other like Of this strange vnctiō of his which is proper to himselfe the Prophet Esay and Christ himselfe in Luke sayth thus in these wordes The spirit of the Lord is vpon me therfore he hath annointed me Here he speaketh not of a corporall vnction or of baulm where with all they accustomably annointed themselues on their heads hands iointes in their mirth and bankets and wherwith they consecrated their kinges and priestes Christ would not haue vs thinke that he was annointed with such a corporal vnction For he sayth The spirit of the Lord is vpon me He speaketh therefore of the vnction of the holy ghost with which he was anointed to be an holy and euerlasting priest and kyng which the 45. Psalm noteth in these wordes Thy God hath annointed thee with the oyle of gladnes aboue thy fellowes That is God hath consecrated and annoynted thee a priest and king not with earthly baulme for thy kingdome is not of this world but with the spirituall oyle of gladnesse that is with the holy ghost by which likewyse all men beleuing in Christ are consecrated and ordered for spiritual kings and priests and are made partakers of this oyle of gladnesse but yet mesurably As for Christ he was annointed without measure more aboūdantly plētifully liberally infinitely then all Christians in the world For we receiue the spirite but after a measure one beyng beautified with one gift and another with another euery one enioying his owne particularly and no man all vniuersally But the spirite of God was giuen to Iesus without measure He is ful of grace and truth and of his fulnesse haue all we receyued And here it appeareth that Iesus is not a common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annointed But that chiefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ or Messias which was promised in the scriptures should come into the world and all to bewater and replenishe it with his grace As the Prophete Daniel prophesied Seuenty weekes are determined vpon thy people and vpō thy holy citie to finish the wickednes and to seale vp the sinnes and to reconcile the iniquitie and to bring in euerlasting righteousnes to seale vp the vision and prophesie and to annoint the most holy And a little after he calleth Christ by his proper name saying After 62. wekes Christ shall be slayne c. But of this prophesie God willing I will speake more at large in another place Thus also may you read in the Gospell where whē Iohn Baptist had shewed Christ to Andrew the Apostle and had said Behold the lamb of God Andrew sayd to his brother Simon We haue found the Messias And by by Phillip in the same place sayth to Nathaniel We haue found him of whom Moses did write in the law and the Prophets And Nathaniel sayd vnto Christ Rabby thou art the sonne of God thou art the king of Israel This Messias did all Israel carefully watchfully and hartily desire and waite for For they had heard so much of Messias in the scriptures that they had conceiued a good and certayn hope and doubted not but that at his commyng they should be deliuered from those perils calamities discommodities and violences which they suffred and from all other iniuries and euils which either publikely or priuately vexed them And they hoped also that al things should after the comming of Messias goe well with them so that they all theirs should haue a most happy and prosperous state euen a world of wealth and a flowing sea of all felicitie As it may euidently be gathered of the womans wordes of Samaria in the gospel of Iohn which sayd to Christ I know Messias shal come which is called Christ When he is come he will tell vs all things Iesus sayd vnto her I that speake vnto thee am he Consider now here with your selfe how great true pure and precious comfort we may take of these two names of Christ Iesus signifieth saluation or a sauior or els importeth the same that the worde God doth And Christ or Messias is as much to say as annoynted For there is vnderstood in this name the vnction of grace and mercy which God promised vnto vs in his sonne And now what would we more what can we wish more or what need we more nay what is there that we haue not if we be once annointed with this oyntment For if we constantly beleue and be thorowly perswaded that God hath giuen vs Christ to be our priest and our king to the ende he may be our saluation consolation iustification and redemption then vndoubtedly it must be as we beleue Because he hath firmly promised that he will do it if we beleue it He cannot lye or deceyue vs because he is the very truth it self Wherfore if we wil stedfastly and faithfully beleue those things which he hath promised by that faith shal we be iustified and saued ¶ Anna. O good God what exceding comfort do we conceyue and what great ioy and pleasure haue we in hearing these words God our gracious father vouchsafe to giue vs a true and constant faith least we reape no fruit of this his infinite offred grace and fauour ☞ Vrb. Amen ¶ Anna. I pray you take paynes to recite the other names which are giuē to Christ in the scriptures For I feele my hart refreshed and filled with a maruelous and vncredible kynd of comfort sweetenes and pleasure which riseth of these two names and my fayth is wel increased and confirmed with a good knowledge which I haue here gotten of Christ ☞ Vrb. It were a tedious thing to explicate them all one by one and agayne they offer themselues to be opened in their due places in the prophesies which are of Christ yet will I not sticke briefly to recite thē here without further exposition of them Christ is called A king in Zachary 9.9 An euerlasting Priest Psal 110.4 A propitiatory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. A reconciliation Hebr. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reconciliation for the sinnes of the world 1. Iohn 2.28 A deliuerer and redemer Esay 48.20 and 60. 16. Mat. 20.28.1 Cor. 1.30 A redemption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1.68 Our mediator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 2.5 Our aduocate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Iohn 2.1 A sacrifice and offering for sin both in committing omitting any thing against Gods commandement Esay 53.10 An offring and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God for vs Eph. 5.2 The lamb of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1.36 Our righteousnes knowledge sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 The light of the world Iohn 12.46 Our maister Iohn 13.13 The seruaunt of God that is obedient to the commaundement of God for vs Esay 42.1 The way truth and our life Iohn 14.6 Our resurrection Iohn 11.25 The beginning the first borne of the dead Col. 1.18 The first begotten amongest many brethren
slepe in Iesus will God bring with him And to Tim. he sayth Christ came into this worlde to saue sinners And againe There is one God and one mediator betwene GOD and man which is the man Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe for a ransome for all men And againe God saued vs and called vs with an holy callyng not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs through Christ Iesus before the world was but is now made manifest by the appearing of our sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortality vnto lyght through the gospel And to Titus he saith For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that we should deny vngodlinesse worldly lustes that we should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world loking for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God of our sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeme vs from all iniquity and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zelous of good works And to the Hebr. he sayeth Forasmuch then as the children were partakers of flesh and bloud he also himself likewise tooke part with thē that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the deuil and that he might deliuer all them which for feare of death were all their life tyme subiect to bondage For he in no sort tooke the angels but he tooke the seed of Abraham Wherfore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be mercifull and a faythfull high priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he suffred and was tempted he is able to succour all them that be tempted In the same place the Apostle sayth that Christ by the grace of God tasted of death for all men Read the whole epistle to the Hebr. but especially the 5. 7. 8. 9. 10. chap. concerning Christes priesthood and sacrifice for it is in deede a most worthy and precious treasure Peter sayth Blessed be God euen the father of our lord Iesus Christ which according to his aboundaunt mercy hath begotten vs agayne vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And it followeth You are not redemed with corruptible things as with siluer and gold from your vayne conuersation receiued by the traditions of the fathers but with the precious bloud of Christ as of a lambe vndefiled and without spot which was lord before the foundation of the world but was declared in the last tymes for your sakes which by his meanes doe beleue in God that raysed him from the dead and gaue him glory that your faith hope might be in God. And agayne Christ himselfe bare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse Christ also hath once suffred for sins the iust for the vniust that he might bring vs to god And Ioh. saith The bloud of Iesus Christ the sonne of God clenseth vs from all sinne And againe We haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the iust and he is the reconciliatiō for our sinnes ▪ and not for ours onely but also for the sinnes of the whole world It followeth Your sinnes are forgiuen you for his names sake And againe For this purpose appeared the sonne of God that he might loose the workes of the deuill And again In this appeared the loue of God toward vs because God sent his only begotten sonne into the world that we might liue through him Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a recōciliation for our sinnes To be briefe this is the pithe of all the Apostles preaching And this is the summe of their doctrine that we obtaine forgiuenesse of all our sinnes and euerlasting lyfe by none other but only by Iesus Christ and by no other worke but by his most precious death and victorious resurrection Therfore Peter with great boldnes instructing the Iewes concerning Christ comprehendeth all the whole matter briefly in few wordes in the 4. chap. of the Acts where he sayth You haue crucified Christ whom God raysed frō the dead This is the stone which was cast aside of you builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there saluation in any other For among men there is giuen none other name vnder heauen wherby we must be saued And Paul to the Cor. saith Christ died for our sinnes according to the scripture and was buried and rose agayne the third day according to the scriptures And if Christ be not raised agayne then is our preaching vayne and your fayth vayne Ye are yet in your sinnes and so they which are a sleepe in Christ are perished If in this life onely we haue hope in Christ we are of all men the most miserable But now is Christ risen from the dead and was made the first fruits of them that slept For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead For as in Adam all die euen so in Christ shall all be made alyue S. Augustine hath a learned and worthy saying namely that one resurrection of Iesus Christ saith he hath giuen vs two resurrections to wit one spiritual from our sinnes and the other corporal For when as Christ rayseth vs vp from the spirituall death of sinne by his holy Gospell and lighteneth our hartes with the knowledge of Gods grace and our sinnes When he pardoneth our sinnes and whē he giueth vs the holy ghost then do we rise from our wickednesse and are counted righteous in the sight of god This resurrection is here in earth by fayth in Christ which we receyue whē we heare his word in the holy gospell As Christ sayth in Iohn Verily verily I say vnto you the houre shal come and now is when the deade shall heare the voyce of the sonne of God and they that heare shal liue Which words are spoken of the rising from our sinnes as S. Augustine expoundeth them The other resurrection which Christ hath deserued wrought or obtayned for vs by his resurrection is that resurrection of the body which shal be in the last day Of which Iohn sayth thus The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce And they shall come forth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of lyfe but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation And Paul saith to the Thes If we beleue that Iesus is dead is risen euen so them which slepe in Iesus will God bring with hym For this say we vnto you by the worde of the Lord that we which
I will set his hand also in the sea and his right hande in the floudes He shall cry vnto me thou art my father my God and the rocke of my saluation Also I will make him my first borne higher then the kinges of the earth My mercy will I keepe for him for euermore and my couenaunt shall stande fast with him His seed also will I make to endure for euer and hys throne as the dayes of heauen But if his children forsake my law and walke not in my iudgementes If they breake my statutes and keepe not my commaundements then will I visite their transgression with the rod and their iniquity with strokes yet my louing kyndnes wil I not take from hym neither will I falsify my truth My couenant wil I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips I haue sworne once by myne holinesse that I wil not fayle Dauid saying his seed shall endure for euer his throne shall be as the sunne before me he shal be established for euermore as the Moone and as a faythfull witnesse in the heauen Behold how certayne and sure gods grace is to vs in Christ and for Christ Iesus our king Although we sin very often and much yet shal not sin condemne vs if we bide in Christ For what soeuer the Lord hath spoken it is the very truth it selfe and cannot but come to passe and be as he hath sayd For though we be most vnworthy wretches of our selues and haue no merits but sin wickednes to the attayning of so great grace and goodnes of God yet this is our stay and comfort that God hath promised vs these worthy benefites not for our deserts or worthines but onely for hys mercy sake in Christ Wherfore those thinges whiche be here promised are most sure certaine as also the state of our saluation is certayne because it standeth and dependeth on the euerlasting mercy truth of Gods promises of which he can neuer repent him nor vnsay or recant the same In the 111. Psalme he sayeth Hee hath sent redemption to his people he hath commaunded his couenant for euer Here is Christ promised that he shal be our deliuerer or redemer neither is there any other sauiour but Iesus Christ alone This Psalme was song in Iuda for a thanksgiuing on Easterday when they eate the Paschall lambe because God had deliuered them out of the captiuity of Egypt But that temporall or corporall deliuerance and the lambe was nothing els but a figure of the true and euerlasting deliuerance and of our true lambe Iesus Christ by whose bloud we are deliuered and brought out of hell and euerlasting captiuity into our heauenly countrey In the 113. Psalme he prophesieth of the glory honour of Christes kingdome telling what a one how great it shall bee thoroughout all the worlde For he sayth From the rising of the sunne to the goyng down of the same the name of God is glorified Which thing can not otherwise be but by the catholike faith that is that the Gentils should heare the gospell of Christ thereby acknowledge and set forth his grace and goodnes which is the sacrifice of prayses which the Christians offer The wordes of the Psalmes are these Prayse the Lord O ye his seruants prayse the name of the Lord blessed be the name of the Lord from henceforth for euer The name of the Lord is euer praised frō the rising of the sunne to the goyng downe of the same The Lord is high aboue all nations and his glory aboue the heauens Who is lyke vnto the Lord our God that hath his dwellyng on high who abaseth himselfe to behold things in heauen in earth Likewise the 117. Psalme sayth that the whole world both Iewes Gentils shal magnify Christ Iesus honor and acknowledge him for their true God in his kingdom in which is is all felicity mere grace mercy forgiuenes of all sinnes true righteousnes true peace true comfort true ioy euerlasting life The wordes be these All nations praise ye the lord all ye people praise him for his louing kindnes is great towardes vs and the truth of the Lord endureth for euer And the 130. psalme also setteth forth to vs the grace of God in Christ which God hath promised vs in him our true propitiatory reconciler Dauid sayth in that Psal. Let Israel wayte on the Lord for with the lord is mercy and with him is great redemption and he shal redeeme Israel from all his iniquities All this must bee vnderstood of Christ for the new testament is the kirnell the perfect and ful interpretation of the old And the new testament witnesseth in euery place that there is no other deliuerer sauiour or recōciler but Iesus Christ and it teacheth vs that our reconciliation redemption commeth only by Christ who is the alone sacrifice satisfaction for the sinnes of the whole world Wherfore take this for a sure rule in scripture which neuer fayleth that wheresoeuer deliuerance reconciliation redemption remission of sins or the grace of God is promised in the prophets there always though the name of Messias or Christ bee not expressed must we needes vnderstand Christ and hys death and bloudsheding absolute sacrifice For these great things to wit forgiuenes of sinnes reconciliatiō c. are prepared gottē obtained by no other means but only by the sacrifice and death of Iesus Christ And these are almost the chief prophesies which Dauid hath concernyng Christ Anna. Whac hath Esay prophesied of Christ and of his passion resurrection and euerlasting kingdom Vrb. After Dauid is the notable and worthy prophet Esay who hath prophesied both plainly truly of all the mysteries of Christ In his 2. chap. he describeth the spiritual kingdom of Christ that is the catholike church saying that it shal be ample glorious through all the world among the Gentiles by the preaching of the gospell by which men do acknowledge the grace of God in Christ and be conuerted and do willingly and ioyfully serue and worship the lord His words be these It shall be in the last dayes that the mountain of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the top of the mountaines and shal be exalted aboue the hils and all nations shal flow vnto it and many people shall go and say come let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we wil walke in his pathes For the law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the lord from Ierusalem he shal iudge amongst the nations and reserue many people they shal break their swordes also into mattockes and their speares into sithes nation shal not lift vp a sword against nation neither shall they learne to fight any more O house of Iacob come ye and let vs walke in
