dead and buried he descended into hell the third day he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty from thence he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead I beleeue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saintes the forgiuenes of sinnes the resurrection of the body and the life euerlasting What faith is SEing therefore Christ the king himselfe in the articles of the Christian faith which containe the summe of the Gospell offreth that same kingdome of his vnto vs and through faith by the vertue of his spirit doth effectually confederate himselfe vnto vs to the end he may raigne in vs goe to let vs briefly shewe what faith is Faith is to assent vnto God his will being knowen in euery worde of his as to the onely true omnipotent God and so to giue glory to God and not to consider any thing either in our selues or in any other of his creatures that seemeth to be against him and in this worde to behold as the speciall marke the promise of the Gospel for that the father truely offreth himselfe vnto vs in Christ and through his holy spirit freely iustifieth vs that are engrafted in Christ and more and more sanctifieth vs and preserueth vs by the same power through which Christ was raised from the dead whereby he hath all things subiect to himselfe that the hope of euerlasting life being founded in this truth and power it may be most certaine This description of faith first comprehendeth the whole life of man whose singular actions and moments must needes leane and rest vpon faith For surely that which is said to the Hebrues Without faith it is impossible to please God is most true in all and singular matters that are to be taken in hand Rom. 14. ver 23. Then after that it setteth forth that peculiar grace of iustification offred in Christ and that restoring to euerlasting life as the foundation of all beleeuers Now this same description of faith is specially taken out of the fourth Chap. to the Romanes from the sixtenth verse and out of the first Chapiter of the Ephesians from the 17. verse to the ende of both the Chapiters That which is put in the description of the will of God knowen is therefore done because Sathan is oftentimes woont to faigne another meaning of the worde of God besides the will of God Least therefore that faith should stray from the will of God we must indeuer that as the Apostle commandeth in the 12. to the Romanes all prophesying or interpretation of the scripture be according to the analogie or rule of faith least the interpretation fight with the foundation or with any article of faith We will shewe it also more familiarly after this manner this is faith to acknowledge that this is the vnchangeable will of God and to rest in it that freely he will giue vs that promised saluation by the Prophets and that through Christ the same is giuen in deede as the Articles of our faith witnesse that is to acknowledge that these things which are contained in them are freely giuen vnto vs of God according to the testimony of all the Prophets which were from the beginning of the worlde yea and of Christ himselfe and to rest in this constant will of God and giue this glory to God that hath now already shewed his omnipotent power in performing these promises fulfilling in deede the most part of the Articles of our faith and also as yet doth still exercise the same in the applying of those benefites and will certainly shewe it in those that remaine yet to be fulfilled in the Articles neither to consider any thing either in vs or yet without vs in any creature that seemeth contrary to that same grace and diuine truth promised vnto vs and already offred in Christ and at length fully to be accomplished The partition or diuision of the Creede THere are foure principall parts of the Creede The first containeth what we beleeue of God the father who as he hath chosen vs of his meere mercy in Christ before the foundations of the worlde were laide Ephe. 1. so there is set forth in the first part of the Creede the first fountaine of the couenant or reconciliation and therewithall is also taught what we must beleeue of the creation of all things The second what we must beleeue of Iesus Christ the sonne of God in which part is comprehended the whole summe of the couenant of our reconciliatiō The third what of the holy Ghost who by engrafting vs through faith in Christ maketh vs confederates with God applying vnto vs the mercy of the father and the redemption of the sonne The fourth part is concerning the people or of the Church with whom God had stricken his couenant which part containeth the effectes of all the former and the fruite of our faith aswell which we enioye in this life as also which we shall enioy euerlastingly being fully knitte both body and soule with Iesus Christ our heade Rules which shall helpe both our vnderstanding and faith in euery article of faith THe rules which we ought alwayes to haue before our eies aswel in the expoūding as also in the meditating of the Creede are these First that a mans minde knowe in euery of the articles not only the history which knowledge alone is not to saluation forasmuch as the deuills haue that and doe tremble Iames. 2. but also that the heart it selfe embrace through true faith the promise of God and the performance of the promise in Christ and for Christ which lyeth hidde in euery of the articles Acts. 13. vers 32. and the 39. Resolue therefore all the articles into the promises or into the performance of them so thou shalt haue in the articles of faith all the kindes of that wonderfull vnion that we haue with the father with the sonne Iesus Christ and with the holy Ghost which throughout all the Gospell is promised and giuen to the beleeuer 1. Iohn 14. and the 15. The second rule In the applying of the promise looke vpon the counsell of God to witte that to the sonne of God a body soule was so fashioned and fitted that those thinges that were done in them were done in the name of all beleeuers so done in deede that the obedience which was offred vp to the father in his person by the counsell and gift of the father are as truely thine as if they had bene offred vp in thy soule body and that by the same efficacie wherethrough that euerlasting word quickened from death that whole masse and glorified it shall also quicken and glorifie thee For this is the counsell of God this is his vnchangeable will wherevpon we may safely leane now it is made manifest in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles to the Hebr Cap. 10. out of the 40. Psalme Wherefore entring into
that is he is such an exact examiner of sinnes that euen the most righteous in mens iudgement and such as are not guiltie of any thing in them selues 1. Cor. 4. vers 3. before him are not innocent but doth visite the sinnes of the fathers vpon the childrens children to the third and fourth generation yea and would rather that his righteousnes should be satisfied in his onely begotten sonne then that he would let sinnes escape vnpunished should not we earnestly repent thinking vpon the saying of Christ If this be done in the greene wood what shal be donne in the dry The righteous nature of God also doth so drawe vs backâ— from all wrong and violence to the loue of our neighboure as if we thinke that God hath the same nature that cannot suffer vnpunished that thy neighbour should be oppressed no more then thou couldest suffer that any should treade thy childe vnder his feete thou behoulding it Psal 103. The Lord of Hoastes shewing mercies and iudgements to all those that are oppressed See the graue testimonies that are writen concerning this matter 1. Cor. 6.7.8.9.11 and the first Thes 4.6.7.8 The euerlasting nature of God also doth confirme our faith For seing that such a one hath promised in couenant to be our God who is euerlasting we rightly gather thereof that not onely our soules shall liue in God but also that our bodies shal be raised vp to life that the euerlasting God may be indeede their God And surely vpon this foundation leaneth that reason of Christ whereby he prooueth against the Saduces out of the workes of the couenaunt the resurrection of the dead Matt. 22. vers 32. Neither that onely but also concerning this life of that euerlasting nature of God doth a faithful maÌ„ gather newe courage and strength Isai 40. vers 27.29.31 And psal 103. vers 5. Also that same euerlasting nature of God ought to stir vs vp to repentance 1. pet vers 22.23.24.25 So ought also the holines of God which is ioyned with his eternitie 1. Pet. 1. vers 14.15.16.17.18 also 1 Iohn 3. vers 3. I beleeue in God the father is his only begotten sonne and in the holy Ghost Certaine testimonies of the diuinitie of the sonne according to those things that are attributed vnto him in the description of God and order of the articles of faith IT followeth that we shewe that God hath so manifested himselfe in his worde that these three persons the father the sonne the holy Ghost be that one onely true God in whom we professe to beleeue in the Creede when we say We beleeue in God the father and in his onely begotten sonne and in the holy Ghost Nowe a person or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a singular thing vnderstanding willing that cannot be imparted or communicated to another not vpholden of another nor part of an other That God the father who hath made heauen earth is so manifest that euen the vngodliest heretiques denying the diuinitie of the sonne and holy Ghost dare not yet deny the diuinitie of the father That the sonne is a thing by himselfe subsisting vnderstanding willing c. and by nature God although to the Citizens of the kingdome of Christ it is plaine and at hand throughout the holy scripture yet it is prâ—â—â—ble that their memorie euer and anone 〈◊〉 refreshed with some cleare and diuine testimonies Nowe we will alledge first some testimonies according to the order of those things which are attributed vnto God which we haue set downe in the description then afterwards according to the course and order of the articles of the faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The word or the Sonne is a spiritual substance To the Rom. 1. vers 3. 4. Heb. 9. ver 14. 1. Pet. 3. vers 18.19 Io. 14. Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in mee he is eternall and incomprehensible aswell in glory as in wisedome Io 17. vers 5. Glorifie me thou father with thy owne selfe with the glory which I had with thee before the worlde was And Prouerbs 8. Also Apocalip 1. vers 8. Hebr. 7. vers 3. Good pure and vndefiled Io. 10. vers 11. Isay 40. verses 9.10.11 Isay 6. Holy holy holy the mightie Lord of hoastes all the earth is full of his glory These things doth Iohn the Euangelist interprete of Christ Cap. 12 vers 41. saying These things said Esaias when he sawe his glory and spake of him to witte of Christ And Io. 17. vers 19. He is also of infinite power for he createth preserueth all things together with the father and the holy Ghost Io. 1. In the beginning was that word that word was with God and that word was God Creator of heauen and earth Also All things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made vers 3. And to the Coloss 1. By the beloued sonne through whom we haue redemption were all things created vers 16. which are in heauen and which are in earth thinges visible and inuisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers 17. All things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and in him all things consist To the Heb. the first He hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne by whoÌ„ he hath made the worlds Prouerb 8. Iehoua possesseth me verses 22. c. from the beginning of his way I had the chiefty froÌ„ euerlasting froÌ„ the beginning before the earth was When there were no depths was I fashioned before there were fouÌ„taines running with water before the mountaines were and before the hills was I brought forth He had not yet made the earth the streates the height of the dust of the world when he prepared the heauens I was there c. And Io. 5. ver 17.18 My father worketh hitherto I work Therefore the Iewes sought the more to kil him not onely because he had broken that sabbaoth but said also that God was his father and made himselfe equall with God To the Philippians the 3. vers 21. He worketh miracles by his owne power to witte not as one calling vpon God but as one commanding by his owne auctority Thou hast examples Mat. 8. vers 26. Luk. 5. and 7. For he commandeth the winde and the sea and they obey him and he rebuketh the fearefulnes of his disciples Mark 4. vers 39.41 he giueth power also vnto others to worke miracles but by calling vpon his name Mark 8. Acts. 3. vers 6.16 and Cap. 4 vers 10. And he is of an immutable righteousnesse Ierem. 23. And this is the name whereby they shall call him Iehouah our righteousnesse Of an vnspeakeable mercie Titus the 3. vers 4. and the 6. and Chapter 2. vers 10. and 12. of a most constant truth Mat. 24. vers 35. The heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not perish And the first of Iohn Full of grace truth Io. 14.
