I Have chose a Text which is the sum of the Bible. For all Scripture runneth upon Christ like the Title of a book, because he is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of mans salvation:1 therefore he is figured in the Law, foretold in the Prophets, and fulfilled in the Gospel. Some places point to his Divinity, some to his humanity, some to his Kingdom, some to his Priesthood, some to his Prophecy, some to his Conception, some to his Birth, some to his life, some to his miracles, some to his Passion, some to his Resurrection, some to his Ascension, some to his Glorification; all point to the Saviour, like John Baptist,2 when he said, This is ⟨p. 324⟩the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins of the world. Therefore learn Christ, and learn all. Now to teach us how we should hear, and how we should love, and how we should fear, and how we should believe, and how we should follow Christ, that we may know when we have learned him: the Apostle saith, Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ: as though this word did contain all our duties unto Christ, to put him on: (which seems to be the level of this phrase, if you mark how it cometh in) for before Paul saith, Cast away the works of darkness, 3and put on the armour of light: then he nameth the works of darkness which we should cast off, that is,4 gluttony, drunkenness, strife, envy, chambering, wantonness; after he nameth the armour of light,5 which we should put on, and calleth it by the name of the giver, The Lord Jesus Christ. In stead of gluttony, and drunkenness, and strife, and chambering, and wantonness, and other patches of the Devil, wherewith man clotheth himself as with a Garment; the Apostle giveth him an other Garment,6 which he calleth Jesus Christ: he doth not oppose virtue to vice, as one would think when he had said, Cast off gluttony, he should have said, Put on sobriety: when he had said, Cast off wantonness, ⟨p. 325⟩he should have said, Put on continency: when he said, Cast off envy, he should have said, Put on love: But in stead of all virtues, he commendeth the example of Christ for every virtue, and opposeth it to every vice: as if he should say, He which thinketh only to follow Christ, needeth not be led by the hand from virtue to virtue, but his example will teach him what he shall follow, and what he shall fly, better than all precepts in the world.
I Haue chose a Text which is the summe of the Bible. For all Scripture runneth vpon Christ lyke the Title of a booke, because hee is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of mans saluation:1 therefore he is figured in the Law, foretold in the Prophets, and fulfilled in the Gospel. Some places point to his Diuinitie, some to his humanitie, some to his Kingdom, some to his Priesthood, some to his Prophecie, some to his Conception, some to his Birth, some to his life, some to his miracles, some to his Passion, some to his Resurrection, some to his Ascention, some to his Glorification; all poynt to the Sauiour, lyke Iohn Baptist,2 when hee saide, This is ⟨p. 324⟩the Lambe of God, which taketh away the sinnes of the worlde. Therefore learne Christ, and learne all. Now to teach vs how we shuld heare, and how we should loue, and how we should feare, and how we should beleeue, and how we should follow Christ, that wee may knowe when wee haue learned him: the Apostle saith, Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ: as though this word did containe all our duties vnto Christ, to put him on: (which seemes to bee the leuell of this phrase, if you marke how it commeth in) for before Paule sayth, Cast away the workes of darknesse, 3and put on the armour of light: then hee nameth the workes of darknes which we should cast off, that is,4 gluttonie, drunkennesse, strife, enuie, chambering, wantonnesse; after hee nameth the armour of light,5 which we should put on, and calleth it by the name of the giuer, The Lord Iesus Christ. In stead of gluttonie, and drunkennesse, and strife, and chambering, and wantonnesse, and other patches of the Diuell, wherewith man cloatheth himselfe as with a Garment; the Apostle giueth him an other Garment,6 which hee calleth Iesus Christ: hee doth not oppose vertue to vice, as one would thinke when he had sayd, Cast off gluttonie, he should haue said, Put on sobrietie: when hee had said, Cast off wantonnesse, ⟨p. 325⟩he should haue said, Put on continencie: when he said, Cast off enuie, he should haue said, Put on loue: But in stead of all vertues, he commendeth the example of Christ for euerie vertue, and opposeth it to euerie vice: as if he should say, He which thinketh onely to follow Christ, needeth not bee led by the hand frō vertue to vertue, but his example will teach him what he shall follow, and what he shall flie, better than all precepts in the world.
- 1Reve. 1. 8.Reue. 1. 8.
- 2Joh. 1. 29.Ioh. 1. 29.
- 3Verse 12.
- 4Verse 13.
- 5Verse 14.
- 6Psa. 109. 18
