Countries tymes places and persons a Law that shold be written in the bowels of our harts a Law that should be tollerable easie sweet plaine light breefe flexible as well to the poore as to the rich a Lawe to conclude that should consist in charitie This signified Moses when he said to his people after hee had deliuered the former Lawe vnto them The Lorde shall rayse vnto you a Prophet of your owne Nation and from among your owne bretheren as my selfe hym shall you heare As though he had saide you shall heare me vntill he come that must be a Law-giuer as my self but yet of a more perfect Lawe and therefore more to be hearde and obeyed And then he addeth who soeuer shall refuse to heare the words of this Prophet I my selfe will reuenge it saith the Lorde GOD. Which wordes can not be verified in anie other Prophet after Moses vntill Christ for that of those Prophets the Scripture sayth There arose no Prophet like vnto Moses in Israell Which is to be vnderstood that they had no authoritie to be Law-makers as Moses had but were all bounde to the obseruation of that Lawe onely which Moses left vntyll Christ came whom Moses heere calleth a Prophet as himselfe that is a Law-maker exhorteth all men to heare and obey him Thys yet is made more playne by the prophecie of Esay who sayth Out of Sion shall come a Lawe and the word of God out of Ierusalem which cannot be vnderstoode of Moses Law that had been published eyght hundred yeeres before thys was spoken that from the Mount Sinai and not from Sion But Christes Lawe began from Sion and Ierusalem and from thence was spred into all the worlde Which the same Esay fore-sawe when talking of the comming of the Messias he sayth In that day there shall be an Altar to God in the midst of the Land of Egipt And the tytle of the Lorde at the ende thereof c. And God shall be knowne to the Egiptians at that daie and they shall honour him with sacrifices and oblations Which words coulde not be verified in the olde Lawe of Moses for that by that Lawe the Egiptians coulde haue neither Aultar nor Sacrifice but at Christes comming it was fulfilled when the Egiptians were made Christians and enioyed both the Aultars and sacrifices that Christians do vse The same thing was fore-told by God in Malachie where hee sayth to the Iewes and of the Iewish sacrifices I haue no pleasure in you neither will I recâ—iue oblations at your handes For that from the vprising of the sunne vnto the going downe therof my name is great among the Gentiles and they doe sacrifice vnto me euerie where and doe offer vnto my name a pure oblation saith the Lorde God of hostes In which words we see first a reprobation of the Iewishe sacrifice and consequently of the Lawe of Moses which dependeth principallie of that sacrifice Secondly wee see that among the Gentiles there should be a pure manner of sacrifice more gratefull vnto GOD then the other was and such as might be performed in euery place of the worlde and not to be tyed to one place onely as the Moisaicall Law and sacrifice was And finally I wil conclude thys whole matter with the expresse wordes of God himselfe concerning the ceremonies and precepts of the old Lawe Dedi eis praecepta non bona iudicia in quibus non viuent I gaue vnto them precepts that were not good and iudgements wherin they shall not lyue That is they were not good to continue perpetually nor shall they lyue in them for euer but vntill the time by mee appointed of which time hee determineth more perticulerly by Ieremie the Prophet in these words Behold the daies shal come and I wil make a newe Couenaunt or Testament with the house of Israell and Iuda not according to that Couenaunt which I made with your Fathâ—rs when I brought them forth of the Lande of Egipt Where you see that at the coÌ„ming of Christ into thys world for of him hys byrth hee talketh at large in thys Chapter there shall be a newe Testament contayning a different Law from that of the olde Testament which was giuen to the Iewes at their going forth of Egipt Thus much then hetherto hath beene shewed that Christ in all ages was fore-told and promised that hee shoulde be GOD and that hys authoritie should be to change the Lawe of Moses that was giuen but for a tyme and to establishe a newe Lawe and Couenaunt and a newe Testament of hys owne that shoulde endure and continue for euer The fourth consideration AND albeit these thinges be very wonderfull and sufficient to establish anie mans beleefe in the world when he shall see them fulfilled which shall be the argument of my seconde Section yet resteth not the Scripture heere but passeth further fore-telleth euery perticuler acte accident circumstaunce that shall fall out of importance