Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 2 · Decade 4 · Sermon 1

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Sermons 2 · Decade 4 · Sermon 1

p. 525The fourth Decade of Sermons, written by Henrie Bullinger.

¶ Of the Goſpell of the Grace of God, who hath giuen his ſonne vntounto the worlde, and in him all thinges neceſſarie to ſaluation, that wee beleeuing in him, might obteine eternall life.

The firſt Sermon.

AFter the expoſitiō of the lawe, and thoſe poyntes of doctrine, that depende vppon the lawe, I thinke it it beſt nowe to come to the handling of the Goſpell, which in the expoſition of the lawe & other places elſe hath bene mentioned often times. Nowe therefore (dearely beloued) as I hauehave béene hitherto helped with your prayers to God, ſo here againe, I requeſt your earneſt ſupplications with mee to the father, that I by his holie ſpirite may ſpeake the trueth to your edification in this preſent argument.

Euangelium, is a Gréeke woorde, Euangeliū the goſpelbut is receiued of the Latines & Germanes, and at this day, vſed as a worde of their owne. It is compounded of foreign which ſignifieth good, and foreign to tell tydings. For Euangelium ſignifieth the telling of good tydings, or happie newes: as is wont to be blowen abroade, when the enimies being put to foyle, wee rayſe the ſiege of any citie, or obteine ſome notable victorie ouer our foes. The worde is attributed to any ioyfull & luckie newes concerning any matter luckily accompliſhed.

The Apoſtles did willingly vſe that terme: not ſo much becauſe the Prophets had vſed it before them, as for that it doth wonderfully conteine, and doth, as it were, laye before our eyes the manner, and woorke of oure ſaluation accompliſhed by Chriſte, wherevnto they hauehave applyed the worde Euangelium. The Prophet Eſai. 61. Luke. …Isa 61Eſaie, as Luke interpreteth it, bringeth in Chriſte our Lorde ſpeaking in this manner: The ſpirite of the Lord vponupon mee, becauſe he hath annoynted mee, foreign, that is, to preache the Goſpell hath he ſent me, to heale the broken harted, to preach deliuerance vntounto the captiue, and recouering of ſight vntounto the blind…, freely to ſett at libertie them that are bruſed, and to preach the acceptable yere of the Lorde. Lo here, the Sauiuiour of the worlde doe…h in the Prophet and the Euangeliſt expounde to vsus what Euangelium is, and wherevnto it tendeth. The father, ſayth hee, hath ſent mee to preache Euangelium, the Goſpell to the poore. And immediately after, to ſhew who thoſe poore ſhould bee, hee addeth: whiche are broken hearted, or broken minded, to wite, ſuche as finde in them ſelues no ſoundneſſe, or health, but vtterly deſpairinge of p. 526their owne ſtrength, do wholy depend vponupon the help of Chriſt their cunning and willing Phyſician. Nowe the Goſpell or good tydings, which is ſhewed to the afflicted, is this, that the ſonne of God is deſcended from heauen to heale the ſicke and diſeaſed ſoules. To which alſo, to make it more euident, hee addeth another cauſe, ſaying: that the ſonne of God is come to preache deliueraunce vntounto captiues, and the recouering of ſight to the blinde &c. For all men are helde captiue in the bondes of damnation: they doe all ſerue a ſorrowfull ſlauerie vnderunder their cruel enimie Satan: they are all kept blinde in the darkneſſe of errors. And to them it is that redemption, deliuerance, and the acceptable yere of the Lorde is preached. Now this ioyfull tydings is called Euangelium, the Goſpell.

Therefore the Gſpell is of all men …he Goſ…ll what ….in a manner after this ſorte defined. The Goſpell is a good and a ſweete worde, and an aſſured teſtimonie of Gods grace to vsus warde exhibited in Chriſte vntounto all beléeuers. Or elſe, the Goſpell is the moſte euident ſentence of the eternall God, brought downe from heauen, abſoluing al beléeuers from all their ſinnes, and that too freely, for Chriſte his ſake, with a promiſe of eternal life. Theſe definitions are gathered out of the teſtimonies of the Euangeliſtes & Apoſtles. For Sainct Luke bringeth in y^e Angel of the Lorde ſpeaking to the amazed ſhéepeheards, & ſaying: Feare not, for behold I bring you good tydings of greate ioye, that ſhalbe to all people: for vntounto you is borne this daye, in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour, which is Chriſt the Lorde.

Lo here, he taketh from the ſheepeheardes all manner of feare with the … of good tydinges, that is, w^t … of health, which is a … is full of ioye, and alwayes bringeth gladneſſe with it. The tydings are: that there is borne the Sauiour of the worlde, euen the Lorde Ieſus Chriſt: he is borne, and that too, vntounto, and for vsus, that is, to the health and ſaluation of vsus mortall men. Sainct Paule ſaith: That the Goſpel was promiſed afore of GOD by the prophets in the holie Scripture of his ſonne, which was made of the ſeede of Dauid after the fleſhe: who hath been declared to be the ſonne of god with power after the ſpirite that ſanctifieth, by his reſurrection from the dead. And againe: The Goſpell is the preaching of Ieſus Chriſte according to the reuelatiō, which hath beene kept cloaſe from before beginninges, but is nowe made manifeſte and by the writinges of the proph…ts opened to all nations vntounto the obedience of faith, according to the apointment of the eternall God. And yet againe more briefely he ſaith: The goſpell is the power of God vntounto ſaluation to all that do beleeue, that is to ſaye, the Goſpell is the preaching of Gods power, by whiche all they are ſaued that do beléeue. But Chriſte is the power of God. For he is ſaide to be the arme, the glorie, the vertue & brightneſſe of the father. Now Chriſt bringeth ſaluation to eueryevery one that doth beléeue: For hee is the Sauiour of all.

Of all this wee doe nowe gather The definition of the Goſpell.this definition of the holie Goſpell: the Goſpell is the heauenly preaching of Gods grace to vsus warde, wherein it is declared to all the worlde being ſet in the wrath and indignation of God, that God the father of heauen is pleaſed in his onelyonly begotten ſonne oure p. 527Lord Chriſt Ieſus, whome, as he promiſed of olde to the holy fathers, hee hath nowe in theſe latter times exhibited to vsus, and in him hath giuen vsus all things belonging to a bleſſed life and eternal ſaluation, as hee that for vsus men was incarnate, dead, & rayſed from the dead againe, was taken vp into heauen, and is made our onelyonly Lorde and Sauiour, vppon condition y^• we acknowledging our ſinnes, do ſoundly and ſurely beléeue in him.

This definition I confeſſe, is ſomewhat with the longeſt: but yet withall I woulde hauehave you thinke that the matter, which is in this definition deſcribed, is it ſelfe verie large and ample: which I hauehave therefore in this long definition or deſcription, w^t as greate light as I coulde, endeuoured my ſelfe to make manifeſt to all men. Wherefore, I neither could, nor ſhoulde hauehave expreſſed it more briefely. This definition conſiſteth of iuſt partes, which being once ſeuerally expounded and throughly opened, eueryevery man, I hope, ſhal euidently perceiue the nature, cauſes, effects, and whatſoeuer elſe is good to bee knowen concerning the Goſpell.

Firſt of all, that the Goſpell is tydinges That the Goſpell is tydings from heauen.come from heauen, and not begonne on earth, that doeth moſte of all argue, becauſe God our heauenly father did him ſelfe firſte preach that tydings to our miſerable parentes, after their fall in Paradiſe, promiſing his ſonne, who being incarnate, ſhould cruſhe the Serpents head.

Then againe, the Apoſtle Paule doth in expreſſe wordes ſaye: God in time paſt at ſundrie times, and in diuerſe manners, ſpake vntounto the fathers by the Prophets, and hath in theſe laſte dayes ſpoken to vsus by his ſonne.

And Iohn before him is read to hauehave teſtified, ſaying: No man hath ſeene God at any time: the onelyonly begotten ſonne, which is in the boſome of the father, he hath declared him. And againe: He that commeth from an high is aboue all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and ſpeaketh of the earth: he that commeth from heauen is aboue all: and what he hath ſeene and heard, that he teſtifieth. To this belongeth that the Prophets were beléeued to hauehave prophecied by the inſpiration of the holie ſpirite. Nowe they did in the holie Scriptures foreſhewe the Goſpell: the eſpeciall or chiefe poyntes whereof were by Angels deſcending from heauen declared vntounto men.

For the incarnation of the ſonne of God is by the Archangel Gabriel tolde firſt to the holie virgine, and after that againe to Ioſeph the ſuppoſed father of Chriſt, and tutour of the vnſpotted virgin. The ſame Angel did preache to the ſhéepeheardes the birth of the ſonne of God. Moreouer, to the women that came to the graue, mynding, after their countrie manner, to annoynct the bodie of the Lord, the Angels declared that hee was riſen from the dead againe. The ſame Angels at the Lordes aſcenſion did teſtifie to the Apoſtles, whoſe eyes were turned and ſurely fixed into y^e clouds, that he was taken vpp into heauen, & that from thence hee ſhoulde come againe to iudge the quick and the dead. And to all theſe teſtimonies may bee added the voice of the eternall father him ſelfe vttered from heauen vppon our Lorde and Sauiour, ſaying: This is my beloued ſonne, in whome I am pleaſed, heare him. Which teſtimonie of the father, the bleſſed Apoſtle Peter doth in the zeale of the Spirite p. 528repeate in the firſte Chapter of his ſeconde Epiſtle. Therefore, the preaching of the Goſpell is a diuine ſpéech, vnreproueable, and brought downe from heauen, which whoſoeuer beleeue, they do beléeue the worde of the eternall God: and they that beléeue it not, do deſpiſe and reiecte the woorde of God. For it ceaſſeth not to bee the worde of God, becauſe it is preached The Goſ…ell is the …orde of …d al…hough it … vttered …y the … of …en.by the miniſterie of men. For of the Apoſtles we do read that the Lord did ſaye: It is not ye that ſpeake, but the ſpirite of my father which is within you. And therefore we read that they departed not from Hieruſalem, vntill they were firſt inſtructed from aboue, and had receiued the holie Ghoſt. Neither is there any cauſe why the worde of God ſhould be tyed to the Apoſtles onelyonly, as though after the Apoſtles, no man did preache the word of God. For our Lorde in Saincte Iohns Goſpell doth plainly ſaye: Verily I ſaye vntounto you, hee that receiueth whome ſoeuer I ſende, receiueth mee: and he that receiueth mee, receiueth him that ſent mee. Nowe our Lorde the highe prieſt and chiefe byſhop of his catholique church, doeth ſende, not Apoſtles only, but al them alſo that are lawfully called, and doe bring the worde of Chriſt. Therefore we vnderſtand it to be ſpoken concerning all the lawfull miniſters of the churche, where the Lorde doeth ſaye: Whoſe ſinnes ſoeuer ye forgiue, they are forgiuen them: and whoſe ſinnes ſoeuer ye reteine, they are reteined. And againe: whatſoeuer thou looſeſt on earth, ſhalbe looſed in heauen: & whatſoeuer thou byndeſt on earth, ſhalbe bound in heauen. For in an other place the Lorde ſaith: Verily I ſaye vntounto you, it ſhall bee eaſier for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of iudgement, than for that citie that receiueth you not, & heareth not your ſayings. Nowe, who knoweth not with howe filthie & horrible ſinne the men of Sodome did defile them ſelues, and that the Lorde rayned fire, brimſtone and pitche frō heauen, wherewith he burnt vp both the citie and her inhabitants? Who therefore cannot gather therevppon, that rebels & blaſphemers of the Goſpell of Chriſt do ſinne more grieuouſly than the Sodomites did, and that God which is a ſure reuenger, will ſurely plague them for it, either in this life, or in the worlde to come, or elſe in both with vnſpeakeable miſeries and endleſſe torments? Let vsus therefore beléeue the Goſpell of the ſonne of God, firſte preached to the worlde by God the father, then by y^e Patriarches, after that, of the Prophets, and laſtely of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God Chriſt Ieſus, & his Apoſtles: whoſe heauenly voyce doth euen at this daye ſounde to vsus in the mouthes of the myniſters ſincerely preaching the Goſpel vntounto vsus.

Secondarily, wee hauehave to conſider The …ſp…ll …what it is that the heauenly preaching of the Goſpell doeth ſhewe vntounto the worlde, to wite, the Grace of God our heauenly father. For the Apoſtle Paule in the twentieth Chapter of the Actes, ſaith: that hee receiued the miniſterie of the Lord Ieſus, to teſtifie the Goſpell of the Grace of God. Nowe therefore, I will at this preſent ſaye ſo much of the grace of GOD, as is ſufficient for this place.

The woorde grace is diuerſly vſed The word …race.in the holie Scriptures, euen as it is in prophane writinges alſo. For in the Bible it ſignifieth Thankeſgiuinge: and alſo a Benefite, p. 529and almes. as 2. Cor. 8. Moreouer, it ſignifieth prayſe and recompence, as in that place where the Apoſtle ſaith: If when ye do well ye are afflicted, & yet do beare it: that is praiſworthie before God. It doeth alſo ſignifie facultie or licence, as when wee ſaye, that one hath gotten grace to teache, and execute an office. For the Apoſtle ſaith that he receiued grace: and immediately, to expounde his owne meaning hee addeth: to execute the office of an Apoſtle. Moreouer y^e gifts of God are called grace: becauſe they are giuen gratis, and fréely beſtowed without looking for of any recompēce. And yet Paule in the fifte to the Romanes, diſtinguiſheth a gifte from grace. For Grace doth ſignifie the fauour and good will of God towarde vsus. But a gifte is the thinge whiche God doth giuegive vsus of that good wil, ſuch as are faith, conſtancie, and integritie. They are ſaide to hauehave founde Grace with God, whome God doeth dearely louelove and fauour more than other. In that ſenſe Noah founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde: Ioſeph founde grace in the eyes of the Lorde of the priſon. And the holie virgin is read to hauehave founde grace with the Lorde, becauſe ſhee was beloued of God, and verie deare vntounto the Lord, as ſhée whome he had ſingularly choſen from among all other women.

