lyfe tyme he dyd chose Apostles whome he receaued to be witnesses of all hys doctryne miracles enfourmyng them diligently helde nothyng backe from them For he sayeth vnto them Ye are my frendes yf ye do all that I commaunde you I wyll hence forth call you no more seruauntes for a seruant woteth not what hys Lorde doth But I haue called you my frendes for all that I haue heard of my father haue I opened vnto you Joh. â—v But for asmoche as they yet lacked vnderstondnge were forgetfull and had euer straunge ymaginacions of the kyngdome of Christ therfore whan he now ascended vnto heauen he charged them not to departe from Hierusalem but to wayte for the holy gooste whome he also gaue vnto them vpon the fiftieth daye after his resurrection that is vpon the tenth daye after his ascension euen the fiftenthe daye of Maye by the which holy goost they beynge illuminate spake with all maner of langagâ—â— and were myndfull of all that the Lorde had commaunded them aâ—oâ—e For the holy goost dyd not endew them with a newe doctryne but it that the Lord had taught them out of the lawe and the prophetes the same dyd he bringe to their remembraunce and illucidate all thinges prynted them more clearly in ther hertes For so sayeth the. Lorde in the gospell The conforter euen the holy gost whom the father wyll sende in my name he shall teache you all thinges and bringe all thynges to youre remembraunce that I haud sayde vnto you Therfore so longe as the Lorde was with them and tolde them all the matter of hys passion they were sorye and coulde not beare awaye all that he sayd vnto them But after that he was taken vp frome the erth in to heauen he sent the holy goost euen him whome the prophetes also had before that led them into all Christen veryte So whan they were endowed with the holy gooste they beganne accordige to the Lordes commaundemente to preach in all the world the foresayde matter of saluacion purged and obteyned onely by Christ and gotten by true faith For he had sayde Go your waye in to all the world and preach the gospell vnto all creatures Who so beleueth and is baptised shalbe saued c. And therwith comprendeth he both the poyntes whiche the Apostles vsed and practised euen the preachyng of the faith in Jesus Christ and of the ministracion of the sacramentes And how the Apostles doctryne was it is manifest out of the Actes of the Apostles But shortly and in a summe they preached amendement of lyfe and remission of synnes thorow Jesus Christ That is to saye howe that the whole generacion of man laye in the dominion of the deuel and in y e bondes of synne cursed and damned but God had mercy on vs all sente his soone in to this worlde to dye and with hys death to restore vs vnto lyfe and to wash vs with his bloude that who so euer beleueth in hym shulde not perish but haue eternall lyfe All this declared they out of the lawe and the prophetes proued that Jesus Christ whome they preached is the blessed sede promised vnto the fathers Who so is desyrous to haue a perfecte ensample of this declaracion he fyndeth two sermons of the famous Apostles Peter and Paul the one in the Actes of the Apostles the secoÌ„de chapter the other in the. xiii chap. There doth the holy Apostle open the mistery of our holy faith very excellently declaringe it from the tyme of Abraham vnto Dauid from him vnto Jhon the baptist There vpon sheweth he how Christ suffred dyed was buried and rose agayne from death All this confirmeth he with the scriptures of the prophetes At the last he concludeth the sermon after this maner Be it kowen vnto you therfore ye men and brethren that thorowe Jesus is preached vnto you forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all they that beleue are iustified from all thynges from the which ye coulde not be iustified by the lawe of Moses To this now also the sermon of Peter Yee all the scryptures of the Apostles do fynally accorde to the same effect Hereout also bring they y e doctrine of repentaunce and amendment of lyfe the rebuking of synne conslacions exhortacions and drawyng to all maner of good workes that folowe out of faith The speciall sacramentes whiche the lord dyd chefely institute and commaunde the