it is sayd I am the Lord and this is my name I will not giue my glorie too an other Now the name of Iehoua is attributed too Christ in Iere. xxiij xxxiij Dan. ix Num. xxj Therfore Christ is verely by nature God. Againe he cōprehendeth a summe of the doctrine concerning these twoo woordes Remission of sinnes and peace purchased by Christ Wherin hée méeneth not bodyly and worldly peace but the appeasement of Gods wrath against our sinnes attonement with God quietnesse and ioy of conscience in all aduersities and in death and lastly desire too mainteyne outward concord and peace Thirdly that faith is not only a bare knowledge of the persone and benefites of Christ but also a trust settled in Christ it appeareth openly be this phrase All that beleeue in him For it is well doone in the schooles that they make this distinction in the maner of spéeches folowing that too beléeue of God is to beléeue him too bée to beléeue God is to giue credit too him and to beléeue his woorde and to beléeue in God is to trust in him too stay vppon him and too repose the whole hope of our saluation in him These six places conteyned in this notable sentence of Peter To him doo all the Prophetes beare witnesse c. Let the studiouse sorte consider and ioyne thereuntoo a summe of the doctrine concerning the Iustifying of man before God out of the writinges that comprehended the substaunce of the Christen doctrine Vppon Trinity Sunday The Epistle Rom. xj O The deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God how vnsercheable are his iudgementes and his wayes past finding out for who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde or who hath bin of counsell with him Eyther who hathe giuen vntoo him first and he shall bee recompenced ageine For of him and through him and in him are all things Too him bee glory for euer Amen The disposement of this Sermon concerning the Trinitie THe first and chéefe care of all men ought too bée too knowe God aryght too call vpon him and too set foorth his praise For too that end chéefly wer they created and redéemed by the sonne Neither is there any other higher or greater wisdom than the true knowledge and woorshipping of God which bringeth most assured cōfort in all tribulations and gouernment of lyfe in greatest affaires and saluation glory euerlasting both of body and soule Now forasmuch as vpon this day the Doctrine concerning the vnitie of the béeing of the Godhead and the Trinitie of the persons is woont too bée set foorth in the Churches we wil distribute this dayes doctrine intoo three places 1 What God is 2 That there is but one God only 3 That there are thrée persons in the one being or in the one substance of the Godhead the father the sonne the holy ghost and of either of their properties and differences First what God is GOd wil haue his béeing and wil knowne too mē this only one way according as he hath manifested himselfe in his church by the certen woord that is to wit by the law and the gospel the notable records deliuered by Chryst the prophets Apostles And there is very great ods in the difference béetwéen the heathenish knowing of God the christen For although the heathen by the natural lyght shed into their minds and by this most beautiful Theatre of natural things doo after a sort know God too bée a mynd euerlasting wyse well dooing iust the beholder of things and the iudger of mennes dooings too whom according too that lyght ingraffed in mens minds which discerneth honest dishonest things a sunder obedience is too bée performed yet haue they not knowne eyther the difference of the thrée persons or the will of God reueled in his gospel Yea and contrarie too this knowledge ingraffed in them by nature they allow the Idolatrous woorshipping of the monstrous multitude of Gods and bicause in the confusion of this present lyfe they sée the good ofte tymes in ill case the ill in good case they are ouerwhelmed eyther with Epicurish or with Academish doutfulnesse wherthrough al that religion of theirs is appalled and falleth too the ground But the summe of the Doctrine concerning the béeing of the Godhead which the vsuall description of God compriseth is this God is a béeing or substance spirituall vnderstanding euerlasting soothfast good ryghtuous mercifull chast most frée of infinite power and wisdome and another from the bodyes of the world The euerlasting Father who begate the Sonne his image from before all worlds and the Sonne the coeternall image of the Father and the holy Ghost procéeding from the Father and the Sonne According as the Godhead hath disclosed it selfe which toogither hath created and mainteyneth heauen and earth and all creatures and in mankynd gathereth too it selfe a Churche too the intent that by the same this one and true Godhed which is manifested by assured testimonies and by the woorde deliuered too the Prophets and Apostles may bée acknowledged and called vppon and glorifyed in the eternall lyfe This definition is compacted out of many recordes of Gods woord which may bée plenteously enlarged And it consisteth of foure members First it reckeneth vp in order the twelue properties peculiar too the béeing of god Secondly it reciteth the thrée persons the differences of them Thirdly it declareth the operations of God and his creation preseruation of all things And fourthly it sheweth the chusing of his eternal church by which he wil be knowne magnified The second place THat there is but one God euen the soūder sort of the heathen being conuicted by demonstrations taken of the orderlynesse of causes in nature haue taught And woorthy of remembraunce are these sentences There is one God onely and there is none other God. Also there is but one God wyse mightie and there withall blissefull And ageine there must needes bee some one thing and that immortall whoo was the first mouer of all things and which preserueth them nowe in good gouernance The rule of many is not good let there bee but one gouernour Notwithstanding contrary too this opinion knowne too nature the Heathen men admitted an abhominable sorte of Gods which as Paul sayth truely an idoll is nothing in the world are not euerlasting Gods but eyther surmysed and vaine names or very féendes or else other things created by god Agein in the very church also the Manichées imagined twoo Gods bothe of them myghtie and eternall the one good and the cause of good in nature the other the cause of euil Ageinst these madnesses let this doctrine bée most firmly held that there is but one God almightie euerlasting good ryghtuous the iudge the maker and the preseruer of all things manifested in the Church by the sōne our Lord Iesus Christ sent among vs and by his Gospel deliuered too vs according too the sayings of
counsel of the Godhed for mankind and turning vppon himselfe the most rightful wrath of God against sin ioyning too himself our nature by euer lasting and indissoluble bond Secondly the holy ghost hath sanctified the flesh taken of the substance of the virgin Marie and fashioned in Maries wombe the body of Chryst redy too bée borne Luke j. The causes inforcing the birth and Incarnation of the Sonne of God our mediatoure were chéefly foure First the excéeding loue and mercy of God towardes mankind which he would not haue forlorne for euer Secondly Gods iustice binding men either too obedience or too sufficient punishment Therefore when man had transgressed it was of necessitie that the punishment should be performed by man Thirdly Now that the pryce might bée of full value and the greatnesse of the desert might excéede the greatnesse of the sinne it béehoued the redéemer too excell all creatures and too bée a person of the Godhed Fourthly It is the duetie of a redéemer and high priest too appease Gods wrathe and too ouercome sinne and death and too bée at hand in all places and too héere and defend the Churche and too restore ryghtuousnesse and eternall life vntoo it But this can no man doo that is not also Emanuell that is too say in very déede and by nature God. The outward forcing cause is sinne and the most sorowfull damnation of all mankind which God wold not should vtterly perish The finall cause is shewed in the Sermon of the Angell Beholde I bring you tidings of great ioy for there is borne too you a sauioure Chryst the Lord. For the highest benefit that the sonne of God hath wrought vntoo vs by his birth is saluation that is too say deliuerance from Gods wrath from sinne from death from curse of the law from the tirannie of the deuil and from endlesse damnation and on the other side attonement with God ioy of conscience adoption too be the sonnes of God the gift of the holy ghost rightuousnesse and euerlasting life Too bée short the woord of God Iesus Christ is become that which wée bée too the intent he might make vs fully that which he is For that I may vse the woordes of Ciprian Chryst the sonne of God voutsaued too become the sonne of man to the intēt he might make vs men the sonnes of God He tooke vppon him the shape of a seruant too the intent he might set vs frée that are the seruauntes of sinne and death He was wounded that he might heale our wounds and it was his will too die that he might giue vs mortal wights immortalitie These benefits are brefly conteined in the promises made too Adam Abraham In thy séede shall all nations be blissed Also the womās séede shall tread downe the serpents head And the summe is vttered in cléere and lyghtsome woords by Paule Galath 4. After that the fulnesse of time was come God sent his sonne borne of a woman made vnder the lawe too the intent he myght redéeme those that were vnder the law that wée myght bée adopted the sonnes of God of which notable sentence I will intreat more at large the next Sunday The .iij. Of the applying NOw forasmuch as these are great good things which the sonne of God bringeth the sorowful minds demād how wée wretches defiled with sinnes can atteine them That do the Angels teach vnto you is borne a sauior And Esay a child is born vnto vs a sonne is giuen vntoo vs And hereuppon is grounded this sentence Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne to the intent that all y beleeue in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting For too this purpose was the sonne of God sent that wée al whoo are vtterly vnwoorthy and horibly defiled should bée accepted of God for his sake and atteyne remission of sinnes and eternall saluation And wee are most straightly commaunded of God too beléeue assuredly that these good things are giuen vs for his sonnes sake and through this faith shining before vs too sing all our life long with the Angels 1 Glorie bee too God on high that is too say nowe that the sonne is borne for the same sonnes sake is true and perfect glorie yéelded vntoo God not only for that he is God wyse rightuous and a iudge but also for that he is mercifall and certeinly accepteth vs for his sonnes sake and rewardeth vs with eternall life This glorie doo neyther heathenmen nor Turkes nor hipocrites but only they that beleeue in the sonne that is borne too vs and giuen too vs yéelde vntoo God. 2 In earth peace that is too say men haue God reconciled and fauorable too them and mainteine mutuall loue among themselues 3 Too men gladnesse that is too say although miseries and distresses befal them yet are their hartes quiet and merie and rest stedfastly in this souereine goodnesse that the sonne is borne too vs and giuen too vs. ¶ THE CONCLVSION In the knitting vp let the thrée places bée repeted and let a thanksgiuing bée added for the sending of the sonne and a prayer that God will voutsaue to gather a churche too his sonne among vs and kindle our mindes and hartes with his holy spirit so as wée may looke somewhat more déepely intoo this woonderfull deuise of our redemption and magnifie it with thankfull hartes Vppon Christmas day ¶ The Epistle Heb. j. GOd in times past diuersly many ways spake vntoo the fathers by Prophets but in these last days he hath spokē vntoo vs by his own sonne whom he hath made heire of all things by whō also he made the worlde Which sonne beeing the bryghtnes of his glory and the very image of his substāce ruling al things with the woord of his power hath by his own person purged our sinnes and sitteth on the right hand of the maiestie on hie beeing so much more excellent than the Angels as he hath by enheritaunce obteined a more excellent name than haue they For vntoo which of the Angels said he at any time Thou art my sonne this day haue I begottē thee And agein I wil bee his father and he shal bee my sonne And agein when he bringeth in the first begotten sonne intoo the world he saith And let all the Angels of God woorship him And of the Angels he saith he maketh his Angels spirits and his ministers a flame of fire But vnto the sōne he saith thy seat o God shal be for euer and euer The scepter of thy kingdom is a right scepter Thou hast loued rightuousnesse and hated iniquitie Wherefore God euen thy God hath anointed thee with Oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foūdation of the earth And the heauens are the woorkes of thy handes They shall perish but thou endurest They all shall wex old as dooth a garment and as a vesture
that are drunken and disordered whom wée fynde by experience not too bée méete too performe aryght the lesser purposes and dueties of mannes lyfe Besides this drunkeÌ„nesse expulseth the spirit of grace praiers out of mennes harts as Basil hath truely sayd Drunkennesse expelleth the holy Ghost And like as smoke driueth out Bées so Gluttony expulseth the gifts of the holy Ghost Therfore some define sobrietie or stayednesse too bée a vertue that ruleth the desires and the vse of meat and drinke so as wée nether hinder prayer by too much cramming nor hinder sléepe by too much for â—earing Watchfulnesse also is necessary vntoo praying which not only measureth the sléepe of the body in suche wise as it alloweth not more tyme too it than is requisite too maynteine health but also shaketh off the restinesse of mynd and drousie sluggishnesse which neglecteth the exercises of true godlynesse and performeth due heede earnestnesse businesse diligence in dayly prayer and in ruling the rest of the attemptes and purposes of a mannes lyfe It neglecteth not â—e consumeth the time in sléepe or idlenesse which is too bée employed in prayer and mynding of godlynesse It bableth not the woords of the prayer with the lips alone coldly and yauningly and with a wandring minde but it is settled and busie occupyed For how can he hope too bee herd of God which héereth not himself when he prayeth not considereth what he prayeth The times that are most fit for godly and earnest prayer are the morning and the tymes immediatly before dinner and supper as it is sayd in the Psalme Early in the morning will I cry vntoo thee early in the morning shalt thou heare mée Also Peter and Iohn go vp intoo the temple the nynthe houre too pray which answéereth too our thrée or foure of the clocke in the after noone The second place COncerning the louing of our neybor there is spoke more largely of it vpon the .iiij. Sunday after Epiphanie and the first and second dayes after Trinitie Therefore I giue but this lesson concerning the Phrase Loue hydeth the multitude of sinnes it is not too bée vnderstoode of hyding a mannes sinnes before God of which is spoken in Psal xxxj and Rom. iiij Blissed are they whose sinnes are couered that is too wit vnder the shadow of the Sonne of God our mediator but of other mennes or of our neybors sinnes infirmities and blemishes which are too bée forgiuen and couered with mutual louingnesse according to this saying Loue suffereth all things loue beareth all things loue woorketh his neybor no harme Also forgiue and yée shalbée forgiuen Also know thy fréends conditions but hate them not He that hateth vyces hatethmen c. One spice of louing a mannes neybor is of hospitalitie which hee will haue too bée vsed without grudging that is too say willingly and with a chéerfull mynd according too this saying God loueth the chéerful giuer And the Gréekes haue giuen the thrée graces their names of chéerfulnesse that is too wit Aglaia â–ª Euphrosyne Thalia méening thereby that good turnes are too bée doone vntoo others with a glad heart and chéerfull countenance The third place GOd framed man in such wyse and distinguished mannes lyfe intoo sundrie degrées dueties and giftes that euery one hath néede of others helpe and eche one too shewe his louingnesse and liberalitie towardes other by franke and free imparting his giftes among them And in déede the best of all laboures is too help a man by such meanes as he hath and can And therfore in this place Peter willeth all men too employ the giftes which they haue not too vainglory and pryde but too this end that they may serue our neybors turne and set foorth the glory of God Like as Paule j. Corinthians xij and xiiij willeth all giftes too bée employed too edefying â–ª and too the profit of the churche If any man speake let him speake as the answers of God. That is too say he that is a Preacher let him teache faithfully and let him handle the word of God aryght and not teach Philosophie nor the traditions of men If any man ministreth let him doo it according to the abilitie that God lendeth him That is too say let euery one that serueth in any other seruice or office abide within the boundes of his vocatioÌ„ which God furthereth let him acknowledge God to bée the efficient cause and end of al wholsom dooings Let him doo all things too the glory of God. Vppon Whitson Sunday ¶ The Epistle Actes ij ANd when the fiftie dayes wer come to an end they were all with one accord together in one place And sodenly there came a sound from heauen as it had bin the comming of a mighty winde and it filled al the house where they sate And there appeared vntoo them clouen tongues like as they had bin of fire and it sate vpon eche one of them and they were al filled with the holy ghost and began to speake with other tongues euen as the same spirit gaue theÌ„ vtterance Then were dwelling at Ierusalem Iewes deuout meÌ„ out of euery nation of them that are vnder heauen When this was noysed about the multitude came together and were astonied bicause that euery man heard them speake with his own language They wondred all and maruelled saying among theÌ„ selues Behold are not all these which speake of Galile And how heare wee euery man his owne tongue wherein wee were borne Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the inhabiters of Mesopotamia and of Iewrie and of Capadocia of Pontus and Asia Phrigia and Pamphilia of Egipt and of the parties of Libia which is beside Syren and straungers of Rome Iewes and Proselites Greekes and Arrabians wee haue heard them speake in our owne tongues the great woorkes of God. The Doctrine concerning the feast of Pentecost or Whitsuntide may be included in foure places 1 Of the woord Pentecost and the stories of Gods shewing of himselfe which were doone in the Church vpon Whitsun Sunday 2 The Doctrine concerning the person of the holy Ghost 3 Of the office and benefites of the holy Ghost 4 Too whom the holy Ghost is giuen and how he is receiued or forgone The first place PEntecost is a Gréeke woorde and signifieth the fiftith day that is too wit from Easter day For the fiftith day after the first passeouer and passage of the children of Israell out of Egipt the lawe of God was published vppon Mount Sinai And the same day a thousand fiue hundred fortie and twoo yéeres after béeing the fiftith day after that our passeouer Chryst was offered in sacrifise vppon the altar of the crosse the holy Ghost was poured out vppon the Apostles Now from the creation of the world vntoo the first Pentecost in which the ten commaundementes were delyuered vppon Mount Sinai there passed twoo thousand four hundred and thrée and fiftie yéeres From the first Pentecost or
too endure it And héer withall let the whole doctrine concerning the true calling vppon God bée repeted in this place which must not roue douting too what God a man speaketh as Hecuba prayeth in Euripides O Iupiter who so euer thou art right hard too bée knowne nor bée directed too surmysed Gods or dead men but must speake vntoo the one true God the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst who hath disclosed himselfe in his Church by his assured woord by recorde of miracles and by sending his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst which was crucifyed and raised ageine for vs that he myght set vs at one with the eternall father and make our requestes and prayers welcome and acceptable too him Of this true God the father of our Lord Iesus Chryst and of vs all of whom as of their father and creator all Angels and men and all things visible and inuisible in heauē and in earth haue their béeing and preseruacion let vs request not only the ordinarie and flyghtfull commodities of this present life but in especially the souereine and most néedfull gifts that according too his rich glorie and excéeding great goodnesse he will giue vs his holy spirite too strengthen vs with faith and stedfastnesse in the true acknowledgement of Iesus Chryst as touching the inward man which béeing borne a new by the woord of the Gospell and the woorking of the holy Ghoste may no more liue after the flesh but after the sprite that Chryst may dwell and bée effectuall in vs in such wyse that through the feruent and incomprehensible kyndnesse or loue of God towardes vs which he hath shewed by sending his sonne j. Iohn iiij Rom. v. wée béeing grounded in steadie fayth and fastened with déepe rootes may bée able to comprehend what is the bredth and length and depth and heigth of gods excéeding great goodnesse and mercy towards vs which he hath shewed by sending his sonne whereof is spoken in Psal Cij As far as the East is from the West so farre hath he set our iniquities from vs As high as the heauen is aboue the earth so hyghly is the Lords mercy stablished vpon them that feare him That wee may after some sort know the great and woonderfull loue of Chryste towardes vs which is farre more excellent and greater than that man can attaine too it and vnderstand it And that wee may bee filled with all fulnesse of God. That is too say that wée may bée filled too the full with heauenly lyght wisdome ryghtuousnesse and lyfe by God who shall bée all in all and that God himselfe dwelling in vs euerlastingly may euermore shine in vs and lyghten and fulfill our hartes with the flames of all vertues The fourth place IN thankes giuing wherewith he closeth vp this Epystle there is a notable text too bée considered for men too set ageinst Stoicall destinie For the Stoikes surmyse that God is bound too second causes or too the order of nature so as he cānot doo otherwyse thā as the second causes doo suffer This imagination which is slaunderous to God and hindereth the true calling vpon God in daungers that are vnauoydable by mannes wit is cléerely confuted by this sentence of Paules God is able aboue all things and abundantly too help beyond all that wee can aske or conceyue Like as hée helped Moyses standing at the red sea Ezechias beseeged of Sennacherib and the thrée Israelites in the burning Ouen at Babylon what tyme they were destitute of all mannes ayd and counsel and of all second causes altering the vsuall and accustomed order of nature And this is the peculiar and chéese wisdome of Gods Churche too settle our selues in God and his woord by faith and with quiet mindes stedfastly too wait for the promised deliuerance euen when wée were vtterly destitute of all second causes Vppon the .xvij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Ephe. iiij I VVhich am a prisoner of the Lordes exhorte you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherwith ye are called with al lowlinesse and mekenesse with humblenesse of minde forbearing one another through loue and bee diligent too keepe the vnitie of the spirit through the bond of peace beeing one body and one spirite euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling Let there bee but one Lorde one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and through all and in you all The disposement THis Epistle is of that sort of cases that persuade And the state of it is this Bee yee one minded It perteineth to the fifth commaundement of the ten Most weightie surely and necessarie in all trades of lyfe is the doctrine that concerneth the cunning too mainteine concord with ones companyons Which thing is set out more lernedly in this Epistle than any where else I will therfore tell 1 What vertues are chéefly néedfull too the maintenance of concorde 2 Of the causes that ought too moue and kindle euery mā too the endeuer of mainteining concorde First Of the vertues that are needfull to the mayntenance of concord PAule exhorteth the Ephesians and all godly folk too walke woorthye the vocation too which they are called that is to say too rule all the intentes endeuers and dooings of their lyfe in such wyse as they may agrée with their calling and the woord of GOD whereby they are called too the setting foorth of Gods glorie and too mutuall loue and concord For of all mennes deuyses and dooings these must bée the twoo chéef endes First that Gods glorie and the true doctrine cōcerning God may bée spred farre abrode and secondly that the fellowship and concord of the Church may bée cherished j. Corint x. Doo all things too the glorie of God and bée not a stumbling blocke too the Church But the foundation or head and welspring of all christen concord is the agréement in doctrine concerning GOD like as the sonne of God prayeth Iohn xvij Father I pray that they may bée one in vs And héere Paule counselleth them to endeuer too keepe the vnitie of the spirit that is too say to kéepe a consent in the one true doctrine which the holy ghost hath deliuered too the church And he reherseth in order three vertues whereof wee haue neede to the mayntenance of concord with our fellowes The vnderstanding of whiche will bée the cléerer if wée adde notable examples The first is Lowlynesse which represseth pryde that picketh quarelles without a cause whereof there are flames in euery man by nature For eche one coueteth by nature too séeme better than others and too bée reuerenced as Gods among men and too kéepe downe and darken others that are thought too shadowe their excellencie Out of this fountayne spring most or rather all debates in all kindes of lyfe Therfore such as bée of our companie haue néede of such a lowlynesse of mynde that they may abase them selues beneath others Like as Abraham Gen. xiij