about the Messias in his comming incarnation byrth lyfe death and resurrection As for example at what perticuler time season he should appeare Genesis 49. verse 10. That he should be borne of a Virgine Esay 7. ver 14. That the place of hys birth should be the Towne of Bethleem Mich. 5 verse 1. That at hys byrth all the Infants rounde about Bethleem should be slaine for his sake Ieremie 31 verse 15. That the Kinges of the East shoulde come and adore him and offer Gold and other gyfts vnto him Psalme 71. verse 10. That hee shoulde be presented by hys Mother in the Temple of Ierusalem Malach 3 verse 1. That he should â—lee into Egipt and be recalled thence againe Ose 11. verse 2. Esay 19 verse 1. That Iohn Baptist shoulde goe before him and crye in the Desert Esay 40 verse 3. Malac. 3. ver 1. After thys that he should begin his own preaching with all humilitie quietnes and clemencie of spirit Esay 42 verse 2. That he should doe strange miracles and heale all diseases Esay 29 verse 8. and 35 verse 5 61 verse 1. That hee should die for the sins of all the world Esay 53 Daniel 26. That he should be betrayed by his owne Disciple Psalme 40 verse 10 and 54 verse 14 and 108 verse 8. That hee shoulde be solde for thirtie peeces of siluer Zacharie 11 verse 12. That with those thirtie peeces there should be bought afterward a Field of pot-shardes Ieremie 30. That hee should ryde into Ierusalem vpon an Asse before his passion Zacharie 9 verse 9. That the Iewes shoulde beate and buffet hys face and defile the same with spitting vpon him Esay 50 ver 6. That they shoulde whyppe rent and teare his bodie before they put him to death Esay 53 verse 2 Psal 37 verse 18. That they should put hym to death among theeues and malefactors Esay 53 verse 12. That
beastes doe water that commit all sinne all iniustice all turpitude without remorse or scruple of conscience what is the cause of this I say but lacke of consideration lacke of vnderstanding lacke of knowledge For as Christ said to Ierusalem touching her destruction si cognouisses et tu c. If thou also ô sinfull soule diddest know what hangeth ouer thy heade for this carelesse life of thine if thou daughter of Babilon wouldest remember and ponder in thy hart what shalbe the end of thy delights thou wouldest not liue so pleasantly as thou dost Nunc autem abscondita sunt ab occulis tuis But now saith Christ these things are hidden from thine eyes Not but that thou maist haue knowne them if thou wouldest but for that thou art one of them who say to God scientiam viarum tuarum nolumus wee will not haue vnderstanding of thy waies one of them qui sunt rebelles lumini that are rebellious against the light illumination of Gods grace one of them qui nolunt intelligere vt bene agant that will not vnderstande to doe well And finally one of them qui declinant aures ne audiant legem that turn away their eares to the end they may not heare Gods lawe quorum oratio est execrabilis whose not onely life but also prayer is execrable and detestable in the sight of their maker Truelie nothing in reason can be lesse tollerable in the presence of Gods maiestie then whereas he hath published a lawe vnto vs with so great charge to beare it in minde to ponder in hart to studie meditate vppon it both day night at home abroad at our vprising our downe lying to make it our cogitation our discourse our talk our exercise our rumination and our delight that wee should notwithstanding contemne the same as to make it no part of our thought but rather to flee the knowledge thereof as wee see most men of the world doe for not troubling theyr consciences But the holie Ghost hath layd down the reason hereof long agoe in these words Cum sit timida nequitia testimonium condemnationis For that wickednes in it selfe is alwaies fearfull it giueth witnes against it selfe of damnation whensoeuer it thinketh of the Lawe of God or of honestie So Felix the Gouernour of Iurie when S. Paule began to talke of iustice chastitie and Gods iudgements before him he was wonderfully afearde and said to Paule that hee shoulde depart for that time and that he would call for him afterwarde when occasion shold require But he neuer did and what was the cause for that as Iosephus testifieth hee was a wicked man and Drusilla his faire Ladie that was with him at Saint Paules speech was not his true Wife but taken by allurement and violence from another and therefore it offended thē both to heare preaching of chastitie This then is one principall cause why men of this world wil not enter into consideration of their own estate and of Gods commaundements least they shoulde reade and see their owne faultes and beare witnesse against themselues of theyr own