whom they have taken their name The Law also was given 430. yeeres after the promise as Paul made the reckoning Gal. 3. It followeth therefore that our Christian faith is 2048. yeeres elder than the Circumcision and 2449. yeeres elder than the Law the Priesthood and ceremonies of the Iewes For from Adam unto the Floud were 1656. yeeres And from the Floud untill the departing of Abraham out of Caldea 363. yeeres From that time are reckoned 430. yeeres untill the departing of Israel out of Aegypt And on the 50. day after the departing was the Law given unto Israel upon Mount Sinâ— Exod. 19.20 And after certaine daies was the Priesthood and ceremonies appointed them Whereas God then made a covenant with Abraham when he ordained the Circumcision it serveth more to the confirmation of our holy Christian faith than to the maintenance of the Iewish ceremonies Isaac and Iacob were Abrahams children not only after the flesh but also after the spirit For they had the saith of their father and grandfather Abraham put their trust only in God through Iesus Christ and lived a sober and vertuous life Of this doth the Scripture beare them record thorowout Yea Iacob whom the Lord also called otherwise Israel of whom afterward all the people of God received the name Israel had many visions of the Lord Christ as with the ladder that stood upon the earth the top reaching to heaven on the which the Angels of God went up and downe For herewith was represented unto him the Lord Iesus which is the way unto heaven the truth and life without whom no man commeth unto the Father Upon the vision of Iacob saith he also himselfe Iohn 1. Verily I say unto you henceforth shall yee see the heaven open and the Angels of God going up and downe upon the sonne of man And so constant was Iacob in remembring the same that afterward at the commandement of the Lord he set up in the same place an Altar no doubt as it is said before for a figure of the crosse and sacrifice of Christ and there honoured he and worshipped the Lord he commanded all his people also that they should forsake strange gods and give him the Idols that they had brought with them out of Mesopotamia and he buried them under an Oke that stood beside Sichem Gen. 35. And when he would now die he prophesied very clearely of the Lord Christ how he should be borne out of the kinred of Iuda and that hee should be borne the same time that the kingdome should be taken from Iuda Which thing also came to passe in Herods time For in the 32. yeere of the reigne of Herod was CHRIST borne at Bethleem in Iewry Whereof the words of Iacob are these The scepter shall not be taken away from Iuda nor a Ruler from his feâ—t till Schilo come that is to say the Saviour and he in whom all nations shall be blessed and the people shall fall unto him This stedfast faith of Iacob did Ioseph follow also which mortified his owne flesh declared patience in adversitie and prison and exercised great justice and equitie in his governance He was a figure of our Lord Iesus Christ who also being sold of his owne unto the Heathen preserved his brethren alive So that from the beginning of the world untill the death of Ioseph the right Christian faith endured 2300. yeeres And thus all holy Patriarks before the Law were sawed not through the Law nor by their owne strength and deserving but through the blessed seed our Lord Iesus Christ CHAP. VI. The law of God given by Moses leadeth unto Christ and maketh mention of all his doings THe Israelites after the death of Ioseph untill their departing and deliverance out of Aegypt were in the land 140. yeeres And like as before in the time of Noe the dwelling among the wicked became occasion of falling unto the righteous Even so now did the Israelites learne idolatry and all unhappinesse of the Aegyptians For the which cause also they were sore oppressed a long season howbeit there remained yet many excellent men which kept still the old faith and hated the abhominations of the Aegyptians For of Moses which was borne 60. yeeres after the death of Ioseph saith Paul Moses through faith when he grew up and was great refused to bee called the sonne of Pharaos daughter and chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God than to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and esteemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Aegypt for he had respect to the reward Heb. 11. Now can no man desire to suffer with Christ except hee have knowledge of Christs suffering Therefore Moses in the midds of all persecution had knowledge of Christ and the faith in Christ So is there no doubt but more vertuous people had this true faith which were all oppressed and vexed in Aegypt like as afterward the right faithfull beleevers were somewhat more persecuted as among the heathen in the time of the Iudges and Kings of Iuda and Israel under king Antiochus under the Emperors Nero Traâ—â—nâ—s Domitianus Maximianus Iulianus and other As for the unbeleevers they in such miserable times received the reward of their unthankfulnesse disobedience idolatry and blasphemie But when the appointed time came which God had foreseene opened unto Abraham Gen. 15. he brought the people of Israel by Moses out of Aegypt with and through great wonders and tokens By the which he first declared his power then his loving kindnesse and mercy toward his owne and his terrible justice and vengeance against his enemies whereby all the world might know that there was none other just and true God save the God of Israel in whose hand only consisteth all things which also of his meere mercie preserveth his owne and with right judgement rewardeth his enemies Specially this is most wonderfull that in this great businesse and worke hee hath so mightily set forth the redemption performed by our Lord Iesus Christ yea and expressed it to be a very mighty redemption For the same night when they should depart away and be dispatched in the morning the Lord commanded them to kill a lambe and with the bloud thereof to sprinkle the doores and posts of the house So when the Angell that in the same night slew the first borne of the Aegyptians saw the bloud hee should doe no harme and slay no man therein Exod. 12.3 Now testifieth Paul 1 Cor. 5.7 that Christ Iesus is our Easter Lambe and Passeover So saith Saint Iohn Behold the Lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world Therefore were not the Israelites spared because of the bloud of beasts but for the blouds sake of the blessed seed that was promised for to come And thus the whole deliverance out of Aegypt was a figure of the true redemption by the which we
