receaued the same at the custome of their father Who wyth hys wyfe Eua the mother of vs all was saued by none other worke or merite of maÌ„ but onely thorow and in the blessed sede of oure Lorde Jesu Christe ¶ That the holye Patriarkes also were Chrysten â–ª and saued by Chryste SUche faith in christ Jesu as we now haue spoken of dyd the holy father Adam no doute teache hys chyldreÌ„ that they also myghte plante in to theyr chyldren the promes of god his mercy and deuyce concernynge the Messias or Sauioure that was for to come And truly Abell had suche a notable fayth in god that the holy Apostle Paul wrote of hym after thys maner Thorowe faythe dyd Abell offre a greater sacrifice theÌ„ dyd Cain therby opteyned he wytnesse that he was ryghteous For god bare recorde to hys gyftes In asmuche then as it can not be denyed but that all they whych are iust ryghteous he made ryghteous thorow the blessed sede And Abell was iustifyed It foloweth that he was made ryghteous thorow fayth in Jesus Chryste In that he dyd sacrifice it is a token frute of a hart that was thankfull and feared God It was no suche interpryse that he wolde clense and make hym selfe accepte vnto God thorow that outward sacrifice For certayne it is that no outward oblacion purifieth man wythin But the grace of god graunted vnto vs thorowe Jesus Christ purifieth vs a right And the out warde sacrifices of the olde fathers besyde that they were tokens of thankfulnesse prayse and magnifyenge of God as it is sayde afore were figures of the onely perpetuall sacrifice of our sauiour Christe And in this behalfe they were eueÌ„ asmoche as sacramentes of thinges to come Thus also and in lyke vnderstondynge haue oure first fathers done sacrifice as hereafter it shall folow more largely Nowe lyke as in Abel there is set forth vnto vs an ensample of Gods sede of a regenerate true faithfull Christen man So is Cain a sede of the serpent a chylde of the deuell which despysed the inspiracion of God and harkened to the disceatfull serpent And in these two brethren we maye se what God meaned whaÌ„ he sayd I wyll put enemyte betwene the sede of the woman and thy sede As though he wolde saye There shalbe two maner of people the one shall cleue vnto Christ the blessed sede the other shall cleue vnto the deuell And these two generacioÌ„s shall in no wyse a gree but be at variavnce in fayth and religion I will endew my sede that they shall cleue onely vnto me feare me honour and worshippe me seke all saluacion in me thorow the blessed sede lyue vertuousâ—y honestly soberly Then shal the serpent tempte their â—ede with ypocâ—ysye not to loue me ner serue me right not to holde of me as they shulde not to trust in me but to loue the worde to folowe the lustes and tentacions therof All thys fynde we here in these two brethren in whome begynneth the firste difference of true and false beleuers For Abel was simple godly and of a constant faith in God And in asmoche as he toke God for his refuge he broughte hym giftes of hys bâ—ste substaunce no doubte because he had first geuen ouer hys soule and all hys power vnto God at whome alone he soughte all good without any ypocrisye He was also innocent â–ª veriuous and frendly and folowed not hys owne tentacions And for thys faithes sake dyd hys sacrifice please God but Caines pleased hym not for hys hert was not right with God he was a dissembler gredye vnfaithfull personne which set hys hert and mynde vpon erthlye thynges allwaye despysinge Gods worde and folowyng his owne tentacion Whiche thynge was euydeÌ„t in thys that he hauynge no cause onely of a wilfull hert and thorow the tentacion of the serpent murthured his own brother Wherby he hath opteyned to be the arâ—hfather of all murthurers whiche persecute and murthur the sede of god that is to saye the true beleuers onely for their faithes sake â–ª Thus became abel the firste martyr and instrumente of god and yf Christ in the holy church For these two brethren haue set forth before vs the wole battayl stryfe which the worlde the cytye of the deuelâ— the chyldren cytesyns of the cursâ—d cytye wherin the serpent is heade and master and hath the dominion shal make agaynst the cytie and cytesyns in whome Christe is the heade vnto the ende of the worlde The fre men of the cytie of God and of Christe do â—leue onely vnto God serue hym with all theyr hart buylde only vpon Christe The cytesyns of the serpent despyse god yet make they theyr boaste of God to whome also they offer and do seruice but not as they ought to do Now whaÌ„ they perceyue that theyr fayth is not ryghte and that theyr ypocrysie is spyed and myslyked then fall they to murthurynge to the whych god is an enemy and forbyddeth it wyth hys worde For Cain also exhorted he from hys purpose sayd Thou nedeste not to arme the because of thy brother for thou haste none occasyon to be angry wyth hym For yf thou