But in this place and preſent argument, Grace is the fauour & goodneſſe … is.of the eternall godhead, wherwith he according to his incomprehenſible goodneſſe doeth gratis, fréely for Chriſte his ſake imbrace, call, iuſtifie and ſaue vsus mortall men. Nowe here mée thinketh before wee go anye further, it is not amiſſe to examine and ſearch out the cauſe of this Gods louelove to vsus exhibited. For we ſée y^t there is a certein relatiō betwixt the fauour of God, & vsus men, to whom his fauour is ſo bent. It is a matter neither hard nor tedious to be found out. For in vsus The … of God… grace.there is nothing wherewith God can be in louelove, or wherewithall hee may be moued or ſtirred vp to imbrace vsus: yea, in ſo much as wee are all vnpure ſinners, and that God is holye, iuſte, and a reuenger of iniquities, he hath matter ynoughe to finde in vsus, for which he may be angrie at, and with iuſt reuengement plague vsus. So then the cauſe of Gods louelove to vsus wardes muſt of neceſſitie be, not in vsus, nor in any other thing beſide God, (conſidering that nothinge is more excellent than man) but euen in God him ſelf. Moreouer, the moſte true Scripture doth teach vsus, that God is of his owne inclination naturally good, gentle, & as Paul calleth him Philanthropon, a louer of vsus men, who hath ſent his owne ſonne of his owne nature into the worlde for our redemption: whervppon it doeth conſequently followe, that God doth fréely of him ſelfe, and for his ſonnes ſake louelove man, and not for any other cauſe. Whereby immediately all the preparamentes, incitaments and merites of men beeing diſſolued by the fire of Gods greate louelove, doe vade and paſſe awaye like ſmoke. For the grace of God is altogether free, and vnleſſe it be ſo, I cannot ſée howe it can bee called Grace. But it behoueth vsus in a thing ſo weightie to cite ſome euident teſtimonies of the holie Scripture, to confirme our mindes withall againſt all ſophiſtical trifles, and temptations of the diuell. Our Lorde in the Goſpell ſaid: So God loued the world, that he gaue his only begotten ſonne for the world: that eueryevery one which beleue in him ſhuld not periſh, but hauehave life euerlaſting.

p. 530Loe here, this goodwill of God, which is the fauour and louelove wherwith God embraceth vsus, is the cauſe of oure ſaluation. For Chriſt hauing ſuffered for vsus is our ſaluation. Now God of verie louelove hath giuen Chriſt both to vsus, & for vsus. Neither may we thincke that God was firſt moued by oure louelove to him ward, to ſhewe like mutuall louelove to vsus againe, and to giuegive his ſonne for vsus. For he had determined before the beginning of the world to woorke our redemption through Chriſt his ſonne. And Iohn the Euangeliſte in his Canonical Epiſtle, ſayth: Herein is louelove, not that we loued God: but that hee loued vsus, and ſent his ſonne to be an attonement for our ſinnes.

To theſe teſtimonies although ſufficiently plaine and ſtronge enough, I will yet add ſome proofes out of the Apoſtle Paul, y^• ſo this argument may be more euident, & that y^e great agréement may appeare, which is betwixt Euangeliſts and Apoſtles in this doctrine of grace. Paule therfore ſayeth: All hauehave ſinned, & ſtand in neede of the glorie of God: but are iuſtified freely by his grace, thorough the redemption that is in Chriſt Ieſu. Againe to the Epheſians he ſayeth: Ye are ſaued thorough grace by faith, & that not of your ſelues, it is the gift of God, not of woorkes, leaſt any man ſhould boaſt. Againe to Titus: The grace and louelove of God our Sauiour towards all men hath appeared: not of the woorkes of our owne righteouſneſſe, which he did: but according to his merciemercy hath he ſaued vsus. Likewiſe in the 2. Epiſtle to Timothie the firſt Chapiter he ſayeth: God hath ſaued vsus, and hath called vsus with an holie calling, not according to our workes, but according to his owne purpoſe and grace, which was giuen vsus in Chriſt Ieſus. I thinke verilie that if a man had béene ſett of purpoſe to hauehave feigned any thing for the defence of this matter, hee could not hauehave framed any ſentence, ſo fitt and euident as theſe woordes are. So nowe it is manifeſt that the grace of God is altogether frée, as that which excludeth all our woorks and merits. And this frée The cauſe of the Goſpell.louelove of God is the only cauſe and true beginning of the Goſpell. For whiche cauſe Paule calleth the Goſpell the Preaching of Grace.

But nowe, althoughe the grace of God doth not depend vppon vsus or our The working of gods gracewoorks, yet doth it not idlely abide in God, as if it were vtterly without vsus, and altogether farre from vsus, as the thing that is neither felt, nor yet worketh in vsus. For we vnderſtood by the cited teſtimonies, that grace is the fauour of God, wherewith hee loueth vsus men. We vnderſtood that men are ſaued by grace. For ſince God loueth men he would not hauehave them periſh, & therefore hee hath thorough grace ſent his ſonne to deliuer them from deſtruction, and that in him the iuſtice and merciemercy of God might be knowen to al the world. But none are deliuered ſaue thoſe that beleeue, therefore grace hath ſomewhat whereby to worke in man. For by the powring of the holy Ghoſt into our hearts, the vnderſtanding & will are inſtructed in the faith. To be ſhort, Grace (as I hauehave alreadie told you) doeth call, iuſtifie, ſaue or glorifie the faithfull: ſo that we muſt make our account that y^e whole worke of our ſaluation and all the vertues of the godly do procéed of the onelyonly grace of God alone, whoſe working we doe at all times acknowledge & confeſſe. And that is againe proued both by diuine and humane teſtimonies. Paul to the Romanes ſayeth: Thoſe which p. 531he knew before, he alſo did predeſtinate: and thoſe, which he did predeſtinate he alſo called: & thoſe, whom he called, he alſo iuſtified: and thoſe whome he iuſtified, he alſo glorified. What ſhall we then ſay to theſe thinges? If God be on our ſide who can be againſt vsus? which ſpared not his own ſonne, but gaue him for vsus: how ſhall he not with him alſo giuegive vsus all thinges? Againe in the firſt cap. of his Epiſtle to the Ephcſians, he hath referred the whole worke of election and ſaluation with all the parts therof vntounto the grace of God. Moreouer the holie fathers in the counſel Mileuentanum, amonge whom alſo S. Auguſtine was preſent, made this decree touching the grace of God. If any mā ſay, that merciemercy is without the grace of God beſtowed from aboue vponupon vsus, beleeuing, willing, deſiring, endeuouring, ſtudiing, aſking, ſeeking, & ſtriuing (as of our ſelues:) doeth not confeſſe, that euen To beleeue, To will, and To be able to do all theſe things as we ſhold doe, is wrought by the powring in & inſpiration of the holie Ghoſt: if hee ioyne the humilitie or obedience of man as an helpe vntounto grace: and if hee doth not cōſent that it is the very gift of grace, euen that we are humble & obedient, he is directly cōtrarie to the Apoſtle, who ſayeth: For what haſt thou that thou haſt not receiued? And, By the grace of God I am that I am. Thus much ſay they. Now theſe diuine & humane teſtimonies béeing throughly conſidered, there is none, I hope, which maye not vnderſtand that the grace of God is y^e ſame that I told you, to wit, the fauour and goodwil of the eternal Godhead, wherwith he according to his incomprehenſible goodneſſe doeth embrace, call, iuſtifie, and ſaue men fréely for Chriſt his ſake our Lord and Sauiour.

The bleſſed man Aurelius Auguſtine had a ſharp conflict with Pelagius The co… trouerſ… betwixt Auguſti… and Pela… us touc… ing the grace of God.the Britton, concerning the grace of God. For the heretique did by grace vnderſtand nothing, but the benefite of y^e creation: which, as Auguſtine denied not to be grace, ſo did hevehemētly vrge that the Apoſtle did eſpeciallie ſpeake of that frée grace, wherby without any merite of oures wee are fréely ſaued for Chriſt his ſake. This did he vrge therfore the more earneſtly, be cauſe he ſawe that the heretique affirmed, that his owne humane nature was ſufficient vntounto him, not to do only, but alſo to do perfectly the cōmaundements of God by frée will. But of theſe matters ſ. Auguſtine doth verie largely & religiouſly diſpute in his 95. Epiſtle Ad Innocentium. Many of y^e late writers, for teachings ſake, hauehave diuided Grace, *into Grace that doth 1. Grati… gratum ciens. 2. Grat… gratis … 3. Grat… opera… gratia opera… 4. Gra… praeue… ens. & tia … quent.things acceptable, and *Grace that is gratis or freely giuen. Againe, they hauehave diuided it into *working Grace, and ioynte working Grace. Finallie, they part it into *Grace that goeth before, and grace that followeth after. And y^e very ſame writers alſo reckon vp the operatiōs or effects of grace after this maner almoſt. Grace healeth the ſoule, & maketh it firſt to wil well, and then to worke effectuallie y^• thing that it willeth: ſo it cauſeth it to perſeueare in goodneſſe, & at length to come to eternall glorie.

But I am not ſo careful to reckon vpp the ſentences of writers, to ſhew you eueryevery ones ſeuerall opinion (whiche both were an exceſſiue labour, and alſo more than my abilitie is to do) as I am willing to cite y^e places of ſcripture (which is the one and onelyonly rule how to think, and how to iudge rightly) to ſhew you therby what the ſcripture p. 532would hauehave you thinke: as I hauehave in my former treatiſe of the grace of God, both briefly & euidently enough, I hope, declared vntounto you. And alſo the diſcourſe of Chriſte, whiche followeth hereafter (thorough whome the father hath powred the moſt excellent & heauenly grace into vsus) ſhal help to make vp y^• which ſémeth to be wāting here.

But now before I depart from this … are … by ….argument. I thought good to admoniſh you, that the ſentences of Gods woord do not iarre among themſelues, when we doe in ſundrie places read & heare, firſt that we are ſaued fréely or by the Grace of God: then that we are ſaued by the louelove of God: thirdly that we are ſaued thoroughe the merciemercy of God: fourthly that wee are ſaued thoroughe Chriſte: fiftly that wee are ſaued thorough the bloud, or death, or incarnation of Chriſt: and laſtly that we are ſaued through faith in Chriſt, or in the merciemercy or grace of God. For all theſe ſpeaches tend to one & the ſame end, & doe aſcribe the whole glorie & cauſe of mans ſaluation vntounto the verie merciemercy, or grace of God. The pledge of grace, yea, and our only Sauiour, is the onelyonly begottē ſonne of God betrayed vntounto death. Sincere fayth layeth hold on méere grace in Chriſt & nothing elſe.

Nowe therefore hauing thus expounded, according to my ſmal abilitie, ….that which I had to ſpeake in generall of the grace of God, I doe heere deſcend to handle that ſingular or particular worke of Gods grace, which is nothing elſe, but that the mercifull father hath exhibited to vsus his ſonne in that maner and order, as he promiſed him to vsus in the old prophets, and that in him he hath fullie giuē vsus al things requiſite to eternall life, and abſolute felicitie: becauſe hee is the Lord and Meſſiah or onelye and true Sauiour, whiche was incarnate, dead, raiſed to life, and taken vpp into heauen for vsus and our ſaluation. For Chriſt is both king and high prieſt, that is, our ſauiour, he is the marke, the ſtarre, and verie Sunne lighte of the preaching of y^e Goſpell. Nowe in expounding theſe thinges particularly, I will vſe this courſe and order. Firſt of all I wil out of the lawe and the Prophets recite vntounto you ſome euident promiſes of Chriſt made by God vntounto y^e church: which ſhal be thoſe eſpeciallie y^• the Apoſtles themſelues hauehave alreadie touched & expoūded. Secōdlie I wil proue vntounto you that God hath nowe performed that, which hee promiſed ſo longe agoe, to wit, that he hath alreadie exhibited to vsus his onelyonly begotten ſonne: and that hee is that true & ſo long-looked-for Lord and Meſſiah, whiche ſhould come to ſaue the world. Laſtly I wil ſhew you how y^• in this Sonne, the father is pleaſed and reconciled to the world againe: in whome alſo hee hath fullie giuen vsus all thinges requiſite to eternall life and abſolute felicitie. For he for vsus and for our ſaluation was incarnate, dead, raiſed to life againe, & taken vp into heauen, there to be our mediatour for euer, and aduocate vntounto his father. And in theſe points doe lye the liuely veynes of the Goſpel, which flowe with hoaleſome waters vntounto eternal life. For in them doeth conſiſt the ſound conſolation of the faithfull, and the enduring tranquillitie of a quiet conſcience. Without them there is no life or quiet reſt.

The promiſes made by God concerning The promiſes touching Chriſt our Sauiour.Chriſt, whiche are vttered in the holy Scriptures, are thréefold or of thrée ſortes. I therefore to make them the playner vntounto you, doe diuide the promiſes of one and the ſame ſort, according to the times.

p. 533The firſt promiſes were made to the patriarchs or auncient fathers before the giuing of the lawe: & theſe againe conſiſt of two ſortes. For one ſort of them are plaine, vttered euidently in ſimple woords without all types and …uratiue ſhadowes. The other ſort …re figuratiue and couched vnderunder types. The firſt and moſt euident promiſe The firſt Euangelie Goſpell or preaching of glad tydings. Gen. 3.Gen 3of all was made by the verie mouth of God vntounto our firſt parentes Adam & Euah, being oppreſſed with death, calamities, & the horrible feare of Gods reuenging hand for their tranſgreſſion: which promiſe is as it were the piller and baſe of all Chriſtian religion, wherevpon the preaching of the Goſpell is altogether founded: and out of which al the other promiſes in a maner are deriued. That promiſe is cōteined in theſe words of the Lord: I wil put enimitie betwixt thee (meaning the ſerpent, the diuel, I ſay in the ſerpent) and the woman: & betwixt thy ſeede, and her ſeede: and it ſhall tread downe thy head, and thou ſhalt tread vppon his heele. God in theſe wordes promiſeth ſéed, the ſéed, I ſay, not of man, but of woman: and that too of y^e moſt excellent woman, to wit, that moſt holie Virgin Marie, the woman that was bleſſed among all other women. For ſhe conceiued, not by any man, but by the holie Ghoſt, & beeing a Virgin, ſtill was deliuered of Chriſt our Lord: who by dying and riſing againe, did not onelyonly vexe or wound, but alſo cruſh & tread downe the head, that is, the kingdome of Sathan, to witt, ſinne, death, and damnation, taking away and making vtterly void all the power and tyrannie of that our enimie and deceiuer. In the meane while ſathan troade on Chriſt his héele: that is to ſay, hee by his mē bers Caiaphas, Pontius Pilate, the Iewes, and Gentiles, did with exquiſite tormentes and death vexe and kill the fleſhe, which was in Chriſt the loweſt part, euen as the héele is to the bodie. For the Lord in the Pſalmes ſayeth: I am a worme & no man. They hauehave brought my life into the duſte. But he roaſe again from the dead. For had he not riſen againe, he had not troden downe the ſerpentes head. But nowe by his riſing hée is become y^e Sauiour of all, that doe beléeue in him. Out of this promiſe is deriued that ſingular and notorious one, which the Angel of the Lord reciteth vntounto our father Abraham in theſe words following: In thy ſeed ſhall all the nations of the world be bleſſed. But Paule in his Epiſtle to the Galathians doeth in expreſſe words declare, that that bleſſed ſéed is ours, whiche was promiſed to Abraham. Nowe our Lord is called by the name of Séed, becauſe of y^e firſt promiſe made to Adam and Euah, & becauſe hee was for vsus incarnate and made verie man. Neither is this promiſe repugnant to the firſt. For although Chriſt our Lord be héere called the ſéed or ſonne of Abraham, yet is he no other way referred vntounto Abraham, than by the Virgin, whiche was the daughter of Abraham and mother of Chriſt. Now what good doth the ſonne of Abraham to vsus by his incarnation? Forſoth he bleſſeth vsus. But a bleſſing is the contrarie vntounto a curſe. Therefore what cauſe ſoeuer wée drue from the ſinne of Adam, that doeth Chriſte heale in vsus, and bleſſe vsus with all ſpirituall bleſſing. Neither doeth he beſtow this benefite vppon a few alone, but vppon all the nations of the world that doe beléeue in him.