Prophets prophesied of him before thus to become the salvation of all faithfull beleevers even the Lambe of God which hath beene sacrificed since the beginning of the world that is this is he whose power and deliverance hath cleansed all them that ever put their trust in God through the blessed seed Herein now is the right true salvation this is the summe of the right and perfect religion Who so perverteth this from him shall God turne himselfe who so addeth ought unto this to him shall God adde his wrathfull hand who so taketh therefroÌ„ his life shall God minish But blessed are they which walk in this simplicitie cleannesse and continue so unto the end even they that heare Gods word and doe thereafter whose onely hope is Iesus Christ This only true and ever during salvation would hee to bee shewed and declared to all nations which came to save all nations but he would it should be declared by the preaching of the holy Gospell and through the ministration of the holy Sacraments And therefore by his life time hee did chuse Apostles whom he received to bee witnesses of all his doctrine and miracles informing them diligently and held nothing backe from them For hee saith unto them Yee are my friends if yee doe all that I command you I will henceforth call you no more servants for a servant woteth not what his Lord doth But I have called you my friends for all that I have heard of my Father have I opened unto you Ioh. 15. But for as much as they yet lacked understanding and were forgetfull and had ever strange imaginations of the kingdome of Christ therefore when hee now ascended unto heaven hee charged them not to depart from Hierusalem but to wait for the Holy Ghost whom he also gave unto them upon the fiftieth day after his resurrection that is upon the tenth day after his ascension even the fifteenth day of May by the which Holy Ghost they being illuminate spake with all manner of languages and were mindfull of all that the Lord had commanded them afore For the Holy Ghost did not endue them with a new doctrine but it that the Lord had taught them out of the Law and the Prophets the same did hee bring to their remembrance and illucidate all things and printed them more clearly in their hearts For so saith the Lord in the Gospell The Comforter even the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance that I have said unto you Therefore so long as the Lord was with them and told them all the matter of his passion they were sorrie and could not beare away all that he said unto them But after that he was taken up from the earth into heaven he sent the Holy Ghost even him whom the Prophets also had before and that led them into all Christian veritie So when they were endued with the Holy Ghost they began according to the Lords commandement to preach in all the world the foresaid matter of salvation purchased and obtained onely by Christ and gotten by true faith For hee had said Goe your way into all the world and preach the Gospell unto all creatures Whoso beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved c. And therewith comprehendeth he both the points which the Apostles used and practised even the preaching of the faith in Iesus Christ and of the ministration of the Sacraments And how the Apostles doctrine was it is manifest out of the Acts of the Apostles But shortly and in a summe they preached amendment of life and remission of sinnes through Iesus Christ That is to say how that the whole generation of man lay in the dominion of the Devill and in the bonds of sinne cursed and damned but God had mercie on us all and sent his Sonne into this world to die and with his death to restore us unto life and to wash us with his bloud that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life All this declared they out of the Law and the Prophets and proved that Iesus Christ whom they preached is the blessed seed promised unto the fathers Whoso is desirous to have a perfect example of this declaration he findeth two Sermons of the famous Apostles Peter and Paul the one in the Acts of the Apostles the second chapter vers 14. the other in the 13. chapter vers 16. There doth the holy Apostle open the mysterie of our holy faith verie excellently declaring it from the time of Abraham unto David and from him unto Iohn the Baptist Thereupon sheweth he how Christ suffered died was buried and rose againe from death All this confirmeth hee with the Scriptures of the Prophets At the last he concludeth the Sermon after this manner Be it knowne unto you therefore ye men and brethren that through Iesus is preached unto to you forgivenesse of sinnes and that by him all they that beleeve are justified from all things from the which yee could not bee justified by the Law of Moses To this agreeth now also the sermon of Peter Yea all the Scriptures of the Apostles doe finally accord to the same effect Hereout also bring they the doctrine of repentance and amendment of life the rebuking of sinne consolations exhortations and drawing to all manner of good works that follow out of faith The speciall Sacraments which the Lord did chiefly institute and command the Apostles to practise in the Church are holy Baptisme and the blessed Supper of our Lord Iesus Christ Concerning the first hee saith thus To mee is given all power in heaven and in earth therefore goe your way and teach all people and baptize them in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost and teach them to keepe all that I have commanded you The other did hee institute at the last Supper For thus is it written in the holy Gospell When they were eating hee tooke bread and when hee had given thanks he brake it and gave them saying Take eat this is my bodie which shall be given for you this doe in the remembrâ—nce of mee So tooke hee also the cup when â—hey had supt and said Drinke yee all out of this this is my bloud of the new Testament which shall be shed for the remission of sinnes With such Sacraments through outward visible formes for our infirmities sake pleased it the Lord to shew and set before our eyes his heavenly and invisible grace not that we should continue still hanging in the visible thing but that wee should lift up our mindes and with a true beleefe to hold fast to print sure in our mindes to worship and to enjoy the things that faith sheweth us by the outward Sacraments With these outward Sacraments also hath it pleased him to open declare and shew unto us his grace and loving kindnesse Namely how
Mahumet it is manifest what the one hath taken in hand and done now more than 600. yeeres and the other upon a 900. yeeres It is evident yet also even now whereto his generall councels and parlamenrs doe extend But not regarding how he threatneth and faceth and how he garnisheth his new and wanton religions with false but dissembling titles boasting of many hundred yeeres many generall Councels Fathers holy men Doctors Vniversities Cloisters singing praying fasting almes-giving displying and telleth such like All his bragging set aside let us cast his religion from us and take upon us unfainedly the true old religion which hath endured since the beginning of the world by the which all holy men have ever loved worshipped and served God and knew nothing utterly of the Popes religion And if we must for this cause be hated and persecuted of the world well it hapned even so unto all holy Prophets before us likewise and specially unto Iesus Christ our Lord which shall come shortly to judgement and utterly destroy the kingdome of Antichrist whom he now killeth with the spirit of his mouth Our possession is not here upon earth the kingdome of heaven is our native country From thence looke we for the Saviour Iesus Christ our Lord which shall raise up our mortall and miserable body that he may make it like his excellent and glorified body according to the power whereby he may subdue all things unto himselfe To him be honour and praise for ever and ever AMEN FINIS The accustomed goodnesse of God God hath shewed no lesse kindnesse to us than he did to the old world They that follow Gods word are laughed to scorne The doctrine of Christ his faith is no new thing 1 Cor. 1.18 1 Cor. 1.14 None but reprobates