doeste ryght thou shalte fynde it and haue ioye therof but yf thou doest not ryght then is thy mysfortune synne and trespace opon and thou shalte shame destroye thy selfe Thy brother goeth on wythout faulte he shall do the no hurt nor harme he shall also not be Lorde ouer the nor myny she thy â—yght Yea he shall haue respecte vnto the and thou shalt haue dominion ouer hym and so kepe thy byrth right styll remayn the fyrste borne although hys sacrifice be acceptable vnto me and not thyne Ceasse therfore from thy wicked purpose and offende not agaynst thy brother But Cain dyd as al vngodly do For he went forth and sâ—ue hys innocent brother And afterwarde whan the Lorde wolde haue brought hym in to the knowlege of hys great synne and pardon hym he despised the voyce of the Lord with crakyng and facynge For the which cause the lord was wrothe with hym and cursed hym Then dispayred he first and went forth became yet more wicked dealt altogether vngodly set first his mynde vpon earthly thynges thought to exalte hys name vpon erth and buylded the fyrst cytye whiche he called Hanoch he begat sonnes daughters but litle feare of God was before their eyes in so moche that the scripture sayeth Adam layâ— with his wyfe agaâ—â—e and she bare a sonne whome she called Seth. For God sayde she hath geuen me another sede for Abel whome Cain â—lew Seth also had a sonne and he called hym Ends. And than beganne men to call vpon the name of the Lord Out of the whiche wordes it is easie to vnderstonde that as touchynge holy Adam he helde no more of Cain then as thoughe he neuer hadde chylde For Adam feared God Cain with hys progenye
Jordan whaÌ„ Christ was baptysed Thys is my deare beloued sonne in whome I am pacified or reconcyled Besydes thys the Lord gaue vnto Noe certayne lawes but none other then euen soche as he had geuen to hys fore fathers and written in their hertes The first pertayneth to mariage and bringynge vp of chyldren in the whiche is comprehended all that is written concernyng nurtour clenlynesse and temperaunce of care and bryngynge vp of chyldren in the feare of God vertue obedience and lerninge The seconde forbybddeth violence and diseate namely that no man shall eate bloude For it is a figuratyue precepte commaundynge that no man get hys lyuynge by murthur by oppressyng the poore by vsury by extorcion by falshode and disceate Moreouer all thynges lyuynge were subdued vnto hym and all meates were permitted hym In conclusion what soeuer concerned to loue God and their neyghboure the same is here renewed vnto Noe and his chyldren and requyred of them Of Noe came afterwarde all people yea amonge hys thre sonnes Japhet Sem and Cham he had both the sede of God of the froward serpent that is soche as had respecte vnto God and them also that regarded the deuell Of Cham came the Egipcians Assyrians Babylonians by and frome whome sprange ydolatrye offryng to ymages and frome whome false religion came vp first and was brought in amonge other nacions by the helpe of the olde serpent as amonge the Grekes Romaynes and other people By this is it good to vnderstande that our holy Christen faith is elder then anye other For here maye we se clearly that after a thousand and certayne hundreth yeares almoost in the eight hundreth or nyne hundreth yeare came vp the first begynnynge of the Heithens beleue offrynge to ymages and yet came it of wicked cursed men For cursed Cham was the begynnynge of the EgipciaÌ„s and Nimroth the vngodly extorcioner and tyrauÌ„te was the first founder of the kingdome of Babilon which kyngdome with the buyldinge of a mightie tower set forth his pryde Neuerthelesse the hande of God declared it selfe immedyatly as it is red in the eleuenthe chapter of Genesis Summa in the generation of Cham had the serpent great power howebeit in the posterite of Japhet also of whome the Almaynes come and in the posterite of Sem he had hys ysâ—ue lykewyse Of the progenie of Sem were borne AbrahaÌ„ Isaat and Jacob. Gene. xi And as it is sayd afore the syncere fayth was somewhat darkyned in Caldea therfore dyd God call Abraham out from the ydolatrie and renewed wyth hym the old true Christen fayth begonne wyth Adam and sayde Genesis .xii. Get the out of thy couÌ„tre and from thy kynred in to a laÌ„de that I wyll shewe the and I wyll blesse the and make a greate nacyon of the. And in the shall all the nacion of the earth be blessed Item in the. xxii Chapter speakethe God yet more clearly and sayeth In thy sede shall all the nacyons of the earthe be blessed Thys dothe Paull declare in the iii. to the Galathiaus and sayeth In thy sede whyche is Christe Therfore was the same now an other renewyng of the promesse of Christe the blessed sede For fyrst whaÌ„ he promised vnto Adam afterwarde was the promes renewed wyth Noe and now wyth Abraham And al thys now is but one promes one sauioure and one fayth AbrahaÌ„ also beleued in Jesus christ and was saued by fayth For Jesus christ sayeth hym selfe in the eyghte Charter of Johan Abraham sawe my daye and reioysed What is now the daye of Chryste but the clearnesse of y e holy gospell This lyght had he not bodely but sawe it wyth the eyes of fayth and the same made hym ioyfull and saued hym For Chryste is the true ioye of troubled consciences Thus became Abraham the father of all faythfull beleuers Roma iiii And yf we beleue and do as AbrahaÌ„ dyd then are we Abrahams chyldren and shall rest wyth him in hys bosome eueÌ„ in the kyngdome of God Luke .xiii. xvi xix Mat. viii Paull also to the Galathians in the .iii. chapter sayeth Yf ye be Chrystes then are ye Abrahams sede and heyres accordynge to the promes Out of thys fayth in Christ dyd AbrahaÌ„ ChristeÌ„ workes For with a good wyl left he hys own natyue countre all ydols and all ymages all mysfortune honger miserye toke he paciently he was not harde agagynst Loth hys neuye but ioparde his body and lyfe for the oppressed he was liberall mercyfull harberous he prayed ferueÌ„ty vnto God for the poore synners he suffred oppresion violence wronge and for Gods sake also he thought to sacrifice and offre vp hys own moost dearly beloued sonne Isaac Summa there is no reasonable good Christen worke but thou seyst it in y e lyfe of AbrahaÌ„ Therfore to vs also for an ensample of oure fayth and conuerâ—acion he is set forthe of the Lorde hym selfe and hys apostles thorow out the new Testament Here also is it manifest that our holy faith is elder then the Jewish faith For the Jewes do boaste them selues of the Circumcision and because they are called Jewes and Israel and that the lawe the presthode and the gods seruyce was geuen vnto them And yet Gene xv and .xvii. and Roma iiii is it euydent that AbrahaÌ„ was gods frende and iustified or made righteous or euer he was circuÌ„cysed For whan he was circuncysed he was 99. yeare old Gene. xvii Nowe was the promes made vnto hym many yeares afore The scripture also sayeth planely Abraham beleued God the same was couÌ„ted vnto him for righteousnesse Genesi xv So was it many yeares after or euer Israel Juda was borne of whome they haue taken their name The lawe also was geuen 430 yeares after the promes as Paull made the rekenynge Gala. iii. It foloweth therfore that oure christen fayth is 2048. yeares elder then the CircuÌ„cision and. 2449. yeare elder then the lawe the presthode ceremonies of the Jewes For from Adam vnto the floud were 1656. yeares And froÌ„ the floude vntill the departynge of Abraham out of Caldea 363. yeares From that tyme are rekened 430. yeares vntyll the departynge of Israel out of Egipte And on the. 50. daye after the departinge was the lawe geuen vnto Israel vpon mounte Sina Exo. 19. 20. And after certayn dayes was the presthode ceremonies appoynted them Where as God then made a couenaunt with AbrahaÌ„ whan he ordeyned the circuncision It serueth more to the coÌ„firmacion of oure holy christen faith then to the mayntenaunce of the Jewish ceremonyes Isaac and Jacob were Abraham chyldren not onely after the flesh but also after the sprete For they had the fayth of their father and graundfather Abraham put their trust onely in god thorow Jesus Christ and lyued a sober vertuos lyfe Of thys doth the scripture beare them recorde thorow out Jea Jacob whome the Lorde also called otherwyse Israell of whome
whiche shall come shortly to iudgement and vtterly destroye the kyuge dome of Antichrist whom he now kylleth with the sprete of his mouth Our possessioÌ„ is not here vpoÌ„ earth the kyngdom of heauen is our natiue countre From theÌ„ce loke we for the sauyoure Jesus Christ our Lorde which shall rayse vp oute mortall miserable body that he maye make it lyke hys excellent and glorified body ator dinge to the power wherby he maye subdue all thynges vnto hym self To him be â–ª honoure and prayse for euer and euer Amen The accustomaâ— goodnes of God God hath shewed no lesse kindnes to vs theÌ„ he did to the olde worlde Thei that folowe goddes worde are laughed to scorne The doctrine of Christes fayth is no newe thyng 1. Cor. i. â— Cor. ii To vs whiche are saued it is the power of God What fayth is Ad Romanos Gala Ephe. Jaco ii Hebre. xi Ro. xiiii Actes .xv. i. Peter v Gala. v. â— Cor. xiiii â–ª Hebre. xi Jaco i. would to god we had many suche as James the Apostle was O vnthaÌ„kful world S James wold not spare to rebuke suche AgaiÌ„st suche grosse vices wold not S James spare to â—â— speake Let euery man take the payns to rebuke his owne faulte We must put on the nature of gods doctrine Let the workes of God which are past be a warnyng to vs. The christen fayth is elder then 1500 yeares Eusebius ActuuÌ„ xi The fyrst creatioÌ„ of heaueÌ„ and earth The garnyshynge of heauen and erth The office â—â— the 〈…〉 in the firmament Fyshes Foules Beastes The treatioÌ„ of maÌ„ The creacioÌ„ of the woman The requeste of the commaundement The vnthankfulnesse and wickednesse of man The righteousnes and mercy of god The way of satisfactioÌ„ before God is Christe Synne The frowardnes of man Why god gaue the womaÌ„ vnto man Grace We all are lothe to knowlege oure selues gyltye Punyshement The promes â—ene iii. The serpeÌ„tes heade The sure foundatioÌ„ of oure fayth Ro. viii â— Corin. â— The gospell of Jesu Chryst Esaye vii A prayse of the virgin Mari Hebre. iâ— â–ª Gene. iii. Christes hâ—oe i. Pet. iiii John xiiâ—i Rom. xvi Obiection Answere Gene. iii. Gene. iii. i. Timo. 2 i. Tessa 4. Ephe. iiii Hebre. ix The summe of the Christen faith Gene. iii. Adams fayth CoÌ„forte helpe louing kindnes in the myddes of correction Gene. iii. CoÌ„forte pacieÌ„ce in Christ i. Pet. ii Adams fayth Hebre. xi Sacrifice was a token oâ— thankfulnesse Cain the father of wickednesse Abel the The difference of true false fayth â–ª The fyrst deâ—aâ—â— of the faith â–ª The reparacion of our fayth Gene. iiii â–ª Inuocaâ—e nomen domini quid sit The faith of Enoch Genesi v. the wrath of God vpon the wycked The renewynge of the promes concernynge christ The sacrifice of Noe. Gene. viii Ephesi v Math. iii. The commaundemeÌ„tes geuen vnto Noe. Thorowe Noe was the world replenshed The faith of the heitheÌ„ is ydolatry and worshyppynge of ymages â–ª Gene. xâ— â–ª Gene. xii AbrahaÌ„s fayth AbrahaÌ„s Christen workes The faith of the Jewes How olde the Christsten fayth is The faith of Isaac Jacob. Ge. xxviii Jacob sawe that christ onely is the waye to heauen The faith of Joseph The faith of Moses The Easter lambe The genynge of the lawe The fyrst table Mat. xxii The secoÌ„de table The lawe written in stone is no newe thyng The lawe written in stone was fylled afore ObiectioÌ„ Answere Gods Testament SaluatioÌ„ ObiectioÌ„ Answere why the lawe was geuen The lawe is the rule to lyue by The brasen serpeÌ„t Christe is the rock Question Answere One altar what it signified Note this well Why the ceremonies of the law were geuen The godly consideracion of fathers Question Answere Why god ordeyned such a loÌ„g seruice among the Jewes God rendreth oure weaknes Lawes iudiciall The fyrst boke Moses The secoÌ„de boke of Moses The third boke The fourthe oke The fifth boke The origenall scripture of our fayth The lawe written is no newe thynge Josue was a figure of Christ An heresy of the ana baptistes Rulers must punishe An errour Of kyng Dauid Act. xiii The holy Trynyte The faith of Dauid in Christe The spirituall kingdome of Christ Act. i. A battayll The birth of Christ The office of Christ â–ª Christes cause shal forth Christe shall destroye his enemies The passion of Christ The article of the holy Trinite Dauid was called Christes father The wayes of Dauid Kynge â—bia The departyng of Israe â–ª froÌ„ Juda. Kynge Jehu God alwaies sen deth hys prophetes The prophetes preached â—he olde â—ayth The lawe the prophetes alowe the righteousnes of god that commeth by fayth The godhead and manhode of Christ The righteous blossome John baptiste The office of Christ Christe is called Dauid The miracles of Christe The kingdome of Christ The deth of Christ The sacrifice of Christe â—acha iii. The buryall resurrection of Christ The asceÌ„sion The vocatioÌ„ of the Heithen The prophetes soughte saluacion in Christ A prophecye tolde vnto Daniell The nombre of the yeares Antiochê° God had euer some vertuous men â—achay Symeon All gods electe wer saued by Christ The olde testament is not to be refused Luk. xxiiii The new TestameÌ„t dec are â–ª h the olde Tidinges of Christes birth The grace of God Christ the onely saluacion of all the worlde Luce. iiâ— The dewry of vs. John baptist John i. John i. Mat. xi Math. iii. Math. iii â–ª The substauÌ„ce of true religion The speciall pointes of christes doctryne The pacient suffringe of Christ the frute of Christes death Water bloude The buriall of Christ The power of Christ saueth all christ hold nothinge back froÌ„ hys apostles The holy goost broughte no new doctryne Joh. xiiii Mar. xvi Act xiii â—â— xxviii The supper of the Lorde The frute of the sacramentes The Apostles dyd not ouer charge the people with ceremonies The Apostles wolde not offende the weake the decay of christes religion What in coÌ„uenieÌ„ce â–ª folowed The Pope Machomet stryâ—e agaynste Christe Let vs do as our olâ—est fathers haue done longe before vs. Philip. iii.
