had in the first promes of God the fouÌ„dation and the whole summe of oure holy christen faith Namely that the whole generation of maÌ„ was but lost thorow hys owne fault and wickednesse and fallen into death damnacion so that there remayneth nothyng in man but it is displeasaunt to God Herof commeth it that ther is nothynge to be ascrybed vnto the power and deseruyng of maÌ„ saue synne and malediction But God of hys abundaunt mercy had compassion on vs and of very grace promysed he lyfe vnto vs agayne in hys sonne our lord Jesu whome he wolde to become man and to suffre death in hys fleshe that therby he might treade downe the deuell death synne and hell Item he wolde put enemyte betwene the womans sede and the serpeÌ„t That is he wolde endewe vs which are the sede that is to saye the chyldren of Adam yf we beleue with another hert and power that we mighte become enemyes vnto the deuels workes resiste his suggestion and holde our selues fast by the blessed sede labouryng and suffrynge what so euer God enioyneth vs to worke suffre Who is it now which seyth not here in all that is written in the hole scripture of beleue of loue and innocencye that is to saye of a Christen lyfe and fayth Who so is disposed let hym loke vpon the thirde fourth and seconde chapter of Paul to the Romaynes the first second to the Ephesians let hym compare those chapters towarde this summe he shall fynde it none otherwyse For asmoche then as Adam Eue had fayth in God and stode so towarde God that they knowledged theÌ„ selues to be synners trusted to be saued onely thorowe the blessed sede geuyng them selues ouer willingly in to the disciplyne nurtoure trauayll trouble of thys tyme No man can saye contrary but it foloweth that oure first elders were Christen Neuertheles we will declare the same yet more clerly by Moyses wordes folowynge And Adam called hys wyfe Heua because she shulde be the mother of all lyuyng For assoone as he was now streÌ„gthed thorow the promes of God and beleued that he and hys posterite whiche â—is were chyldreÌ„ of wrath of the deuel and of death shuld lyue thorow the blessed sede he turned his wyfes name and called her Heua for the remembraunce of the matter and practisyng of hys fayth for he beleued that she now lyuyge in the power of the blessed sede shuld bringe forth not onely quycke men temporally as pertaynynge to thys naturall lyfe lyke as we call other creatures lyuynge but lyuyng that is to saye chyldren of saluation For Adam had loste eternall lyfe from hym selfe and from vs hys posterite but the same is genen vnto vs agayn thorow Jesus Christ our Lord. Adam for asmuche as he beleued chaunged hys wyues name lyke as we fynde that for great weyghty causes the names of certayne places cytyes and men were chauÌ„ged Thus was Jacob called Israell Symon Peter Luthz Beâ—ell Eue had nowe a name of lyfe for Haâ—ah in Hebrue is as muche to saye as lyfe Afore was she called Ischa that is to saye Woman because she was taken fromout of the maÌ„ whych in the Hebrue is talled Ischa Gen. ii And thus is it manifest what faith AdaÌ„ had wherby we maye well suppose that Eue had none other faythe But god vsed hys mercy and louynge kyndnesse yet furthermore eueÌ„ in the myddes of all correction for whan he woulde nowe expell man oute of Paradyse in to misery he doth vnto hym in euery condycion euen as a faythfull father whych for some mysdede putteth hys sonne awaye from hym NotwythstaÌ„dyng leaueth hym not vtterly comfortles but prouideth him a garment comforteth hym wyth freÌ„dly wordes and then fyrste sendeth hym awaye from hym Euen thus doth God the father of heaueÌ„ also For fyrst he clotheth Adam and Eue agaynst the frost and tempest of wether in asmuche as by the meanes of synne the wether the erth the ayre and all creatures were nomore so subiecte tame and obedient vnto man as they were afore the fall Therfore euen now at thys presente tyme what soeuer inconuenience harme is in the good creatures of God it commeth by the meanes of oure synnes Afterwarde doth the Lorde comforte the myserable wretched man wyth verye louynge wordes after thys maner Beholde Adam is become lyke one of vs or lo Adam shalbe as one of vs and it shall happeÌ„ vnto hym as to one of vs and he shall know good and euyll Thys doth God speake whyche is one in substaunce and thre in personnes he Prophecytâ—he here vnto Adam that he shall knowe or haue experience of good and euyll That is to say that vpon erth he must fele prosperite and aduersite misery and trouble sower and swete and muste suffer necessite payne and afflyction Yet in all thys must he be constant pacient for asmuch as nothynge shall happen vnto hym saue euen the same that shall happen to one of theÌ„ And he meaneth the sonne our Lorde Jesu Christ the second personne in the holy Trinite With thys hys passyon thorow the same doth he comforte Adam As though he wolde saye let the payne sorow and trouble whych thou must suffer vpon erth not vexe the and considre that one of vs also shall take vpon him the kynde and nature of man and that the serpent as it is sayde afore shall treade hym on the hele that is to saye he shall dye he shalbe opprest and haue muche asslyction trouble all the dayes of hys lyfe In the same meanyng also dyd the holy Apostle Peter say Chryst suffred for our sakes and gaue vs an ensample that we shulde folowe hym and go in hys fotesteppes Out of all this is it easy to vnderstande what fayth and knowlege Adam had of our lord Christ Namely that he knew in hym very godheade and manhede and that he saw in fayth hys passioÌ„ and crosse afarre of Moreouer that the passion of Christ ones doâ—e for al breaketh the kingdome of the Deuell and bryngeth lyfe agayne to suche as faythfully beleue Secondly that it is to our lyuynge an ensample at the which we ought to lerne pacience in aduersite and dayly to dye from all euyll And here to now serue all doctrines of pacience of bearyng of the crosse of despisyng the worlde mortifienge or putting of the olde Adam which thyng is conteyned and wyth many godly wordes handled thorow out the prophetes and apostles As for Adam and Eue they lacked none of these thynges thoughe they had not the matter in wryttyng For God spake it all to them hym selfe and wrote it in theyr hartes Morouer our fyrste elders had no church rytes nor ceremonies saue onely the bodely offryng a representacion of the sacrificyng of Christe and exercises or tokens of thankfulnesse For how shulde Cain Abel els haue knowne any thyng of sacrifice yf they had not