The Patriarch Iacob being inſpired with the holie Ghoſt, foretold the chaunces that ſhould betide his children, p. 534and at length when hee came to Iuda, amonge the reſt, he ſayeth: The Scepter ſhal not depart from Iuda & a lawegiuer from betweene his feete, till Schilo come: and vntounto him ſhall the gathering of the people be. Loe here in theſe words the Meſſiah is not onelyonly promiſed, but the verie time alſo is preſcribed when he ſhould be incarnate, with a declaration both what, & howe farre forth he ſhould bée. The kingdome ſayeth he ſhall remaine vnderunder Iuda vntill the comminge of the Sauiour. And albeit that the tribe of Iuda ſhall not alwayes hauehave kinges to gouerne them, yet ſhall it not lacke nobles, capitaines, lawegiuers, learned men and ſages to rule the people. And therefore the Euangelicall hiſtorie doth faithfully witneſſe that Chriſt came at that time, when al power, authoritie, and rule was tranſlated to the Romanes, vntounto whoſe Emperour Octa. Auguſtus, the Iewes were inforced to pay taxes and tribute. Now Schilo ſignifieth felicitie or the author of felicitie, it ſignifieth, plentie, ſtoare, and abundance of al excellent things. For Chriſt is the treaſurie of all good thinges. And the Chaldee interpreter where he findeth Schilo tranſlateth it CHRIST. Finallie, to him as to their Sauiour ſhall all people bee gathered: as y^e Prophets did afterward moſt plainely declare, Eſaie in the ſecond, and Micheas in the fourth chapiters of their bookes or prophecies.

Furthermore the types and figures of Chriſte are, Noah preſerued in the arcke. For in Chriſt are the faithfull ſaued: as S. Peter teſtifieth. 1. Pet. 3. Abraham offereth vpp Iſaac his onelyonly begotten ſonne, vppon the topp of the ſame mountaine, where many yeares after the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God was offered vppon the Croſſe. Ioſeph is by his brethren ſold to the heathen, he is caſt in priſon: but being deliuered, he doeth become their Sauiour, & is of all the people called the preſeruer of the Aegyptian kingdome. In all theſe thinges was Chriſt oure Lord prefigured.

The latter promiſes alſo are of two ſortes, either openly vncouered, or hidden, as it were vnderunder a vaile or figure. They are conteined in the lawe and the Prophets euen till the time of the captiuitie at Babylon. The bleſſed Apoſtle Peter doth in the 3. chap. of the Actes cite the prophecie of Moſes touchinge the comming of the greateſt of all Prophets. The prefigured promiſes of Chriſt are the ſacrifices, whiche Paule in his Epiſtle to the Hebrues doth in a wonderfull ſummarie ſhortly declare. The ſame Paule in the fift of the firſt to the Corinthians applieth the Paſchal lambe to Ieſus Chriſt. The like doeth Peter in his firſt Epiſtle. Againe the ſtonie rocke, that was 1. Pet. 1.1 Pet 1ſtruck and guſhed out with water. S. Paul calleth Chriſt. And Chriſt himſelfe in the Goſpel after S. Iohn doth ſay, that he was prefigured in the braſen Serpent, which was lift vp in the deſart: the myſterie wherof I hauehave in an other place more fullie declared. Many more there are like vntounto theſe: a good parte whereof I hauehave alreadie touched, when I had occaſion to treate of the ceremonies and their ſignification. Where he that liſteth may read of it at large. The vnfigured and vncouered promiſes are almoſt without number in the Pſalmes and the Prophets. Yea, the Lord himſelfe in the Goſpel after S. Luke doth teſtifie that the deſcription of all his office and buſineſſe is at large conteined in y^e lawe, the Prophets, and the Pſalmes. And when S. Peter had preached the Goſpel, p. 535wherein he promiſed both Chriſt and the full remiſſion of ſinnes to all that beleeued, he did immedately add: All the Prophetes alſo from Samuel, & theſe that followed in order, as many as hauehave ſpoken hauehave likewiſe told you of theſe dayes. Dauid verilie in the 2. 22. and 110. Pſalmes, hath notably ſett downe the two natures of Chriſt, his Godhead and his Manhood. Againe he hath layed before all mens eyes his hoalſome preaching, his eternall prieſthoode, his euerlaſting redemption, and moſt bitter death and paſſion.

What ſhal I ſay of the Prophet Eſay? who was by no ſmal doctour of y^e church of Chriſt verie worthilie called an Euangeliſt, rather than a Prophet: as if he had writ a ſtorie of thinges alreadie paſt and done by Chriſt, & not of thinges that ſhould be done: ſo truly did he foretel y^e ſtate of Chriſt. Now he maketh Chriſt to be verie God, and verie man, borne after the fleſhe of the vnſpotted Virgin: who had to preach the word of life, like a good ſhéepheard to feede his fearefull ſhéepe, to bee the light of the Gentiles vntounto the vttmoſt partes of the earth, to giuegive ſight to the blinde, to heale the lame and diſeaſed, to be betrayed by his owne, to be ſpitt vppon, to be ſmitten, to be hanged béetwixt théeues, to be offered vp a ſacrifice for ſinne, and finallie to make interceſſion for tranſgreſſours, that hee himſelfe being iuſte, might iuſtifie all that beléeue in his name. Read Eſaie, 7. 8. 9. 11. 28. 40. 49. 50. 53. Chapiters, and alſo al the laſt Chapter of all his Prophecie, wherein he doth moſt fully deſcribe the church or congregation of Chriſt Immanuel. Ionas bare the moſt manifeſt type of the Lords ſharp death and ioyfull reſurrection. Micheas alſo doth name Bethleem to be the place wherin Meſſiah ſhould be horne, whoſe beginning, to wit, of his diuine nature he doth referre to before all beginnings. He doth alſo foretel that the preaching of the Goſpell ſhould from out of Hieruſalem bee ſowen abroade through all the compaſſe of the world. Ieremie ſayeth, that God would raiſe vpp to Dauid a true ſéede or braunch, that is, the looked-for Meſſiah. And in that Prophecie he alluded to the lawe, concerning the rayſing vpp of ſéede to the deceaſſed brother. For the Virgin conceiuing by the holie Ghoſt, brought foorth a ſonne: whoſe name is IEHOVAH, Deus … & eſſent… lis.being verie God in verie déede: whom Eſaie calleth Immanuel, and is the true righteouſneſſe of all that doe beléeue in him. For by Chriſt are the faithfull iuſtified. For the ſame Prophete in the 31. Chapiter doth promiſe in Chriſt full or abſolute remiſſion of ſinnes, and aboundant grace of the holie Ghoſt: whiche thinge Ioel alſo did not conceale. Thus out of many teſtimonies I hauehave picked out onelyonly theſe fewe in number. For the whole bookes of the Prophets are occupied in the deſcription of Chriſte and his offices. The laſt promiſes concerning Chriſt, were by God reuealed to y^e Prophets, and by them declared to the Church of God, euen in the verie time of the captiuitie at Babylon, or elſe immediately vppon their returne to Hieruſalem. Ezechiel prophecieth of the ſhéepheard Dauid, and of the ſhéepe receyuinge that ſhéepeheard: whiche prophecies the Lord doeth in Sainct Iohns Eoſpel expound of himſelfe. The ſame Prophete treateth very much of grace and francke & full remiſſion of ſinnes, thorough the Sauiour Chriſt, eſpeciallie in the 34. 36. and 37. Chapiters of his prophecie. Daniel verilie hath viſions p. 536and many dreams: but in them hée doeth ſo ſet Chriſt out vntounto vsus, that it is vnpoſſible to hauehave him more better, more euidently & excellently deſcribed. In his ſecond Chapiter hee teacheth vsus of his eternall kingdome, and telleth vsus that Chriſt ſhould come vnderunder y^• Romane Monarchie, at what tune the Romane Princes beeing by affinitie allied together, ſhould mutually in battell deſtroye one an other. Whiche was fulfilled when Pompeie and Iulius Caeſar, Antonie, and Octauius Auguſtus mainteyned ciuil warre. Moreouer, Daniels wéekes are vnknowen to no man, wherein hée doeth as it were with his finger …. 9.point at Chriſt, the cōming of Chriſte, and the reprobation of the Iewes, becauſe of their diſloyaltie & vnbeliefe. Haggée the Prophete foretold the maner how the temple ſhould be builded, I meane the true temple in déede, to witt the Church of Chriſt. Zacharie doth excellently paint to vsus many myſteries of Chriſt. Hée layeth before vsus the kingdome and prieſthoode of oure Lord and Sauiour. Hée commendeth to vsus that one and onelyonly eternall ſacrifice, whiche is effectuall enoughe to cleanſe the ſinnes of al the world, Zacha. 3. 9. 14. Chapiters. Yea hee prophecieth of nothing elſe but of Chriſt & his kingdome. Malachias foreſheweth the forerunner of the Lord, and handleth no ſmall number of myſteries concerning Chriſt. Whereby we doe perceiue that Paule writt moſt truely in the firſt to the Romans, ſaying. That God did afore promiſe the Goſpell by his Prophets in the holie Scriptures.

Nowe by theſe holy promiſes wee we gather this alſo, that there are not … not ….manye or diuers Goſpels (althoughe wee denie not, but that the ſame Goſpell was penned by diuers Enangeliſtes) but that there is one alone, and that too, as it were, eternall. For the verie ſame Goſpell, whiche is at this day preached to vsus, was at the beginning of the world preached to our firſt parents. For it is aſſuredly certeine, that by the Goſpel were ſaued Adam, Euah, Abel, all the Patriarchs, Prophets and faithfull people of the old Teſtament. Which thing we hauehave in an other place at large declared.

Wee are nowe come to the ſecond parte, where wee hauehave to ſhewe God the father hathe through Chriſt perfourmed to vsus that which hee promiſed to our forefathers.you, that GOD the father hath faithfully perfourmed to vsus that, which he promiſed to our forefathers, in giuing to vsus his onelyonly begotten Sonne, who is that true and looked-for Meſſiah, that is to bee bleſſed world without ende: In making this matter manifeſt, the Euangeliſtes and Apoſtles of oure Lord hauehave taken great paines, and ſet it forth ſo well and faithfully, that it cannot be bettered.

They ſhewe that Chriſt doth come of the ſtocke of Dauid, deſcending lineally of the ſéede of Abrraham: they tell that his mother was the Virgin which did conceiue by the holie Ghoſt, and being a Virgin ſtill brought him into the world. They note the time wherein Chriſt was reuealed, in all points correſpondent to the Prophets prophecies.

They add, that the place of his natiuitie was aunſwerable to that, whiche Micheas foretolde. In the Eaſte there appeareth a ſtarre, whiche moueth the Princes or wiſemen to goe and ſalute the newe borne Kinge. They come therefore, and euen in Hieruſalem doe openly profeſſe, that the Meſſiah is borne, and that they are come out of the Eaſte to worſhip and honour him.

p. 537According to their woordes ſo were their déedes. For when by the leading of the ſtarre they had once found him, they fall downe before him, and doe by offering to Chriſt the giftes that they brought, not obſcurely declare, howe ioyfull they were, and how much they ſet by their Lord and Sauiour. In the verie citie of Hieruſalem the moſt iuſt man Simeon, with great ioye of heart, and godly gratulation, doeth in the temple openly teſtifie that God according to his eternall goodneſſe and conſtancie, had giuen to the world his onelyonly begotten ſonne whome hee had promiſed vntounto the fathers: therewithall proteſting that hee was willing to die. He addeth y^e cauſe, For that, ſaith hee, mine eyes hauehave ſeene thy ſaluation, to witt, that Schilo, the Sauiour, whome thou O God, haſt determined to ſet before al people: a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glorie of thy people Iſrael: that is, that hee ſhaking off al darckenes, ſhould bring the light of trueth & life vntounto the Gentiles to lighten them withall, and that hee ſhould bée the glorie and life of the people of Iſrael. Herevnto alſo belongeth y^e teſtimonie of that notable man Zacharie the holie prieſt of God, ſaying: Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, for hee hath viſited and redeemed his people: & hath raiſed vp a horne of ſaluation for vsus in the houſe of his ſeruaunt Dauid. As hee ſpake by the mouth of his holie Prophets, whiche hauehave beene ſince the world began.

And ſo forth as is to be ſéen in the firſt of Lukes Goſpel. Moreouer Iohn the ſonne of this Zacharie ſyrnamed the Baptiſt, than who we read not that any one more holie was euer borne of women, did with his finger pointe at Chriſt Ieſus, and openly declare that hee is that looked for Meſſiah, whome Ieſus is Chriſt, th… is that looked for Meſsia….all the Prophetes promiſed, and that God, by giuing him vntounto the woorld, hath done that hee promiſed, and wholie powred himſelfe with all his benefites into, and vppon all faithful beléeuers. And as the people wayted, ſaith Luke, and thought in their heartes of Iohn, whether hee were verie Chriſt, Iohn aunſwered, ſaying to them all. In deed I baptiſe you with water, but one ſtronger than I commeth after me, whoſe ſhoes latchet I am not worthie to vnlo…ſe, hee ſhall baptiſe you with the holie Ghoſt and with fire. And in the Goſpel after S. Iohn wee read: The next day Iohn ſeeth Ieſus comming vntounto him, and ſayeth: Beehold the lambe of God which taketh away the ſinne of the world. This is he of whome I ſaid: After mee commeth a man, which is preferred before mee, becauſe he was before mee, and I knewe him not: but that hee ſhould be declared vntounto Iſrael, therfore am I come baptiſing with water. And immediatly after, hee ſayeth: I ſawe the ſpirite deſcending from heauen like vntounto a doue, and it aboad vponupon him. And I knew him not: but he that ſent mee to baptiſe with water, the ſame ſaid vntounto me, vponupon whom thou ſhalt ſee the ſpirite deſcending, & tarying ſtill on him, the ſame is hee, whiche baptiſeth with the holie Ghoſt. And I ſawe and bare record that this is the ſonne of God. Againe when the diſciples of Iohn did enuie y^e happie ſucceſſe of Chriſt, & that it gréeued them to ſée their maiſter Iohn, as it were, neglected in cōpariſon of Chriſt, Iohn ſaid to his diſciples: Ye your ſelues are witneſſes that I ſaid, I am not Chriſt, but I am ſent before him. Hee that hath the bride is the bridegrome: but the friend of the bridegrome, whiche ſtandeth and heareth him, reioyceth, p. 538becauſe of the bridegrome. Therfore this my ioy is fulfilled: hee muſt increaſe, but I muſt decreaſe. The father loueth the ſonne, and hath giuen all thinges into his hand. He that beleeueth in the ſonn hath life euerlaſting: hee that beleeueth not in the ſonne, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth vppon him. Theſe teſtimonies are firme, cleare, and euident enough, and might ſuffice for the confirmation of this cauſe. But let vsus yet of a many moe, picke out and add a fewe, whiche may declare that Chriſt is alreadie exhibited vntounto vsus. Therefore our Lord himſelfe, whome wee beléeue to bee Meſſiah, when hee had a great while béene verie greatly commended by the teſtimonie of Iohn, doeth at length come abroad & preach the woord of life. But it is not read that in any age before or ſince there was euer any y^• taughte with ſo great grace. And therewithall hee ſhewed almoſt incredible and wonderfull miracles, which do eaſilie argue who hée was, and were ſufficient to winne ſuch a man, with whome no woordes might poſſiblie preuaile. Hee was louing and gentle to ſinners, repeating ſtill and beating into their heads, that hee was come to ſaue them, and call them to repentance. Therefore, when the diſciples of Iohn did once come vntounto him, ſaying: Art thou hee that ſhould come, or ſhall we looke for an other? Hée aunſweared: Goe ye and tell thoſe thinges to Iohn whiche ye ſee and heare. The blinde receiue their ſighte, and the lame walke, the lepers are clenſed, & the deafe heare, the dead are raiſed to life, and to the poore is preached the glad tydinges of the Goſpell.