deride the truth of Gods Gospell To us which are saved it is the power of God What faith is Hebr. 11.1 Rom. 3.28 Gal. 2.16 Ephes 2.8 Phil. 3.9 Iaco. 2.14 Heb. 11.6 Rom. 14.23 Act. 15.9 1 Pet. 1.9 Gala. 5.6 1 Cor. 10.3 Heb. 11.4 Heb. 11.4 5. Iames 1 21 Would to God we had many such as Iames the Apostle was Iames 1. O unthankefull world Iames 2.25 Saint Iames would not spare to rebuke such Iames 3 17. Iames 4.1 Against such grosse vices would not Saint Iames spare to speake Iames 4. Iames 5.19 Let every man take the paines to rebuke his owne fault Iames 3.17 We must put on the nature of Gods doctrine Let the workes of God which are past be a warning to us The Christian faith is elder than 1600. yeeres Eusebius Acts 11.26 The first creation of heaven and earth The garnishing of heaven and earth The office of tâ—e creatures in tâ—â— firmament Fishes Fowles Beasts The creation of man The creation of the woman The request of the commandement The unthankefulnesse â—nd wâ—ckednesse of man The righteousnesse and mercy of God Gen. 2.17 The way of satisfaction before God is Christ Sinne. The frowardnesse of man Why God gave the woman unto man Grace We all are loth to knowledge our selves guiltie Punishment Genes 3.14 The promise Genes 3.15 The Serpents head The â—â—re foundation of our faith Rom. 8.3 1 Cor. 1.30 The Gospell of Iesus Genes 3.15 Esay 7.14 Gal. 3.16 A praise of the virgin Marie Heb. 2.14 Genes 2.15 Christs heele 1 Pet. 4.1 Ioh. 12.31 32. Rom. 16.20 Object Answ Gen. 3.17 Gen. 3.19 1 Tim. 2.15 1 Thessal 4.6 Ephes 4.25 Heb. 5.17 Gen. 3.20 Adams faith Gen 2.23 Comfort helpe and loving kindnesse in the mids of correction Gen. 3.22 Comfort and patience in Christ 1 Pet. 2.21 Adams faith Heb. 11.4 Outward sacrifice was a token of thankfulnesse Cain the father of wickednesse The first division in relâ—gion when it began Abel the first Martyr The world the citie of the Devill The difference of true and false faith The first decay of the faith was by cursed Cain Genes 4.25 Adam was not of the faith of Cain Seth the firâ—â— reâ—â—â—eâ— of the true faith The reparation of our faâ—th Gen. 4.26 Adams life To call upon the name of God what it is Hebr. 11.5 The number of the wicked ever greatest The wrath of God upon the wicked Noes Floud The first triumph of faith in Noe. 1 Pet. 3.21 Genes 6.18 The sacrifice of Noe. Genes 8.20 Ephes 5.2 Outward sacrifice the figure of Christs oblation Matth 3.17 The Commandements given unto Noe. Through Noe was the world replenished C ham the first Idolater after the Floud The faâ—th â—f Heathen â—s idolatry 〈…〉 Gen. 10. â— Gen. 11 â— Gen 11.10.27 Faith dâ—â—kned after the floud Gen. 12.1 Genes 22.18 Galath 3.8 The promise renewed to Abraham Abrahams faith Iohn 8.56 Rom. 4.16 Galath 3.29 Abrahams Christian workes The fâ—iâ—â— of the Ieweâ— Gen. 17 24. Gen. 15.6 Gal. 3.17 Hâ— wold the Christian faith iâ— Exod. 19.20 Gen. 32.28 Oâ— Israel came the Israeâ—â—â—â—s Gen. 28. Iacob saw that Christ onely is the way to heaven Iohn 1.51 Gen. 35.2 Gen. 49.10 The faith of Ioseph Ioseph a figure of Iesus The continuance of faith before the Law Heb 11 24. The faith of Moses Gen. 15.13 The Easter lambe Iohn 1.29 The delâ—verance out of Aegypt a figuâ—â— of our redemption by Christ The giâ—ing of the law The first table Matth. 22.37.39 The second Table The law written in stone 〈◊〉 no nâ—w thing The first Commandement 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Gen. 39.8 The law written in stone was fulfilled afore The Lawes given after the ten Commandements were by-Lawes Objection Answer Galath 3 15 Gods Testament Galath 3.17 Salvation by grace not by desert or workes Objection Answer Galath 3.19 Why the Law was given The Law was given to further the promise Gal. 3.19 20 21 22 23 24. The Law is the rule to live by Wisdom 16.6 7. The brasen Serpent a figure of Christ Iohn 3.14 15. 1 Cor. 10.1 2. Christ is the rocke Question Answer One altar wâ—at iâ— signified Note this well Why the ceremonies of the Law were given The godly consideration of the fathers Question Answer Wâ—y Gâ—◠〈…〉 among the 〈◊〉 God tendreth our weaknesse Lawes iudiciall Rom. 13.9 Matth. 7.12 The five originall bâ—â—kes of holy Scripture written by Moses The first bâ—oke of Moses Acts 7.22 The second booke of Moses The third booke The fourth booke The fifth booke The originall Scripture of our faith The Law written is no new thing Rom. 10.4 Gal. 3.23 The death of Moses Iosue was a figure of Christ Iosue fought at Gods commandement An heresie of the Anabaptists Heb. 11.32 Rulers must punish Matth. 26.52 Gen. 3.15 An errouâ— Of King David Acts 15.22 Psalm 110.1 The holy Trinitie Matth. 22.44 Iohn 1.1 Iohn 1.14 Matth. 22.24 The faith of David in Christ Iohn 20.20 Psalm 110.1 Marke 16.19 Psalm 110.2 The spirituall kingdome of Christ Acts 1.8.12 Psalm 110.3 A battell The birth of Christ Psalm 110.3 Psalm 110.4 The office of Christ Psalm 110.5 Christs cause shall forth Psalm 110.6 Christ shall destroy his enemies Psalm 110.7 Philip. 2.8 Psalm 133.6 The article of the holy Trinitie David was called Christs father Matth. 9.27 The waies of David 1 Kings 15.3 4 5. King Abia. 2 Kings 18.5 6. 2 Chro. 34.1 2 3. 1 Kings 6.1 The departing of Israel from Iuda King Iehu God alwaies 〈…〉 Pâ—â—phets The oldest Prophets The Prophets preached the old faith Rom. 3.20 21 22. The Law and the Prophets allow the righteousnesse of God that commeth by faith Act. 3.24 Act. 10.2 3. Matth. 21.4 The godhead and manhood of Christ Esay 7.14 Mich. 5.2 Esay 9. â— Ierem. 23.5 6. The righteous blossome Mala. 3.1 Iohn Baptist Mala. 4.5 Esay 61.1 The office of Christ Ezech. 34. Christ is called David The miracles of Christ Esay 2.2 Dan. 7.13 The kingdome of Christ Esa 62.2 Esay 62.10 Zach 9.9 The death of Christ Dan. 9.26 Esay 50.5 c. Esay 53.2 c. The sacrifice of Christ Zacha. 3.8 The buriall and resurrection of Chriâ—t Matth. 12.40 The Ascension The vocation of the Heathen 1 Pet. 1.9 c. The Prophets sought salvation in Christ A prophesie told unto Daniel The number of the yeeres Faith assailed and religion suppressed Antiochus God had eveâ— some vertuous men Zacharie Luk. 1.68 Simeon Luk. 1.29 All Gods elect were saved by Christ The old Testament is not to be refused Luke 24.13 The new Testament declareth the old The birth of Christ Luke 2.10 Tidings of Christs birth Luke 2.10 Genes 12.3 The grace of God Ierem. 31.33 Note well Chrâ—st the only salvaâ—ioâ— of all the wâ—râ—d Luke 2. The dutie of us 1 Tim. 1.5 Iohn Baptist Iohn 1.29 Iohn 1.26 1 Iohn 3.36 Matth. 11.2 Matth. 3.13 Matth. 3.17 Note this similitude Matth. 4.1 2. Matth. 4.17 The substance of true religion The speciall points of Christs doctrine The patient suffering of Christ Iohn 29 30. Luke 13.46 The fruit of Christs death Water and bloud The time of Christs Passion The buriall of Christ The power of Christ saveth all Iohn 15.14 15. Christ held nothing backâ— from his Apostles The Holy Ghost bâ—oughâ— no new doctrine Iohn 14.26 Marke 16.15 Acts 13.38 Baptisme Matth. 28.18 19. The Supper of the Lord. Matth. 26.26 Acts 15.9 The fruâ—t of the Sacraments 1 Cor. 11.17 Acts 15 28. The Apostles did not overcharge the people with Ceremonies Acts 2.1 Acts 15.20.29 The Apostles would not offend the weake Note The decay of Christs religion What inconvenience followed Note The Pope and Mahumet strive against Christ Let us doe as our oâ—dest fathers have done long bâ—fore us Philip. 3.20 21.