fastinge lyke almes geuynge He nothynge regardeth mens tradicions diuersites of sectes long garmentes outwarde appearaunce their clensynge neâ— all their ypocrisie He goeth into the temple ouerthroweth casteth downe powreth out euery thynge that is to be solde in the temple he dryueth the byers and sellers out of the temple with a whippe For the temple was ordeyned for generall prayer thankesgeuing and preachynge and not for choppinge and chaun gynge or other suche lyke thynges These thre poyntes doth he teach vs diligently to obserue First that we obteyne remission of synnes true righteousnes euerlastinge lyfe onely thorw hym and by hys passion and death and els by none other meane For he is the onely mediatoure prest intercessoure comforter the onely righteousnesse satisfacion raunsome santifyeng the onely perpetuall sacrifice the suertye of grace and saluacion Speciall testimonies hereof hast thou Johan iii. vi xiiii and .xvi. Secondly that we can not serue and pleace God with exterior sacrifices or any outward pompe but with suche workes as proceade of loue mercy And thirdly that all the children of God are bounde to kepe them selues from the workes of darekenesse and to applye them to lyue in righteousnes and in the lighte And herein also is comprehended all godlynes that is all right good Christen workes So whan he had taught all righteousnes and discloysed and ouerthrowen all ypocrisye in religion he offred vp hym selfe vpon the crosse for the remissyon of all oure synnes For wyllingly paciently put he him selfe in to the handes of hys enemyâ—s and of his betrayer suffred him selfe to be taken to be bounde to beled from one iudge to another to be langhed to scorne cried out vpon to be spytted on and at the last to be adiudged vnto death to be scourged to be crowned with a crown of thorne He himselfe bare hys owne crosse to the place of execucion where he was crucified hanged vp betwene the murthurers Then lyued he in greate payne from the sixte houre vntyll the nyenth At the last he cried It is fynished father in to thy handes commende I my sprâ—te thus offred he him self for oure synnes and dyed that we myghte lyue But soone after folowed the thinges wherby the frute of Christes passyon might be perceaued For the vayle which in the temple seâ—arated the holy from the moost holy dyd rent from the toppe tyll the botome wherby Christ testified that now with his death all ceremonies figâ— ratyue thinges were at an ende and nomore of value that the waye to eternall saluation was opened that all thinges significatyue in the tabernacle in sacrifices rytes and obseruaunces were nowfulfilled and abrogate that now the bare onely cross of our Lorde Jesus Christ is al together vnto the faythfull that the hele of the virgines sede is well troden vpon his flesh well rente and slayne but that yet also in the meane reason he hath troden the serpent vpon the head Therfore dyd the deed also aryse and appeared vnto certayne at Hierusalem For the death of Christ is oure life The erthquaked the stones harst asunder For the preachinge of the death of the sonne of God hath altered the whole worlde and many hard stonye hertes are moued to repentaunce faith and good workes But whan the syde of the deed body of Christ was opened with the speare â–ª and the rocke as zachary saieth was dygged vp â–ª there ranne out water and bloude declarynge manifestly therby that vnto vs out of the death of Christ foloweth life and purifyenge For water cleÌ„seth in the bloud is the lyfe of man And with the bloude of Christ is all bloude stanched and now is Christes bloude onely avaylable beynge sprenkled thorowe fayth in oure hertes This oblacion and passion of Christ the rawnsome for the synne of the whole world was done in the. xviii yeare of the Empyre of Tiberius rekenynge from the begynnyng of the worlde 4007 yeres the .xxv. daye of Marche So the whole body of Jesu was taken downe from the crosse and honorably buryed and on the thirde daye after he rose vp agayne so that his soule came agayne to the body and his very flesh was raysed vp from death how be it now nomore mortall and passible but glorified For he is the first in the resurrection of the deed For lyke as by one man came deathe so by one man must come the resurrection of the deed And lyke as in Adam we all dyed in body and soule so shall we be all together restored agayne to lyfe in Christ Jesu This hope vnto lyfe wolde the Lorde prynte substancially in vs with the resurrection And therfore after his resurrection he contynued fortye dayes wyth his disciples that he mightwell instructe them of his resurrection and that they shuld haue no doulte therin So whan he had shewed and declared vnto them his very resurrection dyuerse wayse and had perfourmed all that the father commaunded him to fynde he ascended vp vnto heaueÌ„ with body and soule fro mouÌ„t Oliuere in the sight of his disciples and is set at the righte hand of God there to remayne corporally vntyll the last daye in the which he shall â–ª come agayn bodelye to iudge the quycke deed And all suche as haue walked in faith shall he take to him with body soule in to heauen lyke as he himselfe is receaued in to heauen And shall with body and soule condemne all them that haue walked in the waye of the olde serpente and haue not conuerted from vnrighteousnesse to the righteousnesse in Christ And thus shall saluacion be perfectly fynished and gods chyldren shall lyue eternally with God thorow Jesus Christ To whome be prayse for euer Amen ☞ That also the electe Apostles preached thys olde fayth and declared that all saluacion is â–ª onely in Christ THus thorow Christ Jesus is al fulfilled that the prophetes prophecied of hym a fore thus is he become y â— saluacion of all faithfull beleuers euen the lampe of God whiche hath bene sacrificed sens the beginninge of the world that is this is he whose power and delyueraunce hath clensed all them that euer put their trust in God thorow the blessed sede Herein now is the righte true â—aluacion this is the summe of the right perfecte religion Who so peruerteth thys from him shall God turne him selfe who so addeth oughte vnto this to hym shall God adde his wrothfull hand who so taketh ther froÌ„ his lyfe shall God â—â—nishe But blessed are they which walke in this simplicite clennesse contynue so vnto the ende euen they that heare gods worde do therafter whose onely hope is Jesus Christ This onely true and euer durynge saluacion wolde he to be shewed and declared to all nacions whiche came to saue all nacions but he wold it sholde be declared by the preachinge of the holy gospell and thorow the ministracion of the holâ— sacramentes And therfore by his