condemnation Whereunto the Scripture annexeth another cause not farre vnlike to this which is that worldly men doe so drowne themselues in the cares and cogitations of this life as they leaue in their minds no place to thinke vppon Gods affayres which are the busines of theyr owne soules This expresseth Ieremie the Prophet most effectually when hauing made his complaint that notwithstanding his preaching crying in the Temple gate for long time together where all the people passed by him and heard him yet no man saith he would enter into consideration or say with himselfe what haue I doone and reason Omnes enim conuersi sunt ad cursum suum quasi equus impetu vadens ad praelium All men are sette vpon theyr own courses and waies and doe run in the same with as great vehemencie and fearce obstination as a furious armed horse when hee heareth the Trumpet in the beginning of a battaile By which comparison the holy Ghost expresseth very liuelie the irrecouerable state of a setled worldlie man that followeth greedilie his owne designments in the negotiation of earth These are two of the cheefe causes of inconsideration I meane wilfull mallice obstinate corruption in the vanities of this life And yet mentioneth the Scripture a thyrde sort also of inconsiderate men who neither of direct mallice nor yet of great occupation in worldly affaires doe neglect consideration but rather of a certaine lightnesse idle negligence for that they will not trouble their heads with any thing but disport and recreation of whom it is written aestimanerunt lusum esse vitam nostram They esteeme this life of ours to be but a play-game And in another place of the same men Ita securi viuunt quasi iustorum facta habeant They liue as securelie confidently without care and cogitation as if they had the good workes of iust men to stand for them But as the holie Ghost pronounceth in the same place hoc vanissimum this is vanitie and follie in the highest degree For as in things of this life he were but a foolish Merchant that for quietnesse sake would neuer looke into his account Booke whether he were behind hand or before and as that Shyppe-maister were greatly to be laughed at that for auoiding of care woulde sitte downe and make good cheere and let the shyp goe whether shee would so much more in the busines of our soule it is madnes and follie to flie consideration for eschewing of trouble seeing in the ende this negligence must needes turne vpon vs more trouble and irremediable calamitie For as Ieremie sayth to all such men in nouissimo die intelligitis ea in the ende of your dayes you shall not choose but knowe and see and vnderstand these things which now for delicacie you wyll not take the paynes to thinke of But when shall this be trow you he telleth plainly in the same place whē the furie of our Lorde shall come foorth as a whirle-wind and shall rush and rest vpon your heades as a tempest then shall you know and vnderstand these things It seemeth that the Babylonians were a people verie faultie in this point of consideration as all wealthie people are not onelie by that which before hath beene touched of the daughter of Babylon that woulde not consider her ending daies but also for that not long before the most terrible destruction of that great Cittie by the Medes Persians God cryed vnto her in these wordes My deerely beloued Babylon put aside the table and stand vpon thy watch ryse vp you Princes from eating drinking take your Targets in your hands goe and set a watchman vpon the walles whatsoeuer he seeeth let him tell you And then was there a
the tyme lost but passe no further If hetherto thou haue not considered the weightines of thys affayre serue thy selfe of thys admonition and remember that it is written that a wise man profiteth by euerie occasion Esteeme thy resolution in thys one point the cheefest menage that euer shall passe throgh thy hands in thys worlde albeit thou wert a Monarch and Ruler of tenne worldes together And finally I will ende with the verie same wordes where-with the wise man concludeth his whole booke Feare God and obserue his commandements for this is euery man That is in this doth all and euerie man consist his end his beginning his life and cause of beeing that he feare God and direct his actions to the obseruaunce of hys commaundements for that without this he is no man in effect seeing that he looseth all benefit both of his name nature redemption and creation THAT THE SERVICE VVHICH GOD REQVIRETH OF MAN IN thys present life is Religion With the particuler confirmations of Christian religion aboue all other in the worlde CHAP. IIII. HAuing prooued in the former chapters that there is a God which created man and that man