they that in their estate are noted according to their generations to reckon backward from Abraham unto the first man though they had not the name of Christian men for at Antioch certaine yeeres after the ascension of Christ was that name given to the faithfull Acts 11. yet as pertaining to the religion and substance they were all Christians For if this word Christian be as much to say as one that putteth his trust in Christ and through his doctrine fastned unto faith unto the grace and righteousnesse of God doth cleave with all diligence to Gods doctrine and exerciseth himselfe in every thing that is vertuous then verily those holy men whom we spake of first were even the same that Christian men boast themselves now to be All these are the words of the foresaid old Christian Doctors But to the intent that no man shall thinke that we build upon men and upon a strange foundation therefore wee will first declare our minds out of the Scriptures and alleage somewhat more for the better understanding of the matter CHAP. II. Of the goodnesse of God and wickednesse of man GOd which hath ever beene sufficient to all perfection and needeth nothing of the creatures to his perfectnesse onely of his owne kinde and nature which is good that is to say of his owne grace and mercy yea even because he would doe good created man for himselfe But before he created him he provided first for him wonderfully and furnished him with unspeakable riches of his goodnesse For when he devised the creation of man and the time was now come which his godly wisdome and providence had ordained he first of all appointed a wonderfull lodging for man and garnished the same yet much more wonderfully At the beginning when the goodly and cleere light was made the Lord prepared the instruments which he afterward sundred one from another and ordained every one to some purpose Over the deepe that is over the water and earth which yet was in the water made he a firmament and spread out the heaven above as a pavilion Afterward out of the water he called and brought forth the earth as much as served for the habitation of men and appointed the water his bounds and markes which it may not overpasse And these three things the water the earth and the firmament that is to say the aire and clearenesse above us unto the height of heaven are the essentiall and substantiall parcels of the world and serve as an house for the habitation of men Neverthelesse as yet all this was but rough and unfinished and nothing garnished at all Therefore did the wise and faithfull master put forth his hand wider to performe and pleasantly to garnish that wonderfull worke yea not onely to garnish it but also to make it fruitfull and profitable for man which was the guest and inhabiter for to come And first in as much as man should inhabit the earth he garnished it aforehand and cloathed it with a goodly greene garment that is with a substance which hee deckt first with flowers and all manner of herbes which not onely are pleasant to looke upon and wonderfully beautified of a pleasant taste and goodly colour but also profitable for food and all manner of medicine To the same also did he first adde sundry trees and plants Then watered hee the earth with faire springs rivers and running waters And the ground made he not like on every side but in many places set it up pleasantly And hereof have wee the vallies plaines mountains and hills which things all have their due operation fruit and pleasantnesse After this also began he to garnish the heaven and firmament and set therein the Sunne and the Moone the Planets and Starres which things all are goodlier and more wonderfull than mans tongue can expresse As for their office and the cause why they are set in the heaven it is to give us light and with their up and downe going or motion to declare the times yeares moneths and daies dividing the daies and nights asunder Thirdly he laid his hand likewise in the water in the which hee had wrought no lesse wonders than in heaven and upon earth For in the water and especially in the sea doe the wonderfull workes of God appeare in the fishes and marvels of the sea if a man consider the nature and disposition of them And in the aire also hath hee created and ordained great tokens of his goodnesse power and wisdome even the fowles that pleasantly according to divers commodities doe sing unto man and refresh him At the last endued he the earth yet more richly and filled it with all kinde of profitable and goodly beasts and sundred one from another pleasantly When the Lord now had prepared this goodly and rich pleasure then first after these hee made man that he might bee Lord of all these things Him also endued he above all other creatures and created him after his owne image He made him of body and soule which should have endured for ever if he had not fallen into sinne Now hath he a fraile bodie and an immortall everlasting soule But the first man made he altogether perfect and without blemish so that verily he was called the image of God not without cause The Lord also was not sufficed in garnishing the earth goodly but first also builded upon the earth a speciall garden of pleasure even a Paradise and therein set he man his deare beloved creature And for as much as he being solitary and alone could not conveniently dwell without a mate he appointed him first to plant and keepe the Garden of pleasure and provided for him a wife even out of the bones of his owne body that she might bee the mans helpe Thus would the goodnesse of God finish and make man perfect to the intent that he should lacke nothing which served to a right wholesome and perfect life Therefore was it equall that man which was endued with reason and high understanding should shew thankfulnesse and obedience unto God for such high gifts Yea God himselfe which is not onely good but also righteous requireth the same of him and that by the meanes of the commandement That he might eat of all the trees of the Garden of pleasure Only he should eschew the fruit of knowing good and evill And this commandement was not grievous nor unreasonable Onely it required obedience and love of God the maker unto whom only the creature even man should have respect and looke for all good at his hand and not to take the forme of good and evill out of himselfe but onely to hold that for evill and forbidden which God inhibiteth as evill and to account that as good and righteous which God alloweth or forbiddeth not For a representation visible token and sacrament God shewed him a right visible and fruitfull tree in the Garden of pleasure and forbade him with earnest
the head and thou shalt tread him on the heele Which is thus much to say Thou hast used the woman to the destruction of men so that from henceforth they bring death and by kinde and nature are damned when they are borne Therefore will I also use the woman but to salvation for of the woman shall a seed or childe bee borne which shall breake thy head power and kingdome sinne damnation and death howbeit in his manhood he shall be trodden down and bitten That is Man with his transgression hath deserved eternall death so that after the rigour of my justice hee should perish and belong to the Devill for ever neverthelesse I Will have mercie upon him and receive him to grace againe But to the intent that my truth and righteousnesse may be satisfied I will cause my Sonne to take the verie nature of man upon him Then will I that hee take upon himselfe the curse and damnation and die and with his innocent death to take away that noisome death and curse and so to set the generation of man out of death into life out of the dominion of the Devill into his owne kingdome out of darknesse into light Thus the right foundation or ground of our holy faith continueth fast and unmoved in so much as all the generation of man is whole and cleansed from sinne and delivered from the curse from the Devill and everlasting damnation onely through the mercie and meere grace of God by Iesus Christ As touching this Paul said when hee wrote to the Romans in the 8. Chapter God sent his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and through sinne that is to say through the sinne-offering and willing death of Christ he condemned sin in the flesh And in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the first Chapter the same Paul saith Christ Iesus is appointed of God to be our wisdome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption that as it is written who so glorieth and rejoyceth let him glorie and rejoyce in the Lord. But for as much as this is the first promise and the first sure Evangelion I will now speake of everie word in especiall First God calleth his Sonne our Lord Iesus the seed of the woman A seed because of the verie nature of man and because that our Lord should not take upon him a fantasticall but a verie true bodie But to these words there is added Of the woman For our Lord was not conceived and borne of mans seed but of the Holy Ghost out of the Virgine Marie Therefore cannot this sentence be understood of Eve but of the Virgine Marie Now whereas she is