Apostles to praise in the churche are holye Baptyme and the blessed supper of oure Lorde Jesus Christ Concernynge y â— first he saieth To me is geuen all power in heauen and in erth therfore go youre waye and teach all people baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy goost and teach them to kepe all that I haue commaunded you The other dyd he institute at the last supper For thus is it written in the holy gospell WhaÌ„ they were eatynge he toke bred and whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue them sayeng Take eate this is my bodye whiche shall be geueÌ„ for you this do in the remembraunce of me So toke he also y â— cuppe whan they had supte and sayde Drynke ye all out of this This is my bloud of y â— new testament which shall be shed for the remission of sinnes With suche sacrameÌ„tes thorow outward visible stourmes for our infirmities sake pleased it the lord to shewe set before oure eyes his heueÌ„ly in visible grace not that we shuld continue still hanginge in the visible thing but that we shuld lyft vp our myndes and with a true beleue to holde fast to prynte sure in oure myndes to worshippe and to enioye the thinges that faith sheweth vs by the outward sacramentes With these outward sacramentes also hath it pleased him to opeÌ„ declare and shewe vnto vs his grace and louynge kydnesse Namely how that he geueth vnto vs him self and all his riches clenseth vs fedeth and moystureth oure soules wyth hys flesh and bloud that he is at one with vs and we with him so that we vse and practise the sacramentes with a true faith For the outward enioyeng of the sacramentes of it selfe alone doth not reconcyle vs wyth God but yf they be vsed with fayth than as Saynte Peter saieth Act. xv thorow faith doth God purifye the hertes With the sacramentes pleased it hym to leue behynd him a remembraunce of his giftes benefites to the intent that we shuld neuer forget them but prayse and thanke him therfore Morouer with vysible sacramentes was it his will to gather vs together and to marke vs in remembraunce of oure dewty how we are one body to gether and ought to applye our selues to all righteousnesse All which thinges are foude at lenthe in the scriptures of the Apostles As for the Apostles they mynistred the. sacramentes diligently puâ—râ—ly and symply and so without anye addicion distributed them vnto
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
afterward all the people of God receaued the name Israel had many vysions of the Lorde Christ as with the ladder that stode vpon the erth the toppe reachynge to heaueÌ„ on the which the angels of god wente vp and downe For herewith was represented vnto hym the Lord Jesus whiche is the waye vnto heaueÌ„ the trueth and lyfe without whome no man commeth vnto the father Upon the vision of Jacob sayeth he also hym selfe Joh. i. Uerely Isaye vnto you heÌ„ce forth shall ye se the heauen open and the aungels of god goynge vp and downe vpon the sonne of man And so constant was Jacob in remembryng the same that afterward at the commaundement of the Lorde he set vp in the same place an altare no dout as it is sayde afore for a figure of the crosse and sacrifice of Christ and there honoured he and worshipped the Lorde he commaunded all hys people also that they shulde forsake straunge goddes and geue him the ydols that they had brought with them out of Mesopotamia he buryed them vnder an Oke that stode besyde Sichem Gene. xxxv And whan he wolde now dye he prophecied very clearly of the lord Christe how he shulde be borne out of the kynred of Juda and that he shuld be born the same tyme that the kyngdome shulde be taken from Juda. Whiche thyng also came to pas in Herodes tyme. For in the xxxii yeare of the raygne of Herode was Christe borne at BethleeÌ„ in Jewry Wher of the wordes of Jacob are these The sceptre shall not be taken awaye from Juda ner a ruler from hys fete tyll Schilo come that is to saye the sauioure and he in whome all nations shalbe blessed and the people shall fall vnto hym This sted fast fayth of Jacob dyd Joseph folow also which mortified hys owne flesh declared patience in aduersite preson and exercysed great iustice and equyte in hys gouernaunce