lyfe tyme he dyd chose Apostles whome he receaued to be witnesses of all hys doctryne miracles enfourmyng them diligently helde nothyng backe from them For he sayeth vnto them Ye are my frendes yf ye do all that I commaunde you I wyll hence forth call you no more seruauntes for a seruant woteth not what hys Lorde doth But I haue called you my frendes for all that I haue heard of my father haue I opened vnto you Joh. â—v But for asmoche as they yet lacked vnderstondnge were forgetfull and had euer straunge ymaginacions of the kyngdome of Christ therfore whan he now ascended vnto heauen he charged them not to departe from Hierusalem but to wayte for the holy gooste whome he also gaue vnto them vpon the fiftieth daye after his resurrection that is vpon the tenth daye after his ascension euen the fiftenthe daye of Maye by the which holy goost they beynge illuminate spake with all maner of langagâ—â— and were myndfull of all that the Lorde had commaunded them aâ—oâ—e For the holy goost dyd not endew them with a newe doctryne but it that the Lord had taught them out of the lawe and the prophetes the same dyd he bringe to their remembraunce and illucidate all thinges prynted them more clearly in ther hertes For so sayeth the. Lorde in the gospell The conforter euen the holy gost whom the father wyll sende in my name he shall teache you all thinges and bringe all thynges to youre remembraunce that I haud sayde vnto you Therfore so longe as the Lorde was with them and tolde them all the matter of hys passion they were sorye and coulde not beare awaye all that he sayd vnto them But after that he was taken vp frome the erth in to heauen he sent the holy goost euen him whome the prophetes also had before that led them into all Christen veryte So whan they were endowed with the holy gooste they beganne accordige to the Lordes commaundemente to preach in all the world the foresayde matter of saluacion purged and obteyned onely by Christ and gotten by true faith For he had sayde Go your waye in to all the world and preach the gospell vnto all creatures Who so beleueth and is baptised shalbe saued c. And therwith comprendeth he both the poyntes whiche the Apostles vsed and practised euen the preachyng of the faith in Jesus Christ and of the ministracion of the sacramentes And how the Apostles doctryne was it is manifest out of the Actes of the Apostles But shortly and in a summe they preached amendement of lyfe and remission of synnes thorow Jesus Christ That is to saye howe that the whole generacion of man laye in the dominion of the deuel and in y e bondes of synne cursed and damned but God had mercy on vs all sente his soone in to this worlde to dye and with hys death to restore vs vnto lyfe and to wash vs with his bloude that who so euer beleueth in hym shulde not perish but haue eternall lyfe All this declared they out of the lawe and the prophetes proued that Jesus Christ whome they preached is the blessed sede promised vnto the fathers Who so is desyrous to haue a perfecte ensample of this declaracion he fyndeth two sermons of the famous Apostles Peter and Paul the one in the Actes of the Apostles the secoÌ„de chapter the other in the. xiii chap. There doth the holy Apostle open the mistery of our holy faith very excellently declaringe it from the tyme of Abraham vnto Dauid from him vnto Jhon the baptist There vpon sheweth he how Christ suffred dyed was buried and rose agayne from death All this confirmeth he with the scriptures of the prophetes At the last he concludeth the sermon after this maner Be it kowen vnto you therfore ye men and brethren that thorowe Jesus is preached vnto you forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all they that beleue are iustified from all thynges from the which ye coulde not be iustified by the lawe of Moses To this now also the sermon of Peter Yee all the scryptures of the Apostles do fynally accorde to the same effect Hereout also bring they y e doctrine of repentaunce and amendment of lyfe the rebuking of synne conslacions exhortacions and drawyng to all maner of good workes that folowe out of faith The speciall sacramentes whiche the lord dyd chefely institute and commaunde the Apostles to praise in the churche are holye Baptyme and the blessed supper of oure Lorde Jesus Christ Concernynge y â— first he saieth To me is geuen all power in heauen and in erth therfore go youre waye and teach all people baptise them in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy goost and teach them to kepe all that I haue commaunded you The other dyd he institute at the last supper For thus is it written in the holy gospell WhaÌ„ they were eatynge he toke bred and whan he had geuen thankes he brake it and gaue them sayeng Take eate this is my bodye whiche shall be geueÌ„ for you this do in the remembraunce of me So toke he also y â— cuppe whan they had supte and sayde Drynke ye all out of this This is my bloud of y â— new testament which shall be shed for the remission of sinnes With suche sacrameÌ„tes thorow outward visible stourmes for our infirmities sake pleased it the lord to shewe set before oure eyes his heueÌ„ly in visible grace not that we shuld continue still hanginge in the visible thing but that we shuld lyft vp our myndes and with a true beleue to holde fast to prynte sure in oure myndes to worshippe and to enioye the thinges that faith sheweth vs by the outward sacramentes With these outward sacramentes also hath it pleased him to opeÌ„ declare and shewe vnto vs his grace and louynge kydnesse Namely how that he geueth vnto vs him self and all his riches clenseth vs fedeth and moystureth oure soules wyth hys flesh and bloud that he is at one with vs and we with him so that we vse and practise the sacramentes with a true faith For the outward enioyeng of the sacramentes of it selfe alone doth not reconcyle vs wyth God but yf they be vsed with fayth than as Saynte Peter saieth Act. xv thorow faith doth God purifye the hertes With the sacramentes pleased it hym to leue behynd him a remembraunce of his giftes benefites to the intent that we shuld neuer forget them but prayse and thanke him therfore Morouer with vysible sacramentes was it his will to gather vs together and to marke vs in remembraunce of oure dewty how we are one body to gether and ought to applye our selues to all righteousnesse All which thinges are foude at lenthe in the scriptures of the Apostles As for the Apostles they mynistred the. sacramentes diligently puâ—râ—ly and symply and so without anye addicion distributed them vnto
