning euening euery day giue thanks to God because that of his fatherly mercy towards vs he doth so wondrously so mightily and so gloriously defend and kepe vs from so cruell horrible mischieuous mighty and noisome enemies ¶ Anna. We ought so to do in dede And I wil do it with all my hart with all diligence as my duty is For we are bound to be thankfull to our good father God almighty because he hath in such great dangers so carefully prouided for vs preserued vs from all enemies and euils For we haue often seene how these wicked sprites lay wait for vs and seke by al meanes to endamage vndo and destroy vs But God hath opēly frustrated all their assaults And now I pray you recite expound the prophesies of the mystery of our fayth to wit of the death resurrection and kingdome of Christ which we haue now in hand ☞ Vrb. I wil first begin to recite the testimonies of the Psalmes as I haue done before For of al the prophets Dauid is the floure for he prophesieth much plainly euidently of Christ who should be born of his familie or tribe according to his humanity of all his workes mysteries You haue heard before how the kingdom of Christ was described in the 2. Psal. where God the father did not onely constitute his sonne king ouer the Iewes but also gaue him the Gentils of the whole world for his inheritance Wherupon it followeth that Christ should not abide in death although he died as true mā of the seed of Dauid For it was requisite that accordyng to the decree and statute of God the father he should be king ouer the whole world Which thing could not haue bene in any corporall worldly maner as the Iewes dreamed that Messias should rule haue in this world a great corporall kingdom And therfore it was necessary that the state and condicion of Christes kingdome should be altogether of another sort then the kingdomes of this brickle frail life are Christs kingdom was to be euerlasting he which is in that kingdō shal for euer haue euerlasting righteousnes peace safety life felicity eternal saluation And therfore he endeth the psal with this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conclusiue exclamation Blessed are all they which trust in the lord But he speaketh not of a tēporal blessing here in this world For the king himself and his chief nobles his welbeloued prophets and apostles had no great plenty here of worldly welth and pleasure of this life but were miserably afflicted and always subiect to many grieuous perils calamities In the 3. Psal. Dauid saith I take my rest and sleepe I rise agayne for the lord sustaineth me The old church a thousand yeres ago vnderstood this prophesie of the true death and resurrection of Christ as appeareth by Arnobius And againe Dauid saith O giue saluatiō vnto Israel out of Sion when the lord turneth the captiuitie of his people then Iacob shal reioyce and Israel shal be glad Here Dauid in sprite desireth and godly and feruently prayeth Messias who onely is called in the holy scriptures the true sauiour and redeemer seeing both the Iewes and Gentiles by him are deliuered from all euils and perils that they may through him and in him enioy euerlasting blessednes S. Augustine also taketh these wordes to bee ment of Christ And take this wife for an infallible rule for you in the scripture that in so much as there is but one onely deliuerer giuen of God vnto men by whom they may be iustified and saued that Christ is truely properly certainly ment signified and vnderstood in all those and such places where there is mention made eyther of saluation sauiour redeemer or deliuerer whether it be spoken in figures or playne and manifest wordes For seyng Israel and Iacob that is the catholike church beyng congregated of the Iewes Gentils should be glad reioyce in Christ they must liue in peace and security That cannot be vnles such troubles be taken away the conscience be comforted death abolished These words therfore importe and plainly shew that our redemer out of Sion or as it is in Thargum our redemption saluation which is Christ himself shal take away destroy all those things that trouble afflict that godly to wit an euil conscience tribulation sinne persecution and all kind of vexation death it self c. For of necessity he must lead captiuity captiue that is he must ouercome Satan who hath vs in captiuity and he must deliuer vs from his tiranny Christ in the Psalmes sayth My flesh also doth rest in hope For thou wilt not leaue my soule in hel or in the graue neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruptō Thou wilt shew me the path of life In thy presence is the fulnes of ioy at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore We can haue no surer nor better expounders of the prophets then the Apostles and Euangelistes And Peter and Paul haue expounded this prophesie to be ment of Christ saying that he should
with God true peace securitye euerlasting ioy true life and eternall saluatiō For if the sin of the Gentiles should not be taken away then in deede should neither death nor Sathans tyranny and kingdome be taken away neither could they haue any cōfort or hope But seing that Christ is their hope and comfort and that no vaine comfort for God himselfe speaketh it then surely must all heuines calamities and misery be taken away from the gentiles also which is nothing els but sin euill conscience death and euerlasting damnation And therfore must they also of necessitie rise from death and liue for euer with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen You see by the Epistle of S. Peter that the prophets haue respect vnto the health of the soules and therfore their whole indeuor is to preach true comfort seing the prophecie of Christ who brought vs from sin to righteousnes and innocencye and from death to life euerlasting as we finde he doth in deed Moreouer he hath deserued for vs the comforter the holy Ghost by whome he helpeth and comforteth vs vnder the crosse vntill we be called out of this fraile and miserable life and receaue the promised crowne of glory which in deede we posses in this earth though it be but yet in fayth and hope ¶ Anna. You alwayes haue sayd that Zachary is a prophet full of notable comforts Let vs therfore here what comfort he geueth vs by his promises ☞ Vrba He is in deede a comfortable prophet and the dayes wherein he liued required the same For he prophecied when the Iewes were euen at the point of returning out of the captiuitie of Babilon and when the Citie with the temple should be builded agayne The people at that time were yet faint harted fearefull and doubted that they should not be safe from their enemies and therfore he comforteth them and setteth Christ before their eyes as a louing Sauiour that so they might be of good cheare saying that Christ should spedely come and helpe his seruantes and spread his kingdome through the whole world and therfore was it needefull that Iuda and Ierusalem should be builded againe to the end they might receaue their owne king And the prophet speaketh as followeth Ierusalem shall be inhabited without the walles for the multitude of men and cattell therein For I sayth the Lord will be vnto her a wall of fire round about and will be the glory in the midest of her Here he prophesieth of the spirituall Ierusalem to wit the church of Christ for the earthly Ierusalem had hir boundes and walles but the heauenly Ierusalem shal be so wide and large that it can not be compassed with any walles yea it shall be as wide as the world For it is the kingdome of Christ which by little and little without ceasing shall be increased vnto the last day and the true children of Abraham are as the God of Abraham promised euen as the sand of the sea and the starre in the firmament and the promised blessing shall come vpon all nations through the whole world that Christ maye be knowen and worshipped euery where for the true Lord god By the cattell vnderstand weakelinges and such as are ignoraunt in the knowledge of the scriptures and fayth these are led and fed in the pastures of Christ by those which are more strong and firme in fayth But he is a merueilous wall which is all fiery truly the Church of Christ in this place hath so great and comfortable a promise of Gods helpe as you shall scarsely finde in any other place of the scriptures For I wil be saith the Lord a wall of fire round about hir the Church of Christ You see that he speaketh here of the heauenly Citye wherein God himselfe will be the watchman keper wall defēder if their God be thus present with vs we haue iust cause to reioyce in the Lord seeing that wheresoeuer God himselfe watcheth defendeth and fighteth for vs there are we safe out of daunger of this world and Sathan and neede not feare them To be breefe the great humilititie of Christ Iesus in that he vouchsafed to become man being the true son of God and the sending of the holy ghost the true teacher of holsome doctrine in the Church of God whereby the church is still houlden and preserued in truth that it may stedfastly cleaue to God where as otherwise the whole world is blinded with errors caried away with lyes and miserably deceaueth it selfe these I say do sufficiētly declare how gloriously the Lord hath shewted himselfe in this spirituall Ierusalem Sathan the world and heretickes do not cease nor sleepe but bend themselues in all they may yea they striue with hand and foote to destroy Christ his church But although according to the flesh it be weake yet neuerthelesse it standeth and getteth the victory ouer all hir enemies So plentifully doth the