Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 2 · Decade 3 · Sermon 8

Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion · Sermons 2 · Decade 3 · Sermon 8

p. 400¶ Of the vſe or effect of the lawe of God, and of the fullfilling and abrogating of the ſame: of the likeneſſe & difference of both the teſtaments & people, the olde & the newe.

The eighth Sermon.

ALthough I hauehave hitherto in large Sermons, layed foorth the lawe of God by ſeuerall partes: yet mée thinketh I hauehave not ſayde all that ſhould be ſayde, nor made an ende as I ſhould doe, vnleſſe I adde nowe a treatiſe of the vſe, effect, fulfilling and abrogating of the lawe of God, albeit I hauehave here and there in my Sermons touched the ſame argument. Nowe by this diſcourſe or treatiſe (dearely beloued) ye ſhal vnderſtand, that the teſtamēt of the olde and newe church of God is all one, and that there is but one meanes of true ſaluation for all them, that either hauehave, or elſe at this preſent are ſaued in the worlde: ye ſhall alſo perceiue wherein the olde teſtament doth differ from the newe. Moreouer this treatiſe wil bee neceſſarie and verie profitable both to the vnderſtanding of many places in the holy Scripture, and alſo to the eaſie perceiuing and moſte hoaleſome vſe of thoſe thinges which I hauehave ſaide hitherto touching the lawe. God, who is the author, the wiſedome and the perfect fulneſſe of the lawe, giuegive mée grace to ſpeake thoſe thinges, that are to the ſetting foorth of his glorie, and profitable for y^e health of your ſoules.Of the vſe and effecte of Gods lawe.

The vſe of Gods lawe is manifolde and of ſundrie ſortes, and yet it may be called backe to thrée eſpeciall poyntes, and wee may ſaye that the vſe therof is thréefold or of thrée ſorts. For firſte of all the chiefe and proper office of the lawe, is, to conuince all men to be guiltie of ſinne, and by their owne fault to be the children of death. For the lawe of God ſetteth foorth to vsus the holie will of God, and in the ſetting forth thereof requireth of vsus a moſte perfecte and abſolute kinde of righteouſneſſe. And for that cauſe the lawe is wont to be called the teſtimonie of Gods will: and the moſte perfect exampler of his diuine pureneſſe. And hereunto belong thoſe wordes of the Lord in the Goſpell, where he recitinge ſhortly the ſumme of Gods cōmaundements, doth ſay:

The firſte of all the commaundements is: Heare, O Iſrael, the Lorde Abſol… perfec… is req… of vsus … the la….our God is one Lorde: and thou ſhalt louelove the Lorde thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy ſoule, and with all thy minde, and with all thy ſtrength. This is the firſte commandement, and the ſeconde like to this: thou ſhalt louelove thy neighbour as thy ſelfe. There is none other commaundement greater then theſe.

Therefore to this doeth alſo apperteine that ſayinge of the Apoſtle Paule: The end of the commaundement is charitie out of a pure heart, and a good conſcience, and faith vnfeigned.

But ſince y^e law doth require at all p. 401our handes moſt abſolute righteouſneſſe, charitie and a pure heart, it doth condemne all men of ſinne, vnrighteouſneſſe, and death. For in the lawe of God it is expreſſely ſaid, Curſed is eueryevery one whiche abideth not in all that is writtē in the booke of the lawe to doe it. But what one of vsus fulfilleth No man liuing is perfect and vn ſpotted.all the pointes of the lawe? what mā, I pray, either heretofore hath had, or at this day hath a pure heart within him? What man hath euer loued, or doeth now louelove God with all his heart, with all his ſoule, and with all his minde? What man is he that did neuer luſte after euill? Or who is it now y^• luſteth not eueryevery day? Therefore imperfection and ſinne is by the lawe or by the bewraying of the lawe reuealed in mankinde. What ſhall we ſay to this? where I pray you doth there appeare in any man that diuine and moſt abſolute righteouſneſſe whiche the lawe requireth? Iob crieth, I knowe verilie that a man compared to God cannot be iuſtified. Or, How ſhall a man be found righteous if hee be compared to God? If he wil argue with him, he ſhall not be able to aunſwere one for a thouſand. If I hauehave any righteouſnes in me, I will not anſwere him, but I will beſeech my Iudge. Like to theſe are the words of the Apoſtle Iohn who ſaith, If wee ſay wee hauehave no ſinne we deceiue our ſelues, and the truth is not in vsus. Againe, If we ſay we hauehave not ſinned, we make him a lyar, and his word is not in vsus. Therefore by this meanes the lawe is a certaine looking glaſſe, wherein The lawe doth make … ſinnes manifeſt … bring ou… miſery to light.we behold our owne corruption, frailneſſe, imbecillitie, imperfection & oure iudgement, that is, our iuſt and deſerued damnation. For the Apoſtle doth expreſſely ſay, y^t the law was giuen, to the end, that it might make manifeſt mens trāſgreſſions, and by that meanes driue them to the acknowledging of their imperfection and guilt in ſinning. For none of vsus doth looke into his owne booſome, nor into the ſecrets of his owne breaſt, but wee do all flatter our ſelues, and will not be perſuaded that our thoughts and deedes are ſo corrupt, as they bee in very deede: and therefore doth the lawe creepe in and lay open the ſecrets of our hearts, and bringeth to lighte oure ſinne and corruption. Before the lawe, ſaith the Apoſtle, although ſinne were in the world, yet was it not imputed. The ſame Apoſtle alſo ſaith, The lawe worketh wrath, for where there is no lawe, there is no tranſgreſſion. And againe, By the lawe cōmeth the knowledge of ſinne. For in y^e 7. to the Romans the ſame Apoſtle doth ſay more fully, I knew not ſin but by the lawe: For I had not knowen luſte, excepte the law had ſaid, Thou ſhalt not luſt. But ſinne taking occaſion by the cō maundement, wrought in me al maner of concupiſcence. For without the lawe ſin was dead: I once liued without lawe, but when the commaundement came, ſinne reuiued: and I was dead. And it was found that the ſame commaundement, which was ordeyned vntounto life, was vntounto me an occaſion of death, &c. For a good part of that Chapiter is ſpent in that matter. Therefore the proper office of Moſes and the principal vſe and effecte of the lawe is, to ſhew to man his ſinne and imperfection.

As for thoſe which ſtaye heere, and goe no further to make any other vſe Moſes doth not only ſlay nor the lawe only kill.and effecte of the lawe, but as thoughe Moſes did nothing but kill, & the lawe nothing but ſlay, they are diuerſly and that not lightly deceiued. I do here againe repeate it, and tel them that the p. 402very proper office of the lawe is to make ſinne manifeſt, & alſo that Moſes his chiefe office is to teach vsus what wée hauehave to doe, & with threateninges and curſings to vrge it, eſpecially whē the law is compared with the Goſpel. For in the third Chapter of the 2. Epiſtle 2. ….to the Corinthians Paul calleth y^e law the letter, and immediately after the miniſtration of death, then againe hée calleth it a doctrine written in letters and incke, and figured in tables of ſtone, which ſhould not endure, but periſh and decay. The ſame Apoſtle on the otherſide againe doeth call the Goſpel the miniſtration or doctrine of the ſpirite, which endureth, & decayeth not, which is written in mens hearts, & giueth life to the beléeuers. Wherevppon wée doe fréely confeſſe that the lawe doeth properly make manifeſte our infirmitie, but that the Goſpel giueth a medicine & a remedie to that, which was almoſt paſt hope. And now here we muſt thinke that our holy anceſtors had not the lawe alone to conuince them of ſinne, nor Moſes to doe nothing elſe but kill and ſlay, nor that Moſes was giuen to wound them, but to heale them: & that not by his owne power or vertue, but by the guiding of them to him that chéeriſheth the contrite in heart, and healeth all their ſorrowes: that is Chriſt Ieſus, who alſo wrought by the miniſterie of Moſes. For we muſt not thincke from the beginning of the world, nor from Moſes his time till the comming of Chriſte, that the bare letter was preached onelyonly, and that y^e grace and ſpirite of God was idle & wrought not in the mindes of the faithfull. For in that y^e law doth ſhewe vsus, and inuincibly proue to vsus, that in vsus, I meane in our fleſh, y^• perfection is not, which the moſt holy and perfecte God doth in his lawe require of vsus, it doeth therein reuoke and pull backe mankinde (not by the vertue of it ſelfe, but by the power of the quickening ſpirite of Chriſt) from confidence of the fleſhe, as that wherin there is no health, nor iote of perfection: and ſo cō ſequently doeth giuegive vsus occaſion to turne our ſelues to Chriſt our mediatour, who is alone our ſanctification & perfection. And ſo for this occaſion the law is a path, and readie way, and as it were a ſcholemaſter giuen by God to vsus men, to drawe vsus from all confidence in our owne ſtrengths, from all hope of our owne merites, and from y^• truſt in any kinde of creatures, and to lead vsus directly by faith to Chriſt, who was made by God, as I ſaid euē now, our righteouſneſſe, ſanctification, and redemptiō, without whom there is no ſaluation vnderunder the ſunne. Therefore Moſes did not onelyonly vrge the lawe but did alſo preach Chriſt, & life in Chriſt. Moſes doth … deade to Chriſt.For the Lord in the Goſpel ſaith to the Iewes, Thinke not that I will accuſe you to my father. There is one that accuſeth you, euen Moſes, in whome ye truſt. For if ye had beleued Moſes, ye would vndoubtedly hauehave beleued mee. For he wrote of mee. And Paule to the Galathians ſaith, If there had beene a law giuen, which could hauehave giuen life, then no doubt righteouſneſſe ſhould hauehave beene by the lawe: but the Scripture hath concluded all vnderunder ſinne, that the promiſe by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt ſhould bee giuen vntounto them that beleeue. But before faith came, wee were kept vnderunder the lawe, and were ſhut vp into the faith which ſhould afterward be reuealed. Wherefore the lawe was our ſcholemaſter vntounto Chriſt, that we ſhould be iuſtified by faith. Loe, what could bée ſaid more plainly, then that the lawe hath concluded all vnderunder ſinne? But to p. 403what end? That the promiſe by y^e faith of Chriſt Ieſus ſhould bée giuen vntounto them that do beléeue. And againe, Before faith came, that is, before he came to whom our faith is directed, and vppon whō it is grounded, we were kept vnderunder the lawe. How? forſooth being ſhut vp vntounto the faith that was to bee reuealed. Therefore our fathers were ſhut vpin the law that they ſhould not breake out at any time & ſéeke for life and ſaluation any where elſe, but in Chriſt alone. Wherefore the lawe did lead vsus by faith directly vntounto Chriſte. And yet more plainly hée ſaith, The lawe was oure ſcholemaiſter vntounto Chriſt. Loe, here againe the law doth bring vsus to Chriſt. And againe he addeth, That we ſhould bee iuſtified by faith. Therefore the lawe ſetteth forward the true doctrine of iuſtification, teaching plainly that we are iuſtified by faith in Chriſt, and not by the merits of our owne workes. In whiche point it is opēly like vntounto the Goſpel, and taketh to it ſelfe the office of the Goſpell: and no meruaile, ſince to many men through their owne fault the Goſpell doth become, and is made the letter. Furthermore the ſame Apoſtle doth in an other place ſay that in ſacrifices they called their ſinnes to remē brance, & we knowe that in them was prefigured the purging of ſinns. Therfore euē the ceremonial lawes alſo led them to Chriſt, teſtifying & teaching them that he alone doth clenſe vsus from all our ſinnes. Whervpon I conclude that the office of Moſes and of y^e lawe both was & is, to opē to vsus our ſinne & iudgment, & yet not to condemne vsus, only, but alſo by occaſion to lead vsus to Chriſt. By which we learne alſo that the law doth not only teach vsus the firſt … lawe …cheth … ri…t…ouſ…ſe.principles and rudimentes of righteouſneſſe, but the very true & abſolute righteouſneſſe. For Moſes doth expreſly ſay, that he taught a moſt perfecte & abſolute kind of doctrine, as that wher in both life and death doth wholie conſiſt. And the Apoſtle ſaith, that the law leadeth vsus by the hand to Chriſt, that we ſhould be iuſtified by faith. Now, the righteouſneſſe of faith is the moſt perfect righteouſneſſe. Therfore wher The precepts of the law are the rudiments of the world.as the precepts of the law are in ſome places called the rudimēts of y^e world, that is for two eſpeciall cauſes. The firſt wherof is, becauſe the lawe is as it were the firſt inſtructiōs or elemēts, which, when the doctrine of the Goſpel commeth, is finiſhed, and giueth place to it as to more abſolute principles. The latter cauſe is becauſe ceremonies are taught vnderunder outward thinges or ſignes, when as in thoſe outward things they do prefigure and ſet forth to be ſéen y^• inward things, euen Chriſt himſelfe & his holy myſteries. And out of that which I hauehave hetherto ſaid, we may alſo learne, that the ancient ſaints, which liued vnderunder the old teſtament, did not ſéeke for righteouſneſſe & ſaluation in the workes of the lawe, but in him which is the perfectneſſe & end of the law, euen Chriſt Ieſus, & therfore that they vſed the law & the ceremonies as a guide and ſcholemiſtreſſe to lead them by the hande to Chriſte their ſauiour. For ſo often as they heard y^t the lawe required perfect The kinde of righteouſneſſe which was in the people of the old auncient world.righteouſneſſe at their hands, they did by faith through grace vnderſtand, y^• in the lawe Chriſt was ſet forth to be the moſt abſolute righteouſneſſe, to whom all men ought to flie for …he obt…ining of righteouſneſſe. So often as they mette together in the holy congregation to behold the holy Ceremonies, which God had ordeined, they did not looke vppon the bare figures only, nor thincke that they did pleaſe God, and p. 404were purged from their ſinnes by that externall kinde of worſhipp, but they did caſt the eyes of their minds & of faith vppon the Meſſiah to come, who was prefigured in al y^e Ceremonies and ordinaunces of the lawe. They therefore did abuſe the lawe, who thoughte that they were acceptable to God, and that they ſerued him as they ſhould, becauſe they were buſie in thoſe Ceremoniall workes. For thoſe thoughtes and perſuaſions the Prophets in their Sermōs did ſharply accuſe, and euermore crie out vponupon. And in that ſenſe and for that cauſe y^e people of Iſrael is many times called a carnall people: not that all the Patriarchs A carnall of fleſhly people.and fathers before the comming of Chriſt were carnal or fleſhly: but for becauſe they did as yet liue thē vnderunder thoſe externall ſhadowes, and outward figures, and for becauſe there were peraduenture amonge the people ſome, that did not perceiue the ſpirituall thinges ſhadowed vnderunder thoſe external figures, and did thincke perhaps that they were acceptable to God for the woorking and doing of that externall woorke.

The ſecond vſe and an other office of the lawe is to teache them, that are The lawe frameth the life of man.iuſtified in faith by Chriſt, what to followe and what to eſchue, and how the godly and faithful ſort ſhould worſhip God. For the lawe of God doth comprehend a moſt abſolute doctrine both of faith in GOD, and alſo of all good woorks. For in the firſt vſe of the lawe I declared how the Morall and Ceremoniall lawe doth teache vsus faith in God, and Chriſt his ſonne, and howe it bringeth man to the knowledge of himſelfe, that he may vnderſtand how that in himſelfe, that is, in the nature of man there is no good thing nor any life, but that all the gifts of life, of vertues and ſaluation are of God the father, the onelyonly wellſpring of all goodneſſe, through Chriſt his ſonne our ſauiour. In this ſecond argument of the ende, the vſe, or office of the lawe of GOD, we muſt acknowledge all the formes of vertues, and the treaſure of all goodneſſe to be ſet foorth vntounto vsus in the lawe of the Lord: and that the Apoſtle applieth the precepts of the law to exhortation and conſolation. The firſt of the two tables of the Morall lawe doth teache vsus what wee owe to God, and how hee will be worſhipped of vsus. The ſecond table frameth the offices of life, and teacheth vsus howe to behaue our ſelues toward our neighbour. The Ceremonies alſo doe beelonge to religion. And the Iudicialls teach the gouernement of an houſe or a common weale, ſo that by them wee may liue honeſtly amonge our ſelues and holilie to Godwards. Therefore the lawe doth teach all iuſtice, temperance, fortitude, and wiſedome, and in ſtructeth a Godly man in eueryevery good woorke, wherin it is neceſſarie that an holy woorſhipper of God ſhould be inſtructed. Wherfore ſo often as the holy Prophets of God would ſet vpp againe and reſtore the worſhip of God and true religion, that was decayed, ſo often as they would crie out vppon and rebuke the faultes and errours of men, and laſtly whē they would teach them to doe thoſe good woorkes, which are good woorks in déed, they led them alwayes vntounto the lawe, and cited all their teſtimonies out of the lawe.

