The Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 2 · Chapter 11
The xi Chapter. Of the difference of the one Testament from the other.
WHat then? wilt thou say: shall there be no dyfference lefte betweene the olde testament and the newe? and to what purpose serue all those places of Scripture, wher thei are compared one againste the other, as thinges moste contrary? I do willingly allowe those differences that are rehersed in the Scripture: but so that they nothing hinder the vnitie already stablyshed, as it shalbe plaine to see, when we shall hauehave entreated of them in ordre. Those dyfferences are (as farre as euer I coulde marke or can remembre) chefely fower in numbre, to y• which if you lyst to adioyne the v. I am not against it. I say and trust to proue that thei are all suche as rather belong to the manner of ministratiō, than to the substance of them. And by this meane thei shall nothinge hinder, but yt the promises of both the olde & new testament may remaine al one & all one foundatiō of ye same promises, Christ. Now the fyrst difference is, yt although, euen in the olde time also, the Lordes wyl was to dyrect the myndes of his people, and to hauehave them raysed vp to the heauenly inheritance: yet, that they myght be the better nourished in hope therof, he gaue it to be seen or rather to be tasted of, vnderunder earthly benefytes: But nowe hauing reueled the grace of the lyfe to come, by the Gospell, he more clerely and plainly directeth our mindes the streight way to the meditation thereof, leauinge the inferioure manner of exercising whyche he vsed with the Israelites. They that marke not this purpose of God, doe not thynke that the olde people clymbed any hyer than to the good thynges promised to the bodye. Thei so often heare the lande of Chanaan named, as the excellent, or rather only reward for the kepers of Gods lawe. Thei heare that God threatneth nothing more seuerely to the transgressors of the same law, than that they shal be dryuen out of the possession of the same lande, and scattered abroad into strange regions. Thei see that in a manner to this effect come all the blessinges & curses that are pronounced by Moses. Herby they do vndoubtedly determine, that the Iewes not for their owne sakes, but for others, were seuered from other nations: that is, that the Churche of Christ might hauehave an image, in whose outwarde forme shee might see exaumples of spirituall thinges. But fith the Scripture dothe sometimes shew, that God himselfe directed all the earthly benefites that hee did for them to this ende, that so he might leade them by the hande to the hope of heauenly benefites. It was to muche vnskilfulnesse, I wyll not sate blockishnesse, not to consider this ordre of disposition. The issue or pointe of oure controuersie with this sorte of men is thys, that they teache that the possession of the land of Chanaan was to the Israelites their chefe and last blessednesse, and that to vsus after the reuelinge of Christ, it doth but figuratiuely signifie the heauenly inheritaunce. On the other syde we affirme, that thei dyd in the earthly possession whiche they enioyed, as in a lokinge glasse beholde the inheritance to come, whiche they beleued to be prepared for them in heauen.
That shall better appeare by the similitude that Paule vsed to the Galatians.Gal. ii…j.…. He compareth the nation of the Iewes to an hyer, wythin age, whiche being not yet able to gouerne hym selfe, foloweth the guydinge of the tutor or schoolemaister, to whose custodie hee is committed. And whereas he applieth that similitude to the ceremonies, that nothinge hindereth but yt it may also very fittly serue to this purpose. The same inheritance was apoynted for them, that was apoynted for vsus: but suche as yet for want of age, thei were not of capacitie to enter vponupon and vse. The same Churche was among them, but whereof the age was yet but childyshe. Therefore the Lorde kepte them vnderunder this schooling, that hee gaue them not the spirituall promises so naked and openly, but as it wer shadowed with earthly promises. Therfore, wher he called Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, and their posteritie vntounto hope of immortalitie, he promised them