God were but as an handfull of wheat in a mountaine of chaffe which can scarce be discerned This signe is in part alreadie past neuerthelesse it shall continue to the ende because men shall continually depart from the faith And the nearer the ende of the world is the more satan rageth and seekes to bring men into his kingdome Therefore it standeth vs in hand to labour for the knowledge of true religion and hauing learned it most heartily to loue the same The fourth signe is a generall corruption in maners This point the Apostle sets downe at large saying Toward the latter daies shall come perilous times wherein men shalbe louers of themselues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedieÌ„t to parents vnthankefull vnholy and without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good traytours headie high minded louers of pleasures more then louers of God c. This generall corruption in the manners of men is noted by our Sauiour Christ when he saith When he commeth he shall scarce finde faith vpon the earth This signe hath bin in former ages and is no doubt at this day in the world For it is hard to finde a man that walketh iustly soberly and faithfully doing the duties of his calling to God and man The fifth signe of Christs comming stands in terrible grieuous calamities For Christs disciples asking him a signe of his coÌ„ming of the end of the world he saith There shal be warres rumours of warres nation shall rise against nation realme against realme and there shalbe pâ—stilence and famine earthquakes in diuers places meÌ„ shalbe at their wits ends These haue bin in former ages In the first 3. hundred yeres after Christ were ten most fearefull persecutions and since in Europe the Church of God hath bin woÌ„derfully persecuted by the Antichrist of Rome in the huÌ„dred yeres last past The sixth signe is an exceeding deadnes of heart so as neither iudgements from heauen nor the preaching of the word shall mooue the hearts of men So Christ saith It shal be in the coÌ„ming of the sonne of maÌ„ as it was in the daies of Noe in the daies of SodoÌ„ they knew nothing til the flood came fire froÌ„ heaueÌ„ destroied theÌ„ all This signe undoubtedly is manifest in these our daies howsoeuer it hath bin also in former times For where are any almost that are moued with Gods iudgements or touched at the preaching of the word nay rather men hardeÌ„ their hearts become secure and careles The small fruit that the word of God bringeth foorth in the liues of men shews this to be most true The seuenth last signe set down by the Apostle Paul is that there shall be a calling of the Iewes before the Lord come to iudgemeÌ„t but of the time wheÌ„ this calling shal be of the maner how or the number of them that shalbe called there is no mention made in the word of God Now it is likely that this signe is yet to come These are the signes that go before the coÌ„ming of Christ all which are almost past and therefore the end can not be farre off Now follows the signe that is ioyned with the coÌ„ming of Christ called the signe of the sonne of man What this signe is we find not in the Scriptures Some thinke it to be the signe of the crosse but that is friuolous some the glorie maiestie of Christ which shal be made manifest in his appearance which seemes to be otherwise by the very words of Christ. Then saith he shall appeare the signe of the sonne of man c. and then they shall see him come in the cloudes of heauen vvith povver and great glorie distinguishing the one from the other But I rather coniecture it to be the burning of heauen and earth with fire at the very instant of Christs comming mentioned by Peter VVe must not here dispute whence this fire shal come or how it shall be kindled for that the word of God hath concealed and where God hath not a mouth to speake there we must not haue an eare to heare The vses to be made hereof are these VVhen S. Peter had set downe the change that shall be at the comming of Christ and that heauen and earth must be purged with fire he makes this vse thereof Seeing all things must be dissolued what manner of men ought we to be in holy conuersation godlines and the reason is good For if heauen earth must be changed and purged at Christs comming then much more ought we to be changed to put off the old man of sinne to become new creatures created after the image of God in righteousnes and true holines If the bruit creatures must be renewed by fire then much more are we to labour that the fire of Gods spirite may burne vp sinne corruption in vs so change vs that we may be ready for him against his coÌ„ming els heaueÌ„ earth it selfe shal stand vp in iudgemeÌ„t against vs to our condemnation Secondly the consideration of this that the world shall be consumed with fire teacheth vs moderation and sobrietie in the vse of Gods creatures as in costly buildings gorgeous attire and such like VVhat madnes is this to bestow all that we haue on such things as at the day of iudgement shall be consumed with fire For looke whatsoeuer abuse shall come to Gods creatures by our follie the same shal then be abolished Thirdly we must consider that the cause why heauen earth must be consumed with fire is mans sinne by means wherof they are made subiect to vanitie corruption Here theÌ„ we haue iust occasion to acknowledge the greatnes wretchednes of our sinnes If any of vs had but seene the Iewes leprosie it would haue made vs to woÌ„der for the contagion thereof did infect not only the whole maÌ„ but his garmeÌ„ts also that were about him somtime the walls of his house but howsoeuer we caÌ„not now see that leprosie amoÌ„g vs yet we may see a worse For the leprosie of our sins doth not onely infect our garmeÌ„ts the things about us with our bodies but euen the high heaueÌ„s the earth are slained with the contagion thereof and are made subiect to vanitie and corruption yea by sinne in us the most glorious creatures in them as the Sunne Moone and Starres are become subiect to vanitie Oh then how wretched is the heart of man that makes no bones of sinne which is the most noisome thing in all the worlde the stinke whereof hath infected both heauen and earth If we could consider this we would not be so slacke in humbling our selues for the same as wee are Wee can not abide to looke on a poore lazar full of blanes and sores but if wee could see our sinnes in their right colours they would make us seem unto our selues ten thousaÌ„d times more
all that he maketh and deuiseth to be used but yet so as the use thereof must be conformable to the vvill of the maker For this cause Moses that faithfull servant of God saieth that the people of Israel dealt wrongfully vvith the Lord why For he hath created them and proportioned them he is their father and he bought them yet they haue dishonoured him by corrupting themselues towardes him by their vice All creatures in heauen and in earth doe the will of the Creatour except man and the deuill and his angels for the Sunne the Moone and the starres they keepe that course which God hath appointed them but man though he be bound to doe the will of God because god is his Creator yet he rebells against him The potter if in tempering his clay he can not make and frame it according to his minde at length hee will dash it in peeces so God hee createth man not that he should doe his owne vvill but gods vvill and therefore that man vvhosoeuer he be that follovveth the lustes of his ovvne vvicked heart and vvill not be brought to be conformable to gods vvill but continues rebellious still the Lorde in his vvrath vvill confound him eternally Therefore it standes euery man in hand to yeeld himselfe plyable unto gods vvill to indeauour to obey it by keeping a good conscience before god and all men and by vvalking faithfully in his calling othervvise the ende vvill be confusion If a man haue a trade and other men come into his shoppe and use such instruments as be there to a wrong end though they vvere their owne yet it vvould grieue him to see it so god created all things for his ovvne use and for the accomplishing of his vvill but rebellious man conformes himselfe to the deuils vvill and thereby no doubt he grieuously offendeth god And thus much of the duties Novv in the third place follow the consolations unto Gods Church and people First as S. Paul saith God is a creator yea a faithfull creator The properties of a faithfull creatour are two I. he will preserue his creature no man is so tender ouer any worke as hee that made it for he can not abide to see it any way abused Now God being a faithfull creatour tenderly loues all his creature So Iob reasoneth with God that hee will not cast him off because he is the worke of his hands II. God will beare with his creature to see whether it will be brought to any good ende and use before he will destroy it And to use the former comparison The potter will turne and worke the clay euery way to make a vessell unto his minde but if it will frame no way then he will cast it away and dash it against the wall And so God who created man and still preserueth him and useth all meanes to make him conformable to his will before hee cast him away The Lorde did long strive vvith men in the olde worlde to turne them from their wickednesse but when nothing would serue them it is saide It repented the Lorde that hee had made man on the earth Amongst us euery one is the creature of God now if wee shall rebell against this our creator it may be he will beare with us for a time but if we continue therein and do not turne to him by repentāce he will bring upon us a finall destruction both in body and soule Yet I say before he doe this he will trie all meanes to preserue us and turne us unto him and afterwarde if nothing will serue then he will shew forth his power in mens confusion therefore it stands us in hand to looke unto it Secondly looke what power the Lord did manifest in the creation of all things the same power he both can and will make manifest in the redemption of mankind In the beginning God made all things by his worde and so likewise he is able still to make by the power of his word of a wicked man that is dead in sinne a true and liuely member of Christ which the Prophet Isay signifieth when he saith The Lord that created the heavens and spred them abroad hee that stretcheth forth the earth and the body thereof c. I the Lord haue called thee in righteousnesse This must not encourage evill men in their wickednesse but it serueth to comfort the people of God considering that the same God which once created them is also as able to saue them and will shewe himselfe as mightie in their redemption as hee did in creating them of nothing And thus much of the Creation in generall Now it follovveth that vve come to the handling of the partes thereof For it is not said barely that God is a creatour but particularly that he is a creatour of heauen earth of both which we will speake in order and first of the creation of heauen Heaven in Gods vvorde it signifieth all that is aboue the earth for the aire wherein we breath is called Heauen And according to this acception of the worde there are three heauens as Paul saith He was taken up into the third heauen The first of these Heauens is that space which is from the earth upvvard unto the firmament where the starres are Thus we reade often in the Psalmes the birdes which flie in the aire betvveene the earth and the starres are called the foules of the heaven and when God sent the floode to drovvne the olde vvorld Moses saith the windowes of heauen vvere opened meaning that God powred downe raine from the cloudes abundantly for the making of a floode to drowne the worlde The second heauen is that which conteineth the Sunne the Moone and the starres so Moses saith that God in the beginning created the Sunne the Moone and the Starres and placed them in the firmament of heauen Besides these two heauens there is a thirde which is inuisible and yet it is the worke of Gods handes and it is that glorious place where Christ in his manhoode sitteth at the right hande of the father and whether the soules of the faithfull departed are carried and placed and in which at the end of the world shall all the elect both in bodie and soule haue perfect ioy and blisse in the glorious sight and presence of God for euer But for the better conceiuing the trueth wee are to scanne and consider three questions First whether this third heauen be a creature for many haue thought it was neuer created but was eternall with God himselfe but it is a grosse errour contrarie to Gods vvorde For the Scripture saith Abraham looked for a citie meaning the heauenly Ierusalem this thirde heauen having a foundation vvhose builder and maker is God Further if it be eternall it must either be a creatour or a creature but it is no creatour for then it shoulde be God and therefore it must needes be a creature But some will say the
when thou art converted confirme thy brethren and be readie at all times to render an account of our faith and religion euen before our enemies vvhen wee are iustly called so to doe Secondly because we are set apart in Christ to become spirituall priests vnto God we must therefore offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable unto him and they be in number seven The first is an affiance whereby we rest upon God as Dauid saith Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and trust in the Lord. The second is wholly to subiect our selues to the ministerie of the gospell that wee may be changed and converted by it as Paul saith That hee ministred the Gospell to the Gentiles that the offering vp of them might be acceptable beeing sanctified by the holy Ghost The thirde is all manner of prayers and supplications made unto God Let my prayer saieth David be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of mine handes as an evening sacrifice The fourth is praising and thankesgiving unto God Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alvvaies to God that is the fruite of the lippes vvhich confesse his name And in the Revelation the golden vials full of odors are the praiers of the saints The fift is the reliefe of our poore breethren according to our ability as Paul saieth I vvas even filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that vvhich came from you an odour that smelleth sweete a sacrifice pleâ—sant and acceptable to God The sixt is the deniall of our selues with a contrite and broken heart The seuenth is to resigne our selues bodies and soules wholly to the seruice of God Set your selues saith Paul to God as they that are aliue from the dead and your members as weapons of righteousnesse unto God In which wordes he alludes to the manner of the old Testament when a man offered any sacrifice for himselfe hee brought the beast into the temple or tabernacle and set it before the altar in token that hee did resigne it vnto God and so wee for our partes must not giue our bodies and soules to become the instruments of sinne satan but we must haue them alwaies in readinesse freely presenting them vnto him that he may haue the whole disposition of them according to his good pleasure to the honour and glorie of his name Againe in the whole burnt offering all was consumed and turned to smoke no man hauing benefite of it to signifie that we must give our selues not in part but wholly to the service of God euen to death if need be If this be so miserable is the practise of such that giue up their bodies and soules to liue in licentious wantonnesse in the pleasures of their beastly sinnes in idlenesse For they offer themselues a sacrifice not to God but to the devill Thirdly considering wee are annointed to be spirituall kinges euen in this life wee must walke worthie so great a calling That this may be so first of all such as are governours set ouer others must rule not according to their willes and pleasures but in the Lorde withall doeing homage to their heade and king Christ Iesus him-selfe Secondly vvee must euerie one of vs rule and beare sway euen as kings ouer our owne thoughtes willes affections over-mastering them as much as wee can by Gods worde and spirite withall maintaining and proclaiming continuall warre against our corrupt natures the deuill and the worlde And truely hee which can beare rule ouer his owne heart is a right king indeede and hauing receiued some measure of grace to raigne ouer himselfe in this life he shall raigne for ever with Christ in the life to come As for such as are carried away with the svvinge of their corruptions hauing blindnesse and ignorance to raigne in their mindes rebellion in their willes and affections loosenesse in their whole liues they may carrie the forme of Christians as long as they will but indeede they are no spirituall kings but bondemen the strong man satan keepes as yet the hold of their hearts as Lord and king holds up his scepter there Lastly seeing Christ is annointed with the most pretious baulme that ever was and that for our sakes he must be sweete and savourie unto us and all other things must be as vnsavorie drosse and dung in regarde of him VVee must in this case indeauour to say as the spouse of Christ doth Because of the savour of the good oyntments thy name is an ointment powred out therefore the virgins love thee O that we could savour in the feare of God that wee might perceive how all his garments smell of myrrhe aloes and cassia comming forth of his ivory pallaces vnto vs. And because the holy ointment of Christ is powred forth upon all his members to make them favourie and sweete in the presence of God let us make conscience of all maner of sinne lest by the poison and stincke thereof wee infect not onely our selues but all the creatures of God which wee vse yea heaven and earth itselfe It standes not with equitie that after we haue beene embaulmed and sweetned by the pretious merites of Christ that we should make our selues as two footed swine to returne to the mire of our old sinnes The coupling and combining of these two former titles togither containes the principali question of the whole bible which is whether Iesus the sonne of Mary be Christ or no as S. Iohn saith These things are written that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God and that in beleeving yee might have life everlasting This conclusion was denied by the Iewes but avouched and confirmed both by Christ and by his Apostles and their principall argument was framed thus He which hath the true notes of Christ is the Messias or Christ indeed but Iesus the Sonne of Mary hath the true notes of Christ therfore Iesus is Christ. The proposition is opened at large in the prophesies of the old testament the assumption is confirmed in the writings of the new testament the principall reasons of the confirmation are couched in the articles which coÌ„cern the second person The conclusion followes is set down as I haue said in the knitting togither of the titles Iesus and Christ. Thus much of the second title now followeth the third his only Sonne that is the only sonne of the first person the father In this title we must consider 2. things the first that he is the sonne of God the second that he is the only Sonne of God Touching the first Christ is called the SoÌ„ne of God because he was begotteÌ„ of the father Now for the opening of this eternall generation we must consider three pointes the thing begotten the maner of begetting the time For the thing it selfe it is Christ who must be coÌ„sidered 2. waies as he is a sonne as he is God As he is a sonne he is
Life euerlasting 532 THE RESOLVTION OF THE CREEDE 〈◊〉 One of the Actions of faith which are To beleeve in God which hath three partes I. To beleeue God as hee hath reuealed himselfe in his worde II. To acknowledge him in particular to be my God III. To put my confidence in him To beleeve a thing and this action hath two partes I. To acknowledge the thing II. To apply the thing to my selfe as to beleeue the Church is to acknowledge the Church that I am a member of it The second the Object which is God distinguished into 3. person I. The first is described by his I. Name Father II. Attribute Almightie III. Worke Creatour of heaven and earth II. The second is described by his I. Titles which are foure I. Iesus II. Christ. III. His Sonne IIII. Our Lord. II. Incarnation it hath 2. parts The conception where coÌ„sider the partes The personn all vnion The sanctification of that masse or lumpe wherof the body of Christ was framed The cause efficient the Hâ—ghâ—st The byrth where is meÌ„tioned the mother of Christ described by her Name Mary Qualitie a virgine III. Estate afterward of Humiliation set downe Generally in these wordes Suffered vnder c. where is noted the time of his suffering when P. Pilat was president of Iurie By partes which are 4. I. His crucifying II. His death III. His buriall IIII. His descending into hell Exaltation hauing 3. parts I. His resurrection II. His ascension III. His sitting at his fathers right hand it is set forth by the Place Heaven The effect his coÌ„ming to iudgement III. The third person described by his name Holy Ghost infolding his office The Church described by his Qualities Holy Catholicke Prerogatiues which are 4. I. Communion of saintes II. Forgivenesse of sinnes III. Resurection of the body IV. Life everlasting AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREEDE I beleeue in God c. NO man iustly can be offended at this that I begin to treate of the doctrine of faith without a text though some be of minde that in Catechising the minister is to proceed as in the ordinarie course of preaching only by handling a set portion of scripture therfore that the handling of the Creed being no scripture is not convenient Indeed I graunt that other course to be commendable yet I doubt not but in Catechising the minister hath his libertie to follow or not to follow a certaine text of scripture as we doe in the usuall course of preaching My reason is taken from the practise of the Primitive Church whose Catechisme as the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes sheweth was contained in sixe principles or grounds of religion which were not taken out of any set text in the olde Testament but rather was a forme of teaching gathered out of the most cleare places thereof Hence I reason thus That which in this point was the use and maner of the Primitiue Church is lawfull to be used of vs now but in the Primitiue Church it was the maner to Catechize without handling any set text of scripture and therefore the ministers of the Gospell at this time may with like libertie doe the same so be it they doe confirme the doctrine which they teach with places of scripture afterwarde Now to come to the Creed let vs begin with the name or title thereof That which in English we call the Apostles Creed in other tongues is called Symbolum that is a shot or a badge It is called a shot because as in a feast or banket euery man payeth his part which being all gathered the whole which we call the shot amounteth and so out of the seuerall writings of the Apostles ariseth this Creed or briefe coÌ„fession of faith It is a badge because as a soldier in the field by his badge livery is knowen of what band he is to what captain he doth belong eueÌ„ so by this beleefe a ChristiaÌ„ maÌ„ may be distinguished known froÌ„ all Iewes Turkes Atheists all false professors for this cause it is called a badge Againe it is called the Creed of the Apostles not because they were the penners of it conferring to it besides the matter the very stile frame of words as we haue them now set downe Reason I. there are in this Creed certaine words and phrases which are not to be found in the writings of the Apostles and namely these He descended into hell the Catholike Church The latter wherof no doubt first began to be in use when after the Apostles daies the Church was dispersed into all quarters of the earth II. Secondly if both matter and wordes had bene from the Apostles why is not the Creed Canonicall scripture as well as any other of their writings III. The Apostles had a summarie collection of the points of Christian religion which they taught and also deliuered to others to teach by consisting of two heades faith and love as may appeare by Pauls exhortation to Timothie wishing him to keepe the patterne of holesome words which he had heard of him in faith and love which is in Christ Iesus Now the Creede consists not of two heads but of one namely of faith only and not of loue also VVherefore I rather thinke that it is called the Apostles Creede because it doth summarily conteine the chiefe and principall pointes of religion handled and propounded in the doctrine of the Apostles and because the pointes of the Creed are conformable and agreeable to their doctrine and writings And thus much of the Title Now let vs heare what the Creed is It is a summe of things to be beleeued concerning God and concerning the Church gathered foorth of the scriptures For the opening of this description First I say it is a summe of things to be beleeued or an abridgement It hath bene the practise of teachers both in the new and old Testament to abridge and contract summarily the religion of their time This the Prophets used For when they had made their Sermons to the people they did abridge them and penned them briefly setting them in some open place that all the people might reade the same So the Lorde bad Habakuk to write the vision which he saw and to make it plaine upon tables that he may runne that readeth it And in the new Testament the Apostles did abridge those doctrines which otherwise they did handle at large as may appeare in the place of Timothy afore named Now the reason why both in the old new Testament the doctrine of religion was abridged is that the understanding of the simple as also their memory might be hereby helped they better inabled to iudge of the truth to discerne the same froÌ„ falshood And for this end the Apostles Creed being a summary collectioÌ„ of things to be beleeued was gathered briefly out of the word of god for the helping of memory understanding of men I adde that this
is one thing to beleeue in this or that is another thing and it conteineth in it 3. points or actions of a beleeuer 1. to know a thing 2. to acknowledge the same 3. to put trust and confidence in it And in this order must these three actions of faith be applied to euery article following which concerneth God And herein is contained a speciall matter For alwaies by adding them to the words following we doe applie the article vnto our selues in a very comfortable manner As I beleeue in the father and doe beleeue that he is my father and therefore I put my whole trust in him and so of the rest Now we come to the obiect of generall faith which is either God or the Church in handling of both which I wil obserue this order I. I will speake of the meaning of euery article II. Of the duties which we ought to learn thereby III. And lastly of the consolations which may be gathered thence Concerning God three things are to be considered And first by reason of manifold doubtings that rise in our minds it may be demanded whether there be a God many reasons might be vsed to resolue those that haue scruple of conscience otherwaies we are bound to beleeue that there is a God without al doubting As for those Atheists which confidently auouch there is no God by Gods lawe they ought to die the death nay the earth is too good for such to dwell on Malefactours as theeues and rebells for their offences haue their rewarde of death but the offence of those which denie that there is a God is greater and therefore deserues the most cruell death The second point followeth namely what God is Answer Moses desiring to see Gods face was not permitted but to see his hinder parts and therefore no man can be able to describe God by his nature but by his effects properties on this or such like maner God is an essence spirituall simple infinite most holy I say first of all that God is an essence to shew that he is a thing absolutely subsisting in himselfe by himselfe not receiuing his being from any other And herein he differeth frō all creatures whatsoeuer which haue subsisting beeing from him alone Againe I say that he is an essence spirituall because hee is not a kinde of body neither hath he the parts of the bodies of mē or other creatures but is in nature a spirit inuisible not subiect to any of mans senses I adde also that he is a simple essence because his nature admits no maner of composition of matter or forme or parts The creatures are compounded of diuers parts of varietie of nature but there is no such thing in God for whatsoeuer thing he is he is the same by one the same singular and indiuisible essence Furthermore he is infinite and that diuers waies infinite in time without any beginning and without end infinite in place because he is euery where and excluded no where within all places and foorth of all places Lastly he is most holy that is of infinite wisdome mercie loue grace goodnes c. and he alone is rightly tearmed most holy because holinesse is of the very nature of God himselfe wheras among the most excellent creatures it is otherwise As for example a man is one thing and the holines of man is another Thus we see what God is and to this effect god describes himself to be Iehova Elohim Paul describes him to be a King euerlasting immorall inuisible onely wise to whom is due all honour glorie for euer The thirde point is touching the number of Gods namely whether there be more Gods then one or no. Ans. There is not neither can there be any more Gods then one VVhich point the Creede auoucheth in saying I beleeue in God not gods and yet more plainly the Nicene Creede and the Creede of Athanasius both of them explaning the words of the Apostles Creede on this maner I beleeue in one God Howsoeuer some in former times haue erroneously held that two Gods were the begining of all things one of good things the other of euill things others that there was one God in the old testament an other in the new others againe namely the Valintinians that there were 30. couple of gods and the heathen people as Augustine recordeth worshipped 30. thousand gods yet we that are members of Gods Church must hold and beleeue one God alone no more Deut. 4.39 Vnderstand this day and consider in thine heart that Iehovah he is God in heauen aboue and vpon the earth beneath there is none other Eph. 4.8 One God one faith one baptisme If it be alleadged that the Scripture mentioneth many gods because Magistrates are called gods Moses is called Aarons god the deuill and all idols are called gods The answer is this They are not properly or by nature gods for in that respect there is onely one God but they are so tearmed in other respects Magistrates are gods because they be Vicegerents placed in the roome of the true God to gouerne their subiects Moses is Aarons god because he was in the roome of god to reueale his will to Aaron the deuill is a god because the hearts of the wicked would giue the honour vnto him which is peculiar to the euerliuing God idols are called gods because they are such in mens conceits and opinions who esteeme of them as of gods Therefore Paul faith an idole is nothing in the worlde that is nothing in nature subsisting or nothing in respect of the diuinitie ascribed vnto it To proceede forwarde to beleeue in this one God is in effect thus much 1. to knowe and acknowledge him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his worde 2. to beleeue him to be my God 3. from mine heart to put all mine affiance in him To this purpose Christ saith This is eternall life to knowe thee the onely God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Nowe the knowledge here meant is not a bare or generall knowledge for that the deuills haue but a more speciall knowledge whereby I know God not onely to be God but also to be my God and thereupon doe put my confidence in him And thus much of the meaning of the first wordes I beleeue in God c. Nowe followe the duties which may be gathered hence First of all if wee are bound to beleeue in God then wee are also bound to take notice of our naturall vnbeliefe to checke our selues for it and to striue against it Thus dealt the father of the childe that had a dumme spirite Lord saith he J beleeue Lorde helpe myne vnbeleefe And David Why art thou cast dovvne my soule and why art thou so disquieted in me wayt on God And that which our Sauiour Christ said once to Peter should a man say euery day to himselfe O thou of little faith why hast thou doubted But
sundred one from another And though Peter Paul Timothy haue all one common universall forme yet they three are not one man but 3. men Now it is otherwise with the divine nature or godhead which is uncreated and infinite and therefore admittes neither composition nor division but a distinction without any separation so as the three persons subsisting in it shall not be three gods but one and the same god Yet further some will obiect that it is truly said of the father that hee is god but the same godhead is not in the sonne nor in the holy ghost for the sonne and the holy ghost haue their beginning from the father Ansvver The sonne and the holy ghost haue not a beginning of their nature or of their godhead from the Father but of their person only the person of the Sonne is from the Father and the person of the Holy ghost is both from the Father and from the Sonne but the Godhead of all three persons is vncreate and vnbegotten and proceeding from none Yet some may say both the Sonne and the Holy Ghost haue receiued from the Father all their attributes as wisedome knowledge power c. Now he that receiueth any thing from another is in that respect inferiour to him that giueth it and therefore the sonne and the Holy ghost are not God as he is Ans. We must know that which the Sōne receiueth of the Father he receiueth it by nature and not by grace he receiueth not a part but all that the Father hath saving the personall proprietie And the Holy Ghost receiueth from the Father and the Sonne by nature and not by grace and therefore though both the Sonne and the Holy Ghost receiue from the Father yet they are not inferiour to him but equall with him And thus much is necessarie to be learned of the vnion betweene the three persons in Trinitie whereby they being three haue all one and the same godheade The second point to be considered is that though these three haue but one godhead and all make but one God yet they are distinguished one from another for the Father is the Father and not the Sonne nor the Holy Ghost the Sonne is the Sonne and not the Father nor the Holy ghost and the Holy Ghost is the Holy ghost not the Father nor the Sonne This distinction of the persons is notably set forth vnto vs in the baptism of our Saviour Christ where it is said that vvhen Iesus was baptized hee came out of the vvater there is the second person and the Holy ghost descended upon him in the forme of a dove there is the thirde person and the Father the first person pronounced from heauen that hee was his beloved Sonne in whome hee was well pleased And we must not conceiue this distinction in such manner as though these three Father Sonne and Holy Ghost were three names of one God For the three persons doe not in name or word but really in truth distinctly subsist in the same divine nature Neither must we imagine that the three persons are three formes or differences of one god as some heretikes haue dreamed who taught that the father alone is God and that he is called a Father in one respect the Sonne in another and the Holy ghost in a thirde For this were nothing else but to make the personall proprieties to be nothing but imaginarie accidents which indeede or at the least in mans conceit might come and goe and be either in the persons or foorth of them For the personall relations though in minde they may be distinguished from the divine essence yet indeede they are one with it But some will say if they make this distinction there is rather a quaternitie then a trinitie for the godhead is one the father an other the sonne a third and the holy ghost a fourth Thus some heretikes haue obiected against the distinction of the trinitie but it is untrue which they say for the godhead must not be severed from the father nor frō the sonne nor frō the holy Ghost for the father is God or the whole godhead so also is the sonne and the holy ghost and the godhead likewise is in euery one of these three persons and euery one of them subsisting in the godhead and the godhead must be conceived to be in them all and not as a fourth thing out of them And therefore we must still maintaine that these 3. persons are distinguished and not deuided as three men are deuided in being and substance for this division can not be in them because all three haue one divine nature and one godhead This is the misterie of all misteries to be receiued of us all namely the trinitie of the persons in the vnitie of the godhead This doctrine must be reteined and holden for these causes I. because by it we are able to distinguish this true God from all false Gods and Idols II. Because among all other pointes of religion this is one of the chiefest being the verie foundation thereof For it is not sufficient for us to know God as we can conceiue of him in our owne imagination but we must know him as he hath revealed him selfe in his worde And it is not sufficient to saluation to beleeue in God confusedly but we must beleeue in one god distinct into three persons the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost yea more then this we must hold beleeue that God the father is our father the sonne our redeemer the holy ghost our sanctifier comforter Well then if we must in this maner beleeue in god then we must also know him for vve can haue no faith in the thing which is utterly unknown wherfore if we would beleeue in the father son or holy ghost we must know them in part Ioh. 17. This is life eternall to know thee the only God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Ioh. 14.17 The world can not receiue the spirite of truth because it hath neither seene him nor knowen him 1. Ioh. 2.23 Whosoever denieth the sonne hath not the father Thirdly this doctrine directs us in worshipping God aright for vnitie in trinitie trinitie in vnitie is to be worshipped one God must be worshipped in the father in the sonne and in the holy ghost if we worship God the father without the sonne the holy ghost or if we worshippe the sonne without the father and the holy ghost and the holy ghost without the father the sonne we worship nothing but an Idol Againe if we worship the 3. persons not as one God but as three gods then likewise we make three Idols Note further that of all the three persons the first person the father is set in the first place and is described to us by three things I. by his title that he is a father II. by his attribute that hee is Almightie III. by his effect that hee is maker of heaven and earth
heauenly places farre aboue all principalities and powers c. euen by the power of his father well as this power was made manifest in the head so must it be in the members thereof Euery child of God shall hereafter see and feele in himselfe the same power to translate him from this vale of miserie in this life to the kingdome of heauen Wherefore to conclude we haue great cause to be thankefull and to praise God for this priuiledge that he sheweth his power in his children in regenerating them in making them die vnto sinne and to stand against the gates of hell to suffer afflictions patiently as also that he translates thē from death to life And euery one should shew his thankfulnes in labouring to haue experience of this power in himselfe as Paul exhorteth vs in his epistles to the Colossians Ephesians yea read all his epistles we shal finde he mentioneth no point so often as this namely the mightie power of God manifested first in Christ secondly in his mēbers and he accounteth all things losse that he might know Christ the vertue of his resurrection This point is the rather to be marked because his power in the matter of grace is not to be seene with eye fewe there be in respect that haue felt the vertue thereof in themselues for the deuill doth mightitily shew his cōtrary power in the greatest part of the world in carrying them to sinne and wickednes Secondly hence we learne that which Paul teacheth namely to know that all things worke together for the best vnto them that loue God God is almightie therfore able to do whatsoeuer he wil he is also a father therfore is willing to doe that which is for our good But some will say we are subiect to many crosses yea to sinne what can our sinnes turne to our good Ans. If God almightie be thy father he wil turne thine afflictions yea thy sinnes which by nature are euill beyond all exspectation vnto thy saluation And this God will doe to all such as be obedient vnto him yet no man must hereupon presume to sinne Thirdly whereas we beleeue that God is a mightie father it serues to confirme Gods children in the promises of mercie reuealed in his word The chiefest whereof is that if men will turne from their sinnes and beleeue in Christ they shall not perish but haue life euerlasting I know some men wil make it an easie thing to beleeue especially those which neuer knewe what faith meant But such persons neede no meanes of confirmation of faith therfore let all those which haue tasted of the hardnes of attaining vnto it learne how to stablish their wauering hearts in the promises of God by the consideration of these two points God is a father and therefore he is willing he is also almightie and therefore he is able to performe his promises He that will be truly resolued of Gods promises must haue both these setled in his heart and build on them as on two foundations It followeth Creatour of heauen and earth We haue spoken of the title of the first person of his attributs now we come to speake of his effect namely the creation but before we come to it we are to answer a certaine obiection which may be made At the first it may seeme strāge to some that the worke of creation is ascribed to the first person in Trinitie the father whereas in the Scripture it is common to them all three equally And first that the father is Creatour it was neuer doubted as for the second person the Sonne that he is Creatour it is euident all things are made by it that is by the Sonne who is the substantiall word of the father without it was made nothing that was made And againe it is said that God by his Sonne made the worlde As for the holy Ghost the worke of creation is also ascribed vnto him and therefore Moses saith the spirit mooued vpon the waters and Iob saith his spirit hath garnished the heauens How thē is this peculiar to the father being cōmon to al the three persons in trinitie I answer the actions of God are two-fold either inward or outward The inward actions are those which one person doth exercise towards another as the father doth beget the sonne this is an inward action peculiar to the father for all inward actions are proper to the persons from whome they are So the Sonne doth receiue the godhead frō the father the holy Ghost frō thē both these are inward actions peculiar to these persons So likewise for the father to send his sonne it is an inward action proper to the father cannot be cōmunicated to the holy Ghost the sonne to be sent by the father onely is a thing proper to the sonne not cōmon to the father or to the holy Ghost Now outward actions are the actions of the persons in the Trinitie to the creatures as the worke of creation the work of preseruatiō of redemption These all such actions are cōmon to all the three persons the father createth the sonne createth the H. Ghost createth so we may say of the works of gouernment of redemption of all outward actions of the persons to the creatures But some again may say how then can the work of creation being an outward action of God to the creature be peculiar to the first person the father I answer the work of creation is not so proper to the first person the father as that it cannot also be common to the rest for al the three persons ioyntly created all things of nothing onely they are distinguished in the manner of creating For the father is the cause that beginneth the worke the sonne puts it in execution the holy Ghost is the finisher of it And againe the father createth by the sonne by the H. Ghost the sonne createth by the holy Ghost frō the father the H. Ghost createth not by the father nor by the sonne but frō the father the sonne And this is the reason why the work of creation is ascribed here vnto the father because he alone createth after a peculiar manner namely by the sonne and by the holy Ghost but the sonne and the holy Ghost create not by the father but from him Thus hauing answered the obiection we come to speake of the creation it selfe In handling whereof we must withal treat of the Counsell of God as being the cause thereof of the Gouernment of the creatures as beeing a worke of God whereby he continues the creation And the order which I wil obserue is first to speake of the Counsell of God and secondly of the exequution of his Counsell which hath two speciall branches the first the creation the second the preseruation or gouernment of things created The Counsell of God is his eternal vnchangeable decree