of perles Iemms and pretious stones and they expound this promise carnally of an earthly building but Esay speaketh in this place of a spiritual building and spirituall stones When we heare and belieue the Gospell then are we by the word and faith builded vpon that our precious corner stone rock Christ that we may be the holy Citie of God which he him selfe doth build and in in which he doth dwell He that is a stone and Citizen of this Citie he is in safety sin death and Sathan can not hurt him for God himselfe is there the ouerseer and maister mason Esay in many chapiters hath plainely set downe what Christ is and what his ministery is and sayth that Christs Church or kingdome is not an earthlye kingdome but a congregatiō of the faythfull in spirite which beleue the Gospell and hold and depend in this life of the word of God and not of the visible thinges of this world For ther is an other world and an other earth prepared for the Childrē of God wherin nothing dwelleth but righteousnes it selfe They seeke a city to come because in this world they haue no place of cōtinuaūce And least they should be offēded at the crose or faint in so great afflictiō and least in the heat of persecution and in the tossing tempests of temtation they should say with them selues we shall perish and be vndon he comforteth them with most sweete and fatherly promises saying that he will be with them in all their daungers and readely helpe them in all their miseries Seing then the kingdome of Christ is a hiddē kingdome of fayth vnder the crosse it is needfull that we lay good handfast hold of the word of God and with And therefore Esay doth counsayle and exhorte the Church of Christe that it should diligētly heare and in hart lay vp the worde of God in which great and infinite treasures to wit euerlasting righteousnes peace ioy health and lyfe are offered and freely geuen vs without our desert And these be his wordes O euery one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come bye and eate come I say bye wine milke without monye and siluer wherfore doe you lay out siluer and not for bread and yet labor without being satisfied Loe heare how sweetely God allureth and draweth vs to his word and heauenly treasures He calleth his word water euen water of that euerlasting and liuely fountaine of which Iohn speaking sayth that it quencheth eternall thirst and that it refresheth recreateth vs in all our drought and heate of persecution and affliction which is the true water of comfort and lyfe wherwith we repare and refresh our selues in all distresse both of body and soule He calleth it wine and also milke for that it giueth cōfort consolation as well to the old as to the yong to the weake as to the strong because it quickneth and refresheth the troubled conscience and because it nourisheth vs to euerlasting life and feedeth vs with liuely food Here he excludeth no man he sayth Whosoeuer hungreth and thirsteth for true righteousnes onely let him come as for mony and mony worth he hath no neede onely let him come This water this wine and this milke are most pleasaunt to all the poore in spirite as Christ sayth in Mathew The pharises and Iusticiaries sell righteousnes workes and spirituall comfort very deere But here in the word of God they are all geuen gratis Whosoeuer seeketh peace of conscience righteousnes other were then in the gospell they lay out their monye where there is no bread because gods promise is the bread by which we liue before god It followeth in the prophet Harken diligently vnto me and eate that which is good and let your soule delight in fatnes Encline your eares and come vnto me Here and your soule shall lyue and I will make an euerlasting couenaunt with you euen the sure mercies of Dauid Behold I gaue him for a witnes to the people for a prince and a Maister vnto the people Behold thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not and a nation that knew not thee shall run vnto thee because of the Lord thy God and the holy one of Israell For he hath glorified thee In these wordes Esayas doth teach what great and infinite fruite we reape of the word of God to wit euen lyfe it selfe In the word of God is contayned the pleasaunt consolation meate and drinke of the soule he that beleueth it hath lyfe and doth not tast of the eternall death It is the word of grace and truth whatsoeuer it promiseth is firme certaine and sure must needes come to pas And that he may better stirre vp our mindes and strengthen vs with greater comfort he calleth it the promise of grace in Christ and couenaunt with Dauid wherof you haue heard in the Psalmes This is that new testament the couenaunt of grace betwene God and all the faythfull which in true fayth apprehend and take hold of Christ the true Dauid frō which God shall neuer turne his face and mercye And although yea euen the true godly them selues be heare weake not altogether perfect yet for Christes sake into whome they are ingrafted in fayth there is no dānation to them If this couenaunt depended vpon our good workes so that onely we should thinke God to be attone with vs so long as we are iust and without sin before him then in deed the whole state of our saluation were vncertaine For no man at all in this flesh doth liue without sinn But our saluation hath a more sound and firme foundation euen the grace and truth of god Heare he promiseth forgeuenes of sinns of his meere grace and what of his grace he promiseth in faythfulnes he performeth Wherfore Paule hath a noble saying Righteousnes is by fayth that it might come by grace and the promise might be sure to all the seede not to that only which is of the law but also to that which is of the fayth of Abraham who is the Father of vs all It followeth in the prophet that he hath geuen the true Dauid euen Christ the sonne of Dauid for a witnes For he teacheth and preacheth the Gospell The prophet also sayth that God gaue him to be a Captayne Maister Emperor or law geuer to the gentiles which is is as much to say as Christ should be the Doctor and king of the gentiles which gentiles as the Gospell witnesseth shall see how obstinate rebellious and vnbeleuing a kinde of people the Iewes be which obstinatly refused their owne flesh bloud Iesus Christ the true Messias and vtterly and contemptiously reiected him whome aboue all men they ought to haue receaued and honored Paule sayth to the blinded Iewes It was necessary that the word of god should first haue bene spoken vnto you but seing ye put it
to then I pray you tel me what the prophets haue said of the two fold natiuity of Christ to wit of his eternall and temporall birth and also of his deuine nature ¶ Of the twofold birth of Christ the one of the father eternall and of his true deuine nature and the other temporall and of his mother Mary a perpetuall pure virgin Vrbanus I Doubt not but that you remember the prophesie of Michea concerning the temporall and eternall natiuitie of Messias which we fully declared before And therfore I thinke it needlesse here to repete it agayne There you heard that Christ is not onely a true man but also very God and that the deuine and humaine nature in Christ are vnited in vnity of person Of the which vnitie of person the godly man Athanasius in his Creede which he drew out of the holy scripture writeth very godly and well And as he confesseth in his Creede so with him the whole Catholike church doth now thinke and beleue ¶ Anna. I pray you recite Athanasius wordes touching the person of Christ That I may confirme my beliefe in this waighty article of my faith and therein thinke and beleue godly and rightly ☞ Vrb. These be Athanasius wordes of the sonne in his godhead according to his deuine nature substance There is one person saith he of the father an other of the sonne and another of the holy ghost but the godhead of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost is all one the glory equall the maiesty coeternal The father vncreate the sonne vncreate and the holy ghost vncreate The father incomprehensible the sonne incomprehensible and the holy ghost incomprehensible The father eternall the sonne eternall and the holy ghost eternall yet they are not three eternals but one eternall As also there be not three incomprehensibles nor three vncreated but one vncreated and one incomprehensible So likewise the father is almighty the sonne almighty and the holy ghost almighty and yet they are not three almighties but one almighty So the father is God the sonne is God and the holy ghost is God and yet are they not three Gods but one god So likewise the father is lord the sonne is lord and the holy ghost is lord and yet not three lordes but one lord For like as we be compelled by christian veritie to acknowledge euery person by himselfe to be God and Lord so are we forbidden by the Catholike religion to say there be three gods or three lordes The father is made of none neither created nor begotten The sonne is of the father alone not made nor created but begottē The holy ghost is of the father and of the sonne neither made nor created nor begottē but proceding So there is one father not three fathers one sonne not three sonnes one holy ghost not three holy ghosts And in this trinity none is afore or after other none is greater nor lesse then other But the three persons be coeternal together and coequal So that in all thinges as is aforesaid the vnitie in Trinitie and the Trinitie in vnitie is to be worshipped He therefore that will be saued must thus thinke of the Trinitie Furthermore it is necessary to euerlasting saluation that he also beleue rightly in the incarnation of our lord Iesus Christ For the right faith is that we beleue and confesse that our lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God is God and man God of the substaunce of the father begotten before all worlds and man of the substaunce of his mother borne in the world perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule humaine flesh subsisting Equall to the father as touching his Godhead and inferior to his father as touching his manhood Who although he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ One not by conuersion of the godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood vnto god One altogether not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of person For as the reasonable soule and fleshe is one man so God and man is one Christ You must thus vnderstand this These two natures God and man in their owne substaunce do not perish decay or chaunge but both of them continue whole and perfect in Christ which is but one person and not two So you heare that Christ the naturall sonne of God is alwayes continuing in the father with the father and begotten from euerlasting of the father whose eternall generation can neither be comprehended with reason nor expressed with wordes but is incomprehensible and cannot with mans tonge be vttered as the Prophet Esay saith Who shal declare his age Which words the old and godly doctors as Cyrillus and other moe vnderstoode to be spoken of the eternall natiuitie of Christ And the Nicene and Constātinopolitane counsaile taught vs out of the scriptures to thinke beleue of Christ after the same maner saying We beleue in one lord Iesus Christ the only begottē sonne of God that is of the substaunce of the father begotten of his father before all worldes God of God light of light very God of very God begotten not made being of one substaunce with the father by whom all thinges were made who for vs men for our saluation came down from heauen and was incarnate by the holy ghost of the virgin Mary and was made man. Now marke what the perpetuall and firme foundation and vndoubted truth of holy Scripture sayth concerning the euerlasting natiuitie of Christ Salomon in his Prouerbs saith thus of Christes natiuitie The Lord hath possessed me in the beginning of his way I was before his workes of olde I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth Whē there was no depth was I begotten when there were no fountaynes abounding with water before the mountains were setled and before the hils was I begotten He had not yet made the earth nor the open places nor the height of the dust in the world When he prepared the heauens I was there when he set the compasse vpon the deepe when he established the cloudes aboue when he confirmed the fountaynes of the depth when he gaue his decree to the sea that the waters should not pas his commaundement when he appointed the foundation of the earth then was I with him as a nourisher and I was alway his delight reioysing alway before him and tooke my solace in the compasse of his earth and my delight is with the children of men The old and sound writers as Cyril and Cyprian vnderstood this of Christ saying that Christ was the euerlasting worde and the pure wisdome of God the father by which he made all things both in heauen and earth Like as S. Augustine sayth in his exposition vpon this Psalme O Lorde how manifold are thy workes in wisdome hast thou made them all And Paule calleth Christ the righteousnes and wisdom of God. And sayth that by Christ all things were