He was a figure of oure Lord Jesus Christe who also beynge folde of hys owne vnto the Heythen preserued hys brethren alyue So that from the begynnyng of the worlde vntyll the death of Joseph the righte Christen fayth endured 2300. yea res And thus all holy patriarkes before the lawe were saued not thorowe the lawe ner by their owne strength and deseruynge but â–ª thorowe the blessed sede oure Lorde Jesus Christ The lawe of Moses ¶ The lawe of God geuen by Moses leadeth vnto Christ and maketh mention of all hys doynges THe Israelites after the death of Joseph vntyll their departyng delyuerannce out of Egipte were in the lande .c. xl yeares And lyke as afore in the tyme of Noe the dwellynge among the wicked became occasion of fallynge vn to the righteous Euen so now dyd the Israelites lerne ydolatrye and all vnhappynesse of the Egiptians For the whiche cause also they were sore opprest a longe season howbeit there remayned yet many excellent men whiche kepte styll the olde faith and hated the abhominations of the Egiptians For of Moses which was born .c. vi yeare after the death of Joseph saâ—â—th Paul Moses thorow saith whan he grâ—w vp and was great refused to be called the sonne of Pharaos daughter and chose rather to suffre aduersite with the people of God then to enâ—oye the pleasures of synne for a season and estemed the rebuke of Criste greater ryches then the treasures of Egypte for he had respecte to the rewarde Hebre xi Now can no man desyre to suffre with Christe except he haue know lege of Christes sufferynge Therfore Moses in the myddes of all persecution had know lege of Christe the fayth in Christe So is there no doute but moo vertuous people had thys true fayth whiche were all oppressed and vexed in Egypte lyke as afterwarde the right faithfwll beleuers were somwhat more persecuted as amoÌ„g the Heythen in the tymeof the Judges and kynges of Juda and Israel vnder kynge Antiochus vnder the Emperous Nero Traianus Domitianus Maximianê° Julianus and other As for the vnbeleuers they in suche myserable tymeys receaued the reward of theyr vnthankfulnesse disobedience ydolatrie and blasphemye But whan the appoynted tyme came whych god had forsene and opened vnto Abraham Gene. xv he brought the people of Israell by Moses out of Egypt wyth and thorowe great wonders and tokens By the whych he fyrst declared hys power then hys louyng kyndnesse and mercy towarde hys owne and hys terrible iustice and vengeaunce agaynste hys enemyes Wherby all the worlde myghte knowe that there was none other iust true god saue the God of Israell in whose hande onely consiste all thynges whyche also of hys mere mercy preserueth hys owne and wyth ryght indgement rewardeth hys enemyes Specially thys is mooste wonderfull that in thys great busynesse worke he hath so myghtely set forth the redemption perfourmed by oure Lorde Jesus Chryste yea and expressed it to be a very myghty redemption For the same nyght whan they shulde departe awaye and be dyspatched in the mornyng the Lord commaunded them to kyll a lambe and wyth the bloud therof to sprinkle the dores and postes of the house So whan the aungell that in the same night slew the fyrst borne of the Egyptians sawe the bloude he shuld do no harme and sley no man therin Exo xii Now te stifyeth Paul .i. Cor. v that Christ Jesus is our Ester lambe and passeouer â–ª So sayeth S. JohaÌ„ Beholde the lambe of God whyche taketh awaye the synne of the worlde Therefore were not the Israelytes spared because of the bloud of beastes but for the bloudes sake of the blessed sede that was promysed for to come And thus the whole delyuerauÌ„ce out of Egypt was a figure of the true redemption by the whych we are delyuered from the power of the deuell from euerlastynge death thorow Jesus Christe and brought into the lande of promes euen to eternall ioye and saluation whyche God promysed vnto our fathers AdaÌ„ Noe Abraham Isaac and Jacob. Now whan the Lorde had caried hys people out of Egipt and brought theÌ„ thorow the reed see drye shode and had drowned Pharao wyth all hys people he commaunded hys folke to prepare and clense theÌ„ selues at mouÌ„t Sina For he wold binde hymselfe vnto them receaue them as