Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 1 · Decade 1 · Sermon 1
Of the worde of God, the cauſe of it, and howe and by whome it was reuealed to the worlde.
¶ The first Sermon.
ALl the decrees of Chriſtian fayth, with eueryevery waye howe to liue rightly, well, and holyly, and finally, all true and heauenly wiſdome, hauehave alwayes bene fetched out of the teſtimonies or determinate iudgements of the word of God: neyther can they, by thoſe which are wiſe men in déede, or by the faithfull, and thoſe whiche are called by God to the miniſterie of the Churches, be drawn, taught, or laſt of all, ſoundly confirmed from elſe where, then out of the word of God. Therefore, whoſoeuer is ignorant what the worde of God, and the meaning of the word of God is, he ſéemeth to be as one, blinde, deafe, and without witte, in the Temple of the Lorde, in the ſchole of Chriſt, and laſtly, in the very reading of the ſacred Scriptures. But whereas ſome are nothing zealous, but very hardly drawen to the hearing of Sermons in the Church, that ſpringeth out of no other fountaine than this, which is, bycauſe they doe neyther rightly vnderſtande, nor diligently inoughe weigh the vertue, and true force of the word of God. That nothing therefore may cauſe the zealous deſirers of the trueth, and the worde of God to ſtaye on this point: but rather that that eſtimation of Gods word, which is due vntounto it, may be layde vp in all mens hartes, I will (by Gods helpe) lay foorthe vntounto you (dearly beloued) thoſe things, which a godly man ought to thinke, and holde as concerning the worde of God. And praye ye earneſtly and continually to our bountifull God, that it may pleaſe him to giuegive to me his holy & effectuall power to ſpeake, and to you the opening of your eares and mynds, ſo that in all that I ſhall ſay, the Lorde his name may be prayſed, and your ſoules be profited abundantly.
Firſt I hauehave to declare what the worde of God is. Verbum in the ſcriptures, Verbum, what it is.and according to the very propertie of the Hebrue tongue is diuerſly taken. For it ſignifieth what thing ſoeuer a man will, euen as among the Germanes, the worde Ding, is moſte In Engliſh a thing.largely vſed. In S. Luke, the Angel of God ſaythe to the bleſſed Virgin, with God ſhall no worde be vnpoſſible, whiche is all one, as if he had ſayde, all things are poſſible to God, or to God is nothing vnpoſſible. Verbum alſo ſignifieth a word, vttered by the mouth of a man. Sometime it is vſed for a charge, ſomtime for a whole ſentence or ſpeach, or propheſie: wherof in the Scriptures there are many examples. But when Verbum is ioyned with any thing els, as in this place we cal it Verbum Dei, thē is it not vſed in the ſame ſignification. For Verbum Dei, the worde of God, doth ſignifie The worde of God what it is.the vertue and power of God: it is alſo put for the Sonne of God, which i… the ſeconde perſon in ye moſt reuerend trinitie. For ye ſaying of the holy Euā angeliſt is euident to al mē, The word was made fleſh. But in this treatiſe of ours, ye word of God doth properly ſignify ye ſpeach of God, & the reuealing of gods wil, firſt of al vttered in a liuely expreſſed voyce by ye mouth of Chriſt, the Prophets, and Apoſtles, and after that againe regiſtred in writings, whiche are rightly called holy and diuine Scriptures. The word doth ſhew the minde of him out of whom it commeth: therefore the worde of God doth make declaration of God. But God of him ſelfe naturally ſpeaketh trueth, he is iuſt, good, pure, immortal, eternall, therefore it followeth, that the word of God alſo, which commeth out of the mouth of God, is true, iuſt, without deceipt and guile, without errour or euill affection, holy, pure, good, immortall, & euerlaſting. For in the Goſpel ſayth the Lord, Thy word is truth. And the Apoſtle Paule ſaith, The word of God is not tied. Againe the Scripture eueryevery where cryeth, The word of the Lorde indureth for euer. And Solomon ſaythe, EueryEvery word of God is purely cleanſed: Adde thou nothing to his wordes, leaſte peraduenture he reproue thee, and thou be founde a lyar. Dauid alſo ſayth, The ſayings of the Lorde are pure ſayinges euen as it were ſiluer cleanſed in the fire, and ſeuen times fined from the earth.
This you ſhal more fully perceiue Of …he … of …(dearely beloued) if I ſpeake ſomewhat more largely of the cauſe, or beginning and certaintie of the worde of God. The worde of God is trueth: but God is the onelyonly welſpring of trueth: therefore God is the beginning and cauſe of the worde of God. And here in déede God, ſince he hath not members like to mortall men, wanteth alſo a bodily mouth: yet neuertheleſſe, bycauſe the mouthe is the inſtrument of the voice, to God is a mouth atributed. For he ſpake to men in ye voice of a man, that is, in a voice eaſily vnderſtood of men and facioned according to the ſpeach vſually ſpokē among men. This is euidentlye to bée ſéene in the things wherein he dealte with the holy fathers, with whome, as with oure parents Adam and Eua, Noe and the reſt of the fathers, he is read to hauehave talked many and often tymes. In the mount Sina the Lord him ſelfe preached to the great congregatiō of Iſrael rehearſing ſo plainly, that they might vnderſtand, thoſe tenne Commaundementes, wherein is contained euerye poynt of godlineſſe. For in the. 5. of Deut. thus we reade: Theſe words (meaning the. 10. Commaūdements) ſpake the Lorde with a loude voyce, from out of the middes of the fire, to the whole congregation. And in the 4. Chapiter: A voice of wordes you hearde, but no ſimilitude did you ſee beſide the voice. God verily vſed oftentimes the meanes of Angels, by whoſe miniſterie he talked with mortall men. And it is very well knowne to all men, that the ſonne of God the father being incarnate, walked about on the earth, and being very God and man, taught the people of Iſraell almoſt for the ſpace of. 3. yeares. But in times paſt, and before that the Sonne of God was borne in the worlde, God by litle and litle, made him ſelfe acquainted with the hartes of the holy Fathers, & after that with the minds of the holy Prophets, and laſt of all by their preaching and writinges, he taught the whole worlde. So alſo Chriſte our Lorde ſent the holy ghoſt, which is of the father & the ſonne into the Apoſtles, by whoſe mouths words & writings, he was knowen to all the world. And al theſe ſeruants of god, as it were the elect veſſels of God, hauing The word of God reuealed to the worlde by men.with ſincere harts, receiued the reuelation of God, from God him ſelfe, firſt of all, in a liuely expreſſed voyce deliuered to the worlde the Oracles, and worde of God whiche they before had learned, and afterward, when the world drewe more to an ende, ſome of them did put them in writing for a memoriall to the poſteritie: And it is good to know how & by whom all this was done. For by this narration, the true cauſe, certaintie and dignitie of the word of God doth plainly appeare.
