that the scriptures of the new Testament hang all together and referre them selues to the scriptures of the olde Testament so that these can not be right vnderstoÌ„d without the other nomore theÌ„ the glose without the text The text is the lawe and the prophetes the expositioÌ„ are the Euangelistes Apostles Now wyll we se what the worke of grace of the new Testament is In the .xlii. yeare of the empyre of Augustus after the begynning of the world 3974. yeares was Jesus christ the blessed promised sede borne of the vndefyled virgin and mayde Mary at Bethleem in the lande of Jewrye And though he as a very man was wrapped to clothes and layed in the cryb yet apeareth the angell of the Lord in greate clearnesse vnto the shepherdes and sayeth Feare ye not beholde I bryng you tidinges of great ioy which shall happen vnto all people For this daye is borne vnto you the sauyoure euen Christ the lord in the citie of Dauid The first newes and tydinges of the commynge of our Lord Jesê° Christ must the angell brynge and geue to the intent that it mighte be the more accepte of all the worlde All the holy men from the begynnynge of the worlde dyd hytherto longe sore after the promysed sede Therfore saieth the aungell now that he bringeth them tydinges of great ioye no doubte to them that were gone deed past to them also that now lyued to them that were to come afterward The ioye is this that Jesus Christ the sauiour is borne eueÌ„ the promised sede whiche shulde saue all the world from the power of the deuell cleÌ„se them from synne and delyuer them from damnacion Therfore sayeth the aungell moreouer Which shal happen vnto all people For vnto Abraham it was sayd In thy sede shall all nactons of the erth be blessed The same sayeth the angell is borne in the citie of Dauid euen out of Dauids kynred out of the whiche the prophetes testified that he shulde be borne whiche prophetes also for the same cause called him Dauid and the blossome of Dauid And this is now the grace of God that where as we poore synners beloÌ„ged vnto death and were in the deuels boÌ„des he sente his sonne to lowse and delyuer vs out of captiue This is the new Testament For Hieremy also testifieth heâ—of and sayeth This is the Testament that I will make I wâ—ll be their God and they shall be my people I wyll be mercifull to their vnrighteousnes and synnes wyll thynke vpon them nomore Hiere xxxi This full and perfecte forgeuenesse is not therfore called the newe Testamente as though their had bene no remission of synnes promes made longe afore vnto the fathers is now confirmed and renewed and the old figures that represented the same are abrogate Thus the Lord Jesus alone is set for the for the onely saluacion of all the worlde so that not onely we but all they which afore or after hys appearauÌ„ce or incarnacioÌ„ beleued on him were saued And at the birth of Christ there coÌ„meth to the foresaide angell the whole heauenly hoost which praysed God sayde Glory and prayse be vnto God in the height and peace vpon erth to men a good wyll And by this they teach vs what the dewtye thankfulnesse and knowlege of men is or ought to be in this behalfe that god hath done so great good forman Namely howe that they oughte to prayse God to haue a sure trust in hym and to be freÌ„dly and louynge one to another And the fulfilllyge of the lawe is loue from a pure hert out of a good conscience and of an vndissembled or vnfayned fayth i Timoth. â— In the fyftenth yeare of the Empire of Tâ—erius from the begynnynge of the worlde 4004. yeares came the worde of the Lorde to John the sonne of the preyst zachary in the wyldernesse and he went and preached vnto the people of Israell amendement of lyfe and forgeuenesse of synnes in Jesu Christ To whom he bare recorde that he was the fulfyllyng of the lawe the prophetes very God and man the onely and euerlastyng sauiour whych wyth the sacrifice of hys own body shuld clense the world from synne yea he poynted vnto hym wyth hys fynger and sayd Beholde thys is the lambe of God that takethe awaye the synne of the worlde And so perfectiye and wholy hangeth he all saluacion onely in Christe