called a woman it is done because of the kinred For even the daughters also and maidens are reckoned in the womens kinred and yet continue undefiled virgins God also hath spoken here distinctly and said not I will put enmitie betweene thee and this woman but betweene thee and haischah the woman understanding some speciall woman no doubt even such an one as he afterward set forth cleerely by Esay saying Behold a virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne c. And this word seed was alway afterward in everie renewing of this promise concerning Christ Iesu among all the Patriarks and Prophets rehearsed used and expressed untill the time of David Of whom the Lord afterward was called a flower the root sprowting or blossome of David The holy Apostle Paul expoundeth this word seed clearely and plainly and saith it is Christ Gal. 3. Moreover it serveth to the praise of the Lords mother that God saith I will put enmitie betweene the woman and thee for he meaneth the difference of both their natures The Devill is proud subtill wicked false and untrue but the mother of Christ is lowly simple vertuous faithfull and upright chaste and cleane And the same pure virgin and gracious mother hath borne unto us him that trod downe the Serpents head The head of the Serpent is the power and kingdome of the Devill even sinne the curse and damnation All this hath that blessed seed broken for his faithfull All which things the holy Apostle Paul also hath taught with these words The Lord is become partaker of our flesh and bloud that he through death might take away the power from him which had the Lordship over death that is to say the Devill and to deliver them which through feare of death were all their life time in bondage For hee tooke not upon him the Angels but the seed of Abraham tooke hee upon him c. And to the same meaning doth this also serve that followeth And thou shalt tread him on the heele The heele is the lowest part in man and here it signifieth the most inferiour thing in Christ even his flesh This hath the old Serpent the Devill persecuted and trodden downe by his members Caiphas Annas Herod and Pontius Pilate For Peter saith Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh The Godhead is impassible and the soule immortall But by this treading downe of the Lord hath God trodden downe the kingdome of the Devill that is to say by his death hath he destroyed death and brought life againe to all them that beleeve Hereof commeth it that Christ saith himselfe Ioh. 12. Now is the judgement of the world now shall the Prince of this world be thrust out And I when I am lift up that is to say crucified from the earth will draw all things to me At the last saith the Lord that he will put enmitie betweene the Serpent and the womans seed This may wee see in the Devill and his members and acts how they are contrarie to Christ and his members and deeds But how strong soever the Serpent is yet shall he be trodden downe through Christ and his faithfull Hereof commeth it that Paul spake so comfortably to the Romans Rom. 16. The God of peace shall shortly tread downe the Devill under your feet And herewithall is the dutie also of the faithfull in Christ shortly comprehended For as touching them that say Is it enough then and is all well when I knowledge that I am a sinner and saved through the blessed seed only To them it is here answered and cleerly given to understand that all they which put their trust in the blessed seed take upon them the kinde of the seed and hate the kinde of the Serpent that is to say sinne and blasphemie and fight alway more and more against the world and the Devill as long as they live yea and occupie themselves most faithfully about that which is Gods will And hereto now serveth it that followeth after For when the Lord had taken away the everlasting death he laid upon man a temporall punishment correction and discipline in the which hee should be exercised as long as hee lived upon earth And upon the woman he laid trouble sorrow and paine when she should beare and bring
forth children Subjection also and service with feare and obedience which she oweth to the man To man hee enjoyneth labour for the Lord cursed the earth and said With sorrow shalt thou get thy living all the dayes of thy life Yea in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread Moreover he layeth temporall death upon them both and saith Earth thou art and to earth shalt thou returne Of the first doth Paul speake also 1 Tim. 2. The woman shall be saved by bearing of children if she continue in faith and in love and in holinesse or cleannesse and nurture Of the second speaketh the same Paul likewise to the Ephesians and Thessalonians Let no man undermine or deceive his brother in occupying and who so hath used falshood and deceit let him doe it no more but let him rather labour with his hands some honest thing that he may have to distribute unto such as have need And as touching death Paul also saith to the Hebrewes in the ninth Chapter How that it is appointed unto men once to die and that even so Christ Iesus was offered up and died once for all CHAP. IIII. Of the first faithfull Christians ADAM and EVE ANd hitherto I trust we have had in the first promise of God the foundation and the whole summe of our holy Christian faith namely that the whole generation of man was but lost through his owne fault and wickednesse and fallen into death and damnation so that there remaineth nothing in man but it is displeasant to God Hereof commeth it that there is nothing to be ascribed unto the power and deserving of man save sinne and malediction But God of his abundant mercy had compassion on us and of very grace promised he life unto us againe in his Sonne our Lord Iesus whom he would to become man and to suffer death in his flesh that thereby hee might tread downe the devill death sinne and hell Item he would put enmitie betweene the womans seed and the serpent that is he would endue us which are the seed that is to say the children of Adam if wee beleeve with another heart and power that we might become enemies unto the devils workes resist his suggestion and hold our selves fast by the blessed seed labouring and suffering whatsoever God enjoyneth us to worke and suffer Who is it now which seeth not herein all that is written in the whole Scripture of beleefe of love and innocencie that is to say of a Christian life and faith Who so is disposed let him looke upon the 2.3 and 4. chapters of Paul to the Romanes the first and second to the Ephesians let him compare those chapters toward this summe and he shall finde it none otherwise For as much then as Adam and Eve had faith in God and stood so toward God that they knowledged themselves to be sinners and trusted to be saved only through the blessed seed giving themselves over willingly into the discipline and nurture travell and trouble of this time No man can say contrary but it followeth that our first elders were Christians Neverthelesse we will declare the same yet more clearely by Moyses words following And Adam called his wife Heva because shee should be the mother of all living For as soone as he was now strengthned through the promise of God and beleeved that hee and his posteritie which else were children of wrath of the devill and of death should live through the blessed seed he turned his wives name and called her Heva for the remembrance of the matter and practising of his faith for he beleeved that shee now living in the power of the blessed seed should bring forth not only quicke men temporally as pertaining to this naturall life like as we call other creatures living but living that is to say children of salvation For Adam had lost eternall life from himselfe and from us his posteritie but the same is given unto us againe through Iesus Christ our Lord. Adam for as much as he beleeved changed his wives name like as we finde that for great weighty causes the names of certaine places cities and men were changed Thus was Iacob called Israel Simon Peter Luthz Bethel Eve had now a name of life for Haiah in Hebrew is as much to say as Life Afore was shee called Ischa that is to say Woman because shee was taken from out of the man which in the Hebrew is called Isch Gen. 2. And thus it is manifest what faith Adam had whereby we may well suppose that Eve had none other faith But God used his mercy and loving kindnesse yet furthermore even in the mids of all correction for when he would now expell man out of paradise into miserie he doth unto him in every condition even as a faithfull father which for some misdeed putteth his sonne away from him notwithstanding leaveth him not utterly comfortlesse but provideth him a garment and comforteth him with friendly words and then first sendeth him away from him Even thus doth God the father of heaven also For first he cloatheth Adam and Eve against the frost and tempest of weather in as much as by the meanes of sinne the weather the earth the aire and all creatures were no more so subject tame and obedient unto man as they were afore the fall Therefore even now at this present time whatsoever inconvenience