hys owne people and gaue them hys law and ordynauÌ„ce Which thing he also dyd and appoynted hys law himselfe spake it wyth hys owne mouth and wrote it with hys owne fyngers in two tables of stone In the one fyrst table he ordeyned foure commaundementes concernynge the wor shippe and loue of God Namely that we shulde take hym onely for the true right God and none els besyde or excepte hym That we shuld worship and honoure hym onely and in no wyse to haue anye other God coÌ„forte nor hope Item that we shuld in no wyse make any ymage or picture of any thinges and nether to worshippe them nor serue them Morouer that we shulde not take the
the trueth righteousnes Then to offre hymselfe to the father for our synnes and after the sacrifice done to ryse vp agayn froÌ„death to asceÌ„de vnto heaueÌ„ there to seyt at the ryght haÌ„de of god and eueÌ„ there as a true hye bisshoppe to appeare alwaye in the presence of god and to praye for vs. Thys is the summe of the rytes and ceremonies of the olde fathers the vnderstondynge of the figures and the sprete of the lettre wher of holy Paull hath written moche in the moost excellent epistle to the Hebrues Out of all thys is it easye to vnderstoÌ„d howe that these rytes ceremonies of the fathers were sacramentes and geuen to the people of god Not that they with the lettre and outwarde visyble and corporall thynge shulde sufficiently serue God whiche is a sprete but that they shuld lift vp their myndes aboue the same to the spirituall thynges pondrynge the mercy of God out of the whiche he beynge moued is become gracious vnto vs. And whan he might haue damned vs for oure synnes and mysdedes he spared vs for hys sonnes sake whome he gaue vnto death and hys innocent death hath he accepted for our synnes Soche a faithfull consideration whiche is the true beleue pleaseth god and with soche a fayth is god serued and soche a fayth wolde the Lorde haue taught andplanted in wyth the â—oresayde rytes and Ceremonies Therfore all they that pleased god among the olde fathers pleased hym not for the letters sake but by reason of the sprete Whaâ— the sacrifice also and ceremonye was executed after the ordinaunce of god in the congregation the beloued frendes of God had not onely respecte vnto the outewarde thynge but muche rather behelde they Chryst with the eyes of fayth thought thus Beholde the wyll of God hathe ordeyned to do sacrifice for synne now are we all synners and detters vnto god in so much that he hath power right ouer vs that lyke as the beeste whyche is now slayne and offred dyeth hath hys bloud shed Euen so myght God now also kyll vs all and coudemne vs for euer Neuerthelesse he hath takeÌ„ vs to his mercy and promysed vs a sede whiche shulde thus dye on the crosse and clense vs wyth hys bloud wyth hys deth restore vs vnto lyfe Whyche thynge no doute shall as surely come to passe as thys beest is slayne offred now a ore our eyes And lyke as the bloude is sprenkled ouer the people for the bodely cleÌ„syng So shall the bloud of Christ be sprenkled vpon oure soules c. And out of suche thoughte and faythfull consyderacion of the sacrifices grewe repentaunce and sorow for theyr synnes a gladnesse prayse comforte and thankes geuynge vnto God the mercyfull father And to thys do serue certayne Psalmes whyche were made concernynge the sacrifices To thys also serue all the rebukynges of the holy Prophetes and the refusinges of the oblations For the exteriour pompe and shewe of the offrynges wythout fayth in God and the blessed sede is nothyng worth yea it is rather abhominacion vnto god as thou seyst in the first chapter of Esaye Thou wâ—â—t aske Might not god haue taught and shewed his people the cause of Jesu Christ and of true beleue none other waye then thorowe and wyth suche cost pompe and glory of sacrifices other gorgiousnesse of the churche I answere Yf the people had not falleÌ„ to more wyckednesse in Egypt thorow their dwellynge amonge the ydolaters but had constantly and stedfastly remained as dyd theyr fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob then myghte they well haue contynued by the olde shorte symple fourme as it was amonge the holy fathers But nowe had they sene