Oliue tree whereof they were the naturall branches wallowing continually in a most filthy puddle of pestilent error not much vnlike to the Romish Synagogue in this our age whose senses seeme to be tippled with the same dolldreanche which kinde of people being of all other nations most needie of the mercy of God it is a wonder notwithstanding to see how trimly they play wylye beguilie with themselues in the dispensation of pardons whereof they falsely chalenge to themselues chief stewardship vnder the title of the Church and inheritable succession of Peters chayre which they haue established at Rome for euer and euer persuading to themselues to haue obteyned the sole and singular prerogatiue of all ecclesiasticall superioritie such as can neuer be abolished by any continuance of consuming time but must remaine inuiolable worldâ— without end nor can euer be dissolued by breach of succession nor at any time be destitute voyd of the fauour of god But if you demaund of theÌ„ that cause of this so inestimable a blessing what wil thei answere forsooth hath not god say they promised that he wil neuer forsake his Church what then Haue not the keyes lyneally descended vnto vs from blessed S. Peter euer hitherto being the chiefe head of the Apostles which the Lord hath promised shal neuer be taken away Is there any more yet what is it possible for Gods trueth it selfe to defraude the credite of his couenant whereunto he hath bound him selfe with a most sacred othe Uery well now And whereupon doth the blinde arrogancie of the Iewish Nation magnifie their race do we not deriue our petigree say they lyneally from our most holy father Abraham Are we not borne and named Israelites by the name of our great graundsier Israel the Patriarch did not the Lord credite vs only with the safe custodie of the Arke of his couenant Haue not we a promise from God by the mouth of his Prophets of a Messhias and Sauiour to come Hath not god prepared an euerlasting throne for the kingdom of our Messhias Is not he of power to make his couenant inuiolable that with so many othes hath ratified the same Nor will hee not perfourme the othes which he hath made Surely I wil not much gainsay that it is in deede no final matter wherof eche partie debateth so largely of the promises of almightie god Yet all this notwithstanding all things depend not so alwayes vpon Gods promises made but due consideration ought also be had of the minde and intent of him that maketh the promise in the scriptures and the same well weighed and compared with the due circumstances and other places of the scripture if we will be accompted true and syncere interpretoures of Gods holy scriptures that is to say It behoueth vs duely and orderly to define and dispose all and euery thing apart by it selfe not those thinges onely which are promised but must withall respect the persons the place the cause and consideration and al other circumstances of the promises And therefore albeit we do graunt vnto them that all those promises are true whereupon they bragge so much touching the succession of the Patriarches and Apostles yet shall they neuer be able to winne this at our handes To wit that this ordinarie discent according to the lawe of the flesh is a sufficient fundation to buyld the Church of God vpon In the which if we behold nothing els besides the outward â—ourme of succession only who can be so pore-blinde as not to be able to discerne the manifolâ—e alterations of orders and obseruances which the Lord from time to time hath changed and disposed contrary to the first constitutions As for example when as God in stead of Cain Esau Ismael Saul to whom of right apperteineth the ordinary succession discent of the Priesthode of the birthright inheritance of the kingdome he made especial choyse of Abel Isaac Iacob Dauid who had no interest at all in the right of succession In like maner forsaking the Iewes he accepted the Gentiles contrary to all order Neither is it so much material to know where or by what meanes theâ— Church of Christians sprang vp at the first so that it holde fast the synceritie of the pâ—re word of vndeâ—iled faith and the due administration of the Sacraments by which three thingâ—s the Church is preserued and sanctified As concerning the promises of God therfore this is vndoubtedly to be holden that the promises be in their owne nature simply true yet in such wise true notwithstanding as God hath not alwayes chained them to time place or persons of men which albeit were tyed fast to place and persons yet are the proude and high mynded shaken of the promises remayning still in their force Euen so the Iewes although they prescribe vpon a promised place in Sion Psalme 132 Here will I buylde my Tabernacle because I haue chosen it Againe in the Prophet Esay This is my fornace this is my fire c. And although they haue also a promise of the persons when as the blessing is promised to Abraham and to his seede for euer yet this withstandeth nothing at all but that rebelles are punished by God the Temple consumed by fire the altar throwen downe and the citie put to