Nowe by theſe, his doctrine, I meane, and his woorkes or miracles, his minde was to ſhewe that hee was exhibited the true Meſſiah vntounto the world, and that none other is to be loked-for. Moreouer in the Synagogue at Nazareth where hee read and expounded Eſaies prophecie of the comming of Meſſiah, he declared there that that Scripture was in himſelfe fulfilled. And to the hiſtorie is immediatly annexed: And all bare record vntounto him, and wondered at the gratious ſayings that proceded frō his mouth. Againe, in the tenth Chapiter of S. Iohn his Goſpell: The Iewes came round about the Lord and ſaid: How longe doeſt thou make vsus to doubt? If thou bee Chriſt, tell vsus plainely. Ieſus aunſweared them, I told you and ye beleeue not: the workes that I do in my fathers name, theſe beare witneſſe of mee. But ye beleeue not becauſe ye are not of my ſheepe. And preſently after hée addeth: Ye ſay that I blaſpheme, becauſe I ſaid, I am the ſonne of God. If I doe not the woorkes of my father, beleeue mee not: but if I doe, and if ye beleeue not mee, beleeue my woorkes: that ye maye knowe and beleeue that the father is in mee, and I in him.

In the ſeuenth of Iohn wee read: They that beleeued in him ſaid, Will Chriſte when hee commeth, ſhewe more ſignes than this man hath ſhewed? that is to ſay, Admit we graunt that there is an other Chriſt to bee looked-for, yet this is moſt ſure, that the other Meſſiah cannot doe more and greater miracles, than this man doth. Let vsus therefore beléeue that this is the true Meſſiah.

Before Caiaphas the highe prieſt and the whole counſel of the Péeres of Iſrael: alſo before Pontius Pilate in the iudgemente hall of the Romane Empire, oure Lord Chriſt did openly p. 539in expreſſe woordes confeſſe that hee is that true and looked-for Meſſiah. Hée verilie, as the Prophets foretolde of him, did of his owne accord die for ſinners, the third daye after that hee roaſe againe from the dead, hee aſcended into heauen, and ſitteth on the right hand of God the father. And the Euangeliſtes reciting faithfully the words and déedes of Chriſt, doe to the moſt notable ones alwayes add: All this was done or ſaide, that it mighte be fulfilled which was ſpoken by the Prophete.

Wherefore, it were not worthe the labour heere to gather together the prophecies of the Prophetes, by them to examine the woordes and deeds of Chriſt, and by the manifeſt agréement betwixte them for to conclude: That GOD hath perfourmed to vsus, that which he promiſed vntounto our fathers, in giuing to vsus his onelyonly begotten Sonne Chriſt Ieſus, whiche is the true and looked-for Meſſiah. For this hauehave the Euangeliſtes alreadie done, and that too with ſo great faith and diligence, that for the plaineneſſe of the thing it cannot bee bettered. To this place nowe ye maye referre all, that I hauehave in my former Sermons ſaide touching the ſignification, or myſteries, fulfilling and abrogating of the Lawe.

And to content oure ſelues with a ſmaller number of teſtimones, might not this one, which is read in y^e fourth of Sainct Iohn, bee in ſteede of many thouſand confirmations? The woman of Samaria, ſayeth to the Lord: I knowe that the Meſſiah ſhall come whiche is called Chriſte: therefore when hee commeth, hee ſhall tell vsus all thinges. Ieſus aunſweared her, I am hee, that ſpeake to thee. Loe what could be ſaid more plainely? I, ſayth hee, am the Meſſiah, euen I, I ſay, that doe euen now ſpeake to thée, and did at the firſt ſaye: If thou kneweſt the gifte of God, and whoe it is that ſayth to thee, GiueGive me to drinke, thou wouldeſt hauehave aſked of him, and hee would hauehave giuen thee water of life. For whoſoeuer ſhall drincke of the water, that I ſhall giuegive him, hee ſhall neuer bee more a thirſte: but the water that I ſhall giuegive him, ſhalbe in him a well of water ſpringing vp into eternall life.

They therefore are the moſt thirſtie and vnfortunate of all men, whiche longe-for and looke after an other Meſſiah beſide our Lord and Sauiour Chriſte Ieſus. The Apoſtle Saincte Peter in a méetely longe Oration, well grounded, and confirmed with Scripture and ſtronge reaſons, in the ſecond of the Actes, doeth ſhewe that oure Lord Ieſus is that true Meſſiah. For with this ſentence he ſhutteth vp his Sermon: Therefore let all the houſe of Iſrael ſurely knowe, that GOD hath made both Lorde and Chriſt this Ieſus, whome ye hauehave crucified. To the ſame marcke tendeth that large and learned Oration of the firſt martyre S. Steuen, which is extant to be ſéene in the ſeuenth Cap. of the Actes. Philip doeth out of Eſaies Prophecie declare to the Eunuche of A…thiope, that Ieſus is Chriſt. Sainct Paule in al the Iewiſhe Synagogues putteth forth none other propoſition to preach on but this, Ieſus is Chriſt, that is, Ieſus is the king, the biſhoppe, and the Sauiour of the faithfull. And in the thirtéenthe Chapiter hée doeth at large declare and proue that propoſition true.

So nowe theſe moſt euident and p. 540cleare teſtimonies of holie Scripture cannot chooſe but ſuffice ſuch heades, as are not of purpoſe ſett to cauill and wrangle. I will not at this preſent The Iewes … that …hriſt is …, or, … Ieſus … Chriſte.too buſilie and curiouſlye diſpute againſt the ouerthwarte Iewes, who looke for an other Meſſiah, and doe denie that oure Lord Ieſus the ſonne of God and the Virgin Marie is the true Meſſiah. The wretches feele that to be true, which the Lord in the Goſpel did foretell them, ſaying: When ye ſhall ſee the abhomination of deſolation, ſpoken of by Daniel the Prophete, ſtanding in the holy place, let him that readeth vnderſtand. Then let them that are in Iurie flee to the mounteynes. But woe to them that are with childe and giuegive ſucke in thoſe dayes. For great ſhall the affliction bee.

And againe ſpeaking of the Citie of Hieruſalem, hee ſayeth: The dayes ſhall come vppon thee, that thine enimies ſhall compaſſe thee with a trenche, and hemme thee in, and lay ſeege to thee on euerie ſide, and ſhall make thee eauen with the grounde, and thy ſonnes that are within thee. And they ſhall not leaue in thee one ſtone ſtanding vppon an other: beecauſe thou knoweſt not the time of thy viſitation.

And againe, There ſhalbe wrathe vppon this people: and they ſhal fall with the edge of the ſword, and ſhall be ledde captiue into al nations. And Hieruſalem ſhalbe trode vnderunder foote of the Gentiles, vntill the times of the Gentiles bee fulfilled: Nowe ſince they feele theſe thinges to bee ſo finiſhed, as they were by Chriſt foretold in the Goſpell, why doe not the wretches giuegive God the glorie, and in other thinges beléeue the Goſpell, acknowledging Ieſus Chriſte the Sonne of God and the Virgin Marie, our Lord and Sauiour, to bee the true and looked-for Meſſiah? What hauehave they wherewith to cloake their ſtubborne incredulitie? They hauehave nowe by the ſpace of more than a thouſand and fiue hundreth yeares béene without their Countrie, I meane, the land of promiſe that flowed with milke and honie: they hauehave wanted their Prophets: and lacked the ſolemne ſeruice and Ceremoniall rites. For where is their temple? where is the highe prieſte? where is the altar? where are the holy inſtrumentes? where be the ſacrifices, that ought to bee offered according to the Lawe? All the glorie of Gods people is nowe tranſlated vntounto the Chriſtians.

They ioy to bee called the ſonnes of the faithfull Abraham: they enioye the promiſes made vntounto the fathers: they talke and make mention of the fathers: they iudge rightly of the lawe and couenaunt of the Lord: they hauehave the holy Scriptures, and in expounding them they hauehave great dexteritie: they hauehave the true Temple, the true highe prieſt, the true altar of incenſe and burnte offeringes, euen Chriſte Ieſus the Lord and Sauiour: they hauehave the true worſhippe whiche was of olde prefigured onelye in thoſe externall Ceremonies. As I hauehave alreadie declared vntounto you in that place, where I handled the Iewiſhe Ceremonies.

The Gentiles are out of euerie quarter of y^e world called vntounto Chriſte Ieſu. All the promiſes touching the calling of the Gentiles hauehave béene hetherto moſt aboundantly fulfilled, and are euen at this day.

Nowe are wee the choſen flocke, according to the doctrine of Saincte Peter, We are the royall prieſthood, p. 541an holie nation, a peculiar people, being called hereunto, that wee ſhould preach the power of him, which hath called vsus out of darckeneſſe, into his meruailous light. Therefore let the vnhappie Iewes (vnleſſe perhappes they had rather to bee intangled in greater errours, to bée vexed dailye with endeleſſe calamities, and ſo at laſte periſhe eternally) turne vntounto Chriſt by faith, and together with vsus beginne to worſhippe him, in whome their fathers hoped, and in whome alone is life and ſaluation. For, that I may with the Apoſtles woords conclude this place: GOD is made manifeſt in the fleſhe, iuſtified in the ſpirite, ſeene to the Angels, preached to the Gentiles, beleeued in the world, and receiued in glorie. And euerie one that beleeueth him ſhal liue eternallie, and neuer be confounded.

Wée hauehave nowe behinde the laſt part to expounde the contents whereof God the … the world, is pleaſed with it in the Sonne.are, that God the father, who before was angrie with the world, is pleaſed nowe in his onelyonly begotten ſonne Ieſus Chriſt oure Lord. Firſt of all therefore, I hauehave to ſhewe you that God was angrie with the world: whiche is no hard matter to proue. For God is angrie at ſinnes. But y^e whole world is ſubiecte to ſinne, therefore it muſt of neceſſitie be, that the moſt iuſt God is mightilie angrie with all the world. And Paule ſayeth: The wrath of God is reuealed from heauen againſt all vngodlineſſe & vnrighteouſneſſe of men. Againe the ſame Apoſtle ſayeth, that all men are ſubiecte vntounto ſinne: for confirmation whereof hee citeth theſe ſentences of the holy Scriptures, ſaying: There is none righteous, no not one: there is none that vnderſtandeth or ſeeketh after God: They are all gone out of the way, they are all become vnprofitable: there is none that doth good, no not one. Their throate is an open ſepulchre, they hauehave vſed their tongues for to deceiue, the poyſon of aſpes is vnderunder their lippes. Whoſe mouth is full of curſing & bitterneſſe: their feete are ſwift to ſhedd bloud. Hartes greefe and miſerie are in their wayes: and the waye of peace hauehave they not knowen. There is no feare of God before their eyes.

Nowe leaſt the Iſraelites ſhould aunſweare, that theſe thinges doe not perteine to the people of GOD, but to the heathen and vngodly alone, hee addeth: Wee knowe that whatſoeuer the lawe ſayeth, it ſayeth it to them, which are vnderunder the lawe: that euerie mouth may bee ſtopped, and that all the world may bee endaungered to God. No man is here excepted. For to the Galathians the ſame Apoſtle ſayeth: Hee hath ſhutt vpp all vnderunder ſinne, that hee may hauehave merciemercy on all. It followeth therefore that all the world was ſubiect to the wrath or indignation of the moſt iuſte and righteous God: as is at large proued in the ſecond, fourth, and fifte Chapiters to the Epheſians.

But the heauenly father is appeaſed or recōciled to this wicked world, thorough the onelyonly begotten ſonne our Lord Ieſus Chriſte. And this, I hope, I ſhall aboundantly proue by the onelyonly teſtimonie of God himſelfe. For the father by ſending downe a voyce from heauen vntounto the earth vppon Chriſte, firſt aſcending newely out of the water after his baptiſme, and then againe at his tranſfiguration in the ſighte of his diſciples, did ſignificantly ſaye: This is my beloued ſonne in whom I am delighted, pleaſed, or reconciled, heare him. p. 542This teſtimonie is read to hauehave béene foreſhewed in the 42. Chapiters of Eſaies Prophecie. And Peter the Apoſtle repeateth the ſame in the firſt cap. of his ſecond Epiſtle. Paule alſo did as it were expound this, and ſaye: It pleaſed the father that in the Sonne ſhould dwell all fulneſſe, and by him to reconcile all things vntounto himſelfe, ſince he hath ſett at peace thoroughe the bloud of the Croſſe by him, both the thinges in earth and the thinges in heauen. In heauen is God, and wée men heere vppon earth. Nowe Chriſte is the mediatour, which goeth betwixte vsus, and reconcileth vsus vntounto his father, ſo that nowe we are the beloued of y^e father, in his beloued ſonne. For in the Epiſtle to the Epheſians the ſame Apoſtle ſayth: He hath made vsus accepted in the beloued: in whom wee hauehave redemption thorough his bloud, the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, according to the riches of his grace. All this ſhall be more fully vnderſtood by that which followeth.

For nowe I muſt proue that God the father hath in his ſonne giuen vsus … things … to … are … giuē … chriſt ….al things, that are neceſſarie to a happie life and eternal ſaluation. I name héere two thinges, a happie life, and euerlaſting ſaluation. By a happie life I vnderſtand a holy and godly life, whiche wee liue and lead quietly and honeſtly in this preſent world. Eternall ſaluation is that felicitie of the life to come, whiche wée with aſſured hope doe verilie looke for. Nowe we hauehave in Chriſt a moſt abſolute doctrine of a happie life taught vsus by the Goſpel, wherein alſo wée doe comprehend the example of Chriſt his owne trade of life. Verily our heauenly father hath made him oure teacher, in ſaying: Heare him. And he himſelfe in the Goſpel after Sainct Matthewe ſayeth: Bee ye not called maiſters: for ye hauehave one maſter, euen Chriſt, who in the Goſpel after S. Iohn is called The light of the world. In an other place alſo he teſtifieth that his doctrine is conteyned in the holy Scriptures: wherevppon it commeth, that hee referreth his diſciples to the diligent reading of the holy ſcriptures: Touching which Scriptures, Paule the teacher of the Gentiles, and the vniuerſall Church of Chriſt, doth ſay: All Scripture is giuen by inſpiration of God, and is profitable to doctrine, to reproue, to correction, to inſtruction, whiche is in righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be perfecte, inſtructed in all good workes. Wherefore althoughe the whole world bee madd, and that the obſtinate defenders of the traditions rather than the Scriptures do whet their téeth for anger, yet maugre their heades the word of the Apoſtle ſhal abide moſt firme, wherein he teſtifieth that the doctrine of the ſcriptures, otherwiſe called the Chriſtian doctrine, is in all pointes moſt abſolute and thoroughly perfecte. Touching whiche matter, becauſe I hauehave alreadie ſpoken in the firſt Sermons of the firſt Decade, I am therfore here a great deale the briefer. Nowe concerning the eternall ſaluation fully purchaſed for vsus by Chriſte, thus ye muſt thincke. Eternall ſaluation, is the ſéeing and enioying of the eternall God, and ſo conſequently an vnſeparable ioyning or knitttng vntounto him. For Dauid ſayeth: There is fulneſſe of ioyes in thy ſight, and at thy right hand are pleaſures for euermore. And Sainct Iohn ſayeth: Nowe are we the ſonnes of God, and yet it appeareth not what wee ſhalbe. But we knowe that when he ſhall appeare, wee ſhalbe like him: for we ſhal ſee him as hee p. 543is. Moreouer the Lord in the Goſpell, ſayeth: Bleſſed are the pure in heart: for they ſhal ſée God. But all men are indued with vnpure hearts: therefore no man ſhall ſée God. Becauſe no vncleanneſſe abideth in conſuming fire. And God is a conſuming fire: therefore wee cannot bee partakers of ſaluation, vnleſſe we be purely cleanſed. But without the ſhedding of bloud there is no cleanſing or remiſſion of ſinnes: I doe not meane the bloud of Rammes or Goates, but of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of GOD oure Lord Chriſt Ieſus. Hée therefore toke our fleſhe and bloud, hée came into the world, died willingly for vsus, and ſhed his bloud for the remiſſion of oure ſinnes: and ſo by that meanes purged the faithfull, ſo that now being cleane they maye be able to ſtand before the moſt holye God, who is a conſuming fire. To this may be annexed the cō ſideration of the incarnation of oure Lord Ieſu Chriſt, his death, reſurrection, and aſcenſion into heauen, wherof I did aboue make mention in the definition of the Goſpell. For in thoſe pointes doeth conſiſt the whole myſterie of our reconciliation. Touching whiche, I doe in this place ſpeake ſo much the more brieflye, becauſe in the e…poſition of the Apoſtles Créede I hauehave handled ſo much, as ſéemeth to concerne theſe points of doctrine: whiche whoſoeuer will knowe, may looke and finde them there.