created that God by the sonne made the world Whereupon the Hebrew tonge called him Amon because he was and wrought with his father as a most witty and excellent workeman in framing the heauens and earth and by this eternall wisdom the father created all things But this wisdome was neither made nor created because it is not a creature but the creator himselfe and yet begotten of the father from euerlasting And he greatly delighteth to be with mē Which thing he plainely declared in that great worke of his sauyng and holy humanitie which he tooke vpon him for vs This wonderfull great grace and saluation S. Paule calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Loue towardes man because the sonne of God although he stoode no neede of vs loueth vs with such an ardent zeale that for our sake he vouchsafed to become man and was like to vs in all things except sinne from which he was pure He truly tooke vpon him our nature that he might be in vs and we haue euerlasting lyfe in him But I need not bring many proofes and testimonies for the confirming of the euerlasting natiuitie of Christ For where so euer the Scripture intreateth of Christes true Godhead there doth it also firmely and without questiō proue his natiuitie to haue bene without beginning For if he be God and yet not the father as the scriptures do plainly notablely and distinctly make difference of the persons by their properties in Diety then is he another person and not God the father and yet no new nor strange god For seeing that there is but one eternall God it cannot be sayd that God the Sonne is yonger then God the Father as naturally it is amongst creatures that the begetter should bee before the thing begotten God cannot be comprehended in time but is euerlasting and immutable and therfore the sonne in eternity must be like the father So that it cānot be sayd there was a time in which the sonne lyued not and was afterward made It may be thus said of creatures but not of the eternall word which was before all beginning and was with God and the same word was God and all things were made by it Therfore Christ is the only begotten sonne of God as God begotten before all time the naturall sonne of God because he hath the same nature which the father hath who begot him as Hilary saith We may make similies not agreeing in deed in euery point to so great a mistery yet such as wherby we may after a sort vnderstand these great mysteries as far forth as mans mynde can conceiue of them Well then to make a simile to expresse Christes eternitie with the father If this visible and corporall sunne in the firmament had bene without beginning then the bright and beautifull light of the sunne or the sunne beame which commeth and issueth out of the sunne into the whole world had likewise also bene without beginnyng as wel as the sunne and yet the sunne should not procede from the beame but the beame from the sunne and the sunne neuer the more should not haue bene before the beame but both together at one instant and from euerlasting ¶ Anna. I pray you geue me some testimonies out of the Scriptures for the godhead of Christ ☞ Vrb. When Moses that worthy prophet by the holy spirit beginneth his book and speaketh of the creation of all thinges he maketh mention of the sonne of God and calleth him the word In the beginning saith he God created heauē and earth And God sayd let there be light and there was light and God saw the light that it was good In these wordes we may first see the person of the father where Moyses sayth God created God spake And afterward we may also see the person of the sonne For he is not onely God but he speaketh the word which worde was with God in the beginnyng and is the second person in the godhead And seing that God by that speaking or worde created all thinges it followeth necessarily that the worde which he spoke was before all creatures that it was also god And the word could not be a creature seeing God by the word in the beginning made and created all things In asmuch then as the word was not a creature and seeing it was with God the father before all time and al creatures when as yet there was no creature made it followeth of necessity that the word is eternall and true god For what thing so euer is neither creature nor contayned in time nor hath beginning that must needes be true God seeing that between God the creator and the creature there is no mean but what so euer hath any beeing is ether vncreated or created either the creator or creature If therfore the word which God spake be no creature for by the word al creatures were made so the word was the maker of all things made it followeth that this word must needes be true and eternall God. And this word is the sonne of God which in tyme became man as Iohn sayth The worde was made flesh that is true and naturall man And the euangelist Iohn beginneth his gospell which this text of Moses where he saith thus of the blessed dietie of Iesus Christ In the beginning was the worde and the worde was with God and that worde was god The same was in the beginning with God all thinges were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made This testimony proueth euidently and strongly that Christ is true and natural God for that word is very Christ which in tyme was made flesh ¶ Anna. I pray you husband do so much as expoūd these wordes more plainly for they farre exceede my simple wit and capacitie ☞ Vrb. Nay not this article only but all the articles of our christian fayth farre passe and exceede mans wit and reason But if you can subdue your reason to fayth you shall easily perceiue and vnderstand them all For it is not in this respect in spirituall things as in worldly matters we first perceiue know a thing in our owne reason before we beleue it But in the mysteries of the sacred worde the vnderstanding of these articles proceede of faith we must beleue before we see the reason According to that of Esay If ye beleeue not surely ye shall not be established But let vs interprete and expound these wordes In the beginning that is when the creatures which before were nothing tooke their beginning to be something For before that beginning of the creatures there was no beginning For as then there was nothing but god alone who had no beginning but was from euerlasting The word was in the beginning Do thou marke He saith not the worde begun in the beginning but he saith when all things did begin the word was alredy before with god The substance or essence of the word tooke
not then his beginning or began not whē other creatures began but it was then there present when al things were made all things had their beginning by the word And the word was with God without god there was nothing therefore of necessity it must nedes follow that the worde was with god Note diligently that Iohn saith well and plainly The worde was with God. For he doth there plainely and distinctly seperate the person of the word or of God the sonne from the person of God the father If any thing was with god before the beginning of creatures then was he not alone But what I pray you was with God the worde was with God but something to be with God is not God to be alone Therfore of necessitie must that word be another person thē that God is with whom it was in the beginning It followeth And God was the worde You know that God sayth thus in Deut. Heare O Israel the Lorde our God is Lord onely or is one God. If therefore he be one God it followeth that God himselfe is essentially that same word which was in the beginning before all creatures wherby you see that this word in essence is God himselfe or that God himself is the word And and thus you see here the true and naturall godhead of Christ For Christ is the worde And againe in the 8. of Iohn where the Iewes said vnto Christ who art thou He answered saying Verily euē the same that I said vnto you frō the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. This was in the beginning with God Do you not here see how that in the beginning the word was with God God was that word These wordes do plainly and clerely proue that there is one only nature of gods essēce But not one only person yet neuertheles that persō is true God without beginning without ending All things were made by it These wordes do sufficiently proue that the same word Christ is God and the maker of all things which are both in heauē in earth If all creatures were made by him then without all doubt he himself was not made neither is to be accoūted in the number of things made all which had their beginning and substance of the word It followeth Without it was nothing made that was made as Hierom readeth this text If then without hym nothing was made how could he be created or made without whom nothing was made By all these it is plain manifest that this word is true God yet not of himself but of the father and yet not in time but before all tyme frō euerlasting for euermore without al other creatures Seing therfore that this eternal word the true natural sonne of God tooke vpon him mās nature and the same is Iesus Christ of Nazareth then Christ is true god These out of all doubt are most strong sound inuincible arguments and vndoubted proofes of Christs diuinity against Sabellius Arrius Eunomius Martion Manicheus Valentinus Eutiches Nestorius Appolinares other blinded bewitched heretikes which are autors of horrible heresies who while they wil opē intreat or speake of such great high matters which far passe mans capacitie not by the ground certainty of God his word but by the fantasticall folish erronious speculations and opinions of their owne braynes haue fallen into horrible detestable errors heresies It is therfore necessary that we in no wise admit take reason for our guide or ground in this matter but only folow the word of God with tooth and naile sticke to it by faith fully perswade our selues that that is most true and by it speak iudge al we iudge But if we wil refuse neglect the word take vpō vs by the sharpenes of our owne wit reason to vnderstand these articles and by our sences perceiue comprehend measure them then shal we fal from error to error vntil we be quite gone from the truth Well let vs heare more testimonies concerning the godhed of Christ The 45. psalm describeth the deuinitie humanity spiritual kingdom of Christ his promise made to his spouse the Church notably in these wordes Thy throne O God or thy seat is for euer and euer The scepter of thy kingdome is a scepter of righteousnes thou louest righteousnes hatest wickednes because God euen thy God hath annointed thee with oile of gladnes aboue thy fellowes The prophet here calleth Christ true god And this verse doth S. Paul recite to the Hebrues where he proueth the godhead of Christ You heare also that Iesus is mā whom God annointed more plenteously then his fellowes that is indued hym with his holy spirit blessed him with many more richer blessings then his fellowes to wit then the beleuers in Christ This must be vnderstood of his manhood for he was annointed according to his manhood vnto the euerlasting kingdom priesthoode by the holy ghost Christ according to his humanity hath fellowes whō in the psal he calleth brethren And Paul to the Rom. calleth Christ the first borne amongst many brethrē But he hath no fellow according to his godhead but is the only begotten eternal sonne of God. His rod or scepter is the gospell with it he raigneth ruleth that is with the rod of direction streight scepter of eternal true righteousnes which commeth by the gospell that is faith in Christ by which also we receiue the holy spirit which bringeth vs the right way not by the biewais and wrong pathes of mans doctrine but by the straite compendious and most faithfull pathe vnto lyfe true felicitie and God himselfe ¶ Anna. May not the Iewes here obiect that the godhead of Christ can not be fully sufficiently proued by this psalme seing that this word Elohim accordyng to the Analogie of that holy tonge doth not onely signifie God but may be attributed also to Angels Iudges ☞ Vrb. I confesse that this worde Eloha may sometimes be attributed vnto creatures but in this psalme all the circumstances do truly manifestly proue that Elohim betokeneth here only the true natural eternal God because he saith Lord thy seat or throne or thy kingly seat Do you marke how he speaketh here of a seate This euerlasting kingdom or empire or this kingly seat cannot belong vnto any creature but only vnto the true God who in many places of the scripture sayth I am the Lord. Therfore Elohim here doth signify that true euerlasting God which hath an eternall seat And in this place the godhead of Christ is most euidently truly proued against those stifnecked Iewes who are compelled will they nill they to confesse that this psalm speaketh of Christ Paul also proueth the godhead of Christ by the 2. psal Where the father sayth vnto the sonne Thou art my sonne this day
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
you haue no such cogitation thinke not this a light matter heare it not so that it go in at the one eare and run out at the other but learne it perfectly digest it inwardly For the godhed of Christ Iesus is the most high necessariest article to be known in all deuinitie which the deuil the wicked spirit the father of lies hath gone about in his mēbers to take frō vs to destroy euer since the apostles time He assaied it by that wicked vngodly heretike Cerinthus in Iohn the Euangelists dais and afterward by other of his ministers the bewitched blind enemies of pietie as Arrius Euzoius Achilla Eunomius Paulus Samosaten he doth now assaile it by that folish and fanaticall sect of Anabaptists Marke therefore obserue diligently this that no man can be iustified saued vnlesse he beleue that God himself became man that the euerlasting word which was with God his natural sonne tooke mans nature vpon him at the tyme appointed and is not a creature but true God the almighty creator He which doth not beleue this must needes die perish in his sinnes eternally For he hath not the true lyfe to wit this euerlasting word the sonne of God without which there is no true life For in him only is life If Iesus Christ were only man and not God so that the manhood of Christ were only a person of himself without God thē could he not deliuer vs frō sinne death hell though he himself were neuer so holy free from sinne neither had the prophesies bene fulfilled which witnes thogh in hidden misteries and figures yet in sure vnfallible proper fit plaine manifest wordes that God himself should become man But behold here I pray you the crafty subtleties and deceites of that wicked and diuelish seducer Satan who because he knew that God could not be found without this humanity of Christ but only in the humain nature of Christ els not goeth about to seduce and wrap men in this error that they should not beleue Christ to be true God to the end that poore sinners should seke God without Christ and so neuer finde He which is in this error and is seduced by this misbelief thinking Christ to be only man and not true God he hath no Christ he hath no sauiour he hath no deliuerer no redemer no lyfe and to be brief no god For he faineth to himselfe a Christ which is no Christ who can neither help him nor deliuer him he seketh god without Christ where he will not be foūd Wherupon it followeth that such a man which thus seeketh God cannot escape euerlasting damnation And this Satan chiefly trauaileth this he endeuoreth at this marke doth he altogether shoot that by that means he may cast vs into euerlasting perdition and destroy vs Loke therfore vnto your selfe the world draweth to an ende these be the last daies the dissolution of al things is euen at hand and Satan seeth that his iudgement condēnation is very nigh therfore he bestirreth him he findeth all meanes he may he deuiseth all wayes he can and he vseth all the force he hath to hurt Christ and Christians yea he goeth about by his force erroneous doctrine to seduce all that are baptized in Christ and to entise them from Christ to bring thē into vtter dāger of their soules Of all thinges he cannot abide the sound and pure doctrine of Christ And therfore it stādeth vs vpon to watch and daily and hourely to exercise prayer and reading of the holy scriptures ¶ Anna. All laud glory be vnto God for euer Now I see by the grace and goodnes of God how much it auaileth vs wel thorowly to know this article and to print it in our hartes I wil do my diligence to make our children perfit therin O good God how much lyeth vpon this article and what a iuell is it truly to beleue the godhed of Christ It were better to forsweare and deny al the creatures in heauen earth yea it were better to die a 1000 ▪ deaths then once to doubt but euen one iot of the godhed of Christ But go to and proue that other natiuity of Christ which was temporall in that he was true man and borne of Mary who remayned a pure virgin after his birth ☞ Vrb. You haue alredy before heard somewhat of Christes temporal natiuitie where we spake of the tribe of which Christ should come and of Mary the blessed mother of god And I expounded the 17. chap. of Esay where it is sayd that Iesus the sonne of Mary shold be called Immanuel that is God with vs as also the prophesie of Mich. Now we haue more of this natiuitie in the 9. of Esa. The wordes are these For vnto vs a childe is borne and vnto vs a sonne is giuen and the gouernment is vpon his shoulder and he shall call his name wonderfull counsailor the mighty God the euerlasting father the prince of peace the increase of his gouernmēt and peace shall haue none ende hee shall fit vppon the throne of Dauid and vpon his kingdome to order it and to establish it with iudgement and with iustice frō hence forth euen for euer the zeale of the lord of hostes wil performe this In this prophesy of Christ is set forth both his temporall natiuitie ministery kingdome and also the order of the whole gouernment of his kingdom First he sayth vnto vs a child is borne and vnto vs a sonne is giuen that we may know that this birth of Christ with all that Christ is hath or doth thorough the fatherly good will of God is oures and done for the health commodity saluation and vse of vs poore sinners which are borne in this world of the flesh sinfull and vngodly children of wrath and miserable offenders euen from our mothers wombe and therefore most worthy of euerlasting damnation But here is borne such a sonne whose natiuitie is holy and pure full of blessednesse and saluation and he is borne for our sakes to wit that he may helpe vs and bring vs health and all true happinesse and that by hym we may be cleansed new borne iustified and preserued from the spottes and filthy staynes which we had in our first natiuitie of Adam Like as the church in Germany hath nowe a great while song on Christmas day Ein kindelein so lobelich ist vns geborn heute von eyner Iunckfrawen seuberlich zu trost vns armen leuten were vns das kindelein nicht geborn so weren wir alzumal ver lorn das heil ist vnser alle Eia du sysser Iesu Christ das du mensch geborn bist behijt vns fijt der helle c. That is a child most highly to be praised yet neuer as he deserueth is this day borne of an vnspotted virgin for the comfort of vs miserable men where as if