Whereof we hauehave euident examples in the 15. Pſalme of Dauid, and in the firſt and 33. Chapiter of Eſaies Prophecie: and in the 18. of Ezechiel alſo. Paule in the 13. to the Romans referreth all the offices of our life to y^• lawe of charitie. For the Lord himſelfe, before p. 405Paule had done the ſame in the Goſpell. Moreouer the Prophete Dauid in the 94. Pſalme crieth: Bleſſed is the man, O Lord, whome thou inſtructeſt in thy lawe. And in the 78. Pſalme, Hee made a couenaunt to Iacob, and gaue a lawe in Iſrael, that the poſteritie might knowe it and put their truſt in the Lord, & not forgett the woorkes of God, but keepe his commaundements. Againe in the 19. Pſalme he ſaith, The law of the Lord is an vndefiled lawe, conuerting the ſoule: the teſtimonie of the Lord is ſure, and giueth wiſedome vntounto the ſimple: the ſtatues of the Lord are right, and reioyce the heart: the commaundement of the Lord is pure and giueth light vntounto the eyes. The feare of the Lord is holy and endureth for euer: the iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether: more to bee deſired are they than gold and pretious ſtone, & ſweeter than honie and the honie combe. And to this end tendeth the ſenſe of all the Alphabetical Pſalme, which is in order of number the 119.

The third vſe or office of the lawe, is to repreſſe the vnrulie, and thoſe, The lawe …idleth the …whome no reaſon can moue to orderlineſſe, the lawe commaundeth to conſtraine with puniſhment, that honeſtie, peace and publique tranquillitie may be mainteyned in Chriſtiā common weales. For ſome there are, and that no ſmall number of people which doe refraine from doing euill, and liue ſomewhat tollerablie, not ſo much for the louelove of vertue, as for the feare of puniſhment that will enſue their inordinate liuing. Therfore it pleaſed the goodneſſe of God by giuing y^e lawe to put in a caueat, and to make a prouiſo for the tranquillitie of mankind. And to this it ſéemeth that the Apoſtle had an eye, when he ſaid, Wee knowe that the lawe was not giuen to the iuſt, but to the vniuſt, to the laweleſſe and diſobedient, to the vngodly and to ſinners, to vnholie & vncleane, to murderers of fathers, and murderers of mothers, to manſlears, to whoremongers, to them that defile themſelues with mankind, to manſ…ealers, to lyers, to periured, and if there bee any other thing that is cōtrarie to hoalſome doctrine, &c.

After the declaration of the vſe, the end and the office of the lawe, I hauehave It is vnpoſſible for vsus of our own ſtrength to fulfil the lawe.next to teache you howe and by what meanes the lawe of God is fulfilled. It is vnpoſſible for any man of his owne ſtrength to fulfill the lawe, and fully to ſatiſfie the will of God in all pointes. For it is manifeſt that in the lawe there is not required y^e outward woorke onelyonly, but alſo the pureneſſe of the inward affections, and as it were, as I ſaid euen nowe, a certaine heauenly and abſolute perfectneſſe. For the Lord himſelfe in one place crieth, Be ye perfect euē as your father whiche is in heauen is perfecte. But ſo abſolute a perfectneſſe is not found in vsus ſo longe as wée liue in this fleſhe. For the fleſhe euen to the very laſt ende of our life doth kéepe ſtill her corrupt diſpoſition, and although it doth many times receiue an ouerthrow by the ſpirite, that ſtriueth againſt it, yet doeth it ſtill renue y^e fight, ſo that in vsus there is not found, nor in our ſtrength there doth remaine that heauenly and moſt abſolute perfectneſſe. But let vsus heare the teſtimonie of y^e holy Apoſtle Paul touching this matter, who ſaith, Wee knowe that the lawe is ſpiritual: but I am carnall, ſolde vnderunder ſinne. For that which I doe I allowe not. For what I would, that doe I not, but what I hate, that doe I. And againe p. 406I know that in me, that is, in my fleſh dwelleth no good thing. For to wil is preſent with me: but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good. Againe, I delight in the lawe of God after the inward man: but I ſee an other law in my members rebelling againſt the lawe of my mind, and ſubduing me vntounto the law of ſinne, whiche is in my members. And at the laſt he concludeth and ſaith, So then, with the minde I me ſelfe ſerue the lawe of God: but with the fleſh the law of ſin. Nowe ſome there are which thincke, y^• Paule ſpake theſe wordes not of himſelfe, Paul ſpake in the 7. cha. to the Romanes of his own perſon.but of the perſon of others which were carnal men, and not as yet regenerate. But the very words of the Apoſtle doe enforce the reader, whether he wil or no to confeſſe, that the words recited may be applied euē to the man that is moſt ſpiritual. Auguſtine 1. lib. Retractat. cap. 23. ſaith that he himſelfe was ſometime of opinion, that thoſe woords of the Apoſtle ought to be expounded of the man, which was vnderunder the lawe, and not vnderunder grace: but hée confeſſeth that he was compelled by y^e authoritie of others writings & treatiſes to thincke y^t the Apoſtle ſpake them of ſuch men, as were moſt ſpirituall, & of his owne perſon: as he doth at large declare in his books againſt the Pelagians. Euen S. Hierome alſo, who is ſaid to hauehave thundered out a moſt horrible curſe againſt them, that taught y^t the law did commaund things vnpoſſible, doth expreſſly write to Ruſticus, that Paul in this place ſpeaketh of his owne perſon. But if the fleſh and the corrupte diſpoſition thereof remaine, wherby it doth vnceſſātly ſtriue with the ſpirite, then verily y^t heauenly perfectn…s is neuer perfecte in vsus ſo longe as we liue: & ſo conſequently ſo longe as we liue, none of vsus fulfilleth y^e law.

Here alſo is to be inſerted that diſputation of Paul, where he proueth that … the … of the.no mortall mā is iuſtified by the workes of the lawe: his meaning is not y^t no man is iuſtified by the very works of the law, but that no man is iuſtified by the workes of our corrupt nature, which doth not performe that, whiche the lawe of God requireth. For, as the ſame Apoſtle ſaith, it is not able to performe it. And very well truly ſaith he, We knowe that a man is not iuſtified by the deedes of the lawe but by the faith of Ieſus Chriſt: and we hauehave beleued in Ieſus Chriſt, that we might be iuſtified by the faith of Chriſt, and not by the deeds of the lawe: becauſe by the deeds of the law no fleſh ſhalbe iuſtified. Neither muſt we by the déedes of the lawe vnderſtand the Ceremonies onelyonly. For euen as the Ceremonies do not, ſo likewiſe do not the morals iuſtifie vsus men. The Apoſtle ſpeaketh of the morals when he ſpeaketh of the déeds of the law. For in the 3. Chap. to the Romans the ſame Apoſtle The …ſaith, By the deedes of the lawe there ſhall no fleſh be iuſtified, in his ſight. And immediately after he addeth the reaſon why, ſaying, For by the lawe cōmeth the knowledge of ſinne. But in the 7. cap. he ſheweth by what lawe, to wit the morall lawe. For the moral law ſaith, Thou ſhalt not luſt. But y^e Apoſtle ſaith, I knew not ſinne, but by the law. For I had not known cōcupiſcence if the lawe had not ſaid, thou ſhalt not luſt. In his Epiſtle to the Epheſians he ſpeaketh to the Gentiles and ſaith ſimplie that workes do not iuſtifie. But ſpeaking to the Gentiles he could not meane it of the ceremoniall lawes, but of the very morall vertues, that is, all kinds of workes y^• ſéemed to be good. To the Galathians he ſaith, As many as are of the deedes p. 407of the law are vnderunder the curſe. And to proue that, he addeth, For it is writtē: Curſed is eueryevery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe to do thē. Now vnleſſe we do by the déeds of the lawe vnderſtand the morals, as wel as the ceremonials, I doe not ſée howe his proofe can hange to that which went before. For he ſaith expreſſely, In all things which are writtē in the booke of the lawe to do them. Nowe who knoweth not that y^e ceremonials were not written alone, but that the morals were written alſo? And S. Auguſtine in his booke De spiritu & litera, Cap. 8. doth by many argumentes proue that Paule by the déeds of the lawe did vnderſtand the morals alſo.

Nowe that wée may conclude this place I will héere recite the words of the Apoſtle in the 8. to the Romanes, ſaying, What the lawe could not doe, in as much as it was weake thorough the fleſh, that God performed by ſending his owne ſonne in the ſimilitude of ſinnefull fleſh, and by ſinne condemned ſinne in the fleſh, that the righteouſneſſe of the lawe might bee fulfilled in vsus, which walke not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirite. The Apoſtle in theſe words teacheth vsus two things. Firſt that the law neither can now, nor neuer could iuſtifie vsus men. The fault of this weakeneſſe or lacke of abilitie he caſteth not vponupon the law, which is of it ſelfe good and effectual, & is the doctrine of moſt abſolute righteouſneſſe: but he layeth the fault therof vponupon our corrupt fleſh. Our fleſh neither could nor can performe that, whiche is required of vsus by y^e law of God. Whereupon S. Peter in the counſell held at Hieruſalē is read to hauehave ſaid, Now therfore why tempt ye God, to put on the diſciples neckes the yoke which neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare? The latter is inferred vponupon the firſt, to wit, when the lawe could not giuegive vsus life, nor wée were able to do y^• which the law required at our hands, thē God, who is rich in merciemercy and goodneſſe ſent his ſonne into the world, that he being incarnate ſhould die for vsus, and ſo take away the ſinne of our imperfection, & beſtow on vsus his perfectneſſe in faith, being himſelfe the perfectnes and fulneſſe of the law. By this therfore it is manifeſt y^• Chriſt hath fulfilled the lawe, & that he is the perfectnes of al y^e faithful in the world. But here this place requireth a more ful expoſition, how Chriſt hath fulfilled the law, & how he is made our Chriſt hath fulfilled the law & is the perfectnes of the faythfull.perfectneſſe. Firſt of all, whatſoeuer things are promiſed and prefigured in the lawe & the Prophets, all thoſe hath Chriſt our lord fulfilled. For thoſe promiſes, The ſeede of the woman ſhall cruſh the Serpents head: In thee ſhall all the kindreds of the earth bee bleſſed: & other more innumerable like to theſe, did our Lord fulfil, whē he being borne into this world, made an attonement for vsus, & brought backe life to vsus againe. In like maner he fulfilled all y^e ceremonials, while he himſelfe being both prieſt and ſacrifice did offer vpp himſelfe, & is now & euer an effectuall and euerlaſting ſacrifice, & an eternall highe prieſt, making interceſſion alwayes at the right hand of y^e father for all faithful beléeuers. He alſo doth ſpiritually circūciſe the faithful, and hath giuen them in ſtéed of circumciſion the ſacramēt of baptiſme. He is our Paſſouer, who in ſtéed of the Paſchal lamb hath ordeined the Euchariſt or ſupper of the Lord. Finally hee is the fulfilling and perfectnes of the law and the Prophets. Moreouer oure Lord fulfilled the lawe, in that he did moſt abſolutely in all poinctes ſatiſfie the p. 408will of God, being himſelfe the holieſt of all, in whome there is no ſpot, no euill concupiſcence, nor any ſinne: in him is the louelove of God moſt perfecte, & righteouſneſſe altogether abſolute: which righteouſneſſe he doth fréely cō municate to vsus, that are moſt vnperfect, if wee beléeue and hauehave oure hope faſt ſettled in him. For hée forgiueth vsus our ſinnes, being made a cleanſing Sacrifice for vsus, and maketh vsus partakers of his owne righteouſneſſe: which is for that cauſe called Imputed righteouſneſſe. Whereunto the teſtimonies of y^e Apoſtle do apperteine, God, ſaith Paul, was in Chriſt, recō ciling the world vntounto himſelfe, not imputing their ſinnes vntounto them. For him, which knew not ſinne, he made ſinne for vsus, that we might bee made the righteouſneſſe of God by him. Againe, Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed to him for righteouſneſſe, without workes. So alſo if wee beleeue in God, throughe Chriſt our faith ſhalbe imputed to vsus for righteouſneſſe. For by faith we lay hold on Chriſt, whom we beleue to hauehave made moſt abſolute ſatiſfaction to God for vsus, and ſo conſequently that God for Chriſt his ſake is pleaſed with vsus, and that the righteouſneſſe is imputed to vsus as our owne (and is in déed by gift our owne) becauſe wee are nowe the ſonnes of God.

Theſe things being diligently weyyed, it ſhalbe eaſie for vsus to aunſwere Life is promiſed to them that keepe the law….them, whiche make this queſtion and doe demaunde, ſince no mortall man doth of himſelf exactly ſatiſfie the law: Howe then is righteouſneſſe, life and ſaluatiō promiſed to them that do obſerue the lawe? Our aunſwere is forſoothe, that that promiſe hath a reſpect to the perfect righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, which is imputed vntounto vsus. Otherwiſe it is aſſuredly certaine that the holy Scripture doth not ſo much as in one iote diſagrée, or ſquare in any pointe from it ſelfe. The Apoſtle doth plainly ſay, If there had a lawe beene giuen which could hauehave giuen life, then had righteouſneſſe beene of the lawe: but now the Scripture hath ſhutt vpp all vnderunder ſinne, that the promiſe might be giuen by faith to them that do beleeue. Wherefore he kéepeth or doeth fulfil the lawe, euen of the tenne commaundements, who doth the thing for which the lawe was chiefly ordeyned. But the lawe was chiefly ordeyned (as I did declare a little before) to the ende that it might conuince vsus all of ſinne and damnation, and ſo by that meanes ſend vsus from our ſelues, and lead vsus by the hand to Chriſte, who is the fulfilling of the lawe vntounto iuſtification to eueryevery one that doeth beléeue. And therefore hée doth fulfil and kéepe Howe … may … the …the lawe, who hath no confidence in himſelfe and his owne woorkes, but committing himſelfe to the very grace of God doth ſéeke all righteouſneſſe in the faith of Chriſt. Whereuppon now it is euident that theſe two ſentences of Chriſt oure Lord are of one ſenſe & meaning, Whoſoeuer beleeueth in mee, he hath life euerlaſting: And, If thou wilt enter into life, keepe the commaundements. For Paule alſo in the 13. Chapiter of the Actes ſaith, Be it knowen vntounto you brethren, that thorough Chriſte is preached to you the forgiueneſſe of ſinnes: & by him, all that beleeue are iuſtified from all the thinges, from which he could not be iuſtified by the lawe of Moſes. And to this place nowe belongeth all the woorke of iuſtification, of whiche I hauehave at large diſputed in an other place.

Now that faith, wherewith we beleeue p. 409that Chriſt hath ſatiſfied the law, Howe wee may keepe the lawe.and that he is oure righteouſneſſe and our perfection, is neither of our owne nature, nor of our owne merits, but is by the grace of God powred into vsus through the holy ſpirit, which is giuen into our hearts. This ſpirite abiding in our heartes, doth inflame our breaſtes with the louelove and deſire of Gods lawe, to doe oure endeuoure to the expreſſing and ſhewing of the lawe in al our workes and conuerſation. Which deſire and endeuour, although they be neuer fully accompliſhed by reaſon of the ſ…eaſhes frailetie or weakeneſſe of mans nature, which remayneth in vsus euen till the laſt gaſpe and end of our life, is notwithſtanding acceptable to God by grace for Chriſte his ſake alone: neither doeth anye Godly man put any confidence in this other, but in the firſt fulfilling of the lawe, as that which is onelyonly abſolute and perfecte. For Paule in his Epiſtle to the Romans crieth out, O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliuer me from the bodie of this death? And yet immediatly after he anſwereth, I thanke God. to wit, becauſe he hath redéemed me from death, through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. So then I me ſelfe with the minde ſerue the law of God, but with the fleſhe the lawe of ſinne. There is then no damnation to them whiche are graffed in Chriſt Ieſu, which walk not after the fleſhe but after the ſpirite. &c.

Wherfore ſince we are in Chriſt, we are in grace, and therefore is God pleaſed with oure woorkes, which being giuen to vsus by faith and by the liberal ſpirite, do procéede from an hart that loueth God the giuer of them all. For Iohn ſaide, This is the louelove of God, that we keepe his commaundementes. And his commaundementes are not greeuous. Hée addeth alſo the reaſon thereof and ſaith, For al that is borne of God ouercōmeth the world: nowe euerie one is borne of God, that doth beléeue, as is declared in the firſt of Iohn.

By whiche it is eaſie to reconcile theſe 2. places which ſéeme at a bluſhe Gods commaundements are not heauie to be bornto iarre one with an other: The lawes of God are heauie, which neither we nor oure fathers were able to beare. And, The lawes of God are not greeuous, or heauie to be borne. For they are not heauie to the faithfull whiche are in Chriſt, and to thoſe which hauehave the gift of Gods ſpirite, that is, to thoſe that are reconciled to God by Chriſte their Lord and Sauiour. Without Chriſt & faith in Chriſte they are moſt gréeuous and heauie to be borne of eueryevery vnbeléeuer. So the faithfull béeing ſtirred vpp by the ſpirite of God, doth voluntarilie and of his owne accord do good to all men, ſo farre, as his abilitie doeth ſuffer him, & will not in any caſe do hurt to any man: not forbecauſe hee feareth the puniſhment, y^t in the law is appointed for the diſobedient, vniuſte and wrongfull dealers, but forbecauſe he loueth God. And ſo alſo he fulfilleth the Iudicial lawe.

