Same: Of the Likeness and Difference of Both the Testaments and People, the Old and the New. The Eighth Sermon
AuvrnoueH I have hitherto in large sermons laid forth! the law of God by several parts, yet methinketh I have not said all that should be said, nor made an end as I should do, unless I add now a treatise of the use, effect, fulfilling, and abrogating of the law of God; albeit I have here and there in my sermons? touched the same argument. Now by this discourse or treatise, dearly beloved, ye shall understand, that the Testament of the old and new church of God is all one; and that there is but one means of true salvation for all them that either have or else at this present are saved in the world: ye shall also perceive wherein the old Testament? doth differ from the new. Moreover this treatise will be necessary and very profitable both to the understanding of many places in the holy scripture, and also to the easy perceiving and most wholesome use of those things which I have said hitherto touching the law. God, who is the author, the
[1 qua potui diligentia, Lat.; with my best diligence.] [2 in hisce nostris sermonibus, Lat.] [3 quid novum testamentum differat a veteri, Lat.]]
wisdom, and the perfect fulness of the law, give me grace to speak those things that are to the setting forth of his glory, The use of God’s law is manifold and of sundry sorts; and profitable for the health of your souls. and yet it may be called back to three especial points, and we may say that the use thereof is threefold or of three sorts.
For first of all, the chief and proper office of the law is, to convince all men to be guilty of sin, and by their own fault to be the children of death. For the law of God setteth forth to us the holy will of God; and, in the setting forth thereof, requireth of us a most perfect and absolute kind of righteousness. And for that cause the law is wont to be called the testimony of God’s will, and the most perfect exemplar of his divine pureness. And hereunto belong those words of the Lord in the gospel, where he, reciting shortly the sum of God’s commandments, doth say: “The first of all the commandments is: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord: and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment. And the second is like to this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.” Therefore to this doth also appertain that saying of the apostle Paul: “The end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and a good conscience, and faith unfeigned.” But since the law doth require at all our hands most absolute righteousness, charity, and a pure heart, it doth condemn all men of sin, unrighteousness, and death. For in the law of God it is expressly said: “Cursed is every one which abideth not in all that is written in the book of the law to do it.” But what one of us fulfilleth all the points of the law? What man, I pray, either heretofore hath had, or at this day? hath, a pure heart within him? What man hath ever loved, or doth now love, God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind? What man is he that did never lust after evil? Or who is it now that lusteth not every day? Therefore imperfection and sin is by the law, or by the bewraying of the
[4 nostrarum, Lat.; our.] [5 adeoque, Lat.; and so a.] [6 certe, Lat. undoubtedly.] (7 etiam hodie, Lat.]]
law, revealed in mankind2 What shall we say to this? Where, I pray you, doth there appear in any man that divine and most absolute righteousness, which the law requireth? Job erieth, “I know verily that a man, compared to God, cannot be justified.” Or, “How shall a man be found right-
[1 indicio legis, Lat.) [2 ut non dicam hic aliud gravius, Lat. omitted; not to allege here]
[any severer charge.) [3 So the Vulgate; and Coverdale, 1535.] [4 item, Lat.; again.] [5 snecinit huic, Lat.; like to these, ed. 1577.] [6 res nostras, Lat.] [7 non imputabatur, vel reputabatur, Lat.; or not considered,]
[Rom. v. 13.]]
Viz] USE, FULFILLING, AND ABROGATION OF THE LAW. 299 occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law sin was dead. I once lived without law; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I was dead. And it was found, that the same commandment, which was ordained unto life, was unto me an occasion of death, &e.” For a good part of that chapter is spent in that matter. Therefore the proper office of Moses, and the principal use and effect of the law, is to shew to man his sin and imperfection?
As for those which stay here, and go no further to make any other use and effect of the law, but as though Moses did nothing but kill, and the law nothing but slay; they are diversly, and that not lightly, deceived. I do here again repeat it, and tell them, that the very proper office of the law is, to make sin manifest; and also that Moses his chief office is, to teach us what we have to do, and with threatenings and cursings to urge it, especially when the law is compared with the gospel. For in the third chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians Paul calleth the law the letter; and immediately after, the ministration of death; then again, he calleth it a doctrine written in letters and ink, and! figured in tables of stone, which should not endure, but perish and decay. The same apostle, on the other side again!? doth call the gospel the ministration or doctrine of the Spirit, which endureth and decayeth not, which is written in men’s hearts, and giveth life to the believers’>. Whereupon we do freely confess, that the law doth properly make manifest our infirmity 4; but the gospel giveth a medicine, and a remedy to that which was almost past hope.
And now here we must think that our holy ancestors had not the law, alone to convince them of sin; nor Moses, to do nothing else but kill and slay; nor that Moses was given to wound them, but to heal them’: and that, not by his own power or virtue, but by the guiding of them to him that cherisheth the contrite in heart, and healeth all their sor-
[8 occasione accepta, peccatum per preeceptum genuit, Lat.; and]
[Erasmus. ] [9 mortuus sum, Lat. ] [10 morbum, sive peccatum, Lat.] [11 rursus, Lat.) [13 protinus, Lat.; and immediately.) [13 to the believers, not in Lat.) [16 morbum, Lat.] [15 ut mederetur etiam, Lat.; but to heal also. ]]
rows: that is Christ Jesus, -who also wrought by the ministery of Moses. For we must not think, from the beginning of the world, nor from Moses his time till the coming of Christ!, that the bare letter was preached only, and that the grace and Spirit of God was idle and wrought not in the minds of the faithful: for in that the law doth shew us, and invineibly prove to us, that in us, I mean, in our flesh, that perfection is not, which the most holy and perfect God doth in his law require of us, it doth therein revoke and pull back mankind (not by the virtue of itself, but by the power of the quickening Spirit of Christ) from confidence of the flesh? as that wherein there is no health nor jot of perfection; and so consequently doth give us occasion to turn ourselves to Christ our mediator, who is alone our sanctification and perfection. And so, for this occasion3, the law is a path and ready way, and, as it were, a schoolmaster? given by God to us men, to draw us from all confidence in our own strengths, from all hope of our own merits’, and from the trust in any kind of creatures, and to lead us directly by faith to Christ, who was i 3.) made by God (as I said even now) our “righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,” without whom there is no salvation under the sun. Therefore Moses did not only urge the law, but did also preach Christ and life in Christ. For the Lord in the gospel saith to the Jews: “Think not that I will accuse
45. you to my Father; there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For if ye had believed Moses, ye would undoubtedly have believed me: for he wrote of me.” And Paul to the Galatians saith: “If there had been a law given which could have given life, then no doubt righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ should be given unto them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, and were shut up into the faith which should afterward be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster unto Christ, that we should be jus-
[1 ad Christum usque, Lat. ] [2 ab omni carne, Lat.] [3 juxta hanc concomitantiam vel occasionem, Lat. ] [4 adeoque et peedagogus, Lat. ] [6 ab omni operum nostrorum respectu, Lat.; from all regard of]
[our own works. ] [6 apud Patrem, Lat.]]
tified by faith,” Lo, what could be said more plainly, than that the law hath concluded all under sin? But to what end? That the promise by the faith of Christ Jesus should be given unto them that do believe.” And again: “Before faith came,” that is, before he came to whom our faith is directed, and upon whom it is grounded’, “we were kept under the law.” How? Forsooth, being shut up unto the faith that was to be revealed. Therefore our fathers were shut up in the law, that they should not break out at any time, and seek for life and salvation any where else but in Christ alone. Wherefore law did lead us by faith directly unto Christ. And yet more plainly he saith: “The law was our schoolmaster unto Christ.” Lo, here again the law doth bring us to Christ. And again he addeth; “That we should be justified by faith.” Therefore the law setteth forward the true doctrine of justification, teaching plainly that we are justified by faith in Christ, and not by the merits of our own works. In which point it is openly like unto the gospel, and taketh to itself the office of the gospel: and no marvel, since to many men, through their own fault, the gospel doth become and is made the letter. Furthermore, the same apostle doth in another place say, that “in sacrifices they called their sins to remembrance,” and we know that in them was prefigured!? the purging of sins. Therefore even the ceremonial laws also led them to Christ, testifying and teaching them that he alone doth cleanse us from all our sins. Whereupon I conclude that the office of Moses and of the law both was and is, to open to us our sin and judgment; and yet not to condemn us only, but also by occasion to lead us to Christ.