Now that Chriſt alone is our moſt abſolute life and ſaluation, it may bée Chriſte alone is our life and ſaluation.gathered by that, whiche is alreadie ſpoken, and yet not withſtanding I will héere alledge ſome teſtimonies more, to the ende that the veritie and ſinceritie of the Euangelicall trueth may be the more firme and euident to all men. That in Chriſt alone our life and ſaluation doth cōſiſt, ſo that without Chriſt there is no life and ſaluation in any other creature, y^• Lord himſelfe doth teſtifie, ſaying: Verilie verilie I ſay vntounto you, hee that entereth not by the doore into the ſheepefold, but goeth in ſome other way, hee is a theefe and a robber: Verilie verilie I ſay vntounto you, I am the doore of the ſheepe: as many as came before mee are theeues & robbers. Loe here there is but one doore onelyonly, through whiche the way doeth lye vntounto eternal life. And Chriſt is that doore. They therefore, which doe by other meanes than through Chriſt ſtriue to come to life & ſaluation, are theeues & robbers. For they ſteale from Chriſt his honour and glorie, conſidering that hée both is, and abideth the onelyonly Sauiour: and in ſo doing they kill their owne ſoules. The ſame Sauiour in the Goſpell ſayeth: I am the waye, the trueth, and the life. No man commeth to the father but by mee. Hath hee not in theſe fewe wordes reiected and vtterly excluded al other meanes of ſaluation, making himſelfe alone our life and ſaluation? This phraſe of ſpeach, No man commeth to the father but by mee, is the ſame that this is, Through Chriſt alone we come vntounto the father.

Moreouer the Lords Apoſtles hauehave ſo layde Chriſte alone before oure eyes, that no man can chooſe but vnderſtand that without Chriſt Ieſus, there is no life to bée founde in any other creature.

The holy Apoſtle Sainct Peter in the Actes ſayeth, There is in none other any Saluation. For there is none other name vnderunder heauen giuen amonge men, wherein wee muſt bee ſaued. And Sainct Paule in the fift p. 544Chapiter to the Romanes doeth often times repeate, That by the righteouſneſſe of one man Ieſus Chriſte, all the faithfull are iuſtified.

Againe, the ſame Paule ſayeth: Thoroughe him is preached to you, the remiſſion of ſinnes: and throughe him is euerie one, that beleeueth, iuſtified from al the thinges from whiche ye could not be iuſtified by Moſes lawe. Like to this alſo hee hath other teſtimonies in the ſecond Chapiter of his Epiſtle written to the Galathians. It is manifeſt therefore that thoroughe Chriſte alone, the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes & life euerlaſting are fréely beſtowed vponupon all the faithfull: whiche giftes, as they are not without Chriſte at all, ſo are they not beſtowed by any other meanes, than thorough Chriſt alone. Concerning the remiſſion of ſinnes, whiche is the chiefe tydinges of the Goſpell, I hauehave at large alreadie diſcourſed in the ninthe Sermon of the firſt Decade & other places more.

Nowe for the proofe that our Lord … fully ….doeth fully abſolue from ſinnes, fully remitte ſinnes, and fully ſaue repentaunt ſinners, ſo that nothing more can be deſired or wiſhed for, and conſequently that the Lord himſelfe is the moſt abſolute fulneſſe of all the faithfull, without whome they, that beléeue, neither doe nor can wiſhe for any thinge elſe to life, ſaluation, and abſolute felicitie, hee doeth himſelfe in the Goſpell ſay, Euerie one that drinketh of this water ſhall thirſt againe: but whoſoeuer ſhall drincke of the water whiche I ſhal giuegive him, he ſhal liue eternallie. And againe, I am the bread of life. Hee that commeth to mee ſhall not hunger: and he that beleeueth in mee ſhall neuer thirſte. The Apoſtles therefore after they had eaten this celeſtiall bread, that is, after they had once beléeued in Chriſte. when many departed and did forſake Chriſte, being demaunded whether they alſo would leaue him, did aunſwere, Lord to whome ſhal wee goe? Thou haſt the wordes of eternal life, and we beleeue and knowe that thou art Chriſt the ſonne of the liuinge God. Loe heere they neither wil nor can forſake Chriſt. Becauſe there is none other to whome they may ioyne themſelues. For hee alone is the life and ſaluation of them that beléeue, and that too, ſo abſolute and perfecte, that in him alone they maye contente and ſtay themſelues. With the writinges of the Euangeliſts doth the doctrine of the Apoſtles fully agrée. For Paul to the Coloſſians ſayth: It pleaſed the father that in the ſonne ſhuld dwell all fulneſſe. And againe, In the Sonne doeth dwell all the fulneſſe of the Godhead bodilie, and ye are fulfilled in him.

And in the Epiſtle to the Hebrues he affirmeth that the faithfull hauehave ful remiſſion of ſinnes: becauſe ſacrifices for ſinne doe ceaſſe to be offered, and that God doeth by the Prophete Ieremie promiſe ſo abſolute remiſſion of ſinnes, that hee will not ſo much as once remember or thincke on them hereafter. To this place belongeth the whole Epiſtle written to the Hebrues: and the concluſion of the eighth Sermon in the firſt Decade, wherein I reckoned vntounto you y^e treaſures that God y^e father doth giuegive to vsus in Chriſt his ſonne our Lord and Sauiour.

Vppon this nowe doth follow conſequently, The vnſin…ere preaching of the goſpel.that they hauehave not yet rightly vnderſtoode the Goſpell of Chriſte nor ſyncerely preached it, whoſoeuer doe attribute to Chriſt Ieſu our Lord the true Meſſiah either not onelyonly, p. 545or elſe not fully all thinges requiſite to life and ſaluation. It is a wicked and blaſphemous thinge to aſcribe either to men or to things inferiour and worſe thā men, the glorie and honour due vntounto Chriſt. The principall exerciſes of Chriſtian religion cannot, by derogating from the glorie of Chriſte, challenge any thing vntounto themſelues. For ſyncere doctrine doth directly lead vsus vntounto Chriſt. Prayer doeth inuocate, praiſe, and giuegive thanckes in the name of Chriſt. The Sacramentes doe ſerue to ſeale and repreſent to vsus the myſteries of Chriſt. And y^e workes of faith are done of duetie, althoughe alſo of frée accord: becauſe wee are created vntounto good works. Yea through Chriſt alone they do pleaſe and are acceptable to God the father. For hee is the Vine we are the branches. So all glorie is reſerued vntouched to Chriſt alone: which is the ſureſt note to know the true Goſpel by.

Thus hetherto wee hauehave heard, That God the father of mercies, according The ſum of the goſpel.to his frée merciemercy taking pittie vppon mankinde, when it ſtucke faſt and was drowned in the myre of hell, did, as hée promiſed by the Prophets, ſend his onelyonly begotten ſonne into the world, that he might draw vsus out of the mudd, and fully giuegive vsus all thinges requiſite to life and ſaluation. For God the father was in Chriſt reconciled vntounto vsus, who for vsus and our ſaluation was incarnate, dead, rayſed from death to life, and taken vpp into heauen againe.

And although it may by all this be indifferently well gathered, to whom that ſaluation doeth belonge, and to Saluation preached in the goſpel doth belong to all.whome that grace is rightly preached, yet the matter it ſelfe doeth ſéeme to require in flatt woordes expreſſely to ſhewe that Chriſt, and the preaching of Chriſt his grace declared in the Goſpell doeth belonge vntounto all. For wée muſt not imagine y^t in heauen there are layed two books, in the one wherof the names of them are written, that are to be ſaued, and ſo to be ſaued, as it were, of neceſſitie, that, do what they will againſt the woord of Chriſt, and commit they neuer ſo heynous offences, they cannot poſſiblie chooſe but be ſaued: and that in the other are conteyned the names of them, which, doe what they can, and liue they neuer ſo holilie, yet cannot auoyde euerlaſting damnation. Let vsus rather hold that the holy Goſpel of Chriſt doeth generally preach to the whole world, the grace of God, the remiſſion of ſinnes, and life euerlaſting. And in this beliefe wee muſt confirme oure mindes with the word of God, by gathering together ſome euident places of the holy Scriptures, which doe manifeſtly proue that it is euen ſo. Of whiche ſort are theſe ſayinges following: In thy ſeede ſhall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed. Geneſis. 22. Euerie one that calleth vppon the name of the Lord ſhalbe ſaued. Ioel. 2. Wee hauehave all gone aſtray like ſheepe: and God hath layed vppon him the iniquitie of vsus all. Eſaie 53. Come to the waters all ye that thirſt. Eſaie. 55. There are of this ſorte innumerable places in the old teſtament.

Nowe in the Goſpel, the Lord ſayeth: Euerie one that aſketh receiueth, and hee that ſeeketh findeth, &c. Matth. 7. Come to mee all ye that labour and are heauie loaden, and I will eaſe you of your burthen. Matthewe 11. Teach all nations, baptiſinge them in the name of the father. &c. Matth. 28, Goe ye into the whole world, & preach the Goſpell vntounto all creatures. Whoſoeuer beleueth and is p. 546baptiſed, he ſhalbe ſaued. Marc. 16. So God loued the worlde that hee gaue his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that eueryevery one which beleeueth in him ſhould not periſh, but hauehave eternall life. Iohn 3. In the Actes of the Apoſtles Sainct Peter ſaith: Of a trueth I perceiue, that there is no reſpect of perſons with God, but in eueryevery nation he that feareth him and worketh righteouſnes, is acceptable vntounto him. Actes. 10. Paule in the thirde to the Romanes ſaith: The righteouſneſſe of God by faith in Ieſus Chriſt commeth vntounto all, and vppon all them that beleeue. And in the tenth Chapter he ſaith: The ſame Lorde ouer all is riche to all them that call vppon him. In his Epiſtle to Titus, hee ſaith: There hath appearrd the grace of God that is healthful to all men. And in the firſte to Timothie the ſeconde Chapter he ſaith: God wil hauehave all men to bee ſaued, and to come to the knowledge of the trueth. Theſe and ſuche like are the manifeſt teſtimonies wherevppon all the faithfull do firmely ſtaye them ſelues.

But now if thou demaundeſt how …erfore … are … ſaued.it happeneth that all men are not ſaued, ſince the Lorde would that all ſhould be ſaued, & come to the knowledge of the trueth? The Lorde in the Goſpell doth him ſelfe anſwere thee, ſaying: Many in deede are called, but fewe are choſen. Which ſentence hee doeth in the fourtéenth of S. Lukes Goſpell more plainly expound, where he doth in a parable ſhewe the cauſes, why a great part of mortall men doth not obteine eternal ſaluation, while they preferre earthly thinges & tranſitorie beefore celeſtiall or heauenly matters. For eueryevery one had a ſeuerall excuſe to cloake his diſobedience withall: one had bought a farme: an other had fiue yokes of Oxen to trye: the thirde had newly married a wife. And in the Goſpell after Sainct Iohn the Lorde ſaith: This is condemnation, becauſe the light came into the worlde, and men loued darkeneſſe more than the light. With this doctrine of the Euangeliſtes doeth that ſaying of the Apoſtle agrée 2. Corin. 4. Chapter. And in the firſt to Timothie the fourth Chapter, he ſaith: God is the Sauiour of all men, eſpecially The faithfull are ſaued.of thoſe that beleeue. Wherevppon we gather that God in the preachinge of the Goſpell requireth faith of eueryevery one of vsus: and by faith it is manifeſt that we are made partakers of all the goodneſſe and giftes of Chriſte. And verily there is a relatiō betwixt faith and the Goſpell. For in the Goſpell after Sainct Marke the Lorde annexeth faith to the preaching of the Goſpell. And Paule ſaith that To him was committed the preaching of the Goſpell vntounto the obedience of faith. Againe he ſaith: The Goſpell is the power of God vntounto ſaluation to all them that doe beleeue. And in the tenth Chapter to the Romans he doth by Gradation ſhewe that the Goſpell is receiued by faith. But that faith may be rightly planted in the heartes of men, it is needefull that the preaching of repentaunce do firſte goe before. For which cauſe I in the latter ende of the definition of the Goſpell, added: So that wee acknowledginge our ſinnes may beleeue in Chriſte: that is to ſaye: the Lorde wilbe oure Sauiour and giuegive vsus life euerlaſting if we acknowledge our ſinnes, and do beléeue in him. And therefore here nowe may be annexed the treatiſes of faith and repentaunce. Touchinge faith, I hauehave alreadie largely ſpoken in the 4. 5. and 6. Sermons of the firſt p. 547Decade. Concerning repentaunce I wil hereafter ſpeake in a ſeueral ſermon by it ſelfe. In this place I will onelyonly, touche ſummarily ſuch poynts of repentance as ſéeme to make for y^e demonſtration of the Goſpell.

Our Lorde Chriſte Ieſus doth in the preaching of the Goſpell require faith The Goſpel teacheth faith and repentance. Howeand repentaunce: neither did he him ſelfe when hee preached the Goſpell, procéede any other waye. For Marke hath: Ieſus came into Galile preaching the Goſpell of the kingdom of God, and ſaying: the time is fulfilled, and the kingdome of God is at hand, repent and beleeue the Goſpell. Neither did he otherwiſe inſtructe his diſciples, when he ſent them to preache the Goſpell vntounto all nations. For S. Luke ſaith: Chriſt ſaide to his diſciples, ſo it is written, and ſo it behoued Chriſt to ſuffer, and to riſe againe the thirde daye from the dead, and that in his name ſhould be preached repē tance, and the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes vntounto all nations. Sainct Paule, like a good ſcholer following his maiſter in the Actes of the Apoſtles ſaith: Ye knowe that I hauehave helde backe nothing that was profitable vntounto you, but hauehave ſhewed you, & hauehave taught you openly, and throughout eueryevery houſe: witneſsing both to the Iewes and alſo to the Greekes the repentance, that is towarde god, and the faith that is towarde our Lorde Ieſus Chriſte. In his Epiſtle to the Romanes, where he doth compendiouſely handle the Goſpel, he taketh occaſion to beginne the preaching thereof at ſinne, conuincing both Iewes and Gentiles to be ſubiect therevnto.

