Looke from Adam And behold THE PROTESTANTS FAITH AND RELIGION EVIDENTLY PROVED OVT OF the holy Scriptures against all Atheists Papists loose Libertines and Carnall Gospellers and that the Faith which they professe hath continued from the beginning of the world and so is the true and ancient Faith HEREIN HAST THOU ALSO A SHORT SVMME OF THE WHOLE BIBLE and a plaine manifestation that all holy men who have pleased God have beene saved through this Christian Faith alone LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Thomas Pavier and are to be sold at his shop in Ivie Lane 1624. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER HAving divers times observed with my selfe most Christian Reader that the doctrine of the Gospell which hath beene now freely preached these many yeeres amongst us in this our flourishing Common-wealth is yet daily and ordinarily by sundry persons charged with noveltie as which being an upstart were not of sufficient standing or antiquitie I thought it not amisse in this respect either for the confutation of the obstinate adversarie or for the comfort of the weake and simple professour of religion to publish and set forth this little worke of M r. Miles Coverdale who for his integritie of life and fame in learning and other excellent gifts was so renowmed in the Church of Christ in his age that I doubt not but that his onely name will be a sufficient credit with any man that is not maliciously disposed for the full allowance and well-liking of any such monument of his as he of pure zeale and good affection hath commended to us his posteritie By which travels of his as hee hath generally shewed himselfe a notable member in the Church of God so hath he thereby especially well deserved of this his native Countrey Wherefore not willing to detain thee from better matter I wish thee to use this booke to thy profit and with mee to give thanks to our mercifull Father for this valiant Souldier as also for other worthie Martyrs of his time which after the battell by themselves fought have by Gods providence left spirituall children I meane their good bookes to make a supply that Christs Church may bee encreased to the utter confusion and overthrow of Antichrist Farewell in the Lord. Miles Coverdale TO ALL CHRISTIAN Readers wisheth grace mercy and peace from God the Father through our Lord and onely Saviour IESVS CHRIST LIke as the Almighty eternall God three in persons and one in substance of his tender mercy and love not only created man at the beginning after his owne similitude and likenesse but also when he was lost most graciously redeemed him and brought him out of bond age Even so when man neither regarding his wonderfull creation nor his most deare redemption gropeth in darknesse in vice and blindnesse lieth in the Devils prison and goeth in the way of damnation God alway setteth up his light before him sendeth the message of his word unto him sheweth him what case he is in giveth him warning openeth the prison doore calleth him out of the Devils service telleth him what danger it is to be his bondman or servant unto sinne This doth God alway afore he punish and plague the world This I say hath ever beene the worke of God since the beginning as the stories and prophesies of all the holy Bible doe testifie And though we had no writing of Gods acts in times past yet hath he practised this same his wonderfull worke of mercy upon us So that like as we must needs confesse that we are created of God and redeemed by his only mercy in his deare Sonne Iesus Christ So can we not denie but we have heard his holy message had no lesse preachings and warnings of dangers to come than other have had afore our daies Yea even the same mercifull God that sent Noe to preach righteousnesse unto the wicked world and converted the Ninivites by his word in the ministration of the Prophet Ionas hath done even so with us in every condition And some thanks be unto him therefore hath bee brought out of darknesse into his wonderfull light and out of the devils service into the kingdome of his deare Sonne But alas and woe to this unthankfull world For like as a great number that be in prison of Satan will not come forth when they are called and the doore set open but goe on still stumbling in darknesse when the lanterne of light is offered them Even so if any play a wise mans part and doe as he is warned by Gods word hee shall have a sort of apish people a number of dizerds and scornfull mockers which because the man will not dance in the devils morrys with them nor keepe their company in the bondage of sinne and vice neither runne with them unto like confusion as S. Peter calleth it laugh him to scorne and bleare out their tongues at him even like fooles and cockscombs of the world And like as when a poore wretch commeth out of prison he shall have moe to stand gasing and gaping upon him than to doe him good or to helpe him to his fees Even so now that God of his mercy hath called us out of Satans prison and from the schoole of false doctrine my Lords foole with his companions standeth staring upon us and mocketh us because we sit not still with other prisoners There goeth a fellow of the new learning saith one there is one of these new-fangled Gospellers saith another that is one of the new brethren saith the third he followeth the new faith c. Wherefore in consideration hereof I have here set forth this booke partly because it sheweth the antiquitie and ancient age of our holy Christian faith and partly to give occasion unto all such as have received it not to be ashamed of it nor to shrinke from it for any opprobrious mockage or scornfull derision in this world The Apostle saith that the preaching or word of Christs crosse is foolishnesse to them that perish and that the thing which appertaineth to the spirit of God is foolishnesse to a carnall minded man Whereby like as we may learne that it is no new thing to be mocked and stared upon for holding with the doctrine that maketh so much of Christ his death and the true worshipping of God in the spirit even so may we see to the singular comfort of our conscience that no man mocketh us for it but such as perish and are carnally minded and that for all their derision and scorning it is yet the power of God 1 Cor. 1.18 and belongeth to his holy spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 and is not our owne doctrine neither of any other mans making This is now to us a comfort and consolation But because the world is angry with us for our faith and giveth us so euill report for teaching it it shall be expedient for us to declare what faith is and what faith we meane when we make mention thereof First
of his Epistle What would such an holy Apostle say to this wicked world wherein a great number pretending to be Christian men are given so to quarelling and fighting to voluptuousnesse and inordinate lusts to envie and indignation to unlawfull spending and consuming of that they may get to advoutrie to the despising of holy wedlocke to shamefull uncleannesse either not willing to marry or else putting away their wives for light occasions and for satisfying of their owne trifling lusts falling in love with the vaine friendship of this world taking part against God yea whereas by their profession oath and allegiance which they owe to their most high Soveraigne the King of heaven they should in a vertuous conversation maintaine all godlinesse are become even enemies suppressours and overthrowers thereof as well through their obstinate and cruell resisting of Gods word as by other wicked examples of their vicious and filthy living What would holy S. Iames say to such unthankfull bellies that knowing the truth live after such a sort Would he spare them though they were never so rich and wealthie Reade the fourth chapter of his Epistle and the first part of his fifth chapter and yee will judge the contrarie Wherefore most deare Readers whosoever of you hath beene slacke to follow the good life and godly conversation that S. Iames and all the other Scripture beside requireth to be in them which professe the old faith let them take better hold turne againe to the truth and follow that loving exhortation which holy S. Iames maketh in the latter end of his Epistle And if he hath at the first not enclined to Gods word nor received it unfainedly in meekenesse nor submitted himselfe to be ordered thereby and to cast away all uncleannesse c. But hath haply suffered it promoted it set it forth or taken a pretence of favour and love to it for some other purpose to obtaine any carnall profit gaines or libertie by it let him not put holy S. Iames or any other true messenger of God to the paines of rebuking him for so doing let him rather enter into himselfe reprove his owne fault and abuse in that behalfe abhorre it in any wise be angry displeased and discontent with himselfe sorie and repentant for it shame not to aske God mercie and by good workes from hence forward to labour that the glory of God and worship of his truth may be preferred and set up which he by such his unchristian living hath in times past caused to be hindred In conclusion Though there be never so many that recant and deny Gods holy word either in their living and conversation or in their words writing or preaching yet as many of us as are entered into the schoole of that wisdome which is from aboue let us be true scholers of the same and practise it both in our thought word and deed let us even enter into the nature and kinde thereof which as S. Iames saith Iam. 3. is pure peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated full of mercie and good fruits without judging and dissimulation Which thing if we doe then shall we follow no filthy doctrine nor counterfeited wisdome then shall we be no breakers of peace then shall we be as glad to forgive as we would be forgiven glad to be reformed rich and plentifull in the workes of mercie and good fruits of the old faith then shall we be no quarrell-pickers or dissemblers with any man Then shall wee not only be found the maintainers of peace and all good order but peaceably also and in all gentle manner shall we both in word and deed sow spread abroad and shew the fruit of that righteousnesse which commeth only of God through Iesus Christ If any of them that are gone of high or low estate pretending to be maintainers favourers setters forth or scholers of Christs doctrine hath in any condition dissembled therewith fallen from God misbehaved himselfe in the affaires of his Prince misgoverned his houshold maintained riot vice and sinne or brought the good word of God into any evill report by his ungodly conversation as I feare me it be too true let us beware by such mens fall Let us not receive the grace of God in vaine For like as they that harden their hearts at Gods word and spurne wilfully against it are sure of their damnation except they repent Even so they that dissemble withall shall finde their judgement Wherefore let us that have received the old true faith of Christ not only be content to abide any