There are not extant to be ſéene the writings of any man from the beginning of the worlde, vntill the time of Moſes, whiche are come to oure knowledge: although it be likely that that ſame ancient and firſt world was not altogether without all writings. For by S. Iude the Apoſtle and brother of S. Iames, is cited the written propheſie of our holy father Enoch, which is read to hauehave ben the ſeuenth from our father Adam. Furthermore, the writing or hiſtorie of Iob, ſéemeth to hauehave bene ſet foorth a great while before. But howe ſoeuer it is, all the Saintes in the Churche of God, giuegive to Moſes the faithfull ſeruant of God, the firſt place amōg the holy writers.
From the beginning therefore of the worlde, God by his ſpirit, and the Howe and by whom the worde of God hath bene reuealed from the beginning of the world,miniſterie of Angels, ſpake to the holy fathers: and they by word of mouth taught their children, and childers children, and all their poſteritie, that whiche they had learned at the mouth of God: when they verily had hearde it, not to the intent to kéepe it cloſe to themſelues, but alſo to make their poſteritie partakers of the ſame. For God oftentimes witneſſeth, that He will be the God of the fathers and of their ſeed for euermore. This is moſt plainly to be ſéene in the hiſtorie of Adam, Noe and Abraham, the firſt and great grandfathers. In the. 19. of Geneſis, verily we reade: that the angell of God, yea and that more is, that euē the Lorde him ſelfe did ſay to Abraham, And ſhall I hide from Abraham what I minde to doe? ſince of Abraham Abraham.ſhall come a great and mightie people, and al the nations of the earth ſhall be bleſſed in him? And this I knowe, that he will commaunde his children, and his poſteritie after him, to keepe the way of the Lorde, and to do iuſtice, iudgement, and the reſt. Abraham therfore, a faithfull and zealous worſhipper of God, did not (euen as alſo thoſe olde fathers of the firſte world did not) waxe negligent at all herein, but did diligently teache men the wil & iudgemēts of God: whervpō of Moſes, yea & of God him ſelfe, he is called a prophet. That deuout & liuely tradition of the fathers from hande to hand, was had in vſe continually, euen from the beginning of the world, vntil ye time of Moſes. Moreouer, God of his goodneſſe did prouide, ye no age at any time, ſhould be without moſt excellent lightes, to be witneſſes of the vndoubted faith, and fathers of great authoritie. For the worlde before the deluge The cleareſt lights of the firſ… world.had in it. 9. moſt excellent, moſt holy, and wiſe men, Adam, Seth, Enos Kenam, Malaleel, Iared, Enoch, Methuſalem, and Lamech. The chief of theſe, Adam and Methuſalem doe beginne, Adam and Methuſalem.and make an end of all the. 1656 yeares of the world, before the deluge. For Adam liued. 930. yeres. He dieth therefore the. 726. yeare before the floud. And Methuſalem liued. 969. yeres. He dieth in the very ſame yere that the floud did ouerflowe: and he liued together with Adam. 243. yeres, ſo that of Adam he might be aboundantly inoughe inſtructed as concerning the beginning of things, as concerning God, the fall and reſtoring againe of mankinde, and all things elſe belonging to religion, euen as he was taught of God him ſelfe. Theſe two fathers with the reſt aboue named, were able ſufficiently inoughe, to inſtruct the whole age in the true ſaluation and right wayes of the Lorde.