in respect thereof and of other benefits receiued is bounde to honor serue the same God the question may be made in this place what seruice thys is that God requireth and wherein it doth consist Wherunto the aunswere is breefe and easie that it is Religion which is a vertue that containeth properlie the worship and seruice that we owe vnto GOD euen as Pietie is a vertu contayning the duetie that children do owe vnto their Parents and Obseruance another vertue that comprehendeth the regard that schollers and seruants beare vnto their Maisters In respect of which comparison and likenesse betweene these vertues God sayth by a certaine Prophet The sonne honoureth his father and the seruaunt his Maister if then I be a Father where is my honor if I be a maister where is my feare The acts of Religion are diuers and different some internall as deuotion and prayer some other externall as adoration worship sacrifice oblations and such like that are declarations and protesâ—ations of the internall It extendeth it selfe also to stirre vp and put in vie the acts and operations of other vertues for the seruice of God in which sence Sâ— Iames nameth it Pure and vnspotted Religion to visite Orphanes and Widdowes in their tribulation and to keepe our selues vndefiled from the wickednes of thys world Finally how soeuer some Heathens did vse this word Religion to some other significations yet as S. Augustine wel noteth the vse therof among the faithfull hath alwaies beene to signifie therby the worship honor and seruice that is due vnto God so that if in one word you wil haue it declared what God requireth of man in this life it may be rightly said that al standeth in thys that he be Religious Heereof it proceedeth that whatsoeuer sort or sect of people in the world professed reuerence honor or worship to God or to gods or to any diuine power essence or nature what soeuer were they Iewes Heathens Gentiles Christians Turks Moores Heretiques or other they did alwaies call theyr said profession by the name of theyr religion In which sense also and signification of the word I am to treate at this tyme of Christian Religion that is of the substance forme manner and way reuealed by Christ and his Apostles vnto vs of performing our duetie and true seruice towards God Which seruice is the first point necessary to be resolued vpon by him that seeketh his saluation as in the Chapter that goeth before hath beene declared And for obtayning thys seruice and the true knowledge therof no mean vppon earth is left vnto man but onely the light and instruction of Christian Religion according to the protestation of S. Peter vnto the Gouernours of the Iewes when hee said There is no other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men whereby to be saued but only this of Christ and of his Religion If you obiect against me that in former tymes before Christes natiuitie as vnder the Lawe of Moses for two thousand yeeres together there were many Saints who without Christian Religion serued God vprightlie as the Prophets and other holie people and before them again in the law of Nature when neyther Christian nor Iewish Religion was yet heard of for more then two thousand yeeres there wanted not diuers that pleased God and serued him truelie as Enoch Noe Iob Abraham Iacob others I aunswer that albeit these men especiallie the former that liued vnder the Law of nature had not so perticuler and expresse knowledge of Christ and of his misteries as we haue nowe for thys was reserued to the tyme of grace as S. Paul in diuers places at large declareth that is albeit they knewe not expresly how in what manner Christ should be borne whether of a Virgine or no or in what perticuler sort he should liue and die what Sacraments he shoulde leaue what way of publishing his Gospel he shold appoint and the like wherof notwithstanding very many perticulers were reuealed to the Iewes from tyme to time and the neerer they drewe to the time of Christes appearance the more plaine reuelation was made of these mysteries yet I say all and euerie one of these holy Saints that liued from Adam vntil the comming of Christ had knowledge ingenerall of Christian Religion and did beleeue the same that is they beleeued expresly that there shoulde come a Sauiour and Redeemer of man-kind to deliuer them from the bondage contracted by the sinne of Adam Thys was reuealed straight after their fal to our first Parents and Progenitors in Paradise to wit that by the womans seede our redemption should be made In respect wherof it is sayd in the Reuelations that Christ is the Lambe that hath beene slaine from the beginning of the world And S. Peter in the first generall Counsaile holden by the