Here I know full well y^e thou wilt Of the abrogation of the law.make this obiection and ſay, if the law be fulfilled, & that the fulfilling thereof hath a place in the Sainctes & faithful ones, what néeded then I pray you the abrogating of the lawe? What néeded Paule and all the beſt diuines to diſpute ſo largely of the abrogation of the ſame? I wil therefore ſay ſomewhat of the abrogation of the law, firſt generallie, & then by partes peculiarly. But firſt of all theſe woords of the Lord in the Goſpel muſt be beatē in…o the head of eueryevery godly hearer, Think not, ſaith hee, that I am come to deſtroy p. 410the lawe or the Prophets: yea I came not to deſtroy, but to fulfil thē. Verilie, I ſay vntounto you, heauen and earth ſhall paſſe, but one iote or title of the lawe ſhall not paſſe till all bee fulfilled. Whoſoeuer therefore ſhall looſe one of the ſmalleſt of theſe cō mandements and ſhall teach men ſo, he ſhalbe called the leaſt in the kingdome of heauen. But whoſoeuer ſhal doe and teach them, hee ſhalbe called great in the kingdome of heauen. Let eueryevery one therefore bée aſſuredly perſuaded, that the lawe of God, whiche is the moſt excellent and perfecte will of God, is for euer eternall, and cannot be at any time diſolued either by men or Angels, or any other creatures. Let eueryevery man thinke that the lawe, ſo farre as it is the rule howe to liue well and happilie, ſo farre as it is the bridle wherewith wée are kept in the feare of the Lord, ſo farre as it is a pricke to awake the dullneſſe of oure fleſh, and ſo farre as it is giuen to inſtructe, correcte, and rebuke vsus men, that ſo farr, I ſay, it doth remaine vnabrogated, and hath euen at this day her commoditie in the Church of God: and therefore the abrogating of the lawe conſiſteth in this that followeth.

I told you that Gods commaundementes require the whole man, and a very heauenly kinde of perfectneſſe, which whoſoeuer performeth not, hée is accurſed and condemned by y^e law. Nowe no man doth fulfill that righteouſneſſe: therefore are wée all accurſed by the law. But this curſe is taken awaye, and moſt abſolute righteouſneſſe is fréely beſtowed on vsus through Chriſt Ieſus. For Chriſt redéemed vsus from the curſe of the law, being made the curſe, righteouſneſſe, and ſanctification for vsus men. And ſo in this ſenſe the law is abrogated, that is, the curſe of the lawe is thorough Chriſte taken from the faithfull, and true righteouſneſſe is beſtowed vppon vsus thorough grace by faith in the ſame Chriſt Ieſus. For he is that bleſſed ſeede in whō all the kinreds of the earth are bleſſed. Hée is our righteouſneſſe. For Paule ſaith, By him euerie one that beleeueth is iuſtified from all things, from which ye could not bee iuſtified by the lawe of Moſes. Therefore the law is put for the curſe of the lawe: or elſe the law of God is taken for that, whiche 1is bewrayed or made manifeſt by the lawe, that is to ſay, it is taken for ſinne. For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of ſinne. Therefore the lawe is abrogated, that is, ſinne is taken away, not that it ſhould not be, or not ſhewe it ſelfe in vsus, but y^t it ſhould not be imputed vntounto vsus and cōdemne vsus. For there is no damnatiō to them that are in Chriſt Ieſu. Moreouer the lawe is taken for the vigeance or puniſhment 3which is by the law appointed for tranſgreſſours. Therefore the lawe is abrogated, becauſe the puniſhment appointed by the lawe is taken from the neckes of the faithfull beléeuers. For the law is not giuen to the righteous man. For Chriſt deliuered the faithfull from eternall puniſhments, whiles hée being guiltleſſe did ſuffer afflictions for wicked ſinners. Furthermore, the Apoſtle ſaith: The fleſhly mind is enimitie againſt God: for it is not obediēt to the law of god, 4nether can be. But now this hatred or enimitie of Gods law is by faith pulled out of the harts of the faithful: & in ſtéed of it is graffed in the louelove of gods moſt holy wil: ſo that in this ſenſe alſo the lawe is ſaid to be abrogated, beecauſe the hatred of the lawe is taken away. And therefore the Apoſtle compareth them that are vnderunder the lawe p. 411to bondſlaues, and them that are frée from the lawe to ſonnes and children: to whome alſo hée attributeth the ſpirite, not of bondage, but of adoption. For forbecauſe ye are ſonnes, ſayth he, God hath ſent the ſpirite of his ſonne into your heartes, which crieth Abba father. &c. To theſe may be added that the lawe of God hath types and ſhadowes, and that the Ceremonies are verie burthenſome, euen as alſo the whole lawe is called a yoke. But nowe the ſonne of God came into this world, who fulfilling the figures, ſhewed to vsus the verie truth, and did aboliſh thoſe types and ſhadowes: ſo that nowe no man can condemne vsus for neglecting or paſſing ouer thoſe Ceremonies or figures: & ſo againe in that ſenſe the lawe of God is abrogated, y^• is to ſay, that kinde of gouernement whiche Moſes ordeined, did come to nought, when Chriſt did come and his Apoſtles began to teach. For they, w^t out regarde of the Eccleſiaſticall regiment appointed by Moſes, did congregate Churches, to whiche they taught not that kind of regiment, which Moſes had ordeined. For they did cōſtantly reiecte the prieſthoode of Aaron, the ſacramentes, the ſacrifices, and choice of dayes, of meates, and of apparell, which Moſes had taught their elders. And in ſtéed of al thoſe rites they preached Chriſt alone, and his two Sacraments. &c.

This hauehave I ſaid hetherto, generally The … is ….touching the abrogation of the law, and now againe I will more largely expound the ſame by ſeuerall partes. The whole lawe is diuided into the Moral, the Ceremonial, and the Iudicial lawes. The Moral lawe nowe is conteyned in the tenne commaundements, the firſt precept whereof doeth 1teach vsus to honour and worſhipp one God alone, & not to match any ſtrange gods with him. This cōmaundement did oure Lord Ieſus in the Goſpell ſo earneſtly vrge, and diligently teach, y^t wée may perceiue very well that in it nothing is altered. The ſecond precept forbiddeth idolatrie, that is, the 2worſhipping and honouring of al maner images, whether they be the images of GOD himſelf, or of any of his creatures. But it is knowen that the Apoſtles in the doctrine of the Goſpell did vſe all meanes that they could, to baniſhe and driue away all kinde of idolatrie. Paule & Iohn crie, Flee from idolatrie. And wheras Chriſt and his Apoſtles doe moſt diligently teach vsus 3to ſanctifie & glorifie Gods holy name, they doe thereby giuegive their conſent to the eſtabliſhing of the third cōmandement, which doth forbid to defile Gods name by taking it in vaine. The 4. alone of all the commaundements, concerning 4the ſanctifying of the ſabboth day, is of S. Auguſtine called Ceremoniall. But it muſt not be ſimplie vnderſtoode to be Ceremoniall. For ſo farre forth as the outward worſhip of God requireth a certeine appointed time to be exerciſed in, & carrieth with it the ſacrifices of the lawe, ſo farre, I ſay, it is ceremoniall: but in reſpecte that it teacheth to méete in holy aſſemblies to worſhip God, to pray, to preache, to be partakers of the ſacraments, and to offer ſpiritual ſacrifices, therein it is eternall & not ceremonial: As I hauehave before declared in the expoſition of the Sabboth. The fifte precept, touching the honour due to parents, y^e 5Lord himſelf doth ratifie in the 15. cap. of Matthews Goſpel: Euen as he doth alſo very diligently teache the ſixte againſt 6murther, & the ſeuenth againſt 7adulterie in the 5. Cap. of y^• ſame Goſpel. The eighth, which is againſt theft, is p. 4128renued by the Apoſtle, whoe giueth charge, that no man deceiue his brother, and that no mā ſteale any more, but that eueryevery one ſhould labour with his handes, that he may hauehave thinges neceſſarie for himſelfe, and be able to giuegive to him that wanteth. The ninthe precepte, which is for the brideling of 9the tongue, ſo that no lye be made, nor falſe witneſſe borne againſt our neighbour, is by Chriſt himſelfe and his Apoſtles cōfirmed ſo often, as they giuegive rules for the ordering of the tongue, and charge eueryevery man to ſpeake the trueth to his neighbour. And they alſo doe condemne euill luſtes and affections, wherby they do not abrogate, but 10repaire the tenthe commaundement, which doth forbid all maner of concupiſcence. Therefore the whole abrogation of the tenne cōmaundements, ſo farre foorth as they are abrogated, doth conſiſt in thoſe points whereof I ſpake euen now: to wit, that Chriſt in faith is our perfecte & abſolute righteouſneſſe &c. The Apoſtle bearing witneſſe thereunto and ſaying, What the lawe could not doe, in as much as it was weak through the fleſh, God hauing ſent his owne ſonne, in the ſimilitude of ſinnefull fleſh, euen by ſinne cōdemned ſinne in the fleſh, that the righteouſneſſe of the lawe might bee fulfilled in vsus, which walke not after the fleſh, but after the ſpirite. As is to be ſéene in the 8. to y^e Romans. I hauehave therfore diſcourſed the brieflier of this matter in this place, becauſe I hauehave at the full ſpoken of it in the treatiſe of y^e tenne commaundements.

I am nowe come to ſpeake of the Ceremonials. Theſe Ceremonials were giuen and graunted vntill the How farre …oorth the ceremonials are abrogated.time of amendement, to witt, vntill Meſſiah ſhould come. Meſſiah is alreadie come, therefore all the Ceremonies, euen to the comming, death, reſurrection and aſcenſion of Chriſt our Lord into the heauens, are come to an end, and hauehave no place any longer in the Church of the Chriſtians. And yet héere wee muſt, and doe make a difference betwixte the writinges concerning the Ceremonies, and the verie things of the Ceremonies, that are ſet downe in writing, I meane, the very Ceremonies themſelues, or actions y^• were vſed. For y^e writings cōcerning the Ceremonies, which were ſet forth by the ſpirite of God, are not taken away from Chriſtians nor abrogated, ſo that they may not be read, reteyned or vſed in the Church: as I declared in the 2. Sermon of the firſt Decade. For they are effectuall to inſtructe vsus in Chriſt Ieſu, while in them we doe behold the maner how Chriſt was preached and prefigured to the auncient Church of the holy fathers. Paul verilie did moſt ſignificātly preach Chriſt out of the ceremonies, which no man will denie, that readeth diligently his Epiſtle to the Hebrues. For hee doeth wōderfully in that Epiſtle, lay Chriſt and all his gifts before the eyes of all the Church. Therfore y^e Ceremonials both may and ought to be read in the church, ſo yet that in them Chriſt may be ſought, and whē he is found be aptly preached. And for that cauſe in y^e 5. & 6. Sermons of this Decade, where I handled the Ceremonials, I annered vntounto them certaine notes of their ſignifications, that I might open away for the ſtudents of the ſcriptures and louers of Chriſt to goe forward & procéede in that hind of argument. Now the Ceremoniall things or ſtuffe of the ceremonies, of which ſort are y^e prieſthoode, the place, the time, the ſacrifice, & whatſoeuer elſe is like to theſe, are vtterly abrogated, ſo y^• henceforth they p. 413are neither vſed, nor hauehave any place in the Church of Chriſt. This did Ieremie foretel in the 3. Chap. of his prophecie ſaying, In thoſe daies they ſhal make no more boaſte of the arcke of the Lords couenaunt: no man ſhall thincke vppon it, neither ſhall any man make mention of it: for from thenceforth it ſhall neither bee viſited, neither ſhall ſuch things be done any more. By the arke the Prophete meaneth thoſe poinctes of the lawe, which are aboliſhed by the cōming of Chriſt. S. Paule in his Epiſtle to the Hebrues, by the promiſe that GOD made to Ieremie, ſaying: That hee would make a newe couenaunt, doeth Heb. 1.Heb 1gather this obſeruation, In that hee ſaith a new couenant, he hath worne out the firſt: For that which is worne out, and waxed old, is readie to vaniſh away. The ſame Apoſtle to the Epheſians ſaith, Chriſt is our peace, which hath made both one, and hath broken downe the middle wall, that was a ſtop betweene vsus, taking away in his fleſh the hatred, euen the lawe of cō maundements cōteyned in ordinances, for to make of twaine one newe man in himſelfe. So making peace. Epheſ. 2. God verily ſeuered the Iewes from the Gentiles, while he choſe and conſecrated them to be a peculiar people vntounto himſelfe, not by the calling of the woord onelyonly, but alſo by the ſacraments. For there were ceremonies preſcribed and giuē, which, as a middle wall betwixte the Iewes and the Gentiles, ſhould compaſſe in and conteine the heritage of y^e Lord: ſo that in the ceremonies the note of difference did conſiſte, wherby the Iewes were knowen to bee the lawefull heires of Gods good promiſes, wherof the Gentiles had no part or portiō. But Chriſt came into the world, to the intent that of two people, the Iewes & the Gentiles, he might make one Church, and therefore did hée breake downe the middle wall that parted them, that is, Ceremonies the niddle wal or patition.hée did cleane take away the Ceremoniall ordinances, which were a ſtopp betwixt them. For Chriſt in that caſe did the ſame, that Princes are wont to doe, whoe when they goe about to bring two nations, that are at variaunce, into one kingdome, and vnderunder one authoritie, doe firſt take away the diuerſitie of armes, which are the cognizaunces of their auncient hatred, that when the cauſe of the remembraunce of the grudge is taken from their eyes, they maye the better agrée betwixt themſelues in minde and behauiour. For euen ſo did Chriſt take awaye Circumciſion, the Sacrifices, and all the Ceremonies, to the ende that of the Iewes and Gentiles hée mighte make one Church and fellowſhip. Paule to the Coloſſians compareth the Ceremonies to an obligation Ceremonies of hand writing.or handwriting, wherby God hath vsus bound, as it were, ſo that wée cannot denie the guilt. But he ſaith, that wee were ſo deliuered by Chriſte from the guilt, that the obligation or handwriting was cancelled or torne in péeces. But by the cancelling of the handwriting the debitor is acquieted & ſet at libertie. And therefore wée read that at the death of our Lord, the vaile of the temple was torne in peeces from the bottome vppe to the very toppe: that thereby all people might vnderſtand, both that ſinnes were then forgiuen them, & that the people of God was ſet at libertie from al the burthen and yoke of the lawe. Verilie, when the wicked, ſtiffenecked, and diſloyall The citie and tēple of Ieruſ… le… deſtroyed.people of the Iewes did after y^e death of Chriſt goe on to exerciſe, prorogue, and to obtrude to all men the Ceremonies, p. 414which were finiſhed and abrogated at the comming of Meſſiah, then Chriſt, ſitting at the right hand of the father, did by the meanes of the Romane Princes vtterly deface their citie, and ouerthrow the temple, wherin they boaſted. Which thing the prophet Daniel, and Balaam many hundred …ani 9. Num. 24.Num 24yeares before Daniels time foretold, and ſaid ſhould come to paſſe. Neither hetherto yet, by the ſpace of 1500. yeares and more hauehave they had any place to reſtore and ſet vpp againe their citie and temple. In Theodoretus and Ruffinus we read, that in the reigne of Iuhan the Emperour, the Iewes with very great hope and preſumption wente about to build a newe temple, and that they ſought the foundation therof in the place, where that temple ſtoode, which was burnt by Titus, ſonne and generall to the Emperour Veſpaſian: but Chriſt our Lord (who in the Goſpell foretold out of Daniels prophecie the deſolation thereof, and did amonge other ſpeaches ſay, And Hieruſalē ſhalbe troden vnderunder foote of the Gentiles: till the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled) did mightily repreſſe their wicked endeuours, & hinder their labour for going forwarde. For whē they had gathered & brought together many thouſand buſhells of lyme and chaulk, then ſoudeinly came a whirlewind w^e a wonderfull ſtorme and bluſtring, which ſcattered abrode and carried away the ſtore of ſtuffe by them prouided. There happened alſo a terrible earthquake, by which all the buildinges almoſt of the whole place were ſwepte away & made euen with the ground. Finally, when a great cō panie, which were buſie in the worke, did the ſame nighte remaine or take their reſt in a certeine porch or galerie néere to the new begonne citie & temple, the whole building and roofe therof falling downe on a ſoudeine, ſlue al the number that were within y^• reach thereof. In the morning, they whiche remained aliue ran together, to ſéeke eueryevery man for his frend, among them that were ſlaine by the ruinous building: and when thoſe terrours could do no good, nor turne them from their purpoſe, then ſoudenly out of the trenches, foundations, and ſtoarchouſes hard by, where their tooles and other neceſſaries lay, there ſprange foorth a fearefull fire, which burnt many that vrged the worke, and compelled y^e reſt to take their héeles. For in that one day it brake forth ſundry times, and ſo at laſt repreſſed the ſtubborne raſheneſſe of that ſtiffnecked people. And for becauſe theſe thinges ſhould not be thought to hauehave happened caſually or at aduentures, the night before and y^• night following, there appeared in the ſkie a bright or gliſtering ſigne of the Croſſe, & the garments of the Iewes were filled ouer w^e croſſes, not bright, but blacke, which could not be ridd away or wiped out by any paines taking or maner of meanes. They therfore in ſpite of their téeth and full ſore againſt their wills being compelled with thoſe horrible terrours, fearefull iudgementes, and bitter plagues of Chriſt our Lord, forſoke the place, and fledd eueryevery man to his houſe, leauing the worke vndone, and openly confeſſing that Ieſus Chriſt whō their forefathers had crucified, is a moſt mightie God, howſoeuer Iulian, with Pharao, and the chiefe of the Iewes did perſeauer ſtill in their diſloyaltie and deſpiteful blaſphemie againſt him and his holy Church.

