THE SVMME OF
THE NEW TESTAMENT.
THAT which was the ſumme of the Old Teſtament, to wit, Chriſt and his Church, as S. Auguſtin ſaithAug de cat. rud. cap 3 4., catechizing the ignorant: the very ſame is the ſumme of the New Teſtament alſo. For ( as the ſame S. Auguſtin ſaith againe )Super Exod. q. 73 In the Old Teſtament there is the occultation of the New: and in the New Teſtament there is the manifeſtation of the Old. And in an other place: In the Old doth the New lye hidden, and in the New doth the Old lye open. And thereupon our Sauiour ſaid:Mat. 5. I am not come to breake the Law or the Prophets, but to fulfil them. For aſſuredly I ſay vnto you, til Heauen and earth paſſe, one iot or one title ſhal not paſſe of the Law, til al be fulfilled. In which wordes he sheweth plainely, that the New Teſtament is nothing els but the fulfilling of the Old.
Therfore to come to the parts ; The Ghoſpels doe tell of Chriſt him ſelfe ( of whom the Old Teſtament did fortel) and that euen from his coming into the world, vnto his going out therof againe. The Actes of the Apoſtles doe tel of his Church beginning at Hieruſalem the head-citie of the Iewes, and of the propagation therof to the Gentils and their head-citie Rome. And, the Apocalypſe doth prophecie of it, euen to the conſummation therof, which shal be in the end of the world. The Epiſtles of the Apoſtles do treat partly of ſuch queſtions as at that time were moued, parly of good life and good order.
The Summe of the foure Ghoſpels.
THE Ghoſpels doe tel hiſtorically the life of our Lord Ieſus; shewing plainely, *Jo. 20. 31 that he is Christ or the king of the Jewes, whom until then, al the time of the Old Testament, they had expected: and withal, that they of their owne meere malice and blindnes (the iniquitie beginning of the Seniors, but at the length the multitude also consenting) would not receave him, but ever sought his death: which for the Redemption of the world, he at length permitted them to compasse, they deserving thereby most justly to be refused of him, and so his Kingdom or Church to be taken away from them, and given to be Gentils. For the gathering of which Church after him, he chooseth Twelve, and appointed one of them to be the cheefe of al, with instructions both to them, and him accordingly.
The storie hereof is written by foure: who in EzechielEze. 1. and in the ApocalypseApoc. 4. are likened to foure living creatures, every one according as his booke beginneth. S.