storme or trouble for it yea to be mocked scorned persecuted and put to death therefore if it so please God but also unfainedly every man to his power in his heart by fervent prayer in his mouth by good words and in all his bodie by vertuous conversation and good Christian workes helpe and labour that the blessed word of God may have the due honour belonging thereunto and that the same which it hath lost through ungodly behaviour of some may through the grace and goodnesse of God bee wonne againe in our good living That God may have of us better servants our Prince truer subjects and our neighbours more unfained lovers than many have been before us Amen AN EVIDENT DECLARATION OVT of the Holy Scriptures that the Christian faith hath endured since the beginning of the world and that through it only all vertuous men pleased God and were saved CHAP. I. I SVPPOSE plainly that many simple Christian men will not a little wonder at this mine enterprise they are so perswaded and thinke the Christian faith did first beginne under Tiberius the Emperour for as much as out of the Gospell of Luke it is certaine that in the fifteenth yeere of Tiberius Iohn Baptist beganne to preach the Gospell and all histories say with one accord that in the xviij yeare of Tiberius Iesus Christ did suffer Now it is true that all the Prophecies were then first fulfilled and the true salvation performed yea from that time forth were all the glorious treasures of Christ so richly declared and powred out among all people as they never were afore Notwithstanding the same salvation in Christ Iesus was promised long afore and so opened to the holy old Fathers that they have no lesse sight of Christ Iesus in the spirit than we and put their trust in him as well as we though among us it be cleere and open or performed and fulfilled that among them was somewhat darker and therefore looked for with hearts desire as a thing for to come Moreover it is not I that first bring forth this meaning concerning the antiquitie or oldnesse of our Christian faith for the holy Bishop Eusebius Cesariens which lived above eleven hundred yeeres agoe and likewise many other Christian Doctors hath also taught and written the same more cleerely before me For Eusebius in the first booke De Ecclesiastica historia saith plainly All
him and goe in his footsteps Out of all this is it easie to understand what faith and knowledge Adam had of our Lord Christ namely that he knew in him very Godhead and manhood and that he saw in faith his Passion and Crosse a farre off Moreover that the passion of Christ once done for all breaketh the kingdome of the devill and bringeth life againe to such as faithfully beleeve Secondly that it is to our living an example at the which wee ought to learne patience in adversitie and daily to die from all evill And hereto now serve all doctrines of patience of bearing the crosse of despising the world and mortifying or putting off the old Adam which thing is contained and with many and goodly words handled thorowout the Prophets and Apostles As for Adam and Eve they lacked none of these things though they had not the matter in writing For God spake it all to them himselfe and wrote it in their hearts Moreover our first Elders had no Church rites nor ceremonies save only the bodily offering a representation of the sacrificing of Christ and exercises or tokens of thankfulnesse For how should Cain and Abel else have knowne any thing of sacrifice if they had not received the same at the custome of their father who with his wife Eva the mother of us all was saved by none other worke or merit of man but only through and in the blessed seed our Lord Iesus Christ CHAP. V. That the holy Patriarks also were Christians and saved by Christ SUch faith in Christ Iesus as we now have spoken of did the holy father Adam no doubt teach his children that they also might plant in their children the promise of God his mercy and device concerning the Messias or Saviour that was for to come And truly Abel had such a notable faith in God that the holy Apostle Paul wrote of him after this manner Through faith did Abel offer a greater sacrifice than did Cain and thereby obtained he witnesse that he was righteous For God bare record to his gifts In as much then as it cannot be denied but that all they which are just and righteous be made righteous through the blessed seed And Abel was justified It followeth that he was made righteous through faith in Iesus Christ In that he did sacrifice it is a token and fruit of a heart that was thankfull and feared God It was no such enterprise that he would clense and make himselfe acceptable unto God through that outward sacrifice For certaine it is that no outward oblation purifieth man within But the grace of God granted unto us through Jesus Christ purifieth us aright And the outward sacrifices of the old fathers beside that they were tokens of thankfulnesse praise and magnifying of God as it is said afore were figures of the only perpetuall sacrifice of our Saviour Christ And in this behalfe they were even as much as sacraments of things to come Thus also and in like understanding have our first fathers done sacrifice as hereafter it shall follow more largely Now like as in Abel there is set forth unto us an example of Gods seed and of a regenerate true faithfull Christian man So is Cain a seed of the Serpent a childe of the Devill which despised the inspiration of God and harkened to the deceitfull Serpent And in these two brethren wee may see what God meaned when he said I will put enmitie betweene the seed of the woman and thy seed As though he would say There shall be two manner of people the one shall cleave unto Christ the blessed seed the other shall cleave unto the Devill And these two generations shall in no wise agree but be at variance in faith and religion I will endue my seed that they shall cleave only unto me feare me honour and worship mee seeke all salvation in me through the blessed seed live vertuously honestly and soberly Then shall the Serpent tempt their seed with hypocrisie not to love me nor serve mee aright not to hold of mee as they should not to trust in me but to love the world and to follow the lusts and temptations thereof All this finde wee here in these two brethren in whom beginneth the first difference of true and false beleevers For Abel was simple godly and of a constant faith in God And in as much as he tooke God for his refuge he brought him gifts of his best substance no doubt because he had first given over his soule and all his power unto God at whom alone hee sought all good without any hypocrisie He was also innocent vertuous and friendly and followed not his owne tentations And for this faiths sake did his sacrifice please God but Cains pleased him not for his heart was not right with God he was a dissembler greedie and vnfaithfull person which set his heart and minde upon earthly things alway despising Gods word and following his owne tentation Which thing was evident in this that he having no cause only of a wilfull heart and through the temptation of the serpent murthered his owne brother Whereby hee hath obtained to be the Arch-father of all murtherers which persecute and murther the seed of God that is to say the true beleevers only for their faiths sake Thus became Abel the first martyr and instrument of God and of Christ in the holy Church For these two brethren have set forth before us the whole battell and strife which the world the citie of the devill the children and citizens of the cursed citie wherein the Serpent is head and master and hath the dominion shall make against the citie and citizens in whom Christ is the head unto the end of the world The freemen of the citie of God and of Christ doe cleave only unto God serve him with all their heart build only upon Christ The citizens of the Serpent despise God and yet they boast of God to whom also they offer and doe service but not as they ought to doe Now when they perceive that their faith is not right and that their hypocrisie is espied and misliked then fall they to murthering to the which God is an enemie and forbiddeth it with his word For Cain also exhorted hee from his purpose and said Thou needest not to arme thee because of thy brother for thou hast none occasion to be angrie with him For if thou doest right thou shalt finde it and have joy thereof but if thou dost not right then is thy misfortune sinne and trespasse open and thou shalt shame and destroy thy selfe Thy brother goeth on without fault he shall doe thee no hurt nor harme he shall also not be Lord over thee nor minish thy right Yea he shall have respect unto thee and thou shalt have dominion over him and so keepe thy birth-right and still remaine the first borne although his sacrifice be acceptable unto mee and not thine Cease therefore
are delivered from the power of the devill and from everlasting death through Iesus Christ and brought into the land of promise even to eternall joy and salvation which God promised unto our fathers Adam Noe Abraham Isaac and Iacob Now when the Lord had caried his people out of Aegypt and brought them thorow the red sea drie shod and had drowned Pharao with all his people he commanded his folke to prepare and cleanse themselues at mount Sina For he would binde himselfe unto them receive them as his owne people and give them his law and ordinance Which thing he also did and appointed his law himselfe spake it with his owne mouth and wrote it with his owne fingers in two tables of stone In the one and first table hee ordained foure commandements concerning the worship and love of God namely that wee should take him only for the true and right God and none else beside or except him That wee should worship and honour him only and in no wise to have any other God comfort or hope Item that we should in no wise make any image or picture of any things and neither to worship them nor serve them Moreover that wee should not take the name of God in vaine or lightly And that wee should hallow the Sabboth day In the other table ordained he six commandements concerning man And like as the foure first are comprehended in these words Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. Euen so are the six contained in these words following Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe The commandements are these Thou shalt honour father and mother Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not breake wedlocke Thou shalt not steale Thou shalt beare no false witnesse Thou shalt not lâ—st In all these commandements is comprehended all that serveth for a godly life and that any where is written of God of true serving of God and of right vertue towards this world Who so now doth well ponder these ten chapters or commandements and compareth them to the doings and workes of the holy Patriarks and old Fathers which had no law in writing he shall finde that the Lord now with this his written law began no new thing neither ought that was not afore in the world but rather renewed the old and