the sacke and destroyed And yet the meane whiles almightie God coÌ„tinueth stâ—dfast in his promise neuerthelesse but by a far other meane then mans capacitie is able to conceiue Whereupon that holy and melodious Psalmist not without great reason doeth crye out in a certaine place of his mysticall Sonets in this wise And it is marueilous in our eyes Euen so do I iudge conuenient to esteeme of the counterfaite succession of the Apostolique and Romish See which if our prelates enforce so narrowly to be straighted to the limits of place persons they must needes bewray their double errour therein being not only absurdely iniurious to holy scriptures but foÌ„dly careles in breaking the rules of Logick For in their arguing they do coÌ„monly thrust more into the conclusion then in their former propositions As if a man would frame an argument after this maner The perpetuitie of the promised succession is graunted to Peter and his successours The Romish Prelats do succede in Peters chaire or place Ergo The Romish Prelates are the onely successours of Peter the only vniuersall Bishops the only Princes of the Church whose faith can neuer faint But we haue sufficiently enough discouered the maskings iuglings of this Romish counterfaite els where And therefore lest we roaue too much abroad from the marke and wander from the Oliues as the prouerbe saith we wil returne againe to Pauls Oliue tree the braunches of the same whereupon wee promised before to discourse Of the which braunches how some were broken of and some others engrafted againe into the true Oliue tree we haue alreadie opened somewhat vnto you out of the Apostle And not onely out
stedfast in faith Be not high minded therefore but feare for if God spared not the natural braunches Take heed lest it come to passe that he spare not thee Behold the kindnesse rigor of God vpon them which fel rigor but kindnesse towards thee if thou perseuere in kindenesse Or els thou shalt be hewen of they if they continue not still in vnbeliefe shal be engraffed in agayne For God is of power to graffe theÌ„ in againe For if thou were cut out of a naturall wilde Oliue tree and contrary to nature were engraffed into the true Oliue tree how much rather shall the braunches be graffed in agayne into their owne Oliue tree For I woulde not haue you ignoraunt brethren of this mysterie lest you should waxe proud in your owne conceytes that blindnesse is partly happened vnto Israel vntill the fulnes of the Gentiles be accomplished and so all Israel shal be saued as it is written There shall come out of Sion one that shall deliuer and shall take away vngodlines from Iacob c. Dearely beloued you haue heard what the Apostle of the Gentiles doth speake vnto vs Gentiles you haue heard his discourse of the Iewes of their vnbeliefe and of their reiection you haue heard the doctrine and comparison of S. Paul touching the true Oliue tree and the wylde Oliue tree touching the natural branches and the graftes touching faith and infidelitie touching the mercie of God and the seueritie of his iustice touching the modestie and constancie of the faithfull touching the fulnes of the Gentiles finally touching the last calling home and reclayming of the Iewes This is a very large theame as ye see and full of plentiful matter which for the difficultie as it seemeth to surmount my weakenes to reach vnto so requireth your more careful attention that ye may duely conceiue the same in the debating whereof it behoueth me neither to say to litle neither is there any vtteraÌ„ce of man els able for the largenes of the matter exceeding al possibilitie to speake sufficiently Notwithstanding sithence I haue presumed to enter vpon this enterprise being of it selfe of wonderful importance albeit I may seeme to folter and faint as oppressed with the heauie burden thereof yet will I not retyre but will proceede with affiaunce as well as I may resting my selfe wholy vpon the grace of Christ and will by your pacience speake though not so much as the cause requireth yet as much as the goodnes of God will permit at this present The whole action of the sermon of Paul is deuided into two speciall partes whereof the one concerneth the Iewes the other apperteineth properly to vs Gentiles In the behalfe of the Iewes he lamenteth their fall reproueth their vnbeliefe giueth them vnto vs for an example to beholde the seuere rigor of Gods iustice discouereth the cause of gods wrath and being carefull for their safetie doeth prouoke them to an holy emulation Finally prophesying as it were of their last reconcilement doth encourage the seely out-casts with hope of recouery of Gods mercy againe As concerning the Gentiles he commendeth their faith aduanceth the inestimable goodnes of God towardes them calleth them backe to remembrance of their former miserie and despeired estate reioyceth with them for their present felicitie entirely requesteth and earnestly exhorteth them that they swell not with prideâ— disswadeth from disdayneful triumphing vpoÌ„ forlorne abiects to modestie of minde mitigateth the hautie arrogancie of their hearts