the lande of Chanaan to be their inheritance: not to determine their hopes vponupon it, but that in beholdynge of it, they shoulde exercise and confirme them selues in the hope of that true inheritance that did not yet appeare. And that they myghte not be deceiued, there was geuen them a hyer promyse to testifie, that that lande was not the hyest benefite of God. So Abraham was not suffred to f…ye slouthefull in the promyse receyued of the lande, but hys minde was wt a greater promise raised vp vntounto yt Lorde. For Abraham hearde this saide vntounto him:Ge. xv.i. I am thy protector, and thy rewarde exceedinge greate. Here we see, that Abraham hathe the ende of his reward set fourth in the Lorde, that he shoulde not accompte vponupon a transitorie and slippery reward in the elementes of this worlde, but rather thinke it to be suche as canne not wither away. Afterwarde he adioyneth the promise of the lande to no other entent, but that it sholde be a token of the good will of God, & a figure of the heauenly inheritance. And that the holy men had this meaning, their owne sayenges do declare. So Dauid riseth vpwarde from temporall blessinges, to that same highest and last blessing.Ps. lxxiij.xxvi. & lxcxiiii.iiij Ps. xvi.v. Ps. cxlii.vi. My hearte (saith he) and my fleshe fainte for desire of thee. God is my portion for euer. Againe. The Lorde is the parte of my inheritance, and of my cuppe: thou art he that sauest mine heritage for me. Againe. I hauehave cryed vntounto thee, O Lorde, I have saide, Thou art my hope, my portion in the lande of the liuing. Truly thei that dare so speake, do withoute doubt professe that with their hope thei climbe aboue the worlde, and all the good thinges here presente. But the Prophetes do ofte describe this blessednesse of the worlde to come, vnderunder yt figure that thei had receiued of the Lorde. And so are these saienges to be vnderstanded.Iob. xviii.xv.…. That the Godly shal possesse the land by inheritance, and the wycked shal be destroied out of it. That Hierusalem shal aboud with all kinde of richesse, and Syon ouerflowe with plentie of al thinges. All whiche we see, can not proprely be spoken of the lande of oure wayfaringe, or the earthly Ierusalem, but of the true contrey of the faithfull,Ps. c.xxxii… iij. and that heauenly citie wherein the Lorde hathe commaunded blessinge and life for euer.
This is the reason why it is reade that the holy men in time of the olde testament, did esteme the mortal life and the blessinges therof more than is nowe meete to do. For although thei knewe wel that thei shold not rest in it, as in the ende of their race, yet when thei called to mynde, what markes of his grace the lord had pointed therin, to exercise them according to ye small rate of their tendernesse, thei felte a greater swetnesse of it, than if they had considered it by it selfe. But as the Lorde in testifyinge his good will toward the faithful, by present good thinges, did as in shadowe expresse the spirituall felicitie, by suche figures and signes: so on the other side he did in corporal paines shewe exaumples of hys iudgement againste the reprobate. Therefore, as the benefytes of God wer to be seen in earthly thinges, so wer also his punishmētes. Whyle the vnskilfull do not weye thys comparison or agreement, as I may call it, betweene the punishmentes and the rewardes, thei marue…l at so muche alteration in God, that in olde time was so sodeinely ready to take vengeance on eueryevery offence of man with sterue and horrible punishmentes, and nowe as if he had layed awaye the affection of his old angrienesse, he punisheth bothe muche more gentlie and seldomer, yea and for the same cause they doe almoste imagine severall gods of the olde and newe testament: whiche the Manichees did in deede. Butte we shal easily be delivered from suche doubtes, if we laye our mindes to consider this ordrely disposition of God that I hauehave spoken of, whose will was for the tyme to signifie and set forthe in figure both the grace of the eternal felicitie to come, by temporall benefites, and the greuousnesse of the spirituall deathe, by corporall peines. Whereby hee deliuered hys Testament to the Israelites, as yet after a certaine manner folded vp.
