The first part of the Christian instruction, and general so[m]me of the doctrine, contained…The firste parte of the Christian instruction, and generall so[m]me of the doctrine, conteyned…

¶ Of the last seal, and of the last declaration and confirmation of the doctrine of God, and of the nature and virtue of the holy Ghost.

¶ Of the last seale, and of the laste declaration and confirmation of the doctrine of God, and of the nature and vertue of the holy Ghost.

D. IT is he that was the great seal of the whole eternal purpose and Council of God, by whom he declared with greater authority than ever he did, how he did put his church in lawful & full possession of his holy spirit, with signs and testimonies declaring his nature & virtue. For it is a wind, ¹whose spring and rising none doth know, whose being and nature is unsearchable, who by his power beateth down all those that resist him, and purgeth and refresheth the souls and consciences, and giveth life, comfort and health to all those which give over them selves unto him. It is a fire which lighteth, which purgeth, which doth warm & heat the hearts, and the tongues of the chosen of God, which proveth the faithful and the unfaithful, and consumeth all the reprobates: wherefore in vain do the enemies of God conspire against this mighty wind: in vain do they kindle their fires and lighten their furnaces to quench and put out this divine fire: in vain do they hold their Councils to blot out the decrees of this eternal Council of ⟨p. 177⟩GOD sealed with such a seal. For when we have Jesus Christ the very son of God, which was sent unto us from ²the bosom of the Father, we have him that bringeth the true seal and print, and the very mark of God, with the which he is signed and allowed of the father, to witness unto us that he did send him unto us, as he upon whom we ought only to dwell. And even (as he is allowed by God his father, as is that which is allowed by the authoritised sign and seal of a prince) so doth he also mark with the seal of his holy spirit all those which are marked with the seal of his eternal election, which is sure, according to the testimony ³of Saint Paul. And therefore he saith that the Lord doth know all those that are his: and that it is he that doth streng then us, and it is he that hath anointed us, and marked us, and hath given us in our hearts the earnest of the holy Ghost, for the day of our redemption: Wherefore, even as the children of God be marked with this mark and seal, even so can they not deny him whose sign and seal they ⁴bear, but for their part also do seal and allow the truth of God, in receiving him which he did send with his seal.

D. IT is he yt was the great seale of the whole eternal purpose and Councell of God, by whom he declared with greater authoritie thē euer he did, how he did put his church in lawfull & ful possession of his holy spirit, with signes and testimonies declaring his nature & vertue. For it is a wind, ¹whose spring and rising none doth know, whose being and nature is vnsearcheable, who by his power beateth downe all those that resiste him, and pourgeth and refresheth the soules and consciences, and geueth life, comfort and health to all those which geue ouer thē selues vnto him. It is a fire which lighteth, which pourgeth, which doth warme & heate the hartes, and the tonges of the chosen of God, which proueth the faythful and the vnfaythfull, and consumeth al the reprobates: wherfore in vayne do the enemies of God conspyre agaynst thys mightie winde: in vayne do they kindle their fires and lighten their fornaces to quenche and put out this diuine fyre: in vayne doe they holde their Councels to blotte out the decrees of thys eternall Councell of ⟨p. 177⟩GOD sealed with such a seale. For when we haue Iesus Christ the very sonne of God, which was sent vnto vs frō ²the bosome of the Father, we haue hym that bringeth the true seale and printe, and the very marke of God, with the which he is signed and allowed of the father, to witnes vnto vs that he did sende him vnto vs, as he vpon whom we ought onely to dwel. And euen (as he is allowed by God his father, as is that which is allowed by the authoritised signe and seale of a prince) so doth he also marke with the seale of his holy spirit al those which are marked with ye seale of his eternall election, which is sure, according to the testimonye ³of Saint Paule. And therfore he saith that the Lord dothe know all those that are his: and that it is he that doth streng then vs, and it is he that hath annoynted vs, and marked vs, and hath geuen vs in our heartes the earnest of the holy Ghoste, for the daye of oure redemption: Wherfore, euen as the children of God be marked with thys marke and seale, euen so can they not denye hym whose sygne and seale they ⁴beare, but for their parte also do seale and alowe the truthe of God, in receiuing hym which he dyd send with his seale.

1. 1John. iii.Iohn. iii.
2. 2John. 1. 6.Iohn. 1. 6.
3. 3ii. Tim. ii.
4. 4ii. Cor. i. Ephe. 1. 4.

¶ Of the examination of the true Christian doctrine: and of the spring and last determination of the same, and of the curses against those which do falsify it.

¶ Of the examination of the true Christian doctrine: and of the spring and laste determination of the same, and of the curses agaynst those vvhich do falsefye it.