wherby he hath ordained al things either past present or to come for his own glorie First I cal it a decree because God hath in it set down with himselfe appointed as soueraigne Lord what shall be what shal not be I adde further that al things whatsoeuer come vnder the cōpasse of this decree as Paul saith He worketh al things according to the coūsel of his wil. And our Sauiour Christ saith that a sparrow cānot fall on the ground without the heauenly father yea further he tels his disciples that the very haires of their heads are numbred meaning that they are knowne and set downe in the counsell of God And considering that God is King of heauen and earth and that most wise yea wisdome it selfe and most mightie yea might and power it selfe it must needs b◠that he hath determined how all things shall come to passe in his kingdome with all their circumstances time place causes c. in such particular maner that the very least thing that may be is not left vnappointed and vndisposed The counsell of God hath two properties eternitie and vnchangeablenes It is eternall because it was set downe by God from euerlasting before all times as Paul saith God hath chosen the Ephesians to saluation before all worlds And he saith of himselfe that he was called according to the purpose of God which was before all worlds Againe the same counsell once set downe is vnchangeable God saith I am Iehovah and I change not With God saith S. Iames there is no variablenes nor shadow of change Nowe such as God is such is his decree and counsell And he beeing vnchangeable his counsels also are vnchangeable Gods counsell hath two parts his foreknowledge and his will or pleasure His foreknowledge whereby he did foresee all things which were to come His will whereby in a generall manner he wills and ordaines whatsoeuer is to come to passe and therefore such things as God altogether nilleth can not come to passe Nowe these two parts of the counsell of God must be ioyned together and not seuered Will without knowledge is impotent and foreknowledge without will is idle And therefore such as holde that God doth barely foresee sundrie things to come no manner of way either willing or decreeing the issue and euent of them doe bring in little better then Atheisme For if we say that any thing comes to passe either against Gods will or God not knowing of it or not regarding it we shall make him either impotent or careles rase the very foūdation of Gods prouidence And this decree of God must be conceiued of vs as the most generall cause of all things subsisting beeing first in order hauing all other causes vnder it and most principall ouerruling all ouerruled by none Thus we see what is to be held touching Gods counsell now for the better clearing of the truth three obiections of some difficultie are to be answered First may some man say if God decree and ordaine all things whatsoeuer then he decreeth and ordaineth sinne But God decrees not sinne in as much as it is against his will and therefore he decrees not all things Answ. VVe vse not to say that God doth simplie will or decree sinne but onely in part adding with all these caueats I. That God willeth and decreeth sinne not properly as it is sinne but as it hath in it sundrie regards respects of goodnes so farforth as it is a punishment or chastismēt or trial or action or hath any existēce in nature II. God can so vse euill instruments that the work done by them beeing a sinne shall neuerthelesse in him be a good worke because he knows how to vse euill instruments well If it be further alledged that God willeth no wickednes Psal. 5.5 we must know that Gods will is twofold generall speciall Generall whereby God willeth decreeth that a thing shal be by this kind of will he may be said to wil sinne that without sinne For though he decree it thus yet he doth not instill wickednes into the heart of any sinner his decree is onely for a most excellent end For in regard of God which decreeth it is good that there should be euill To this purpose Augustine saith excellently By an vnspeakeable manner it comes to passe that that which is against Gods will is not without his will Now the special wil of God is that whereby he willeth any thing in such maner that he approoueth it deliteth in it And thus indeede we can not say without blasphemie that God willeth sinne Thus then we see in what manner and how farforth God may be said to decree sinne Againe it may be obiected thus If all things be determined by the vnchangeable decree of God then all things come to passe by an vnchangeable necessitie and men in their actions haue no freewill at all or libertie in doing any thing Ans. This must be learned as a certen rule that the necessarie decree of God doth not abolish the nature of the second causes and impose necessitie vpon the will of mā but only order incline it without any constraint to one part As for example when a people is gathered togeather to heare Gods worde there is none of them but they know that they come thither by Gods prouidence and in that respect necessarily yet before they come they had all freedome and libertie in themselues to come or not to come Gods eternall counsell did not hinder the libertie of our wills in comming or not comming nor take away the same but onely incline and turne them to the choice of one part An other example hereof we may haue in our Sauiour Christ whose state and constitution of bodie if we regard he might haue liued longer yet by the eternall counsel of God he must die at that place at that time at that houre where and when he died Whereby we may see that Gods counsel doth not hinder the wil of mā but only order dispose it Which answer being wel marked we shall see these two will stande together the necessarie and vnchangeable counsell of God and the free will of man And againe that the same action may be both necessarie and contingent necessarie in regard of the highest cause the coūsell of God not necessarie but contingent in respect of the second causes as among the rest the will of man Thirdly some will yet obiect against this doctrine that if all things come to passe according to gods vnchāgeable decree then what needs the vsing of any meanes what needs the preaching of the word receiuing of the sacraments what needes any lawes princes magistrates or gouernment what needs walking in mens ordinarie callings all is to no ende for let men play or worke sleepe or wake let him doe what he will all is one for Gods eternall counsell must needs come to passe therefore it may seeme in
humiliatiō in our selves Fourthly God in framing his creatures in the beginning made them good yea very good Now the goodnesse of the creature is nothing else but the perfect estate of the creature whereby it was conformable to the will and minde of the Creator allowing and approouing of it when he had made it for a creature is not first good and then approoved of God but because it is approoved of God therefore it is good But wherein will some say standes this goodnesse of the creature I answer in three things I. in the comelinesse beautie and glorie of euery worke in his kinde both in forme and constitution of the matter II. in the excellencie of the vertue which God hath giuen to it for as he hath appointed euery creature for some especiall end so he hath fitted and furnished it with sufficient power and vertue for the accomplishing of the same end III. in the exceeding benefite and profitablenesse that came by them to man But since the fall of man this goodnesse of the creature is partly corrupted and partly diminished Therefore when wee see any want defect or deformitie in any of them we must haue recourse backe againe to the apostasie of our first parents and remember our fall in them and say with a sorowfull heart this comes to passe by reason of mans most wretched sinne which hath defiled heauen and earth and drawen a curse not onely upon himselfe but upon the rest of the creatures for his sake whereby their goodnesse is much defaced Fiftly the end of creation is the glory of God as Salomon saith God made all things for his owne sake yea even the wicked for the day of evill And God propounds this principall end to himselfe not as though he wanted glorie and would purchase it unto himselfe by the creation for hee is most glorious in himselfe and his honour and praise being infinite can neither be increased nor decreased but rather that he might communicate and make manifest his glorie to his creatures and giue them occasion to magnifie the same For the reasonable creatures of God beholding his glory in the creation are mooved to testifie and declare the same among men The sixt shall be touching the time of the beginning of the world which is betweene fiue thousand and sixe thousand yeres agoe For Moses set downe exactly the computation of time from the making of the worlde to his owne daies and the Prophets after him haue with like diligence set downe the continuance of the same to the verie birth of Christ. But for the exact account of yeeres Chronologers are not all of one minde Some say there be 3929. from the creation to Christes birth as Beroaldus some 3952. as Hierome and Bede some 3960. as Luther and Io. Lucidus some 3963. as Melancthon in his Chronicle Functius some 3970. as Bullinger and Tremellius some towards 4000. as Buntingus Now from the birth of Christ to this day are 1592. yeeres and adding these together the whole time amounteth And God would haue the verie time of the beginning of the world to be revealed 1. that it might be knowen to the Church when the couenant of grace was first giuen by God to man and when it was afterward renewed and how Christ came in the fulnesse of time Gal. 4. 2. that we might know that the world was not made for the eternall and euerliuing God but for man 3. that we might learne not to set our hearts on the world and on the things therein which haue beginning and end but seeke for things eternall in heauen And before the time which I haue named began there was nothing beside God the world it selfe and all things else were vncreated Some men use to obiect and say What did God doe all that while before the world was how did he imploy himselfe what was he idle Ansvver The Iewes to this bad question make as badde an answere For they say he was continually occupied in making many litle worlds which he continually destroyed as he made them because none pleased him till hee made this But we must rather say that some things are reuealed which God did then as that he decreed what should come to passe when the world was that thē the blessed persons in Trinitie did take eternall delight ech in other If any man will needs know more let him heare what Moses saith Secret things belong to the Lord our God but things revealed to vs and to our children for ever and let him marke what one eluding the question answered namely that God was making hell fire to burne all such curious persons as will needs know more of God then hee hath revealed to them for where God hath not a mouth to speake there we must not haue an eare to heare therefore wee must let such curious questions passe Seventhly some may aske in what space did God make the vvorld I ansvver God coulde haue made the world and all things in it in one moment but he began and finished the whole worke in sixe distinct daies In the first day he made the matter of all things and the light in the second the heauens in the third day he brought the sea into his compasse and made the drie land appeare and caused it to bring forth hearbs plants and trees in the fourth hee made the Sunne the Moone the Starres in the heauen in the fifth day hee made the fishes of the sea the foules of the heauen and euery creeping thing in the sixth day hee made the beastes of the field and all cattell and in the end of the sixt day he made man Thus in sixe distinct spaces of time the Lorde did make all things and that especially for three causes I. to teach men that they ought to haue a distinct and serious consideration of every creature for if God had made the world in a moment some might haue said this work is so mistical that no man can speak of it But for the preventing of this cavill it was his pleasure to make the world and all things therein in sixe dayes and the seventh day he commaunded it to be sanctified by men that they might distinctly and seriously meditate upon euerie worke of the creation II. God made the world and euery thing therein in sixe distinct daies to teach vs what wonderfull power and libertie he had ouer all his creatures for hee made the light when there was neither Sunne nor Moone nor starres to shevve that in giuing light to the world he is not bound to the Sunne to any creature or to any meanes for the light was made the first day but the Sonne the Moone and the Starres were not created before the fourth day Againe trees and plantes were created the third day but yet the Sunne Moone and the Starres and raine which nourish and make hearbs trees and plantes to growe were not created till after the third day vvhich shevves plainely
that God can make trees plants herbs to grow without the meanes of raine and vvithout the vertue and operation of the Sunne the Moone the Starres III. he made the worlde in sixe distinct dayes and framed all things in this order to teach us his wonderfull providence of his creatures for before man was created he prouided for him a dwelling place and all things necessarie for his perpetuall preseruation and perfect happinesse and felicitie So also he created beasts and cattell but not before he had made hearbs plants and grasse and all meanes whereby they are preserued And if God had this care ouer man when as yet hee was not much more will God haue care ouer him now when hee is and hath a being in nature And thus much concerning the pointes of doctrine touching the creation The duties follow And first by the worke of creation we may discerne the true Iehouah from all false gods idols in the world This Esaiah maketh plain bringing in the Lorde reasoning thus I am God and there is no other God besides me How is that prooued thus I forme the light and create darkenesse I make peace and create evill I the Lord doe all these things If a man aske thee how thou knowest the true God from all false gods thou must answere by the worke of â—â—eation for he alone is the maker of heauen and earth and all things in them This propertie can not agree to any creature to any man saint or Angell nay not to all men and all Angels they can not giue being to a creature which before was nothing Secondly wheras God the Father is the Creatour of all things and hath giuen unto man reason understanding and abilitie more then to other creatures we are taught to consider and meditate of the worke of Gods creation This the wise man teacheth vs saying Consider the worke of God And indeed it is a speciall dutie of euery man which professeth himselfe to be a member of Gods Church as he acknowledgeth God to be the Creatour so to looke upon his workemanshippe and view and consider all creatures A skilfull workeman can haue no greater a disgrace then when hee hath done some famous thing to haue his friende passe by his worke and not so much as looke upon it If it be demaunded for what ende must we looke upon the worke of Gods creation I ansvvere that in it vvee may see and discerne Gods power wisedome loue mercie and providence and all his attributes and in all things his glorie This is a most necessarie dutie to be learned of euery man we thinke nothing too much or to good to bestow on vaine shewes plaies idle sportes and pastimes which are the vanities of men and we doe most willingly beholde them in the meane season utterly neglecting and contemning the glorious worke of Gods creation Well the Lorde God hath appointed his Sabaoth to be sanctified not only by the publique ministerie of the worde and by private prayer but also by an especiall consideration and meditation of gods creatures and therefore the duetie of euery man is this distinctly and seriously to view and consider the creatures of God and thereby take occasion to glorifie his name by ascribing vnto him the vvisedome glorie povver and omnipotencie that is due unto him for the same Thirdly wee must giue God the glorie in all his creatures because hee is the creatour of them all So in the Revelation the foure and tvventie Elders fall downe before him and say Thou art vvorthy O Lorde to receive glorie and honour and povver giuing this reason for thou hast created all things and for thy vvills sake they are and haue beene created Reade the Psalmes 147. and 148. both vvhich tende to this that God may be praised because he is the Creatour of all things and therefore must haue all the glorie VVee knowe that when men beholde any curious vvorke of a cunning and skillfull craftesman straightway they vvill leaue the vvorke and inquire after him that made it that they may praise his skill The same is our dutie in this case when we come abroad and beholde every where in all the creatures the admirable and unspeakeable vvisedome goodnesse and povver of God then vvee must make hast from the creature and goe forvvarde to the Creatour to praise and glorifie him and herein must vvee shevve our selues to differ from bruite beasts in that in the vse and view of Gods creatures we doe returne due glory praise and honour unto the creatour Our fourth duty is set downe by the Prophet Amos who moouing the people to meete God by repentance addeth a reason taken froÌ„ the creation He that fourmeth the mountaines createth the winds which declareth unto man what is his thought which maketh the morning darkenesse c. the Lord God of hosts is his name The meaning of the Prophet is this God is a terrible iudge we are as traitors rebels against him therfore the best way that we can take is this he is coÌ„ming to iudgement let us therfore meete him fall downe before him humble our selues under his mighty haÌ„d And the holy ghost by the prophet would mooue the people to meete God by serious repeÌ„tance by a reason framed thus If God who is their iudge be able to create the winds and to forme the mouÌ„taines to make the morning darknes then he is also able to make an eternall iudgement for their confusion And therfore all such as be impenitent sinners let theÌ„ prepare themselues to turne unto him surely if men had grace to lay this to their hearts they would not liue so loÌ„g in their sinnes without repentance as they do nay rather they would prepare themselues to meet him in the way before he come to iudgement because he is a creator therefore able to bring infinite punishments upon them at his pleasure and to bring them to nothing as he made them of nothing And let them know it whosoeuer they be that go forwarde in their sinnes that God the creator whensoeuer hee will can opeÌ„ hell to deuoure them that he can shew him selfe as mightie in his iudgement to mens destruction as he vvas in the beginning in giuing us a being vvhen vve vvere nothing Wherefore notable is the practise of David vvho ineures himself to the feare of god by the consideration of his creation saying I am fearefully and wonderfully made c. Lastly those vvhich haue bin impenitent sinners all their life past must not only learne to repent for their sinnes but also endeauour to perfourme obedience unto gods vvord God is a creatour and the thing created shoulde in all respectes be conformable to his vvill for David saith Thine hands have fashioned me framed me give me vnderstanding therfore that I may learne thy coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts And good reasoÌ„ for there is no man of any trade but hee vvould faine haue
Lorde is eternall and this thirde heauen hath alwaies beene the place of the Lords abode and therefore it is also eternall Ansvver True it is that God doeth shewe his glorie and maiestie in the thirde heauen but yet that cannot obtaine his godhead as Salomon saith Beholde the heavens and the heavens of heavens are not able to containe thee Wherefore though God doeth manifest his eternall glorie in this thirde heauen yet it doeth not follow that therefore it shoulde be eternall for he needes no place to dvvell in for hee is every where filling all things with his presence excluded from no place The seconde question where this thirde heauen is Ansvvere There are some protestants say it is euery where and they hold this opinion to maintaine the reall presence of the Lordes body in or about the Sacrament But if it vvere euery where then hell shoulde be in heauen which no man will say but heauen indeed is aboue these visible heauens which we see with our eyes so the Apostle saith Christ ascended on high farre above all heauens c. And againe it is saide of Steven that beeing full of the holy ghost He looked up steadfastly into the heauens and sawe them open and the sonne of man standing at the right hand of God Thirdly it may be demanded why God created this thirde heauen Ansvver God made it for this cause that there might be a certaine place wherein he might make manifest his glorie and maiestie to his elect angels and men for the which cause it was created a thousand folde more glorious then the two former heavens are in which respect it is called Paradise by reason of the ioy and pleasure arising from Gods glorious presence And our Sauiour Christ calleth it the house of God his father because into it must be gathered all Gods children It is called the kingdome of heaven because God is the King thereof and ruleth there in perfect glorie True it is God hath his kingdome here on earth but he ruleth not so fully and gloriously here as hee shall in heauen for this is the kingdome of grace but that is the kingdome of his glorie where he so reigneth that he will be all in all first in Christ and then in the elect both Angels and men Now followes the duties wherunto we are moved principally in consideration of the making of the third heauen First if God created it especially for the manifestation of his glorie unto men that at the ende of this world by the fruition of Gods most glorious presence there they might haue perfect ioye and felicitie wee haue occasion here to consider the wonderfull madnesse of the vvorlde that reigneth euery where among men which onely haue regarde to the state of this life and cast all their care on this world and neuer so much as dreame of the ioyfull and blessed estate which is prepared for Gods children in the highest heauen If a man hauing two houses one but a homely cottage and the other a princely pallace should leaue the better and take all the care and paines for the dressing up of the first would not euerie man say he were a mad man yes undoubtedly And yet this is the spirituall madnesse that reigneth euery where among men for God hath prepared for us two houses one is this our bodie which we beare about us which is an house of clay as Iob saith VVee dvvell in houses of clay whose foundation is dust which shall be destroyed before the moth and as Peter saith a Tabernacle or tent which wee must shortly take downe and wherein we abide but as pilgrimes and strangers Againe the same God of his wonderfull goodnesse hath provided for us a second house in the third heauen wherein we must not abide for a time and so depart but for euermore enioy the blessed felicitie of his glorious presence For all this marke a spirituall phrensie possessing the mindes of men for they imploy all their care and industrie for the maintaining of this house of claye whose foundation is but dust but for the blessed estate of the second house which is prepared for them in the kingdome of heauen they haue no regarde or care They vvill both runne and ride from place to place day and night both by Sea and lande but for vvhat Is it for the preparing of a mansion place in the heauenly Ierusalem Nothing lesse for they will scarse goe forth of the doore to use any meanes whereby they may come unto it but all their studie is to patch vp the ruines and breaches of their earthly cabbine Now let all men iudge in their owne consciences whether as I haue saide this be not more then senselesse madnesse Againe the body is but a tabernacle wherein we must rest as it were for a night as a stranger doeth in an Inne and so away but the second house is eternall in the heavens an everlasting seate of all felicitie And therefore our dutie is aboue all things to seeke the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof as Christ himselfe biddeth us And if the Lorde haue there prepared such a place for vs then wee must in this worlde use all good meanes whereby we may be made worthy the fruition of it also fitte and ready at the day of death to enter into it which at the day of iudgement we shall fully possesse both in soule and body and there reigne eternally in all happinesse with God Almightie our creatour the father the sonne and the holy ghost But some may say how shall a man so prepare himselfe that he may be fitte for that place Ansvver This the holy ghost teacheth us for speaking of this heauenly Ierusalem hee saith There shall enter into it none uncleane thing neither whatsoever vvorketh abomination or lyes The meanes then to make our selues fitte is to seeke to be reconciled to God in Christ for our sinnes past and withall to indeauour to haue an assurance of the free remission and pardon of them all in the blood of Christ. And as touching that part of life which is to come wee must remember what S. Iohn saith Euery one that hath this hope purifieth himselfe meaning that he which hath hope to reigne with Christ in heauen vseth the meanes whereby he may purifie and keepe himselfe from sinne as also he saith after that he which is borne of God keepeth himselfe and the wicked one toucheth him not Signifying that all such persons as are truly iustified and sanctified carrie such a narrowe and straite watch ouer the whole course of their liues and conuersations that the deuill can neuer giue them deadlie wounds and wholly ouercome them Now the man that is resolued in his conscience of the pardon of his sinne for the time past and hath a steadfast purpose in his heart to keepe himselfe upright and continually to walke in righteousnesse and true holinesse all the daies
of his life this man I say is prepared and made fitte to enter into the heauenly Ierusalem come death vvhen it wil he is readie And howsoeuer hee must not looke for heauen here upon earth yet hee is as it were in the suburbes of this heauenly citie and at the ende of this life the king thereof the Lorde Iesus will open the gates and receiue him into his kingdome for hee is alreadie entred into the kingdome of grace beeing prepared also one day when God will to enter into the kingdome of glorie To conclude this point let euery man in the feare of God be mooued hereby to set his heart to prepare him selfe that vvhen God shall call him hence hee may be fitte to enter into that glorie Secondly seeing God hath prepared the thirde heauen for us it teacheth euery man in this worlde to be content with the estate vvherein God hath placed him whether it be high or low rich or poore why so because here he is but a pilgrime and liues in a cottage of clay and in a tent wherein he must abide but a while as a pilgrime doth oftentimes carrying his house about with him and wee shall in better sort accept the afflictions which God sends us in this life if we remember that there is prepared for us a place of ioy which must be our resting place and perfect felicitie for euermore This was the practise of the children of God especially of Abraham for when the Lorde called him out of his owne countrey hee obeyed and by faith abode in the promised lande as in a straunge countrey as one that dvvelt in tentes vvith Isaac and Iaakob heires vvith him in the same promise and the reason followeth for hee looked for a citie having a foundation vvhose builder and maker is God They beleeued that these things vvhich the Lorde promised were shadovves of better things and hereon stayed them selues beeing well content with that estate wherto god had called them So Paul was contented to beare the afflictions vvhich God had laide upon him and his reason was Because saieth hee vvee looke not on thinges vvhich are seene but on things vvhich are not seene for the things vvhich are seene are temporall but the thinges vvhich are not seene are eternall And in the next chapter VVee knovve saith hee that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed vvee have a dvvelling given vs of God that is an house not made vvith handes but eternall in the heavens And for this cause his desire vvas rather to remoove out of this bodie and to be with the Lord. And thus much concerning Heauen Now followeth the seconde part of Gods creation in these vvordes And Earth Earth signifieth the huge masse or bodie standing of sea and lande on vvhich wee liue and all things that be in or upon the earth whatsoeuer as Paul saith For by him vvere created all things that are in heaven or in earth c. In other Creedes which were made since this of the Apostles being expositions of that there is added Maker of all things visible and invisible Here wee haue occasion to speake of all creatures but that were infinite therefore I will make choise of these two good Angels and Men. I. That Angels had a beginning it is no question for Paul saith that by God all things were created in heauen and earth things visible and invisible whether thrones principalities or powers And in respect of the creation angels are called the sonnes of God But the time day of their creation can not be set downe further then this that they were created in the compasse of the sixe daies For Moses saith Thus namely in the compasse of the first sixe daies the heauens and the earth were fashioned and all the hoast of them that is all varietie of creatures in heauen and earth serving for the beautie and glorie thereof whereof no doubt the Angels are the principall II. Touching the nature of angels some haue thought that they are nothing but qualities motions in the minds of men as the Sadduces and the Libertines of this time but the truth is that they are spirits that is spirituall and invisible substances created by God and really subsisting for the scripture ascribes unto them such kind of actions which can not be perfourmed by the creatures saue only such as be substances as to stand before the throne of God to behold the face of the Father to carry mens soules to heauen c. yet must we not imagine that they are bodily substāces consisting of flesh and bone And though they tooke upon them visible shapes formes did eate and drinke in the company of men thereupon are called Men in scripture yet they did this by diuine dispensation for a time that they might the better performe the actions businesses among men to which they were by God appointed And the bodies of men which they assumed were no partes of their natures united to them as our bodies are to us but rather they were as garmēts are to us which they might put off on at their pleasure If any shall aske whence they had these bodies the answer is that either they were created of nothing by the power of God or framed of some other matter subsisting before If againe it be asked what became of these bodies when they laide them downe because they used them but for a time the answere may be that if they were made of nothing they were againe resolued into nothing if made of other creatures that then they were resolued into the same bodies of which they were first made though indeed we can define nothing certenly in this point III. Angels are reasonable creatures of excellent knowledge and understanding farre surpassing all men saue Christ. Their knowledge is threefold naturall revealed experimentall Naturall which they receiued from god in the creation Revealed which God makes manifest to them in processe of time wheras before they knew it not Thus God revealed to Gabriel the mysterie of the seuentie weekes Dan. 8. 9. And in the Apocalyps many things are revealed to the Angels that they might reveale them to us Experimentall knowledge is that which they get by obseruing the dealings of god in the whole world but specially in the Church And thus Paul saith that to principalities and powers in heauenly places is the manifold wisdom of god by the Church IV. And as the knowledge so also the power of the good Angels is exceeding great They are able to doe more then all men can Therefore Paul calls them mightie Angels 2. Thess. 1.7 Yea their power is farre superiour to the power of the wicked angels who since the fall are vnder them and cannot preuaile against them V. The place of the aboad of Angels is the higest heauen vnlesse they be sent thence by the Lord to doe some thing appointed by him This our Sauiour
Christ teacheth when he saith that the angels of little ones doe alreadie behold the face of the father in heauen And the wicked angels before their fall were placed in heauen for they were cast thence VI. That there be certaine distinctions and diuersities of angels it is very likely because they are called thrones and principalities and powers Cherubim and Seraphim But what be the distinct degrees and orders of angels and whether they are to be distinguished by their natures gifts or offices no man by Scripture can determine VII The ministerie of angels to which the Lord hath set them apart is three-fold and it respecteth either God himselfe or his Church or his enemies The ministery which they performe to God is first of all to adore praise and glorifie him continually Thus the Cherubims in Esaies vision cry one to another Holy holy holy is the Lord God of hosts the world is full of his glorie And when they were to publish the birth of the Messias they begin on this manner Glorie to God in the highest heauens peace on earth And Iohn in his vision heard the angels about the throne crying with a loud voyce Worthie is the Lambe c. to receiue power riches and strength wisedome and honour and glorie and praise And indeed the heighest ende of the ministerie of angels is the glorie of God The second is to stand in Gods presence euermore readie to do his commandements as Dauid saith Praise the Lord yee his Angels that excell in strength that doe his commandements in obeying the voice of his word And here is a good lesson for vs. VVe pray daily that we may doe the will of God as the Angels in heauen doe it let vs therefore be followers of the holy angels in praising God and in doing his commandements as they doe The ministerie of angels concerning the Church standes in this that they are ministring spirits for the good of them which shall be heyres of saluation The good is three-fold in this life in the ende of this life and in the last iudgement againe the good which they procure to the people of God in this life is either in respect of bodie or soule In respect of the bodie in that they doe most carefully performe all manner of duties which doe necessarily tend to preserue the temporall life of Gods children euen from the beginning of their daies to the ende Dauid saith that they pitch their tents about them that feare the Lord. When Agar was cast foorth of Abrahams familie and wandred in the wildernes an angell comes vnto hir and giues hir counsell to returne to hir mistres and humble hir selfe VVhen Elias fled from Iesabel he was both comforted directed and fedde by an angell And an angel bids the same Elias be of good courage and without feare to go to King Achazias reprooue him Angels bring Lot and his familie out of Sodom and Gomorrha before they burne the cities with fire brimstone VVhen Iacob feared his brother Esau he saw angels comming vnto him and he plainly acknowledgeth that they were sent to be his protectours and his guides in his iournie Abraham beeing perswaded of the assistance of Gods angels in all his waies said to his seruant The Lord God of heauen who tooke me from my fathers house c. will send his angell before thee The wise men that came to see Christ are admonished by Angels to returne another way Ioseph by the directiō of an angel fled into Egypt that he might preserue Christ frō the hāds of the cruel tyrāt the tēts of the Israelites was garded by angels The 3. children are deliuered frō the fierie furnace Daniel out of the lyōs den by angels Whē Christ was in heauines they ministred vnto him cōforted him they brought Peter out of prisō set him at liberty Againe the Angels procure good vnto the soules of the godly in that they are maintainers and furtherers of the true worship of God and of all good meanes whereby we attaine to saluation The law was deliuered in mount Sina by angels and a great part of the Reuelation of Iohn They expound to Daniel the 70. weekes They instruct the Apostles touching the returne of Christ to the last iudgement Angels forbid Iohn to worship them but to worship God the creatour of heauen and earth They set the Apostles out of prison and bid them teach in the temple An angel brings Philip to the Eunuch that he may expound the scriptures to him Lastly they reueale the mysteries and the will of God as to Abraham that he should not kil his sonne Isaac to Marie and Elizabeth the natiuitie of Iohn Baptist and of Christ our Sauiour al this they do according vnto the wil of God Gal. 1.8 Beside all this angels reioyce at the conuersion of sinners by the ministerie of the Gospell And for the Churches sake they protect not onely particular men but euen whole nations and kingdomes The ministerie of Angels in the ende of this life is to carie the soules of the godly into Abrahams bosome as they did the soule of Lazarus And in the day of iudgement to gather all the Elect that they may come before Christ and enter into eternall fruition of glorie both in bodie soule The third last part of the minsterie of angels concerns Gods enemies it is to execute iudgements on all wicked persons and impenitent sinners Thus all the first borne of Egypt are slain by an angel VVhen Iosua was about to sack Ierico an angel appeared vnto him as a captaine with a drawn sword to fight for Israel When the host of Senacherib came against Israel the angel of the Lord in one night slue an hundred eightie and fiue thousand Because Herod gaue not glorie vnto God the angel of the Lord smote him so as he was eaten vp of lice and died And thus we see what points we are to marke touching the good Angels Now followeth the vse which we are to make in regard of their creation First whereas they are Gods ministers to inflict punishments vpon the wicked here is a speciall point to be learned of vs that euery man in the feare of God take heede how he liueth and continueth in his sinnes for the case is dangerous considering that God hath armies of angels which stand readie euery where to execute Gods heauie iudgements vpon them that liue thus Whē the people of Israel had sinned against the Lord Moses saith they were naked that is open to all the iudgements of God euen destitute of the guard of his good Angels VVretched Balaam that wizard went to Balaac to curse the children of Israel and as he went it is said the angel of the Lord stood in his way with a drawne sword and if the asse had not beene wiser then his master the
