A Postill, or, Exposition of the Gospels that are usually red in the churches of God, vpon the Sundayes and feast dayes of Saincts written by Nicholas Hemminge a Dane, a Preacher of the Gospell, in the Vniuersitie of Hafnie ; and translated into English by Arthur Golding. ; before which Postill is sette a warning of the same Nicholas Heminge too the Ministers of Gods vvorde, concerning the co[n]tinuall agreement of Chrystes Church in the doctrine and true worshipping of God ...

¶Of the second.

NOw steps foorth the Pharisie, and demaundes of Chryst which is the chéefest commaundement of the law. Our Lord answereth: Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God, vvith all thy hart, vvith all thy soule, and vvith all thy povvers. This is the first and greatest commaundement: and the second is like vntoo it. Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. In these tvvo commaundements hang all the lavv and the Prophets. That is too say, whatsoeuer Moyses and the Prophetes doo teache of the true seruice of God, it is conteyned in these two poynts. Forasmuch as I haue lately on the .xiij. Sun∣day after Trinitie, and ofte elsewhere spoken concerning the lawe of God, and tolde what it is: what is the vse of it: that no man is able too fulfil it: and how it is abrogate from the godly: I wil not héere repete the same things any more, but will speake of two other things. First wherfore Chryst sayth that the second cōmaundement of louing a mans ney∣bour, is like vntoo the first of louing God. Ageine, bycause Chryst sayth, that the whole Lawe and Prophetes do rest in these two commaundementes: which is for that in them is conteyned whatsoeuer Moyses & the Prophets haue taught concerning the true seruice and woorshipping of God: I wil speake a litle of the true woorshipping of God, that wée may stand vpon a sure ground in that behalfe.

As touching the first point, it is too bée knowne, that the second cōmaundement of louing a mans neybour, is not said too bée like the first, either in order, or in obiect, or in degrée of louing. For in order the first commaundement is the for∣mer. The obiect (or thing wheron the first commaundement resteth) is God, according as the obiect of the seconde com∣maundement of man, our neybour. The degrées of loue re∣quire, that the chéefest good thing should bée loued most: and then all other things eche in their order, according too the degrees of their woorthinesse. Therfore is not the secōd com∣maundement like the first, in order, in obiect, or in degrée of

loue. How then is it like it? First in the affection of louing, bicause either of them bothe demaundeth vnfayned loue. Secondly in bande: for both of them binde vs either to obe∣dience, or too punishment. And lastly in attaynement of obe∣dience: for he that sayth he loueth God, and hateth his neigh∣bour, is a lyer, saith Iohn the Apostle. And thus much bréefly concerning that the second commaundement is like the first of louing God. Nowe will I speake of the true woorship∣ping and seruice of God, bycause the commaundements of louing God and our neighbour, conteine the grounde and substance of woorshipping God.

Therefore too the intent wée may the better vnderstande the doctrin of worshipping God aright, I wil speake of foure things in order whiche make too the opening of the matter. First I will giue a rule wherby the woorshipping of God is too bée exacted and tryed. Secondly I will shew a substancial foundation, wherevpon too ground the worshipping and ser∣uice of God. Thirdly I wil declare what woorke may right∣ly he called Gods seruice. Fourthly I will shewe what ma∣ner of men are able too yeelde rightfull seruice vntoo God. These foure poyntes béeing throughly knowne, it will ap∣péere vntoo vs manifestly which is the right fashion of woor∣shipping God.

Then as concerning the first rule of seruing God, let this bée set for a general and vnmouable rule: That no worship∣ping pleaseth God, but such as is of his owne appoyntment. This rule is not admitted of all men: and therefore wée must fortifie it with strong foundations. First therfore God in the prophet Esay, & Chryst in his Gospel confirmeth this rule with these woordes. They woorship me in vayne, tea∣ching doctrines that are the deuises of men. And the holy Ghost by the mouth of Paule Coloss. 2. condemneth al woor∣shipping that men deuise of their owne braynes. And the Lord in Ieremie sayth: walke in my preceptes. Ageine it is vnpossible too please God without faith. But seruice is done

too the intent it may please: Wherefore it must néedes bée doone by fayth: but of fayth it can not bée doone, vnlesse it bée warranted by the commaundement and manyfest woorde of God. For fayth dependeth of the woorde of God. By these moste certeins reasons the seruice of God is in suche wyse confirmed, that he that will stande too the deniall of it, may bée thought more foole, than he that denieth the Sunne too bée vp, when it is hygh noone, and that the day is at his full lyght. Therfore let vs holde this rule fast, and not suffer it too bée wrested from vs by any sophistrie.