with a most wholesome medicine Finally setting downe a perfect patterne of the Iewes calamitie in maner of a president holdeth them backe in a couenable feare discloseth the wonderfull power that almightie God vseth in disposing and translating his benefites that by these meanes he may quallifie the insolencie of the Gentiles and so reteine them meane whiles within the limites of modest sobrietie vntill the fulnes of time being of all partes accomplished each nation aswell Iewes as Gentiles through the most blessâ—d operation of grace may be vnited gathered togâ—ther at the leÌ„gth into one societie partaking of one congregation And this much concerning the two partes of Pauls sermon as I tolde yon before The maner and kinde of his instruction here wherein hee resembleth the Church of God to an Oliue tree is metaphoricall and propheticall Which Oliue tree consisteth of three partes Of the roote of the stocke and of the branches Under the title of the Roote he doeth note Abraham and other holy Patriarches vnto vs because in them appeared the first buddes and blossomes of Gods promise By the stocke or body of the tree he representeth vnto vs the Church scattered vpon the face of the earth a congregation gathered together out of the whole nomber of the faithful which at the first budding in smal issues from out that holy roote and so by litle and litle encreasing in strength and obteining a proportionable statureâ— doeth at the length through the plentifull fatnes of the bountiful roote with outstretched compasse spreade abroade it selfe into most beautifull branches and bowes By which plaine demonstration we haue an apparant view painted out as it were both of the old synagogue of the Iewes and the new Church of the Gentiles And because no man shall thinke that this Oliue tree is sprung vp at al aduentures or planted by mans industrie he calleth it by the name of an holy issue out of a holy Roote There is no man made husbandman or woodward of this Oliue tâ—ee but almightie God him selfe alone who with all possible diligence attendeth to the addressing and nourishing thereof and will continually preserue the same Howsoeuer this Oliue tree doeth alter the beautie of his blossomes or change the hewe of his leaues yet endureth it still vnremoueable nor is at any time â—ut cleane away In like maner fareth it with the Church of God which being wholy established vpon the eternal foundation of Gods most sacred promise standeth as it were in a certaine eternitie vnuanquishable and so shal continue permanent beyond all ages though the members and branches thereof remaine not alwayes in one estate and although it happen many times that the first issues become the last and contrariwise the last made first the naturall buddes yeeld place to the sauage slippes the proper and olde growen branches are cut of and new taken in and so by wonderfull enterchange some growe some stand at a staye some encrease and some starue quite away as we see now and then come to passe in husbandry and gardening whereas plantes and trees are many times pruned of vnfruitefull sproutes sometimes dispoyled altogether of bowes and the stocâ—â— newly engraffed to the end the trees may become more fruitfull After the same maner that heauenly gardiner woodward or plant setter doeth many times prune this litle Oliue tree of his Church but neuer plucketh it vp by the rootes as Augustine doeth witnes cutting of eftsoones wyndshaken bowes and starued branches
that new plantes may prosper the better So that according to the saiyng of the same Augustine many rauening wolues possesse the Church within whiles many sheepe in the meane space stande without the doores Which thing can be verified by no one example more aptly then by this comparison of the Iewes and Gentiles Of whom let vs heare what the Apostle speaketh I speake saith he vnto you Gentiles in as much as I am an Apostle of the Gentiles I will magnifie mine office c. Forasmuch as in debating of any matter in question whatsoeuer two things are chiefely to bee noted To wit The person that speaketh and the matter that is spoken of we will by Gods assistance prosecute them both at this present Let vs first therefore consider the person of him that speaketh then as order of teaching requireth the cause whereof he disputeth As toâ—ching the cause here debated as no reasonable man can make any iust quarrel to doubt vpon so ought not the famous welknowen authoritie of the person be defrauded of anie his due estimation for what authoritie can be of more force to purchase credite or to procure aduancement to the function then the name of an Apostle And amongst the Apostles them selues also what one ought to be more entire and of more credite amongst the Gentiles then the Apostle Paul Who if being sent by mans ordinance had come vnto vs ought yet to be friendly enterteined for his courtesie so loÌ„g as he teacheth the syncere trueth But whereas now he is by an especiall calling peculiarly assigned not from men nor by men but by Christ Iesu him selfe an Apostle to instruct vs Gentiles howe much more behoueth vs