law of the promes that is to saye the bequest and Testamēt of god is nothing mynyshed but that the summe remayneth wythout blemishe namely that saluacion is geuen vs frely But here myght one aske Seyng that the saluation is clearly ynough expressed afore the law and is ascribed onely vnto the grace of God why woulde God then adde the lawe why was he not contente wyth the Testament alone Therfore foloweth it nowe in Paull Why then serueth the lawe It was added bycause of transgression tyll the sede came that was promised These are Pauls wordes whyche are thus to be vnderstande The lawe was not geuen because of the promes to make it of none effecte and to teache that men are saued by workes and not thorow the grace and free lyberalyte of God but it was geuen because of transgression that is to saye because that the people of God in Egypte hadde transgressed the waye and truethe of theyr Fathers and knewe nomore what was synne ryghte or vnryghte wherein stode saluacion or dampnation for they were corrupte thorowe the longe dwellynge amonge the Ydolaters of Egypte Therfore dyd God ordeyne them the Lawe oute of the whyche they myghte lerne the wyll of God what Synne ryghte or vnryghte is and to know them selues to go in to them selues and to consydre how that the holy workes wyche God requyreth are not in theyr owne power for the whych cause all the worlde haue greate nede of a mediatoure And thus the lawe was geuen to furthur the promes namely that we thorowe the lawe myghte be led onely vnto Chryste For thus folowethe it in Pauls wordes And it was geuen of Aungels by the hande of the mediatoure A mediatour is not a Mediatour of one onely but god is one Is the lawe then agaynste the promyses of God God forbyd Howbeit yf there had bene geuen a law whych coulde haue geuen lyfe then no doute ryghteousnes shulde come of the law But the scripture hath shutte vp all vnder synne that the promise shoulde come by the faythe on Jesus Chryste geuen vnto them that beleue Before fayth came that is to say Jesus Christ in whome we beloue we were kepte and shutte vp vnder the lawe vnto the fayth whyche shulde afterwarde be declared Thus was the lawe oure scolemaster vnto Chryst that we myght be made ryghteous by fayth c. By these wordes of Paul may euery man vnderstande now for what cause the lawe was geuen and howe it is not contrary to the promes of the foresayd sede but rather bryngeth vs from oure selues and from all creatures only vnto Jesus Christ The law therfore confyrmeth the fyrste promes concernyng the blessed sede teacheth that we opteyne all saluacion in hym onely Howbeit it is also a rule of oure lyfe enfourmynge vs what we ought to do and what we ought to leaue vndone Yet on oure syde is all vnfruteful where faith is not But where faith is it ceasseth not thorowe loue to worke good accordynge to the law all honoure and prayse beynge referred vnto God to men nothyng but vnperfectnesse God also amonge hys people wrought many thynges wherby he set the cause of Jesus Christe clearly a fore the eyes of the people as it is expressed afore by the lande of the Passeouer Lykewyse is it where as Moses hanged vp as serpent in the wildernesse that al they whiche were stonge and poysoned of serpentes shuld beholde the brasen serpent hangynge not dye but be saued alyue Where as doutlesse the outward beholdynge of the brasen serpent saued not them that were poysoned but it was God whiche wolde so declare that hys sonne shulde be hanged vpon a crosse to the intent that euery one whiche were poysoned and defyled by the olde serpente and synne shulde beleue in the sonne of god and lyue in hym For so is it written Sapien. xvi They had a token of health accordinge to the commaundemente For who so conuerted was not made whole by the outwarde thynge whiche he sawe but by the whiche art the restorer of health Sauiour of all And yet saieth Christ more clearly Joh. iii. And lyke as Moses set vp the serpent in the wildernesse euē so must the sonne of man belifte vp that whosoeuer beleueth in hym shulde not perishe but haue eternall lyfe And as touchyng thys the holy Apostle Paul bringeth in another sentence .i. Cor. x. and sayeth Brethren I wolde not haue you ignoraunt of thys that oure fathers were all vnder the cloude and all passed thorow the see and were all baptised vnder Moses in the cloude and in the see and dyd all eate one spirituall meate dronke of one spirituall drynke But they dranke all of the spirituall rocke that folowed thē which rocke was Christ Besydes thys yf we considre the declaratiō of the lawes of the first table which teacheth how we shall behaue oure selues right towarde God to loue worshyppe honoure hym to serue hym and to cleue onely vnto hym we shall fynde in the same fyrst table the whole cause of Christ For all that afterward was ordeyned and appoynted concernynge the tabernacle the presthode and the oblations parteyneth to the summe of the first table for asmoche as the scripture and the mouthe of God calleth it hys lawe precepte commaundement vse and statute ordinaunce and seruyce And yf thou aske howe can god whiche is a sprete be serued without warde ▪ visible and fleshly thynges as the foresayde ceremonyes of the Jewes are I answere Suche outwarde rytes of the people of God were sacramentes and tokens of heauenly inuisible good thynges andwere not the heauenly ryches them selues Wherfore they nether serued ner pleased God that vsed and dyd soche seruyce without fayth and lyftinge vp of the mynde But they that put their trust in God cleuynge onely vnto hym and lyftinge vp their hertes hygher and remayned not in the vysible thynge those pleased god Where as they had but one altare and one place appoynted where they shuld do sacrifice It signified the crosse of oure Lorde Jesus Christe and that he shulde be offred vp but ones and that in one place for the syn ne of the worlde Therfore where as the hye prest also euery yeare wente in to the inwarde tabernacle with bloude It signified that oure Lorde Jesus shulde come in to thys worlde and shed hys bloud ones for all to forgeue and clense our synnes ▪ and so to ascende vnto heauen Yee all obletions and all sheddinges of bloud in the sacrifices of the olde fathers signified the death of oure Lorde Jesus Christe No thynge was clensed amonge them with out bloud whiche signifieth that all the pourgynge of oure vnclennesse is done by the bloude of Jesus Christe And all the yresthode whiche was ordeyned for to teache to praye and make intercession to offre and do sacrifice represented the office of oure Lorde Christe Whiche came in to thys worlde to teach vs