Jesus that he saieth planely Out of his fulnesse haue all we receyued grace c. Joh. i. Item who so beleueth in the son of God hath euerlastynge lyfe who so beleueth not in the sonne shall not se lyfe but the wrathe of God abydeth vppon hym Therfore dyd he also sende all hys disciples from hym and coÌ„maunded them to cleue vnto Christ He maketh no menâ—ion at all of any ceremonyâ—s figures nor oblations as necessary poyntes to saluacion but preacheth Christ purely and clearly Thys is manifest Johan i and .iii. Mat. iii. and Luk. iii The Lorde hym selfe also came vnto John was baptised And whan he had receyued baptime the heauen opened and the holy goost appeared in the fourme of a doue and there was a voyce heard â–ª from heauen saynge Thys is my beloued sonne in whome I am pacified to the intent that all the worlâ—e shuld haue wytnesse of Chryste the true sauyour not onely now by the aâ—ngels and by Johan the holyesâ—â— man of all but also from heauen and of God hym selfe and that we myght be the bolder to committe our selues wholy vnto hym WhaÌ„ he had receyued the testymony he wente in to the wyldernesse And lyke as our disease beganne in paradise by teÌ„tation Euen so at the tentatioÌ„ in the wyldernesse beganne the Lord our health and lyke as the father of vs al dyd eate the for bydden meate So dyd the Lorde not eate the meate that he myghte haue eaten but fasted fortye dayes and fourtye nyghtes Afterwarde came â—e amonge the people and beganne to preache saluacion sayng The tyme is fulfylled and the kyngdome of God is at hande repeÌ„t and beleue the Gospell Here wyth hath he healed all sores dryueÌ„ out deuels raysed vp the deed testifienge so by hys actes that he is Lord of all thynges and the true sauioure And of them whome he healleth asketh he nothyng he coÌ„maundeth them not to buylde hym a temple nether to geue hym blocke or stocke he requyreth no bodely thing but onely â–ª stedfast fayth and coÌ„fidence And to them whom he hath healed he sayeth go they waye and synne no more take hede that a worse thynge happen not vnto the â–ª And herewith all doth he teache in what thynge the substaunce of true religion lieth euen in a right true fayth and in an innocent lyfe that in oure conuersation we kepe our selues from all filthines Yee the thynge that some maâ— taketh for gods seruyce refuseth he as longe bablynge prayers vayne glorious
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
receaued the same at the custome of their father Who wyth hys wyfe Eua the mother of vs all was saued by none other worke or merite of maÌ„ but onely thorow and in the blessed sede of oure Lorde Jesu Christe ¶ That the holye Patriarkes also were Chrysten â–ª and saued by Chryste SUche faith in christ Jesu as we now haue spoken of dyd the holy father Adam no doute teache hys chyldreÌ„ that they also myghte plante in to theyr chyldren the promes of god his mercy and deuyce concernynge the Messias or Sauioure that was for to come And truly Abell had suche a notable fayth in god that the holy Apostle Paul wrote of hym after thys maner Thorowe faythe dyd Abell offre a greater sacrifice theÌ„ dyd Cain therby opteyned he wytnesse that he was ryghteous For god bare recorde to hys gyftes In asmuche then as it can not be denyed but that all they whych are iust ryghteous he made ryghteous thorow the blessed sede And Abell was iustifyed It foloweth that he was made ryghteous thorow fayth in Jesus Chryste In that he dyd sacrifice it is a token frute of a hart that was thankfull and feared God It was no suche interpryse that he wolde clense and make hym selfe accepte vnto God thorow that outward sacrifice For certayne it is that no outward oblacion purifieth man wythin But the grace of god graunted vnto vs thorowe Jesus Christ purifieth vs a right And the out warde sacrifices of the olde fathers besyde that they were tokens of thankfulnesse prayse and magnifyenge of God as it is sayde afore were figures of the onely perpetuall sacrifice of our sauiour Christe And in this behalfe they were eueÌ„ asmoche as sacramentes of thinges to come Thus also and in lyke vnderstondynge haue oure