Look from Adam and Behold the Protestants Faith Proved, Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of the time of the grace of Chriſt, and how that he himſelfe teſtifieth, that the ſalvation of all the world ſtandeth only in him.
HItherto have I ſet forth the time of the promiſes, in the which God (through the promiſed ſeed our Lord Ieſus Chriſt) comforted, cleanſed, and preſerved all his ſervants and deare friends. There have wee learned and ſeene, that the Chriſtian faith, which hath endured ſince the beginning of the world, is the eldeſt, undoubted, right and true faith, which all holy Patriarks had, and in the which they ſerved God, and pleaſed him, as Adam Seth, Enoch, and Noe: Item Abraham, Iſaac, and Iacob: Likewiſe the excellent and highly endued Prophet, yea the Father and foregoer of all Prophets, even great Moſes his brother Aaron, the holy Prieſt Eleazar, and Phinees: The excellent Dukes and Iudges, Ioſue, Gedeon, and other moe: Even ſo likewiſe the Kings, David, Ezechias, Ioſaphat, and Ioſias: The dearely beloved of God, and excellent Prophets, Samuel, Helias, Iſaias, Daniel, Zacharias, and all the other. This holy faith alſo had all righteous, and ſuch as were of godly underſtanding in all the congregations of Iſrael from the beginning:All Gods elect were ſaved by Chriſt. In this were ſaved all they that from the beginning were preſerved and ordained to ſalvation: wherefore, whatſoever they can alleage againſt this faith (whether it be concerning holy men, old age, multitudes, learned men, generall Councels, Convocations of Parliaments, Fathers, Acts, Statutes, tokens and wonders:) it is all nothing worth, and is not to be reputed in compariſon of our holy faith, as every one that hath underſtanding may ſee in this Treatiſe before. And though my purpoſe be now finiſhed, even declared out of the Scripture, that the Chriſtian faith hath endured ſince the beginning of the world, yet will I adde a ſhort inſtruction concerning the time of grace, and performing of all promiſes, and I will declare, that God now alſo through the appearing of his Sonne, would bring into the world and ſet forth none other religion, none other faith, neither any other ſalvation, than even the ſame which was ſhewed to the old Fathers: ſaving that now all things are more evident, more clearely practiſed, accompliſhed, fulfilled and performed: for the which cauſe alſo all figures, ſacrifices and ceremonies doe ceaſe. For in Chriſt is all perfection.The old Teſtament is not to be refuſed. Yet ſhall we not therefore caſt away the old Teſtament (as ſome ignorant, unlearned and fooliſh people doe) but have it in greater reputation, for as much as wee know now through Chriſt, what every thing ſignifieth, and wherefore every thing was thus and thus ordained, uſed, and ſpoken: Now ſhall every man firſt have a courage to reade the Law and the Prophets, when he ſeeth whereupon every thing goeth. And thus alſo at the beginning did the holy Apoſtles preach Chriſt unto the Iewes, out of the Law and the Prophets, as it is oftentimes mentioned in the Acts of the Apoſtles. And our Lord himſelfe, when hee went with the two Diſciples toward Emaus,Luke 24.13. and preached ſo unto them, that their hearts burnt within them, he began at Moſes, and went thorow all the Prophets, and opened unto them the old Scriptures, and ſhewed them, that ſo it behoved Chriſt to ſuffer, and to enter into his glory. This is the cauſe alſo that the Scriptures of the New Teſtament hang altogether, and referre themſelves to the Scriptures of the old Teſtament: ſo that theſe cannot be rightly underſtood without the other, no more than the gloſſe without the text. The text is the Law and the Prophets,The new Teſtament declareth the old. the expoſition are the Euangeliſts and the Apoſtles. Now will wee ſee what the worke of grace of the new Teſtament is.