is holy for Paul saith Put on the new man which after God that is in Gods image is created in righteousnes true holines Now I reason thus wherin the renewing of the Image of God in mā doth stand therin it was in the beginning but the renewing of Gods image in man doth stand in righteousnes and holines therefore Gods image wherein man was created at the beginning was a conformitie to God in righteousnes and holines Now whether Gods image doth further consist in the substance of mans bodie soule or in the faculties of both the Scripture speaketh nothing This Image of God hath two principall parts I. wisdome II. holines Concerning wisdome Paul saith Put ye on the new man which is created in knowledge after the Jmage of him which created him This wisdome consisteth in three points I. in that he knew God his creator perfectly for Adam in his innocencie knew God so farforth as it was conuenient for a creature to know his creatour II. He knewe Gods will so farre forth as it was conuenient for him to shew his obedience thereunto III. He knewe the wisdome and will of his creatour touching the particular creatures for after Adam was created the Lorde brought euery creature vnto him presenting them vnto him as being lord and king ouer them that he might giue names vnto them Whereby it appeares that Adam in his innocencie did know the nature of all creatures and the wisdome of God in creating them els he could not haue giuen them fit names when God brought Eue vnto Adam hee knewe hir at the first and saide This is nowe bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh shee shalbe called woman c. The second part of Gods image in man is holinesse and righteousnesse which is nothing else but a conformitie of the will and affections and of the whole disposition of man both in bodie and soule to the will of God his creatour Yet we must remember that Adam in his innocencie had a changeable will so as he could either will good or euill he was created with such libertie of will as that he could indifferently will either And we must not thinke that the will of the creature was made vnchangeably good for that is peculiar to the will of God and hereby is the Creatour distinguished from the creature And here two things offer them selues to be considered The first why the man is called the image of God and not the woman Answer He is so called not because holines and righteousnes is peculiar to him which is common to both but because God hath placed more outward excellencie and dignitie in the person of a man then of a womā The second how Christ should be called the image of God Ans. He is so called for 2. causes First because he is of the same substance with the father therefore is his most absolute image and as the author of the Hebrewes saith the brightnes of his glorie and the ingraued forme of his person Secondly because God beeing inuisible doth manifest himselfe in Christ in whome as in a glasse we may behold the wisdome goodnes the iustice and mercie of God The seconde point to be considered in the creation of man is the dignitie of his person for David saieth thou hast made man litle inferiour to the Angells and crowned him with glorie and worshippe This dignitie stands in foure points I. A blessed communion with the true God for Paul speaking of the Gentiles which were not called saith they were strangers from the life of God VVhere by the contrarie we may gather that our first parents in their innocencie liued the life of God which is nothing else but to lead such a life here on earth as that the creature shal haue a blessed and immediate fellowship with God which stands in this that before the fall of man God reuealed himselfe in a speciall manner vnto him so as his very bodie and soule was a temple and dwelling place of the Creatour This fellowship betweene God and man in his innocencie was made manifest in the familiar conference which God vouchsafed to man but since the fall this communion is lost for man cannot abide the presence of God And therefore when Peter had fished all night and caught nothing our Sauiour bad him cast downe his net to make a draught who did so but when he saw the great multitude of fishes that were taken at this sight beholding but as it were some sparkes of the glorious maiestie of God in Christ hee fell downe at his feete saying Lord depart from me for I am a sinner The second point wherein mans dignitie consisteth is that man was made lord and king ouer all creatures as Dauid saith Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thy hands and therefore God hauing created him in his image he biddeth him rule ouer the fishes of the sea ouer the foules of the heauen and ouer euery beast that mooueth vpon the earth and afterwarde hee brought them all to him as to a soueraigne lorde and king to be named by him and answeareably euery creature in his kinde gaue reuerence and subiection vnto man before his fall as vnto their lorde and king VVhere by the way wee must remember that when wee see any creature that is hurtfull and noysome vnto man and would rather deuoure him then obey him it must put vs in minde of our sinne for by creation we were made lordes and kings ouer all creatures and they durst not but reuerence and obey vs but the rebellion of man vnto God is the cause of the rebellion of the creatures vnto vs. The third part of mans dignitie by creation is that before his fall he had a wonderfull beautie and maiestie aboue all creatures in his bodie whereupon Dauid saith The Lord hath crowned him with glorie and worship And in the renewing of the couenant with Noe God saith That the dread and feare of man shalbe vpon all creatures which nowe though it be but small yet it plainly sheweth what was the glorie and maiestie of mans person at the first The fourth dignitie of mans estate in innocencie is that his labour was without paine or wearinesse if he had neuer fallen hee should haue laboured in the garden but so as hee should neuer haue beene wearied therewith That it is so it is plaine for when Adam had falne God saide In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade nowe if the paine in labour come after as a curse vpon man for his transgression then before his fall man felt no paine in his affaires And in these foure thinges consisteth mans dignitie which he had in the creation Now in the third place followeth mans calling before his fall which is two-fold I. particular II. generall Mans particular calling was to come into the garden of Eden to keepe it and to dresse
the trees and fruits thereof This shewes vnto vs a good lesson that euery man must haue a particular calling wherein he ought to walke and therefore such as spend their time idlely in gaming and vain delights haue much to answer to God at the day of iudgement This will not excuse a man to say then that he had land and liuing to maintaine himselfe and therefore was to liue as he list for euen Adam in his innocencie had al things at his will and wanted nothing yet euen then God imployed him in a calling therefore high and low none must be exempted euery man must walke in his proper calling Adams generall calling was to worship his Creator to which he was bound by the right of creation considering the morall law was written in his heart by nature VVhich is signified in the decalogue where the Lord requires worship and obedience of his people because he is Iehovah that is one which hath beeing in himselfe and giues beeing to all men by creation For the better vnderstanding of this point we are to consider three things I. The place where Adam did worship II. The time III. The sacraments For the first God euer since the beginning had a place where he would be worshipped and it is called Gods house which then was the garden of Eden For it was vnto Adam a place appointed by God for his worship as Church-assemblies are vnto vs where also the Lord at time did in a speciall manner shew himselfe vnto his creature Touching the time of Gods worship it was the seauenth day from the beginning of the creation the Sabboth day And here we must note that the keeping of the Sabboth is morall Some indeede doe plead that it is but a ceremonie yet falsly for it was ordained before the fall of man at which time Ceremonies signifying sanctification had no place Nay marke further Adam in his innocencie was not clogged with sinne as we are and yet then he must haue a set Sabboth to worship God his creator and therefore much more neede hath euery one of vs of a sabboth day wherein we may seuer our selues from the workes of our callings and the workes of sinne to the worship of God in the exercise of religion and godly meditation of our creation This point must be learned of vs for when no occasion is offered of busines then men will formally seeme to keepe the sabboth but if their come occasion of breaking the sabboth as traffique gaming and vaine shewes then sabboth farewell men will haue their pleasures let them worship God that will But let vs remember in the feare of God that who so euer continueth in the breach of this lawe beeing morall God will no lesse poure forth his punishments vpon them then for the breach of any other commandement the consideration whereof must mooue euery man to a reuerent sanctifying of the Lords day Now for Adams sacraments they were two the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and euill these did serue to exercise Adam in obedience vnto God The tree of life was to signifie assurance of life for euer if he did keepe Gods commandements the tree of knowledge of good and euill was a sacrament to shew vnto him that if he did transgresse Gods commandements he should die and it was so called because it did signifie that if he trāsgresse this law he should haue experience both of good and euill in himselfe Now in the fourth place followeth the ende of the creation of man which is two-fold First that there might be a creature to whome God might make manifest him selfe who in a speciall manner should set forth and acknowledge his wisdome goodnes mercie in the creation of heauen and earth and of things that are in them as also his prouidence in gouerning the same Secondly God hauing decreed to glorifie his name in shewing his mercie and iustice vpon his creature hereupon in time createth men to shew his mercie in the saluation of some and to shew his iustice in the iust and deserued damnation of other some And therefore he hath appointed the creation specially of man to be a means of manifestation and beginning of the execution of his eternall counsell Thus much concerning mans creation in generall The speciall parts of man are two bodie and soule And the reason why the Lord would haue him stand on these two parts is this Some creatures made before him were onely bodily as beasts fishes foules some spirituall as Angels now man is both spirituall in regard of his soule corporall and sensible in regard of his bodie that nothing might be wanting to the perfection of nature If it be alleadged that man consistes of three parts bodie soule and spirit because Paul praies that the Thessalonians may be sanctified in bodie soule and spirit the answer is that the spirite signifies the minde whereby men conceiue and vnderstand such things as may be vnderstoode and the soule is there taken for the will and affections and therfore these twaine are not two parts but onely two distinct faculties of one and the same man The bodie of man at the first was formed by God of clay or of the dust of the earth not to be the graue of the bodie as Plato said but to be an excellent and most fit instrument to put in exequution the powers and faculties of the soule And howsoeuer in it selfe considered it is mortal because it is compounded of contrarie natures called Elements yet by the appointment of God in the creation it became immortall till the fall of man As for the soule it is no accidentarie qualitie but a spirituall and inuisible essence or nature subsisting by it selfe Which plainely appeares in that the soules of men haue beeing and continuance as well forth of the bodie as in the same and are as well subiect to torments as the bodie is And whereas we can and doe put in practise sundrie actions of life sense motion vnderstanding we doe it onely by the power and vertue of the soule Hence ariseth the difference between the soules of men and beasts The soules of men are substances but the soules of other creatures seeme not to be substances because they haue no being out of the bodies in which they are but rather they are certain peculiar qualities arising of the matter of the bodie and vanishing with it And it may be for this cause that the soule of the beast is said to be in the bloode whereas the like is not said of the soule of man And though mens soules be spirits as angels are yet a difference must be made For angels can not be vnited with bodies so as both shall make one whole and intire person whereas mens soules may yea the soule coupled with the bodie is not onely the moouer of the bodie but the principall cause that makes man to be a man The beginning of the soule is not of the
essence of God vnlesse we will make euery mans soule to be God neither doth it spring of the soule of the parents for the soule can no more beget a soule then an angel can beget an angel And Adam is called a liuing soule and not a quickning soule And earthly fathers are called the fathers of our bodies and not of our soules It remaines therefore as beeing most agreeable to the Scriptures that the soules of men are then created by God of nothing when they are infused into the bodie And though the soules of men haue a beginning yet they haue no end but are eternal And when they are said to die it is not because they cease at any time to subsist or haue beeing in nature but because they cease to be righteous or to haue fellowship with God Whereas our bodies are Gods workemanship we must glorifie him in our bodies and all the actions of bodie and soule our eating and drinking our liuing and dying must be referred to his glorie yeâ— we must not hurt or abuse our bodies but present them as holy liuing sacrifices vnto God And whereas God made vs of the dust of the earth we are not to glorie and boast our selues but rather to take occasion to praise the great goodnes of God that hath vouchsafed to honour vs beeing but dust ashes And after that man is created what is his life alas it is nothing but a little breath stop his mouth and his nostrils and he is but a dead man By this we are put in minde to consider of our fraile and vncerten estate and to lay aside all confidence in our selues and for this cause the Prophet Esay teacheth vs to haue no confidence in man because his breath is in his nostrils Againe let vs marke the frame and shape of mans bodie Al other creatures go with their bodies eyes to the ground-ward but man was made to goe vpright whereas all other creatures haue but foure muscles to turne their eyes round about man hath a fifth to pul his eyes vp to heaven-warde Nowe what doth this teach vs surely that how so euer wee seeke for other thinges yet first of all and aboue all wee should seeke for the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereof and that our whole desire should be set to enioy the blessed estate of Gods children in heauen Secondly it teacheth vs in receiuing Gods creatures to returne thankfulnesse vnto God by lifting vp the heart to heauen for the same These are very needefull and profitable lessons in these daies for most men in deede goe vpright but looke into their liues and they might as vvell goe on all foure for in their conuersation they set their whole hearts vpon the earth as the beast doth and their eyes vpon the thinges of this worlde hereby they doe abase them selues and deface their bodies and beeing men make themselues as beasts we shall see great numbers of men that runne and ride from place to place to prouide for the bodie but to seeke the kingdome of heauen where their soules should dwell after this life in ioy for euer they will not stirre one foote Thirdly mans bodie by creation was made a temple framed by Gods own hands for himselfe to dwell in therefore our dutie is to keepe our bodies pure and cleane and not to suffer them to be instruments whereby to practise the sinne of the heart If a man had a faire house wherein he must entertaine a prince and should make hereof a swinestie or a stable would not all meÌ„ say that he did greatly abuse both the house and the prince euen so mans bodie beeing at the first made a pallace for the euerliuing God if a man shall abuse it by drunkennesse swearing lying fornication or any vncleannesse hee doth make it in stead of a temple for the holy Ghost to be a sâ—ie or stable for the deuill For the more filthie a mans bodie is the more fit it is to be a dwelling place for sinne and Sathan Fourthly man by creation was made a goodly creature in the blessed image of God but by Adams fall men lost the same and are nowe become the deformed children of wrath our dutie therefore is to labour to get againe our first image and endeauour our selues to become new creatures If a noble man should staine his blood by treason after his death the posteritie will neuer be at rest till they haue got away that spot Man by Adams fall is become a limme of the deuill a rebell and traytor against Gods maiestie and this is the state of euery one of vs by nature we are at enmitie with God therefore we ought to labour aboue all things in the world to be restored in Christ to our first estate and perfection that so we may become bone of his bone flesh of his flesh beeing iustified and sanctified by his obedience death and passion Fiftly man was created that there might be a way prepared whereby God might shew his grace and mercie in the saluation of some and his iustice in the deserued damnation of others for their sinnes and in the creation of man Gods eternall counsell begins to come into exequution Hereupon it stands vs in hand to make conscience of euery euill way beeing repentant for all our sinnes past and hauing a constant purpose neuer to sinne more as we haue done that by our good conuersation here in this life wee may haue assurance that we be eternally chosen to saluation by the Lord himselfe Lastly whereas wee haue learned that the soule of man is immortall wee are hereby taught to take more care for the soule then for the bodie For it can not be extinguished When it is condemned euen then it is alwaies in dying and can neuer die But alas in this point the case is â—lat contrarie in the worlde for men will labour all their life long to get for the bodie but for the soule they care little or nothing at all chuse it whether it sinke or swimme goe to heauen or to hell they looke not to it This doth appeare to be true by the practise and behauiour of men on the Lordes day for if the nomber of those which come to heare Gods worde were compared with those which runne about their worldly wealth and pleasure I feare me the better sort would be found to be but a little handfull to a huge heape or as a droppe to the Ocean sea in respect of the other But wilt thou goe an hundred myle for the encrease of thy wealth and delight of thy bodie then think it not much to go ten thousand miles if neede were to take any paines for the good of thy soule and to get foode for the same And thus much for the duties Nowe follow the consolations Although by reason of the fall of man wee can haue but little comfort nowe yet the creation doth conâ—â—rme the vnspeakeable prouidence of
God ouer his creatures but especially ouer man in that the Lord created him the sixth day and so before hee was made prepared for him a Paradise for his dwelling and all creatures both for his vse and comfort And if he were thus carefull for vs when we were not then no doubt he will be much more carefull for vs at this present in which we liue and haue beeing Nay marke further since the fall man eates and drinks in quantitie a great deale which in common reason should rather kill him then turne to the strength and nourishment of his bodie yet herein doth the wonderfull power of the Creatour most notably appeare who hath made mans stomacke as a lymbecke or styll to digest all meats that are holesome for his nourishment and preservation And thus much for the Creation Now in these words Maker of heauen and earth is more to be vnderstoode then the worke of creation namely Gods prouidence in gouerning all things created as he appointed in his eternall decree and therefore Saint Peter saith God is a faithfull creatour that is God did not onely make heauen and earth and so leaue them as masons and carpenters leaue houses when they are built but by his prouidence doeth most wisely gouerne the same Now therefore let us come to speake of Gods prouidence And first of all the question offers it selfe to be considered whether there be any prouidence of God or no for the mindes of men are troubled with many doubtings hereof And to make the question out of all doubt I will vse foure arguments to confirme the providence of God The first is the testimonie of the scripture which ascribeth the euent of all particular actions euen such as are in themselues casuall as the casting of lots and such like to the disposition of God which also teacheth that euen men themselues which are endued with reason and understanding haue neede to be guided in all things and gouerned by God and blameth those that denie Gods prouidence Why sayest thou O Iacob and speakest O Israel my way is hid frō the Lord my iudgement is past ouer by my God The secōd argumēt may be taken frō the order which appeareth in the whole course of nature First to begin with families there is to be seen an eutaxy or seemely order in which some rule some obey the like is to be found in townes cities cuntries and kingdoms yea euen in the whole world in which all things are so disposed that one serueth for the good of another Trees and hearbs and grasse of the fieldes serue for beasts and cattell and beastes and cattell serve for men the heauens aboue serue for them which are beneath and all the creatures which are aboue and beneath serue for God This argueth that God is most wise and provident in ordering and disposing all things whatsoeuer The third argument is taken from the conscience specially of malefactours Suppose a man that commits a murder so closely that no man knowes thereof and that the partie himselfe is free from all the daunger of lawe yet shall he haue his owne conscience to accuse upbraid and condemne him yea euen to freight him out of his wit and to giue him no more rest then hee can finde upon the racke or gibbet Nowe this accusation and terrour of conscience is nothing else but the forerunner of an other most terrible iudgement of God vvho is Lorde of all creatures and Iudge of all men And this also prooues the prouidence of god For if the conscience can finde a man out and lay his faults to his charge how much more shall god himselfe the creatour of the conscience see and consider all his doings The fourth and last argument is this The prophesies of things to come should be uncerten or false if god gouerned not the world But now considering things many yeeres agoe foretold come to passe in the same maner as they vvere foretold by the Prophets and Apostles hereby vve must certenly conclude that there is a prouidence of god vvhereby all euery thing is gouerned Against the prouidence of god sundrie things be alledged The first and speciall is that prouidence and disorder confusion and order can not stand together Nowe in the worlde there is nothing but disorder and confusion in seditions treasons conspiracies and subuersions of kingdomes vvhere also sinne and vvickednesse prevailes Answere It is true indeed there hath beene confusion in the worlde euer since the fall of man and angels and it ariseth not from God but from them alone who as they did at the first transgresse the will of God so they doe what they can to turne all upside downe Now then confusion and disorder is onely in respect of the deuill and his instruments but in regard of God in the very middest of all confusion there is order to be found because hee can and doeth dispose it to the glorie of his owne name and to the good and saluation of his chosen as also to the confusion of his enemies Againe it may be obiected that with ungodly and wicked men all things goe well and contrariwise with the godly all things goe hardly For through the worlde none are more molested and more vnder outward miserie then they but if there were any prouidence of God then it should be otherwise the godly should florish the wicked perish Ans. The consideration of the outward estate of men in the world was to David an occasion of a sore temptation For when he savv the wicked to prosper alway and their riches to increase he brake foorth and said Certenly I haue cleansed my heart in vaine and vvashed mine hands in innocencie Now if vve would repell this temptation as David afterward did then vve must goe into the Lords sanctuary with him learne to be resolued in these points I. Though the godly be laden with miseries yet euen that by the especiall prouidence of God turnes to their great good For euerie man since the fall of Adam is stained vvith the lothsome contagion of sinne Nowe the childe of God that is truly regenerate and must be fellowe heire with Christ after this life in the kingdome of glorie must in this life be cast into the Lords furnace that in the fire of affliction hee may more and more be scoured and purified from the corruption of his nature be estranged from the wickednes of the world II. The prosperous successe of the wicked their spoiles their reuenewes and all their honour turnes to their greater woe and miserie in the end as doth appeare in Iobs historie and in the examples of the Chaldeans of Davids enemies and of Dives and Lazarus Thirdly it may be obiected that many things came to passe by chance therfore not by gods prouidēce because chance providence cānot stand together Ans. We must distinguish between chance mere chance Chāce is whē any thing comes to passe
the cause therof being unknown not simply but in respect of man therefore in regarde of meÌ„ which know not the reason of things we may say there is chance so the spirit of God speaketh Time and chance coÌ„meth to them all And againe By chance there came down a priest the same way Now this kind of chaÌ„ce is not against the prouideÌ„ce of god but is ordered by it For things which in regard of men are casuall are certenly known determined by god Mere chance is wheÌ„ things are said or thought to come to passe without any cause at all But that must be abhorred of us as ouerturning the providence of God Thus seeing it is plain that there is a provideÌ„ce let us in the next place see what it is ProuideÌ„ce is a most free powerful actioÌ„ of god wherby he hath care ouer al things that are Prouidence hath 2. partes knowledge gouernment Gods knowledge is whereby all things from the greatest to the least are manifest before him at all times As David saith His eyes vvill consider his eye lâ—ddes vvill trie the children of men And againe Hee abaseth himselfe to beholde the things that are in the heaven and the earth And the Prophet Hanani said to Asa The eyes of the Lorde behold all the earth And S. Iames saith From the beginning of the vvorlde God knoweth all his workes This pointe hath a double use First as S. Peter saieth it must mooue us to eschew evill and doe good why Because saith he the eyes of the Lorde are upon the iust and his covntenance against evill doers Secondly it must comfort all those that labour to keepe a good conscience For the eyes of God beholde all the earth to shew himselfe strong with them that are of perfect heart tovvardes him Gouernment is the seconde parte of Gods providence whereby he ordereth all things and directeth them to good ends And it must be extended to the verie least thing that is in heauen or earth as to the sparrowes and to oxen and the haires of our heads And here we must consider 2. things the maner of gouernment and the meanes The maner of gouernment is diuers according as things are good or euill A good thing is that which is approoued of God As first of all the substances of all creatures euen of the deuils themselues in whome whatsoeuer is remaining since their creation is in it selfe good Secondly the quantities qualities motions actions and inclinations of the creatures in themselues considered with all their euents are good Againe good is either naturall or morall Naturall which is created by God for the lawfull use of man Morall which is agreeable to the eternall and unchangeable wisdome of God revealed in the morall law Now God gouerneth all good things two waies First by sustaining and preseruing them that they decay not secondly by moouing them that they may attaine to the particular ends for which they were seuerally ordeined for the qualities and vertues which were placed in the Sunne Moone Starres trees plantes seedes c. would be dead in them and be unprofitable unlesse they vvere not only preserued but also stirred up and quickened by the power of God so oft as he imployes them to any use Euill is the destruction of nature and it is taken for sinne or for the punishment of sinne Now sinne is gouerned of God by two actions the first is an operative permission I so call it because god partly permitteth sinne and partly worketh in it For sinne as it is commonly taken hath two parts the subiect or matter and the fourme of sinne the subiect of sinne is a certaine qualitie or action the forme is the anomie or transgression of Gods law The first is good in it selfe and euery qualitie or action so farre forth as it is a qualitie or action is existing in nature and hath God to be the authour of it Therefore sinne though it be sufficiently euill to eternall damnatioÌ„ yet can it not be said to be absolutely euill as God is absolutely good because the subiect of it is good and therefore it hath in it respectes and regardes of goodnesse In respect of the second that is the breach of the lawe it selfe God neither willeth nor appointeth nor commaundeth nor causeth nor helpeth sinne but forbiddeth condemneth and punisheth it yet so as by withall he willingly permitteth it to be done by others as men and wicked angels they being the sole authors causes of it And this permission by God is vpon a good ende because thereby he manifesteth his iustice and mercie Thus it appeares that in originall sinne the naturall inclination of the mind will and affections in it selfe considered is froÌ„ God and the ataxie or corruption of the inclination in no wise from him but onely permitted and that in actuall sinne the motion of the bodie or mind is from God but the euilnes disorder of the motion is not froÌ„ him but freely permitted to be done by others As for exaÌ„ple in the act of murder the actions of moouing the whole bodie of stirring the seuerall ioyntes and the fetching of the blowe whereby the man is slaine is from God for in him we liue mooue haue our being but the disposing applying of all these actions to this end that our neighbors life may be taken away we thereby take reuenge upon him is not froÌ„ God but from vvicked men and the deuill Gods second action in the gouernment of sinne is after the iust permission of it partly to restraine it more or lesse according to his good will and pleasure and partly to dispose and turne it against the nature thereof to the glorie of his owne name to the punishment of his enemies to the correcting and chastisement of his elect As for the second kind of evill called the punishment of sinne it is the execution of iustice and hath God to be the authour of it And in this respect Esai saith that God createth evill and Amos that there is no evill in the citie which the Lord hath not done And God as a most iust iudge may punish sinne by sinne himselfe in the meane season free from all sinne And thus the places must be understood in which it is said that God giueth kings in his wrath hardeneth the heart blindeth the eyes mingleth the spirit of errours giueth up men to a reprobate sense sends strange illusions to beleeue lies sends euill spirits giuing them coÌ„mandement to hurt and leaue to deceiue c. Thus hauing seene in what manner God gouerneth all things let vs nowe come to the meanes of gouernment Sometimes God worketh without meanes thus he created all things in the beginning and he made trees plants to grow and florish without the heate of the sunne or raine sometimes he gouernes according to the usuall course order of nature as when he preserues our liues
proceede at large to open the substance of the couenant we are in the next place to come to that part of the Creed which cōcerns the second person in trinitie set down in these words And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne c. from which words to the very end of the Creede such points onely are laid down as doe notably vnfold the benefits the matter of the couenant Now the second person is described to vs by three things 1. his titles 2. his incarnatiō 3. his twofold estate his titles are in nūber foure I. Iesus II. Christ. III. his only sonne IV. our Lord. His incarnatiō his twofold estate are set down afterward To come to his titles the first is Jesus to which if we adde the clause I beleeue on this maner I beleeue in Iesus c. the article which we now haue in hand will appeare to be most excellent because it hath most notable promises annexed to it VVhen Peter cōfessed Christ to be the sonne of the liuing God he answered vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it And again He that confesseth that Christ is the sonne of God God dwelleth in him he in God And again To him giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes Paul saith Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and all thy houshold Thus then the confession in which we acknowledge that we beleeue in Iesus Christ hath a promise of fellowship with God of life euerlasting But it may be obiected that euery spirit as S. Iohn saith which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God Now the deuil al his angels vnbeleeuers do thus much therfore why may not they also haue the benefit of this cōfessiō Ans. By spirit in that place is neither mēt angels nor mē nor any creature but the doctrine which teacheth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh it is of God because it is holy diuine hath God to be the autor of it As for the deuil his angels they can indeed confesse that Christ the sonne of God was made man and a wicked man may teach the same but vnto the confession whereunto is annexed a promise of eternall life is required true faith whereby we doe not onely know and acknowledge this or that to be true in Christ but also rest vpon him which neither Satan nor wicked men can doe And therefore by this confession the Church of God is distinguished from all other companies of men in the worlde which beleeue not as Panyms heretikes Atheists Turkes Iewes and all other infidells This name Iesus was giuen to the sonne of God by the Father and brought from heauen by an angell vnto Ioseph and Marie and on the day when he was to be circumcised as the manner was this name was giuen vnto him by his parents as they were commanded from the Lord by the angell Gabriel And therefore the name was not giuen by chance or by the alone will of the parents but by the most wise appointment of God himselfe The name in Hebrue is Iehoschua and it is changed by the Grecians into Iesus which signifieth a Sauiour And it may be called the proper name of Christ signifying his office and both his natures because he is both a perfect and absolute Sauiour as also the alone Sauiour of man because the worke of saluation is wholly and onely wrought by him and no part thereof is reserued to any creature in heauen or in earth As Peter saith For among men there is no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we may be saued but by the name of Iesus And the author to the Hebrues saith That he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them If any shall obiect that the promises of saluation are made to them which keepe the commaundements the answere is that the law of God doth exact most absolute and perfect obedience which can be found in no man but in Christ who neuer sinned and therefore it is not giuen vnto vs nowe that we might by our selues fulfill it and worke out our own saluation but that beeing condemned by it we might wholly depend on Christ for eternall life If any further alledge that such as walke according to the commandemēts of God though their obedience be imperfect yet they haue the promises of this life and of the life to come The answer is that they haue so indeed yet not for their works but according to their workes which are the fruits of their faith whereby they are ioyned to Christ for whose merites onely they stand righteous and are acceptable before god And vvhereas it is saide by Peter that baptisme saveth vs. his meaning is not to signifie that there is any vertue in the water to wash away our sinnes and to sanctifie us but that it serues visibly to represent and confirme unto us the inward washing of our soules by the blood of Christ. It may further be said that others haue bene Sauiours beside Christ as Iosuah the sonne of Nun who for that cause is called by the same name with Christ. Answ. Iosua after the death of Moses was appointed by God to be a guide to the children of Israel which might defend them from their enemies and bring them to the land of Canaan but this deliverance was onely temporall and that onely of one people Now the sonne of God is called Iesus not because he deliuereth the people of the Iewes onely or because he saueth the bodies of men only but because he saueth both body and soule not onely of the Iewes but also of the gentiles from hell death and damnation And whereas Prophets and ministers of the worde are called Saviours it is because they are the instruments of God to publish the doctrine of saluation which is powerfull in mens hearts not by any vertue of theirs but onely by the operation of the spirit of Christ. Lastly it may be obiected that the father and the holy ghost are Sauiours and therefore not onely the Sonne Ansvver True it is that in the worke of saluation all the three persons must be ioyned together in no wise severed the Father saveth the Sonne saueth the holy ghost saueth yet must we distinguish them in the maner of sauing the Father saveth by the Sonne the Sonne saueth by paying the ransome and price of our saluation the holy ghost saueth by a particular applying of the ransome unto men Nowe therefore whereas the sonne paies the price of our redemption and not the father or the holy ghost therefore in this speciall respect he is called in Scriptures and intituled by the name of Iesus and none but he By this vvhich hath beene said
not of himselfe but the sonne of the father begotten of him neuerthelesse as he is God he is of himselfe neither begotten nor proceeding for the essence or godhead of the father is of it selfe without all beginning but the godhead of the sonne is one and the same with the godhead of the father for by what godhead the father is God by the same and no other the sonne is God therefore the sonne as he is God hee is God of himselfe without beginning as the Father Whereupon it followes that the sonne is begotten of the father as he is a sonne but not as he is God The maner of this generation is this The sonne is begotten of the substance of the father not by any fluxe as when water is deriued from the head of the spring to the chanell nor by decision as when a thing is cut in pieces nor by propagation as when a grift is transplanted into a new stocke but by an unspeakeable communication of the whole essence or Godhead from the father to the sonne in receiuing whereof the sonne doth no more diminish the maiestie or Godhead of the father then the light of one candle doth the light of the other from which it is taken Whereupon the Councell of Nicene hath said well that the sonne is of the Father as light of light not proceeding but begotten The time of this generation hath neither beginning middle or ende and therefore it is eternall before all worlds and that is a thing to be wondered at that the father begetting the sonne begottē are coeternall therfore equall in time VVisdom in the prouerbs which with one consent of all divines is said to be Christ affirmeth that she was before the world was created that is from eternity for before the world was made there was nothing but eternitie But it may be alledged to the contrarie that the saying of the father This day haue I begotten thee is expounded by Paul of the time of Christs resurrection Answ. We must distinguish betweene generation it selfe the manifestation of it of the second must the place be understood which may be brought to passe at the time of Christs resurrection in which he was mightily declared to be the sonne of God though in the meane season the generation it selfe be eternall If any man alledge further that the person which begetteth must needs goe before the person begotten the answer is that there is a double priority one of order the other of time now in the generation of creatures there is priority both of order time but in the generation of the second person in trinity there is prioritie of order alone the father being first the sonne second without prioritie of time because they both in that respect are equall and neither is before or after other because the beeing or subsisting of the persons is not measured by time Hence it followeth necessarily that Iesus Christ is true God the whole tenor of the scriptures confirme it sufficiently I. he is made equall to God the father who being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God All things that the father hath are mine The children of Israell are said to haue tempted Iehova and Paul saith that he whome they tempted was Christ. Iehoua founded the earth and the same is saide of Christ. II. Christ the sonne of God is by name called God Iesus Christ is very God life eternall III. The properties of the godhead are ascribed unto him He is eternal because he was then when there was no creature In the beginning was the word and before Abraham was I am He is omnipresent Where tvvo or three are gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest amongst them Lastly he is omnipotent Whatsoever things the father doth the same doth the sonne also IIII. The workes of creation and preseruation are as well ascribed to the sonne as to the father By him the father made the world and he beareth up all things by his mightie power and miracles which are workes either aboue or against the order of nature peculiar to God were done by Christ. V. Divine worship is given to him for he is adored invoted and beleeued in as God the father To him is given a name at which every knee doth bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things vnderneath the earth As for the reasons which be alledged to the contrarie they are of no moment I. The worde of God can not be God the sonne is the worde of the father therefore hee is not God Answ. The worde is taken two waies first for a sounding worde standing of letters and syllables vttered either by God or by the creatures nowe on this manner Christ is not the word of God Secondly there is a substantiall worde which is of the substance of him whose worde it is And thus Christ is the worde of God the father And he is so termed I. in respect of the father for as reason speech hath his beginning from the mind without any passion in the mind so hath he beginning frō the father And as the speech is in the mind the mind in the speech so the father is in the sonne the sonne in the father 2. In respect of all creatures The father doth all things by the son by whose powerfull worde the worlde was made is novv preserved shalbe abolished 3. In respect of the Church For the father by him speakes unto us both in the outward ministerie of the worde and by the inward operation of the spirit and againe we by him speake to the father II. It may be obiected thus God hath no beginning from any other Christ hath beginning frō the father therfore he is not God Answer Christ must be considered both in regard of his godhead and in regard of his person in regarde of his god heade hee came not of any but is of himselfe as vvell as the father is yet in regarde of his person hee is from the father vvho is a beginning to the rest of the persons both in respect of order for the scripture saith not the holy Ghost the Sonne the Father but the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost as also in respect of the communication of the Godhead And whereas it is said that God is of himselfe if the name God be taken for the Godhead it selfe absolutely considered it is true but if it be taken for any particular person in the Godhead it is false III. None is greater then God but the father is greater then Christ for so he saith the father is greater then I. Ans. Christ there speakes of himselfe as he was a man abased in the forme of a seruant in which respect he is lesse then the father who neuer was incarnate and abased in our nature And though Christ in respect of his nature assumed