Zacharies are taken out of the Prophet Malachie iij. Beholde I will send myne Angell or messenger too prepare my way before my face And by and by after shall the mightie one come too his Temple whom you long for and the messenger of the Testament whom you would haue Also Esay the .xl. Chapter The voyce of a cryer in the wildernesse make redy the way for the Lord. And this is the common dutie of all ministers too prepare the way of the Lord that is too say too prepare the hartes of their héerers by their preaching that they may embrace Chryst by faith For when Chryst is comming towards vs and is offering vs his benefites there are lettes cast in his way eyther our owne rechlesselesse or our presumption or trust of our owne woorkes c. These must bée rid away by the ministration that Chryst may bée receyued by fayth and woork effectually in our hartes 10 To giue knowledge of c. An other dutie of Iohn and of all other Prophetes is too teache the Churche concerning the eternall saluation of mankynd Zacharie in the last thrée verses dooth lernedly comprehend both the definition of our saluation or iustification and the chéef causes and effects thereof and also the meane whereby wée may atteyne to it Our saluation or rightuousnesse is the forgiuenesse of sins which is bestowed vppon them that beléeue through the frée mercie of God for and by Iesus Chryst The efficient cause of our saluation is Gods incōprehensible mercie who being led of his owne frée goodnesse forgiueth vs our sinnes The forcing cause or the desert for whiche wée are receyued is Chryst the sonne of rightuousnesse that ryseth from on high The formall cause of our rightuousnesse is the forgiuenesse of sinnes The effectes are the light of the true knowledge of God deliuerance from the darknesse of sinne and death and peace of conscience before God as in Rom. v. is writtē Being iustified by faith wée haue peace too Godwarde thorough our Lord Iesus Chryst Nowe that the summe of the doctrine which Zacharie cōprehendeth in these last verses is considered and expounded after the manner of Logicke Let vs also wey the piththynesse and weyght of the woords 11 Through the bowelles of the mercie of our GOD in which the rysing from on hygh hath visited vs. By the bowels of mercie he méeneth true earnest vnfeyned and hartie mercie For the Gréek woord Splagchna signifieth properly the inward members of fleshe such as the Hart the Liuer and the Lungs bée Therefore in as much as the Harte is the instrument and seate of loue mercie sadnesse and the rest of the affections Hée méenes by the bowels of mercie not a fayned and cold mercie but a burning mercie issewing euen from the very harte After the same manner speaketh Paule Colloss iij. put on the bowelles of compassion Also Philip. ij and elswhere Mercie properly is too bée touched with the feeling of an other bodyes gréefe and too succour euen those that are falne intoo miserie by their owne default of a frankharted kyndnesse which mitigateth rightfull punishments and releaseth somwhat of vttermost or extréeme rigour with which he hath visited vs with whiche frée incomparable mercie Chryst hath visited vs embraced vs helped vs receyued vs intoo fauoure and accepted vs too lyfe and glorie euerlasting Rysing This woord is a nowne and not a participle and it signifieth Christ the day sunne of rightuousnesse rysing or springing from euerlasting out of the substance of the most high Father and shyning intoo ours hartes by his Gospell whereby he kindleth a new light of the knowledge of GOD of ryghtuousenesse and of eternall lyfe This exposition is taken out of Malach. iiij And the sunne of rightuousenesse shall ryse vppon you that feare my name Also Zacha. iij. I will bring foorth my seruaunt the Rysing Zach. vj. Behold the mā whose name is the Rysing Esai lx Vp and bée enlightened O Ierusalem for thy lyght is come and the glorie of the Lord is rysen vppon thée For behold darknesse shall couer the earth and clowdes shall couer the people But the Lordryseth vntoo thée and the glorie of the Lord shall bée séene in thée 12 Too giue lyght to them c. Chryst is the true lyght whiche lighteneth men walking in the darknesse of ignorance of GOD of sinne of death and of endlesse damnation that is too wit by endewing them with the true knowledge of God true rightuousenesse comfort lyfe and glorie euerlasting For customably in the holy Scripture the woord Lyght signifieth the true knowledge of GOD comforte lyfe deliuerance from death and miserie and all things that bée of the best sorte And contrariwyse Darknesse signifyeth ignorance of GOD sinne death and all most sorowfull euilles Zacharie tooke these woordes of the last Verse out of the nynth of Esay The people that walketh in darknesse hath séene a great lyght Lyght is rysen vppon them that dwell in the lande of the shadowe of death Intoo the way of peace Roman v. Being iustifyed by fayth wée haue peace with GOD through our Lorde Iesus Chryst Philip. iiij The peace of God whiche passeth all vnderstanding kéepe your hartes Vppon the day of the Visitation of our Ladye ¶ The song of Marie Luke j. MY soule dooth magnifie the Lorde And my spirit hath reioysed in GOD my Sauiour For he hath regarded the lowlynesse of his handmayden For behold from hencefoorth all generations shall call me blissed For hee that is mightie hath magnifyed mee and holy is his name And his mercie is on them that feare him throughout all generations He hath shewed strength with his arme hee hath scatered the proud in the ymagination of their heartes He hath putte downe the mightie from their seate and hath exalted the humble and meeke He hath fylled the hungrye with good things and the rich he hath sent emptie away He remembryng his mercie hath holpen his seruaunt Israell as he promysed too our forefathers Abraham and hys seede for euer The disposement THis song of Maries perteyneth too the kynd of cases demonstratiue For it is a Thankesgiuing where withall Marie in the persone of the whole Church setteth out the benefites of God with prayse vntoo God. First for that God loueth preserueth and defendeth Marie and the whole Church being brought lowe despysed weake ageinst the wisdome and power of féendes tyrantes and all enimies Secondly for that he hath sent his sonne Chryste according too the promises made too the Fathers There bée of the whole Song ten verses Whereof the first twoo conteyne the proposition The next six set out the first benefite that is too wit the wonderfull preseruation of the lowly and weake Churche ageinst the wisdome and power of the whole world And the twoo last set out the second benefite that is too wit the sending of Chryste the Redéemer My soule dooth magnifie the Lorde The proposition I yéeld thankes
Hither may the ten commodities of persecution and afflictions bée referred And to the minor I aunswer Wée Christians are in déede most full of miseries but it is but the turning of a hand bycause sinne sticketh still in vs which must bee doone away by affliction and death Howbeit in the meane while euen in the very afflictions wée finde Gods presence and help and wonderful deliueraunces and wee are strengthened by the holy Ghost so as wée may assure our selues that no afflictions can plucke vs away from Gods louingnesse wherewith he loueth vs for his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christes sake according to this saying Iohn x. No man shall pull my shéepe out of myhandes Hither to I haue shewed the state of the Epistle and set out the argumentes after the order of Logicke And I dare auouche that there is no one part of the sermons of the Prophetes Apostles that in so few woords conteyneth larger wisedome me places of Christian doctrine more effectuall comfort in sorowes and calamities more vehement motions more force of persuasion perâ—ing into mens mindes and more notable figures and ornamentes of Rhetoricke than dooth this Epistle which is wont to bée read in the Church as this day And therefore I will bréefly picke out the rest of the places of doctrine whereof there bée testimonies in this Epistle j. Of the causes why the Church before the rest of mankind should bée vnder the crosse and of true comforts too béé set ageynst it ij Of Gods predestination which is Gods eternall purpose or decrée of chosing his Church out of al mankind of such as are called into that company by mercy for his sonnes sake and so of euery one seuerally that shall continue in the fayth to their departing out of this lyfe iij. Of the Churche and of the wonderfull gathering preseruation gouernement and Glorification of the Churche iiij This saying Whom he hath chosen them also hath he called conteyneth a moste swéete and comfortable doctrine namely that there is no where any election too euerlasting Saluation but in the companie of them that bée called that is too say whiche héere Chrystes Gospell And that GOD in déede worketh effectually in the visible congregation of this called church imparting rightuousnesse and glorie euerlasting vnto men Therfore let vs not séeke for Gods chosen or for his churche among Turks Hethenfolks and others that are ignorant of the gospell v. Of the benefits of the Son of God which was giuen for vs. vj. Of mans iustification before God which is the absolution of the sinfull man from the accusation of the lawe and from endlesse damnation and the imputation of rightuousnesse wherthrough for Chryst the mediators sake who dyed and is rysen ageyn and maketh intercession for vs he is accepted for rightuouse by the frée mercy of god and receiued to lyfe and glorie euerlasting vij Of the kingdom of Chryst sitting at the right hand of God or reygning in equall power with the eternall Father viij Of the préesthoode of Chryste pacifying the Father with his sacrifise and intercession ix Of the stedfastnesse of election and of the certeyntie of fayth that leaneth vnto Gods louingnesse to vs wards and beleeueth that both the whole church is preserued by God ageinst the furiousnesse of féends and vngodly folke and also that euery godly person that continueth in faith shall be saued Concerning these nyne places let the full exposition bée taken out of the writings that conteyn the sum of the doctrine Moreouer let the studious consider eche seueral woord the vehemencies the phrases and the notable ornaments of figures as first the Gradation of four steps 2. the Homaeoteleuts 3. the Homoioptots 4. the rife interrogations 5. the subiections 6. the often Antithesies 7. the streynes beginning all with one woorde 9. the heaping vp of things 10. the Iscolies and similitudes c. Vpon the feast day os S. Mathew the apostle and euangilist ¶ The Epistle Ephes iiij VNto euery one of vs is giuen grace accordyng to the measure of the gift of Chryst VVherfore he sayth He is gone vp an hye and hath ledde captiuitie captiue and hath giuen giftes vnto meÌ„ That he ascended what meaneth it but that he also desceÌ„ded first into the lowest partes of the earth He that descended is euen the same also that asceÌ„ded vp euen aboue al heuens to fulfil al things And the very same made some Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some Shepeherdes and some teachers that the Saincts might haue al things necessary to worke and minister withal to the edifying of the body of Chryst til we euery one in the vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God growe vp vnto a perfect man after the measure of age of the fulnesse of Chryst The disposement IT is of that kynd that is instructiue For it is a doctrine of the ministerie of the Gospell and of the teachers or ministers of the Gospel The chéef partes thereof are thrée applyed to places of Instruction j. The efficient cause from whence springeth the ministerie of the Gospel and by which it is preserued is the sonne of God our Lorde Iesus Christe who is ascenddd intoo heauen and reigneth at the right hand of the father that he may giue gifts too men ij The speciall or particular kyndes or degrées of ministers of the Gospell 1. Apostles 2. prophets 3. Euangelists 4. Shepherds 5. Teachers or instructers of yong beginners iij. The finall cause for which the ministerie of the gospell is ordeined and for whiche it is maynteyned is that the true knowledge of God and the true and vncorrupte doctrine of the gospell might bée continued and spred abrode among men And that ther may from time to tyme be gathered a church that rightly acknowledgeth woorshippeth and glorifieth God euerlastingly And these are the chéefe benefits of this epistle And héere withall let other of the notabler places be obserued j. Of the diuersitie of gifts in the church which Chryst distributeth to eche seuerall person according as he thinketh good that they may be employed to further the common profite of the whole church ij A description of the triumph of Chryste the conquerour leading prisoner the prisonership of sin death and the diuell and ascending into heauen and reigning at the right hand of the father iij. A witnesse of the two natures in Chryste cuppled by personall vnion to be set ageinst Arius Nestorius and Eutyches iii. j A witnesse of the almightinesse and euery where being of Chryst v. Of the ministration of the gospel and of the sending of teachers and renuers of the doctrine I wil at an other tyme speake more at large of the other parts of the Epistle which conteyn most ample doctrine But at this tyme I will bréefly ouerrun onely one place concerning the ministerie of the Gospell which peculiarly perteyneth to the storie of this dayes feast God created men to the intent he may gather himselfe
intreat of euery of these thrée Epistles in order the exposition of which may bée distributed intoo thrée birthdayes But first of all I will recite a disposement of a sermon which may bréefly comprehend a summe of the doctrine concerning the Incarnation or birth of the sōne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst too bée vttered too the people ¶ THE ENTERANCE The consideration of Gods secret purpose concerning the redemption of mankind and the woonderfull coupling of the Godhed and manhod in the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst farre surmounteth the wisdome of all Angels and men Yet will God haue vs too lerne the beginnings of this wisdom in this lyfe and toogither with the Angels and all the sainctes in heauen and earth too béehold this woonderfull birthe of the sonne of God with earnest mind and too magnifie it with true faith and thankfulnesse For the sonne of God hath voutsaued this most hygh honor chéefly vppon vs men that he would take the substance of our nature vppon him And for our saluation sake is he become man that setting vs frée from sinne and endlesse death he might restore vntoo vs rightuousnesse and life And therefore all the church euen from the beginning of the world which is now 5531. yeeres hath kept this feast renewing and spreading abrode the promis concerning the womans séede that should crush the serpents head Wherfore let vs also ioyne our endeuor too the felowship of the whole Church and toogither with all Sainctes consider the beginnings of the doctrine which concerneth the woonderful aliance of the Godhed and manhod in Chryst and the benefites that he hath brought vs by his birth specially seeing the euerlasting saluation of vs all consisteth in the true acknowledgment of our Lord and sauyoure Iesus Chryst the very sonne of God and of Marie The proposition and partition Now will wée distribute all this most large doctrine of this feastfull day intoo thrée places And first by Gods helpe wée will speake of Chrystes persone issuing of the virgin Marie 2. Of the causes of this woonderfull coupling of the twoo natures and of Chrystes benefites 3. Of the applying of the same Of the first IN our Lord and redéemer Iesus Chryst borne of the virgin Marie there bée twoo natures knyt toogither by an indissoluble bond that is too wit the Sonne of God the woord of one selfe same substance and of one selfe same continuaunce wyth the eternall Father and the nature of man taken of the substance of the virgin Marie Iohn 1. The woord became flesh that is too say the sonne of God became man or the sonne of God tooke too him flesh or the nature of man so as they bée one persone Iesus Chryst Philip. 2. Christ being in the shape of God thought it no robbery too bée equall with God but abased himselfe taking vppon him the shape of a seruaunt and became vtterly like too the residue of men Too the intent these things may bée the easlyer vnderstoode the doctrine of the common Cathechisme is too bée repeted in this place What God is how he is too bée discerned frō counterfet Gods how many persons of the Godhead there bée how the thrée persones are too bée discerned one from another by euident markes For only the second persone the sonne of God coupled mannes nature vntoo him And let the description of the persone of Gods sonne bée recited out of the Cathechisme the which I will expound in the disposement of the foresayd Epistle Heb. 1. Also let the names of the sonne of God bée declared among which the chéef is the woord which is attributed to him for many causes But the chéefest are two First for that the sonne is the ful and perfect image of the euerlasting father like as our spéeche is the image that expresseth and sheweth the thoughtes of our mynd Secondly for that by the sonne Goddisclosed his woonderfull purpose concerning the creation and redemption of mankind and vttered to our first parentes his promis concerning the séede that should crush the serpents head Basilius Why is he called the woord Bicause he procéeded out of the mind and was begotten without all affection and is the image of him that begate him Nazianzen He is therfore called the woord bicause he is in respect of the father as the woord is in respect of the mind not only bicause his generation was voide of all affection but also for the knot of coniunction and the liuely representation This only begotten sonne woord of God was alwayes at hand too mankind euen from the beginning of the world He receiued our first parēts he sate at the helme in the Ark of Noe he was a guest with Abraham he shewed himselfe too Iacob face too face that is too wit in the selfe same shape and paterne of mannes nature which he should afterward take vppon him he appeared too Moyses in the bush he was with the people of Israell in the wildernesse and he inspired all the Prophets At length when the fulnesse of time foresette of God was come namely the yéere of the world 3962 he tooke vppon him mannes nature in the wombe of the virgin Marie and by personall vnion cuppled it too himselfe according as was foretold of him in the promisses that he should bée borne of a virgin For in this respect is he called the womans seede Gen. 3. and Siloh that is too say the virgins issue Gen. 49. And in Esay the. 7. Behold a virgin shall conceiue and his name shall bée called Emanuell that is too say God with vs Now although wée cannot by the sharpnesse of our owne wit spye out the maner of this wonderfull cuppling of the Godhed and manhood in Chryst yet notwithstanding these entrances which God hathe opened vnto vs are too bée faithfully lerned and beléeued And chilorē may lerne the summe of this doctrine out of the Créede of Athanasius This therefore is the right faith that wée beléeue and acknowledge that our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God is both God and man God of the substāce of the father begotten before all worldes and man of the substance of his moother borne in the world Perfect God and perfect man of reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting Equall too the father as touching his Godhead and lesse than the father as touching his manhood Who though he bée both God man yet is he not twoo but one Christ One not by turning the Godhead intoo flesh but by taking manhood intoo god One altoogither not by confounding the substance but by vnion of persone For like as the reasonable soule and flesh is one man so God and man is one Christ The .ij. Concerning the causes of the coupling of the twoo natures and of the benefites of Chrystes birth THe principall efficient cause of the woonderfull coupling of the Godhed and manhod in Chryst is the very persone of the sonne of God making sute in that secret
is the scepter of thy kingdom But the Angels are but only the seruauntes of this king and impart not their rightuousnesse vnto any others 5 Christ is verely and naturally the sonne of god Ps. 45. O God Christ thy God the eternall father hath anoynted thée with the oyle of gladnesse for thy felowes sakes Now the Angels are not God but creatures 6 Christ is anoynted with fulnesse of the holy Ghost too the entent he may annoynt his felowes that is too say the rest of the members of the church The Angels are not anoynted with fulnesse of the holy Ghost neither can they of their owne power anoynt others and garnish them with the giftes of the holy Ghost 7 Christ sitteth at the right hand of the eternall Father that is too say reigneth in equal maiestie and glory with the euerlasting father The Angels sit not at the right hand of the Father nereigne in equall power with the eternall father but are the ministers of Christ and of the whole churche pitching their tents round about all those that feare him according as is sayd more at large concerning the office and benefites of the holy Angels vppon S. Michaels day ¶ The second Epistle Titus iij. BVT after that the kyndnesse and loue of our sauiour God to manward appeared not of the deedes of righteousnesse which we wrought but of his mercie he saued vs by the fountayn of the newe byrth and with the renewing of the holy Ghost whiche he shed on vs abundantly thorowe Iesus Chryst our sauiour that we once iustifyed by his grace should be heyres of eternal lyfe thorowe hope This is a true saying The disposement IT perteyneth too the kynd of caces that instruct For it is a doctrine cōcerning the benefits of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God borne too vs and giuen too vs comprehending a summe of the Gospel concerning our iustification saluation Now forasmuch as there is no wisdom more néedful and profitable for mākynd neither any other good thing greater to bée sought of mē with more earnest desyre and endeuer than the doctrine that concerneth the maner meane how too atteyne euerlasting lyfe and saluation Let the doctrine of this epistle bée with singular héede and diligence fastened in the innermost closets of mens harts For the righter consideration and weying wherof I wil reduce the same too the accustomed places of instruction or orderly questions This woord Saluation comprehendeth all the good things that God bestoweth vppon his Church for hys sonnes sake which was giuen to vs and borne too vs of the virgin Marie that is too wit forgiuenesse of sinnes attonement with God deliuerance from Gods wrath from sinne from death and from the Deuils tyrannye the gift of the holy ghost regeneration renewing of our nature abolishment of sin and death and restorement of rightuousnesse lyfe and endlesse ioy All these benefits dooth Paule méene in this place when he sayeth he saued vs And the Angell in the first of Mathew Thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinne Paule distinguisheth the parts of Chrystes benefits intoo twoo members which cleaue toogither as it wer the cause the effect namely rightuousnesse and lyfe and these things repeteth he in sundry woords Wée are iustified that is too saye wée obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and are accepted for rightuous through his grace or frée good will and are made heires of euerlasting lyfe The same Paule had sayd a little before that wée are saued by the wasshing of regeneration that is too say by Baptim wherwith wee are dipped in token of remissiō by renewing of the holy ghost by whom a new lyfe rightuousnesse is kindled in our harts The chéef efficient cause of our saluation is God regenerating vs iustifying vs and receyuing vs too the inheritāce of euerlasting life of his excéeding great goodnesse and loue towards mankynd and of his frée mercie and grace And the woords are piththye effectual wherwith Paul describeth the efficient cause of our saluation in this place The gréeke woord Chrestótes signifieth properly goodnesse coueting too doo good too profit all men of a frée good will. It cōmeth of the woord Chraomai which signifieth too vse and therupō cōmeth Chrestós which signifieth such a one as willingly easly yéeldeth himself vnto other mē to vse him such a one is Chryst in déed a good man yea a cōmon good thing ▪ Philanthropia louingkindnesse betokeneth not only a courtesie gentlenesse to speak vnto or a méeldnesse in ordinarie méetings in coūtenance in spéech in outward behauiour but in especially a burning loue towards mākind which y sonne of God hath vttered by this notable warrantyze in that he hath by euerlasting and indissoluble bond cuppled too himself the masse of our nature and is becomme our Emanuell and brother flesh of our flesh and bone of our bones and vndertooke the most bitter tormentes of death for vs. Of this louing kindnesse is spoken 1. Iohn 4. Herein is the louing kindnesse of God towardes vs made manifest that he hath sent his only begotten sonne intoo the world that wée might liue through him Also Christ Iohn 3. So God loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. Eleos Mercy is too bée touched with the féeling of another mannes miserie too succor the distressed and too asswage and take away their miseries of a fréeharted goodnesse and pitifulnesse which executeth not the sharp extremity of the law Therfore albeit that al calamities death and euerlasting torments too which wée are subiecte by reason of sinne bée most rightfull punishments yet notwithstanding God of his excéeding goodnesse pitying vs is in déede sory for our losse lyke the louingharted father that is strikē with great gréefe for the miserie of his sonne and of his woonderfull gentlenesse and mercy helpeth vs and by sending his sonne who for vs was borne crucified and raised from death againe hath restored vntoo vs rightuousnesse and euerlasting saluation Grace signifieth the frée good will or fauor or the mercie of God receiuing vs for his sonnes sake The forcing cause or the mediator and spokesman that moueth God too bestow euerlasting saluation vpō vs wretches and vnwoorthy is the only sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ who by his birth hath deliuered vs from the Deuils power and voutsaued too become the sonne of man that he might make vs the sonnes of God hath taken vpō him the shape of a seruaunt that he might set vs at libertie And by dying vanquished death that he might giue too vs mortal wightes immortalitie life and glory euerlasting This man alonely dooth truly possesse the name of Iesus or of the sauyoure of mankind neither imparteth he this his honor too any creature too any vertues or too any deserts of oures And like as the Arians by taking away the
all misdoing and offence the welspring is concupiscence And it is most manifest y the more part of miseries and mischéeues do grow of a desire of excellencie honor riches reuengement pleasures lustes that are in all mankynd The kindes of good workes he deuideth intoo stayednesse rightuousnesse and godlinesse Stayednesse which of the Gréekes is called Sophrosyne of the Latines modestie frugalitie or temperaunce signifieth not only a sobernesse or sparenesse of diet in meate and drinke but also a maistering or brideling of all the affectiōs and motions of the mind and body in behauior in gesture in talke in apparell and in all other things Rightuousnesse includeth within his compasse an vniuersarl obedience too the magistrates and lawes the other vertues of the second table Godlynesse conteyneth the vertues of the first table as the true knowledge of God louingnesse hope inuocation thankesgiuing patience and such other And so Paule hath comprehended the dueties of all vertues or all good works in thrée woords Of the second THe forcing causes that must stirre vp euery man too the studie of vertue and the exercise of good woorkes are in this Epistle reckened too bée foure The first is Gods commaundement teaching vs most streightly charging vs too renoūce or shun vngodlynesse and sinfull lustes and too liue soberly vprightly and godlily The second is blissed hope of the appeering of the great God and of our sauior Iesus Chryst who at his glorious cōming too iudge the quicke and the dead shall giue most ample rewardes too the godly Saincts that haue liued soberly vprightly and godlily in this present world and shall with euerlasting punishment ouer whelm the vngodly which haue abandoned themselues too worldly lustes in this lyfe The third is the finall cause for which Christ was sent the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst was therefore born rose ageine not that wée myght welter in our sinnes and from hēcefoorth still defile our selues with the foul filthinesse of our misdeedes but that he might redéeme vs and set vs frée from al vnrightuousnesse and that sinne euerlasting death myght bée taken from among vs and that wée being clēsed from sinne not only by imputation of ryghtuousnesse but also by beginning too putte away sinne it selfe shoulde from henceforth earnestly with a singular loue and ardent zele doo good woorks and serue God in all rightuousnesse and holinesse before him all the dayes of our life This matter is intreated of at length by Paule Rom. vj. The fourth cause is of the nature of correlatiues that is of things that haue relation one too another The churche is the people of purchace or the peculiar and proper people of God chosen out of the rest of mankind and halowed too the one Lord God Ergo the Church must with singular zele obey and doo the things that are acceptable too this hir redéemer and Lord. It is thought that the Gréek woord Periousion answereth too the Hebrew woord Segula which in Exod. xix is trāslated a holy people and in Ps. cxxxiiij possesion in Pet. j. Ep. ij chap. the people of purchase that is too say a people purchased and redéemed with the blud of Christ that they should be his propre and peculiar people iij. How good woorks may be doone how they may please god Although that the outward limbes as the eyes the tung the hands c. may after a maner bée bridled by mannes diligence and by the proper strength of mannes will so as they may doo honest iust woorks not fall intoo manifest offences for bidden by the law of God according too that which is sayd in the former Epistle Tit. iij. not by the woorks of rightuousnesse which wée our selues did yet notwithstanding the inward obedience the obedience that pleaseth God the true feare of God the true trust in gods mercy the true and earnest calling vpō God true pacience stedfastnesse in bearing out aduersitie death cannot bée performed except the wil which is a prisoner bondslaue too sin bée set at libertie ayded by Christ according as Christ himself saith without mee yée cā doo nothing And in this place Paul sayth expresly that Chryst hath redéemed and clensed vs too the intent wée should folowe good woorkes Therfore in the accōplishment of good works there méet thrée causes The first and principal is Christ redeming and clensing vs from all iniquitie by his holy spirit kindling in our mind the light of true acknowledgement of God and mindfulnesse of Gods cōmaundement concerning true obediēce to be performed vntoo him mouing enforsing helping the will that it may bée able too obey Gods cōmaundement The second cause is Gods word by which Christ is effectual in instructing vs too renounce all vngodlinesse worldly lustes and too liue soberly vprightly and godly The third is the mind and wil of mā not striuing ageinst Christ when he teacheth vs ruleth our members that they may yeeld themselues in rightuousnesse to God vnto sanctification Also for this Chrystes sake our owne good woorkes please God although they doo not as yet fully satisfie Gods law but bée ioyned with great weaknesse and vnclēnesse of nature remaining in vs For as the person of man becōmeth good rightuous and acceptable too God only through fayth for Chrystes sake who gaue himselffor vs c so the woorkes that are wrought by a person that is iustified and reconciled too God doo please God not for their owne woorthinesse but through the grace of God which woorketh saluation too all men or for Christes only sake through faith as is said Heb. xiij By him doo wée offer the sacrifise of praise alwayes vnto god And j. Pet. ij Offer yée spiritual sacrifises acceptable too God through Iesus Christ Vppon the day of S. Steuen the first Martyr ¶ The Epistle Actes vj. and .vij. chapters ANd Steuen ful of faith power did great wōders and miracles amōg the people Thē there arose certein of the sinagoge which are called Libertines Cyrenites of Alexādria Cilicia Asia disputed with Steuē And they could not resist the wisdom the spirit with which he spake Then sent they in men which sayd we haue herd him speake blasphemous woordes ageinst Moses and ageinst god And they moued the people and the elders the Scribes and came vppon him and caught him and brought him too the counsell and brought foorth false witnesses which sayd This man ceaseth not too speake blasphemous woords ageinst this holy place and the law for wee herd him say this Iesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place and shall change the ordinances which Moses gaue vs And all that sate in the counsell looked stedfastly on him and sawe his face as it had bin the face of an Angell The .vij. Chapter THen sayd the cheefe Prest is it euen so And he sayd yee men