Nowe hee beginneth at ſinne to this ende and purpoſe, that eueryevery one deſcending into him ſelfe may ſée and acknowledge that in him ſelfe he hath no righteouſneſſe, but that by nature he is the ſonne of wrath, death, and damnation: not that ſuche acknowledging of ſinnes doth of it ſelfe make vsus acceptable vntounto God, or elſe deſerue remiſſion of ſinnes and life euerlaſting: but that after a ſorte it doth prepare a waye in the mindes of men to receiue faith in Chriſte Ieſus, and ſo by that meanes to embrace Chriſt Ieſus him ſelfe, who is our only and abſolute righteouſneſſe. For the hoale néede not the Phyſician, but ſuche as are ſicke and diſeaſed.

They therefore whiche thinke them ſelues to be cleare without ſinnes, and righteous of them ſelues, do vtterly reiect Chriſt, and make his death of none effect: but on the other ſide they that féele the diſeaſes of the mynde, and do from the bottome of their heartes confeſſe that they are ſinners and vnrighteous, not putting any truſt in their owne ſtrength and merites, doe euen pant for the haſte that they make to Chriſt, which when …they do, then Chriſte doeth offer him ſelfe in the Goſpell, promiſinge vntounto them remiſſion of ſinns and life euerlaſting: as he that came to heale the ſicke, and to ſaue repentant ſinners. But the promiſe is receiued by faith, and not by woorkes: therefore the Goſpell and Chriſt in the Goſpel are receiued by faith. For wee muſt diligently diſtinguiſhe betwirte the precepts, and the promiſes.

The promiſes are receiued by faith: the preceptes are accompliſhed by workes. Wherevppon Paule is read to hauehave ſaide: If the inheritaunce be of the lawe, then is it not nowe of promiſe. But god gaue Abraham p. 548the inheritaunce by promiſe.

The ſame Apoſtle to the Romans conferring the lawe and the Goſpell together doth ſaye: The righteouſeneſſe which is of the lawe doth ſay, whoſoeuer doeth theſe thinges, ſhall liue by them. But the righteouſeneſſe of faith doth ſaiye, if thou beleeueſt thou ſhalt be ſaued.

The lawe therefore is grounded vppon workes, wherevnto it ſéemeth to atttribute righteouſneſſe. But becauſe no man doth in woorkes fulfill the lawe, therefore is no man iuſtified by works, or by the lawe. The Goſpell is not grounded vponupon works. For ſinners acknowledge nothing in them ſelues but ſinne and wickedneſſe.

For they féele in them ſelues, that they are wholie corrupted: and therefore they flée to the merciemercy of god, in whoſe promiſes they put their truſt hoaping verily that they ſhall freely obteine remiſſion of their ſinnes, and that for Chriſt his ſake they are receiued into the number of the ſonnes of God.

I would ſpeake more in this place concerning faith in Ieſus Chriſt, the remiſſion of ſinnes, and the inheritannce of life euerlaſting, if I had not alreadie in the ſirſte Decade declared them at large. Here by the way, ye hauehave to remember that the Goſpell is not ſincerely preached, when ye are taught that we are made partakers of the life of Chriſte, for our owne deſertes and meritorious woorkes. For wee are fréely ſaued without reſpect of any workes of ours either firſt or laſt.

And although I hauehave oftener than … is … & … by ….once handeled this argument in theſe Sermons of mine: yet beecauſe it is the hooke wherevpon the hindge of the Euangelicall doctrine (whiche is the doore to Chriſte) doth hang, and that this doctrine (to wite, That Chriſte is receiued by faith and not by workes) is of many men verie greatly reſiſted, I will for the declaration and confirmation ſake thereof, produce here two places onelyonly, but ſuche as be apparant enough, and euident to prooue and confirm it by: the one out of the Goſpell of Chriſt our Lorde, the other out of Paules Epiſtles.

Our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt being about Howe Chriſt did preach the Goſpel.to teache briefely the waye to txue ſaluation, that is, to preach the gladd tydinges of life vntounto Nichodemus in the Goſpell after Saincte Iohn, doth firſte of all beginne at repentaunce, and doth wholie take Nichodemus from him ſelfe, leauinge him no merites of his owne, wherein to put his truſt.

For while hee doeth vtterly condemne the firſte birth of man, as that which is nothing auailable to obteine eternall life, what doeth hee, I beeſéech you, leaue to Nicodemus wherin he may bragge or make his boaſte? For he doth expreſſely ſaye: Verily, verily, I ſay vntounto thee, vnleſſe a man Of regeneratiō more largely is ſpoken in the Sermō of repentance.bee borne from aboue, he cannot ſee the kingdome of god.

If the firſte birth and the giftes thereof were able to promote a man to the kingdome of God, what neede then ſhoulde he hauehave to bee borne the ſeconde time? The ſeconde byrth is wrought by the meanes of the holye Ghoſte, which beeing from heauen powred into oure heartes, doth bring vsus to the knowledge of our ſelues, ſo that wee may eaſily perceiue aſſuredly knowe, and ſenſibly féele: that in our fleſhe, there is no life or righteouſeneſſe at all: p. 549and ſo conſequently that no man is ſaued by his owne ſtrength or merits. What then? The Spirite forſooth doth inwardly teache vsus that, which the ſounde of the Goſpell doeth outwardly tell vsus, that We are ſaued by the merite of the ſonne of God. For the Lorde in the Goſpel ſaith: No man aſcendeth into heauen, but hee that deſcended from heauen, the ſonne of man that is in heauen. For in an other place he doth more plainely ſaye: No man commeth to the father, but by mee. And againe, to Nicodemus he ſaith: As Moſes did lift vpp the Serpent in the Wilderneſſe, ſo muſte the ſonne of man be lift vp, that euerie one which beleeueth in him ſhuld not periſh, but hauehave eternall life.

Nowe Moſes did hang vp the braſen Serpent for the health and recouerie of them that were poyſoned by the bytings of the Serpents. For they died preſently that were ſtung with y^e Serpents: vnleſſe they did immediately looke vp to the braſen Serpent: for at the verie ſight thereof the poyſoned ſting did looſe all force, and the perſon enuenomed was out of hande reſtored and cured againe. Neither was there in the hoſt of the Iſraelites any other medicine, but that alone, which whoſoeuer deſpiſed, he died w^t out remedie. For the force of the poyſon was not expelled, & the life of y^e infected was not preſerued either by the power of prayers, or the multitude of Sacrifices, or medicinable hearbes, or any kinde of Phyſicke, or other meanes of mannes inuention. If any woulde eſcape the peril of death, it behoued him to beholde the braſen ſerpent aloft.

Nowe, that braſen Serpent was a type or figure of Chriſte our Lorde: who being lifte vp vppon the Croſſe, is ordeined of God to be the onelyonly ſaluation. But nowe to whome doeth that ſauing health befall? To them forſooth that do beholde him beeing ſo lift vp. The Lorde him ſelfe telleth vsus what to beholde doth ſignifie, and in ſtéede thereof doth put, to beleeue. Therefore no woorkes, none other meanes, nor merites of ours do ſaue vsus from eternall death, and from the force of ſinne, that is, the poyſon wher with we are all infected by the olde Serpent our aduerſarie Satan. Faith alone, whereby wée beléeue in Chriſt, who was lift vp for the remiſſion of our ſinnes, and in whome alone our life and ſure ſaluation doeth aſſuredly conſiſt, is the onelyonly thinge that quickeneth vsus, which are alreadie dying by the enuenomed ſting of Satan, which is ſinne.

Heare moreouer, what the Lorde doth adde, inſtructing Nicodemus yet more fully in the true faith, and making the onelyonly cauſe of our ſaluation to be the meere & onelyonly grace of God, which is receiued by faith in Chriſt. For ſo (ſaith he) GOD loued the worlde, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten ſonne, that eueryevery one which beeleeueth in him ſhould not periſh, but hauehave eternall life. For God ſent not his ſonne to condemne the world, but that the worlde might bee ſaued by him. He that beleeueth in him is not condemned: but hee that beleeueth not in him, is alreadie condemned: be cauſe he beleeueth not in the name of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God.

Loe, what coulde bee ſpoken more plainely? By faith, we are made partakers of Chriſte. By repeatinge faith ſo often, his meaning was ſo to beate it into our heades, that no man ſhoulde hereafter do once ſo muche as doubte of ſo manifeſt and euident a p. 550péece of doctrine. But if here nowe thou doeſt little ſet by the authoritie of Chriſt, then whoſe authoritie wilte thou eſtéeme? But thou wilt not, I knowe, reiect his teſtimonie. Yet albeit that his warrant is ſufficient, giuegive eare notwithſtandinge to that diſciple whome the Lorde loued, who in his Epiſtle expounding as it were the wordes of the Lorde, and by the way of expoſition repeating and beating them into all mennes mindes, doth ſtrongly cry out: If wee receiue the witneſſe of men, the witneſſe of Iohn. 3.John 3God is greater: for this is the witneſſe of God which he teſtified of his ſonn: he that beleeueth in the ſonne, hath the teſtimonie in him ſelfe. Hee that beleeueth not God, doth make him a lyar, becauſe lie beleeued not the recorde that he gaue of his ſonne. And this is the recorde, that God hath giuen vsus eternall life, and this life is in his ſonne. He that hath the ſonne hath life, and hee that hath not the ſonne of God hath not life. But what elſe is it to hauehave the ſonne of god, than to beléeue in him? For this ſenſe is gathered by that which went before, beeing of it ſelfe ſo euident, that for mée to add any thing vntounto it, is to do nothing elſe, but as it were to goe about with a tallowe candell to help or adlight the Sunne at his riſing.

Nowe are we come to the place of Sainct Paule, which is to be ſéene in … Paul … goſpel.the third and fourth Chapters of his Epiſtle to the Romanes. The rightouſeneſſe of God, ſaith hee, without the lawe is made manifeſt, being witneſſed by the teſtimonie of the lawe and the Prophets. Paul in this place doth preache the Goſpell moſt euidētly. For I knowe not any other place wherein he doeth it more plainly. Hee teacheth herein howe we are iuſtified before God, what is the true righteouſeneſſe and ſaluation of mankinde, and by what meanes it commeth vntounto vsus.

He ſaith, that the righteouſneſſe of God, that is to ſaye, the righteouſeneſſe which God beſtoweth, or whiche doth preuaile before God, is reuealed without the lawe, that is to ſay, doeth come vntounto vsus without the helpe of the lawe, to wite, without the ayde & merites of the workes of the lawe. For touching the teſtimonie of the lawē & y^e Prophets, they witneſſe both together, that they which beleeue are iuſtified by the righteouſneſſe of God. Now, what that righteouſeneſſe is, he doth immediately declare, ſaying: The righteouſeneſſe of God commeth by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt vntounto all, and vppon all them that beleeue. The righteouſeneſſe, ſaith he, whereof wee ſpeake, is not humane or of mortall man, but altogether diuine or of God him ſelfe. For as God alone is onelyonly iuſt, ſo the righteouſeneſſe of God is the true and onelyonly righteouſeneſſe of God that ſaueth vsus. Which righteouſeneſſe God maketh vsus to be partakers of by the faith of Ieſus Chriſte, to wite, if wee beléeue in Chriſte and hope in him for to bee ſaued. Neither is there here any man excluded from righteouſneſſe and ſaluation. For Paule doeth plainely ſay: VntoUnto all, and vponupon all, that doe beleeue. Wherefore God doeth repute and eſtéeme all them to be righteous, which do beléeue in Ieſus Chriſte his onelyonly ſonne our Lorde and Sauiour. Now he doth preſently annex the cauſe, why he attributeth ſaluation vntounto the righteouſneſſe of God and not of man, or why the Goſpell commendeth to vsus y^e righteouſeneſſe of God, ſaying: For there is no difference: al hauehave ſinned, p. 551and hauehave neede of the glorie of God, For becauſe all men of their owne nature are deſtitute of the glorie of God, that is, ſince they are without the true image of God, to the likeneſſe whereof they were created in y^e beginning: therefore all men verily are vnrighteous and ſinners: wherevppon it followeth, that in them there is no righteouſneſſe, and that they hauehave nothing wherein to boaſt before the righteous God.

For, what elſe, I beſeech you, doe ſinners carrie from the iudgement ſeate of God, but confuſion and ignominie? And for becauſe all men are ſuch, and in that caſe, therefore the Apoſtle doth verie wiſely add: but they The man…er and order of our ſanctification, purification, & iuſtification.are iuſtified freely by his grace thorough the redemption in Chriſte Ieſus: whome God hath ſett foorth to bee a propitiation or reconciliation through faith in his bloud. Whiche is all one as if he had ſaide: men are iuſtified for Chriſt his ſake by y^e méere grace or merciemercy of God, without anye helpe or merite of their owne. If ſo be they do but beléeue that God hath giuen his ſonne to the worlde, to ſhedd his bloud, and to reconcile the purified ſinners vntounto his father in heauen. In which wordes there are moſte fully and plainly declared the whole manner and order of ſanctifying, purifying and iuſtifying of ſinners. But it is good here to repeate the Apoſtles woordes, and more nerely to examine and deepely to conſider them. They are, ſaith hee, freely iuſtified. But wherefore freely? becauſe forſooth, they are iuſtified by the meere grace of God, without the helpe of their owne workes or merites. For all men are ſinners, and therefore they hauehave nothinge of them ſelues to alledge for their iuſtification: wherevppon it followeth, that, ſince ſome are iuſtified, they are iuſtified freely by the grace of God. For the ſame Apoſtle in the eleuenth to the Romanes, ſaith: If wee bee ſaued by grace, then nowe not of woorkes: for then grace is no more grace: but if by workes, then is it nowe no grace. But there followeth in Paule immediately that which doth yet make that argument more manifeſt, which is notwithſtanding verie manifeſt alreadie, through the redemption, ſaith he, that is in Chriſte.

Our righteouſeneſſe and ſaluation is the worke of méere grace: becauſe we are redéemed. For in reſpecte of our ſelues, our workes and merites, wee were the ſeruaunts of death, and the diuell, in ſo muche as wee were ſinners and ſubiecte to ſinne. But God by ſending his ſonne redeemed vsus, when as yet beeinge his enimies wee were bounde to the diuell his open aduerſarie.

Therefore, hee did fréely redéeme vsus: as Eſaye the Prophet did in his 52. Chapter, plainly foretell, that it ſhould come to paſſe. But true ſaluation is not in any other whatſoeuer he bee, ſaue in Chriſt alone oure true Lorde and Sauiour. For, the heauenly father did by his eternall counſell ſet forth his ſonne our Lorde Ieſus Chriſte to bee our propitiation, to wite, that hee might bee our reconciliation, for whoſe ſake onelyonly the father being pacified, adopte…h vsus into the number of the ſonnes of GOD: which is accompliſhed by none other way, but through faith in his bloud, that is, if wee beléeue that the ſonne being ſent of the father did ſhedde his bloud, thereby to ſet vsus cleanſed, iuſtified, and ſanctified before his heauenly father. Wherin we ſée againe p. 552that our ſaluation doth freely conſiſte in faith in Ieſus Chriſt.