The vse of this rule is manyfold. First by this rule is sta∣blished the aucthoritie of the lawe maker. For in a common wealth where euery man may make lawes at his pleasure, the aucthoritie of the soueraine Lord falleth intoo contempt. This aucthoritie chalengeth the Lorde too him selfe in the first commaundement, when he sayth: I am the Lorde thy God. &c. The seconde vse of this rule is, that this rule dely∣uereth from errour, that wée should not erre in woorship∣pyng God. The thirde is, that it hindereth the superstitions and malapertnesse of men in deuysing new woorshippings. Thus farre concerning the rule of woorshipping GOD, namely that no worship pleaseth God, but such as is of his owne appoyntment: and concerning the confirmation and vse of this rule. Nowe will I bréefly speake of the founda∣tion of Gods seruice, which is the thing that I purposed in the second place.

Now this foundation consisteth partly in the true know∣ledge of God, & partly in the knowledge of our selues. Wée attayn too the knowledge of God by the woord, and by the re∣corde added too the word. For both of them teache vs, firste that God is the fountayne of all power, wisdome, rightuous∣nesse and truth. Secondly that all glory is too bée giuen vntoo him. Thirdly that he is moste ready too helpe. And fourth∣ly that he will haue all men too flée vntoo him in any daun∣ger. Wée attayne too the knowledge of our selues by two

things: that is by considering the Image of God, too whiche man was created, and by weying our own strength and po∣wer as they are now. The thinking vpō Gods image, direc∣teth vs too the cōsideration of the end for which wée mē were made reasonable creatures: and it poynteth vs too the dutie wherin it becommeth vs too be continually occupied, name∣ly that we should expresse the Image of God in all holinesse and puritie. The weying of our strength and power as they bée nowe, enforceth vs too confesse our selues vtterly vnable too perform our dutie as we ought too doo. These twoo know∣ledges therfore tend too this purpose, that we should giue all the glorye vntoo God, and take from our selues all matter of boasting: and this knoweledge sheweth vntoo vs our owne filthinesse and infirmities. These things béeing thus opened concerning the rules of Gods seruice, and the foundation thereof, I wil now come vntoo that whiche I purposed in the third place, and I wil cléerely define what the true seruice or woorshipping of God is.

The seruice of God therefore is, a woork commaunded by God, done of faith, chéefly too the setting foorth of Gods glory. Héere first is shewed, what woorks are Gods seruice, that is too wit, those only, which God hath commaunded in his law, as it euidently appéereth by the rule before giuē. Secōdly is added faith, out of which y^e woork must procéed. For faith is y^e compasser of all good woorks: & that is, bicause no woork can please God, vnlesse the person y^t dooth it, please him before: & y^t person pleaseth by faith. Cain maketh sacrifice: & Abel ma∣keth sacrifice. Both of thē had Gods cōmaundement, yet was not Caines sacrifice a woorshipping of GOD as Abels was. Why so? bicause Caine had no faith, but Abel had. Cornelius in y^e .ix. of the Acts, & the Pharisie giue almesse. Both of them had commaundement so too doo. And the woorke of Cornelius was Gods seruice, bicause it procéeded of faith: but the Pha∣risies déede was abhomination bycause the persone pleased not GOD. Twoo husbande men tyll their grounde: the

one dooth God high seruice, ploughing in the feare of GOD, and looking for blessing from God: And the other pleaseth not God, bicause hée is voyde of fayth and the feare of God. And yet haue bothe of them commaundement of the woorke. In the sweate of thy browes shalt thou eate thy breade. The handmaydes that doo seruice obedientlye too their mistresse, (peraduenture in swéeping the flore) haue bothe of them the commaundement also. But shée that bringeth fayth with hir too hir businesse, dooth seruice vntoo GOD: where as shée that wanteth Fayth, thoughe shée doo in déede that whiche shée is bound too doo of duetie, yet cannot hir woorke bée called a ser∣uice of God.

Furthermore, the woork that is commaunded & wrought in Fayth, must tende too Gods glorie chéefly. This is confir∣med by the testimonie of Esay: Euery one that calleth vpon my name, haue I created too mine owne glorie, I haue shapē him, I haue made him. But what is it too glorifie GOD? In fewe woordes, it is too attribute all glorye vntoo him, and too praise him with hart, with mouth, with confession, and with behauiour.

Now foloweth that whiche I promised too speake of in the fourth place. That is too witte, who they bée that are able too yéeld true woorship vntoo God. Although this may bée gathe∣red of the things that wente before: Yet notwithstanding I wil shew it bréefly héer. They only can doo seruice and woor∣ship vntoo God, that haue accesse vntoo him: but the children of God onely haue accesse vntoo him: wherfore they only can doo him seruice aright. His children are all those that beléeue in his name. Iohn. 1. And these haue accesse vntoo the Father through fayth. Rom. ••. And for the same cause Chryst teching his Disciples too pray, biddeth them say: Our father whiche art in Heauen, meaning that none but his Children can call vpon him. Let this suffise cōcerning the true seruice of God, the summe wherof is conteyned in louing God & our neigh∣bour. Now remayneth that I speake of the third doctrine.