in Egypte an outwarde costlye gods seruice wyth temples altures sacrifices preâ—â—hode holy daves ornameÌ„tes c. Lykewyse the ydolatrye increaced dayly in all the worlde so that nowe there was vtterly no people whyche had not theyr owne outwarde ceremonies â–ª wherewyth they serued God To the intente then that God myghte reâ—â—â—ne hys people wythin the compasse of fayth in one God and in the blessed sede promysed afore to the intente also that they shoulde shewe no outward â–ª seruyce to any other goddes or take vpon them to serue God after the maner of the EgipciaÌ„s or after other HeitheÌ„ he appoynted an outwarde gods seruice and coÌ„maunded to do the same vnto hym and els to none and in the same pleased it hym to set forth all the cause of the forsayde sede tyll he came and perfourmed all thynges indede that they hadde fygurally in theyr sacrifices Morouer god accordyng â—â— hys wysdome of hys speciall mercy and good herte that he hath vnto mans generation wolde wyth these outwarde tokeÌ„s tender oure weaknesse whiche of spirituall heauenly thynges hathe better vnderstandynge whan they are shewed vnto it by corporall vysible thynges God therfore thorow suche corporall representations laboured to shewe vnto that grosse and fleshly people the heuenly cause of hys sonne Neuerâ—theles the corporall visible thynges were geuen for no longer but vntyll the tyme of the fulfyllynge But now that Câ—râ—st hath appeared and fulfylled and perfourmed all that was wryteÌ„ and figured of hym in the law and the prophetes the figure ceasseth â–ª and the outewarde Sacramentes of Moses lawe â–ª are of no more value to be exercised and vsed Thus muche â—â—sayde of the ceremonyes Where as besyde the ceremonies there is muche wryten also in the lawe concernynge cyuyle policye ordynaunce iudgement to lyue peaceable and well in cytye and lande Of biyng and sellyng of warre and peace of enherytaunce and propertyes of lawes matrimonyall of punyshement of the wycked of the iudgement and connsaill of leadynge and borowynge c. It is no newes at all and serueth altogether for the declaratioÌ„ of the fyre â—oÌ„maundementes of the seconde table and is comprehended in the wordes of Paul Roma xiii Loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe â–ª And in the wordes of Christe That thou woldest not haue done vnto the doo not thou to another Math. vii Suche lawes and rules to lyue in peace in a cyuyle ordre and vertue haue also the good holy fathers had froÌ„ the begynnyng of the world wrytten in theyr hartes by God hym selse Nowe hathe God also caused all to be comprehended in wryttynge by Moses to the intente that the World myghte haue all more clearlye and perfectly and that no man myghte excuse hym selfe of ignoraunce ☞ The originall of the holy scripture and fayth thereof THys mater which I haue hytherto treated vpon haue I not feyned of my selfe but taken it out of the mouthe and worde of God For god styred vp Moses to wryte and leaue behynde hym all the matter for our lernyng and knowlege Thys dyd now Moses wyth great faythfulnesse coÌ„prehended all in foure bokes The fyrste is called the boke of the creation from the be gynnynge of the worlde vnto hys tyme of the creacion of
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
fastinge lyke almes geuynge He nothynge regardeth mens tradicions diuersites of sectes long garmentes outwarde appearaunce their clensynge neâ— all their ypocrisie He goeth into the temple ouerthroweth casteth downe powreth out euery thynge that is to be solde in the temple he dryueth the byers and sellers out of the temple with a whippe For the temple was ordeyned for generall prayer thankesgeuing and preachynge and not for choppinge and chaun gynge or other suche lyke thynges These thre poyntes doth he teach vs diligently to obserue First that we obteyne remission of synnes true righteousnes euerlastinge lyfe onely thorw hym and by hys passion and death and els by none other meane For he is the onely mediatoure prest intercessoure comforter the onely righteousnesse satisfacion raunsome santifyeng the onely perpetuall sacrifice the suertye of grace and saluacion Speciall testimonies hereof hast thou Johan iii. vi