name of god in vayne or lightly And that we shuld halow the Sabbath daye In the other table ordeyned he sixe commaundementes concerninge man And lyke as the soure first are comprehended in these wordes Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hert c. Euen so are the sixe conteyned in these woâ—des folowynge Thou shalt loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe The commaundementes are these Thou shalt honoure father mother Thou shalt not kyll Thou shalt not breawedloke Thou shalt not â—â—eale Thou shalt beare no false witnesse Thou shalt not lust In all these commaundementes is comprehended all that serueth for a godly lyfe and that any where is written of God of true seruynge of God and of right vertue towarde thys worlde Who so now doth well pondre these ten chapters or commaundementes compareth them to the doynges and workes of the holy Patriarkes and olde fathers whiche had no lawe in writtynge He shall fynde that the Lorde now with thys hys written law beganne no new thing nether oughte that was not afore in the worlde but rather renewed the olde and the lawe that he hytherto had wrytteÌ„ in the hartes of holy men now whaÌ„ the people had gotten them stony hartes he wrote the same in tables of stone For that we oughte to worshyppe and serue God onely and haue none other goddes the same dyd the holy fathers so beleue kepe that all theyr coÌ„uersacion doyng beareth recorde therof CoÌ„ternyng ymages or ydols it is euydeÌ„t that Jacob buryed the ydols of Mesopotamia vnder an Oke besyde Sichem Genesis .xxxv. We may perceyue also by the dothes of AbrahaÌ„ Jsaac and Jacob how the name of god was had in reuerence among theÌ„ of olde not takeÌ„ in vayne The Sabboth dyd not the Lorde ordeyne here first but on the seueÌ„th day of the creatioÌ„ Gen. i. The same dyd the fathers kepe a ryght no doute JohnÌ„ vii Where as Cham had not hys father Noe in reuereÌ„ce he was cursed for it Gene. iâ— Aduoutry dyd the HeytheÌ„ rulers forbyd vnder paine of death as we may se Gen. xxvi Wherby it is casye to vnderstande how the blessed frendes of God kepte holy wedlock Howe contrary the holy men were vnto theft and dysceate it apeareth in the parting of Abraham and Loth Gen. xiii And in Jacobs faithfulnesse handlyng wyth Laban hys father in law Gene. xxix xxx xxxi Lyenge false dealynge was so farre from the holy Fathers that for kepynge theyr credence and trueth they opteyned very great commendacion Notwithstondynge they were tempted with euell as all men be but they resisted the wicked lustes For manifest is the chaist acte of Joseph which wolde not touch hys maisters wyfe nor desyre her Wherfore in these commaundementes is nothynge written or requyred that was not also requyred of the fathers afore the lawe perfourmed thorow true fayth in Christe The Lorde therfore beganne no new thyng with his people whan he delyuered them the tables of the law Onely he wolde brynge in to a shorte summe and set in wrytynge all the lawe that the feathers had but not together ner comprehended in a summe to the intent that they shuld the lesse be forgotten of the people which thorow their dwellynge in Egipte amonge ydolaters false beleuers were brought in to sore offence and slaunder Thys must now be rectified agayne after thys maner As for all the lawes and ordinances whiche afterward were added vnto these two tables they were not ioyned ther vnto as principall lawes but as by lawes for the declaracion and better vnderstondynge of the ten chapters or commaundementes For the perfecte summe of all lawes the very righte rule of godlynesse of god seruyce of righteousnesse of good and euell conuersacion is comprehended already in the two tables But here might some men make obieccion and saye Yf all trueth be conteyned in these ten commaundementes how happeneth it that by no token there is mencioÌ„ made of the blessed sede promised vn to the fathers Hitherto is it declared and promysed vnto the holy fathers that they shal be saued thorow the blessed sede out of the very grace of God and for none of their owne deseruinges but now are written lawes which commaunde and forbyd vs as though we thorow oure owne workes and deseruinge as namely yf we kepe these commaundementes shulde be saued and accepte vnto God Where is nowe Christ Where is the faith of the Patriarkes Here is nothinge heard of faith but moche yee onely of workes Answere This obiection hath disceaued many that they haue had no right opinion and faith of the grace of God oure righteous making Therfore wyl we now geue no answere out of our selues but set forth holy Paul let hym answere that the answere maye be the more sure the better estemed Paul in the .iii. chapter to the Galathians wryteth after this maner Deare brethren I will speake after the maner of men whan a mans testament is confirmed no man doth lightely regarde or despyse it ner addeth oughte therto Now were the promises made vnto Abraham and to hys sede He sayeth not In the sedes as in many but as in one And in thy sede which is Christ All these are Pauls wordes and the meanyng of them is For asmoche as the testamentes or wor kes of men are of suche reputacion in the worlde that whan they are made ordeyned and confyrmed no man darre adde oughte to them or mynyshe any thyng froÌ„ them but euery man muste let them be as they are of them selues It is