the law that he hitherto had written in the hearts of holy men now when the people had gotten them stony hearts he wrote the same in tables of stone For that wee ought to worship and serve God onely and to have none other Gods the same did the holy fathers so beleeve and keepe that all their conversation and doing beareth record thereof Concerning images or idols it is evident that Iacob buried the Idols of Mesopotamia under an Oke beside Sichem Gen. 35.4 We may perceive also by the oathes of Abraham Isaac and Iacob how the name of God was had in reverence among them of old and not taken in vaine The Sabbath did not the Lord ordaine here first but on the seventh day of the Creation Gen. 2.3 The same did the fathers keepe aright no doubt Iohn 7.22 Whereas Cham had not his father Noe in reverence he was cursed for it Gen. 9.25 Advoutry did the heathen rulers forbid under paine of death as we may see Gen. 26.10 11. Whereby it is easie to understand how the blessed friends of God kept holy wedlocke How contrary the holy men were unto theft and deceit it appeareth in the parting of Abraham and Loth Gen. 13.6 8 9. And in Iacobs faithfulnesse and handling with Laban his father in law Gen 29.37 30 33 31.6 Lying and false dealing was so farre from the holy fathers that for keeping their credit and truth they obtained very great commendation Notwithstanding they were tempted with evill as all men be but they resisted the wicked lusts For manifest is the chaste act of Ioseph which would not touch his masters wife nor desire her Wherefore in these commandements is nothing written or required that was not also required of the fathers afore the law and performed through true faith in Christ The Lord therefore began no new thing with his people when hee delivered them the tables of the law Only he would bring into a short summe and set in writing all the law that the Fathers had but not together nor comprehended in a summe to the intent that they should the lesse be forgotten of the people which through their dwelling in Aegypt among Idolaters and false beleevers were brought into sore offence and slander This must now be rectified againe after this manner As for all the lawes and ordinances which afterward were added unto these two tables they were not joyned thereunto as principall lawes but as by-lawes for the declaration and better understanding of the ten Chapters or Commandements For the perfect summe of all lawes the very right rule of godlinesse of Gods service of righteousnesse of good and evill conversation is comprehended alreadie in the two tables But here might some men make objection and say If all truth be contained in these ten Commandements how happeneth it that by no token there is mention made of the blessed seed promised unto the Fathers Hitherto is it declared and promised unto the holy Fathers that they shall be saved through the blessed seed out of the very grace of God and for none of their owne deservings but now are written lawes which command and forbid us as though we through our owne workes and deserving as namely if we keepe these Commandements should be saved and acceptable unto God Where is now Christ Where is the faith of the Patriarkes Here is nothing heard of faith but much yea only of workes Answer This objection hath deceived many that they have had no right opinion and faith of the grace of God and our righteous making Therefore will we now give no answer out of our selves but set forth holy Paul and let him answer that the answer may be the more sure and the better esteemed Paul in the third chapter to the Galathians writeth after this manner Deare brethren I will speake after the manner of men When a mans Testament is confirmed no man doth lightly regard or despise it nor addeth ought thereto Now were the promises made unto Abraham and to his seed He saith not In the seeds as in many but as in one And in thy seed which is Christ All these are Pauls words and the meaning of them is For as much as the Testaments or workes of men are of such reputation in the world that when they are made ordained and confirmed no man dare adde ought to them or minish any thing from them but every man must let them be as they are of themselves It is much more reason that Gods Testament or bequest remaine still and that nothing be added to it or
taken from it Now did God make a Testament or bequest with Abraham and promised him therein that he would give him a seed in whom he and his children should be saved And the same salvation did he expresly appoint in one and not in many Wherefore wee must adde nothing unto Gods bequest seeing he hath promised vs salvation in Christ only and not in many that is to say in no creature not in our owne power and workes of the Law neither must wee thinke that the Law was afterward added to the intent as though Christ were not able to save us or as though we might obtaine salvation by our owne workes out of the Law For thus followeth it in Paul word to word This Testament I say which afore was confirmed to Christward is not disanulled or made of none effect by the Law which was given beyond foure hundred yeeres thereafter For if the inheritance begotten by the Law then is it not given by the promise But God gave it freely unto Abraham by promise These are Pauls words out of the which every man may understand that to the generation of man salvation is given only of the grace of God through the promise and through no deserving at all and that the law of the promise that is to say the bequest and Testament of God is nothing minished but that the summe remaineth without blemish namely that salvation is given us freely But here might one aske Seeing that the salvation is clearely enough expressed afore the Law and is ascribed only unto the grace of God why would God then adde the Law why was he not content with the Testament alone Therefore followeth it now in Paul Why then serveth the Law It was added because of transgressions till the seed came that was promised These are Pauls words which are thus to be understood The Law was not given because of the promise to make it of none effect and to teach that men are saved by workes and not through the grace and free liberty of God but it was given because of transgression that is to say because that the people of God in Aegypt had transgressed the way and truth of their Fathers and knew no more what was sinne right or unright wherein stood salvation or damnation for they were corrupt through the long dwelling among the Idolaters of Aegypt Therefore did God ordaine them the Law out of the which they might learne the will of God what sinne right or unright is and to know themselves to goe into themselves and to consider how that the holy workes which God requireth are not in their owne power for the which cause all the world have great need of a Mediator And thus the Law was given to further the promise namely that wee through the Law might be led only unto Christ For thus followeth it in Pauls words And it was given of Angels by the hand of a Mediator A Mediatour is not a Mediatour of one only but God is one Is the Law then against the promises of God God forbid Howbeit if there had beene given a law which could have given life then no doubt righteousnesse should come of the Law But the Scripture hath shut up all under sinne that the promise should come by the faith on Iesus Christ given unto them that beleeve Before faith came that is to say Iesus Christ in whom we beleeve we were kept and shut up under the Law unto the faith which should afterward be declared Thus was the Law our Schoole-master unto Christ that we might be made righteous by faith c. By these words of Paul may every man understand now for what cause the Law was given and how it is not contrary to the promise of the foresaid seed but rather bringeth us from our selves and from all creatures only unto Iesus Christ The Law therefore confirmeth the first promise concerning the blessed seed and teacheth that wee obtaine all salvation in him only Howbeit it is also a rule of our life informing us what wee ought to doe and what we ought to leave undone Yet on our side is all unfruitfull where faith is not But where faith is it ceaseth not through love to worke good according to the Law all honour and praise being referred unto God to men nothing but unperfectnesse God also among his people wrought many things whereby hee set the cause of Iesus Christ clearely afore the eies of the people as it is expressed afore by the Lambe of the Passeover Likewise is it where as Moses hanged up a Serpent in the wildernesse that all they which were stung and poisoned of serpents should behold the brasen serpent hanging and not die but be saved alive Wheras doubtlesse the outward beholding of the brasen serpent saved not them that were poisoned but it was God which would so declare that his Sonne should be hanged upon a crosse to the intent that every one which were poisoned and defiled by the old serpent and sinne should beleeve in the Sonne of God and live in him For so is it written Sap. 16. They had a token of health according to the commandement For who so converted was not made whole by the outward thing which he saw but by thee which art the restorer of health and Saviour of all And yet saith Christ more clearely Ioh. 3. And like as Moses set up the serpent in the wildernesse even so must the Sonne of man be lift up that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life And as touching this the holy Apostle Paul bringeth in another sentence 1 Cor. 10. and saith Brethren I would not haue you ignorant of this that our Fathers were all under the cloud and all passed thorow the sea and were all baptised under Moses in the cloud and in the sea and did all eat one spirituall meat and drinke of one spirituall drinke But they dranke all of the spirituall rocke that followed them which rocke was Christ Besides this if we consider the declaration of the lawes of the first Table which teacheth how we shall behave our selves right toward God to love worship and honour him to serve him and to cleave only unto him we shall finde in the same first Table the whole cause of Christ For all that afterward was ordained and appointed concerning the Tabernacle the Priesthood and the Oblations pertaineth to the summe of the first Table for as much as the Scripture and the mouth of God calleth it his law precept commandement use and statute ordinance and service And if thou aske How can God which is a spirit be served with outward visible and fleshly things as the foresaid ceremonies of the Iewes are I answer Such outward rites of the people of God were sacraments and tokens of heavenly invisible good things and were not the heavenly riches themselves Wherefore they neither served nor pleased God