into thy house And in Ioh. 13. he saith Vnlesse I wash thee thou shalt haue no part with me The resurrection of the flesh The resurrectiō also of the flesh is a worke of Christ as also the inward renuing to euerlasting life Iohn 5. vers 2. and 28. As my father raiseth vp the dead and giueth them life so also the sonne giueth life vnto whom he will And the howre shall come that all that are in their graues shall heare his voyce c. Also Iohn 6. vers 39.40 and in the 11. chap. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though that hee were dead hee shal liue whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me he shall not die for euer By Christ shal be fulfilled that of Hoseas Death is swallowed vp in victorie O death where is thy victorie c. 1. Cor. 15. vers 55.57 and in the same Chapiter verses 45.48 And Christ himselfe giueth euerlasting life And life euerlasting Ioh. 1. Life was in him Ioh. 10. I giue eternall life vnto my sheepe neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any man take them out of my hande I and the father are one All these thinges which we haue rehearsed according to the order of the description of God and the articles of the faith seeing they are of that sorte as can agree to none but onely to God they plainly conuince Christ to be God by nature What daunger there is to be feared if we beleeue not in the sonne as in the true euerlasting God of the same substance with the father THe truth it selfe sheweth a most present daunger Ioh. 3. He that beleeueth in the sonne is not iudged or condemned but he that beleeueth not is iudged already because he beleeueth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God And in the 8. Chapiter You are from hell I am from aboue You are of this worlde I am not of this worlde therefore I haue said vnto you that you shall dye in your sinnes Moreouer it is said in the 1. Ioh. 2. vers 23. Whosoeuer denieth the sonne hath not the father Also in the 2. Ioh. vers 9.10.11 And in Ioh. 16 vers 3. Therefore the holy Ghost hath forewarned vs by the Apostle Peter that we should take heede of these deceauers 2. Epist Cap. 2. There were also false Prophets amongest the people as also there shal be false teachers among you who shall bring in deadly heresies denying the Lorde who hath bought them hasting vnto themselues a swift damnation and many shall followe their condemnation Nowe the Lorde who hath bought vs is Iesus Christ very God and man as the scripture witnesseth Acts. 20. God hath redeemed his Church through his blood Nowe therefore if so be that any do not beleeue that he is the true God that hath in mans nature shed forth his blood he denyeth the Lord who hath bought him Testimonies prouing the Godheade of the holy Ghost that he is a person and the true euerlasting God and not any motion or thought or any other thing that is created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THat the holy Ghost is subsisting and God by nature first of all it is shewed by the creation Genes 1. And the spirit of God moued it selfe vpon the face of the waters In which words it is attributed to the holy Ghost that he wrought together in the creation of all with the father and the sonne The creation is most clearely attributed vnto him Psal 104. Sende forth thy spirit and they shal be created and thou shalt renue the face of the earth Therefore the scripture affirmeth that the holy Ghost is Iehouah which is most plaine out of the 6. of Isay and the 28. of Acts vers 25. Isay 6. And he said Iehouah of whom before in the same Chapiter Seraphim had cried Holy Holy Holy Iehouah Lord of hoasts Goe and say vnto this people in hearing heare you and vnderstand not and in seeing see you and knowe not These same wordes which the Lorde spake Paule Acts. 28. saith that the holy Ghost spake Very well saith he spake the holy Ghost by Isaias the Prophet vnto our fathers c. Therefore the holy Ghost is Iehouah The same is also plaine by other places Ierem. 31. This is the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After these daies saith Iehouah I will giue my lawe into their hearte c. Nowe the Epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 10. vers 15. affirmeth that these same wordes of the lord proceeded from the holy ghost The holy ghost also himselfe witnesseth vnto vs. For after he had foreshewed This is my couenant that I will make with them c. The which also Ioel affirmeth Cap. 2. whom Peter also citeth and expoundeth that he may shewe them as plaine effectes of the holy Ghost which are altogether belonging to the power of the godhead I wil saith Iehouah powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie And these thinges which are alledged now to shew that the holy Ghost is God the creator by them also is shewed that he is an vnderstanding essence euerlasting good righteous mercifull most free of an infinite power and most constant truth neuerthelesse let vs yet see also certaine testimonies seuerally concerning those thinges that are attributed vnto him which as they onely agree vnto God so they plainly proue the holy Ghost to be very God That the holy Ghost is an vnderstanding essence euerlasting and which giueth vnderstanding it plainly appeareth out of the 61. of Esai The spirit of the Lord Iehouah is vpō me for that Iehouah hath anointed me to preach vnto the milde he hath sent me Luk. 4. Christ teacheth that he is he vpon whō is the spirit of Iehouah for that he anointed him But to anoint inwardly as Christ properly is anointed and by his owne power to send to preach glad tidinges and to giue power to preach glad tidinges aright is a work of a person truely subsisting vnderstanding and of the euerlasting God Also it appeareth by his effectes which are rekoned vp in the 5. to the Galathians that he is also good iust pure mercifull most free and in deede as God communicating his giftes vnto other The fruites of the spirit is loue ioy peace gentlenesse benignitie goodnesse faith softnesse of spirit and temperance And surely the same Apostle teacheth that the holy Ghost is the worker of these and therefore God 1. Cor. 12. There are diuersitie of giftes but the same spirite And there are diuersitie of administrations but God is the same that worketh all in all But the manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euery man to profitte withall For to one is giuen by the spirite the worde of wisedome and to another the worde of knowledge by the same spirite And a little after But all these thinges worketh one and the same spirite distributing to euery
man seuerally as he will Loe he had saide before There are diuersitie of administrations but God is the same that worketh all in all afterwards shewing that the same holy spirit is God himselfe he saith All these things worketh one and the same spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will That he is true and that as God looking into the heartes and trying the thoughts it is taught in the 5. of the Acts. Peter said Ananias why hath Sathan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy Ghost and by and by he addeth Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God And that he proceedeth from the father and the sonne not as a created motion or mouing but as a person existing vnderstanding and of the same essence with the father the sonne Christ teacheth in Ioh. Cap. 14. vers 26. Now that same holy spirit the comforter whom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things and shall put all these things into your minde which I haue said vnto you But this belongeth onely to God 1. Cor. 2. vers 10.11.12 He iustifieth and sanctifieth the Church aswell as the sonne 1. Cor. 1.6 1. Pet. 1. and renueth it to euerlasting life Ioh. 3. baptiseth into the same body 1. Cor. 12. He dwelleth in the beleeuers and raiseth them vp from the deade Rom. 8. If his spirit who hath raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he will also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit dwelling in you And verily he dwelleth in vs as in his owne temple Therefore the holy Ghost must necessarily be the true God 1. Cor. 3. vers 16. Doe you not knowe that you are the temple of God and that the sptrite of God doth dwell in you c. Now in the 2. Cor. cap. 6. he saith Ye are the temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I will dwell in them and walke there c. Out of all which it is vnderstoode that the holy ghost is the true and euerlasting God What daunger there is if we beleeue not in the holy ghost IF any beleeue not in the holy Ghost he neither beleeueth in the father nor in the sonne and so manifestly beleeueth not in God forasmuch as the father and the sonne cannot be knowen and be beleeued of vs vnlesse the holy ghost reueale it who proceedeth from the father and the sonne and is of the same essence with both 1. Io. 4. ver 14. So therefore we must determine that if any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is not his Rom. 8. But if any knowe not the holy Ghost neither also hath he it Iohn 14. The worlde can not receaue the holy Ghost because it seeth it not neither knoweth it Therefore he that knoweth not the holy ghost he is not of Christ But you knowe him saith Christ because he abideth with you and shal be in you That the father the sonne and the holy ghost are three distinct persons and yet that they are one and the same substance THerefore those former being dispatched to witt that the father the sonne and the holy ghost are thinges subsisting of themselues vnderstāding c. it foloweth also that we teach that they are incōmunicable or rather distinct Gene. 1. In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth and the spirite of God moued it selfe vpon the face of the waters And God said Let there be a light and the light was made Mat. 3. The trinitie of the persons is plainly described to witt the sonne clad in mans nature and baptised then the holighost in a bodily forme as it were a doue descending downe from heauen abiding vpon the sonne Lastly the father pronoūcing with a cleare voyce out of heauen This is my beloued sonne in whō I am wel pleased Also Mat. 28. ver 19. Ioh. 8. vers 16 17 18. Also cap. 14 Now I will aske the father and he will giue you another comforter that hee maie remaine with you for euer And 15.26 But when that comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the father that spirite of truth who proceedeth from the father he shall witnesse of me Also cap. 16. vers 7. Further that these three persons are one diuine essence these places witnes Deut 6. Heare Israel Thy Lord thy God is one God And 32. See I am one and there is no other God besides me Psal 18. Who is God besides the the Lord And who is God besides our God 2. King 5. I know for a suertie saith Naaman Syrus that there is no other God in all the earth but onely in Israel Isai 42.43.45 and 48. Iohn 10. I and the father are one And the 14. Beleeue me that I am in the father and the father in me Esai 6. Seraphin cried Holy Holy Holy the Lord of Hoastes The voyce Holy thrise repeated setteth foorth the Trinitie of persons and the word Iehouah the vnitie of the essence Matt. 28. Going foorth Teach ye all nations baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost It is verie certaine that we are baptised into the faith and worship of one God But that there is mention made of three to witte of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost in the selfesame is noted the Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of substance 1. Cor. 7. vers 11. 1. Iohn 5. There are three which beare witnesse in heauen the father the word and the holy ghost and these three are one Now whatsoeuer thinges haue beene spoken before of the Godhead of the sonne and of the holy ghost they doe also proue the same thing to witte that these three persons are one euerlasting God For neither the father were an euerlasting father vnlesse he had a sonne from euerlasting and coessentiall or of the same substance with him neither were the Sonne the onely begotten sonne of the Father vnlesse he were of the same substance with him neither were the holy ghost the spirite of the father and sonne proceeding from both vnlesse it were coessentiall with the father and the sonne What fruite we receiue by this that we know and beleeue the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne and the holy ghost to be the onely true and eternall God and that there is no other God FIrst of all forasmuch as this is the true felicitie that we should know the true God because God doth communicate himselfe vnto vs through the knowledge of himselfe and forasmuch as our bodies and soules were created and redeemed with a great price to this purpose that they might be the temples of the liuing God in which he might be praysed we know that this is truly and indeede fulfilled in vs through the knowledg of the true God of the father the sonne and the holy ghost as Christ promiseth Iohn 14.16 I will aske the father and he shall giue vnto you another