Apostles affirmeth that the old ancient Fathers before Christes natiuitie were saued by the grace of Christ as we are now which S. Paul confirmeth in diuers places And finallie the matter is so cleere in thys behalfe that the whole Schoole of Diuines accordeth that fayth and religion of the auncient Fathers before Christes appearaunce was the verie same in substaunce that ours is nowe sauing onely that it was more generall obscure and confuse then ours is for that it was of things to come as ours is nowe of things past and present For example they beleeued that a Redeemer shold come and we beleeue that he is alreadie come They said Uirgo concipiet a Vyrgine shall conceiue and we say Uirgo concepit a Virgine hath conceiued They had sacrifices and ceremonies that prefigured his comming for the time ensuing we haue sacrifice and sacraments that represent his being for the time
Gods word So againe where God sayth by Ose I will saue the house of Iuda by Iâ—houa their God which is by Christ Ionathan translateth it thus I wyll saue Iuda by the worde of their God In lyke manner where Dauid wryteth Iehoua saide to my Lorde sitte at my right hande c. Ionathan expresseth it thus Iehoua saide vnto hys word sitte at my right hand So Rabbi Isaac Arama writing vpon Genesis expoundeth thys verse of the Psalme he sent his word healed them c. to be meant of Messias that shall be Gods word And Rabbi Simeon the cheefe of all the Cabalists vpon those words of Iob I shall see God in my flesh gathereth that the worde of God shall take fleshe in a womans wombe So that thys doctrine was nothing strange among the auncient Rabbines For further confirmation whereof seeing the matter is of so great importance coÌ„sider what is recorded in a Treatise called Zoar of high authoritie among the Iewes where Rabbi Simeon that was last before alleaged citeth a place out of old Rabbi Ibba vpon these words in Deuteronomie Iehoâ—â— our Lord is one Iehoua which wordes the said auncient Rabbi Ibba interpreteth thus by the first Iehoua in this sentence being the incommunicable name of God is signified sayth hee GOD the father Prince of all things By the next words our Lord is signified God the sonne that is fountaine of all Sciences And by the seconde Iehoua in the same sentence is signified God the holy Ghost proceeding of them bothe To all which is there added the word One to signifie that these three are indiuisible But this secrete shall not be reuealed vntill the comming of Messias Hetherto are the words of Rabbi Ibba reported in Zoar by Rabbi Simeon where also the sayd Rabbi Simeon interpreteth these words of Esay Holy Holie Holie Lord God of Sabaoth in thys manner Esay by repeating three times holy sayth he doth as much as if he had sayd Holy Father holie Sonne and holie Spirit which three holies doe make but one onely Lord God of Sabaoth Finally I wyll conclude thys controuersie betweene the later Iewes and vs with the authoritie of learned Philo who liued in the very same time wyth Christ was sent Embassadour twyse to Rome in the behalfe of his Nation in Alexandria that is first in the fifteene yeere of Tyberius the Emperour which was three yeeres before Christes passion and the very same yeere wherin he was baptised by S. Iohn and the second tyme about eyght yeeres after to witt in the fyrst yeere of the raigne of Caligula This man that was the learnedest that euer wrote among the Iewes after the wryters of holie Scripture ceased made a speciall Booke of the banishment of his Countrimen wher he hath this discourse ensuing What time may be appointed saith he for the returne home of vs banished Iewes it is harde to determine For by tradition wee haue that wee must expect the death of an High Priest But of those some die quickly and some liue longer But I am of opinion that thys High Priest shal be the very word of God Which shall be voyde of all sinne both voluntarie and inuoluntarie whose father shall be God and this word shall be that fathers wisedome by which all things in this world were created Hys heade shall be annoynted with oyle and his kingdome shall florish and shine for euer This wrote Philo at that time when he little imagined that the same High Priest whom he so much expected and the same worde of God whose kingdome he describeth was now alreadie come into the world And this shall suffise for our second consideration what manner of Messias the Iewes did expect The thyrd consideration NOwe in the thyrd place commeth to be considered what authoritie and power the Messias should haue at his appearaunce vpon earth and whether he should chaunge and abrogate the Law of Moses or no wher in there is no lesse controuersie betweene vs and the later