that used and did such service without faith and lifting up of the minde But they that put their trust in God cleaving only unto him and lifting up their hearts higher and remained not in the visible thing those pleased God Whereas they had but one Altar and one place appointed where they should doe sacrifice it signified the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ and that he should be offered up but once and that in one place for the sinne of the world Therefore whereas the high Priest also every yeere went into the inward Tabernacle with bloud it signified that our Lord Iesus should come into this world and shed his bloud once for all to forgive and cleanse our sinnes and so to ascend unto heaven Yea all oblations and all sheddings of bloud in the sacrifices of the old fathers signified the death of our Lord Iesus Christ Nothing was cleansed among them without bloud which signifieth that all the purging of our uncleannesse is done by the bloud of Iesus Christ And all the Priesthood which was ordained for to teach to pray and make intercession to offer and doe sacrifice represented the office of our Lord Christ which came into this world to teach us the truth and righteousnesse then to offer himselfe to the Father for our sinnes and after the sacrifice done to rise up againe from death to ascend unto heaven there to sit at the right hand of God and even there as a true high Bishop to appeare alway in the presence of God and to pray for us This is the summe of the rites and ceremonies of the old fathers the understanding of the figures and the spirit of the letter whereof holy Paul hath written much in the most excellent epistle to the Hebrewes Out of all this is it easie to understand how that these rites and ceremonies of the fathers were sacraments and given to the people of God Not that they with the letter and outward visible and corporal thing should sufficiently serve God which is a spirit but that they should lift up their mindes above the same to the spirituall things pondering the mercy of God out of the which hee being moved is become gracious unto us And when he might have damned us for our sins and misdeeds he spared us for his Sons sake whom he gave unto death and his innocent death hath he accepted for our sinnes Such a faithfull consideration which is the true beleefe pleaseth God and with such a faith is God served and such a faith would the Lord have taught and planted in us with the foresaid rites and ceremonies Therefore all they that pleased God among the old fathers pleased him not for the letters sake but by reason of the spirit When the sacrifice also and ceremonie was executed after the ordinance of God in the congregation the beloved friends of God had not only respect unto the outward thing but much rather beheld they Christ with the eyes of faith and thought thus Behold the will of God hath ordained to do sacrifice for sinne now are we all sinners and debtors unto God in so much that he hath power and right over us that like as the beast which is now slaine and offred dieth and hath his bloud shed Even so might God now also kill us all and condemne us for ever Neverthelesse he hath taken us to his mercy and promised us a seed which should thus die on the Crosse and cleanse us with his bloud and with his death restore us unto life which thing no doubt shall as surely come to passe as this beast is slaine and offered now afore our eyes And like as the bloud is sprinkled over the people for the bodily cleansing so shall the bloud of Christ be sprinkled upon our soules c. And out of such a thought and faithfull consideration of the sacrifices grew repentance and sorrow for their sinnes a gladnesse praise comfort and thanks-giving unto God the mercifull Father And to this doe serve certaine Psalmes which were made concerning the sacrifices To this also serve all the rebukings of the holy Prophets and the refusing of the oblations For the externall pompe and shew of the offerings without faith in God and the blessed seed is nothing worth yea it is rather abominable unto God as thou seest in the first chapter of Esay Thou wilt aske Might not God have taught and shewed his people the cause of Iesus Christ of true beleefe none other way than through and with such cost pompe and glory of sacrifices and other gorgeousnesse of the Church I answer If the people had not fallen to more wickednesse in Egypt through their dwelling among the Idolaters but had constantly and stedfastly remained as did their fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob then might they well have continued by the old short simple forme as it was among the holy fathers But now had they seene in Egypt an outward costly Gods service with temples altars sacrifices priesthood holy daies ornaments c. Likewise the idolatry increased daily in all the world so that now there was utterly no people which had not their owne outward ceremonies wherewith they served God To the intent then that God might retaine his people within the compasse of faith in one God and in the blessed seed promised afore to the intent also that they should shew no outward service to any other gods or take upon them to serve God after the manner of the Egyptians or of other heathen he appointed an outward Gods service and commanded to doe the same unto him and else to none and in the same pleased it him to set forth all the cause of the foresaid seed till he came and performed all things in deed that they had figuratively in their sacrifices Moreover God according to his wisdome of his speciall mercy and good heart that he hath unto mans generation would with these outward tokens tender our weaknesse which of spirituall heavenly things hath better understanding when they are shewed unto it by corporall visible things God therefore through such corporall representations laboured to shew unto that grosse and fleshly people the heavenly cause of his Sonne Neverthelesse the corporall visible things were given for no longer but untill the time of the fulfilling But now that Christ hath appeared and fulfilled and performed all that was written and figured of him in the Law and the Prophets the figure ceaseth and the outward sacraments of Moses law are of no more value to be exercised and used Thus much be said of the ceremonies Whereas beside the ceremonies there is much written also in the Law concerning civill policie ordinance judgement to live peaceably and well in citie and land of buying and selling of warre and peace of inheritance and proprieties of lawes matrimoniall of punishment of the wicked of the judgement and counsell of lending and borrowing c. It is no newes at all
and serveth altogether for the declaration of the six commandements of the second Table and is comprehended in the words of Paul Rom. 13. Love thy neighbour as thy selfe And in the words of Christ That thou wouldest not have done unto thee doe not thou to another Matth. 7. Such lawes and rules to live in peace in a civill order and in vertue have also the good holy fathers had from the beginning of the world written in their hearts by God himselfe Now hath God also caused all to be comprehended in writing by Moses to the intent that the world might have all more clearely and perfectly and that no man might excuse himselfe of ignorance CHAP. VII The originall of the holy Scripture and faith thereof THis matter which I have hitherto treated upon have I not fained of my selfe but taken it out of the mouth and word of God For God stirred up Moses to write and leave behinde him all the matter for our learning and knowledge This did now Moses with great faithfulnesse and comprehended all in foure bookes The first is called the booke of the creation from the beginning of the world unto his time of the creation of the world beginning of all nations and of the Patriarks and old righteous servants of God of their faith and conversation of the promises and works of God The same wrote hee as hee was inspired of the Holy Ghost and as he had received of old fathers and somewhat as he found in the bookes of the Aegyptians For Moses was excellently well learned in all wisdome of the Aegyptians as Steven doth witnesse of him Act. 7. The other three bookes wrote he of his owne time according as he himselfe was present saw and knew And specially the second booke concerning the departing out of Aegypt how the people of God were oppressed in Aegypt how the Aegyptians were punished how Israel was delivered received the Law and set up a Tabernacle with a gorgeous serving of God In the third booke which is called Leviticus are written the spirituall Lawes namely such as concerne the Priests and the Priesthood their office living knowledge sacrifices solemne feast dayes rites ceremonies and such like In the fourth which is called Numeri hee writeth at length how they went thorow the wildernesse and came to Iordan with a rehearsall of their order and number of their murmuring also and punishment and of certaine victories with a remembrance of certaine lawes and statutes Beside all this hee made yet an Enchiridion and summe of all the acts of his time and of the Law of God which is called Deuteronomium the same commanded hee to bee laid in the Arke at the motion of God and that it should be read unto all the people as it is mentioned Deut. 31. And in these five bookes given us of God by Moses is the whole ground of our holy faith For all the Prophets afterward grounded themselves upon the same and wrote thereout like as afterward our Lord Iesus and the Apostles point unto Moses Neither did ever any righteous man of understanding and that feared God doubt any thing or blaspheme such Scriptures And from such true servants of God have wee hitherto received our matters in writing Thus much have I said concerning the Law how it is no new thing but even the onely will of God but now comprehended in writing Moreover that all the Law pointeth unto Christ and that all men of right understanding which lived under the Law were Christians For manifest is it that Paul said Rom. 10. Christ is the end of the Law to justifie everie one that beleeveth And Galat. 