Gentiles his scholers to attend our owne proper scholemaster and peculiar Apostle in as much as he was especially called and chosen for this only purpose as he witnesseth of him selfe that we shoulde with all faithfull chearefulnes of minde embrace his doctrine Wherefore proceede on in Gods name my deare beloued brethren be not ashamed of your owne scholemaster sâ—thence himselfe shameth so litle to acknowledge vs his scholers as that accompting the same his greatest glory therein aduanceth his office so much the more because hee hath obteined this title to be called an Apostle of the Gentiles and therefore saith that hee magnifieth his ministery Which title notwithstanding hee boasteth not of vpon anie vaineglorious ostentation but compelled hereunto through necessitie of circumstances only to magnifie his functioÌ„ Neither is this any strange or new kind of doctrine for the necessary order of teaching so requireth oftentimes for the more credite of the doctrine that is taught to extoll and aduance aswel the office of the teacher as also the authoritie of the office Euen as in an other Epistle written to the Galathians we reade how hee was enforced to mainteine his countenance againâ—t his aduersaries with this only Target and cognizance of his Apostleship Behold saith he I Paul speake vnto you If you be circumcised Christ doeth profite you nothing at al. Neither doeth the Apostle differ much in this place from that figuratiue phrase of speache to the end that hauing weightie matters â—o debate with vs Gentiles he might winne so much the more estimation thereby to beautifie the aucthoritie of his function I speake sayth he vnto you Gentiles I will magnifie mine office c. You haue heard nowe of the person of the teacher and of his lawfull aucthoritie It foloweth to make manifest vnto you the substantiall and material part of all whatsoeuer is here debated in this whole xi chapter And the same may be diuided into three common places or parts chiefely The first whereof doth concerne the treatie of the casting away of the Iewes and râ—ceyuing of the Gentiles In the first member whereof which toucheth the Iewes the seuere Iustice of God is noted vnto vs in that other that hath relation to the Gentiles the vnspeakeable mercy and goodnesse of God is disclosed vnto vs. In the seconde parte the cause why they were reiected and those other admitted is set downe vnto vs. In the thirde place the Apostle doth foreshew and by way of mysterie as it were prophecie of the reconcilement of the Iewes that shoulde ensue and the full accomplishment of the Gentiles As concerning the reconcilement of the Iewes we wil discourse vpon in fit place for the same hereafter In the meane space touching that part that apperteineth to the casâ—ing away of the Iewish nation as many things are conteyned therein worthy not to be negligently ouerpassed so this one caution ought diligently to be marked That no such thought enter into any our minds as though the Iewes are so altogether forsaken of god and dispoyled of ghostly consolation as that no sparkle of mercie is reserued in store for them to hope vpon Neither that the whole stocke of that Nation is so altogether supplanted that no remnant of all the roote therof hath any droppe of moysture layed vp for them in the fountaine of Gods free election For both those opinions are vtterly refuted by the Apostle the one in the beginning of the Chapter that oâ—her in the end thereof as appeareth by the very entrey of the same chapter I say then hath God cast away his people God forbid for I am also an Israelite of the seede of Abraham of the tribe of Beniamin God hath not forsaken his people whome he hath foreknowenâ— c. as though he would say Albeit God hath estranged tâ—â— greater part of his people from himselfe yet hath he not so vtterly extinguished the whole nation as though hee had reserued to himself no couenable nomber of all the remnant of that seede like as we reade what happened to Elias who lamenting that he alone was left of all the true worshippers of God was answered that there remained yet seueÌ„ thousand men that had not bowed the knee to the Idole Baal And therefore concerning the multitude of them that fell away as many thinges arâ— worthy to be noted as I sayde before in the reiection of them so this one thing chiefely amoÌ„gst the rest ought heedefully to be marked according as the Apostle him selfe here noteth To wit that this their blindnesse happened not vnto them by happe hazarde by chaunce and vnawares as though God by his diuine prouidence did not foresee the same before hande and ordeyne the whole course of this action before by the vnchaungeable decree of his incomprehensible wisedome sâ— otherwise how could the Lorde him selfe 〈◊〉 farre distaunce of tyme prophecie before 〈◊〉 the mouthes of the Prophet Esaie his seâ—â—ant Dauid That their eyes should be blinded lest they should see their backes should be made crooked lest they should yeeld their eares shoulde be stopped lest they shoulde heare if he had not foreseene the same at the firstâ— or howe coulde he foresee it vnlesse he had likewise decreed it But nowe forasmuch as