but he which is very God IV. It was the pleasure of God to shewe his incomprehensible goodnes in this that his grace should not onely be equall to our sinne but also by many degrees goe beyond it And therefore the first Adam beeing but a meere man the second Adam must be both God man that as the second was more excellent then the first so our comfort might be greater in our redemption by the second then our miserie and discomfort was by the fall of the first Hitherto wee haue shewed howe Christ is the sonne of God Now let vs come to the second point namely that he is the onely sonne of God And he is so tearmed because he is the sonne of the father in that manner as nothing else can be but he Angels indeede are tearmed the sonnes of God but that is onely in respect of their creation and all that beleeue in Christ are the sonnes of God by adoption being receiued into the familie of God which is his Church by the merit of Christ whereas by nature they were the children of wrath Christ also as he is man I say not his manhood which is a nature and no person is the sonne of God by the grace of personall vnion and not by nature or by adoption Lastly Christ as he is the second person in trinitie the eternall worde of the father coeternall and consubstanciall with him is also the sonne of God But how neither by creation nor adoption nor by the vertue of personall vnion but by nature as he was begotten of the very substance of the father before all worlds and therefore he is called the proper and onely begotten sonne of God It may be obiected on this manner If the father beget the sonne he doth it either willingly or against his will if willingly then the sonne is begotten by the freewill of the father and no sonne by nature Answer The father did communicate to the sonne his whole Godhead willingly without constraint yet not by his will and therefore he is the sonne of the father by nature not by will It may be further said that if Christ be the sonne of God by nature as he is the essentiall word of the father by personall vnion as he is mā then is he not one but two sonnes Answ. As he is but one person so is he but one sonne yet not in one but in two respects two respects make not two things whereas one and the same thing and so remaining may admit sundrie respects Thus much of the meaning of the third title Now follow the comforts which may be gathered hence Whereas Christ Iesus is the sonne of God it serues as a meanes to make miserable and wretched sinners that are by nature the children of wrath and damnation to be the sonnes of God by adoption as Saint Iohn testifieth Now what a benefit is this to be the child of God no tongue can expresse Christ saith Blessed are the peacemakers but why are they blessed for saith he they shalbe called the sonnes of God Whereby he testifieth that the right of adoption is a most excellent priuiledge and not without cause For he which is the childe of God is spiritually allyed to Christ and to all the saints and seruants of God both in heauen and earth hauing him for his elder brother and all his members as his brethren and sisters yea if we be Gods adopted children we are also heires euen heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. Well how great soeuer this prerogatiue is yet few there be that rightly waigh it and consider of it Children of noble men and princes heires are had in account and reputation of all men they are the very speach and wonder of the world But it is a matter of no account to be the sonne of God and fellow-heire with Christ. The dearest seruants of God haue beene esteemed but as the offscouring of the world And no meruaile for they which are after the flesh sauour the things of the flesh Fewe men haue their vnderstandings inlightned to discerne of such spirituall things as these are and therefore are they little or nothing regarded A blinde man neuer seeing the sonne is not brought to wonder at it and earthly minded men neither seeing nor feeling what an excellent thing it is to be the child of God cannot be brought to seeke after it But let all such as feare God enter into a serious consideration of the vnspeakeable goodnes of God comforting thēselues in this that God the father hath vouchsafed by his own sōne to make thē of the vassals of Satā to be his own deere childrē Now follow the duties which are two First we beleeue that Iesus Christ who was to be the Sauiour of mākind must needs be God what is the reason hereof surely because no creature no not all creatures in heauen and earth were able to saue one man so vyle wretched and miserable is our estate by Adams fall And therefore the sonne of God himselfe pitied our estate and beeing king of heauen and earth was faine to come from heauen and lay downe his crowne and become a seruant and taking vpon him our nature was also faine to take vpon him our case and condition suffer death for our sinnes which otherwaies euery one of vs should haue suffered both in bodie and soule world without end To make this more plaine let vs suppose that some one hath cōmitted an offence against a prince now the trespasse is so grieuous that no man can appease the kings wrath saue onely the kings onely sonne and which is more the kings sonne cannot release him vnlesse he suffer the punishment for him in his owne person which is due vnto the malefactour Now what is to be thought of this mans estate surely all men will say that he is in a most miserable taking and that his trespasse is notorious and so it is with euery one of vs by nature whatsoeuer we are No man could saue our soules no not all the angels in heauen vnlesse the king of heauen earth the only sonne of God had come down from heauē suffered for vs bearing our punishment Now the cōsideratiō of this must humble vs and make vs to cast down our selues vnder the hād of God for our sinnes pray continually that the Lord would send some Moses or other which might smite the rocks of our hearts that some tears of sorow repentāce might gush out for our woful miserie Secondly whereas God the father of Christ gaue his only sonne to be our sauiour as we must be thankfull to God for all things so especially for this great vnspeakeable benefite Cōmon blessings of God as meat drink health wealth liberty must at all times mooue vs to be thankful but this that Christ Iesus the onely sonne of God redeemed vs beeing vtterly lost this I say must be the mayne point of al our
humilitie as the Apostle exhorts the Philippians in the same place and that shall wee doe when we beginne to cast off that high opinion which euery man by nature conceiueth of himselfe become vile base in our own eyes Secure and drowsie protestants thinke themselues blessed and say in their hearts as the Angell of the Church of Laodicea said I am rich and increased with golde and haue neede of nothing whereas indeede they are most miserable and wretched and poore and naked and blinde And the same fond opinion possesseth the mindes of our ignorant people who chaunt it in the very same tune saying that God loues them and that they loue God with all their hearts and their neighbours as them selues that they haue perfect faith in Christ and euer had not once so much as doubting of their saluation that all is well with them and that they are past all daunger whatsoeuer in the matter of their saluation and therefore neede not take so much care for it Thus ye may see how men are commonly carried away with vain and fond conceits of their own excellencie And truely so long as this ouerweening of our owne righteousnes raignes in our hearts let Preachers speake and say what they will wee will neuer become followers of Christ in the practise of humilitie Some will say peradventure that they neuer had any such opinion of their owne righteousnesse but I answeare againe that there was never yet any man descending of Adam saue Christ but hee had this proude phantasie ruling and raigning in him till such time as God giue grace to chaunge and altar his heart and this inwarde pride the lesse wee discerne it the more it is and the more we discerne it the lesse it is Therefore though as yet thou see it not in thy selfe yet labour both to see it and to feele it and to striue against it casting downe thy selfe for thine owne miserie after Christes owne example who beeing God abased him selfe to the condition of a miserable man For thou shalt neuer be filled with the good things of God till thou be emptied of selfe-loue and selfe-liking For this cause let us purge and emptie our selues of all conceit of our owne righteousnesse that God may fill our heartes with his grace Furthermore the Incarnation of Christ is the ground and foundation of all our comforte as the names of Christ seruing to expresse the same doe testifie Iaakob in his last testament saieth that the scepter shall not depart from Iudah till Shilo that is the Messias come Now the name Shilo signifieth the tunicle or skinne that lappeth the infante in the mothers wombe called by the Phisitians the Secundine and by a kinde of figure it is put for the Sonne of God in the wombe of the virgine made man And Iob to comforte him-selfe in his affliction saieth I knovve that my redeemer liveth Now the worde which he useth to signifie his redeemer by is verie emphaticall for it signifieth a kinsman neere allyed vnto him of his owne flesh that will restore him to life And the Lorde by the prophet Esai calleth Christ Immanuel that is God with vs which name importeth verie much namely that whereas by nature we haue lost our fellowshippe with God because our sinnes are a wall of partition severing vs from him yet neverthelesse the same is restored to all that beleeue by the Mediatour Christ Iesus because his divine nature is coupled to mans nature and so the word is made flesh And this strait coniunction of two natures into one person ioynes God to men and men to God yea by Christ wee are brought to God and haue free accesse unto him and againe in him wee apprehend God and are made one with him And further whereas Christ beside our nature tooke our infirmities also it is a wonderfull comforte unto Gods Church for it shewes that hee is not onely a Sauiour but also a verie compassionate and pitifull Sauiour As the holy ghost saith In all things it became Christ to be like vnto his breethren that hee might be mercifull and a faithfull high priest in things concerning God Let a man be sicke of a grievous disease and if a friend come that hath hene troubled with the same disease hee will shewe more compassion then twentie others and so Christ hauing felt in his owne soule and bodie the anguish and the manifolde perplexities that wee feele in our temptations and afflictions hath his bowels as it were earning towards vs euermore being prest and readie to relieve vs in all our miseries In the daies of his flesh he wept ouer Ierusalem when he saw it a farre off because she continued in her old sins did not know the time of her visitation and no doubt though now hee be exalted in glorie in heauen yet his compassion to his poore members upon earth is no whit diminished Nowe wee come to speake of the incarnation more particularly and the Creede yet further expresseth it by two partes the first is the conception of Christ in these wordes Conceived by the holy Ghost the second is his birth in the words following Borne of the virgine Mary The conception of Christ is set downe with his efficient cause the holy ghost as the Angell saide to Ioseph Feare not to take Marie for thy wife for that vvhich is conceived in her is of the holy ghost Here it may be demanded why the conception of Christ shoulde be ascribed to the holy ghost alone which is common to all the persons in Trinitie as all other such actions are Ansvvere It is not done to exclude the Father or the Sonne himselfe from this worke but to signifie that it comes of the free gifte and grace of God which commonly is tearmed by the name of the Holy Ghost that the manhoode of Christ being but a creature shoulde be advaunced to this dignitie that it shoulde become a parte of the sonne of God And againe the Holy Ghost is the authour of this conception in a speciall manner for the father and the sonne did cause it by the holy Ghost but the holy ghost did cause it from them both immediatly In the conception of Christ wee must obserue and consider three things The framing of the manhoode the sanctifying of it and the personall union of the manhoode with the godheade And howsoeuer I distinguish these three for orders sake yet must wee knowe and remember that they are all wrought at one and the same instant of time For when the Holy Ghost frames and sanctifies the manhood in the wombe of the virgine at the verie same moment it is receiued into the unitie of the second person In the forming of Christes manhoode two things must be considered the matter and the maner the matter of his body was the very flesh and bloud of the virgine Marie otherwise he could not haue beene the sonne of David of Abraham and Adam according
to the flesh As for his soule it was not deriued from the soule of the virgine Mary as a part therof but it was made as the soules of all other men be of nothing by the power of God and placed in the bodie both of them from the first moment of their being hauing their subsistance in the person of the sonne And here vve must take heede of two opinions the first is of the Anabaptists which hold that the flesh of Christ came downe from heauen and passed through the virgine Marie as through a pipe without taking any substance from her the places which they alledge for their purpose are manifestly abused For whereas Christ saith of himselfe that he descended from heavē his speech must be understood in respect of his godheade which may be saide in some sorte to descend in that it was made manifest in the manhoode here upon earth And vvhereas Paul calleth him heavenly the Lorde from heaven it is not in respect of the substance of his bodie but in respect of the glorious qualities which he received after this resurrection The other opinion is of the Papistes that hold the bread in the sacrament to be turned substantially into the bodie of Christ which thing if it be true then the bodie of Christ is made of bread kneaded and tempered by the hand of the baker and not of the substance of the virgine Mary As for the manner of the making and framing of the humane nature of Christ it was miraculous not by generation according to the ordinarie course of nature but by an extraordinarie operation of the holy Ghost aboue nature and for this cause it is not within the compasse of mans reason either to conceiue or to expresse the manner and order of this conception The Angell ascribes two actions to the holy Ghost in this matter the one to come upon the virgine Marie the other to overshadovv her by the first is signified the extraordinarie worke of the holy ghost in fashioning the humane nature of Christ for so much the phrase else-where importeth The seconde signifieth that the holy ghost did as it were cast a cloud ouer hir to teach vs that we should not search over much into the mysterie of the Incarnation It may be obiected against this which hath beene saide that if Christ be in this manner conceiued by the holy Ghost then the holy ghost shalbe father to Christ and Christ his sonne Answer The reason is not good For hee that is a father is not a bare efficient cause but one which in the effecting of any thing conferres the matter vnto it from him selfe whereof it shall be made Now the holy ghost did not minister any matter vnto Christ from his owne substance but did onely as it were take the masse and lumpe of mans nature from the bodie of the virgine Mary and without ordinarie generation made it the bodie of Christ as Basill saieth Christ was conceiued not of the substance but of the power not by any generation but by the appointment and benediction of the holy ghost The second pointe in the conception is the sanctifying of that masse or lumpe which was to be the manhood of Christ. And that was done upon speciall cause first tha◠that it might be ioned to the person of the Sonne which coulde not haue beene if it had beene defiled with sinne Secondly Christ was a Saviour as hee is both God and man now then beeing man if hee had beene sinnefull himselfe he could not haue saued others but should haue stood in need of a Saviour for himselfe This sanctification hath two partes the first is the stay and stoppage of the propagation of originall sinne and of the guilt of Adams sinne which was on this manner God in the beginning set downe this order touching man that what euill or defect soever he brought upon himselfe hee shoulde deriue the same to euerie one of his posteritie begotten of him and hereupon when any father begets his childe hee is in the roome of Adam and conveyes unto it besides the nature of man the verie guilt and corruption of nature Now for the preuenting of this euill in Christ God in great wisdome appointed that hee should be conceiued by the holy ghost without any manner of generation by man And by this meanes he takes substance from the virgine without the guilte and corruption of the substance But it may further be obiected thus All that be in Adam haue sinned in him but Christ was in Adam as hee is man therefore he sinned in him Answer The proposition is false vnlesse it be expounded in this manner All that were in Adam haue sinned in him so be it they come of him by generation Paul saith not that out of one man but by one man sinne entred into the world to shewe that hee propagates his corruption to no more then he begets Againe Christ is in Adam not simply as other men are but in part namely in respect of substance which hee tooke from him and not in respect of the propagation of the substance by ordinarie generation other men are both from Adam and by Adam but Christ is from him alone and not by him as a begetter or procreant cause The second parte of sanctification is the infusion of all purenes and holinesse into the manhood of Christ so farre forth as was meete for the nature of a redeemer The duties to be learned hence are these First whereas Christ was sanctified in the wombe of the virgine Mary we likewise must labour to be sanctified in our selues following the commandement of God Be ye holy as I am holy S. Iohn saith that he which hath hope to be with Christ in glorie in heaven purifieth him-selfe even as he is pure no doubt setting before himselfe the exāple of Christ as a patterne to follow in all his waies And because our hearts are as it were seas of corruptiōs we must daily clense our selues of them by litle litle following the practise of the poore begger that is alwaies peecing and mending and day by day pulles away some ragges and puts better cloath in the roome And if we shall continually indeauour our selues to cast off the remnants of corruption that hang so fast on and make a supply thereof by some new portions of Gods heavenly grace we shalbe vessels of honour sanctified meete for the Lorde and prepared unto euerie good worke Christ could not haue bin a fit sauiour for us vnlesse he had first of all bin sanctified neither can we be fit members vnto him unlesse we be purged of our sinnes in some measure truly sanctified The comfort which Gods people may reape of the sanctificatiō of Christs manhood is great For why was he sanctified Surely if we marke it well we shal find it was for the good benefit of his elect For Adā Christ be two roots as hath bin shewed Adam by
natures themselues are Christ saieth of himselfe I have povver to lay downe my life and I haue power to take it up againe and hereby he shewes the distinction of operations in his two natures For to lay downe his life is an action of the manhoode because the godhead can not die and to take it up againe is the worke of the godhead alone which reunites the soule to the bodie after death The first and last point is what ariseth of this union Ans. By reason of this hypostaticall union though the godheade receiue nothing from the manhoode yet the manhoode it selfe which is assumed is thereby perfected and enriched with unspeakeable dignitie For first of all it is exalted aboue all creatures whatsoeuer euen angels themselues in that it hath subsistance in the second person in Trinitie Secondly togither with the godhead of the sonne it is adored and worshipped with diuine honour as in like case the honour done to the king himselfe redounds to the crowne on his head Thirdly by reason of this union the godheade of Christ works all things in the matter of our redemptiō in by the manhood And hereupon the flesh of Christ though it profit nothing of it selfe yet by the vertue which it receiueth from that person to which it is ioyned it is quickning flesh and the bread of life Againe from this union of two natures into one person ariseth a kind of speech or phrase peculiar to the scriptures called the communication of proprieties when the propertie of one nature is attributed to the whole person or to the other nature as when Paul saith that God shed his blood that the Lord of glorie was crucified And when Christ saith that he talking with Nichodemus was then in heauen The use of the personall union is threefold First it serues to shew the heinousnesse of our sinnes and the greatnesse of our miserie For it had not bene possible to make a satisfaction to Gods iustice in mans nature for the least offence vnlesse the same nature had first of all bene neerely ioyned to the godhead of the sonne that thereby it might be so far forth supported and sustained that it might ouercome the wrath of God Secondly it sets forth unto us the endles loue of God to man For whereas by reason of Adams fall wee are become the vilest of all creatures except the deuill and his angels yet by his mysticall coniunction our nature is is exalted to such an estate and condition as is farre aboue all creatures euen the angels themselues Thirdly it is as it were the keye of all our comfort for all sound comfort standes in happinesse all happinesse is in fellowship with God all fellowshippe with God is by Christ who for this cause beeing verie God became verie man that he might reconcile man to God and God to man Thus much of the conception of Christ now followes his birth whereby in the ordinarie time of trauell according to the course of nature hee was brought forth into the world by the virgin Mary And it was the will of God that Christ should not onely be conceiued but also borne and that after the maner of men that hee might be knowen to be verie man indeede In the birth we may consider foure things the time the place the manner the manifestation of it The time was in the last daies toward the end of the 70. weeks of Daniel which are to be accoūted from the end of the captivitie of Babylō make in all 490 yeres or more plainely 3900. yeeres and more from the beginning of the world and as Paul saith in the fulnesse of time And the Euangelists haue noted of purpose the time to haue bene when Augustus Caesar taxed the Iewes and all nations under his dominions to signifie that Christ was borne at the verie time foretold by Iacob when the crowne and scepter was taken from Iuda and withall to shevve that his kingdome was not of this world And it vvas the good pleasure of god that Christ should not be borne either later or sooner but so many ages from the beginning of the worlde And this consideration of the verie time it selfe serues greatly for the confirmation of our faith For thus may vve reason vvith our selues If God vvho in the beginning made a promise to our first parents concerning the seede of the woman deferred it almost 4000. yeres and yet at length accomplished the same to the verie full then no doubt God hauing promised the resurrection of the dead and life everlasting will in his good time bring them to passe though as yet wee see them not And thus by the accōplishment of al things past should we confirme our hope concerning things to come The place vvas not Hierusalem nor Nazareth nor any other citie but onely a village of Iuda called Bethleem that the prophesie of Micheas might be fulfilled Thou Bethleem Ephrata art little to be among the thousandes of Iuda yet out of thee shall he come forth vnto me that shall be the ruler in Israell And here vve may obserue a memorable example of Gods prouidence vvhich ouer-ruleth the procedings of cruell tirants to the accomplishing of his owne will they themselues for their parts intending nothing lesse Augustus not so much as dreaming of the birth of the Messias gaue commandement that euery man shoulde goe to his owne city to be taxed and hereupon Ioseph and Mary take their iourny from Nazareth to Bethleem which iourney God himselfe appointed and disposed to this end that the Messias might be borne in the place which he preordained and foretold by his prophet The manner of Christs birth was verie base and poore for the place where hee was borne was a stable and the cradle where he lay was a cratch And he willingly tooke upon him this povertie for sundry causes I. That the scripture might be fulfilled which saith that he should be the shame and contempt of the people and that ye shall grow vp as a roote out of a drie ground and have neither fourme nor beauty II. That hee might afterward from this base condition be exalted euen in his manhood to that rich and glorious estate in which he should manifest himselfe to be Lord of heauen and earth III. He was borne in exceeding pouertie that he might shame the wise men of this worlde who exceedingly esteeme of their riches power and glorie perswading themselues that without such meanes no good thing can be done And yet for all this they can not so much as reconcile one man to God by all their might and wealth whereas Christ himselfe hath done the same both in povertie and weakenesse and can enlarge and preserue his kingdome without earthly helpes When he hung upon the crosse the soldiers stript him of his garments and beeing naked he brought that to passe which all the monarches of the earth in all their roialties could neuer haue perfourmed And
whether Christ lie in the manger betweene the Oxe and the Asse or in the pallace of the king it matters not in regard of our saluation IIII. He came in this maner that there might be a difference betweene his first comming in the flesh and his last comming to iudgement In the first he came onely for this end not to make any outward alterations in the worlde but to change the conscience and to put in execution the worke of our spirituall redemption and therfore he hath reserued the ouerturning of all earthly estates with the manifestation of his owne glorie to the latter V. Lastly hee was borne in a poore estate that hee might procure true riches for vs in heauen and withall sanctifie vnto us our pouertie upon earth As Paul saith Ye know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ that he being rich for your sakes became poore that ye through his povertie might be made rich Hee was content to lie in the manger that wee might rest in heauen This serues to teach us to be content to beare any mean condition that the Lorde shall sende upon vs for this is the verie estate of the sonne of God him-selfe And if for our cause he did not refuse the basest condition that euer was why should we murmure at the same for what is the best of vs but miserable sinners and therefore utterly unworthy either to goe or lie upon the bare earth and though wee fare and lie better then our Lorde himselfe yet such is our daintinesse we are not pleased therewith whereas hee for his part disdained not the manger of the Oxe And if the Lord of heauen and earth comming into the worlde finde so little entertainment or fauour we for our parts being his members should willingly prepare our selues to take as hard measure at the hands of men The last point is the manifestation of Christes birth that it might be knowen to the worlde Where consider two circumstances the first to whome namely to poore shepheards tending their flockes by night and not to great or mightie men louers of this worlde nor to the priests of Ierusalem contemners of Gods grace and that for two causes one because the shepheards were the fittest persons to publish the same at Bethleem the other it was Gods pleasure to manifest that in the birth of Christ which Paul saith Not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise The second is by whome by the angell of the Lorde appearing in great glorie unto the shepheardes For the priests of Ierusalem and the rulers of the synagogues to whome this office did belong helde their peace beeing blinded in their manifolde errours and wicked waies The duties to be learned of the birth of Christ are these First wee are admonished hereby to magnifie and praise the name of God saying with Mary My soule doth magnifie the Lord and my spirite reioyceth in God my saviour And with Zacharie Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And with the angell of the Lord Glory to God in the highest heavens For in this birth is made manifest the wisedome the truth the iustice and mercie and goodnes of God towards us more then euer it was before yea as Christ God and man is more excellent then the first Adam created according to Gods own image and as the spirituall life is better then the naturall life and as the eternall and most holy mariage of Christ the husband and his spouse the Church rising as it were out of the bloode that trickled out of his side is more wonderfull then the creation of Eue of the rib of Adam Lastly as it is a far greater matter by death to overcome death and to turne it into eternall life then to command that to exist and be which was not before so is the worke of redemption begun in the birth of Christ more unspeakeable and admirable then the first creation of man Hereupon not 6. cherubims as in the vision of Isaiah not 24. elders as in the Apocalyps but a great multitude of Angels like armies were heard to praise God at the birth of Christ and no doubt the like sight was not seene since the beginning of the world And the angels by their example put vs in minde to consider aright of this benefite and to praise God for it But alas this practise is verie rare in this fruitlesse and barren age of the worlde where sinne and iniquitie abounds as may be seene by experience for by an old custom we reteine still in the Church the feast of the nativity of Christ so commonly called which neuerthelesse is not spent in praising the name of God that he hath sent his sonne from his owne bosome to be our redeemer but contrariwise in rifling dicing carding masking mumming in all licentious libertie for the most part as though it were some heathen feast of Ceres or Bacchus Secondly Christ was conceiued and borne in bodily maner that there might be a spirituall conception and birth of him in our hearts as Paul saith My litle children of whome I travell till Christ be formed in you and that is when we are made new creatures by Christ and performe obedience to our creatour When the people said to Christ that his mother and his brethren sought him he answered He that doth the will of God is my brother my sister and mother Therefore let us go with the shepheards to Bethleem and finding our blessed sauiour swadled and lying in the cratch let us bring him thence and make our owne heartes to be his cradle that we may he able to say that we liue not but Christ liues in vs and let vs present unto him ourselues our bodies and soules as the best gold myrrhe and frankincense that may be and thus conceiuing him by faith he remaining without change we shalbe changed into him and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh The world I know neuer so much as dreameth of this kind of conception and birth for as Dauid saith Men travell with wickednesse conceive mischiefe bring forth a lye And S. Iames saith Men are drawn away by their owne concupiscense which when it hath conceived bringeth forth sinne And these are the ougly and monstrous birthes of these daies But let us I pray you contrariwise waile and mourne for the barrennesse of our heartes that doe so little conceiue the grace of Christ in heart and bring it foorth in action The mother of Christ vndoubtedly was a blessed woman but if shee had not as well conceiued Christ in her heart as shee did in her womb shee had not beene saved and no more can wee unlesse we doe the same The birth of Christ to them that haue touched hearts is the comfort of comforts and the sweetest balme or confection
this First of all we must set it before our eyes as a looking glasse in which we may cleerely behold the horriblenes of our sinnes that could not be pardoned without the passion of the sonne of God and the vnspeakeable loue of Christ that dyed for vs and therefore loued his owne enemies more then his owne selfe and lastly our endles peace with God and happines in that considering the person of our redeemer who suffered the pangs of hell we may after a sort finde our paradise euen in the middest of hell Secondly the meditation of Christs passion serues as a most worthie meanes to beginne and to confirme grace specially when it is mingled with faith and that tâ—o waies For first it serues to breede in our hearts a godly sorrowe for our sinnes past when we doe seriously with our selues consider that our owne sinnes were the cause of all the paines and sorrowes and calamities which he suffered in life and death When any man had sinned vnder the Law he brought vnto the temple or tabernacle some kinde of beast for an offering according as he was prescribed laying his hande vpon the heade of it and afterward slaying it before the Lord. Now by the ceremonie of laying on the hand he testified that he for his part had deserued death and not the beast and that it beeing slaine and sacrificed was a signe vnto him of the sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the crosse for his sinnes And hereby we are taught that so oft as we remember the passion of Christ we should lay our hands as it were vpon our owne heads vtterly accusing and condemning ourselues euermore keeping this in heart that Christ suffered not for himselfe but for our offences which were the proper cause of all his woe and miserie And as Christs passion was grieuous and bitter vnto him so should our sinnes likewise be grieuous and bitter vnto vs let vs alwaies remember this otherwise we shall neuer reape any sound benefit by the passion of Christ. Againe the passion of Christ is a notable meanes to stirre vp in our hearts a purpose and a care to reforme our selues and liue in holines and newnes of life on this manner Hath the Sonne of God so mercifully dealt with me as to suffer the curse of the whole law for my manifold iniquities and to deliuer me from iust and deserued damnation yea no doubt he hath I am resolued of it if I should goe on in mine old course I should be the most vngratefull of all creatures to this my louing Sauiour I will therefore by his grace returne and reforme my life And in this very point of reformation the passion of Christ is set before vs as a most liuely patterne and example to follow For as much saith Saint Peter as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same minde which is that hee which hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sinne Where hee teacheth that there must be in vs a spirituall passion answearable to the passion of Christ. For as his enemies did lade him with miseries euen to the death of the crosse so should we lade our owne flesh that is the corruption of our natures with all such meanes as may subdue and weaken crucifie and kill it To the doing of this three things especially are required First we must consider that the corruption of our rebellious natures is like the great and mightie Goliath and the grace of God which we haue receiued like young and little Dauid and therefore if wee desire that grace should preuaile against corruption we must disarme the strong man and strippe him of all his weapons which is done by giuing all the members of our bodies to be instruments of the seruice of God in righteousnes and holines Secondly we must indeauour to keepe in the corruption of nature as it were choking and smothering at the heart that by it neither the worlde nor the deuill preuaile against vs. And this must be done by hauing a narrow regard vnto all the powers and faculties of bodie and soule setting a watch before our eyes eares lippes and all other parts of the bodie that are in any action the instruments of the soule and aboue all as Salomon saith by countergarding the heart with all diligence By the outward senses of the bodie as through open windows the deuill creepes into the heart and therefore our duetie is to stoppe all such waies of entrance Thirdly when originall corruption begins to rebell either in the minde will or any of the affections then must we draw out the sword of the spirit which is the word of God and incounter with that hidious gyant laying load vpoÌ„ him by the iudgements and threatnings of the law as it were beating him down with clubbes as Paul speaketh And if it fall out that concupiscence beginne to conceiue and bring foorth any sinne we must cruise it in the head dash it against the ground as a bird in the shell least it growe vp to our vtter confusion These are the dueties which wee should learne by the passion of Christ. But lamentable are our daies in which all for the most part goes contrarie for commonly men are so farre from killing and subduing the rebellion of the naturall concupiscence that all their studie and care is howe they may feeede and cherish it and make it stronger then the mightie Goliah But let vs for our parts be conformable to Christ in his passion suffering in our flesh as he suffered in bodie and soule for vs. And let vs daily more and more by the hand of faith apprehend and applie to our hearts and consciences the passion of Christ that it may as a fretting corasive eate out the poyson of our sinnefull natures and to consume it Now followeth the second point concerning the passion of Christ which is vnder whome he suffered namely vnder Pontius Pilate And Christ may be said to suffer vnder him in two respects First because he was then the President of Iurie For a little before the birth of Christ the kingdome of the Iewes was taken away by the Romane Emperour and reduced into a Province Pontius Pilate was placed ouer the Iewes not as king but as the Romane Emperours deputie And this circuÌ„stance is noted in the historie of the Gospell here specified in the Creede to shew that the Messias was exhibited in the time foretold by the Prophets Iacob foretold that Shilo must be borne after the scepter is removed from Iuda Isaiah saith that the familie of Ishai shall be worne as it were to the root before Christ as a branch shall spring out of it Againe Christ suffered vnder Pontius Pilate as he was a iudge whereby we are giuen to vnderstand of a woonder namely that Christ the sonne of God King of heauen and earth was arraigned at the barre of an earthly iudge there condeÌ„ned
For thus much the words in meaning import that Pontius Pilate sate as iudge on Christ to examine him to arraigne him and giue sentence against him Wherefore before we come to speake of the degrees of the passion of Christ we must needes intreat of his arraignement vpon earth In handling whereof wee must generally consider these points First that when hee was arraigned before Pilate he was not as a priuate man but as a pledge and suretie that stood in the place and steade of vs miserable sinners as the Prophet Jsaiah saith He bare our infirmities and carried our sorrowes and withall in him was mankinde arraigned before God Secondly this arraignment was made not priuately in a corner but openly in the publique court and that in a great feast of the Iewes as it were in the hearing of the whole worlde Thirdly though Pilate in citing examinig and condemning Christ intended not to worke any part of mans redemption yet was this wholly set downe in the counsell good pleasure of God in whose roome Pilate sate and whose iudgement he exercised The generall vse of Christs arraignement is two-fold First it is a terrour to all impenitent sinners for there is no freedome or protection from the iudgement of God but by the arraignment of Christ and therefore such as in this life receiue him not by faith must at the ende of this worlde be brought out to the most terrible barre of â—he last iudgement there to be arraigned before the King of heauen and earth And marke the equitie hereof Christ himselfe could not haue beene our Sauiour and redeemer vnlesse he had beene brought out to the barre of an earthly iudge and arraigned as a guiltie malefactour and therefore there is no man vpon earth that liues and dies out of Christ but hee must whether hee will or no holde vp his hande at the barre of the great iudge of all mankinde where he shall see hell vnderneath him burning red hotte and opening it selfe wide to swallow him vp and on the right hand of God standing all the Prophets Apostles and Saints of God giuing iudgement against him on the left hand the deuill and all his angels accusing him and within him a guiltie conscience condemning him And thus shall be one day the arraignment of all those persons that with full purpose of heart cleaue not to Christ and yet alas huge and infinite is the number of those which make more account of transitorie and earthly matters euen of their pigges with the Gaderens then of him and his benefits but such should rather be pitied then despised of vs considering their estate is such that euery day they are going as traytours pinnioned to their owne iudgement that they may goe thence to eternall exequution Secondly Christs arraignment is a comfort to the godly For he was arraigned before Pilate that all such as truly beleeue in him might not be arraigned before God at the day of the last iudgement he was accused before an earthly iudge that they might be cleared and excused before the heauenly iudge lastly he was here condemned on earth that we might receiue the sentence of absolution and be eternally saued in heauen The arraignment of Christ hath three parts his apprehension his accusation his condemnation In the apprehension wee must consider two things the dealing of Christ and the dealing of Iudas and the Iewes The dealing and proceeding of Christ was this when he saw that the time of his apprehension and death was neere he solemnly prepared himselfe thereto And his example must teach euery one of vs who knowe not the shortnes of our daies euery houre to prepare our selues against the day of death that theÌ„ we may be found readie of the Lord. What shall the Sonne of God himselfe make preparation to his owne death and shall not we most miserable sinners doe the same who stande in neede of a thousand preparations more then he wherefore let vs continually thinke with our selues that euery present day is the last day of our life that so we may addresse our selues to death againe the next day The first thing which Christ doth in this preparation is to make choice of the place in which he was to be apprehended as will appeare by conferring the Evangelists together S. Matthew saith he went to the place called Gethsemane S. Luke saith he went to the mount of Oliues as he was accustomed And that wee might not imagine that Christ did this that he might escape and hide himselfe from the Iewes S. Iohn saith that Iudas which betraied him knewe the place because oftentimes he resorted thither with his disciples whereas if he had feared apprehension he would haue rather gone aside to some other secret and vnwonted place This theÌ„ is the first point to be coÌ„sidered that Christ knowing the time of his owne death to be at hand doth willingly of his owne accord resort to such a place in which his enemies in all likelihood might easily finde him and haue fit opportunitie to attach him For if he should haue still remained in Ierusalem the Scribes Pharisies durst not haue enterprized his apprehension because of the people whome they feared but out of the citie in the garden all occasion of feare is cut off By this it is manifest that Christ yeilded himselfe to death willingly and not of constraint and vnlesse his sufferings had bin voluntarie on his part they could neuer haue bin a satisfaction to Gods iustice for our sinnes Here a question offereth it selfe to be considered whether a man may lawfully flie in daunger and persequution seeing Christ him selfe doth not Answ. When good means of flying and iust occasion is offered it is lawfull to flie When the Iewes sought to kill Paul at Damascus the disciples tooke him by night and put him through the wall and let him downe in a basket to escape their handes When Moses was called by God to deliuer the Israelites after he had slaine the Egyptian and the fact was knowne and Pharao sought to kill him for it he fled to the land of Madian And our Sauiour Christ sundrie times when he was to be stoned and otherwaies hurt by the Iewes withdrewe himselfe from among them It is lawfull then to flie in persequution these caueats obserued First if a man finde not himselfe sufficiently strengthened to beare the crosse Secondly his departure must be agreeable to the generall calling of a Christian seruing to the glorie of God and the good of his brethren and the hurt of none Thirdly there must be freedome at the least for a time from the bond of a mans particular calling If he be a magistrate he must be freed from ruling if a minister from preaching and teaching otherwaies he may not flie And in this respect Christ who did withdraw himselfe at other times would not flie at this time because the houre of his suffering was come wherein hee intended most