3. Or ever faith that is to say Christ came we were kept and shut up under the Law unto the faith which should afterward be declared Thus was the Law our schoole-master unto Christ that wee might bee made righteous by faith All this I suppose will bee new and strange in many hearts neverthelesse I trust that all they which have understanding doe see and knowledge that this is the true old right and godly Divinitie and Theologie which ascribeth all honour unto God the Father through our Lord Iesus Christ in the Holy Ghost To whom be glorie and praise for ever Amen CHAP. VIII All vertuous Kings and the people of Israel trusted unto Christ and not to the Law AFter that the Law was given and Gods service set up Moses the servant of God died being an hundred and twentie yeeres old and at the commandement and commission of God he left Gods people to bee ruled and guided by the faithfull valiant Iosue which also was a figure of our Lord Iesus For like as it was not Moses but Iosue that brought the people into the land of promise Even so are we brought into the eternall rest not by the works of the Law nor through our owne deserving but by grace through Iesus Christ like as it is also with many words expressed of holy Paul Heb. 4.3 c. This Iosue no doubt did keepe maintaine and defend Gods faith and religion with the spirit and understanding thereof and taught other to keepe the same like as he through Gods inspiration received it of the fathers by Moses Which thing though it bee evident in many points yet is it manifest specially by this that hee would not suffer the children of Ruben and Gad and the halfe Tribe of Manasse to set up and have another altar beside the onely altar that the Lord had appointed them For herein as it is mentioned afore was figured the vertue and perfectnesse of the onely crosse death and sacrificing of Iesus Christ Therefore would not Iosue that any thing should be set cheeke-mate with the crosse and oblation of Iesus Christ but that all honour of cleansing and forgivenesse of sinnes should bee ascribed onely unto him Whereas Iosue now and other Iudges Rulers Princes and Kings of Israel after him used sore and great warre stroke many horrible battels destroyed much land and people and shed mens bloud without measure he did it as a chiefe head and as an instrument and vessell of God at the commandement of God which would so punish the Idolatrie the great sinne and blasphemie of the ungodly which he had long suffered and exhorted them to amendment but for all his patient abiding they would not convert Those now did hee root out through the sword of his beloved friends sometime delivered he his people with the sword of the righteous and saved them from the hand of their enemies For because of the sinnes of his people he gave them over sometime into the hand of their enemies to nurture and correct them with the rod then fell the people of God and fled before their enemies and were subdued and opprest of the ungodly till they knowledged their sinnes called upon God and amended putting their trust in God onely through the blessed seed worshipping
him onely calling upon him and honouring him according to his word casting away strange worshipping of God service of Idols that shamefull blasphemous and ungodly living Then sent he them his helpe and delivered them in his power by the ministration of his appointed Captaines And such warring delivering and punishing was no fleshly unfaithfull worke whom no man ought to follow as some being wrapped with the unstedfast spirit of the Maniches and Anabaptists doe meane For Paul expresseth cleerely And what shall I say of Gedeon Barach Sampson and Iephtha David and Samuel and the Prophets which through faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouths of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong became valiant in battell turned to flight the armies of the Aliants Heb. 11. All which works the holy Apostle praiseth and commendeth as excellent works of faith Therefore are they no works of the flesh neither is it now contrarie to the holy faith if Christian rulers deliver their innocent people whom God hath subdued unto them from wrongfull violence and defend their libertie righteousnesse house and land or punish the shamefull blasphemers Idolaters and persecuters of the holy faith and not suffer them to have all their malicious will Neverthelesse this must be done by them to whom God hath committed the sword For thus saith the Lord Who so taketh away the sword shall perish through the sword Matth. 26. But specially in the battels of Gods people and of the unfaithfull it commeth to passe and is expressely set before our eyes that God said to the serpent at the beginning Gen. 3. I will put enmitie betweene thy seed and the womans seed For the righteous are the seed of Christ the unrighteous and unfaithfull are the seed of the Devill Betweene these now see we great discord but specially this that the faithfull doe alway tread the serpent on the head though they themselves also be bitten in the heele For the right faithfull beleevers afore the birth of Christ in the time of the promise had no lesse trouble and persecution not onely because of sinne but also for righteousnesse and faiths sake than the faithfull after Christs birth in the time of grace and perfectnesse Therefore have they small knowledge of the doings of the faithfull which say that the people of old were a victorious people and governed corporally but that the people after Christs comming are borne to suffer and to no victorie or governance Neverthelesse in these wonderfull times in the which Gods people had no victorie and anon were subdued and oppressed the true faith continued upright and unblemished from Iosue forth throughout all the Iudges untill the time and reigne of David David also was a man that suffred much through divers and long trouble through miserable distresse and vexation and through sore persecution without ceasing being proved tried and provoked afore he was King Whereof the bookes of Samuel and the more part of the Psalmes beareth record But after that he was promoted unto the kingdom by God which said I have found a man after mine own heart he advanced set forth and magnified the true faith right diligently Here also to the honour of our Lord Iesus Christ will I shortly and by the way declare what knowledge and faith this noble King and Prophet had of our Lord Iesus This will I doe with the declaration of the 110. Psalme whose words are these The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole In the first verse David knowledgeth the persons in the holy Trinitie the God-head also and the eternall kingdome of Christ Thus likewise did our Lord Jesus Christ understand and alleage this verse in the Gospell Matth. 22. knowledging two of the Persons in the one only Godhead for he saith The Lord said unto my Lord. Now is it certaine and undeniable that hee which speaketh and he to whom ought is spoken are not one but two Persons Yet is there but one Lord and God and they both the Father that speaketh and the Sonne to whom is spoken are the Lord therefore are they one of one substance and being the very true God Neither is the Sonne lesse than the Father There can also none be a father except he have a sonne or a childe Now is the everlasting Father God therefore is the Sonne also everlasting There is also but one only everlasting without beginning Both the Father and the Sonne are eternall without beginning therefore are they one only true God with the holy Ghost Like as Iohn also saith In the beginning that is to say from everlasting was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And immediatly thereafter saith he that the Word is Jesus Christ our Lord. For it followeth The Word became flesh Therefore doth David also call the Son of God specially his Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord. And therefore calleth he Christ his Lord because hee confesseth and beleeveth that he is his very naturall Lord and God as Thomas also did knowledge My Lord and my God Ioh. 20. Afterward calleth he him his Lord because that after the nature of man he should be borne out of his loynes For thorowout all the Scripture is our Lord Iesus called the Sonne of David And thus doth David knowledge two natures in Christ the nature of God and the nature of man That the kingdome of Christ shall last for ever and that the kinde and nature of man shall be exalted aboue all heavens as Paul saith Hebr. 2. David testifieth with these words Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole For Marke saith in the sixteenth chapter The Lord was taken up into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God Of this also finde we 1 Cor. 15.15 Now must he needs be very God indeed which reigneth for ever and to whom all enemies must be subdued yea cast utterly unto his feet Now followeth the second verse The Lord shall send thy mightie staffe out of Sion thou shalt be Lord even in the middest among thine enemies Here speaketh he of the preaching of the holy Gospell and how the world should be converted unto Christ and Christ to reigne in the middest of the world In the first verse is spoken of the eternall kingdome that he is very God living and reigning for ever not only in this time but also after this time eternally But here speaketh hee specially of the kingdome whereas hee reigneth here beneath through the Gospell For the Staffe the Scepter the Rod of Christ is the holy Gospell even the power of God which saveth all that beleeve Rom. 1.16 Which maketh Christs enemies friends and smiteth them downe that will not convert so that Christ hath dominion and
land of Canaan in the time of David when all things stood so well and it must needs be avoided lest any man should thinke David were the blessed seed before the captivitie of Babylon also and in the time of the Prophets which as it is said afore preached and wrote that no man should doubt in Gods promise as who say they were given up and cast away though the Temple were broken the Citie burnt and though the people of whom Christ should be borne were led into captivitie Even so now also in the captivitie when the faithfull might almost have thought that the promise of God concerning the Messias were cleane gone even then did God shew his servant Daniel a more cleare vision of Christ after this manner The people shall be let goe againe out of captivitie and shall come home to Hierusalem build the Temple and Citie againe but with a sore time And after that the Citie is builded unto the time of Christ shall be 62. weekes that is 483. yeeres And even so was it from the third yeere of Darius Histaspes or Artaxerxes in the which the Citie was builded Nehemie 15. untill the 42. yeere of the Empire of Augustus under whom Christ was borne Luke 1. The Angell also gave Daniel farther information of Christ how that his owne people should slay him and finde no fault in him and how that the sacrifice with the ceremonie should cease And a strange people saith he shall come from farre and make the Temple with the Citie an horrible abomination yea they shall destroy and breake downe all together All which things were afterward fulfilled in the last weekes that is within 70. yeeres or thereabout For within 30. yeeres did the Lord grow to teach and to suffer For when he was 30. yeere old Iohn baptised him Afterward within three yeeres was he put to death and within 40. yeeres followed the destruction of Hierusalem by Titus and Vespasian All the time now and yeeres from the captivitie of Babylon to Christs birth are 616. yeeres For the captivitie of Babylon endured 70. yeeres In the first yeere of Cyrus were they delivered in the second yeere began they to build the Temple and builded 46. yeeres even untill the 6. yeere of Darius In the 32. yeere of Darius was the Citie finished which maketh 143. yeeres Adde now hereto the 483. yeeres out of Daniel and thou hast the foresaid summe even 626. yeeres In the said yeeres had our holy faith sore conflicts and the seed of the Serpent pressed sore upon the seed of God as the Babylonians at Babylon and the Persians when the people of God was come home againe Neverthelesse the truth had ever the