beleue to folowe and to serue Contrarywyse he forsoke God and so came he vtterly in to the bondage of the Deuell and darknesse And thus haue we now the goodnesse and faythfulnesse of God Agayne the wyckednesse great vnfaythfulnesse of man ¶ The fyrste and ryght foundation of our holy Christen fayth HEre now had the iust god occasion and ryght to expell man to destroy hym to dampne hym and to leaue hym vtterly to the deuel And the same also dyd hys ryghteousnes true the requyre For he had sayde In what daye so euer thou eatest of the fruyte thou shalt dye the deeth Contrary wyse the goodnesse and mercye of God requyred not vtterly to suppresse man a poore and naked creature In the meane â—eason was there founde awaye wherby the ryghteousnesse and trueth of god shulde be satysfied and in the whyche the mercy of god shulde specyally be exercysed and declare it selfe that is to say Chryste Jesus whyche is geuen vs by the manyfeste grace of god was offered for our synnes satysfied and recompenced the ryghteousnesse of God and so delyuered vs out of the bondes of the Deuell For he dyed for vs all in asmuche as god sayd In what day so euer thou eatest thereof thou shalte dye the deathe Therfore dyed Christ for vs all that throw hys death we myght lyue and be taken out of the kyngdome of darknesse and be sette in the kyngdome of the deare beloued sonne of God Thys deuyse of gods wysdome whych no doubte was determynate from euerlastyng was also directly opened vnto AdaÌ„ after the fall in maner folowynge Whan man had eaten of the frute of the forbydden tree immedyatlye hys eyes were opened in so much that he was ashamed whaÌ„ he sawe that he was naked â–ª Hytherto had he lyued in innocencye therefore beganne he now to couer hym selfe but wyth symple clotynge whych they trusted not muche to lyke as it is a â— vnprofytable that man of hym selfe wyll couer hys synn wythal sauynge that they sled from the Lord and hyd them selues from hym But the Lord folowed vppon the fugytiue put hym in mynde of hys decaye mysery and the lyfe that he was fallen from and sayde Adam â—here art thou Or knowest thou what misery thou art fallen into from great felicite Nowe shuld man haue knowleged hys faute but he shewed hym selfe styfnecked â–ª And the Lorde moueth hym styll to se yâ— he wyll knowlege hys synne and sayd â—ho tolde the that thou art naked Yee to helpe hym in the matter and to make hym confesse hys synne he sayeth moreouer â–ª Hast thou not eaten of the tree of the which I â—orbade the â—â—â— thou shuldest not eate But man was lothe to knowleg his synne and layed it first â—â—on the woman hys companion â–ª and the same dyd he with so froward and vnaduised wordes that a man maye easely see that secretly in hys hart he wyckedly and vnreasonably layed the faulte vpon God For he sayd not onely The woman gaue me of the tre to eate but added proudly thereto The woman whyche thou gauest me c. As though he shuld say Thou thy selfe art in the fault If thou haddest not geuen me the woman I had not ben disceaued And yet the righteous God gaue not hym the woman to disceaâ—e hym but to be an helpe to hym Wherfore appeareth it here agayne that the synne of maÌ„ was the more wylfull and greuous Yet for al thys dyd the gracious God proceade further and woulde proue whether he myght fynde anye knowledge of the synne wyth the woman the begynnynge and occasyon of the synne But nothyng at all coulde he fynde The one persone was as the other and they hoth had no power Therfore lyke as Adam put all the fault to the woman euen so â—ayâ—â—â—he woman all the faulte vppon the serpente that is vppon the deuell Whyche nature doth yet to thys daye â—leue in man But what man whych hath well coÌ„sydrâ—d â—his forsayde matter by hymselfe woldâ— noâ— saye or durst thyâ—ke that any parte of the promes of ryghteousnes and saluation of man were to be ascribed to hys owne power and deseruyng For asmuche as it is so manyfest how vnable aâ—â—â—â—stâ— man is of hym selfe whych doth nothynge but he peth synne vpon synne and dysohâ—dâ—ence vpon disobedience Agayn who is so blinde but he seyeth that all saluacion is to be ascrâ—bed to the onely merâ— grace and mercy of god For now foloweth it fyrst how god handled in thys matter Now whan all the complynt was made vpon the serpent the Lorde asketh and examineth the Serpente nothynâ—e at all for the dede was opeÌ„ nether was the serpent created of God to speake and wyth the deuyll was there no trueth Therfore doth the Lorde ryghteously curse â—hâ— serpent the deuell Unto the bodeâ—y sâ—rpeÌ„t also whom the deuell vsed as an instrumeÌ„t he geueth a sore curse and sayeth â–ª Uppon thy bely shalt thou go and erth shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy lyfe When thys was done it was ordeyned now first for man that accordinge to the righteousnes and trueth of God he shulde be punished also with the curse and with eternall death but for the causes expressed in the begynnyng of this chapter the curse was directed vnto Christ who also with cleare wordes was promised and so was lyfe in hym promised lykewise Therfore sayeth not the Lord now and cursed be thou maÌ„ because thou hast done agaynst my commaundement but And I will put enemyte betwene the and the woman betwene thy sede and hir sede the sâ—me shall treade the on the heade thou shalt treade hym on the ele Which is thus moche to saye Thou hast vsed the woman to the distruction of meÌ„ so that from hens forth they bring deth â–ª and by kynde nature are damned whan they are borne Therfore will I also vse the woman but to saluatioÌ„ for of the woman shall a sede or chyld be borne which shall breake thy beade power and kyngdome synne damnation and death howeâ—eit in hys manhode he shalbe troden downe and bytten That is Whan with his transgression hath deserued eternall death to that after the rigoure of my iustice he shuld perishe and belonge to the â—euell for euer neuertheles I will haue mercy vpon hâ—m and receaue hym to grace agayne â–ª but to the intent that my trueth and righteousnesse maye be satisfyed â–ª I wyll cause my sonne to take the very nature of man vpon hym Then will I that he take vpon hym selfe the curse and damnacion and dye and with his innocent death to take awaye that noysome deathand curse and so to set the generation of man out of death â–ª in to lyfe out of the dominion of the deuell in to his owne kyngdome out of darckneesse into light Thus â—â—e right foundation or ground of our holy fayth continueth fast and vnmoued in somoche as all the generation of man