first fathers done sacrifice as hereafter it shall folow more largely Nowe lyke as in Abel there is set forth vnto vs an ensample of Gods sede of a regenerate true faithfull Christen man So is Cain a sede of the serpent a chylde of the deuell which despysed the inspiracion of God and harkened to the disceatfull serpent And in these two brethren we maye se what God meaned whaÌ„ he sayd I wyll put enemyte betwene the sede of the woman and thy sede As though he wolde saye There shalbe two maner of people the one shall cleue vnto Christ the blessed sede the other shall cleue vnto the deuell And these two generacioÌ„s shall in no wyse a gree but be at variavnce in fayth and religion I will endew my sede that they shall cleue onely vnto me feare me honour and worshippe me seke all saluacion in me thorow the blessed sede lyue vertuousâ—y honestly soberly Then shal the serpent tempte their â—ede with ypocâ—ysye not to loue me ner serue me right not to holde of me as they shulde not to trust in me but to loue the worde to folowe the lustes and tentacions therof All thys fynde we here in these two brethren in whome begynneth the firste difference of true and false beleuers For Abel was simple godly and of a constant faith in God And in asmoche as he toke God for his refuge he broughte hym giftes of hys bâ—ste substaunce no doubte because he had first geuen ouer hys soule and all hys power vnto God at whome alone he soughte all good without any ypocrisye He was also innocent â–ª veriuous and frendly and folowed not hys owne tentacions And for thys faithes sake dyd hys sacrifice please God but Caines pleased hym not for hys hert was not right with God he was a dissembler gredye vnfaithfull personne which set hys hert and mynde vpon erthlye thynges allwaye despysinge Gods worde and folowyng his owne tentacion Whiche thynge was euydeÌ„t in thys that he hauynge no cause onely of a wilfull hert and thorow the tentacion of the serpent murthured his own brother Wherby he hath opteyned to be the arâ—hfather of all murthurers whiche persecute and murthur the sede of god that is to saye the true beleuers onely for their faithes sake â–ª Thus became abel the firste martyr and instrumente of god and yf Christ in the holy church For these two brethren haue set forth before vs the wole battayl stryfe which the worlde the cytye of the deuelâ— the chyldren cytesyns of the cursâ—d cytye wherin the serpent is heade and master and hath the dominion shal make agaynst the cytie and cytesyns in whome Christe is the heade vnto the ende of the worlde The fre men of the cytie of God and of Christe do â—leue onely vnto God serue hym with all theyr hart buylde only vpon Christe The cytesyns of the serpent despyse god yet make they theyr boaste of God to whome also they offer and do seruice but not as they ought to do Now whaÌ„ they perceyue that theyr fayth is not ryghte and that theyr ypocrysie is spyed and myslyked then fall they to murthurynge to the whych god is an enemy and forbyddeth it wyth hys worde For Cain also exhorted he from hys purpose sayd Thou nedeste not to arme the because of thy brother for thou haste none occasyon to be angry wyth hym For yf thou doeste ryght thou shalte fynde it and haue ioye therof but yf thou doest not ryght then is thy mysfortune synne and trespace opon and thou shalte shame destroye thy selfe Thy brother goeth on wythout faulte he shall do the no hurt nor harme he shall also not be Lorde ouer the nor myny she thy â—yght Yea he shall haue respecte vnto the and thou shalt haue dominion ouer hym and so kepe thy byrth right styll remayn the fyrste borne although hys sacrifice be acceptable vnto me and not thyne Ceasse therfore from thy wicked purpose and offende not agaynst thy brother But Cain dyd as al vngodly do For he went forth and sâ—ue hys innocent brother And afterwarde whan the Lorde wolde haue brought hym in to the knowlege of hys great synne and pardon hym he despised the voyce of the Lord with crakyng and facynge For the which cause the lord was wrothe with hym and cursed hym Then dispayred he first and went forth became yet more wicked dealt