things which in his word he hath promised vs For he geueth vs the holy ghost who giueth vs faith confirmeth vs with his word that we may depēd vpō him cōstantly cleaue to him as to a most strong rock so in all aduersities calamities stande stedfast vnmoueable against the assaults iniuries of our enemies so the at the last we may ouercome them vanquish them with the Psalmist reioyce say the lord our God is my strength And with Paul to the Phil. I am able to do al things through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me The fourth name is Gibbor that is the lord or giant In the former names we are taught what maner and meane Christ vseth and how he handeleth vs when he wil bring vs to his kingdome First of all he handleth vs straightly mortifieth our olde Adam which seemeth vnpleasant to the flesh worketh al things so by contrarieties that our reason is confounded and knoweth not how to vnwynd it selfe Secondly he comforteth vs by his gospel Thirdly he is present with vs in all his might and strength deliuereth vs out of al extremities and perill But this 4. name telleth vs how Christ vseth and handleth his and our enemies Christ is called in the scriptures Gibbor that is lord or giant for his inuincible might and power For seyng he is king and will gouerne his kingdome peaceably he must nedes suppresse and vanquish the enemies of his kingdome that christians may liue safely without feare and hurt but he cannot beat down and breake the force of his enemies without great power seyng Satan with the world and sinne with death are most horrible vgly strong and outrageous enemies Death is stronger then the whole world And Satan as Iob witnesseth is of such might strength that al men in the world are not to be compared to him He is the prince of all the children of pride and disdaine And he is that strong mā armed that kepeth his palace so that all that he possesseth is in peace But Christ is much stronger who ouercommeth the euil spirite and deliuereth vs from all power of darknes wherof Dauid saith He reioiceth like a mighty man or giant to run his course Christ hath ouercome death the deuil now alone the lord of all things is with great triumph rightly honored by these titles He is lord to whō euery knee doth bow and lord ouer the quicke and the dead And Iohn saith Christ the sonne of God appeared that he might loose the workes of the deuil And Paul to the Col. saith He hath spoiled the principalities power hath made a shew of thē openly and hath triumphed ouer thē in the same crosse He is called in Esay Maher schalal that is make hast to pray As if one should say a quicke spoiler Hashbaz that is make hast to spoile or a spedy spoil We were the miserable seruants of the deuill sold vnder sinne and he held vs vnder his tiranny molested vs at his pleasure will. Thē came the mighty giant our lord Christ a lion of the tribe of Iuda fought with that prince of darknes which had rule ouer death got the victory and by his death destroyed the power of the enemy set vs being deliuered out of his tiranny at liberty according to that of Iohn If the sonne shall make you free you shal be free in deed The 5. name is Abiad that is a father for euer or always and euermore a father world without end By this name we feele and perceiue the mercy clemency pity grace of this child toward vs Because he will not be such a king amongst vs his poore people as at whose maiesty the godly shold be amased feare quake trēble but he loueth vs fatherly he embraceth vs louingly he wil norish defēd cherish vs singularly And as a godly louing father is by the instinct of nature wel affected to his welbeloued son as he is careful ouer his child alwais thinking how to prouide for him honestly how to bring him vp vertuously how to instruct frame tech chastē gouern rule defēd him fatherly make him apt fit for his heritage So doth Christ in his kingdom with vs Here is nothing but natural loue fatherly affectiō toward vs nothing but a vehement loue nothing but a care and desire to do vs good nothing but infinite beneuolence towards vs. But in this simile there is great difference betwene a worldly father Christ our father For we haue much greater better and fatherly gifts of Christ thē any beloued sonne hath of his earthly father though he be a most louyng intreater of his children The earthly father which is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in deede loueth his children careth for them fostereth them cherisheth them fedeth them and bringeth them wel vp yet this care regard good will and diligence of earthly parents is temporal and cannot continue abide for euer And it happeneth oftentimes that when the children stande most need of their parents helpe or counsaile then are theyr fathers constrained to leaue them and dye But Christ is always our perpetual euerlasting eternal father for he suffred once for vs his childrē now he suffreth no more And he neither can nor wil leaue vs without helpe he both can wil maintaine feed care for kepe and defend vs here for euer God prepareth vs here for his own inheritance that after this temporall lyfe we may liue with him for euer And hereunto accordeth very well the translation of the 70. interpreters who cal this word Abiad father of the world to come or of the lyfe that shall be to the ende they may thereby signify the mystical resurrection into lyfe euerlasting of all that beleue in Christ At which tyme shal be plainly opened and reueled in what honor and dignity the godly shal be and how derely Christ hath loued them how he hath embraced them and what care he had ouer thē Let therfore euery godly mā kepe this title of Christ in his mynd whē death approcheth he shal find therby a singuler comfort For then he knoweth that Christ is not only here but shal be for euer a most louing father Which thing Paule knew very well and was thereof throughly persuaded yea he had so grounded it in hys hart that euē in death he was of good courage saying Christ is to me life and death is to me aduauntage I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ Why then do we not desire to be dissolued why then are we not desirous to die how happeneth it that we feare death truly because we do not firmly and constantly beleue the scriptures because our faith is weake little And because we let not this heauenly and deuine comfort of Gods
vs what Christ is and what he doth for vs and howe much he profiteth vs He geueth vs also vnderstāding that we may be able to iudge what a holy lyfe is and what is vngodly and wicked and what is consonant and agreing to true religion and what is repugnant therunto He also helpeth vs by hys good redy and holsome counsayle that the godly may know how they ought to behaue themselues vnder the cros and suffer al things patiently valiantly yea he ministreth consolation to the sorrowful and afflicted he geueth vs also strength in tribulation and affliction that we may haue stedfast hartes and that we may valiantly ouercome all euils and aduersities hee geueth vnto euery one knowledge wisdome that the godly man in the kingdome of God may know how to vse hym self towards euery man whether he be strong or weak in fayth He geueth vs also the feare of God which is the beginning of true wisedom And by that we see that our god raigneth and gouerneth his people far otherwise then earthly kinges do For earthly emperours cannot see the inward parts of the hart and in the innerchamber of the brest those things whiche lye hid within whereby it commeth oftentimes to pas that they iudge some man good and honest by the eye and eare whiche is a very wicked man in hart But Christ our king beyng one which searcheth all mēs harts iudgeth truly as the history of the gospell witnesseth in Mathew where he hath to do with the pharisies and in that and diuers other places seeth their secret thoughts regardeth not that their false visor and shew of godlines But reproueth that fals shew of holines fained integrity And according to their deserts calleth them hypocrites But what kind of subiects I pray you hath this king and who be his people Verely their title cognisance which Christ himself did also beare in the 9. of Zacharye is here vpon earth pouerty affliction and misery Here you see a spirituall kingdom if it had ben a worldly kingdom thē should not the king haue ben a poore miserable wretched king but a rich honorable pompous magnificent and cherefull king his subiects also should haue ben mighty honorable and flowing in delights and commodities in this world but in thys kingdome all things are spirituall yet shall they not always be poore miserable and afflicted it is but for a tyme that they shal be here thus crossed followe their maister Christ in suffering affliction For as a kyng after hys trouble and persecution becommeth great and ascendeth to the highest step of honour so shall all the godly after theyr crosses here at the last day become glorious as the children of God. But in the meane tyme as Saint Paul saith we must dye vnto the world we must be afflicted persecuted and contemned in the worlde for our true lyfe is hid with Christ in god When Iesus Christ which is our lyfe shall appeare euen then we also shall appeare wyth him in glory In the meane tyme our ould and crooked Adam must here be chastned and kept vnder by the crosse of affliction For the flesh and ould Adam shall not inherite the kingdome of Christ Contrarily there must be erected in vs true holynes that is fayth in Christ seeing that God euen for Christes sake pardoneth our sinns and by grace in Christ iustifieth vs and taketh vs for righteous Neither is the rod or scepter of this our king earthly but heauenly namely his holy and saluing worde and holy ghost and with this rod before the last iudgement he smiteth the earth that is our ould Adam which is from the earth earthly He rebuketh smiteth and punisheth our wickednes that we being accused by the word of Christ may hate and flye sin and turne to better lyfe and afterward lyue godly and vertuously all the dayes of their lyfe He doth by his word also hurle downe all earthly and erronious opinions by which men are seduced He smiteth consumeth and killeth as Paule sayth Antechrist With the spirite of his mouth For as Gods kingdome here is not of this world euenso also his armor is not worldly but spirituall to wit righteousnes fayth and truth For we fight agaynst the power of hell and sathanicall army by fayth in Christ which is our righteousnes by prayer proceeding of fayth which God heareth as he hath promised But where the prophet speaketh of wolues lambs that is a figuratiue and darke speach For the prophet regardeth not these brute beastes but he geueth vs to vnderstand that the church should be congregated of sundry sortes of men and that those which before had bene at deadly fead and enmity amongst themselues should by the gospell become so great frendes meeke and secure that they should not one meane harme to an other This is the fruit of the preaching of the gospell to wit the wyld rude and sauage Gentiles with the cruell and swelling Pharises and the mighty potentates of this world are by the gospell mollified tamed humbled conuerted and brought into the church of Christ It followeth in the same chapter of Esay And in that day the roote of Ishai which shal stand vp for a signe vnto the people the nations shal seke vnto it and his rest shal be glorious And in the same day shal the lord stretch out his hand agayne the second time to possesse the remnaunt of his people which shal be left of Ashur and of Egypt and of Pathros and of Ethiopia of Elam and of Chimer of Hamath of the Iles of the sea And he shall set vp a signe to the nations assemble the dispersed of Israel gather the scattred of Iuda from the 4. corners of the world c. Here the prophet foretelleth how ample and large the kingdom of Christ shal be he sheweth vs what shall be the state of the tyme of the new Testament to wit that although the roote of Eshay which is Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid be despised and refused of his own people yet should he be so glorious so mighty and so famous a king that all the people throughout the whole world should worship honor him For he shold be set vp for a signe or banner vpon which all men in battail fasten set their eyes This is a most comfortable ensigne which maketh the hart ioyful constant and bold and it is a signe of victory This signe is our king Iesus Christ lifted vp exalted vpon the crosse by which crosse Sathan is ouercome and our soules deliuered And as the Iewes in the desert did run vnto the brasen serpent which Moses set vp when they were deadly wounded of the serpēts euen so Christ is set vp before vs and vnto vs that all men may flie to him and with faith loke vpon him and stedfastly behold him and so be healed of that
pure free frō al sinne All mankind in deed is subiect to it But Christ paied the price of all our sinnes and in his owne person ouercame death and so destroyed it that henceforth it cannot vtterly vndo vs and deuour vs Because all we which beleue in Christ shall rise again by the vertue of Christes resurrectiō This also might haue comforted Cleophas and his companion haue certified them that Christ was a spirituall king which should not restore that corporall kingdome of Israel but redeme the true Israelites to wit the children of promise through the whole world from the kingdome of Satan and bring them into the heauenly and spiritual kingdom of euerlasting lyfe and immortalitie Esay in his 26. chapter hath a notable song of the kingdom of Christ of the church of the faithfull and of the fortitude and security therof where he sayth We haue a strong city saluation shall God set for walles bulwarks That is to say the walles and armour of it are the sauing helth and victory of Christ which are sure and inuincible fortresses Open ye the gates that the righteous nation which kepe the truth may enter in Here are the citizens of this city described to wit the righteous which beleue in Iesus Christ It followeth By assured purpose wilt thou preserue perfect peace because they trusted in thee This is spokē of the king which ruleth this heauenly city because he doth alwayes and in all places giue and maintayne true pleasant and perpetuall peace against Satan the world and the flesh This peace is in consciēce through faith in Iesus Christ A little after Esay doth prophesie of the resurrection of those dead which shal haue beleued in Messias and are citizens of that heauenly Ierusalem saying Thy dead men shall liue euen with my body shall they rise Awake and sing ye that dwell in dust For thy dew is as the dew of herbes and the earth shal cast out the dead Come my people enter thou into my chambers and shut thy dores after thee Hide thy selfe for a very litle while vntill the indignation passe ouer for loe the Lord commeth out of his place to visite the iniquity of the inhabitauntes of the earth vpon them and the earth shall disclose her bloud and shall no more hide her slaine Now if the righteous which yet lye in the earth shall rise in theyr owne bodies then must it needes be that Christ should rise before who is the head kyng by whome they are iustified and deliuered from theyr sinnes and by whom they shall rise agayne The prophet therefore vndoubtedly speaketh here of the resurrection of Christ and christians and calleth the faythfull of Christ the lordes dead that is pertayning vnto the lord or which are the lordes of whome God will take an accompt and whome he will preserue and not leaue them in death but bring them to euerlasting lyfe For if God be theyrs and they Gods then out of all doubt can not they continue in death neither hath death totally swallowed them vp and cōsumed them but it hath for a short tyme separated their body and soule For God is not the God of the dead but of the liuyng The soule is with Christ and the body in the ground But at the last day the lord will purge and purifie theyr bodies and adorne them with infinit and vnspeakable glory Esay teacheth vs what maner of lyfe we shall haue after our death when he sayeth Awake and sing If the godly must sing and vndoubtedly they shall syng that euerlastyng Alleluya that is a thankesgiuyng because death is swalowed vp in the victory of Christ then out of doubt shall our lyfe after this temporall lyfe be a most happy and blessed lyfe and we