After the deluge, God gaue to the world againe excellent men, and very great lightes. The names of them are, Noe, Sem, Arphaxad, Sale, Heber, Palec, Reu, Saruch, Nachor, Tha…e, Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob. Here hauehave we. 13. moſt excellent Patriarches, among whom the firſt two, Noe and Sem are the chiefe, nexte to Noe.whome Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, were more notable then the reſt. Noe liued. 950. yeares in all. He was. 600 yeares olde, when the floud drowned the worlde. He therefore ſawe and hearde all the holy fathers of the firſte world before the deluge, thrée only excepted, Adam, Seth and Enos. And alſo he liued manye yeares together with the other, whiche had both ſéene and heard them, ſo that he could be ignorant in no pointe of thoſe thinges which Adam had taught. Noe dyeth (which is maruell to be tolde, and yet very true) in the. 59. yere of Abrahams age. Sem the ſonne of Noah, liued …em.many yeares with his father. For he liued in all. 600. yeres. He was borne to Noah about. 96. yeres before the deluge. He ſawe and heard therfore, not onelyonly his father Noe, and his grandfather Lam…ch, but alſo his great grand ſiar Methuſalem, with whome he liued thoſe. 96. yeres before the deluge. Of him he might be informed of all thoſe thinges whiche Methuſalem had hearde and learned of Adam, and the other Patriarches. Sem dieth after the death of Abraham, in the. 52. yeare of Iacob, which was. 37. yeares after the death of Abraham, in the. 112. yeare of Iſaac his age: So that Iacob the Patriarch might very well learne all the true diuinitie of Sem him ſelf, euen as he had heard it of Methuſalem, who was the thirde witneſſe and teacher from Adam. Furthermore, Iaacob the Patriarch, deliuered to his Iaacob.childrē that which he receiued of God, to teach to his poſteritie. In Meſopotamia there is borne to Iaacob his ſonne Leui, and to him againe is born Kahad, whiche both ſawe and hearde Iaacob. For Kahad liued no ſmall number of yeares with his grandfather Iaacob. For he is rehearſed in the roll of them, which went with Iaacob downe into Egypt: but Iaacob liued. 17. yeares with his children in Egypt. This Kahad is the grandfather of Moſes, the father of Amram, Kahad. Amram. Moſes.from whom Moſes did perfectly draw that ful and certain tradition by hand, as concerning the will, commaundements and iudgements of God, euen as Amram his father, had learned thē of his father Kahad, Kahad of Iaacob, Iaacob of Sem, Sem of Methuſalem and of Adam the firſt father of vsus all: ſo nowe that Moſes is from Adam the ſeuenth witneſſe in the worlde. And from the beginning of the worlde to the byrth of Moſes, are fully complete 2368. yeares of the worlde. And who ſo euer ſhall diligently reckon the yeres, not in vaine ſet downe by Moſes in Geneſis and Erodus, he ſhall find this account to be true and right.
Now alſo, it behoueth vsus to know thoſe chiefe principles of that liuely tradition, deliuered by the holy fathers at the appointment of God, as The chief contents of the holy fathers liuely tradition.it were from hande to hande to all the poſteritie. The fathers taught their children, that God of his naturall goodneſſe, wiſhing well to mankind, woulde hauehave all men to come to the knowledge of the trueth, and to be like in nature to God him ſelfe, holy, happie, and abſolutely bleſſed. And therefore that God in the beginning, did create man to his owne ſimilitude and likeneſſe, to the intent that he ſhould be good, holy, immortal, bleſſed, and partaker of all the good gifts of God: but that man continued not in that dignitie and happie eſtate, but by the meanes of the deuill, and his owne proper faulte, fell into ſinne, miſerie, and death, changing his likeneſſe to God, into the ſimilitude of the deuill. Moreouer, that God here againe, as it were of freſhe, began the worke of ſaluation, wherby mankind being reſtored and ſet free from all euill, might once againe be made like vntounto God: and that he meant to bring this mightie, and diuine worke to paſſe, by a certain middle meane, that is, by the worde incarnate. For as by this taking of fleſh, he ioyned man to God, ſo by dying in the fleſhe, with ſacrifice he cleanſed, ſanctified, and deliuered mankinde, and by giuing him his holy ſpirit, he made him like againe in nature to God, that is immortall, and abſolutely bleſſed. And laſt of all, he worketh in vsus a willing indeuour, aptly to reſemble the propertie, and cōditions of him, to whoſe likeneſſe we are created, ſo that we maye be holy bothe body and ſoule. They added moreouer, that the word ſhould be incarnate in his due time, and appointed age. And alſo, that there did remaine a greate daye for iudgement, wherein though all men were gathered together, yet the rightuous onelyonly ſhoulde receiue that reward of heauenly immortalitie. So thē, this is the brief ſumme of the holy fathers tradition, whiche it is beſt to vntwiſt more largely, and to ſpeake of it more diligently, as it were by parts. Firſt therefore, the fathers taught, God.that the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghoſt, are one God in the moſte reuerend Trinitie, the maker and gouernour of heauen, and earth, and all Creatiō of the worldthings whiche are therein, by whome man was made, and who for man did make all things, and put all things vnderunder mankind, to miniſter vntounto him things neceſſarie, as a louing father and moſt bountiful Lorde. Then they taught that man conſiſted of ſoule and body, and that he in déede was made good according to the image and likeneſſe of God, but that by his owne faulte, and egging forwarde of the deuill, Sinne and death.falling into ſinne, he brought into the worlde death and damnation, together with a webbe of miſeries, out of whiche it can not ridde it ſelfe: So that nowe, all the children of Adam, euen from Adam are borne the ſonnes of wrath and wretchedneſſe. But, that God whoſe mercy aboundeth according to