By which we learn also, that the law doth not only teach us the first principles and rudiments of righteousness, but the very true and absolute righteousness. For Moses doth expressly say, that he taught a most perfect and absolute of doctrine, as that wherein both life and death doth wholly consist. And the apostle saith, that the law leadeth
[7 See Vol. 1. Addend. in pag. 112, line 32.] [8 us, not in Lat.] [9 En, ducit lex ad Christum etiam, Lat.] [10 miscetur evangelio, Lat.] [11 ipsum evangelium, Lat.; the gospel itself. ] [12 also prefigured, Lat.] 16 [BULLINGER, I1.]]
us by the hand to Christ, that we should be justified by faith. Now the righteousness of faith is the most perfect right- @ousness, Therefore, whereas the precepts of the law are in some places called the rudiments of the world?!, that is for two especial causes: the first whereof is, because the law is, as it were, the first instructions or elements, which, when the doctrine of the gospel cometh, is finished, and giveth place to it as to more absolute principles; the latter cause is, because ceremonies are taught under outward things or signs, when as in those outward things they do prefigure, and set forth to be seen, the inward things, even Christ himself and his holy mysteries.
And out of that which I have hitherto said we may also learn, that the ancient saints, which lived under the old testament, did not seek for righteousness and salvation in the works of the law, but in him which is the perfectness and end of the law, even Christ Jesus; and therefore that they used the law and the ceremonies as a guide and schoolmistress to lead them by the hand to Christ their Saviour. For so often as they heard that the law required perfect righteousness at their hands, they did by faith through grace? of understand, that in the law Christ was set forth to be the most absolute righteousness, to whom all men ought to fly for the obtaining of righteousness. So often as they met together in the holy congregation, to behold the holy ceremonies which God hath ordained, they did not look upon the bare figures only, nor think that they did please Godand were purged from their sins, by that external kind of worship4; but they did cast the eyes of their minds and of faith upon the Messiah to come, who was prefigured in all the ceremonies and ordinances of the law. They therefore did abuse the law, who thought that they were acceptable to God, and that they served him as they should, because they were busy in those ceremonial works. For those thoughts and persuasions the prophets in their sermons did sharply accuse, and evermore cry out upon. And in that ἃς. sense, and for that cause, the people of Israel is many times called a carnal people: not that all the patriarchs and fathers before the coming of Christ were carnal or fleshly; but for [ Gal. iv. 3. Marg. Coloss. ii. 8, 20.] [3 donata ex gratia, Lat.]
[3 in loco sacro, Lat.) [4 propter cultum illum, Lat.]
because they did as yet live then under those external shadows and outward figures; and for because there were peradventure among the people some that did not perceive the spiritual things shadowed under those external figures, and did think perhaps that they were acceptable to God for the working and doing of that external works,
The second use and another office of the law is, to teach them that are justified in faith by Christ what to follow and what to eschew, and how the godly and faithful sort should worship? God. For the law of God doth comprehend a most absolute doctrine both of faith in God, and also of all good works, For in the first use of the law I declared how the moral and ceremonial law doth teach us faith in God and Christ bis Son, and how it bringeth man to the knowledge of himself, that he may understand how that in himself, that is, in the nature of man, there is no good thing nor any life; but that all the gifts of life, of virtues, and salvation, are of God the Father, the only well-spring of all goodness, through Christ his Son our Saviour. In this second argument of the end? the use, or office of the law of God, we must acknowledge all the forms of virtues, and the treasure of all goodness, to be set forth unto us in the law 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 moral law doth teach us what we owe to God, and how he will be worshipped of us: the second table frameth the offices of life, and teacheth us how to behave ourselves toward our neighbour, The ceremonies also do belong to religion!; and. the judicials teach the government of an house or a commonweal, so that by them we may live honestly among ourselves and holily to God-wards. Therefore the law doth teach all justice, temperance, fortitude, and wisdom, and instructeth a godly man in every good work [ὅ elementis et figuris, Lat. ] [6 propter opus externum operatum aut perfectum, Lat. See also Bullinger, adv. Anabapt. Lib. 1v. cap. 3.] [7 rite colant, Lat.] [8 per Christum, sive Messiam, Lat.) [9 In presenti, id est, in consideratione secundi finis, ὅσο. Lat.] [19 omnium bonorum operum, Lat.] Ε [1 ad cultum, Lat.; to the worship (of God).] 16—=2
wherein it is necessary that an holy worshipper of God should be instructed. Wherefore so often as the holy prophets of God would set up again and restore the worship of God and true religion that was decayed; so often as they would cry out upon and rebuke! the faults and errors of men; and lastly, when they would teach them to do those good works, which are good works indeed, they led them always? unto the law, and cited all their testimonies out of the law. Whereof we have evident examples in the fifteenth Psalm of David, and in the first and thirty-third chapter of Esay’s Prophecy, and in the eighteenth of Ezekiel also. Paul in the thirteenth to the Romans referreth all the offices of our life to the law of charity; for the Lord himself, before Paul, had done the same in the gospel. Moreover the prophet David in the ninety-fourth Psalm ecrieth, “Blessed is the man, O Lord, whom thou instructest in thy law;” and in the seventy-eighth Psalm, ‘” He made a covenant to Jacob, and gave a law in Israel, that the posterity might know it, and put their trust in the Lord, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.” Again, in the nineteenth Psalm he saith: “The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, and giveth wisdom unto the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, and rejoice the heart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, and giveth light unto the eyes. The fear of the Lord is holy, and endureth for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether: more to be desired are they than gold and precious stone; and sweeter than honey and the honeycomb.” And to this end tendeth the sense of all the alphabetical psalm, which is in order of number the 119th.
The third use or office of the law is to repress the un- ruly; and those whom no reason can move to orderliness the law commandeth to constrain with punishment, that honesty, peace, and public tranquillity, may be maintained in christian
[1 corrigere, Lat.] [2 semper ac unice, Lat.; always and alone.] [3 justificata in semetipsa, Lat. and Vulg.; justified in themselves,]
[Douay. ] [4 lapidem pretiosum, Lat. and Vulg.] [6 divine legis, Lat.)]
commonweals. For some there are, and that no small number of people, which do refrain from doing evil, and live somewhat tolerably, not so much for the love of virtue, as for the fear of punishment that will ensue their inordinate living. i Therefore it pleased the goodness of God, by giving the law, to put in a caveat, and to make a proviso for the tranquillity of mankind. And to this it seemeth that the apostle had an eye when he said: “We know, that the law was not given to the just, but to the unjust, to the lawless and disobedient, to the ungodly and to sinners, to unholy” and unclean, to murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, to manslayers, to whoremongers, to them that defile themselves with mankind, to man-stealers, to liars, to perjured; and if there be any other thing that is contrary to wholesome doctrine,” &ec.
After the declaration of the use, the end, and the office of the law, I have next to teach you how, and by what means, the law of God is fulfilled. It is unpossible for any man, of his own strength, to fulfil the law, and fully to satisfy the will of God in all points. For it is manifest that in the law there is not required the outward work only, but also the pureness of the inward affections, and, as it were, as I said even now, a certain heavenly and absolute perfectness. For the Lord himself in one place crieth, “” Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” But so absolute a perfectness is not found in us so long as we live in this flesh: for the flesh, even to the very last end of our life, deth keep still her corrupt disposition; and although it doth many times receive an overthrow by the spirit, that striveth against it, yet doth it still renew the fight?; so that in us there is not found, nor in our strength there doth remain!, that heavenly and most absolute perfectness. But let us hear the testimony of the holy apostle Paul touching this matter, who saith: “We know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I” would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.” And
[6 in christian commonweals, not in the original. ] [7 irreverentibus, Lat. ] [8 divinam perfectionem, Lat.] [? usque tamen recurrit, Lat. Cf. Horat. Ep. Lib. 1. 10, 24.] [10 ex nostris viribus derivetur, Lat.]]
again: “I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but I find no means to perform that which is good.” Again: “I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, and subduing me unto the law of sin which is in my members.” And at the last he concludeth, and saith: “So then with the mind I myself! serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” Now some there are which think that Paul gpake these words not of himself, but of the persons of others which were carnal men and not as yet regenerate. But the very words of the apostle do enforce the reader, whether he will or no, to confess, that the words recited may be applied even to the man that is most spiritual. Augustine, 1. Lib. Retractat. cap. 23, saith, that he himself was sometime of opinion, that those words of the apostle ought to be expounded of the man which was under the law, and not under grace; but he confesseth, that he was compelled by the authority of others’ writings and treatises to think that the apostle spake them of such men as were most spiritual, and of his own person: as he doth at large declare in his book? against the Pelagians, Even St Hierome also, who is said to have thundered out a most horrible curse against them that taught that the law did command things unpossible?, doth expressly write to Rusticus, that Paul in this place speaketh of
[[ idem ego, Lat., and Erasmus.] [3 maxime spiritualibus competere, Lat. ] [3 libris, Lat.; books, ed. 1577.] [ In (eo) libro, “Quod autem ait,” inquam, “Scimus quia lex spi-]
[ritalis est, ego autem carnalis sum, venundatus sub peccato, satis ostendit,]
[non posse impleri legem, nisi a spiritalibus, quales facit gratia Dei.”]