vs too rise froÌ„ sléepe bicause saluatioÌ„ is néerer thaÌ„ wheÌ„ we beléeued Bee enlightened Heare receiue and embrace Chryst the true lyght which lyghteneth euery man that commeth intoo this world by which light the true knowledge of God true rightuousnesse and eternall life is kindled in our hartes The first place is of the person and benefites of Chryst THrée notable names are giuen vntoo Chryst in this prophesie which lernedly describe and beautifully set out his person and benefites For first he is named Lord or Iehoua that is too say in very déed and by nature god Like as also in Ieremy the .xxiij. and .xxxiij. he is called the Lord our rightuousnesse Secondly he is called the glory of the Lord first for his being bicause he is the full and expresse image of the euerlasting father representing and shewing the whole father as in the Epistle too the Hebrewes he is called the bryghtuesse of his glory and the very image of the fathers substance Also Exod. xxxiij Shew mée thy glory And secoÌ„dly bicause that by his gospel he procureth true and due glory too his eternal father according as the angels sung when Christ was born Glory bée too God on hie The foundation of Gods glory are the being the power of god The bound therof is our acknowledgement and setting of it foorth Therfore wee theÌ„ yéeld true glory vnto God when wee acknowledge and confesse that God is that God hath care of mankind that God hath truly opened his wil to mankind in his woord vttered by his soÌ„ne that God is wise rightuous soothfast frée chast pitifull y he releaseth vs our sinnes receiueth vs when wée flée too his sonne of his owne frée grace and not for our worthinesse or deserts that he harkeneth too those that call vpon him and that he saueth them for his sonnes sake who was borne too vs and giuen too vs. This doctrine concerning the true acknowlegement of Gods being and wil and concerning the true seruices too bée performed too God dooth the sonne of God spred abrode among mankynd by his ministers and boweth mennes myndes and hartes too the acknowledging of this doctrine and too true obedience that God may be magnifyed at many mennes hands with true glory which cannot otherwyse bée yéelded vntoo God but by acknowledging of Chryst y lyght of the world For although the heathen Philosophers the hipocrytes doo after a sort graunt that there is a God that the wicked are punished yet yéeld they not too God his true and full glory bicause they are ignorant of Gods wil disclosed in his Gospell Thirdly Chryst is called our lyght bycause y in the harts of men who erst were ouerwhelmed with the mist of ignorance of God of sinne and of death he by his Gospel kindleth the lyght of the true knowledge of God true comfort ryghtuousnesse and eternall lyfe by which lyght they are defended ageinst death sinne the Diuels tyrannye and endlesse damnation Iohn j. The sonne of God is the true lyght which lighteneth euery maÌ„ that commeth into this world Ioh. viij I am the light of the world Esay xlix I haue giuen thée too bée a light too the Gentiles that thou maist bée my saluation too the endes of the world Also Esay ix The people that walked in darknesse hath séene a great light Al whole mankind Kings Princes Philosophers wisemen lerned men euerychone of them walke in most thicke darknesse ouerwhelmed with sinne and death so long as they are without Gods woord vntill the starre that appered too the wise men that is too wit the woord of God doo rise in their hartes and woorke euerlasting life and rightuousnesse in them The second place coÌ„cerning the church of Chryst gathered of the Iewes Gentils or concerning the calling of the Gentils THe true Church or people of God are all those that with stedfast fayth embrace the lyght of the world our Lorde Iesus Chryst or which beléeue in Chryste not only Iewes borne of the offpring of Abraham dwelling at Hierusalem which had the Lawe giuen by GOD himself with notable signes and wonders and the state of gouernement ordeyned by the voyce of God and the kéeping of the promises concerning the Messias which were from tyme too tyme renewed and alwayes preserued in this people But also the Gentyles that walke in the lyght Chryst that is too say whiche are lightened with the true knowledge of Chryste and by fayth receyue forgiuenesse of sinnes ryghtuousnesse and lyfe euerlasting offered too all Nations in the promise of grace made vntoo Abraham Héere may the whole doctrine coâ—cerning the churche and the calling of the Gentyles bée repeted out of Rom. ix x. xj xv Ephe. ij Act. x. xv c. Esay ij xj xlij xlix lj liiij lv lvij c. For vppon singular forecast did God put a difference betwéene the Iewish people and the Gentyles by circumcision and other ceremonies deliuered in the Lawe of Moyses for this cause chéefly that the true church of God the piller and seate of the true doctrine concerning God and his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst myght bée knowen and séene with mennes eyes For inasmuch as it is his wil that euery man which is too bée saued should bée graffed intoo the Churche and ioyned too Chryste by the ministerie of his Gospell he chose a certein people in which the promises coÌ„cerning Christ should bée preserued and Chryst the redéemer bée exhibited and teache and woork miracles and bée made a sacrifice and bée séene rysen agein from death Excéeding great therefore were the priuiledges of the Iewish people whom God hath chosen too himselfe from among all Nations too bée his peculiar possession a Royall préesthod and a holy Nation with whome he made a couenant with his owne mouth and by circumcision whom God had garnished with his owne woord with his promises with his Testamentes with Fathers Lawes woorshippings euerlasting préesthod and with the birth of Chryste as touching the flesh On the contrarie part the Gentyls wanted all these good things they were without Chryste straungers from the state of Israell forreners from the Testamentes and promises without hope and without GOD in the world And therfore did the Iewes very farre prefer theÌ„selues before the godlesse and Idolaters Gentyls and déemed that Chryst togither with his kingdome and benefites perteyned only too themselues It is then an excéeding great benefite of God that he hath called too the lyght of his Gospell not onely the Iewes but now also the. Gentyles Greekes Arabians Madianits Nabathyes and others according as they are diuided by distribution in this prophesie of Esay But in the doctrine of the calling of the Gentyles these thrée articles are alwayes too bée considered First that the promise of the Gospell is vniuersall and that God is not an accepter of persones but is indifferent too all men according too that one rule expressed in the
commaundement in my Rules of lyfe and applyed too this place Vppon the Sunday called Reminiscere or the second Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle ◠thess. iiij VVE beeseeche you brethren and exhort you by the Lord Iesus that yee encrease more and more euen as yee haue receyued of vs howe ye ought too walke and too please god For ye know what commaundementes wee gaue you by our Lord Iesus Chryste For this is the wyll of God euen your holynesse that yee should absteine from fornication and that euery one of you shuld know how too keepe his vessell in holynesse and honoure and not in the lust of concupiscence as doo the Heathen which knowe not God that no man oppresse and defraud his brother in bargaining bicause that the Lord is the auenger of all suche things as wee tolde you beefore and testified For God hath not called vs vntoo vnclennesse but vntoo holynesse He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God which hath sent his holy spirit among you The disposement IT pertayneth too that kynd which is perswasiue For it is an exhortation too new obedience or too good woorkes The cheefe places are three 1 A generall precept that wée should directe our intents and dooings according too the rule of the doctrine receiued of the false Apostles yea and too abound that is too say too profit in true godlynesse and too endeuer too surmount ourselues or too bée euery day better than other 2 Of chastitie 3 Of vpright dealing which kéepeth an euen hande in all bargaines Of the first IExhort you by our Lord Iesus Chryst y yée encrease more and more euen as yee haue receyued of vs how yee ought too wakle and too please God. The rule of faith and Christen lyfe is the doctrine deliuered by Chryst and his Apostles which only God wil haue vs folowe bothe in the true knowledge of his beeing and will and in the ordering of our behauyour and lyfe He will not haue vs too wander and folowe our owne opinions as the Heathen men which deuysed sundry Gods and sundry woorshippings neyther will he haue our deuyses and dooings too bée gouerned by oure owne policie as the Heathen mennes were who in whoredome and other lustes in deceytfulnesse of bargayning in ydlenesse and in medling with many matters gaue themselues scope too runne at randon without cōtrolment Therfore Paule by expresse woordes in this place sayeth wée exhort you that according as yée haue receiued of vs so yée walke as yée ought too walke and encreace more and more As if he should say let the Doctrine which yée haue receiued of vs Apostles and not mennes Traditions or wil woorshippings bée the vnmoueable rule and kéeplyne of the true knowledge and seruice of God as is sayd in Ezechiel the .xx. Chapter Walke not in the commaundementes of your fathers I am the Lord god Walke in my commaundements and kéepe my iudgements and doo them Also looke what I commaund thée that only doo thou vntoo the lord Neyther ad nor diminish any thing And Paul commaundeth vs not only too walke that is too say too liue or too frame all the deuyses dooings of our lyfe according too the doctrine of the Apostles but also too profit more and more and too surmount and ouercome our selues in true godlynesse which is in déede a victorie of all others most goodly and most beséeming a man according as is sayd Too ouercome a mannes selfe is of al victories the cheefe and the best For a christen man can neuer long continue abide in one selfe same state of godlynesse But eyther fayth inuocation hope and the rest of vertues encrease and augment in him or els by slaking of their earnestnesse they become more faint and by little and little wex cold specially in prosperitie when the hart is open and not for closed with any sorow thē the diuell créepeth in and casteth occasiōs of falling from without too the entēt he may shake of fayth as he ouerthrew Dauid Wherefore let euery of vs with singular care earnestnesse héede and diligence endeuer to profit let vs with harty request pray dayly vntoo God to rule vs with his holy spirit let vs shun the dangers and occasions of back slydings let vs flée leud company let vs loue stayednesse let vs take vppon vs certein profitable labors exercises of godly discipline and let vs beare in mynd this saying In the way of the Lord not too go foreward is too go backeward The second part THis is the wil of God euen your holynesse that yee should absteyne from fornication Among the testimonies that are the markes of the true church of God and that put a difference betwéene it and Heathenish and vngodly routes a notable and manifest signe is the true doctrine concerning chastitie and the vndefiled bond of wedlocke which is reteyned only in the church of god All nations else haue openly set looce not only whoredom or fornication but all other more horrible and vnspeakable lusts In Asia and Affrike euen at this day the sect of Mahomet practyseth incestuous confusions without punishment In Europe the Popishe faction vnder the false pretence of Religion hathe forbidden a great number of men too marrye whereas Paule notwithstanding hath sayde before in expresse woordes that it is the Doctrine of Diuels too forbid mariage Forasmuch then as in our Churches the lawes of Chastitie and wedlocke are by the benefite of God reteyned and maynteyned truely and soundly wée may assure our selues euen by this signe that wée may the more certeinly warrant our selues to bée the Citizens of the true Churche of God. The cause also why Paule in this place vrgeth so sore this commaundement concerning Chastitie and eschewing the lustes and vices encountering it is for that at Thessalonica like as at Ephesus and Corinth and other Heathen cities and famous mart townes to which great multitudes of men were woont to flocke togither from all Nations there was chéefly great confusion of lustes and vnbrydled libertie of all vyces which ryotousnesse and welth bréedeth Paule therfore both in this place and .j. Cor. vj. Ephes v. teacheth that wandering lustes are not things indifferent neyther that there is any libertie graunted in the Gospell eyther of lustfull likings or of craftynesse in bargeyning but that they are prohibited most straightly by the commaundemēt of God and are most sharply punished by God the iust iudge and reuenger For this is the euerlasting vnchaungeable will of God sayeth Paule euen your holynesse which is in the true acknowledgemēt of God that yée should kéepe your selues cleane both in body and soule according to Gods wil and absteyne from al fornication and all concupiscences forbidden by god and whither it bée in single lyfe or in the lawfull bond of wedlocke euery man to possesse his vessell that is too say his bodye which is the dwelling place of the chaste and holy spirit of God in holynesse
Also there bee heauenly bodyes and there bee earthly bodyes that is too say there shall bée a difference betwéene the bodyes of the godly and the bodyes of the vngodly There is one glorie of the Sunne and another glorie of the Moone and another glorie of the starres y is to say euē amōg the godly and the Saincts in heauen there shall bée a differente of glorie For like as one Starre excelleth another in bryghtnesse so shall Chryst the Prophetes Apostles and other constant Martyrs and acknowledgers of the sonne of God shyne bryghter than the other common sort of the godly as is sayd Dan. xij Then shall the lerned shyne like the bryghtnesse of heauen and those that haue instructed many in ryghtuousnesse shall shyne like the Starres for euer and euer Then declareth he by foure Iscolies set one ageinst another what maner of bodyes the bodyes of them that ryse agein shalbée verely euen the selfsame that they bée at their buriall as touching their substāce but immortal made bright and glorified Wherein the phrase of Paules wryting is too bée considered how the nowne adiectiue in forme of a substantiue is ioyned too the subiect by the preposition In. It is sowen in corruption that is too say it is buried in the ground a mortall or corruptible bodye ▪ It ryseth in incorruption that is too say it ryseth an incorruptible or immortall bodye It is sowen in dishonour that is too say a foule or ylfauoured bodye stinking and crawling full of wormes It ryseth in glorie that is too say glorious shyning cléered and pure from all blemish It is sowen in weaknesse that is too say weake frayle transitorie of a dayes continaunce a shadowe a froth a Ghoste a steme a blast a fether a breth a puffe a dreame a bubble a flud a temple a strydey a wynd a dust It ryseth in power that is too say myghtie strong florisshing and frée from all infirmitie It is sowen a natural body that is too say liuing the naturall lyfe by reason sense and nourishing power which is susteyned with meat and drink and is encreased and begetteth and may dye It ryseth a spirituall body that is too say liuing the spirituall lyfe kindled by the holy Ghoste which is not maynteyned with meate drink ne begetteth ne dyeth but is like the lyfe of the Angels Math. xxij and like the lyfe of God. The first man was made a liuing soule Gen. ij That is too wit not simply as the beastes liue but such a one as Chryst should also with his spirit quicken without meat and drink too the spirituall and euerlasting lyfe The first man is of the earth earthly Hée alludeth too the originall of the woord Adam which signifyeth earth or clay whereof he was made like as also among the Latines man is called Homo of Humus which signifyeth the earth as if he had sayd made of the earth clay and earthly The second man is the Lord from heauen Chryste being risen from Death hath now a heauenly immortall and glorious body too which our bodies shall in all respectes bée like and conformable when they are raised ageine from Death Phil. ij Like as before Death they were altoogither like Adams body which was subiect too Death and other miseries Flesh and blud cannot inherite the kingdom of God that is too say this corruptible body defiled with sinfull inclinations and fleshly affections and subiect too death cannot possesse the kingdome of God vnlesse it bée altered of a body mortall defyled and stained with sinne bée made a body pure and cleane and fined from all filthinesse immortal The same flesh that is buryed shal rise agein and the same substance of flesh and blud shall remaine still as Iob sayth I shal sée God in my self whom I my self shall sée and none other for mée For as Tertullian reasoneth plainly in his bóoke concerning the resurrection of the flesh God forbid that God should for euermore abandon too destruction mannes flesh which is the woorke of his handes the care of hart the case of his breth the Quéene of his woorkes the heire of his liberalitie the préest of his religion the souldyer of his warfare and the sister of his Chryst ▪ c. Behold I shew you a mysterie that is too say I will more plainly expoūd and declare that which I told you more darkly in my former woords when I sayd that flesh bloud shuld not possesse the kingdome of god For that saying is too hée vnderstood not of the substance of fleshe and bloud but of the exchaunge of their properties For it behoueth this corruptible body which wée now beare about vs too put on incorruption and this selfsame mortal body too put on immortalitie before it can obtein possession of Gods kingdom Some also shall not die at all whom the sonne of God shal find aliue at his comming too iudgement but they shalbée sodeinly changed endued with new lyght glory power immortalitie The third part of the Chapter THen shal the saying be fulfilled which is written Esay xxv Osee xiij Death is swallowed vp intoo victorie O Death where is thy sting O Hell where is thy victorie The sting of Death is sin and the strength of sin is the law But thanks bee to God who hath giuen vs victorie by our Lord Iesus Chryst The efficient cause of the raysing of our bodyes and of restoremēt of ryghtuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe is the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst who in his Death hath swalowed vp our Death and by his ryghtuousnesse obedience hath purged our sinnes and pacifying Gods wrath taking away the curse of the law hath gottē vs victorie ageinst sin death and the curse of Gods law For these thrée are the cruellest enemies of mankynd and the chéef mischeues plages which moost cruelly and féersly make hauock of all mankind without difference killing them and deuouring them euerychone Therfore Paul in this place by feining a person peinteth out death like a most mischeuous outlaw or cruell souldier armed with a pike or a darte that is too wit with sinne wherwith he assaileth all mankind without gainsaying and pusheth all men through and killeth them For by reason of sin all men are subiect too death and are slaine by death as is sayd Rom. v. By one man sinne entered intoo the world and by sinne death And so death ran ouer al men bicause al men haue sinne Also sinne reigned by death slaying all men The very same is the méening of the woords in this text the sting of Death is sinne that is too say all men are slaine by Death bycause of sinne Now when this sting or speare of Death wexeth dul and blunt so as sin cannot execute his ful force vppon vs and bée felt Gods law like a whetstone sharpneth sin and both sheweth the greatnesse and horriblenesse of sin and also maketh it more
promis Luke xj How much more shal the heuenly father giue the holy ghost to those the ask him Therfore let this most large promise stir vs vp to sue daily vnto God with most harty and ernest entreatance that this gouerner the holy ghost may be sent into our harts his gifts be incresed in vs And let vs with so much the more héed circumspectnesse modestie rule our behauior least through our offences coÌ„mitted ageinst coÌ„science the holy ghoste be gréeued and so taking displeasure depart out of the teÌ„ple of our hart vtterly forsake vs Finally let vs coÌ„tinually recite this prayer of Dauids A clean hart create in me O God renue a stedfast spirit in my bowels Cast mée not away from thy face and take not thy holy spirit from mee Restore to mée the gladnesse of thy saluatino and strengthen mée with thy free spirite Vppon Whitson Monday ¶ The Epistle Act. ij BVt Peter stepped forth with the eleuen and lift vp his voyce and sayd vnto them Yee men of lewry all yee that inhabite Hierusalem be this known vntoo you and with your eares heare my wordes These are not drunkeÌ„ as ye suppose for it is yet but the third houre of the day But this is that which was spoken by the prophete Ioell It shal be in the last days sayeth God of my spirit I will poure out vppon all fleshe And your sonnes and your doughters shal prophesy and your yong men shal see visions and your old men shal dreame dreames And on my seruaÌ„ts and on my handmaydens I will poure out my spirit in those days and they shal prophesie And I will shewe woonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath bloude and fyre and the vapour of smoke The Sunne shal be turned into darknesse and the Moon into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lord come And it shal be that whosoeuer shall call on the name of the Lorde shal be saued Yee men of Israel heare these woordes Iesus of Nazareth a man approued of God among you with miracles woonders and signes which God did by him in the mids of you as yee your selues know him haue ye taken by the hands of vnryghtuous persons after he was deliuered by the determinate counsell and fore knowledge of God and haue crucified and slayne whom God hath raysed vp and loused the sorowes of death by cause it was vnpossible that he shoulde bee holden of it For Dauid speaketh of him A fore hand I saw God alwayes before me for hee is on my right hande that I shoulde not bee moued Therfore did my hart reioyce my tongue was glad More ouer also my flesh shall rest in hope bicause thou wilte not leaue my soule in Hell neyther wilte suffer thyne holy too see corruption Thou haste shewed mee the wayes of lyfe and shalt make mee full of ioy with thy countenaunce Men and brethren let me freely speak vnto you of the patriark Dauid For hee is bothe dead and buried and his sepulchre remaineth with vs vnto this day Therfore seing he was a Prophete and knew that God had sworne with an othe to him that Chryst as concerning the flesh should come of the frute of his loynes and sit on his seat he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Chryst that his soule should not be left in hel neither his flesh shoulde see corruption This Iesus hath God raised vp wherof we al are witnesses Since now that he by the ryght hand of God is exalted and hath receiued of the father the promise of the holy ghost he hath shed foorth that which ye now see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but he sayd The lord sayd to my Lord syt on my right hand vntill I make thy foes thy footestoole So therfore let all the house of Israell knowe for a suretie that God hath made that same Iesus whom ye haue crucified Lord and Chryst When they heard this they were pricked in their heartes and sayde vntoo Peter and vntoo the other Apostles Yee men and brethreÌ„ what shall we do Peter said vnto them repeÌ„t and be baptized euery one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remissioÌ„ of sins and ye shal receiue the gift of the holy ghost The disposement of Peters Sermon taken out of the redings vpon the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles THe state of Peters first Sermon which he made vpon Whitson Sunday is a doctrine concerning the holy ghost of the maner how to obtein euerlasting saluation The parts of this Sermon are chiefly three FIrst of the principall efficient cause of oure conuersion and saluation that is to wit of the holy ghost by whom the eternal father kindleth in mens harts the true knowledge of himselfe and true fayth and Inuocation Secondly of the forcing cause or the deseruing of our saluation that is too wit of the death and Resurrection of our lord Iesus Chryst by whom and for whom only forgiuenesse of sinnes the holy ghost rightnousnesse and saluation euerlasting are giuen to them that belâ—eue Thirdly of the means by which the holy ghost worketh and by which he offreth and applyeth vnto vs Chrysts benefites or euerlasting saluation Which are the Woorde Of the law Repentance Of the Gospell Faith. Sacraments Of Baptim Of the Lords supper THe enterance of his oracion though it bâ—e shorte hath neuerthelesse the two places of Beneuolence and attentiuenesse He seeketh beneuolence or the fauour and good will of his héerers by a most honorable title such a one as was wel liked of amoÌ„g theÌ„ Yee men of Iury and ye that dwel at Ierusalem For like as Demosthenes doth ofteÌ„times speak to his couÌ„trimeÌ„ by these words Ye men of Athens bicause they thought theÌ„selues farre to excell the inhabiters of all other cities of Grece for many giftes so it liked well the people of IerusaleÌ„ too bée termed by the name of Iewes as wherby was mente that they were the professers of the true God and of the true doctrine woorshipping of God and that they were better than all other nations And he procureth attentiuenesse in these wordes Let this bee knowen vnto you and geue eare vnto my woordes This doone like as Cicero in his oration for Milo before â—e entreate of the matter dooth dispatch certeine doutes out of the Iudges mindes and preuenteth certeine foredéemings So Peter first of all displaceth out of the minds of his hearers that brute which wandred farre abroade that opinion y the Apostles were dronke with wine Afterward be steppeth too the case it selfe and that it may bée of the more authoritie hée vseth the saying and witnesse of the Prophete Ioel whiche in singular lightesomnesse of woordes comprehendeth the doctrine concerning the persone and benefites of the holy Ghoste Of which doctrine for asmuch as the chéef pointes are touched in the story of Whitsun Sunday I will now breefly