shall haue continuall ioyes without any tast of payne or sorrowes perpetuall health without sickenesse eternall and true pleasures delightes and comfortes without any wearisomnesse or molestations After that day sicknesses shall trouble our bodies no more neyther shall olde age wither our bodies or decrease our strength but we shal alwayes haue a continual spring euerlasting pleasure and perpetuall beauty Therefore sayth the prophet Thy dewe shall be as the dewe of a greene medowe That is after your resurrection you shall not fade or decay but flourish alwayes and for euer and be as a fayre medow and greene garden which by her sweete dew comfortable buddes and pleasaunt delectation feedeth the eyes of all men But before this most ioyfull day of the resurrection of the faythfull we must suffer much affliction and heauinesse as Christ warneth vs in Iohn saying In the world ye shall haue affliction and bee made conformable vnto hys death This must be suffered paciently and moderately that be suffering we may be made lyke vnto Christ and so according to our portion be partakers of glory And so Paul sayth to the Philippians The thinges which were vauntage to me the same I counted losse for Christes sake that I might winne Christ and that I might knowe hym and the vertue of hys resurrection and the fellowship of his affliction and bee made conformable vnto his death if by any meanes I might attayne vnto the resurrection of the dead In the meane while we sit as it were shut vp vnknowen to the world in our parlor or closset of the holy church beleuing the doctrine of the sacred Gospell and confirmyng our fayth and hartes with the sweete promise of GOD in hys worde euen vnto the last iudgement that the wrath of GOD may passe ouer and that which ought to be iudged receiue iudgement Our afflictions here are not continuall but for a short tyme which compared vnto eternitie is not the twinckling of an eye And this tyme once finished the Lord will come to iudgement and giue vnto euery one accordyng to his workes Then shall the godly and guiltlesse Abel ryse from the dust of the earth and then shall not the earth any longer couer the bodye of the righteous but it shall giue them vp that together with their soules they may be glorified And the Prophet in his 27. chapiter prophesieng of Christes kingdome and the catholike church calleth it a vineyarde saying In that day sing of the vineyarde to wit the church of red wyne I the Lorde do keepe it and will water it euery moment least any assaile it I will keepe it day and night Hereafter Iacob shall take roote Israel shall flourish and growe and the worlde shall bee filled with fruite And in that day also shall the great trumpet be blowen and they shall come which perished in the land of Ashur and they which were chased into the land of Egypt and they shall worship the lord in the holy mount at Ierusalem This vineyarde is the church of the faythfull which is enclosed and hedged about with the worde of God adourned with the holy spirite and moystened and watered with the
enemies to wit sinne death and hell What so euer thing he but euen thinketh to doe he can finish and performe the same so as no man is able to hinder it For he is very God himself in vnder the shape forme of mā Esay also telleth how he doth gouern his people or kingdome to wit with great diligence faith and carefulnes saying He shall feed his flock like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambes with his arme and cary them in his bosome and shall guide them with young Wee are Lambes and Christ the Shepheard he feedeth vs with his holesome word which is our meat And although as yet we be weake and vnperfect as concerning the flesh yet doth he not cast vs away and thrust vs from him but he beareth vs on his shoulders and cherisheth vs euen in his bosome and lap For the kingdome of Christ is the kingdome of grace And so in deed caryed he these two weak sheep Cleophas and his companyon because they were very ignorant heauy and weake in faith But he fed them by the word of God and put such things in their minds as refreshed them and made them very ioyfull so that they were able to comfort others In the 34. of Esay Christ saith vnto his people But thou hast made me to serue with thy sinnes and wearyed me with thine iniquities I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for mine own sake and wil not remember thy sinnes Here we see what it was that caused Christ to suffer and dye euen our sinnes And Christ alone and no other could and was to satisfy God for them Our works suffrings and merits were neuer able to haue done it Our righteousnes therfore or saluation lyeth not in our hands nor in our works or sufferings but in the actions and passions of Christ Iesus our lord It is he that purgeth pardoneth and wypeth away our sinnes not for the worthynes of our desertes but euen for his own sake Here we haue the cause and fruit of Christes passyon therefore these two disciples should haue thought thus He hath suffered and yet not by constraint but of his own free will. It was his fathers will and it was also his wil to suffer And by this only way and meane he would redeem true Israell and so begin his kingdome And a little after Esay in his 4 4. chapter sheweth what fruites came of these tribulations vexations and afflictions which Christ suffered for our sinnes verely euen this that we haue the holy ghost with all his giftes geuen vs by which the church the kingdome of Christ doth grow and florish as a field that is well watered and moystned with fruitful showers in the moneth of May. When God iustifyeth the wicked then forgeueth he him not only all his sinnes but he geueth him also the holy Ghost with all his benefits to wit faith charity hope ioy and peace of conscience And hereupon groweth and commeth true Iacob and Israel Thus therfore saith he vnto Israel I wil poure water vpon the thirsty and flouds vpon the dry ground I will poure my spirite vpon thy seed and my blessing vpon thy buds and they shal grow as among the gras and as the willowes by the riuers of waters One shal say I am the Lords another shall be called by the name of Iacob and another shall subscribe with his hand vnto the Lord and name him selfe by the name of Israel Here you haue the calling of the Gentiles so that euen they also shal be Iacob and Israel in spirite and faith and they shall both in word and deede professe Christ to be their Lord and god This therfore is the true deliuerance of Israell that Christ doth delyuer both the Iewes and Gentiles from their sinnes from al errors and from euerlasting death and geueth them his holy spirite that they may acknowledge confesse prayse and glorifie God and at the last rise again from death and liue for euer This is the sacred seed of Abraham of which the kingdome of Christ groweth to greter and greter strength The disciples perchaunce were of this opinion that Messias should delyuer the Iewes by force of armes and edge of sword and enrich them in the land of Canaan with continuall peace plenty and aboundance of all kind of cōmodities But this was a light and miserable kind of deliuerance in comparyson of our deliuerance from that eternal captiuity and tiranny of Sathan with which we all were oppressed And when the prophet hath now reproued and accused Israell for their Idolatry because they honoured not the true God aright He sayth thus Remēber these things O Iacob and Israel for thou art my seruant I haue formed thee thou art my seruant O Israell forget me not I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloud and thy sinnes as a mist Turn vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Reioyce ye heathens for the Lord hath done it Shoute ye lower parts of the earth burst forth into praises ye moūtaynes O forrest and euery tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Iacob and will be glorified in Israell The church vnderstandeth this of Christ our redeemer and true sauyour For there is no other redeemer of mankind but Iesus Christ neither is there any other God which can purge and pardon sin but Christ alone Euery creature may wel and worthely reioyce and prayse God for this glorious incomparable and inestimable deliuerance This benefit to wit that our only and eternal priest Christ Iesus the king of Israell hath blotted out our sinne destroyed hel ouercome death and reconciled vs to God is so great glorious incomparable and inestimable a benefite that it passeth all benefites that could happen to vs nay there is none any whit like it Esay prophesyeth again in the 49. chapter plainly and manifestly of Christ saying Thus saith the Lord the redeemer of Israell and his holy one to him that is despised in soule to a nation that is abhorred to a seruaunt of rulers kinges shall see and arise and princes shall worship because of the Lord that is faithful and the holy one of Israell which hath chosen thee Thus saith the lord In an acceptable time haue I heard thee and in the day of saluation haue I helped thee and I will preserue thee and will geue thee for a couenant of the people that thou maist rayse vp the earth and obtayn the inheritance of the desolate heritages that thou mayst say vnto the prisoners goe forth and to them that are in darcknes shew your selues They shall feed in the wayes and their pastors shall be in all the tops of the hils they shall not be hungry neither shall they be thirsty neither shall the heat smite them nor the sun For he that hath compassion on them shall leade them euen to the springs of waters shall he driue them And I will make all my mountaines as a
causes then all the kingdomes empires powers honors wealthes and riches of this world to wit to destroy the workes of Sathan with the kingdome of sinne and death and to establish his kingdome of righteousnes and euerlasting life But carnall men do carnally expound the promises of the Lord vntill they receaue the holy ghost the true Doctour and teacher of the truth It is the spirite of God which at the last doth trulye open the eyes of the hart that the truth of God may be seene perceaued and vnderstode The Euangelists vse so to speake of the person of Christs as though we may take thē some tyme to speak of the Godhead and glory of Christ and sometyme of his humilitye submission affliction miserye and contemptible state in the eyes of the world euen as occasion and place serue You haue heard before how Esay prophesied that the onely begotten sonne of God Iesus Christ who was spoken of before by the prophets should come into this world euen in his own person But Esay now in this 35. chap. telleth what he should doe and performe at his cōming in the fleshe to wit that he should be our seruaunt And the Father calleth him his seruaunt in respect of his office because he is to helpe vs obediēt to his Father euen vnto the death the death of the crosse and because he humbleth himselfe beneath all men and is a very abiect and lowlye seruant to all men that thereby he may exalt all men The Prophet also sheweth that Christ after this his humilitye should be exalted vnto the most highest state of honor and glorye ¶ Anna. I pray you then tell me how shall Christ obay and how shall he rule ☞ Vrba Very wisely For he will so rule and gouerne the misterye which his Father committed vnto him that no man can euer sufficiently commende him For though it may seeme absurde and foolish vnto reason that Christ should promise to deliuer other mē from death whē he himselfe dyed and to bring all that beleeue into eternall glorye when he himselfe came to eternall shame and ignominye yet this was the best and fastest way to worke such a notable worke For how can the euerlasting wisedome of the Father doe anye thing that should not in euery respect be most excellently done And Iaskaet may be thus translated He will geue wisedome and vnderstanding or he will make men wise and skilfull For Christian beleuers teach true and perfect wisedome in the schoole of Christ which wisdome no worldling can vnderstād The children of this world by the wisedome of the flesh can search after and get nothing but the fraile and transitory goodes of this world But faythfull Christians are much wiser they vse this world and the treasures thereof as the stranger vseth his inery they after the true eternall treasures of their heuenly cuntrye But we must note that this seruice of Christ was not of long continuaunce and that after it should follow true and perfect glory with euerlasting honor And therfore sayth Esay he shal be exalted extolled hiely estemed And this thing shal be so that many may wonder and be offended at his great and extreame humilitie which thing hapned in the Iewes who abhorre and thinke it detestable great wickednes to say that Messias which is promised in the prophets should be constrained to suffer a most vile and ignominious death whereupon they call Christ Thalui that is hanged vp blaspheming him most horribly wickdly and detestably The cause why they are offended at the crosse of Christ is because they seeke in Messias the corporall goodes and temporall honors and dignities of this world They thinke it wickedly and impiously spoken to say that so great a king of Israell should hang among theues as though he himselfe had bene a most hainous and wicked offender But if so be that the sight of him should be so miserable so vncomely so vile so foule that he should not seeme in the eyes of the world to be the man that could deliuer others and bring them vnto honor and glory and this is the cause that he is the stone of offence how could his kingdome be worldly Worldly princes must so set forth their brauerye dignitye and maiestye that men may euen be amased to looke on them A worldly kingdome cannot stand vnlesse there be in it both power and reuerence where the prince is poore and dispised and oppressed by the violence or tyrannye of the enimies and doth neither in power nor riches excell his aduersaryes there must needes the kingdome come to ruine But this our king wil doe more by his humility then all the princes and kings in this earth can doe with all their pompe power and riches What will he then doe The prophet saith He wil sprinkle many nations This is an Hebrue phrase This word Iaseh doth properly signify to disparce abroad hether and thether euen as drops of water are sprinkled here and there This sprinkling therfore of the Gentils betokeneth nothing els in this place but to teach and preach gods word amongst them and this was fulfilled when the Apostles by the holy ghost instructed the gentils through the holy word opened vnto them this welspring of Gods grace in christ Iesus and dispersed the same euen as the fertil rayn which falleth in May that therby the fruit of Gods knowledge might grow and increase in al places they preuailed so much through the preaching of Gods word that euen mighty Emperors and Princes did worship adore and feare Christ Iesus and held their tongues and were astonyed And among the gentils and other places where before the scriptures were not known and the gospell not heard of there did they so teach the great misteries of the gospel that they were vnderstood Seeing then in Christ such great maruels and wonders are wrought to wit that God becommeth man humbleth him self very lowly and in his blessed and most innocent humanity I cal his humanity that humain nature which he tooke vpon him suffereth so great shame greef and calamity and that of his own people whom he had blessed with so great and infinite benefits both of body and soule and seeing he must by this his ignominious death be exalted vnto honor and so begin his spirituall kingdome but must first as the king therof labour vnder his crosse and suffer all kind of calamity and shame and yet by the self same crosse be in deed exalted to honor and crowned with eternall glory seeing I say these wonderful things which are contrary to mans reason are done in Christ and his kingdome the world wil not beleeue them when it shal heare them And this thing the prophet saw in spirite when he sayd who wil beleue our saying that is our preching or doctrine They are so great incredible that reason cannot be perswaded that such wonders either are or could be done How did