muche more reason that gods TestameÌ„t or bequest remayne styll and that nothyng be added to it or taken from it Now dyd God make a testament or bequest wyth AbrahaÌ„ and promised hym therin that he woulde geue hym a sede in whom he hys childreÌ„ shuld be saued And the same saluatioÌ„ dyd he expresly appoynte in one and not in many Wherfore we must adde nothynge vnto gods bequest seyng he hath promysed vs saluation in Christ only and not in many that is to saye in no creature not in our owne power and workes of the law nether must we thinke that the law was afterwarde added to the intent as thoughe Chryste were not able to saue vs or as though we myghte opteyne saluation by oure owne workes oute of the lawe For thus foloweth it in Paull word to word Thys testameÌ„t I saye whych afore was confyrmed to Christward is not dysanulled or made of none effecte by the Lawe whyche was geuen beyonde foure hundreth yeares ther after For yf the enheritaunce be gotten by the Lawe then is it not geuen by the promes But God gaue it frely vnto Abraham by promes These are Pauls wordes out of the which euery man maye vnderstande that to the generacion of man saluacyon is geuen onely oâ— the grace of God thorowe the promes and thorow no deseruyng at all And that the
law of the promes that is to saye the bequest and Testamēt of god is nothing mynyshed but that the summe remayneth wythout blemishe namely that saluacion is geuen vs frely But here myght one aske Seyng that the saluation is clearly ynough expressed afore the law and is ascribed onely vnto the grace of God why woulde God then adde the lawe why was he not contente wyth the Testament alone Therfore foloweth it nowe in Paull Why then serueth the lawe It was added bycause of transgression tyll the sede came that was promised These are Pauls wordes whyche are thus to be vnderstande The lawe was not geuen because of the promes to make it of none effecte and to teache that men are saued by workes and not thorow the grace and free lyberalyte of God but it was geuen because of transgression that is to saye because that the people of God in Egypte hadde transgressed the waye and truethe of theyr Fathers and knewe nomore what was synne ryghte or vnryghte wherein stode saluacion or dampnation for they were corrupte thorowe the longe dwellynge amonge the Ydolaters of Egypte Therfore dyd God ordeyne them the Lawe oute of the whyche they myghte lerne the wyll of God what Synne ryghte or vnryghte is and to know them selues to go in to them selues and to consydre how that the holy workes wyche God requyreth are not in theyr owne power for the whych cause all the worlde haue greate nede of a mediatoure And thus the lawe was geuen to furthur the promes namely that we thorowe the lawe myghte be led onely vnto Chryste For thus folowethe it in Pauls wordes And it was geuen of Aungels by the hande of the mediatoure A mediatour is not a Mediatour of one onely but god is one Is the lawe then agaynste the promyses of God God forbyd Howbeit yf there had bene geuen a law whych coulde haue geuen lyfe then no doute ryghteousnes shulde come of the law But the scripture hath shutte vp all vnder synne that the promise shoulde come by the faythe on Jesus Chryste geuen vnto them that beleue Before fayth came that is to say Jesus Christ in whome we beloue we were kepte and shutte vp vnder the lawe vnto the fayth whyche shulde afterwarde be declared Thus was the lawe oure scolemaster vnto Chryst that we myght be made ryghteous by fayth c. By these wordes of Paul may euery man vnderstande now for what cause the lawe was geuen and howe it is not contrary to the promes of the foresayd sede but rather bryngeth vs from oure selues and from all creatures only vnto Jesus Christ The law therfore confyrmeth the fyrste promes concernyng the blessed sede teacheth that we opteyne all saluacion in hym onely Howbeit it is also a rule of oure lyfe enfourmynge vs what we ought to do and what we ought to leaue vndone Yet on oure syde is all vnfruteful where faith is not But where faith is it ceasseth not thorowe loue to worke good accordynge to the law all honoure and prayse beynge referred vnto God to men nothyng but vnperfectnesse God also amonge hys people wrought many thynges wherby he set the cause of Jesus Christe clearly a fore the eyes of the people as it is expressed afore by the lande of the Passeouer Lykewyse is it where as Moses hanged vp as serpent in the wildernesse that al they whiche were stonge and poysoned of serpentes shuld beholde the brasen serpent hangynge not dye but be saued alyue Where as doutlesse the outward beholdynge of the brasen serpent saued not them that were poysoned but it was God whiche wolde so declare that hys sonne shulde be hanged vpon a crosse to the intent that euery one whiche were poysoned and defyled by the olde serpente and synne shulde beleue in the sonne of