God and nature do bring nothing to passe vnaduisedly by howe much the more grieuously the Iewes were ouercharged with the seuere rigor of Gods Iustice for what could be more heauye then to be razed out of the booke of life so much the more haynous must the canker be that prouoked this so sharpe and bitter corryzyue which cankred contagion that wrought their perdition is most expressely declared by these woâ—rdes of S. Paul for their vnbeliefe sayth he wherby all men may easily coniecture how horrible an infectioÌ„ this fretting fistula vnbeliefe is adiudged in the sight of God. But first we must open vnto you the nature anâ— substaunce of this vnbeliefe Unbeliefe is a thing mearely opposite and aduersary to beliefe by which contraposition you may easily perceyue the right nature or definition of vnbeliefe For if faith or beliefe be a certaine infallible knowledge of Ies. Chriâ—â— the Sonne of God ensealed in our hearteâ— whereby we doe embrace him as gyuen 〈◊〉 to vs from God the Father for vs to râ—pose our whole affyaunce in the same it is euident then by the same reason in whâ—â— sorte we ought to iudge of vnbeliefe 〈◊〉 whosoeuer hath ascribed the confidence of his saluation and free remyssion of hys synnes to any other person then vnto Iesus Christ or to any other creature theâ— to the fayth which ought to be in Christ Iâ—â—su the same may well be called an vnbâ—â—lieuing person Moreouer as there be mâ—â—nie degrees amongst the faythfull and likâ— as the fayth of some persons is more abunâ—daunt and plentyfull in some others scarse rypeâ— and lesse fruitefull in manie skarse any blossome or yssue at all appearing sâ— is the manifolde varietie of vnbeliefeâ— likeâ—wise expressed in the Scriptures after maâ—â—â—ie and sundrye sortes For there is a certayne vnbeliefe vnder the which as vnder certayne embers some sparkle of fayth is raked vp be it neuer so small which is signified in that sentence of Scripture where it is sayde I do beleeue Lorde Lorde helpâ— thou my vnbeliefe There is an other kinde of vnbeliefe which although be as yet ouerspread with a certayne darkened myste of foggy Ignoraunce and is tost to and fro with many wandering cloudes doubtfull vapoures yet because it peepeth nowe and then abroade because it glyttereth and shyneth somewhat and endeuoureth by all meanes possible to expresse his oâ—yent and bryght beames it seemeth not to rest in despayred estate There is yet also an other kiâ—d of vnbeliefe which the Lorde doth reproue but forsaketh notâ— as was that whereof meâ—tion is â—ade in the Gospel And he rebuked their vnbeliefe Thomas Didymus belieued not the Disciples when they tolde him that the Lorde was rysen againe A great vnbeliefe but not shaken of yet There is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And it happeneth ofteÌ„ times that the one is named yâ—â— and reproched of the other The disciples theÌ„selues also were sometimes worthily rebuked for their vnbeliefe to whom was said O ye vnfaithful peruerse generatioÌ„ Peter was once yelden ouer to the vâ—ry â—â—inke of drowâ—ing for none other cause but for his vnbeliefe sake yet our Lorde stretching out his hand afterwards saued him This was a daungerous vnbeliefe But that other example not of his distrust onely but of his faithlesse reuolting was farre more peryllâ—us when the same Peter not once or twise only but three tymes in one nyght did not onely not acknowledge but also forsware his Lord and master yet was he not therefore depryued from his Apostleshippe And it is not to be doubted but that many persones doe entrude vpon the possession of Christian Title which can gloriously vaunte of Christ with their tongues but denye him vtterly in their deeds beleeuing nothing lesse in their hearts stedfastly then that whereof they carrye an outwarde resemblaunce in their talke coâ—ragiously And because this Serpigo resteth within those persones and crauleth to no further infection of the coÌ„gregation they are not therfore barred from partaking the Sacramentes of this Church which we â—all the visible Church And what shal be sayd of theÌ„ who many times doe accuse them selues of their owne vnbeliefe beyng valiannt souldiours neuerthelesse in the campe of Christian faith when as on the contrary part manie other doe firmely beleeue them selues â—â—â—e meare straungers to infidelitie whose fayth if it should be placed in the face of the enemy wil of very cowardize forthwith flee the fielde And albeit al these examples of vnbeliefe whereof I haue made mencion may iustly be reproued as blame worthy voyd of al color of defence yet may they be borne withal after a sort But this kind of infidelitie of al others is most horrible execrable when as men do rushe headlong into such obstinate resistance that they wil not only not acquaint theÌ„selues with the trueth being layd open before their eyes but will wittingly shut vp their senses from the beholding thereof because they will not see it wil spourne thereat not in words and profession only but wil cruelly persecute the