Iewes then in the former point of his diuinitie For we holde with S. Paule that the Lawe of Moses was giuen vnto the Iewes but for a time to entertaine that people withall and by the outwarde signes and ceremonies which it had whereof the most part or all prefigured Christ to come to be theyr Schoole-maister leader to the times of fayth wherein it should be abrogated and a farre more perfect Law set down by Christ in place thereof This we prooue first for that the Lawe of Moses was an imperfect Lawe bringing nothing to perfection as S. Paule well noteth It was as S. Peter saith a burden-som Lawe which the Iewes themselues were not able to beare for the multitude of ceremonies therein contained It was a carnall and seruile Lawe consisting most in the externall It was a Law of terror and feare more then of loue and libertie of the spirit It was a Lawe as I said before of signes and figures for things to come consequently to cease wheÌ„ those things which it prefigured shold come to be present It was a Lawe peculiar and proper for the Iewes alone without respect of all the rest of the world and the exercise therof was allowed onely in the Countrie of Iurie and that which is more it was not permitted but in one place only of that Countrey that is in Ierusalem whether euery man was bound to repaire three tymes a yeere to wit at the Pasqua at the Pentecoste and at the feast of Tabernacles and in that place alone to make theyr sacrifices and in no other Countrey or place besides Nowe then reasoneth the learned Diuine if thys Lawe of Moses were for the Iewes and Iurie onely howe could it serue for the time of the Messias who was to be King as well of the Gentiles as of the Iewes and to rule all people in the worlde that should beleeue in him vnder one Lawe If the exercise of this Lawe were allowable onely and lawfull in Ierusalem how coulde it possiblie be fulfilled by Christians that are dispersed ouer all the world As for example hovve coulde they repayre to Ierusalem thrise euerie yeere howe shoulde euery woman that should dwell in England or India repaire to Ierusalem for her purification after euerie child-birth as by the Law of Moses she was commanded Most euident is it then which we said before that thys Law was giuen but to endure for a time And to vse S. Pauls owne wordes it was but introductio melioris spei an introduction to a better hope It was but an entertainment to that people which by theyr beeing among the Egiptians were prone to idolatrie vntill Christ shold come and ordaine a perfect Law That is a Lawe of spirit and internall affection a Lawe of loue and libertie a Lawe that shoulde be common to all men serue for al
shall goe down into Egipt and all the Idols of Egipt shall shake at his presence Which later point Eusebius sheweth that it was fulfilled most euidentlie in the sight of all the world for that no Nation came to Christian religion with so great celeritie or feruour as did the Egyptians who threw downe theyr Idols before any other heathen Nations And as they had been the first in idolatry to other Countries so were they the first by Christes coÌ„ming vnto them that afterwarde gaue example of true returne to theyr Creator It followeth in Esay And I will giue vp Egipt into the hands of cruell Lords a Potent King shall take dominion ouer them Which was fulfilled about the very time wherein Christ was to come For that then after many spoyles cruelties excercised vppon Egypt by the Romaine Lords and Princes as Pompey Caesar Anthonie others in the end Cleopatra their Queene that was the last of all the bloode and lyne of the Ptolomiâ—s was inforced to sley her selfe and so Augustus the Emperor tooke possession of all Egypt and subiected it as a Prouince to the Romaines Empire But consider you howe Esay concludeth the matter after all these temporall afflictions threatned against Egipt confesse that such aduersitie is no signe of Gods dys-fauour to them who receiue it For thus sayth God after all hys cominations In that daie there shal be an Aultar of Iehoua in the middest of Egipt they shall cry to God in their tribulation and he shal send them a Sauiour c. Blessing shall be in the midst of that Land to whom the Lorde God of hostes hath giuen his benediction saying Blessed is my people of Egipt And heere we make an ende of our second consideration The thyrde consideration NOwe in the thyrd place there commeth to be considered according to our former dyuision the life conuersation doctrine and myracles of Iesus And first touching things doone by him after his coÌ„ming out of Egypt which might be about the sixt or seauenth yeere of hys age vntil hys baptisme by S. Iohn which was the thyrtith there is little