Lord declare his glory in his spirituall citye the Church In the wordes following he setteth forth the helpe and comfort which we shall haue in Christ his kingdome saying He which toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye How I pray you could a most louing and tender father speak more louingly or sweetely euen to his darling and derely beloued son if the Lord looke carefully to vs as men vse to looke to the apple of their eyes then surely can no hurt happen vnto vs in the kingdome of Christe neither neede we to feare any daunger A little after Zachary comforteth such Christiās as are vnder the crosse and by reason of the weakenes of the flesh are in feare and trouble euen as the Iewes were at that time saying Reioyce and be glad O daughter Sion for I come and will dwell in the middest of thee sayth the Lord and many nations shall be ioyned to the Lord in that day and shall be my people and I will dwell in the middest of thee and thou shalt know the Lord of hostes hath sent me vnto the. And the Lord shall inherit Iuda his portiō in the holy land and shall chuse Ierusalem agayne Let all flesh be still before the Lord for he is raised vp out of his holy place That is to say O Sion although thou be afflicted here in the earth yet be of good chere because thou shalt cōtinew For I my selfe do come and abide with thee Was not this fulfilled when god became man and at this day wheresoeuer Gods word is receaued there doth God dwell and that is the true Sion as Christ sayth in Iohn He that loueth mee keepeth my commaundementes and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him Surely this is the spirituall kingdome wherein god dwelleth with vs by the gospel and by fayth which the holy ghost worketh in vs as S. Paul sayth to the Ephe Christ dwelleth in our hartes by fayth And Esay telleth vs where God
was fixed on Christ which was to come for whome they wayted and whom they beleeued should be their onely sauiour and redeemer who should come to deliuer them out of all calamities and daunger both of lyfe death And therefore were they as good Christians as we sauing onely that we do not now looke for that promised seede but perfectly knowe that he is come and hath already broken the serpents heade And this victorye which Christ hath of the serpent to wit the promise of life by the Gospell is now openly preached in the world to the iustification and saluation of all that beleue his Gospell This promise of the seede of the woman after many yeares was renued to Abraham where is playnely declared what commodity this seede should bring vnto the world You may reade this promise in Genesis and it was made also to Isaack and Iacob The wordes of the promise he these By my selfe haue I sworne sayth the Lord in thy seede shall all the families of the earth be blessed Here agayne is Christ promised And this is that famous worthy and excellent promise which both the Prophets and Apostles haue continually geuen out honorably commended and largely amplifyed as the cleere Sonne and very voyce it self of the Gospel and true testimony of Christ and which they haue declared and esteemed to be as a most precious pearle whatsoeuer the Prophets doe prophesie of Christ it floweth out of this promise as out of a Fountain For the especiall duty and trauel of all Prophets is both by figuratiue speech and plain promises to foreshew that Christ should come and to extol and diligently beat into mans eares his eternall kingdome of grace righteousnes innocency life and euerlasting saluation and to inflame and stir vp al men to wait watchfully for his comming And this must be wel and diligently obserued Paul to the Romanes saith that the Gospell of God concerning Christ was long before promised by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures And Peter saith in the Actes Al the Prophets from Samuel and thenceforth as many as haue spoken haue likewise foretold of these dayes That is to say they told of that most desired and holesome time of the new and euerlasting Testament and of the eternal and vnfallible mercy of God promised to Dauid Esay also doth prophesy that Christ should come to deliuer vs from all our miseries and calamities And he telleth by what meanes and way he should delyuer vs out of those trobles The Prophets also accuse the people and vrge the law and threaten the punishment and wrath of God against the hard harted and vnpenitent They haue also prophesied many things which properly belong to the comming of Christ with all they mixe earthly kingdomes and gouernments But yet the end of all their prophesies reprouings and thretnings haue only respect and relatiō vnto Christ For they did but study and indeuour by those meanes to keep the people in obedience and to make them feare God and keep order and sought to prepare them and make them redy for the comming of Christ and to bring them to akknowledge their sinnes and to terrifie their consciences that by the confession of their sinnes and feeling of Gods wrath their harts might be prepared to receiue and embrace Christ as the true and only Sauiour of the world And the wholl old Testament is nothing els but a certain forerunner as I may tearm it and such a preparatiue or readynes for the new Testamēt that the way to Christ might be made straight and plain against his comming and that the entring to him might be readyer For as a Scholemaster with sharp admonitions great threatnings hard beating and rough correction doth reform and frame his masters Sonne with whom he is put in trust and whom he hath to teach that in the end he may become an honest housholder and a profitable member of the common weal so doth the old Testament make vs ready to receaue Christ and bring vs to Christ And after this sort doth Paul speake of the law to the Galathians saying The law was our Scholemaster to bring vs to Christ And to the Hebrues he saith The law hath a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the things And in the seuenth chapter he saith The commaundement that went before is disanulled because of the weaknes therof and vnprofitablenes for the law made nothing perfect but was the bringing in of a better hope made perfect wherby we draw neare vnto God Christ therfore our chief treasure and that our most precious 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Iewel must be sought for of vs in the Prophets as we read in the Acts that he was sought for at Thessalonica For without all doubt there is nothing in the Prophets which doth not represent Christ and his Church and agreeth with him As Christ himself doth witnes in Luke saying These be the words which I spake vnto you while I was yet with you that all must be fulfilled which are written of me in the law of Moyses and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes And in Peter it is plainly declared that the Prophets did not looke for the temporall kingdome of Israel and for the mortall ruinous and empty pauilion of this life and state of this world but that they chiefly respected the euerlasting kingdom of Christ and the heauenly life Peters words be these Of the saluation of soules the Prophets haue inquired and searched which prophesied of the grace that should come vnto you searching when or at what time the Spirite that testified before of Christ which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come vnto Christ and the glory which should follow Vnto whom it was reuealed that not vnto themselues but vnto vs they should minister the things which are now shewed vnto you by them which haue preached vnto you the Gospel by the holy Ghost sent down from heauen the which things the Angels desire to behold c. Thus far speaketh Peter And to this end also Ignatius not only in title but in deed a true and famous Bishop wrote a thousand and four hundreth yeares agoe to the Magnesians The Prophets saith he were Christes seruants who foreseing him in Spirite both wayted for him as their master and in hope looked for him as their Lord and Sauyour saying he shal come and saue vs And Tertullian a thousand three hundreth yeares agoe interpreting that sentence sayth Christ is the seal of all the prophesies fulfilling all things which the Prophets in old time did foretell of him ¶ Anna. I pray you tell me the meaning of the promise which God made to Abraham ☞ Vrb. In that promise if it be inwardly and thorowly searched and pondered the summe of the holy Gospel with the pith effect and all the misteries of Christ are comprehended For first you shall