same also with al maner of outrage slaughter blood blasphemies most despiteful execrations And this is that vnbeliefe which being more noysome then any pestileÌ„t botch may rightly properly be called the Iewish Infidelitie seemeth after a certaine maner their inheritable disease who are after a certaine sort from their mothers wombe naturally caried through peruerse frowardnes into all malitious hatred contempt of Christ his ChristiaÌ„s And for this cause especially I suppose it came to passe that wheras God so many hundred yeres before had coÌ„tinually pardoned their woÌ„derful manifold wickednes impietie after his wonted maner had from time to time endured winked at their horrible rebelâ—ioÌ„ idolatrie he could now no longer forbeare their abominable crueltie coÌ„mitted against his welbe loued sonne whome they trayterously murthered and hanged on tree but must needes auenge him vpon the whole nation and roote out the remnant of the whole race altogether And not without great cause for how could it els be after that he was once reueyled vnto theÌ„ for whose cause only al that coÌ„mon wealth of the Iewes was instituted erected What cause remayned then that the Iewishe synagogue should be of any longer continuance or to what purpose might it serue afterwards what That they might perseuere still in sacrificing the blood of goates and lambes to the Lorde And where should this be done in one family only But God is not delighted with such sacrifices nor dwelleth he in Temples made by men but euen in the very hearts of men he taketh no pleasure in externall pompe and outwarde obserâ—aunces nor gorgeous garnishinges of the body the vouchsafeth those worshippers which doe worship him in Spirite trueth These olde motheaten shadowes had their tyme and not their time onely but their lawfull vse also that so vnder shadowes
onely you doe worshippe and honour so doe the Turkes Sarracenes Moores and Scythians as well as ye And where is there anie one nation vnder the coape of heauen so sauage and beastly that doeth not professe coÌ„fesse and worship one God onely And what is this to the purpose Albeit ye esteeme neuer so much of that your worshipping the great God if yet in meane whiles ye persecute his messengers and Ambassadours whome hee sendeth if you kill his Prophets if ye murther his Apostles Martyrs and Preachers Finally if you put to the most slaunderous death of the Crosse the deare entierly beloued and onely begotten sonne of God him selfe being tormented with all kynde of horrible tortures to the vnspeakeable reproche of the same your owne God with what shamelesse visage can you bragge that God to be your father whose sonne you haue so shamefully crucified Yea what were this to the purpose or what might it auayle you to seeme to your selues that the same God is your father if he do not reknowledge you for his children Take this for an vndouted trueth that no kinde of people can bee adiudged to bee the people of the liuing God but in respect of his deare sonne Christ iesu Which if your blundered senses can not comprehend as yet what meane those woordes of Osee I beseeche you and of whome were they spoken For yee bee not my people therefore will I not bee yours And it shall come to passe in the place where it was sayde vnto them you are not my people it shall bee sayde vnto them you are the sonnes of the liuing God. You doe persist still obstinately in the opinion of Gods Lawe and quite contrarie to the Lawe of God without all lawe equitie and conscience hanged and racked vpon tree the very same person of whome the whole Lawe did prophesie before notwithstanding so many strange and woonderfull miracles wrought by him so many brotherly benefites employed vpon you yea finding also no maner of cause worthy of death in him You â—o vaunt your selues lustily in speach of the circumcision of your fores kinnes and your vncircumcised hearts ouerflowe with spyderlike poyson you bragge of keeping the Sabboth daye whiles you take your bodily repast onely but the right vse of the Sabboth of the Lorde is to haue a quiet minde free from all iarre of enuie and malice This Sabboth you do prophane continually but then chiefely most wickedly when ye murthered the Lord him selfe neither seeme as yet satisfied therewith nor ye will relent any iote at al from your caâ—ckred conâ—umacie you professe in wordes the letter of the lawe but vtterly disclayme from the spirituall meaning of the lawe in your deedes You crye â—ut The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord and yet you abhorre the Church of Christ being the true Temple of the Lorde you challenge to your selues a wonderful hautie prerogatiue of the blood offrings of the Priesthoode of the Sacrifices and ceremonies of the Law which in deede carry a certaine gallaunt resemblance of true religion But these outwarde shadowes and ceremonies had their tyme and place long agoe and were not instituted to the ende they should continue irreuocable but for a season to represent as it were a superficiall viewe vnto vs of more excellent thinges Euen as the kingly Throne of