Jordan whaÌ„ Christ was baptysed Thys is my deare beloued sonne in whome I am pacified or reconcyled Besydes thys the Lord gaue vnto Noe certayne lawes but none other then euen soche as he had geuen to hys fore fathers and written in their hertes The first pertayneth to mariage and bringynge vp of chyldren in the whiche is comprehended all that is written concernyng nurtour clenlynesse and temperaunce of care and bryngynge vp of chyldren in the feare of God vertue obedience and lerninge The seconde forbybddeth violence and diseate namely that no man shall eate bloude For it is a figuratyue precepte commaundynge that no man get hys lyuynge by murthur by oppressyng the poore by vsury by extorcion by falshode and disceate Moreouer all thynges lyuynge were subdued vnto hym and all meates were permitted hym In conclusion what soeuer concerned to loue God and their neyghboure the same is here renewed vnto Noe and his chyldren and requyred of them Of Noe came afterwarde all people yea amonge hys thre sonnes Japhet Sem and Cham he had both the sede of God of the froward serpent that is soche as had respecte vnto God and them also that regarded the deuell Of Cham came the Egipcians Assyrians Babylonians by and frome whome sprange ydolatrye offryng to ymages and frome whome false religion came vp first and was brought in amonge other nacions by the helpe of the olde serpent as amonge the Grekes Romaynes and other people By this is it good to vnderstande that our holy Christen faith is elder then anye other For here maye we se clearly that after a thousand and certayne hundreth yeares almoost in the eight hundreth or nyne hundreth yeare came vp the first begynnynge of the Heithens beleue offrynge to ymages and yet came it of wicked cursed men For cursed Cham was the begynnynge of the EgipciaÌ„s and Nimroth the vngodly extorcioner and tyrauÌ„te was the first founder of the kingdome of Babilon which kyngdome with the buyldinge of a mightie tower set forth his pryde Neuerthelesse the hande of God declared it selfe immedyatly as it is red in the eleuenthe chapter of Genesis Summa in the generation of Cham had the serpent great power howebeit in the posterite of Japhet also of whome the Almaynes come and in the posterite of Sem he had hys ysâ—ue lykewyse Of the progenie of Sem were borne AbrahaÌ„ Isaat and Jacob. Gene. xi And as it is sayd afore the syncere fayth was somewhat darkyned in Caldea therfore dyd God call Abraham out from the ydolatrie and renewed wyth hym the old true Christen fayth begonne wyth Adam and sayde Genesis .xii. Get the out of thy couÌ„tre and from thy kynred in to a laÌ„de that I wyll shewe the and I wyll blesse the and make a greate nacyon of the. And in the shall all the nacion of the earth be blessed Item in the. xxii Chapter speakethe God yet more clearly and sayeth In thy sede shall all the nacyons of the earthe be blessed Thys dothe Paull declare in the iii. to the Galathiaus and sayeth In thy sede whyche is Christe Therfore was the same now an other renewyng of the promesse of Christe the blessed sede For fyrst whaÌ„ he promised vnto Adam afterwarde was the promes renewed wyth Noe and now wyth Abraham And al thys now is but one promes one sauioure and one fayth AbrahaÌ„ also beleued in Jesus christ and was saued by fayth For Jesus christ sayeth hym selfe in the eyghte Charter of Johan Abraham sawe my daye and reioysed What is now the daye of Chryste but the clearnesse of y e holy gospell This lyght had he not bodely but sawe it wyth the eyes of fayth and the same made hym ioyfull and saued hym For Chryste is the true ioye of troubled consciences Thus became Abraham the father of all faythfull beleuers Roma iiii And yf we beleue and do as AbrahaÌ„ dyd then are we Abrahams chyldren and shall rest wyth him in hys bosome eueÌ„ in the kyngdome of God Luke .xiii. xvi xix Mat. viii Paull also to the Galathians in the .iii. chapter sayeth Yf ye be Chrystes then are ye Abrahams sede and heyres accordynge to the promes Out of thys fayth in Christ dyd AbrahaÌ„ ChristeÌ„ workes For with a good wyl left he hys own natyue countre all ydols and all ymages all mysfortune honger miserye toke he paciently he was not harde agagynst Loth hys neuye but ioparde his body and lyfe for the oppressed he was liberall mercyfull harberous he prayed ferueÌ„ty vnto God for the poore synners he suffred oppresion violence wronge and for Gods sake also he thought to sacrifice and offre vp hys own moost dearly beloued sonne Isaac Summa there is no reasonable good Christen worke but thou seyst it in y e lyfe of AbrahaÌ„ Therfore to vs also for an ensample of oure fayth and conuerâ—acion he is set forthe of the Lorde hym selfe and hys apostles thorow out the new Testament Here also is it manifest that our holy faith is elder then the Jewish faith For the Jewes do boaste them selues of the Circumcision and because they are called Jewes and Israel and that the lawe the presthode and the gods seruyce was geuen vnto them And yet Gene xv and .xvii. and Roma iiii is it euydent that AbrahaÌ„ was gods frende and iustified or made righteous or euer he was circuÌ„cysed For whan he was circuncysed he was 99. yeare old Gene. xvii Nowe was the promes made vnto hym many yeares afore The scripture also sayeth planely Abraham beleued God the same was couÌ„ted vnto him for righteousnesse Genesi xv So was it many yeares after or euer Israel Juda was borne of whome they haue taken their name The lawe also was geuen 430 yeares after the promes as Paull made the rekenynge Gala. iii. It foloweth therfore that oure christen fayth is 2048. yeares elder then the CircuÌ„cision and. 2449. yeare elder then the lawe the presthode ceremonies of the Jewes For from Adam vnto the floud were 1656. yeares And froÌ„ the floude vntill the departynge of Abraham out of Caldea 363. yeares From that tyme are rekened 430. yeares vntyll the departynge of Israel out of Egipte And on the. 50. daye after the departinge was the lawe geuen vnto Israel vpon mounte Sina Exo. 19. 20. And after certayn dayes was the presthode ceremonies appoynted them Where as God then made a couenaunt with AbrahaÌ„ whan he ordeyned the circuncision It serueth more to the coÌ„firmacion of oure holy christen faith then to the mayntenaunce of the Jewish ceremonyes Isaac and Jacob were Abraham chyldren not onely after the flesh but also after the sprete For they had the fayth of their father and graundfather Abraham put their trust onely in god thorow Jesus Christ and lyued a sober vertuos lyfe Of thys doth the scripture beare them recorde thorow out Jea Jacob whome the Lorde also called otherwyse Israell of whome