to God peace to the earth A good wil in men Like as therefore in times past when Salomon by the commaundement of God was annoynted there was publike ioye amongest the people of God because they knewe that God woulde doe them good and defend them by the hande of a king so also we when wee heare out of the worde of God that our Lorde Iesus is Christ that is that same annoynted of the lorde we ought together with the Angels to be filled with an exceeding ioye of minde being surely persuaded that euen in this verie thing that the heauenly father hath appointed and in verie deede giuen his owne sonne Christ that is annointed to be our king that he doeth openly from heauen declare that hee by this sonne will become the euerlasting restorer and defender of his Church Why Christ was annointed not onelie to be king but also Priest IT followeth that we declare whie he was not onely annointed to bee a king but also a Priest The reason is because the kingdome of Christ was so to bee established that he must satisfie for euer the righteousnes of God and so this begonne peace promised grace might staie vppon a sure and sound foundation Now the foundation is the euerlasting priesthood of Christ that is that same gift which not onely by commaundement but also by solemne oth in a wonderful wisedome and mercie is from the father laide vpon this certaine person whereof these are partes First the prayer of so great a person most pure and most holy together with a sacrifice matchable with the sinnes and wickednesses of all beleeuers Io. 17. Heb. 7. the other the shewing of himselfe before the face of the father in the heauens after this sacrifice is offered vp Hebr. 9 vers 24. Because it was ordained of God by an oath and by an vnchangeable decree of God which we may surely trust to that Christ should shewe himselfe to witte his owne bodie and soule taken into the vnitie of his person in which all our sinnes were punished without ceasing before the face of the father that alwayes the efficacie of that Sacrifice once offered vp might florish and be of force before the father Of the profite that we take by this that Christ was anointed to be a priest THe chiefe profite is that I haue a certaine person which hath sacrificed for mee and continually maketh intercessiō for me that the force of his intercessiō made sacrifice offred vp in earth might alwaies be of force in the sight of God as it is saide in the Psalme 110. The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer Nowe an euerlasting priest is not without an euerlasting vse and fruite of his priesthoode towarde his faithfull But wee will speake more aswell of the kingdome as of the Priesthoode in the article of sitting at the right hand of God Why also was he annointed to be a Prophet THe reason why hee was annointed to bee a Prophet is because that same priestly kingdome in which euerlasting righteousnes and peace should florish was to bee established by the scepter of his worde that is by the preaching of the Gospell and in the power of the spirite whereby he was annointed And truelie so was it foretold by Esay The spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach glade tydinges vnto the power he hath sent me that I shoulde heale the contrite in heart as our Lorde affirmeth in the 4. of Luke that it was fulfilled in him Therefore hee saith vnto Pilate that his kingdome was not of this worlde that he came into the worlde that he might giue testimonie vnto the truth I vnderstande Christ therefore so to be annointed a Prophet that hee being sent out of the bosome of his heauenly father in mans nature was annointed with the fulnes of the holy Ghost that being ful of grace and trueth hee might cleerly and manifestly set forth vnto vs that same mysterie hidde from the beginning the euerlasting will and counsell of God concerning the redemption of mankinde Iohn 1. The onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath shewed it vnto vs. Furthermore also that the same Christ may effectuallie teach vs to the end of the worlde For which cause hee also hath promised his presence by the office of teaching Beholde I am alwayes with you euen to the end of the worlde Of the fruite of Christes propheticall office THe Lorde Iesus is anointed with the spirite of prophesie to this end that we should by no meanes doubt of the vnchangeable wil of the father towarde vs. Heb. 1. God in times past at sundrie times and in diuerse maners spake vnto our fathers by the Prophetes but in these last times he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne Further who dareth to say howe shall I knowe the will of God towardes beleeuers seeing the sonne him selfe to whome the minde and will of the father is throughly knowen hath opened the will and promise of the father in the Gospell The other fruite is nowe declared for that it teacheth vs effectuallie to the end of the worlde and transformeth vs into that which we are taught of him 2. to the Corinth 2. vers 17.18 Howe far forth those things which are spoken concerning the office of Christ or of the priestly prophetical kingdome of Christ agree with the doctrine of the free couenaunt BVt same man will say that same priestly kingdome that thou hast said to be established by that same Messias or annointed of the Lord by the scepter of the word and power of the spirite is it not that same euerlasting couenaunt or worke of saluation that standeth in the free forgiuenesse of sinnes and vndeserued gift of the holy Ghost and euerlasting life Yes verilie For that same couenant of saluation made with Abraham was renewed with Dauid and to him was promised out of his seede an euerlasting king who shoulde be the mediator of this couenaunt Psalme 89. And in the first of Luke the Angel saith to Marie This shall be great and he shal he called the sonne of the most high and the Lorde God shall giue vnto him the seate of Dauid his father and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and there shall bee no end of his kingdome And a little after Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptiste being full of the holy Ghost prophecied saying Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel because he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath lifted vp an horne of saluation vnto vs in the house of Dauid his seruaunt as he hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were since the world began that it should come to passe that he would saue vs from our enemies and out of the hande of all that hate vs that he shoulde shewe mercie towardes our fathers and be mindfull of his holy couenaunt of the oath
in them which are effectually called reconciled he preserueth increaseth that same studie of holding their reconciliation and bringeth to passe that they greatly esteeme so great grace of reconciliation and truly somuch they esteeme it that denying them selues and all vngodlines they wholly giue themselues through faith vnto him who with so greate a price hath redeemed them from so many euills After that Christ the King and Priest of his Church hath engendred in those whom he calleth the studie of reconciling themselues vnto God he offereth and giueth also vnto them that same reconciliation that in the forme of a couenant the summe whereof is conteined in the articles of the faith NOw as I haue saide alreadie that same studie of reconciling themselues to God in those that are called of Christ the King being wrought he offereth and giueth to them reconciliation it selfe and that in the forme of a free couenaunt 2. Cor. 5. vers 18.19.20.21 and chap. 6. vers 15.16.17.18 Now the reconciliation of man with God or rather this matter of saluation in sauing by his merite and power the elect is therefore called a couenaunt and also set foorth vnto vs in forme of a couenaunt from God because there is no apter forme or meeter way of doing it to make mutuall agreement betweene the parties and to the establishing of faith For euen like as men after great enimities are then at length pacified in their mindes when they haue bounde themselues by promises and by an oath each one to other to imbrace peace so also God that our consciences might be quiet hath not spared of his meere goodnes euen by an oath and couenaunt to binde himselfe vnto vs that are repentant and beleeue in him and to seale the same with the seale of holy baptisme that he might adopt vs freely to be his children that he might cleanse vs through his bloode from all sinne and being endowed with the holy ghost might renue vs to euerlasting life yea and that freely that wee againe being bound vnto the faith and worship of this true God the sonne and the holy Ghost we might set foorth and aduance this greate goodnes of his Moreouer euen like as there are wonte to be propounded in mens couenaunts certaine heades which they call articles by which peace is begunne and put in practise both sides being sworne so also that same diuine couenaunt wherein God doth reconcile vs vnto himselfe for euer is conteined in certaine heades or articles which are the foundations of this holy reconciliation and where in God will haue eternall peace betweene him selfe and all beleeuers to be ratified Now God had promised by Ieremie the Prophet that he woulde strike a newe couenaunt with vs not according to that couenant which he had made with our fathers when he brought them out of the land of Egypt because they had made that couenant voyde but that this should be the couenant that he would giue the lawe in the middest of vs and write the same in our heartes and that he would be our God and we should be his pepple and that we should knowe him because he is mercifull vnto our sinnes and will remember our iniquities no more Ieremy 31 Esai 53.54 Ozee 2. This couenant the Lord hath made with vs through faith in Christ and therfore we must knowe that the articles of our faith containe the summe as it were the heads of that couenant which standeth in faith between God and vs. That the couenant betwene God and vs is free and vndeserued and standeth only in faith through which after that he hath put out the remembrance of our sinnes he renueth the beleeuers to his owne image THat this couenant betweene God and vs is free and vndeserued and leaneth vpon no condition of our worthinesse or merites but standeth by faith alone hence it may easily appeare For in respect of God he properly maketh the couenant with vs and he sealeth in our heartes by his holy spirit that same promise of vndeserued reconciliation offred vnto vs in the Gospel Titus 3. ver 5.6.7 2. Tim 1. ver 9. Gal. 3. ver 6.28.29 In respect of vâ— this couenant is receiued only by faith whiles that freely and vndeseruedly the holy Ghost is giuen vnto vs who bringeth to passe that both we will and are able to beleeue the free promise of reconciliation through Christ Eph 1. Ioel. 2. Esay 59. If you respect the mediator verely our heauenly father hath receiued oâ— him the price of reconciliation and we haue satisfied in him notwithstanding because the mediator is freely giuen vnto vs and imputeth also freely this merite vnto vs euen by this reason also the couenant is free And so this whole couenant is meerely free and consisteth in faith alone the oblation of promise of grace in Christ and also the giuing of Christ himselfe in respect of God is free the receiuing on our part is also free because it is the worke of God in vs whereby he sealeth his promise in our heartes that being driuen we should worke that is to say that being made beleeuers by him we might beleeue Ephe. 2. ver 1.5.6.7.8.9.10 All these things are plainlie comprehended in that same promise of the new couenant which euen now I brought out of the 31. Chapiter of Ieremy Now the ende why God would haue this same couenant to be free by all meanes is that the glory of God might returne to him alone the which drift of his counsell he hath expressed in plaine wordes in the same Prophet Chap. 33. And it shal be to me a name of ioy a prayse and an honour before all the nations of the earth which shall heare all the good that I doe vnto them c. And to the Ephe. Chap. 1 ver 5.6 An other end is the peace of our consciences Rom. Chap. 4. For if they which are of the lawe are heires faith is become voyd and the promise is made of none effect c. Sith therefore God saith that this whole couenant is free and vndeserued and that it consisteth in the knowledge of him or rather by faith through which also after that he hath abolished the remembraunce of our sinnes he will renewe our heartes which he calleth to write his lawes in our heartes it is plaine and euident that in the articles of our faith such a faith and knowledge of God is set forth vnto vs which embraceth the free remission of sinnes in Christ and also thereof engendreth the instauration or renewing of man according to the image of God Therefore in the meditation of the articles of our faith we must especially turne our eyes to these two poyntes The Articles of faith or that which is commonly called the Apostles Creede I Beleeue in God the father almighty maker of heauen and earth and in Iesus Christ his only sonne our Lord which was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Mary suffred vnder Pontius Pilate crucified