recorded eyther in Prophane or Ecclesiasticall Wryters For that as Saint Iustine S. Chrisostome S. Augustine and others doe write hee bestowed that time in the common exercise and labours of mans life therby to shewe himselfe true man and gyue demonstration how much he hated and detested idlenes Of Saint Iohn Baptist all Hebrue wryters of that time doe make mention with exceeding prayse and admiration of hys holinesse especially Iosephus that liued immediatly after Christes daies sayth he was Vir optimus Iudaeos excitans ad virtutum studia A most excellent man stirring vp the Iewes to the exercise of vertue Hee addeth also that partly for feare of the great concourse of people which flocked vnto him and partlie by the solicitation of Herodias concubine and brothers wyfe to Herode Antipas the great Herods sonne for whose cause he had turned off hys owne Wife daughter to Areta King of the Arabians hee was apprehended and imprisoned in the Castle of Acherun and therein soone after put to death Which murder Iosephus esteemed to be the cause of al the misery which insued afterward to Herod and his whole familie Of thys man it was written by Malachie the Prophet Behold I send my messenger or Angel before me he shall prepare the way before my face presently shal com to his temple the RVLER whom ye seeke and the MESSENGER OF THE TESTAMENT whom you desire Which prophecie was fulfilled most euidently vppon the preaching of S. Iohn when Christ came vnto him and albeit S. Iohn had neuer seene him before yet he acknowledged him for the Messias in the presence of infinite people hys acknowledgment was confirmed by the visible descending of a Doue voice from heauen in the sight hearing of all the people present according as three of our Euangelists doe report Which they would neuer haue presumed to doe had not the matter been most euident and without al compasse of deniall or contradiction And truely no one thing in all this storie of Iesus life doth more establish the certaintie of hys beeing the true Messias then that S. Iohn Baptist whose wisedome learning vertue and rare sanctitie is confessed and recorded by the writings of all our aduersaries should refuse the honour of the Messias offered vnto himselfe and lay it vpon Iesus as also shoulde direct those Disciples that depended vpon him to the onely folowing and embracing of Iesus doctrine Which is most euidently prooued that hee did for that so many folowers and disciples as himselfe had not one appeared euer after that was not a Christian. When Iesus was baptised he began to preache and his whole doctrine was directed to the manifestation of hys Fathers will and amendment of mans life It tendeth all to thys one ground and principle Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy soule thy Neighbour as thy selfe It was plaine easie perspicuous and euident though it treated of most high misteries It had neither pompe nor pryde of rethoricall words nor flattering of mans wickednes as the doctrine of manie Phylosophers had Neyther consisted it of vnprofitable externall ceremonies as the later obseruations of the Iewish Lawe dyd nor was it fraught wyth carnalitie and spirit of thys world as the Turkish Alcoran and other sectaries doctrine is But all was simplicitie all was spirit all was trueth al was honestie all was humilitie all was charitie It tooke away or dysanulled no one perfect or spirituall poynt of Moses Lawe but rather reuiued interpreted fulfilled and made perfect the same For whereasâ— that coÌ„maunded externall obseruaunce this addeth also internall obedience Whereas that sayd loue your freendes thys adioyneth loue also your enemies Whereas that commaunded we should not kyll thys further commaundeth to speake no angry words Wheras that prohibited to commit actuall adulterie thys also forbiddeth to couet in minde Whereas that sayd take no interest or vsurie of a Iewe that is thy Countriman thys fayth take it of no man whatsoeuer Wheras that accounted euery Iewe onely to be thy neighbour thys teacheth euery person liuing to be thy brother Whereas that taught thee to offer vp a Calfe a Sheepe or an Oxe for thy sinnes thys instructeth thee to offer vp a contrite hart by fayth in the bloode of hym that died for all with a firme and resolute purpose of amendement of life And finally thys doctrine tendeth wholy to the true sincere and perfect seruice of GOD thy Lord that made and redeemed thee to the exaltation of hys onely name power goodnes and glorie to the depression of mans pryde by discouering his misery to the contempt of this world vaine pompe thereof to the mortification and subduing of our sensual appetite to the true loue vnfayned charitie of our neighbour to