and harme is in the good creatures of God it commeth by the meanes of our sinnes Afterward doth the Lord comfort the miserable wretched man with very loving words after this manner Behold Adam is become like one of us or Loe Adam shall be as one of us and it shall happen unto him as to one of us and he shall know good and evill This doth God speake which is one in substance and three in persons he prophesieth here unto Adam that he shall know or have experience of good and evill that is to say that upon earth he must feele prosperitie and adversitie miserie and trouble sowre and sweet and must suffer necessitie paine and affliction Yet in all this must he be constant and patient forasmuch as nothing shall happen unto him save even the same that shall happen to one of them And he meaneth the Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ the second person in the holy Trinitie With this his passion and through the same doth he comfort Adam As though he would say let the paine sorrow and trouble which thou must suffer upon earth not vex thee and consider that one of us also shall take upon him the kinde and nature of man and that the serpent as it is said afore shall tread him on the heele that is to say he shall die he shall be opprest and have much affliction and trouble all the daies of his life In the same meaning also did the holy Apostle Peter say Christ suffered for our sakes and gave us an example that we should follow
victorie even in the middest among his enemies It is he that with the spirit of his mouth slayeth the Antichrists This his word also and preachings of the Gospell came forth first from Sion or Hierusalem as Esay Micheas and Luke doe testifie Now followeth the third verse In the day of thy battell or armie shall thy people be well willing the dew of thy birth is unto thee in an holy maiestie out of the wombe of the cleare morning Herewith doth David describe the glorious and victorious faith of the Christian For when the Gospell is preached there ariseth a conflict betweene faith and infidelitie betweene the seed of Christ and the Serpent between idolatrie and true godlinesse And the unbeleevers persecute the Lord Christ in his members that is to say the faithfull but they are well content utterly to give over bodie honour and goods their bloud and life for Gods truths sake For the martyrs and they in the Primitive Church being gathered together of the Apostles and after the Apostles time have thus kept truth and faith toward the Lord Christ and were willing to die for knowledging him Afterward describeth he also in the foresaid verse the pure and holy conception and birth of our Lord Iesus Christ And this doth he with a goodly similitude and saith Thy birth shall be holy and very excellent not uncleane as the birth of other men For like as the dew out of the cleare heaven and out of the faire morning is borne as it were out of a mothers wombe even so also shalt thou be borne holy and cleane of an undefiled virgin Whereof thou findest more instruction Luk 1.31 The Lord hath sworne and it shall not repent him thou-art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech In this fourth verse describeth he the office of Iesus Christ how that he is ordained of God to be one only Priest for ever which should offer up himselfe for the sinne of the world and alway appeare in the sight of God the Father and to pray for us All this doth holy Paul declare at large to the Hebrewes in the 5 7.8·9 and 10. chapters And specially in this verse is grounded all that is read thorowout the Scripture of the merits of Christ of the forgiving of sinnes of righteous making of being Mediatour and that he alone is the only Salvation Advocate Satisfaction and Righteousnesse of the faithfull The Lord is at thy right hand he in the time of his wrath shall wound even Kings This fifth verse teacheth how God will ever more and more stand on his Sonnes side further his cause and bring downe and destroy those Kings Princes and Lords that will not amend and beleeve in Christ but will rather provoke his wrath than desire his grace Which thing Herod Nero Domician Maximine and Iulian have proved Yet followeth the sixt verse declaring the fifth He shal iudge among the Heathen and fill all full of dead bodies and smite the head on the wide ground Christ is also preached unto the Heathen and reigneth among them but many withstand Christ and them doth he judge And like as a King overcommeth his enemies with a battell and covereth the whole plaine with dead bodies visiteth also and smiteth the head of the warre and the head citie of the enemies Even so doth Christ to his enemies and destroyeth their power and kingdome All which things wee have seene in the old unchristian Empire of Rome and in many other potentates and powers But specially he breaketh the head of the old Serpent according to the promise Gen. 3.15 And at the last shall he come to judge the quicke and dead and destroy his enemies for ever Out of the brooke in the way shall he drinke therefore shall hee also lift up the head Finally and in the seventh verse he describeth the passion of Christ and his glorie In the way saith he that is in his life while he is in this misery He shall drinke out of the brooke that is he shall suffer and be overcome For to drinke out of the cup is as much as to suffer But to drinke out of the brooke is to be altogether full of trouble to be vexed and tormented without victorie and utterly to be overwhelmed with a brooke and strong streame of troubles Thus was it his minde to declare the Passion of Christ After the Passion followeth the glory with the Resurrection and Ascension Paul Philip. 2. speaketh of both and saith Christ humbled himselfe and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Wherefore God hath exalted him and given him a name which is aboue all names c. Thus much be spoken of this Psalme and of Davids understanding which hee had of Christ Iesus and of the Christian faith Upon this I marvell if after so evident testimonies there be yet any man which perceiveth not that Davids faith and understanding of Christ was even one faith and understanding with the faith that we knowledge and say I beleeve in one God Father almightie c. as it is in the twelve Articles of the Christian faith For the holy Trinitie in one God-head doth he knowledge not only here but also in the 33. Psalme saying Through the word of God were the heavens made and all their power through the spirit of his mouth For certaine it is that there is but one only God maker of heaven and of earth but here is the Trinitie called Lord or God Word and Spirit Neither is there any thing in the Articles of the Beleefe concerning the God-head and Man-hood of Christ of his conception birth passion crosse and death of the resurrection ascension and judgement but it is cleerely comprehended here in this Psalme The articles of the holy Church of forgiving of sinnes resurrection of the flesh and an everlasting life are contained in this Psalme and are treated upon yet more clearely and with many mo words very substantially in other Psalmes of David Therefore had he our holy faith and knowledged the same was saved therein and of all holy men was called the Father of Christ with high commendation because of the promise that was made unto him Moreover all the holy Prophets following had respect unto David as to another Moses and tooke many things out of his writings For there is scarce any other that so clearely wrote of the cause of Christ as this Prophet David and therefore hath he honour and praise aboue other in Israel Of whom thou readest also Eccles 47.2 Such faith and confidence in God through Iesus Christ had David out of the holy Ghost and out of the doctrine of his Prophets Samuel Nathan and Gad and of other his Priests which also had the same of God and of the holy Fathers specially of Moses And no doubt hee desired the honour of God and of his Sonne not to keepe it only himselfe but also much