D. These be the decrees of y• which it is written in the Prophets: The law shall come forth from Zion, & the word ¹of God from Jerusalem, it is not said: The law shall come forth from yt Mount Capitoline, or Palatine, or Aventine, or from any other of the seven which are in Rome, but from the mount Zion, & from Jerusalem, therefore it behoveth us well to consider, whether the doctrine that is set forth unto us for Christian, be agreeable to that law & word which came from Zion & Jerusalem: and not to that which came forth from Rome, & from the Mountains of the same, but only in y• that Rome shall have received it from thence: for it is the rule by that which the church of Rome & the doctrine of the same must be ruled, and not it by the church or doctrine of Rome. That same then which was done in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, ²in the company of the Apostles & Disciples of Jesus Christ, was done to the end that the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ, being armed with y• power of the spirit of God from on high, and with that goodly gift of tongues, should (as ³lawful and authorised Ambassadors, & Heralds of this great King and son of the eternal God) show and proclaim through out the universal world, the determination of this divine and heavenly Council, first published & declared by their Lord and Master Jesus Christ, with the blessings and curses prepared for those which shall receive or refuse it. It is the last determination unto the which we must cleave and stick, which hath again sith that time ben confirmed by the miracles and death of so many Apostles, ⟨p. 179⟩and Martyrs, that the number is in manner infinite. It is a determination of such importance & of such authority, that the Apostles them selves, yea & the very Angels of heaven, must be subject unto it: in such sort that it is by no means lawful for them to set forth or declare any other doctrine then that ⁴of the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, upon pain of eternal cursing, and not without cause. For, seeing that the son of God hath spoken, is there any creature in heaven or in

and in what danger they put them selves, that will follow and hearken unto such men.

and in what daunger they put them selues, that will followe and harken vnto such men.

¶ Of the vengeance of God against those that despise the Gospel.

¶ Of the vengeaunce of God agaynste those that despyse the Gospell.

T. Men ought to consider and think well on that which thou sayest: and truly God hath given us a great gift, and hath showed unto us a great token of love, when that after this great and worthy personage Moses, and so many other excellent Patriarchs and Prophets, he would also send his own Son, and would himself speak unto us by him, and teach us the true and right way of salvation, and would lead and bring us thither ¹by him, as a good father leadeth his little child by the hand. Therefore, we should be very unhappy if we would not follow such a guide: for if we will not hear the voice of the very Son of God, and trust in him, whom shall we hear, and whom shall we believe? We may well say with S. Peter, Lord, to whom shall we go? For thou haste the word of eternal life. D. The testimony that ²hath been recited out of the Epistle to the Hebrews, doth show us plainly into what danger we put our selves, if we despise the doctrine which the Son of GOD ⟨p. 180⟩hath brought unto us from heaven, which ringeth in his Church through the mouth of his Ministers, and is daily set before us in the holy Scriptures. T. It is greatly to be feared that if they which despised the doctrine which was brought unto them by the servant, were so grievously punished: ³they which shall contemn the Lord and Master, deserve to be double punished. D. For y• very cause our Lord Jesus Christ said, that the judgement shall be more easy ⁴against those of Sodom and of Gomorrah, then against them that would not receive his Gospel, and the bringers of the same.

T. MEn ought to consider and thinke wel on that which thou sayest: and truely God hath geuen vs a greate gifte, and hath shewed vnto vs a great token of loue, when that after thys greate and worthye personage Moyses, and so manye other excellent Patriarches and Prophetes, he woulde also sende hys owne Sonne, and woulde himselfe speake vnto vs by hym, and teache vs the true and ryghte waye of sauation, and woulde leade and bryng vs thither

¶ Of the difference that men do commonly put between the law of rigour, and the law of grace, and of the abuse that therein is.

¶ Of the difference that men do commonly put betvvene the lavve of rigor, and the lavve of grace, and of the abuse that therein is.

T. How do these things agree then with the difference that we see men put commonly between the old and the new Testament and between the law of Moses which was given to the Jews, and the law of Jesus Christ given to the Christians? For men do commonly call y• of Moses and the old Testament, the law of rigour: and that of Jesus Christ and the new Testament, the law of grace. D. Do these men which make that distinction think that God is changed since the time that he gave his law by Moses, & that he doth not as much hate iniquity now, as he did then? Do they think that he can better endure the outrage that is done to his own Son, then he could do that which was done to his servant? Do they think that Jesus Christ came into the world to increase & allow sin, and not rather to make it more & more hateful and to put it away? T. It is like so: for if a man do allege that adultery must be punished, and will show how much it displeaseth God, for so ¹much as he commanded in the law of Moses, that adulteries should be punished by death: they have forthwith their recourse to this distinction of the law of rigour & of grace, saying ⟨p. 181⟩that we are under the law of grace, and not under the law of rigour. And although they do the like in divers other such crimes, yet is there none to whom they would make this law of grace more beneficial then to whores & whoremasters. D. Wherefore do they not then cause that law of grace to be as favourable to thieves, whom they condemn to death, which the law of Moses doth not, as it doth the adulterers? But what is the cause that murderers & thieves, ²and all other evil doers are punished? why have they no part of this law of grace? T. They think that they have greater reason concerning the punishment of adulteries, because that Jesus Christ would not condemn the woman ³which was taken in adultery and brought unto him by the Jews. D. Will they by that mean conclude that Jesus Christ did more favour adulteries, than he did other offences and crimes? They are therein greatly deceived. For Jesus Christ did not that which he did in that matter, to give men to understand that whores and whoremasters should remain unpunished: but for y that his office tended not thereunto:

and that he would confound the hypocrisy of those which had brought her unto him, and therefore he would have done no less touching any other offence. Therefore we may not in this sort abuse the grace which is brought unto us by Jesus Christ. T. Yet notwithstanding y• matter passeth so at this day.

and that he woulde confound the hypocrisie of those which had brought her vnto him, and therefore he woulde haue done no lesse touching any other offence. Therfore we may not in this sort abuse the grace which is brought vnto vs by Iesus Christ. T. Yet notwithstanding y• matter passeth so at this daye.

