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
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
Looke from Adam And behold THE PROTESTANTS FAITH AND RELIGION EVIDENTLY PROVED OVT OF the holy Scriptures against all Atheists Papists loose Libertines and Carnall Gospellers and that the Faith which they professe hath continued from the beginning of the world and so is the true and ancient Faith HEREIN HAST THOU ALSO A SHORT SVMME OF THE WHOLE BIBLE and a plaine manifestation that all holy men who have pleased God have beene saved through this Christian Faith alone LONDON Printed by Iohn Haviland for Thomas Pavier and are to be sold at his shop in Ivie Lane 1624. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER HAving divers times observed with my selfe most Christian Reader that the doctrine of the Gospell which hath beene now freely preached these many yeeres amongst us in this our flourishing Common-wealth is yet daily and ordinarily by sundry persons charged with noveltie as which being an upstart were not of sufficient standing or antiquitie I thought it not amisse in this respect either for the confutation of the obstinate adversarie or for the comfort of the weake and simple professour of religion to publish and set forth this little worke of M r. Miles Coverdale who for his integritie of life and fame in learning and other excellent gifts was so renowmed in the Church of Christ in his age that I doubt not but that his onely name will be a sufficient credit with any man that is not maliciously disposed for the full allowance and well-liking of any such monument of his as he of pure zeale and good affection hath commended to us his posteritie By which travels of his as hee hath generally shewed himselfe a notable member in the Church of God so hath he thereby especially well deserved of this his native Countrey Wherefore not willing to detain thee from better matter I wish thee to use this booke to thy profit and with mee to give thanks to our mercifull Father for this valiant Souldier as also for other worthie Martyrs of his time which after the battell by themselves fought have by Gods providence left spirituall children I meane their good bookes to make a supply that Christs Church may bee encreased to the utter confusion and overthrow of Antichrist Farewell in the Lord. Miles Coverdale TO ALL CHRISTIAN Readers wisheth grace mercy and peace from God the Father through our Lord and onely Saviour IESVS CHRIST LIke as the Almighty eternall God three in persons and one in substance of his tender mercy and love not only created man at the beginning after his owne similitude and likenesse but also when he was lost most graciously redeemed him and brought him out of bond age Even so when man neither regarding his wonderfull creation nor his most deare redemption gropeth in darknesse in vice and blindnesse lieth in the Devils prison and goeth in the way of damnation God alway setteth up his light before him sendeth the message of his word unto him sheweth him what case he is in giveth him warning openeth the prison doore calleth him out of the Devils service telleth him what danger it is to be his bondman or servant unto sinne This doth God alway afore he punish and plague the world This I say hath ever beene the worke of God since the beginning as the stories and prophesies of all the holy Bible doe testifie And though we had no writing of Gods acts in times past yet hath he practised this same his wonderfull worke of mercy upon us So that like as we must needs confesse that we are created of God and redeemed by his only mercy in his deare Sonne Iesus Christ So can we not denie but we have heard his holy message had no lesse preachings and warnings of dangers to come than other have had afore our daies Yea even the same mercifull God that sent Noe to preach righteousnesse unto the wicked world and converted the Ninivites by his word in the ministration of the Prophet Ionas hath done even so with us in every condition And some thanks be unto him therefore hath bee brought out of darknesse into his wonderfull light and out of the devils service into the kingdome of his deare Sonne But alas and woe to this unthankfull world For like as a great number that be in prison of Satan will not come forth when they are called and the doore set open but goe on still stumbling in darknesse when the lanterne of light is offered them Even so if any play a wise mans part and doe as he is warned by Gods word hee shall have a sort of apish people a number of dizerds and scornfull mockers which because the man will not dance in the devils morrys with them nor keepe their company in the bondage of sinne and vice neither runne with them unto like confusion as S. Peter calleth it laugh him to scorne and bleare out their tongues at him even like fooles and cockscombs of the world And like as when a poore wretch commeth out of prison he shall have moe to stand gasing and gaping upon him than to doe him good or to helpe him to his fees Even so now that God of his mercy hath called us out of Satans prison and from the schoole of false doctrine my Lords foole with his companions standeth staring upon us and mocketh us because we sit not still with other prisoners There goeth a fellow of the new learning saith one there is one of these new-fangled