An other difference of the olde and newe Testament is sayde to bee in the fygures: for that the olde testamente dyd shewe onelyonly an image in abscence of the truthe, and a shadowe in steede of the bodye. But the newe testament geueth the truthe present, and the sounde bodie it self. And this difference is mentioned commonli whersoeuer the new testament is in comparison set againste the olde: but it is more largely entreated of in the epistle to the Hebrues than any where els. There the Apostle disputeth againste them, whiche thought that the obseruations of Moses lawe might not be taken awaye, but that thei sholde also drawe wyth them the ruine of all religion. To confute thys erroure, he vseth that whiche had been forespoken by the Prophete concerning the presthoode of Christe. For whereas there is geuen hym an eternall presthoode,Psa. c.x. it is certaine, that that prestehoode is taken away, wherin newe successors were dayly put in, one after an other. But hee proueth that the institution of this newe prestehoode is to be preferred, bicause it is stablished with an othe. He after addeth further, that in the same change of the preestehoode,He. vij.xl, & xix. & ix.ix. & x.i. is also conteined the change of the Testament. And that it was necessarie so to be, he proueth by this reason: for that the weakenesse of the law was such that it coulde helpe nothing, to perfection. Then he procedeth in declaring what was that weakenesse, euen this, that it had certaine outwarde righteousnesses of the fleshe, whyche could not make the obseruers of them perfect, according to conscience: that by sacrifices of beastes, it coulde neither wipe away synnes, nor purchase true holynesse. He concludeth therefore that there was in it a shadowe of good thynges to come, but not the liuely image of the thinges them selues: and that therefore it had not other office, but to bee as an introduction into a better hope, whiche is delyuered in the Gospell. Here is to bee seen, in what poynte the couenant of the lawe is compared with the couenant of the Gospell: and the ministerie of Christe with the ministerie of Moses. For if the comparison concerned the substance of the promisses, then were there greate dyfference betweene the twoo testamentes: but sithe the poynte of oure case leadeth vsus an other waye, we muste tende to thys ende, to fynde oute the truth. Let vsus then set forth heere the couenant whiche he hathe stablished to be eternall, and neuer to peryshe. The accomplyshment therof, whereby it atteineth to be stablished and continuing in force, is Christe. Whyle suche establyshment was in expectation, the Lorde did by Moses apointe ceremonies, to bee as it were solemne signes of the coufyrmation. Nowe this came there in question, whether the ceremonies that were ordeyned in the lawe, oughte to geue place to Christe or no. Althoughe these ceremonies were in deede onelyonly accidentes, or verylye additions and thynges adioyned, or (as the people call them) accessarie thynges to the couenaunte, yet bycause they weare instrumentes or meanes of the admynistration thereof, they beare the name of the couenaunte yt selfe, as the lyke ys wonte to bee attributed to other Sacramentes. Therefore in summe, the olde Testamente is in thys place called the solemne fourme of confyrmynge the couenaunte, conteyned in Ceremonies and Sacrifices. The Apostle saythe, that bycause in yt ys nothynge perfecte, vnlesse wee passe further, therefore yt behoued that they shoulde bee dysco… tinued and abrogate, that place myght be geuen to Christe, the assurer and mediatore of better testament, by whome eternall sanctification is ones purchaced to the elect, and the transgressions blotted oute that remayned vnderunder the lawe. Or, if you like it better, thus: That the olde testament of the Lorde was that, whiche was deliuered, wrapped vp in the shadowish and effectual obseruation of ceremonies: and that therfore it was but for a time, bicause it did but (as it wer) hang in suspense, vntyll it myght staye vponupon a more stedfast and substantiall confyrmation: and that then onelyonly it was made newe & eternall, after that it was consecrate and stablyshed by the bloode of Christe. Wherevpon Christe calleth the cuppe that he gaue at his supper to his Disciples, The cup of the newe testament in his bloode:Mat. xxvi.…. to signifie, that then the testamēt of God attemeth his trueth: by whiche it be cōmeth newe and eternal, when it is sealed with his bloode.
Hereby appeareth in what sense the Apostle saide: that in the scholynge of the lawe,Gal. iii.xxiiii. & iiii. the Iewes were brought vntounto Christ, before that he was shewed in the flesh. And he confesseth, that thei were the children and heires of God, but yet suche, as for their yonge age were to be kept vnderunder the custodie of a schoolemaster. For it behoued, that ere the sonne of righteousnesse was yet rysen, their sholde neither be so great brightnesse of reuelation, nor so great deepe sight of vnderstandynge. Therefore God so gaue them in measure the light of hys worde, that thei saw it as yet farre of and darkely. Therfore Paule expresseth this sclendernesse of vnderstanding by ye terme of yonge age, whiche the Lords wil was to hauehave to be exercised with yt elements of this worlde & with out warde observations, as rules of instruction for children vntyll Christe shoulde shyne a broade, by whom it behoued that the knowledge of the faithfull people shoulde growe to full age. This distinction Christe him selfe meant of,Mat. xi.xiii. when hee saide, that the lawe and the Prophetes were vntyll Ihon, and that from thenseforth the kingedome of God is preached. What did the lawe and the Prophetes open to men of their time euen this, thei gaue a taste of yt wisedome which in time to come sholde be plainely disclosed: and thei shewed it before as it were twinclingely shyning a farr of. But when it came to passe that Christ might be pointed to with the finger, then was the kingedome of God set open. For in him are laied abroade the treasures of al wisdome and vnderstanding, whereby wee atteine,Clos. i.ix. euen in a manner, into the secret closettes of heauen.