But, howſoeuer the Iewes do euen at this day abide in their wilfull ſtubbornneſſe, the Lord did from heauen p. 415declare openly enough, that hee is no longer delighted with the Ceremonial rites, becauſe he deſtroyed all the inſtruments belonging to that auncient kinde of worſhip, and made the very ſhopp of that old religion, I meane the temple, and citie of Hieruſalem, leuel with the ground. Touching the temple the Lord in the Goſpel ſpake to his diſciples, when they with wondering did behold it, and ſaid: Do ye not ſee al theſe thinges? verilie I ſay vntounto you, there ſhal not be leaft here one ſtone ſtanding vponupon an other. And againe, weeping ouer the vnthanckful citie he ſaid, They ſhall not leaue in thee one ſtone ſtanding vppon an other, beecauſe thou kneweſt not the time of thy viſitation. And nowe that all this was word for word accompliſhed and fullie finiſhed, Ioſephus an eye witneſſe of the ſame doeth largely teſtifie in the 18. Chap. of his 7. booke De Bello Iudaico. Euen very now I told you that from one thouſand and fiue hundreth yeares agoe vntounto this preſent time, the Iewes neuer had anye place giuen them to build their temple vpp in againe: whereby, if they were not beſide themſelues, they might eaſilye gather, y^t the Meſſiah is alreadie come into the world, and that hée hath abrogated all the Ceremoniall rites.

It is a very ſlender, or rather no defence at all for the Iewes, to alledge … they … or ….the woords in the lawe, which are many times rehearſed, where the Ceremonies are deſcribed, Ye ſhall keepe it for an euerlaſting ordinaunce. For in this ſenſe, Euerlaſting is taken for Longlaſting and Vnchaungeable, ſo farre foorth as it hath reſpecte vntounto the will or authoritie of mankinde. For the Lord did with threatening of gréeuous puniſhments forbidd, that mankinds vnaduiſedneſſe ſhould chaunge or abrogate the holy Ceremonies.

And yet ſince hée did ordeine thoſe Ceremonies vntil the time of amendment, hée doeth neither ſinne nor yet incurre the crime of vnconſtancie, when hée doeth chaunge, or take away the Ceremonies according to the determinate purpoſe, whiche hée intended from the beginning.

Moreouer, ſo long as the thing ſignified doeth not decaye, and that the ſhadowe onelyonly or momentanie figure doeth vaniſh away, it is aſſuredly certaine that the Ceremonie doth yet remaine in full effecte and ſubſtaunce. The whole man doeth liue for euer: and yet the thinges that are temporall or corruptible in him, doe periſhe in death, and are aboliſhed in his clarification.

But that all theſe thinges may appeare The prieſthood abrogated.as cleare as the day light, I will particularly runne through and touch the more notable ſort of Ceremonies. That the prieſthood of Aaron is vtterly abrogated, it is euident by the wordes, whiche the Apoſtle citeth out of Dauid ſaying, The Lord hath ſworn and will not repent, thou art a prieſt for euer after the order of Melchiſedech. Chriſt therefore is the one and onelyonly high prieſt, and that too, an euerlaſting prieſt, hauing an immutable prieſthood, which cannot by ſucceſſion paſſe from him to any other man or Angel. For hee now ſtanding at the right hand of the father in heauen, the very true temple, which was prefigured by the Tabernacle and temple at Hieruſalem, doeth make interceſſion for vsus, & doth all the offices of an high prieſt: Of whom the Apoſtle of Chriſt S. Paule doeth ſpeake very largely in his Epiſtle vntounto the Hebrues This Chriſt Ieſus our highe prieſt hath conſecrated all the faithfull to be Kinges p. 416and Prieſtes vntounto himſelfe. And yet notwithſtanding he doth ordeine miniſters of the Church, by doctrine and examples to inſtructe the Church and to miniſter the ſacraments, I meane not thoſe old & auncient ones, but thoſe which y^e Lord hath ſubſtituted in ſteed of the old ones. What doctrine they muſt teach hée doth expreſſely declare. The myſticall attyre and garmentes of the prieſthood, hee neither did commend to his Apoſtles, nor leaue to his Church, but toke them away with all the Ceremonies, that are called the middle wall betwixte ſhe Iewes and Gentiles. The Lord himſelfe and his Apoſtle Paule will hauehave the paſtours of the people cladd with righteouſneſſe and honeſtie: and do preciſely remoue the miniſters of the Church from ſuperioritie and ſecular affaires. They doe alſo appoint ſtipendes for the miniſters to liue vppon, yet not thoſe which the law allowed them, but ſuch as were moſt tolierable and conuenient for the ſtate and condition of eueryevery Church.

The Lord left the place, to ſerue and worſhipp God in, frée without exception 1. Cor. 9. Math. 10. The place …or to worſhip God in is free …or eueryevery man to chooſe where hee liſteth, and the congregation liketh.1 Cor 9Matt 10or binding to any one preſcribed or peculiar place, when in the Goſpel after Iohn he ſaid, The houre ſhall come, and is alreadie, when the true worſhippers ſhall worſhipp the father neither in this mountaine nor at Hieruſalem, but in the ſpirite and in truth. For ſuch the father requireth to worſhip him. God is a ſpirite, and they that worſhip him, muſt worſhip him in ſpirite and in truth. The Apoſtle followed the Lord in this doctrine and ſaid, I will that men pray in euerie place lifting vp pure hands without anger. Neither did the Lord in …aine, as I ſhewed you euē now, ſuf…r the temple to bee vtterlye ouerthrowne, conſidering that at his death hée had rent the vaile therof. And yet for all that, the Eccleſiaſticall aſſemblies are not thereby condemned: Of whiche I ſpake in the expoſition of the 4. precepte, Remēber that thou keepe holy the ſabboth day. Verily y^• tabernacle & the temple bare the type of the catholique Church of God, out of which there are no prayers noroblations acceptable to the Lord. But the Church is extēded to the very ends of y^e world. And yet it followeth not theruppon, y^t all are in the Church, which are in the world: they alone are in the Churche whiche thorough the Catholique faith are in the fellowſhip of Chriſt Ieſus, and by the agréement of doctrine, by charitie, & by the participation of the Sacramentes (vnleſſe ſome great neceſſitie hinder them) are in the cōmunion of the holy Sainctes. But they burne incenſe & ſacrifice in highe places, To … places.whoſoeuer ſéek after any other ſacrifice, than the one and only oblation of Chriſt Ieſus or looke for any other to offer their prayers to God the father than Chriſt alone, as they are taughte by the mouth of the Paſtour ſincerely preaching the word of God. Moreouer the Church of God hath no néed now of any arke, any table, any ſhewbread, any golden candleſtick, any altar either of incenſe or burnt offeringes, nor yet of any braſē lauer: for Chriſt alone is all in all to y^e catholique Church, which Church hath all theſe things ſpiritually and effectually in Chriſt Ieſus, and can ſéek for nothing in any other creatures, inſomuch that if it perceiue any man to bring in againe either theſe, or ſuch like Ceremoniall inſtruments, it doth ſharpely rebuke & bitterly curſe him for his vnwarranted raſheneſſe & blaſphemous preſūption in the church of Chriſt.

p. 417For what néede hath the churche of ſhadowes and figures, when it doeth nowe enioye the thing it ſelfe, euen Chriſt Ieſus, whoſe ſhadowe and figure the ceremonies bare? Moreouer the church hath ſignes enough, in that it hath receiued of Chriſt two Sacramentall ſignes, wherein are conteined all y^e things, which the old church did comprehend in ſundrie and verie many figures.

Furthermore, he hath leaft the holy time The holy ….to worſhip God in, frée to our choice, who in the Goſpel ſaith: The Sabboth was made for man, not man for the Sabboth: therefore the ſonne of man is Lorde alſo of the Sabboth And the Apoſtle Paule ſaith: Let no man therefore iudge you in meate, or drinke, or in parte of an holie daye, or of the new moone, or of the Sabbothes, which are the ſhadowes of things to come, but the bodie is of Chriſt. Of the Chriſtian Sabboth I ſpake in the expoſition of the fourth Commaundement. As for the newe moones they are not ſolemnized by y^e churche of Chriſt, in ſo much as it is taught by Chriſt to attribute to God, not the beginning of Moneths onelyonly, but the whole yeare alſo and the commoditie thereof, with the light of the Sunne, the Moone, and all the ſtarres in heauen.

Moreouer the Chriſtians do celebrate their paſſeouer more ſpiritually then bodily: euen as alſo they doe ſolemnize their Pentecoſte or whitſuntide. For as he ſent his ſpirite vppon his diſciples, ſo doth hee daily ſent it vppon all the faithfull. And that is y^e cauſe that in the faithfull the alarme is ſtriken vpp to incourage them as ſouldiours to ſkirmiſh with their enimies. For the fleaſh luſteth againſt the ſpirite, and the faithfull are daily aſſaulted and prouoked to battaile by the world, and by the deuil the prince of the world. Furthermore the feaſt of propitiation being once finiſhed vppon the croſſe endureth for euer: neither do the Sainctes any more ſende out a ſcape goats to beare their ſinnes into the deſarte. For Chriſt our Lord came once and was offered vp, and by his ſacrifice tooke awaye the ſinnes of all the worlde. Finally ſince the faithfull doe daily conſider & beare in their mindes, that they hauehave no abydinge place in this tranſitorie worlde, but y^• they looke after a place to come, they néede not, as the Iewes did, once a yere to celebrate the feaſt of Tabernacles. In like manner the faithfull do no more acknowlege any yeare of Iubilie. For Chriſte came once and preached vntounto vsus y^• acceptable yeare, euen the Goſpell, whereby it is proclaymed, that all our ſinnes and iniquities are clearely forgiuen vsus. For ſo doth Chriſt himſelfe interprete it in the fourth of Sainct Lukes goſpell, takinge occaſion to ſpeake of it out of the ſixth Chapter of Eſaies prophecie. And thus the holy time and feſtiuall dayes are abrogated by Chriſt in his holy Church: which notwithſtanding is not leafte deſtitute of any holy thing or neceſſarie matter.

But nowe becauſe this preſent yeare, wherein this booke is firſte of The Romiſh Iubilie.all printed, is the yeare of Grace one thouſand fiue hundred and fiftie, and according to the Romiſh traditiō is called the yeare of Iubilie, I am therefore compelled, as it were of neceſſitie, to make a little digreſſion, & ſpeake ſomewhat of the Romiſh Iubilie. I do therfore call it the Romiſh and not the Chriſtian Iubilie, becauſe as I ſhewed you euen now, the church of Chriſte after oure redemption p. 418wrought by Chriſt, and preached by the goſpel doth neither acknoledge nor receiue any other yeere of Iubilie. In the auncient Iewiſh yeare of Iubilie there is to be conſidered the meaning of the letter, and of the ſpirite. * According 1to the letter, bondmen were ſet at libertie, and lawful heires did receiue againe their patrimonie and poſſeſſions, which either was chaunged awaye, or otherwiſe gone from them. The meaning of that order as it could not be brought againe into all kingdomes in theſe latter dayes without the trouble of all eſtates, ſo is it little ſet by, and the care of the oppreſſed vterly neglected by the holy popes, who nowe of late brought in the yeare of Iubilie, and preached it vntounto the fooliſh worlde, not for any zeale they had to helpe the oppreſſed, but for the deſire they had, by robbing the world, to augment their owne treaſures. * The ſpirituall and hidden myſterie 2of the Iubilie did cōmende vntounto them of olde the frée remiſſion of all ſinnes through Chriſte by faith in Chriſte: which frée grace cannot without reproche to Chriſte bee otherwiſe preached than it hath béen alreadie taught by the holie Goſpell. Therefore the church was without the obſeruation of any yeare of Iubilie by the ſpace of one thouſande & three hundreth yeres after Chriſt his incarnation. At laſte vp ſtart Bonifacius the eyghth of that name byſhop of Rome, who firſte of all inuented that wicked ordinaunce. For Platina in y^e life of that Bonifacius ſaith: This is he that firſt brought in the Iubilie in the yeare of Chriſte 1300. wherin he graunted full remiſſion of all their ſinnes to as manie as viſited the See apoſtolicall. And the ſame did he ordeine to be obſerued eueryevery hundreth yeare. So then the church of Chriſt was without this Iubilie, without peril of ſaluation, by y^e ſpace of one thouſand & thrée hundreth yeres. And therefore may wee alſo be without it without all peril and damage, yea, to our great profite & commoditie. For if our Romaniſts go on to obtrude it to the worlde as a thinge neceſſarie to ſaluation, then ſhal they condemne the vniuerſal church, which was before Pope Boniface his time, who firſt brought in this vnacquainted Iubilie. Thus we are ſo farre frō not being able to be without it, that we ought by all meanes poſſible to deteſt and abhorre it, as a verie wicked and blaſphemous ordinance, conſidering that wee hauehave to beléeue that the Iubilie is vtterly abrogated by Chriſt and alſo y^• al ſinnes are fréely through Chriſt forgiuen to all that beléeue, in what place of the world ſo euer they liue, and are conuerſant in. This Pope Boniface doth to his moſte falſe promiſe and vnpure place annexe the remiſſion of ſinnes. Nowe I doubte whether this blaſphemous antichriſte could do any thing more horrible and more againſt the honour of the Sauiour. For therein is defiled the glory of the onelyonly begotten ſonne of God, who is the onelyonly health of all the world. Therein is defiled the ſaluation of many thouſands, for which Chriſt died vponupon the croſſe. And therein alſo is defiled the glorie of Chriſtian faith, by which alone we are made partakers of eternall ſaluation. This vngratious & wicked Pope was he, of whome that common prouerbe runneth: Hee entred like a woolfe, he reigned like a Lyon, and dyed like a dogge. For verily ſo blaſphemous an ordinaunce was worthie of ſuch an author. So fooliſhe a people was worthie of ſuche a paſtour. And ſo diueliſhe a Pope p. 419was worthie of ſuch an ende. Platina writeth that in that yeare of Iubilie, there came ſo greate heapes of people to Rome, that although the citie were indifferently large ynough, yet one man could not, for throng, paſſe by an other. For the worlde will needes bée deceiued: if it were not ſo, they would giuegive eare vntounto the Lord which cryeth:

O all ye that thirſte come to the waters, and ye that hauehave no money drawe nigh. Why ſpend ye your money vponupon a thing of naught? &c. Eſaie 55. and Iohn 4. 7. Now all the while that the world was ſett thus on madding, the righteous Lord was not a ſléepe, nor yet did diſſemble howe much they diſpleaſed him with that diueliſhe inuention. For the verye ſame yeare he ſtirred vpp Otthoman the Patriarche and firſt founder of the Turkiſh empire, by whoſe meanes he did notably ſcourge the churche of Rome, and the corrupt manners that were crept into Chriſtendom. A fewe yeares after, ſuccéeded Clement the ſixte, Paule the ſeconde, and Sixtus y^e fourth, as wicked men as he, as is to be found in the hiſtories of their liues, who chaunged the yere of Iubilie frō eueryevery hundreth to eueryevery fiftieth yere, and ſo at laſt to eueryevery fiue and twentieth yere, that ſo they might ſuck the more aduauntage out of mennes fooliſhneſſe. But nowe to the matter againe.

The Sacraments alſo of the aunclent ….Iewes are flatly abrogated, and in their places are ſubſtituted newe ſacramentes, which are giuen to the people of the newe couenaunt. In ſtéede of circumciſion is baptiſme appointed.

The Apoſtles in the Synode helde at Hieruſalem did oppoſe them ſelues againſt thoſe, which were of opinion, that circumciſion was neceſſarie vntounto ſaluation, and in that counſell they allowed of Paules doctrine who both thought and taught the contrarie. For Paule in one place ſayth: Loe I Paul ſaye vntounto you, that if ye be circumciſed, Chriſte ſhall profite you nothinge.

For I teſtifie to eueryevery man which is circumciſed, that he is a debitour to the whole lawe to doe it. Chriſte is made of none effect to you: as many of you as are iuſtified by the lawe, are fallen from grace. Neither is it right or conuenient that in the churche of Chriſte there ſhould remaine ſo bloudie a Sacrament as Circumciſion was, when once that bloud was ſhead vppon the croſſe, which ſtauncheth and taketh awaye the bloude of the olde teſtament.