righteousnesse house and lande or punyshe the shamefull blasphemers ydolaters and persecuters of the holy fayth and not suffre them to haue all their malycious wyll Neuertheles thys must be done by them to whome god hath committed the swerde For thus sayeth the Lorde Who so taketh the swerde shall perishe thorow the swerde Matthe .xxvi. But specially in the battayls of gods people and of the vnfaytfull it commeth to pas and is expresly set before our eyes that god sayde to the serpent at the begynnyng Genesi iii. I wyll put enemyte betwene thy sede and the womans sede For the righteous are the sede of Christe the vnrighteous and vnfaytfull are the sede of the deuell Betwene these now se we greate discorde but specially thys that the faythfull do alwaye treade the serpente on the headde though they them selues also be bytten in the hele For the right faythfull beleuers afore the birth of christe in the tyme of the promes had no lesse trouble and persecution not onely because of synne but also for righteousnes and faythes sake then the faythfull after Chrystes byrth in the tyme of grace and perfectnes Therfore haue they small knowlege of the doinges of the faythful which saye that the people of olde were a victoryous people and gouerued corporally but that the people after Christes comminge are borne to suffre and to no victory or gouernaunce Neuertheles in these wonderfull tymes in the whiche gods people hadde now victory and anone were subdued and oppressed the true fayth continued vpright and vnblemished from Josue forth thorowe out all the iudges vntyll the tyme and raigne of Dauid Dauid also was a man that suffred moch thorow dyuerse and long trouble thorow miserable distresse and vexacion and thorow sore persecution without ceâ—ssynge beynge proued tryed and prouoked afore he was kynge Wherof the bokes of Samuel and the more parte of the Psalmes beareth recorde But after that he was promoted vnto the kyngdome by God whiche sayde I haue founde a man after myne owne hert he auaunced set forth and magnified the true fayth righte delygently Here also to the honoure of oure Lorde Jesu Christe wyll I shortly and by the waye declare what knowlege and faith thys noble kynge and prophete had of our Lord Jesu Thys wyll I do with the declaracion of the .c. xi Psalme whose wordes are these The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde Syt thou at my ryght hande tyll I make thyn enemyes thy foote stole In the fyrste verse Dauid knowlegeth the personnes in the holy Trinite the godheade also and the eternall kyngdome of Christe Thus lykewyse dyd our Lorde Jesus Christ vnderstonde and alledge thys verse in the Gospell Mathe .xxii. knowledgynge two of the personnes in the one onely godhead For he sayeth The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde Now is it certayne and vndenyable that he which speaketh he to whomought is spoken are not one but two personnes Yet is ther but one Lorde and god and they both the father that speaketh and the sonne to whome is spoken are the Lord therfore are they one of one substaunce and beynge they very true god Nether is the sonne lesse then the father There can also none be a father except he haue a sonne or a chylde Now is the euer lastyng father God therfore is the sonne also euerlastynge There is also but one onely euerlastinge without begynnynge Both the father and the sonne are eternal without begynnynge therfore are they one onely true God with the holy gooste Lyke as Johan also sayeth In the begynnynge that is to saye from euerlastinge was the worde and the worde was with God and the worde was god And immediatly therafter sayeth he that the worde is Jesus Christe our Lorde For it foloweth The worde became fleshe Therfore doth Dauid also call the sonne of god specially hys Lorde sayenge The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde And therfore calleth he Christe hys Lorde because he confesseth and beleueth that he is hys very naturall Lorde and god as Thomas also dyd knowlege My lord and my god Joh. xx Afterwarde calleth he hym hys Lorde because that after the nature of man he shulde be borne out of hys loynes For thorow out all the scripture is our Lorde Jesus called the soÌ„ne of Dauid And thus bothe Dauid knowlege two natures in Christ the nature of God and the nature of man That the kyngdome of Christ shall last for euer and that the kynde and nature of man shalbe exalted aboue all heauens aâ— Paul saieth hâ—b ii Dauid testifieth witâ— these wordes Syt thou at my ryghte haÌ„de tyl I make thyne enemies thy foâ—e stole For Marke sayeth in the .xvi. Chapter The Lorde was taken vp in to heaueÌ„ anâ— sytteth at the ryght hand of God â–ª Of thiâ— also fynde we i. Cor. xv Now he must â—â— des be very God in dede whyche reyâ—nethe for euer and to whome all enemâ—es muste be subdued yâ—a cast vtterly vnder hys fete Nowe foloweth the secondâ— verse The Lorde shall sende thy myghtye staf out of Syon thou shalâ— be Lord eueâ— in the myddes amonge thyne enemyes Here speketh he of the preaching of the holy Gospell and how the worlde shulde be conuerted vnto Christe and Chryste to reygne in the myddes of the worlde In the fyrste verse is spoken of the eternall kyngdome that he is very God lyuynge and reignynge for euer not onely in thys tyme but also after thys tyme eternally Bu here speaketh he specially of the kyngdome where as he reygneth here benethe thorow the Gospell For the staf the scepter the rodde of Chryste is the holy Gospell euen the power of god whych saueth all that beleue Roma i. Whyche maketh Christes enemies frendes and smyteth them downe that wyll not coÌ„uerte so that Chryste hath dominion and victory euen in the myddes amonge hys enemies It is he that wyth the spirite of hys mouthe slayeth the Antichristes Thys hys worde also and preachynges of the Gospell came forth fyrst from Syon or Hierusalem as Esaye Micheas Luke doth testifye Now foloweth the thyrd verse In the day of thy battayll or armye shall thy pâ—ople be well wyllynge the dew of thy byrth is vnto the in an holy maiestye oute of the wombe of the cleare mornynge Here with doth Dauid describe the glorious and victorious fayth of the christeÌ„ For whan the Gospell is preached there aryseth a conflicte betwene faith and infidelite betwene the sede of Christ and the serpent betwene ydolatrye and true godlynesse And the vnbeleuers persecute the Lorde Christe in hys membres that is to saye the faythfull but they are well conteÌ„t vtterly to geue ouer body honour and goodes theyr bloud and lyfe for gods truthes sake For the martyrs and they in the prymitiue Churche beynge gathered together of the Apostles and after the Apostles tyme haue thus kepte trueth fayth towarde the Lorde Christ and were wyllynge to dye â—or knowlegynge hym Afterward