altogether vngodly set first his mynde vpon earthly thynges thought to exalte hys name vpon erth and buylded the fyrst cytye whiche he called Hanoch he begat sonnes daughters but litle feare of God was before their eyes in so moche that the scripture sayeth Adam layâ— with his wyfe agaâ—â—e and she bare a sonne whome she called Seth. For God sayde she hath geuen me another sede for Abel whome Cain â—lew Seth also had a sonne and he called hym Ends. And than beganne men to call vpon the name of the Lord Out of the whiche wordes it is easie to vnderstonde that as touchynge holy Adam he helde no more of Cain then as thoughe he neuer hadde chylde For Adam feared God Cain with hys progenye
the worlde begynnynge of all nacions and of the Patriarkes and olde ryghteous seruauÌ„tes of god of theyr faith and conuersacion of the promises workes â—e god The same wrote he as he was inspired of the holy goost and as he had receaued of olde fathers and somwhat as he founde in the bokes of the Egipcians For Moses was excellently well lerned in all wysdome of the Egipcians as Steuen doth wytnesse of hym Act. vii The other thre bokes wrote he of hys owne tyme accordynge as he hym selfe was present sawe and knewe And specially the seconde koke concernynge the departynge out of Egipt how the people of god were oppressed in Egipte howe the Egypcians were punyshed how Israell was delyuered receaued the lawe and set vp a tabernacle wyth a gorgious seruynge of God In the thyrde boke whych is called Leuiticus are wrytten the spirituall lawes namely suche as concerneth the preestes and the presthode theyr office lyuynge knowlege sacrifices solempne feaste dayes rytes ceremonies and suche lyke In the fourth whyche is called Numeri he wryteth at length how they went thorow the wyldernesse and came to Jordane wyth a rehearsal of theyr ordre and nombre of theyr murmurynge also and punyshment and of certayne victories wyth a remembraunce of certayne lawes and statutes Besyde all thys he made yet an Enchiridion and summe of all the Actes of hys tyme and of the lawe of God whyche is called Deuteronomium the same coÌ„maunded he to be layd in the Arke at the moc oÌ„ of God and that it shulde be red vnto all the people as it is mencioned Deut. xxxi And in these fyue bokes geuen vs of God by Moses is the whole grounde of oure holy faythe For all the Prophetes afterwarde grounded them selues vpon the same and wrote therout lyke as afterwarde our Lorde Jesus and the Apostles poynte vnto Moses Nether dyd euer any ryghte wyse man of vnderstandyng and that feared God doute any thynge or blaspheme suche scriptures And from suche true seruauntes of God haue we hytherto receaued our matters in wrytinge Thus much haue I sayd concernynge the lawe howe it is no newe thynge but euen the onely wyll of god but now compre hended in wryrtynge Moreouer that all the law poynteth vnto Christ and that all men of ryght vnderstandynge whyche lyued vnder the law were Christen For manifest is it that Paull sayde Roma x. Christ is the ende of the lawe to iustifie euery one that beleueth And Galathia iii. Or euer faith that is to saye Christ came we were kepte and shut vp vnder the law vnto the fayth whyche shulde afterwarde be declared Thus was the law our scolemaster vnto Christ that we might be made ryghteous by faith All thys I suppose wyll be new and starunge in many hertes neuertheles I truste that all they whyche haue vnderstandyng do se and knowlege that thys is the true olde ryght and godly Dyuinite and Theologye whyche ascrybeth all honoure vnto god the father thorow oure Lorde Jesu Christe in the holye goost To whome be glory and prayse for euer Amen ¶ All vertuous kynges and the people of Israell trusted vnto Christ and not to the lawe AFter that the law was geuen and the gods seruice set vp Moses the seruaunt of God dyed beynge an hundreth and twentye yeare olde and at the commaundement and commission of God he lefte gods people to be ruled and gyded by the faythfull valâ—auntâ— Josue whyche also was a figure of oure Lorde Jesu For lyke as it was not Moses but Josue that brought the people in to the lande of