Christ in earth hath no father and in heauen no mother he is euerlasting God and also immortall man And in this order neither went any before him nor shall come after him He was not made priest according to the law of the carnall cōmandement but after the power of euerlasting life who truly blesseth vs and deliuereth vs from our sinnes from eternall death and giueth vs euerlasting life He is Malchizedek Malchischolam that is a king of righteousnes who is our righteousnes and doth iustify vs before god He is also a king of peace because by him only we haue peace with god As Paule sayth to the Rom. and the Eph. ¶ Anna. Vndoubtedly in this mysterie as in the other before is to be vnderstoode that Christ should first die seing Paul to the Hebr. sayth that this true Melchisedech Christ of the tribe of Iuda should be borne a very true man and yet neuertheles immortal who should liue eternally that he might helpe vs euerlastingly But Cleophas and his companiō did not vnderstand nor beleue this For if they had they would neuer haue bene so pensife nor offended at Christes death ☞ Vrb. In deed they had prophesies figures and testimonies enow of the scriptures out of which they might haue gathered that Christ should first dye And they had but euen three dayes before eaten the Paschal lambe which by Gods commaundement they ought to kill eate without leuen They tooke also the bloud of the lamb and therwith they oynted and sprinckled the two side postes the vpper post of the dores of their houses which was a tokē of grace For whē God killed all the first borne thorow all the land of Egypt the Iewes were safe in their houses For vpon what dore so euer the Angel saw the bloud of the lamb sprinckled he past it ouer This lambe with his bloud was a figure of the immaculat lamb Christ which was slayne and offered for vs by whose bloud we be deliuered from death S. Paule fitly and aptly expounded this figure saying Christ our passouer is sacrificed for vs Therfore let vs keepe the feast not with old leuen nether in the leuen of malitiousnes and wickednes but with the vnleuened bread of sincerity and truth ¶ Anna. It might manifestly and easely by this figure appeare that our passouer or pascal lambe Christ should be slayne and that his bloud should be shed ☞ Vrb. They might haue learned out of the 23. of Esay who was the trew lambe but their eies were holden neither could they vnderstand the scriptures till Christ him selfe opened their hartes ¶ Anna. Hath Moyses any more tipes or figures of Christ in his bookes ☞ Vrb. He hath and that a great many but I will onely expound those that be most principall as they stand in order In the 25. of Exo. there is a notable delectable and beutifull tipe of Christ in Caporeth God commaunded Moses that he should cause the arke to be made and be couered within without with gold and that vppon the vpper part aboue he should put the mercy seat made of pure gold You know that this word Caporeth is deriued of Ciper and signifieth a peace offering a reconciliation or the place of mercy This is a worthy mistery For God promised to the children of Israell that he himselfe would dwell in that mercy seat and that he would make answere and say his minde to the people out of it This same mercy seate both is and signifieth Christ Iesus our Sauiour ¶ Anna. How may we know that Christ is ment by that Caporeth or mercy seate ☞ Vrb. The holy Ghost by Paule doth so expound this figure to the Roma where he sayth All haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God but are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesu whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation or a peace offering 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the mercy seat thorow fayth in his bloud And to the Ebrews where he speaketh of the hye priest Christ which is moued with the feeling of our infirmities he sayth Let vs go boldly to the throne of grace that we may receaue mercy and finde grace to helpe in time of neede And so did Moses in his mercy seate liuely and plainly paint forth Christ in his humanity in whome alone all wee finde both mercy and God him selfe as Paul sayth to the Colos In Christ dwelleth all fulnes of the Godhead bodily Of this Caporeth Christ God himselfe talketh with vs as Christ in Iohn sayth My doctrine is not myne but his that sent me Christ is the euerlasting word of the father and his onely begotten sonne true god If we see and heare Christ we heare also the father as Christ witnesseth in Iohn saying f. Phillip he that hath sene me hath sene my father also doest thou not beleue that I am in the father and the father in mee We haue here large scope and matter ministred to speake of this Caporeth but I may not tary in figures because I would come to the manifest and playne prophesies of Christ and especially to those which speake of his death and resurrection Let this therfore suffice concerning Caporeth For by Christ we be reconciled and at one with God and by him we receiue forgiuenes of our sinnes to be short in Christ we finde and obtayne God himselfe as we reade in the new testament for there is no other God but Iesus Christ ¶ Anna. What is writt of Christ in the third booke of Moses ☞ Vrb. Whatsoeuer is spoken in Leuiticus of the outward priesthood of Aaron and of all kynd of sacrifices of the sheding of blood and of forgeuing of sinnes all these were nothing els but figures of Christ our true priest which by his true sacrifice offred vpō the crosse hath redemed vs and purged vs from oursinnes ¶ Anna. How may we know that ☞ Vrb. The new Testament doth well interprete and expound these figures to vs and it applieth them all to Christ but aboue the rest the epistle to the Hebrues in which Paule plainly declareth and teacheth that Aaron the priest and the whole priesthood in the law with all the rites sacrifices offrings clensings orisons doctrines reconciliatiōs propitiatiōs sprinklings of bloud and other fit figures for that purpose do plainly set forth and prefigure vnto vs Christ For what things soeuer were then done they were onely shadowes and types of the new testamēt of Christ because that then there was no true reconciliatiō forgiuenes of sinnes or righteousnes in that outward priesthood and sacrifices Dumbe and brute beastes were then offred whose bloud as Paul sayth cannot take away sinne There were many sacrifices effutiōs of bloud washings in the law which were but tipes shadowes and could make no man perfect within in conscience They were onely figures and memorials of sinnes
shall shew himselfe humble modest gentle louing and lowly vnto all men he shall vse himselfe most friendly and seruisably to euery body and finally he shall draw all men to him he shall not seeke the applausions of the people he shall not desire the prayse of the common sort neither shall he as one puffed vp with the desire of vayne glory do thinges for a brag or shew as worldly potentates do but he shall despise all worldly pōpe yea he shal flie honors euen due vnto him he shall reiect all mans prayse and glory as it plainly appeareth in the 12. of Math. Where when he had wrought many wonderfull miracles had restored many to their former helth had wonderfully shewed forth his great power towards the miserable afflicted he straitely warned them that they should not make hym known A brused reed shall he not breake The maiesty pomp and power of earthly princes doth terrify the poore afflicted miserable wretched people but Christ is such a lord prince such a doctor teacher as maketh no man afraid and sheweth himself in nothing at all cruell or tirantlike Moses doth sore terrify the weake trēbling consciences of mē by his law His worde is a fierce manacing word his doctrine is a hard heuy doctrine For he requireth of vs most pure innocēcy and obedience to the law of God which in deed we haue not do not are not able to do of our selues And therefore he pronounceth a terrible sentence curse against vs makes vs subiect to the eternal curse But there is no such thing heard in Christ all his speech is amiable sweet pleasant delectable yea such as may greatly comfort troubled consciences hartles amased men His word is the gospell that is the most gladsom swete ioifull message which preacheth nothyng els to heuy harts but grace ioy blessing forgiuenes of sinnes He casteth vs not away for our weakenesse which oftentimes staggereth hee forsaketh vs not for our little fayth which somtimes wauereth neither putteth he vs back for our infirmity which yet dwelleth in vs abundantly but he calleth vs of his own good will allureth vs to come to him that he may cōfort vs refresh vs help vs confirme vs and arme vs gainst al tempests of temptations Is not this a sweet and cōfortable saying Come vnto me al ye that are weary and laden I will ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that am meke and lowly in hart and you shal find rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie my burden light And in the same place he compareth himselfe to a phisition For when he eate with Publicans sinners the Pharises repined at it and thought that it became him not was not lawful that he should haue any doings with thē and that they were altogether to be hated abhorred Christ answered said The whole need not a phisition but they which are sicke For I am not come to call the righteous but the sinners to repentance And the whole story of Christes doctrine through the whole history of the gospel is nothing els but a declaration of his meruailous humanity of his vncredible curtesie of his exceding goodnes of his bountifull liberality of his great good will of his fauorable beneuolence toward vs contēned abiected faint harted sorowfull sickly and miserable mē Whom I pray you did he for his weakenes refuse Whom did he for his low estate basenes despise Nay whō did he not if they desired helpe helpe Did he not receiue and most gently intreat Peter although he had forsworne him Did he not shew himself most gently lowly louyng to Zacheus to Magdalen to the Samaritan adultres to the thieues hanging on the crosse with many other though they had most deadly sinned offended him These such like are those brused reeds smoking flaxe which must not be terrified brokē nor quēched but cherished strēgthened comforted repaired And so Christ doth in deede for he vseth all them most tenderly which are weake which are loden with the burden of their sins which are oppressed with pouerty or any kind of calamity And when he hath gently voluntarily drawn thē vnto him he taketh thē vp comforteth thē cureth thē restoreth thē