The birth of Chriſt.In the two and fortieth yeere of the Empire of Auguſtus, after the beginning of the world 3974. yeeres, was Ieſus Chriſt the bleſſed and promiſed ſeed, borne of the undefiled Virgin and Maid Mary, at Bethleem in the Land of Jewrie. And though he as a very man was wrapped in cloathes, and laid in the crib, yet appeareth the Angell of the Lord in great cleareneſſe unto the Shepherds, and ſaith, Feare yee not, behold, Luke 2.10.I bring you tidings of great joy, which ſhall happen unto all people. For this day is borne unto you the Saviour, even Chriſt the Lord in the Citie of David. Tidings of Chriſts birth.The firſt newes and tidings of the comming of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, muſt the Angell bring and give, to the intent that it might be the more accepted of all the world. All the holy men from the beginning of the world, did hitherto long ſore after the promiſed Seed. Therefore ſaith the Angell now, that he bringeth them tidings of great joy: no doubt to them that were gone, dead and paſt, to them alſo that now lived, and to them that were to come afterward. The joy is this, that Ieſus Chriſt the Saviour is borne, even the promiſed Seed, which ſhould ſave all the world from the power of the Devill, cleanſe them from ſinne, and deliver them from damnation. Therefore ſaith the Angell moreover:Luke 2.10. Which ſhall happen unto all people. For unto Abraham it was ſaid,Geneſ. 12.3. In thy ſeed ſhall all Nations of the earth be bleſſed. The ſame (ſaith the Angell) is borne in the Citie of David, even out of Davids kindred, out of the which the Prophets teſtified that he ſhould be borne; which Prophets alſo, for the ſame cauſe, called him David, and the bloſſome of David. The grace of God.And this is now the grace of God, that whereas wee poore ſinners belonged unto death, and were in the Devils bonds, hee ſent his Sonne to looſe and deliver us out of captivitie. This is the new Teſtament. For Hieremie alſo teſtifieth hereof, and ſaith, This is the Teſtament that I will make, Ierem. 31.33.I will be their God, and they ſhall be my people, I will be mercifull to their unrighteouſneſſe and ſinnes, and will thinke upon them no more, Note well.Hier. 31. This full and perfect forgiveneſſe is not therefore called the new Teſtament, as though there had beene no remiſſion of ſinnes among the old Fathers, but becauſe the promiſe made long before unto the Fathers, is now confirmed and renewed: and the old figures that repreſented the ſame are abrogate.Chr…ſt the only ſalva…io… of all the w…r…d. Thus the Lord Ieſus alone is ſet forth for the only ſalvation of all the world, ſo that not only we, but all they which before or after his appearance or incarnation beleeved on him, were ſaved. And at the birth of Chriſt there commeth to the foreſaid Angell, the whole heavenly hoſte, which praiſed God, and ſaid,Luke 2. Glory and praiſe be unto God in the height, and peace upon earth, to men a good will. And by this they teach us what the dutie, thankfulneſſe, and knowledge of men is or ought to be in this behalfe, that God hath done ſo great good for man: Namely, how that they ought to praiſe God,The dutie of us. to have a ſure truſt in him, and to be friendly and loving one to another.1 Tim. 1.5. And the fulfilling of the Law, is love from a pure heart, out of a good conſcience, and of an undiſſembled or unfained faith, 1 Tim. 1.
In the fifteenth yeere of the Empire of Tiberius (from the beginning of the world 4004. yeeres) came the word of the Lord to Iohn, Iohn Baptiſt.the ſonne of the Prieſt Zachary, in the wilderneſſe, and he went and preached unto the people of Iſrael, amendment of life, and forgiveneſſe of ſinnes in Ieſus Chriſt: To whom he bare record, that he was the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets, very God and Man, the only and ever-living Saviour, which with the ſacrifice of his own bodie, ſhould cleanſe the world from ſinne; yea hee pointed unto him with his finger, and ſaid, Behold, Iohn 1.29.this is the Lambe of God, that taketh away the ſinne of the world: And ſo perfectly and wholly hangeth hee all ſalvation only on Chriſt Ieſus, that he ſaith plainly,Iohn 1.26. Out of his fulneſſe have all we received grace, &c. Ioh. 1. Item,1 Iohn 3.36. who ſo beleeveth in the Sonne of God, hath everlaſting life: who ſo beleeveth not in the Sonne, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth upon him. Matth. 11.2.Therefore did he alſo ſend all his Diſciples from him, and commanded them to cleave unto Chriſt. He maketh no mention at all of any ceremonies, figures or oblations, as neceſſarie points to ſalvation, but preacheth Chriſt purely and clearely. This is manifeſt, Ioh. 1. and 3. Matth. 3. and Luk. 3.