[Quod utique non ex persona Apostoli accipi volui, qui jam spiritalis]
[erat; sed hominis sub lege positi, nondum sub gratia. Sic enim prius]
[hee verba sapiebam, que postea lectis quibusdam divinorum tracta-]
[toribus eloquiorum, quorum me moveret auctoritas, consideravi dili-]
[gentius et vidi etiam de ipso apostolo posse intelligi, quod ait, Scimus ἷ]
[quoniam lex spiritalis est, ego autem carnalis sum. Quod in eis libris 3]
[quos contra Pelagianos nuper scripsi, quantum potui diligenter ostendi.”]
[—Retract. 1. 23. Aug. Opp. Par. 1531. Tom. 1. fol. 7. col. 3.] ἔξ [5 Execramur etiam eorum blasphemiam, qui dicunt impossibile]
[aliquid homini a Deo praeceptum esse. Symboli Explan. ad Damasum.]
[Hieron. Opp. Tom. v, col. 124. Par. 1706. But this treatise is not y]
[Jerome’. ]]
his own person But if the flesh and the corrupt disposition thereof remain, whereby it doth uncessantly strive with the spirit, then, verily, that heavenly perfectness is never perfit in us so long as we live; and so, consequently, so long as we live, none of us fulfilleth the law.
Here also is to be inserted that disputation of Paul, where he proveth that no mortal man is justified by the works of the law: his meaning is, not that no man is justified by the very works of the law, but that no man is justified by the works of our corrupt nature’, which doth not perform that which the law of God requireth; for, as the same apostle saith, it is not able to perform it. And very well truly? saith he; “We know that a man is not justified by the deeds of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ: and we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the deeds of the law; because by the deeds of the law no flesh shall be justified.” Neither must we by the deeds of the law understand the ceremonies only: for even as the ceremonies do not, so likewise do not the morals, justify us men. The apostle speaketh of the morals, when he speaketh of the deeds of the law. For in the third chapter to the Romans the same apostle saith: “By the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight.” And immediately after he addeth the reason why, saying; “for by the law cometh the knowledge of sin.” But in the seventh chapter he sheweth by what law, to wit, the moral law. For the moral law saith, Thou shalt not lust.” But the apostle saith, “I knew not sin but by the law; for I had not known concupiscence, if the law had not said, Thou shalt not lust.” In his epistle to the Ephesians he speaketh to the Gentiles, and saith simply that works do not justify: but, speaking to the Gentiles, he could not mean it of ceremonial laws, but of the very moral virtues, that is, all kinds of works that seemed to be good. To the Galatians he saith: ‘ As many as are of the deeds of the law are under the curse.” [6 Hieron. Opp. Tom. 1v. par. sec. col. 772. Ep. 95. Bullinger, Expos. in Ep. ad. Rom. Cap. vir. p. 66. Tigur. 1537.]
[7 The translator has here (from, his meaning is,’ &c.) entirely mistaken Bullinger’s words, which are; non legis quidem, sed corruptew nature nostree vitio: not indeed through any fault of the law, but through the fault of our corrupt nature. ]
[8 diserte quidem, Lat.]
And to prove that, he addeth; “For it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” Now unless we do by the deeds of the law understand the morals, as well as the ceremonials, I do not see how his proof can hang to that which went before. For he saith expressly, “In all things which are written in the book of the law! to do them.” Now who knoweth not that the ceremonials were not written alone, but that the morals were written also? And St Augustine in his book, De Spiritu et litera, cap. vir? doth by many arguments prove, that Paul by the deeds of the law did understand the morals also3.
Now that we may conclude this place, I will here recite the words of the apostle in the eighth chapter to the Romans, saying: “What the law could not do, inasmuch as it was weak through the flesh, that God performed by sending his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, and by sin condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, which walk not after flesh, but after the spirit.” The apostle in these words teacheth us two things: first, that the law neither can now, nor never could, justify us men. The fault of this weakness or lack of ability he casteth not upon the law, which is of itself good and effectual, and is the doctrine of most absolute righteousness; but he layeth the fault thereof upon our corrupt flesh. Our flesh neither could, nor can, perform that which is required of us by the law of God. Whereupon St Peter, in the council held at Hierusalem, 15 read to have said: “Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put on the disciples’ necks the yoke, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?” The latter is inferred upon the r [1 legis hujus, Lat.; of this law. ]
[2 preesertim cap. 8, Lat.; and more especially in chap. 8.]
[3 Ac ne quisquam putaret hic Apostolum ea lege dixisse neminem justificari, que in sacramentis veteribus multa continet figurata preecepta, unde etiam ipsa est circumecisio carnis, quam die octavo accipere parvuli jussi sunt; continuo subjunxit quam legem dixerit, et ait, Per legem enim cognitio peccati, &c.—Lib. de Spiritu et Litera. ch. vir. Aug. Op. Par. 1531, Tom. m1. fol. 172. col. 2. Several similar passages are contained in the same treatise. ]
[[ verses 3. 4. Bullinger has adopted Erasmus’ rendering. But]
[see below, p. 258, note 1.] [6 bona lege, Lat.; by the good law.]]
first, to wit, when the law could not give us life, nor we were able to do that which the law required at our hands, then God, who is rich in mercy and goodness, sent his Son into the world, that he, being incarnate, should die for us, and so ἃ take away the sin of our imperfection, and bestow on us his perfectness and fulness of the law. By this therefore it is manifest that Christ hath fulfilled the law, and that he is the perfectness of all the faithful in the world.
But here this place requireth a more full exposition, how Christ hath fulfilled the law, and how he is made our perfectness. First of all, whatsoever things are promised and prefigured in the law and the prophets, all those hath Christ our Lord fulfilled. For those promises; The seed of the woman shall crush the serpent’s head: In thee shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed;”” and other more innumerable like to these did our Lord fulfil, when he, being born into this world, made an atonement for us, and brought back life to us again. In like manner he fulfilled all the ceremonials, while he himself, being both priest and sacrifice, did offer up himself, and is now and ever an effectual and everlasting sacrifice, and an eternal high priest, making intercession always at the right hand of the Father for all faithful believers. He also doth spiritually circumcise the faithful, and hath given them instead of circumcision the sacrament of? baptism. He is our passover, who instead of the paschal lamb hath ordained the Eucharist, or supper of the Lord. Finally, he is the fulfilling and perfectness of the law and the prophets. Moreover our Lord fulfilled the law, in that he did most absolutely in all points satisfy the will of God, being himself the holiest of all?, in whom there is no spot, no evil concupiscence, nor any sin: in him is the love of God most perfect, and righteousness altogether absolute; which righteousness he doth freely communicate to us that are most unperfect, if we believe and have our hope fast settled in him!%, For he forgiveth us our sins, being made a cleansing sacrifice for us,
[6 perfectionem suam nobis conferret in fide, qui est perfectio et]
[plenitudo legis, Lat.; and bestow on us his perfectness in faith, being]
[himself the perfectness and fulness of the law. Ed. 1577.] [7 the sacrament of, not in Lat.] [ et mens, Lat.; omitted. ] [9 sanctus sanctorum, Lat.] [10 and have—him, not in Lat.]]
and maketh us partakers of his own righteousness; which is for that cause called imputed righteousness’. Whereunto the testimonies of the apostledo appertain. “God,” saith Paul, “was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their sins unto them. For him, which knew no sin, he made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God
3. by him2” Again: “Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness, without works. So also, if we believe in God through Christ, our faith shall be imputed to us for righteousness.” For by faith we lay hold on Christ, whom we believe to have made most absolute satisfaction to God for us, and so consequently that God for Christ his sake is pleased with us, and that his righteousness is imputed to us as our own (and is indeed by gift our own), because we are now the sons of God.
[2 2 Cor. v. 19, 21, per illum, Lat.; Erasmus’ rendering. Calvin ς]
[retains the “in ipso” of the Vulgate; melius enim quadrat menti Pau-]
[linge illa significatio. Com. in loc. cit. ] Ἷ [3 certe absque operibus, Lat. ] J [4 Christi justitiam gratis imputari, Lat.] [5 discrepare, Lat.]]
unto justification to every one that doth believe. And therefore he doth fulfil and keep the law, who hath no confidence in himself and his own works, but, committing himself to the very grace of God, doth seek all righteousness in the faith of Christ. Whereupon now it is evident, that these two sentences of Christ our Lord are of one sense and meaning; Whosoever believeth in me, he hath life everlasting:” and, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” For Paul also in the thirteenth chapter of the Acts saith: “Be it known unto you, brethren, that through Christ is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justified from all the things, from which he could not be justified by the law of Moses.” And to this place now belongeth all the work? of justification, of which I have at large disputed in another place.