Gospellers saith another that is one of the new brethren saith the third he followeth the new faith c. Wherefore in consideration hereof I have here set forth this booke partly because it sheweth the antiquitie and ancient age of our holy Christian faith and partly to give occasion unto all such as have received it not to be ashamed of it nor to shrinke from it for any opprobrious mockage or scornfull derision in this world The Apostle saith that the preaching or word of Christs crosse is foolishnesse to them that perish and that the thing which appertaineth to the spirit of God is foolishnesse to a carnall minded man Whereby like as we may learne that it is no new thing to be mocked and stared upon for holding with the doctrine that maketh so much of Christ his death and the true worshipping of God in the spirit even so may we see to the singular comfort of our conscience that no man mocketh us for it but such as perish and are carnally minded and that for all their derision and scorning it is yet the power of God 1 Cor. 1.18 and belongeth to his holy spirit 1 Cor. 2.14 and is not our owne doctrine neither of any other mans making This is now to us a comfort and consolation But because the world is angry with us for our faith and giveth us so euill report for teaching it it shall be expedient for us to declare what faith is and what faith we meane when we make mention thereof First
seed promised afore may hereafter be borne of thee in his generation To this did Noe trust and was preserved of God through Christ Moreover when he was come out of the Arke he did sacrifice and thereby declared the thankfulnesse of his heart and beleeved how that he knew that he had all good of God which should also give him a seed that with sacrificing of himselfe should reconcile and pacific God For thus saith the Scripture Noe builded an Altar unto the Lord and tooke of all manner of cleane beasts and fowles and offered burnt sacrifice unto the Lord and the Lord smelled the sweet savour and said in his heart I will no more curse the earth for mans sake c. So saith Paul in the fifth to the Ephesians Walke yee in love like as Christ hath loved us and gaue himselfe for us an offering sacrifice of a sweet savour unto God Whereby every man may learne and see that the sweet smell of the outward sacrifice of Noe did not chiefly pacifie God and was pleasant but rather that through the bodily sacrifice was figured the sacrifice of Christ and for his sake he was mercifull unto the world For over Christ he said at Iordan when Christ was baptised This is my deare beloved Sonne in whom I am pacified or reconciled Besides this the Lord gave unto Noe certaine lawes but none other than even such as he had given to his fore-fathers and written in their hearts The first pertaineth to mariage and bringing up of children in the which is comprehended all that is written concerning nurture cleanlinesse and temperance of care and bringing up of children in the feare of God vertue obedience and learning The second forbiddeth violence and deceit namely that no man shall eat bloud For it is a figurative precept commanding that no man get his living by murther by oppressing the poore by usurie by extortion by falshood and deceit Moreover all things living were subdued unto him and all meats were permitted him In conclusion whatsoever concerned the love of God and their neighbour the same is here renued unto Noe and his children and required of them Of Noe came afterward all people yea among his three sonnes Iaphet Sem and Cham he had both the seed of God and of the froward serpent that is such as had respect unto God and them also that regarded the devill Of Cham came the Aegyptians Assyrians Babylonians by and from whom sprang idolatry offering to images and from whom false religion came up first and was brought in among other nations by the helpe of the old serpent as among the Greekes Romanes and other people By this it is good to understand that our holy Christian faith is elder than any other For here may we see clearely that after a thousand and certaine hundred yeeres almost in the eight hundreth or nine hundreth yeere came up the first beginning of the Heathens beleefe and offering to Images and yet came it of wicked cursed men For cursed Cham was the beginning of the Egyptians and Nimroth the ungodly extortioner and tyrant was the first founder of the kingdom of Babylon which kingdome with the building of a mighty tower set forth his pride Neverthelesse the hand of God declared it selfe immediatly as it is read in the eleventh chapter of Genesis Finally in the generation of Cham had the serpent great power howbeit in the posteritie of Iaphet also of whom the Almaines come and in the posteritie of Sem he had his issue likewise Of the progenie of Sem were borne Abraham Isaac and Iacob Gen. 11. And as it is said afore the sincere faith was somewhat darkned in Chaldea therefore did God call Abraham out from the idolatrie and renued with him the old true Christian faith begun with Adam and said Gen. 12. Get thee out of thy country and from thy kinred and from thy fathers house unto the land that I will shew thee and I will blesse thee and make a great nation of thee And in thee shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Item in the 22. chapter speaketh God yet