his incomprehenſible goodneſſe, taking pitie on the miſerie of mankinde, did euen of his méere grace, graunt pardon for the offence, Grace, life, and redēption by Chriſt.and did laye the weight of the puniſhment vponupon his only ſonne, to the intent that he, when his heele was cruſhed by the Serpent, might him ſelf breake the Serpents heade. That is to ſay, God doth make a promiſe of ſeed, that is, of a ſonne, who taking fleſhe of a péereleſſe woman, I meane, that Virgine moſt worthy of commendations, ſhould by his death, vanquiſhe death, and Sathan the authour of death, and ſhoulde bring the faythfull ſonnes of Adam out of bondage: yea, and that more is, ſhuld by adoption make them the ſonnes of God, and heires of life euerlaſting. The holy fathers therefore, taught to beléeue in God, and in Fayth.his ſon the redéemer of ye whole world: when in their very ſacrifices they did repreſent his death, as it were an vnſpotted ſacrifice, wherwith he ment to wipe away, and cleanſe the ſinnes of all the worlde. And therefore had The lineall deſcent of Meſsiasthey a moſt diligent eye to the ſtocke and lineall deſcent of the Meſchias. For, it is brought down, as it were by a line, from Adam to Noe, and from Noe by Sem euen to Abraham him ſelfe: and to him againe it was ſayde, In thy ſeede ſhall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed: in which wordes the promiſe once made to Adam, as touching Chriſte the redeemer, and chaunger of Gods curſe into bleſſing, is renewed and repeated againe. The ſame line is brought downe from Abraham by Iſaac vntounto Iacob, and Iacob being ful of the ſpirit of God, pointed out his ſonne Iuda to be the roote of the bleſſed ſéede, as it is to be ſéene in 49. of Geneſis. Laſtly, in the tribe of Iuda, the houſe of Dauid was noted, out of which that ſéede and branch of life ſhould come. Moreouer, the holy fathers taught, that God by a certaine The league of God.league hath ioyned him ſelfe to mankind, and that he hath moſt ſtreightly bounde him ſelfe to the faythful, and the faythfull likewiſe to him ſelfe againe. Wherevpon, they did teache to be faythfull to God ward, to honour God, to hate falſe Gods, to call vponupon the onelyonly God, and to worſhip him deuoutly. Furthermore, they taught, The worſhip of God.that the worſhip of God did conſiſt in things ſpirituall, as fayth, hope, charitie, obedience, vpright dealing, holineſſe, innocencie, patience, trueth, iudgement, and godlineſſe. And therfore did they reprehend naughtineſſe, and ſinne, falſhoode, lacke of beliefe, deſperation, diſobedience, vnpatientneſſe, lying, hypocriſie, hatred, diſpitefull tauntes, violence, wrong, vnrightuous dealing, vncleanneſſe, riottouſneſſe, ſurfetting, whoredome, vnrighteouſneſſe, and vngodlyneſſe. They taught, that God was a rewarder of good, but a puniſher and reuenger of euill. They taught, that the ſoules of Life eternall and the day of iudgemēt.men were immortall, and that the bodyes ſhoulde riſe againe in the daye of iudgement: therefore they exhorted vsus all, ſo to liue in this temporall life, that we doe not leſe the life eternall. This is the ſum of the worde of God reuealed to the fathers, and by them deliuered to their poſteritie. This is ye traditiō of the holy fathers, which cō prehendeth al religion. Finally, this is the true, auncient, vndoubted, authenticall, & catholike faith of the fathers. Beſides this, the holy fathers taught The true …yſtoricall …arration …eliuered by the fathers to their children.their children, & childers children, the accompt of the yeares from the beginning of the world, & alſo the true hiſtoricall courſe, as well profitable as neceſſarie, of things from the creation of the worlde, euen vntounto their owne times, leaſte peraduenture their children ſhoulde be ignoraunt of the beginning and ſucceſſion of worldlye things, and alſo of the iudgementes of God, and examples of them whiche liued, as well godly as vngodly. I coulde declare vntounto you all this euidently, and in verye good order, out of the firſt booke of Moſes called Geneſis if it were not that thereby the ſermen ſhoulde be drawne out ſomewhat longer then the vſe is.
But I ſuppoſe that there are few, or rather none at al here preſent, whiche doe not perceiue that I hauehave rehearſed this that I hauehave ſaid, touching the tradition of the auncient fathers, as it were worde for worde out of the booke of Geneſis, ſo that nowe, I maye very well go forwarde in the narration which I hauehave begonne.
So then, what ſo euer hitherto was Moſes in an hyſtory compileth the traditiōs of the fathers.of the fathers deliuered to the world by worde of mouth, & as it were from hand to hande, that was firſt of all put into writing by the holy man Moſes, together with thoſe thinges, whiche were done in al the time of Moſes life, by the ſpace of. 120. yeares. And that his eſtimation might be the greater throughout all the worlde, among all men, and in all ages, and that none ſhoulde but knowe, that the writings of Moſes were the very worde of God it ſelfe, Moſes was furniſhed, and as it were conſecrated, by God with ſignes, and wonders to be meruelled at in déede, whiche the almightie by the hande, that is, by the miniſterie of Moſes did bring to paſſe: and verily, he wrought them not in any corner of the worlde, or place vnknowne, but in Egypt, the moſte flouriſhing and renoumed kingdome of that age. Thoſe miracles were greater and farre more by many, then that they can be here rehearſed in fewe wordes: neyther is it néedful to repeate them, bicauſe you, dearely beloued, are not vnſkilfull or ignorant of them at al. After that alſo, God by other meanes procured authoritie to Moſes. For many and often times, God had communication with Moſes: and amongſt the reſt of his talke ſayde he, Beholde, I will come to thee in a thicke cloude, that the people may heare me talking with thee, & may beleue thee for euermore