Paul calleth this righteousnes the righteousnes of faith which standeth not on our merits but on the merits of christ He therfore that knoweth Christ and beleeueth that he is the true purger of sinnes and the destroyer of death and apprehendeth him in his hart by true faith and taketh him for his only treasure of life that man is iustyfyed and saued But he which doth not beleeue is already condemned for the Lord hath decreed this thing and told it vs by his law prophetes and euangelists that he wil haue mercy on vs for nothing neither in heauen nor earth but by Christ and for Christ for whose cause he wil pardon our sinnes and geue vs euerlasting life if we will beleeue in him Act. 4.13 Rom. 3. Gal. 23. And therefore not without a cause sayth the prophet he shall beare their sinnes seing that there is no other neither in heauē nor earth who can beare or purg our sinnes but euen that Messias It followeth therfore vndoubtedly that no man can be iustified saued and deliuered from his sinnes vnles he beleue in this onely sauiour Iesus Christ Now then you heare that Christ is the seruaunt of God in the worke of our redemption and that hee is therefore worthely called righteous because he onely is iust iustifieth others as S. Steuen calleth him He iustifieth vs in his owne knowledge and vnderstanding that is he iustifieth vs when we heare in the gospell that he onely and none other hath borne our sinnes and when by sure fayth we retayne it and put all our trust in him both in our lyfe and death and saye both with hart mouth Christ onely hath borne our wickednes and died for our sinnes and onely is our righteousnes before God and this righteousnes which we get thus by fayth because it is founded built on Christ stādeth fast and firme agaynst the gats of hell ¶ Anna. As far then as I can heare if I should be asked how it commeth to passe that I being a sinner am become righteous thus I ought to annswere I am not righteous because I haue not sinned or because I haue done many good deedes or for that I haue satisfied for my sinnes but I am righteous because Christ hath borne my sinnes in whome I beleue and in whome I repose all my trust Vrba You aunswere well and soundly and so haue all the patriarks prophets apostles and true Christians from the beginning of the world to this day beleued neither is there any other beliefe auailable before god He that beleueth not as you haue said isdāned neither can there be any waye found to saue him though he were couered with all the cowles of all the monks in the world and had all the good workes merites crosses sufferinges and penants in himselfe alone that is in the whole world For they all cannot auaile him or healpe him but he must needes be a firebrande of hell there to burne for euer if he doe not beleue as you say Well let vs hold one The prophet furthermore speaketh here of the fruit and reward of Christs passion And he sayth it is an eternall triumph or victory ouer sinne death the world and the deuill For Christ hath ouercome these cruell and bloudy enemies and hath deliuered his elected from them and so hath receaued through the whole world generally for his inheritaunce a great and glorious people or a most beutifull church which is his spirituall kingdome And this hath that the ignominious death of Christ don because he bore our sinnes and suffered himselfe to be hanged betwene ij theeues and prayed for transgressours and sinners as Paule sayth to the Hebrues Christ in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and 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 thinges which he suffered and being consecrate was made the author of eternall saluation vnto all them that obay him and is called of god an highe priest after the order of Melchisidech ¶ Anna. What sayth Esaias of Christ in the 54. chap ☞ Vrb. In that chapter he describeth the kingdome of Christ in fayth that is to say the catholick Church which in this word is vnder the crosse poore miserable helplesse and base to behold But he comforteth it promising to helpe it and enrich it so that it shall become most populous with men of all sortes from ech side presing into it in so much that it shall bring forth an infinite multitude of Children of grace and haue many moe sonnes then the malipert synagoge though she seemed neuer so fruitfull and in deede she seemed fruitfull for she had the law and many good workes and worke mongers or worketeachers with all kind of merites these be the prophets wordes Reioyce thou barren that bearest not burst out and sing thou that trauailest not because the desolate hath more Children then the maryed sayth the Lord. This comfort must also be well obserued least taking offence at the smale number of Christians we be dismayd and fall from the fayth For the dayes will come when the number of the faythfull shal be great and populus Thus was Sara barren but our God so blessed her that she became the mother of many Childrē and a great people To be short Abraham must needes according to Gods promise in Genesis and according to the Etimologie and signification of his name be made a father of many people heyre of the earth For his blessed seede with all his blessinges was also promised to the gentiles The prophet moreouer vseth certayne similies taken of tentes which are set vp and spread in the fieldes so largely that many may dwell in them Whereby he geueth vs to vnderstand that the church should be spread all abroad through the whole world and that the day should come that the Gospell should be preached in all landes and that they should receaue Christ These be his wordes Enlarge the place of thy tents and stretch out thy cords make fast thy stakes for thou shalt increase on the right hand on the left He promiseth moreouer to the church Gentiles for inheritaunce But not so that the Churche should inherite the Gentiles after a worldly manner of inheriting as kinges of the earth inherite and haue their people in subiection For Christes kingdome is not of this world It is a spirituall inheritaunce which the Church by the Gospell getteth and it shall dwell there where before through ignoraūce and incredulitye was a deserte and wilde wildernes as it was at Athēs where before the Gospell came they vnderstod nothing of God aright But S. Paule conuerted many at that place and tought them which came and beleeued the Gospell the right fayth And therefore sayth the prophet thy seed shall possesse the Gentiles and dwell in the desolate cities
The prophet also confirmeth that cōfortable promise of Christ signifying that although to the carnall eye the Church seemeth very small and litle and as though God had forsaken it and that it were as a forlorn perished thing yet it should be great For god shal be her spouse Feare not for thou shalt not be ashamed neither shalt thou be cōfoūded for thou shalt not be put to shame yea thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth and shalt not remember the reproch of thy widdowhead any more for he that made thee is thine husband whose name is the Lord of hostes and thy redeemer the holy one of Israell shall be called the God of the whole world this is a spirituall mariage and we may haue great comfort in it S. Paule doth famously paint out and amplify this comfort in the epistle to the Ephesians And he calleth it a great mistery that God him selfe would in mans nature bespouse vs to him selfe and ioyne vs with him in the bond of mariage wherby now we learne that whatsoeuer is Gods is ours and what is ours the same doth God take away and lay them all vpon him selfe as they were his owne We haue sinnes and death with the euerlasting curse and damnatiō Christ hath righteousnes lyfe and saluation So then those euill hurtfull deadly thinges of ours doth he ouercome destroy and take from vs in stead thereof he freely geueth vs all these other good treasures of his Is not this I pray you an amiable and sweete mariage So then as an honest wife doth promise her selfe all happines of her husbands head whome she hath euer found faythfull and loyall and as of the other side the good husband entirely loueth cherisheth and delighteth in such a wife so standeth the case betweene God and vs. We may therfore be of good courage and reioyce alwayes in the Lord and not be dismaide in any extremitye either when sinne troubleth our consciences or when death terrifieth vs For we shall not be confounded we shall not be ashamed For he that defendeth vs both can and will redeeme vs from all euils And note in this place that he sayth our redeemer to wit Christe shall be called the God of the whole world or God in all the earth Heare we see the diuinitie of Christ and that men should acknowledge and worship Christ through the whole world as true and onely God. And note this also that the Church looketh lyke a forsaken and mourning woman whereupon we gather that her exceeding great ioy is here in hope but after this life her glory shall be made manifest If then she must be sorowful heare in the earth Christes kingdome is not a corporall or earthly kingdome for he sayth But for all this the Lord hath called thee being as a woman forsaken afflicted in spirit as a yong wife when thou wast refused sayth thy God. But for all this there is no daūger she shall not be vtterly forsakē The world counteth the church a forsaken and miserable people but God sayth in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a litle seasō but with euerlasting mercy haue I had compassiō on thee sayth the Lord thy redeemer Note how frendly and fayre the Lord speaketh to the Church comforting her and promising that her crosse and sorrow should not continue alwayes but her ioy and fame shall neuer haue end And so doth Paule comfort vs to the Romaines and Corinthians Esay addeth also a similitude wherin he sayth that God would shew his mercy vpon vs and how he would doe it As he promised grace vnto Noe saying that he would neuer after drowne the world with water and he gaue him the rainebow for a signe So also will he firmely constantly performe to vs his promised grace these be the prophets wordes For it is vnto me as the waters of Noe for as I haue sworn that the waters of Noe should no more goe ouer the earth so haue I sworne that I would not be angry with thee nor rebuke thee for the mountaines shall remoue and the hills shall fall downe but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shall the couenaunt of my peace fall away sayth the Lord that hath compassion on thee Which is thus much to say Although thy aduersaries be strong yet shall they not be able to hurt or destroy thee They shall feare fall and vanish away but my grace and health shall not be remoued but remain for euer For I haue made a couenaunt of grace with thee O this is a comfortable worde that the Lord saith he will not be our Iudge but our mercifull Father And yet the afflictions of the church shall not onely be short but they shall serue to this end to increase and multiply the faythful The more the church is afflicted the more fruitfully it increaseth For the Lord doth with it as the quarriers or rough masons doe with the rough stones of bricke which they chop and hewe with their mallet now on this side thē of that striking of the knobbs that they may make them square and fit for the building so doth the crosse hew and cut the old man with his lusts and concupiscence and this is the cause that god suffereth his Church to be afflicted crossed persecuted to make it by crossing it a goodly fayre kingdome all of precious stones to wit Christians which are taught of God. For the Christian mans art and science is the gospell which reason hath not found nay it cannot conceaue it For the Gospel is not naturally ingrafted in our reason it is not borne with vs as the lawe is but the holy ghost by whome it is sent from heauen vnto the earth must teach vs by the preaching or ministery of the word In this kingdome shall be true peace with God through fayth in Christ that the Church in all kindes of afflictions may haue wherein to comforte her selfe and to pacify her conscience seeing God him selfe is her forgeuer And true godly workes of righteousnes in deede follow this peace as the wordes following doe import O thou afflicted tossed with tempests that hast no comfort behold I will lay thy stones with the carbunckle and lay thy foundations with Safires I will make thy windows of Emerauds and thy gates shining stones and all thy borders of pleasaūt stones and all thy Childrē shall be tought of the Lord and much peace shall be to thy Children In righteousnes shalt thou be established and be far from oppression For thou shalt not feare it and from feare for it shall not come neare thee Behold the enemy shall gather him selfe but without me whosoeuer shal gather him selfe in thee agaynst thee shall fall All these thinges are spiritually wrought in the harts and consciences of the godly and shall at last be fulfilled in the day of redemption The Iewes looke for a Ierusalem that should be builded
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
be their God. Ezechiel when the Lord had raysed him vp to prophesy of these thinges doth comfort the Iewes beyng prisoners in Babilō by this prophesy And he promised thē that the Lord would deliuer thē out of the bōdage that they were in and bring them safely into their owne country to Ierusalem which thinges came so to pas in deed in the dayes of Zerubabel Iehoschua Esdras and Neemias when they should no more commit Idolatry with Babell and other Idols as before they had done But this deliuerance out of the captiuitie in Babilon was but onely a signe of our true deliuerance by Christ wherby all prisoners and such as remayne captaynes are at the last truely deliuered and saued as soon as they cast away their vngodlines and Idolatry and imbrace the true Christian fayth This prophesy hath respect vnto that time of Messias whē he gaue hys spirit vnto hys people circumcised their harts purified their own blind and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnpenytent hartes and put in place thereof a newe hart which feruently and ardently desireth to obserue and keep the commaundements of god For Christ is the only alone Phisition of our heauy sick and deadly wounded nature He alone regenerateth vs with his spirit he healeth vs and he restoreth vs agayn and he onely is our intercessor who putteth away and remoueth from vs the wrath of God and reconcileth vs vnto the Father so that with a fatherly hart and affection he embraceth vs and maketh vs hys children because Christ hath both purified our hart pardoned our sinnes and brought vs into fauour with the father agayne Moyses by hys lawe could do none of these for vs. He can onely shew vs the curse of the Lord prophesy of the blessed seed of Abraham and this was al that he could do But to take away sins and to worke our iustification was a work which none could do but onely Messias This is the way and meane by which Christ planteth and preserueth his spirituall kingdome when of sinners hee maketh godly and righteous persons and geueth them new harts and lightneth thē by his word and holy spirit and reneweth them that they may be in the inward man enclined with a redy delight and alacritie to do the will and pleasure of God. This is the meaning of Moyses in Deutrinomy when he commādeth that they shoulde circumcise the fore skin of their hart that is their euil thoughts cōcupisences and fleshly desires And he promiseth vnto hys people a spirituall circumcision saying the Lord thy God will circumcise thine hart and the hart of thy seed that thou maist loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule that thou maiest liue Earthly Kings mayntayne externall iustice and restrayne vices wickednes by the sword but they haue no power to restrayne and bridle the hart For the hart for al that they can do wil abound in concupiscens of al kinde of euils yea it would brust forth into deeds if it were lawfull to do them and satisfy hys own appetite and wallowe in all filthy flagitiousnes And this is che cause that earthly kings defend and maintayn their dominiōs by the galouses torments wheeles swords halters and other punishments and yet notwithstanding all such executions and torments the wickednes and rash bouldnes of louse liuers can scarcely be brideled For so soon as the hart perceiueth that it hath got licence and time by and by it turneth to the olde habit and committeth what lewdnes it listeth But Christ goeth to work after another and better sort For he changeth and cleanseth the hart from euil to good which when he hath once puryfied and changed there followeth by and by honesty holynes and integrity of life in outward conuersation And thus doth he renue those which are indued with true innocency and through faith are drawen cheerefully by a harty desire to work all kind of vertue And thus doth this our king raign spiritually and by his word and spirit preuayleth more then al kings and Caesers in this world can doe by compulsion and all kind of torments though they be neuer so cruel Ezechiel also hath a prophecy and promise of this day of saluation and new league of grace in his thirty six chapter in playn wordes saying Then will I power clean water vpon you and ye shall be clean yea from all your filthynes and from all your Idols wil I cleanse you Here the prophet promiseth the sacrament of baptisme which is most pure and clean water because of the word of God of which it dependeth and hath his excellency And therfore it is caled in Titus The lauer of regeneration and the holy Ghost which God in baptisme by Christ our Sauyour poureth plentifully vpon vs that we by his grace being iustifyed may through hope be made heires of euerlasting saluation This was then fulfilled when the discyples baptysed the people and forgaue sinnes in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and when the cleansed and godly congregation of the faithfull Christians was first erected who first rightly found forth the Lord God and were dayly more and more increased as we read in the Actes that the spirituall kingdome of Christ by his word did daily more more increase though in their bodyes they suffered great persecutions and dangers And this was the way and maner by which Christ wold gouern his kingdome But the blinded Iewes thought that all these thinges should carnally be fulfilled that Messias wold rule his kingdome in worldly pompe and power God in the 34. chapter of Eze. promyseth his people a true shepherd which hath good and holsome pastures which will keep his sheep faithfully defend thē carefully Which things the pharysies faithles shepheards in Iuda did not but fed and fatted themselues The prophets words be these And I wil set vp a shepheard ouer them and he shal feed them euen my seruant Dauid he shall feed them and he shall be their shepheard and I the Lord wil be their God and my seruant Dauid shal be the prince among them I the Lord haue spoken it And I wil make with them a couenant of peace and wil cause the euil beastes to cease out of the land and they shal dwel safely in the wildernes and sleep in the woods And I wil rayse vp for them a plant of renown and they shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land neither beare the reproch of the heathen any more Thus shall they vnderstand that I the Lord their God am with them that they euen the house of Israel are my people saith the Lord God. And ye my sheep the sheep of my pasture or men I am your God saith the Lord God. This shepheard is that Messias whom Ezechiell calleth Dauid because he should be borne of Dauides stock And the Iewes thēselues agree with