Now that faith, wherewith we believe that Christ hath satisfied the law, and that he is our righteousness and our perfection, is neither of our own nature, nor of our own merits, but is by the grace of God poured into us through the Holy Spirit which is given into our hearts. This Spirit abiding in our hearts doth inflame our breasts with the love and desire of God’s law, to do our endeavour to the expressing? and shewing of the law in all our works and conversation: which desire and endeavour, although they be never fully accomplished by reason of the flesh’s frailty, or weakness of man’s nature, which remaineth in us even till the last gasp and end of our life, is notwithstanding acceptable to God by grace!! for Christ his sake alone; neither doth any godly man put any confidence in this other, but in the first fulfilling of the law, as that which is only absolute and perfect. For Paul in his epistle to the Romans crieth out: “Ὁ wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” And yet immediately after he answereth; “I thank God,” to wit, because he hath redeemed me from death, “through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then I myself with the mind serve the
[[ ver gratis, Lat.; true grace.] [7 negotium, Lat. ] [8 See Decade 1. Serm. 6.] [9 legitime, Lat.; omitted.) [10 carnis ingenium, Lat. ] [11 sed duntaxat, Lat.] [12 tantum, Lat.; omitted, alone.] [13 ex hoc corpore morti obnoxio, Lat.; Erasmus’ rendering. ]]
law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. There is then! no condemnation to them which are graffed? in Christ Jesu, which walk not after the flesh but after the spirit,” &e. Wherefore, since we are in Christ, we are in grace, and therefore is God pleased with our works, which, being given to us i by faithand by the liberal Spirit4, do proceed from an heart that loveth God, the giver of them 8118, For John said: “This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments; and his commandments are not grievous.” He addeth also the reason thereof, and saith; “For all that is born of God overcometh the world:” now every one is born of God that doth believe; as is declared in the first of St John.
By which it is easy to reconcile these two places, which heavy Seem at a blush to jar one with another: The laws of God are heavy, which neither we nor our fathers were able to τ bear: and, The laws of God are not grievous, or heavy to be borne. For they are not heavy to the faithful which are in Christ, and to those which have the gift of God’s Spirit, that is, to those that are reconciled to God by Christ their Lord and Saviour. Without Christ and faith in Christ they are most grievous and heavy to be borne of every unbeliever?”. So the faithful, being stirred up by the Spirit of God, doth voluntarily and of his own accord do good to all men, so far as his ability doth suffer him, and will not in any case do hurt to any man: not for because he feareth the punishment that in the law is appointed for the disobedient, unjust, and wrongful dealers; but for because he loveth God. And so also he fulfilleth the judicial law.
Here I know full well that thou wilt make this objection and say: If the law be fulfilled, and that the fulfilling? thereof hath a place in the saints and faithful ones, what needed then, I pray you, the abrogating of the law? What
[nunc, Lat.; omitted: πον. [2 qui insiti sunt, Lat., and Erasmus.] [3 ex fide, Lat.] [ ex liberali spiritu, Lat.; referring to Psalm li. 12, where Calvin]
[and Bucer read, spiritu liberali. See also p. 147, note 6.] [5 the giver of them all, not in Lat.] [6 insitis in Christo, Lat.] [7 and heavy—unbeliever, not in Lat.] [8 that the fulfilling thereof, not in Lat. ]]
needed Paul, and all the best divines, to dispute so largely - of the abrogation of the same? I will therefore say somewhat of the abrogation of the law, first generally, and then by parts peculiarly. But first of all, these words of the Lord in the gospel must be beaten into the head of every godly hearer?: “Think not,” saith he, “that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: yea, I came not to destroy, but to fulfil them. Verily, I say unto you, heaven and earth shall pass’, but one jot or tittle of the law shall not pass, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall loose one of the smallest of these commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Let every one therefore be assuredly persuaded that the law of God, which is the most excellent and perfect will of God, is for ever eternal, and cannot be at any time dissolved, either by men, or angels, or any other creatures. Let every man think that the law, so far as it is the rule how to live well and happily, so far as it is the bridle wherewith we are kept in the fear of the Lord, so far as it is a prick to awake the dulness of our flesh, and so far as it is given to instruct, correct, and rebuke us men, that so far, I say, it doth remain unabrogated!!, and hath even at this day her commodity in the church of God: and therefore the abrogating of the law consisteth in this that followeth.
I told you that God’s commandments require the whole man, and a very heavenly? kind of perfectness; which whosoever performeth not, he is accursed and condemned by the law. Now no man doth fulfil that righteousness: therefore are we all accursed by the law. But this curse is taken away, and most absolute righteousness is freely bestowed on us, through Christ Jesus. For Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made the curse, righteousness, and sanctification for us men. And so in this sense the law is abrogated; that is, the curse of the law is through Christ taken from the faithful, and true righteousness is bestowed upon us through grace by faith in the same Christ Jesus’s,
[9 insculpenda erunt animo pio, Lat.] [10 donec preetereat, Lat.; as in Auth. Ver.] [01 intactam, Lat.] [12 plane divinam, Lat.] [13 through grace—Jesus, not in Lat. ]]
» i » id 254 THE THIRD DECADE, ~ [sErM. For he is that blessed Seed in whom all the kindreds of the earth are blessed. He is our righteousness. For Paul saith, “By him every one that believeth is justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.” Therefore the law is put for the curse of the law: or else the law of God is taken for that which is bewrayed or made manifest by the law, that is to say, it is taken for sin; for by the law cometh the knowledge of sin. Therefore the law is abrogated, that is, sin is taken away, not that it should not be, or not shew itself! in us, but that it should not be imputed unto us and condemn us; “for there 15 no damnation to them that are in Christ Jesu?” Moreover the law is taken for the vengeance or punishment which is by the law appointed for transgressors. Therefore the law is abrogated, because the punishment appointed by the law
1.9.1 18 taken from the necks of the faithful believers; “for the law is not given to the righteous man.” For Christ delivered the faithful from eternal punishments, whiles he being guiltless did suffer afflictions for wicked sinners. Furthermore, the apostle saith: The fleshly mind is enmity against God: for it is not obedient to the law of God, neither can be.” But now this hatred or enmity of God’s law is by faith pulled out of the hearts of the faithful; and instead of it is graffed in the love of God’s most holy will: so that, in this sense also, the law is said to be abrogated, because the hatred of the law is taken away. And therefore the apostle compareth them that are under the law to bond-slaves, and them that are free from the law to sons and children3: to whom also he attributeth the spirit, not of bondage, but of adoption. For because ye are sons” saith he, “God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, which crieth, Abba, Father, &c.” To these may be added, that the law of God hath types and shadows, and that the ceremonies are very? burdensome, even as also the whole law is called a yoke. But now the Son of God came into this world, who, fulfilling the figures, shewed to us the very truth, and did abolish those types and shadows; so that now no man can
[1 exserat suas vires, Lat.] [2 Rom. viii. 1, qui insiti sunt in.] [3 liberis sive filiis, Lat. ] [ ejus filii, Lat.; his sons.] [5 satis alioqui, Lat.; are otherwise sufficiently. ]]
VIII] USE, FULFILLING, AND ABROGATION OF THE LAW. 200 condemn us for neglecting or passing over those ceremonies or figures: and so again in that sense the law of God is abrogated, that is to say, that kind of government which Moses ordained did come to nought, when Christ did come and his apostles began to teach. For they, without regard of the ecclesiastical regiment appointed by Moses, did congregate churches, to which they taught not that kind of regiment which Moses had ordained. For they did constantly reject the priesthood of Aaron, the sacraments, the sacrifices, and choice of days, of meats, and of apparel, which Moses had taught their elders; and instead of all those rites they preached Christ alone, and his two sacraments, &c.”
This have I said hitherto generally touching the abrogation of the law; and now again I will more largely expound the same by several parts.
The whole law? is divided into the moral, the ceremonial, and the judicial laws. The moral law now is contained in the ten commandments, the first precept whereof doth teach us to honour and worship one God alone, and not to match any strange gods with him. This commandment did our Lord Jesus in the gospel so earnestly urge and diligently teach, that we may perceive very well that in it nothing is altered. The second precept forbiddeth idolatry, that is, the worshipping and honouring of all manner images, whether they be the images of God himself, or of any of his creatures. But it is known that the apostles, in the doctrine of the gospel, did use all means that they could to banish and drive away all kind of idolatry. Paul and John cry, “Flee from idolatry.” And whereas Christ and his apostles do most diligently teach us to sanctify and glorify God’s holy name, they do thereby give their consent to the establishing of the third!’ commandment, which doth forbid to defile God’s name by taking it in vain. The fourth alone of all the commandments’, concerning the sanctifying of the sabbath-day, is of St Augustine called ceremonial’?. But it must not be simply understood to be
[6 nos judicare, Lat.] [7 et paucula sacramenta, &c., Lat.; and very few sacraments. [ et breviter, Lat.; omitted, and in few words. ] [9 lex Dei, Lat.] [10 the third, not in Lat.] [11 in universo decalogo, Lat.; omitted, of all the ten.]]