Neyther was the Lord therewith content, but commaunded Meles to call together all the people, ſixe hundreth thouſand men, I ſay, with their wiues and children. They are called out to the mount Sina, where God appeareth in a wonderfull and terrible faſhion, and he him ſelfe preaching to the congregation, doth rehearſe vntounto them the ten Commaundements. But the people being terrified with the maieſtie of God, doth pray and beſéech, that God him ſelf would no more afterward, preach to the congregatiō with his owne mouth, ſaying, that it were inoughe, if he would vſe Moſes as an interpreter to them, and by him ſpeake to the Church. The moſt high God did like the offer, and after that, he ſpake to the people by Moſes, what ſoeuer he would hauehave done. And for bycauſe that the people was a ſtifnecked people, & by keping company with Idolaters in Egypt, was not a little corrupted, Moſes nowe began to ſet downe in writing, thoſe things whiche ye holy fathers by tradition had taught, & the things alſo which the Lorde had reuealed vntounto him. The cauſe why he wrote them was, leaſt peraduenture, by obliuion, continuance of time, and obſtinancie of a people ſo ſlowe to beleeue, they might either periſh, or elſe be corrupted. The Lord alſo ſet Moſes an example to folow. For what ſo euer God had ſpoken to the Church in Mount Sina, that ſame did he ſtreight way after, write with his owne finger in two tables of ſtone, as he had with his finger frō the beginning of ye world writtē the ſame in the harts of the fathers. Afterward alſo in plain words, he commaunded Moſes to write what ſoeuer the Lord had reueled. Moſes obeyed the Lordes commaundement and writ them. The holy Gheſte whiche was wholye in the mynde of Moſes directed his hand as he writ. There was no abilitie wanting in Moſes, that was neceſſarie for a moſt abſolute writer. He was aboundantly inſtructed by his aunceſtours. For he was borne of the holieſt progenie of thoſe fathers, whome God had appointed to be witneſſes of his will, commaundements, and iudgements, ſuppoſe Amram, Kahad, Iacob, Sem, Methuſalem, and Adam. He was able therefore, to write a true and certain Hyſtorie, from the beginning of the worlde, euen vntill his owne time. Wherevnto he added thoſe thinges, which were done among the people of God in his owne life time, whereof he was a very true witneſſe, as one that ſawe and heard them. Yea and that more is, whatſoeuer he did ſet forth in his bookes, that did he read to his people, and amongſt ſo many thouſandes, was there not one found, which gainſayed that whiche he rehearſed: ſo that the whole conſent and witneſſe-bearing of the great congregation, did bring no ſmall authoritie to the writings of Moſes.
Moſes therefore, contained in the The au…horitie of Moſes, very great.fiue bookes called the fiue books of Moſes, an hyſtorie from the beginning of the world, euē vntounto his own death, by the ſpace of. 2488. yeres. In which he declared moſt largely, the Reuelation of the worde of God made vntounto men, & whatſoeuer the word of God dothe containe and teach. In which, as we hauehave the manyfolde Oracles of God him ſelf, ſo hauehave we the moſt lightſom teſtimonies, ſentences, examples, & decrees, of the moſt excellēt, ancient, holy, wiſe, & greateſt mē of al the world, touching all things, which ſéeme to appertaine to true godlyneſſe, & the way how to liue wel & holily. Theſe bookes therefore, founde a ready prepared entraunce of beliefe among all the po…eritie, as bookes which are authentical, and which of them ſelues hauehave authoritie ſufficient, and which without gainſaying, ought to be beléeued of all the world. Yea, and that more is, our Lord Ieſus Chriſte the only begotten ſonne of God, doth referre the faithfull to the reading of Moſes, yea, and that in déede in the chiefeſt pointes of our ſaluation: The places are to be ſéene Iohn. 5. Luke. 16. In the. 5. of Mathew he ſaythe, Doe not thinke that I am come to deſtroy the law and the prophetes, ſor I am not come to deſtroy them, but to fulfill them. For, verily I ſay vntounto you, though heauen and earth doe paſſe, one iot or title of the lawe ſhall not paſſe till all be fulfilled. Who ſo euer therefore, ſhall vndoe one of the leaſte of theſe commaundementes, and ſhall teache men ſo, he ſhall be called the leaſte in the kingdome of heauen. There hauehave verily ſome bene founde, that hauehave ſpoaken againſt Moſes the ſeruant of God But God hath imputed that gainſaying, as done againſt his diuine Maieſtie, and puniſhed it moſt ſharply. The proofes hereof are to be ſéene in Exodus. 16. and Numerie the. 12. And firſt of the people murmuring againſt Moſes: thē of Marie Moſes ſiſter, ſpeaking againſt her brother. But to the people it was ſayde, Not againſt the Miniſters, but againſt the Lorde are your complaintes. As for Marie, ſhe was horribly ſtrucken with a Leprofie. Theotectus was ſtrucken blinde: & Theopompus fel to be madde, bicauſe he had vnreuerently touched the word of God. For althoughe the worde of God …e reueled, ſpoken, and written by men, yet doth it not therefore ceaſe to be that, whiche in deede it is, neyther dothe it therefore beginne to be the worde of men, bicauſe it is preached and heard of men: no more then the King his commandement, whiche is proclaimed by the Criar, is ſaid to be the commaundement of the criar. He deſpiſeth God, & with God al ye holy Patriarchs, whoſoeuer doth cō temne Moſes, by whom God ſpeaketh vntounto vsus, and at whoſe hands we hauehave receiued thoſe things, which the Patriarches from the beginning of the world, by tradition deliuered to the poſteritie. There is no difference betwéene the woord of God, whiche is taught by the liuely expreſſed voyce of man, and that whiche is written by the penne of man, but ſo farre foorthe as the liuely voice and wryting doe differ betwéene themſelues: the matter vndoubtedly, the ſenſe, and meaning in the one and the other is al one. By this (dearely beloued) you hauehave perceiued the certaine hyſtorie of the beginning of the word of God.