come whervnto hée added assured recordes as the giftes of interpretation and other things whiche confirmed that those dreames were sent from god Suche were the dreames of Ioseph Gen. xxxj Of Pharao Gen. xlj Of Nabuchodonosor Dan. ij and .iiij. Of Ioseph the husbande of Mary Math. j. and .ij. c. These were the chéefe wayes by which God reueled to his prophetes the things that were to come But in this saying of Ioels these woords prophecie visions and dreames betoken the very gyft of the holy ghost whereby he with a new lyght cléereth the mynds of those that beleue the Gospell and gouerneth them And in the new Testament prophecie oftentimes signifieth nothyng else but a lyght ryghtly vnderstandyng the doctrine of the Gospell and the gift of expounding or opening the propheticall Scriptures as may be gathered by the texts Rom. xij j. Cor. xiij xiiij and in other places And if any maÌ„ now a days wil surmise himself to haue Propheticall dreames or visions let them be compared with the woord deliuered by god For if things stryuing with the doctrine of the lawe or the Gospel be commaunded in those dreames no doute but they be fantasticall and accursed And in generall let the saying of Salomon concerning dreames be alwayes had in sight Where as bée many dreames there bée many vanities But feare thou God. Ninthly the woonders which Ioell wryteth shal go before the greate day of the Lorde dreadfull too the wicked that is to say the day of Chrystes Resurrection or of the Reuelation of the holy ghost are thought of the learned sorte too bée vtterly the selfe same whiche are reported by the Euangelists too haue happened at the time of Christes passion when the sonne in the firmament was ouer cast with darknesse froÌ„ aboue as with the lay of a smoke and the earth quaked and the stones claue in sunder And it is a likelyhod that in the moone also appeared sorowful and bloudy spots The fire is expouÌ„ded by Hierom of the fyry tungs that sat vpon the heads of the apostles Other some are of opinion that in the time of the Eclips whiche happened at the passion of Chryst the heauen also flashed fyre and flames lept out of the clyued stones Tenthly let this last sentence in especially bée fastened in the innermost bowelles of the hart Euery one that calleth vppon the name of the Lord shall bee saued This is the onely way and meanes of obteyning remission of sinnes the holy Ghost and eternall saluation namely too aske these benefites at Gods hand for Christes sake and too apply them too a mans self by faith This place dooth Paule cite Rom. x. and addeth a most learned exposition in these woords There is but one Lord of all ritch to all that call vpon him for euery one that calleth vppon the name of the Lorde shall bee saued But how shall they call vppon him in whome they haue not beleeued how shall they beleeue on whome they haue not heard how shall they heare without a preacher c. Therefore with this place let the studiouse sorte conferre all that Sermon of Paule which comprehendeth a most large doctrine concerning the maner of atteinyng too euerlasting saluacionâ— of inuocation of the ministerie of the woorde by preaching through which faith and inuocation are kindled in the hartes of the faithfull of the workfulnesse of the woorde of Apostles of the vniuersall calling of all nacions and of the cause of the reiecting of the wicked The second part of Peters Sermon WHich conteyneth y doctrine concerning the cause of eternal saluacion that is to wit y death resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ for whom and by whom alone remission of sinnes rightuousnesse the holy Ghost euerlasting saluacion are bestowed vppon vs men Afterward Peter in a short abridgement coÌ„prehendeth the chéef articles of our faith concerning the Son of God our Lord Iesus Christ Wheras in our Créede wée say I beléeue in Iesus Christ the only sonne of God our lord who suffered vnder Ponce Pylate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell rose agein the third day from the dead he ascended into Heauen sitteth on the right hand of God y Father almighty froÌ„ thence he shal come to iudge the quick the dead I beléeue in the holy ghost Al these articles of our belefe dooth S. Peter set forth with singular light somnes of words in this part of his sermoÌ„ Repent THe third part of Peters Sermon conteyneth the doctrine concerning the maner of Iustification or of the meanes wherby God offreth applyeth vntoo vs the benefites of Christ that is to say forgiuenesse of sinnes euerlasting saluacion For like as Christ in the last chapter of Luke commaundeth the Apostles to preach repentance forgiuenesse of sinnes in his name so in this place Peter when his hearers demaunded of him by what meanes they mighte obteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting saluacion willeth them to repent to beleue that for by Christ theyr sinnes are released the seale of which releasement is Baptime Assuring them that they also shal be partakers of the gifte of the holy Ghoste who purging away the dregges of their sinnes shall begin a new light rightuousnesse life in the hartes of the beléeuers And it is not to bée douted but that Peter did in this place set out with many mo wordes the doctrine of fayth which receyueth forgiuenesse of sinnes for Christes sake who was crucified for vs according as he sayth hereafter in the .x. Chapter Vntâ—â— this man do all the Prophetes beare witnesse that euery one which beléeueth in him receyueth forgiuenesse of sinnes by his name Vppon Whitson Tuysday The Epistle â—â—â— x. ANd he comaded vs to preach vnto the people testify that it is he that is ordeined of god a iudge of quick and dead To him giue al the prophets witnesse that thorow his name all that beleue in him shall receue remission of sins Whyle Peter yet spake these woordes the holy Ghost fell on all them whiche hard the preaching And they of the circumcision whiche beleeued were astonied as many as came with Peter bycause that on the Gentils also was shed out the gifte of the holy Ghoste For they harde them speake with tongues and magnifie god Then aunswered Peter can any man forbidde water that these should not be baptised which haue receyued the holy Ghoste aswell as wee And hee commaunded them to bee baptised in the name of the Lorde Then prayed they him to tary a fewe dayes The places are foure 1 A notable saying conteyning the summe of the doctrine of mannes Iustification before God. 2 Of the holy Ghost what he is why and too whome he is giuen that is too wit those that heare the woorde 3 Of the calling of the Heathen 4 Of Baptim At this time I will speak of no more but the first place and that bréefly The
firste place THere haue bene greate disputacions and controuersies at all times both in the Churche and among the Heathen concerning this question which of al others is of greatest weyght how men may be iustified afore God or by what meanes men may atteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and euerlasting saluation Diuers haue dreamed that they might pacifie Gods displeasure and obteyne his fauour and endlesse blisse by certeine Ceremonies and sacrifises Many haue beléeued that they should be rightuouse and blissed before God by their honest behauiour in outward conuersation or by shunning outward offences and by dooing good workes Some againe haue imagined that they should become righteouse by vertues poured intoo them and some by rauishements and inspirations and other some by other meanes But Peter in short sentēce compriseth a moste learned discussemēt of this controuersie and a summe of all the whole doctrine concerning iustification in this place when he sayeth All the Prophetes beare witnesse vntoo Christe that euery one which beleeueth in him receyueth remission of sinnes by his name Now that the largenesse of the doctrine conteyned in this short sentence may in some sorte bée considered and vnderstood I will expound the woordes in order First of all therfore least any man might doute of the certeintie of this doctrine Peter alledged the authoritie of the Synode or generall determination of all the Prophetes and Apostles and the consente of the vniuersall Church which now also may bée set against our aduersaries when they yell out that they are the church of God and that they follow the consent of the Churche And we may know that one self same doctrine concerning rightuousnesse or remission of sinnes too bée giuen fréely for Christ our mediatours sake was alwayes preached in the church of the Fathers and the Prophetes and that for the same cause chéefly God raysed vp Prophetes that they should bée witnesses interpreters of the promise according as the testimonies of Moyses the rest of the Prophetes did shew Iohn v. If ye beléeued Moyses yée would beleue me for he hath written of me Ge. iiij xxij Heb. xj By fayth Abel offered a better sacrifice than Cain by whiche he was pronounced rightuouse by the witnesse of god Gen. xij xxij Gal. iij. In thy seede shall all nations bée blissed not in séedes as in many but in thy séede as in one whiche is Christe Genesis xv Abraham beleéeued God he was accoūted rightuous Deut. xviij The Lord shal raise you vp a prophet hear him Psa xxxij Blissed ar they whose sins are forgiuē Esa. xliij I am he that wipeth out thine iniquities for mine own sake I wil not remēber thy sins any more Ier. xxxij xxxiij The Lord is our rightuousnesse Dan. ix Hear vs for the lords sake Also euerlasting rightuousnesse shal bée brought in c. Rom. j. The Gospel which the Lord promised by his Prophets c. Secondly he defineth mans rightuousnesse before God to be forgiuenesse of sinnes giuen fréely for Christs sake and that too bee iustified is the same thing that to receyue remissiō of sinnes or too be acquit and set frée from sin as Paul sayth Act. xiij Through Christ is remission of sinnes preched vnto vs by him is euery one that beléeueth iustified from al things frō which ye could not bée iustified by the law of Moyses Also Ps. xxxj Blissed are they whose iniquities are released whose sins are couered Blissed is the mā to whom y Lord imputeth not sin Then is not the rightuousnes wherby the sinfull mā is reputed iust before god a qualitie or vertue in our selues nor the essētial rightuousnes of god but a relatiō or imputaciō wherthrough we ar acquit reputed rightuous for Christs sake Now let vs consider how great a benefit is the remission of sins which Christ bringeth For what should it profite a man though he wan the whole world if he lost his own soule Thirdly he expresseth the efficient forcing cause of Iustification when he sayeth that wée receyue forgiuenesse of sinnes by his name that is to say not for our own sorowfulnesse for our owne vertues for moonkish merites for Masses or other woorkes This Antithesis or matching of contraries this exclusiue or disbarring is to bée fastned in mens mindes with great héede to the intent the honorable title of redéemer Iustifier which is due only to the sonne of God our Lord Iesu Christe may be giuen vnto him and that the consciences which are throwen downe may haue assured and stedy comfort too hold by Fourthly let the vniuersall part of spéeche which teacheth that God in is very déede vpright to all men be set ageinst the tēptacion of particularitie And let such like sayings be ioyned with it as shew y al which repēt not ar reiected of God togither that on y cōtrary side all that resort vnto Christ do assuredly obtein remissiō of sins j. Ti. ij God wil haue al mē saued Io. 3. So god loued the world that he gaue his only begottē son to the intēt that euery one which beleueth in him shuld not perish but haue life euerlasting He that beleueth not in the son the wrath of God shal abide vpon him Fifthly the instrument or meane wherby we may acknowledge Christes person benefites both receyue apply to our selues the forgiuenesse of sinnes offred to vs by him is only faith according as Peter saith here that euery one which beleeueth in him Now to beleue on the sonne of God is first to acknowledge aright the person benefits of Christ crucified raysed agein for vs that he is verely by nature God the sauiour promised by the Prophetes pacifying God giuing peace rightuousnesse saluacion euerlasting to those that beleue Secondly to assent to al the whole doctrine deliuered vs by Christ or with a stedy assent to embrace al the articles of the Christen faith among the rest this also I beleue remission of sins to be giuē me freely for Christs sake Thirdly it is to rest vpon Christ the Mediator with stedfast trust to assure a mās self for a certeintie that his sins are forgiuen him for Christes sake that he is in Gods fauor that God accepteth him heereth him receyueth him to euerlasting life for Christs sake who hath suffered and is risen ageine for vs and not for our owne vertues or good workes Sixthly let the obiect of faith y sum of y who le Gospel which is lernedly bréefly cōprehended in this sermon of Peters be cōsidered For he saith that God by his word hath brought tidings of peace through Christ who is lord of al. First therefore he comprehendeth the doctrine concerning the person of Christ in the word Lord namely that he is Iehoua in very déede and by nature God the maker and Lord of Heauen and earth of all thinges that are in them as
possiblenesse For whereas in troubles miseries mēs harts tremble through thoughtfulnesse for their deliuerance getting out agein for other things y may befal them afterward are tormented with fearfulnes sorow It is a very hard thing to be humbled vnder the mighty hand of God with a peaceable quiet mynd to obey gods wil without grudging or repining Peter therfore willeth vs to cast out of our mynds this thoughtfulnesse trēbling of hart distrusting in God with stedfast assurāce of hart to settle our selues vpon gods mercifulnesse fauor without trembling or fearfulnes in perils to lean vnto the sound rock Christ with a quiet gladsom hart not to step aside frō gods cōmādemēt the néedful duties of our calling for vncerten hope or fear of the falling out of things like as Moises stāding at the red sea Daniel when he shold be cast to the lions the Apostles preaching the gospel Luther in the time of the assembly at Auspurge and in the whole course of his cause did cast their care vppon the Lord and went manfully through with the works of their vocatiō Thesame thing doth Christ cōmand Math. vj. First seke y kingdom of God and be not thoughtful for to morow sufficiēt for the day is the trauel therof Of present things haue thou regarde Let God alone with afterward The second parte of the Epistle YOur aduersary the diuel goth about like a roring lion seeking whō he may deuour whom resist you sound in faith The diuel kepeth cōtinual vnproclaimed vnrecōcilable war ageinst the church euery godly persō whose destructiō he practiseth both of body soul by most traytrous crafts and vnmeasurable crueltie lyke a hungerstaruen Lyon. Therfore euery godly mā must like a good souldier stand continually in battell ray armed with the complet harnesse of God the descriptiō wherof must be borowed out of the sixth chapter of the Ephesians to set out this place of Peter There are fiue special kindes of policie wherwith Satan goeth about to assault men vnwares and too driue them intoo sinne and fallyngs and intoo eternall destruction and so too deuoure them First he puts intoo their mynds vngodly thoughts as Epicurish or Academicall doutes concerning the prouidence the certeintie of the doctrine and the soothfastnesse of the promises or threatnings of God or else he stirreth false opinions and errors in conceit wherby men are driuen to medle with vnnecessary or vnryghtuous matters in which they perysh Like as into the head of Iulian the renegate and of many other worldly wise men he dropped in Epicurishe doutes and contempt of religion And he prompted Samosetanns Arius and Fotinus with colourable and false opinions concerning the Sonne of God. Secondly in mens willes and harts he nourisheth and confirmeth the sinfull inclinations and affections of corrupted nature as carelesnesse and neglecting of Gods wrath and iudgement distrust in God pryde enuyousnesse lewd loue hatred slouthfulnesse c. Like as in Cain and Saule he encreased spytefulnesse and malice In Iudas couetousnesse In Paris the heats of lecherie In Tyberius dissimulation and cruelnesse In a scholer loytering and lazynesse c. Thirdly he trumpeth in theyr ways with enticementes occasions of fallings that is too wit agréeablenesse of persons and fitnesse of tymes and places which stirre vp the sinfull inclinations of Nature and minister easy and speedy way too offende as vnto scholers he offereth lewde company whereby they are often led away from applying continuing theyr studies into vitteling houses too feastes games gaddings too froo a nightes and other foule disorders When Dauid was ydle he set before him Bethsabée washing hirselfe And he egged ambitious Absolon foreward with hope of obteyning his Fathers kingdome Fourthly he endéeuereth to quench the fayth of most men by aduersities as by pouertie contempt diffamacions diseases banishmentes tormentes of body and all the persecutions that Tyrauntes and the worlde can deuise Of these kindes of policies chéefly doth Peter make mencion in this place he comforteth the godly both by the example of all the brotherhood in the world or of all the Church and the godly and also with the shorte continuaunce of theyr troubles specially with the helpe of God who vndershoreth hartneth strengthneth mens minds that they should not faint as it is sayd j. Cor. x. God is faithfull who suffereth vs not too bée tempted aboue our power but with the temptacion maketh a way out that wée may endure it Fifthly the Diuell weakeneth and ouerthroweth many mo with prosperitie fauour of Noble men wealthynesse proinotion ydlenesse pleasures c. For in prosperitie by little and little the regard of Gods displeasure and the feare of his iudgement ware faint and are quenched Wherefore when the feare of God whiche is as it were the kéeper of all the other vertues is remoued mennes mindes doo easly giue bridle too their sinful lustes and yeld to the Diuell who plyeth them with occasions of fallings as Dauid Salomon others without nūber haue falne in ydlenesse and prosperitie And these sayinges are well knowen prosperitie weakeneth the mindes euen of the wise Also ydlenesse bréedeth sinne Moreouer The sinne of sloth hath many a snare to snarle in those that carelesse are And ageyne When men bee voyd of greef and set vppon the mery pin Theyr harts opē the feend with plesant crafts creepesin Hitherto wée haue spoken of the maners of the temptacions or policies of Satan as shortly as might be Now let the godly thinke vppon the fortifications and armour wherewith too furnish our selues that wee may bée able to beware of the force craftes of Satan to disapoint thē The first of these is watchfulnesie which must ridde a mans minde of carefulnesse dulnesse and drouzynesse in neglecting the pollicies and power of Sathan persuade it selfe that the name of Diuell or feende is not a vayne scarbug or a painted viser but must aduisedly earnestly looke too the sleyghtes of him as of a most suttle and cruell enimy endeuer to withstād cut of the beginnings of his temptacions like as Ioseph with singular watchfulnesse had an eye to the diuel when he layd the bayt for his chastitie so withstoode the beginnings of his allurementes So in the first kinde of temptacions when the Diuell putteth into mens heads heauy blasphemons thoughts which tend eyther to the confirmation of Epicurish carelenesse or to the stablishmét of despaire the safest way is by and by at the beginning eyther by reading the woorde of God or by some maner of communication or play with a mans fréends whatsoeuer it bée to driue those troublesome thoughts out of his mind as much as may bée possible before they bée strengthened and take roote The second Many slyghtes of that Diuell many sinnes and backeslidings specially in the third kinde of temptacions may bée eschued by sobrietie
stayednesse For drūken folkes do soone slip vnwares into great offences by quenching theyr fayth earnestnesse in prayer in their studies and affaires are euen layd like naked vnarmed folke in daunger of theyr most cruell enemie the Diuell The third chéef defence ageinst the slights of sathan specially ageinst the first kind of temptacions which are most perilous of all is sound fayth not giuing way to the thoughts which the deuill or our owne flesh putteth in our heads but fastening most stedfastly the eyes both of body mind vpon the onely word which god hath deliuered vs which is the onely Ancor of our life and welfare from whiche it muste not suffer it selfe to bee pulled by any thoughts by any prosperitie or by aduersitie The fourth is the example of brotherhoode or of all the brethren and godly men in the worlde who susteyne the same temptations and sleyghts of the Diuell as well as we and yet ouercome them and put them to flight by the help of Gods sonne and by fayth staying vppon the worde of God and by the comfort of the godly brethren The fifth is the God of all grace who hath called vs to his euerlasting glorie by Iesus Christ who suffereth vs not to bée tempted aboue our power but rayseth and settleth and strengtheneth and stablisheth the buylding of our faith that it sinke not but continue and stand stedy and vnmonable against all the stormes of temptacions that the very true God may be truely honored Vppon the fourth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Rom. viij YF we be sonnes we are also heyres the heyres I meane of God and heyres annexed with Christ yf so be that wee suffer with him that wee may also be glorified with him For I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shal be shewed vppon vs For the feruent desire of the creature abideth loking when the sonnes of God shall appere because the creature is subdued to vanitie against the wil therof but for his wil which hath subdued it in hope For the same creature shall bee deliuered frō the bondage of corruption into the glorious libertie of the sonnes of God. For wee know that euery creature groneth with vs also and trauayleth in payne euen vntoo this time Not onely it but euen wee also whiche haue the firste frutes of the spirite mourne in our selues and wayte for the adoption euen the deliueraunce of our bodyes For wee are saued by hope But hope that is seene is no hope For howe can a man hope for that which he seeth But and yf we hope for that we see not then do we with patience abide for it Likewise the spirite also helpeth our infirmities For wee know not what to desire as we ought but the sprite maketh intercession mightily for vs with gronings which can not be expressed with toong And he that searcheth the heartes knoweth what is the meaning of the sprite for he maketh intercession for the Sainctes according too the pleasure of God. The disposement THis Epistle is persuasiue For it is a comforte of the Church vnder the Crosse in this life The proposition or ground of it is The godly must beare the crosse or suffer tribulation paciently and quietly The arguments of comfort are six THe first is vppon the efficient cause or the order established by God and also vppon the example of Gods sonne All godly men are bound to obey Gods wisdome and Iustice méekely and reuerently But Gods wisedom hath appoynted this order that al the children of God and heires annexed with Christ shold bée made conformable too their patterne the sonne of God our Lord Iesu Chryst who suffered excéeding great miseries persecution and death before hée was glorified Ergo all the godly muste reuerentely obey this order of Gods wisedome and become lyke their pattern the Son of God in persecution patiently abide the small troubles of this lyfe whiche are the wicket to life and glory euerlasting Now this conditionall phrase If wee suffer with him signifieth not a cause or desert but the order stablished by God that he whiche desireth to come to the marke of life and glorie euerlasting should paciently endure the peynes and troubles of so short and needfull a iourney For eternall life is giuen fréely for the sonne of Gods sake as it is sayd in Ro. vj. Iohn iij. and .vj. c. And in this place he sayth expressely that our afflictions are not woorthy or deserue not the glorie to come The second chéef argument is grounded vpon the end of persecution or vpon our most gladsome riddance out of all miseries Light discommodities which shall fall out in the end to our welfare and bée recompenced with excéeding great and endlesse glorie are to bee endured with a manly and a quiet minde After the crosse tribulacions of the godly there shall assuredly ensue to them a most ioyfull end and eternall gladnesse and glorie wherwith we shal be crowned after wée haue wrestled out of all miseries and enioying the sight companie of God his Church we shal be filled w the light wisdome of God euerlastingly For to al those that exercise godlinesse the ende shall bée moste swéete Ergo wée must in this very shorte race of our lyfe paciently and with willing mindes endure some troubles of so needfull a iourney Paule enlargeth the minor by a comparison of things that are not matches that is too wit of the miseries of this life the glorie to come For as there is no comparison of one little waterdrop to the whole huge Sea or of one small grayne of duste to the mountayne Imaus euen so the light short troubles of this most short race are not worthy to bée compared with the great eternall glorie of the life to come as is sayd ij Cor. iiij The small continuaunce lightnesse of our afflictions procureth an excéeding eternal weyght of glorie vnto vs while we consider not the thinges that are séene but the things that are not séene So fayeth he héere that the glorie of the godly which is to come is not seene with eyes but that the reuelement thereof is to be wayted for by fayth and hope The 3. argumēt is groūded vpon an exāple of the whole nature of all things or of the frame of the whole world The harmes that are common to many are to be borne the more quietly bycause it is ageinste righte to couet oddes and to refuse such burthens as other men that are much better than our selues are compelled to beare All the whole world is subiect to the fondnesse or abuse of the vngodly to the thraldome of corruption and carefully wayteth for deliueraunce to the intent it may serue to the glorie of Gods children for whom it was made Therefore let vs also suffer the common miseries the quietlyer beare with the