Baruch and Hieremie in whose daies Israel had such misfortune that Hierusalem with the Temple was destroyed and the people that remained over and perished not were caried away captive into Babylon In the same captivitie did Ezechiel and Daniel write their prophecies And after the captivitie when Israel was delivered againe and came home to Hierusalem then preached and wrote Esdras Haggeus Zacharias Malachias and Nehemias Beside these Prophets no doubt there were other moe of whom no mention is made But these are the chiefe by whom it pleased God to open unto us all that appertaineth to our salvation And though we had also the writings of the other yet should we reade no other thing in them than we finde in our owne Prophets for as much as these whom we have agree so together all in one Now whether they be our own Prophets whose writings we have or the other whose writings we have not yet have they all preached the summe of the doctrine and knowledged the faith that wee spake of afore and wrote in one summe which faith Adam Noe Abraham Moses and David had And this did they the more evidently because they applied themselves to open the Law and to drive away the misunderstanding which was risen up among and in the people therefore point they every where from the letter unto the spirit from the outward sacrifice unto Christ Iesus from all idolatry unto the onely God which saveth us through his mercy onely in the blessed seed and through none of our deservings This did Paul see and therefore said he Rom. 3. Through the workes of the law shall no man be iustified in the sight of God For through the law commeth the knowledge of sinne But now is the righteousnesse of God declared without the law for as much as it is allowed by the testimonie of the Law and the Prophets The righteousnesse of God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ unto all and upon all them that beleeve So saith Peter also in the third of the Acts All the Prophets from Samuel and thenceforth as many as have spoken have told of these daies And in the 10. chapter To this Iesus Christ give all the Prophets witnesse that whosoever beleeveth in him shall through his name receive forgivenesse of sinnes Who so now is learned in the writings of the Prophets knoweth well that there is nothing read concerning the Lord in the New Testament which the Prophets have not prophesied of afore He that is then any thing instructed in the Prophets hath no doubt considered this in the New Testament that the Apostles prove all their doctrine of the Lord Iesus out of the Law and the Prophets yea that the Lord himselfe confirmeth his owne doings with the Scriptures of the Prophets and that the Euangelists thorowout the holy Gospell set unto the doctrine and miracles of Christ these words And this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophets Neverthelesse for their sakes that are not yet instructed I will now declare the principall articles of our Lord Iesus Christ out of the holy Prophets As touching the true Godhead and manhood of our Lord Iesus Christ and that he should be borne at Bethlehem in the land of Iewry of a pure virgin and maid out of the kinred of David the Prophets testifie after this manner Esay in the seventh chapter saith Behold a virgin shall conceive and beare a sonne and shall call his name Emanuel that is to say God with us Micheas saith in the fifth chapter Though thou Bethlehem Ephrata art too small to be reckoned among the principall cities of Iuda yet out of thee shall there come one unto me which shall be ruler in Israel whose forth-going is from everlasting In the ninth chapter of Esay it is written Vnto us is a childe borne and to us is given a sonne upon whose shoulders the kingdome shall lie and he shall be called after his owne name even the wonderfull counsell-giver the mighty one of Israel the eternall father the prince of peace his kingdome shall increase and of his peace there shall be no end and he shall reigne upon the seat of David his father In the 23. of Hieremie it is written thus Behold the time commeth saith the Lord that I will raise up the righteous blossome of David he shall be king and reigne and prosper iudgement and righteousnesse shall he execute upon earth In his time shall Iuda be saved and Israel shall dwell without feare and this is the name wherewith he shall be named even God our righteousnesse Concerning the comming of Iohn the Baptist which was the forerunner of our Lord Christ and prepared the people for him hath Malachy written in the third chapter after this manner Behold I will send my messenger which shall prepare the way before me and the Lord whom yee long for shall shortly come to his temple and the messenger of the covenant whom yee would have Behold he commeth saith the Lord zabaoth And afterward Behold I will send Helias the Prophet afore the comming of the great and fearefull day of the Lord. Of Christs preaching of the grace of God of the forgiving of sinnes of the wonders also and tokens of the Lord speaketh Esay in the 61. chapter after this manner The spirit of the Lord God is upon me and therefore hath the Lord anointed me to preach the Gospell to the meeke hearted hath he sent me to heale the broken hearted to preach deliverance to the captive to open the prison to such as are in bonds to proclaime the yeere of Gods gratious will and to bring consolation to all them that are in heavinesse In the 34. chapter of Ezechiel it is written thus Over my sheepe will I raise up one onely shepherd which shall feed them even David my servant which shall feed them and he shall be their shepherd I the Lord also will be their God and David shall be their Prince even I the Lord have spoken it In the 35. chap. of Esay it is written thus Say unto them that are of a feeble heart Be strong and feare not behold our God commeth to take vengeance and to reward God commeth himselfe and will deliver you Then shall the eies of the blinde be opened c. Then shall the lame man leape as an Hart and the tongue of the dumbe shall give praise Of the kingdome of Christ in the which he himselfe alone is king all the world being subject unto him declaring his dominion and royall majestie writeth Esay thus in the second chapter And it shall come to passe in the last time that the hill of the house of the Lord shall be exalted upon the height of mountaines above all little hils and all nations shall come together unto him the people shall goe to him and say Come let us goe up to the mount of the
Lord even to the house of the God of Iacob that he may shew us his way and we will walke in his paths For the Law shall come forth from Sion and the word of God from Hierusalem In the 7. of Daniel it is written thus I saw a vision in the night and behold there came one in the clouds of heaven like the sonne of man which came to the old aged and they brought him before his presence And he gave him power glory and the kingdome and all people nations and tongues must serve him his power is an everlasting power which shall not be taken from him and his kingdome shall not perish Esay saith in the 62. chapter And the heathen shall see thy righteousnesse and all kings thine honour and he shall call thee by a new name O Sion and the mouth of God shall give thee the name And thou shalt be a crowne of glory in the hand of the Lord ad a royall crowne of the kingdome in the hand of thy God And soone after it followeth Make ready make ready the way gather up the stones out of the street and hang out the banner unto the people behold the Lord hath caused it to be proclaimed unto the end of the world Tell the daughter Sion behold the Saviour commeth loe his treasure and his reward bringeth he with him and his deeds goe before him And they that are redeemed of the Lord shall be called the holy people Zacharie saith in the ninth chapter Reioyce O daughter Sion be glad O daughter Hierusalem behold thy king commeth unto thee even the righteous and Saviour meeke and simple is he he rideth upon an asse and upon a young colt of the shee asse He shall preach peace unto the heathen his kingdome also shall reach from the one sea to the other and from the river unto the uttermost part of the earth Of the death and passion of Christ speaketh Daniel in the ninth chapter after this manner And after two and sixtie weekes shall Christ be slaine and put to death and yet shall they have no true testimony that he is guilty of death Esay in the 50. chapter saith thus The Lord God opened mine eare and I refused it not neither went I backward I gave my bodie to the smiters and my cheeks to the nippers and my face have I not turned from their shamefull intreating and spitting upon me The Lord God also shall helpe me therefore shall I not be confounded And therefore have I hardned my face like a flint stone and am sure that I shall not be confounded In the 53. chapter there is written of Christ after this manner He shall have neither beauty nor fairenesse we shall looke upon him but we shall have no desire unto him He is despised and contemned of men a man of trouble and one that hath had experience of infirmitie He is so despised that we shall hide our faces from him and have him in no estimation And yet hath he borne our unperfectnesse and felt our sorrowes We also thought that he should be wounded smitten and punished of God But he was wounded for our sinnes and slaine for our wickednesse sake And the punishment whereby we have peace is laid upon him and through his wounds are we made whole All we have gone astray like sheepe every one of us hath had respect unto his owne way and the Lord hath laid all our sinnes upon him Violence and wrong was done unto him he hath beene evill intreated and yet opened he not his mouth He shall be lead as a beast to be slaine and as a sheepe dumbe before the shearers so shall he not open his mouth c. The whole chapter describeth all the cause of Christ so clearely that holy Hierom said not in vaine Esay is not only a Prophet but also an Euangelist Zacharie describeth the Priesthood and sacrifice of Christ and testifieth that with the same only oblation he hath obtained grace for all sinne and therefore seven that is to say all eyes shall have respect unto him and shall seeke peace and rest of their consciences in