confirmeth them readily helpeth deliuereth thē euen with his own hand And the prophet prophecied long before that he should in dede be such a one saying He shal iudge the poore of the people he shal saue the children of the nedy shal subdue the oppressor he shal deliuer the poore whē he crieth the nedy also and him that hath no helper He shal be mercifull to the poore nedy shal preserue the soule of the poore And this he doth now stil by his ministers which preach the gospel to the poore in spirit as well as he did then He shal bring forth iudgemēt in truth This world also hath his iudgement but it both is deceiued doth deceiue Because it seeth nothing but that which is apparāt to the eie but Christ seeth that inward secrets of the hart iudgeth the very thoughts of man The world for the most part doth not rightly iudge an hypocrite whose hart is spiteful ambitious foule with other vices and vnclean desires but it taketh him to be a holy innocent man one which leadeth a holy life But Christ iudgeth not according to the external shew for his iudgemēt is vnfallible perfit And he teacheth vs to iudge after the same sort that when we iudge either our selues or other men we should not loke to the outward face but behold examine the inward mā and hart it self For in our selues we must first diligently consider that foule vice which is the roote of all vices namely selfe loue We must loke vpō the incredulitie of our harts and we must search our hartes which want all feare faith and trust in god For when these capitall faults diseases and hellish furies are put out choked and quenched then those outward faults are easily reformed He shal not faint or be discouraged or he shal not be pēsiue or careful or wayward or vntractable that is he shal not be troublesom nor fierce he wil not driue mē from him through the austeritie or fiercenes of his coūtenāce he will offend no man with his high hawty words but he shall haue a great and continuall desire to shew himselfe humble lowly gentle and easie to be spoken vnto To be short he wil do euery thing and seeke alwayes how he may set iudgement in the earth that is how he may finish his worke that he may truely execute and performe the office committed vnto him that he may adorne and set vp equity and iudgement in the land That is that he might correct reprehend amend punish
saue and deliuer thee For to this end God the father sent hym Beleue in him for his sake all thy sinnes shal be forgiuen thee For he tooke thy sinnes vpon him he suffred and satisfied for them When thou hast thus done then is thy conscience mery pacified and quieted Because it hath thorow fayth taken holde of Christ who hath taken away the hand writing of an euill conscience which was altogether against vs miserably tormented vs greuously vexed vs daily disturbed our peace and hath blotted it out nayled it to his crosse so that there is no cause why the man that beleueth in Christ should quake tremble or feare for his sinnes or should flie from God as a seuere iudge For God is now become fauourable vnto him and hath forgiuen him all his sinnes for Christ his sake in whom he beleueth And this faith in Christ bringeth present helpe and consolation to the penitent hart it comforteth and strengtheneth the man that before was dismayed so that now he may plainly know that God for Christs sake wil not herafter be a seuere fearful iudge vnto him but a louing mercyful and tender Father And this is the true and perfect binding vp and healing and curing of sick wounded and feeble harts For the hart neuer findeth true and sound comfort grace and life but in Christ Iesu It followeth That I should preach to the bond liberty By disobedience we were made seruants and bondslaues of Sathan and so should haue remayned for euer if Christ had not delyuered vs But he became 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the price of our redemptiō he by his death deliuered vs from that captiuity of Sathan as Dauid sayeth He went vp on high and led captiuity captiue And hath spoyled the principalities and powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath tryumphed ouer them in the same crosse That is Christ ouercame those Princes powers of darcknes which had thrown down man into the kingdome of sinne death and damnation and by his own power he hath spoyled them of their pray as Saint Luke sayth The stronger ouercame the strong man being armed and keeping his palace and toke away all his armore That is Christ delyuered mankind and tooke his seruants out of the power of darcknes and brought them into his kingdome of light as you haue heard before out of Zachary and Esay This pardon redemption or remission hath Christ himself geuen forth and preached in his gospel and he hath commaunded his Apostles and all the Preachers of the gospel to teach the same euen vnto the end of the world For what els is the Gospel but such a Sermon of Christ as telleth vs that he did fight a combate hand to hand with Sathan and hath in the same open combate not fraudulently and deceitfully but valiantly and with a deuine force subdued ouercome and cōquered the deuill by that victory hath so deliuered iustified for euer saued vs which were once his captiues bound vnder sinne and death that we may now haue peace with God and being deliuered from that tyrant be brought to heauē and raygne with God our heauēly father as blessed Children for euer It followeth To the captiues freedome By the word of God it is playne that we are sinners and that we are as it were cast into a prison or iaile from whence nether by the force of nature nor by all the good workes in the world we can deliuer and saue our selues We ought in deede to leade pure and vnspotted lyues and still to be doing good and flye from euill and the law requireth the same at our hands but our sinful nature is slow to good and farre from fulfilling the law and maketh vs liue according to our carnall desires and concupiscens which euen from our youth vp is al wayes bent and ready to euell Whereupon it commeth that the law is more vrgent vpon vs and still enforceth compelleth commaundeth vs to doe good and threateneth death and destructiō to them that doe euill and so it happeneth to vs as Paule sayd to the Galathians Before fayth came we were kept vnder the law and shut vp vnto the fayth which should afterward be reuealed When we looke into our hartes and diligently consider how disobedient stubborne and repugnaunt we are by nature to the law of God then we playnely see that the sacred law is nothing els to all vs which are vnder the law and as yet not iustified by fayth but a prison in which for all our striuing and wrastling wil we nil we we are imprisoned shut vp For how soeuer we professe and make a shewe of holines and grauitye in our selues with sober discrete manners in the eyes of men euen as though we kept the law yet in deede and from the hart we doe nothing so playnely so obediently and so cherefully as we ought but we as men enforced and constrayned do hipocritically all that we doe with vncleane and filthy hartes For the law by threats restrayneth vs from open crimes offences and it vrgeth bindeth and restraineth vs very extremely so that we doe not steale commit adulterye murther slaunder blaspheme nor curse any body but yet in the hart where the well spring and cheefe roote of all our workes are doth fleshly concupiscens boyle fome wrastle striue to burst out into il deedes and the more we bridle it and wrastle agaynst it the more it rageth and boyleth and becōmeth more violēt strong heddy rash vnruly and stubborne And as it happeneth in great fluds whose force and course we see by stopping and staying with rāpires waxe greater and more vehement so that they will not suffer thē selues to be stayd or stopt but at the last with great force and violence breake vp the rayles rampires and water work and flowe forth a mayne so it happeneth here For whē the law bindeth keepeth in the lusts fleshly desires of the hart with feare of punishmēt that they dare not discouer or shewe themselues then fretteth the flesh inwardly abhorreth the law as it were a prison desiring to be set free and at libertie from it When therfore the law of God hath done his office in man then seeth he in what danger he stādeth This misery and wickednes of mans nature in as much as it is not only not able to keepe the law of god but also doth vtterly euen abhorre it can not well according to the greatnes thereof be ether spokē in word or conceiued in minde Wel then the confession of such our wickednes malice and blindnes breedeth in vs humilitie whē we see our selues in great dāger whē we see our selues to be no body whē we see that we are not able to keep gods holy law whē we see such filthy vncleane works spring frō that pestilēt filthy stincking podle to wit the hart which is a rebel