comforter that he may dwell with you for euer to wit the spirite of truth which the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither hath knowne him But you knowe him because he abydeth with you shall be in you Also ver 23. The father and I will come make our abiding with him 1. Ioh. 1. ver 3. 1. Cor. 6. ver 19.20 Secōdly it is profitable necessarie that in our calling vpon God we should thinke vpon what god we cal to wit vpō that same true God with whom we haue stricken and entred into a couenant of faith and who hath witnessed in an euerlasting league that he wil be a God vnto vs and which he hath sealed vnto vs by the seale of baptisme that so we might separate our inuocation from the inuocation of Ethnickes Turkes and such like who call vpon those Gods that are no gods but are deuised of the father of all liuing For God cannot tollerate at any hand that there should be any felowship with his confederates in the inuocation and worship of false gods the which thing the holy ghost playnly pronounceth 2. Cor. 6. vers 14 15. Now the same Apostle yet further setteth before our eyes the greatnes of the daunger vnlesse through true obedience of faith wee cleaue vnto the true God whose confederates we are and altogether abstaine from al idolatrous worship or inuocation 1. Cor. 10. That which the gentiles offer they offer to diuels not to God Now I would not that ye should be partakers with diuels Ye cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord of the cup of diuels Ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of diuels For there followeth after the fellowship with the diuels table fellowship also in euerlasting paines Apoca. 14. ver 9 10 11 12. Luk. 11. ver 49 50 51 52. In God the father BY the name of the father we are put in minde of that same most streight couenant confirmed betweene God and vs in Christ his onely sonne and of his vnchangable loue towards vs. Iohn 17. O holy father keepe them through thy name whom thou hast giuen me that they may bee one euen as wee are one Also That the world may know that I was sent from thee and that thou louest them euen as thou hast loued me For albeit he be named father in respect of his coeternall sonne yet we rightly gather thereof that he is also in a free vndeserued fauor our father because he hath promised in his sonne that hee will become such a one vnto vs and hath performed it in deede when he gaue his onely begotten sonne to be our brother and made vs in his sonne reconciled vnto him selfe his members and so adopted vs into his children Ephe. 1. vers 5. Iohn 1. ver 12 Which thing also hauing wrought that same full reconciliation Christ witnesseth Iohn 20. I ascend vnto my father and to your father to my God and to your God Wherefore the true Citizens of the kingdome of Christ haue God for their father imbracing them with the same loue wherewith he imbraceth his onely begotten sonne Ephes 1. vers 6. 1. Iohn vers 3 12. Almightie I Beleeue that I am entred into league with almightie God who also by his omnipotencie worketh what soeuer he wil in al the world whatsoeuer things he wil not or hath not decreed he hindereth cōfoundeth scatereth thē so as it is impossible that they should be done For euen like as he is almightie in bringing that to passe that he wil so in that that he wil not he abideth no resistance which is as it were the other part of his diuine power Ps 135. ver 6 7.14 Esai 43.13 8. ver 10. 46.10 19.3.11.12 14. Ioh 10. vers 29.30 Now let this omnipotency be alwaies in sight to the confederates or rather faithful citizens of the kingdome of God euen as the Lord from the verie beginning hath set the same before the eyes of Abraham the father of beleeuers in his couenant I am God almighty and before in the 15. Chapter Feare not Abraham I will be thy shielde Therefore I must not consider any thing whatsoeuer seemeth to be against the diuine promises either in my selfe or in all creatures but I must giue praise to the omnipotent power of God must chearefully followe God whither he calleth Rom. 4.17.18.19.20.21 Heb. 11.17.19 Creator of heauen and earth THese wordes make very much for the confirmation of our faith in God almighty For first whiles we haue a couenant with the creator who giueth substance and being to all things we beleeue that we haue a sure help in him against all creatures because it is as easy for the creator to destroy them and bring them to nothing as it was once easy for him to create them of nothing Genes 1. Psal 91. and 104. Secondly forasmuch as the creator with whom we are in league doth giue mouing all things else vnto his creatures so that they can doe nothing but as they are driuen of the creator we must constantly holde that whatsoeuer thinges are sent vpon vs by the creatures that they are sent of God yea and that for our good and further in respect of the constant and euerlasting league that we haue with the creator so consequently with all creatures which thing is contained in this article of our faith and is offred and described vnto vs by the Prophet Osee in his 2. Chapter euen to the ende of it Thirdly the consideration also of the workes of God doth make so for the confirmation of our faith whiles that we knowe that we haue league not with an vnknowen God but with him who daily offreth himselfe vnto vs to be felt of vs. Acts. 17. As also Dauid saith in the Psalmes Tast and see how good the Lord is Therfore all the creatures which we vse daily are so many testimonies vnto vs of Gods omnipotencie wisedome and goodnesse towards vs. Fiue chiefe points of the doctrine of Gods prouidence BEcause we haue said that that same omnipotencie of God is not an idle but a working and an effectuall omnipotencie which continually sheweth it selfe in the conseruation gouernance of the things which are created it followeth that we set out that same most profitable doctrine of Gods prouidence and of the fruites thereof Nowe there are fiue speciall points to be marked of euerie one that is in league with God for the obtaining of that same true knowledge of Gods prouidence and sure establishing of the confidence and faith of the heart The first point of doctrine concerning Gods prouidence FIrst of all let euery faithfull man that is in league with God vndoubtedly determine with himselfe that God by the selfe same omnipotencie whereby he hath created all things doth also preserue and continue the same and by his wonderfull prouidence doth gouerne them Heb. 1. verses 10.11.12 Coloss 1.16 And that
hated iniquitie therefore hath God euen thy God anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Dan. 9. The holy of holy shal be anointed Afterwardes he saith The Messias shall be cut of and then the people shall destroye the Citie and the Sanctuary with that Captaine that shall come The Angel witnessed the fulfilling of this anointing Hierusalem yet standing Luke 2. Behold I bring you glad tidinges of great ioye that shal be to al the people that a Sauiour is this day borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lord. The whole multitude of the heauenlie hostes witnesseth the same thing praising God and saying glorie to God in the highest heauens and in earth peace and towardes men a good will Mat. 2. The starre and the wise men witnesse Christ or the anointed of the Lorde to be sent and in the second of Luke Symeon and Anna the prophetesse from the 25. verse to the 41. where also the prophesie of Esaias is sene fulfilled Ca. 8. ver 14. A notable prophesie of Isaias in the 61. Cap. is fulfilled Luke 4. Iesus came to Nazareth where he had ben brought vp and entred as he was wont vpon the sabboth day into the synagogue and rose vp that he might reade Then was giuen vnto him the Booke of the Prophet Esaie and when he had opened the booke he found a place in whiche it was written The spirite of the Lorde is vpon me because that he annointed me that I should preach gladde tidinges he sent me to heale the broken in heart that I should preach deliuerance to captiues and recouerie of sight to the blinde that I should seâ— them at libertie that are distressed And that I should preach the acceptable yeare of the Lorde And when he had restored the booke closed vnto the minister he sate downe and the eies of all that were in the synagogue were fastened on him Then he began to say vnto them This day is the scripture fulfilled in your eares Also Acts the 10 vers 38. The vniforme praier of the Apostles witnesseth the prophesie in the 2. Psalme to be fulfilled in our Lorde Iesus For so also Luke writeth in the 4. of the Actes The man was aboue fortie yeare olde on whom this miracle of healing was shewed Nowe being let goe they came to their companie and shewed what the cheefe of the priestes and the Elders had saide vnto them And when they heard it they lift vp their voices with one accorde to God and saide O Lord thou art the God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all thinges that are in them Who hast saide by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid Whie did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges The kinges of the earth stoode vp and the princes were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For they were gathered together in deede against thy holie sonne Jesus whom thou hast annointed both Herode Pontius Pilate with the nations and peoples of Israel that they might do whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsel had determined before to be done These are the testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles that Iesus is the Christ or the annointed Messias What we are taught by the name of Christ or anointed BY the terme of Christ or anointed is taught that this person came with the commandement of the father and that the same was ordained of him that he shold erect that Priestly kingdom by the scepter of his word power of his spirite in this life and should finishe it in the life euerlasting For like as anointing wherby at Gods commandement Kinges Priestes and prophets were appointed amongst his people with an outwarde and visible oyle was a publike testimonie that God would gouerne efend his people by this person also kepe vpholde his diuine worshippe and likewise teach his people and this person had commandement of this thing that they might suffer themselues to be gouerned clensed and taught so the sonne of God manifested in the fleshe concerning his manhoode is anointed with the holy Ghoste without measure which is the truth of that outward anointing and so is ordained and giuen of the father to be the king priest and prophet of his Church First of all therefore the name Messias or Christ serueth for a notable confirmation of our faith to witte whilest we vnderstand by anointing that the sonne of God hath commandement in the very same that he is Christ or anointed by his kinglie power to keepe vs by his euerlasting sacrifice to reconcile vs to the Father and to open vnto vs al the will of the father to be short not to rest vntil he haue beautified his Church with glorie and euerlasting life Ioh. 6. verse 27. cap. 10.18 Psalme 43.6.7 to the Heb. 2. ver 8.9 Also cap. 5. ver 4.5 Heb. 1. ver 9. And forasmuch as the sonne of God that same annointed of the Lord hath his solemne commandement it is certaine that he wil execute it most faithfully Of the frute or consolation which the faithful receaue thereby THe first fruite is that our faith hath a certaine obiect or matter to respecte to wit this same certaine person sent and appointed from the Father with commandement which now beginneth in vs that same spiritual and euerlasting kingdome which is righteousnes peace and ioie in the holie Ghost in the sted of sinne euerlasting heauines and death and shal finish it afterwardes and seeing that he holdeth vnder his gouernement and iron scepter al thinges created both his and our enemies that is both wicked men and diuels that they hurt not either his glorie or our saluation but rather that euen against their willes they aduance both Hence peace and ioye arise in the heartes of beleeuers who are citizens of this kingdome For as it must needes bee that al they be made sadde that doubt vnder what Lorde they are in this life whether vnder Christe or Satan so on the contrarie it can not be but all they must be filled with ioye who by the inwarde testimonie of the anointing of faith and by the outwarde of holie baptisme are assured that they are vnder Christe the King of righteousnes and are translated out of the kingdome of darkenesse into the kingdome of Christ Coloss 1. and haue the kingdome of the sonne of GOD euen begone in them as Christ saith the kingdome of God is in you or amongst you The Angel exhorteth vs to this ioye in the verie manifestation of this king Luk. 2. verse 10.11 Be not afraide For beholde I bring you glad tydinges of great ioye that shal be to all the people to wit that this daie a Sauiour is borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lorde Hence is the same peace and good will in the heartes of beleeuers of which afterwardes that same multitude of heauenly hostes doe mention in their songe Glorie in the highest heauens