And it maketh not against vsus, that ther can scarsely any one be found in the Christian Churche, that in excellencye of faith maye be compared with Abraham, or that the Prophetes excelled in suche force of spirite, that euen at this daye thei lighten the whole worlde withall. For oure question is not here, what grace the Lord hathe bestowed vponupon a few, but what ordinarie disposition he vsed in teachinge his people: suche as is declared in the Prophetes them selues, which were endued with peculiar knoweledge aboue the rest. For euen their preaching is dark and enclosed in figures, as of thinges a farre of. Moreouer howe meruellous knoweledge soeuer appeared in them aboue other, yet forasmuche as they wer dryuen of necessitie to submit them to the common childish …struction of the people, thei them selues also were reckened in the nū bre of children. Fynallye, there neuer chaunged any suche clere sfyght to any at that tyme, but that it dede in some parte savoure of the darknesse of the time.Matt. xiij.xvij. Lu. x.xxiiij Whervpon Christ saide, Many kinges and Prophetes hauehave desired to see the thinges that ye see, and hauehave not seen them: and to heare the thynges that ye heare, and hauehave not hearde them. Therefore blessed are your eyes, bicause they see, and your eares bicause they heare. And truely it was meete that the presence of Christ sholde hauehave this excellencye of prerogatiue, that from it shoulde arise the clere reuelinge of the heauenly mysteries. And for this purpose also maketh that, which euen we nowe alleaged out of the firste epistle of Peter:▪Pet. i.x… that yt was opened to them, that their trauaile was profitable, principally for oure age.
Nowe I come to the thirde dyfference, whiche is taken oute of Ieremie,Ier. xxxi.xxxj. whose woordes are these. Beholde the dayes shall come, saithe the Lorde, and I wyll make a newe couenant with the house of Israel, and the house of Iuda, not accordinge to the couenant that I made wyth your Fathers, in the daye when I toke them by the hand, to leade them oute of the launde of Egypt, the couenant that thei made voyde althoughe I ruled ouer them. But thys shall be the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel. I wyl put my lawe in theyr bowelles, and I wyll wryte it in their heartes, and I will be mercifull to their iniquitie. And no man shall teache hys neighboure, and no man his brother. For they shall al knowe me, from the leaste vntounto the moste. Of whyche wordes the Apostle tooke occasion to make thys comparison betweene the lawe and the Gospell, that hee called the lawe a literall, and Gospel a spiritual doctrine:i. Cor▪ ….vi. the lawe, he sayde, was fashioned oute in Tables of stone, the Gospell wrytten in heartes: that the lawe was the preachinge of deathe, the Gospell the preachinge of lyfe: the lawe the preachinge of damnation, the Gospel the preachinge of righteousnesse: that the lawe is made voyde, that the Gospell abydeth. Sithe the Apostles purpose was butte to declare the meanynge of the Prophete, it shall bee suffycient that wee weye the woordes of one of them, to atteyne the meanynge of them bothe. All bee it, there is some vnly…enesse betweene them. For the Apostle speaketh more odiouslye of the lawe than the Prophete dothe: and that not in symple respecte of the …we, but bycause there were certayne naughty menne, hauinge a wronge zeale to the lawe, whyche did with peruerse louelove of the ceremonies, obscure the brightnesse of the Gospel. He disputeth of the nature of the lawe, accordinge to their erroure & foolish affection. Therefore it shall be good to note that peculiarly in Paule. But both of them, bycause they do by comparison sette the olde and the newe testament, the one against the other: do consider nothing in the law, but that whiche proprely belongeth vntounto it. As for example. The lawe dothe commonly in eueryevery place containe promises of merciemercy, but bycause they are borowed from ells where, therfore they are not reckened as part of the lawe, when the mere nature of the lawe is spoken of. The onelyonly thing they ascribe vntounto it, to commaunde thinges that are right, & to forbidde wicked doynges: to promyse reward to the folowers of righteousnesse, & to threaten punishmente to the transgressors: but in the meane time neither to change nor amende ye peruersenesse of heart, y• is naturally in all men.