[Ξ [13 Inter omnia illa decem preecepta, solum ibi quod de Sabbato]
ceremonial: for so far forth as the outward worship of God requireth a certain appointed time to be exercised in, and carrieth with it the sacrifices of the law, so far, I say, it is ceremonial; but in respect that it teacheth to meet in holy assemblies to worship God, to pray, to preach, to be partakers of the sacraments, and to offer spiritual sacrifices, therein it is eternal and not ceremonial: as I have before declared in the exposition of the sabbath? The fifth precept, touching the honour due to parents, the Lord himself doth ratify in the fifteenth chapter of Matthew’s gospel; even as he doth also very diligently teach the sixth against murder, and the seventh against adultery, in the fifth chapter of the same gospel. The eighth, which is against theft, is renewed by the i. apostle, who giveth charge, that no man deceive? his brother, and that no man steal any more; but that every one should labour with his hands, that he may have things necessary for himself, and be able to give to him that wanteth. The ninth precept, which is for the bridling of the tongue, so that no lie be made nor false witness borne against our neighbour, is by Christ himself and his apostles confirmed so often as they give rules for the ordering of the tongue, and charge every man to speak the truth to his neighbour. And they also do condemn evil lusts and affections, whereby they do not abrogate but repair the tenth commandment, which doth forbid all manner of concupiscence. Therefore the whole abrogation of the ten commandments, so far forth as they are abrogated, doth consist in those points whereof I spake even now: to wit, that Christ in faith is our perfect and absolute righteousness, &ec. the apostle bearing witness thereunto, and saying: “What the law could not do, inasmuch as it was weak through the flesh, God, having sent his own Son in the similitude of sinful flesh, even by sin condemned sin in the flesh; that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, which walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit:” as is to be seen in the eighth to the Romans, I have therefore discussed the
[positum est, figuraté observandum preecipitur.—Aug. Januario. Ep. 119.]
[6 12. Op. Par. 1531. Tom. 1. fol. 110. col. 4. In the Bened. ed. it]
[stands ad Inquis. Jan. τι. 55.. 12. P.] [1 externa, Lat.; omitted.) [2 See Decade 11. Serm. 4.] [3 fraudet in negotio, Lat.] [4 tenth, not in Lat.] [6 verses 3,4, Bullinger varies in this quotation from himself at]
ER ’ sare vi] USE, FULFILLING, AND ABROGATION OF THE LAW, 257 brieflier of this matter, in this place, because I have at the full spoken of it in the treatise of the ten commandments.
I am now come to speak of the ceremonials. These ceremonials were given and granted until the time of amendment, to wit, until Messiah should come, Messiah is already come; therefore all the ceremonies, even to the coming, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ our Lord into the heavens, are come to an end, and have no place any longer in the church of the Christians. And yet here we must and do make a difference betwixt the writings concerning the ceremonies, and the very things of the ceremonies that are set down in writing; I mean, the very ceremonies themselves, or actions that were used. For the writings concerning the ceremonies, which were set forth by the Spirit of God, are not taken away from Christians’, nor abrogated, so that they may not be read, retained, or used in the church: as I declared in the second sermon of the first decade. For they are effectual to instruct us in Christ Jesu, while in them we do behold the manner how Christ was preached and prefigured to the ancient church of the holy fathers. Paul, verily, did most significantly preach Christ out of the ceremonies; which no man will deny that readeth diligently his epistle to the Hebrews: for he doth wonderfully in that epistle lay Christ and all his gifts before the eyes of all the church. Therefore the ceremonials both may and ought to be read in the church; so yet that in them Christ be sought, and, when he is found, be aptly preached. And for that cause, in the fifth and sixth sermons of this decade, where I handled the ceremonials, I annexed unto them certain notes of their significations, that I might open a way for the students of the scriptures and lovers of Christ to go forward and proceed in that kind of argument.
Now the ceremonial? things, or stuff of the ceremonies, of which sort are the priesthood, the place, the time, the sacrifice, and whatsoever else is like to these, are utterly
[page 253, and from Erasmus’ rendering, in these points: he reads]
[eo quod (which Calvin also prefers), instead of ea parte qua imbecillis]
[erat;—and sub specie carnis peccatricis, instead of carnis peccato ob-]
[noxie;—and instead of de peccato, per peccatum condemnavit pec-]
[catum. ] [6 necessario, Lat. omitted. ] [7 from Christians, not in Lat.] [8. Vol. 1. p. 59.] [ res ceremoniales, is Bullinger’s own term.] [BULLINGER, 11.] - 1]
ΞΡ rT 258 THE THIRD DECADE. [sErM. abrogated, so that henceforth they are neither used, nor have any place in the church of Christ. This did Jeremy foretell in the third chapter of his prophecy, saying: “In those days! they shall make no more boast of the ark of the Lord’s covenant? no man shall think upon it, neither shall any man make mention of it; for from thenceforth it shall neither be visited, neither shall such things be done any more.” By the ark the prophet meaneth those points of the law which are abolished by the coming of Christ. St Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews, by the promise that God made to Jeremy, saying, “that he would make a new covenant,” doth gather this observation: “In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath worn out the first; for that which is worn out, and waxed old, is ready to vanish away.” The same apostle to the Ephesians saith: “Christ is our peace, which hath made both one, and broken down the middle wall, that was a stop between us; taking away in his flesh? the hatred, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make of twain one new man in himself, so making peace.” Ephes. ii. God verily severed the Jews from the Gentiles, while he chose and consecrated them to be a peculiar people unto himself, not by the calling of the word only, but also by the sacraments. For there were ceremonies prescribed and given, which, as a middle wall betwixt the Jews and the Gentiles, should compass in and contain the heritage of the Lord: so that in the ceremonies the note of difference did consist, whereby the Jews were known to be the lawful heirs of God’s good promises, whereof the Gentiles had no part or portion. But Christ came into the world, to the intent that of two people, the Jews and the Gentiles, he might make one church; and therefore did he break down the middle wall that parted them, that is, he did clean take away the ceremonial ordi-
[1 dicit Dominus, Lat. omitted; saith the Lord.] [2 non dicant amplius, arca feederis Domini, Lat.) [ neque fiet ultra, Lat.; neither shall that be done any more.]
[Auth. Ver.] [5 etiam alia legalia, Lat. ] [5 apud Jeremiam, Lat.] [ porro, Lat.] [7 per carnem suam, Lat.] [8 includerent, Lat.; inclose.] [9 discriminis professio, Lat.] [10 ac (adeo ut) Judeis, ceu justis heeredibus addiceretur heereditas,]
[Lat.]]
nances which were a stop betwixt them. For Christ in that ~ case did the same that princes are wont to do, who, when they go about to bring two nations, that are at variance, into one kingdom and under one authority, do first take away the diversity of arms’?, which are the cognisances of their ancient hatred, that when the cause of the remembrance of the grudge is taken from their eyes, they may the better agree betwixt in mind and behaviour. For even so did Christ take away circumcision, the sacrifices, and all the ceremonies, to the end that of the Jews and Gentiles he might make one church and fellowship!4, Paul, to the Colossians, compareth the ceremonies to an obligation, or hand-writing’?, whereby God hath us bound, as it were, so that we cannot deny the guilt. But he saith that we were so delivered by Christ from the guilt, that the obligation or hand-writing was cancelled or torn in pieces. But by the cancelling of the hand-writing the debtor is acquitted and set at liberty. And therefore we read, that at the death of our Lord the veil of the temple was torn in pieces from the bottom up to the very top; that thereby all people might understand, both that sins were then forgiven them, and that the people of God was set at liberty from all the burden and yoke of the law. Verily, when the wicked, stiff-necked, and disloyal’s people of the Jews did, after the death of Christ, go on to exercise, prorogue’?,and to obtrude’s to all men the ceremonies, which were finished and abrogated at the coming of Messiah’?; then Christ, sitting at the right hand of the Father, did by the means of the Roman princes utterly deface their city, and overthrow? the temple, wherein they boasted’: which thing the prophet Daniel, and Balaam many
[1 which—them, not in Lat.] [12 diversas tesseras, Lat.; the variety of badges.] [185 legalibus, Lat.] [14 and fellowship, not in Lat.]]