Also To those that follow godlynesse The ende brings alwayes sweete successe Vppon the tenth Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xij COncerning spirituall things Brethren I would not haue you ignoraunt Ye knowe that ye were Gentiles and went your wayes vnto dumbe ymages euen as yee were led VVherfore I declare vnto you that no man speaking in the spirite of God defieth Iesus Also no man can say that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy Ghoste There are diuersities of giftes verely yet but one spirite And there are differences of administrations and yet but one lord And there are diuers maners of operations and yet but one God which worketh all in all The gifte of the spirite is giuen to euery man to edifie withall For to one is giuen thorow the spirite the vtteraunce of wisedome To an other is giuen the vtteraunce of knowledge by the same spirite To another the gifte of healing by the same spirite To another power to do miracles To another prophesie To another iudgement to discerne spirites To another diuers tongues To another the interpretation of tongues But these all worketh the selfe same spirite deuiding to euery man a seuerall gift euen as he will. The disposement THe Epistle is of those sort of caces that instruct For it is a doctrine concerning the giftes of the holy Ghost in the Church The cheefe places are foure 1 A definition of the giftes of the holy Ghost consisling of a reckening vp of ten sortes of them 2 Of the efficient cause of the giftes all which are distributed by one self same spirite who diuideth them to euery man according as he listeth 3 Of the finall cause or of the vse of gifts which must bée imployed not too boasting or to nourishment of drawings aside and of sectes but too the common profite of the whole Church 4 A testimonie concerning the thrée persons of the Godhead and in especially concerning the person office and benefites of the holy Ghost The first place THere is one first and principall gift of the holy Ghost which must néedes shine foorth in all the sainctes without fayle namely true acknowledgement and profession of our Lord Iesus Christe the sonne of God or true fayth beléeuing that Iesus is the Lord or in very déede and by nature God and that he is Christ our onely redéemer and Sauiour and disliking and eschewing the worshipping of Idoles Of this first and principall gift which is common to all sainctes speaketh Paule in this place No man speaking by the spirite of God sayeth that Iesus is accursed that is to say all that curse Christ as a mischeuous plage condemned of God and as a thing too bée taken out of the world as the Iewes in these dayes the Turkes and the Heathen men doo or which blasphemously slaunder and corrupte the true doctrine concerning the person and benefites of Christ as the Arians and Papistes doo are no members of the true Church or are not gouerned by the holy Ghost And no man can say that Iesus is the Lorde but by the holy Ghoste that is too say no man can rightly acknowledge and with stedye fayth embrace and constantly euen to the last gaspe of his lyfe confesse Iesus Christ too bee the onely and true redéemer and giuer of eternall lyfe except he bée gouerned and stayed by the holy Ghost For he méeneth not of the bare profession of the name Iesus but of the whole doctrine and the continuall sticking too the fayth of Christe whiche Iohn expoundeth in his x. Chapter these things are written too the intent you should beleue that Iesus is that Christ the sonne of God that by beléeuing you may haue lyfe in his name This fayth is the firste and principall gifte of the holy Ghoste which must shine forth and appeare in all the godly Besides this there bée seuerall gifts of the holy Ghost which are not distributed too all the mēbers of the church togither nor are behouefull too bée in all a lyke but are giuen to some seuerall persones by the frée will of God that they may vse them not to vaunting or too stirre vp debate and enuying But to the comon edifying and welfare of the church And therfore Paule sayeth héere There are diuersities of giftes that is to say the giftes are diuerse or sundry which bée distributed fréely by the holy Ghost And there bee differences of administrations like as the duties of the members of a mans body are diuers and seuerall one from another And there bée diuers maners of operacions of the holy Ghost in vs or diuers executing of administracions And yet there is but one Ghost the holy Ghost who distributeth the gifts not to eche man all but to euery man some But vnto euery man is giuen a manifestacion of the spirite that is to say the giftes of the holy Ghost do vtter and shew themselues apparantly in euery man according as is to the behoof both of the party him self and of the whole Church and of the common weale Homer in his vij booke of Vlisses God giueth not all good gifts too all men And in the xij booke of his Iliades To some God giueth warlike workes to other he giueth a wise minde which gifte manie men enioy and he saueth Cities Paule in this place reckeneth vp nyne kindes of seueuall giftes of the holy Ghost Of which the first is the vtraunce of wisedome or wisedome that is to say a perceyueraunce of all the Articles of the Christian doctrine ioyned with true and earneste godlinesse or with the true feare of God and fayth with the framing of all a mans deuises and dooings agréeably to the will of god For all mans wisdome as sayeth Lactantius consisteth in this one point that he acknowledge God aright and worship him aright now besides the true knowledge of God and honest behauiour which bée common to all the members of the Churche VVisdome in this place comprehendeth also a peculiar and more perfecte light whiche not onely vnderstandeth the true doctrine aright but also knoweth and cunningly discerneth errors and false opinions And such a kinde of spirituall wisdome shone forth in Paule Austin and Luther kindled by the holy Ghost and confirmed by exercise of temptacions and encounters and terrours and comfortes ij The vtteraunce of knowledge or cunning too vnderstand discerne what thing what time before whom and in what wise is too bée chéefly doone and folowed what is méet and behouefull too bée doone in consideracion of the place time and other circumstances where consideracion is too bée had of the weake in bearing with things indifferent and where a man may vse libertie c. iij. Fayth or an assured truste settled in God and woorking greate and wonderfull things with a mighty and inuincible courage and obteyning deliueraunce out of great daungers which too put away seemeth no lesse difficulte to mans reason than to remoue mountaynes out
of theyr places Of this fayth he speaketh thus in the chapter folowing If I haue neuer so greate fayth yea that I can remoue mountaynes out of their places Such fayth was in the Apostles and in our dayes with Luther who with a stout and vnabashed courage of hart did spred abroade the doctrine of the Gospell when all the worlde was ageinst him iiij The gifte of healing as the Apostles healed the diseased and S. Pantaleon restored health to many that were sicke in Maximilians Court. v. Operations of power or mightie operacions or working of miracles and wonderfull deliueraunces as Esay deliuered Hierusalem from beséeging or of the dueties of a mans owne calling like as Paule is paynfull and laboursome in his vocation and spréedeth the Gospel further abroade than the rest of the Apostles vj. Prophesying that is to wit the gift of foretelling things too come suche as was in Agabus Act. xj and .xxj. and in the daughters of Philip the Gospeller Act. xxj or els a singular aptnesse and fitnesse in expounding the prophesies of the scriptures and such a singular aptnesse was there in Luther euen by the witnesse of Erasmus vij Iudgement to discerne spirites or discernement of opinions whiche are decked with a counterfet colour of truth like as Malchion was the firste that discouered the slightes of Samosetane Alexander spyed out that Arius taught false doctrine and Hilarius found fault with the crafty conueyaunce of Auxentius viij Diuersitie of tongues as Ierome was séene in diuers tongues as in the Latin Gréeke Hebrew Slauonish and the Chaldey tongues ix The interpretacion of tongues or the ablenesse too translate forreyne languages properly and expressely intoo a mans owne toong as Luther with a singular cléernesse turned the Psalmes and the Prophetes intoo the Dutch toong or generally it is an eloquence or gifte of vtteraunce and handsome expounding of entangled opinions in controuersie whereof many ryse onely of the ignoraunce of the toong and of the phrases of the same Hitherto I haue reckened vp a beadroll of the cheef giftes of the holy Ghost The second place THe efficient cause or author and giuer of all spirituall gifts is the one and self same holy Ghost which distributeth seuerally to eche mā according as he listeth Then it is the greatest foly in the world too bee proude of an other mans goods whiche neyther are in our power nor can bee gotten by our owne cunning and too vaunt ones self aboue other men for them and too kindle harteburning and cherish hatred for them as it happened in the Church of Corinth and in other places at all times The third place IF God of his goodnesse haue bestowed any gifts vpō vs they are to be vsed reuerently not to boasting or to the disdeyne and contempt of other folkes the nurrishment of such like fond affections but too the common profite welfare of the whole Church like the members of mans body which though they bee one vnlike another and some haue more excellent offices than the rest yet striue they not ambitiously among themselues but employ all theyr workings to the common welfare of the whole body And hereuntoo may this most honest sentence of Euripides bée referred If euery man taking the benefite or good gift of God bestowed vppon him would regard it and employ it too the common profite of his countrey then should Cities bée afflicted with fewer inconueniences and become happy hereafter The fourth place LEt the notable testimonie concerning the person and benefites of the holy Ghoste set foorth in this Epistle bée considered For by expresse woordes the title of Lord and God and the peculiar woorkes of the diuine and almightie nature are attributed vnto him which do conuince that the holy Ghost is God in very déede and by nature and that he is of one substaunce and of one continuaunce with God the Father and the sonne But a more plenteous and full declaracion of this doctrine may bée fetched out of the place that concerneth the holy Ghost Vppon the .xj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Cor. xv BRethren as perteyning to the Gospell which I preached vnto you whiche ye haue also accepted and in the which ye continue by the which ye are also saued I do you to wit after what maner I preached vnto you yf ye kepe it except ye haue beleeued in vaine For first of all I deliuered vnto you that which I receyued how that Christ died for our sinnes agreeing to the scriptures and that he was buryed and that he rose ageyne the thirde day according to the scriptures And that he was seene of Cephas then of the twelue After that he was seene of moe than fiue hundreth brethren at once of whiche many remayne vnto this day and many are fallen a sleepe After that appeared he too Iames then to all the Apostles And laste of all he was seene of me as of one that was borne out of due time For I am the least of the Apostles whiche am not worthy to bee called an Apostle bycause I haue persecuted the cōgregacion of God. But by the grace of God I am that I am And his grace which is in me was not in vayne But I laboured more aboundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God whiche is with me Therfore whether it were I or they so wee preached and so ye haue beleeued The disposement ALl the whole xv Chapter of the firste Epistle too the Corinthians perteyneth too those kinde of cases that instructe For it is a doctrine concerning the resurrection of the dead And the partes of the whole discourse are thrée 1. Whither there shall bée any rysing ageyn of the dead 2. What manner of rysing that shall bée or what maner a bodyes they shall rise withall 3. What is the cause of the rising ageyne of our bodies that is to wit the death and resurrection of Christe whereby he hath swalowed vp our sinne and death restored lyfe and glorie euerlasting to his Church The firste parte of this discourse namely that there shall bée a rising ageyn of the dead is confirmed by Paule with foure reasons of the whiche the firste in this dayes Epistle is taken of the efficient cause Christ hauing bin dead is risen ageyn Ergo wée also shall ryse ageyn He proueth the antecedent first by the holy scripture as Psal xv Esa. liij Ose vj. and also by the story of Ionas And secondly by the record of many that with theyr eyes saw Christ risen from death For Christe the same day that he rose ageyne to lyfe appeared first too Marie Mawdline alone Iohn xx Mar. xvj Secondly to the rest of the womē togither Mat. xxviij Thirdly too the twoo men that were going intoo the féeldes whom the Apostles beléeued not Mar. xvj Fourthly too Simon Peter or Cephas Luk. xxiiij j. Cor. xv And sixthly to all the Apostles at once as
they were gathered toogither sauing Thomas Iohn xx Luk. xxiiij and .j. Corinthians xv And all these discoueries were made in one day on which day Ierom supposeth that Christ shewed himself to Iames the lesse also Afterward he shewed himselfe certeine times too the Apostles when Thomas was with them and at the sea of Tyberias Iohn xx and .xxj. Also in Galilée too mo than fiue hundred brethren at once Mat. xxviij j. Cor. xv Also hée appéered too all the Apostles or Disciples And this is the proofe of the Antecedent And the consequent of this argument is euidently confirmed by this Syllogisme Whatsoeuer Chryst bothe will and can bring too passe shall out of all dout take effect Chryst bothe will call the dead too lyfe ageine as the sayings of Iohn doo witnesse Iohn v. vj. and .xj. And also he can restore lyfe too the dead for by his death he hath swalowed death intoo victorie and by his Resurrection be restoreth lyfe euerlasting too vs when wée bée dead Ergo wée also shall out of all dout bée called too lyfe ageine The cheefe places THe first and most principall place is the doctrine concerning the rysing agein of the dead which perteyneth to the Article of our Créede I beléeue the resurrection of this flesh and the life euerlasting This is the end mark of the whole lyfe and fayth of christen folke and the chéefest and most stayed comfort in all the tribulations of this most miserable and flyghtfull lyfe yea and in death also that wée for a certeintie persuade our selues beléeue that wée are not created too the miseries of this troublesome and mortall lyfe only but that after the death of this bodie there remaineth assuredly a blissed and euerlasting lyfe in which receyuing ageine the same bodyes howbéeit renued and the same flesh which wée now beare about vs and that béeing set vtterly frée from all sinne labor and sorow wee shall face to face enioy the sight of the whole Godhead and so béeing filled with heauenly lyght rightuousnesse life and gladnesse shal praise God for euermore The doctrine of this Article is most euidently confirmed by many Sermons of Chryst of the Prophets and of the Apostles and most bryghtly set foorth in this fiftene Chapter of the first too the Corinthians Too the intent therefore that wée may surely fasten in the inward bowels of our hartes this wholsom and most effectuall comfort in all miseryes Let the chéefest textes bée alwayes in our sight As these Iob. xix I knowe that my redéemer liueth and I shall ryse out of the earth in the latter day and shall bée compassed agein with my skin and in my flesh shall I sée my God whom I shall beehold euen I my selfe and myne eyes shall behold him and none other for mée This hope is layd vp in my bosome Iohn v. The houre shall come that all which are in their graues c. Iohn vj. This is the will of the father that sent mée that euery one which séeth the sonne beléeueth in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting and I will rayse him vp at the last day Ioh. xj I know that he shall ryse agein at the last day The foundacion and cause of the rysing ageine of our bodyes and of lyfe and saluation euerlasting is the Resurrection of our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God whereby he hath swallowed vp sinne death hell and the diuell intoo victorie and conueyeth all those that flée vntoo him from death vntoo a blissed and endlesse lyfe And this is the cause why Paul in this Epistle confirmeth this sentence with so many woordes that Chryst is risen from death in déede I doo you too wit of the Gospell The second place THe enterance intoo this Epistle dooth vs too vnderstand that the true wholsome and necessary Doctrine concerning the chéef Articles of the christen faith ought oftentimes and continually too bée repeated yea and the self same things too bee beaten intoo the héerers eares in the self same woords that they may déepely sinke and stedfastly sticke in their mindes as Paule sayth Phil. iij. It is no paine vnto mée but it is for your welfare that I wryte one thing oftentymes béeware of dogges which chaunge and marre the doctrine of the Gospell which I deliuered you Therefore let those that teache faythfully repete oft times one doctrine that is profitable and necessary as that wyse man sayd that he speaketh the selfe same things too the selfe same persons And this most profitable rule of studyes giuē by Epictetus is wel knowne Knowe thou that it is not easie for a man too bée lerned vnlesse that he doo euery day either heare or read suche things as he would be grounded in and likewise vse them in this lyfe So Paule in this place sayeth that he deliuereth not a new Doctrine too them but that he putteth them in mynd of the Gospel by the same woordes that he had preached it too them before The third place OF the effectualnesse of the Gospell or of the liuely woord sounding in the mouth of the ministers by which woord only and not otherwyse God imparteth the true knowledge of himselfe true faith the holy Ghost and euerlasting welfare too those that beléeue Therefore sayth Paule in this place by the Gospell which I haue preached vntoo you which you haue embraced and by which you are saued if yée hold it fast by fayth onlesse perchaunce which God forbid yée haue now shaken of the faith and beléeued héeretoofore in vaine And it agréeth fully with this sentence Rom. j. The Gospel is the power of God too the saluation of euery one that beléeueth Act. xj Peter shal speake woords too thée by which thou and thy house shalt bée saued Such other texts as these wée shall héere in the Epistle of the next Sunday which are too bée set ageinst the Enthusiastes who imbrace the woorking of the woord sacraments and looke for new enlightenings and heauenly traunces without the woord The fourth place OF the passion death and resurrection of Christ and of the witnessings of the Prophets in the scripture as Esa. liij Dan. ix Psal xxij Zach. xiij in which places Chrystes death and passion is foretold and of the causes benefites of Chrystes death which things wée haue made mencion of alreadie vppon good Friday last The fifth place OF Paules modestie in boasting who termeth himselfe the least of the Apostles and vnwoorthy the name of an Apostle yet declareth of himself that he hath labored more than the rest of the Apostles Modestie or mildnesse and true glory are cousin vertues like as sparingnesse and liberality vprightnesse streightnesse true dealing and streight iustice Modestie acknowledging a mans owne weakenesse and filthinesse is not proud ne exalteth himself either in conceit or in talke or in dooings aboue that he is able too performe but vppon trust of Gods help diligently executeth
is woorkfull in you that beléeue ij Cor. v. God hath reconciled vs too himselfe by Iesus Chryst and hath béetaken vnto vs the office of preaching the attonement Therfore are wée messengers in the roume of Chryst euen as though God did exhort you by vs j. Cor. j. It pleased GOD through foolishnesse of preaching too saue them that beléeue Act. xj Peter shall speake woordes vntoo thée by which thou shalt bée saued bothe thou and thy housholde Esay lv The woord that passeth out of my mouthe shall not returne emptie vntoo mée but shall woorke all things that I haue sent it vntoo Rom. x. Faith commeth by heering and héering by the woord of god Rom. xv Whatsoeuer things bee written c. Iohn xvij I pray not for the Apostles c. Iohn xv You are made cleane by the woord The second place Of the efficient cause of the woorkfulnesse of the ministerie and of all good and healthfull deedes NOt by mannes power dooth the preaching of the Gospel woorke saluation too euery one that beléeueth neyther is true knowledge of God and rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe wrought in the hartes of the héerers by the woord of the Gospell for the woorthinesse and vertues of the ministers or preachers but by the woorking of God himselfe who thorough the ministerie and preaching of his woord kindleth godly thoughts or the light of the true knowledge of Chryst which is faith and quickeneth or trāsformeth our harts and mynds intoo the same likenesse that they may bée made partakers of the light and lyfe of god And therefore Paule sayeth Such trust haue wee through Chryst to Godward not that wee are sufficient of our selues too think any thing as of our selues but all our ablenesse commeth of God As though Paule should say Whereas I auouche that you Corinthians being conuerted by my preaching doo beare witnesse of my faithfulnesse and disproue the slaūders of the false Apostles I say so not trusting too myne owne strength but onely vntoo God who wrought mightily by my preaching And herewithall this sentence of Paules concerning the weaknesse of frée will or of mannes owne power dooth vs too vnderstand that it is so poysoned weakened and fordoone with the venim of sinne that of it owne strength it can neither woork the rightuousnesse that liketh God nor atteyne forgiuenesse of sinnes and saluation nor think any thing that pleaseth God or may bée helpfull too it selfe in the conuersion or iustifying of it selfe and much lesse can woork toward it like as also he sayeth j. Corin. ij The naturall man perceyueth not the things that are of Gods spirite For vntoo him they are foolishnesse and he can not vnderstand them bicause they are too bée weyed spiritually ▪ Thirdly also he dooth vs too wit in generall that nothing can bée doone eyther in the spirituall lyfe to soule health or in the ciuill lyfe rightly and fortunatly but by the helpe and gift God as it is sayd Iohn iij. A man can not take aught too himself except it bee giuen him from heauen And Nazianzene Onlesse God giue labour auayleth nothing The third place Of the Letter and the Spirit or the difference betweene the ministerie of the old Testament of the new which is taken of the effects or formall cause THe new Testament dooth most properly betoken the same thing that dooth the Gospell or the promise that concerneth the sonne of God our Lord and redeemer Iesus Christ and Gods grace remission of sinnes and euerlasting saluation too bée giuen fréely for Chrysts sake onely too those that beléeue by the ministerie of which promise the holy Ghost woorketh and kindleth new light new rightuousnesse and euerlasting lyfe in our harts The Letter signifieth the lawe of Moyses both ceremoniall and morall written with letters in tables of stone and all obedience or indeuer of dooing the ceremoniall or moral woorks of the Law without the holy ghost or without true faith kindled by the holy Ghost The Spirit signifieth Chryst himselfe or the holy spirit of Chryst who by the preaching of the gospell kindleth true light of the knowledge of God true comfortablenesse rightuousnesse and lyfe in mennes hartes as is sayd j. Iohn v. This is the witnesse of the Gospell that God giueth vs eternall lyfe of frée gifte and this lyfe is in his sonne Hée that hath the sonne hath lyfe and hée that hath not the sonne of God hath not lyfe Therefore the Spirit and lyfe of the whole doctrine deliuered by GOD in eche of the Testamentes yea and of all good woorkes ceremonies and good intentes is all only Chryst And therefore sayeth Paule that God made him a Minister of the new Testament or of the Gospell and not of the Letter or of the Lawe onely or of figures and woorkes what soeuer c. But of Chrystes Spirit which woorketh by the Gospell For the Letter that is too say Gods Lawe and all manner of doctrine or imitation and obedience and good intent of dooing the Lawe without the holy Ghost killeth that is too say bringeth not lyfe and true comfort too mennes myndes And in especiall the morall Lawe by shewing accusing and condemning sinne and by reueling Gods displeasure dooth onely kill and cast away all men intoo euerlasting damnation And therefore it is called the ministration of death as it is sayd j. Corinthi xv The sting of death is sinne and the power of sin is the lawe And Austin expoundeth this saying lernedly and godlily in his booke Of the spirit and the letter Cap. iiij and in the chapters folowing And Roma vij At the comming of the commaundement sinne reuiued and I was dead But Chrysts Spirite is effectuall by the Gospell and lighteneth and quickeneth mennes hartes and stirreth vp in their myndes not onely the shadowes of outward woorkes or imitations and gestures or vayne conceytes and good intentes but a true and new light rightuousnesse and lyfe and also kindleth and inflameth them with a burning fayth and loue toowardes GOD and other motions conformable too the wil of Chryst Vntoo this auouchement of the effectualnesse of the Gospel Paule addeth a comparison of the ministration of Moyses Lawe with the ministerie of the Gospell and by the figure of Rhetorike called Expolition repeteth the selfsame sentence well néere foure tymes in exchaunge of woordes The pubishing of Moyses Lawe was doone with great miracles and was exceeding glorious Ergo much more shall the publishing of Chrystes Gospell bee glorious and mightie in woorking and in déed bring eternall lyfe and lyght considering how all that ordināce of Moyses ministration was appoynted and all the figures ceremonies and lawes of Moyses were set out for Chryst Now if the ministration of death through the letters written in stones was glorious that is too say if the ministration of Moyses Lawe written with letters in Tables of stone whiche killeth all men and condemneth them too endlesse death were glorious beautifull and cléere in so