god and lyue in hym For so is it written Sapien. xvi They had a token of health accordinge to the commaundemente For who so conuerted was not made whole by the outwarde thynge whiche he sawe but by the whiche art the restorer of health Sauiour of all And yet saieth Christ more clearly Joh. iii. And lyke as Moses set vp the serpent in the wildernesse euē so must the sonne of man belifte vp that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perishe but haue eternall lyfe And as touchyng thys the holy Apostle Paul bringeth in another sentence .i. Cor. x. and sayeth Brethren I wolde not haue you ignoraunt of thys that oure fathers were all vnder the cloude and all passed thorow the see and were all baptised vnder Moses in the cloude and in the see and dyd all eate one spirituall meate dronke of one spirituall drynke But they dranke all of the spirituall rocke that folowed thē which rocke was Christ Besydes thys yf we considre the declaratiō of the lawes of the first table which teacheth how we shall behaue oure selues right towarde God to loue worshyppe honoure hym to serue hym and to cleue onely vnto hym we shall fynde in the same fyrst table the whole cause of Christ For all that afterward was ordeyned and appoynted concernynge the tabernacle the presthode and the oblations parteyneth to the summe of the first table for asmoche as the scripture and the mouthe of God calleth it hys lawe precepte commaundement vse and statute ordinaunce and seruyce And yf thou aske howe can god whiche is a sprete be serued without warde ▪ visible and fleshly thynges as the foresayde ceremonyes of the Jewes are I answere Suche outwarde rytes of the people of God were sacramentes and tokens of heauenly inuisible good thynges andwere not the heauenly ryches them selues Wherfore they nether serued ner pleased God that vsed and dyd soche seruyce without fayth and lyftinge vp of the mynde But they that put their trust in God cleuynge onely vnto hym and lyftinge vp their hertes hygher and remayned not in the vysible thynge those pleased god Where as they had but one altare and one place appoynted where they shuld do sacrifice It signified the crosse of oure Lorde Jesus Christe and that he shulde be offred vp but ones and that in one place for the syn ne of the worlde Therfore where as the hye prest also euery yeare wente in to the inwarde tabernacle with bloude It signified that oure Lorde Jesus shulde come in to thys worlde and shed hys bloud ones for all to forgeue and clense our synnes ▪ and so to ascende vnto heauen Yee all obletions and all sheddinges of bloud in the sacrifices of the olde fathers signified the death of oure Lorde Jesus Christe No thynge was clensed amonge them with out bloud whiche signifieth that all the pourgynge of oure vnclennesse is done by the bloude of Jesus Christe And all the yresthode whiche was ordeyned for to teache to praye and make intercession to offre and do sacrifice represented the office of oure Lorde Christe Whiche came in to thys worlde to teach vs
the worlde begynnynge of all nacions and of the Patriarkes and olde ryghteous seruauÌ„tes of god of theyr faith and conuersacion of the promises workes â—e god The same wrote he as he was inspired of the holy goost and as he had receaued of olde fathers and somwhat as he founde in the bokes of the Egipcians For Moses was excellently well lerned in all wysdome of the Egipcians as Steuen doth wytnesse of hym Act. vii The other thre bokes wrote he of hys owne tyme accordynge as he hym selfe was present sawe and knewe And specially the seconde koke concernynge the departynge out of Egipt how the people of god were oppressed in Egipte howe the Egypcians were punyshed how Israell was delyuered receaued the lawe and set vp a tabernacle wyth a gorgious seruynge of God In the thyrde boke whych is called Leuiticus are wrytten the spirituall lawes namely suche as concerneth the preestes and the presthode theyr office lyuynge knowlege sacrifices solempne feaste dayes rytes ceremonies and suche lyke In the fourth whyche is called Numeri he wryteth at length how they went thorow the wyldernesse and came to Jordane wyth a rehearsal of theyr ordre and nombre of theyr murmurynge also and punyshment and of certayne victories wyth a remembraunce of certayne lawes and statutes Besyde all thys he made yet an Enchiridion and summe of all the Actes of hys tyme and of the lawe of God whyche is called Deuteronomium the same coÌ„maunded he to be layd in the Arke at the moc oÌ„ of God and that it shulde be red vnto all the people as it is mencioned Deut. xxxi And in these fyue bokes geuen vs of God by Moses is the whole grounde of oure holy faythe For all the Prophetes afterwarde grounded them selues vpon the same and wrote therout lyke as afterwarde our Lorde Jesus and the Apostles poynte vnto Moses Nether dyd euer any ryghte wyse man of vnderstandyng and