Nowe let vsus expounde the Apostles comparison, one peece after an other. The olde testament is literall, bicause it was published without the effectuall workinge of the spirit: The newe is spiritual, whyche the Lorde hathe spiritually grauen in the heartes of men. Therefore the seconde diuersitie is as it were a declaration of the fyrste. The olde is deadly, bicause it can do nothinge but wrappe all mankinde within the curse. The newe is the instrumente of lyfe, bycause it deliuereth from curse, and restoreth into fauoure with God. The olde is the ministerie of damnation, bycause it condemneth all Adams children of vnrighteousnesse. The newe is the ministerie of ryghteousnesse, bicause it reue…eth the merciemercy of God, by whyche we are made ryghteous. The last diuersitie is to be referred to the ceremonies. Bycause the olde testament had an …mage of thynges absent, it behoued that it shoulde in tyme de…aye and vanyshe away: but the Gospell, bycause it geueth the true bodye in deede, kepeth styll a fyrme and perpetuall stedfast…esse. Ieremie in dede calleth euen the morall lawes, a weake and fraile couenant: but that is for an other reason, bycause by the sodeine fallynge away of the vnthankfull people, it was by and by broken, but forasmuche as suche breakynge of it was the faulte of the people, it can not proprely be layed vponupon the testamente. But the ceremonies, forasmuche as by theyr owne weakenesse were dissolued by the comminge of Christe, had the cause of their weakenesse within them selues. Nowe, that dyfference of the letter and spirite is not so to be taken, as thoughe the Lorde hadde geuen his lawes to the Iewes wythout any frute at all, hauyng none of them conuerted vntounto hym: But it is spoken by waye of comparison, to aduaunce the abundance of grace, wherewyth the same lawemaker as it were puttinge on a newe personage, did honorably sette forth the preachinge of the Gospell. For yf wee recken vp the multitude of these whome the Lorde oute of al peoples hath by the preaching of the Gospell regenerate wyth hys spirite, and gathered into the communion of his Churche, we shall saye, that there were very fewe, or in a manner none in the olde time in Israell, that wyth affection of mynde and entirely from their heart embraced the couenant of the Lorde: whoe yet were very many, yf they bee reckened in theyr owne numbre wythoute comparison.
Out of the third difference riseth the fourth. For the Scripture calleth the old testament, the testament of bondage, for that it ingendreth feare in mens myndes: but the newe testament, the testament of libertie, bycause it rayseth them vp to confydence and assurednesse. So sayth Paule in the eyght to the Romames.Rom. iv. Ye hauehave not receyued the spirit of bondage agayne to feare, but the spirite of adoption, by whiche we crie Abba, father▪ Hervnto serueth that in the epistle to ye Hebrues, that the faithefull are not nowe come to the bodyly mount,…. xii.xx…i…. and to kind led fyre, an whirlewinde, darkenesse and tempest, where nothing can be heard or seen but that striketh menns mindes with terrore, in so much that Moses hym selfe quaked for feare, when the terryble voyce sounded, whyche they all besoughte, that they myghte not heare: Butte that wee are come to the Mounte Syon, and the Cytye of the sy…ynge God, the heauenly Hierusalem. Butte that whyche Paule shortly toucheth in the sentence that we hauehave alleged out of the epistle to the Romaines, he setteth out more largely in ye Epistle to the Galatians, when he maketh an allego…e of the twoo sonnes of Abraham, after this manner,Gala. iiij.xxi. that Agar the bondwoman is a fygure of the mount Sinai, where the people of Israel receiued the lawe: Sara the freewoman is a figure of the heauenly Hierusalem, from whense procedeth the gospell. That, as the seede of Agar is borne bonde, whiche maye neuer come to the inheritance, and the seede of Sara is …orne free, to whome the inheritaunce is due: so by the lawe we are made subiect to bondage, by the Gospell onelyonly we are regenerate into freedome. But the summe commeth to this effecte, that the olde testamente dyd stricke into consciences feare and tremblinge: but by the bene…ite of the newe testament it commeth to passe, that thei are made ioyefull. The olde did holde consciences bounde