Dauid and all that politique gouerâ—ement of the Israelites dyd prefigure nothing els vnto vs but the euerlasting kingdome of Christ and were as certaine principles wherewith the mindes of the beholders might be raysed vp to a more deep consideration of farre highe mysteries in so much that the very same which was but figured in king Dauid we playnly perceiue to haue bene expressely discouered in the king of the newe Ierusalem which is the Church of Christ. The same which was prefigured in Abel in Noah in Abraham Melchisedech Ioseph Moyses Aaron Iosuah Sampson Dauid Elias Ionas Iesu the great Priest in the Paschall Lambe in the brasen Serpent in the Rocke in Manna in the feast of Pentecoste briefely whatsoeuer exercises were practized in shadowes types figures we do vnfainedly acknowledge to haue met coÌ„curred byn accoÌ„plished in one body And this body truely is Christ Iesu who is also the ende consummation of al the whole Lawe In like maner the sacrifices and ceremonies trimminges and deckings of the olde Law conteined in them selues no sounde nor permanent matter but were shadowes and forerunners of more excellent graces For what is he so poreblinde in this our age that knoweth not that God doth not dwel in Temples made by mens handes that consciences are not cleaÌ„sed from sinnes with the blood of goats of bulles But these bloody offrings obteined a certaine resemblance only of the true purging of sinnes What doth the commandement of the prophete emply when in your Passeouer he charged a lambe of a yere olde cleane vndefiled to be slayne by families tribes Can your senses be so blockishe to thinke that so great effectuall operation lurketh in the blood of beasts as may auayle to deliuer you from cruel thraldome translate you to the lande of promise flowing with milke hony if there were no cornell of deeper mysterie enclosed within the outwarde shell of the letter It remayneth nowe that we treate of the promises of the Prophetes whereupon you boaste so much and rayse all your building which onely thing of all others doeth vnioynte and shyuer in pieces all the strong bulwarkes of your vnbeliefe euen to the very bottome of the foundation And to the ende I may make this appeare more euidently I wyll combate a crashe with you in your owne castle whereunto I will vse none other furniture but your owne weapons I meane the very words and knowen sentences of your owne prophets And I wil so deale with you in this coÌ„flict by the ayde assistaÌ„ce of God as not heaping together out of all the Prophets in generall their whole armorie of proofe that I know for that were vnmeasurable But I wil chuse rather out of certaine of theÌ„ not a multitude to surcharge you with nomber but certaine especial testimonies with the which as with choise shot powder I wil so batter y bulwarks of your bluÌ„dered vnbeliefe that you shall not be able by any meanes possible to delude the matter with caffling nor escape by denyall nor with any subtile legerdemayne of litterall exposition cast a myste before mine eyes nor vntwyne your selues out of the meashe by any crooked conueyaunce as you are wont to do though ye would neuer so fayne but either you shall be peruinced willingly to come to reason or els against your willes to be confouÌ„ded altogether with the manifest light of the trueth And to beginne first with the prophete Esay what answere can all the ofspring of the Hebrewes make to these woordes written in the ninth chapter of his prophecie For the yoke of their burden
chapter Put of thy mourning garments O Ierusalem and thinâ— affliction and decke thee with worship and honour because euerlasting glory commeth vnto thee from god Put on the garment of righteousnes that commeth from God and set a crowne vpon thy head of the glory of the euerlasting for God will declare thy brightnes vnto euery couÌ„trey vnder the heauens and God will name thee by his name for euer c. What can be of more efficacie then the testimonies of the foresaid scriptures in the which forasmuch as two things are set down chiefely to be noted ye must yeeld to the one of them of very necessitie either that this kingdome of Israel shal neuer decay againe after their returne from the Babylonical captiuitie which being construed after the carnal sense of the letter is most false as you maye plainely perceiue or els if the kingdome of Israel be ouerthrowen and haue an end and so theÌ„ the Prophets to lye which is the most absurde thing that may be spoken Whereby appeareth most euidently that all those sayings wherein the Prophets haue foretolde of the royaltie of Dauids throne and of the euerlasting glory therof must haue a certaine mysticall and spirituall interpretation For you are not ignorant your selues of that which happened to that fleshly and worldly estate of this kingdom and into how narowe streightes extremities it was forced when as your citie was besieged and razed by the Romanes your Temple consumed with fire and all things in the citie deuoured and ransacked euen to the rooting out of all your nation almost So that the circumstances of the times being