liuely word where Christ is called a father for euer so depely and thorowly sinke into our harts and because we do not meditate so of it do not so wel vnderstand it nor so stedfastly beleue it as Paul did For our harts would not so faile vs as they do if we beleued and certainly knew what a God what a King what a lyfe and what a father Christ is vnto all those that faithfully beleue The name is Sarscholam that is a prince of peace Christ hath a kingdom wherin is peace security safety freedome from death Satan and all other dangers But here is all the labor and trauel to come vnto to attaine to dwel in that euerlasting kingdom If we be once there then are we safe without gunshot then are we sure then are we in a most happy state If sinne pricke vs in our consciences Christ is by by at hand defendeth vs He toke our sinnes vpon him and satisfied for them and became our righteousnes He put out as Paule saith the hand writing of ordinances that was against vs which was contrary to vs he euen tooke it out of the way and fastened it vpon the crosse Of this true heauenly peace the scripture speaketh in many places As to the Rom. where Paule sayth We haue peace toward God through our lord Iesus Christ Sinne had made vs the enemies of God as Paul calleth vs in the same place But Christ himself wiped away our sinnes and reconciled vs vnto God so that now he is not an enemy or iudge vnto vs but a welbeloued father For if when we were his enemies we were reconciled vnto God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled we shal be saued by his lyfe And not onely so but also reioycing in god through our lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue receiued the atonement And nowe in Christ Iesus we which once were farre of are made neere by the bloud of Christ for he is our peace This therefore is true peace when we haue peace with God through our mediator peacemaker Christ For what would the peace and friendship of all the world and worldly creatures auaile profit vs if God were our enemy and angry with vs but if God who taketh more care for vs and loueth vs better then any father doth hys children fight for vs if we be at one with him if he wish vs wel and if he profit vs what can now hurt vs how can the earth with all the creatures therein euen once touch vs Thus you heare that when we beleue in Christ we haue this peace with God thorough Christ so that we may now say If God be on our side who can be against vs and he that kepeth Israel will neither slumber nor slepe Wherefore although we haue affliction in this world yet haue we perfect peace in Christ our peace-maker 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Sarscholam that is the prince of peace or peacemaker He obtained merited peace for vs with God the father giueth vs his spirite the spirit of peace that we may also haue peace with our neighbour He wisheth vs this peace saying Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue you not as the world giueth it c. He also preserueth vs that we be not hurt of our enemies that we may be safe from all dangers By these epithetons names of Christ many mysteries are to be noted as that he is true God that he shold die because he was borne a mā but that he should not abide in deth because he was to raign eternally Wherby is plainly truly proued that both Christ we shal rise againe For we which beleue in Christ both are his members enheritance and kingdom shal be for euer The sonne hath prayed for vs his praiers are heard The father hath giuen vs his sonne with him shall we dwel for euer Our mansion house our lodging our abiding place is already prepared And Christ saith in Ioh. Father I will that they which thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am In the wordes following the prophet Esay prophecieth of the euerlasting kyngdome of Christ how it should be great seyng he was to be king not only of the Iewes but euen of the Gentils also dispersed through the whole world how he should daily increase and inlarge his dominion euen to the last day and how he should execute confirme establish and for euer preserue and gouerne the same by iustice and iudgement but of this part of the prophesie I will speake more by Gods grace in the title of the kingdome of Christ You haue heard before where I expoūded the 5. of Micheas and the 2. of Luke where and how the child Christ should be borne Well then Christ was borne at Bethelem Iuda in December in the midst of Winter and was swadled layd in a manger For Ioseph and Mary could not be lodged in any Inne for there was no roume for them The holy prophet foretold this sacred and blessed birth of Christ as you haue heard And the angels from heauen afterward did declare it vnto the shepeheardes in Luke where the angel saith Be not afraid for behold I bring you tidings of great ioy that shal be to all the people that is that vnto you is borne this day a sauiour in the city of Dauid which is Christ the lord And straight way ther was with the Aungell a multitude of heauenly souldiours praysing God and saying glory be to God in the heauens and peace in earth towards men good wil. The shepeherdes which saw this birth of Christ published and shewed it abroade The starre also in the East and the wisemen which came thēce vnto Bethelem were witnesses of the birth of Christ Simeon also Anna in the temple saw this childe who was the promised author of our saluation and they bare witnes that Messias was present And this doth the whole church of Christ beleue confesse preach and declare through all the world and the name of God is preached and praised in euery place And these glad tidings to wit that Iesus Christ our saluation is borne in Bethelem is preached in euery place And Ierusalem that is the catholike church doth reioyce and skippe for ioy for this natiuity bringeth vnto vs all felicity saluation and consolation ⧠Of Christes flying into Egypt ¶ Anna. WHat say the Prophetes of Christes flying into Egypt ☞ Vrb. Mathew saith in his 2. chap. when the wise men of the East returned from India they returned into their own country an other way and went not to Herode After their departure the angel of the lord appeared vnto Ioseph in a dreame saying arise and take the babe his mother flie into Egypt there lie vntil I bring thee word for Herod wil seke
deadly sicknes of sinne and ouercome the power of darknes thorough the might and power of this signe Christ crucified But it is especially to be marked that the prophet saith All nations shal seke vnto him The 70. translaters haue interpreted these wordes thus Which shall rise again to be the king of the Gentiles that is of all people in the earth in him shal the Gentils trust Like as the patriarke Iacob said according to the exposition of the 70. translaters in these wordes Siloh shall be the hope or expectation of the Gentils Here haue we a plaine euident testimony of the calling of the Gentiles to the grace of the gospell For they shal enquire after Christ or seeke him as their only sauiour put all their hope trust in him What els is this but that they shall acknowledge Christ to bee true GOD and true man of the stocke of Dauid For hope in the first commaundement is the honour due onely and soly vnto the true and liuing god And thus the kingdome of Christ according to this prophesy shall be as wide and large as the whole worlde so that the Iewes shall bee the least and smallest parte of Christes kingdome And euen all the Iewes vnderstande this chapter of Messias who should recouer and restore the kingdome of Israel And where as the Prophet sayth His rest shall be glorious that is his death and buriall shall be glorious for his body is neither corrupt nor rotten He died an innocent whose death brought all vs the childrē of Adam out of eternall death and shame into euerlasting honour and glory For Christ by this his most holy and sacred death entred into his glorious and euerlasting kingdome and so after his death began his raigne in lyfe And when as the Iewes supposed that hee was dead in deede and quite extinguished al those things which he had promised and spoken to be vaine and of none effect as Cleophas also and his companions supposed then beeing risen from death to life came forth and ouercame and quite destroyed and killed death and became glorious and was made kyng both of the Iewes and Gentiles and raigneth for euer throwyng downe his enemies with euerlastyng shame First therfore in these wordes is contained the deth of Christ for the prophet sayth his rest And afterward is noted his glorious victorious resurrection For the prophet saith that his rest shal be glorious but his rest or death could not haue bene glory or glorious or honorable if he had abiden still in death wrought done nothing by it In Exodus it is written that the lord stretched out his hande and by his great miracles declared his power that he might deliuer his captiue afflicted and oppressed people out of Egypt and bring them vnto the promised land of Canaan And here the Prophet doth agayne promise such a deliueraunce but a much more glorious and meruailous deliueraunce then that was when hee drowned Pharao with all his hoste in the red sea and brought his people out of all danger into the land of promise without hurt and harme The deliuerance out of Egypt was but onely a figure of this deliueraunce of which the prophet speaketh here For God wil deliuer the remnant of the Iewes and Gentiles out of the eternall captiuity of Satan by Iesus Christ and gather them all together into the kingdom of heauen where they shall neuer suffer eyther damage detriment or losse And he calleth all nations throughout all the whole worlde For saluation hath extended it selfe to all the world that the dispersed and wandring children of god might be gathered together out of all quarters of the earth as Christ himselfe saith in Iohn And I if I were lift vp from the earth will draw all men vnto me And agayne Christ should dye for the nations not for the nations onely but that he should gather together in one the children of God which were scattred abroade The prophet Esay singeth a notable Psalme of this great and inexplicable benefite of the true and spirituall redemption in Christ wherby we be deliuered from euerlasting