The Lord himſelfe alſo came unto Iohn, Matth. 3.13.and was baptiſed▪ And when hee had received Baptiſme, the heaven opened, and the Holy Ghoſt appeared in the forme of a Dove, and there was a voice heard from heaven, ſaying,Matth. 3.17. This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am pacified: to the intent that all the world ſhould have witneſſe of Chriſt the true Saviour, not only now by the Angels, and by Iohn the holieſt man of all, but alſo from heaven, and of God himſelfe: and that we might be the bolder to commit our ſelves wholly unto him. When hee had received the teſtimonie, he went into the wilderneſſe:Note this ſimilitude. And like as our diſeaſe began in Paradiſe by temptation; even ſo at the temptation in the wilderneſſe began the Lord our health: And like as the Father of us all did eat the forbidden meat;Matth. 4.1, 2. ſo did the Lord not eat the meat that hee might have eaten, but faſted fortie daies and fortie nights. Afterward came hee among the people, and began to preach ſalvation, ſaying, The time is fulfilled, Matth. 4.17.and the kingdome of God is at hand; repent, and beleeve the Goſpell. Herewith hath he healed all ſores, driven out Devils, and raiſed up the dead, teſtifying ſo by his acts, that he is Lord of all things, and the true Saviour: And of them whom hee healeth, asketh he nothing: hee commandeth them not to build him a Temple, neither to give him blocke or ſtocke: hee requireth no bodily thing, but onelyonly ſtedfaſt faith and confidence. And to them whom hee hath healed, hee ſaith, Goe thy way, and ſinne no more, take heed that a worſe thing happen not unto thee. And herewithall doth hee teach,The ſubſtance of true religion. in what thing the ſubſtance of true Religion lieth, even in a right true faith, and in an innocent life, that in all our converſation wee keepe our ſelves from all filthineſſe: Yea the thing that ſome man taketh for Gods ſervice, refuſeth hee, as long babling prayers, vaine-glorious faſting, and like almes giving. Hee nothing regardeth mens traditions, diverſities of ſects, long garments, outward appearance, their cleanſing, nor all their hypocriſie. He goeth into the Temple, overthroweth, caſteth downe, powreth out every thing that is to bee ſold in the Temple: he driveth the buyers and ſellers out of the Temple with a whip. For the Temple was ordained for generall prayer, thankſgiving and preaching, and not for chopping and changing, or other ſuch like things. Theſe three points doth hee teach vsus diligently to obſerve: Firſt,The ſpeciall points of Chriſts doctrine. that wee obtaine remiſſion of ſinnes, true righteouſneſſe, and everlaſting life, onelyonly through him, and by his Paſſion and death, and elſe by none other meane. For hee is the onelyonly Mediatour, Prieſt, Interceſſour, Comforter, the onelyonly Righteouſneſſe, Satisfaction, Ranſome, Sanctifying, the onelyonly perpetuall Sacrifice, the Suretie of grace and ſalvation. Speciall teſtimonies hereof haſt thou Iohn 3.6.14. and 16. Secondly, that wee cannot ſerve and pleaſe God with exteriour ſacrifices or any outward pompe▪ but with ſuch workes as proceed of love, and merciemercy. And thirdly, that all the children of God are bound to keepe themſelves from the workes of darkneſſe, and to apply them to live in righteouſneſſe, and in the light. And herein alſo is comprehended all godlineſſe, that is, all right good Chriſtian workes.