In ſtéede of the Paſchall lambe is the Lordes ſupper ordeined, which by 2another name is called the Euchariſte or a thankeſgiuing. For ſo the Lord him ſelfe in Luke expoundeth it, ſaying, that hee did then eate the laſte paſſeouer with his diſciples, at the ende whereof he did immediately ordeine the Sacrament of his bodie and bloud, which he biddeth them to celebrate in remembraunce of him, vntil hee returne to iudgement againe. Therefore the Lorde leaft the ſupper to be an vnchaungeable Sacrament vntill the ende of the worlde. Moreouer, that all ſortes of ſacrifices conteined in the lawe are vtterly abrogated, no man I ſuppoſe will once denye, which doeth but conſider, that both the Temple and the two altars with all the holye Inſtrumentes, are vtterly ouerthrowen and come to nothing.

I told you that thoſe ſacrifices were p. 420remembraunces of ſinnes, and types or figures of the cleanſing and attonement that was to be made by Chriſte Ieſus. Therefore when Chriſt was come and offered vpp for the ſinnes of all the worlde, then verily did all the ſacrifices of the auncient Iewes come to their ending. For where there is a full and abſolute remiſſion of ſinnes, there is no longer any ſacrifice for ſinne. But in the newe teſtament there is a ful remiſſion of ſinns: therefore in the newe teſtament there is no longer any ſacrifice offered for ſinnes. For Chriſt is onelyonly and alone in ſtéede of all the ſacrifices. For hee was once offered vpp, and after that, is offered no more: who by the once offering vp of him ſelfe hath founde eternall redemption: ſo that all which be ſanctified, are ſanctified by none other oblation, but that of Chriſt vponupon the croſſe made once for all. Wherefore Chriſt, being once offered vppon the croſſe for the ſinnes of all y^e world, is the burnt offering of the catholique church: he is alſo the meate offeringe, which feedeth vsus with his fleaſhe offered vponupon the croſſe, vntounto eternal life, if wee receiue and feede on him by faith.

Moreouer, he is the drink offering of the churche, which with his bloud doth quench the thirſte of the faithfull vntounto life euerlaſting. He is the purging and daily ſacrifice of the church: becauſe he is the lambe of God that taketh away the ſinnes of the worlde. His death and paſſion cleanſeth all men from their ſinnes, their errours, and iniquities. Finally, he is y^• churches ſacrifice of thankeſgiuinge: becauſe by Chriſt we offer praiſe to god, and by Chriſte we render thanks vntounto the Lorde. To conclude, the onelyonly ſupper of the Lorde, which wee call y^e Euchariſt, conteineth in it all the kindes of auncient ſacrifices, which The … the … is to …are in effect but of two ſortes, to wite, of purging, and of attonement, as thoſe which were offered for ſinne: or elſe of thankeſgiuing, as thoſe which rendered thankes and offered prayſe vntounto the Lorde. Nowe the ſupper is a teſtimonie, a ſacrament, and a remembraunce of the bodie of Chriſte, which was giuen for vsus, and of his blood that was ſhedd for the remiſſion of our ſinnes. For the bodie & bloude of our Lord, which were but once offered vponupon the croſſe, and neither can nor ought to bee offered any more of men, are not ſacrificed a freaſh in the celebration of the ſupper: but in the celebrating of it, there is reiterated a remembrance of the thing, I meane, of the oblation, which was but once made, and in once offering was ſufficient. Againe in the ſupper we render thankes to God for our redemption, for which alſo the vniuerſal church doth offer praiſe vntounto his name. Wherefore, the ſupper of the Lorde doth comprehend the whole ſubſtance and matter, which was prefigured in thoſe auncient ſacrifices: ſo that in y^• poynt the church is not deſtitute of any good or neceſſarie thing, although it doth no longer retaine thoſe ſacrifices of y^e elder church. Yea, they ought not any longer to be ſolemnized in y^e church, becauſe (when they were nothing elſe, but the figures, types, and ſacraments of Chriſte to come) the church doeth nowe beléeue, and that rightly too, y^• Chriſt is alreadie come, and that he hath fulfilled and accompliſhed all thinges, as wée read that he him ſelfe did teſtifie when on the croſſe he cryed, ſaying: It is finiſhed.

Moreouer all vowes are come to …an end, becauſe all ſacrifices, wherin p. 421the vowes conſiſted, are vaniſhed & gone. Likewiſe the diſcipline of the Nazarites is nowe decayed, becauſe the temple with al the ceremonies belonging thereunto is vaded away. There remaineth ſtil in the church a Chriſtian & moderate diſcipline, but not that which is deſcribed in y^• lawe. And the Sainctes do perfourme to God the vowes which they hauehave made in the church not contrary to faith and godlyneſſe. But they are ſparing, warie, and verie religious in making vowes. For what hauehave we to giuegive to God, which we hauehave not firſte receiued at his handes, and to the perfourming of which wee were not bounde before in baptiſme?

Chriſte doth not ſo diſtinguiſh betwixt cleane and vncleane in the Goſpel, … choice of meates abrogated.as Moſes doth in the lawe: That ſaith hee, which entreth into the mouth defileth not the man, but that which commeth out of the mouth. And the apoſtle Paule doth flatly ſay, that to the cleane all things are clean. And like to this he ſpeaketh muche in the fourteenth to the Romanes, and in other places mo. In his Epiſtle to the Coloſſians hee ſaith: If ye bee dead with Chriſte from the rudimentes of the world, why as liuing in the world are ye led with traditions, touch not, taſte not, handle not: all which doe periſhe in abuſing: And ſo forth. To Peter alſo it is ſaid: What God hath ſanctified, that call not thou vnclean. Therefore whereas in the Synodall … and … …bidden of the ….Epiſtle ſet forth by the Apoſtles in y^e fiftéenth of the Actes, both bloud and ſtrangled is forbidden and exempted from the meate of menne, that commaundement was not perpetuall, but momentanie for a time onelyonly. For it pleaſed the Apoſtles for charities ſake to beare therein with the Iewiſh nation, who otherwiſe would hauehave been too ſtubborne and ſelfewilled. The Iewes at that time did eueryevery daye ſo rifely heare the reading of the lawe, which did expreſſely forbidde to eate bloud and ſtrangled, as if the preaching of the Goſpell had not begonne to be ſowed among them, and therefore they could not but bee greatly offended, to ſée the Gentiles ſo lauiſhly to vſe the thinges prohibited. Wherefore the Apoſtles would hauehave the Gentiles for a time to abſteine from the thinges that otherwiſe were lawful ynough, to ſée if peraduenture by that meanes they might winne the Iewes to the faith of Chriſt. For the Epiſtles which Paule wrote a fewe yeares after the counſell at Hieruſalem, do ſufficiently argue, that the decree of the Apoſtles againſt bloud & ſtrangled was not perpetuall. But y^e commaundementes giuen againſte thinges offered to idols, and againſt fornication (in vſing whereof y^e Gentiles thought that they did not greately offende) are perpetuall, becauſe they be morals, and of the number of the tenne commaundements. But of that matter I hauehave ſpokén in another place.

And nowe, becauſe I am come to make mention of the Synodall decree ordeined by the Apoſtles and elders of the counſell at Hieruſalem, I thinke it not amiſſe to recite vntounto you (dearely beloued) as a concluſion to this place, the whole Epiſtle ſent by the Synode, becauſe it doth beare an euident, full, and briefe teſtimonie y^t the lawe is abrogated after that manner which I hauehave declared. Now this is their Epiſtle or conſtitution: The Apoſtles and elders, and brethren, The decree of the Synode held at Ieruſalēſende greetings vntounto the brethren, which are of the Gentiles, that are in p. 422Antiochia, Syria, and Cilicia. For as much as we hauehave heard that certeine, which departed from vsus, hauehave troubled you with wordes, and cumbred your myndes, ſaying: ye muſt be circumciſed, & keepe the lawe, to whō we gaue no ſuch commaundement: it ſeemed good therefore to vsus, when we were come together with one accorde, to ſend choſen men vntounto you, with our beloued Paule and Barnabas, men that hauehave ieoparded their liues for the name of our Lorde Ieſus Chriſt. We hauehave ſent therefore Iudas and Silas which ſhal alſo tell you the ſame things by mouth. For it ſeemed good to the holie Ghoſte and to vsus, to charge you with no more than theſe neceſſarie things, (that is to ſay) that ye abſteine from thinges offered to idols, and from bloude, and from ſtrangled, and from fornication: frō which if ye keepe your ſelues, ye ſhal do wel. So fare ye wel. This is word for worde the Catholique, the Synodall, Apoſtolique, and Eccleſiaſticall Epiſtle of the counſell helde at Hieruſalem, both briefe and eaſie: for as the ſpéeche of trueth is ſimple, ſo alſo may true religion and Chriſtian faith be eaſily layde downe in verie fewe & euident wordes.

Immediately in the beginning after The falſe Apoſtles doctrine.their accuſtomed manner of ſubſcribing and inſcribing their Epiſtle, they do out of hand fall too and touche They ſubſcribe their owne names, and inſcribe the names of them to whom the the Epiſtle is ſent.the falſe apoſtles, with whom Paule and Barnabas were in controuerſie, and do declare what kind of doctrine, that of the falſe prophets was, which they had til then preached vntounto y^• churches, as the catholique, true, and apoſtolique doctrine, to wite, that they which wilbe ſaued, muſt bee circumciſed and keepe the lawe of Moſes.

For they thought not that faith in Chriſte without the helpe of the lawe was ſufficient ynough to full and abſolute iuſtification. They made their boſtes that they were ſent from Hieruſalem by the Apoſtles and diſciples of the Lord, who did all with one conſent teach the ſame doctrine, that they did preache, and they ſaide that Paul with his companion Barnabas alone did ſchiſmatiquelike ſowe in the churches a certein doctrine peculiar to him ſelfe, touching faith which iuſtifieth without the woorkes of the lawe. Wherfore the Apoſtles ſtreight ways after the beginning of their Epiſtle do declare what they thinke of ſuch falſe teachers and their vnwarranted doctrine: Wee confeſſe, ſaye they, that thoſe falſe teachers went from hence out of Hieruſalem, but we deny that they were either ſent or inſtructed by vsus. For we gaue no commandement to any ſuch. And ſo they do teſtifie, y^• it is vtterly falſe, which thoſe fellowes taught, to wite, that the Apoſtles and Diſciples of the Lorde did preach: That the lawe is requiſite to full iuſtification. Yea, they do yet go on, more plainly to declare what the doctrine of thoſe falſe Apoſtles was, They trouble you, ſaye they, with wordes, and cumber your mindes, cō maunding you to be circumciſed, & to keepe the lawe. The ſumme therfore of their doctrine was, y^• vnleſſe a man were circumciſed & did kéepe the lawe, he could not be ſaued. Whereby they did aſcribe ſaluation to y^• kéepinge of the lawe, or to the merite of their workes. VntoUnto this doctrine the Apoſtles do attribute two perillous effectes. The firſt is: They trouble you with wordes. They be woordes ſaye they, which do rather amaze, then appeaſe, cōfort or pacifie your minds, yea, they doe trouble you ſo, y^t ye can p. 423not tell what to beléeue, or whereto to truſt: & do moreouer ſtirre vp ſtrifes, diſcordes, and iarrings amonge you. To theſe wordes of the Apoſtles doeth Paule ſéeme to hauehave alluded in his Epiſtle to the Galathians, ſaying: I marueile …. Gal.that ye are ſo ſoone turned from Chriſt, which called you by grace, vntounto another goſpel, which is not an other goſpel in deede, but that there beſome which trouble you and intēd to peruert the goſpel of Chriſt. The latter effect is. They cūber or weaken your mindes. For they which leane to the lawe & to woorkes, hauehave nothinge ſtable or ſtedfaſt in their mindes. For ſince the lawe requireth a moſte exact & abſolute righteouſneſſe, & doth thereby kill, becauſe ſuch righteouſneſſe is not found in vsus, therfore thoſe minds are weakened & ſubuerted, that are taught to leane to the woorkes of the lawe, which lawe no man doth kéepe as of right he ought to do. Therefore Paule to the Romanes ſaith: If they that do belong vntounto the lawe, are heires, then is faith vaine, and the promiſe made of none effect. And immediately after againe: Therefore the heritage is giuē by faith, as according to grace, that the promiſe may be ſure to all the ſeede &c. The falſe apoſtles therefore did ſubuerte and weaken mindes, by teachinge that ſaluation is gotten by the lawe, which verily is a grieuous iudgement againſte thoſe which with them do teache the like.

Then alſo they do with like libertie goe on to the other ſide, to ſhewe … his … it … & Span… to the ….their opinion of Paule and Barnabas, yea, they doe adourne them as their meſſingers with a moſte holie teſtimoniall, to the ende that they maye amonge all men hauehave the more authoritie, and that all men may vnderſtand, that betwixt them twaine and the other Apoſtles there was a ful agréement and conſent of doctrine & religion: Wee being gathered together with one accorde, ſaye they, hauehave ſent meſſingers vntounto you. Lo here, of the falſe apoſtles they teſtified, that they ſent them not, nor gaue them any commaundement: but theſe men they ſende, and doe with one accorde giuegive them a commaundement. But who be they whome they ſende? Our beloued Paule and Barnabas which hauehave ieoparded their liues for the name of Chriſte Ieſus. Theſe twaine are moſt choice Apoſtles and holie, glorious martyrs, our dearely beloued brethren, beeing of the ſame religion and doctrine with vsus, who hauehave declared what their liues and doctrine is, by their manifolde vertues, and manfull ſuffering of perill and daungers.

But for becauſe Paule and Barnabas were them ſelues no ſmall doers in that controuerſie and diſputation, there were ioyned to them two other choſen men, Iudas and Silas, to the ende that they might indifferently without ſuſpicion declare the thinges, which in the counſell were alledged for both ſides, as I meane to ſhewe you in the expoſition of the general decrée.

For now they do in fewe words cō prehēd y^• verie decrée of y^• whole & vniuerſal The expoſition of the generall decree of the Synode held at Ieruſalē 1ſynode, in y^e laying down wherof they do firſt of al name the author of the decrée, ſaying: It ſeemed good to the holy ghoſt & to vsus. They firſt ſet the holy Ghoſt, and then them ſelues, making him to be the author of truth, and them ſelues to be the inſtruments by which he worketh. For hee worketh in the Churche by the miniſterie of men.

But mens authoritie w^tout y^e inſpiration p. 424of the holie Ghoſte is none at all. Therfore do the Apoſtles verie ſignificantly ſay: It ſeemed good to the holie Ghoſt and to vsus. That is, after that we were aſſembled in y^e Synode to treate of the matter of iuſtification and of the lawe (about which thinges Paule and his aduerſaries did ſtand in controuerſie) wee followed not our owne iudgements, neither did wee vſe proofes of our owne inuentions, but ſearching out & hearing the doctrine of the holie Ghoſte, we do vppon his warrant write this vntounto you. In the ſeconde place they do ſet downe the ſumme of the decrée, ſaying: That wee might not charge you with greater burthens than theſe neceſſarie thinges, (that is to ſay) that ye abſteine from thinges offered to idols, and from bloud and from ſtrā gled, and from fornication. Therefore, ſaye they, the doctrine of y^e Goſpell which Paule hath hitherto preached with vsus, is ſufficient to the obteining of life and ſaluation. We intend not to laye any greater burthen vponupon you than the doctrine of the Goſpell and abſtinence from thoſe fewe things. In which ſentence they ſéeme to hauehave had an eye to the opinion of Sainct Peter, who in the counſell ſaide: Ye knowe that I beeing called by God, did go to the Gentiles and Act. 10.Acts 10did preach to them ſaluatiō through the Goſpel. Ye know that to the Gē tiles, being neither circumciſed, nor keeping the lawe, while I preached to them faith in Chriſt Ieſus, the holie Ghoſte was giuen from aboue, ſo that their hearts wer purified of God him ſelfe by faith, not by the lawe, & that they were made heires of eternal life.

And vppon this he inferreth: Now therefore why tempt ye God, to laye vppon the diſciples neckes a yoke, which neither wee nor our fathers were able to beare? But wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Ieſus Chriſt we ſhalbe ſaued, euen as they.