Now let vsus go forward to the reſt, that is, to adde the hyſtorie of the procéeding The proceding of the woord of God.of the word of God, & by what meanes it ſhined euer and anon very cleare and brightly vntounto the world. By and by after the departure, of the holy man Moſes out of this world into heauen, the Lord of his bountifulneſſe gaue moſte excellent Prophetes vntounto his Churche, whiche he had choſen to the intent that by it he might reueale his word vntounto the whole world. And the Prophetes were to them of the The Prophetes.olde time, as at this day amongſt vsus are Prophetes, Prieſtes, wiſemen, Preachers, Paſtours, Biſhops, Doctors or Diuines, moſt ſkilfull in Heauenly thinges, and giuen by God to guide the people in the faith. And he whoſoeuer ſhall read the holy hyſtorie, will confeſſe, that there flouriſhed of this ſorte no ſmall number, and thoſe not obſcure euen vntill the captiuitie at Babilon. Amongſt whom are rekoned theſe ſingular and excellent men, Phinées, Samuel, Helias, Heliſeus, Eſaias, and Ieremias. Dauid, & Solomon were both Kings and Prophets. In time of the captiuitie at Babilon, Daniel & Ezechiel were notably knowen. After the captiuitie, flouriſhed among the reſt, Zacharias the ſonne of Barachias. Here hauehave I reckoned vp a few amōg many: who although they floriſhed at ſundrie times, and that the one a greate while after the other, yet did they all with one conſent, acknowledge that God ſpake to the world by Moſes, who, God ſo appointing it, left to the Churche in the world, a breuiarie of true diuinitie, and a moſt abſolute Summe of the word of God conteined in writing. All theſe Prieſtes, Diuines and prophets, in al that they did had an eſpeciall eye to the doctrine of Moſes. They did alſo refer all men in caſes of faith and religion, to the bookes of Moſes. The lawe of Moſes, which is in déede the Lawe of God, & The Law.is moſte properly called Thora, as it were the guide, and rule of faith, and life, they did diligently beate into the mindes of all men. This did they according to the time, perſons and place, expound to al men. For al the Prieſts and Prophets before the incarnation of Chriſt, did by word of mouth teache the men of their time, godlines and true religion. Neither did they teache any other thing, then that whiche the Fathers had receiued of God, & which Moſes had receiued of God and the fathers, and ſtraight wayes after committing it to writing, did ſet it out to all vsus which folow, euen vntill the end of the world: ſo that now, in the Prophets, we hauehave the doctrine of Moſes, and tradition of the Fathers, and them in all and eueryevery point more fully and plainely expounded and poliſhed, being moreouer, to the places, times and perſ…ns very fitly applyed.
Furthermore, the Doctrine, and The au…oritie of …he holy …ophetes …as very great.writings of the Prophetes hauehave alwayes béen of great authoritie among all wiſe men throughout the whole world. For it is well perceiued by many argumēts, yt they tooke not their beginning of ye prophets thēſelues as chief Authours, but were inſpired frō God out of heauē by the holy ſpirit of God. For it is God, which dwelling by his ſpirite in the mindes of the Prophets, ſpeaketh to vsus by their monthes. And for that cauſe hauehave they a moſt large teſtimonie at ye hands of Chriſt, & his elect Apoſtles. What ſay ye to this moreouer, that God by their miniſterie hathe wrought miracles and wonders to be marueiled at, and thoſe not a fewe? That at the leaſt by mightie ſignes we might learne that it is God, by whoſe inſpiration the Prophetes doe, teach, and write whatſoeuer they left for vsus to remember. Furthermore, ſo many common weales, and congregations gathered together, and gouerned by the Prophetes according to the worde of God, doe ſhewe moſte euident teſtimonies of God his trueth in the Prophets. Plato, Zeno, Ariſtotle, and other Philoſophers of the Gentiles, are praiſed as excellēt men. But whiche of them could euer yet gather a Churche to liue according to their ordinances? And yet our Prophetes hauehave had the moſte excellent and renowmed common weales, or Congregatiōs, yea and that more is, the moſt flouriſhing Kingdomes in all ye world vnderunder their authoritie. All the wyſemen in the whole worlde, I meane …hoſe whiche liued in his time, did reuerence Solomon, a King and ſo great a Prophet, and came vntounto him from the very vtmoſte endes of the worlde. Daniel alſo had the preeminence among the wiſemen at Babilon, being then the moſte renoumed Monarchie in all the worlde.
He was moreouer, in great eſtimation with Darius Medus, the Sonne of Aſtyages or Aſſuerus, and alſo with Cyrus that moſte excellent King. And here it lyketh me well to ſpeake ſomewhat of that diuine foreknowledge in our Prophets, and moſte aſſured foreſhewing of things which were to come after many yeares paſſed. And now to ſay nothing of others, did not Eſaias moſt truly foretell thoſe things which were afterward fulfilled by ye Iewes in our Lord Chriſt? Not in vaine did he ſéeme to them of olde time, to be rather an Euangeliſt, then a Prophete foretelling thinges to come. He did openly tel the name of king Cyrus one hundred and thréeſcore yeares at the leaſt, before that Cyrus was borne. Daniel alſo, was called of them in the olde time by the name of one whiche Polyhiſto…knewe muche. For, he did foretell thoſe things whiche are, and hauehave béen done in al the kingdomes of the world almoſt, and among the people of God, from his owne time vntil the time of Chriſt, and further vntill the laſt day of Iudgement ſo plainely, that hee may ſéeme to hauehave compiled an hyſtorie of thoſe thinges, whiche then were already gone and paſt. Al theſe things I ſay, doe very euidently proue, that the Doctrine, and writings of the Prophetes are the very word of God: with whiche name and title, they are ſet foo…the in ſundrie places of the Scriptures. Verily, Peter the Apoſtle ſaithe, The prophecie came not in old 2 Pet. 1.time by the wil of man: but holy men of God ſpake as they were moued by the holy Ghoſte.The word God reuealed by the onne of God.