promes Euen so are we brought in to the eternall reste not by the workes of the lawe nor thorow our own deseruing but by the grace thorow Jesus Christ lyke as it is also wyth many wordes expressed of holy Paul Heb iiii This Josue no doute dyd kepe maynteine and defende gods fayth and religion with the sprete and vnderstandynge thereof and taught other to keye the same â–ª lyke as he thoroâ—e gods inspiration receaued it of the fathers by Moses Whyche thynge thoughe it be euydent in many poyntes yet is it manyfeste specially by thys that he wolde not suffre the chyldren of Rubâ—n and Gâ—d and the halfe tribe of Manâ—sse to set vp and haue another auture beside the onely autare that the lord had appointed them For here in as it is mencioned afore was figured the vertue and perfectnesse of the onely crosse death and sacrificyng of Jesu Christe Therefore wolde not Josue that any thynge shulde be set check mate wyth the cross and oblacion of Jesu Christ but that all honour of cleÌ„synge and forgeuenesse of synnes shulde be ascribed onely vnto hym Where as Josue now and other iudges rulers princes and kynges of Israell after hym vsed sore great warre stroke many horrible battayles destroyed muche lande and people and shed mens bloude without measure he dyd it as a chefe head and as an instrument and vessell of God at the commaundemente of God whyche wolde so punyshe the ydolatrye the great synne blasphemy of the vngodly whych he had longe suffred and exhorted them to amendement but for all hys pacient abydynge they woulde not conuerte Those now dyd he rote out thorowe the swerde of hys beloued frâ—ndes somtyme delyuered he hys people wyth the swerde of the ryghteous and saued them from the haÌ„de of theyr enemyes For because of the synnes of hys people he gaue them ouer somtyme in to the hande of theyr enemies to nurtoure and correcte them wyth the rod then fell the people of God â—â—ede before theyr enemies and were subdued and opprest of the vngodly tyll they knowledged their synnes called vpon god and amended puttynge their truste in good onely thorowe the blessed sede worshyppynge hym onely callynge vpon hym and honourynge hym accordynge to hys worde castynge a waye straunge god seruyce and ydols that shamefull blasphemous and vn godly lyuynge Then sente he them hys helpe and delyuered them in hys power by the ministration of hys appoynted captaynes And soche warrynge delyuerynge and punyshinge was no fleshly vnfaithfull worke whome no man oughte to folowe as some beynge wrapped with the vnstedfast sprete of the Manichees and Ana baptistes do meane For Paul expresseth clearly And what shall I saye of Gedeon Barach Samson and Jephthae Dauid and Samuel and the Prophetes whiche thorow faith subdued kyngdomes wrought righteousnesse opteyned the promyses stopped the mouthes of Lyons quenched the violence of fyre escaped the edge of the swerde of weake were made stronge became valeaunt in batayll turned to flyght the armyes of the aleauntes Hebre. xi All which workes the holy Apostle prayseth and commendeth as excellent workes of faith Therfore are they no workes of the flesh nâ—ther is it now contrary to the holy faith yf Christen rulers delyuer their innocent people whome God hath subdued vnto them from wrongfull violence and defende their libertye
describeth he also in the foresayde verse the pure and holy Conception and byrth of our Lord Jesu Chryst And thys doth he wyth a goodly similitude sayeth Thy byrth shalbe holy and very excellent not vncleane as the byrthe of other men For lyke as the dew out of the cleare heauen out of the fayre mornynge is borne as it wereout of a mothers wombe EueÌ„ so also shalt thou be borne holy and cleane of an vndefyled virgin Wherof thou findest more instruction Luke i. The Lorde hath swome and it shall not repeÌ„t him thou art prest for euer after the ordre of Melchisedech In thys fourth verse descrâ—beth he the office of Jesu Christ how that he is ordeyned of God to be one onely preist for euer whych shuld offer vp hym selfe for the synne of the world and alway appeare in the syght of God the father and to praye for vs. All thys