¶ Of the difference and diversity of the laws of Moses, and of their nature.

¶ Of the difference and diuersitie of the lavves of Moyses, and of their nature.

D. IT is very true, as it hath been already declared else where, that we ought to consider in sundry wise of y• law of Moses, and that there is great difference between the law whereof Moses was minister, and the Gospel, which appertaineth properly to the ministry of Jesus Christ. Men have accustomed to deuyde the law of Moses into three kinds, of the which the first was commonly ⟨p. 182⟩called moral, the other ceremonial, & the other civil. Thou hast already heard a part of mine opinion and judgement touching that matter, I have already declared how that the law of God which we do call moral, the which containeth the declaration of the everlasting will of God, did nothing differ, or at the least very smally from that law that we call natural, which God hath engraven in the harts of men: and y• that law written was given but only to make us to understand, and to restore unto us that goodness which sin hath taken from us, and to declare unto us how far a way it hath carried from us the innocency, holiness and perfection, which ought to be in us: and should in deed have been in us, if sin had not entered into the world, and that we had continued still in that estate in the which the first man was created. For seeing that he was created according to the image of God, there is no doubt but that the will of God, and that which he requireth of us, was printed in that image, which should always have governed and ruled the will of man, and should always have maintained it agreeable with the will of God, and should have been unto us a law for ever. And afterward I have also declared how that the law ceremonial and civil, were nothing else but as dependencies of that law, commonly called morale and decalogue, (becau•e that it containeth ten commandments, which are called in the Scripture, y• ten words) to serve to lead men in the keeping of that law, as well concerning those things which directly belong to God and to his divine service, to the which the ceremonial law hath regard: as unto those things which touch our neighbour, to the which the civil laws have their chief respect: whereupon it hath been declared in what sort both the one and the other of these two kind of laws might be abolished & put away, and what liberty we have concerning the same through our Lord Jesus Christ.

¶ Of the abolishing of the law of Moses, and of the old Testament, and of the things which ought to be considered therein.

¶ Of the abolishing of the lavve of Moyses, and of the olde Testament, and of the things vvhich ought to be considered therin.

T. I Have well understood all this, but I do think, that I have also heard say that the whole law of Moses was abolished. And in like sort I have heard say that we have now no more to do neither with Moses his law, nor any part of the old Testament, but with Jesus Christ & his gospel. Wherefore I would gladly know of thee if this law of decalogue be also abolished or no, or whether we be yet subject unto it, or ells that we be clearly free from it, and how we ought to think of it. And then I do think that it shall be more easy for me afterward to understand, if the distinction of the law of rigour and of grace (of the which we have lately spoken) be any thing meet in such a matter, and how we ought to use both the one and the other. D. Beside those things whereof we have already spoken, we must note if we will well understand this matter, that this abolishing must be considered in two sorts. The one concerning the transgression, the other the fulfilling of the law. The transgression ¹bringeth with it the wrath and curse of God upon yt transgressor, and maketh every man subject to that curse and wrath. The mean to be delivered, is by faith, by the which we embrace Jesus Christ with all the good gifts that are in him, now it is written that he would become subject to the law, to deliver from subjection of the law those that be subject thereunto: and that he being hanged upon a tree, was made accursed for us, bearing upon himself the curse ²which was due for our transgression to abolish the same, and to make us partakers of the blessing of God, which was promised to Abraham and to other holy Patriarchs and Prophets through him. For it is he that is the true seed of ³Abraham, in & through whom that promised blessing was sprinkled upon all people and nations.

T. I Haue well vnderstoode all this, but I do thinke, that I haue also heard say yt the whole law of Moses was abolished. And in like sort I haue heard say yt we haue now no more to do neither with Moyses his law, nor any part of the old Testament, but wt Iesus Christ & his gospel. Wherfore I woulde gladly know of thee if this law of decalogue be also abolished or no, or whether we be yet subiect vnto it, or ells that we be clerely free from it, and how we ought to thinke of it. And then I do thinke yt it shal be more easye for me afterward to vnderstand, if the distinction of the law of rigour and of grace (of the which we haue lately spoken) be any thing meete in such a matter, and how we ought to vse both the one and the other. D. Beside those things wherof we haue alreadye spoken, we muste note if we will well vnderstand thys matter, that thys abolyshing must be considered in two sortes. The one concerning the transgression, the other the fulfillyng of the lawe. The transgression