that feared God doute any thynge or blaspheme suche scriptures And from suche true seruauntes of God haue we hytherto receaued our matters in wrytinge Thus much haue I sayd concernynge the lawe howe it is no newe thynge but euen the onely wyll of god but now compre hended in wryrtynge Moreouer that all the law poynteth vnto Christ and that all men of ryght vnderstandynge whyche lyued vnder the law were Christen For manifest is it that Paull sayde Roma x. Christ is the ende of the lawe to iustifie euery one that beleueth And Galathia iii. Or euer faith that is to saye Christ came we were kepte and shut vp vnder the law vnto the fayth whyche shulde afterwarde be declared Thus was the law our scolemaster vnto Christ that we might be made ryghteous by faith All thys I suppose wyll be new and starunge in many hertes neuertheles I truste that all they whyche haue vnderstandyng do se and knowlege that thys is the true olde ryght and godly Dyuinite and Theologye whyche ascrybeth all honoure vnto god the father thorow oure Lorde Jesu Christe in the holye goost To whome be glory and prayse for euer Amen ¶ All vertuous kynges and the people of Israell trusted vnto Christ and not to the lawe AFter that the law was geuen and the gods seruice set vp Moses the seruaunt of God dyed beynge an hundreth and twentye yeare olde and at the commaundement and commission of God he lefte gods people to be ruled and gyded by the faythfull valâ—auntâ— Josue whyche also was a figure of oure Lorde Jesu For lyke as it was not Moses but Josue that brought the people in to the lande of promes Euen so are we brought in to the eternall reste not by the workes of the lawe nor thorow our own deseruing but by the grace thorow Jesus Christ lyke as it is also wyth many wordes expressed of holy Paul Heb iiii This Josue no doute dyd kepe maynteine and defende gods fayth and religion with the sprete and vnderstandynge thereof and taught other to keye the same â–ª lyke as he thoroâ—e gods inspiration receaued it of the fathers by Moses Whyche thynge thoughe it be euydent in many poyntes yet is it manyfeste specially by thys that he wolde not suffre the chyldren of Rubâ—n and Gâ—d and the halfe tribe of Manâ—sse to set vp and haue another auture beside the onely autare that the lord had appointed them For here in as it is mencioned afore was figured the vertue and perfectnesse of the onely crosse death and sacrificyng of Jesu Christe Therefore wolde not Josue that any thynge shulde be set check mate wyth the cross and oblacion of Jesu Christ but that all honour of cleÌ„synge and forgeuenesse of synnes shulde be ascribed onely vnto hym Where as Josue now and other iudges rulers princes and kynges of Israell after hym vsed sore great warre stroke many horrible battayles destroyed muche lande and people and shed mens bloude without measure he dyd it as a chefe head and as an instrument and vessell of God at the commaundemente of God whyche wolde so punyshe the ydolatrye the great synne blasphemy of the vngodly whych he had longe suffred and exhorted them to amendement but for all hys pacient abydynge they woulde not conuerte Those now dyd he rote out thorowe the swerde of hys beloued frâ—ndes somtyme delyuered he hys people wyth the swerde of the ryghteous and saued them from the haÌ„de of theyr enemyes For because of the synnes of hys people he gaue them ouer somtyme in to the hande of theyr enemies to nurtoure and correcte them wyth the rod then fell the people of God â—â—ede before theyr enemies and were subdued and opprest of the vngodly tyll they knowledged their synnes called vpon god and amended puttynge their truste in good onely thorowe the blessed sede worshyppynge hym onely callynge vpon hym and honourynge hym accordynge to hys worde castynge a waye straunge god seruyce and ydols that shamefull blasphemous and vn godly lyuynge Then sente he them hys helpe and delyuered them in hys power by the ministration of hys appoynted captaynes And soche warrynge delyuerynge and punyshinge was no fleshly vnfaithfull worke whome no man oughte to folowe as some beynge wrapped with the vnstedfast sprete of the Manichees and Ana baptistes do meane For Paul expresseth clearly And what shall I saye of Gedeon Barach Samson and Jephthae Dauid and Samuel and the Prophetes whiche thorow faith subdued kyngdomes wrought righteousnesse opteyned the promyses stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fyre escaped the edge of the swerde of weake were made stronge became valeaunt in batayll turned to flyght the armyes of the aleauntes Hebre. xi All which workes the holy Apostle prayseth and commendeth as excellent workes of faith Therfore are they no workes of the flesh nâ—ther is it now contrary to the holy faith yf Christen rulers delyuer their innocent people whome God hath subdued vnto them from wrongfull violence and defende their libertye