doth holy Paull declare at large to the Hebreues in the .v. vii viii ix and. x chap. And specially in thys verse is grounded all that is red thorowe out the scripture of the merites of Christ of the forgeuyng of sinnes of righteous making of beynge mediatoure and that he alone is the onely saluation aduocate satisfaction and ryghteousnesse of the faythfull The Lorde is at thy ryght hand he in the tyme of hys wrath shall wounde euen kynges Thys fyfth verse teacheth howe God wyll ener more and more stand on hys soÌ„nes syde further hys cause and brynge downe and destroye those kynges princes and Lordes that wyl not amende and beleue in Christ but wyll rather prouoke his wrathe then â—elyre hys grace Whyche thynge Herodes Nero Domicianus Maximinus and Julianus haue proued Yet foloweth the syxte verse declarynge the fyfth He shall iudge amonge the Heythen and fyll all full of deed bodyes and smyte the heade on the wyde grounde Christ is also preached vnto the HeitheÌ„ and reigneth among theÌ„ but many wythstande Chryste and them dothe he iudge And lyke as a kynge ouercommeth hys enemyes wyth a battayle and couereth the whole playne wyth deed bodyes visiteth also and smyteth the head of the warre the head cycie of the enemies EueÌ„ so doth Christ to his enemies and destroieth their power and kyngdome All whych thynges we haue sene in the olde vnchristeÌ„ empyre of Rome and in many other potentates and powers But specially he breaketh the head of the olde serpent accordyng to the promes Gene. iii. And at the laste shall he come to iudge the quycke and deed and destroye hys enemyes for euer Out of the broke in the way shall he drynke therfore shall he also lyfte vp the heade Fynally and in the seuenth verse he describeth the passion of Christ and his glory In the waye sayeth he that is in hys lyfe whyle he is in thys miserie He shall drynke oute of the broke that is he shall suffer be ouercome For to drynke out of the cuppe is asmuche as to suffer But to drynke oute of the broke is to be altogether full of trouble to be vexed and â—ormeÌ„ted wythoute victory and vtterly to be ouerwhelmed wyth a broke strong streame of troubles Thus was it hys mynde to declare the passion of Christ After the passioÌ„ foloweth the glory wyth the resurrection and ascensioÌ„ Paul Philip. ii speaketh of both and sayeth Chryste humbled hymselfe and became obedieÌ„t vnto death euen the deathe of the Crosse Wherfore God hath exalted hym and geuen hym a name whyche is aboue all names c. Thus muche be spoben of thys Psalme and of Dauids vnderstandyng â—hych he had of Christ Jesu and of the christeÌ„ faith Upon thys I maruayll yf after so euidente testimonies there be yet any man whych perceaueth not that Dauids faith and vnderstandyng of Christe was euen one fayth and vnderstandynge wyth the fayth that we knowlege and say I beleue in one God father alymightye c As it is in the xii articles of the Chrysten faythe For the holy trinite in one godheade doth he knowlege not onely here but also in the .xxxiii. Psalme sayenge Thorowe the worde of God were the heaueÌ„s made and all theyr power thorow the sprete of hys mouth For certayne it is that there is but one onely God maker of heauen and of erth but here is the trinite called Lord or God worde and sprete Nether is there any thynge in the Articles of the beleue concernynge the Godhead and manhode of Christ of hys concepcion byrth passioÌ„ crosse and death of the resurrection asceÌ„sion and iudgement but ti is clearly comprehended here in thys Psalme The articles of the holy churche of forgeuynge of sinnes the resurrectioÌ„ of the fleshe and an euerlastynge lyfe are conteyned in thys Psalme and are treated vpon yet more clearly and wyth many moo wordes very substantially in other Psalmes of Dauid Therfore had he our holy fayth knowleged the same was saued therein and of all holy meÌ„ was called the father of christ wyth hye commendation bycause of the promes that was made vnto hym Moreouer all the holy Prophetes folowynge had respecte vnto Dauid as to another Moses and toke many thinges out of his wryttynges For there is scace any other that so