Theſe poyntes beeing thus vnfolded, the Apoſtle procéedinge to ſhewe … they … that … hath ſeemed.howe farre the benefite of redemption and iuſtification doth ſtretche, doth immediately adde: To declare his righteouſnes, by the forgiueneſſe of the ſinnes that are paſt, which GOD did ſuffer, to ſhewe at this time his righteouſeneſſe.

God, ſaith he, hath ſet forth Chriſt to be the onelyonly propitiation, that hee might ſhewe that there is but one and the ſame righteouſeneſſe of all ages, Chriſt, I ſaye, him ſelfe, who is the righteouſeneſſe of all that beleeue. Nowe, heere hee maketh mention of two ſeuerall times, that aunciēt age of the fathers, and this preſent tyme wherein wee nowe liue. The auncient age is that, which went before the comming of Chriſt. This latter age of ours is that, which beginneth at Chriſte, is nowe at this preſent, and ſhalbee extended to the ende of the worlde.

And God verily did of his long ſufferaunce beare with, and ſuffer the ſinnes of that olde age for Chriſte his ſake, by whome and for whome, hee hath forgiuen them. Neither doeth he ſet beefore vsus at this daye any other righteouſeneſſe, ſaue Chriſte alone, to be receiued and embraced by faith. For the Apoſtle doeth not obſcurely, afterwarde adde: That he might be iuſt, and the iuſtifier of them that beleeue on Ieſus. As if he ſhould hauehave ſaide: nowe the meaninge of all this is, that we ſhould vnderſtand that all men are vnrighteous and altogether ſinners, but that God alone is righteous, without whome there is no righteouſeneſſe at all: and that hee doeth communicate his righteouſeneſſe to all them that do beléeue in Cſtriſte, to wite, which do beléeue, that for Chriſt his ſake the father is pleaſed and recō ciled vntounto vsus, and that for him we are reputed both iuſt and holie.

By theſe woordes of the Apoſtle Errours refuted.there are two verie wicked and blaſphemous errours of certeine fellowes notably refuted. The one of the twaine is the errour of them, whiche ſaye that oure fathers were iuſtified, not by faith in Chriſt, but by the law and their owne merites: affirminge that Chriſt ſuffred not for the fathers, but for them alone, that liued when he was vppon the earth, and for them that followed after his death. The other errour is theirs, which ſaye that Chriſt offered vp his bodie for the fathers, for originall ſinne onelyonly, not for vsus and all our ſinnes, and therefore that wee muſt make ſatiſfaction for our owne ſinnes. But the Apoſtle Paule doeth in this place condemne both theſe opinions.

And the holie Euangeliſt Iohn agréeing with Paule doth ſaye: The bloud of the ſonne of GOD doeth cleanſe vsus from all ſinne: for he is the propitiation for our ſinnes: not for our ſinnes onelyonly, but for the ſinnes of all the worlde. Therefore the merite of Chriſt his redemption doth extende it ſelfe to all the faithfull of both the teſtaments.

The Apoſtle Paul procéedeth, & vponupon that which he had ſaide, hee inferreth: Where is the boaſting? it is excluded. By what lawe? Of woorkes? Naye, but by the lawe of faith. He gathereth by the Euangelicall doctrine hetherto taught, that all the boaſting of eueryevery mannes owne righteouſeneſſe, and all the bragginge of euerye ones merites is vtterly taken away, altogether exempted and vaniſhed.

p. 553Not by the lawe of woorkes, that is, not by the doctrine concerning works which is wont for the moſte parte to puffe men vpp, and make them ſwel: but by the lawe of faith, that is, by y^e doctrine concerning faith, which doth emptie and leaue in vsus nothinge but an humble confeſſion and acknowledging of our owne lacke of merites, attributing all oure helpe to grace in Chriſt Ieſus. And at the laſt gathering the cheefe propoſition, hee ſayth: We do therefore holde that a man is iuſtified without the woorkes of the lawe.

This is the ſumme and breuiarie of the whole Goſpell, that wee are iuſtified, that is to ſaye, abſolued from ſinnes, from the definitiue ſentence of death and damnation, and ſanctified and adopted into the number of the ſonnes of God, by faith, that is, by an aſſured confidence in the name of Chriſte, which is giuen by the father to be our onelyonly Sauiour. And here are workes, by name excluded, to the ende there ſhould be giuen to vsus no occaſion to entangle faith with workes, or to attribute to workes the glorie & title due to faith alone, or rather to Chriſte, vppon whome our faith is grounded and vphelde.

This propoſition beeing once put foorth, he doth preſently after cōfirme with argumentes, ſhewing withall, that this ſaluation is common both to the Iewes and Gentiles, ſaying: Is he the God of the Iewes onelyonly? Is hee not alſo of the Gentiles? yes euen alſo of the Gentiles. For it is one God that ſhal iuſtifie the circumciſion by faith, & the vncircumciſion through faith. Hee fetcheth the confirmation of that which he ſaide, from the nature of God. There is but one God, who is of his owne nature both life & righteouſeneſſe. And he is the God bothe of the Iewes and the Gentiles: therefore he is the life and righteouſeneſſe of both the people: which righteouſeneſſe hee beſtoweth on them by faith: therefore faith doeth iuſtifie or make them both righteous.

This is declared by the example of Cornelius the Centurion. For he is iuſtified, or, as I ſhould rather ſaye, being once iuſtified, hee is declared to be acceptable to God, by the ſendinge downe of the holie Ghoſte in a viſible fourme vppon him, when as hee neither was circumciſed, nor yet had kept the lawe, but had onelyonly heard y^• preaching of the Goſpell, and had beléeued in Ieſus Chriſt. Nowe GOD did not iuſtifie Cornelius ſo alone, but wil alſo iuſtifie all other nations by faith: euen as hee wil not by anye other meanes than by faith alone iuſtifie the Iewes.

It followeth in Paule: Doe wee then deſtroy the lawe through faith? God forbidde: but we rather mainteine the lawe. For the defenders or the diſputers in the defence of works, or rather of iuſtification by workes, are wont to obiecte, if faith alone in Chriſt doth iuſtifie: then is the lawe or doctrine of the lawe altogether vnprofitable. For to what ende are wee commaunded to doe good woorkes, if good workes do not iuſtifie? The Apoſtle aunſwereth, that the lawe is not aboliſhed by faith, but rather mainteined. For ſince faith doeth directly tende to Chriſte, in whome alone it doth ſéeke and finde all fullneſſe: and that the lawe it ſelfe is the ſcholemyſtreſſe vntounto Chriſt, and doth ſhut vpp all vnderunder ſinne, ſo that iuſtification is by faith giuen to the faithfull, it is moſte euident that the lawe is not deſtroyed or darkened, but confirmed p. 554and made lighte by y^e doctrine of faith.

The Apoſtle goeth on in his confirmation, and ſaith: What ſhal wee … A…raham …e father … the faith … is iuſti…d.ſaye then that Abraham oure father, as pertaining to the fleſhe did finde? For, if Abraham were iuſtified by woorkes, then hath hee wherein to boaſt, but not before God. For what ſaith the Scripture? Abrahā beleeued God, and it was counted vntounto him for righteouſeneſſe. There are verily many examples of the holy fathers: but among all the reſt, the Apoſtle choſe out this of Abraham, to handle it at large. For he in the Scriptures is called the father of them that do beléeue. Wherevppon it is aſſuredly certeine, that the children ſhalbe iuſtified after the ſame ſorte that theire father was: as the Apoſtle hath in expreſſe woordes taught in the latter ende of the fourth Chapter. Moreouer Abraham was famous for good workes, aboue all the reſt of the holie fathers: therfore if any other could hauehave beene iuſtified by his good woorkes or merites, much more might Abraham before all the reſt. But forbecauſe he was iuſtified by faith, and not by workes, it is manifeſt therefore that all the Sainctes alſo both hauehave béene and are iuſtified by faith and not by workes.

Furthermore Abraham liued 430 yeres before the lawe was reuealed by Moſes: wherevppon it followeth that his woorkes cannot be called the workes of the lawe, by them that are the denyers of the iuſtificatiō by faith without the lawe. Therefore the workes that hee did, hee did them of faith, and his woorkes were y^e works of faith, and yet was he not iuſtified by them, but by faith. Therefore the …lorie of the iuſtification of faith remaineth ſounde, vnſpotted, and vnmingled with any thing elſe. What, ſaith he, ſhal we ſaye that oure father Abraham founde, concerninge the fleſhe, to wite, ſo farre forth as he is a man, and we alſo men of him? What, I ſaye, ſhal wee ſaye that hee deſerued? To this demaunde this anſwere muſt be added: hee founde nothing, and by his woorkes hee deſerued nothing. For the proofe followeth, if by his workes he deſerued any thing, or was by his merits iuſtified, then hath he wherein to boaſte. But he hath nothing wherin to boaſt: therfore is he not iuſtified by his workes. For God alone is righteous, and kéepeth this his glorie vntounto him ſelfe alone without any partener or ioyntpoſſeſſour with him, freely iuſtifying them that are of the faith of Ieſus Chriſte, to the end that his grace may be alwayes praiſed.

But Paule him ſelfe by bringing in a place of Scripture doeth ſhewe that Abraham had nothinge wherein to make his boaſt. For what, ſaith he, doth the Scripture ſay? Abraham beleeued God, and it was counted vn to him for righteouſeneſſe. Lo here the Scripture doth moſte plainly ſay, that Abraham was iuſtified by faith, or rather that faith was imputed to him for righteouſeneſſe, and therefore that Abraham was for his faith counted righteous before the moſte iuſte and righteous God.

But let vsus heare Paule, howe he applyeth this place of Scripture vntounto his purpoſe. It followeth then: To him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of Grace, but of duetie. But to him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him that iuſtifieth the vngodly, his faith is counted for righteouſeneſſe. Which woordes verily maye bee briefely reduced into this p. 555kinde of argument. Who ſoeuer doeth with his woorkes deſerue anye thing, to him the rewarde is giuen as a thing of duetie due vntounto him, and not imputed freely as though it were no debte.

But faith is imputed to Abraham vntounto righteouſeneſſe, therefore he receiued righteouſeneſſe, not as a rewarde of duetie ought vntounto him, but as a gifte not due, but freely giuen him. And againe: To him that worketh not, but beleeueth in him that iuſtifieth the vngodly, his faith is reckoned for righteouſeneſſe. But to Abraham faith was imputed vntounto righteouſeneſſe: therefore he obteined righteouſeneſſe, by faith and not by workes.

Nowe, there is an Emphaſis in that he fayth: But beleeueth in him that iuſtifieth the vngodly. For therby is ſignified, that he which is to be iuſtified doth bring nothing with him, but the onelyonly acknowledginge of his owne miſerie and vngodlyneſſe, to ſéeke for merciemercy at the hande of the Lorde. For he vnderſtandeth that he is deſtitute of good workes, and ſuch as may abide the tryall of Gods iuſt iudgement. He doth therefore flye to the merciemercy of God, preſuming for a certeintie that the righteouſeneſſe of faith is the ayde or helpe of the ſinner that muſt be freely ſaued by the grace of God.

Here by the way ye muſt note that The righteouſneſſe of Chriſtians is imputatiue.Chriſtians righteouſeneſſe both is, & is ſaide to be imputatiue righteouſeneſſe. Which thing alone is able to breake the necke of all our boaſtinge: for imputation is the contrarie vntounto debte. God is not of duetie bound to vsus, either for our owne ſakes, or for our woorkes ſakes, but ſo farre forth as hee hath bounde him ſelfe to vsus of his free grace and goodneſſe. And in vsus there are many thinges that hinder the perfection of righteouſeneſſe in vsus. Wherevppon Dauid cryed: Enter not into iudgement with thy ſeruaunt: for in thy ſight ſhall no man liuing be iuſtified. Therefore GOD doeth freely impute to vsus the righteouſeneſſe of faith, that is, hee reputeth vsus for righteous, becauſe we beléeue him through his ſonne. So wee read, that in the Euangelicall parable the Lorde did ſaye: But when the debters were not able to paye, hee forgaue them bothe the debte. For GOD alſo forgiueth vsus our debtes or ſinnes, not reputinge them vntounto vsus, but countinge vsus for righteous for Chriſte his ſake.

For the ſame Apoſtle moſte euidently teſtifying the ſame thinge in the ſeconde Epiſtle to the Corinthians, ſaith: God was in Chriſte reconciling the worlde vntounto himſelfe, by not imputing ſinnes to men. And after that againe: Him, whiche knewe no ſinne, he made ſinne for vsus, that wee might bee the righteouſeneſſe of God in him. What canſt thou require more euident, than that wee are counted righteous before GOD, becauſe, by Chriſt his ſacrifice oure ſinnes are ſo purged, that wee ſhoulde heereafter, bee no longer helde with the guylte of the ſame?

Wee proceede nowe to reckon vpp the other argumentes of Saincte … of ….Paule, as firme and manifeſte as theſe that are alreadie rehearſed. In the ſame Chapter therefore it followeth: Euen as Dauid deſcribeth the bleſſednes of the man, to whom the LORDE imputeth righteouſeneſſe p. 556without workes, ſaying: Bleſſed are they, whoſe vnrighteouſeneſſes are forgiuen, and whoſe ſinnes are couered.

Bleſſed is that man to whome the Lorde will not impute ſinne. In the beginninge hee doeth, with cleare and euident woordes, expreſſe the thing that hee intendeth to prooue or confirme, to wite, that GOD imputeth righteouſeneſſe to the Saincts without woorkes. What coulde bee ſaide more plainly?

And to proue it to bee ſo, here he inferreth the teſtimonie of Dauid, which doeth, in a manner, conteyne three ſundry members or clauſes. Firſte, Bleſſed, ſaith hee, are they whoſe vnrighteouſeneſſes are forgiuen. Then, Bleſſed are they, whoſe ſinnes are couered. And laſtly, Bleſſed is that man to whome the Lord will impute no ſinne.

Nowe, the force of the argument or demonſtration doeth conſiſt in the wordes: Forgiue, Couer, and not Impute. The creditour forgiueth the debtour that, whiche hee hath not payde him, whether he bee able or not able to paye it him. Wee in reſpecte of our ſinnes (whiche are our debtes) are able to paye nothinge to GOD.

Forgiueneſſe therefore of thoſe debtes or ſinnes of oures, is the gifte of Gods méere grace and liberalitie. For the creditour cannot forgiue the thinge that is alreadie payde vntounto him. For when hee giueth backe the thinge that hee hath receiued, in ſo dooing, hee doeth not forgiue, but giuegive, and that deede in the Scriptures is called Donum, a gifte, not Remiſsio, a forgiueing.

Wherevppon Sainct Paul ſaith: GOD gaue to Abraham the inheritaunce: therefore, Abraham with his woorkes did not merite the ſame. Secondarily, ſome filthie thing that offendeth the eyes of men, is vſually woont to bee couered, and yet notwithſtandinge the filthie thinge abydeth filthie ſtill, although it doeth not appeare outwardly vntounto the eyes of men.

And our mercifull God hath couered our ſinnes, not that they ſhoulde not bee, but that they ſhoulde not appeare or come to iudgement: whiche thing is the gifte of grace, and not of merites. For the coueringe is nothing elſe, than the bloud of the ſonne of GOD: for, for his bloudes ſake wee ſinners are not damned. Laſtely, GOD might by right and iuſtice impute ſinne vntounto vsus: but of his grace hee imputeth it not. And all theſe layde together, doe confirme and prooue, that righteouſeneſſe is freely, by faith, without workes, imputed vntounto vsus.