congregation to be elect in holy maner seeketh and willeth the saluation of euerie one which neuerthelesse the Lorde in his eternall counsell willeth not Nowe betweene both these willes there may be and is a difference without contrarietie For one good thing as it is good may differ from another but it can not be contrarie to it It may further be alleadged that in this prayer there seemes to be a combat and fight in the minde will and affections of Christ and therefore sinne Ansvvere There are three kinde of combates the one betweene reason and appetite and this fight is alwaies sinnefull and was not in Christ the second is betweene the flesh and the spirite and this may be in Gods childe who is but in part regenerate but it did not befall Christ who was perfectly holy The third is a combate of divers desires vpon sundrie respectes drawing a man too and fro This may be in mans nature without fault and was in Christ in whome the desire of doing his Fathers will striving and struggling with another desire whereby nature seekes to preserue it selfe caused him to pray in this manner The sixt point is in what maner Christ prayed Ansvver Hee prayed to his Father partly kneeling partly lying on his face and that with strong cries and teares sweating vvater and blood and all this hee did for our sinnes Here then behold the agonie of Christ as a cleare crystall in which we may fully see the exceeding greatnesse of our sinnes as also the hardnesse of our hearts We goe vaunting with our heads to heauen as though it were nothing to sinne against God whereas the horrour of the wrath of God for our rebellions brought downe euen the sonne of God himselfe and laid him groueling vpon the earth And wee can not so much almost as shed one teare for our iniquities whereas hee sweates bloode for vs. Oh let vs therefore learne to abase our selves and to carrie about us contrite and bleeding hearts and be confounded in our selues for our sinnes past The last point is the euent of the prayer in that it vvas heard as the authour of the Hebrewes saith Christ Iesus in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp vnto his father prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares vnto him that was able to saue him and vvas also hearde in that thing vvhich he feared But some will say how vvas Christ heard seeing he suffered death and bare the pangs of hell and the full vvrath of God if hee had beene hearde he shoulde haue beene delivered from all this Ans. VVe must knowe that God heares our prayers two vvaies I. when hee directly graunts our request II. vvhen knovving vvhat is good for vs he giues not vs our requests directly but a thing ansvverable therunto And thus vvas Christ heard for he was not deliuered from suffering but yet he had strength and povver giuen him vvhereby his manhood vvas made able to beare the brunt of Gods wrath And in the same manner God heareth the prayers of his seruants upon earth Paul prayed to be deliuered from the Angell Satan that buffeâ—ed him but the Lord answered that it must not so be because his grace vvherby he vvas inabled to resist his teÌ„ptaâ—ion vvas sufficient Paul finding the fruit of his praiers on this maner protestes hereupoÌ„ that he vvill reioyce in his infirmities Others pray for teÌ„porall blessings as health life libertie c. which notwithstanding God holds back and gives in stead thereof spirituall graces patience faith contentation of minde Augustine saith God heares not our prayers alwaies according to our willes and desires but according as the things asked shall be for our salvation He is like the Phisition who goes on to launch the wound and heares not the patient though he crie never so till the cure be ended Novve followeth the second thing to be considered in Christs apprehension namely the dealing of the Iewes wherein we must consider foure things I. how they consult togither concerning Christes apprehension II. howe they came to the place and mette him III. how they laid hands on him IIII. how they bound him and tooke him away For the first before they enterprised this matter they did wisely and warily lay their heads togither to consult of the time and place and also of the manner of apprehending him So S. Matthevv saith There assembled togither the chiefe priests and the scribes and the elders of the people into the hall of the chiefe priest called Caiphas and consulted how they might take Iesus by subtiltie Whence wee learne two good instructions First the Iewes hauing a quarrell against Christ could never be at rest till they had his blood and therefore they consult hovv they might take him but God did so order the matter and dispose of their purposes and consultations that hereby he did both confound them and their nation For by reason of this heynous sinne against Christ came the iust vvrath of God upon them and so remaineth unto this day VVhereby vvee see that those vvhich vvill be vvise vvithout the direction of Gods vvord and against Christ the Lord vvill ouerthrowe them in their ovvne vvisdome And thus it vvas vvith Achitophel vvho for vvisedome vvas as the oracle of God yet because he rebelled against the Lords anointed God confounded him in his ovvne vvisdome For vvhen his counseil vvhich he gaue against Dauid vvas not folovved he thought himselfe dispised as the text saith and sadled his Asse and arose and vvent home into his citie and put his houshold in order and hanged himselfe wherein he shewed himselfe more senselesse then a bruite beast And in our daies the Leagers that haue bound themselues by othe to roote out the Church of God by his most wonderfull providence turne their swords against themselues and destroy ech other Therefore if wee will be wise we must learne to be wise in Christ for els our counsell will be our owne confusion Secondly hence wee learne that if men will liue in their stubbernnesse and rebellion against Christ the Lord will so carrie and order those men or that people that they shalbe the causes of their owne perdition This wee may plainely see in the example of these Iewes for they evermore envied Christ and now they goe on to take counsell against him but God so disposed of it that thereby they brought destruction vpon themselues theit cuntry This must teach thee to take heed how thou livest in thy sinnes for if thou doe so the Lord hath many waies to worke thy confusion as thy conscience to condemne thee thy friends to forsake thee the divell his angels to torment molest thee his creatures to annoy thee Yea the Lord can leaue all these and make thine owne selfe to be the direct meanes of working thine owne confusion both in body and soule eternally and that euen then when thou art most wary and wise in thine owne behalfe
Paul saith If we suffer with Christ we shall also raigne with him and that which was fully verified in Christ the head must in some part be verified in euery true member of Christ. Pilats third pollicie was this when he saw that neither of the two former would preuaile he comes forth vnto the Iewes and makes an oration to this effect that now vvas the feast of the Passeouer and that they had a custome that the Gouernour should then deliuer vnto the people a prisoner whome they would therefore he asked them whether he should let loose to them Barrabas or Iesus which is called Christ this Barrabas was a notable malefactour that with insurrection had committed murther And thus Pilate cunningly matcheth Christ vvith Barrabas thinking that the Iewes would rather chuse him then Barrabas beeing a notorious malefactour not worthie to liue on the face of the earth and by this meanes he thought to haue deliuered Christ froÌ„ death though otherwise he accounted him also as a malefactour The ground of this pollicie as we see is an old custome of the Iewes that a prisoner should be let loose at Easter And it may be the ende of this custome was to increase the solemnitie of the feast But whatsoeuer in truth the end was the fact it selfe was but a prophanation of the time and an abomination before the Lord for Salomon saith He that iustifieth the wicked and condemneth the iust euen they both are abhomination before the Lord. The like practise takes place with many in these daies who thinke the Loâ—ds day neuer well spent vnlesse they may adde solemnitie thereunto by reuel and riot by frequenting of taverns and alehouses And furthermore where Pilate matcheth Christ beeing innocent with Barrabas and the people preferre him before Christ hauing libertie to chuse eyther it shewes that God in his prouidence had appointed that Christ should not stand in his owne roome before Pilate but in our roome and stead as a Mediatour betweene God and us And in this fact of the people we see how sinne by degrees takes hold of men that speedily Who would haue thought that these Iewes which a little before cryed Hosanna and spread their garmentes before Christ in the way woulde euer haue preferred a murtherer before him But it was the doing of the high priests the Scribes Phases who did animate and stirre them up to this wickednes and hereupon when they had yeelded first to attach him and then to accuse him they are caried to an higher degree of impietie namely to seeke his blood and least he should escape their handes they plunge themselues deeper yet preferring a wretched murtherer euen seditious Barabbas before him This must teach euery one of vs to take heede of the beginnings euen of the least sinnes for the deuill is cunning he will not plunge a man into the greatest sinnes at the first but his manner is by little and little to creepe into the heart and hauing once possession thereof by steppes to bring men to the height of sinne and that with speed We must therefore in the feare of God preuent sinne betimes and at the first motion cut off all occasions hereof that which Paul saith of heresie comparing it to a canker or gangreene may be saide of all sinne The nature of the gangren is to runne from one ioynt to another from rhe toe to the foote from the foote to the legge from the legge to the thigh till it haue wasted and destroyed the life of rhe bodie So giue any sinne but an entrance and it will soone ouerspread the whole man and if the deuill may be suffered but to put one talent into thy heart he will presently wind himselfe into thee his head his bodie and all The Psalmist saith that he is blessed that taketh the children of the Babylonians and dasheth them against the stones and as truly may it be saide blessed is the man that dasheth the head of his sinnes against the ground while they are yong before they get strength to ouer master him Thus haue wee seene the pollicies of Pilate Now followeth the absolution of Christ for when Pilate had used many meanes to deliuer him none would prevaile then hee absolues him by giuing diuers testimonies of his innocencie for he came foorth three times and bare witnesse thereof and last of all hee testified the same by washing of his hands which rite signifieth properly the defiling of the handes before but as yet Pilate had not defiled his handes and therefore he used it as a token to shewe that Christ vvas innocent and that hee would not defile his owne hands with innocent blood There vvere three causes that mooued Pilate to absolue Christ. First hee sawe that hee vvas a iust man as Saint Matthew noteth and that the high priests and people had deliuered him vp of envie as S. Marke saith By this it is plaine that a very Pagan or infidell may in some things goe beyond such as be in Gods Church hauing better conscience and dealing more iustly then they Pontius Pilate was a heathen man and a Gentile the Iewes vvere the Church and people of the liuing God yet he sees plainely that Christ was a iust man and thereupon absolues him whereas the Iewes which should be men of conscience and religion seeke his death And thus a verie Pagan may otherwhiles see more into a matter theÌ„ those that be reputed of the church And this must admonish all such as professe the gospell to looke unto their proceedings that they doe all things with upright conscience for if wee deale uniustly in our proceedings wee may haue neighbours men of no religion that will looke through us and see the grosse hypocrisie of our profession that would be loth to doe those things which wee doe The second cause that mooued Pilate to absolue Christ was his wiues dreame for when he was set dovvne upon the iudgement seate shee sent unto him saying Have thou nothing to doe vvith that iust man for I have suffered many things in a dreame by reason of him Dreames are of three sortes naturall rising from the constitution of the bodie diabolicall such as come by the suggestion of the deuill divine which are from God Some haue thought that this dreame was of the deuill as though hee had laboured thereby to hinder the death of Christ and consequently our saluation but I rather thinke that it vvas occasioned by the thinges vvhich shee had heard before of Christ or that it was immediatly from God as the dreames of Pharao Nabuchodonoser and serued for a further manifestation of Christs innocencie Here it may be asked whether we may regard our dreams now as Pilates wife did or no Answer Wee haue the bookes of the olde and new Testament to be our direction as Esai saith to the law and to the testimonie they must be our rule and guide In these daies we
must not looke to be taught by visions and dreames yet shall it not be amisse to obserue this caveat concerning dreames that by them we may gesse at the constitution of our bodies and often times at the sinnes whereunto we are inclined The last motiue which caused Pilate to absolue Christ was a speech of the Iewes for they said that Christ ought to die by their law because he saide he was the sonne of God And the text saith when Pilate hearde that hee was afraide Marke how a poore Painym that knew not Gods word at the hearing of the name of the sonne of God is striken with feare No doubt he shall rise in iudgement against many among us that without all feare rend the name of God in peeces by swearing blaspheming cursed speaking But let all those that feare the Lorde learne to tremble and be afraide at his blessed name Thus much for the causes that moued Pilate to absolue Christ as also for the second part of Christs arraignement namely his accusation Now followes the third part which is his condemnation and that is twofolde The first by the Ecclesiasticall assembly and councell of the Iewes at Ierusalem in the high priests hall before Caiphas The tenour of his condemnation was this He hath blasphemed vvhat have we any more neede of witnesses he is worthy to die The cause why they say not he shall die but he is worthy to die is this The Iewes had two iurisdictions the one Ecclesiasticall the other civill both prescribed and distinctly executed by the commaundement of God till the time of the Machabees in which both ioyntly togither came into the haÌ„ds of the priests but afterward about the daies of Herod the great the Romane Emperour tooke away both iurisdictions from the Iewes and made their kingdome a province so as they could doe no more but apprehend accuse and imprison as doth appeare by the example of Saul who gate letters from the high priest to Damascus that if hee found any either man or woman that beleeued in Christ hee might bring them bound to Ierusalem and imprison them but kill or condemne they could not By the fact of this counsell we learne sundry points first that generall counsels and the Pope himselfe sitting iudicially in his consistorie may erre If there were any visible Church of God at that day upon the face of the whol world it was no doubt the Church of the Iewes For Caiphas the high priest was a figure of Christ the Scribes and Pharises sate in Moses chaire and Ierusalem is called by Christ the holy citie Mat. 4.5 27.53 Yet for all this that which was foretold is now verified namely that the chiefe corner stone should be reiected of master builders For by the generall consent of the councell at Ierusalem Christ the head of the Catholike Church and the redeemer of mankind is accused of blasphemy and condemned as worthy of death Wherefore it is a meere dotage of mans braine to avouch that the Pope cannot possibly erre in giuing a definitive sentence in matters either of faith or manners Neither can the Church of Rome pleade priviledge for Ierusalem had as many prerogatiues as any people in the worlde coulde haue Againe by this wee see there is no reason why wee should ascribe to any man or to oecumenicall counsels themselves absolute and soveraigne power to determine giue iudgement in matters of religion considering they are in danger to be ouertaken with notable slippes and errours And therefore the soueraigntie of iudgement is peculiar to the sonne of God who is the only doctour and law-giuer of the Church and he puts the same in execution in and by the written word As for the speech of the Papistes calling the scriptures a dumb Iudge it is little to be regarded For they are as it were the letter of the living sent from heauen to his Church upon earth and therefore the scriptures speake as plainly and as sufficiently unto vs of all matters of faith as a man can speake unto his friend by letter so be it we haue the gift of discerning Yet doe weâ— not barre the Church of God from all iudgement For the ministeriall power of giuing iudgement both publiquely and priuately is graunted 〈◊〉 of God and that is to determine and giue sentence of matters in question according to the worde as the lawyer giues iudgement not according as he wil but according to the tenour of the law Thirdly we learne that personall succession is no unfallible marke of the true faith and of true pastours vnlesse withall be ioyned succession in the doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles For Caiphas held his office by succession from Aaron and yet in publike assembly condemned the Messias spoken of by Moses and the Prophets Therefore the succession of the bishops of Rome from Peter is of no moment vnlesse they can prooue that their religion is the religion of Peter which they can neuer doe And thus much for Christs first condemnation The second was by Pontius Pilate who sate in an other court as a civill iudge and the tâ—noâ—â— of his sentence was that the Iewes should take him and crucifie him Here we must consider the reasons that mooved Pilate to determine thus the first was the impatience of the Iewes he for his parte was loth to defile his hands with innocent blood but the Iewes cryed his blood be upon us and on our children which according to their wish came upon them within fewe yeres after and so remaineth still unto this day By which we are taught to take heede of imprecations against our selues our children or seruants or any other creatures for God heareth mens prayers two waies either in his mercy or in his wrath and anger If thou curse thy selfe or any other except thou turne unto the Lorde by speedie repentance hee may heare thy prayer in his wrath and verifie thy curse upon thee to thy utter confusion The second reason that mooued Pilate to condemne Christ was because he feared men more then God for being deputie vnder Tyberius Caesar ouer the province of Iudea for feare of loosing his office and of displeasing the Iewes hee condemned Christ after he had absolued him whereby wee see that it is a grieuous sinne to feare dust and ashes more then the living God And therefore S. Iohn saith that the fearefull shall have their portion in the burning lake that is such as are more afraid of man then of God And this sinne in Pilate wanted not his iust towarde for not long after hee lost his deputy-ship and Cesars favour and fledde to Vienna where liuing in banishment hee killed himselfe And thus God meetes with them that feare the creature more then the Creatour That we may therefore avoid the heauie hand of God let us learne to feare God aboue all els we shall dishonour God and shame the religion which we professe The
therefore the death of Christ doeth make his last will and testament which is his couenant of grace authenticall unto us Fourthly the death of Christ doth serue to abolish the originall corruption of our sinnefull hearts As a strong corasive laide to a sore eates out all the rotten and deade flesh euen so Christs death being applyed to the heart of a penitent sinner by faith weakens and consumes the sinne that cleaues so fast unto our natures and dwelles within us Some will say how can Christes death which now is not because it is long ago past and ended kill sinne in vs now Ansvver Indeed if vvee regard the acte of Christs death it is past but the vertue and power thereof endureth for euer And the power of Christes death is nothing els but the power of his godhead vvhich inabled him in his death to ouercome hell the graue death and condemnation and to disburden him selfe of our sinnes Now when wee haue grace to denie our selves and to put our trust in Christ and by faith are ioyned to him then as Christ himselfe by the power of his godhead ouercame death hell and damnation in himselfe so shall wee by the same power of his godhead kill crucifie sin corruption in our selues Therfore seeing we reape such benefite by the death of Christ if wee will shewe our selues to be Christians let us reioyce in the death of Christ and if the question be what is the chiefest thing wherein we reioyce in this world we may answere the very crosse of Christ and the least droppe of his blood The duties to be learned by the death of Christ are two the first concernes all ignorant and impenitent sinners Such men whatsoeuer they be by the death of Christ upon the crosse must be mooued to turne from their sinnes and if the consideration hereof will not mooue them nothing in the world will By nature euery man is a vassall of sinne and a bondslaue of Sathan the deuill raignes and rules in all men by nature and wee our selues can doe nothing but serue and obey him Nay which is more we lie under the fearefull curse of God for the least sinne Well now see the love of the sonne of God that gaue himselfe willingly to death upon the crosse for thee that he might free thee from this most fearefull bondage Wherefore let all those that liue in sinne and ignorance reason thus with thēselues Hath Christ the Sonne of God done this for us and shall we yet live still in our sinnes hath he set open as it were the very gates of hell and shall we yet lie weitring in out damnable waies and in the shadowe of death In the feare of God let the death of Christ be a means to turne us to Christ if it can not moue us let us be resolued that our case is dangerous To go yet further in this point euery one of us is by nature a sicke man wounded at the very heart by sathan though we feele it not yet we are deadly sicke beholde Christ is the good Phisition of the soule none in heauen or earth neither Saint angell nor man can heale this our spirituall wound but he alone who though he were equall with the father yet he came downe from his bosome and became mā lived here many yeres in miserie contēpt and when no hearb nor plaister could cure this our deadly wound or desperate sicknes he was content to make a plaister with his owne blood the paine hee tooke in making it caused him to sweat water blood nay the making of it for us cost him his life in that he was content by his own death to free us from death which if it be true as it is most true thē wofull wretched is our case if we will still liue in sinne will not use meanes to lay this plaister unto our hearts And after the plaister is applyed to the soule we should doe as a man that hath bene grievously sicke who whē he is on the mending hand gets strength by litle little And so should we become new creatures going on frō grace to grace and shew the same by liuing godlily righteously and soberly that the worlde may see that wee are cured of our spirituall disease O happy yea thrise happy are they that haue grace from God to do this The second duty concernes thē which are repentant sinners Hath Christ giuen himselfe for thee is thy conscience setled in this then thou must answerably beare this minde that if thy life would serue for the glorie of God the good of his Church thou wouldst then giue it most willingly if thou be called thereto Secondly if Christ for thy good hath giuen his life then thou must in like manner be content to die for thy brethren in Christ if need be He saith S. Iohn laid down his life for us therfore we ought to lay down our liues for our brethren Thirdly if Christ was cōtē◠to shed his own hearts blood not for himself but for the sins of euery one of us thē we must be thus affected that rather then by sinning we would willingly offend god we should be content to haue our own blood shed yea if these two things were put to our choise either to doe that vvhich might displease God or els to suffer death we must rather die then do the same Of this mind haue bene all the martyrs of God who rather then they would yeild to Idolatrie were content to suffer most bitter torments cruell death Yea euery good christian is so affected that hee had rather choose to die then to liue not moued by impatience in respect of the miseries of this life but because he would cease to offend so louing a father To sin is meat drinke to the world but to a touched repētāt hart ther is no tormēt so grievous as this is to sinne against God if once hee be perswaded that Christ died for him Thus much for Christs death novv follovv those things vvhich befell Christ when hee was newly dead and they are two especially The first that his legges were not broken as the legges of the tvvo thieves vvere Of the first S. Iohn rendreth a reason namely that the scripture might be fulfilled which saith not a bone of him shall be broken which wordes vvere spoken by Moses of the paschall lambe and are here applyed to Christ as being typically figured therby And hence we obserue these tvvo things First that Christ crucified is the true paschall lambe as S. Paul saieth Christ our passeover is sacrificed and S. Iohn saith Behold the lamb of God distinguishing him thereby from the typicall lambe In this that Christ crucified is the true paschall lamb the childe of God hath vvonderfull matter of comfort The Israelites did eate the passeouer in Egypt and sprinkled the blood of the lambe on the postes of their dores that when
the Angell of God came to destroy the first borne both of man and beast and saw the blood upon their houses might passe ouer them that the plague should not be upon them to destruction So likewise if thou doest feede on the lambe of God and by a liuely faith sprinkle the dore of thine heart with his blood the iudgements of god in this life and the terrible curse of death vvith the fearefull sentence of condemnation at the day of iudgement all punishments due unto thy sinnes shall passe ouer thee and not so much as touch thee And whereas the legges of our Sauiour Christ were not broken by the souldiers who sought by all meanes possible to worke against him all the mischiefe they could wee may note that the enemies of Christ and his Church let them intende to shewe neuer so much malice against him they can not goe beyonde that libertie which God giueth them then Gods will is they can doe no more for their liues The Medes and Persians are called the Lords sanctified ones Cyrus is called the man of Gods counsell because whatsoeuer they intended against the people of God yet in all their proceedings they did nothing but that which God had determined before to be done And whē Senacherib came against the Iewes as a wild beast out of his denne the Lord telleth Hezekiah cōcerning Ashur that he will put his hooke in his nostrills his bridle in his lippes and bring him back againe the same way he came that is he will so rule him that he shall not do the lest hurt unto the Iewes more thē god will This is a matter of great cōfort to Gods Church oppressed with manifold enimies Papists Iewes Turkes all infidels maliciously bent against it for Christs sake Now they may intend practise mischiefe but more then Gods will and counsell is they cā not doe for he hath his ring in their nostrills and his bridle in their lips to rule them as he listeth The second thing which fell out immediatly upon the death of Christ is that the soldiers pearced his side with a speare thence issued water blood The use which ariseth of this point is twofolde First it serves to prooue that Christ died truly not in shew or a fained death for there is about the heart a filme or skin like unto a purse wherein is contained cleare water to coole the heate of the heart and therefore when water blood issued out after the pearcing of the side it is very likely that that very skin was pearced for els in reason we can not coniecture whence this water should come S. Iohn an eye-witnesse of this thing being about to proue that Iesus the sonne of Mary was the true Messias bringeth in sixe witnesses three in heauē the Father the Worde and the Holy Ghost and three in earth the Water the Spirite and the bloode where no doubt hee alludeth to the water and blood that issued out of the side of Christ by spirit wee may vnderstand the efficacie and operation of Gods spirite making men to bring foorth the fruits of the same as loue peace ioy c. And the second witnes namely water hath relation to the water that came forth of Christs side which signifieth the inward washing away of sinne the purging of the heart by Christs blood which also is and was signified by the outwarde washing of the bodie with water in baptisme The thirde witnesse hee calles blood alluding to the blood that issued out of Christs side vvhereby is signified the expiation or satisfaction made to Gods iustice for mans sinne The same use had the ceremoniall sprinkling with blood in the old testament typically signifying the sprinkling of Christs blood Now these three witnesses are not to be sought for in heauen but euerie Christian man must search for them in his owne heart and conscience there shall hee finde them in some measure And this water and blood flowing out of the side of Christ being now deade signifieth that he is our iustification and sanctification euen after his death that out of his death springs our life and therefore as Eve was made of a ribbe taken out of the side of the first Adam so springs the Church of the blood that flowes out of the side of the second Adam Hauing thus intreated of Christs execution let us nowe come to the last point namely the excellencie of Christes passion consisting in these two points I. a sacrifice II. a triumph For the first whē Christ died he offered a propitiatorie reall sacrifice to his father herein his death passiō differeth frō the sufferings deaths of all men whatsoeuer In this sacrifice we must consider 4. things I. who was the priest II. what was the sacrifice III. what vvas the altar IV. the time wherein this sacrifice was offered The priest was Christ himselfe as the author of the Epistle to the Hebrues prooues at large from the third chap. to the 9. and of him we are to consider these 4. points The first what is the office of Christs priesthood Ansvver The office of Christs priesthood stands in 3. things I. to teach doctrine therefore he is called the high priest of our profession that is of the Gospell which we professe because he is the authour and doctour of the same II. to offer up himselfe unto his father in the behalfe of man for the appeasing of his wrath for sinne III. to make request or intercession to God the father that he would accept the sacrifice which hee offered on the crosse for us The secōd is according to which nature he was a priest whether in his manhood or in his godhead or both togither Ans. The office of his priesthood is performed by him according to both his natures therfore he is a priest not as the papists would haue him according to his manhood only but as he is both God man for as he is a mediatour so is he a priest but Christ is a mediatour according to both natures ech nature doing that which is peculiar to it conferring somthing to the worke of redemptiō therfore he is a priest as he is both God mā The third point after what order is he a priest Ans. The scripture mētioneth 2. orders of priests the order of Levi the order of Melchisedeck Christ was not a priest after the order of Aarō yet notwithstāding in that priesthood were many notable rites wherby the priesthood of our Sauiour Christ was resembled we may note 5. especially First in the anointing of the high priests as of Aaron his sonnes after him oile was powred on his head it ran down to the verie edge of his garments wherby was signified that Christ the true high priest was annointed with the oile of gladnesse above his fellowes that his manhood was filled with the giftes and graces of
God both in measure nūber degree aboue all mē angels Secondly the sumptuous gorgious apparell which the high priest put on when hee came into the sanctuary was a signe of the rich glorious robe of Christs righteousnes which is the puritie integrity of his humane nature of his life Thirdly the speciall parts of the high priests attire were first the Ephod the 2. shoulders whereof had 2 onyx stones vvheron vvere engrauē the names of the 12. tribes of Israel 6. names on the one stone 6. on the other as stones of remēbrance of the childrē of Israel to god vvard secondly the brestplate of iudgement like the work of the Ephod vvherin were set 12. stones according to the names of the childrē of Israel grauē as signets euery one after his name Now by these 2. ornamēts vvere figured two things in Christ by the first that he carries all the elect on his shoulders supports thē by his spirit so long as they are in this world against the world the flesh the deuill By the secōd that Christ our high priest being now in his sanctuary in heauen hath in memory al the elect their very names are writtē as it vvere in tables of gold before his face he hath an especiall loue care ouer them Vpon this ground the church in the Canticles praies on this maner Set me as a seale on thy heart as a signet vpon thy arme And indeed this a matter of cōfort to us all that Christ hath our seueral names writtē in pretious stones before his face though he be now in heauē vve on earth the particular estate of euery one of us is both knowē regarded of him Again God gaue to Moses the Vrim Thummim which was put on the brestplate of the high priest when he was to aske coūsell frō God of things unknowē before the mercy seate whence God gaue answer What the Vrim Thummim was it is not known it is like it was not made by any arte of mā but giuē by God how it vvas used vve can not tell but yet the signification of the wordes affordeth matter of meditatiō Vrim signifies lights Thummim signifies perfections And by this a further matter was prefigured in Christ vvho hath the perfite Vrim Thummim in his brest first because in him are hidde all the treasures of wisdome and knovvledge secōdly because he reveiles to his Church out of his word such things as none cā know but the childrē of God as Dauid saith The secret of the Lord is reveiled to thē that feare him And for this cause the spirit of Christ is called the spirit of wisdom revelatiō the spirit of God whereby we know the things that are giuē unto us of God as namely our electiō vocation iustificatiō sanctificatiō in this life our eternall glorificatiō after this life yea to euery member of Christ vvithin his Church he giues a speciall spirit of revelatiō vvherby he may knovve that God the father is his father the son the redeemer his redeemer the H. ghost his sanctifier cōforter Lastly the high priest had a plate on his forehead therin vvas in grauē the holines of Iehovah this signified the holines of Christ for as he is God he is holines it self as he is mā he is most holy being sanctified by the H. ghost for this end that he might couer our sins unrighteousnes vvith his righteousnes holy obedience The secōd order of priesthood is the order of Melchisedec of which Christ vvas as Dauid saith Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck that in 2. speciall respects I. Melchisedeck vvas both a priest a king so vvas Christ. II. Melchisedeck had neither father nor mother because his historie is set dovvne vvith mention of neither So likevvise Christ as hee is God had no mother and as hee is man he had no father The Papists auouch Christ to be a Priest of this order in a new respect in that as Melchisedeck offered bread and wine when Abraham came from the slaughter of the Kings so say they Christ in the last supper did offer his owne bodie and bloode vnder the formes of bread and wine But this is a friuolous deuise of theirs for if we read Hebr. 7. where this point is handled there is no comparison at all made of their two sacrifices but the resemblances before named are onely set downe Againe it is not said in Genesis that Melchisedeck offered sacrifice but that he brought forth bread and wine and made a feast to Abraham his companie And if Christ should be of the order of Melchisedeck in regard of the offering of bread wine yet would this make much against the papists For Melchisedeck brought forth true bread true wine but in the sacrifice of the masse there is no true breade nor true wine but as they say the reall bodie and blood of Christ vnder the forme of bread and wine The 4. point is whether there be any more reall priests of the new Testament beside Christ or no Ans. In the old testament there were many priests one following an other in continuall succession but of the new testament there is one onely reall priest Christ Iesus God man no more as the author of the Hebr. saith because he endureth for euer he hath an euerlasting priesthoode the word trāslated euerlasting signifieth such a priesthood which cannot passe frō him to any other as the priesthood of Aaron did And therfore the priesthood of Christ is so tied to his owne person that none can haue the same but he neither man nor angel nor any other creature no not the father nor the H. Ghost But the factours of the Church of Rome will say that Christ may haue men to be his deputies in his stead to offer sacrifice Answ. We must consider Christ 2. waies I. as he is God II. as he is mediatour As he is God with the father with the holy Ghost he hath kings magistrates to be his deputies on earth and therefore they are called Elohim that is gods But as he is Mediatour and so consequently a priest and a King hee hath neither deputie nor vicegerent neither king to rule in his stead over his Church nor priests to offer sacrifice for him nay hee hath no prophet to be his deputie as he is the doctour of the Church And therefore he saith to his disciples be not called doctours for one is your doctour Indeede he hath his ministers to teach men his will but a deputie to offer sacrifice in his steade he hath not And therfore we may with good conscience abhorre the massing priesthood of the Church of Rome as a thing fetched from the bottome of Hell their massing priests as instruments of Sathan holding