right it is and I will giue it him Of the time of the comming of the Messiah note both these diligently that hee must be borne when the scepter shoulde be taken away from Iehudah as hath beene shewed and yet notwithstanding whilest the Temple and Priesthood should yet stande as Daniel saith in the 9. Chapter After 62. weekes Christ shall be cut off and there shall be none to helpe him and the people of that Capitaine to come shall scatter that citie and that sanctuarie Of the place of his birth touching the flesh also of his comming forth from the dayes of eternitie in respect of his diuine nature MIchee 5. And thou Bethlehem Euphratah art little to be among the thousands of Iudah yet out of thee shall hee come foorth vnto me that shall be ruler in Israel Whose goings foorth haue beene from the beginning and from euerlasting With what a wonderfull prouidence of God was this prophesie fulfilled Whilest Ioseph and Marie by the edict of Augustus are called into Bethlehem where shee brought foorth Christ See Luk. 2. in the beginning of the chapter and with what a wonderfull prouidence the wise men were lead vnto the place being holpen of Herod and of the Scribes See the seconde of Matthew Of the holinesse of his conception IEremie 23. Beholde the dayes come saith the Lord of hoastes And I will raise vp a braunch to my seruaunt Dauid and this is his name whereby they shall call him The Lorde of hoastes our righteousnesse The prophesie is fulfilled Luke 1. verses 31.22.33.35 Daniel in the 9. Chapter foretolde that the holinesse of holinesses must be annointed whereby in verie deede he sheweth plainely and cleerely that his conception must be holy and must be the seconde Temple yet standing What that the Prophet Isaiah and Haggeus foreshewed that it shoulde come to passe that the glorie of the seconde Temple should be much greater then the glorie of the first it shoulde be euerlasting was it not truely fulfilled in this most pure conception of the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which by the power of the holy Ghost that same euerlasting worde hath personally vnited the humaine nature and hath begon to dwell in it as in his owne Temple As also Christ himselfe nameth his body a Temple Ioh. 2. So both the prophesies are fulfilled not as in a temple of stone or a figure whose glorie was much lesse then the glorie of Salomons Temple neither did that Temple continewe euerlastingly but after the Messiah was exalted to wit that same true Temple was taken away into the fathers glorie neuer after to be builded againe The prophesie of Isaias is playne in the 60. Chapiter vers 13. The glory of Lybanon shall come vnto thee the firre tree the elme and the boxe tree together to bewtifie the place of my sanctuary For I will glorifie the place of my feete And in the same place I will make thee an eternall glorie c. The Prophesie of Haggai in the second Chapiter is more notable So saith the Lorde there Speake nowe vnto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel Prince of Iudah and to Iehosua the sonne of Iehozadak the high Priest and to the residue of the people saying who is lefte among you that sawe this house in her fiâ—st glorie and howe do you see it nowe Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing Yet now saith the Lorde of hoastes strengthen thy selfe Zerubbabel c. And a litle after Thus saith the Lord God of hoastes yet a little while and I will moue the heauen and earth and the the sea and the drie land and I will moue all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hoastes Siluer is mine and golde is mine saith the Lorde of hoastes The glory of this last house shal be greater then the first saith the Lorde of hoastes Of the virgines bringing forth a childe ISay Chapter 7. The Lorde shall giue you a signe Beholde a virgine shall be with childe and shall bring forth a sonne thou shalt call his name Immanuell Thou hast the fulfilling of it in the 1. of Mathew verses 22.23 To which adde the Prophesie of Isay Chap. 9. A litle childe is borne vnto vs. A sonne is giuen vnto vs and the gouernement was vpon his shoulder and he shal cal his name wonderful Counsailour the mightie God father of euerlastingnes Prince of peace Fulfilled in the 2. of Luke ver 11.14 The meaning of the wordes which was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgine Marie THe meaning is that the euerlasting Sonne of God of the same substance with the Father without any putting off of his diuine nature without any conuersion or commixtioÌ„ was made that which he first was not to wit man which the Scripture enterpreteth He tooke the seede of Abraham that is our flesh of the virgine Marie and his verie humane soule and that by the power of the holy Ghoste that he might be like vnto his brethren in al things sinne onely excepted Ioh. 1. And to the Hebr. 2. and the fourth 1. Tim. 3. Rom. 1. The consolation which a faithful man conceaueth by this pure conception WE conceaue hereof this consolatioÌ„ first that we haue an vndoubted and true mediator with God in al thinges that we haue to do with him as who hath not onely the communioÌ„ of one but of both natures to wit diuine and humane Againe that he is such a Mediator whose bodie and soule in the verie conception were sanctified first that he might be a pure and holie sacrifice through which all our corruption might be cleansed that it might not be laide vnto our charge Heb. 7. verses 26.27 Rom. 7. verse 20. and the 8. verse 1. Moreouer to the end that the efficacie of his fulnes might by litle and little sanctifie this defiled lumpe of ours vntil he deliuer vs fully from that same natural corruption and by the same holie spirite whereby that substantial worde hath sanctified both soule and bodie euen from the wombe might also reforme our soules and bodies in the time appointed of God according to his owne image Io. 1. verse 16. the 1. Cor. 15. verse 45.47.48 The drifte and purpose of this article and how necessarie the true vnderstanding therof is THis same article concerning the person of Chirst which consisteth of two natures the humane the diuine knitte together by a personal vnion euerlastingly yet the proprieties of either being kept euerlastingly containeth the foundation and piller of the kingly Priesthood of Christ and consequently of his euerlasting priesthood betwixt God and men For it is mans happines to be ioyned with God the fountaine of al goodnes 1. Ioh. 1. Contrariwise it is the greatest vnhappinesse to be separated from God But man had separated himselfe by sinne from God and had entred into couenant with the deuill Euen
worlde For indeede according to the flesh which the worlde hath taken on it Augustine according to that that was borne of the virgin according to that which was taken of the Iewes which was nayled to the tree that was taken down from the crosse that was lapped in linnen that was laide in the graue that was manyfested in the resurrection You shall not alwayes haue mee with you Why so Because hee was conuersant according to his bodily presence fourtie dayes with his disciples and leading them by seeing but not by following he ascended into heauen and is not here For hee is there and sitteth at the right hande of the father and is here for the presence of his maiestie hath not departed And otherwise according to the presence of his maiestie we haue Christ alwaies but according to the presence of the fleshe it was well said vnto his disciples but me ye shall not haue alwayes Of the fruite of the ascension FVrthermore wee must speake of the fruits which faith doeth lay holde vpon by the ascension of Christ And first of all like as our iustification is ascribed vnto the resurrection so the proceeding and continuing of the same iustification is ascribed vnto the ascension and that two manner of wayes first because in the same bodie which was accurssed in our sinnes he could not ascende into heauen vnlesse first he had beene fully in our name iustified from them For euen like as hee coulde not haue risen into life if there had but one of our sinnes remayned vnsatisfied for and vnlesse all beleuers had ben iustified in him whose person tooke vppon him when hee shoulde bee condemned in them so much lesse coulde he haue entred into that same high light wherevnto there was no way whither no impure thing coulde attaine yea where God doeth shewe himselfe to be seene of the blessed Angels vnlesse he had beene fully iustified for our sinnes and we in him when he ascended thither in our name Iohn 14 The holy Ghost shall reprooue the worlde of righteousnes because I goe to the father and you shall see me no more For like as it was not lawfull for the high priest to enter into the holy of holiest without bloode for his owne sins and the sinnes of the people Heb. 3.27 so that same true sanctuarie had not beene open to Christ to wit that same entrie into heauen vnlesse first he had satisfied for our sins which he had taken vpon him Heb. 1. verse 2. and 9. verse 7.11.12 Therefore whiles Christ doth enter into that same sanctuarie not made with handes heauen it selfe by his owne bloode it is a sure demonstration and thereby the world is conuinced that euerlasting righteousnesse is brought by Christ as Daniel had foretolde And surely the Apostle Ephes 4. doeth lay out that same ascension of Christ as a publike testimonie of our iustification as it were in a triumph to be beholden of the eyes of our faith When he ascended on high he led captiuitie captiue gaue giftes vnto men Surely he led not captiuitie with him into the heauens that is to say death sin for neither is there any place there for sinne death What then That same ascension was as it were a publike testimonie of sinne ouercome and of damnation taken away and of righteousnesse obteined and of full victorie Againe that same entrie into that high sanctuarie is not onely a testimonie of our righteousnes but also that same abiding in the same sanctuarie and shewing of himselfe before the Father is an euerlasting continuance of the same righteousnes to wit whiles by the vertue of his onely one sacrifice being iustified for euer from our sinnes he appeareth there in our name that we might be esteemed righteous perpetuallie in him and to the ende hee might giue giftes vnto men to wit the giftes of the holie Ghost amongest which the Apostle doth speciallie commende faith whereby he doth engraffe vs into him selfe as members vnto the head and doth applie his benefites vnto vs Ephes 4. vers 12.13.15.16 But of this same shewing of Christ before the Father there will be a more fit place when we shal entreate of the sitting at the right hand of God How the death resurrection ascension and sitting of Christ at the right hand of GOD make to the iustification of faith BVt nowe seeing before mention was made of our righteousnes in the death and resurrection of Christe some man will demande not without cause by what waie and meanes the death resurrection and ascension and the sitting at the right hand of God doth make to the iustification of Faith I. The obedience of the death of Christ is the thing it selfe that is imputed to vs to righteousnesse For that satisfieth for our sinnes neither is there any thing wanting to this obedience as Christ saith It is finished And the Apostle Rom. 5. doth set the obedience of Christ against our disobedience II. The resurrection from the dead is a publike testimonie and demonstration both of Christe his righteousnes and ours to wit that Christ is iustified from all our sinnes and we also likewise in him for otherwise if there had remained but one sinne vnpunished he could not haue arisen And this is that same confident demanding which our conscience maketh to God through the resurrection of Christ whereof Saint Peter entreateth in his 1. Epistle Chapter 3. But we haue spoken more of this matter in his place III. The ascension is the proceeding continuance of his righteousnesse First because in his owne bodie that was accursed in our sins he could not ascend in our name I say into that high glorie vnlesse he had bene fullie iustified from our sinnes and we likewise in him who are ingraffed into him through faith Hebrues 1. verse 7. IIII. Nowe that same ascension and entrance into that highe sanctuarie is not onely a publike testimonie of our righteousnesse but also the sitting at the right hand of God that is that abiding of his and perpetuall shewing of himselfe before the face of the Father in that same highe glorie is the continuing of the euerlasting righteousnesse of Christ and of ours like as we haue taught and shal afterwardes teach more fully in the article of sitting at the right hand of God Paule setteth downe all these degrees in the eight Chapter to the Romanes Who shall laie any thing to the charge of God his chosen It is GOD that iustifieth who shal condemne It is Christ which is dead loe the matter for which we are iustified from accusation and condemnation the death of Christ yea or rather which is risen againe which is an vndoubted token that that same death of Christ which he tooke vpon him was sufficient for the full absolution and forgiuenes of our sinnes otherwise he must haue abiden in death who is also at the right hand of God which yet is a greater testimonie that the captiuitie of sinne and damnation is