victorie and was the more clearely testified by Daniel Haggeus Zacharie Esdras Nehemias and Malachy Afterward were they specially opprest by the ungodly king Antiochus in the time of the Machabees When as the times were ever the longer the more full of perils and adversitie untill Aulus Gabinus Pompeius and Crassus Captaines of Rome conquered the land and the true old religion was utterly gone in so much that out of the old serpent there arose in Israel all manner of sects and symonie whom our Lord Iesus Christ with his comming in the world resisted and called them the Serpents generation as the holy Euangelists testifie Notwithstanding in the middest of such mischiefes in Israel there were also godly vertuous people which sought God and his anointed though the errour was great Among whom no doubt was specially the Priest Zacharias the father of Iohn Baptist Elizabeth his wife and godly Simeon When Zacharias had knowledge of the Lords comming hee sayd with a joyfull heart Praised be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and delivered his people and set up the horne of salvation in the house of David his servant according as he had promised afore by the mouth of holy Prophets c. For his words are read Luc. 1. Simeon when he saw the child Iesus in the Temple and had taken him in his armes he sayd Now Lord let me dye in peace according to thy word For mine eyes have seene thy Saviour whom thou hast prepared before the face of all people that he might be a light to give light unto the Heathen and the glorie of thy people Israel Luke 1. Loe thus the hearts of all righteous in the old Testament from Adam unto Christ even 3974 yeers have stood onely upon Christ in him was their comfort upon him they trusted it was hee whom they longed for and in Christ Iesus were they saved Therefore hath our Christian faith endured since the beginning of the world and is and continueth still the onely true old undoubted and fast grounded faith CHAP. X. Of the time of the grace of Christ and how that he himselfe testifieth that the salvation of all the world standeth only in him HItherto have I set forth the time of the promises in the which God through the promised seed our Lord Iesus Christ comforted cleansed and preserved all his servants and deare friends There have wee learned and seene that the Christian faith which hath endured since the beginning of the world is the eldest undoubted right and true faith which all holy Patriarks had and in the which they served God and pleased him as Adam Seth Enoch and Noe Item Abraham Isaac and Iacob Likewise the excellent and highly endued Prophet yea the Father and foregoer of all Prophets even great Moses his brother Aaron the holy Priest Eleazar and Phinees The excellent Dukes and Iudges Iosue Gedeon and other moe Even so likewise the Kings David Ezechias Iosaphat and Iosias The dearely beloved of God and excellent Prophets Samuel Helias Isaias Daniel Zacharias and all the other This holy faith also had all righteous and such as were of godly understanding in all the congregations of Israel from the beginning In this were saved all they that from the beginning were preserved and ordained to salvation wherefore whatsoever they can alleage against this faith whether it be concerning holy men old age multitudes learned men generall Councels Convocations of Parliaments Fathers Acts Statutes tokens and wonders it is all nothing worth and is not to be reputed in comparison of our holy faith as every one that hath understanding may see in this Treatise before And though my purpose be now finished even declared out of the Scripture that the Christian faith hath endured since the beginning of the world yet will I adde a short instruction concerning the time of grace and performing of all promises and I will declare that God now also through the appearing of his Sonne would bring into the world and set forth none other religion none other faith neither any other salvation than even the same which was shewed to the old Fathers saving that now all things are more evident more clearely practised accomplished fulfilled and performed for the which cause
also all figures sacrifices and ceremonies doe cease For in Christ is all perfection Yet shall we not therefore cast away the old Testament as some ignorant unlearned and foolish people doe but have it in greater reputation for as much as wee know now through Christ what every thing signifieth and wherefore every thing was thus and thus ordained used and spoken Now shall every man first have a courage to reade the Law and the Prophets when he seeth whereupon every thing goeth And thus also at the beginning did the holy Apostles preach Christ unto the Iewes out of the Law and the Prophets as it is oftentimes mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles And our Lord himselfe when hee went with the two Disciples toward Emaus and preached so unto them that their hearts burnt within them he began at Moses and went thorow all the Prophets and opened unto them the old Scriptures and shewed them that so it behoved Christ to suffer and to enter into his glory This is the cause also that the Scriptures of the New Testament hang altogether and referre themselves to the Scriptures of the old Testament so that these cannot be rightly understood without the other no more than the glosse without the text The text is the Law and the Prophets the exposition are the Euangelists and the Apostles Now will wee see what the worke of grace of the new Testament is In the two and fortieth yeere of the Empire of Augustus after the beginning of the world 3974. yeeres was Iesus Christ the blessed and promised seed borne of the undefiled Virgin and Maid Mary at Bethleem in the Land of Jewrie And though he as a very man was wrapped in cloathes and laid in the crib yet appeareth the Angell of the Lord in great clearenesse unto the Shepherds and saith Feare yee not behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall happen unto all people For this day is borne unto you the Saviour even Christ the Lord in the Citie of David The first newes and tidings of the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ must the Angell bring and give to the intent that it might be the more accepted of all the world All the holy men from the beginning of the world did hitherto long sore after the promised Seed Therefore saith the Angell now that he bringeth them tidings of great joy no doubt to them that were gone dead and past to them also that now lived and to them that were to come afterward The joy is this that Iesus Christ the Saviour is borne even the promised Seed which should save all the world from the power of the Devill cleanse them from sinne and deliver them from damnation Therefore saith the Angell moreover Which shall happen unto all people For unto Abraham it was said In thy seed shall all Nations of the earth be blessed The same saith the Angell is borne in the Citie of David even out of Davids kindred out of the which the Prophets testified that he should be borne which Prophets also for the same cause called him David and the blossome of David And this is now the grace of God that whereas wee poore sinners belonged unto death and were in the Devils bonds hee sent his Sonne to loose and deliver us out of captivitie This is the new Testament For Hieremie also testifieth hereof and saith This is the Testament that I will make I will be their God and they shall be my people I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and sinnes and will thinke upon them no more Hier. 31. This full and perfect forgivenesse is not therefore called the new Testament as though there had beene no remission of sinnes among the old Fathers but because the promise made long before unto the Fathers is now confirmed and renewed and the old figures that represented the same are abrogate Thus the Lord Iesus alone is set forth for the only salvation of all the world so that not only we but all they which before or after his appearance or incarnation beleeved on him were saved And at the birth of Christ there commeth to the foresaid Angell the whole heavenly hoste which praised God and said Glory and praise be unto God in the height and peace upon earth to men a good will And by this they teach us what the dutie thankfulnesse and knowledge of men is or ought to be in this behalfe that God hath done so great good for man Namely how that they ought to praise God to have a sure trust in him and to be friendly and loving one to another And the fulfilling of the Law is love from a pure heart out of a good conscience and of an undissembled or unfained faith 1 Tim. 1. In the fifteenth yeere of the Empire of Tiberius from the beginning of the world 4004. yeeres came the word of the Lord to Iohn the sonne of the Priest Zachary in the wildernesse and he went and preached unto the people of Israel amendment of life and forgivenesse of sinnes in Iesus Christ To whom he bare record that he was the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets very God and Man the only and ever-living Saviour which with the sacrifice of his own bodie should cleanse the world from sinne yea hee pointed unto him with his finger and said Behold this is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world And so perfectly and wholly hangeth hee all salvation only on Christ Iesus that he saith plainly Out of his fulnesse have all we received grace c. Ioh. 1. Item who so beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath everlasting life who so beleeveth not in the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth upon him Therefore did he also send all his Disciples from him and commanded them to cleave unto Christ He maketh no mention at all of any ceremonies figures or oblations as necessarie points to salvation but preacheth Christ purely and clearely This is manifest Ioh. 1. and 3. Matth. 3. and Luk. 3. The Lord himselfe also came unto Iohn and was baptised And when hee had received Baptisme the heaven opened and the Holy Ghost appeared in the forme of a Dove and there was a voice heard from heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am pacified to the intent that all the world should have witnesse of Christ the true Saviour not only now by the Angels and by Iohn the holiest man of all but also from heaven and of God himselfe and that we might be the bolder to commit our selves wholly unto him When hee had received the testimonie he went into the wildernesse And like as our disease began in Paradise by temptation even so at the temptation in the wildernesse began the Lord our health And like as the Father of us all did eat the forbidden meat so