our hearts will not rend when as hard rocks cleaue asunder Thirdly the mooving of the earth the rending of the rocks asunder may be a signe vnto vs of the vertue of the doctrine of the Gospell of Christ which is nothing els but the publishing of the passion of his death which being preached shal shake heauen and earth sea and land It shall moue the earthen hard and rockie hearts of men and raise vp of meere stones and rocks children vnto Abraham But the maine vse and end of this point is to prooue that he that was crucified was the true Messias the sonne of God and therefore had the power of heauen and earth and could mooue all things at his pleasure The sixt signe of the power of Christ is that graves did open and many bodies of the saintes which slept arose and came out of their graues after his resurrection and went into the holy citie and appeared unto many The use of this signe is this it signifies unto us that Christ by his death upon the crosse did vanquish death in the graue and opened it and thereby testified that he was the resurrection and the life so that it shall not haue euerlasting dominion ouer us but that he vvill raise us up from death to life and to euerlasting glorie The seuenth signe is the testimonie of the Centurion with his souldiours which stood by to see Christ executed S. Marke saith when he saw that Christ thus crying gaue up the ghost he said truly this was the sonne of God Thus we see it is an easie matter for Christ to defend his own cause let Iudas betray him Peter denie him and all the rest forsake him yet he can if it so please him make the Centurion that standeth by to see him executed to testifie of his innocencie But what vvas the occasion that mooued him to giue so worthy a testimonie S. Matthew saith it was feare and that feare was caused by hearing the loud crie of Christ by seeing the earthquake and thinges which vvere done And this must put us in minde not to passe by Gods iudgements which daily fall out in the worlde but take knowledge of them and as it were to fix both our eyes on them For they are notable meanes to strike and astonish the rebellious heart of man and to bring it in awe and subiectiō to God After that the two first captaines with their fifties commanding the prophet Elias to come downe to king Achaziah were consumed with fire from heauen the king sent his third captaine ouer fiftie with his fiftie to fetch him downe but what doth he it is said he fell on his knee before Eliah and besought him saying O man of God I pray thee let my life and the lives of these fiftie servants be pretious in thine eyes But what was the cause why he prayed thus Surely he obserued what iudgements of God fell upon his two former fellowe captaines Beholde saith hee there came downe fire from heauen and devoured the two former captaines with their fifties therefore let my life be pretious now in thy sight Thus laying to his owne heart and making use of Gods iudgements hee humbled himselfe and was spared with his fiftie And Habbaccuk saith When I hearde the voice namely of Gods iudgements rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe that I might be safe in the day of the Lorde Nowe what this feare of the Centurion was there is a further question and it is verie like that it was but a sudden motion or a certaine preparatiue to better things For he was but an heathen man and had as yet no knowledge of Christ and whether hee repented or not it is uncerten and wee must not maruell at this for there are many sudden motions in shewe verie good that upon like occasions rise in the heartes of naturall men When God plagued the land of Egypt then Pharaoh sent for Moses and confessed that the Lorde was righteous but he and his people were wicked and desired Moses to pray to God to take away the plague who did so but so soone as the hand of God was stayed he returned to his olde rebellion againe And as a dogge that commeth out of the water shaketh his eares and yet returneth into it againe so is the maner of the world when crosses and calamities befall men as sicknesse losse of friends or goods then with Ahab they outwardly humble them-selues and goe softly they use to frequent the place where the word is preached and Gods name called upon but alas common experience shewes that these things are but fittes arising of uncerten and flittering motions in the heart For so soone as the crosse is remooued they returne to their old byas againe become as bad as backwarde as euer they vvere being like to the tree that lies in the water which for a while is greene but afterward withereth And therefore wee for our partes when wee haue any good motions come into our hearts as the beginnings of further grace wee must not quench them but cherish and preserue them remembring that the kingdome of heauen is like a graine of mustard seed which vvhen it is sowne is the least of all seedes but afterward it groweth up into a tree that the foules of the heauen may build their neasts in it like to this are the first motions of Gods spirite and therefore they must be cherished and maintained And thus much for the 7. signes of the power of Christs godhead Now follovves the second part of the triumph of Christ which containeth signes of his victorie upon the crosse notably expressed by Paul when he saith And putting out the handwriting of ordinances which was against us which was contrary to us he euen tooke it out of the way fastened it upon the crosse hath spoiled the principalities powers and hath made a shew of them openly hath triumphed over them in the same In vvhich wordes hee alludeth to the manner of heathen triumphs for it was the custome of heathen princes when they had gotten the victorie over their enimies first to cause a pillar of stone or some great oke to be cut down and set up in the place of victorie vpon which either the names of the chiefe enemies vvere set or their heads vvere hanged or vvords vvere written in the pillar to testifie the victorie This being done there follovved an open shewe in vvhich first the conquerour prepares for himselfe a chariot of victory wherin he vvas himselfe to ride and then the chiefe of his enemies bound pinioned vvere led openly after him Novve on the same maner upon the crosse there was a pitcht field the Emperour on the one side was Christ his enemies on the other side were the vvorld the flesh hell death damnation the deuill and all his angels all vvhich banding themselues against him vvere all subdued by him
upon the same crosse he himselfe gaue tvvo signes of his triūph one vvas a monumēt of the victory the other an opē shevv of his cōquest Novv the monumēt of Christs victory vvas the crosse it self vvheron he nailed the obligatiō or bill vvhich vvas against us vvherby satan might haue accused condēned us before god For vve must cōsider that god the father is as a creditour and vvee all debters unto him hee hath a bill of our handes vvhich is the lawe in that it giueth testimonie against us first by the legall washings which did shewe and signifie that we vvere altogither defiled uncleane secondly by the sacrifices that were daily offred for propitiation for our sinnes Now Christ was our suretie and paid euery iotte of the debt vvhich we shoulde haue paid and requiring the acquittance taketh the ceremoniall law and the curse of the morall law and nailes them to the crosse Furthermore in the shewe of conquest the chariot is the crosse likewise for it was not onely a monument of victory but also a chariot of triumph And the captiues bound and pinioned which follow Christ are principalities and powers that is the deuill and his angells hell death and condemnation all which are as it were taken prisoners their armour and weapons are taken from them and they chained and bound ech to other The meditation of this point serueth to admonish vs to abandon all manner of sinne and to make conscience of euerie good duety if we will aright professe the gospell of Christ for vvhen vve sinne we doe as it vvere pull Christ out of his charriot of triumph and untie sathans bonds giue him weapons and as much as we can make him valiant and strong againe Now for any man to make sathan and sinne valiant and strong against himselfe whereas Christ hath weakened him and euen bruised his heade is no better then to become an enemie of the crosse of Christ. Againe hereby vve are taught to pray unto God that our blind eyes may be opened that vve may discerne aright of the passion of Christ. It is a wonder to see how men are caried avvay with a liking of vaine shewes games and enterludes how they spend euen vvhole daies in beholding thē and their money also that they may come to the places vvhere they are oh then how exceedingly ought our harts to be rauished with this mast admirable shevve in vvhich the sonne of God himselfe rides most gloriously in his chariot of triumph and leades his and our most cursed enemies captiue yea treades them under his foote This triumph is set forth unto us in the preaching of the Gospell and may be seene of us all freely without money or money-worth What wretches then shall we be if we suffer our heartes to be filled with earthly delights and in the meane season haue little or no desire to beholde with the eyes of our mind this goodly spectacle that is to be seene in the passion of Christ that serues to reuiue and refresh our soules to life eternall Thirdly if Christ when he was most weake and base in the eyes of men did most of all triumph upon the crosse then euerie one of us must learne to say with the Apostle Paul God forbid that I should reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of Christ Iesus our Lord. That we may say this truely first of all we must labour to haue the benefite of the crosse of Christ not onely in the remission but also in the mortification of our sinnes secondly wee must not be discomforted but rather reioyce and triumph therein A Christian man can neuer haue greater honour then to suffer for the Gospell of Christ when God calleth him thereunto and therefore S. Paul setteth forth another most glorious shewe which all those must make that suffer any thing for Gods cause They must encounter with the world the flesh and the deuill and are placed as it were on a theater and in this conflict the beholders are men and Angels yea the whole hoast of heauen and earth the umpire or iudge is God himselfe it will giue sentence of victorie on their side and so they shall ouercome We must not hereupon thrust our selues into danger but when it shall please God to call vs thereunto wee must thinke our selues highly honoured of him As when God sendeth losse of friends of substance or good name or any other calamitie wee must not dispaire or be ouer grieued but rather reioyce and addresse our selues then with our sauiour Christ to make a triumph Thus much of Christes triumph and the passion of his crosse Now followeth the second degree of his humiliation in these words And buried Where we must consider these pointes I. why it was needfull that Christ should be buried II. who was the authour of this buriall III. the maner or preparation to his buriall IIII. the place and time where and when he was buried Of these in order For the first the causes are many but especially foure why Christ was to be buried I. that the truth and certentie of his death might be confirmed unto us and that no man might so much as imagine that his death was a fantasticall death or his body a fantasticall bodie for men use not to bury a liuing but a dead man or a man in shewe but a true man II. that his buriall might be vnto him a passage frō the estate of humiliation to the estate of exaltation which began in his resurrection and he could not haue risen againe if hee had not bene first buried III. that the outward humiliation in the forme of a seruant which he tooke upon him might be continued upon him to the lowest degree of all and therefore it was not sufficient that hee should be crucified euen to death but being dead he must be also buried IIII. Christ vvas buried that he might not onely vanquish death on the crosse but euen after the maner of conquerours subdue him at his owne home and as it were plucke him out of his owne cabbin The authors of Christs burial were Ioseph of Arimathea Nichodemus who came to Iesus by night Now concerning them this their fact there are many things worthy to be considered in this place First of all they were disciples of Christ and the difference betweene them and the rest is to be considered The other disciples though in number they were but few yet in the feast before his passiō they openly followed him but when Christ was to be arraigned the persecution of the Church of the new Testament began in him then Iudas betraied him Peter denied him the rest fled away yet euen at the same instant these two secret disciples of our Sauiour Christ Ioseph of Arimathea Nicodemus take courage to themselues in time of daunger openly professe themselues to be Christes disciples by an honourable and solemne buriall God no doubt opening their heartes and
finite for his humane nature beeing but a creature and therefore finite could not receiue infinite graces and gifts of glorie And hence it is more then manifest that the opinion of those men is false which hold that Christs bodie glorified is omnipotent and infinite euery way able to doe whatsoeuer he will for this is to make a creature to be the creator Thus much of Christs exaltation in generall Now let vs come to the degrees thereof as they are noted in the Creede which are in number three I. He rose againe the third day II. He ascended vnto heauen III. He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie In the handling of Christs resurrection we must consider these points I. why Christ ought to rise againe II. the manner of his rising III. the time when he rose IV. the place where V. the vses thereof For the first it was necessarie that Christ should rise againe and that for three especiall causes First that hereby he might shew to all the people of God that he had fully ouercome death For els if Christ had not risen how should we haue bin perswaded in our coÌ„sciences that he had made a full perfect satisfactioÌ„ for vs nay rather we should haue reasoned thus Christ is not risen therefore he hath not ouercome death but death hath ouercome him Secondly Christ Iesus which died was the sonne of God therefore the author of life it selfe and for this cause it was neither meet nor possible for him to be holdeÌ„ of death but he must needes rise from death to life Thirdly Christs priesthood hath 2. parts one to make satisfaction for sinne by his one onely sacrifice vpon the crosse the other to apply the vertue of this sacrifice vnto euery beleeuer Now he offred the sacrifice for sinne vpon the crosse before his death and therefore beeing deade must needes rise againe to performe the second part of his priesthood namely to applie the vertue thereof vnto all that shall beleeue in him and to make intercession in heauen vnto his father for vs here on earth And thus much of the first point Nowe to come to the manner of Christs resurrection fiue things are to be considered in it The first that Christ rose againe not as euery priuate man doth but as a publike person representing all men that are to come to life eternall For as in his passion so also in his resurrection he stood in our roome and place and therefore when he rose from death we all yea the whole Church rose in him and together with him And this point not considered we doe not conceiue aright of Christs resurrection neither can we reap sound comfort by it The second is that Christ himselfe and no other for him did by his owne power raise himselfe to life This was the thing which he meant when he said Destroy this temple in three daies I will build it vp againe more plainly I haue saith he power to lay down my life and I haue power to take it again FroÌ„ wheÌ„ce we learn diuers instructions First wheras Christ raiseth himselfe from death to life it serueth to proue that he was not only maÌ„ but also true god For the body being dead could not bring again the soule ioyn it self vnto the same make it selfe aliue againe neither yet the soule that is departed from the bodie can returne againe quicken the bodie and therefore there was some other nature in Christ namely his Godhead which did revnite soule and bodie together and thereby quickned the manhoode Secondly if Christ giue life to himselfe being dead in the graue then much more now being aliue and in heauen glorified is he able to raise vp his members from death to life We are all by nature starke dead in sinne as the dead bodie rotten in the graue and therfore our dutie is to come to Christ our Lord by praier intreating him that he would raise vs vp euery day more and more from the graue of our sinnes to newnes of life He can of men dead in their sinnes make vs aliue vnto himselfe to liue in righteousnes and true holines all the daies of our life The third thing is that Christ rose againe with an earthquake And this serueth to prooue that he lost nothing of his power by death but still remained the absolute Lord of heauen and earth to whome therefore the earth vnder his feete trembling doth him homage This also prooueth vnto vs that Christ which lay dead in the graue did raise himselfe againe by his owne almightie power Lastly it serueth to conuince the keepers of the graue the women which came to embaulme him and the disciples which came to the sepulchre would not yet beleue that he was risen againe But how came this earthquake Answer Saint Matthew saith there was a great earthquake For the angell of the Lord descended from heauen c. This shewes that the power of angels is great in that they can mooue and stirre the earth Three angels destroied Sodom Gomorha An angel destroied the first borne of Egypt in one â—ight In the host of Senacherib one angel slue in one night 14500 meÌ„ Of like power is the deuil himself to shake the earth and to destroy vs all but that God of his goodnes limits restrains him of his libertie Well if one angel be able to shake the earth what then wil Christ himselfe do when he shal come to iudgemeÌ„t the secoÌ„d time with many thousand thousaÌ„ds of angels oh how terrible will his comming be Not without cause saith the holy Ghost that the wicked at that day shall cry out wishing the hills to fall vpon them and the mountains to couer them for feare of that great and terrible day of the Lord The 4. thing is that an angel ministred to Christ being to rise again in that he came to the graue rolled away the stone sate vpoÌ„ it Where obserue first how the angels of God minister vnto Christ though dead buried whereby they acknowledge that his power maiestie authoritie is not included within the bondes of the earth but extends it selfe euen to the heauens themselues and the hosts thereof and that according to his humanitie Wicked men for their parts laboured to close him vp in the earth as the basesâ— of all creatures but the angels of heauen most readily accept him as their soueraigne Lord and king as in like manner they did in his temptation in the wildernes and in his agonie in the garden Secondly that the opinion of the papists and others which think that the bodie of Christ went through the graue-stone when he rose againe is without warrant For the ende no doubt why the angel rolled away the stone was that Christ might come foorth And indeede it is against the order of nature that one bodie should passe through another without corruption or alteration of either
masters of families haue ouer their houshold when God shall call them out of this worlde They must haue care not onely that their families be well gouerned while they liue but also that after their death peace loue and good order may be continued in their posteritie And therefore the Prophet Esay is sent to Ezechias king of Iudah to bid him se◠his house in order for he must die signifying that it is the dutie of a good master of a familie not onely to haue care for the gouernment of his house whilst he is aliue but also that it may be well gouerned when he is deade The same also must be practised of Gods ministers their fidelitie must be seene in this that they haue not onely a care to feede their particular flockes while they are aliue but also they must further prouide for the people after their departure as much as they can Example whereof we haue in Peter who saith I will endeauour alwaies that ye may be able also to haue remembrance of these things after my departure The place of Christs ascension was the mount of Oliues neere Bethanie and it was the same place from whēce Christ went to Ierusalem to be crucified One place serue to be a passage both to paine and torments and also to glorie This shewes that the way to the kingdome of heauen is through afflictions In all ages there are many which haue Gods hand heauie vpon them in lingring sicknesses as the dead palsie and such like wherein they are faine to lie many yeares without hope of cure whereupon their beddes which should be vnto them places of rest and ease are but places of woe and miserie Yet may these men hence haue great comfort if they can make good vse of their sicknesses for the beddes whereon they suffer so much torment shal be places from whence they shall passe to ioy and happines Againe there be many that for the testimonie of the truth and for religions sake suffer imprisonment with many afflictions nowe if they can vse their afflictions well their prisons shalbe Bethanies vnto them although they be places of bondage yet God wil at length make it a place of entrance to libertie Many a man for the maintaining of faith and good conscience is banished out of his countrie and is faine to liue in a straunge place amōg a people to whome he is vnknowne but let him vse it well for though it be a place of griefe for a time as Bethanie was to Christ when he went to suffer yet God will make it one day to be his passage into heauen Thus much of the place of his ascending The third thing to be considered is the manner of Christs ascension and it containeth three points The first that Christ beeing now to ascend lifts vp his hands and blessed his disciples In the Scripture are mentioned diuers kinds of blessings The first when one man praieth to God for a blessing vpon an other and this blessing doe kings and princes bestow vpon their subiects and parents on their children and for this cause children are taught to aske their fathers and mothers blessing that they may pray to God to blesse them There is another kind of blessing when a mā doth not only pray for a blessing but also pronounceth it This did the priests in the old Testament and thus Melchisedeck when he met Abraham blessed him saying Blessed art thou Abraham of God the most high possessour of heauen and earth And this was the ordinarie dutie of the Priests prescribed by God himselfe and therefore the very forme of wordes which they vsed is set downe after this manner The Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord make his face to shine vpon thee c. The third kinde of blessing is when a man doth not onely pray to God and pronounce blessing but by the spirit of prophecie doth foretell a particular blessing vpon any Thus Isaac blessed Iaacob and Esau particularly foretelling both their estates And Iaacob blessed the twelue Patriarks by the same spirit foretelling them what should befall them many hundred yeares after Nowe our Sauiour Christ did not blesse his disciples any of these three waies and therefore there remaineth a fourth kinde of blessing which he vsed and that was after this manner Christ in blessing his disciples did not onely pronounce or foretell a blessing that should come to his disciples but did conferre and giue the same vnto them For he is the fountaine and author of all blessings And therfore Paul saith that God the father hath blessed vs in all spiritual blessings in Christ. Hence we learne first that al those which denie themselues and flie to Christ and put their affiance in him shalbe freeed from the curse of the lawe and from the wrath of God due vnto them for their sinnes whatsoeuer they are Secōdly that the curses of men must not discourage vs from doing well For though men curse yet Christ blesseth and for this cause he saith Woe be vnto you when all men speake well of you as if he should say then you want the blessing of God And we must remember that when men shall curse vs for doing our dutie euen then the blessing of God shall be vpon vs and the curse causelesse shall not hurt And God saith to Abraham he wil curse them that curse him Thirdly we learne that no witchcraft nor sorcerie which often are done with cursing shall be able to hurt vs. For looke where Christ will blesse there all the deuils in hell can neuer fasten a curse This is found true by experience For when Balaam the wizzard should haue cursed the people of Israel and had assaied to doe it many waies but could not at length he said there is no sorcerie against Iacob nor soothsaying against Israel This is a notable comfort to the people of God that witches and sorcerers doe what they can shal neuer be able to hurt them It may be that their badde practises may annoy mens bodies and goods yet the Lord wil turne all to a blessing vpon his seruants either in this life or the life to come The second point is that Christ went apart from his disciples and ascended vpward towarde heauen in their sight For the right vnderstanding of this sundrie speciall points must be obserued The first that the lifting vp of his bodie was principally by the mightie power of his Godhead and partly by the supernaturall propertie of a glorified body which is to mooue as well vpward as downward without constraint or violence The second that Christ did goe from earth to heauen really and actually and not in appearance onely The third that he went visibly in the sight of his disciples The fourth that he went locally by chaunging his place and going from earth to heauen so as he is no more on earth bodily as we are nowe on earth It may be
obiected that Christ made a promise that hee would be with his Church to the ende of the worlde Answer That promise is to be vnderstoode of the presence of his spirite or Godheade not of the presence of his manhoode Againe it may further be alleadged that if the Godheade be on earth then must the manhoode be there also because they are both vnited together Answer It is not true that of two things conioyned where the one is there must the other be also For the sunne it selfe and the sunne-beames are both ioyned together yet they are not both in all places together For the bodie of the sunne is onely in the heauens but the sunne-beames are also vpon the earth The argument therefore followes not Christs manhoode subsibsts in that person which is euery where ergo his manhoode is euery where And the reason is because the Sonne of God subsists not onely in his diuine nature but also by it wheras he doth not subsist at al by the manhood but onely in it for he subsisted before all eternitie when the manhoode was not Nay rather because the manhoode doth subsist by the person of the Sonne therefore the person extendes it selfe further then the manhoode which is assumed and sustained by it and hath his existing thence For that very thing whereby any other thing either essentially or accidentally is extends it selfe further then the thing whereby it is As the humane nature whereby Peter is a man extendes it selfe further then to Peter namely to all other men and the whitenesse whereby the snow is white extendes it selfe further then to that snowe which a man holds in his hande The third point is that in the ascension a cloud tooke Christ from the sight of his Disciples And whereas hee caused a cloud to come betweene their sight and himselfe it signified vnto them that they must novve be contented with that which they had seene and not seeke to know further what became of him afterward and the same thing is taught vnto vs also we must content our selues with that which God hath reuealed in his word and seeke no further specially in things which concerne God For the like ende in the giuing of the law in Sinai God appeared in a cloud and when he did manifest his glorie in the temple which Salomon made a thicke cloud filled the same The fourth point to be considered is concerning the witnesses of his ascension which were his owne disciples in the mount of oliues at Bethanie and none but them Now it may be demaunded why he would not haue all the whole nation of the Iewes to see him ascend that so they might know that he was risen againe and beleeue in him Answ. The reason may be this â—t was his good pleasure that the points of faith and religion whereof this article is one should rather be learned by hearing then by seeing Indeed Christs owne disciples were taught the same by sight that they might the better teach others which should not see whereas nowe the ordinarie meanes to come by faith is hearing The vses to be made of Christs ascension are of two sorts some are comforts to Gods Church and people and some are duties The coÌ„forts are especially foure The first is this Christ Iesus did asceÌ„d vp into heaueÌ„ to lead captiuity captive a most worthy benefit By captiuitie is meant 1. sinne and satan which did and doe lead men captiue into perdition 2. death and the graue which held him captiue and in bondage for the space of three daies And he leads them all captiue two waies First in himselfe in that he began his triumph vpon the crosse as I haue shewed and continued the same till his very ascension secondly in all his members because by his mightie power being now ascended he doth subdue and weaken the power of sinne and satan which he manifesteth euery day by killing the corruption of their natures and the rebellion of their flesh But it may be demaunded how Christ doth lead his enemies captiue considering the deuill raignes euery where and the world and death and hell Answer Christs victorie ouer his and our enemies hath fiue degrees First it is ordained by God secondly it is foretold thirdly it is wrought fourthly it is applied lastly it is accomplished The ordaining of it was before all worlds the foretelling of it was in all the ages of the old testament the working of it was vpon the crosse and afterward the applying hath bin since the beginning of the worlde more or lesse and it is onely in part in this life that while Christ is in bruising of the heade of satan he againe may bruise his heele the accomplishment shall not be before the last iudgement From this great benefite bestowed on Gods Church there are many dueties to be learned First here is an instruction for all ignorant persons and impenitent sinners which abound among vs in euery place Whosoeuer they be that liue in the blindnes of their mindes and hardnes of their hearts they must knowe this that they are captiues and bondeslaues of sinne and Satan of hell death and condemnation and let no man flatter himselfe of what state or degree soeuer he be for it is Gods truth if he haue not repented of all his sinnes he as yet is no better then a captiue and vassall yea a very drudge of the deuill Nowe then what wilt thou doe in this case the best thing is to lay to thy heart this benefite of Christ. He is ascended vp to heauen to leade captiue and to vanquish the deuill and all his angels vnder whome thou liest bound and that not onely in himselfe but in his members Now then if thou wilt become a true member of Christ he will free thee from this bondage Therefore take heede how thou continuest longer in thy old sinnes and in thy grosse ignorance and seeing Christ hath made a way to libertie let vs come out of this spirituall bondage he is ascended for this ende and purpose to free vs from it therefore if we refuse this benefite our state will be the more damnable Any man that lies bound hand and foote in a darke dungeon and the keeper comes and sets open the prison dore and takes off his boults and biddes him come out if he refuse and say that he is well will not all men thinke that he is a madde man and will any be sorie for his case No surely Well this is the state of all impenitent sinners They lie fast fettered and bound vnder the power of sinne satan And Christ it is who is ascended into heauen to vnloose them of this bondage he hath set opeÌ„ the prison dore and hath vnlocked our fetters if we refuse to come out and lie still in our sinnes there remaineth nothing for vs but euerlasting thraldome Let vs therefore in the feare of God if wee haue a care of our owne soules receiue and
passe through And Esay saith that our sinnes are a wall betwixt God and vs that we cannot enter into heauen And Saint Iohn that no vncleane thing must enter into the heauenly Hierusalem Nowe seeing we haue shut our selues out of heauen by our sinnes it was requisite that Christ Iesus our Sauiour should goe before vs to prepare a place and to make readie a way for vs. For he is king ouerall he hath the keies of heauen he openeth and no man shutteth and therefore it is in his power to let vs in though we haue shut our selues out But some may say if this be the end of his ascension to prepare a place in heauen then belike such as died before the comming of Christ were not in heauen Answer As there are two degrees of glorie one incomplete and the other complete or perfect for the faithfull departed are in glorie but in part and there remaineth fulnes of glorie for them at the day of iudgement when soule and bodie shall be both glorified together so answearably there are two degrees of preparation of places in heauen The places of glorie were in part prepared for the faithful frō the beginning of the world but the full preparation is made by Christs ascension And of this last preparation is the place of Iohn to be vnderstood The vse of this doctrine is very profitable First it ouerthroweth the fond doctrine of the Church of Rome which teacheth that Christ by his death did merit our iustification and that we beeing once iustified doe further merit saluation and purchase for our selues a place in heauen But this is as it were to make a partition betweene Christ and vs in the worke of our redemption whereas in truth not onely the beginning and continuance of our saluation but also the accomplishment thereof in our vocation iustification sanctification glorification is wholly and onely to be ascribed to the meere merit of Christ and therefore hauing redeemed vs on earth he also ascends to prepare a place in heauen for vs. Secondly this serueth to condemne the fearefull lamentable and desperate securitie of these our daies Great is the loue of Christ in that he was content to suffer the pangs of hell to bring vs out of hell and withall to goe to heauen to prepare a place for vs there and yet who is it that careth for this place or maketh any account thereof who forsaketh this world and seekes vnto Christ for it Nowe least any man should say alas I knowe not the way therefore Christ before he ascended made a new and liuing way with his owne blood as the Apostle speaketh And to take away all excuses from men he hath set markes and bounds in this way and hath placed guides in it namely his ministers to shew all the passengers a straight readie course into the kingdom of heauen And though Christ haue done all this for vs yet the blindnes and securitie of men is such that none almost walketh in this way nor careth to come to this mansion place but in stead of this they walke in by-waies according to the lusts of their owne flesh When they are commaunded to goe eastward to Ierusalem they turne westward an other way when they are commanded to goe on forward to heauen they turne againe backward and goe straight to hell Men runne on all the daies of their liues in the broad way that leadeth to destruction and neuer so much as once make inquirie for a resting place in heauen but when the houre of death commeth then they call for the guide whereas all their liues before they haue run out of the way many thousand miles but then alas it is too late vnlesse it be the vnspeakeable mercie of God For they haue wandred so farre astray that in so short a space they cannot be able to come into the right way againe Yet generally this is the state of most among vs whose securitie is so much the more grieuous fearefull because Christ hath done al that heart can wish There is nothing else required but onely that by his grace we should walk in the way There was neuer any that knew the state of the people in these daies but he will say that this is most true which I say Besides as by this we are brought to a sight of the desperate securitie of this age so we may further learne our owne dueties Is Christ gone to heauen beforehand to prepare a place for thee thē practise that which Paul teacheth Haue thy conuersation in heauen The wordes which he vseth are very significant and the meaning of them is this Ye are free denizens of the citie of God and therefore as freemen in Gods house let all your cares and studies all your affaires and doings be in heauen In the world if a man make purchase of an house his heart is alwaies there there he pulls downe and builds againe there he makes him orchards and gardens there hee meanes to liue and die Christ Iesus hath bought the kingdome of heauen for vs the most blessed purchase that euer was hath paid the dearest price for it that euer was paid euen his owne pretious blood and in this citie he hath prepared for vs a dwelling place and made vs free denizens of it therefore all our ioy and all our affaires ought to be there But how shall a man vpon earth haue his conuersation in heauen Answ. We must converse in heauen not in bodie but in heart therfore though our bodies be on earth yet our hearts ioy and comfort and all our meditation must be in heauen Thus must we behaue our selues like good freemen in Gods house It must be farre from vs to haue our ioy and our hearts set on the things of this world Thirdly the consideration of this that Christ Iesus hath prepared a place for vs in heauen also hath trayned the way with his own blood must make euery one of vs to striue to enter in at the straight gate as our Sauiour Christ counselleth vs and that as wrastlers doe which striue for life and death Within this gate is a dwelling place of happines readie for vs. If a man were assured that there were made for him a great purchase in Spaine or Turkie so as if hee would but come thither he might inioy it would he not aduenture the daungers of the sea and of his enemies also if neede were that he might come to his owne Wel behold Christ Iesus hath made a purchase for vs in heauen there is nothing required of vs but that we will come and enioy it Why then should men refuse any paines or feare in the way nay we must striue to get in It may be we shalbe pinched in the entrance for the gate is both straight and low and we must be faine to leaue our wealth behinde vs the pleasures of this life and enter we must though we should be constrained
cunning men cunning women is that is of charmers inchanters figure casters a bad practise Christ at his ascensiō sēt his holy spirit vnto his Church people to be their guide comforter in their calamities and miseries and therefore when any man is in distresse he should haue recourse to the right meanes of comfort namely the word sacraments there he shall finde the assistance of the holy ghost Thus the prophet Isai informeth the Iewes when they shall say unto you inquire at them which haue a spirit of divination at the soothsayers which whisper and murmure Should not a people inquire at their God from the living to the dead to the law and to the testimony Rebecca when the two twinnes stroue in her womb what did she the text saith she sent to aske the Lorde Yet commonly the men of these daies leaue God seeke to the instruments of the deuill To goe yet further God useth for sundrie causes most of all to afflict his deerest children Iudgement saieth Peter beginnes at Gods house S. Luke saieth that a certaine woman was bound of satan eighteene yeeres but what was shee a daughter of Abraham that is a child of God When the like condition shall befall any of vs let us remember the end why Christ ascended up to heauen and pray unto God that hee will giue us his spirit that therby we may be eased deliuered or els inabled to perseuere and continue in patience and this is the true way and meanes to lighten and ease the burden of all afflictions And for this cause Paul prayeth that the Colossians might be strengthened with all might through his glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with ioyfulnesse For to whomsoeuer God giueth grace to beleeue to them also he giues power to suffer affliction by the inward worke of his spirite Secondly if Christ haue sent unto his church the holy spirite to be our comforter our duty is to prepare our bodies and soules to be fitte temples and houses for so worthy a guest If a man were certified that a prince would come to his house he would dresse it up haue all things in as good order as might be and shall not we much more endeauour to purifie and clense our soules and bodies from all sinne that they may be fitte temples for the entertainment of the holy ghost whom Christ Iesus hath sent to be our comforter The Shunamite was carefull to entertaine the man of God Elisha for shee saide to her husbande Let vs make him a litle chamber I pray thee with vvalles and let vs set him there a bed and a stoole a table and a candlesticke Now how much more carefull ought we be to entertaine God himselfe who is content to come and dwell with us and therefore we must adorne our bodies and soules with grace that he may lodge and suppe and dine with us as he hath promised but on the contrarie if we defile our bodies with sinne wee banish the holy ghost out of our hearts and suffer the diuell to dwell in us For the more a man defileth his bodie the fitter and cleaner it is for him And to conclude this point let us remember that saying which is used of some that Christ when hee went hence gaue us his pawne namely his spirit to assure us that hee woulde come to us againe and also hee tooke with him our pawne namely his flesh to assure us further that wee should ascend up to him Thus much for the benefites of Christes ascension Now follow the duties whereunto we are mooued and they are two First we must be here admonished to renounce the ubiquitie and the errour of the reall and essentiall presence of the bodie of Christ in the Sacrament of the Lordes supper as flatly oppugning this article of Christs ascension into heauen For it is flat against the nature of a true body to subsist in many places at once Secondly as the Apostles then did whē they saw Christ ascending up into heauen so must we do also while he was present with them they gaue him honour but when they saw him ascending they adored him with farre greater reuerence and so must we now for the same cause bow the knees of our hearts unto him Thus much of the second degree of the exaltation of Christ Now follow the third in these wordes And sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie In the handling whereof we are first to shewe the meaning of the wordes secondly the comforts and benefits that redound to Gods Church thirdly the duties that we are mooued unto For the meaning of the wordes if we speake properly God hath neither right hand nor left neither can he be saide to sit or stand for God is not a bodie but a spirite the words therefore containe a borrowed speech from earthly kings potentates whose manner and custome hath beene to place such persons at their right hands whome they purposed to advance to any speciall office or dignitie So king Salomon when his mother came to speake with him rose up from his throne and mette her and caused a seate to be set at his owne right hand and set her upon it in token no doubt of honour which he gaue unto her To the same purpose Dauid saith Vpon thy right hand did stand the Queene in a vesture of golde And the sonnes of Zebedeus made sute to Christ that one of them might sit at his right hand and the other at his left in his kingdome Now their request was to haue the two speciall and principall dignities of his kingdome Thus we see it is manifest that the sitting at the right hand of an earthly prince signifieth aduancement into authority and honour and therefore the same phrase of speech applied to Christ signifieth two things First his full and manifest exaltation in dignitie honour and glorie and in this sense it is saide that to him is given a name that is above all names that at the name of Iesus every knee should bovve Secondly it signifieth his full and manifest exaltation into the authoritie and gouernment of his kingdome which spreadeth it selfe ouer heauen and earth So Dauid saieth The Lorde saide vnto my Lorde Sit thou at my right hand untill I make thine enimies thy footstoole Which place beeing alledged by Saint Paul repeating the wordes but changing the phrase is thus set downe He shall raigne till he have put all his enemies under his feete And to speake in breefe the scope of the wordes is to shewe that Christ God and man after his ascension is advanced to such an estate in which hee hath fulnesse of glorie power maiestie and authoritie in the presence of his father and all the saintes and holy angels Furthermore in the words three circumstances must be obserued The first is the place where Christ is thus aduāced noted in