Sée here, Sainct Peter called the lawe a burthen and a yoke: and therfore where the Apoſtles ſaye that they will not laye vpō the church any greater burthen, they do thereby ſignifie that the lawe is flatly abrogated. They do therefore ſet the church frée from the burthen of the lawe: and do acquite it from all burthens like to y^• lawe. We nowe do gather by thoſe woordes of the Apoſtles, that thoſe Men … the … of ….burthenſome, and innumerable ceremonies, which the church hath receiued by counſels & Synodes ſince the time of the Apoſtles, were vniuſtly & againſt the Apoſtolique ſpirite then layde vppon the churche, and at this daye wickedly reteined and defended in the churche. For they in expreſſe wordes ſaide: It ſeemed good to the holye Ghoſte and to vsus to burthen you with no more then theſe thinges neceſſarie. But if any man obiect and ſaye that thoſe ceremonies were for the rudeneſſe of the people layde vponupon the churches neckes, as a rule or inſtruction to guide or teache them by? Mine aunſwere is, that that kinde of inſtruction is cleane taken awaye, which whoſoeuer goeth about to reduce, hee deſireth nothing elſe but to bring in Iudaiſme againe. God knew verie well what kinde of churche that would be, which hee purpoſed to gather together of Iewes and Gentiles, and yet he aboliſhed thoſe external ceremonies. Nowe, who doth better knowe than God, what is expedient, or not expedient for his church? therefore the things that he aboliſhed, were p. 425not expedient for the faithfull, whereupon the Apoſtles did rightly & verie wel pronounce: It ſeemed good to the holie ghoſte and vsus not to laye vppon you any greater burthen. Let them therefore be aſhamed of their doinges, which lay ſo great a burthen vppon the ſhoulders of the church, that otherwiſe ought to be moſt free.

Nowe alſo heere is added the concluſion of the ſentence, Than theſe neceſſarie things, (that is to ſay) that ye abſtaine from things offered to Idols &c. In theſe wordes they had an eye vntounto the ſentence of ſainct Iames S. Iames alloweth of S. … opiniōthe Apoſtle and brother of the Lorde: for he confirminge and allowing of Sainct Peters opinion touchinge iuſtification by faith, and the not laying of the lawe vponupon the Gentiles neckes, doth alledge a teſtimonie of ſcripture out of Amoſe, who did foretell that the Iewes ſhoulde bee cut off becauſe of their ſinnes, and that in their ſteeds the Gentiles ſhould be taken, amonge whome the true church of God ſhould be, which was prefigured by the ruine and reparatiō of Dauids tabernacle. The ſame Prophet did alſo foretell a reaſon how, and a cauſe why the Gentiles ſhould be receiued into y^e church, not for Circumciſions ſake, nor yet by the helpe of the lawe, but by grace through fayth. For he ſaith: The remnaunte of the men ſhal ſeeke after the Lorde, and all the heathen vponupon whome my name is called, ſaith the Lorde, which doth all this: all theſe workes of God are knowen to him from before the world beganne. Loe here, they ſhall ſeeke the Lorde, and ſhalbe receyued into his fellowſhip, vponupon whome his name ſhalbe called. This phraſe of ſpeech doeth ſignifie that they whiche are electe ſhalbe the ſonnes of God. For vponupon them the name of the Lord is called, which are named the ſonnes of God, and are his elect. Nowe the whole ſcripture attributeth that to faith. By fayth therfore we are made the members of the church and ſonnes and heires to God our maker. But if any man doe murmur againſt the counſell of God and ſay, why doth God ſo? Let him thinke that this déede is the déede and worke of God, whome it is not lawfull for man to gaynſaye, and all whoſe workes are knowen from the beginninge of the worlde to hauehave beene donne in iudgement and righteouſneſſe: whervpon it doth conſequently follow, that this counſell of his is good and righteous, whereby he doth through faith in Chriſt ioyne to himſelfe and ſanctifie the heathen nations. Nowe vppon theſe wordes of the prophet Saincte Iames (ſubſcribing as it were to Sainct Peters opinion) doth gather and inferre: Wherefore my ſentence is, that wee trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: That is to ſay, I thinke that they are not to bee moleſted or charged with the obſeruation of the law. But leaſt the Gentiles once hearing y^• the lawe was aboliſhed, ſhould thereby thinke that they might freely doe whatſoeuer they would, and ſo by that meanes abuſe their libertie, and alſo againſt all charitie deſpiſe & giuegive offence vntounto the Iewiſhe brethren, therefore Iames addeth: But I think From ſom certaine thinges muſt the Saintes abſtaine.it beſt for vsus to write vntounto them, that they abſteine from filthines of idols. For there were at that time certeine conuerts of the Gentiles, who thought it lawfull for them to enter into idol Temples, and be partakers of things offered to idols: becauſe an idol is nothing, ſince there is but one onelyonly God alone: whereuppon they gathered p. 426that thoſe ſacrifices were nothing, that they did neither good nor harme: and therefore that Chriſtians might with a ſafe conſcience be partakers of them. But ſainct Iames, and Paule alſo 1. Cor. 8. 9. & 10. wil hauehave the heathen conuerts to abſteine vtterly frō the worſhip of Idols, that is, from the idols them ſelues, and from thoſe things which are in the idol temples offered to falſe and fained Gods. Moreouer he addeth: Let them beware of fornication. The Gentiles verily did by good lawes forbidde the adulteries and defilings of virgins & matrones, with verie ſharpe puniſhments ſuppreſſing the violent deflowrers of honeſt women: but they thought it a verie light and in a manner no fault at all, for ſuch to committ whoredome, as did of their owne accordes ſet their chaſtitie to ſale: or if an vnwedded man ſhould hauehave to doe with a ſingle woman: and therefore the Apoſtle Iames euen as Paule alſo 1. Cor. 6. and 1. Theſſa. 4. doeth verie ſeuerely require the holy & pure vſe of the bodie, without all filthie & vncleane beaſtlyneſſe. Laſt of all hee willeth the Gentiles to be reſtrayned of eating bloud and ſtrangled. He addeth the cauſe why, and ſaith: For Moſes of olde time hath in eueryevery citie them that preache him in the Synagogues, where hee is read eueryevery Sabboth daye.

Of which conſtitution (touching bloud and ſtrangled) I ſpake ſomewhat, before that I made this ſame digreſſion. Nowe therefore ſince the matter is at that pointe, it is euident S. Iames defended.that they are without a cauſe offended with Sainct Iames, which thinke that he did without all right and reaſon make and publiſhe this decree, and that the fruite of that Synode was verie perillous, nothing healeſome, and flatly contrary to Chriſtian libertie. For it is aſſuredly certeine that the meaning of Iames did in no poynte differ from the minde of Sainct Paule, who neuertheleſſe did verie well, and praiſworthily ſaye: Let vsus followe the things that make for peace, and thinges wherewith we may one edifie an other. Deſtroy not the work of God for meates ſake. All thinges are pure, but it is euil for that man, that eateth with offence. It is good neither to eate fleſh nor to drinke wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother ſtumbleth, or falleth, or is made weake &c. Romanes 14. It is alſo moſte certeine, that Sainct Paule who was ſo ſharpely ſet to defend the Chriſtian libertie, that hee withſtood Peter openly at Antioche, would not hauehave beene behinde hand to reſiſt Sainct Iames, if he had thought that this conſtitution, either had béen, or ſhould bée preiudiciall to Chriſtian libertie.

Verily, hee woulde neither hauehave preached nor yet commended this tredition of y^• Apoſtles to the churches of the Gentiles, if hee had not thoughte that it had béene both hoaleſome and profitable for them all to embrace. But he did preache and commende it vntounto the churches, as is to be ſéene in the ſixtéenth of the Actes: and therfore is ſainct Iames without a cauſe murmured againſt of ſome, becauſe hee for badd to eate bloud and ſtrangled.

Finally, the concluſion of their Epiſtle is: From which if ye keep your ſelues, ye do well. So fare ye well.

They praiſe that abſtinence, and teach it as a good woorke, becauſe it is alſo commended to vsus in all the Scriptures.

Thus hauehave I digreſſed, not farre I p. 427truſt from our purpoſe, to ſpeake of the decrée of the apoſtolique Synode helde at Hieruſalem: and thus muche at this time touching the abrogation of the ceremoniall lawes.

It remaineth here for mée to ſaye ſomewhat concerning the abrogation The abrogace of …he Iudiciall lawes.of the Iudiciall lawes. Nowe therefore the Iudiciall lawes doe ſéeme to be abrogated in this ſenſe, becauſe no Chriſtian common weale, no citie, or kingdome is compelled to be bound & to receiue thoſe verie ſame lawes, which were by Moſes in that nation, according to the time, place, & ſtate. publiſhed and ſet out of olde. Therefore eueryevery countrie hath frée libertie to vſe ſuch lawes as are beſt and moſt requiſite for the eſtate and neceſſitie of eueryevery place, and of eueryevery time, and perſons: ſo yet that the ſubſtance of Gods lawes be not reiected, troden downe, and vtterly neglected. For the things which are agréeable to the lawe of nature, and the tenne commaundements, and whatſoeuer elſe God hath commaunded to bee puniſhed, muſt not in anye caſe bee either cleane forgotten or lightly regarded. Nowe the ende whereunto all theſe lawes do tende is, that honeſtie maye flouriſh, peace and publique tranquillitie be firmely mainteined, & iudgement and iuſtice be rightly executed. Of which becauſe I hauehave at large diſputed in the expoſition of the precept: Thou ſhalt doe no murther, I will here be cōtent to be ſo much y^e briefer.

The holie Apoſtle Paule commaundeth to obey the magiſtrate: he aloweth of the authoritie of the ſword, which he confeſſeth that y^e magiſtrate hath, not in vaine, receiued at the hande of God. And therefore he did not diſſallowe or finde faulte with the election of the magiſtrate, the vſe of the ſworde, the execution of the iudgement and iuſtice, nor with vpright & ciuil lawes.

Now whoſoeuer doth conferre the lawes and conſtitutions of Princes, kings, Emperours, or Chriſtian magiſtrates which are to be found either in the Code, in the booke of Digeſtes, or Pandectes, in the volume of newe Conſtitutions, or elſe in anye other bookes of good lawes of ſundrie nations, with theſe Iudiciall lawes of God, he muſt néedes confeſſe that they drawe verie néere in likeneſſe, and do verie well agrée one with an other. Iuſtinian the Emperour forbad by law either to ſel or otherwiſe to make awaye the poſſeſſions of the church, & things conſecrated vntounto God. For the ſincere confeſſing and pure mainteining of the catholique faith the Emperours Gratian, Valentinian, & Theodoſius did make a moſte excellent & holie law. Conſtantine the great gaue charge to Taurus one of his lieuetenauntes to ſhutte the idol temples, and with the ſworde to deſtroye ſuche rebeiles, as went about to ſett them open, and to do ſacrifice in them. That lawes were made for the reliefe of the poore, and that kinges and emperours had a care ouer them, it is to be ſéene in more places than one of the Emperours lawes and conſtitutions. It is verie certeine y^• whoſoeuer readeth the Code, lib. 1. tit. 2. he ſhal finde much matter belonging to this argument. For the honeſt trayning vp of children, and the liberal ſuſteining of aged parents there are verie commē dable lawes in y^e bookes of y^e heathens. Concerning the authoritie y^• parentes hauehave ouer their childrē, there is m…ch… & many things to be found in writing… likewiſe of wedlock, of inc…ſt & … marriages, Honoriꝰ, A…cadiꝰ, & many other p. 428princes hauehave made verie tollerable & laudable decrées: where they ſpeake alſo verie well and wiſely of the lawe of diuorcement. But if I go on to add or oppoſe to eueryevery ſeuerall title of the Iudiciall lawes conteined in this ſermon, ſundrie and peculiar lawes out of the decrées of Chriſtian Princes, I ſhall, I knowe, be too tedious vntounto your patience. For then would this treatiſe paſſe the time of an ordinarie ſermon. Let it therefore ſuffice vsus at this time, by the declaration of theſe notes, to hauehave opened and made a way to the diligēt louers of the truth, to come to the vnderſtanding of other things, which we hauehave here omitted, and that they may beléeue y^t the ſubſtance of Gods Iudiciall lawes is not taken awaye or aboliſhed, but that the ordering and limitation of them is placed in the will and arbitrement of good Chriſtian princes, ſo yet, that they ordeine and appoinct that, which is iuſte and equall, as the eſtate of the time, place, and perſons ſhall beſt require, that honeſtie and publique peace may be thereby preſerued, and god the father duely honoured through his onelyonly begotten ſonne Chriſte Ieſus, to whome all praiſe is due for euer. For we do ſée that the Apoſtles of Chriſte did neither require nor cō maunde any nation, in the adminiſtration of politique affaires, to binde them ſelues to the ſtrict kéeping of Moſes lawe.

This rule muſt alwayes be kept & obſerued. Sainct Peter doth ſimply commaunde and ſaye: Submitt your ſelues to all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes ſake: whether it be vntounto the king, as hauing the preeminence, or vntounto rulers, as vntounto them that are ſent of him for the puniſhement of euil doers, but for the laude of them do well. And yet the ſame Apoſtle affirmeth that we ought rather to obey God than men, ſo often as men do publiſh lawes againſt true religion, iuſtice and equitie, concerning which I ſpake in the expoſition of the commō place of the magiſtrate. And ſo, thus much I thought good to ſaye touching the abrogatiō of the Iudiciall lawes.

Now if eueryevery one of you do throughly ponder with him ſelfe the things y^• I hauehave hithereto ſaide touching the The … and … of the … & peopl…lawe of God, the partes of the lawe, the vſe or effect, the fulfilling and abrogating of the ſame, it will be a thing of no difficultie to determin what eueryevery one ought to think concerning that point or title of this treatiſe, wherof I promiſed in the beginning of this ſermon that I woulde ſpeake ſomewhat towarde the ende, to witte, that the teſtament of the olde and new church is all one, and that there is but one way of true ſaluation to all, that eyther are, or hauehave bene ſaued in this worlde: and alſo wherein the newe teſtament dothe differ from the olde. For ſince I hauehave alredie ſhewed that all the pointes of the lawe hauehave a reſpect and a kinde of Relation vntounto Chriſt, and that hee was in the lawe preached to the fathers to be the onelyonly Sauiour in whome alone they were to be ſaued, who is it, which cannot perceiue, that they had none other, but the verie ſame manner and way to be ſaued which we at this day doe enioy by Chriſt Ieſus? And yet y^t this may appeare more euident, I wil not ſtick to beſtowe ſome paines to make this matter more manifeſt vntounto you with as plaine a demonſtration as poſſible may be, although a playner cannot likely be, than that which I hauehave alredie ſhewed you.

p. 429Verily there is no difference of the people, of the teſtament, of the church, The … and … are all … chur…e, and …eople of … and …he ſame ….or of the manner of ſaluation betwixt them, among whom there is found to be one and the ſame doctrin, the ſame faith, the ſame ſpirite, the ſame hope, the ſame inheritance, the ſame expectation, the ſame inuocation, and the ſame ſacraments. If therefore I ſhal be able to proue that all theſe thinges were indifferently common to them of the olde church as wel vntounto vsus, then hauehave I obteined that which I ſhott at, to wite, that in reſpect of y^e ſubſtance, there neither was, nor is, any more than one teſtament, that the olde fathers are one and y^e ſame people that we are, liuing in the ſame church and communion, and ſaued not in any other but in Chriſte alone the ſonne of God, in whome alſo wee looke for ſaluation.

That they and wee hauehave all one and the ſame doctrine, I proue thus. That the Fathers … hauehave al ….Our doctrine is the doctrine of the goſpel. But that the fathers were not without the ſan…e doctrine, it is euident by Sainct Paule who teſtifieth, ſaying: God verily promiſed the Goſpel of God afore by his prophets in the holie Scriptures, of his ſonne, which was made of the ſeede of Dauid after the fleaſh, and hath been declared to bee the ſonne of God with power by the ſpirite &c. What could be ſaide more plainly? The Goſpell, which is at this day preathed, was of olde promiſed by the prophets in the holie ſcriptures, to wite, that y^e ſonne of God ſhould come into the worlde, to ſaue all faithfull beleuers. This Goſpell alſo teacheth that the faithful are not iuſtified by the works of the lawe, but freely by grace through faith in Chriſte. Sainct Paule ſaith: By the deedes of the law there ſhal no fleaſh be iuſtified in his ſight. For by the lawe cōmeth the knowledge of ſinne, But now is the righteouſneſſe of god declared without the law, being witneſſed by the teſtimonie of the lawe, and the prophets: the righteouſneſſe of God cōmeth by the faith of Chriſt Ieſus vntounto all, and vpō all them that beleeue. With Paule S. Peter alſo doth fully agrée, where in the Synod helde at Hieruſalem he ſaith: Neither we nor our fathers were able to beare the yoke of the lawe, but do beleeue euen as they, to be ſaued through the grace of our Lorde Chriſt Ieſus. And ſo conſequently in all other ſubſtanciall and material poynctes there is no difference in doctrine betwixt vsus and them.

To procéede nowe, they, whoſe doctrine is al one, muſt of neceſſitie hauehave The Fathers and we hauehave al one faith.all one faith. For faith commeth by hearing, and hearing by the worde of God. What doeth that argue that Abraham & the reſt of the holie fathers are ſet before our eyes as examples of faith for vsus to followe? wee ſée that it is ſo in the holie Goſpel of the Lord, & the ſacred writings of the Apoſtles. But who would giuegive vsus ſuch forreine examples to imitate, as doe not concerne the thing for which they are giuen. Paule in many places, but eſpecially in the fourth Chapter to the Romanes, ſheweth that faith muſt bée imputed to vsus for righteouſneſſe: as we reade that it was imputed vntounto Abraham: nowe that faith of his was not another, but the v…rie ſame faith with ours, which reſt…th vppon the promiſe of God, and the bleſſed ſéede. For he calleth Abraham the father, not of theſe onelyonly, which are borne of the circumciſion, but of thoſe alſo, which walke in the ſt…ppes of y^e faith, which was in Abraham before hee was circumciſed. Beſides that alſo y^e confirmation of the Chriſtian rule, I meane, the Apoſtles Creede, or articles of our beleefe is fetched out of the Scriptures of the fathers of the olde teſtament, which is vndoubtedly a moſte manifeſte argument that their faith and ours is the verie ſame faith. They did beléeue in the Meſſiah that was then to come, and wee beléeue y^• he is alreadie come, and do more fully perceiue, & neerely ſee all that, which was ſpoken of before in the prophets: as I will anon declare, when I come to ſhewe the difference betwixte the two teſtaments.