men according as one sayth Glory accompanieth vertue as the shadow doth the body wherefore too séeke glorie is too séeke vertue And contrarywise by the contempt of good report or glorie vertue must nedes be contemned also And therfore Paule in this place forbiddeth not simply the desyre of Glorie but the desire of vayneglorie For many doo séeke after the naked commendation and the emptie shadowe of glory and prerogatiue without true vertue Secondly either they chalenge and face their betters or else deface them to the intent too seeme greater themselues by fyndyng fault with them like as Zoilus defaced Homere the Tribunes Scipio and Minutius the maister of the horsemen defaced the dictator Fabius Thirdly they repyne and are sorie that any other excel them or are counted better than themselues and thereuppon endeuour too put them too a foyle or to ridde them out of the waye that they themselues only may bée a flote as Saule enuyed Dauids glorie Pompey enuyed Iulius Cesars preferment 4. Or they bée too streyghtlased and vnappeasable towardes such as bée falne or disteyned with some blemishes of doctrine or maners to the entent they themselues may be counted the better the holier as the Nouatians who vtterly denyed forgiuenesse too such as fel after baptim 5. Or otherwise being puft vp with an ouerwéening of their own wisedom rightuousnes strēgth stand highly in their owne conceyt set great brags or commendations vppon themselues as the Pharisie Luk. xviij And Pyrgopolinices in Plautus and Thraso in Terence 6. Or else not trying their own worke they take in hand vnnecessary and vnrightful dooings out of their vocation vpon truste of their owne strength lyke as Antonie Pompey Antiochus the greate and others haue moued néedelesse warres And in the Church Valentine Arius and others haue sowed straunge opinyons These syxe sortes of vayne and false glorye doothe Saincte Paule forbydde in this place and willeth men too trye theyr intentes and dooings and diligently too wey examin them that they may agrée with the squire and rule of Gods wil and commaundement So shall wée haue true glory in our selues that is the recorde and allowment of God and our owne conscience iudging aright and wée shall not hang vppon the reprofe of other ▪ men or vpon the liking or disliking of the vnskilful multitude For as Plutark saith in the life of Tmoleon The action must not only be good and iust but the glorie which is sought therby must be sure and stable that in doing we may be allowed And Cicero in the same méening sayth Thou must vse thyne owne iudgment If thou like thy selfe in allowing of right things then shalt thou not only ouercom but thou shalt ouercome all men and all things Therefore determine vppon this poynt that honestie and noblenesse of mynd is alone the beautifullest of all things and so much more beautiful if it passe not for the multitude nor hunt foropen prayse but delyght only in it selfe Yea and in myne opinion all things séeme the more commednable that are doone without vaunting and without calling of the people too witnesse Not for that it is vtterly to be eschued for al weldooings desyre too bée shewed in the open lyght but for that there is no stage more noble for vertue than a mans owne conscience This is the chéefe place of the firste parte of this Epistle And herewithall let consideracion be had of notable sentences that concerne the louing and softe admonishment of suche as erre or fall in doctrine or misbehauior of manners according too the processe Math. xviij and the gentle instructing and receyuing them ageine and which concern mildnesse in bearing with y blemishes and infirmities of other folks for Gods sake the cōmon quietnesse and finally which concerne the brydling of statelynesse and pride which fight ageinst the first commandement Let him which is instructed communicate all good things to him that instructeth Of thankfulnesse wel doing towards al the godly specially towards the techers THe Gréeke woorde Catecheim signifieth proprely too teach or instruct by woord of mouth so as the things giuē out may be required agein of the lerners Of echeo to sound ▪ comes Catecheo too herken or too receiue the sounde of any man Thereof commeth Catechesis which is suche a manner of instruction wherein the Doctrine is deliuered too the héerers by woord of mouthe and the héerers on the other side are made too recite and render what they haue herd Now forasmuch as this trade of teaching which is doon by examinatiō is the best and most profitable In olde tyme the sum of the Christen doctrine was woont too bée taught after this maner in the Churche too nouices béefore they were baptised And héereuppon remaineth yet the name of Cathechisme which is vsed for a bréef summe of the christen doctrine comprehended in a certeine order Paule in this place willeth his scholer or héerer that learneth the true Doctrine concerning God too communicate all good things too his teacher that is too wit too render too him ageine true reuerence foode cloth and all duetifulnesse of a thankfull mynd And hee addeth arguments of honestie and profit amplyfied with a similitude taken of seede tyme and haruest God commaūdeth thankfulnesse toward scholemasters and looketh vppon our hartes and abilities dreadfully punisheth the choorles but recompenseth the liberalitie and other good déedes of the godly with bounteous rewards And like as husbandmen the more séede they sowe the greater encrease of corne they receiue at haruest tyme Euen so the bountifuller stypend the schollers giue too their teachers so muche the greater rewardes bothe Ghostly and bodely shal they bée adorned withal agein at Gods hand Also Paul addeth a generall sentence concerning the rewardes of liberalitie and other good woorkes He that soweth in the flesh that is too say hée that doothe the déedes of the flesh or he that giueth himselfe too sinnefull lustes and wickednesse shall reape corruption that is too say he shall perishe and bée cast intoo euerlasting Death But hee that sovveth in spirit or obeyeth the holy Ghost shall bée rewarded with euerlasting rewardes And therefore euen in this respect let vs endeuer too benefite others with more foreward mindes and not suffer our selues too bée discouraged with some mens vnthankfulnesse slaunders and other ouerthwart matters Héere may bée repeted the whole Doctrine concerning benefiting out of the seuenth of the ten commaundements and concerning thankfulnesse out of the exposition of the fourthe commaundement Vppon the .xvj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Ephes iij. I Desire that you faint not bicause of my tribulatiōs that I suffer for your sakes which is your praise For this cause I bowe my knees vntoo the father of our Lord Iesus Chryste which is father of all that is called father in heauen and in earth that hee would graunt you according too the
y spirit y worketh mightely in the childrē of disobediēce Vppon the .xxij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Phil. j. I Thanke my God with al remembrance of you alwayes in al my prayers for you and pray with gladnesse Bicause ye are come intoo the felowship of the gospell frō the first day vntil nowe And am surely certifyed of this that hee which hath begon a good worke in you shal perform it vntill the day of Iesus Chryste as it becommeth mee that I should so iudge of you all ▪ bicause I haue you in my heart forasmuch as ye are all companions of grace with me euen in my bonds and in the defending and establishing of the gospel for God is my recorde how greatly I long after you all from the very hart roote in Iesus Christ And this I pray that your loue may encrease yet more and more in knowledge and in vnderstanding that ye may accept the things that are most excellēt that ye may be pure and such as offend no man vntill the day of Chryst beeing filled with the frute of rightcousnesse which commeth by Iesus Chryst vntoo the glory and praise of God. The state and cheefe places of this Epistle are all one with the Epistle vppon the xviij Sunday after Trinitie FIrst mannes souereine good wherof wée haue most cause too bée glad and reioyce in the behalfe both of our selues of others is the true acknowledgemēt of God and our Lord Iesu Chryst according too the gospel Therefore he sayeth I make my prayers with ioy for that you take part with the gospel that is to say for that you are come to the knowledge of the gospel or for that yée are made partakers of all Gods benefites which he offereth vs by the gospell or bycause you are become members of the Church Secondly of yéelding thankes vntoo God partly for his other innumerable benefites towards vs and chéefly for these souerein benefits that he hath disclosed his wil by his gospel too our reconciliation and eternall lyfe that he voutsaued too make his sonne our Lord Iesus Chryst a sacrifise for vs and that by the gospel he offereth and imparteth vntoo vs remission of sinnes the holy Ghost ryghtuousnesse and eternal life Thirdly concerning perseuerance too the other woords before rehersed let this most swéete cōfort also bée added which is the chéefe thing too bée considered in this Epistle He that hath begon this good woorke in you shall accomplish it vntoo the day of Iesu Chryst That is too say God that hathe called you too the knowledge of the gospel kindled in you the béeginnings of his lyght faith ryghtuousnesse all good works shal also encrease your faith defend strengthen you vnto y day that Christ shal cal the soule out of your mortal bodies Fourthly let the notable exāple of Paules frendlinesse be thought vpon who vnfeinedly from his hart reioyceth at the singular benefit befalne too the Thessalonians namely that the true knowledge of God euerlasting saluation was hapned to thē saying I bear you in my hart the is I fauor you with all my hart am glad with al my hart that you haue sped wel Also Chryst is my witnesse that I lōg after you in the bowels of Iesus Chryst That is too say I long after you with a pure christenlike affectiō not in hope of any gain but bicause I sée you loue Christ sincerely constantly And I wishe this that your loue that is too say you may encrease more more in knowledge of God and all vnderstanding that is to say in all true iudgement that ye may like of things most excellent and acceptable to God that you may be pure in faith voide of false opinions errors doutings distrustes and stumbling blocks that is to say that yée stumble not nor slip into wickednesse wherby you may forgoe grace and become giltie of endlesse damnation as Caine Saule and Iudas fell Fifthly this sentence fulfilled with the workes of ryghtuousnesse by Iesus Chryst to the glory and praise of God conteineth a sum of the Doctrine concerning the true woorshipping of God or good workes First what they bée that is to wit the woorkes commaunded by God which are wrought by a person iustified by faith for Chrystes sake who dwelling in the beléeuers woorketh good woorks which must shyne foorth among men that God may bée glorifyed and praysed of vs. Secondly what are the efficiēt causes namely first Gods word the true knowledge of Christ 2. Chryst dwelling in vs by his holy spirit filling vs with the frutes of rightuousnesse or ruling our members that they may bée the instrumēts of rightuousnesse vnto God. 3. The mynd and wil of man and his outward members seruiceable to Christ that moueth vs. Thirdly how please they God He answereth by Iesus Chryst not by their owne woorthynesse or desert as is sayd j. Peter ij Offer yée spirituall sacrifyses acceptable too God through Chryst Fourthly too what end are they too bée doon Too the glory and praise of God that is too wit that due obedience honor may bée yéelded vntoo God that God may bée magnified that the true knowledge of God may be spred further abrode and that mo may bée allured too true godlinesse and woorshipping of god Good woorks are not to be doone to the end they shuld iustifie vs before god For woorkes are the frutes of rightuousnesse as Austen sayth Good woorks folow him that is alredy iustified but goe not before him that is too bée iustified Therfore the trée must first be good that is too say the person must first be iustified by Iesus Christe béefore it bring foorth good frutes And so thou seest the whole summe of the doctrine of good woorks too bée lernedly cōprised in this short sentence of Paule Let the héerers beare away cheefly these twoo sentences out of this Epistle that is too wit. God who hath begon this good woorke in you shall accomplish it euen too the day of Iesus Chryst And Fulfilled with the frutes of ryghtuousnesse through Iesus Christ to the glory and praise of god Vppon the .xxiij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Phil. iij. BRethren be folowers together of mee and loke on them which walk euen so as ye haue vs for an ensample For many walk of whom I haue told you often and now tel you weeping that they are the enimies of the crosse of Chryste whose end is damnation whose belly is their God and glorie to their shame which are worldly minded But our conuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for the sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ which shal change our vile body that he may make it like vnto his glorious body according to the working wherby he is able also to subdue al things vnto him selfe The disposement THis Epistle is of the kind of cases that debate matters For it is an exhortation that they should
of their hartes they thinke so as did that Cyclops in Euripides who sayeth that he acknowledgeth no other God nor offereth sacrifises too any other than too him selfe and too his belly whiche is the greatest of all Gods. And their glorie is in their shame Although false teachers bée a whyle in glorie and estimation among Noble men and with the common sorte yet dooth this reputation turne too their owne shame VVhiche are worldly mynded that is too say haue an eye onely too ease promotion and riches and too the intent they may liue at ease and not bée persecuted by the Iewes they vrge earthly things or worldly pelf vppon men as ceremonies differences of meates and such like Iewish obseruations Our conuersation is in heauen or is heauenly First he sheweth the difference betwene the ministration of the gospell and the Lawe and the ciuill gouernement The ministration of Moyses Lawe was partly heauenly or spiritual and partly earthly or ceremoniall whiche being bound too a certein policie consisted for the most part in ceremonies sacrifises circumcision differences of dayes and meates ▪ c. But the ministration of the Gospell is altogither heauenly or spirituall neyther dooth it appoynt any certeine state of gouernement or kingdome in this mortall lyfe according too this saying Iohn xix My kingdome is not of this world ▪ ij Cor. iij. The Gospell is the ministration of the Spirite whereby the true knowledge of God faith rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe is begonne in the godly who after this life shall liue in heauen as it were in one Citie with God and enioy his wisdome and goodnesse This heauenly conuersation dooth Paule will vs too séeke after and too looke for and not too dreame of any worldly kingdome such as the Iewes looke for and such as the Anabaptists in West phalye and the seditious Bouers would haue had Secondly the lyfe or conuersation of a Christian is heauenly that is too say it is not employed about earthly things too the atteynement of authoritie riches and pleasures but too the compassing of heauenly benefites as remission of sinnes rightuousnesse and euerlasting welfare The third place COncerning the resurrection and glorification of our bodyes let the whole doctrine bée taken out of j. Corin. xv ◠thess. iiij Mat. xxij Daniel ▪ xij The fourth place COncerning the desire of concord let the declaration therof bée taken out of the Exposition of the fifth commaundement Vppon the .xxiiij. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle Colos j. FOr this cause wee also since the day wee herd of it haue not ceased praying for you and desiring that ye might bee fulfilled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding that yee might walke woorthy of the Lord in all things that please being frutefull in all good woorkes and encreasing in the knowledge of GOD strengthed with all might through his glorious power vntoo all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse gyuing thankes vntoo the Father which hath made vs meete too bee partakers of the inheritance of sainctes in lyght Which hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and hath translated vs intoo the kingdome of his deare sonne in whom wee haue redemption thorowe his bloud that is too say the forgiuenesse of sinnes THe proposition of this Epistle is this I beséeche the sōne of GOD too encrease in you faith and all other vertues kindled by his Gospell The cheef places of doctrine are three 1 Of the true knowledge of God and of faith 2 Of good woorks or the frutes of faith 3 Of the benefites of the soune of God or of forgiuenesse of sinnes and iustification Paule speaketh of fayth when he sayeth VVee pray vntoo God that ye may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall vnderstanding Now let vs alwayes haue in sight the lerned definition of faith builded vppon the woords of this Epistle Faith is a knowledge of Gods being and will reueled in the Lawe and the Gospell kindied by the holy Ghoste who boweth the hartes of the godly too assure them selues that it is the vnmouable wil of the euerlasting Father that all which beléeue in the sonne should not perishe but haue forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall lyfe by the bludshed of the sonne of God. The partes of Faith are twoo Knowledge or perseuerance and confidence certeynly assuring a man that his sinnes are forgiuen him and he deliuered out of the power of darknesse by the blud of Gods sonne And the knowledge is eyther of the being of the eternall GOD which is soothfast iust mercifull and chaste in which there bée thrée seuerall persones the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste or else it is of Gods will vttered both in his Lawe whiche sayeth thus Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the Lawe and also in the Gospell concerning Chryst who sayeth him selfe Iohn vj. This is the will of the eternall Father ▪ that euery one which séeth the sonne and beléeueth in him should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting This will of GOD reueled in his Gospell is it with knowledge wherof Paule in this place wisheth vs too bée fulfilled that is too wit that wée might fully knowe the fatherly good will and excéeding great mercie of God promised in his sonne This knowledge of GOD is the true wisdome and vnderstanding that discerneth true or false opinions or doctrines concerning GOD asunder and it springeth not eyther of mennes imaginations or of Philosophicall or Pharisaicall wisdome which vnderstandeth the Lawe of outward Discipline and the promise made vntoo Abraham too bée ment of a ciuill gouernement and worldly kingdome But it is a spiritual wisdome kindled and strengthened by the holy Ghost which vnderstandeth that the Lawe is the spirituall iudgement of GOD ageinst sinne and the Gospell behyghteth not a worldly kingdome but spirituall and euerlasting good things true and effectuall comfort ryghtuousnesse lyfe and ioy In this place may bée recited the whole doctrine concerning the knowledge of God and concerning faith whiche is an assurance of Gods mercie or of forgiuenesse of sinnes promised for Chrystes sake The second place COncerning the frutes of fayth or good woorkes Paule sayeth That yee may walke woorthye of the Lord so as yee may please him being frutefull in all good woorkes and encreasing in the knowledge of GOD strengthened with all myght through his glorious power vntoo all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse giuing thankes too God the Father By the way let the phrase bée considered That yee may walke that is too say that yée may liue or that yée may gouerne your intentes deuises and dooings as is woorthye the Lord or as agréeth with the will and woord of the lord For woorthynesse in this place signifieth not a deseruing or recompensing or a perfect fulfilling of the Law but according as he sayeth in
another place bring foorth frutes woorthy repentance that is too say agréeing too repentance that you may please him in all things or that you may please him thorowly Heere is too bée told howe good woorkes please god Which thing is declared in these foure Articles First the persone that bringeth foorth the frutes of good woorkes must bée Gods fauoure for Chryste the Mediatours sake by fayth For without Fayth it is impossible too please god Ebr. xj And all that is not of fayth is sinne Rom. xiiij 2 Wée must acknowledge that many inward sinnes sticke still in vs whiche are a let that our good woorkes are not perfect ne please God of their owne woorthynesse For there is no rightuouse man vppon the earth that dooth good and sinneth not 3 Yet notwithstaÌ„ding wée must bée fully persuaded that it is Gods will that wée should walke agréeably too his wil and yéeld frute in all kynds of goods woorks 4 These good woorkes or new begoonne obedieÌ„ce please God not of their owne woorthynesse but for Chryst the Mediatours sake through faith out of which as out of the trée of all good woorkes spring all good frutes This then is the true woorthinesse of good woorks that they bée Gods seruices and sacrifises acceptable too God through Chryst j. Pet. y. Offer yée spirituall sacrifises acceptable too GOD through Iesus Chryst Paule in this place reckeneth vp six good woorks of which may bée spoken in order The first is the true acknowledging of GOD or faith which is the piller and foundation of all the reste of the vertues The second is Manlynesse or Constancie and Perseuerance whiche continueth in the true knowledge of God and in faith vntoo the houre of death and by the almightie power of God valiantly ouercommeth the Diuels craftes the assaultes of corrupted nature and the outrages of Tyrants The third and fourth are Patience and Longsufferance which calmly outweareth the miseries that accompanie the profession of the Gospell and is not discouraged with continuance of long delay so as it should fret and repyne at God or séeke for other vnlawfull helpes Concerning these vertues is spokeÌ„ alredy in the first and fifth commaundement The fifth is Ioyfulnesse of conscience settling and delighting in God which perteyneth to the first coÌ„mandment The sixth is thanksgiuing wherof I haue spoken in the second commaundement The third place Of Christs benefits or of remission of sinnes and Iustification PAule sayeth VVhich hath made vs mete to be partakers of the lot of saincts in light that is too say who of his owne frée goodnesse and mercy and not thorough our power or for our deseruings hath made vs méete to becom partakers of the lyght or true knowledge of his Gospell and of the lot of the saintes or of the inheritance of lyfe and glorie euerlasting â–ª such shal be bestowed vpon al saintes who hath deliuered vs out of the power of darknesse that is to say of sinne and death wherthrough the diuel kepte all mankynd oppressed in most miserable thraldome and translated vs into the kingdom of his dere son that is to say hath adopted vs to bée the sonnes of God for his déere beloued sonnes sake by whome we haue redemption through his bloud that is to wit forgiuenesse of sinnes This sentence comprehendeth in singular lyghtsomnesse of woorkes a summe of the doctrine of the Iustification of a christen man and in especially these twoo places First what it is â–ª Iustification is a riddance of a man out of the power of darknesse sin death or it is the forgiuenesse of sins the adopting vs to bée the sons of God and a partnershyp with the saincts in lyght that is to say the inheriting of eternall lyfe lyght ryghtuousnesse and all good things whiche are giuen too the Sainctes for the price which our Lorde Iesus Chryst the son of God hath payed for vs by sheading his owne bloud Secondly what is the enforcing cause or the desert for which we are deliuered redeemed made partakers of this light lot of the godly y is to wit the only blud or passion death of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of god It was not the bloud of Abell it was not the bloude of the lamb and of all the sacrifises it was not the bloud of all the martirs and much lesse is it the ceremonies and rites of Moyses or of the munks or of the masse or oure owne vertues and good deedes that do it as is sayd more at large Rom. iij. we are iustified fréely by the grace of god through the redemption made by Iesus Chryst whome God hath set foorth a mercy feate through faith in his bloud Vppon the .xxv. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle ij Pet. j. NOt with standing I thinke it mete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stirre you vp by putting you in remembrance forasmuch as I am sure how that the tyme is at hand that I must put of my tabernacle euen as our Lorde Iesus Christ hath shewed me I wilenforce therfore that on euery side ye might haue wherwith to stirre vp the remembrance of these things after my departing For we folowed not deceiuable fables when we opened vnto you the power and coming of our Lorde Iesus Chryst but with our eyes we saw his maiestie euen then verily when he receiued of god the father honor and glory and when ther came such a voyce to him from the excelleÌ„t glory This is my dere beloued son in whom I haue delite This voyce wee harde when it came from heauen being wyth him in the holy mount Wee haue also a ryght sure woorde of prophesy wherevnto if yee take heede as vntoâ— a lyght that shyneth in a darke place yee doo well vntill the day dawne and the day starte aryse in youre hartes See that yee fyrste knowe thys that no prophecie in the Scripture hath any priuate interpretation For the Scripture came neuet by the will of manâ— but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy ghost The disposement THis epistle is partly persuasiue and partly in structiue The proposition and summe of it is this I counsel you to reteyne stedfastly the true doctrine concerning Chryst deliuered by the Prophets and Apostles which is the only fountayn and rule of the true religion and of oure euerlasting saluation The cheef places of doctrine are these FIrst it belongeth to the duetie of a faithfull Bishop too repete oft and to beate into the heads of his héerers the sum of the true doctrin and to admonish and exhort them continually that they kéep it pure and vn corrupt vnto the last gaspe of theirly â—â— and that they eschue false teachers The second and principal is that there is but one true religion and doctrine concerning GOD which is vttered in the writings of the prophets and Apostles whiche all the Godly are bound diligently to
through rough vnknown grounds in the deepe and dark night do long for the rising of the morning star and for the breaking of the day with great desire So the miserable mynds of men and theyr blynde harts that walke in the sorowfull and great dangers of this life can neither knowe God aright nor rule the deuyses and doings of this lyfe stedyly nor haue stedfast comfort in tribulatioÌ„s but if the lamp of Gods word shyne before them and the son of God the son of rightuousnesse direct and gouerne their harts And therfore they long most ernestly to see that cléere light in the euerlasting company of the Son of god But concerning the effects profitablenesse of the prophetical and Apostolical doctrin wherby eche man may be enflamed with more ernest desirousnesse of it I shal speake more at large an on after in the second Sunday of Aduent The third place OF the interpretation of propheticall scripture Peter coÌ„mendeth the doctrine of the prophets to the churche by two arguments 1. Of the efficient cause bicause it is deliuered by the instinct and inspâ—ration of the holy ghoste 2. Of the finall cause or the effects bicause it is a burning cresset lyghenyâ—ng our myndes with the true knowledge of God true ryghteonsnesse and lyfe putting away the mist and darknesse of not knowing God of sinne and of death that the very day or the cléere and bryght light of knowing God the very light of the worlde or the morning star our Lord Iesus Christ may arise in our hartes For the common ground the very drift of al the Prophetes or the marke that they shoote at is the promysed Redéemer our Lorde Iesus Christe as it is sayde Act. x. All the Prophets beare record vnto Chryst Rom. j. Put a part for the Gospel of God which he promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures concerning the son And Peter addeth That no prophesie in the scripture hath any priuate interpretation that is too say it is not too bée expouÌ„ded according to euery mans fansie nor according to the iudgements and lykely persuasions of mans reason nor as euery man listeth but accordyng as the very holy ghost the best interpreter of hymselfe hath opened it in the cleere and lyghtsome testimonies of the woord by him deliuered As Chryst sayeth Iohn xvj The holy ghost shal teach ye al things and shal bring you in remembrance of those things that I haue sayd vntoo you j. Cor. u. He hath reueled these things to vs by his spirite For the naturall man perceyueth not the things which are of Gods spirit For they are foolishnesse too him and he is not able to vnderstand them bicause they must be weyed spiritually Of interpretation IN the good writings and authors of other arts in generall Interpretation is to shewe the proposition state or ground of the matter written and the order of the partes and Arguments and aptly to bring the cheef poynts into the common places of the same arte of which the writing entreateth and too enlyghten them by putting them intoo theyr definitions diuisions sentences and examples and to open the maner of handling it with the phrases and figures of the wordes according to the preceptes of the artes after the order of Rhetorike But in the right vnderstanding and expounding of the propheticall Scripture beside these ordinarie tricks of all good interpreters it behoueth that a lyght be kindled by the holy ghoste in the myndes of the godly by the foreshinyng wherof they may handsomly receiue and vnderstand the doctrine of the Gospel concerning Chryst which is set aboue and beyonde the sight of mans reason and discerne it aryght from mans wisedome This lyght dooth the holy ghost kindle by the woord which himself teacheth whyle it is herd red and thought vppon and when the textes are conferred by the godly who are more skilfull too learne than to presume more earnest to beléeue than to stryue more in loue with Gods wisdome than in liking with theyr owne as Tertullian sayeth The best manner of interpreting the Prophetes is which wée sée Luther hath folowed in his thirde fourth Tome that firste a man do thorowly consider wey the naâ—â—ue signification of the wordes and weyghtinesse of the phrases and then reducing the matters to the places of the Gospell enlighten them by comparing them with the textes of the new Testament For it is as true as coÌ„monly sayd y there is no better way to interprete scriptures than to expound one text by another and that the old Testament or the Prophetes is the fountaine of the new Testament the new Testament ageyn the light of the olde Testament Wée sée all of vs that there commeth a wonderfull light to the sayings of the Prophetes by laying to them the like textes whiche are in the wrytings of y Apostles like as Paule expoundeth very lightsomly the promis made to Abraham coÌ„cerning the seede Galat. iij. and. Rom. iiij And the whole doctrine touching the passeouer mencioned in Exod. xij is expouÌ„ded in this short saying of Paule Christ our Easterlambe is offered vp for vs. All the whole Prophesie of Esay is enlightened in the sayings cited by christ the Apostles through whose fore-light the true and natiue méening of the whole Prophete may bee the easlyer and rightlier vnderstood Now whereas the Papistes prate that the holy scripture is darke and doutfull and therfore there is néede of some other more certeine rule to interpret it by they are manifestly conuinced by this place of Peters which compareth the scripture to a cresset or a light like as the Psalme also sayeth Thy woord is a lanterne to my féete Also the commaundement of the Lord is bright and giueth lighte to the eyes And it is manifeste that the chéef pointes of the Christian doctrine the ten Commaundementes and the promis of the Gospell are not written darkely or doutfully but in euident and propre termes And bycause the ruder sorte in some places vnderstande not the kindes of spéeche phrase and figures of woordes and the matters them selues set aboue the reach of mans reason It is Gods will that the voyce of interpreters should sound in his Churche and he hath giuen moreouer the giftes of tongues of eloquence and of other artes which are helpes of learned interpretacion But concerning the whole maner of interpreting scripture there is more sayd in another place And certeine rules of the maner of interpreting sayings that are contrarie in Rhetoricall order one to another are recited in the case of coÌ„trarietie of lawes Vppon the .xxvj. Sunday after Trinitie ¶ The Epistle j. Thes iiij I Would not Brethren haue you ignorant concerning them which are fallen a sleepe that ye sorow not as other do which haue no hope For yf wee beleeue that Iesus dyed and rose ageyne euen so them also which sleepe by Iesus will God bring ageyne with him For