more clearely and saith In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed This doth Paul declare in the third to the Galathians and saith In thy seed which is Christ Therefore was the same now another renewing of the promise of Christ the blessed seed For first was he promised unto Adam afterward was the promise renewed with Noe and now with Abraham And all this now is but one promise one Saviour and one faith Abraham also beleeved in Iesus Christ and was saved by faith For Iesus Christ saith himselfe in the eighth chapter of Iohn Abraham saw my day and rejoyced What is now the day of Christ but the clearnesse of the holy Gospell This light had he not bodily but saw it with the eyes of faith and the same made him joyfull and saved him For Christ is the true joy of troubled consciences Thus became Abraham the Father of all faithfull beleevers Rom. 4. And if we beleeve and doe as Abraham did then are we Abrahams children and shall rest with him in his bosome even in the kingdome of God Luke 13.28.16.22.19 Mat. 8.11 Paul also to the Galathians in the third chapter saith If ye be Christs then are ye Abrahams seed and heires according to the promise Out of this faith in Christ did Abraham Christian workes for with a good will left he his owne native country all Idols and all Images all misfortune hunger and miserie tooke he patiently he was not hard against Loth his nephew but did jeopard his body and life for the oppressed he was liberall mercifull and harborous he praied fervently unto God for the poore sinners he suffred oppression violence and wrong and for Gods sake also he thought to sacrifice and offer up his owne most dearely beloved sonne Isaac Finally there is no reasonable good christian worke but thou seest it in the life of Abraham Therefore to us also for an example of our faith and conversation he is set forth of the Lord himselfe his Apostles throughout the New Testament Here also is it manifest that our holy faith is elder than the Iewish faith For the Iewes doe boast themselves of the Circumcision and because they are called Iewes and Israel and that the Law the Priesthood and Gods service was given unto them And yet Gen. 15.6 and 17.1 and Rom. 4.18 it is evident that Abraham was Gods friend and justified or made righteous or ever he was circumcised For when he was circumcised he was 99. yeere old Gen. 17. Now was the promise made unto him many yeeres afore The Scripture also saith plainly Abraham beleeved God and the same was counted unto him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. So was it many yeeres after or ever Israel and Iuda was borne of
him onely calling upon him and honouring him according to his word casting away strange worshipping of God service of Idols that shamefull blasphemous and ungodly living Then sent he them his helpe and delivered them in his power by the ministration of his appointed Captaines And such warring delivering and punishing was no fleshly unfaithfull worke whom no man ought to follow as some being wrapped with the unstedfast spirit of the Maniches and Anabaptists doe meane For Paul expresseth cleerely And what shall I say of Gedeon Barach Sampson and Iephtha David and Samuel and the Prophets which through faith subdued Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouths of Lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong became valiant in battell turned to flight the armies of the Aliants Heb. 11. All which works the holy Apostle praiseth and commendeth as excellent works of faith Therefore are they no works of the flesh neither is it now contrarie to the holy faith if Christian rulers deliver their innocent people whom God hath subdued unto them from wrongfull violence and defend their libertie righteousnesse house and land or punish the shamefull blasphemers Idolaters and persecuters of the holy faith and not suffer them to have all their malicious will Neverthelesse this must be done by them to whom God hath committed the sword For thus saith the Lord Who so taketh away the sword shall perish through the sword Matth. 26. But specially in the battels of Gods people and of the unfaithfull it commeth to passe and is expressely set before our eyes that God said to the serpent at the beginning Gen. 3. I will put enmitie betweene thy seed and the womans seed For the righteous are the seed of Christ the unrighteous and unfaithfull are the seed of the Devill Betweene these now see we great discord but specially this that the faithfull doe alway tread the serpent on the head though they themselves also be bitten in the heele For the right faithfull beleevers afore the birth of Christ in the time of the promise had no lesse trouble and persecution not onely because of sinne but also for righteousnesse and faiths sake than the faithfull after Christs birth in the time of grace and perfectnesse Therefore have they small knowledge of the doings of the faithfull which say that the people of old were a victorious people and governed corporally but that the people after Christs comming are borne to suffer and to no victorie or governance Neverthelesse in these wonderfull times in the which Gods people had no victorie and anon were subdued and oppressed the true faith continued upright and unblemished from Iosue forth throughout all the Iudges untill the time and