the former article he ascended into heaven sittes namely in heauen at the right hand of God The place then where Christ Iesus in both his natures as he is God and also man doth rule in full glory power and maiestie is heauen it selfe To which effect Paul saith God raised Christ from the dead and put him at his right hand in the heavenly places And in the Epistle to the Hebrewes it is said He sitteth at the right hand of the maiestie in highest places This point well considered serueth to discouer the ouersight of sundrie Divines which hold and teach that to sit at the right hand of God is to be euery where in all places and not in heauen onely that they might hereby lay a foundation for the ubiquitie of Christs manhood which neuerthelesse the heauens must containe till the time that all thinges be restored The second circumstance is the time when Christ began to sit at the right hand of God the father which is to be gathered by the order of the articles For first Christ died and was buried then he rose againe and ascended into heauen and after his ascension he is saide to sit at the right hand of his father This order is also noted unto us by S. Paul Who shall condemne saith he it is Christ which is dead yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God And S. Marke saith when Christ vvas risen againe hee appeared to his disciples and after he had spoken unto them he was received into heaven and sate at the right hande of God But it may be demanded how this can stand with trueth that Christ should not begin to sit at the right hand of his father before the ascension considering he is one God with the father and therefore an absolute and soueraigne king from all eternitie Ansvver As Christ is God or the word of the father hee is coequall and coeternall with him in the regiment of his kingdome and hath neither beginning middle or ending thereof yet as Christ is God incarnate and in one person God-man or Man-god he beganne after his ascension and not before to sit at the right hand of his father and as S. Peter saith was made Lord partly because as hee was God hee did then manifest himselfe to be that which indeed he was before namely God and Lorde of heauen and earth and partly because as he was man he receiued dominion or Lordship frō the father which he had not before thereby was euen in his manhood exalted to be king of heauen and earth in this sense Christ saith of himselfe all power is given to me in heaven and earth The third circumstance is concerning the person at whose right hand Christ sits noted in the words of the article of God the father almightie wherby is signified that he receiues all the honour power glory of his kingdom frō his father as he that is set at the right hand of a prince receiues the honour authority which he hath frō the prince Now if it be alledged that by this means Christ shalbe inferiour to his father because he which receiueth honor of another is inferiour to him of whome he receiueth it the answer is that in Christ we must consider his person his office in respect of his person as he is the eternall sonne of God he is equal to the father is not here said to sit at his right hād yet in respect of the office vvhich he beares namely as he is mediatour as he is man he is inferiour to the father receiues his kingdom frō him As he is god he is our king head hath no head more then the father as he is mediatour he is also our head yet so as he is under the father as being his head And we must not think it strāge that one the same thing should be both equall and inferiour to another divers respects considered Now in that Christes placing at the right hand of his father argues inferioritie betweene the father and him hence wee learne that they are deceiued which from this article gather that in the glorification of Christ there is a transfusion of the proprieties of the godhead as omnipotencie omniscience omnipresence c. into his manhoode For this is to abolish all inferioritie and to make an equality betweene the creature and the creatour And whereas againe the word Almightie is repeated it is done upon speciall reason because Christes sitting at the right hand of God doth presuppose omnipotencie For in vaine were all power in heauen and earth giuen to him vnlesse he were omnipotent as the father to execute the same And therefore the song of the Elders was on this maner Worthy is the lambe that was killed to receive power and riches and wisdome strength and honour and glory and praise The benefites which redounde unto us by Christes sitting at the right hand of God are two one concernes his priesthood the other his kingly office The benefit rising from his priesthood is his Intercession for us for this is one of the endes why Christ is now exalted in glorie sittes at the right hand of his father namely to make request in the behalfe of all that come unto him as Paul saieth Christ is risen againe and sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh request for vs. Now that we may rightly vnderstand what his intercession is we are to consider these pointes First to whome it is made secondly in what maner thirdly whether it be made by Christ alone or no fourthly what be the fruites and benefites thereof fiftly the duties whereunto wee are mooued thereby For the first Intertercession is to make suite request or intreatie in some ones behalfe to another and this is done by Christ for vs unto God as Paul saith There is one God one mediatour betwene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus Here at the verie first ariseth a difficultie for in euery intercession there be three parties the person offended the person offending the intercessour distinct from them both Now if Christ the sonne of God make intercession to God for man then he makes intercession to himselfe because hee is true God which cā not be how then shall Christ be mediatour Ans. This point hath so troubled the Church of Rome that for the resoluing of it they haue deuised an errour avouching that Christ is mediatour onely as hee is man not as hee is God which is untrue For as both natures did concurre in the worke of satisfaction so likewise they doe both concurre in the worke of intercession and therefore a more meete convenient answer is this Christ Iesus God-man in both natures is directly our mediatour to the first person the father as S. Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an advocate with the father
Iesus Christ the iust And thus we haue three persons in the worke of intercession really distinguished The partie offended is God the father the partie offending is man and thirdly the intercessour distinct from them both is Christ the second person in trinitie For howsoeuer in Godhead he and the father be one yet in person they are really distinguished he is as it were in the middle betweene the father us for the father is God not mā we that beleeue in Christ are men not God Christ himselfe both man God It may be further replied that this answer will not stand because not only the father is offended but also the sonne the H. ghost therefore there must be a mediatour to them also Ans. The intercessiō of Christ is directed to the father the first person immediatly now the father the sonne and the H. ghost haue all one in diuisible essence by consequent one and the same will wherupō the father being appeased by Christs intercessiō the sonne the holy ghost are also appeased in him Thus then intercession is made to the whole trinitie but yet immediatly directly to the first person and in him to the rest The second point to be considered is the manner of his intercession vnto his father Wee must not imagine that Christ now in heauen kneeles downe on his knees vtters words and puts up a supplication for all the faithfull to God the father for that is not beseeming the maiesty of him that sits at the right hand of God But the maner of his intercessiō is thus to be conceiued When one is to speake to an earthly prince in the behalf of another first of all he must come into the presence of the king and secondly make his request and both these Christ perfourmeth for us unto god For the first after his ascension he entred into heauē where he did present vnto his father first of all his owne person in two natures and secondly the invaluable merits of his death and passion in which he is well pleased And we must further understand that as on the crosse hee stoode in our roome so in heauen he now appeares as a publicke person in our stead representing all the elect that shall beleeue in him as the holy ghost saith Christ Iesus ascended up into heaven to appeare in the sight of God for us And for the second Christ makes request for us in that he willeth according to both his natures and desireth as he is man that the father woulde accept his satisfaction in the behalfe of all that are giuen unto him And that he makes request on this maner I prooue it thus Looke what was his request in our behalfe when he was here upon earth the same for substance it cōtinues still in heauen but here on earth the substance of his requests was that he willed and desired that his father would be well pleased with us for his merites as appeares by his praier in S. Iohn Father I will that those which thou hast given me be with me even where I am that they may beholde my glorie which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the worlde Therefore hee still continues to make request for us by willing and desiring that his father woulde accept his merites in our behalfe If it be alledged that Christ in this solemne praier vsed speech and prostration of his bodie the answere is that these actions were no essentiall partes of his praier The prostrating of his bodie serued onely as a token of his submission to God as hee was a creature and the speech which he used serued onely to utter and expresse his request Furthermore a difference here must be marked betweene Christs passion and his intercession The passion serues for the working and causing of a satisfaction to Gods iustice for us and it is as it were the tempering of the plaister the intercession goes further for it applies the satisfaction made layes the salue to the verie sore And therefore Christ makes request not onely for the elect generally but for particular men as Paul Iames Iohn and that particularly as he testifieth of himselfe saying I have prayed for thee Peter that thy faith faile not If any shall say that Christs vvilling and desiring of a thing can not be a request or intercession the answere is that in vertue and efficacie it countervailes all the praiers in the world For whatsoeuer Christ willeth the same also the father being well pleased with him willeth and therefore whatsoeuer Christ as Mediatour willeth for us at the handes of his father in effect or substance is a request or praier The third point is that Christ alone and none with him makes intercession for us And this I prooue by induction of particulars First of all this office appertaines not to the angels They are indeed ministring spirits for the good of gods chosen they reioice when a sinner is conuerted when he dieth they are ready to cary his soule into Abrahams bosome God otherwhiles useth them as messengers to reveale his will thus the angell Gabriel brings a message to Zacharie the priest that God had heard his prayer but it is not once said in all the scriptures that they make intercession to God for us As for the saints departed they can not make intercession for us because they know not our particular estates here on earth neither cā they heare our requests And therefore if we should pray to them to pray for vs wee should substitute them into the roome of God because we ascribe that to them which is proper to him namely the searching of the heart the knowledge of all things done upon earth though withall we should say that they do this not by themselues but of God As for the faithfull heare on earth indeede they haue warrant yea commaundement to pray one for another yet cā they not make intercessiō for us For first he that makes intercessiō must bring somthing of his own that may be of value price with God to procure the grant of his request secōdly he must do it in his own name but the faithfull on earth make request to god one for another not in their owne names nor for their own merits but in the name and for the merits of Christ. It is a prerogatiue belonging to Christ alone to make a request in his owne name and for his owne merits we therefore conclude that the worke of intercession is the sole worke of Christ God man not belonging to any creature beside in heauen or in earth And whereas the papists can not content themselves with his intercession alone as being most sufficient it argues plainly that they doubt either of his power or of his will whereupon their praiers turne to sinne The fruites and benefites of Christes intercession are these First by meanes of it we are assured that
those which are repentant sinners shall stand and appeare righteous before God for euer at what time soeuer Christ being now in heauen and there presenting himselfe and his merits before his father shewes himselfe desirous and willing that they whosoeuer they are beeing sinners should be accepted of God for the same euen then immediatly at that very instant this his will is done and they are accepted as righteous before God indeed When a man lookes vpon things directly through the aire they appeare in their proper formes and colours as they are but if they be looked upon through a greene glasse they all appeare greene so likewise if God behold us as wee are in our selues we appeare as vile and damnable sinners but if hee looke upon us as we are presented before his throne in heauen in the person of our mediatour Christ Iesus willing that wee should be approoued for his merits then we appeare without all spot wrinkle before him And this is the use Paul makes hereof It is god saith he that iustifieth the reason is rendred For it is Christ that is deade yea or rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God and makes request for vs. Secondly Christes intercession serues to preserue all repentant sinners in the estate of grace that beeing once iustified and sanctified they may so continue to the ende For when any seruant of God is ouertaken by the corruption of his owne nature and falls into any particular sinne then Christs intercession is made as a blessed hande to apply the salue of his death to that particular sore For he continually appeares before God and shewes himselfe to bee willing that God the father should accept his one only sacrifice for the daily and particular sinnes of this or that particular man and this is done that a man being iustified before God may not fall away quite from grace but for euery particular sinne may bee humbled and receiue pardon If this were not so our estate should be most miserable considering that for euery sin committed by us after our repentance we deserue to be cast out of the fauour of God Thirdly Christes intercession serueth to make our good workes acceptable to God For euen in the best works that a man can doe there are two wants First they are good onely in part secondly they are mingled with sinne For as a man is partly grace and partly flesh so are his vvorkes partly gratious and partly fleshly And because grace is only begun in this life therefore all the workes of grace in this life are sinnefull and imperfit Now by Christes intercession his satisfaction is applied to our persons by consequent the defect of our works is couered and remooued they are approoued of God the father In a vision S. Iohn saw an angell standing before the altar with a golden censure full of sweete odours to offer up with the praiers of the saintes upon the same And this signifies that Christ presentes our workes before the throne of God and by his intercession sanctifies them that they may be acceptable to God And therefore we must remember that when we doe any thing that is accepted of God it is not for our sakes but by reason of the value and vigour of Christ his merit Fourthly the intercession of Christ made in heauen breedeth and causeth in the heartes of men upon earth that beleeue another intercession of the spirit as Paul saith He giveth vs his spirit which helpeth our infirmities maketh request for us with sighes which can not be expressed but he which searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the meaning of the spirit for he maketh request for the saints according to the will of god Now the spirit is said to make request in that it stirres and mooues euery contrite heart to pray with sighes and grones unspeakable to God for things needfull this grace is a fruite deriued from the intercession of Christ in heaven by the operation of the spirit For as the Sunne though the bodie of it abide in the heauens yet the beames of it descende to us that are on earth So the intercession of Christ made in heauen is tyed as it were to his person alone yet the grones desires of the touched heart as the beames thereof are here on earth among the faithfull And therfore if we desire to know whether Christ make intercession for us or no we need not to ascend up into the heauens to learne the truth but we must descend into our owne hearts looke whether Christ haue giuen vs his spirite which makes us crie unto God make request to him with grones and sighes that can not be expressed and if we find this in our hearts it is an euident and infallible signe that Christ continually makes intercession for us in heauen He that would know whether the Sunne shine in the firmament must not clime up into the cloudes to looke but search for the beames thereof upon the earth which when he sees he may conclude that the Sunne shines in the firmament and if wee would know whether Christ in heauen makes intercession for us let us ransack our owne consciences and there make search whether we feele the spirit of Christ crying in us Abba Father As for those that neuer feele this worke of Gods spirit in them their case is miserable whatsoeuer they be For Christ as yet makes no intercession for them considering these two alwaies go togither his intercession in heauen the worke of his spirit in the hearts of men moouing them to bewaile their owne sinnes with sighes and grones that can not be expressed and to cry and pray unto God for grace therfore all such whether they be yong or old that neuer could pray but mūble up a few words for fashion sake can not assure themselues to haue any parte in Christs intercessiō in heauē The duties to be learned hence are these First whereas Christ maketh intercession for us it teacheth all men to be most carefull to loue and like this blessed mediatour and to be ready willing to become his seruants disciples that not for forme fashion sake only but in all trueth and sincerity of heart For he is ascēded to heauen there sits at the right hand of his father to make request for us that we might be deliuered frō hell come to eternall life Wicked Haman procured letters frō the king Ahashuerosh for the destructiō of all the Iewes men women childrē in his dominions this done Hester the Queene makes request to the king that her people might be saued and the letters of Haman reuoked shee obtaines her request freedom was giuen contrary letters of ioyfull deliuerance were sent in post hast to al provinces where the Iewes were Whereupō arose a wonderfull ioy gladnes among the Iewes it is said that therupon many of the
turne betime from our sinnes and become the friends of Christ that so we may escape these fearefull iudgements And whereas Christ in this manner gouernes all things in heauen and earth we are bound to performe vnto him three duties reuerence obedience thankfulnes For the first Paul saith God hath exalted him and giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus which name is his exaltation in heauen in full power and glorie should euery knee bowe We dare not so much as speake of an earthly king vnreuerently what reuerence then doe we owe vnto Christ the king of heauen and earth Dauids heart was touched in that he had cut off but the lappe of Sauls garment when he might haue slaine him because he was the Lords annointed Oh then howe much more ought our hearts to be touched if we shall in the least measure dishonour Christ Iesus our Lord and king Secondly we are here taught to performe obedience to him and to do him all the homage we can The master of the familie in all his lawfull commaundements must be obeied now the Church of Christ is a familie therfore we must yeild obedience to him in al things for al his coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts are iust WheÌ„ Saul was chosen king ouer Israel certain men which feared God whose hearts God had touched followed him to Gibea brought him presents but the wicked despised him the same is much more to be verified in vs towarde Christ our Lord. We must haue our hearts touched with desire to performe obedience vnto him if not we are men of Belial that despise him and refuse to bring our presents vnto him If this obedience were put in practise the Gospell would haue better successe in the hearts of the people and the Lords sabbath would be better kept and men would beare greater loue both to God and to their neighbours then now they doe The third dutie which we owe vnto him is thankfulnes for the endlesse care which he sheweth in the gouerning and preseruing of vs. VVhen Dauid waxed old and had made Salomon his sonne king in his stead all the people shouted and cried God saue king Salomon God saue king Salomon so as the earth rang againe Shall the people of Israel thus reioyce at the crowning of Salomon shal not we much more reioyce when as Christ Iesus is placed in heauen at the right hand of his father and hath the euerlasting scepter of his kingdome put into his hand And we are to shew this thankfulnes vnto him by doing any thing in this world that may tend to his honour and glorie though it be with the aduenture of our liues VVhen Dauid desired to drinke of the water of the well of Bethlem three of his mightie men went and brake into the host of the Philistims and brought him water Thus they ventured their liues for Dauids sake and shall not we much more willingly venture our liues to doe Christ seruice in token of thankfulnes for his continuall preseruing of vs Thus much of the highest degree of Christs exaltation in his kingdome now followeth the last point to be beleeued concerning Christ in these words From thenâ—e he shall come to iudge the quicke and the deade And they containe a proofe or a particular declaration of the former article For as on earth those that are set at the right hand of kings doe execute iustice in courts or assises for the maintenance of the state and peace of the kingdome so Christ Iesus sitting at the right hande of his father that is being made soueraigne Lord of all things both in heauen earth is to hold a court or assise in which he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead Now in handling the last iudgement we are to consider these points I. whether there shall be a iudgement or not II. the time of it III. the signes therof IV. the manner of it V. the vse which is to be made thereof Of these in order For the first point whether there shall be a iudgement or not the question is needefull for as Saint Peter saith There shall come in the last daies mockers which shall walke after their lusts and say Where is the promise of his comming which daies are now The answeare is set downe in this article in which we professe that the coÌ„ming of Christ to the last iudgement is a point of religion specially to be held and auouched The reasons to prooue it are principally two first the testimonie of God himselfe in the books of the old and new testament which affoard vnto vs plentifull testimonies touching the last iudgement so as he which will but lightly reade the same shall not neede to doubt thereof The second reason is taken from the iustice and goodnes of God the propertie wherof is to punish wicked and vngodly men and to honour and reward the godly but in this world the godly maÌ„ is most of al in misery for iudgement beginneth at Gods house and the vngodly haue their hearts ease Wicked Diues hath the world at will but pore Lazarus is hunger bitten full of soares miserable euery way This being so it remaineth that after this life there must needes be a iudgement and a second comming of Christ when the godly must receiue fulnes of ioy glorie and the vngodly fulnes of woe and miserie This second reason may stoppe the mouthes of all gainesayers in the worlde whatsoeuer But it may be obiected that the whole world stands either of beleeuers or vnbeleeuers and that there is no last iudgement for either of these for the beleeuer as Christ saith hath euerlasting life shal not come into iudgement and the vnbeleeuer is condemned alreadie and therefore needeth no further iudgement Answ. Where it is said he that beleeueth shall not come into iudgement it must be vnderstood of the iudgement of condemnation not the iudgement of absolution he that beleeueth not is condemned alreadie in effect substance three waies I. in the counsel of God who did foresee appoint his condemnation as it is a punishment of sinne and an execution of his iustice II. in the word of God where he hath his condemnation set down III. he is condemned in his own conscience for euery vngodly mans conscience is a iudge vnto himselfe which doth euery houre condemne him and it is a forerunner of the last iudgement And notwithstaÌ„ding all this there may remain a second iudgement which is a manifestatioÌ„ finishing of that which was beguÌ„ in this world therefore the meaning of that place is this he that beleeueth not is alreadie iudged in part but so as the full manifestation thereof shall be at the second comming of Christ. The second circumstance is the time of his iudgement in handling whereof I. we will see what is the iudgement of men II. what is the truth For the first two opinions touching this
ougly then any lazar man can be the contagioÌ„ thereof is so great noisome that the verie heauens which are many thousand miles distant from us are infected therwith Yet here we are to know that this fire shall not consume the substance of heauen and earth but onely change the qualitie and abolish the corruption which our sinnes haue brought upon them The fourth point to be considered is the manner of the last iudgement in which wee may obserue two things I. who shall be iudge II. the proceeding of this iudge The first is expressed in this article From thence hee shall come to iudge Hee that is Christ Iesus the second person in trinitie For the father hath committed all iudgement unto him It is indeede an action common to all the three persons in trinitie but yet the execution thereof appertaines unto the sonne The father indeed doth iudge the world but yet by the sonne But some may obiect that the Apostles shall sit on â—velve thrones and iudge the twelve tribes of Israel And S. Paul saith The saintes shall iudge the world How then is this true that Christ is the onely iudge of the world Answer The authoritie of iudgement and giuing sentence at the last day is proper to Christ alone and doth not belong either to the Apostles or to the saints and they shall iudge at the last day only as witnesses and apprpouers of Christs iudgement at the great day of assise beside the iudge the iustices on the bench are also in a maner iudges not that they giue sentence but because by their presence they approoue and witnesse the equitie of the sentence of the iudge so the definitive sentence doth belong to Christ and the Apostles and saintes doe nothing but approoue his righteous sentence The whole proceeding of the last iudgement may be reduced to seuen pointes or heades The first is the comming of the iudge in the cloudes Here at the first it may be demaunded why Christ holdes the last iudgement rather on earth then in heauen Ansvver He doth it for two causes One the creature to be iudged hath sinned here upon earth and he proceeds after the maner of earthly iudges who hold their sessions and assises there where trespasses are commonly committed The seconde because the deuill and his angels are to be iudged and it is a parte of their punishment to be cast out of heauen For no uncleane thing may come into this heauenly Ierusalem and therefore they now remaine in the lower parts of the world there must be iudged Furthermore the second comming of Christ is sudden as the comming of a thiefe in the night He will come when the worlde thinketh not of him as the snare doeth on the birde The consideration whereof must teach us the same duties which our Sauiour Christ taught the men of his time First hee teacheth them what they must not doe For hee knowing all things knewe also the disposition of mans heart and therefore saieth Take heede to your selves least at any time your hearts be oppressed vvith surfetting and drunkennesse and the cares of this life least that day come vpon you unavvares For these sinnes benumme the heart and steale away all grace This exhortation in these our daies is most needefull For mens heartes are like the smithes stiâ—hie the more they are beaten with the hammer of Gods worde the harder they are Secondly hee teacheth them what they must doe Watch therefore saieth hee and pray continually That yee may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to passe and that ye may stand before the sonne of man But you will say how may wee be founde worthy to stande before Christ at that day Answere Doe but this one thing for your liues past be humbled before God and come unto him by true hearty and unfained repentance be changed and become newe creatures pray unto him earnestly for the pardon of your sinnes in Christ and pray continually that God will turne your heartes from your olde sinnes euerie day more and more and then come the last iudgement when it will ye shall be founde worthy to stand before Christ at his comming The repentant sinner is hee that shall finde fauour in the sight of God at that day The consideration hereof may mooue us to change our liues Those which were neuer yet humbled for their sinnes let them now begin and those which haue alreadie begon let them goe forwarde and continue But the deuill will crie in the hearts of some men that this exhortation is as yet needelesse for the day of iudgement is not neare because all the signes thereof are not yet passed Answere Suppose the day of iudgement be farre off yet the day of thy death can not be so for the common saying is true to day a man to morrow none Now looke as death leaveth thee so shall the day of iudgement finde thee Impenitent Cain died long since and yet the day of iudgement when it commeth shall finde him impenitent still The same thing may be saide of Saul Achitophel and Iudas They died desperately and impenitent and the Lord shall finde them so at his comming So it will be with thee whatsoeuer thou art that repentest not Death may come upon thee the next day or the next houre therefore watch and pray Prepare thy selfe against the day of death that at the day of iudgement thou maiest be â—ounde worthy to obtaine fauour in the sight of the Lorde Securitie doeth ouerwhelme the vvorlde but let us for our parts learne to prepare our selues daily For if the day of death do leaue thee unworthy then the Lord Iesus at his comming shall find thee unworthy and the deuill shal stand before thee accuse thee thy conscience shall condemne thee hell shalbe ready to swallow thee up If this admonition take no place in thy heart then at the day of iudgement it shall stand against thee and be a bill of inditement to thy further condemnation The second point followeth that Christ after that hee is come in the cloudes shall sit in a throne of glorie as the soueraigne iudge of heauen and earth after the manner of earthly kings who when they will shew themselues unto their subiectes in maiestie power and glorie use to ascende into the thrones of their kingdomes and there to shewe themselues and appeare in state vnto all the people Now what this throne is and how Christ sittes in the same the scripture hath not revealed and therefore I will not stand to search Yet here must we further marke that this appearance of his in endlesse glory and maiestie shalbe most terrible and dreadfull to the ungodly and therefore in Daniel his throne is said to be like a flame of fire and at the verie sight hereof men shall desire the mountaines to fall upon them and the hilles to couer them The third point is the citing of all men and of
to obey the voice of Christ in the ministerie of the worde For if we rebell against his voice in this world vvhen in the day of iudgemeÌ„t sentence shal be pronounced against us we shall heare another voice at the giuing whereof vve must obey whether vve will or no and thereupon go to euerlasting paine whither vve vvould not Let us therfore in time denie our selues for our sinnes past and onely relie upon Christ Iesus for the free remission of them all and for the time to come leade a nevv reformed life Thus much of the order of Christ his proceeding at the day of iudgement Novv follovv the uses thereof vvhich are either comforts to gods church or duties for all meÌ„ The first comforte or benefite is this that the same person vvhich died for us upon the crosse to work ouâ— redemption must also be our â—udge And hence vve reape tvvo speciall comfortes I. The people of God shall hereby inioy full redemption from all miseries and calamities which they had in this life So Christ himselfe speaking of the signes of the end of the world saith to his disciples When you see thâ—se things lift vp your heads for your redemptioÌ„ draweth nere TheÌ„ he shall wipe all teares from their eies Secondly we shall hereby haue a finall deliuerance from all sinne Now what a ioyfull thing it is to be freed from sinne may plainely appeare by the cry of Saint Paul Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death And certen iâ— is that he which knowes what sinne is and seriously repents him of the same would wish with all his heart to be ouâ— of this world that he might leaue off to sinne and thereby to displease God The second comfort is this the godly in this worlde haue many enemies they are reuiled slaundred and oftentimes put to death well Christ Iesus at the day of iudgement will take euery mans case into his owne hand he will then heare the complaint of the godly howsoeuer in this world they found no remedie and then he will reuenge their blood that is shed vpon the earth according to their praier This comfort is to be considered especially of all those that are any way persecuted or molested by the wicked of this world Now follow the duties to be learned of euery one of vs and they are diuerse First the consideration of the last iudgement serueth to teach all ignorant persons and impenitent sinners repentance and humiliation for their sinnes and to mooue them with all speede to seeke vnto Christ for the pardon of the same When Paul preached to the Athenians he willed them to repent vpon this ground reason because the Lord hath appointed a day wherin he will iudge the world in righteousnes To speake plainly we can be content to heare the worde and to honour him with our lippes yet for the most part all is done but for fashions sake for still we liue in our old sinnes our hearts are not turned but in the feare of God let vs bethinke our selues of the time when we shall come before the iudge of heauen and earth and haue all our sinnes laide open and wee must answer for them all This is the point which the holy Ghost vseth as a reason to mooue men vnto repentance and assuredly if this will not mooue vs there is nothing in the world will Secondly to this purpose Paul saith If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged Wouldest thou then escape the iudgement of Christ at the last day then in this life iudge thy selfe Now a man in iudging of himselfe must performe foure things I. he must examine himselfe of his owne sinnes II. he must confesse them before the Lord. III. he must condemne himselfe and as a iudge vpon the bench giue sentence against himselfe Lastly he must plead pardon and cry vnto God as for life and death for the remission of all his sinnes and he that doth this vnfainedly shall neuer be iudged of the Lord at the last day but if we slacke and neglect this dutie in this life then vndoubtedly there remaines nothing but eternall woe in the world to come Thirdly by this we may learne one not to iudge or condemne another as Paul saith Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lord come who lighten things that are hidde in darknes and make the counsells of the hearts manifest And Christ saith Iudgement is mine and Iudge not and ye shall not be iudged And againe Paul saith to the Romanes Why doest thou iudge thy brother for we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ but some will aske how doth one iudge another Answer Thus I. when a man doth well to say of him that he doth euill II. when a man doth euill then to make it worse III. when a thing is doubtfull to take it in the worst part And by any of these three waies we are not to iudge either of mens persons or of their actions Fourthly we must endeauour our selues to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men This is the practise of Saint Paul who in consideration and hope of a resurrection vnto iudgement as well of the iust as of the vniust endeauoured himselfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience both towards God and towards men His example is worthie our marking and imitation for fewe there be that vpon this occasion make any conscience either of dutie to God or to their brethren Fifthly the last iudgement must stirre vs vp to a reuerend feare of God and cause vs to glorifie him as the angel saith in the Revelation Feare God and giue glorie to him for the houre of his iudgement is come And doubtles if any thing in the world will mooue a man to feare the Lord it is this to remember the fearefull and terrible day of iudgement Now hauing spoken hitherto of the first person the father and also of the sonne it followeth in the next place to speake of the third person in these words J beleeue in the holy Ghost In which we may consider two things the title of the person and the action of faith repeated from the beginning The title is holy Ghost or Spirit It may here be demaunded how this title can be fit to expresse the third person which seemes to be common to the rest for the father is holy and the sonne is holy againe the father is a spirit and the sonne is a spirite Answer Indeede the father and the Sonne are as well to be tearmed holy in respect of their natures as the third person for all three subsisting in one and the same Godhead are consequently holy by one and the same holines but the third person is called holy because beside the holines of natures his office is to sanctifie the Church of God Nowe if it be said that sanctification is a worke of the whole Trinitie the