[Ἷ [15 Coloss. ii. 14. Calvin’s words, in his Commentary on this pas-]
[f sage, are here again largely adopted by Bullinger. See also Calfhill’s]
[Answer, p. 123.] [ perfidus, Lat.] [17 prorogare, Lat.; to continue or prolong.] [18 pietatis ergo in templo, Lat. omitted; as a matter of religion in]
[the temple.] [19 at the coming of Messiah, not in Lat.] [20 funditus, Lat. omitted; to its foundations.] [21 wherein they boasted, not in Lat.] 17—=2]
a.” = co Se A hit, 260 THE THIRD DECADE. [sErM. hundred years before Daniel’s time, foretold and said should come to pass. Neither hitherto yet, by the space of 1500 years and more, have they had any place to restore and set up again their city and temple. Y In Theodoretus and Ruffinus we read that in the reign of Julian the emperor the Jews, with very great hope and presumption, went about to build a new temple; and that they sought the foundation thereof in the place where that temple stood which was burnt by Titus, son and general! to the emperor Vespasian: but Christ our Lord (who in the gospel foretold out of Daniel’s prophecy the desolation thereof, and did among other speeches say, “And Hierusalem shall be trodden under foot of the Gentiles, till the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled,”) did mightily repress their wicked endeavours, and hinder their labour for going forward. For when they had gathered and brought together many thousand bushels of lime and chalk, then suddenly came a whirlwind with a wonderful storm and blustering, which scattered abroad and carried away the store of stuff by them provided. There happened also a terrible earthquake, by which all the buildings almost of the whole place were swept away, and made even with the ground. Finally, when a great company, which were busy in the work, did the same night remain, or take their rest, in a certain porch or gallery near to the new begun city and temple, the whole building and roof thereof, falling down on a sudden, slew all the number that were within the reach thereof. In the morning they which remained alive ran together to seek every man for his friend among them that were slain by the ruinous building. And when those terrors could do no good, nor turn them from their purpose, then suddenly out of the trenches, foundations, and storehouses hard by, where their tools and other necessaries lay, there sprang forth a fearful fire, which burnt many that urged the work, and compelled the rest to take their heels. For in that one day it brake forth sundry times, and so at last repressed the stubborn rashness of that stiff-necked people. And for because these things should not be thought to have happened casually or at adventures, the night before and the night following there appeared in the sky a bright or glistering sign of the cross, and the garments of the Jews were filled over
[1 and general, not in Lat
with crosses, not bright but black, which could not be rid away or wiped out by any pains-taking or manner of means. They therefore, in spite of their teeth and full sore against their wills, being compelled with those horrible terrors, fearful judgments, and bitter plagues of Christ our Lord, forsook the place, and fled every man to his house, leaving the work unPR done, and openly confessing, that Jesus Christ, whom their forefathers had crucified, is a most mighty God, howsoever Julian, with Pharao? and the chief of the Jews, did persevere still in their disloyalty and despiteful blasphemy against him? and his holy church,
But howsoever the Jews do even at this day abide in their wilful stubbornness, the Lord did from heaven declare openly enough, that he is no longer delighted with the ceremonial rites, because he destroyed all the instruments belonging to that ancient kind of worship; and made the very shop of that old religion, I mean the temple and city of Hierusalem, level with the ground. Touching the temple, the Lord in the gospel spake to his disciples, when they with wondering did behold 1056, and said: “Do ye not see all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone standing upon another.” And again, weeping over the unthankful city, he said: “They shall not leave in thee one stone standing upon another, because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.” And now, that all this was word for word accomplished and fully finished, Josephus, an eye-witness of the same, doth largely testify in the eighteenth chapter of his seventh book De Bello Judaico’. Even very now I told you, that from one thousand and five hundred years ago unto this present time the Jews never had any place given them to build their temple up in again: whereby, if they were not beside themselves, they might
[2 licet cum Pharaone, et Julianus et potior Judzorum turba, Lat.] [ contra Christum, Lat.; and his holy church, not in Lat.] [1 Vide Theodoret. Eccl. Hist. 1m. 20. et Ruffin. Aquil. Hist. Eccles.]
[Lib. 1. cap. 37. 38. 39.] [5 legalibus vel, Lat.] [6 commonstrantibus, Lat.; point it out.] [7 This reference is according to the Latin edition of Josephus,]
[Basil, 1540. In the more modern editions the account is contained in]
[the chapters of the sixth, and the first chapter of the seventh book, de]
[Bell. Jud.]]
easily gather, that the Messiah is already come into the world, and that he hath abrogated all the ceremonial rites. _ It is ἃ very slender, or rather no defence at all for the are Jews to allege the words in the law, which are many times pehearsed, where the ceremonies are described: “Ye shall keep it for an everlasting ordinance.” For in this sense everlasting is taken for long lasting and unchangeable, so far forth as it hath respect unto the will or authority of mankind’, For the Lord did with threatening of grievous punishments forbid that mankind’s unadvisedness should change or abrogate the holy ceremonies. And yet, since he did ordain those ceremonies until the time of amendment, he? doth neither sin, nor yet incur the crime of unconstancy, when he doth change or take away the ceremonies according to the determinate purpose which he intended from the beginning. Moreover, so long as the thing signified doth not decay, and that the shadow only, or momentany figure4, doth vanish away, itis assuredly certain that the ceremony doth yet remain in full effect and substance. The whole man doth live for ever; and yet the things that are temporal or corruptible in him do perish in death, and are abolished in his clarification.
But that all these things may appear as clear as the daylight, I will particularly run through and touch the more notable sort of ceremonies. That the priesthood of Aaron is utterly abrogated, it is evident by the words which” the apostle citeth out of David, saying: The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedech.” Christ, therefore, is the one and only high priest, and that too an everlasting priest, having an immutable priesthood, which cannot by succession pass from him to any other man or angel. For he now, standing at the right hand of the Father in heaven, the very true temple which was prefigured by the tabernacle and temple at Jerusalem, doth make intercession for us, and doth all the offices of an high priest: of whom the apostle of Christ, St Paul, doth speak very largely in his epistle unto the Hebrews.
[1 quantum attinet homines, Lat.] [2 Deus, Lat.] [3 per ritum, Lat.; by the ceremony.] [4 cadit et, Lat.; falls, and.] [6 in substantia sua, Lat.] [6 i. 6. glorification.) [7 id maxime arguit quod, Lat. ]]
VIIL. Use, Fulfilling, and Abrogation of the Law. 263
This Christ Jesus, our high priest, hath consecrated all the faithful to be kings and priests unto himself. And yet notwithstanding he doth ordain ministers of the church, by doctrine and examples to instruct the church, and to minister the sacraments; I mean, not those old and ancient ones, but those which the Lord hath. substituted instead of the old ones. What doctrine they must teach, he doth expressly declare. The mystical attire and garments of the priesthood he neither did commend to his apostles, nor leave to his church, but took them away with all the ceremonies that are called the middle wall betwixt the Jews and Gentiles. The Lord himself and his apostle Paul will have the pastors of the people clad with righteousness and honesty; and do precisely remove the ministers of the church from superiority and secular affairs. They do also appoint stipends for the ministers to live upon; yet not those which the law allowed them, but such as were most tolerable and convenient for the state and condition of every church.
The Lord left the place to serve and worship God in free, without exception or binding to any one prescribed or peculiar place, when in the gospel after John he said: “The hour shall come, and is already, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father neither in this mountain, nor at. Jerusalem, but in the spirit and in truth: for such the Father requireth to worship him. God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” The apostle followed the Lord in this doctrine, and said; “I will that men pray in every place, lifting up pure hands, without anger.” Neither did the Lord in vain, as I shewed you even now, suffer the temple to be utterly overthrown, considering that at his death he had rent the veil thereof. And yet, for all that, the ecclesiastical assemblies are not thereby condemned: of which I spake in the exposition of the fourth precept?, “Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath-day.” Verily, the tabernacle and the temple bare the type of the catholic church of God, out of which there are no prayers nor oblations acceptable to the Lord. But the church is extended to the very ends of the world. And yet it followeth not thereupon, that all are in the church which are in the world: they alone are in the church, which through the [8 decretis, Lat.] [9 See Vol. 1. page 255.]
catholic faith are in the fellowship of Christ Jesus, and by the agreement of doctrine, by charity, and by the participation of the sacraments (unless some great necessity hinder them), are in the communion of the holy saints. But they burn incense
and sacrifice in high places, whosoever seek after any other sacrifice than the one and only oblation of Christ Jesus; or look for any other to offer their prayers to God the Father than Christ alone!, as they are taught by the mouth of the pastor sincerely preaching the word of God. Moreover the church of God hath no need now of any ark, any table, any shewbread, any golden candlestick, any altar either of incense or burnt-offerings, nor yet of any brasen laver: for Christ alone is all in 4113 to the catholic church; which church hath all these things spiritually and effectually in Christ Jesus, and can seek for nothing in any other creatures; insomuch that, if it perceive any man to bring in again either these or such like ceremonial instruments, it doth sharply rebuke and bitterly curse him for his unwarrantable rashness and blasphemous presumption in the church of Christ. For what need hath the church of shadows and figures, when it doth now enjoy the thing itself, even Christ Jesus, whose shadow and figure the ceremonies bare? Moreover the church hath signs enough, in that it hath received of Christ two sacramental signs, wherein are contained all the things which the old church did comprehend in sundry and very many - figlres.
