The Second Sermon
DearLy beloved, in the last sermon you learned what the word of God is; from whence it came; by whom it was chiefly revealed; what proceedings it had; and of what dignity and certainty it is.
Now am I come again, and, by God’s favour and the help of your prayers, I will declare unto you, beloved, to whom, and to what end, the word of God is revealed; in what manner it is to be heard; and what the force thereof is, or the effect.
Our God 15 the God of all men and nations, who, according to the saying of the apostle, “would have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth 3: and therefore hath he, for the benefit, life, and salvation of all men, revealed his word, that so indeed there might be a rule and certain way to lead men by the path of justice into life everlasting. God verily, in the old time, did shew himself to the Israelites, his holy and peculiar people, more familiarly than to other nations, as the prophet saith: “To Jacob hath he declared his statutes, and his judgments to Israel: he hath not dealt so with any nation, neither hath he shewed them his judgments:” and yet he hath not altogether been care-
[[ progressus, Lat.] [5 1 Tim. ii. 4.] [6 Psal. cexlvii. 19, 20.]]
less of the Gentiles. For as to the Ninivites he sent Jonas; so Esaias, Jeremias, Daniel, and the other prophets bestowed much labour in teaching and admonishing the Gentiles. And those most ancient fathers, Noe, Abraham, and the rest, did not only instruct the Jewish people which descended of them, but taught their other sons also the judgments of God. Our Lord Jesus Christ verily, laying open the whole world before his disciples, said: Teach all nations: preach the gospel to all creatures’.” And when as St Peter did not yet fully understand, that the Gentiles also did appertain to the fellowship of the church of Christ, and that to the Gentiles also did belong the preaching of the glad tidings of salvation, purchased by Christ for the faithful; the Lord doth instruct him by a heavenly vision, by speaking to him out of heaven, and by the message which came from Cornelius, as you know, dearly beloved, by the history of the Acts of the Apostles?, Let us therefore think, my brethren, that the word of God and the holy scriptures are revealed to all men, to all ages, κα ] kinds, degrees and states, throughout the world. For the apostle Paul, also confirming the same, saith: Whatsoever things are written, are written for our learning, that through patience, and comfort of the scriptures, we may have hope.” Let none of us therefore hereafter say, “What need I to care what is written to the Jews in the old Testament, or what the apostles have written to the Romans, to the Corinthians, and to other nations? I am a Christian. The prophets to the men of their time, and the apostles to those that lived in the same age with them, did both preach and write.” For if we think uprightly of the matter, we shall see that the scriptures of the old and new Testaments ought therefore to be received of us, even because we are Christians. For Christ, our Saviour and Master, did refer us to the written books of Moses and the prophets. Saint Paul, the very elect instrument of Christ, doth apply to us the sacraments and examples of the old fathers, that is to say, circumcision in baptism, Coloss. ii.; and the paschal lamb in the supper or sacrament, 1 Cor. v. In the tenth chapter of the same epistle he applieth sundry examples of the fathers to us. And in
[1 Matt. xxviii. 19. Mark xvi. 15.] [2 Acts x.] [3 Sexubus, Lat. ] [ Rom. xv. 4.]]
the fourth to the Romans, where he reasoneth of faith, which justifieth without the help of works and the law, he bringeth in the example of Abraham; and therewithal addeth: Nevertheless it is not written for Abraham alone, that faith was reckoned unto him for righteousness, but also for us, to whom it shall be reckoned if we believe?,” &ec. 0. “By that means,” say some, “we shall again be wrapped The in the law; we shall be enforced to be circumcised, to sacri- a of Aaron, together with the temple and the other ceremonies. fice flesh and blood of beasts, to admit again the priesthood to There shall again be allowed the bill of divorcement, or putting away of a man’s wife, together with sufferance to marry many wives.” To these I answer: that in the old Testament we must consider that some things there are which are for ever to be observed, and some things which are ceremonial and suffered only till time of amendment. That time of amendment is the time of Christ, who fulfilled the law, and took away the curse of the law. The same Christ changed circumcision into baptism. He with his own only sacrifice made an end of all sacrifices; so that now, instead of all sacrifices, there is left to us that only sacrifice of Christ, wherein also we learn to offer our own very bodies and prayers, together with good deeds, as spiritual sacrifices unto God. Christ changed the priesthood of Aaron for his own and the priesthood of all Christians. The temple of God are we, in whom God by his Spirit doth dwell. All ceremonies did Christ make void, who also in the nineteenth of Matthew did abrogate the bill of divorcement, together with the marriage of many wives. But although these ceremonies and some external actions were abrogated and clean taken away by Christ, that we should not be bound unto them; yet notwithstanding, the scripture, / which was published touching them, was not taken away, or else” made void, by Christ. For there must for ever be in the church of Christ a certain testimonial, whereby we may learn what manner of worshippings and figures of Christ they of the old time had. Those worshippings and figures of Christ must we at this day interpret to the church specially?; and