reigne of David David also was a man that suffred much through divers and long trouble through miserable distresse and vexation and through sore persecution without ceasing being proved tried and provoked afore he was King Whereof the bookes of Samuel and the more part of the Psalmes beareth record But after that he was promoted unto the kingdom by God which said I have found a man after mine own heart he advanced set forth and magnified the true faith right diligently Here also to the honour of our Lord Iesus Christ will I shortly and by the way declare what knowledge and faith this noble King and Prophet had of our Lord Iesus This will I doe with the declaration of the 110. Psalme whose words are these The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole In the first verse David knowledgeth the persons in the holy Trinitie the God-head also and the eternall kingdome of Christ Thus likewise did our Lord Jesus Christ understand and alleage this verse in the Gospell Matth. 22. knowledging two of the Persons in the one only Godhead for he saith The Lord said unto my Lord. Now is it certaine and undeniable that hee which speaketh and he to whom ought is spoken are not one but two Persons Yet is there but one Lord and God and they both the Father that speaketh and the Sonne to whom is spoken are the Lord therefore are they one of one substance and being the very true God Neither is the Sonne lesse than the Father There can also none be a father except he have a sonne or a childe Now is the everlasting Father God therefore is the Sonne also everlasting There is also but one only everlasting without beginning Both the Father and the Sonne are eternall without beginning therefore are they one only true God with the holy Ghost Like as Iohn also saith In the beginning that is to say from everlasting was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God And immediatly thereafter saith he that the Word is Jesus Christ our Lord. For it followeth The Word became flesh Therefore doth David also call the Son of God specially his Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord. And therefore calleth he Christ his Lord because hee confesseth and beleeveth that he is his very naturall Lord and God as Thomas also did knowledge My Lord and my God Ioh. 20. Afterward calleth he him his Lord because that after the nature of man he should be borne out of his loynes For thorowout all the Scripture is our Lord Iesus called the Sonne of David And thus doth David knowledge two natures in Christ the nature of God and the nature of man That the kingdome of Christ shall last for ever and that the kinde and nature of man shall be exalted aboue all heavens as Paul saith Hebr. 2. David testifieth with these words Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole For Marke saith in the sixteenth chapter The Lord was taken up into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God Of this also finde we 1 Cor. 15.15 Now must he needs be very God indeed which reigneth for ever and to whom all enemies must be subdued yea cast utterly unto his feet Now followeth the second verse The Lord shall send thy mightie staffe out of Sion thou shalt be Lord even in the middest among thine enemies Here speaketh he of the preaching of the holy Gospell and how the world should be converted unto Christ and Christ to reigne in the middest of the world In the first verse is spoken of the eternall kingdome that he is very God living and reigning for ever not only in this time but also after this time eternally But here speaketh hee specially of the kingdome whereas hee reigneth here beneath through the Gospell For the Staffe the Scepter the Rod of Christ is the holy Gospell even the power of God which saveth all that beleeve Rom. 1.16 Which maketh Christs enemies friends and smiteth them downe that will not convert so that Christ hath dominion and
rather to require it of all his people Wherefore no doubt he set up and furthered this his faith and religion among all his men of warre kinsfolke in all his court dominion before the whole congregation and all his kingdome so diligently earnestly and fervently that afterward certaine hundred yeeres they which beleeved right and lived well were praised for walking in the waies of David their Father They also that did evill set not forth the true faith of them is it written they walked not in the waies of David their Father Of this hast thou many examples in the bookes of the Kings and in the Chronicles Many things also were forgiven the Kings and all the people of Iuda for Davids sake that is for the promise sake made unto David even for Iesus Christs sake whom Ezechiel calleth David In the first booke of the Kings the fifteenth chapter it is written thus The heart of Abia was not right toward his Lord God as was the heart of David his father And for Davids sake did the Lord give him a light at Hierusalem so that at Hierusalem he set up his sonne and preserved him For David did that that was right in the fight of the Lord and all the daies of his life did not he shrinke from any thing that he commanded him except in the matter of Vrias the Hethite Thus readest thou also of Ezechias 2 Reg. 18. Afore Iosias was there no King that was like him which turned himselfe so unto the Lord with all his heart with all his soule