vntounto the yoke of boudage, by the lyberalitie of the newe thei are discharged of bondage, and brought into freedome. But if oute of the people of Israel thei obiect againste vsus the holy fathers, who sithe it is euident, that they were endued wyth the same spirit that we are, it foloweth that thei were also partakers both of the selfe same freedome and ioye: We answer, that neither of bothe came of the lawe. But that when thei felte them selues by the lawe to be both oppressed with estate of bondage, and weried with vn…e…es of conscience, they s…ed to the succoure of the Gospell, and that therefore it was a peculiar frute of the newe testament, that beside the common lawe of the olde testament they wer exempted from these euels. Moreouer, we wyll denye that they were so endewed wyth the spirit of freedome & assurednesse, that they did not in some part fele both seare and bondage by the lawe. For howe soeuer they enioyed that prerogatiue whyche they had obteined by grace of the Gospell, yet were they subiect to the same bondes and b…rdens of obseruation, that the common people were. Sithe therefore they were compelled to the carefull keeping of those ceremonies, whyche were the signes of a scholing muche like vntounto bondage, and the handewritinges whereby they confessed them selues gylty of synne, did not discarge them from being bonde: it maye rightfully be saide, that in comparison of vsus they were vnderunder the testament of bondage and feare, while wee hauehave respecte to that common ordre of dystribution that the Lorde then vsed wyth the people of Israel.
The three laste comparisons that we hauehave recited, are of the lawe and the Gospell. Wherfore in them by the name of the Olde testament is meant the Lawe, & by the name of the Nwe testament is meant the Gospell. The fyrste stretched further, for it comprehendeth vnderunder it the promises also that were published before the lawe,Lib. 3. ad▪ Boni. ca. 4 butte whereas Augustine denyeth that they oughte to be reckened vnderunder the name of the olde testament, therein he thought very well, and meant euen the same thynge that we do nowe teache, for hee hadde regarde to those sa…enges of Hieremie and Paule, where the olde testament is seuered from the woorde of mercye and grace. And thys also hee very aptelye adioyueth in the same place, that the chyldren of promise regenerate of God, whyche by faythe woorkynge throughe louelove, hauehave obeyed the commaundements, do from the beginning of the worlde belong to the newe testament, and that in hope not of fleshly, earthly and temporall▪ but spiritual, heauenly, and eternal good thinges, principally beleuing in the mediatore, by whome thei doubted no… that the spirite was not munstred vntounto them, bothe to do good, & to hauehave pardon so oft as they sinned, For the same thinge it is that I minded to affirme, that all the Sainctes whome the Scripture reherseth to hauehave been from the beginning of the worlde chosen by God, were partakers of the selfe same blessing with vsus vntounto eternal saluation. This difference therfore is betwene oure diuision and Augustines: that oures (according to that sayeng of Christe:Matth. …i.…j. The lawe and the Prophetes were vntounto Ihon: from thenseforthe the kingdome of God is preached) dothe make distinction betweene the clerenesse of the Gospell, and the darker dystribution of the woorde that wente before: and Augustine doothe onelyonly …ouer the weakenesse of the lawe from the strength of the Gospell. And here also is to be noted concerning the holy fathers, that they so liued vnderunder the olde testamente, that they steyed not there, but allwaye aspired to the newe, yea and imbraced the assured partakinge thereof. For the Apostle condemneth them of blindenesse and accursednesse, whiche beinge contented with present shadowes, did not stre…ch vp their minde vntounto Christe. For (to speake nothinge of the rest) what greater blindenesse can be imagined, than to hope for the purginge of sinne by the killinge of a beast, than to secke for the cleansing of the soule in outward sprinkling of water? than to seeke to appease God with colde ceremonies, as thoughe he were muche delited therewith? For to all these absurdities do thei fall, that sticke fast in the obseruations of the lawe without respect of Christe.