Furthermore, he hath left the holy time, to worship God
97. in, free to our choice, who in the gospel saith: “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath: therefore the Son of Man is Lord also of the sabbath.” And the apostle i. Paul saith: “Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or drink, or in part of an holy day, or of the new moon, or of the sabbaths: which are the shadows of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” Of the christian sabbath I spake in
[1 et alium in orando et sacrificando modum tenent, quam verbo]
[pastoris in ecclesia est traditum, Lat.; and practise another method]
[of prayer and sacrifice than, &c.] [2 heec omnia, Lat.; is all these things.] i [3 execretur, Lat.; for his—Christ, not in Lat.] [ per fidem, Lat. omitted; by faith: whose—bare, not in Lat.] [5 habuit, Lat.] [ὁ So Auth. Ver. marg.]]
εὐ ας. ας TE de VIIL.] USE, FULFILLING, AND ABROGATION OF THE LAW. 265 the exposition of the fourth commandment”. As for the new moons, they are not solemnized by the church of Christ, insomuch as it is taught by Christ to attribute to God? not the beginning of months only, but the whole year also, and the commodity? thereof, with the light of the sun, the moon, and all the stars in heaven.
Moreover the Christians do celebrate their passover more spiritually than bodily; even as also they do solemnize their Pentecost, or Whitsuntide!. For as he sent his Spirit upon his disciples, so doth he daily send it upon all the faithful. And that is the cause that in the faithful the alarm is stricken up to encourage them as soldiers to skirmish with their enemies! For the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the faithful are daily assaulted, and provoked to battle, by the world, and by the devil the prince of the world’2. Furthermore, the feast of propitiation, being once finished upon the cross, endureth for ever: neither do the saints any more send out a scapegoat, to bear their sins into the desert?; for Christ our Lord came once, and was offered up, and by his sacrifice took away the sins of all the world. Finally, since the faithful do daily consider and bear in their minds, that they have no abiding place in this transitory world, but that they look after a place to come; they need not, as the Jews did, once a year to celebrate the feast of tabernacles. In like manner, the faithful do no more acknowledge any year of jubilee: for Christ came once, and preached unto us that acceptable year, even the gospel, whereby it is proclaimed that all our sins and iniquities are clearly forgiven us. For so doth Christ himself interpret it in the fourth of St Luke’s gospel, taking occasion to speak of it out of the sixty-first chapter of Esay’s prophecy. And thus the holy time and festival days are abrogated by Christ in his holy church; which notwithstanding is not left destitute of any holy thing or necessary matter.
[7 Decade 11. Serm. 4.] [8 creatori, Lat. omitted; the maker of them.] [9 proventum, Lat.] [19 or Whitsuntide, added by the translator. ] [11 Semper autem hic classicum canunt ad pugnam, Lat. See]
[above, page 169.] (12 hujus seculi, Lat.] [13 to bear—desert, not in Lat.] [14 heec declarat, Lat. ]]
i.. εἶ. 266 THE THIRD DECADE. [serm. But now because this present year, wherein this book is first of all printed, is the year of grace 1550, and according to the Romish tradition is called the year of jubilee; I am therefore compelled, as it were of necessity, to make a little digression, and speak somewhat of the Romish jubilee.
I do therefore call it the Romish, and not the christian, jubilee, because, as I shewed you even now, the church of Christ, after our redemption wrought by Christ and preached by the gospel, doth neither acknowledge nor receive any other year of jubilee. In the ancient Jewish year of jubilee there is to be considered the meaning of the letter, and of the spirit’. According to the letter, bondmen were set at liberty, and lawful heirs did receive again their patrimony and possessions, which either was changed away or otherwise gone from them. The meaning? of that order, as it could not be brought again into all kingdoms in these latter days without the trouble of all estates, so it is little set by and the care of the oppressed utterly neglected by the holy popes, who now of late hrought in the year of jubilee, and preached it unto the foolish world, not for any zeal they had to help the oppressed, but for the desire they had, by robbing the world, to augment their own treasures. The spiritual and hidden mystery of the jubilee did commend? unto them of old the free remission of all sins through Christ by faith in Christ: which free grace cannot, without reproach to Christ, be otherwise preached than it hath been already taught by the holy gospel. Therefore the church was without the observation of any year of jubilee by the space of 1300 years after Christ his incarnation. At last, up start Bonifacius, the eighth of that name, bishop of Rome, who first of all invented that wicked ordinance. For Platina, in the life of that Bonifacius, saith: “This is he that first brought in the jubilee, in the year of Christ. 1300, wherein he granted full remission of all [1 consideratur litera et spiritus, Lat.] [2 Is ritus, Lat.] [3 hodie, Lat.] [6 non admodum curant beatissimi patres, Lat.] [δ now of late, not in Lat.] [6 ut opibus suis plurimum accedat, is the Lat., rendered by, not for any—own treasures.. [7 Christum et gratuitam ejus, Lat.; Christ, and his free, &c.] [8 cujus nomine et Sextus Decret. prodiit, Lat. omitted; under whose name the sixth book of Decretals also was put forth.]
their sins to as many as visited the see apostolical. And the same did he ordain to be observed every hundredth year.” So then the church of Christ was without this jubilee, without peril of salvation, by the space of 1300 years. And therefore may we also be without it without all peril and damage, yea, to our great profit and commodity. For if our Romanists go on to obtrude it to the world as a thing necessary to salvation, then shall they condemn the universal church which was before pope Boniface his time, who first brought in this unacquainted jubilee. Thus we are so far from not? being able to be without it, that we ought by all means possible to detest and abhor it as a very wicked and blasphemous ordinance; considering that we have to believe that the jubilee is utterly abrogated by Christ, and also that all sins are freely through Christ forgiven to all that believe, in what place of the world soever they live and are conversant in.
This pope Boniface doth to his false promise and unpure place annex the remission of sins. Now I doubt whether this blasphemous antichrist! could do any thing, more horrible, and more against the honour of the Saviour. For therein is defiled the glory of the only-begotten Son of God, who is the only health? of all the world. Therein is defiled the salvation of many thousands, for which Christ died upon the cross. And therein also is defiled the glory of christian faith, by which alone we are made partakers of eternal salvation. This ungracious and wicked pope was he of whom that common proverb runneth: “He entered like a wolf, he reigned like a lion, and died like a dog’%.” For verily so blasphemous an ordinance was worthy of such an author; so foolish a people was worthy of such a pastor; and so devilish a pope was worthy of such an end!4 Platina writeth, that in that
[[ non tantum illo carere possumus, Lat.] [10 “blasphemous antichrist” is not in the original.] ΠῚ et execrandum, Lat.; and to be abhorred.] [12 Salvatoris, Lat.; Saviour.] [13 See Homily for Whit-sunday, Part II. page 425. Oxford, 1832.]
[“It is reported, that Celestine” (his predecessor) “prophesied of him,]
[Ascendisti ut vulpes, Regnabis ut leo, Morieris ut canis.—Of this]
[Pope (Boniface) a certain versifier wrote thus: Ingreditur vulpes, regnat leo, sed canis exit; Re tandem vera, si sic fuit, ecce chimera.”] [14 and so—end, not in the original.)]
year of jubilee there came so great heaps of people to Rome, that although the city were indifferently large enough, yet one man could not for throng pass by another!. For the world will needs be deceived: if it were not so, they would give ear unto the Lord which crieth, “O all ye that thirst, come to the waters, and ye that have no money, draw nigh. Why spend ye your money upon a thing of nought, &c.” Esay lv., and John iv. vii. Now all the while that the world was set thus on madding, the righteous Lord was not asleep, nor yet did dissemble how much they displeased him with that devilish invention. For the very same year he stirred up Ottoman? the patriarch and first founder of the Turkish empire, by whose means he did notably scourge the church of Rome and the corrupt manners that were crept into Christendom. A few years after succeeded Clement the sixth%, Paul the second, and Sixtus the fourth as wicked men as he, as is to be found in the histories of their lives; who changed the year of jubilee from every hundreth to every fiftieth year, and so at last to every five and twentieth year, that so they might suck the more advantage out of men’s foolishness. But now to the matter again.
[[! Jubileum idem (Bonifacius VIII.) retulit anno millesimo trecen-]
[tesimo, quo plenam delictorum omnium remissionem his preestabat, qui]
[limina apostolorum visitassent.—Idem etiam centesimo quoque anno]
[observari mandavit.—ODb hanc rem eo anno tanta undique hominum]
[multitudo Romam venit, ut vix incedere per urbem, amplam quidem]
[et vastam, liceret.—Platin. de Vit. Pontif. Rom. p. 245. Colon. 1568.] [2 devilish, not in Lat.] [3 From that very year (viz. of the institution of the jubilee), as]
[most stories do record, the Turks do begin the first count of their]
[Turkish emperors, whereof the first was Ottoman. Foxe’s Acts and]
[Monum. Vol. π. p. 586. ed. Lond. 1837. See also Bullinger in Apo-]
[calyps. Conc. xxx. on Rev. vi. 1-—4, and xu1. on ix. 12-19.] [2 Petentibus Romanis, ut quemadmodum Bonifacius octavus olim]
[concesserat, ut centesimo quoque anno plenam peccatorum omnium]
[remissionem visitantibus limina apostolorum Petri et Pauli, quinqua-]
[gesimo quoque anno id facere libenter annuat (Clemens VI.) cum di-]
[cerent setatem hominum jubileum illum centnm annorum attingere]
[non posse. Platin. de Vit. Pontif. Rom. p. 258.] [5 Quum vero annus Jubileus instaret, quem ex quinquagesimo ad]
[xxv contraxit (Xystus IV.) primusque anno salutis MmcccoLxxv. cele- ἢ]
[bravit, ὅσο. Platin. p. 350.—This was in confirmation of the bull of his]
[predecessor, Paul the Second. ]]
The sacraments also of the ancient Jews are flatly abrogated, and in their places are substituted new sacraments, which are given to the people of the new covenant.