damnation And in that Psalme he meruailously setteth forth the goodnes of god in Christ saying Behold God is my saluation I will trust and wil not feare for the lord God is my strength and song he also is become my saluation If Cleophas and his companion had known him to be the sauiour and deliuerer of Israel as well as Esay did they had neuer bene in harte so heauy as they were It followeth in the prophet Esay Therefore with ioye shall ye drawe waters out of the welles of saluation And yee shall say in that daye prayse the Lorde call vppon his name declare his workes among the people make mention of them For hys name is exalted Syng vnto the Lorde for he hath done excellent thinges This is known in all the world Cry out and shoute O inhabitant of Sion for great is the holy one of Israel in the midst of thee Note here how greatly and aboundantly the prophet reioiceth in spirit or the bountiful grace of god offred in Christ our only sauiour and deliuerer When the gospel of God is taught vnto vs then is the holy ghost with all his graces giuen vnto vs to wit remission of sinnes peace of conscience true ioy He is the true fountain spring of the liuing water of which Christ speaketh in Iohn saying The water that I shall giue him shall be in him a well of water springing vp into euerlasting life And againe Christ sayth If any mā thirst let him come to me drinke he that beleueth in me as saith the scripture out of his belly shal flow riuers of water of life He spake this of the spirit which they that beleue in him should receiue For he obtained this holy ghost by his deth for vs and he mightily shewed forth to vs how that by his death the victory of his resurrection he ouercame sinne death and Satan The true Sion that is the catholike church of the faithfull doth in dede and not without good occasion reioice shout for ioy yea she may well and worthily glory For she hath gotten forgiuenes of sinnes righteousnes the holy ghost peace of conscience and euerlasting saluation For Paul sayth to the Corinthiās That God hath giuen vs a glorious victory triumph ouer the law sin death hel through our lord Iesus Christ Esay prophesieth in like maner in his 25. chapter of the victory of Christ saying God Messias will destroy death for euer and the Lord God will wipe away the teares from all faces and the rebuke of his people wil he take away out of all the earth For the lord hath spoken it Now then if Christ hath swallowed vp death then are we surely deliuered from it For death neither hath nor euer had power ouer Christ because he was
precious bloude of Christ Although many hurtfull beastes inuirone it and goe about by craft to burst into it and vtterly to destroy it yet shall it growe and be fruitfull because the lord him selfe keepeth it and is a watchman and keper thereof which keepeth it with all care and diligence And the new testament in Mathew speaketh of the church after the same sort Although this vineyard abide great tempests violent assaults and grieuous stormes yet is it not torne in pieces broken downe lesned or cutte shorter and made straighter but euery day becommeth more flourishing greater and greener For the church encreaseth and is dilated and spred into the foure quarters of the whole world The Apostles which were to spring of the seede of Iacob and Israel according to the flesh propagated and spread the Gospell abroade through all the world And the Lord by their planting and wateryng gaue such encrease that throughout the whole world there sprong vp of the Gentils spirituall Iacobites and Israelites which haue the fayth of their heauenly father Iacob and by their lyfe professe and witnes that they are endued with the fayth of the Patriarkes and are their children by fayth And thus the true Iacob or Israel that is the true church spreadeth it selfe through the whole world which before was onely in Iudea For many shall come from the East and West and shall sitte downe with Abraham Isaac and Iacob in the kingdome of heauen And it was conuenient that the trumpe of the gospel should at the same tyme of grace be blown through the whole worlde that the grace of Christ myght appeare and be opened and offered to all men And that both the Iewes and Gentiles might be gathered out of the whole earth into one church and worship the lord Iesus Christ in hys holy hyll Ierusalem to wit the catholike church which is the hill of the Lord and the heauenly Ierusalem For the earthly Ierusalem hath now hys ende and lyeth wasted and destroyed and was but onely a type of the heauenly Ierusalem And now that the truth it selfe and the thyng figured is come and is present there needeth not any more figures In vayne therfore and frustrate is the expectation and hope of the Iewes which vnderstande these prophesies of the earthly Ierusalem which shal neuer be restored to his former state and dignity as Daniel prophesieth in his 9. chapter ¶ Anna. If this vineyard or catholike church that is christian religion should flourish thorough the whole world If also the Gentils should worship Christ and if they should become true Israelites and by the helpe and ayde of Christ flourish and waxe greene then surely was it conuenient that Christ should rise from the dead to plant and kepe the great and ample vineyarde and so saue and deliuer not only Israel according to the flesh but euen vs Gentiles which be the spirituall Israelites But these two disciples considered not this ☞ Vrb. If these prophesies be well and diligently waied and considered we may plainely see and gather out of euery one of them the resurrection of Christ true christians This is the true deliueraunce of Israel not only from the king of Assiria or Babilon but from that great and horrible tirant of hel Satan and euerlasting death Esay prophesieth in other places also of that gracious tyme of the new testament wherin Christ came and the holy ghost was sent into the Apostles by whō the chiefe and true quietnes and peace of consciēce was giuen in the kingdom of Christ And thus he prophesieth in the 32. The pallace shal be forsaken c. vntill the spirit be powred vpon vs from aboue and the wildernesse become a fruitfull field and the plenteous field bee counted as a forest And iudgement shall dwel in the desert iustice shal remaine in the fruitful fields And the worke of iustice shall be peace euen the worke of iustice and quietnes and assuraunce for euer And my people shall dwell in the tabernacle of peace and in sure dwellings and in safe resting places Esay had tolde the Iewes that both their city and kingdome should bee destroyed as it came to passe afterwarde by the Chaldes And so it ought to bee before the commyng of Messias who should ende all calamities and before the holy spirit of Christ should be poured vpon thē from heauen which was fulfilled in Ierusalem on Whitsonday whē Christ sent his spirit visibly vnto his Apostles Then at the last was the true Ierusalem builded by the Apostles on Christ the head corner stone Then the desert that is the remnant of the Iewes and Gentiles shall be as a field well tilled and they shall bring forth aboundance of fruite in the fayth of Christ And the fielde which before flourished to wit the Sinagoge shall be made a forrest and wildernes Then shall true righteousnes dwell in this kingdome of Christ to wit fayth in Christ which bringeth forth most pleasaunt and delectable fruites namely peace euen true peace in the lord peace of conscience with true and euerlasting security He calleth the church of Christ also the habitation of peace the tabernacle of trust or most sure habitation because we can fynde peace and safety from the tiranny of the wicked spirite from sinne and from death in no other place but onely in the churche of Christ For he which kepeth and defendeth the church is the Lord of hostes himselfe which hath ouercome Sathan and established Sion that is the churche on a strong and sure foundation and in all places strongly defendeth it from all euils that hang ouer it He onely deserued and made our reconciliation The church is his heauenly body the church is his temple the church is his kyngdome wherein he dwelleth And therefore there can bee no true peace at all any where but onely in the church in which we haue true peace with GOD thorough our mediator and reconciler Iesus Christ Without this dwelling place of God is very whote indignation wrath and wretchednesse For in hym which beleeueth not in Christ dwelleth the wrath of God therefore he must needes perish But the true peace and securitie which we haue here but in fayth by the holy ghost the earnest peny of our inheritaunce shall then in deede at the last in the lyfe to come haue his beginnyng when our last enemy death shal be vtterly abolished There is also in the 35. of Esay a comfortable prophesie of Christ and of the kingdome of hys church of the doctrine of his Gospell of the miracles and signes of Christ and of our true deliuerance through Christ and of the eternall ioy of faythfull Christians The wordes are these The deserte and the wildernesse shall reioyce and the waste grounde shall bee glad and flourish as the rose it shall flourish aboundantly and shall greatly reioyce also and ioy The glory of Libanus shall be geuen vnto it the beauty of