The fifth dyfference that we may adde, lyeth in this: that vntill the comming of Christe the Lorde had chosen out one nation, within why the he woulde keepe seuerall the couenant of his grace. When the hyest did dystribute the nations, when he deuided the sonnes of Adam (saith Moses) his people fell to his possession:De…. xxxi.viii. De. x.xiiij. Iacob the corde of his inheritance. In an other place he thus speaketh to the people: Beholde the heauen and earth and all that is in it, are the Lord thy Gods. He cleaned onelyonly to thy fathers, he loued them, to choose their sede after them euen your selues oute of all nations. Therefore hee vo…tchesaued to graunte the knoweledge of hys name to that people onelyonly, as yf they onelyonly of all men belonged vntounto hym: he layed hys couenant as it were in theyr bosome: to them he openli shewed the presence of his Godhed: them he honored with all prerogatiues. Butte (to omitte the reste of his bene…ites, and speake that whiche onelyonly here is to oure purpose) he bounde them to hym by the communycatynge of his woorde, that hee might be called and co…mpted their God. In the meane season he suffered other nations to walke in vanitie, as though they had not any enter course or any thynge to do wyth hym:Act x…iij.xvi. neither dyd he to helpe their destruction, euen them that which was onelyonly the remedie, namely the preachinge of hys woorde. Therefore Israel was then the Lordes sonne that was hys derlynge, other were straungers: Israell was knowen to hym and receyued into hys charge and protection, other mere le…te to their owne darkenesse. Israell was sanctified by God, other were prophane: Israell was honoured wyth the presence of God, other were excluded from comming nye vntounto him. But when the fullnesse of time was come, appointed for the restoringe of all men, and that same reconciler of God and men was deliuered in deede, the particion was plucked downe,Ga. iiij.iii… Ep. ij.xiiii. Gala. vi.xv. Psal. ij.v…. Psal. lxi…. whiche had so longe holden the mercye of God enclosed within ye boundes of Israel, and peace was preached to them that were farre of, euen as to them that were nere adioyned, that being together reconciled to God, they might growe into one people. Wherefore, nowe there is no respect of Greke or Iewe, circumcision or vncircumcision, but Christe is all in all, to whom the nations are geuen for his inheritaunce, & the endes of the earth for his peculiar possession, yt vniuersally without difference he might hauehave dominion from sea to sea, and from the riuers to the vttermost endes of the worlde.
Therfore the callinge of the Gentiles is a notable token, whereby is clearely shewed the excellencie of the new testament aboue the olde. It had in deede beene before testified by many, and most plaine oracles of the Prophetes, but so as the perfourmance thereof was still differred vntounto the kyngdome of Messias. And Christe hym selfe dyd not procede vntounto it at ye first beginning of his preaching, but differred it so long vntill that all the partes of oure redemption being perfourmed,Phil. ii. Mat. xv.xxiiv. and ye time of his abacement ended, hee receiued of his father a name that ys aboue all names, before whom all knees shoulde bowe. For which cause when this conuenience of time was not yet fulfilled, he saide to the woman of Chanaan, that he was not sent but to the lost sheepe of ye house of Israel. And he suffred not his Apostles at the firste sending, to passe these bondes. Goe not ye, (saith hee) into the waye of the Gentiles, nor entre into the Cities of the Samaritanes, but rather go ye to the loste sheepe of the house of Israell. But howesoeuer it was before vttered by so many testimonies, yet when the Apostles were first to beginne it, it seemed so newe and strange a thing vntounto them, that they wer afraid of it, as of some monster. Truely very fearefully and not without sty… king at it, thei firste did set vponupon it. And no maruel, for it seemed against reason, that the Lorde whiche by so many ages had chosen out Israel from all other nations, shoulde nowe vndoe that choise, as it were, sodenly changing his purpose. It was in dede spoken of afore by prophecies: but thei coulde not geue so great heede to the prophecies, as to be nothing moued with the newenesse of the thing that they sawe. And these examples whiche the Lord had shewed of the calling of the Gentiles yt sholde one day come to passe, were not sufficient to moue them. For biside this that he hade called very few, he did after a certaine mā ner engraffe them into the householde of Abraham, to adde them vntounto his people as percel of them: but by this general calling the Gentiles, were not onelyonly made egall with the Iewes, but also it appeared that they came into the place of the Iewes, that were become deade. And yet all those strangers whome God hath before that tine brought into the bodie of the Churche, were neuer made egall with the Iewes. And therefore not without a cause dothe Paule so extoll this misterie hidden fron…ages and generations,Col. i…xv… and whiche hee also saythe to bee maruellous to the very Angles.