earnestnesse of learning teaching the doctrine in profession patience méekenesse chastitie temperance c. And make not prouision for the flesh too fulfill the lustes thereof Rule and expresse all straggling lustes but yet forpine not your bodyes neither neglect the welfare thereof so farre as shalbée néedfull too the going through with al things aryght according too your vocations but haue a care or regard of the flesh or of the body like as Coloss ij He willeth vs too honor the body that it may bee kept in helth after a rightful order and maner Yet must it not waxe wanton and run headlong intoo vyce nor too the nourishing or fulfilling of the inordinate desires and lustes thereof Vppon the second Sunday in Aduent ¶ The Epistle Rom. xv VVHatsoeuer things are written afore tyme are wrytten for our learning that wee thorowe patience and comfort of the Scryptures myght haue hope The God of patience and consolation giue you that ye bee like minded one towardes one another after the ensample of Chryst Iesu that ye all agreeing togither may with one mouth praise God the father of our Lord Iesus Wherfore receiue yee one another as Christ receiued vs too the praise of god And I say that Iesus Chryst was a minister of the circumcision for the truthe of God too confirme the promises made vntoo the fathers And let the gentiles praise God for his mercy as it is written For this cause I wil praise thee among the Gentiles and sing vnto thy name And agein he saith reioyce ye Gentiles with his people And ageine praise the Lord all ye Gentiles and laud ye him all nations togither And againe Esayas saith there shal bee the roote of Iesse and he that shall rise too raigne ouer the Gentyles in him shall the Gentyles trust The God of hope fil you with all ioy and peace in beleuing that ye may be rich in hope thorow the power of the holy Ghost THis Epistle is partly instructiue and partly perswasiue The cheefe places are three 1 Of the endes or vse of holy scripture 2 An exhortation too mainteine concord in the true Doctrine of Christ which is oft times distroubled either with newnesse of orders or with vnseasonable omit ting of them which thing offendeth the weake 3 A Doctrine concerning the gathering of the Churche of Iewes and Gentyles and specially of the calling of the Gentyles ALl this whole Epistle in the continuance of Paules discourse is directed too this poynt That the weake which are willing to be taught are to be born with and not to be estranged from the gospel by the sodein laying away of the ceremonies of Moyses This thing doth Paul shew in the beginning of the .xv. chap. by the example of Christ by the saying of the Ps. 68. which he citeth And by y occasion he addeth a generall saying of the vse of holy scripture forth with returneth to his pur posed exhortation taken at the exāple of Chryst wherof the summe is this Let there bee agreement betweene the Iewes that vse the Ceremonies of Moyses and the Gentiles that vse them not Let none of them offend or condemne other for the kéeping or nonkéeping of the Ceremonies of Moyses but let eche beare with others weakenesse and vphold one another like as Chryst receiued and redéemed bothe the Iewes and the Gentiles For he became the minister of the Circumcision or of the Circumcised Iewes too the intent he myght confirme the promyses too bée true which were made too the fathers of his comming and that the Gentyles being called too the partnership of Chrystes benefites should glorifie God not with the Ceremonies of Moyses but with true and earnest profession and giuing of thankes Upon this occasion dooth Paul wynd in the things that are spoken of the calling of the Gentyles and of offering the Sacrifises of praise too God in this place And this is the summe of all Paules discourse in his xiiij and .xv. chapters Neuerthelesse as at this tyme I will somewhat at large vnfold but one saying of this Epistle which concerneth the endes and profitablenesse of holy scripture VVhatsoeuer things are written aforetime are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the scriptures myght haue hope God hath made men that they should bée reasonable creatures to whō when they acknowledge him and glorifie him he might communicate his owne wisdome lyfe ioyfulnesse and glory for euermore Wherefore too the intent men myght acknowledge God he of his excéeding great goodnesse hathe disclosed himselfe not onely by perceyuerances graffed in mannes mynd at his first creation but also by auouchement of miracles wrought aboue the accustomed order of Nature and by deliueraunce of the certeine Doctrine of the lawe and the Gospell which it was his will too haue enrolled in the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles too bée acknowledged woorshipped serued according to the same none otherwise And by these wrytings of the Prophetes red herd and thought vppon by vs God is effectuall in vs in déed teaching vs comforting vs and kindling in vs the beginnings of lyfe and glorie euerlasting First then in this saying lette vs consider it too bée Gods excéeding great benefit that he hath come foorth of his secret dwelling place and vttered himselfe too vs and deliuered vs a certeine doctrine concerning him selfe comprysed in wryting And let vs assure our selues that in all thoughtes concerning God Gods being and will and our owne eternall saluation it behoueth our myndes too bée tyed too these wrytings of the Prophetes and Apostles and that wée may not otherwyse déeme or speake of God and our owne eternall saluation than as he hath appoynted in the woord reueled to vs by his sonne Esai viij for a Lawe and a witnesse that if they speake not according too this woord they shall not sée the morning light And Hilarius very discréetly sayeth Of God is it too bée lerned what is too bée thought of GOD bycause he can not otherwyse bée knowen than by his own authoritie And Ireneus sayeth Bycause it was impossible too knowe God without God God by his woord teacheth men too knowe god Now let vs consider how great is the darknesse of mennes myndes and how foule bée the errours and outrages of the Heathen wandring without this woord and doctrine written by the Prophetes and Apostles of whome some dout whither there bée any God at all others knowe not what and of what manner GOD is others surmyse an innumerable number of Gods others estraunge the Gods from all medling with worldly matters others hold opinion that mennes soules perish togither with their bodyes other some that they remayne stil alyue And vniuersally al of them being vncertein and doutfull of Gods will towards them and of their owne saluation doo fall eyther intoo Epicurish contempt of God or else intoo perpetuall despayre The same thing befalleth in the Churche too al such as
leauing the woord looke for new enlyghtmentes and reuelations or traunces and iudge of Gods election not by the vniuersal promise writtē but by imaginatiōs of mānes reason With most thankfull mynde therefore is this excéeding great benefit of God too bée embraced that he hath deliuered vs the doctrine written whereby he will haue our faith and all our thoughts concerning him our own saluatiō ruled And therfore let vs reade these writings diligently and heedfully let vs bée in hand with them night and day as Chryste cōmandeth Serche the scriptures And Paule biddeth vs take héed too reading and doctrine And for this purpose chéefly are the first traynements of learning in schooles and the whole maner of spelling and reading too bée lerned that wée may reade and vnderstande the booke heretofore written too the church by the prophets and Apostles Secondly let vs consider that by these writings or by this woord of God which wée héere reade and think vpon God in very déed woorketh mightily in vs that by this only meane and not otherwise he teacheth cōforteth draweth begetteth a new and saueth men and kindleth in vs the faith whereby wée receyue these benefites as it is playnly sayd Roman x. How shall they beléeue onlesse they héere Howe shall they héere without a preacher Faith is by héering and héering by the woord of god Rō j. The Gospel is the power of God too saluation to euery one that beléeueth Act. xj Hée shal speake woordes too thée by whiche thou shalt bée saued thou and all thy houshold ij Cor. v. Wée are messangers in sted of Christ as though God exhorteth or comforteth by vs And in this place Paule expresly sayeth that wée may haue hope by cōfort of the Scripture His méening is that in all our troubles banishments diseases and death wée should séeke comfort out of this woorde which is written before tyme for vs and that wée should by fayth rest vppon God knowen by the woord beléeue this woord written as well as if wée should héere God declaring his will with his owne lyuely voyce from heauen Let vs set these testimonies ageinst Stinkféeld who cryeth out that GOD conuerteth sanctifyeth and comforteth vs not by thinking vppon the woorde written but immediatly by himselfe without any meanes Whiche fantasticall imagination dooth vtterly put away all the exercyses of faith and Christen inuocation Thirdly Whereas Paule fayeth that these Bookes of holy writ were written before for oure learning he the rewithall counselleth vs too reade the same diligently continually and héedfully For he hath not set foorth these holy Bookes for myse too knibble in bencheholes or for flyes too ray in the pulpit or for mothes and bowds too consume in corners but for vs too reade that wée may sucke wholesome instruction and comfort out of them Ageine this selfesayd parcell dooth vs too wit that all the promises of grace helpe deliuerance and of all Gods benefites and that all the examples of Gods wrath in punishing and of his mercie in receyuing those that bée falne perteyne too vs also and are also too bée applyed too vs. Fourthly let vs in this saying of Paules cōsider the foure chéef ends vses or profites and effectes Of which the first is the doctrine of the most high matters vnknowen too mānes reason and perteyning too the eternall saluation of vs all concerning which things all other bookes written by men can vtterly teache nothing at al that is sound and substantiall that is to wit concerning the true knowledge calling vpon the true God the father the sonne the holy Ghost euerlasting concerning the twoo natures in Christ the creation of all things of Angels and men of the cause of sinne miserie and death vntoo mankynde of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and attonement of man with GOD for the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryst sake who was crucified rose agein for vs of true comfort too bée set ageinst death and all tribulations of the abolishement of sinne and death of the restorement of our bodyes of the euerlasting punishments of the vngodly of the eternall lyfe and glorie of the godly Of these so great matters and specially of the persone and benefites of our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God who hath vanquished sinne death and the Diuell for vs there are none other bookes eyther in heauen or earth that instruct vs. The second is Patience a vertue no lesse necessarie too a godly and right christen man than meate and drink is néedful too the mayntenance of the lyfe of this body For persecution and aduersitie are vnseparable companions of true godlynesse and christen profession according too Paules saying All that will liue godlily in Chryst must suffer persecution Otherwyse al the whole lyfe of man were nothing else but miserie as Euripides hath truly sayd This life in good sooth is not lyfe but miserie Nowe in these miseries there can no calmnesse and ioy of mynd bée settled in God without disobedience and repyning nor yet continue without the comfort of fayth which the holy scripture onely sheweth And therefore in this place vntoo patience is foorthwith added comfort of the Scriptures But patience is a vertue whiche in bearing aduersities quietly and myldly dooth reuerently submit it selfe too Gods will séeketh not vnlawful helpes but assureth it self by faith too bée in Gods fauoure séeking looking for helpe assuagement and deliuerance at Gods hand and by this faith and hope alayeth the gréef and féeleth peace and gladnesse in harte All the whole orderly setting out of the doctrine of patience and the difference of the philosophical patience and the Christen patience may bée conueyed hither out of the Exposition of the ten commaundements The third end of holy writ is true certeine and firme comfort too bée sette not only ageinst pouertie sicknesse and aduersities but also ageinst Gods wrath sinne and death which comfort none other bookes besydes these wrytings of the Prophetes and Apostles doo shewe For onely the scripture teacheth that our Lord Iesus Chryst the sonne of God did by his owne death ouercomme our death and the sting of death whiche is sinne and that all the other troubles of this lyfe are not tokens of Gods wrath but of his fauoure and fatherly good will toowards vs who doutlesse is at hand with vs in our troubles mitigating and taking them away and at the length will recompence the lightnesse of affliction which continueth but a whyle with an éncōparable weight of glorie By these comfortes written in Gods woorde the sonne of God woorketh mightily in vs and when we think vppon them and embrace them by fayth he kindleth in oure hartes peace ioy and tranquillitie quietly resting in the louing kindnesse of God the father Now the whole doctrine of the Gospell is in manner nothing else but a comfort of the conscience that is afflicted with gréefe that ryseth of the feeling of Gods
bée afrayde bycause thou Lord art with mée Esay and Ezechias although the Citie was beséeged by Sennacherib yet faint they not for pensiuenesse but flée vnto God by earnest prayer and wayt for deliueraunce Hereafter ensue the disposements of of certeyne Epistles which are vsually read to the people vppon the feast dayes of Sainctes Vpon the feast of the Annunciation of our blyssed Lady Sainct Marie or vppon the feast of the conception of Christ The Epistle Esay vij GOd spake once ageyn vnto Ahaz saying require a token of the Lorde thy God whether it bee towarde the depth beneath or towarde the hevghte aboue Then sayde Ahaz I will requyre none neyther will I tempte the Lorde And he sayde hearken to ye of the house of Dauid is it not ynough for you that ye be greuous vntoo men but yee must greeue my God also And therefore the Lorde shall giue you a token Beholde a virgine shall conceyue and beare a sonne and thou his mother shall call his name Emanuell Butter and hony shall he eate that hee may knowe to refuse euill and chose the good Therfore before the childe may know good or euill malice shall dissuade from choosing the good THe first feast of the new Testament and the beginning welspring of our redemption and euerlasting welfare is the wonderful coÌ„ception or cuppling of the two natures of the Godhead and manhood of our Lorde Iesus Christe the Sonne of God the memoriall whereof the Churche celebrateth as this day And of singular purpose was it Gods wil that the times of his wonderfull works and of his reuelementes should agrée For vppon this day beyng the .xxv. day of Marche was the Sonne of God conceyued in the wombe of the Uirgin Marie or as this day he cuppled too himselfe mans nature by eternall alyaunce a thousand fyue hundred thréescore and ten yéeres ago The yeere after the first promis making of the womans séede in Paradise 3962. After the renewing of the same promis vntoo Abraham that all nacions should bée blissed in the same séede 1938. After the prophesiyng of Iacob concerning Syloh or the Uirgins issue a thousand seuen hundred and six yéeres and the same day beyng the xxv of March now ful a thousand fiue huÌ„dred xxxvij was our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God made a sacrifise for vs vppon the Altar of the Crâ—sse The same day also is Adam the first man reported to haue bin created 5532. yéeres ago And afterward about the same time it is thought that Abell was slayne and Isaac layd vppon the Altar to haue bin sacrifised Therefore inasmuch as the day it selfe putteth vs in mind of most weyghty matters as of the sonne of God the founder and redéemer of the Church of the creation of our selues of the wonderfull alyaunce of the Godhead and manhoode made in the Uirgins wombe and of the causes and benefites of this wonderfull vnion let vs with all godlinesse and reuereÌ„ce cast our selues downe before God and yéeld him thankes for his so excellent woorkes and benefites and by deuout and earnest musing vpon so great things kindle and confirme in vs fayth prayer and most assured hope of euerlasting saluation And to the intent our hartes may bée the more fitte and earnest to the reuerent minding of them and to thankesgiuing for the same Let vs also celebrate this feast with greater modestie and sobernesse of behauiour The doctrine of this holy day concerning the causes and benefites of the wonderfull Incarnacion of Gods sonne is all one with the doctrine that is set forth vppon the byrthday of the same sonne of god And therfore the disposement of that matter may bee borowed out of that place into this day Now will I bréefly entreate of the prophesie of this dayes Epistle Behold a virgin shall coÌ„ceyue and bring forth a child and thou shalt call him Emmanuell which was vttered by the Prophet Esay seuen hundred and lvij yéeres before that the Angell Gabriell brought woord of the fulfilling of it too the virgine Marie and conteyneth the doctrine of the conception of the sonne of God whiche is the foundacion of our redemption and saluation I will therefore in few woordes set out the chéef pointes of this doctrine comprised in accustomed questions or orderly instruction The conception or incarnation of the Sonne of God is the wonderfull cuppling or personall vnion of the two natures that is to say of the Godhead begotten of the substance of the euerlasting Father and of the manhood taken in the wombe and of the substaunce of the virgin Marie wrought in Christ our Mediator that he may bée Emmanuell y is to say God with vs of one substaunce both with God the eternall Father and with vs reconciling God vnto vs and by paying the full raunsome for vs appease Gods most iust wrath ageynst sinne and restore to vs men rightuousnesse and eternall lyfe The partes of the Emmanuell conceyued in the virgin Marie may bée sayde to bee two the Godhead or the sonne of God the woorde the manhood taken of Maries substaunce and of the ofspring of Dauid Hither may all the whole doctrine concerning the person of Gods sonne the differences of the persones of the Godhead and of the two natures in Christe c. bée referred The causes THe efficient cause of the conception or incarnacion of the sonne of God is the whole Godhead For although that the persone of the sonne cuppled to it selfe mannes flesh by personall vnion yet is it the worke of all the thrée persones togither which also go ioyntly togither in this saying the holy Ghost shall come vppon thee and the power of the hyghest shall ouershadowe thee The hyghest is God the Father The power of the hyghest is the sonne of God who ouershadoweth the virgine Marie and the whole Churche making intercession for vs too the euerlasting Father cuppling our nature to him selfe and couering vs as a shadow ageynst the heate of Gods wrath The holy Ghost halloweth the flesh taken of the virgine Maries substaÌ„ce therof shapeth in the virgins wombe the body of the Messias redye too bée borne which body togither with a reasonable soule the woord the sonne of God by taking vnited by vniting tooke vnto him And therefore it is sayd in our Créede whiche was conceyued by the holy Ghost The inward forcing cause of the conception byrth passion and death of Christ is al one that is to wit the infinite goodnesse and mercy of God toward manhood tempered with his heauenly Iustice for the full satisfiyng whereof with sufficient amendes the very sonne of God taking our nature vppon him became both man and a sacrifise for vs. The outward forcing cause was the fall of our firste parentes and the sinne that soked from thence into all men with death and moste sorowfull damnacion of all mankind which the sonne of God was Loth should perish vtterly Now the
and forgiuenesse of sinnes promised for the woorthynesse of our feare faith or new obedience but is giuen fréely for Chrystes sake onely too him that repēteth and beléeueth as is sayd more at large in the doctrine of Iustification Hee hath shewed strength c. This is the summe of the next thrée verses GOD preserueth and defendeth his Church ageinst the wisdome power abilitie of the whole world Hath shewed strength that is too saye dooth mightily preserue and defend his lowly and weake Churche like as he defended the Israelites mightily at the red Sea and repressed the tyrannie of Pharao With his arme that is too say by his sonne For so is the sōne named Exo. xv Esai liij Who hath beléeued our saying and too whom is the arme of the Lord reueled Esai xl His arme shall beare rule ouer all He hath scattered the proude in the imagination of their hartes as the Pharaos who by their owne wisdome went about too oppresse the people of Israell Exod. j. ij xiiij c. as the purposes of Diocletiā a most suttle and cruel Prince who entēded too haué destroyed the church as he disappoynted the coūsell of Achitophel ij Reg. xv So also now of late yéeres he hath disapointed very many suttle practises of y Pope and his Prelates that endeuered to haue wiped out the church He putteth downe the mightie from their seates that is to say Tyraunts which trust in their own power and wealth and specially whiche are persecuters of the Church them dooth God cast downe headlong from the hyghest top of their souereintie into dreadful calamities As for example Apries king of Egipt who boasted that no body eyther of the Gods or of men was able to beréeue him of his kingdome was afterward strangled Nabuchodonosor who hild the kingdome of Babilon the largest and mightiest empyre of the world when he waxed proud stahis was depriued not onely of his kingdome but also of his reason Iulian the regenerate beyng wounded casting vp his bloud with his owne hand cried out thou hast ouer come O Galilean Hath exalted the lowly that is to say such as were caste downe to the ground miserable and despised persones like as he lifted vp Moyses out of pryson to the Lordship of the kingdome of Egipt He remoued Dauid out of his shepeheards cotage into the throne of the kingdome of Israell He made Daniell his fellowes rulers of prouinces in the kingdome of Persia Chaldey He maried Hester the prisonner to the most puissant King Assuerus So also God lifted vppe the base and wretched handmayde Marie to this most high honour that shée became the Mother of the Sonne of god He hath filled the hungry with good things according to the saying of the xxxiij Psalme the rich haue wanted and bin a hungred but they that feare the Lorde shall want nothing Or els let it bée applyed too the consciences that are made afrayd at the beholding of their sinnes and which thirst and hunger after the rightuousnesse of Christ These shall bée refreshed with healthfull comfort filled with euerlasting good things But the rich or such as trust in theyr owne rightuousnesse and holynesse shall bée shaken of The .ix. and .x. verses HE remēbring his mercy hath hild vp Israel his child as he spake to our forefathers Abraham and his seede for euer The second and cheef part of this song in which shee giueth thankes for the sending of Christ according to the promises made to the fathers Now to the enlightening of these two verses may bee referred all the promises and Sermons concerning Christ which are written by Moyses in Gen. iij. xij xxij xxvj xxviij xlix in Deut. xviij and by the rest of the Prophetes and also all the whole doctrine of the Gospell concerning the person and benefites of Christ At this time I will but open the woordes after the order of Grammer He remembring his mercy namely whiche he promised for Christ the Mediators sake For this is the whole sum of the gospel that God of his free mercy for Christes sake holdeth vp men that are falling into endlesse destruction that is to say deliuereth them from sinne and death and giueth them euerlasting saluation Hath hild vp Israell his seruaunt It is a figure of grammer called Apposition God hath hilde vp Israell his seruaunt that is to say God of his excéeding goodnesse and frée loue pitying his people Israell that is to say the whole Church which was like to fall into euerlasting destruction sent his sonne the redéemer to succour vs falne into sinne and death and to deliuer vs from the kingdome of Sathan and death and to restore vs rightuousnesse euerlasting lyfe Hath hild vp In the Gréeke the word antilabeto is the Aorist of the meane voyce of the verb antilambanethos whiche properly signifieth to catch hold of one that is falling by thrusting out his hand to stay him to succour him and help him that he may scape safe and harmelesse out of the daunger Israell is the propre name of the Patriarke Iacob giuen him by the sonne of God in wrestling with him Gen. xxxij It is an ordinarie thing among the Hebrewes too terme the ofspring by the names of the stocke or aunceters from whiche they come So he calleth the people of Israell by the name of their founder that is to wit of Israell or Iacob frō whom al the Israelites or Iewes issued And bycause the promis concerning Christ was betaken chéefly to the people of Israell among whom was alwayes the seate of the church for the same cause the name of Israel is oftentimes among the Prophetes taken for the whole Churche gathered of the Iewes and the Gentiles togither And this phrase of the Prophetes doth Marie kéepe in this place His child whom he embraceth with fatherly loue as his sonne which people is the child or sonne seruaunt of God chosen out of whole mankind to serue God and to say and do things acceptable to God. As he spake to our Fathers Abraham his seede for euer This last part for euer would bee ioyned to the first part of the next verse before which is he remembring his mercy for euer that is to say his euerlasting mercy or his mercy which he hath promised to performe euermore towards all those that flée vnto Christ as it sayd Psal Ciij The mercy of the Lorde is for euer and euer vppon them that feare him The promises concerning Christ the defender and deliuerer of the people of Israell or of the Church were deliuered first to Adā Eue in Paradise Gen. iij. Secondly to Abrahā Gen. xij xxij xv xvij c. Next to his séede or ofspring Isaac Gen. xxvj Then to Iacob Gen. xxviij and xlix Afterward to Moyses Deut. xviij And specially to king Dauid ij Reg. vy and .xxiij. and .j. Paral. xvij I hope that this bréef disposement of