Ioel And it shall be in the last day saith God I will powre out of my spirite vppon all fleshe and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie c. Esay 59.20 21. And the redeemer shall come to Syon and vnto them that turne from iniquitie in Iacob saith Iehouah and I will make this my couenant with them my spirit that is vpon thee my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed saith the Lord frō hence forth euen for euer Ioh. 14. verses 16.17.18.19 c. I will pray the father and he shall giue you an other comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the spirite of trueth whome the worlde can not receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee knowe him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leaue you fatherles but I will come to you yet a little while and the worlde shall see me no more but ye shall see mee because I liue ye shall liue also At that day shall yee know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you Manie moe testimonies were aledged when wee entreated of the trinitie The meaning of this article I Beleeue that the holy Ghost is verie true euerlasting God and of the same substance together with the father and the son and yet notwithstanding a person distinct from both as proceeding from them both And therefore forasmuch as he is verie God I place my confidence and trust in him as in the father and in the sonne and I trust in him that he will worke al that in me being emptie of all good that hee himself hath promised in his word for which cause he is sent of the father the sonne Now his effectes they are many and diuerse For first of all he is giuen that he may witnes the loue of the father in our hearts Gal. 4. that he may lighten the eyes of our minde with the knowledge of Christ that through faith he may so engraft me into Christ as a brāch into the vine may make me a partaker of Christ al his benefits Ioh. 15. This coniunction with Christ his benefits which the holy ghost doeth worke in vs the scripture doth expresse with great force when he saith that the holy ghost doeth sprinkle vs with the blood of Christ 1. Pet 1. doth make vs members of Christ 1. Cor. 6. doth feede vs with Christ Ioh. 6. doth make vs drinke of Christ 1. Cor. 10. the 12. and doth build vs vpon Christ Eph. 2. In which the office and end of the holy ghost giuen vnto vs is shewed that through faith it may most neerely knit vs vnto Christ and may work the like things both in the mēbers head seing it is the same spirit that is to say the very same life glory Rom. 8. I beleeue that the holy ghost as the true very God wil worke these thinges in me which he hath promised vnto me that beleue euē as these his peculiar epithetons names do declare that he is the water flowing vnto euerlasting life Iohn 4.7 A water which shal cleanse me Ezek. 36. 1. Corinthians 6. An annoynting which shal remaine in vs 1. Iohn 2. the seale and earnest of inheritance in all which it is promised vnto vs that he is giuen vnto vs to comforte vs in all aduersities to helpe vs in our infirmities to make intercession for vs with sighes and grones that can not be expressed forasmuch as we knowe not to pray as we ought and so that he be our true comforte or aduocate who suffereth not vs to be destitute of his counsaile and helpe but handleth our cause himselfe to the ende he may be in vs and remaine with vs for euer Iohn 16. To him I trust to him I wholy deliuer my selfe to be gouerned comforted and quickened in the father and in Iesus Christe his sonne who through the holie Ghost make their abiding with vs. The applying of this doctrine to the couenant of grace THat same euerlasting couenant that God hath stricken with Abraham the Sonne of God in mans nature taken of the seede of Abrahā hath confirmed by satisfying the righteousnes of God perfectly in manner as I haue confessed in the former articles of faith Nowe it resteth that the holie Ghost engraffe vs into Christ through faith the true seed of Abraham and so powre out that blessing promised to Abraham and his seede vpon vs and by the earnest of an euerlasting inheritance Paule saith in the third to the Galathians that in the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham is extant in Christ Iesus that we might receaue the promise of the spirit through faith And a little after Now to Abraham and to his seede were the promises made he saith not to the seedes as speaking of many but and to thy seede as of one which is Christ Also And if yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seede heires by promise And Rom. 9.8.2 Cor. 1.21.22 How the holy Ghost is giuen and howe we know whether we haue it or no. THe holy Ghost is giuen by the ministery of the Gospel as by an ordinary meane Gal. 3. This onely would I learne of you receiued ye the spirit by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith preached Also Ephesi 1. verse 13. and 1. Cor. 12. verse 13. Now thou shalt knowe by the working of the holy Ghost that thou art a partaker of the holy Ghost For euen like as thou seest not the winde but dost feele his operation so the holy Ghost is knowen by his working as Christ teacheth Iohn 3. These are the principall and chiefe workes of the holy ghost in vs faith inuocation grones 1. Cor. 12. No man can say Lord Iesus but by the holy Ghost and the 2. Cor. 4. because we haue the same spirit of faith according to that which is written I beleeue and therfore I speake so we also beleeue and for that cause we also speake Ro. 8. Because we are sonnes therefore God hath giuen the spirit of the sonne into our heartes by which we crie Abba Father And in the same place The spirit maketh intercession for vs with grones that cannot be vttered Besides these the being displeased with our selues and the hatred of sinne or rather the battell against sinne is a sure and vndoubted token that we haue the holie Ghost that we are ingraffed into Christ For the flesh fighteth not against it selfe Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus which walke not after flesh but after the spirite THE FOVRTH PARTE OF the Creede I beleeue the holie Catholike Church the communion of Saintes Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles GEnesis 9. God enlarge Iapheth that he may dwell in the
tabernacles of Sem. Esaie 54. Reioyce O barren which doest not bring forth breake forth into praise and reioyce which diddest not bring foorth because moe are the Sonnes of the desolate then of the married wife saith the Lorde Enlarge the place of thy tentes and let them spread out the curtaines of thy habitations And a little after For he that made thee is thy husband whose name is the Lord of hostes and thy redeemer is the holie one of Israel who shal be called the God of the whole world Also to the Galathians 4. verse 27. and Esaie 60. ver 1.2 c. Arise be enlightened because thy light commeth and the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon thee For behold darknes shal couer the earth thicke darknes the people but the Lorde shall arise vpon thee and the nations shal walke to thy light and Kinges to the brightnesse of thy rising Ezech. 37. verses 22 24. and Chapt. 10. And there shal be one sheepeheard and one sheepfolde Iohn 11. verse 52. And not that Iesus should die for that nation onely but also that he shold gather together in one the chidren of GOD which were scattered Apoc. 59.10 Thou hast redeemed vs vnto God through thy bloud out of euerie tribe and tongue people and nation What this part conteineth THE fourth part conteineth the effect of all that went before For except we will that the Father haue sent his sonne in vaine and that his sonne also hath suffered and is risen againe in vaine that the holie Ghost was promised and sent in vaine we must needes beleeue that the effect of all these is that the Father in Christ by the power of the holie Ghost doth builde vp a newe people vnto himselfe whom before he had freely chosen with whom he doeth enter into a free couenant and to which he doth communicate him selfe and all his benefites Esaie 53. When he shal laie down his soule a sacrifice for transgression he shal see the seede that shal prolong his daies and the will of Iehouah shal prosper in his hand c. Eph. 2. ver 6. The meaning of these wordes I beleeue the Catholike or vniuersal Church THe meaning is that the sonne of God euen from the beginning Matt. 11. ver 12. gathereth and buildeth vp a people vnto himselfe from the whole bodie of mankinde elected before all worldes whom Christ raiseth vp beeing dead in sinnes and reconcileth vnto him selfe by the ministerie of his worde and renueth by faith to life euerlasting Iohn 5. vers 8. Ephes 2. ver 1.2.3 and Chap. 5. vers 26. which he adioyneth vnto himselfe as his spouse or wife that all the true members of this people may haue true fellowship with Christe and mutuall amongest them selues both in this and in the life euerlasting 1. Iohn 1. Amongest which people I trust my selfe to be enrolled and neuer to be blotted out from them Iohn 10. 17. Why the Church is called Holy BEcause none can be vnited vnto God vnlesse he be holie and pure euen as God is holie pure therefore I doe vndoubtedly beleeue that God doth iustifie and also purge those whom he hath chosen to this inseparable vnion to holinesse and innocencie of life that the glorie of God may shine in them Rom. 8. Ephes 5. Nowe the Church is holy two maner of waies by renouation and by imputation By renouation in it selfe that same holinesse is onely begun Rom. 7. Of this same first manner of holinesse it is saide 2. Cor. 7. Working your sanctification and 1. Thes 4. ver 7. But by imputation her holines is most perfect in Christ as he saith I sanctifie my selfe for them In this second manner of holinesse I beleeue that there is no sinne no death in the Church that is to say that no fault or punishment is imputed to the true members of the Church Because they that beleeue in Christ are not sinners are not guiltie of death but are simply holie and righteous Lords ouer sinne and death in Christ and liue for euer Ro. 5. ver 8.9 and Heb. 10. ver 14. Colo. 2. ver 10. Ro. 8.1 Thess 5.10 Why the Church is called Catholike THe Church is caled Catholike or vniuersal because that like as there is one head of the Church to wit Christ so the vniuersal members thereof scattered throughout the worlde doe growe vp into one bodie by the same spirite Ephes 4.1 Cor. 10. and 12. Communion of Saintes Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles LEviticus 26. and 2. Cor. 6. verse 17. Ye are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I will dwell amongest them and I will walke there and I will be their God and they shal be my people Wherefore Esay 52. Come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lorde and I will receiue you I will be a father vnto you and ye shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the almighty Also Ioel 2. vers 32. 1. Tim. 3. verse 15.16 That thou maist know howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the piller and ground of trueth 1. Cor 12. verses 13.14 For by one spirite we are all baptised into one bodie whether we be Iewes or Grecians whether we be bonde or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirite 1. Cor. 10.17 Because we that are many are one loafe and one bodie who are partakers of one and the same bread Also to the Heb. 3. verse 13 c. 1. Iohn 1. That which we haue seene and which we haue heard we declare vnto you that you also may haue fellowship with vs that our felowship also may be with the Father with his sonne Iesus Christ these things write we vnto you that your ioie may be full Acts. 2.47 And the Lorde added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued The meaning of these wordes THe communion of Saintes signifieth both that same outward fellowship wherby the people as members of the visible Church thorough the ministerie of the doctrine both of the Prophets and Apostles and also of the sacramentes are called into one bodie and also that same inwarde coniunction whereby those whome the Lorde hath alwayes chosen in this visible congregation that is to say the true beleeuers are knit and vnited together with the father with Iesus Christ his sonne and mutuallie one with another amongest themselues Concerning that same outward vnion we must knowe that the truth of the propheticall and Apostolical doctrine is an vndoubted token of the visible Church 1. Tim. 3. Besides all that professe that same trueth wheresoeuer they shal come in the world to any visible companie of the Church they haue right to communicate in hearing the worde in prayers and receiuing of the sacraments Esai 2.2.3 yea all the faithful haue commandement that wheresoeuer there is a visible assemblie of the Saints that they ioyne themselues