xiiii and .xvi. Secondly that we can not serue and pleace God with exterior sacrifices or any outward pompe but with suche workes as proceade of loue mercy And thirdly that all the children of God are bounde to kepe them selues from the workes of darekenesse and to applye them to lyue in righteousnes and in the lighte And herein also is comprehended all godlynes that is all right good Christen workes So whan he had taught all righteousnes and discloysed and ouerthrowen all ypocrisye in religion he offred vp hym selfe vpon the crosse for the remissyon of all oure synnes For wyllingly paciently put he him selfe in to the handes of hys enemyâ—s and of his betrayer suffred him selfe to be taken to be bounde to beled from one iudge to another to be langhed to scorne cried out vpon to be spytted on and at the last to be adiudged vnto death to be scourged to be crowned with a crown of thorne He himselfe bare hys owne crosse to the place of execucion where he was crucified hanged vp betwene the murthurers Then lyued he in greate payne from the sixte houre vntyll the nyenth At the last he cried It is fynished father in to thy handes commende I my sprâ—te thus offred he him self for oure synnes and dyed that we myghte lyue But soone after folowed the thinges wherby the frute of Christes passyon might be perceaued For the vayle which in the temple seâ—arated the holy from the moost holy dyd rent from the toppe tyll the botome wherby Christ testified that now with his death all ceremonies figâ— ratyue thinges were at an ende and nomore of value that the waye to eternall saluation was opened that all thinges significatyue in the tabernacle in sacrifices rytes and obseruaunces were nowfulfilled and abrogate that now the bare onely cross of our Lorde Jesus Christ is al together vnto the faythfull that the hele of the virgines sede is well troden vpon his flesh well rente and slayne but that yet also in the meane reason he hath troden the serpent vpon the head Therfore dyd the deed also aryse and appeared vnto certayne at Hierusalem For the death of Christ is oure life The erthquaked the stones harst asunder For the preachinge of the death of the sonne of God hath altered the whole worlde and many hard stonye hertes are moued to repentaunce faith and good workes But whan the syde of the deed body of Christ was opened with the speare â–ª and the rocke as zachary saieth was dygged vp â–ª there ranne out water and bloude declarynge manifestly therby that vnto vs out of the death of Christ foloweth life and purifyenge For water cleÌ„seth in the bloud is the lyfe of man And with the bloude of Christ is all bloude stanched and now is Christes bloude onely avaylable beynge sprenkled thorowe fayth in oure hertes This oblacion and passion of Christ the rawnsome for the synne of the whole world was done in the. xviii yeare of the Empyre of Tiberius rekenynge from the begynnyng of the worlde 4007 yeres the .xxv. daye of Marche So the whole body of Jesu was taken downe from the crosse and honorably buryed and on the thirde daye after he rose vp agayne so that his soule came agayne to the body and his very flesh was raysed vp from death how be it now nomore mortall and passible but glorified For he is the first in the resurrection of the deed For lyke as by one man came deathe so by one man must come the resurrection of the deed And lyke as in Adam we all dyed in body and soule so shall we be all together restored agayne to lyfe in Christ Jesu This hope vnto lyfe wolde the Lorde prynte substancially in vs with the resurrection And therfore after his resurrection he contynued fortye dayes wyth his disciples that he mightwell instructe them of his resurrection and that they shuld haue no doulte therin So whan he had shewed and declared vnto them his very resurrection dyuerse wayse and had perfourmed all that the father commaunded him to fynde he ascended vp vnto heaueÌ„ with body and soule fro mouÌ„t Oliuere in the sight of his disciples and is set at the righte hand of God there to remayne corporally vntyll the last daye in the which he shall â–ª come agayn bodelye to iudge the quycke deed And all suche as haue walked in faith shall he take to him