Maries song and the grammaticall exposition of the woordes thereof will not bée misliked of those that bée well minded The Epistle vppon the feast day of Sainct lames ¶ The Epistle Rom. viij FOr wee knowe that all things worke for the best vnto them that loue God which also are called of purpose For those which he knew before he also ordeyned before that they should be like fashioned vnto the shape of his sonne that he might bee the first begotten sonne among many brethren Moreouer whiche hee appointed before them also he called And which he called them also he iustified and which he iustified them he also glorified What shall wee then say to these things yf God be on our side who can bee ageynst vs which spared not his own sonne but gaue him for vs all how shall he not with him giue vs all things also VVho shal lay any thing to the charge of Gods chosen it is God that iustifieth who then shall condemne it is Christ whiche is dead yea rather which is risen ageyne which is also on the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs VVho shall separate vs from the loue of God shall tribulation or anguish or persecution eyther hunger eyther nakednesse eyther perill eyther sword as it is written For thy sake are wee killed all day long and are counted as shepe apointed to be slayne Neuerthelesse in all these things wee ouercome strōgly thorow his help that loued vs For I am sure that neyther death neyther lyfe neyther Aungels nor rule neyther power neyther things present neyther things to come neyther hygh neyther low neyther any other creature shall bee able to depart vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. The disposement THis Epistle is persuasiue And the state or proposition principall thereof is a comforte of the Churche subiect to the crosse in this lyfe The places of the comfortings or the chéef argumentes are foure 1 Of the finall cause or the end and issue of affictions What things so euer are good and healthful to the godlie ought to bee suffered with a quiet minde and with a certeyne gladnesse Afflictions miseries are good and healthfull to the godly there shall assuredly follow deliueraunce and a most ioyfull issue in the euerlasting life for this is the méening of the sayd saying all things woorke for the best too the profit of them that loue God that is to say all afflictions turne to the profite of them that loue God or of the godly as it is sayde Psal 119. It is good for mée O Lorde that thou hast afflicted mée Ergo afflictions are to bée suffered by the godly paciently and with a certeine gladnesse For the manifestation of the second part of this argument let the ten endes or commodities of afflictious bée borowed hither out of the place that concerneth the crosse and calamities And let yong men beare well in minde this saying of Plato which doutelesse he tooke out of the doctrine of the Church of the holy fathers Thus must we thinke of a godly man that whither hee liue in pouertie or bee turmoyled with death or other aduersities these things shall doo him good eyther alyue or dead For God neuer neglecteth him that hath his hart full bent too liue rightuously and earnestly followeth vertue that he may as much as is possible for man become like and conformable vnto God. The second Argument is taken of the example of the sonne of God. WHomsoeuer God hath foreknowen and forechosen to lyfe and glorie euerlasting must of necessitis become like to the Image of the sonne of God. But the sonne was fayne first to suffer and to bée crucified and afterward to bée glorified Ergo also the Church and all the godly shall bée glorified by tribulation and affliction The third argument is of the efficient cause or of the will of God. ALl godly persones must reuerently obey the order of Gods wisdome and rightuousnesse But God by his wisdome hath apointed this order that all they that are chosen to eternall life should first be called secondly iustified then distressed with tribulacion and affliction and lastly bée adorned with ioy and glorie euerlasting Ergo it behooueth vs to obey this order reuerently The fourth argument is of the forcing cause and of Gods help THe louingnesse and fatherly good wil of God towards vs is to bée preferred before all sorowes miseries and temptacions God assuredly beareth vs good will and is on our side he loueth helpeth defendeth and saueth vs for his sonnes sake Ergo the sorrowes and miseries that are layd vppon vs by God our Father are to abidden paciently Now forasmuch as there bée two terrible obiections that assault the minor of this argument Paule disproueth them in few woordes First None that bée defiled with sinnes are beloued of God. Wée are defiled with sinnes and giltie of Gods wrath and endlesse damnacion Ergo wée are not beloued of God. Paule aunswereth first to the maior or first proposition thus that none which are defiled with sinne that is to wit whicherepent not and flée not by fayth to the Sonne of God the Mediator that was deliuered for vs are belo uedof God. And to the minor or second part of the argument he answereth thus Wée are in déede gilty of Gods wrath and euerlasting damnation as in respect of our owne vnclennesse and vnworthinesse but in asmuch as wée acknowledge and bewayle our sinnes and by fayth doo flée to the sonne of God the Mediator who dyed and rose ageyn for vs and maketh intercession for vs at the right hand of God wée are beloued of God and wée are iustified defended and saued for the sounes sake who was put too death and raysed ageyne for vs vppon this sonne sitting at the right hand of the Father and making intercession for vs and not vpon our owne sinnes let vs fasten the eyes of our minde The second obiection REason would that they should bée well at ease which are beloued of God for no man dooth harme to those whom he loueth Wée Christians in this lyfe are of all men most miserable oppressed with afflictions anguish hunger and nakednesse and wée are slayne all the day long c. Ergo wée are not beloued of God. I aunswer first to the maior The godly ought in déede to bée well at ease howbeit after that order and manner which the wisdome of God hath vttered in the Gospell The godly must bée made like too the Image of Gods son They must suffer and dye and so enter into glorie as he did ij God mindeth not to endue the godly with the short shadowish benefites of this lyfe but with euerlasting rewards iij. These calamities are not a tokē of gods wrath or hatred towards vs but rather of his fatherly good will according to this saying whom the Lord loueth him he chastiseth and he skourgeth euery sonne whom he receyueth
Gods iustice The duetie of a redeemer hygh preest Sinne damnation Mannes saluation The benefites of Chrystes birth How Christes benefites are applied too vs. How and why glory is giuen too God. Peace Gladnesse Chrysts apperings too the Fathers in old tyme. A description of the second persone in the Trinitie Proues of Christs Godhead Iohn 1. Iohn 5. Chryst onely purgeth sinne What Angels bee The definition of saluation rightuousnesse and life are the sum of Christs benefites The efficient cause of saluation Goodnesse Louing kyndnesse Mercifulnesse Grace Our mediator or spokesman Who they bee that dishonor Christ Our owne rightuousnesse is of no desert The gospell and baptim are instrumēts of saluation Faith the instrumēt vvhervvith vvee take holde of saluation Renevvment of nature The effects of iustification Good vvorkes must folovv iustification Good workes or new obedience Vngodlynesse Concupiscence or lustfulnesse Stayednesse Rightuousnes Godlynesse The causes that moue too good workes Gods commaundement Hope of glory Abolishment of sinne Thankfulnesse How woorks become good Chrystes working in vs by his spirir By his woord By mannes willingnes The points vvherof Steuē is accused Atteynment of gods promises Worshipping of God. The institutiō of a new law What martyrdoome is The parts of martyrdoome Confessors Martyrs The holy Ghost Gods woord Mannes mynd Chryst is alwayes with his Churche The matter that maketh a Martyr Gods glorie Maintenāce of true religion Strengthening of the weake Certeintie of doctrine Witnessing of the immortalitie Reteynement of saluation vertues that go with martyrdoome Vices that fight ageynst martyrdome Chryst is very God. Chryst is very man. Redemption Adoption The gift of the holy ghost Inheritance of endlesse lyfe A warning for Pauls mening The workyng of the lavve The dueties of the lawe too teach vs too knowe God and our selues To frame our maners aright Too correct offenders The law dryueth vs too Chryst In whom Chryst is effectuall The law a shadow of things doo come Things to bee noted concerning the Epiphanie or twelfth day Of the wyse men that came vntoo Chryst The tyme of their cōming The names of the wise men Earnestnesse in receyuing and keeping the truthe The sondry names and glory of Chryst Iehouah or Lord. The glory of the Lord. What it is too giue glory to God. Why Chryst is called our light Who are the true Churche Why God dyd put a difference betweene the lewes and the Gentils The prerogatiues of the lewes The wretched state of the Heathen Gods vnchaūgeable rule in calling men to saluation Saluation is of free gift and not of desert The true seruice or woorshipping of God. What is represented by gold What is represented by Frākincense The Altar of attonement is Chryst Sacrifyce Quicke or liuing Holy. Reasonable seruice Worldlynesse Renevvment of mynd Myldnesse Ouervveening misvveening forvveening Christen wisdome Worldly wisdome Mannes boūds The right vse of gods giftes Prophesie Heretical prophesying Papistical prophesying Ministers Teachers Exhortation How to giue How too rule God graunt there bee none such in England How to shew mercie Loue towards ones neibor or true frendship Brotherly loue ▪ Reuerence Diligence Zele Taking of time Hope Patience Prayer Liberalitie Hospitalitie or house keping Meeknesse Frindlinesse or gladsomnesse ▪ Pitie Concorde Lowlinesse mildnesse Mildenesse Meekenesse Shunning of stumbling blockes Reuengment Rightuousnes comprehendeth all vertues The lawe of God and of nature What it is too loue our neybor The seuerall sorts or degrees of loue towardes ones neybor Gods commaundement is the rule of vertues Antimonians The loue of God. Wee can do no vvoorks to iustify our selues Hovv loue engendreth in vs What is to bee done in all intents drifts and purposes of this lyfe The common ende and drift of al a mannes dooings The endes of authoritie or ciuil gouernement The ends of the ministerie The endes of learning Settlednesse The descriptiō of a good and skilfull minister Vnnecessary dealings The fiue naked Games or exercyses of Actiuitie Running Buffeting Leaping Coyting it vvas like our throvving of the hammer Wrestling The dyet demean or of those that contended in the sayd Games their revvards An excellent similitude A furlong The revvarde of victorie Interpretation of the Greeke vvoords Of the behoue fulnesse of doing vvell Of the discom moditie of doing yll Examples One church of God in al ages gathered by one meane fed vvith one foode Figures of Baptim Figure of the Lords supper The causes of the Lentō fast True glorie or boasting False Apostles Reprofe of vaynglorie Example of christen bosting Who are the children of Abraham Labours Strypes Death Strypes Whippings Stoning Shipwrecke Trauell Ieoperdy Loke for these names in the table in th end of this booke Austin Aretas How manye sortes of visions of reuelations there be Visions of three sortes Difference of heauens Heauen or Paradyse Languages Prophesying and fayth Mark wel this discourse and beare it away True faith and true loue are vnseparable Patience Gentlenesse Freendlynesse Modestie or myldnesse Good meening Lowlynesse Grauitie Iustdealing Equitie Meeknesse Freendlynesse Ryghtfulnesse and mercy Rightuousnesse truthe Patience Freendlynesse Hope Patience Prophesy Tungs Knowledge Differences of knowing God Duties or poynts of a true preacher Vertues that ought too bee in ministers Patience Painfulnesse The touchstone of Religion What patiēce is Look for these in the table at the end of this Booke Why lent was ordeined The first author of the Lenton fast Diuersitie in keeping the Lent. Austin a mainteyner of the Lenton fast Saturdays and Emberdayes Diuersitie of allegoricall fastes Papisticall fast reproued The iudgemēt of gods woord concerning fast How too obserue the outward fast aryght Scripture the rule of christianitie Christians must proceede continually not stay Chastitie a mark of Gods church Tertullians saying Buying and selling Honest Profitable Good counsell Bargaining merchandyse appoynted by God for singular good purposes Confutation of Meritmōgers Necessitie of cōmaundemēt Necessitie of eschewing paynes Necessitie of Gods graces and gifts Rewardes Chastitie Couetousnesse Followers of God. Too walke Sacrifyse Sweete smell Sainctes Whoo is an Idolater Darknesse A Testament or last will. A definition of the new Testament A definition of the old Testament The difference betweene the old ▪ Testamēt and the new Agar Sara Ismael and Isaa◠A very good argument The heauenly Ierusalem What preesthod is in general A definition of the hyghest preest or of Chryst Gods iustice medled with mercy was the cause of christs sacrifyce Why the sacrifysing of beasts was ordeyned The sacrifises of the Hēathē Differences of Chrystes sacrifise and the Leuiticall sacrifises Eternall saluation Leuitical sacrifises are figures Chrystes sacrifice once for al Christ purgeth by his own blud Chryst is entered into heauē Marcion the Manichees Chrystes humilitie IESV Why Chryst was made a sacrifyce The first part of Chrystes Passion Testimonies of gods wrath ageinst sinne The seconde part of Chrystes passion The third part of his passion The loue of
and honour that is too maynteyne it chaste and holye and not to defyle it with lustes of concupiscence as the Heathen haue giuen themselues leaue without controllement In this place is to bée repeted the whole doctrine concerning chastitie wedlocke and in especially the eyght causes for which al the godly must with singular héede and diligence defend the honour of chast shamefastnesse Which causes are recited in the declaration of the vertues of the sixth commaundement in my rules of lyfe Now will I adde but only one saying of Tertulliā most woorthye to bée borne away Inasmuch as wée all are the temple of God by putting into vs the holy Ghoste who haloweth vs the Churchwarden and chéef Chaplein of that temple is chastitie which may suffer no vncleane or vnholy thing too bée brought in thither least GOD who dwelleth there taking displeasure too sée his abode defyled should vtterly forsake it The third part concerning interchaungeable ryghtfulnesse which shunneth deceyt in bargayning THis is the will of God that no man deceyue and beguyle his brother in chapmanship bycause the Lord is the punisher of all such things The proposition or ground is Let no man deceyue his brother in bargeyning or bée yée iust in your bargaynings The reasons are twoo THe first reason is for that it is honest This is the will of God that no man misuse or deceyue his brother The second is for that it is profitable Bycause God is the punisher of all such things Althoughe the sent of lukre by any meanes séeme swéete for a whyle and that they think it hygh pollicie that their craftinesse is not espyed yet will god fynd out the offender yet hath God a reuenging eye God the reuenger séeth all things And experience proueth the méening of Hesiodus verse too bée true By euill meanes seek not too gain such gain as rendreth losse and pain God hath by wonderfull forecast ordeyned and established lawfull bargayning among men and he hath so diuersly distributed among them the goods that perteyne too the mayntenance of this mortall lyfe that eche hath néede of others help too the intent that in exchaunging of things and in bargeyning they should put in vre ryghtfulnesse loue towardes their neyghbour and other vertues and that many being knit bound togither with these bondes should liue in companie and conuersation toogither and shewe the doctrine concerning God one too another and the examples of vertues one to another Therfore God alloweth lawfull bargenings will haue indifferencie and vpryghtnesse kept and vsed in them And in this place by expresse woords he forbiddeth defrauding which keepeth not equalitie in bargeynes but catcheth too himself a greater part than he ought of ryght too haue For the woord that Paule vseth signifyeth the same thing that it dooth in the fifth booke of Aristotles Ethicks that is too wit Pleonectein of pleon echein whiche is as much too say as too haue more thā ryght or too take of another mānes goods without recompensing as much for it or too encrease a mannes owne stock too another mannes losse The vertue that encounters it is interchaungeable vpryghtnesse which in marchandyze or bargening beguyleth not other men but maynteyneth proportionable indifferencie according too the Lawes of Nature Thou shalt not steale Loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe Doo not too another which thou wouldest not haue doone too thyself Vppon the Sunday called Oculi or the third Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle Ephes v. BEe you the followers of God as deere chyldren and walke in loue euen as Chryste loued vs and gaue himself for vs an offeryng and a sacrifice of a sweet sauour too god As for fornication and all vnclennesse or couetousnesse let it not bee once mamed among you as it becommeth Sainctes or fylthynesse or foolish talkyng or iesting which are not comely but rather giuyng of thankes For this yee know that no whoremonger eyther vncleane persone or couetous persone which is a worshipper of ymages hath any inheritaunce in the kyngdome of Chryste and of god Let no man deceyue you with vayne wordes For bycause of such thyngs cōmeth the wrath of God vppon the chyldren of disobedience Be not yee therfore companions of them Yee were sometymes darknesse but nowe are yee lyght in the Lord walke as chyldren of lyght for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in all goodnesse and ryghtuousnesse and truthe Accept that whiche is pleasing vntoo the Lorde and haue no fellowship with the vnfruiteful workes of darknesse but rather rebuke them For it is a shame euen too name those things which are done of them in secrete but all things when they are brought foorth by the lyght are manifest ▪ For whatsoeuer is manifest the same is light wherfore he sayeth awake thou that sleepest and stand vp from death and Chryste shall gyue thee lyght The disposement THe state of this Epistle is an Exhortation too newe obedience or too good woorkes by name it giueth preceptes of these thrée vertues 1 Of the loue of God and a mannes neyghbour 2 Of chastitie which shunneth whordome filthynesse and all vnclennesse 3 Of frankhartednesse or liberalitie esche wing couetousnesse which is the seruice of Idols And in this exhortation ▪ Paule vseth six Argumentes of which the first is gathered 1 Of the example of God. 2 Of the dutie of children 3 Of the exāple of Chryste who hath loued vs in such wyse that he hath giuen himselfe too bée an offring and sacrifice for vs. 4 Of the comlynesse as it beséemeth the Saints 5 Of the punishements of wickednesse For these things commeth the wrath of God vppon all that bée disobedient 6 Of the finall cause Therefore are yée deliuered out of the darknesse of sinne and endued with a newe lyght and with the holy Ghost that yée should exercise gentlenesse vpryghtnesse and truthe This disposement of the principall members of this Epistle being considered there may a twoo or thrée of the notabler places bée the easlyer picked out and entreated of An exhortation too newnesse of lyfe or too good woorkes in generall MAny when they héere that a man deserueth not forgyuenesse of sinnes by his good woorkes what néede wée say they to employ any studie or care to doo well Therefore let vs giue our selues ouer to all entycements of pleasure and sinne The wicked and horrible talke of these men is playnly confuted by Paule in this Epistle Wée are not able by our vertues to deserue forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall lyfe but the only sonne of God our Lord Iesus Chryste hathe obteyned these moste hygh benefites for vs by his obedience and death Neuerthelesse there are other foure ryght weightye causes for whiche wée ought too stryue ageynst the entycementes of sinne and to exercyse ryghtuousnesse truthe liberalitie chastitie and other vertues First necessitie of the commaundement and the det For this purpose were men created by God and afterward redeemed
by the sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ that they should obey God and set foorth his glorie by liuing vertuously Ephe. ij Wée are his woorke created to doo good woorkes And an eyghtdayes ago wee haue herd this is y wil of God euen that you should bée holy Iohn .v. This is my coÌ„maundement that you loue one another And in this Epistle Bée yée the folowers of God walke in louingnesse as the sonnes of lyght walke yée Therfore are yee deliuered from the darknesse of not knowing God and from the darknesse of sinne and by the Gospell lyghtened with the lyght of knowyng God aryght and endued with the holy Ghoste that yee should liue in new knowledge of God in rightuousnesse in purenesse in dooing of good turnes in truthe and in all other vertues agréeing with the wil of god Nither may al precepts concerning good woorks bee referred Secondly necessitie of eschewing peynes present eternall which vnchaungeably accompanye such as are defiled with sinnes ageinst conscience as in this Epistle there bée moste gréeuous threates Knowe ye this that no whoremonger and vncleane persone or couetous persone whiche is an Idolater haue inheritauÌ„ce in the kingdome of Christ and of god Let no man deceyue yée with vayne talke that is too wit that simple fornication couetousnesse and vsurie are no sinnes for these things commeth Gods wrath that is too say horrible plages vppon the disobedient The horriblenesse of this threatning may bée amplified by expounding the weightynesse of the woords and putting too of like sayings and examples gathered out of the Historie of the whole world Thirdly the necessitie of holding fast fayth Gods grace the holy Ghoste and euerlasting lyfe For all these good things are shaken of by euill woorkes or simes ageinst conscience Fourthly the rewardes of good woorkes promised by God .j. Tim. iiij Godlynesse hath promises of the present lyfe and of the lyfe too come For although remission of sinnes eternall lyfe bée giuen fréely for Chrysts sake onely yet are good woorkes recompénsed with other most bountefull rewardes as well ghostly as bodyly both in this lyfe and in the euerlasting lyfe And Paule giueth commaundement by name concerning loue of our neyghboure which repressing bitternesse yrefulnesse backbyting and all malice honoreth wel dooing mercye and frankhartednesse towardes others For the beginning of the fifth Chapter too the Ephesians hangeth too this part of the fourth chapter Therfore all the whole summe of the doctrine concerning the loue towards a mannes neyghbour c may bée conueyed hither out of the exposition of the first fifth and seuenth commaundements Concerning Chastitie whiche escheweth whordome vnclennesse and filthynesse matter too entreate off may bée taken out of the methodicall exposition of Chastitie whiche I haue registred in the sixth commaundement Concerning Couetousnesse which fyghteth with the first and .vij. commaundements let doctrine bée sought out of the declaration of the vertues of the .vij. commaundement Concerning the sacrifice of Chryst who offered him selfe for vs too the father an oblation and sacrifyce of swéete sent wée will speake about a fortnight hence vppon the Sunday called Iudica Now will I bréefly expound the text Bee yee folowers of God therefore that is too say in loue benefiting .j. Iohn iiij Héerin is Loue not that wée haue loued God but that he hath loued vs and hath sent his sonne too bée a reconcylement for our sinnes Déerbeloued if God haue loued vs so wée also must loue one another GOD is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and God in him Walke in loue toward God and your neyghbour Too walke is too liue or to rule the will and outward dooings in suche wyse that wée may loue our neybor and doo him good And gaue himselfe for vs. That is also a witnesse of Christes feruent loue towards vs which is set out Rom. v. An offering and sacrifyce The sacrifyse intoo which was conueyed Gods wrath ageinst our sinnes whom it béehoued too bée slayne and put too death too the entent wée myght bée spared For a sent of sweete smell For a swéete sauor and acceptable It is a phrase taken out of Moyses Leuit. j. The Préest shall burne it vppon the Altare for a burnt Offering and a swéete smell vntoo the lord Genes viij The Lord smelled a swéete smell God is woonderfully delyghted in the obedyence of his sonne the sacrifyse And he sheweth that for his sake our prayers also and our thanks giuing and our almefdéedes are acceptable and swéete vntoo him in like wyse as wée are delyghted with the fresh sent of a Vyolet or a Rose And all the sacrifyses and good woorkes of the godly must bée smelles that is too say a farre spred and wel sented fame concerning God. As it becommeth Sainctes The saincts are clean Whore-hunting filthynesse ribaudry c. are vncleane Ergo they become not Sainctes A couetous man whoo is an Idolater He is an Idolater eyther which surmyseth that too bée a GOD which is not God or which yéeldeth to some other thing that is not God the honor peculyarly due vntoo God as fayth feare and loue aboue all things So is a couetous persone an Idolater bycause he bestoweth his loue aboue all things and his trust which are due only too God vppon his mony and setteth more by it than by God. Ye wer sometime darknesse that is too say without knowledge of God nouzeling your selues in all sinnes yée were without true acknowledgement of God without true ryghtuousnesse and without lyfe But now you are lyght in the Lord. Now yée are lightened with true knowledge of God yée know what woorks please God and what woorkes displease him yée are borne ageine by the holy Ghoste Vppon the Sunday called Laetare or the fourth Sunday in Lent. ¶ The Epistle Galath iiij FOr it is wryten that Abraham had two sonnes the one by a bondmaide the other by a free-woman Yea and he which was borne of the bondwoman was borne after the flesh but he which was borne of the freewoman was borne by promys which things are spoken by an allegorie For these are twoo Testamentes the one from the mount Sinai vvhich gendreth vntoo bondage vvhich is Agar For mount Sinai is Agar in Arabia and bordreth vppon the Citie vvhich is novv called Ierusalem and is in bondage vvith hir children But Ierusalem vvhich is aboue is free vvhich is the moother of vs all For it is vvrytten Reioyce thou barren that bearest no chyldren breake foorthe and crye thou that traueylest not For the desolate hath many mo children than shee vvhich hath an husbande Brethren vvee are after Isaac the children of promys But as then he that vvas borne after the flesh persecuted him that vvas born after the spirite Euen so is it nowe Neueâ—thelesse vvhat sayth the scripture put avvay the bondvvoman and hir sonne For the sonne of the bondvvoman shall