Christ must from hence forth increase and grow greater and greater vntill the worldes end whereas all earthly empires shall decrease fall and be destroyed And Hose prophesieth againe in the end of the 2. chapiter of the euerlasting couenaunt of grace betwen God and vs in a pleasaunt sweete and comfortable similitude saying And in that day will I make couenants for them with the wilde beastes and with the fowle of heauen and with that that creepeth vppon the earth And I will breake the bow and the sword and the battell out of the earth and will make them to sleepe safely And I will mary thee vnto me for euer yea I will marry thee vnto me in righteousnes and in iudgement and in mercy And in compassiō I will euen marry thee vnto me in faythfullnes and thou shalt know the Lord. He speaketh not here of earthly thinges but of the heauenly peace of conscience with God through fayth in Christ which neither tyrants in the earth nor wicked spirits in the ayre can ouerthrow or take away How can any thing hurt the faythfull christians seing they be by fayth dedicated and as it were maried vnto Christ the Lord of zeboth and are by this spirituall mariages made one flesh by which vnion and coniunction we receaue al these excellent promises which by the commaundement of god the prophets and Euangelists make vnto the Church ¶ Anna. How I pray you commeth this to passe ☞ Vrba Those thinges which are the husbandes are the wiues and so one the other side those that are the wiues are the husbandes Those that be maried together haue all thinges common betwen them We vpon our part haue sinn death and damnation but Iesus Christ our husband is full of grace life and health If therfore we trust in Christ and acknowledge him for our onely husband redeemer and Sauiour then doth that fayth vnite knit vs so to Christ that he becommeth our husband and head and we his mēbers Thus Christ taketh vpon him our euills and calamities geueth vs his graces and felicitie thus are we made righteous and thus are we quickened and saued where before we were sinners dead and damned These are the vnsearchable riches of Gods grace geuē vs in Iesus Christ of which Paule to the Ephesians doth so gloriously bost saying that they exceed all humaine senses passe the capacity of al creatures Consider then what he is able to do and what kinde of parson Christ is to wit an infinite parson God man which can not sinn dy or be dampned because his righteousnes life saluation are inuincible euerlasting and almighty Seing therefore that his innocency lyfe and saluation wrastled and fought vppon the crosse with our sinnes death and dampnation which were not able to ouercome him it must needes follow that in him our sinns death and damnation are swallowed vp and taken away Seeing then that we are ingrafted in christ by faith in him we are also by his mere grace and loue both deliuered from all our sinnes and freed from Sathans tyranny and haue the euerlasting righteousnes lyfe and health of our husband Christ geuen vs Thus doth Christ adorne and decke his welbeloued spouse the Church that she may be glorious without spot or wrinkell and yet purified by the lauer of water in the word of life that is by the fayth of the word of lyfe righteousnes and saluatiō Now ye see how the Lord ioyneth true Israell in mariage to him selfe as his wife in fayth in righteousnes and iudgement Here also must be marked that this mariage shall continue for euer as the prophet sayth Wherby it followeth that Christ must needes rise againe from death and raise his bride to lyfe that she might liue with him for euer This is that euerlasting kingdome of Christ the kingdome of grace out of which all sin death and wickednes is cast and banished and in which meere grace righteousnes innocency lyfe and saluation doe fully dwell for euer as the prophet sayth Thou shalt know the Lord. But to know him is eternall life And in that day I will heare sayth the Lord I will euen heare the heauens and they shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare thee come and the wine and the oyle and they shall heare Israell and I will sow her vnto me in the earth and I will haue mercy vppon her that was not pitied and I will say to them which were not my people thou art my people and they shall say thou art my God. He speaketh here of that most wished and ioyfull time of the new testamēt For whē the gospel is taught and Christ by fayth receued then will not God suffer his Church to want but will prouide for her and cherish her and though in the meane time she gloriously wrastle and grone vnder the crosse yet shall she be so prouided for that she shall not want thinges needfull for her For the true Israell shall by Messias be increased and multiplied The Church shall become true Israell that is the seede of the Lord that it may increase and continue for euer so mercifull is the Lord vnto the rest of the Iewes and Gentills The Iewes or Israelites were before without mercy But in the time of Christ the Lord tooke compassion vpon them The Gentills were not the people of God but in the tyme of Messias being called through the gospel they are made his people which acknowledge calle vpon and honor God in true fayth by our onely sauiour and mediator Christ ¶ Anna. Haue not the Iewes or the Israelites according vnto the flesh son hope in the scriptures that they shall be deliuered from that obstinacy and hardnes of hart wherein they now are Shall no Iewes but onely the Gentills hereafter be partakers of the spirituall kingdome ☞ Vrba Yes they haue some hope that they shall be deliuered And I would to God they could vnderstād the scriptures would learn thereby what grace yet the Lord hath left in store for them For Hose saith The children of Israell shall remayn many dayes without a king and without a prince and without an offring and without an Image and without an Ephod and without Teraphim Afterward shall the children of Israell conuert and seeke the Lord their God and Dauid their king and shal fear the Lord and his goodnes in the latter dayes You haue heard before that Paul would not haue the Iewes despised For they haue a promise of their conuersion before the last day when they shall become christians that is when the Israelites according to the spirit to wit the elect number of the children of God among the gentils shal be accomplished Thē shall the Iewes haue their eyes opened be gathered vnto the true Messias Iesus Christ and embrace the gospel Paul vnderstood this wel out of Hose who maketh here a comfortable promise vnto the Iewes that at
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
church to wit that she should reioyce in the Lord for hir deliueraunce because she is freed from Sathans assaultes from his tyranny from sin from death and from hell O happy Iudah O happy church O happy congregation of the faythfull which doest acknowledge confesse and beleue in thy god Thy Sanherib Sathan with all his host and members as the foolish worlde c who hath so hardly handled pinched and oppressed thee that thou couldest in no wise reioyce is now by Christ ouercome Be therfore of good cheare Thou shalt heare ioyfull tidinges to wit that thou shalt not be in danger neyther that any euill shall happen to thee The Lorde himselfe shall defend and deliuer thee and thou shalt haue true ioy and peace Wherefore yet againe keepe holy thy feastes and dayes of ioye celebrat thy passouer in vnleuened bread that is in truth and holynes be mery and reioyce alwayes in the lord For Beliall Sathan is conquered by the crosse of Christ Thou needest not therfore hereafter feare him he can not now hurt thee For he lyeth now prostrate in the dust that valiant conquerour Christ Iesus thy hed and husband hath entered into his pallace and ouercome him and taken his armour from him and hath triumphed ouer him and hath geuen his victory to thee Wherfore thou maist well and rightly celebrate these feastes of ioy in sacrifices of prayse and thankes geuing for these benifits geuen vnto thee by Christ Iesus This out of doubt is a most plentifull ioyful consolation that the gospel of our eternall deliuerance together with peace ioy and securitie by fayth in Christ shall remayne for euer in Iuda that is in the Church For Sathan is cōquered and ouercome that is all his power against the congregation of the faythfull is taken from him sin by that bloud of Christ is washed away death is destroyed and so all the accusations that this Bellial can lay agaynst vs For sin is clensed and taken awaye and therfore it followeth that we shall be iustified and saued in Christ Iesus for euer And this truly is a great and chiefe principall cause why we for such our deliuerance should celebrate our spirituall feastes of gladnes in prayse and thankes geuing to God our good father vncessantly for euer ¶ Anna. The prophets are briefe in their writings but they containe very waighty and worthy matters in few wordes let me heare now what Habacuk prophecieth ☞ Vrba Habacuk signifieth an imbraser who in imbrasing taketh one by the middle in his armes euen as a mother imbraseth and kisseth hir crying childrē For he cōforted the heauy wreatched people at the hart that they should not dispaire because of the captiuitie of Babilon as if God had quite forsaken his people and as if the promise of sending of Christ of the house of Dauid to be the true deliuerer had bene vtterly frustrat And he louingly imbraseth the people he sparing no paines that might make the Iewes stedfastly beleue that their cōfort Messias should come And he signifieth vnto them that though the Iewes for their sins were banished and Ierusalem destroyed yet all the promises of God in the prophets made concerning our Sauiour should neuer thelesse be fulfilled and that Babilonicall tirant punished These are his wordes in the 2. chapiter I will stand vpon my watch and set me vpon the tower and will looke and see what he will say vnto me and what I shall answere him that rebuketh me And the Lord aunswered me sayd write the visiō make it plaine vpō tables that he may run that readeth it For the vision is yet for an appointed time but at the last it shall speake notly though it tary waite for it shall surely come and shall not stay Behold he that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him but the iust shall liue by his fayth Abacuk was commaunded to wright these wordes in a table and so set them vp in publick places as in the Church or market place that all men might reade thē and vnderstand them and that euery one passing by might esely spie and vnderstand it You shall vnderstand this prophecy thus The vision signifieth a prophecy the prophets are called seers because they see the misteries of the gospel concerning Christ a far of with their spirituall eyes This therfore is the sense of his wordes Wright this vision in a table that is wright vp the confirmation of all the prophets in christ that the faint harted Iewes when they begin to dispaire may see what they ought to ground in their hartes thinke with their selfe of the fulfilling of all these prophecies which haue ben foretold of Christ and his kingdome Let the wordes be written in the table to signifie thus though ye be now captiues your land destroyed yet all the prophecies which are spoken of Messias of his euerlasting kingdome and of your saluation wrought by Messias and what thing else soeuer the prophets haue written of Christ of his miracles and of his ministery are sure and must be fulfilled What the lord promiseth in word that he performeth in deed neither can any tirant or Sathā himselfe hinder it But that is fulfilled at the time in which the Lord apointed it should be fulfilled The prophet then sayth thus in effect Ye shall be wearied by the tediousnes of time and many heauy cogitations shall rise in your hartes so that ye shall almost dispayre of his comming being so long driuen of from day to day euen vnto the end of your captiuitie and yet must ye not therefore doubt of the word of God but patiently waight for the Lordes comming For what the Lord hath promised that is certaine and sure verely it is not lawfull to doubt of the Lordes wordes But if any man vpon contention will not beleue this prophecye of Christ he destroyeth his owne soule But gods promise shall be neuerthelesse fulfilled whether the contentious caitiue beleeue it or no. Marry he for his incredulitie shall haue no part therof fayth is all in all He which beleueth the promise enioyeth it he that doth thus honor god that he beleueth and iudgeth him to be a true sayer and a mercifull God him lykwise doth God honor and accoūteth and calleth him righteous and pardoneth his offences and maketh him partaker of all his goodnes in Christ Iesus For the righteous liueth by fayth that is if any man will liue and be righteous before God it is required of necessitie that he beleue the Lords promises Here you see the way to come to righteousnes and saluatiō to wit if you desire to be iustified and saued then must you beleue the gospel of Christ for by that must we receaue righteousnes life and saluatiō There is no other meane nor other way by which we can be iustified and saued S. Paule in his epistles to the Rom. Galla. and the Hebre alledgeth this notable and