Prophets prophesied of him before thus to become the salvation of all faithfull beleevers even the Lambe of God which hath beene sacrificed since the beginning of the world that is this is he whose power and deliverance hath cleansed all them that ever put their trust in God through the blessed seed Herein now is the right true salvation this is the summe of the right and perfect religion Who so perverteth this from him shall God turne himselfe who so addeth ought unto this to him shall God adde his wrathfull hand who so taketh therefroÌ„ his life shall God minish But blessed are they which walk in this simplicitie cleannesse and continue so unto the end even they that heare Gods word and doe thereafter whose onely hope is Iesus Christ This only true and ever during salvation would hee to bee shewed and declared to all nations which came to save all nations but he would it should be declared by the preaching of the holy Gospell and through the ministration of the holy Sacraments And therefore by his life time hee did chuse Apostles whom he received to bee witnesses of all his doctrine and miracles informing them diligently and held nothing backe from them For hee saith unto them Yee are my friends if yee doe all that I command you I will henceforth call you no more servants for a servant woteth not what his Lord doth But I have called you my friends for all that I have heard of my Father have I opened unto you Ioh. 15. But for as much as they yet lacked understanding and were forgetfull and had ever strange imaginations of the kingdome of Christ therefore when hee now ascended unto heaven hee charged them not to depart from Hierusalem but to wait for the Holy Ghost whom he also gave unto them upon the fiftieth day after his resurrection that is upon the tenth day after his ascension even the fifteenth day of May by the which Holy Ghost they being illuminate spake with all manner of languages and were mindfull of all that the Lord had commanded them afore For the Holy Ghost did not endue them with a new doctrine but it that the Lord had taught them out of the Law and the Prophets the same did hee bring to their remembrance and illucidate all things and printed them more clearly in their hearts For so saith the Lord in the Gospell The Comforter even the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance that I have said unto you Therefore so long as the Lord was with them and told them all the matter of his passion they were sorrie and could not beare away all that he said unto them But after that he was taken up from the earth into heaven he sent the Holy Ghost even him whom the Prophets also had before and that led them into all Christian veritie So when they were endued with the Holy Ghost they began according to the Lords commandement to preach in all the world the foresaid matter of salvation purchased and obtained onely by Christ and gotten by true faith For hee had said Goe your way into all the world and preach the Gospell unto all creatures Whoso beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved c. And therewith comprehendeth he both the points which the Apostles used and practised even the preaching of the faith in Iesus Christ and of the ministration of the Sacraments And how the Apostles doctrine was it is manifest out of the Acts of the Apostles But shortly and in a summe they preached amendment of life and remission of sinnes through Iesus Christ That is to say how that the whole generation of man lay in the dominion of the Devill and in the bonds of sinne cursed and damned but God had mercie on us all and sent his Sonne into this world to die and with his death to restore us unto life and to wash us with his bloud that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life All this declared they out of the Law and the Prophets and proved that Iesus Christ whom they preached is the blessed seed promised unto the fathers Whoso is desirous to have a perfect example of this declaration he findeth two Sermons of the famous Apostles Peter and Paul the one in the Acts of the Apostles the second chapter vers 14. the other in the 13. chapter vers 16. There doth the holy Apostle open the mysterie of our holy faith verie excellently declaring it from the time of Abraham unto David and from him unto Iohn the Baptist Thereupon sheweth he how Christ suffered died was buried and rose againe from death All this confirmeth hee with the Scriptures of the Prophets At the last he concludeth the Sermon after this manner Be it knowne unto you therefore ye men and brethren that through Iesus is preached unto to you forgivenesse of sinnes and that by him all they that beleeve are justified from all things from the which yee could not bee justified by the Law of Moses To this agreeth now also the sermon of Peter Yea all the Scriptures of the Apostles doe finally accord to the same effect Hereout also bring they the doctrine of repentance and amendment of life the rebuking of sinne consolations exhortations and drawing to all manner of good works that follow out of faith The speciall Sacraments which the Lord did chiefly institute and command the Apostles to practise in the Church are holy Baptisme and the blessed Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ Concerning the first hee saith thus To mee is given all power in heaven and in earth therefore goe your way and teach all people and baptize them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost and teach them to keepe all that I have commanded you The other did hee institute at the last Supper For thus is it written in the holy Gospell When they were eating hee tooke bread and when hee had given thanks he brake it and gave them saying Take eat this is my bodie which shall be given for you this doe in the remembrâ—nce of mee So tooke hee also the cup when â—hey had supt and said Drinke yee all out of this this is my bloud of the new Testament which shall be shed for the remission of sinnes With such Sacraments through outward visible formes for our infirmities sake pleased it the Lord to shew and set before our eyes his heavenly and invisible grace not that we should continue still hanging in the visible thing but that wee should lift up our mindes and with a true beleefe to hold fast to print sure in our mindes to worship and to enjoy the things that faith sheweth us by the outward Sacraments With these outward Sacraments also hath it pleased him to open declare and shew unto us his grace and loving kindnesse Namely how
that he giveth unto us himselfe and all his riches cleanseth us feedeth and moystureth our soules with his flesh and bloud that he is at one with us and wee with him so that wee use and practise the Sacraments with a true faith For the outward enjoying of the Sacraments of it selfe alone doth not reconcile us with God but if they bee used with faith then as S. Peter saith Acts 15. through faith doth God purifie the hearts With the Sacraments pleased it him to leave behinde him a remembrance of his gifts and benefits to the intent that wee should never forget them but praise and thanke him therfore Moreover with visible Sacraments was it his will to gather us together and to marke us in his Church and people and to put us in remembrance of our dutie how we are one bodie together and ought to apply our selves to all righteousnâ—sse All which things are found at length in the Scriptures of the Apostles As for the Apostles they ministred the Sacraments diligently purely and simply and so without any addition distributed them unto the people of God Touching Baptisme there are many examples in the Acts of the Apostles The Supper of Iesus Christ had the Corinthians somewhat altered And when Paul pointed them againe to the true ordinance and right use he taketh the simple words and institution of Iesus Christ without any more addition and layeth those before them commandeth them to follow the same and holdeth him therewith well content 1 Cor. 11. And thus did the holy Apostles gather together all the Heathen people through the preaching of the Gospell and ministration of the Sacraments in the Church whose head is Christ in whom they are builded and preserved Moreover they did not load them sore with any ceremonies For in the Acts of the Apostles the second chapter where as a perfect shape of a right Christian Congregation is described wee have first the sending of the Apostles among whom Peter did first preach the Gospell that is to say repentance and forgivenesse of sins in Christ Iesus Then baptized hee them that were become the people of God Afterward followeth it that they which were become Christians continued in the doctrine of the Apostles in prayer in breaking of the bread in the fellowship Here are the right substantial points of the Christian Church sufficiently expressed the doctrine of amendment of life and remission of sinnes Baptisme the continuing and increasing in Christs doctrine prayer the holy Supper of the Lord and the fellowship that is love kindnesse and workes of mercie Now whereas Acts 15. it is ordained that the Heathen should eat no blood nor strangled it endured but for a time their meaning was thereby to avoid offending of the weake Otherwise have the Apostles everie where especially Paul verie earnestly exhorted men to continue by the doctrine that was shewed and delivered them and to be at a point in themselves to avoid such learning as was new and brought up by men because they lead men farre from the truth as we finde Col. 2.6 Philip. 3.15 1 Tim 4.6 and 6.2 and Tit. 1.9 And thus it is manifest that the Apostles taught all nations no new nor strange thing but even the same that they had received of the Lord. CHAP. XII A conclusion that this faith is the right true old faith which alway shall stand sure THis holy undefiled faith which the Lord planted and set up in all nations by the Apostles immediatly after the Apostles decease was sore attempted by sundry uncleane persons which brought up false customes and misbeleefes and made perillous sects Beside this also was it sore persecuted with the sword of tyrants But in all such dangers the truth overcame and had the victory For though the citizens of the devils citie according to the disposition of their Patriarke Cain did murder and although false Prophets brought up evill counsell yet the citie of God triumpheth and the bloud of innocent Abel and his brethren speaketh yet But after that the persecution was somewhat ceased and the persecutors sore and horribly punished for their bloudshedding the heresies also being well brought downe by faithfull shepherds in the same rest also was our holy faith not a little hurt For rest put away feare brought idle felicitie voluptuousnesse and fleshly seeking of riches and dominion and so through covetousnesse and ambition there was powred great poyson into the Church whereby religion sore decaied For while the Ministers of the word laboured more after riches than to performe their ofâ—â—ce and charge and to edifie the Church they were pleased with superstitiousnesse in stead of true religion Of this then followed it farther that the singlenesse of faith was forgotten new lawes made the old rites and customes either perverted or else utterly overthrowne and abused whereby men came farre from the doctrine and Christian ceremonies from the way of truth into errour foolishly and partly into ceremonies of idolatry Hereof commeth it that we have