clearly wrote of the cause of christ as thys prophet Dauid and therfore hath he honoure and prayse aboue other in Israel Of whome thou readest also â–ª Eccle. xlvii Such fayth and confidence in God thorow Jesus Christ had Dauid oute of the holy goost and out of the doctrine of hys Prophetes Samuel Nathan Gad and of other hys preistes whych also had the same of God and of the holy fathers specially of Moses And no doute he desired the honoure of God and of hys soÌ„ne not to kepe it onelye hym selfe but also muche rather to requyre it of all hys people Wherfore no doute he set vp and furthured thys hys fayth and religion amoÌ„g all hys men of warre kynstolke in al hys courte Edominion before the whole congregation and in all hys kyngdome soâ— diligently ernestly and feruently that afterwarde certayne hundreth yeares they whych beleued ryghte lyued well were praysed for walkyug in the wayes of Dauid theyr father They also that dyd euell and set not forth the true fayth of them is it wryten They walked not in the wayes of Dauid theyr father Of thys hast thou many ensamples in the bokes of the kynges and in the Cronicles Many thynges also were forgeuen the kynges and all the people of Juda for Dauids sake that is for the promes sake mode vnto Dauyd euen for Jesus Christes sake whom Ezechiel calleth Dauid In the. iii boke of the kynges the xv chapter it is wrytteÌ„ thus The hert of Abia was not ryght toward hys Lord God as was the hart of Dauid hys father And for Dauyds sake dyd the Lorde geue hym a lyghte at Hierusalem so that at HierusaleÌ„ he set vp hys sonne and
Histaspis or Artaxerres in the whiche the cytie was buylded Nâ—hemie v. vntyl the .xlii. yeare of the empire of Augustus vnder whome Christ was borne Luce. ii The aungel also gaue Daniel farther in formacion of Christ how that hys owne people shulde slaye hym fynde no fault in hym and howe that the sacrifice with the ceremonies shuld ceasse And a strauÌ„g people saieth he shall come from farre make the temple with the citte an horrible abhominacion â–ª yee they shall destroye and breake downe altogether All whiche thinges were afterward fulfylled in the last wekes that is within .c. vii yeares or there about For within .c. iii. yeares dyd Lorde growe to teach to suffre For whaÌ„ he was .xxx. yeare olde I hoÌ„ baptised him Afterward within .iii. yeares was he put to death so within .xl. yeares folowed the destruction of HierusaleÌ„ by Tytus Uâ—spasian All the tyme now yeares froÌ„ the captiuite of BabiloÌ„ to Christes birth are 626. yeares For the captiuite of BabiloÌ„ endured .lxx. yeares In the firste yeare of Cirus were they delyuered in the second yeare beganne they to buylde the teÌ„ple and buylded 46. yeares â—â—eÌ„ vntyll the vi yeare of Darius In the. 32. yeare of Darius was the citie fynished which maketh 143. yeare Adde now hereto the. 483 yeares out of Daniel thou hast the foresaid summe euen 626. yeares In the sayd yeares had oure holy fayth sore conflictes and the sede of the serpent preassed sore vpon the sede of God as the Babilonians at Babilon and the Perfians whan the people of God was come home agayne Neuertheles the trueth had euer the victory was the more clearly testified by Daniel Haggeus zachary Esdras Nâ—hâ—mias Malachy Afterwarde were they specially opprest bi the vngodly kyng Antiochê° in the tyme of the Macha bees Whan as the tymes were euer the longer the more full of parels aduersite vntyll Aulus Gabinus PoÌ„peius Crassus captaynes of Rome coÌ„quered the laÌ„d the true olde religion was vtterley gone in so moch that out of the olde serpeÌ„t there arose in Israel all maner of secâ—es Symonye whome oure Lorde Jesus Christ with his commyng in the world resisted and called them the serpentes generacion as the holy Euangelistes testifye Not witstandyng in the myddes of such mischefe in Israell there were also godly vertuous people which sought God and hys anoynted though the erroure was greate Amonge whom no doute was specially the Prest zacharias the father of Jhon Baptyst Elizabeth his wyfe and godly Simeon Whan zacharias had knowlege of the Lordes commynge he sayde with a ioyful