and with all his power according to all the law of Moses And afterward came there none like him But in the second booke of the Chronicles the 34. chapter standeth the declaration of the foresaid place after this manner Iosias reigned at Hierusalem one and thirtie yeeres and did that which pleased the Lord and walked in the waies of his Father David and declined neither to the right hand nor to the left For in the eighth yeere of his reigne while he was yet but young even sixteene yeeres old hee began to seeke the God of his Father David Thus much be spoken concerning this that Israel and all the vertuous Kings of Iuda trusted unto Christ and not to the Law of Moses Who so desireth the number of the yeeres he findeth 1 Reg. 6. even 480. yeeres from the departing out of Aegypt untill the fourth yeere of the reigne of Salomon And from that time untill the captivitie of Babylon are reckoned 419. yeeres or thereabouts All together make 899. yeeres CHAP. IX All holy Prophets doe point unto Christ and preach salvation only in him SOmewhat yet will we now declare further concerning the times of the Kings of Iuda and Israel which in a manner were even as the times of the Iudges of Israel For like as in the first yeeres of Iosue God gave great victorie and honour and afterward rest and peace Even so were the Israelites very victorious and triumphant under David and had great rest and peace under Salomon But like as after the death of Iosue the honour of Israel decreased and the departing away from God followed with one persecution upon another though in the meane time they had peace and deliverers as Othoniel Ehud Barack Gedeon Iephtha Sampson c. Even so did the worship of Israel decrease after Salomons time For the ten Tribes of Israel fell away from the house of David only Iuda and Bejamin held Salomons sonne Roboam for their King the other made Hieroboam King And so of one kingdome were made two the kingdome of Israel and the kingdome of Iuda The kingdome of Israel through the perswasion of Hieroboam chose them another manner of serving God Not that they utterly denied and refused the God of their Fathers but they served him after a strange heathenish manner of their owne imagining But afterward they fell the longer the more and further into grosse idolatrie so long till the Lord suffered them to be rooted out and carried away by the King of the Assyrians and scattered abroad among all the Heathen The kingdome and the Kings of Iuda were somewhat better howbeit they had some also which excelled the Kings of Israel and of the Heathen in ungodlinesse For they likewise went forth so long in unrighteousnesse till Nabuchodonosor the King rooted them out and caried them away unto Babylon But afore we see that there was a wonderfull combrance in the civill policie and in the religion Sometime was all righteousnesse and true religion opprest and violence and idolatrie used Sometime gat righteousnesse up againe and the right true faith had the victorie all unright and idolatrie being put downe This came to passe also in Israel under Helias and King Iehu Yet was the idolatrie and wrong rather punished than any amendment following Like as it came also to passe after the birth of Christ that there were vertuous Kings and Emperours which according to the prophecie of Esay in the 49. chapter verse 23. did all righteousnesse set up the faith of Christ and put downe all idolatrie Againe there came other that set up all unrighteousnesse and idolatry persecuted the truth and at the last receiued their reward convenient So weightie a matter is it to have good or evill Rulers But in these wonderfull alterations and thorowout all the time of these governances of both the kingdomes God alway sent his servants the holy Prophets to rebuke wrong and idolatry and to teach all righteousnesse and true serving of God And first after the time of David and Salomon under whom there was a great multitude of learned and holy Prophets for David also and Salomon were excellently endued with the spirit of wisdome and prophecie above other men these were the chiefe most famous and oldest Prophets of whom the Bible maketh mention with worship Semeias which lived under Roboam King of Iuda Ahias the Silonite under Hieroboam Azarias the sonne of Obed which lived under Asa King of Iuda and Iehu the sonne of Anani whom Baasa the King of Israel slew Helias the great Prophet and Micheas the sonne of Iema lived under Achab and Iosaphat Now like as in the time of David there was a great number of learned men even so testifieth the second booke of the Chronicles in the 17. chapter that in the time of Iosaphat there were many learned Levites and Prophets Heliseus was in the time of King Iehu and Zacharias the sonne of Ioiada was under Ioas under whom also he was stoned Neverthelesse we have no bookes written and set forth by these only we have the prophecie of Abdias which wrote his prophecie under Achab. Afterward under Vzzia Iothan Achas and Ezechias Kings of Iuda lived the most part of them whose bookes are abroad For under these preached and wrote Ionas Oseas Isaias Ioel Nahum Amos and Micheas Afterward under King Manasses wrote Abacuck Vnder the holy King Iosias wrote Sophonias
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
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.