Instead of circumcision is baptism appointed. The apostles, in the synod held at Hierusalem, did oppose themselves against those which were of opinion that circumcision was necessary unto salvation; and in that council they allowed of Paul’s doctrine, who both thought and taught the contrary. For Paul in one place saith; “Lo, I Paul say unto you, that if you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify to every man which is circumcised, that he is a debtor to the whole law to do it. Christ is made of none effect to you: as many of you as are justified by the law, are fallen from grace.” Neither is it right or convenient that in the church of Christ there should remain so bloody a sacrament? as circumcision was, when once that blood was shed upon the cross which stancheth and taketh away the blood of the old Testament.
Instead of the paschal Lamb is the Lord’s supper ordained, which by another name is called the eucharist, or a thanksgiving. For so the Lord himself in Luke expoundeth it, saying, that he did then eat the last passover with his disciples; at the end whereof he did immediately ordain the sacrament of his body and blood, which he biddeth them to celebrate in remembrance of him? until he return to judgment again. Therefore the Lord left! the supper to be an unchangeable sacrament until the end of the world.
Moreover, that all sorts of sacrifices contained in the law are utterly abrogated, no man, I suppose, will once deny, which doth but consider, that both the temple and the two altars, with all the holy instruments, are utterly overthrown and come to nothing. I told you that those sacrifices were remembrances of sins, and types or figures of the cleansing and atonement that was to be made by Christ Jesus”. Therefore when Christ was come and offered up for the sins of all the world, then verily did all the sacrifices of the ancient Jews? come to their ending. For where there is a full and absolute
[6 subiit, Lat.] [7 signum, Lat.] [8 omnem sanguinem, Lat.] [9 in remembrance of him, not in Lat.] [10 ecclesiee, Lat.; to the church.] [11 expiationis future, Lat. ] [12 veterum, Lat.; Jews, not in Lat.]]
: aa Ξ”: 270 Ὁ THE THIRD DECADE. [sErM. remission of sins, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin. But in the new Testament there is a full remission of sins: therefore in the new Testament there is no longer any sacrifice offered for sins. For Christ is only and alone instead of all the sacrifices. For he was once offered up, and after that is offered no more: who by the once offering up of himself hath found eternal redemption; so that all, which be sanctified, are sanctified by none other oblation but that of Christ upon the cross made once for all. Wherefore Christ, being once offered upon the cross for the sins of all the world, is the burnt-offering of the catholic church: he is also the meat-offering, which feedeth us with his flesh offered upon the cross unto eternal life, if we receive and feed on him by faith. Moreover he is the drink-offering of the church, which with his blood doth quench the thirst of the faithful unto life everlasting. He is the purging and daily sacrifice of the church; because he is “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world” His death and passion cleanseth all men from their sins, their errors, and iniquities. Finally, he is the church’s sacrifice of thanksgiving; because by Christ we offer praise to God, and by Christ we render thanks unto the Lord.
To conclude: the only supper of the Lord, which we call the eucharist, containeth in it all the kinds of ancient sacrifices: which are in effect but of two sorts; to wit, of purging and of atonement, as those which were offered for sin; or else of thanksgiving, as those which rendered thanks and offered praise unto the Lord. Now the supper is a testimony, a sacrament, and a remembrance of the body of Christ which was given for us, and of his blood that was shed for the remission of our sins. For the body and blood of our Lord, which were but once offered upon the cross, and neither can nor ought to be offered any more of men, are not sacrificed afresh in the celebration of the supper: but in the celebrating of it there is reiterated a remembrance of the thing, I mean, of the oblation, which was but once made, and in once offering
[1 si percipiatur, Lat.; if it (his flesh) be received.] [2 John i. 29, peccatum, Lat.] [ omnia vitia mortalium, omnes errores, omnia scelera, Lat.] [ Deo Patri, Lat.; to God the Father.] [6 adeoque, Lat.; and so.] [6 pro peccatis, Lat.; for sins.]]
was sufficient. Again, in the supper we render thanks to God for our redemption, for which also the universal church doth offer praise unto his name. Wherefore the supper of the Lord doth comprehend the whole substance and matter, which was prefigured in those ancient sacrifices: so that, in that point, the church is not destitute of any good or necessary thing, although it doth no longer retain those sacrifices of the elder church. Yea, they ought not any longer to be solemnized in the church, because they were nothing else but the figures, types, and sacraments of Christ to come. But the church doth now believe, and that rightly too, that Christ is already come, and that he hath fulfilled and accomplished all things; as we read that he himself did testify, when on the cross he cried, saying, “It is finished.”
Moreover all vows are come to an end, because all sacrifices, wherein? the vows consisted, are vanished and gone, Likewise the discipline of the Nazarites is now decayed, because the temple with all the ceremonies belonging thereunto is vaded away. There remaineth still in the church a christian and moderate discipline, but not that which is described in the law: and the saints do perform to God the vows which they have made in the church, not contrary to faith and godliness; but they are sparing, wary, and very religious in making vows. For what have we to give to God, which we have not first received at his hands; and to the performing of which we were not bound before in baptism?
Christ doth not so distinguish between clean and unclean in the gospel, as Moses doth in the law. That,” saith he, which entereth into the mouth defileth not the man; but that which cometh out of the mouth.” And the apostle Paul doth flatly say, that “to the clean all things are clean.” And like to this he speaketh much in the fourteenth to the Romans, and in other places moe. In his epistle to the Colossians he saith: “If ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as living in the world, are ye led with traditions, (touch not, taste not, handle not;) all which do perish in abusing?” And so forth. To Peter also it is said: “What
[7 wherein—consisted, not in Lat.] [8 Coloss. ii. 20-22, ipso pereant abusu, Lat.; and Erasmus: whych]
[all peryshe thorow the very abuse. Cranmer, 1539.]]
(God hath sanctified, that call not thou unclean.” Therefore strangled whereas, in the synodal epistle set forth by the apostles in the fifteenth of the Acts, both blood and strangled is forbidden and exempted from the meat of men, that commandment was not perpetual, but momentany, for a time only. For it pleased the apostles, for charity’s sake, to bear therein with the Jewish nation, who otherwise would have been too stubborn and self-willed. The Jews at that time did every day so rifely hear the reading of the law, which did expressly forbid to eat blood and strangled, as if the preaching of the gospel had not begun to be sowed among them; and therefore they could not but be greatly offended to see the Gentiles so lavishly to use the things prohibited. Wherefore the apostles would have the Gentiles for a time to abstain from the things that otherwise were lawful enough, to see if peradventure by that means they might win the Jews to the faith of Christ. For the epistles, which Paul wrote a few years after the council at Hierusalem, do sufficiently argue that the decree of the apostles against blood and strangled was not perpetual. But the commandments given against things offered to idols, and against fornication, (in using whereof the Gentiles thought that they did not greatly offend,) are perpetual, because they be morals, and of the number! of the ten commandments. But of that matter I have spoken in another place.
And now, because I am come to make mention of the synodal decree ordained by the apostles and elders of the council at Hierusalem, I think it not amiss to recite unto you, dearly beloved, as a conclusion to this place, the whole epistle of Sent, by the synod, because it doth bear an evident, full, and 3.. Hie- brief testimony, that the law is abrogated after that manner which I have declared. Now this is their epistle, or constitution: “The apostles, and elders, and brethren, send greetings unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles, that are in Antiochia, Syria, and Cilicia. Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which departed from us have troubled you with words, and cumbered 5 your minds, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law; to whom we gave no such commandment: it seemed good therefore to us, when we were come together with one accord, to send chosen men unto you, [1 legum primarum atque, Lat.; of the first laws and, &ec.]
[3 labefactantes, Lat.]
with our beloved Paul and Barnabas, men that have jeoparded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have sent therefore Judas and Silas, which shall also tell you the same things by mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us, to charge you with no more than these necessary things; (that is to say) that ye abstain from things offered to idols, and from blood, and from strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. So fare ye well.” This is word for word the catholic, the synodal, apostolic, and ecclesiastical epistle of the council held at Hierusalem, both brief and easy: for as the speech of truth is simple, so also may true religion and christian faith be easily laid down in very few and evident words.
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