now the abomination of the Popes power of Pardons of Masses for the dead and quicke of merits power and intercession of Saints in heaven of worshipping their bones upon earth of Idols and vaine ornaments pompe and pride of the Church of hired singing and praying in the Temple and of the whole swarme of idle religions All which things with other moe like fondnesse are nothing but new alterations pervertings and contrary to all old ordinances having no ground in Gods word and are cleane against God though many hardnecked people are yet in a fury and brawle for such things and will make all the world beleeve that this their foolishnesse alteration and perverting of Gods ordinance is the old faith And yet wote they or will not know that their babling hath very little ground and that they if they considered the matter as it is are very naked and miserable And though this papisticall religion hath endured prevailed and triumphed now certaine hundred yeares yet hath God alway sent his faithfull servants and had a little holy flocke of his owne like as afore-time in the dayes of the iudges of the Kings of Iuda and Israel and in the captivity of Babylon though it was almost at the worst afore and at the comming of Christ Like as it is also with us the nigher the second comming of Christ the worse it is in the world Neverthelesse as I said afore God alway set forth his word and doth yet Contrarywise the Pope with his multitude and Mahumet with his as it seemeth and becommeth very Antichrists have hitherto undertaken to suppresse the old religion and to set up his owne ordinance unknowne to our fathers of old time to bring it into possession and under the name of God and his holy Church to spread it upon all Christendome For out of the acts and statutes of the Pope and his wanton spiritualty and out of the lawes of
Mahumet it is manifest what the one hath taken in hand and done now more than 600. yeeres and the other upon a 900. yeeres It is evident yet also even now whereto his generall councels and parlamenrs doe extend But not regarding how he threatneth and faceth and how he garnisheth his new and wanton religions with false but dissembling titles boasting of many hundred yeeres many generall Councels Fathers holy men Doctors Vniversities Cloisters singing praying fasting almes-giving displying and telleth such like All his bragging set aside let us cast his religion from us and take upon us unfainedly the true old religion which hath endured since the beginning of the world by the which all holy men have ever loved worshipped and served God and knew nothing utterly of the Popes religion And if we must for this cause be hated and persecuted of the world well it hapned even so unto all holy Prophets before us likewise and specially unto Iesus Christ our Lord which shall come shortly to judgement and utterly destroy the kingdome of Antichrist whom he now killeth with the spirit of his mouth Our possession is not here upon earth the kingdome of heaven is our native country From thence looke we for the Saviour Iesus Christ our Lord which shall raise up our mortall and miserable body that he may make it like his excellent and glorified body according to the power whereby he may subdue all things unto himselfe To him be honour and praise for ever and ever AMEN FINIS The accustomed goodnesse of God God hath shewed no lesse kindnesse to us than he did to the old world They that follow Gods word are laughed to scorne The doctrine of Christ his faith is no new thing 1 Cor. 1.18 1 Cor. 1.14 None but reprobates deride the truth of Gods Gospell To us which are saved it is the power of God What faith is Hebr. 11.1 Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 Ephes 2.8 Phil. 3.9 Iaco. 2.14 Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 Act. 15.9 1 Pet. 1.9 Gala. 5.6 1 Cor. 10.3 Heb. 11.4 Heb. 11.4 5. Iames 1 21 Would to God we had many such as Iames the Apostle was Iames 1. O unthankefull world Iames 2.25 Saint Iames would not spare to rebuke such Iames 3 17. Iames 4.1 Against such grosse vices would not Saint Iames spare to speake Iames 4. Iames 5.19 Let every man take the paines to rebuke his owne fault Iames 3.17 We must put on the nature of Gods doctrine Let the workes of God which are past be a warning to us The Christian faith is elder than 1600. yeeres Eusebius Acts 11.26 The first creation of heaven and earth The garnishing of heaven and earth The office of tâ—e creatures in tâ—â— firmament Fishes Fowles Beasts The creation of man The creation of the woman The request of the commandement The unthankefulnesse â—nd wâ—ckednesse of man The righteousnesse and mercy of God Gen. 2.17 The way of satisfaction before God is Christ Sinne. The frowardnesse of man Why God gave the woman unto man Grace We all are loth to knowledge our selves guiltie Punishment Genes 3.14 The promise Genes 3.15 The Serpents head The â—â—re foundation of our faith Rom. 8.3 1 Cor. 1.30 The Gospell of Iesus Genes 3.15 Esay 7.14 Gal. 3.16 A praise of the virgin Marie Heb. 2.14 Genes 2.15 Christs heele 1 Pet. 4.1 Ioh. 12.31 32. Rom. 16.20 Object Answ Gen. 3.17 Gen. 3.19 1 Tim. 2.15 1 Thessal 4.6 Ephes 4.25 Heb. 5.17 Gen. 3.20 Adams faith Gen 2.23 Comfort helpe and loving kindnesse in the mids of correction Gen. 3.22 Comfort and patience in Christ 1 Pet. 2.21 Adams faith Heb. 11.4 Outward sacrifice was a token of thankfulnesse Cain the father of wickednesse The first division in relâ—gion when it began Abel the first Martyr The world the citie of the Devill The difference of true and false faith The first decay of the faith was by cursed Cain Genes 4.25 Adam was not of the faith of Cain Seth the firâ—â— reâ—â—â—eâ— of the true faith The reparation of our faâ—th Gen. 4.26 Adams life To call upon the name of God what it is Hebr. 11.5 The number of the wicked ever greatest The wrath of God upon the wicked Noes Floud The first triumph of faith in Noe. 1 Pet. 3.21 Genes 6.18 The sacrifice of Noe. Genes 8.20 Ephes 5.2 Outward sacrifice the figure of Christs oblation Matth 3.17 The Commandements given unto Noe. Through Noe was the world replenished C ham the first Idolater after the Floud The faâ—th â—f Heathen â—s idolatry 〈…〉 Gen. 10. â— Gen. 11 â— Gen 11.10.27 Faith dâ—â—kned after the floud Gen. 12.1 Genes 22.18 Galath 3.8 The promise renewed to Abraham Abrahams faith Iohn 8.56 Rom. 4.16 Galath 3.29 Abrahams Christian workes The fâ—iâ—â— of the Ieweâ— Gen. 17 24. Gen. 15.6 Gal. 3.17 Hâ— wold the Christian faith iâ— Exod. 19.20 Gen. 32.28 Oâ— Israel came the Israeâ—â—â—â—s Gen. 28. Iacob saw that Christ onely is the way to heaven Iohn 1.51 Gen. 35.2 Gen. 49.10 The faith of Ioseph Ioseph a figure of Iesus The continuance of faith before the Law Heb 11 24. The faith of Moses Gen. 15.13 The Easter lambe Iohn 1.29 The delâ—verance out of Aegypt a figuâ—â— of our redemption by Christ The giâ—ing of the law The first table Matth. 22.37.39 The second Table The law written in stone 〈◊〉 no nâ—w thing The first Commandement 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Gen. 39.8 The law written in stone was fulfilled afore The Lawes given after the ten Commandements were by-Lawes Objection Answer Galath 3 15 Gods Testament Galath 3.17 Salvation by grace not by desert or workes Objection Answer Galath 3.19 Why the Law was given The Law was given to further the promise Gal. 3.19 20 21 22 23 24. The Law is the rule to live by Wisdom 16.6 7. The brasen Serpent a figure of Christ Iohn 3.14 15. 1 Cor. 10.1 2. Christ is the rocke Question Answer One altar wâ—at iâ— signified Note this well Why the ceremonies of the Law were given The godly consideration of the fathers Question Answer Wâ—y Gâ—◠〈…〉 among the 〈◊〉 God tendreth our weaknesse Lawes iudiciall Rom. 13.9 Matth. 7.12 The five originall bâ—â—kes of holy Scripture written by Moses The first bâ—oke of Moses Acts 7.22 The second booke of Moses The third booke The fourth booke The fifth booke The originall Scripture of our faith The Law written is no new thing Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.23 The death of Moses Iosue was a figure of Christ Iosue fought at Gods commandement An heresie of the Anabaptists Heb. 11.32 Rulers must punish Matth. 26.52 Gen. 3.15 An errouâ— Of King David Acts 15.22 Psalm 110.1 The holy Trinitie Matth. 22.44 Iohn 1.1 Iohn 1.14 Matth. 22.24 The faith of David in Christ Iohn 20.20 Psalm 110.1 Marke 16.19 Psalm 110.2 The spirituall kingdome of Christ Acts 1.8.12 Psalm 110.3 A battell The birth of Christ Psalm 110.3 Psalm 110.4 The office of Christ Psalm 110.5 Christs cause shall forth Psalm 110.6 Christ shall destroy his enemies Psalm 110.7 Philip. 2.8 Psalm 133.6 The article of the holy Trinitie David was called Christs father Matth. 9.27 The waies of David 1 Kings 15.3 4 5. King Abia. 2 Kings 18.5 6. 2 Chro. 34.1 2 3. 1 Kings 6.1 The departing of Israel from Iuda King Iehu God alwaies 〈…〉 Pâ—â—phets The oldest Prophets The Prophets preached the old faith Rom. 3.20 21 22. The Law and the Prophets allow the righteousnesse of God that commeth by faith Act. 3.24 Act. 10.2 3. Matth. 21.4 The godhead and manhood of Christ Esay 7.14 Mich. 5.2 Esay 9. â— Ierem. 23.5 6. The righteous blossome Mala. 3.1 Iohn Baptist Mala. 4.5 Esay 61.1 The office of Christ Ezech. 34. Christ is called David The miracles of Christ Esay 2.2 Dan. 7.13 The kingdome of Christ Esa 62.2 Esay 62.10 Zach 9.9 The death of Christ Dan. 9.26 Esay 50.5 c. Esay 53.2 c. The sacrifice of Christ Zacha. 3.8 The buriall and resurrection of Chriâ—t Matth. 12.40 The Ascension The vocation of the Heathen 1 Pet. 1.9 c. The Prophets sought salvation in Christ A prophesie told unto Daniel The number of the yeeres Faith assailed and religion suppressed Antiochus God had eveâ— some vertuous men Zacharie Luk. 1.68 Simeon Luk. 1.29 All Gods elect were saved by Christ The old Testament is not to be refused Luke 24.13 The new Testament declareth the old The birth of Christ Luke 2.10 Tidings of Christs birth Luke 2.10 Genes 12.3 The grace of God Ierem. 31.33 Note well Chrâ—st the only salvaâ—ioâ— of all the wâ—râ—d Luke 2. The dutie of us 1 Tim. 1.5 Iohn Baptist Iohn 1.29 Iohn 1.26 1 Iohn 3.36 Matth. 11.2 Matth. 3.13 Matth. 3.17 Note this similitude Matth. 4.1 2. Matth. 4.17 The substance of true religion The speciall points of Christs doctrine The patient suffering of Christ Iohn 29 30. Luke 13.46 The fruit of Christs death Water and bloud The time of Christs Passion The buriall of Christ The power of Christ saveth all Iohn 15.14 15. Christ held nothing backâ— from his Apostles The Holy Ghost bâ—oughâ— no new doctrine Iohn 14.26 Marke 16.15 Acts 13.38 Baptisme Matth. 28.18 19. The Supper of the Lord. Matth. 26.26 Acts 15.9 The fruâ—t of the Sacraments 1 Cor. 11.17 Acts 15 28. The Apostles did not overcharge the people with Ceremonies Acts 2.1 Acts 15.20.29 The Apostles would not offend the weake Note The decay of Christs religion What inconvenience followed Note The Pope and Mahumet strive against Christ Let us doe as our oâ—dest fathers have done long bâ—fore us Philip. 3.20 21.