the people of God Touching baptyme ther are many ensamples in the actes of the Apostles The supper of Jesus Christ had the Corinthians somwhat altered And whan Paull poynted them agayne to the true ordinaunce and right vse he taketh the symple wordes institucion of Jesu Christ without anye more addicion and layeth those before them commaundeth them to folowe the same and holdeth him therwith well content .i. Corinth xi And thus dyd the holy Apostles gather together all HeytheÌ„ and people thorow the preachinge of the gospell and mynistracion of the sacramentes in the church whose heade is Christ in whom they are buylded and preserued Morouer they dyd not layed them sore with any ceremonies For in the Actes of the Apostles the .ii. chap where as a perfecte shappe of a right Christen congregacion is descrybed we haue fyrst the â—eudinge of the Apostles amonge whom Peter dyd fyrst preach the gospell that is to saye repentaunce and forgeuenesse of synnes in Christ Jesu Then baptised he theÌ„ that were become the people of God Afterward foloweth it that they whych were become Christen contynued in the doctryne of the Apostles in prayer in breakinge of the bred in the foloshippe Here are the ryght substanciall poyntes of the Cristen church sufficiently expressed the doctryne of amendment of lyfe remission of synnes baptyme the contynuynge and increasyng in Christes doctrine prayer the holy supper of the Lorde and the feloshyppe that is loue kyndnesse and workes of mercy Now where as Act. xv it is ordeyned that the Heythen shoulde eate no bloude nor strangled it endured but for a tyme and theyr meanyng was therby to a voyde offendynge of the weake Otherwyse haue the Apostles euery where specially Paul very exnestly exhorted men to contynue by the doctrine that was shewed delyuered theÌ„ and to be at a poynte in theÌ„ selues to auoyde suche lernynge as was new and brought vp by men because they leade meÌ„ farre froÌ„ the trueth as we fynde Collos ii Philip. iii. i. Timoth. iiii vi and Titum i. And thus is it manifest that the apostles taught al natioÌ„s no newer strauge thyng but euen the same that they had receyued of the Lorde ☞ A conclusion that this fayth is the ryght true olde fayth whyche alway shall stonde sure THis holy vndefiled faith which the Lorde â—â—anted and set vp in all nations by the Apostles immediatly after the Apostles dysseasse was â—ore â–ª attempted by sondrye vncleaâ—e personnes whych brought vp false customes and misbeleuers and made perâ—ous sectes Besydes thys also was it sore persecuted wyth the swerde of tyrauntes But in all such daungers the trueth ouer came and had the victory For though the cytezins of the deuels cytye accordinge to the dispositioÌ„ of theyr patriarke Cain dyd mur thur â— all though falfe prophetes brought vp euell counsaill yet the cytye of God triumpheth and the bloude of innocent Abell and his brethren speaketh yet But after that the persecucioÌ„ was somwhath â—rassed and the persecuters sore and horrâ—bly punished for their bloude sheddinge the heresies also beinge well brought downe by faythfull shepherdes In the same rest also was oure holy fayth not a litle hurt For rest put a waye feare brought ydle felicite voluptuousnes and fleshly sekynge of riches and dominyon and so thorow couetousnes and ambisioÌ„ there was pouâ—ed great poyson in to the church wherby religion sore decayed For whyle the mynisters of the worde laboured more after riches then to perfourme their office and charge and to edt â—â—e the church they were pleased with supersticiousnes in steade of true religion Of â—â—uâ—s then folowed it farther that the singlenesse of fayth was forgotten newe lawâ—s made the olde rytes and customes ether peruerted or els vtterly ouerthroweÌ„ and abused wherby men came farrâ— from the doctryne and Christen ceremonies from the waye of trueth in to erâ—oure foo â—â—â—ly partly in to ceremonies of ydolatrye Here of commeth it that we haâ—â— now the abhomination of the popes power of pardons of masses for the deed and quycke of merites power and intercession of sayntes in heauen of worshyppinge their bones vpon eâ—th of ydols and vayne ornamentes pompe pryde of the church of hyred syngynge and prayenge in the temple and of the whole swarme of ydele religious All whiche thynges with other moâ— like fondnesse are nothing but new alteracions peruertinges and contrary to all olde ordinaunces hauynge no grounde in gods woâ—de and are cleane agaynst God though many hardnecked people are yet in a furye and braule for such hinges and wyll make all the world beleue that thys theyr foolishnes alteracion peruerâ—â—nge of Gods ordinaunce is the olde fayth And yet woâ—e they or wyll not knowe that theyr â—abling hath very litle grounde and that they yf they considred the matter as it is are very naked and miserable And though this papisticall religioÌ„ hath endured preuayled triumphed now certayne hundreth yeares yet hath God all waye sent his â—aythfull seruantes and had a litle holy flock of his owne like as afore tyme in the dayâ—s of the iudges oft the kinges of Juda and Israel and in the captiuite of Babilon though it was all moost at the worst afore at the coÌ„minge of Christ Like as it is also with vs the nyer the second commynge of Christ the worse is it in the world Neuertheles as I sayde afore God all waye set forth his worde and doth yet Contrary wyse the pope with his multitude and â–ª Machomet with his as it semeth and becometh very Antichristes haue hitherto vndertaken to suppresse the olde religion and to set vp hys owne ordinaunce vnknowne to oure fathers of olde tyme to bringe it in to possession and vnder y â— name of God and his holy church to sprede it vpon all christendome For out of y â— Actes and statutes of the pope and hys wanton spiritualtye and out of the lawes of Machomet it is manifest what the one hath taken in hand and done now more then 600. yeares and the other vpon a 900 yeares It is cuident yet also euen now wherto hys generall coun sayls and perliamentes do extende But not â–ª regardinge how he threnteneth â—nd faceth and how he garnisheth hys new and wanton religions with false but dissemblynge titles boastinge of many hundreth yeares many generall counsayles fathers holy men doctours vniuersities closters syngyng prayeng fasting almes geuinge deâ—plynge and telleth suche lyke All hys â–ª bragginge set a syde let vs cast hys relygion from vs take vpon vs vnfaynedly the true olde religion which hath endured sens the begynnyng of the worlde by the which all holy mâ—n haue euer loued worshipped and serued God knew nothinge vtterly of the Popes religion And yf we must for thys cauâ—e be hated and persecuted of the worlde well it happened euen so vnto all holy Prophetes before vs lykewyse and specially vnto Jesus Christe our Lorde