I haue also oftentimes thought of that same saying of Daniel that the reward of Christ his seruantes are laide vp for them in the heauens The teachers saith he shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that haue brought others vnto righteousnes shall shine as the starres in euerlasting times Let vs therefore content our selues in our calling with meane things and resigne ouer our selues to our heauenly father to be fed through Christ at his hands we our wiues and our children for he is the true father and will neuer be vnmindefull of compassion a fatherly care ouer vs and so much the lesse he will be vnmindefull by how much we shall be more mindefull of our calling We may therefore safely committe our selues and ours to his prouidence which ought to suffice for the ouercomming of all hinderaunces letts specially to them to whom God is all in all Farewell ¶ An Exposition of the Apostles Creede or rather of the articles of the Christian faith That the kingdome of Christ is offered vnto vs in the Articles of our faith and that the faithfull are partakers of it whilest they liue here IT is certaine that there are two spirituall kingdomes euen in this worlde to wit the kingdome of darkenes and the kingdome of light it must needes be that euery man be of one of these whilest he liueth here For so Christ the king himselfe speaketh to his elect vessell Acts. 26. For this cause haue I appeared vnto thee that I might appoynt thee a minister and witnes of those things which thou hast seene And a little afterwards That thou mightest open their eyes that they might be turned from darknes to light and from the power of Sathan to God and might receaue remission of sinnes a lotte amongest the sanctified through the faith which is in mee So to the Colossians the first Giuing thankes vnto God the father who hath made vs fitte to be partakers of the lotte of the Saintes in the light who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes and translated vs into the kingdome of his dearely beloued sonne Hereby it is cleare that there are two spirituall kingdomes euen in this world the kingdome of Christ in which in very deede are all they that truely repent beleeue in Christ and are also baptized into his name as also their children vnlesse when they shal be growen and come to age through vnbeliefe they reiect the benifite offred But the other the kingdome of Sathan and darkenes in which all they are which doe not repent and beleeue not in Christ these partly are not baptized but open contemners of baptisme as the Turkes and Iewes and partly againe are baptized but yet are impenitēt vnbeleeuers these albeit they be baptized and ioyne themselues to the visible Church remaine notwithstanding in very deede so long in the kingdom and power of darkenes vntill they be conuerted and beleeue Mat. 28.1 Cor. 6 vers 8.9.10 12. and 2. Cor. 12. vers 21. Now forasmuch as the Articles of the fayth containe the summe of that doctrine deliuered by Christ the king to his Apostles it is certaine that in them the kingdome of Christ and all the priuiledges thereof are offred and exhibited to all them that repent and beleeue againe that we are taught by this confession whence we may assure our selues that we are true Citizens of the kingdome of Christ yea and that in this life that we haue a partaking with Christ the king himselfe with all his benifites to witte if we beleeue with our heart and confesse with our mouth For that saying of the Apostle is sure in the 10. to the Romanes The worde is neare thee in thy mouth and in thy heart This is that worde of faith which we preach to witte that if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation For the scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed What the kingdome of Christ is and that the newe couenaunt is administred therein LEt vs then see what the kingdome of Christ is which beginneth in the faithful in this worlde which also in the same sense is named the kingdome of God and the kingdome of heauen Mat 3. vers 2. Luk. 4. vers 43. and Chapiter 7. vers 28. The kingdome of Christ in this worlde is the administration of saluation whereby Iesus Christ the king himselfe outwardly gathereth to himselfe through the Gospell and sacrament of baptisme a people or visible Church in which many hypocrites are mingled and calleth them to saluation and administreth and giueth himselfe the same saluation to which he calleth them in those whō he accounteth for his elect in this congregatiō whilest that he maketh this outward vocation effectuall that is to say calleth them to repentance and faith by which they aunswere to him that calleth and whom he thus calleth those also he iustifieth not imputing their sinnes vnto them whom he iustifieth those also he glorifieth purging them daily more and more from their sinnes and so instructing framing and perfecting them to all godlinesse righteousnesse and that to life euerlasting that the glory of Christ their king may shine in them vsing to that purpose the dispensation of his worde and sacraments by meete ministers and that both publique domesticall and priuate and therewithall also the diligent administration of his discipline aswell of repentance and ceremonies as of mans whole life The vniuersall administration of this kingdome of Christ is that same newe couenant that God hath promised in the last times to make with vs by Ieremy the Prophet not according to that same couenant he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the lande of Aegypt because they had made that couenant voide but that this should be the couenaunt that he would giue his lawe in the middest of vs and that he would write it in our hearts and that he would be our God and we should be his people and that we should knowe him because he would be mercifull vnto our iniquity and would not remember our sinnes any more Ierem. 31. And by Hoseas the Prophet Cap. 2. I will marry thee in faith and thou shalt knowe the Lord. This couenant Christ the king and priest of his Church hath ratified for euer by his merite betweene God and vs and euery day worketh in vs through his efficacie Daniel the 9. Verily by his merite seeing that Christ by his priesthoode that is by his intercession and sacrifice laying an euerlasting foundation vnto his kingdome hath satisfied the righteousnesse of God and so deliuereth vs from sinne and the cursse of the lawe and from the kingdome and power of the deuill and obtaineth the spirite of sanctification through which he may raigne in
the world he said Sacrifice oblatiō thou wouldest not but a body hast thou framed vnto mee c Thē I said Loe I am present in the beginning of the booke it is writtē of me that I should do thy will O God And a little after Through which will we are sanctified through the oblation of the body of Iesus Christ once made Vpō this counsell of God also leaneth the reason of the Apostle in the 10. to the Romains whilest he saith the righteousnesse which is of faith so he saith Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heauen For this is to fetche Christ out of heauen or who shall goe downe into the deepe this is to bring Christ from the deade But what saith he The word is neare thee in thy mouth and in thy heart This is that worde of faith which we preache to witte if thou shalt confesse the Lord Iesus with thy mouth and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God hath raised him vp from the deade thou shalt be safe For we beleeue with the heart to righteousnesse but we confesse with the mouth to saluation See the 1. Corinth 1. vers 30. Luk. 1. vers 10. to the Hebr. 2. vers 14.15 to the Romans 5. vers 12.15.16 17.18 Also 1 Cor. 15. vers 20.21.23 1. Thess 4. vers 14. and Chapiter 5. vers 3. I beleeue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles of the nature of God and of the creation of all thinges EXodus 34. The Lord of Hoastes The Lord of Hoastes a mightie mercifull and gratious God long suffering and much in goodnes and saith who shewest mercie to thowsandes pardoning iniquitie and defection and sinnes before whom the innocent is not innocent who recompencest the iniquitie of the fathers vppon the children and vppon the childrens children and vppon the kinsfolkes Gene. 1. In the beginning God created heauen and earth Nowe the earth was desolate and voyde and darkenes was vppon the vtmost face of the depth and the spirite of God mooued it selfe vppon the face of the waters Io. 1. In the beginning was the worde and the word was with God and that word was God All thinges were made by it and without it was nothing made that was made And to the Colossians the first and Psal 104. Thou shalt sende foorth thy spirite and they shal be created and thou shalt renue the face of the earth The description of God GOD is a spirituall substance euerlasting good pure aswell of an incomprehensible glorie as of an infinite wisedome and power of an vnchangeable righteousnes vnspeakable mercie and most constant trueth to be short the onely soueraigne happines and the father is euerlasting the sonne the euerlasting image of the father and the holie ghost proceeding from both The nature of God is shortly and diligently expressed in the description which is in Moses Exod. 34. The Lord of of Hoastes the Lord of Hoasts a mightie mercifull and gentle God long suffering and of great mercie and true c. The profite of this description of God THe vse of this description is that the nature of God being knowne we should embrace by true faith as our onely and most soueraigne God and should feare to offende him to the end that through true faith and feare or amendment of life he might be glorified of vs. For first when we heare that God who hath promised by an euerlasting couenant that he wil be a God vnto vs is an vnderstanding wise euerlasting good righteous and mercifull God we conclude verie rightly vppon it of the verie forme of that free couenant that he is not onely such a one by nature but also that he will shew himselfe to be such a one to vs beleeuers and that by an euerlasting couenant though all creatures should seeme to persuade vs to the contrarie He that knoweth this nature of God of whom he is receiued into couenant he hath large matter of trusting in him and of framing his life by faith according to the will of God Both of these to wit howe the knowledge of God maketh to faith and repentance and so to the establishing of the kingdome of God in vs we will make plaine out of some of his attributes So great and so constant is the truth of God that one word of the diuine truth passeth the truth of all Angels and men because the truth of all creatures dependeth vpon the truth of God and hath the originall from that and consisteth in that alone so that the truth of god is the cause and foundation of all truth both in Angels and men When therefore we wauer or doubt of any matter why do we not consult whether there be not some word of the Lorde concerning that matter whereof we doubt which being found we may giue our mindes to rest knowing assuredly that the least title of the truth is more firme then the whole frame of heauen and earth Ieremi 31. Matt. 5. vers 18. therefore it is saide in the second booke of the Kinges Cap. 10. vers 10. Knowe you nowe that there shall not fall anie thing of the word of the Lord to the ground Also his infinite power ought to incourage vs to trust in him in him I say that mightie God who calleth those thinges which are not as if they were Ro. 4. Like as also that same Apostle further speaketh of the faith of Abraham He doubted not of the promise of God through vnbeleife but was made strong in faith giuing glorie to God Being fully assured that he which had promised he also was able to performe it And surely how greatly distrust displeaseth God as which defraudeth him of his glory and how greatly the holiest men that are ought to beware of it the Lord teacheth Num. 20. And the Lord of Hoastes said vnto Moyses and Aaron Forasmuch as ye haue not beleeued me that you might sanctifie me before the sonnes of Israel therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the lande which I haue giuen them And in the 32. of Deut. 50.51.52 Now he is not onely able to do that which he wil as in verie deede he willeth that thing which he hath promised in his word but also in that which he willeth not he abideth no resistance which is as it were the other part of the omnipotencie of God Isai 43. There is none that can take out of my hand And if I do any thing who shall let it The first is therfore that in euerie thing we haue the wil of God knowne out of his word which being once knowne let vs not doubt but that Gods truth is most cōstant altogether vnchangable Moreouer let our mindes moūt vp to the almightie nature of God who mightily performeth in deede whatsoeuer he wil neither abideth any resistance Ioh. 10. I giue euerlastnig life to my sheepe neither shall they perish for euer neither shal any mā take them