with a preposition that ruleth an accuseth or ablatiue case but with a datiue case on this manner Beleeve Moses David the Prophets and it doeth not import any affiance in the creature but onely a giuing of credence by one man to another Secondly they alleadge that ancient fathers reade the article on this manner I beleeve in the holy Catholike Church Ansvver Indeed some haue done so but by this kinde of speech they signified no more but thus much that they beleeued that there was a Catholike Church Thus hauing found what words are to be supplyed let us come to the meaning of the article And that wee may proceede in order let us first of all see vvhat the Church is The Church is a peculiar company of men predestinate to life everlasting and made one in Christ. First I say it is a peculiar company of men for Saint Peter saieth Yee are a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation and a peculiar people He speakes indeede of the Church of God on earth but his saying may be also extended to the whole Church of God as well in heauen as in earth Now because there can be no companie vnlesse it haue a beginning a cause whereby it is gathered therefore I adde further in the definition predestinate to life everlasting Noting thereby the ground and cause of the Catholike Church namely Gods eâ—ernall predestination to life euerlasting and to this purpose our Sauiour Christ saieth Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers will to give you the kingdome signifying thereby that the first and principall cause of the Church is the good pleasure of God whereby hee hath before all workes purposed to aduance his elect to eternal saluatioÌ„ Therfore one saith well only the elect are the Church of God And further because no companie can continue and abide for euer vnlesse the members thereof be ioyned and coupled togither by some bonde therefore I adde in the last place made one vvith Christ. This union maketh the Church to be the Church and by it the members thereof whether they be in heauen or in earth are distinguished from all other companies whatsoeuer Now this coniunction betwene Christ and the Church is auouched by Saint Paul when hee saieth Christ is the heade to his bodie vvhich is his Church and vvhen he ascribes the name of Christ not onely to the person of the sonne but to the Church it selfe as in the Epistle to the Galatians To Abraham and his seede vvere the promises made hee saieth not and to his seedes as speaking of many but and vnto his seed as speaking of one vvhich is Christ that is not the redeemer alone but also the Church redeemed For Christ as hee is man is not the onely seede of Abraham And this definition of the Church is almost in so many words set downe in the Scriptures in that it is called the Family of God partly in heauen and partly in earth named of Christ and it is also called the heavenly Ierusalem the mother of vs all and the celestiall Ierusalem and the congregation of the first borne Nowe for the better understanding of the nature estate and partes of the Church two pointes among the rest must be considered the efficient cause thereof Gods predestination and the forme the mysticall Vnion In handling the doctrine of Predestination my meaning is onely to stande on such pointes as are reuealed in the worde and necessarie tending to edification And first I will shewe what is the trueth and secondly the contrarie falshood In the trueth I consider foure things I. what Predestination is II. what is the order of it III. what be the partes of it IIII. what is the use Predestination may thus be defined It is a parte of the counsell of God whereby hee hath before all times purposed in him selfe to shevve mercie on some men and to passe by others shevving his iustice on them for the manifestation of the glorie of his ovvne name First I say it is a parte of his counsell because the counsell or decree of God universally extends it selfe to all things that are and Predestination is Gods decree so farre foorth as it concernes the reasonable creatures especially man Now in euery purpose or decree of God three things must be considered the beginning the matter the ende The beginning is the will of God whereby he willeth and appointeth the estate of his creatures and it is the most absolute supreme and soueraigne cause of all things that are so farre foorth as they are having nothing either aboue it selfe or out of it selfe to be an impulsiue cause to mooue or incline it and to say otherwise is to make the will of God to be no will Indeede mens willes are mooued disposed by externall causes out of themselues borrowed from the things whereof deliberation is made because they are to be ruled by equitie and reason and a mans bare will without reason is nothing Now Gods will is not ruled by any other rule of reason or iustice but it selfe is an absolute rule both of iustice and reason A thing is not first of al reasonable iust theÌ„ afterward willed by god buâ— it is first of all willed by God thereupon it becomâ—s reasonable and iust The maner of his purpose is a decreed manifestation of two of the most principall attributes of the godhead mercy and iustice that with a limitation or restraint of mercy to some of the creatures iustice to some others because it was his good will and pleasure And wee are not to imagine that this is a point of crueltie in God for his verie essence or nature is not iustice alone or mercie alone but iustice and mercie both togither and therfore to purpose the declaratioÌ„ of them both upoÌ„ his creatures ouer whome he is a soueraigne Lorde that without other respects upon his very will pleasure is no point of iniustice The supreme end of the counsel of God is the manifestatioÌ„ of his own glory partly in his mercy partly in his iustice For in coÌ„mon equity the end which he propouÌ„ds unto him self of al his doings must be answerable to his nature which is maiesty glory as I haue said iustice mercy it self And because Pauls disputation in the 9. to the Romans giues light sufficient confirmation to this which I now teach I will stand a litle in opening resoluing of the same FroÌ„ the 1. verse to the 6. he sets downe his griefe conceiued for his brethren the Iewes therwithall that it might not be thought that he spake of malice he doth onely in close and obscure manner insinuate the Reiection of that nation This done in the 6. verse he answeres a secrete obiection which might be made on this manner If the Iewes be reiected then the worde of God is of none effect that is then the couenant made with
indeede no faith And this counterfait mocke-faith is farre more common in the world then true faith is Take a view hereof in our ignorant and carelesse people aske any of them whether he be certen of his saluation or no he will without any bones making protest that he is fully perswaded and assured of his saluation in Christ that if there be but one man in a countrie to be saued it is he that he hath serued God alwaies done no man hurt that he hath euermore beleeued and that he would not for all the world so much as doubt of his saluation These and such like presumptious conceits in blinde and ignorant persons runne for currant faith in the worlde Nowe the true testimonie of the spirit is discerned from naturall presumption and all illusions of the deuill by two effects and fruits thereof noted by Paul in that he saith that the spirit makes vs crie Abba that is father The first is to pray so earnestly with groanes and sighes as though a man would euen fill heauen and earth with the crie not of his lippes but of his heart touched with sense and feeling of his manifolde sinnes and offences And this indeede is a speciall and principall note of the spirit of adoption Nowe looke vpon the loose and carelesse man that thinks himselfe so filled with the perswasion of the loue and fauour of God ye shall finde that he very seldome or neuer praies and when he doth it is nothing else but a mumbling ouer the Lords praier the Creede and the tenne Commaundements for fashions sake Which argues plainely that the perswasion which he hath of Gods mercie is of the flesh and not of the spirit The second fruit is the affection of a duetifull childe to God a most louing father and this affection makes a man stande in feare of the maiestie of God wheresoeuer he is and to make conscience of euery euill way Nowe those that are carried away with presumption so soone as any occasion is giuen they fall straight into sinne without mislike or stay as fire burnes with speede vvhen drie vvoode is laide vnto it In a worde where the testimonie of the spirit is truly wrought there be many other graces of the spirit ioyned therewith as when one branch in a tree buddeth the rest budde also The testimonie of our spirit is the testimonie of the heart and conscience purified and sanctified in the bloode of Christ. And it testifieth two waies by inward tokens in it selfe by outward fruits Inward tokens are certen speciall graces of God imprinted in the spirit whereby a man may certenly be assured of his adoption These tokens are of two sorts they either respect our sinnes or Gods mercie in Christ. The first are in respect of sinnes past present or to come The signe in the spirit which concerneth sinnes past is godly sorrow which I may tearme a beginning and mother grace of many other gifts and graces of God It is a kinde of griefe conceiued in heart in respect of God And the nature of it may the better be conceiued if we compare it with the contrarie Worldly sorrowe springs of sinne and it is nothing else but the horrour of conscience and the apprehension of the wrath of God for the same now godly sorrow it may indeede be occasioned by our sinnes but it springs properly of the apprehension of the grace and goodnes of God Worldly sorrow is a griefe for sinne onely in respect of the punishment godly sorrowe is a liuely touch and griefe of heart for sinne because it is sinne though there were no punishment for it Now that no man may deceiue himselfe in iudgeing of this sorrow the holy Ghost hath set downe seuen fruits or signes thereof whereby it may be discerned The first is Care to leaue all our sinnes past the second is Apologie whereby a man is mooued and carried to accuse and condemne himselfe for his sinnes past both before God and men The third is indignation whereby a man is exceedingly angrie with himselfe for his offences The fourth is feare least he fal into his former sins againe The 5. is desire wherby he craueth strength and assistance that his sinnes take not hold on him as before The sixth is zeale in the performance of all good duties contrarie to his special sinnes The seuenth is reuenge whereby he subdues his bodie least it should hereafter be an instrument of sinne as it hath beene in former time Now when any man shall feele these fruits in himselfe he hath no doubt the godly sorrow which here we speake of The token which is in regard of sinnes present is the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit proper to them that are regenerate who are partly flesh and partly spirit It is not the checke of conscience which all men finde in themselues both good and badde so oft as they offende God but it is a fighting and striuing of the minde will and affections with themselues whereby so farreforth as they are renewed they carrie the man one way and as they still remaine corrupt they carrie him flat contrarie Men hauing the disease called Ephialies when they are halfe asleepe feele as it were some weightie thing lying vpon their breasts and holding them downe nowe lying in this case they striue with their hands and feete and with all the might they haue to raise vp themselues and to remooue the weight and cannot Behold here a liuely resemblance of this combate The flesh which is the inborne corruption of mans nature lies vpon the hearts of the children of God and presseth them downe as if it were the very weight of a mountaine now they according to the measure of grace receiued striue to raise vp themselues from vnder this burden to doe such things as are acceptable to God but can not as they would The token that respects sinne to come is Care to preuent it That this is the mark of Gods children appeareth by the saying of Iohn Hee that is borne of God sinneth not but keepeth himselfe that the wicked one touch him not And this care shewes it selfe not onely in ordering the outward actions but euen in the verie thoughtes of the heart For where the Gospell is of force it brings every thought into captivitie to the obedience of Christ and the Apostles rule is followed whatsoever things are true whatsoeuer things are honest c. thinke on these things The tokens which concerne Gods mercy are especially two The first is when a man feeles him selfe distressed with the burden of his sinnes or when he apprehends the heauie displeasure of God in his conscience for them then further to feele how he stands in need of Christ withall heartily to desire yea to hunger and thirst after reconciliation with God in the merite of Christ and that aboue all other things in the world To all such Christ hath made most sweete and comfortable promises
like manner as I haue said there be two witnesses of our adoption Gods spirit our spirit now if it fall out that a man want the principall which is the spirit of adoption he must then haue recourse to the second witnesse and search out in himselfe the signes and tokens of the sanctification of his owne spirit by which he may certenly assure him selfe of his adoption as wee knowe fire to be fire by the heate though it want a flame Againe it may be demanded on this manner how if it come to passe that after inquirie we finde but fewe signes of sanctification in our selues Ansvver In this case we are to haue recourse to the least measure of grace lesse then which there is no sauing grace and it stands in two things an heartie disliking of our sinnes because they are sinnes a desire of reconciliation with God in Christ for them all these are tokens of adoption if they be soundly wrought in the heart though all other tokens for the present seeme to be wanting If any shall say that a wicked man may haue this desire as Balaam who desired to die the death of the righteous the answere is that Balaam indeede desired to die as the righteous man doeth but hee could not abide to liue as the righteous hee desired the ende but not the proper subordinate meanes which tend unto the end as vocation iustification sanctification repentance c. the first is the worke of nature the second is the worke of grace Now I speake not this to make men secure and to content them selues with these small beginnings of grace but onely to shew how any may assure themselues that they are at the least babes in Christ adding this withall that they which haue no more but these small beginnings must be carefull to increase them because hee which goes not forwarde goes backwarde Lastly it may be demanded what a man should doe if he want both the testimonie of Gods spirit and his owne spirite and haue no meanes in the world of assurance Answer He must not utterly despaire but be resolued of this that though hee want assurance now yet he may obtaine the same hereafter And such must be aduertised to heare the word of God preached and being outwardly of the Church to receiue the sacraments When we haue care to come into the Lordes vineyard and to converse about the wine-presse wee shall finde the sweete iuyce of heauenly grace pressed forth unto us plentifully by the word and sacraments to the comfort of our consciences concerning Gods election This one mercy that God by these meanes in some parte reveales his mercie is unspeakeable When sickenesse or the day of death comes the dearest seruants of God it may be must encounter with the temptations of the deuill and wrastle in conscience with the wrath and displeasure of God as for life death no man knowes how terrible these things are but those which haue felte them Now when men walke thus through the valley of the shadow of death vnlesse God shoulde as it were open heauen streame downe unto us in this world some lightsome beames of his love in Christ by the operation of his spirite miserable were the case euen of the righteous Thus much of Election now followes Reprobation in handling whereof we are to obserue three things I. what it is II. how God doth execute this decree III. how a man may iudge of the same For the first Reprobation is Gods decree in which because it so pleased him he hath purposed to refuse some men by means of Adams fall and their owne corruptions for the manifestation of his iustice First I say it is a decree that is euident thus If there be an eternall decree of God whereby he chooseth some men then there must needs be another decree wherby he doth passe by others refuse theÌ„ For electioÌ„ alwaies implies a refusall Againe what God doth in time that hee decreed to doe before time as the case falles out euen with men of meane wisedome who first of all intend with themselues the things to be done and after doe them But God in time refuseth some men as the scripture testifieth and it appeareth to be true by the euent Therefore God before all worlds decreed the reiecting of some men Now in this decree 4. pointes are to be considered The first is the matter or obiect thereof which is the thing decreed namely the reiection of some men or the manifestatioÌ„ of his iustice upon them This may seeme strange to mans reason but here we must with all submission strike our top-sailes for the worde of God saith as much in plaine termes The Apostle Iude speaking of false Prophets saith that they were of old ordained to this damnation And Paul saith in emphaticall termes that God makes vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that some are reiected whome he opposeth to them which are elected to saluation The second pointe is the impulsiue cause that mooued God to set downe this decree concerning his creature and that was nothing out of himselfe but his very will and pleasure He hardened Pharaoh with finall hardnesse of heart because he woulde and therefore he decreed to do so because he would And our Sauiour Christ saith I thanke thee O father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and men of vnderstanding and hast opened them vnto babes But upoÌ„ what cause did God so It follows in the next words It is so O father because thy good pleasure is such And if it be in the power and libertie of a man to kill an oxe or a sheepe for his use to hunt and kill the hare and partridge for his pleasure then much more without iniustice may it be in the will and libertie of the creatour â—o refuse and forsake his creature for his glorie Nay it standes more with equitie a thousand folde that all the creatures in heauen and earth should ioyntly serue to set forth the glorie and maiestie of God the creatour in their eternall destruction then the striking of a flie or the killing of a flea should serue for the dignitie of all men in the world For all this it is thought by verie many to be very hard to ascribe unto God that is full of bountie and mercie such a decree that upoÌ„ his verie wil but let us se their reasons First of all they say it is a point of crueltie for God to purpose to create a great part of the world to damnation in hell fire the answere is that by the vertue of this decree God can not be said to create any man to damnation but to the manifestation of his iustice and glorie in his due deserued damnation and the doing of this is absolute iustice Secondly it is alledged that by this meanes God shall hate his own creature and that before it is but
beleeue that really and visibly he ascended into heauen and there abides till his seconde comming to the last iudgement who then hauing but common reason would imagine a communication of the bodie of Christ pent up in the element of bread and conveyed into our bodies by the mouth and stomacke The third point is whether we are not Lordes of Christ he being thus giuen unto us Ans. No for this donation is not single but mutuall As Christ is giuen to us so wee againe are giuen to Christ as he himselfe saith Those whome thou hast given me Father I have kept And wee are giuen unto him in that our bodies and soules are made his not onely as he is God but also as he is our redeemer and our sinnes with the guilt thereof are made his by imputation the punishment thereof is wholly laide upon him This is all the dowrie which the Church being the spouse of Christ hath brought unto him The fift point is how any man in particular may know that Christ is giuen unto him of the Father Ans. When God giues Christ to man he withall giues man grace and power to receiue Christ and to apprehend him with all his benefits and this we doe when wee utterly renounce our selues this world and all things therein bewaile our sinnes past resting on the death of Christ for the pardon of them all and as it were with both the armes of faith catching hold vpon him in all estaâ—es both in life and death When the heart of any man is truly disposed and inclined to doe these and the like things we may truly say that God hath giuen him grace to receiue Christ. The second thing required to make us one with Christ is the Mysticall vnion which is a Coniunction whereby Christ and his Church are actually coupled into one whol Mysticall bodie Now that we may the better conceiue the nature of it sundrie questions are to be mooued The first what kinde of Coniunction this is Ansvver In the scripture we meete with three kind of Coniunctions The first is coniunction in nature when sundry things are coupled all by one and the same nature As the Father the Sonne and the holy ghost being three distinct subsistances are all one and therefore ioyned in one godhead or diuine nature Now Christ and the beleeuer are not ioyned in nature for then they twaine should haue one body soule The second coniunction is in person when things in nature different so concurre togither that they make but one person as body and soule make one man and the godhead of the sonne with his manhood make but one Christ in whome there is an union of distinct natures with unitie of person Now Christ and a Christian are not ioyned in person for Christ is one person Peter a second and Paul a third distinct from them both and so many men as there be so many seuerall persons The third coniunction is in spirit and this is the coniunction meant in this place wherby Christ and his Church are ioyned togither for the very same spirit of God that dwelleth in the manhood of Christ and filleth it with all graces aboue measure is deriued thence and dwelleth in all the true members of the church and filleth them with the like graces in measure and therefore S. Iohn saith Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and hee in us because he hath given vs of his spirit Hence it followes that the bond of this coniunction is one the same spirit descending from Christ the head to all his members creating also in them the instrument of faith whereby they apprehend Christ and make him their owne The second is what are the things united Ansvv. Not the bodie of the beleeuer to the body of Christ or the soule to his soule but the whole person of the man to the whole person of Christ yet in this order wee are first of all immediatly ioyned to the manhoode of Christ and by the manhood to the godhead The thirde question is what is the manner of this coniunction Answ. Wee must not thinke that Christ and his Church are ioyned by imagination as the mind of man and the thing whereof he thinkes or by consent of heart as one friend is ioyned with another and as the Iewes conuerted were all of one heart and soule or by any abode in one place or by touching as sea and land are both ioyned togither and make one globe or by any composition or commixtion of substances as when many ingredients are put togither to make one medecine But this coniunction is altogither spirituall as the former giuing was and incomprehensible to mans reason and therefore we must rather labour to feele it by experience in the heart then to conceiue it in the braine Yet neuerthelesse it shall not be amisse to consider a semblance of it in this comparison Suppose a man hauing the partes of his bodie disioyned farre asunder his head lying in Italy one arme in Germanie the other in Spaine and his legges with us in England suppose further all these partes or quarters haue all one soule extending it selfe unto them all and quickening ech of them seuerally as though they were nearely ioyned togither and though the partes be seuered many hundred miles asunder yet the distance of place doeth not hinder the coniunction considering one and the same soule doth inlarge it selfe and giue life vnto them all In the same maner the head of the Mysticall bodie Christ our Sauiour is now in heauen and some of his members in heauen with him and some in earth and of these some in England some in Germanie some in Italie some in Spaine distant many thousand miles asunder and the spirit of God is as it were the soule of this body which giueth spirituall life to all the members distance of place doth not hinder this coniunction because the Holy ghost which linketh all the partes togither is infinite The benefites which we receiue by this Mysticall union are manifold For it is the ground of the conveiance of all grace The first that by meanes hereof every Christian as he is a Christian or a man regenerate hath his beginning and being in Christ howsoeuer as he is a maÌ„ he hath his being subsisting in himselfe as Paul saith Ye are of God in Christ. And Wee are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones How will some say can this be After this maner The comparison is taken from our first parentes Eve was made of a rib taken out of Adams side he being cast into a slumber this being done Adam awaked said This now is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh Christ was nailed on the crosse and his most pretious blood was shedde and out of it arise and spring all true Christians that is out of the merite of Christes death and passion whereby they become newe creatures Secondly euerie one that
beleeueth in Christ by reason of this union hath an unspeakeable prerogatiue for hereby he is first united to Christ and by reason thereof is also ioyned to the whole trinitie the father the sonne and the holy ghost and shall haue eternall fellowshippe with them Thirdly sundrie men specially Papistes deride the doctrine of iustification by imputed righteousnesse thinking it as absurd that a maÌ„ should be iust by that righteousnesse which is inherent in the person of Christ as if we should say that one man may liue by the soule of another or be learned by the learning of another But here we may see that it hath sufficient foundation For there is a most nere and straite union betweene Christ and all that beleeue in him and in this union Christ with all his benefites according to the tenour of the couenant of grace is made ours really therefore we may stand iust before God by his righteousnes it being indeed his because it is in him as in a subiect yet so as it is also ours because it is giuen unto us of God Now there is no such union betwene man maÌ„ for that cause one man can not liue by the soule of another or be learned by the learning of another Fourthly from this fountaine springs our sanctification whereby wee die to sinne are renewed in righteousnes and holines Wormes and flies that haue lyen dead all winter if they be laid in the sunne in the spring time begin to reuiue by vertue thereof euen so when we are united to Christ are as it were laide in the beames of thiâ— blessed sonne of righteousnesse vertue is deriued thence which warmeth our benummed heartes deade in sinne and reviveth us to newenesse of life whereby we begin to affect and like good things and put in practise all the duties of religion Firstly hence we haue the protection of Gods angels for they alwaies wait and attend on Christ and because wee are made one with him they attend upon us also Lastly by reason of this union with Christ euery beleeuer commeth to haue interest and to recouer his title in the creatures of God and to haue the holy and lawfull use of them all For we must consider that although Adam created in the image of God was made Lord over all things in heauen earth yet when he fell by eaâ—ing the forbidden fruite he and in him all mankinde lost the title and use of them all Now therefore that a man may recover his interest hee must first of all be united and made one with Christ and then by Christ who is Lord and King ouer all shall he recouer that title in the creatures of God which hee had by creation and be made Lorde ouer them againe But some will say if this be so then a Christian man may haue and enioy all creatures at his pleasure and therefore the goods of other men Ans. The reason is not good for in this life we haue no more but right unto the creature right in it that is actuall possession is reserued for the life to come Therefore wee content our selues with our allowed portions giuen unto us by God by his grace using them in holy manner expecting by hope the full fruition of all thinges till after this life Againe if all title to the creatures be recouered by Christ it may be demanded whether infidels haue any interest to their goods or no Ans. Infidels before men are right lordes of all their landes and possessions which they haue obtained by lawfull meanes and in the courtes of men they are not to be depriued of them but before God they are but vsurpers because they hold them not in capite that is in Christ neither haue they any holy and right use of them for to the uncleane all things are vncleane And they must first of all become members of Christ before they can hold enioy them aright use them wel The duties which are to be learned of the doctrine of this vnion are manifolde And first of all wee are taught to purge our handes and heartes of all our sinnes and especially to auoide all those sinnes whereby mens bodies are defiled as drunkennesse uncleannesse fornication for they driue away the spirit of God from his owne house and dissolue the bond of the coniunction betweene Christ and vs. Secondly we must euery one of us which professe our selues to be members of Christ labour to become conformable unto him in holinesse of life and to become new creatures for this union requireth thus much Let a man take the griftes of a crabbe-tree and set them into good stockes yet will they not chaunge their sappe but bring foorth fruite according to their owne nature euen sowre crabbes but it must not be so with us wee are indeed wild oliues and the braunches of wilde vines yet seeing we are perswaded that wee are grafted into Christ and made one with him we must lay aside our wild and soure nature and take upon us the nature of the true vine beare good fruite haue good iuyce in us and render sweete wine Thirdly wee are taught hence to be plentifull in all good workes consideriag wee are ioyned to him that is the fountaine of grace And therefore Christ saieth I am the true vine and my Father is the husbande man every braunch that beareth not fruite in mee hee taketh avvay and everie one that beareth fruite hee purgeth it that it may beare more fruite And the Prophet Esai compares the Church of God to a vineyarde with a tower and a wine-presse in it And God himselfe comes often downe vnto it to see the fruites of the valley to see if the vine budde and the Pomegranates flourish And further wee must bring forth fruite vvith patience For the Lorde of this vineyarde comes with crosses and afflictions as with a pruning knife in his hand to pare and to dresse us that wee may be fit to bring foorth fruite plentifully in duties of pietie to God and in duties of loue to all men yea to our enemies Crhistian men are trees of righteousnes growing by the waters of the sanctuary but what trees not like ours for they are rooted upwarde in heauen in Christ and their graines and branches growe downward that they may beare fruite among men Hitherto we haue heard what the Church is now to beleeue the Church is nothing else but to beleeue that there is a companie of the predestinate made one in Christ and that withall we are in the number of them Before wee proceede any further three rules must be obserued touching the Church in generall The first that Christ alone is the head of the Catholike Church that hee neither hath nor can haue any creature in heauen or earth to be his fellow herein For the Church is his body and none but he can perfourme the duty of an head unto it which dutie
stands in two things the first is to gouerne the Church by such power and authoritie whereby he can and doth prescribe lawes properly binding the consciences of all his members the second is by grace to quicken and put spirituall life into them so as they shall be able to say that they liue not but Christ in them As for the Supremacie of the sea of Rome whereby the Pope will needs stand ministeriall heade to the Catholike Church is a satanicall forgerie For the headshippe as I may tearme it of Christ is of that nature or qualitie that it can admitte no deputie whether wee respect the commaunding or the quickening power of Christ before namâ—d Nay Christ needes no vicar or deputie for hee is all-sufficient in him selfe and alwaies present with his Church as hee him selfe testifieth saying Where tvvo or three are gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest among them And whereas all commissions cease in the presence of him that giues the commission it is as much pride and arrogancie for the Pope to take unto himselfe the title of the heade and universall Bishoppe of the Church as it is for a subiect to keepe him selfe in commission in the presence of his King The seconde rule is that there is no saluation out of the Church and that therefore euerie one which is to be saued must become a member a citizen of the Catholike and Apostolike Church such as remaine for euer out of the same perish eternally Therefore S. Iohn saieth They went out of us they were not of us for if they had beene of vs they woulde have remained with vs but this commeth to passe that it might appeare that they are not all of vs. And againe that such as be holy are in the citie of God but without that is forth of the Church are dogges inchaunters whoremongers adulterers c. And the Arke out of which all perished figured the Church out of which all are condemned And for this cause Saint Luke saieth that the Lorde added to the Church from day to day such as shoulde be saved And the reason hereof is plaine for without Christ there is no saluation but out of the militant Church there is no Christ nor faith in Christ and therefore no saluation Againe foorth of the militant Church there are no meanes of saluation no preaching of the worde no invocation of Gods name no sacraments and therefore no saluation For this cause euery man must be admonished euermore to ioyne himselfe to some particular Church being a sounde member of the Catholike Church The thirde rule is that the Church which here wee beleeue is onely one As Christ himselfe speaketh My dove is alone and my vndefiled is the onely daughter of her mother And as there is onely one God and one Redeemer one faith one baptisme and one way of saluation by Christ onely so there is but one Church alone The Catholicke Church hath two partes the Church Triumphant in heauen and the Church Militant on earth The Triumphant Church may thus be described It is a companie of the spirites of iust men triumphing over the flesh the devill and the vvorlde praising God First I say it is a companie of the spirites of men as the Holy Ghost expressely tearmeth it because the soules onely of the godly departed as of Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid c. are as yet ascended into heauen and not their bodies Furthermore the properties of this companie are two The first is to make triumph ouer their spirituall enemies the flesh the deuill the worlde for the righteous man so long as he liues in this world is in continuall combâ—te without truce with all these enemies of his saluation and by constant faith obtaining victory in the ende of his life hee is translated in glorious and triumphant manner into the kingdome of glorie This was signified to Iohn in a vision in which hee saw an innumerable company of all sorts of nations kinreds people and tongues stande before the lambe clothed in long vvhite robes with palmes in their handes in token that they haue beene warriours but now by Christ haue gotten the victorie and are made conquerours Their second propertie is to praise and magnifie the name of god as it followeth in the former place saying Amen praise and glorie and vvisedome and thankes honour povver and might be vnto our God for evermore Hence it may be demanded whether Angels be of this triumphant Church or no Ansvvere The blessed Angels be in heauen in the presence of God the father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost but they are not of the mysticall bodie of Christ because they are not under him as he is their Redeemer considering they can not be redeemed which neuer fell and it can not be prooued that they now stande by the vertue of Christs redemption but they are under him as hee is their Lord and King and by the power of Christ as hee is God and their God are they confirmed And therefore as I take it wee can not say that angels are members of the mysticall body of Christ or of the triumphant Church The Church Militant may be thus described It is the company of the elect or faithfull living under the crosse desiring to be remooved and to be with Christ. I say not that the Militant Church is the whole bodie of the elect but only that part thereof which liueth upon earth and the infallible marke thereof is that faith in Christ which is taught and deliuered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles and this faith againe may be discerned by two markes The first is that the members of this companie liue vnder the crosse and profite by it in all spirituall grace And therefore it is saide that we must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of heaven And our Sauiour Christ saieth If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse every day and follow me The second marke is a desire to depart hence and to be with Christ as Paul saith Wee love rather to be removed out of this body and to be with Christ. And againe I desire to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Where yet we must remember that the members of Christ doe not desire death simply and absolutely but in two respectes I. that they might leaue off to sinne and by sinning leaue to displease God II. That they might come to enioy happinesse in heauen and to be with Christ. Touching the generall estate of the Militant Church two questions are to be considered The first how farre forth God is present with it assisting it by his grace Answere God giues his spirit unto it in such a measure that although the gates of hell cannot preuaile against it yet neuerthelesse it remaines still subiect to errour both in doctrine and manners For that which
is Catholicke or vniuersall in respect of place because it hath beene gathered from all the parts of the earth specially now in the time of the new Testament when our Sauiour Christ saith that the Gospell shall be preached in the vvhole worlde To this purpose Iohn saith in the Revelation I beheld and loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kinreds and peoples and tongues stoode before the throne and before the lambe cloathed vvith long vvhite robes and palmes in their handes And the Church which we here professe to beleeue is called Catholicke that we may distinguish it from particular Churches which are not beleeued but seene with eye whereof mention is made often in the Scriptures Rom. 16.5 1. Cor. 16.19 the Church in their house and the Churches of Asia Coloss. 4.15 Salute Nymphas and the Church in his house Act. 11.22 the Church of Ierusalem Act. 13.1 the Church at Antioche c. That the Church is Catholicke in respect of time place person it ministers matter of endelesse comfort vnto vs. For hereby we see that no order degree or state of men are excluded from grace in Christ vnlesse they will exclude themselues Saint Iohn saith If any man sinne we haue an advocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous Nowe it might be answeared it is true indeede Christ is an advocate to some men but he is no advocate to me Saint Iohn therefore saith further and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes onely but for the whole world that is for all beleeuers of what condition or degree soeuer Thus much of the properties of the Church now follow the prerogatiues or benefits which God bestoweth on it which are in number foure The first is expressed in these wordes The communion of Saints Where communion signifieth that fellowshippe or societie that one hath with an other and by Saints we vnderstand not dead men inrolled in the Popes Calender but all that are sanctified by the blood of Christ whether they be liuing or dead as Paul saith vnto the Church of God which is at Corinthus to theÌ„ that are sanctified in Iesus Christ Saints by calling And God is the God of peace in all the Churches of the Saints Nowe if wee adde the clause I beleeue vnto these words the meaning is this I confesse and acknowledge that there is a spirituall fellowshippe and societie among all the members of Christ beeing the faithfull seruants and children of God and withall I beleeue that I am partaker of the same with the rest This communion hath two parts fellowship of the members with the head and of the members with themselues The communion of the members with their head is not outwarde but altogether spirituall in the conscience and for the opening of it we must consider what the Church receiueth of Christ and what he receiues of it The Church receiues of Christ foure most worthie benefits The first that Christ our Mediatour God and man hath truly giuen himselfe vnto vs and is become our lot and portion and withall God the father and the holy Spirit in him as Dauid saith Iehova is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cuppe thou shalt maintaine my lotte the lines are fallen vnto me in pleasant places yea J haue a faire heritage And My flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer The second is the Right of adoption whereby all the faithfull whether in heauen or earth are actually made the children of God The benefit is wonderfull howsoeuer carnall men esteeme not of it If a man should either by election or birth or any way els be made the soÌ„ne heire of an earthly prince he would think himselfe highly aduanced how highly then are they extolled which are made the sonnes of God himselfe The third benefit is a title and right to the righteousnes of Christ in his sufferings and his fulfilling of the lawe The excellencie of it is vnspeakeable because it serues to award the greatest temptations of the deuill wheÌ„ the deuil replieth thus thou art a transgressour of the law of God therefore thou shalt be damned by meanes of that communion which we haue with Christ we answere againe that Christ suffered the curse of the law to free us from due and deserued damnation and when he further replies that seeing wee neuer fulfilled the law we can not therefore enter into heauen we answere againe that Christes obedience is a fulfilling of the lawe for us and his whole righteousnesse is ours to make us stand righteous before God The fourth benefite is a right to the kingdome of heauen as Christ comforting his disciples saith Feare not little flocke it is your fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome and hence it is sundrie times called the inheritance and the lot of the saints Furthermore for the conuâ—iance of these benefits unto us God hath ordained the preaching of the worde and the administration of the sacraments specially the Lords supper and hath commaunded the solemne and ordinarie use of them in the Church And hereupon the Lords supper is called the Communion The cup of blessing saith Paul which we blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ that is a signe and seale of the communion Againe the thinges which Christ receiveth of us are two our sinnes with the punishment thereof made his by application or imputation and our afflictions with all the miseries of this life which he accountes his owne therefore doth as it were put under his shoulder to beare the burden of them And this communion betweene Christ and us is expressed in the scriptures by that blessed and heauenly bargaine in which their is mutuall exchaunge betweene Christ and us he imparts unto us milke and wine without silver or money to refresh us and gold tried by the fire that wee may become rich and white raiment that we may be cloathed and eye-sâ—lve to annoint our eyes that we may see we for our partes returne unto him nothing but blindnesse and nakednesse and povertie and the loathsome burden of our filthie sinnes The second parte of the communion is that which the saints haue one with another And it is either of the liuing with the liuing or of the liuing vvith the dead Now the communion of the liuing standes in three things I. in like affection II. in the giftes of the spirit III. in the use of temporall riches For the first communion in affection is whereby all the seruants of God are like affected to God to Christ to their owne sinnes and each to other They are all of one nature and heart alike disposed though they be not acquainted nor haue any externall fellowshippe in the flesh As in a family children are