him and shall finde it Heare now O Iosue thou high Priest thou and thy companions that sit before thee seeing yee are men of examples For loe I will bring my servant even the blossome For behold the stone which I have laid before Iosue will I bring To the same only stone shall seven eyes looke Behold I will digge it up and disclose it saith the Lord Zabaoth and the sinne of the earth will I take away in one day And in that day shall every man call his neighbour under his vine and figge tree The buriall and resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ hath the Prophet Ionas figured very excellently For thus saith our Lord Christ himselfe Like as Ionas was three daies and three nights in the whales belly so shall the sonne of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth Of the ascension of Iesus Christ and sending of the Holy Ghost hath Ioel also written in the second chapter and it is alleaged of S. Peter Act. 2. Of the calling and gathering together the Heathen and of every thing pertaining to the holy Church doth Esay write in the 49. chapter and so forth to the end of his prophecie Thus hast thou that the Prophets also in their time did preach Iesus Christ and pointed not the people to trust unto the works of the law and their owne deserving but unto Christ of whom they prophesied every thing that followed after Therefore did Peter speake right 1 Pet. 1. saying Ye shall receive the end of your faith even the salvation of your soules After which salvation have the Prophets inquired and searched which prophesied of the grace that should come unto you searching when or what time the spirit of Christ which was in them should signifie which spirit testified before the passions that should happen unto Christ and the glory that should follow after Vnto the which Prophets it was also declared that not unto themselves only but unto us they should minister the things which are now shewed unto you by them which have preached unto you the Gospell through the Holy Ghost that was sent unto them from heaven c. In the which testimonie the holy Apostle Peter had a speciall respect to the prophecie of Daniel which did not only record the passion and glory of Christ but also pointed to the time in the which Christ should come For like as God in greatest perils dangers and alterations hath alway renued and more clearely expressed his promise concerning the blessed seed as in the time of Noe when the world was destroyed in the time of Abraham when God would prepare himselfe a new people in the time of Moses when God received his people and caried them out of Egypt to bring them into the
also all figures sacrifices and ceremonies doe cease For in Christ is all perfection Yet shall we not therefore cast away the old Testament as some ignorant unlearned and foolish people doe but have it in greater reputation for as much as wee know now through Christ what every thing signifieth and wherefore every thing was thus and thus ordained used and spoken Now shall every man first have a courage to reade the Law and the Prophets when he seeth whereupon every thing goeth And thus also at the beginning did the holy Apostles preach Christ unto the Iewes out of the Law and the Prophets as it is oftentimes mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles And our Lord himselfe when hee went with the two Disciples toward Emaus and preached so unto them that their hearts burnt within them he began at Moses and went thorow all the Prophets and opened unto them the old Scriptures and shewed them that so it behoved Christ to suffer and to enter into his glory This is the cause also that the Scriptures of the New Testament hang altogether and referre themselves to the Scriptures of the old Testament so that these cannot be rightly understood without the other no more than the glosse without the text The text is the Law and the Prophets the exposition are the Euangelists and the Apostles Now will wee see what the worke of grace of the new Testament is In the two and fortieth yeere of the Empire of Augustus after the beginning of the world 3974. yeeres was Iesus Christ the blessed and promised seed borne of the undefiled Virgin and Maid Mary at Bethleem in the Land of Jewrie And though he as a very man was wrapped in cloathes and laid in the crib yet appeareth the Angell of the Lord in great clearenesse unto the Shepherds and saith Feare yee not behold I bring you tidings of great joy which shall happen unto all people For this day is borne unto you the Saviour even Christ the Lord in the Citie of David The first newes and tidings of the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ must the Angell bring and give to the intent that it might be the more accepted of all the world All the holy men from the beginning of the world did hitherto long sore after the promised Seed Therefore saith the Angell now that he bringeth them tidings of great joy no doubt to them that were gone dead and past to them also that now lived and to them that were to come afterward The joy is this that Iesus Christ the Saviour is borne even the promised Seed which should save all the world from the power of the Devill cleanse them from sinne and deliver them from damnation Therefore saith the Angell moreover Which shall happen unto all people For unto Abraham it was said In thy seed shall all Nations of the earth be blessed The same saith the Angell is borne in the Citie of David even out of Davids kindred out of the which the Prophets testified that he should be borne which Prophets also for the same cause called him David and the blossome of David And this is now the grace of God that whereas wee poore sinners belonged unto death and were in the Devils bonds hee sent his Sonne to loose and deliver us out of captivitie This is the new Testament For Hieremie also testifieth hereof and saith This is the Testament that I will make I will be their God and they shall be my people I will be mercifull to their unrighteousnesse and sinnes and will thinke upon them no more Hier. 31. This full and perfect forgivenesse is not therefore called the new Testament as though there had beene no remission of sinnes among the old Fathers but because the promise made long before unto the Fathers is now confirmed and renewed and the old figures that represented the same are abrogate Thus the Lord Iesus alone is set forth for the only salvation of all the world so that not only we but all they which before or after his appearance or incarnation beleeved on him were saved And at the birth of Christ there commeth to the foresaid Angell the whole heavenly hoste which praised God and said Glory and praise be unto God in the height and peace upon earth to men a good will And by this they teach us what the dutie thankfulnesse and knowledge of men is or ought to be in this behalfe that God hath done so great good for man Namely how that they ought to praise God to have a sure trust in him and to be friendly and loving one to another And the fulfilling of the Law is love from a pure heart out of a good conscience and of an undissembled or unfained faith 1 Tim. 1. In the fifteenth yeere of the Empire of Tiberius from the beginning of the world 4004. yeeres came the word of the Lord to Iohn the sonne of the Priest Zachary in the wildernesse and he went and preached unto the people of Israel amendment of life and forgivenesse of sinnes in Iesus Christ To whom he bare record that he was the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets very God and Man the only and ever-living Saviour which with the sacrifice of his own bodie should cleanse the world from sinne yea hee pointed unto him with his finger and said Behold this is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinne of the world And so perfectly and wholly hangeth hee all salvation only on Christ Iesus that he saith plainly Out of his fulnesse have all we received grace c. Ioh. 1. Item who so beleeveth in the Sonne of God hath everlasting life who so beleeveth not in the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth upon him Therefore did he also send all his Disciples from him and commanded them to cleave unto Christ He maketh no mention at all of any ceremonies figures or oblations as necessarie points to salvation but preacheth Christ purely and clearely This is manifest Ioh. 1. and 3. Matth. 3. and Luk. 3. The Lord himselfe also came unto Iohn and was baptised And when hee had received Baptisme the heaven opened and the Holy Ghost appeared in the forme of a Dove and there was a voice heard from heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am pacified to the intent that all the world should have witnesse of Christ the true Saviour not only now by the Angels and by Iohn the holiest man of all but also from heaven and of God himselfe and that we might be the bolder to commit our selves wholly unto him When hee had received the testimonie he went into the wildernesse And like as our disease began in Paradise by temptation even so at the temptation in the wildernesse began the Lord our health And like as the Father of us all did eat the forbidden meat so