And although God did largely, clearly, plainely and ſimply, reueale his wo…d to the world by the Patriarchs, by M…ſes, by the Prieſtes and Prophetes, yet did he in the laſte times of all, by his Sonne, ſet it forth moſte clearely, ſimply, and aboundantly to al the worlde. For the very and onelyonly begotten Sonne of God the father, as the Prophetes had foretolde, deſcending from Heauen doth fulfill al what ſoeuer they foretolde, and by the ſpace almoſte of thrée yeares dothe teach all pointes of Godlineſſe. For ſaith Iohn, No man at any time hath ſeene God, the only begotten Sonne which is in the boſome of the Father, he hathe declared him. The Lord himſelfe moreouer, ſaith to his Diſciples, Al things which I hauehave herd of my Father hauehave I made knowne to you. And again he ſaith, I am the light of the world: whoſoeuer doth followe me doth not walke in darkenes, but ſhall hauehave the light of life. Our Lord alſo did teache, that to him whiche would enter into The chief cōtents of Chriſte his doctrine.Heauen and be ſaued, the heauenly regeneration was néedeful: bicauſe in the firſt byrth, man is borne to death in ye ſecond to life. But that that regeneration is made perfect in vsus, by the ſpirit of God, whiche inſtrueteth our hartes in faith, I ſay in faith in Chriſt, who died for our ſinnes, & roſe againe for our iuſtification. He taught that by that faith they whiche beleeue are iuſtified: & that out of the ſame faith doe growe ſundrie fruites of charitie and innocencie, to the bringing foorthe wherof, he did moſt earneſtly exhorte them. He taught furthermore, that he was the fulfilling or fulnes of the law and the Prophets, and did alſo approue and expound the doctrine of Moſes and the Prophetes. To doctrine he ioyned diuerſe miracles and benefites, wherby he declared that he him ſelfe was that light of the world, and the mightie & bountifull redéemer of the world. And, to the intent that his doctrine and benefites might be knowne to all the worlde, he choſe to himſelfe witneſſes, The Apoſtles of Chriſt.whome he called Apoſtles, bicauſe he purpoſed to ſende them to Preache throughout the world. Thoſe witneſſes were ſimple men, innocentes, iuſt, tellers of trueth, without deceipt or ſubtilties, and in all pointes holy and good: whoſe names it is very profitable often to repeate in the Congregation. The names of the Apoſtles are theſe, Peter and Andrewe, Iames and Iohn, Philippe and Bartholomevve, Thomas & Mathevv, Iames the ſōne of Alphe & Iudas his brother, vvhoſe ſurname vvas Thaddaeus, Simon and Iudas Iſcariot, into whoſe roome (becauſe he had betraied the Lord) came Saint Matthias. Theſe had he by the ſpace almoſte of thrée yeares, hearers of his heauenly doctrine, and beholders of his diuine workes. Theſe after his aſcenſion in to the Heauens, did he by the holy ghoſt ſend downe from Heauen, inſtruct with all kinde of faculties. For, as they were in the Scriptures paſſing ſkilful: ſo were they not vnſkilfull or wanting eloquence in any tongue. And being once after this manner inſtructed, they depart out of the Citie of Ieruſalem, and paſſe through the compaſſe of the earthe, preaching to all people and Nations that which they had receiued to preach of the ſauiour of the world, & the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. And when for certaine yeares, they had preached by woord of mouth, then did they alſo ſet downe in writing that whiche they had preached. For ſome, verily, writ an hyſtorie of the words and deeds of Chriſt. and ſome of the wordes and déedes of the Apoſtles. Other ſome ſent ſondrie Epiſtles to diuers Nations. In all which, to confirme the trueth, they vſe the Scripture of the lawe, and the Prophetes, euen as we reade that the Lorde oftentimes did. Moreouer, to the twelue Apoſtles are ioyned two greate lightes of the world, Iohn Baptiſte, then whom, there was neuer any more holy borne of women, and the …hn Bap…ſt and …ule.choſen veſſel Paule, the greate teacher of the Gentiles.
Neither is it to be merueiled at, that the forerunner and Apoſtles of The autho…tie of the Apoſtles, …y great.Chriſt had always very great dignity, and authoritie in the Churche. For, euen as they were the embaſſadours of the eternall King, of all ages, and of the whole worlde: ſo, being indued with the ſpirit of God, they did nothing according to the iudgement of theyr owne mindes. And the Lord by theyr miniſterie wrought great myracles, thereby to garniſhe the miniſterie of them, and to commend their doctrine vntounto vsus. And what may be thought of that, moreouer, that by that woorde of God they did conuert the whole world gathering together, & laying the foundations of notable Churches through out the compaſſe of the world? which verely by mans counſell and wordes, they had neuer béene able to hauehave brought to paſſe. To this is further added, that they whiche once leaned to this doctrine, as a doctrine giuing life, did not refuſe to die. Beſides that how many ſoeuer had their beliefe in the doctrine of the Goſpell, they were not afraide through water, fire, & ſwordes to cutte of this life, and to lay hand on the life to come. The faithfull Saints could in no wiſe hauehave don theſe things, vnleſſe the doctrine whiche they beléeued had béene of God. Although therefore, that the Apoſtles were men, yet their doctrine, firſt of all taught by a liuely expreſſed voyce, and after that, ſet downe in writing with penne and yncke, is the doctrine of God, and the very true word of God. For therefore the Apoſtle left this ſaying in writing, When ye did receaue the woord of God whiche ye heard of vsus, ye receiued 1. Theſ. 2it not as the word of men, but as it is in deede, the word of God, which effectually worketh in you that beleeue.