That all one and the ſame ſpirite did gouerne our forefathers and the The Fathers and we hauehave al one ſpirit.people of the newe couenaunt, who can doubt, conſidering that the ſpirit of God is one alone, and that Sainct Peter doth in expreſſe wordes teſtifie that the ſpirite of Chriſte was in the Prophets? And Sainct Paule alſo ſaith: Since we hauehave the ſame ſpirite of faith, according to that which is written, I beleeued and therefore I ſpake, and we beleeue, and therefore do we ſpeake. Therefore although the ſame apoſtle doth in another place ſaye: that the faithfull hauehave not receiued againe the ſpirite of bondage vntounto feare, but the ſpirite of adoptiō whereby they crie Abba father. Yet doth he not denie, but that the faithful fathers had the ſame ſpirite that wée hauehave. For euen they alſo cried to God as to their father, although they obteined it not by the lawe (which terrifieth) but by the grace of the Meſſiah. Againe the ſame Apoſtle ſaith: Whoſoeuer are led by the ſpirite of God they are the ſonnes of God. Which ſentence we may thus conuert & ſay, that the ſonnes of God are led by the ſpirite of God.

But there is none, vnleſſe it bee ſuch an one as neuer read the ſcriptures, which will denye that the auncient fathers were the ſonnes of God, Exod. …. Deut. ….and were ſo called bothe by the Lorde him ſelfe, and alſo by his ſeruaunt Moſes.

What may be thought of y^e moreouer that our forefathers were called kings and prieſtes, and ſo conſequētly a royall prieſthood, and a prieſtly kingdome? which names Sainct Peter applyed to the faithful beléeuers in Chriſt Ieſus. Nowe ſuch a kingdome and prieſthood cannot be or conſiſt without the vnction of the ſpirite. The holy apoſtle Iohn, I confeſſe, in his Goſpell ſayde: The holy Ghoſte was not yet, beecauſe Ieſus was not yet glorified.

But as hee ſpake not of the ſubſtaunce of the holye Ghoſte, which is coeternall with the ſubſtance of the father and of the ſonne, ſo he doth not altogether denye that the fathers had the holye Ghoſt. For in that place he ſpeaketh of the excellent gifte, which after the aſcenſion of the Lorde was powred out vponupon the people, that did beléeue. For Iohn him ſelfe interpreting him ſelfe, doeth immediately before ſaye: Theſe wordes (who ſo euer beleeueth on me, out of his belye ſhall flowe riuers of water of life) ſpake hee of the holye Ghoſte, which they that beleue on him ſhuld receiue.

The gifte therefore of the holie Ghoſte was not at that time when the Lorde ſpake thoſe words ſo commonly, and plentifully powred vppon all men, as it was vppon the faithfull after the glorification of the Lorde Ieſus. And verily our forefathers and the holie Prophets coulde not hauehave ſo preciſely and e…preſſely foretolde all p. 431the myſteries of Chriſte & the church, which the Euangeliſtes and Apoſtles do teſtifie to be nowe accompliſhed & fulfilled, vnleſſe in their prophecies they had béene gouerned by the verie ſame ſpirite, wherewith the Apoſtles were afterward inſtructed. For it is a wicked thing for vsus to thinke that the Prophets and patriarches did like madde men babble they knewe not what, and ſpeake ſuche woordes as they them ſelues vnderſtoode not. Abraham ſawe the daye of Chriſte, and was gladde of it: for by that ſpirituall ſight of his, he had, and felt w^t in him ſelfe a certeine kinde of ſpirituall ioye. Howe manye times doth Dauid in the Pſalmes teſtifie y^t the ſeruice of God, and the holie congregation did delight him at the verie harte? which wordes he vttered not ſo much for the ioye that he had in the externall ceremonies, but for that he did by the ſpirite and by faith beholde in thoſe ceremonies the true Meſſiah and Sauiour of the world. And ſince it is euident that our forefathers were iuſtified by the grace of God, it is manifeſt that that iuſtification was not wrought without the ſpirite of God: through which ſpirite euen our iuſtification at this day is wrought and finiſhed.

Therfore the fathers were gouerned by the verie ſame ſpirite, that we of this age are directed by. Of this opinion was ſainct Auguſtine, whoſe wordes (dearely beloued) I meane to recite vntounto you, worde for word, out of his ſeconde booke de Peccato orig. contra Pelag. et celeſt. Cap 25. Things to come: ſaith he, were foreſeene of the prophets by the ſame ſpirite of faith, by which they are of vsus beleeued to be alreadie finiſhed. For they, whiche of verie faithfull louelove could prophecie theſe thinges vntounto vsus, coulde not chooſe but bee themſelues partakers of the ſame. And whereuppon is it that the Apoſtle Peter ſaith: why temptye God, to laye vppon the Diſciples neckes the yoke, that neither our fathers nor wee were able to beare? but wee beleeue that through the grace of the Lorde Ieſus Chriſt wee ſhalbe ſaued, euen as they: (Whereupon is I ſaye that Peter ſaith this) but for becauſe they are ſaued by the grace of the Lorde Ieſus Chriſte, and not by Moſes lawe, by which doth come, not the ſaluing, but the knowledge of ſinne?

But nowe the righteouſneſſe of God is without the lawe made manifeſt, witneſſed by the lawe and the prophets. Therefore if it be nowe at this time made manifeſt, then muſt it needes bee that it was beefore, although as then it were hidden. The hyding whereof was prefigured by the va…le of the temple, which when Chriſte died was rent in pieces for a ſignification that it was then reuealed. And therefore this grace of the onelyonly mediatour of God and man, the man Chriſt Ieſus, was then in the people of God, but it was hidden in thē as it were rayne in a ſliece, which God doth ſeparate vntounto his inheritaunce, not of duetie, but of his owne voluntarie will: but nowe that ſliece being as it were wroung out, that is, the Iewiſh people beeing reprobated, it is openly ſeene in all nations, as it were vppon the bare grounde in an open place. Thus much out of Auguſtine.The Fathers had the ſame hope and …nheritāce that we …aue.

Nowe alſo there was ſett beefore the eyes of Iſrael, a earnall and temporall felicitie, whiche yet was not all that they hoped vppon.

p. 429For in that externall and tranſitorie felicitie was ſhadowed the heauē ly and eternall happineſſe. For the apoſtle in the fourth & eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrues ſaith, that y^e fathers out of that viſible and temporal inheritance did hope for an other inuiſible and euerlaſting heritage. Neither was Chriſte to any other ende ſo expreſſely promiſed them, nor the bleſſing and life in Chriſte for any other purpoſe ſo plainly layde defore them, nor Chriſte him ſelf almoſt in all their ceremonies ſo often prefigured for any other intent, but that they thereby might bee put in hope of y^e verie ſame life, into which wee are receiued through Chriſt our redéemer. For the Lorde in the Goſpell ſaith that wee ſhalbee gathered in the kingdome of heauen into the ſame glorie with Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob. But here is an obiection made, that life and ſaluation That Saluation was not promiſed onelyonly but alſo performed vntounto the fathers.was promiſed onelyonly and not perfourmed vntounto the fathers, but that they being ſhut vp in priſon did looke for the comming of Meſſiah. I for my parte do not finde any thing in y^e ſcriptures to bee written of ſuch a priſon, whereinto the holie Patriarches were faſt locked vpp. Peter verily maketh mention of a priſon, but in that priſon hee wil hauehave the diſobedient & not the obedient ſpirites to be.

But if any man obiect that Chriſte Ad inferos.deſcended to them belowe: we verily do not denye it, but yet we ſay withal that he deſcēded to y^e departed ſaincts, that is, that he was gathered to y^e companie of the bleſſed Spirites, whiche were not in the place of puniſhment, that is in torments, but in the ioyes of heauen, as the Lorde him ſelf cōfirmeth the ſame, when being readie to deſcende to them belowe, he did ſaye Ad inferos.vntounto the chiefe: This day ſhalt thou be with mee in Paradiſe. It may alſo by many places of Scripture bee proued, that the auncient holie fathers from Adams time vntill the death of Chriſt, at their departure out of this life did preſently for Chriſte his ſake enter, not into priſon, but into eternall life. For our Lorde in the Goſpell after Sainct Marke doth ſay: God is not the God of the dead, but of the liuing. But he is the god of Abraham, of Iſaac, and of Iacob: therefore conſequently Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob do liue, or are now aliue: and yet not in bodie corporally. For their bodies beeing buried were rotten longe ſince: therefore their ſoules do liue in ioye: and their verie bodies ſhall riſe to iudgement againe. In the Goſpell after S. Luke the Lord maketh mention of Abrahams boſome, into which are gathered all the bleſſed ſpirites, & of it he teſtifieth that it is placed aloft, & that it is not a place of paine & puniſhement, but of ioy and refreſhing. And therefore we do often read in the Scriptures of the holie fathers, that they were gathered vntounto their people, that is to ſay, that they were receiued into the fellowſhip of thoſe fathers, w^t whome they had in this world remained in the ſame faith and ſame kinde of religion. For the ſequences & circū ſtances of thoſe places doe manifeſtly declore y^• thoſe wordes cannot be expounded corporally of the buriall of y^e bodie. Againe in the Goſpel after S. Matthewe the Lord ſaith: I ſay vntounto you, that many ſhal come out of the Eaſt & out of the Weſt, and ſhall reſt them ſelues with Abraham, Iſaac, & Iacob in the kingdome of heauen: but the children of the kingdome ſhalbee caſt out into vtter darkneſſe, there ſhalbee weeping and gnaſhing of teeth. p. 433Nowe if the Gentiles muſt be gathered into the kingdome of heauen, and that they muſt be placed in the fellowſhip of the fathers, than muſt it néeds bée, that the fathers were alreadie in heauen, and felte the ioyes thereof at that very time when the Lord ſpake theſe words. Who alſo in the Goſpell after S. Iohn doth plainly ſay, Abraham was glad to ſee my day: and hee ſawe it, and reioyced. Which ſaying although wée vnderſtand to be ſpoken of the iuſtification and ioye of the conſcience, yet do we not ſeparate from it the ioy of eternall life, becauſe the one doth of neceſſitie depend vponupon, and followe the other.

Moreouer wée muſt héere conſider the occaſion, vppon which theſe words of the Lord do ſéeme to hauehave béen ſpoken. The Lord had ſaid, Verilie, verilie I ſay vntounto you, If a man keepe my ſaying, hee ſhall neuer taſte of death, which words the Iewes toke hold on and ſaid, Abraham is dead, and the Prophets are dead, & yet ſayeſt thou, if a man will keepe my ſayinges hee ſhall neuer ſee death? What art thou greater than oure father Abraham which is dead? and the Prophets are dead alſo? Whome makeſt thou thy ſelfe? To this the Lord made anſwere and ſhewed, that Abraham is quickened, or elſe preſerued in life and heauenly ioy through faith in the ſayings of Chriſte Ieſus: and that howſoeuer hée is dead in body, yet notwithſtanding his ſoule doth liue in ioy for euer with God, in whome hee did put his truſt. To this may be added that Dauid in the 16. Pſalme calling God, his hope, his expectation, and his inheritance, doth amonge other thinges ſay, The Lord is alwayes at my right hād. Therefore my hart is glad, my glorie reioyceth, and my fleſhe ſhall reſt in hope. For thou wilt not leaue my ſoule in hell: neither wilt thou ſuffer thine holie one to ſee corruption. Thou wilt make mee to knowe the path of life: in thy preſence is the fulneſſe of ioy, & at thyright hand there be pleaſures for euermore.

And although S. Peter and Saint Paul doe in the Actes of the Apoſtles, applie this teſtimonie of Dauid, as a thing ſpoken Prophetically, vntounto Chriſt Ieſus, yet notwithſtanding no man can denie but that the ſame may after a certeine manner be referred vntounto Dauid, who in that Pſalme maketh a profeſſion of his faith, declareth his hope, and expreſſeth his Michtam, that is, his delight, or y^e armes or cognizaunce, whereby he would be knowen. Thoſe words therefore doe firſt apperteine to Chriſt, and then to Dauid and all the faithfull. For the life and reſurrection of Chriſt, is the life & reſurrection of the faithfull. Againe in an other place the ſame prophet ſaith, I beleeue verilie to ſee the goodneſſe of the Lord in the land of the liuing. Now in the land of the liuing there is neither death nor dolour, but fulneſſe of ioy and euerlaſting pleaſures: theſe ioyes and delights Dauid by faith did looke to obteine at the hand of GOD through Chriſt his ſauiour, and did in déede according to his hope poſſeſſ… the ſame immediately after he did depart out of this life, although it were many yeares after his death or euer Chriſte did come in the fleſhe, euen as we alſo at this day are ſaued by him, although it be now one thouſand fiue hundre…h and od yeares agoe ſince he in his fleſ… did depart from the earth. But whereas Paul in the 12. to the H…brues ſai…h, And all theſe holie fathers hauing through faith obteined good repo…t, receiued not the promiſe, becauſe … p. 434had prouided a better thinge for vsus, that they without vsus ſhould not bee made p…rfecte, I thinke ſimplie that it muſt be vnderſtood of the perfect or ful felicitie, in which y^• holy fathers without vsus are not conſummated or made perfecte. Becauſe there is yet behinde the generall reſurrection of all fleſhe, which muſt firſt come, and when that is once finiſhed, then is the felicitie of all the Sainctes conſummated or made perfect, which felicitie ſhall then not bee giuen to the ſoule alone, but to the body alſo. Saincte Peter alſo doeth conſtantly affirme, that ſaluation is firſt of all by Chriſt purchaſed for the ſoules of the holy Saincts, then that they by the ſame Chriſte are immediatly vppon their bodily death receiued to be partakers of the ſame ſaluation, and laſty that in the end of the world the bodies of the Saincts being raiſed from death, as the bodies of all men be, ſhall appeare before Chriſt to be iudged of him. The Lord, ſaith hée, 1. Pet. 4.1 Pet 4ſhall iudge both the quicke and the dead. For to this end was the Goſpell preached to the dead, that in the fleſh they ſhould be iudged like men, but in the ſpirite they ſhould liue with God. That is to ſay, y^e death of Chriſt is effectuall to the fathers that died in the faith: ſo that nowe in ſoule they l…ue with God, and that they againe are to be iudged in their fleſhe like to all other men, at what time the Lord ſhall come to iudge the quicke and the dead. Therefore our ſaluation is not as yet perfecte nor conſummated, but ſhalbe made perfecte in the end of the world.

Moreouer oure forefathers did not The Fathers and we hauehave al one mā …er of inu…cation.pray to any other, but God alone, the onelyonly creatour of all thinges, and did b…leeue verilie that hée would be mercifull vntounto mankinde for the bleſſed ſéedes ſake. And although they did not ſo vſuallie call vppon God, as wée at this day doe, thorough the mediatour and interceſſour Chriſte Ieſus, euen as the Lord in the Goſpel did himſelfe teſtifie and ſay, Hetherto hauehave ye not aſked any thinge in my name: aſke and ye ſhall receiue, yet were they not vtterly ignoraunt of the mediatour, for whoſe ſake they were heard of the Lord. Daniel in the ninthe Chapiter of his Prophecie maketh his prayer, and deſireth to be heard of God for the Lords ſake, that is, for the promiſed Chriſt his ſake.