and drinke but righteousnes and peace and ioy in the holy ghost The words of this prophesy be these heare the worde of the Lord ye gentiles and declare in the Iles a farre of and say he that scattereth Israell will gather him and will keepe him as a sheppard doth his flocke for the Lord hath redemed Iacob raūsomed him frō the hād of him that was strōger thē he Therfore they shal come reioyce in the light of Sion and shall run to the bountifulnes of the Lord euen for the wheate and for the wine and for the oyle and for the increase of sheepe and Bullocks and her soules shall be as a watered garden and they shall haue no more sorrow The Iewes vnderstand not this but suppose that it shall be carnally fulfilled But I haue oftē sayd that the prophets vse to speak figuratiuely of Christes kingdome and of the great vnspeakeable goodnes therof to wit of the word of god and the holy ghost with all his giftes fayth forgeuenes of sinns peace of conscience ioye in the spirite vnderstanding of the scriptures and comfort and hope out of Gods holy promises of all which both Iews and Gentills that beleue shall be partakers And these are the giftes of god by which he adorneth and maketh his kingdome that is the faythfull Christians fruitfull euen as a firtill garden or a greene orchard In this chapiter Ieremye doth comfort the weake in Israell that they should not dowt of the promised Messias but stedfastly beleue the lyke as he had promised a spiritual drliuerance to wit forgeuenes of sins for Messias hys sake so it should come to pas that he should take some peece of Israel for his people and that so the kingdom of Christ should continue and abyde for euer And the new testament tels vs that there is an euerlasting couenant of Gods grace cōfirmed vnto al fayth ful Christiās saying that our sines are pardoned for christes sake the god will be our mercifull father for euer He promiseth also that he will send the holy ghost into our hart to lighten vs with the knowledge of God and to purify our hartes by fayth in Christ that so we may haue the law of God not onely written in papers but euen engrauen in our hartes The law requireth fayth and feare of God with hope and loue towardes God and our neighbors but the hart of man is wicked euen from his youth vp and sustayned with originall sinn that he hath no vnderstanding no ioy no desire no good will to walke in the law of god But the spirite of Messias the finger of God will take away clens all these thinges will write that within our hartes with liuely letters which the law requireth to wit fayth in Christ by which we haue forgeuenes of our snnes and loue which is the fulfilling of the law Then shall all thinges happen well and we shall be in happy and blessed state For there be none in the kingdome of Christ but men instructed blessed by the holy ghost which both know them selues and God and are bent and redy to serue God from a cleane and a pure hart of a good conscience and an vnfayned fayth although they be very weake and compassed about with sin and often times stumble and therefore with all the Saintes they make their prayer saying O Lord forgeue vs our trspasses these are the wordes of the prophet Behold the day is come sayth the Lorde that I will make a new couenaunt with the house of Israell and with the house of Iuda not according to the couenāt which I made with their fathers when I tooke them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egipt the which my couenant they brak although I was a husband vnto them sayth the Lord but this shall be the couenaunt that I will make with the house of Israell After those dayes sayth the Lord I will put my law into their inward parts and write it in their hartes and I will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more euery man his neighbour and euery man his brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them vnto the greatest of them sayth the Lord for I will forgeue their iniquity and will remember there sinnes no more Thus sayth the Lord which geueth the sun for a light to the day and the courses of the moone and of the starres for a light to the night which breaketh the sea when the waues thereof rore his name is the Lord of hostes If these ordinaunces depart out of my sight sayth the Lord then shall the seede of Israell cease from being a nation before me for euer Thus sayth the Lord Yf the heauēs can be measured or the foundations of the earth be searched out beneth thē will I cast of all the seede of Israell for all that they haue done sayth the Lord. The apostle expoundeth this prophesye vnto vs in the Hebrue telling vs that it was fulfilled at the former comming of Christ into this world when Christ the mediator of the new testamēt executed his priestly office offering vp sacrifice for vs and was placed at the right hand of the trone of maiestye in heauen being the minister of the holy thinges and of the true tabernacle wrought by God and not by man The ould testament had then continued vnto the time appointed that is vnto Messias who was by the priesthood sacrifices and ceremonies prefigured But when the light or candle cam it was meete that the shaddow should geue place In the ould testament the law was written in tables of stone by it the false double dealing and curse of the people was manifested and reproued but not takē away For it was a killing letter which tould thē what was iust and what was to be done but it could not inwardly change and renew the hart of the ould carnall man to make them gladly and feruenly do those thinges which were of God but it led men to Messias who should circumcise their hartes with his spirite take away their sinnes and write the lawe in their hartes Outward circumcisiō sacrifices the bloud of beasts the leuiticall priesthoode the law of Moyses and other ceremonies had no such strēgth nor force that they could helpe or deliuer sinners And the faythfull Christians before the comming of Christ had experience of this in them selues They saw in deede that their deliueraunce from sin consisted not in ceremonies and that those ceremonies should not alway continue For no sinner had euer by such ceremonies obtayned redemption or helpe but they knew very well that God had promised a new testament and forgeuenes of sinnes by the bloud and sacrifice of Messias and that the spirite of Messias should imprint and fulfill the law in vs so that through our fayth we might both receaue a cleare
of the name of the Lord his god and these shall dwell still for now shall he be magnified vnto the endes of the world That is to say the captayne and guide of Israel shall not yet come but the Iewes for their Idolatrye shall first be greuously punished and afflicted For they shall abide 70. yeares in their captiuity of Babilō and afterward they shall come into their countrye and loking for that gratious time of the God of Israell And although their plague captiuitie and affliction be great yet will the Lord keepe his promise and wil send the promised Messias Moschell vnto Israell at the time appointed and then at the last shall true felicitie come then shall all thinges fall forth well and prosperously then shall the true Israelites come together euē as it came to passe in the time of Iesus Christ who is the true shepheard and cast out all false ministers pharises scribes and Iewes and feede his sheepe himselfe by the great power of god For he taught thē by the spirite of grace and cōuerted lightned their harts and cast out the euill spirits and raysed the dead to life agayne wrought strange miracles and wonders in the name of his heauenly Father So that the shepe can now no more be demaūded and destroyed of the Volues but may sit safe in his pastures vnder his protections And this Moschel or Lorde prince of Israell shall be magnified and glorified through the whole world in the time of the new testament which was fulfilled when Christ by his passion entered into his glory and rose agayne from the dead the 3. day sitteth at the right hand of God that all power both in heauen and earth might be geuen him and when the holy ghost preached him by the Gospell in all the world and when his horne that is his spirituall kingdome as you haue heard in the psalmes was in the name of god exalted multiplied and dayly increased both by the Iewes and Gentiles as it is yet manger Sathā-and the world his wife And a little after Miche prophecieth how Christiās or the kingdome of Christ should raigne and remaine euē vnder the crosse in the middest of their enemies By which we see that it is a spirituall kingdome seing it is in the wicked world amonest many nations euen as the dew of the Lord or as a drope of water in the grasse For the people of the faythful is a marueilous people They are in the earth but not an earthly kingdome of the earth Their doctrine is the holy ghost which commeth from heauen from God the holy ghost They thē sealues also are from heauē regenerated by water and the holy ghost their lyfe consisteth in fayth they liue in Christe and they are wonderfully preserued vnder the crosse And although in the eyes of the world they may seme weake yet are they inuincible through fayth in Christ haue alwayes the victory yea they breake through the world sin death and the bondes and snares of Sathan and gouerne their inheritance but all these thinges are done spiritually and by a marueilous meanes altogether hidden from the world For this is wrought by the worde and spirite but much more worthely and gloriously then man can imagine These are the wordes of the prophecy And the remnant of Iacob shall be amongst many people as a dew from the Lord and as the showers vpon the grasse that waiteth not for mā nor hopeth in the sons of Adame And the remnant of Iacob shall be among the Gentiles in the middest of many people as the Lyon among the beastes of the forrest