So when hee had taught all righteouſneſſe,The patient ſuffering of Chriſt. and diſcloſed and overthrowen all hypocriſie in religion, he offered up himſelfe upon the croſſe for the remiſſion of all our ſinnes. For willingly and patiently put he himſelfe into the hands of his enemies and of his betrayer, ſuffered himſelfe to be taken, to be bound, to be led from one Iudge to another, to be laughed to ſcorne, cried out upon, to be ſpitted on, and at the laſt to be adjudged unto death, to be ſcourged, and to be crowned with a crowne of thorne. Hee himſelfe bare his owne croſſe to the place of execution, where hee was crucified, and hanged up betweene two murtherers. Then lived hee in great paine from the ſixth houre untill the ninth.Iohn 29 30. Luke 13.46. At the laſt he cried; It is finiſhed, Father, into thy hands commend I my ſpirit: thus offered he himſelfe for our ſinnes, and died,The fruit of Chriſts death. that wee might live. But ſoone after followed the things whereby the fruit of Chriſts paſſion might bee perceived. For the vaile, which in the Temple ſeparated the holy from the moſt holy, did rent from the top to the bottome; whereby Chriſt teſtified, that now with his death, all ceremonies and figurative things were at an end, and no more of value: that the way to eternall ſalvation was opened: that all things ſignificative in the Tabernacle, in ſacrifices, rites, and obſervances, were now fulfilled and abrogate: that now the bare and onelyonly croſſe of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, is altogether unto the faithfull: that the heele of the Virgins ſeed is well trodden upon, and his fleſh well rent and ſlaine: but that yet alſo in the meane ſeaſon he hath trodden the ſerpent upon the head. Therefore did the dead alſo ariſe, and appeared vntounto certaine at Hieruſalem. For the death of Chriſt is our life. The earth quaked, the ſtones burſt aſunder. For the preaching of the death of the Sonne of God hath altered the whole world, and many hard ſtonie hearts are moved to repentance, faith and good works. But when the ſide of the dead bodie of Chriſt was opened with the ſpeare, and the rocke (as Zacharie ſaith) was digged up, there ran out water and bloud,Water and bloud. declaring manifeſtly thereby, that unto us out of the death of Chriſt, followeth life and purifying. For water cleanſeth, in the bloud is the life of man. And with the bloud of Chriſt is all bloud ſtanched, and now is Chriſts bloud only available, being ſprinkled through faith in our hearts.The time of Chriſts Paſſion. This oblation and paſſion of Chriſt (the ranſome for the ſinne of the whole world) was done in the 18. yeere of the Empire of Tiberius, reckoning from the beginning of the world 4007. yeeres, the 25. day of March.
So the whole bodie of Ieſus was taken downe from the croſſe, and honourably buried,The buriall of Chriſt. and on the third day after hee roſe up againe: ſo that his ſoule came againe to the bodie, and his verie fleſh was raiſed up from death, howbeit now no more mortall and paſſible, but glorified. For hee is the firſt in the reſurrection of the dead. For like as by one man came death, ſo by one man muſt come the reſurrect on of the dead. And like as in Adam wee all died in bodie and ſoule, ſo ſhall wee be all together reſtored againe to life in Chriſt Ieſus. This hope unto life, would the Lord print ſubſtantially in us with the reſurrection. And therefore after his reſurrection, hee continued fortie dayes with his Diſciples, that hee might well inſtruct them of his reſurrection, and that they ſhould hauehave no doubt therein. So when he had ſhewed and declared unto them his verie reſurrection divers wayes, and had performed al that the Father commanded him to finiſh, hee aſcended up unto heaven with bodie and ſoule from mount Olivet in the ſight of his Diſciples, and is ſet at the right hand of God, there to remaine corporally untill the laſt day, in the which hee ſhall come againe bodily, to judge the quicke and dead: And all ſuch as have walked in faith, ſhall he take to him with bodie and ſoule into heaven, like as hee himſelfe is received into heaven: And ſhall with bodie and ſoule condemne all them, that have walked in the way of the old ſerpent, and have no… converted from unrighteouſneſſe to the righteouſneſſe in Chriſt. And thus ſhall ſalvation bee perfectly finiſhed, and Gods children ſhall live eternally with God, through Ieſus Chriſt. To whom be praiſe for ever. Amen.