Finallie ſo often as the holy Saincts did in their prayers ſay, Remember, Lord, thy ſeruaunts Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob, they did not looke backe to the perſons or ſoules of the deceaſed Patriarches, but to the promiſe that was made to the Patriarches: Now ſince that promiſe is, In thy ſeede ſhal all the kinreds of the earth be bleſſed: and ſince Paule doeth teſtifie that Chriſt is that bleſſed ſeed: it followeth conſequently that the holy fathers in their prayers had an eye to the bleſſed ſeede, and that they did deſire God to heare them for Chriſt his ſake. For in one place alſo the Lord promiſeth deliueraunce to king Ezechias, ſaying: I will defend this citie for mine owne ſake, and for my ſeruaunt Dauids ſake. But in the 7. and 28. Chapter of Eſaies Prophecie it is manifeſt that the citie was ſpared for Chriſte his ſake the ſonne of the Virgin, whiche is the foundation placed in Sion, whome Ezechiel in the 34. Chapiter calleth by the name of Dauid, and the Goſpell calleth Dauids ſonne,

Laſt of all the Apoſtle Paule doth …ſhewe, that the auncient fathers had amongeſt them the very ſame Sacramentes, which wee nowe hauehave, as hee p. 435doth in other places alſo make vsus partakers, and applie to vsus both circumciſion and the Paſſeouer, the Sacramentes whiche were giuen to them of old as doeth appeare in the ſecond to the Col…ſſians, & 1. Cor. the fifth cap. In the tenthe Chapiter he threateneth gréeuous puniſhment to the Corinthians at the handes of God, vnleſſe they abſteine from thinges offered to idols, and from all heatheniſhe ſenſualitie. And thereuppon he bringeth in the example of the Iſraelites, which he doth after this manner applie to his purpoſe: I would not, brethren, that ye ſhould be ignoraunt, that our fathers were the Church of God, and that they had the ſame ſacraments which we at this day hauehave. For they were all baptiſed vntounto Moſes, (that is, by Moſes, or by the miniſterie of Moſes) in the cloude and in the ſea. For the cloude and the ſea were figures of baptiſme. And they did alſo eate of the ſame ſpirituall meate, and did drincke of the ſame ſpirituall drincke. And immediately after hée interpreteth his owne meaning and ſaith: For they drancke of the ſpirituall rocke that followed them, which rocke was Chriſt. Mannaverily and the Rocke did typicallie repreſent the ſpirituall foode, wherewith Chriſt refreſheth both vsus & them, who is himſelfe the bread and drincke of eternall life. But although they did bodilie, outwardly, & viſiblie receiue theſe Sacramēts, yet for becauſe they were deſtitute of faith and the holie Ghoſt, becauſe they were defiled with the worſhipping of idols, with ſurfetting and fornication, they diſpleaſed God, & were by him deſtroyed in the deſarte. And therefore vnleſſe ye alſo abſteine from thoſe filthie vices, neither ſhall baptiſme nor the ſacrament of the Lords ſupper auaile you, but ye ſhall vndoubtedly bée deſtroyed of the Lord. Since therefore it is by moſt euident proofes of Scripture declared, that the old fathers had the ſame Sacramēts, the ſame inuocation of God, the ſame hope, expectation, and inheritance, the ſame ſpirite, the ſame faith, and y^e ſame doctrine, which we at this day hauehave, the marcke, I hope, whereat I ſhot is fullie hit, and I hauehave, I truſt, ſufficiently proued, that the faithfull fathers of the old teſtament, and wée the beléeuers of the newe couenaunt, are one Church, and one people, which are all ſaued vnderunder one congregation, vnderunder one only teſtament, and by one and the ſame manner of meanes, to wit, by faith in Chriſt Ieſu.Of the difference of the olde & newe teſtament and people.

Thus much hauehave I hetherto ſaid touching the likeneſſe, the agréement, and the vnitie betwixt the old & newe teſtament or people of God. I wil now add ſomewhat touching the diuerſitie betwixt them, and the thinges wherin they differ.

In the verie ſubſtaunce truly thou canſt find no diuerſitie, the difference which is betwixt them, doth conſiſt in the maner of adminiſtration, in a f…w accidents and certeine circumſtāces. For to the promiſe or doctrine of faith, and to the chiefe and principall lawes there were annexed certeine external thinges, whiche were added vntill the time of amendment ſo that the whole Eccleſiaſticall regiment, the manner of teaching the doctrine of Godlineſſe, and the outward worſhip of God was amonge the old fathers of one ſort, and is amonge vsus of an other. But the eſpeciall things wherin they differ, may be rehearſed and ſett downe in thefe fewe principall poinctes.

Firſt and foremoſt, all things of the Al thing… more …ident in the newe people or couenant thā …ere in the ….newe couenaunt are more cleare and manifeſt thā thoſe of the old teſtam…t. p. 436The preaching of the old couenaunt had alwayes in it for the moſt parte ſome myſtie or cloudie thing, and was ſtill couered and wrapped vpp in ſhadowes and dimme ſh…wes. But the publiſhing of the newe teſtament is cleare and manifeſt, ſo that it is called the light which is without all myſtes and darckeneſſe. Moſes did with a vayle couer his face, neither could the children of Iſrael behold his countenance: but wée beholding not only the countenance of Moſes, which is nowe vncouered, but the pleaſant and amiable face of Chriſt himſelfe, doe greatly reioyce to ſee our ſaluation openly reuealed before our eyes. In that ſenſe … ſay that his diſciples were happ…, where hée brake out into theſe w…ds. Happie are the eyes which ſee the thinges that ye ſee. For I ſay vntounto you that many Prophets and kinges deſired to ſee the thinges that ye ſee, and ſawe them not, and to heare the thinges, that ye heare, and heard them not. The iuſt man Simeon did in this ſenſe call himſelfe as happie a man as liued, and did thereupon promiſe that hee was willing to die, ſaying: Lord now letteſt thou thy ſeruaunt depart in peace according to thy woord. For mine eyes hauehave ſeene thy ſaluation, which thou haſt prepared before the face of al people, to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glorie of thy people Iſrael.

But althoughe our forefathers had not ſo much light, as doeth ſhine to vsus in Chriſte, ſince his comming in the fleſhe, yet was that little light, whiche they had, ſufficiēt to the getting of ſaluation by faith in Chriſt. E…en wée our ſelues, although wée ſée him farre more clearelie than oure forefathers did, doe notwithſtanding behold him but in a myſte, in compariſon of the brightneſſe, wherein hée ſhall appeare. For wée ſhall hereafter ſée him face to face in the glorie of his maieſtie: & yet notwithſtanding euen this ſighte of him, which now we hauehave, is ſufficient to ſaluation. Therefore it is a very fine ſimilitude, & preatily ſaid of them, which ſay: Althoughe at day breake the brightneſſe of the Sunne is not ſo great as it is at noone day, yet wayfarers or trauellers doe not ſtay till the Sunne be at the higheſt, but take the morning before them to goe their iourney in, and hauehave light enough to ſee the way. For in like manner they thincke that to oure forefathers euen that little portion of light, which was in the morning, was ſufficient by the leading of ſaith to bring them through all imp…dimentes to eternall felicitie. In y^e meane time we hauehave great cauſe to reioyce, that Chriſt the very Sunne and light of righteouſnes doth after the mayſtie light of the daye ſtarre of the lawe, ſhine forth to vsus in the newe teſtament.

Moreouer the forefathers in the old teſtament had types, ſhadowes, and …figures of things to come, but we hauehave nowe receiued the very thinge it ſelfe which was to them prefigured. Therfore the thinge which God did promiſe to them he hath performed and giuen to vsus. They verilie did beleeue that Chriſt ſhould come and deliuer all the faithfull from their ſinnes: and we beléene that he is alreadie come, that hée hath redéemed vsus, and hath fulfilled all that y^e prophets foretold of him. Therfore the Lord in the Goſpell ſaid: The Prophets & the lawe prophecied vntounto Iohn, ſince that time the kingdom of God is preached, & ſuffereth violence of euerie man. Whereuppon it is gathered, when the thinge prefigured is come, and preſent, that then the p. 437figures and ſhadowes, which did foreſhewe the thinges to come, do come to an end and vaniſhe away. Therefore the yoke and burthen whiche our fathers chriſt hath taken all burthens from our ſhoulders.did beare is thereby taken from our neckes. The worſhipping of God which they did vſe externally was very buſie and burthenſome, as the Aaronicall prieſthoode, the tabernacle or temple that was to be throughly furniſhed with moſt exquiſite things and inſtruments, their ſundrie ſorts of ſacrifices, & many moe Ceremonies like vntounto theſe. Nowe from all this coſte and buſineſſe wée, which be the people of the newe couenaunte, are fréely diſburthened and ſet at libertie. And hée, by whom wée are diſburthened, is Ieſus Chriſt, in whom alone we hauehave all things neceſſarie to life and ſaluation. For it pleaſed God the father to recapitulate in him, and as S. Paul ſaith, to bring into a ſumme all thinges requiſite to life and ſaluation, that the thinges which ſéemed before to be diſperſed here and there, ſhould in Chriſt alone be fullie exhibited and broughte vntounto vsus. For Chriſt is the fulfilling of all the types & Ceremonies: by whoſe ſpirite ſince wée doe nowe poſſeſſe the thing prefigured, wée hauehave no longer néede of the repreſenting types and ſhadowes. The external thinges that Chriſte hath ordeined are very fewe, and of very ſmall coſte. Therefore the people of the newe teſtament doth enioye a paſſing great & ample libertie. To this, I ſuppoſe doeth belonge that excellent place of S. Paul, which is to be ſéene in the 4. to the Galathians, where in handling this matter diligently, hée fayneth that there are two mothers, the one whereof doth gender to bondage, & the other vntounto libertie: and that he doeth vnderunder the type of Agar and Sara. By whiche hée noteth the two doctrines, that of the law, and that of the Goſpell. That of the lawe gendreth to bondage: but that of the Goſpell doth gender vntounto libertie. Therefore the lawe did gender the holie The bondage of the law in the old teſtament.fathers and the prophets vntounto bondage, not that they ſhould abide bondſlaues for euer, but that it might keepe them vnderunder diſcipline, yea y^t it mighte lead them vntounto Chriſt the full perfection of the lawe. The libertie of the fathers was by the weight and heape of Ceremonies ſo oppreſſed and couered, that althoughe they were frée in ſpirite before the Lord, yet notwithſtanding they did in outward ſhewe differ little or nothing from very bōdſlaues, by reaſon of the burthen of the lawe that laye vppon their ſhoulders. For in ſo much as the lawe was not as yet abrogated, they were compelled preciſely to obſerue it. But when Chriſte was come and had fulfilled all thinges, then did the ſhadowes vaniſh away, and that heauie yoke was taken from the necke of vsus Chriſtians. So by this meanes our mother Sara gendreth vsus vntounto libertie. She is the mother of vsus all. Of y^• mother (whiche is alſo called the holy mother Church) wée hauehave the ſéede of life, ſhée hath faſhioned vsus, and brought vsus forth into the light, ſhée colleth vsus in her boſome, wherein ſhée carrieth both milke and meate, I meane, the word of God, to nouriſh, ſaue and bring vsus vpp.

Nowe the bonds being caucelled, The people of the new teſtament are newe and without al number.and y^• middle wal, which was a ſtopp, being broken downe, God doeth more liberally rule his Church, and not reteine it any longer vnderunder ſo ſtreite a cuſtodie. For neither is the people of God conteined within the boundes of the land of promiſe. For they are diſperſed to y^• ends of the world: neither are the circumciſed, & thoſe that kéepe p. 438the lawe, his people now, (although it is not to be doubted, but that euē then, when Circumciſion was of force, hee had ſome that were his people amōge the Gētiles, as Iob, & other mo which he himſelfe did knowe) but thoſe are his people, whiche doe acknowledge Chriſt, although they be neither circū ciſed, nor buſied with the lawe. This is a new people gathered together out of all the world by faith and the holie Ghoſte. To this new teſtament hath Chriſt giuen his owne name: wherin So that the people of this teſtament are after the name of Chriſt called Chriſtians.the Iewes hauehave none inheritance, vnleſſe they forſake their ſtubborne opinion of the lawe, and cleane to Chriſt alone without affiaunce in the lawe. All the bookes of the Prophets are fullie fraughted with teſtimonies touching the calling of the Gentiles vntounto the communion & fellowſhip of God, and alſo touching the reprobation of the Iewes, who for their vnreclaymeable affiaunce in the lawe are vtterly reiected.

Furthermore, the Apoſtle Paule putteth an other difference betwixte The giftes of the new teſtament are moſt ample and manifold.the two teſtamentes, alluding to the Prophecie of Ieremie, as is to be ſene in the eighth Chapiter of his Epiſtle to the Hebrues. For he attributeth to the people of the new teſtament certaine excellent gifts, to witt, abſolute & full remiſſion of their ſinnes: For he ſaith, Becauſe I wil be merciful to their vnrighteouſneſſes, & I will no more remember their ſinnes and iniquities.

Hée doeth alſo attribute to the people of the newe teſtament a moſt exquiſite reformation and abſolute illumination of their minds. For he ſaith, I wil plant my lawes in their mindes, and write them in their heartes: and then ſhall no mā teach his neighbour or his brother, ſaying: Knowe the Lord: for they ſhall all knowe mee from the little vntounto the greate. But of y^e law it is written that it was grauen in tables of ſtone. Yet for all this let no man thinke that the fathers obteined no remiſſion of their ſinnes. For as they by faith had frée forgiueneſſe of their ſinnes, ſo did God both write his lawe, and powre his ſpirite into their heartes. For which of vsus at this day can ſaye that wée excell in knowledge and in faith either Abraham, Moſes, Samuel, Dauid, Eſaie, Daniel, or Zacharias? So then the difference is not, in that the fathers of the old teſtamente were without the remiſſion of ſinnes, and the illumination of the holie Ghoſte, and that wée alone, which are the people of the newe teſtament, hauehave obteined them: but the difference doeth conſiſte in the greatneſſe, ampleneſſe, largeneſſe, and plentifulneſſe of the giftes, to witt, becauſe they are more liberallie beſtowed, and more plentifully powred out vppon more nowe, than they were of old. For all nations being called, doe not by dropmeale, but by whole handfulls drawe the water of life. The Lord doth powre out his ſpirite vppon all fleſhe. Of old, God was knowen in Iurie onelyonly, but nowe ſince Chriſte is come into the world, his diſciples are gone thoroughe all the corners of the earth, & teach all kingdomes to knowe the Lord.

Of old, the worthie men and Prophets were not ſo many but that they might bée numbred: becauſe the land of promiſe in a maner alone did bréed ſuch good and holy men. But who is at this day able to reckon all y^t kings, Princes, noble men, Prophets, Biſhops, doctours, Martyrs, & excellent perſons of eueryevery ſexe, eſtate, and age, whiche hauehave beene, and are, at this day bred, not onelyonly in Iurie, but alſo in Arabia, p. 439Idumea, Phenicia, Meſopotamia, Perſia, Aſia, Aegypt, Africa, Gréece, Italie, the Eaſte, the South, the Weſte, and the North? Frée remiſſion of ſinnes is preached to all countries and kingdomes. All the faithfull in euerie nation vnderunder heauen are, throughe Chriſt, receiued into the grace and fauour of God the father. All hauehave receiued in great abundaunce the gift of the holy Ghoſte. All hauehave prophecied. All hauehave knowen the Lord. Finallie, the lawe maketh no man perfecte. The Goſpell ſimplie maketh perfect, and doth directly without any ſtopp, lead vsus to Chriſte, and cauſeth vsus to reſt and to content oure ſelues in him alone.

Laſt of all I will not ſlippe ouer this difference, althoughe it be of little The newe … no promiſe of ….weight, and ſuch an one as other like vntounto it may be eaſilie obſerued, that the lawe appointing out a certeine land peculiarly ſeparated from other nations, did promiſe to the old fathers the poſſeſſion of y^e ſame, ſo long as they did kéep the law: but if they did tranſgreſſe the lawe, then did it threaten that they ſhould be rooted vpp, and vtterly caſt out of that good land. But to vsus no one limited lande is expreſſely promiſed. For the earth is the Lords and the fulneſſe thereof, the rounde world, and all that therein is.

But althoughe hée doeth not héere aſſigne to vsus, as hée did to oure forefathers of olde, any certeine or peculiar thinge, yet doeth hée not at any time neglecte vsus: For hée féedeth, bleſſeth, and preſerueth vsus in eueryevery land and nation. Therfore the promiſes which were of old made to oure forefathers concerning the land of promiſe, being come to an end, are vtterly vaniſhed away: ſo that they, which for an age or two agoe did incite many nations to arme themſelues for the recouerie of the holy land, doe ſeeme to hauehave béene beſides their witts. Chriſt by his comming into the world hath ſanctified all the earth. For there are in euerie nation of the world ſome ſonnes and heires of God and his kingdome.

Touching the likeneſſe and agréement, the vnlikeneſſe and difference of both, I meane, the old and newe teſtaments or people, I hauehave therfore ſpoken the more briefely, béecauſe I hauehave in the firſt Sermon of the firſt Decade, and in the ſixte Sermon of this third Decade, alreadie hādled the ſelfe ſame matter. Finallie, I hauehave but ſhortly touched the abrogation of y^e law, becauſe I did a good while ago ſet foorth two treatiſes, y^• one of the Auncient Faith, the other of the Only and eternall Couenaunt of God, whiche treatiſes I knowe to bée familiar amonge you.

I will not héere in the concluſion recapitulate vntounto you y^• ſpecial points of this Sermon, partly becauſe I hauehave alreadie béene ſomewhat to long, and partly becauſe I hauehave, as I hope, vſed ſo plaine an order, that eueryevery point is indifferently well ſettled in eueryevery manns memorie. Thus hauehave I, by Gods grace and ſufferance, made an end to treate of Gods holy law, wherin I hauehave béene occupied a good ſort of dayes by ſeuerall Sermons. Bleſſed bée God and oure heauenly father world without end, whome I beſéech to bleſſe vsus all thorough Ieſus Chriſt our Lord and Sauiour. Amen.