and as the Lyons whelpe among the flock of sheepe who when he goeth through treadeth downe and teareth in peeces and none can deliuer Thy hand shall be lift vp vpon thy aduersaries and all their enemies shall be cut of Here you may see the power of the gospell and faythfull christians Those which beleued in Christ taried loking for him were the true remnant of Iacob They trusted not in man but in God and certainely beleued that according to his promise he would deliuer them out of all calamitie although at that time they were captiues and afflicted in the middest of their heauy and deadly enemies But the Lord dwelleth with his seruants he hath promised in Exodus vnto all faythfull christian men that he will be an enemie vnto their enemies and afflict them which afflict the faythfull Christiās Wherfore there is a certaine hope and sure victory promised here vnto the remnant of Iacob and the kingdome of Christ that is to the whole Church which in this world dwelleth here amōg her enemies And thus be the faythfull Christians incouraged fortified and embouldened by the promise of God and fayth in Christ Iesus to walke euen as the Lion in the wood which feareth no other beast and passeth them all in strength And this prophet magnifically describeth Christes kingdome in his 4. chap. much lyke to the 2. of Esay his wordes be these And the same day sayth the Lord will I gather hir that halted and I will gather hir that is cast out and hir that I haue afflicted And I will make hir that halted a remnant and hir that was cast farre of a mighty nation and the Lord shall raigne ouer them in mount Sion frō thence forth euen for euer This is the tyme of the new testament faythful christians are here signified by the halt cast out and afflicted men lyke as they are also vnderstood in 61. of Esay and in euery place of this prophecy because of that crosse which they beare in this world that so they may be made lyke vnto Christ their king You must then vnderstand by the halte cast out afflicted those which are poore in spirite which are troubled in conscience which outwardly in this world suffer persecution and inwardly in their conscience are terrified and tormented with the feeling of their sinnes the feare of death the wrath of god These are the poore vnto whome this good tidinges are brought that they haue a good fauourable and most gentile king who will not cast them of for their weakenes and infirmity but helpeth them and salueth their sores And although in this worlde they be weake forsaken banished abiects and most contemptible yet will the Lord make of them a famous people who shall liue safely vnder him in perpetuall glory in the kingdome of heauen Here agayne you heare that the kingdome of Christ is spirituall for the faythfull Christians in this world are weake and contemptible but by the crosse they are brought to eternall glory For when the whole world with all his pompe and glory shall decay then shall they be crowned with great honor and glory in the euerlasting kingdome of Christ And thus the prophets haue respect vnto the eternitye and saluation ordayned for vs in the kingdome of Christ In the end of
Christ 22 Carpenters of the Church 134 Cattell who be 203 Christ how when and why promised 7. 10 11. 16. 63. prophesied of in scripture two wayes 8. why promised before the law 15. his natiuitie 3. 7. 16. 31 84. 96. his acceptable yeare 60. his manhood 18. 20. 31. 33. 41. 49. 50. 71. the sonne of Abraham and Dauid 27. 28. how Dauids sonne and Lord. 112 the sonne of the pure virgine Mary 28. 33. a stone cut of a mountaine without hand 35. 63. why the seede of the woman and not of man. 7. the necessitie and benefite of his natiuitie 24. 64. 84. the time of his natiuitie 16. 63. of the Citie where he was borne 29. his flight into Egipt 90. his parents why remoued from the kingdome of Israel 18. 20. to whom he was sent 14. 57. why sēt 64. his names 29. 36. 39. 81. why called Siloh 20. 18. why called Christ 38. an Angell 8. an Angell of the great coūsayle 87. Messias 39. Israell 54. a stone 61. the lord of Zeboth 76. Amon. 71. Moschell 30. Melchisedech 21. 112. his person discribed 49. 50. his Image painted 85 How he is knowen and how necessary to be knowen 2. 4. his cōuersation on earth described 47. Why he eate with publicans 50. his humilitie and pouertie 18. 43 44. 47. 50 59. no cause of our fall 118. our Iewell 11. the end of the Iewes kingdome 18. 44. 66. his teares for Ierusalem 43. his seruice toward vs. 4. 6. how he handleth his frends enemies 87. his cōfort against our ingratitude 54 his comfort for an heuy consciēce 85. he hath followers according to his humanity 74. at enmitie with the the serpent 8. 9. afflicted 47. why painted with a crosse on his shoulders 62. how long he liued 69. Christ his kingdome what a one it is 17. 20. 41. 44. 53. 64. 85. 105 110. 119. what maner of king he is 19. 57. 63. 91. how he ruleth his kingdome 20. 99. by what armour it is sustained 44. how far it reacheth 45. his scepter 17. 61. 74. 120 his poore royaltye 49. his power 44. 88. how he is a Gyant 87. his peace 49. 89 Christ his priesthood and ministrye 21. 47. 51. 91. 53. 6. how annointed 55. 74. 38. aparaled with filthye garmentes 46. the true Melchisebech 112. 21. the high priest 93. our shepheard 92. 94. 85. Gods seruaunt 92. signified by the brasen serpent 21. by Aarons priesthood ibidem by the mercy seate 20. 22. by the pascall lambe 114. 22. he and Moyses cōpared 45. 59. the seale of the Prophets 12. 43. his doctrine gospell 4. 6. 44. 53. the wisdome of his word 34. his maner of teaching 57. 91. his mouth called a sword 53. his Sermon going to Emaus 27. 35. 97. called a prophet 91. a preacher 57. his preaching to what end 91. sanctified of God to be our teacher 55. he counsayleth contrary to the world 86. his care ouer his Church 4. our mediator 93. the onely way to God. 29. 128. our onely sauiour 37. 93. 9. 16. 39. 60 43. 99. 100. 63. 2. 3. our righteousnes 43. 108. 79. 87. 89 our redētion 46. 107. 9. 11. 94. 59. 78. the only forgeuenes of sinnes 46. 99. 100. our reconciliation 23. 39. 100. 45. our propitiation 79. 93. a gage that God is with vs. 52. his exceeding grace loue and mercy to man. 35. 42. 50. 16. 88. 58. 35. his mercifull nature described 50. 57. how he calleth and iustifieth vs. 43. the fulfilling of the law 43. 12. richer in grace then we in sinne 9 Christ his Godhead proued 84. 72. 76. 31. 35. 77. 81. 74. a necessarye point of religiō 83. he is God and not the Father 71. no God but him 21. the bud of the Lord and fruite of the earth 119. his vnion of both natures 18. 82. 48. 49. 3. his name Iehoua 76. how he sitteth on Gods right hand 112. how he is with vs. 36. his miracles 78. 85. 97. his omnipotencye 51 Christ his death and passion 7. 16. 25 32. 10. 85. 107. 98. of what force it was 99. he suffered wholy 82. why he required helpe vpon the crosse 98. his buriall and resurrectiō 121 10. 7. 102. it is made oures 102. the cōmodity of his death resurrection 99. 103. his victorye ouer sin death Sathā 9. 10. 52. 59. 88. 94. 99. 122. our banner in battaile 12. his iudgement 49. 95. 96. Christ killers their punishment 158 Christianitie or Christiās lyfe 5. 116 170. their cognisance 120. why so named 16. 160. what people they are 186. their ioye 1. 6. 128. 27. 42. 58. 133. 136. 163. 153. 122. 161. their state in the world to come 123. 103 163. 178. 153. why afflicted 120. their comfort in affliction 52. how they ought to iudge 50. the temple of God. 176. their foode and bread 160. their thirst and hunger how restored 132. without mony 149. their wisdome 139. why and how they shal be glorified 153. their prayer for the Church 112. their arte 148. they onely saued 93 builded vpon the corner stone 148 false Christians described 55 Christmas caroll at Geneua 84 Church Gods vineyard 124. no peace without it 125. afflicted but not vāquished 91. 112. 105. 103. 151 156. how nourished and comforted 162. 152. 155. how Christ purgeth it 117. why called a crowne 155. deare to God. 154. called a sect of the Iewes heresy of papists 118. the largenes of it 147. defended by Christ 204. 153. 155. her weakenes how comforted 133. 130 136. 147. her mariage 147. the beuty of it 148. her victory 196. her builders 134. the gates thereof are alwayes open 156. False Church described 199 Circumsition and ceremonies of no force 171 Citie of the world most honorable which 30 Cleophas sad in his iorney to Emaus 1. 27. cōforted agayne 3. 5. 27. the Sermon he hard 4. 5. Comforts in persecutiō 131. in tēptation 132. 134. 135. 136. agaynst sinne 58 Confession of sinnes onely hath the benefite of the Gospell 58. it is such as the fayth is 61 Conscience laden with sinne onely pacified by fayth in Christ 107. 58. 78. true councell whence it is fetched 87 Creatiō of man how pure it was 13. Creede the principall article of it 83 Crosse why to be suffered patiently 16. D Daniell his prophecye and prayer in captiuitie 62. his dreame of the foure Monarchies 63. his prayer for the comming of Messias 65 Dauid a figure of Christ 91. strong of hand 184. his ruinous tabernacle restored by Christ 188 Daughter of Hose the prophet what it meaneth 179 Dead where they be till the last day 123 Death comforts against it 87. it is but a sleepe to the Godly 79 Deuill vanquished by his owne hissing 10. his wife 186. he is figured by Pharao 168 Deliueraunce of ours how strong it is 85 Disciples how they vnderstood the Scriptures 4 E Earth a vale of misery 161 Easter daye 1 Eating spiritually 107 Edome what it signifieth 157 Egipt a figure