Paul teacheth to the Gala. In former times the house of Dauid had a great prerogatiue for it was more famous and noble then the citye of Sion For it was the kinges stocke and tribe and the citizens of Ierusalem were then more noble then the rest of the Iewes but it shall now be otherwise For all shall be alike For there shall be one spirituall freedome or redemption wherein none shall more arrogantly or gloriously vaunt him selfe then an other but all shall reioyce in the lord In the wordes following where he speaketh of Dauid God promiseth that the faythfull Christians shall be strong in the Lord of which strēgth Paul speaketh to the Phil. I am able to do all thinges through the helpe of Christ which strengthneth me All the godly receaue the spirite of Christ by fayth and haue Christ in their harts by faith Wherfore whosoeuer trauaile vnder the crosse are weak in that appertaineth to the flesh yet in the Lord are they very strong They haue all one fayth one spirite and one Lord and therefore shall they all ouercome sin death and the world Which thing otherwise the whole world with all his might power and pollecye could not euer bring to passe Neuerthelesse this their force or fortitude is not of themselues but of god Therfore sayth Zach. In that day to wit the day of this tribulation shall the Lord defend the inhabitantes of Ierusalem that is all the godly or those that faythfully trust in the lord Wherefore though some of them fall and offend yet shall they be as Dauid Who according to his outward parson was not of any great or portly stature but the strength of God was wonderfully seene in him so that he could and did ouercome that huge monsterous and dreadfull Goliah It is a common thing euen for the righteous and most godly in this life to sin stumble offend and fall But they haue in this place the promise of the lord that he wil not by by reiect them for their fall and sin For though they be weak yet shal they alwaies be most victorious Dauids Surely it is to be required that there be greatstrength and power in him who being but one man alone fighteth against the whol world sathan sin and death and so that he getteth the victory And surely thus to doe is a Dauidlike deed Moreouer these strong men and house of Dauid shal be as the house of God and as the angel of the Lord before or amongst them That is all these inuincible christians such as Dauid was who doe obtayn victory euen in this weaknes of flesh they shal be in the church the true house of the Lord and like vnto the angels of the Lord that is in whom the Lord dwelleth And they which doe instruct others to true godlines shall be so glorified that they shall be most famous amongst christians euen like the angels and messengers of Christ Now he promiseth moreouer that it shall come to pas that the enemies of Christ and the church shall be quite destroyed For he which hurteth the godly hurteth the apple of Gods eye Here you heare agayne what kind of kingdome Christes kingdom is to wit a kingdome which is forced to stand vpon watch and be ready in armure For it hath against it most mighty enemies it must therfore be of some power strength nay of very great strēgth if it shal conquere so great enemies But that can not be by any corporall or worldly meanes but spiritually by faith as the prophets words doe plainly import and signifie But such and so great is the obstinate blindnes of the Iewes that they dreame that the prophets speak of an earthly kingdome of Christ here in this world which shal vse corporall armour and strength and haue worldly pompe and glory Although therfore the godly be sore troubled with very many enemies yet for all that shall they be and remayne without danger but through patience so that they suffer and take al things wel and patiently which come vpon them The prophet also describeth the spirituall weapons wherewithall Christ armeth and defendeth the godly in his kingdome saying I will poure saith he my spirite of grace and prayer or compassion vpon the house of Dauid That is I will geue my holy spirite vnto my seruants that it may lighten them with the true knowledge of the gospel that they may know that I am mercifull vnto them for Christ his sake and that I doe pardon their offences wherupon they may haue quiet and appeased consciences Besides this when the stormes of afflictions doe come vpon them and sore and vehemently vexe their flesh then shal the holy ghost teach them rightly to pray in the name of Iesus Christ who himselfe doth pray for the godly with sighes which are not able to be expressed And these are the weapons wherewithall the congregation of the godly doe ouercome when the cros is at hand and tribulation hangeth ouer their heads The godly straight way fly to the name of the Lord and call vpon it and receaue help in due time but our Iewes and Anabaptists when persecution commeth resist their enemies with force and armes and yet notwithstanding will they boast themselues to be the people of God which is the cause that they are alwayes so miserably confounded Now the prophet telleth what it was that purchased the holy ghost for the godly to wit the passion and death of Christ They shall see and looke vpon me sayth the Lord whom they haue pearced Here God speaketh in his own person who before spake in the prophets person and confesseth that he is pearced that is nayled vpon the cros and wounded And it is here proued by this text that Christ is true God and man who should suffer and die for vs And it followeth also that Christ with all Christifidelians shall rise again For he had promysed before that he wold geue his holy spirite vnto the godly that he wold destroy the enemies of the godly and that he would preserue and defend the godly If therfore he must keepe and preserue his elect for euer and duely punish all the gentils and their enemies it must needes follow that he must rise from death and rayse vp his seruants and gouern thē for euer And here obserue this that God and man Christ is one persō for he saith they shal loke vpon me whom they haue pearced Christ was pearced according to his manhode and not according to his Godhed alone He speaketh plainly of one person alone He saith me and deuideth not his Godhead from his manhode For he him selfe the euerlasting sonne of God was pearced but according to his humanity not according to his great and infinite deity as Paul sayth to Cor. The Iewes crucified the Lord of glory That is the God of Zeboth Psal. 25. And thus Christ by the gospel is preached and seen how
15.6 b. Rom. 4.13 Cause why God made the promise before the law c. Heb. 6.17 The christian fayth onely the true fayth d. Act. 3.25 e Gal. 3.8 f. â—â—al 3.13 g. Pe. 2.24 h. Deu. 27.23 i. 1. Cor. 1.23 k. Gen. 26.3 and 28.14 l. Ge. 49.10 Called Thargunâ— What the scripture signifieth Herode a Mat. 2. Siloh Of the Machabees gouernment in Iuda Why Christ was poore at his firster comming a. Esay 11. What a king Christ is Christ ruleth by his word Gen. 49.11 Mat. 11.2 Why Christ is called Siloh Luk. 24. Luk. 24. c. Heb. 7. Melchisedech Psal. 110.4 Rom. 1. Eph. 2. Hebr. 7. The Paschall lamb a. Exo. 12.6 b. 1. Cor. 5.7 Caporeth a figure of Christ Christ is the mercy seate a. Rom. 3. b. Heb. 14. c. Col. 2. d. Ioh. 7. c. Ioh. 14. There is no God but Iesus who in a Sauiour therfore feare not thy sinne Hebr. 10. a. Mat. 22.32 b. Esay 53.10 c. 2. Cor. 5.18 The brasen serpent a figure of Christ d. Ioh. 3.14 Iohn 6. b. Luk. 7.16 Note ye that refuse to heare the word c. 2. Thes 1.7 d. Acts. 3.23 Math. 1. Luke 2. In this 1. chapter of Math. the relatiue is the feminine gender and therfore is referred to Mary and not to Ioseph d. Num. 36.6 e. Esai 11.1 Luke 24. Which is about seuen miles and a halfe of english miles That Christ is the sonne of Abraham and Dauid a. Rom. 9.4 b. 2. Kings 7.12 c. Psal. 132.11 Math. 2. Gen. 35. Exo. 18.25 a. 1. Kings 16.19 f. Luke 11.32 b. Rom. 1.3 g. 2. Tim. 2.8 h. Math. 15 22. i. Math. 20.30 k. Math. 21 9. Math. 22.42 a. Mich. 5.2 b Mat. 2.1 a. Mich. 5.2 b. Math. 2.6 Feudatory is one that holdeth of an other Christes double natiuitie c. Col. 1.15 d. Iohn 1.1 Basar e Ioh. 8.58 f. Heb. 13.8 g Ioh. 12.24 2. Psal. 119 103. a Esay 7.14 b. Esay 7.14 Luke 1.31 d. Luk. 1.35 Math. 1. Keepe in your yong maydens if you will haue them vertuous Haalmahâ— as the virgin Mary was Gen. 24.43 Virgin. b. Exod. 2.8 Achas Hiskia Mary a pure virgin a. Dan. 2.34 Ambr. vpoÌ„ Rom. 10. Hier. vpon Dan. 2. Aug. vpon Iohn tract 9. cap. 2. Iren. li. 3. cap. 8. against Valent What Immanuel signifieth b. Col. 2.9 August lib. 13. de trinit ca. 19. Hebr. 2. c. Phil. 2.6 d. Tit. 3.4 The loue of God towards maÌ„ What good we haue by the incarnation of Christ Christ with vs after a new maner e. Rom. 8 31. Iesus is a comfortable name a. Math. 1.20 b. Acts. 4.6 a. Zach. 3.26 Iosua 1.1 Deu. 31.23 a. Acts. 10.43 b. Ier. 3.23 c. Acts. 4.12 d. Esay 60 16. f. Esay 45 â—7 The deriuation of the name Iesu g. Iohn 8.58 h. Exo. 3.14 i. Phil. 2.9 The second name is Christ k. Esay 61.1 Luke 4.18 l. Psal. 45.7 1. Cor. 12.8 Rom. 12.3 Christ is as much to say as annointed m. Dan. 9.24 n. Iohn 1.36 and 41. o. Ioh. 4.2 Christ signifieth annointed The Iews error The church 2. Pet. 3. a Zac. 9.9 The madnes blindnes of our nature Christ righteous and iust for our sakes and to our vse b. Rom. 3.26 Iust c. Esay 5 3.11 Zach. 9. Act. 7.52 1. Iohn 2.1 d. Rom. 5.19 Faith is the righteousnes of God. e. Rom. 8.30 Christ poore Christes humility Luke 9. â—8 Math. 21.2 Esay 2.3 Zach. 9 10. The peace of Christ k. Rom. 5.10 l. Eph. 2.14 m. Esay 52 7. The pleasant tidings of the gospell n. Col. 1.19 Esay 9.7 Ioh. 14.27 Ioh. 16.33 Psal. 24. We are deliuered by bloud 1. Ioh. 1.7 1. Pet. 1.19 Christ and Moses No rest in hell and sinne Rom. 5.11 Christes former comming Zach. 3.1 Psal. 22.5 Iere. 14.7 Leui. 26.11 Phil. 2.6 Luke 9.57 Math. 8.34 Esay 9.6 Math. 27.41 Esay 42.1 The office of Christ Christ our seruaunt Math. 20.28 Phil. 2.7 Col. 2.9 Eph. 1.5 Math. 3.17 Iohn 3.34 Psal. 45.7 Esay 61.1 Esay 42.1 The gospel is Christes iudgement Esay 42.2 The humility of Christ Math. 12.20 A comparison of Moses and Christ The operation of the law is feare anguish The operation of the gospell is ioy peace Math. 11.28 Math. 9.11 Iohn 8.11 Who be the brused redes Psal. 72.4 How we must iudge Io. 23.5 Esay 42.4 Mat. 12.21 Act. 10.43 1. Cor. 1.30 Esay 42.5 Iohn 8.32 Christes righteousnes Luke 2.34 The faithfull are safe in al storms Christ is geuen of God for a signe that God is at one with vs 2. Cor. 1.20 Luk. 2.32 Ihon. 1.9 Iohn 12.46 Esay 49.1 Hebr. 4.12 The force of Gods word Satans army Math. 22.34 Ioh. 7.46 Ioh. 14.31 Iohn 17.4 Ihon. 1.11 Esay 53.1 Act. 13.46 Ephe. 3.6 Esay 61.1 Luk. 4.16 The vnctioÌ„ of Christ Ioh. 6.26 False Gospellers Carolostadians Anabaptist Papist Anabaptist and Iewes all in one error Christ a preacher Christ commeth to the poore miserable As a miser on his mony Which think themselues rich strong in righteousnes holines as did the Phararasies Luk. 18.10 Luk. 4.18 Math. 5.3 Math. 11.5 Luk. 8.8 Who be the poore in spirit and who not These be the good grouÌ„d which is spoken of Luk. 8.8 A happy heauynes Luk. 8.8 Math. 9.12 Feare of perdition a signe of election True ioyfull tydings None need feare or dispayre for his sinns Psal. 68.16 Col. 2.15 Luk. 11.22 Zac. 9.11 Esay 42.7 We be prysoners vnder the lawe till Christ delyuer vs. Gal. 3.23 The law a pryson The workes of the flesh cannot be called good Rom. 7.14 Noe helpe but in christ Gal. 3.13 Mat. 11.28 Iohn 3.16 Luk. 4.18 The acceptable yere of the Lord The yere of Iubile Luk 1.69 2. Cor. 6.1 This iudgement is of the wicked Hier. 17.6 The operation of faith why Christ is painted with a cros on his shoulders Dan. 9.25 Ioel. 2.23 Mal. 2.3.1 Dan. 9.24 Hier. 25.11 Psal. 1 37.1 Gala. 4.4 The 4. Monarchs of the world Dan. 2.44 Christ is the stone cut out of the mountayne without hands Christ is king of all nations Dan. 2.34 Dan. 9.24 The weeks of yeres Luk. 25.8 Dan. 9.24 The wickednes of our nature without grace How needfull it was that Christ should com Acts. 13 38. Fayth the righteousnes which is auaileable before god Rom. 3.21 Math. 11.13 Dan. 9.25 1. Esdr 6.28 Luke 3.23 Nehe. 2.6 Zach. 1.12 Iohn 2.20 Luk. 19.42 The destruction of Ierusalem Fire out of the ground burned the Iewes What the worde Iewe signifieth 2. Cor. 3.15 Nezacon is a booke in which all the arguments of the Iewes against vs Christians ar set down and it signifieth victory Rom. 11.7 Rom. 11.25 The Iewes shal become christians When the fulnes of time was Gala. 4.4 Gala. 4.4 Christ liued 33. yeares a half here vpon earth 1. Pet. 1.10 Christ is God. Esay 53.8 Prou. 8.22 Cyril lib. 1. cap. 15. Cypri against the Iewes li. 2. cap. 2. Psal. 104.24 1. Cor. 1.30
199 Poore in spirite who be 195 Preaching the end thereof 120. it ought to be vsed continually 156 lyke to horselitters and Chariots 164. high priest crowned with 2. crownes 207 Prophets called seers 197. for whose sake they were sent 199. a rule to vnderstand them 177. 189. their end 11. 12. their hope 93. the summe of their doctrine 196. they speake straungely of Christes kingdome 114 Prophets false who be 166 Promises of god nedful to be knowē 148. they are of 2. sortes 180 R Reading of scripture requireth prayer and beliefe 6 Reason to be abādoned in scriptures 73 Redemption wherein it consisteth 46 how it is wrought 16. redeemed who be 128 Reedes brused who be 50 Regenerate their condition 198. they are the true Iacobites 129. signes of their regeneration 173 Remission of sinnes how purchased 5 Repentaunce the effect therof 5. the first stepe to grace 12. it onely hath the fruites of the Gospell 58 Resurrection of man twofould 101 it is in Christ 123. 102. our state after it 103. 123. the condition of it 178. 175. 163. S Sacrifices of the Iewes why and when abrogated 67. 108. how many of them in the ould law 24 Sadnes of 2. sortes 1. 58. sometimes in the godly 128 Saluation the causes thereof 100. 83 in Christ onely 93 Sathā his head brused what it meaneth 8. he tempteth but ouercommeth not 91. 112. his kingdome rule in this world 104. his army 53. vanquished by his owne malice 9. how he slaundereth the Gospell 56 principally impugneth Christ Godhead 83. his kingdome 152 Schollers for the Gospell who be 58 Scriptures their comfort 45. 32. 86 how full of knowledge 32. where they be had 41. called an Apothecaryes shop 86. their end 15. why it vrgeth the law vpon vs. 14. may not be hard or read without prayer or beliefe 6. 77 Seede of the woman promised 8. to whome sent 14. Serpent stingeth the hele of Christ 8 Sinne how not to be feared 21. 58. how redeemed 46. 79. 58. 128. the force of it inwardly 60. it is our filthy apparell and hath no rest 46. what dishonor it bringeth 103. only forgeuen by Christ 100. 8. a tyrant ouer vs. 135. hath no dominion ouer vs. 10 Sinners none refused of Christ not the greatest 50. 120 Sion a figure of the spirituall Sion 115. a figure of the Church 91. 190 Spirite of Messias the finger of god clenseth vs. 170. the fruites of him 161. his sword what it is 129 Sprinckeling of the Iewes what it is 140 Sweete lipps who so called 199 T Temple of God who be 176 Temple of the Iewes whē and how destroyed 66 Temptations of the Godly 133. 149. the cause of them 148. remedye agaynst them 78 Testament ould and new how they differ 11. the bloud of them differ 44. the new is the kernell of the ould 114 Threates why denounced in preaching 11 Thyrst of men how refreshed 132 without mony 149 Traditions of men must not trouble vs. 136 Troubles how they are forgot 161 Try our selues how we ought 50 Tidinges ioyfull 58 Time acceptable when it was 60. 132. fulnes thereof when 69 Tytles geuen to Christ 9. 37. 39 V Virgines how trayned vp among the Iewes 34 Vnction of Christ 38. 52 Vineyard of God the Church 124 W Water of lyfe bought without mony 149 Way to God what it is 127 Weakelinges in fayth called cattel 203 Wedding garment 136 Weekes of yeares in Daniell 62. 65. 69 Wolues dwell with lambes 120 Word of God of what force 53. 87. contemners thereof punished 26. 61 66. 96. it is no creature 72. necessary to be knowen 148 Workes of a Christian 5. 117. of no force to saluation 9. 14. 129. 142. 146. of the flesh can not be good 60 World and vnpleasant prison to the penitent 14. how it doth iudge 56. Wisedome thereof differeth from christes wisedome 134. 139. the deuils wife 186 Woundes how they are truely bound vp 59 Will to keepe Gods law a signe of election 170 Wyne presse trodē onely by Christ 157 Y Yeare of the Lord acceptable 60. 132 Yeare of Christes first comming accounted 65 FINIS Faultes escaped in this booke Page 9. b. the note fish read hisse 28. b. 27. his hir 30. b. 27. sorth vs as a prince forth vs a prince 64. a. 34. consisteth consist 73. 3. matters we matters in worldly matters we 79. 2. righteousnes but of righteousnes of 79. 27. so proper so pure 114. b. 4. false prophesye ▪ Esay his prophesye 115. 18. speake of some speake of it as if they speake of 119. b. 20. an such inuētiō can such munition 120. b. 25. which gdo which god 121. 12. Esha Ishai 126.27 doysome noysome 133. in the note lust Luke 133.14 sit in the. sit at table in the. 131. 11. Barons Barrēnes 154. b. 31. Gos. Gods. 155. 10. must most 160. 16. liuing the bread liuing bread 166. b. 4. God the Iewes God amongest the Iewes 166. b. 5. places amongest substitute places substitute 169. in the note called Christ called Dauid 170.40 many Mary 156. 28. crosse course 159. b. 2. as they were as it was 172. 21. in the Hebrewes In the Epistle to the Hebrewes 175 b. 29. or men are men 176. b. 6. Christ before tymes Iudah Christ Before times Iudah 185. b. 17. heare heale Math. 19.28.193 in the note Math 28.19.191.27 bondes O Sathan bondes of Sathan 192. 40. abide death abide in death 184. 5. demaund deuoure 198. to destroy thē beleue them and. in the note to destrust them Beleue them and 299. 27. Zachary Zephany 200. b. 29. louing long 201. 36. thee all thee and all 201. b. 14. lyfe lyes 201. b. 29. Christ yea Christ shall be ouerthrowen yea 204. 2. defender if their god defender If therfore God. 204. 16. shewted shewed 204. b. 21. mad made 210. b. 17. wood worde 213. a. 2. fel. fellow 214. a. 27. king kingdome 215. 13. christian Christ and. 216. b. 21. b. 21. his this 217. a 12. had hid 217. a. 24. Messias Moyses 220. a. 30. former forerunner 220. a. 39. was were 220. a. 41. beames because 220. b. 3. Messas Messias 220. b. 18. Iacob Malachy therefore Iacob Malachy therefore 221. a. 23. louing long 221. a. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 221. a. 37. louing long 221. b. 11. great greatest 221. b. 28. hereby that that hereby that 221. b. 40. euer for euer fot 222. a. 36. lyfe and and saluation lyfe and saluation 198. 17. marry But. fol. 173. b. for mery read newe in the not FINIS AT LONDON Printed by Iohn Daye dwelling ouer Aldersgate and are to be sould at his shop vnder the gate An. 1578.
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