But nowe, the matter it ſelfe and place require that I gather alſo and The roll of the bookes of the diuine Scripturesplainely reckon vp thoſe bookes, wherin is conteined the very word of God, firſt of all declared of the Fathers, of Chriſt himſelfe, and the Apoſtles byword of mouth, & after that alſo written into Bookes by the Prophetes and Apoſtles. And in the firſt place verely are ſet the fiue bookes of Moſes. Then follow the bookes of Ioſua, of Iudges, of Ruth, two bookes of Samuel, two of Kinges, two of Chronicles, of Eſdras, Nehemias, and Heſter one a piece. After theſe come Iob, Dauid or the booke of Pſalmes, Prouerbes, Eccleſiaſtes, and Cantica. With them are numbered the foure greater Prophets Eſaias, Ieremias, Ezechiel, and Daniel: then the twelue leſſer Prophetes, whoſe names are very well knowne: With theſe bookes the olde Teſtament ended. The Newe Teſtament hathe in the beginning the Euangelicall hyſtorie of Chriſt the Lord, written by foure Authors, that is, by two Apoſtles, Mathewe and Iohn: and by two Diſciples, Marke and Luke: who compiled a wonderfull goodly and profitable booke of the Actes of the Apoſtles. Paule to ſundrie Churches and perſons publiſhed 14. Epiſtles. The other Apoſtles wrote 7. whiche are called both Canonical and Catholique. And the books of the new Teſtament are ended with the reuelation of Ieſus Chriſt, whiche he opened to the Diſciple whome he loued, Iohn the Euangeliſt and Apoſtle, ſhewing vntounto him and ſo to the whole church, the ordinaunce of God touching the Churche, euen vntil the day of iudgement. Therefore in theſe fewe and meane, not vnmeaſurable: in theſe plaine and ſimple, not darke and vnkemmed books: is coōprehended the ful doctrine of godlynes, whiche is the very word of the true, liuing and eternall God.
Alſo the bookes of Moſes and the Prophetes through ſo many ages, perils The ſcripture is ſound and vncorrupted.and captiuities, came ſound and vncorruptted euen vntill the time of Chriſt and his Apoſtles. For the Lord Ieſus & the Apoſtles vſed thoſe bookes as true copies and authentical: which vndoubtedly they neither would, nor could hauehave done, if ſo be that eyther they had béen corrupted, or altogether periſhed. The bookes alſo, whiche the Apoſtles of Chriſt hauehave added, were throughout all perſecutions kept in the Church ſafe and vncorrupted, and are come ſound and vncorrupted into our handes, vponupon whome the endes of the world are falne. For by the vigilāt care & vnſpeakable goodnes of God our Father, it is brought to paſſe, that no age at any time either hathe or ſhal want ſo great a treaſure.
Thus muche hitherto hauehave I declared vntounto you (derely beloued) what the word of God is, what the beginning of it in the Churche was, & what procéeding, dignitie and certaintie it had. The word of God is the ſpeache of God, that is to ſay, the reuealing of his good will to mankinde, whiche frō the beginning, one while by his owne mouthe, and an other whyle by the ſpeache of Angels, he did open to thoſe firſt, ancient, and moſt holy Fathers: who againe by tradition, did faithfully deliuer it to their poſteritie. Here are to be remembred thoſe great lightes of the world Adam, Seth, Methuſalem, Noe, Sem, Abraham, Iſaac, Iaacob, Amram, and his Sonne Moſes, who at Gods commaundement, did in writing comprehend the hyſtorie and traditiōs of the holy Fathers, whervnto he ioyned the written lawe, and expoſition of the lawe, togeather with a large and lightſome hyſtorie of his owne lyfe time. After Moſes, God gaue to his Churche moſte excellent men, Prophets and Prieſtes, who alſo by worde of mouthe and wrytings, did deliuer to their poſterity that whiche they had learned of the Lord, After them came the OnelyOnly begotten Sonne of God himſelfe downe from heauen into the world, and fulfilled all, whatſoeuer was found to be written of himſelfe in the Lawe, and the Prophetes. The ſame alſo taught a moſte abſolute meane howe to liue well and holily: He made the Apoſtles his witneſſes. Which witneſſes did afterwardes, firſt of all with a liuely expreſſed voice, preach al things which the Lord had taught them, and then, to the intent that they ſhould not be corrupted, or clean taken out of mans remembraunce, they did commit it to writing: ſo that nowe we hauehave from the Fathers, the Prophetes and Apoſtles, the word of God as it was preached and written. Theſe thinges had their beginning of one & the ſame ſpirite of God, and do tende to one end, that is, To teach vsus men how to liue well and holily. He that beléeueth not theſe men, & namely the only begotten Sonne of God, whom I pray you will he beleeue? We hauehave here the moſte holie, innocent, vpright liuing, moſt praiſe worthie, moſt iuſt, moſte ancient, moſt wiſe, and moſt diuine men of the whole world and compaſſe of the earth, and briefly, ſuche men as are by all meanes without compariſon. All the worlde cannot ſhew vsus the like againe, although it ſhuld wholy a thouſand times be aſſembled in Counſels. The holy Emperour Conſtantine gathered a generall counſell out of al the compaſſe of the earthe, thether came there together, out of all the worlde, thrée hundred and eightéene moſte excellent Fathers. But they that are of the wiſeſt ſorte will ſay, that theſe are not ſo muche as ſhadowes, to be compared to them of whome we hauehave receiued the worde of God. Let vsus therefore in all thinges beléeue the worde of God, deliuered to vsus by the Scriptures. Let vsus thinke that the Lorde him ſelfe, whiche is the very liuing and eternall God, dothe ſpeake to vsus by the Scriptures. Let vsus for euermore prayſe the name and goodneſſe of him, who hath vouched ſafe ſo faythfully, fully and plainely, to open to vsus miſerable mortall men, all the meanes howe to liue well and holyly.
To him be prayſe, honour, and glory, for euermore. Amen.