with body soule in to heauen lyke as he himselfe is receaued in to heauen And shall with body and soule condemne all them that haue walked in the waye of the olde serpente and haue not conuerted from vnrighteousnesse to the righteousnesse in Christ And thus shall saluacion be perfectly fynished and gods chyldren shall lyue eternally with God thorow Jesus Christ To whome be prayse for euer Amen ☞ That also the electe Apostles preached thys olde fayth and declared that all saluacion is â–ª onely in Christ THus thorow Christ Jesus is al fulfilled that the prophetes prophecied of hym a fore thus is he become y â— saluacion of all faithfull beleuers euen the lampe of God whiche hath bene sacrificed sens the beginninge of the world that is this is he whose power and delyueraunce hath clensed all them that euer put their trust in God thorow the blessed sede Herein now is the righte true â—aluacion this is the summe of the right perfecte religion Who so peruerteth thys from him shall God turne him selfe who so addeth oughte vnto this to hym shall God adde his wrothfull hand who so taketh ther froÌ„ his lyfe shall God â—â—nishe But blessed are they which walke in this simplicite clennesse contynue so vnto the ende euen they that heare gods worde do therafter whose onely hope is Jesus Christ This onely true and euer durynge saluacion wolde he to be shewed and declared to all nacions whiche came to saue all nacions but he wold it sholde be declared by the preachinge of the holy gospell and thorow the ministracion of the holâ— sacramentes And therfore by his
the people of God Touching baptyme ther are many ensamples in the actes of the Apostles The supper of Jesus Christ had the Corinthians somwhat altered And whan Paull poynted them agayne to the true ordinaunce and right vse he taketh the symple wordes institucion of Jesu Christ without anye more addicion and layeth those before them commaundeth them to folowe the same and holdeth him therwith well content .i. Corinth xi And thus dyd the holy Apostles gather together all HeytheÌ„ and people thorow the preachinge of the gospell and mynistracion of the sacramentes in the church whose heade is Christ in whom they are buylded and preserued Morouer they dyd not layed them sore with any ceremonies For in the Actes of the Apostles the .ii. chap where as a perfecte shappe of a right Christen congregacion is descrybed we haue fyrst the â—eudinge of the Apostles amonge whom Peter dyd fyrst preach the gospell that is to saye repentaunce and forgeuenesse of synnes in Christ Jesu Then baptised he theÌ„ that were become the people of God Afterward foloweth it that they whych were become Christen contynued in the doctryne of the Apostles in prayer in breakinge of the bred in the foloshippe Here are the ryght substanciall poyntes of the Cristen church sufficiently expressed the doctryne of amendment of lyfe remission of synnes baptyme the contynuynge and increasyng in Christes doctrine prayer the holy supper of the Lorde and the feloshyppe that is loue kyndnesse and workes of mercy Now where as Act. xv it is ordeyned that the Heythen shoulde eate no bloude nor strangled it endured but for a tyme and theyr meanyng was therby to a voyde offendynge of the weake Otherwyse haue the Apostles euery where specially Paul very exnestly exhorted men to contynue by the doctrine that was shewed delyuered theÌ„ and to be at a poynte in theÌ„ selues to auoyde suche lernynge as was new and brought vp by men because they leade meÌ„ farre froÌ„ the trueth as we fynde Collos ii Philip. iii. i. Timoth. iiii vi and Titum i. And thus is it manifest that the apostles taught al natioÌ„s no newer strauge thyng but euen the same that they had receyued of the Lorde ☞ A conclusion that this fayth is the ryght true olde fayth whyche alway shall stonde sure THis holy vndefiled faith which the Lorde â—â—anted and set vp in all nations by the Apostles immediatly after the Apostles dysseasse was â—ore â–ª attempted by sondrye vncleaâ—e personnes whych brought vp false customes and misbeleuers and made perâ—ous sectes Besydes thys also was it sore persecuted wyth the swerde of tyrauntes But in all such daungers the trueth ouer