hert Praysed be the Lorde God of Israell for he hath visited and delyuered his people and set vp the horne of saluacion in the house of Dauid his seruauÌ„t accordynge as he had promised afore by the mouth of holy prophetes c. For his wordes are red Lu i. Simeon when he sawe the childe Jesus in the temple and had taken him in hys armes he sayd Now Lord let me dye in peace according to thy worde For myne eyes haue sene thy sauyoure whom thou hast prepared before the face of all people that he myght be a lighte to geue light vnto the Heythen and the glorye of thy people Israel Luc. i lo thus the hertes of all righteous in the olde Tessament from Adam vnto Christ euen 3974. yeares haue stande onely vpon Christ in him was their comforte vpon hym they trusted it was he whom they longed for and in Christ Jesu were they saued Therfore hath oure Christen fayth endured sens the begynnyng of the worlde and is and continueth styll the onely true olde vndoubted fast grounded faith ¶ Of the tyme of the greace of Christ and how that he him selfe testifieth that the saluacion of all the worlde stondeth onely in hym HIther to haue I set for the tyme of the promyses in the whyche God thorowe the promysed â—de oure Lorde Jesus Christe conforted clensed and preserued all hys seruauntes and deare frendes There haue we lerned sene that the Christen fayth which hath endured sens the begynnyng of the worlde is the eldest vndoubted right and true faith which all holy Patriarkes had in the which they serued God and pleased him as Adam Seth Enoch and Noe Item Abraham Isaac Jacob Lykewyse the excellente highlye endewed propheet yee the father foregoer of all prophetes euen greate Moses his brother AaroÌ„ the holy Prest Eleazar and Phinees The excellent dukes also Judges Josue Gedeon and other moo Euen so lykewyse the kynges Dauid Ezechias Josaphat Josias The dearâ—i beloued of God and excellent prophetes Samuel Helias Isaias Daniel zacharias and all the other This holy fayth also had all ryghteous and such as were of godly vnderstondinge in all the congregacions of Israel froÌ„ the begynning In this were saued all they that froÌ„ the beginning were preserued ordeyned to saluacioÌ„ wherfore what soeuer they can alledge agaynst this faith whether it be coÌ„cerning holymeÌ„ olde age multitudes lerned men generall counsayls coÌ„uocations or perliameÌ„tes fathers actes statutes tokens and wonders It is all nothinge worth and is not to be reputed in comparison of oure holy faith as euery one that hath vnderstonding maye se in this treatise afore And though my purpose be now fynished euen declared out of the scripture that the Christen faith hath endured sens the begynning of the worlde Yet wyl I adde a shorte instructioÌ„ concernynge the tyme of grace perfourminge of all promises and I wyll declare that God now also thorow the appearinge of his sonne wolde bringe in to the worlde and set forth none other religion none other faith nether anye other saluacion then euen the same which was showed to the olde fathers Sauynge that now all thinges are more euydent more clerly practised accomplished fulfilled and perfourmed for the whych cause also all figures sacrifices and ceremonies do ceasse For in Christ is all perfection Yet shall we not therfore cast awaye the olde Testament as some ignoraunt vnlerned and foolysh people do but haue it in greater reputacion for asmuch as we know now thorowe Christ what euery thinge signifieth wherfore euery thinge was thus thus ordeyned vsed spokeÌ„ Now shall euery man fyrst haue a corage to reade the lawe and the prophetes whaÌ„ he seyth wher vpon euery thyng goeth And thus also at the begynnyng dyd the holy apostles preach Christ vnto the Jewes out of the lawe and the prophetes as it is oft tymes mencioned in the actes of the Apostles And our Lord him selfe whaÌ„ he weÌ„t with the two disciples towarde Emaus preached so vnto the that theyr hertes brent within them he begaÌ„ne at Moses wente thorow all the prophetes and opened vnto theÌ„ the old scriptures shewed them that so it behoued Christ to fuâ—â—re and to entre in to his glorie Thys is the cause also