duly weighed wil plainely conuince you that these promises made touching the perpetuall establishment of the kingdome of Dauid must be farre otherwise vnderstoode and that your selues either lye shamefully in the order of your exposition or els that your owne Prophets did prophesie contrary to the trueth Sith therfore one of these two must of necessitie be graunted chuse which you wil or els discouer some way how you may escape out of this Labyrinth First I suppose no man wil coÌ„demne the Prophets for liers for thei deliuered nothing vnto vs but that which by wonderful inspiratioÌ„ they receiued of the holy ghost yea the same also infallibly true as approued froÌ„ time to time by the circumstances and sequele of the time For they foresawe as trueth was being infourmed by the holy ghost first the deliuery of the remnant of that nation in the transmigration of Babylon and it came to passe they foresawe also that this captiuitie should endure no lesse theÌ„ lxx yeres This also came to passe Finally they foresawe that after the full expiration of this exile and banishment a prince should come and a sonne should be giuen in the fulnes of time which should possesse the throne of his father Dauid and take vpon him the gouernement of the kingdome and should establishe the same in a permanent and vnperishable course of continuance peace and tranquillitie for euer And this also was perfourmed euen then accordingly when as the sonne of God was borne in the citie of Dauid that woonderful counsailour the mightie God the prince of peace who albeit died once according to the flesh seemed to be vanquished yet was he not holden of death aboue three dayes but suruiued of his owne power and liueth for euer and euer and in dying hath obteyned an â—ndlesse conquest of death and triumpheth now not much vnlike vnto Sampson victoriously ouer death hath rent in sunder the yron gates of sinne hath crusht the tyranny of the deuil in pieces and purchased euerlasting life for his elect not perishable by any assault of hautie aduersary nor vanquishable by any power of worldly policie For as to that that the citie was put to the sacke by the puissant armie of the Romanes the Temple burnt and razed to the ground all this nothing at al diminisheth the credit of the Prophet touching the establishment of the glory of that throne but rather confirmeth and doeth argue it to be of much more estimation The rebel Iewes and trayterous murtherers of Christ were ouercome in battel but Christ him self Prince of that kingdome with his Church could not be brought vnder subiectioÌ„ neither shall at any time but hath conquered liueth and triumpheth dayly And although you can not yet conceiue this inuincible Maiestie of that euerlasting king yet your Prophets saw it yea your father Abraham sawe it and reioyced Esay sawe it witnessing the same with an othe The Lord hath sworne by his right hand and by the strength of his arme Surely I wil no more giue thy corne to bee meate for thine enemies surely the sonnes of the strangers shall not drinke the wine for the which thou hast laboured but they that haue gathered it shall eate thereof and shall praise the lord And the gatherers thereof shall drinke it in the courtes of my Sanctuarie c. Againe the same Esay speaking vnto Ierusalem as though she were prisoner in Babylon Whereas thou hast bene forsaken so that no man went by thee I wil make thee an eternall glorie and a ioye from generation to generation c. Moreouer in the 54. Chapter For a moment in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a litle season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion vpon thee saith the Lord thy redeemer for this is vnto me as in the waters of Noah to whome as I haue sworne that I would no more go ouer the earth with waters so haue I sworne that I would no more bee angrie with thee nor rebuke thee For the mountaines shall remoue and the hilles shall fall downe but my mercie shal not depart from thee neither shall the couenant of my peace fal away saieth the Lord that hath compassion on thee And againe in another place Go ye out of Babel flee ye from the Chaldeans with a voyce of ioy tel and declare this shew it forth to the endes of the earth Saye ye the Lord hath redeemed his seruaunt Iacob And within a litle after It is a small thing that thou shouldest be my seruant to rayse vp the tribes of Iacob and to restore the desolâ—tion of Israel I will giue thee also for a light to the Gentiles that thou maiest be my saluation vnto the end of the worlde Beholde I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of my hande thy walles are euer in my sight Thy buylders make haste thy destroyers and they that made thee waste are departed from thee c. Neither did Esay see these things alone The other Prophets Patriarches and holy ones also dyd awayte for the royall excellencie of this kingdome before it was come The Angels signified out of heauen that he was presently come his miraculous works doe ratifie the same his rysing againe at the feast of Easter confirmeth it yea the deuils them selues felt it and dyd