came and had the victory For though the cytezins of the deuels cytye accordinge to the dispositioÌ„ of theyr patriarke Cain dyd mur thur â— all though falfe prophetes brought vp euell counsaill yet the cytye of God triumpheth and the bloude of innocent Abell and his brethren speaketh yet But after that the persecucioÌ„ was somwhath â—rassed and the persecuters sore and horrâ—bly punished for their bloude sheddinge the heresies also beinge well brought downe by faythfull shepherdes In the same rest also was oure holy fayth not a litle hurt For rest put a waye feare brought ydle felicite voluptuousnes and fleshly sekynge of riches and dominyon and so thorow couetousnes and ambisioÌ„ there was pouâ—ed great poyson in to the church wherby religion sore decayed For whyle the mynisters of the worde laboured more after riches then to perfourme their office and charge and to edt â—â—e the church they were pleased with supersticiousnes in steade of true religion Of â—â—uâ—s then folowed it farther that the singlenesse of fayth was forgotten newe lawâ—s made the olde rytes and customes ether peruerted or els vtterly ouerthroweÌ„ and abused wherby men came farrâ— from the doctryne and Christen ceremonies from the waye of trueth in to erâ—oure foo â—â—â—ly partly in to ceremonies of ydolatrye Here of commeth it that we haâ—â— now the abhomination of the popes power of pardons of masses for the deed and quycke of merites power and intercession of sayntes in heauen of worshyppinge their bones vpon eâ—th of ydols and vayne ornamentes pompe pryde of the church of hyred syngynge and prayenge in the temple and of the whole swarme of ydele religious All whiche thynges with other moâ— like fondnesse are nothing but new alteracions peruertinges and contrary to all olde ordinaunces hauynge no grounde in gods woâ—de and are cleane agaynst God though many hardnecked people are yet in a furye and braule for such hinges and wyll make all the world beleue that thys theyr foolishnes alteracion peruerâ—â—nge of Gods ordinaunce is the olde fayth And yet woâ—e they or wyll not knowe that theyr â—abling hath very litle grounde and that they yf they considred the matter as it is are very naked and miserable And though this papisticall religioÌ„ hath endured preuayled triumphed now certayne hundreth yeares yet hath God all waye sent his â—aythfull seruantes and had a litle holy flock of his owne like as afore tyme in the dayâ—s of the iudges oft the kinges of Juda and Israel and in the captiuite of Babilon though it was all moost at the worst afore at the coÌ„minge of Christ Like as it is also with vs the nyer the second commynge of Christ the worse is it in the world Neuertheles as I sayde afore God all waye set forth his worde and doth yet Contrary wyse the pope with his multitude and â–ª Machomet with his as it semeth and becometh very Antichristes haue hitherto vndertaken to suppresse the olde religion and to set vp hys owne ordinaunce vnknowne to oure fathers of olde tyme to bringe it in to possession and vnder y â— name of God and his holy church to sprede it vpon all christendome For out of y â— Actes and statutes of the pope and hys wanton spiritualtye and out of the lawes of Machomet it is manifest what the one hath taken in hand and done now more then 600. yeares and the other vpon a 900 yeares It is cuident yet also euen now wherto hys generall coun sayls and perliamentes do extende But not â–ª regardinge how he threnteneth â—nd faceth and how he garnisheth hys new and wanton religions with false but dissemblynge titles boastinge of many hundreth yeares many generall counsayles fathers holy men doctours vniuersities closters syngyng prayeng fasting almes geuinge deâ—plynge and telleth suche lyke All hys â–ª bragginge set a syde let vs cast hys relygion from vs take vpon vs vnfaynedly the true olde religion which hath endured sens the begynnyng of the worlde by the which all holy mâ—n haue euer loued worshipped and serued God knew nothinge vtterly of the Popes religion And yf we must for thys cauâ—e be hated and persecuted of the worlde well it happened euen so vnto all holy Prophetes before vs lykewyse and specially vnto Jesus Christe our Lorde