In these fower or fiue pointes, I thinke, I hauehave well and faithfully sette foorthe the whole dyfference of the olde and newe testamente, to muche as sufficeth to the simple ordre of teaching. But bicause many report this varietie in gouerning the Churche, this diuers manner in teaching, so great alteration of vsages and ceremonies, to be a greate absurditie: thei are also to be answered before that we passe forth to other thinges. And that may be done shortly, bicause the obiections are not so strong that thei nede a curious confutation. It hangeth not together (saie thei) that God which doth alway stedfastly agree with him selfe, shoulde suffer so great an alteration, as afterwarde to disalowe ye same thing, which he had before both commaunded and commended. I answer, that God ought not therefore to be compted mutable, for that he applied diuerse formes to diuerse ages, as he knewe to bee expedient for eueryevery one. If the husbandman apoint to his household one sorte of businesse in winter, and an other in sommer, shall wee therefore accuse him of inconstancie, or thinke that he swarueth from the righte rule of husbandrie which agreeth with the continuall ordre of nature? Lykewise if a father of a household doe instructe, rule & ordre his children of one sorte in childhoode, of an other in youth, & of an other in mans state, we can not therefore saye that he is fickle and forsaketh his own purpose. Why therfore do we charge God with reproche of inconstantie, for yt he hath seuered the diuersitie of times with fite & agreable markes? The last similitude ought fully to satifye vsus. Paule maketh the Iewes like vntounto children, and Christians to yongmen. What disordre is therin this gouernement of God, yt he helde them in their childish lessons, whiche according to the capacitie of their age were fitte for them, & instructed vsus with stronger and as it were more manly discipline. Therefore herein appeareth the constancie of God, that he taught one selfe same doctrine in all ages, and continueth in requyring the same worshippe of his name, which he commaunded from the beginning. But wheras he chaunged the outwarde forme and manner thereof, in that he shewed not him selfe subiect to change: butte so farre he tempered him selfe to the capacitie of man, which is diuerse and chaungeable.
But whense (say thei) commeth this diuersitie, but bicause God willed it to be such? Coulde he not as well from the beginning as sins the comming of Christ, reuele the eternal life in plaine wordes without any figures, instruct those that are his with a few sacraments and easye to perceaue, geue his holy spirite, and poure abroad his grace throghoute the whole worlde? This is euen like as if thei should quarell with God for that he hathe created the worlde so late, sith he might hauehave created it from ye beginning: or for yt his will was to hauehave enterchaunged courses betwene winter and sommer, betwene daye and night. But as for vsus, euen as al Godly men ought to thinke, let vsus not doubt that whatsoeuer God hath done, is wisely and righteously done, although oftentimes we knowe not the cause why it ought so to hauehave been done. For that were to take presumptuously to much vponupon vsus, not to geue God leaue to hauehave the causes of his owne purpose secret to hymselfe frō vsus. But it is meruellous (say thei) that he nowe refuseth and abhorreth ye sacrificeng of beastes, and all that furniture of the Leuiticall presthode, wherewith in the olde time he was delited. As though these outward and transitorie thinges did delite God, or any waye moue affection in him. We hauehave already said that he did none of these for his owne cause, but disposed them all for the saluation of men. If a Physicion do heale a yong mā after one very good meane frō his disease, & afterward do vse an other maner of healyng with the same man beyng old: shall we therefore say, that he hath refused the manner of healyng whiche before pleased him, but rather continuyng still in the same, he hath cōsideration of age? So behoued it, that Christ beyng absent, should be expressed in figure by one sort of signes, and by an other sort be before shewed that he was to come: & it is mete that now beyng alredy deliuered, he be represented by other signes. But as concernyng Gods callyng, nowe at the commyng of Christ more largely spred abrode among all peoples than it was before, and the graces of the holy ghost more plentiously poured out, whoe, I pray you, cā denie it to be right, that that God hauehave in his owne hande and will the disposyng of his owne graces, to geue light to what nations it pleaseth him? to rayse vp the preachyng of his worde in what places it pleaseth him? to geue what doctrine and howe great profityng and successe of doctrine it pleaseth him? & in what ages he will, to take away the knowledge of his name out of the world for theyr vnthākefulnesse? and againe whē he will to restore it for his owne merciemercy? We see therfore, that the cauillatiōs are to much vnmete, wherwith wicked men do in this point disquiet the mindes of the simple, to make them call eyther the righteousnesse of God, or the faith of the Scripture into doubte.