This verie ſame place of Saincte Paule taken out of Dauid, doeth diſcuſſe and make plaine vntounto vsus other poyntes of doctrine alſo, whereof there is ſome controuerſie. For wee learne that iuſtification is nothinge elſe but ſanctification, forgiueneſſe of ſinnes, and adoption into the number of the children of God. We learne that Saincte Paule ſpeaketh not only of the Ceremoniall woorks of the Lawe, but alſo of the Sainctes good woorkes of eueryevery ſorte.

Furthermore, wee learne that both ſinnes and iniquities, that is, all manner ſinnes of the faithfull are freely pardoned and vtterlye forgiuen. Moreouer, wee learne, that ſinnes are fullye remitted, not the p. 557fault onelyonly, but the puniſhement alſo: whiche puniſhment ſome ſaye, is reteined: but God doeth not impute ſinnes. In an other place, he ſaith: that he wil not hauehave any remembrāce of our ſinne at all. Laſtly, we learne that y^e ſatiſfactions for ſinne of mans inuention is a moſte vaine lye, and flatlye oppoſite to the Apoſtles doctrine.

I hauehave hitherto alledged two moſt euident places: the one out of the Goſpell of Chriſte, the other out of ſainct Paule his Epiſtle written to the Romanes, by which I meant to prooue that Chriſte beeing preached to vsus by the Goſpell is receiued, not by workes, but by faith: and I hope I hauehave by diuine teſtimonies ſo declared this matter of importance, that no man ſhall néede hereafter either to doubte, or wauer in the ſame. To all this nowe I adde this note ſtill moſte neceſſarie to be obſerued, that all good and holie men in the Church of Chriſt muſt with all their power do their indeuour, that this doctrine of the Goſpell maye abyde ſincere and vtterly vncorrupted.

For they muſt in no caſe admitte, that iuſtification is partely attributed to faith and the merciemercy of God, and partely to the workes of faith and our owne merites. For if that be admitted, then doeth the Goſpell looſe all force and vertue. I thinke therefore that all men muſt onelyonly and inceſſantly vrge this, that the faithful are iuſtified, ſaued, or ſanctified by faith without woorkes, by the grace and merciemercy, I ſaye, of GOD thorough Chriſte alone. And I ſuppoſe verily that this doctrine of the Goſpell muſt be kepte ſincer… and vncorrupte in the Churche for verie many cauſes, but among all other for theſe eſpecially which followe hereafter.

Firſte of all, it is manifeſt, that Why … doctri… …aith that iuſtifieth without workes is to be ke… vncorrupted in the Church … Chriſt.the often repeated doctrine, of the Grace of God, which in his onelyonly ſonne doeth thorough faith alone woorke iuſtification, is by ſo manye diuine teſtimonies euen from the beginning of the worlde, by ſo manye demonſtrations, and ſo many determinations of vnreproueable counſels, both ſo plainely declared, and throughly inculcated, that the verie cōſent of all ages in y^e trueth reuealed from heauen, and the authoritie of the moſte holye men in all the worlde do ſufficiently inuite vsus to retaine, maintaine, and keepe that doctrine vncorrupted.

Wée hauehave the iuſtification of oure bleſſed father Abraham a little aboue expounded by no obſcure author, but euen by Paule the teacher of the Gentiles, and elected veſſel of GOD him ſelfe. Wee hauehave the doctrine of inſtification taught by the moſte glorious kinge and Prophet Dauid, a man euen after Gods heartes deſire, the greate grandſyre of Chriſt our Lord, declared and expounded by the ſame Apoſtle Paule.

Nowe, Abraham and Dauid were alwayes men of chiefe accompt in the Church of God. With whiche twaine the whole companye of the Prophets doe wholie agree. For the Apoſtle Peter ſaith: All the Prophets bare wittneſſe to Chriſte, that by his name eueryevery one whiche doeth beleeue in him, ſhoulde receiue remiſsion of his ſinnes. And euen nowe by the mouth of Paule, wee hearde ſaye, that by the teſtimonies of the lawe and the Prophetes, it is proued, That the righteouſeneſſe of God is freely beſtowed by faith, with out the Lawe.

p. 558We hauehave alſo the verie ſonne of God Ieſus Chriſte our Lorde, whoſe authoritie, excelling farre all y^• worldes beſide, may confirme vsus well enough in this péece of doctrine. For he, as it were in certeine aſſembled counſels, did determine and decree that, which we in this place do counſell al men to reteine. For hauing gathered togeather his diſciples at Caeſarea Philippi he demaunded of them, what men did thinke of him. Nowe, when they anſwered diuerſly, according to the diuerſitie of opinions that the common people had of him, hee inquired of thē what they them ſelues thought of him. Then Peter in the name of all the reſt ſaide: Thou art that Chriſte the ſonne of the liuing God. To whome the Lorde replyed: Happie art thou Simon Bar Iona, for fleſh and bloud hath not reuealed this to thee, but my father which is in heauen. In theſe woordes hee concludeth two ſeuerall thinges.

Firſt, that true faith doeth make vsus happie. Neither is it to be doubted but that to make happie, is vſed here in that ſignification, which ye hearde out of Paule euen nowe that Dauid vſed it in. Laſtly, that that ſanctifying faith is not the woorke of oure owne nature, but the heauenly gifte of God. And then alſo he taketh occaſion vppon that notable confeſſion of true faith, to giuegive a newe name to Simon Peter, for the eternall memorie of the thinge, and for the imprintinge of the ſignification of that myſterie in all mennes mindes. Peter confeſſed, that Chriſt was a ſtone or rocke. Therefore Chriſte ſyrnameth Peter a Petra, that is, a ſtone, as if one ſhoulde call him a liuinge ſtone layde vppon a liuing ſtone, or of Chriſte a Chriſtian. Yea, and leaſte peraduenture any man ſhoulde tye the thinge vniuerſally beelonginge to the whole churche, vntounto Peter alone, the Lorde him ſelfe doth apply it vntounto all the Churche, and ſaith: And vponupon this ſtone will I buylde my churche: and the gates of hell ſhal not preuaile againſt it. As if he ſhould hauehave ſayd: that which nowe is done in thee Peter, ſhall hereafter bee done in all the faithfull.

Thou by faith art layde vponupon me, which am the ſtone, and arte made a member of the Church. I therefore do ordeine, that whoſoeuer confeſſeth mee to be the ſtone, ſhalbe a member of the Churche, ſanctified, iuſtified, and deliuered from the diuell and the power of death. Thy confeſſion, (that is, I Chriſte the ſonne of God, whome thou confeſſeſt:) ſhalbe the foundation of the Churche, vppon whiche foundation, whoſoeuer are layde, they ſhal be iuſtified and fréely ſaued.

For Paule alſo ſaide: An other foundation cannot be layd, than that that is alreadie layde, which is Chriſt Ieſus. And the Apoſtle Iohn ſaith: This is the victorie that hath ouercome the worlde, euen your faith. Nowe leaſt Peter and his other fellowe diſciples ſhoulde not knowe the waye howe other men ſhoulde be admitted into the fellowſhip of the Churche, and receiued into the communion of Chriſte, he addeth immediately: And I will giuegive thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen: and whatſoeuer thou looſeſt in earth, ſhalbee looſed in heauen &c.

He gaue the keyes when hee ſent the Apoſtles to preache the Goſpell. Therefore, by the preaching of the Goſpell (which is the keye of y^e kingdome of heauen) is heauen opened, p. 559and the waye poynted out, howe we being graffed in Chriſte & the church, may bee made the heires of eternall life, to wite, through faith in Chriſte, which wee are taught by the Goſpell of Chriſte.

Thus much touching the counſell, wherof Chriſt himſelf was Preſidēt, helde at Caeſarea Philippi. There is extant in Iohn an other counſell held at Capernaum, both famous and ful of people. For in a greate multitude of his Diſciples and other men, hee doeth determine, that eternall life is gotten by faith in Chriſte: and that there is none other waye for vsus to come to life, than this: To eate his fleſhe, and to drinke his bloud: that is, to beléeue in him. And when among… the audience, there was a Schiſme by reaſon that many reuolted from Chriſte, hee demaunded of them that were his neereſt diſciples, whether they alſo woulde forſake him, then P…ter in the name of all the reſt did aunſwere: ſince in thee, O Chriſte, there is life and ſaluation, if wee departe from thee, wee cannot bee partakers of lif…, and therefore by faith, wee will …rmely ſticke and cleaue cloſe to thee for euer.

Moreouer, here are to be reckoned two counſels alſo that were helde by the Apoſtles. The one of whiche no man can denye to bee verie generall or vniuerſall. For in it there were d…uout men of eueryevery nation vnderunder heauen. In that counſell did Peter the Apoſtle in expreſſe wordes teache: that Chriſte is the Sauiour of the worlde, whome whoſoeuer beléeueth, hee ſhall hauehave life euerlaſting. The place is knowen in the Actes of the Apoſtles the ſecond Chapter.

Before the chiefe of the Iewes the ſame Apoſtle declareth, that there is ſaluation in none other than in Chriſt alone. The place is extante in the Actes of the Apoſtles the thirde Chapter. The like hee doeth to the firſte fruites of the Gentiles, Cornelius and his houſholde in the tenth Chapter. The ſeconde counſell, which was famous alſo, and paſſingly adorned with all good giftes, is deſcribed in the fiftéenth Chapter of the Actes: in which… Counſell this propoſition was allowed: That faith without woorkes doth iuſtifie freely.

Touching which matter I hauehave ſpoken at large in an other place. See the … of … Actes … the Ap… ſtles, … the … Sermo… the …Nowe, by all this I woulde hauehave it proued, that the doctrine of Faith that iuſtifieth without woorkes, ought to bée reteined vnmingled and vncorrupte in the Churche, becauſe, as I maye ſo ſaye, it is moſte Catholique, and altogether vnreproueable: to the breache whereof this cu…ſſe or Anathematiſme of the Apoſtle is added, ſayinge: If wee, or an Angel from Heauen ſhall preache to you anye other Goſpell, than that whiche we hauehave preached, let him bee accurſed.

The ſeconde cauſe, why it is expedient, that this doctrine bee kepte ſincere in the Churche, is, becauſe, if it bee once put out of ioynte, the glorie of Chriſte ſhall bee in daunger of wracke and in ieopardie. For the glorie of Chriſte is darkened and corrupted in the myndes of men (althoughe of it ſelfe it remaineth alwayes ſounde and cleare) if wee beginne to diuide the righteouſeneſſe, whereby wee ſtande and appeare before GOD, attributing it to oure owne merites, and good woorkes of p. 560our owne. For this is the glorie of the ſonne of God, that vnderunder Heauen there is none other name giuen vntounto men, in whiche they muſt bee ſaued.

Herevppon it is that Paule ſaide: Chriſte is made of none effecte to you, who ſoeuer are iuſtified by the Lawe, ye are fallen from Grace. And againe: I doe not deſpiſe the grace of God. For if righteouſeneſſe bee of the Lawe: then did Chriſte dye in vaine. If hee dyed in vaine, then is the glorie of Chriſte his Croſſe periſhed.

The thirde cauſe is, the certeine and aſſured reaſon of oure ſaluation. Our ſaluation ſhould bee vtterly vncerteine, if it did depende vppon our woorkes and merites, who, becauſe of oure naturall corruption, vnleſſe wee bee beſide our ſelues, doe ſaye, or ought to ſaye with Iob: If I hauehave any righteouſeneſſe, I will not aunſwere, but humbly beeſeeche my Iudge.

Therefore did Paule verie rightly ſaye: If the inheritaunce bee of the Lawe, then is faith voide, and the promiſe made of none effecte, Therefore is it of faith, as according to Grace, that the promiſe may bee firme to all the ſeede.

The fourth cauſe is, becauſe, by this doctrine eſpecially there is repayred in vsus the image of GOD, to the likeneſſe whereof wee were at the firſte created. For, by faithe Chriſte dwelleth and liueth in vsus, who is alſo delighted in our humilitie. But then is the image of the diuell ſtirred vpp in vsus, when wee beginne once to bee proude in our ſelues, and to vſurpe the glorie of God, whiche is done vndoubtedly ſo often as wee doe attribute our righteouſeneſſe and ſaluation vntounto oure ſelues: as though by oure owne woorkes or merites wee had deſerued the kingdome of GOD. The diuell ſwelleth with pride and doth his indeuour to robbe God of his glorie. The Saintes do knowe and acknowledge that they are ſaued by the true grace and merciemercy of God: and doe therefore attribute to him all honour and glorie, and to them ſelues confuſion and ignominie. Wherevnto vndoubtedly belongeth the parable in the goſpell of the Phariſeie boaſtinge in his good workes, and of the Publicane praying and ſaying, God be mercifull to me a ſinner: of whiche twayne the Publicane is read to hauehave gone heauie to his houſe rather iuſtified than the other.

The fifte cauſe is, the value or eſtimation of the ſinne. For that ſemeth to be no greate faulte, which may by mennes workes be blotted out before God. But the holy ſcripture teacheth, that ſinns could be by none other meanes cleanſed, but by the death and innocent bloude of the ſonne of God. Nowe, by that eueryevery man that hath anye vnderſtandinge may eaſily gather, that ſinne in the ſight of GOD is a moſte abhominable and deteſtable thinge. Wherevpon there doeth ariſe in the faithfull Sainctes a carefull and diligent watchinge againſt ſinne, and a continuall bewaylinge of oure miſerable condition with a paſſinge humilitie, and exquiſite modeſtie.

I coulde yet add to theſe ſome cauſes more, why al men ought to ſt…iue & endeuour, to kéepe this doctrine: (that the Catholique church i… iuſtified by the grace of God in his only be…ottē p. 561ſonne, through faith & not through workes) ſincere and vncorrupt in y^e church of Chriſte: but theſe I hope are ſufficient for them that are not of purpoſe ſet to quarell againſt vsus. And yet notwithſtanding there is no perill why by this doctrine good woorkes ſhould be neglected: of which I hauehave ſpoken in place conuenient. But if there be any that ceaſſe not, of purpoſe to cauil againſt y^e manifeſt truth of the Goſpell, I obiect againſt them that ſaying of Paule: that neither wee nor the churches of God do ſtand to wrangle in ſo manifeſt a light.

To conclude, the ſumme of all that which hitherto I hauehave ſaide touching The concluſion & ſumme of all.the Goſpell is this: that al men that be in the world are of their owne nature the ſeruauntes of ſinne, the diuell, and eternall death, and cannot be looſed or ſet at libertie by anye other meanes, but by the frée grace of God, and the redemption, which is in the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God our Lorde Chriſte Ieſus.

Of which redemption they onelyonly are made partakers, that doe beléeue and truſt in him. For whoſoeuer doe by true faith receiue Chriſt Ieſus through the preaching of the Goſpell, they are therewithal iuſtified, that is, acquited from their ſinnes, ſanctified and made heires of eternall life. But they that by their vnbeléefe and hardneſſe of harte, do not receiue Chriſte, are giuen ouer to the eternall paines, and bondes of hell. For the wrath of God abydeth vppon them.

Let vsus therefore giuegive hartie thankes to God our redéemer, and humbly beſéech him to kéepe and increaſe vsus in the true faith, and laſtely to bring vsus to life euerlaſting. Amen.