vers 9 That same worde is the onely begottē sonne of the father and the co-eternal image of the father His onely begotten sonne Io. 1. We haue seene his glory as the glory of the onely begottē of God To the Hebr. 1. who being the brightnes of his glory the light from the light and very ingraued forme of his person of his substance and bearing vp all things by the worde of his power Our Lord. c. And he is the Lorde of all creatures but chiefly of the faithfull or of the Church Io. 1. He was in the worlde and the world was made by him but the worlde knew him not he came amongest his owne and his owne receiued him not Before he came into the world he was a subsisting person and Dauids Lord from which Christ maintaineth his diuinitie in the 22. of Mathew saying What thinke you of Christ whose sonne is he they say vnto him Dauides he saith vnto them how then doth Dauid in spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said vnto my Lord sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footestoole If therefore Dauid call him Lord how is he his sonne Also Luk. vers 1. verses 16.17.43 and vers 76.77 And thou childe Iohn Baptist shalt be called the Prophet of the most high For thou shalt goe before the face of the Lorde to prepare his waies thou shalt giue the knowledge of saluation to his people Malach. 4. vers 5. Io. 1. This is he that commeth after me that was before me c. Io. 20. vers 28. Thomas answereth him my Lord and my God Acts 16. vers 31. and Chap. 18. vers 10. Who was conceaued by the holy Ghost So Christ was conceaued by the holy Ghost that being before that substantiall worde and by himselfe subsisting he tooke our flesh Philip. 2. who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God but he made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruante Hebr. 2. He tooke not the natures of Angels vpon him but he tooke the seede of Abraham Io. 6. I am that bread of life which came down frō heauen Io. 16. I went out from the father came into the worlde c. and 1. Timot. 3. Great is the mysterie of godlines God is manifest in the flesh Borne of the virgine Mary The Prophetes foretolde that this man which is borne of the virgine should not be a man in such sort as should subsist of himselfe as Peter and Paule but the true God to witte the second person bearing and vpholding that humaine lumpe into the vnitie of the person knitte vnto him Isay 7. Beholde a virgine shal be with childe and shal bring forth a sonne thou shalt call his name Immanuell God with vs. And in the 9. A childe is borne vnto vs A sonne is giuen vnto vs and the principalitie was vpon his shoulders and thou shalt call his name wonderfull counseller the mightie God father of eternitie and prince of peace Ierem. 23. I will reare vp to Dauid a righteous braunch and he shall raigne king and shall prosper c. And this is his name whereby they shall call him Iehoua our righteousnesse Miche 5. And thou Bethlehem Euphrata although thou be amongest the thousands of Iehudah out of thee shall there come forth vnto me which shal be the gouernour of Israel and his generations shal be from olde and from the daies of euerlastingnes Coloss 2. vers 9. In him dwelleth all fulnes of the Godhead bodily He suffred vnder Pontius Pilate He confessed before Pontius Pilate vnder whom he suffered that his kingdome was euerlasting and that therefore he came into the worlde that he might giue testimony of the truth Io. 18. vers 36.37 and Acts 4. vers 25.26.27.30 When the same iudge iudged him there is fulfilled that prophecy in the 11. of Zachary Mat. 27. And they tooke thirty peeces of siluer the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel valued And they gaue them for the potters fielde as the Lord appointed vnto mee That which the Lorde foretolde of the children of Israel prising him then when the couenant was to be taken away and the people to be forsaken which he signified by the breaking of the staffe which was called the staffe of meekenes or rather the staffe of ioye But in Christ God manifested in the flesh this full disanullance being at hande yea in all circumstances it was fulfilled by a wonderful prouidence Crucified Crucified Zach. 12. vers 10. They shal looke vnto him whō they haue pearced This Iehoua saith of himselfe and Iohn saith that this was fulfilled in Christ Cap. 19. vers 37. And the 1. Cor. 2. vers 8. If they had knowen they had not crucified the Lorde of glory Acts. 3 vers 15. Ye haue slaine the prince of life Dead Dead The Testament was to be confirmed by the death of the Testator Now the Testator was God Hebr. 9. vers 16.17 And Cap. 8. vers 8.9 Acts 20. God hath purchased the Church vnto himselfe hy his owne bloud Buried descended into hell Oze 13.14.15 Buried descended into hell God saith I will redeeme them from the power of hell I will redeeme them from death I will be thy death O death O hell I wil be thy destruction This was partly fulfilled by Christ and shall partly bee fulfilled hereafter as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 15. vers 55.56.57 Therfore Christ is true God he rose also by his owne power He rose from death the third day Rom. 1. vers 4. Io. 2. vers 19. Destroy you this Temple and I will reare it vp againe in three daies And Cap. 10. vers 17. 18. I lay downe my life that I might take it againe No man taketh it from mee but I laye it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and power to take it againe That he is the true God that ascended into heauen The third day he rose againe from the dead the Apostle plainly teacheth in the fourth to the Ephesians verses 7.8 9. To euery one of vs is grace giuen according to the measure of the gifte of Christ wherefore he saith when he ascended vp on high He ascended into heauen he led captiuitie captiue Io. 3. vers 13. No man ascendeth vp to heauen that is to say by his owne power for others ascend being drawene but he that hath descended from heauen And Io 6. vers 36. and vers 62. Also in the 16. Cap. vers 28. He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie He sitteth at the right hand of God and is worshipped of Angels and men Hebr. 1. To which of the Angels hath he euer saide sitte at my right hande In the same place all the Angels of God shall worshippe him And 1 Pet. 3. vers 22. to the Ephesians 1. verses 20.22.23 to the Philippians
2. verses 9.10 wherefore God lifted him vp on high hath giuen him a name which is aboue euery name That at the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth And that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde to the glory of God the father See the first to the Corinth From thence he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead 1. vers 2. Acts 9. vers 14. He hath power to iudge both the quicke and the deade and so he is priuie to all the thoughts sayings and doings of men and not onely that but also he is most iust and mightie to execute sentence 1. Cor. 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lorde come who will lighten thinges that are in darkenes and make manifest the counsells of the heartes Io. 5. He hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne that all may honour the sonne euen as they honour the father Mat. 3. His fanne shal be in his hande and he shall purge his floore and gather his wheate into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire To discerne hypocrites from the faithfull is the onely worke of God and to gather these into heauen and to thrust downe the other into euerlasting fire is also the onely worke of God The holy ghost also in whom we beleeue I beleeue in the holy Ghost Christ himselfe giueth which is a notable testimonie of his euerlasting godhead Ioh. 1. vers 23. This is he that baptiseth with the holy ghost Acte 2. compare the 17. verse I will powre out saith God of my spirite c with the. 33. vers He hath shed foorth this which you now behold and see Iohn 16. verse 7. and cap. 20. vers 22. He hath chosen vnto himselfe a catholique or an vniuersall Church The holy Catholique Church from among all mankinde Iohn 13.16 I know whom I haue chosen and in the 15. chapter You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you that ye goe and bring forth fruite and that your fruite remaine Also in the 10. Chap. vers 16. and Chap. 11 vers 52. He was present with this Church euen from the beginning as the euerlasting king and priest thereof Heb. 13. vers 8. Christ yesterday to day for euer Also the 1.3 vers 19.20 and the 1. Cor. 10. Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck and Heb. 7. ver 3. To this church from the beginning he reuealeth the father himselfe Mat. 11. No mā knoweth the father but the sonne and to whom soeuer the sonne will reueale him Also 1. Pet. 1. vers 11. He quickeneth this Church from euerlasting death Io. 5. vers 25. He will haue his Church holy vnto him and separated from idolaters and from those which professe not faith and repentance and therefore he directly opposeth the worshippe of himselfe in the Church against the worshippe of false Gods 1. Cor. 10 14. My beloued fly from idolatry that I may speake more wisely Iudge you what I say The cuppe of thankesgiuing whereby we giue thankes is it not the communion of the bloode of Christ And a little after Vers 19 20. What therfore do I say that the Idol is any thing or that which is sacrificed to Idols is any thing yea this I say that that which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to diuels not to God and I would not that you should haue felowship with diuels Ye cānot drinke the cup of the Lord the cup of diuels ye cānot be partakers of the Lords table of the table of diuels Do we prouoke the Lord to anger Are we strōger then he The communion of Sainctes He communicateth himselfe with the Sainctes that is with all the elect and he dwelleth in them howsoeuer they are throwne out of the world Iohn 14 vers 23. I and the father will come and make our abiding with him And in the 15 chap. vers 1.4 Also 1. Cor. 12. ver 12. For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body so is Christ Ephe. 3. That Christ may dwell in your hartes through faith Gala. 2. vers 20. Now I liue no more but Christ liueth in me Also Iohn 17. vers 23. and 26. He entreth into league and fellowship with the Church by the ministerie of the word and sacramentes he is present with it euen from the beginning of the world and remaineth present vnto the end 1. Cor. 10. Let vs not tempte Christ as some of them tempted and were destroyed of Serpentes Also 1. Pet. 1. vers 11. Matt. 28. Loe I am with you alwaies to the ende of the world He instituted baptisme the seale of the couenant and would haue vs no lesse baptised in his name then in the name of the father of the holy ghost making promise of saluation to them that beleeue and are baptised Matt. 28. vers 19. Mar. 16. vers 16. Collo 2. verse 9 10 11. Acte 8. vers 16. and chap. 19 vers 5. Now it is both blasphemie to be baptised in the name of any creature and it is onely proper vnto God to make promises of saluation and to fulfill them Wherefore also Christ is he which baptiseth with the holy ghost Mat. 3 verse 11. Act. 2. vers 18 32. He instituted the sacrament of thankesgiuing for the diuine worship of himselfe in the place of the Paschall as he saith Do this in remembrance of me Wherefore also Paule calleth it the cuppe of thankesgiuing whereby we giue thankes And concerning the seale of the newe Testament he speaketh thus This is the newe Testament in my blood Now it is the same Lord or Hoastes that had promised a newe Testament who confirmeth the selfsame by his death Ierem 31. vers 33. and Hebrewes 9. vers 17. The forgiuenes of sinnes which he not onely deserueth by his death but also giueth by his owne power is also a notable testimonie of the Godhead of Christ I beleeue the forgiuenes of sins For he iustifieth all his elect from the beginning of the world Act. 15. vers 10.11 Whie tempte ye God laying a yoake vpon the Disciples neckes that neither our fathers nor we were able to beare but by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we beleeue to be saued euen as they doe Iohn 8. vers 56. Psal 110. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck By and for this Priest were sinnes alwaies forgiuen to the beleeuers Now that he doth forgiue sins by his owne power he confirmeth by a miracle Matt. 9. But that you may know that the sonne of man hath auctoritie in earth to forgiue sinnes then he saith to the man sicke of the palsey Arise take vp thy bed and go
forget thee Beholde I haue written thee in my handes Zacharie 2. He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of mine eye c. Psalm 22. and 55. Cast thy care on the Lord and he shall nourish thee neither wil he euer suffer the righteous to fleete 1. Pet. 5. Cast all your care vpon God for he careth for vs. Rom. 8. We know that to them which loue God all thinges shall fall out to their good Beholde these promises liuely painted foorth in the creatures Matth. 6. For this cause I say vnto you be not carefull for your life what you shall eate or what you shall drinke nor for your body what ye shall put on For is not the life more worth than meate and the body more worth than apparell Looke vpon the foules of the ayre they sowe not neither reape nor carrie into the barne and your heauenly father nourisheth them are not you much better than they Now which of you by carcking can adde one cubite vnto his stature And why are you carefull for rayment Learne how the lillies of the feeldes grow they are not wearie neither spinne but I say vnto you that Salomon in all his glorie was not apparelled as one of these Now if God so cloath the grasse of the fielde which is to day and to morrowe is cast into the furnace will he not cloath you much more O ye of little faith Be ye not therefore carefull saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewith shall we be cloathed Now because we are fallen from the right of creation Christ there worthily maketh mention of the father casting the Ethnickes in the teeth with their distrust saying For the gentiles require all these thinges But your heauenly father knoweth that you haue neede of all these thinges By both which he calleth vs to the free couenant or promises in his sonne and in him he establisheth our confidence In the second place therfore look vpon the pledge of al the promises after this manner to wit vpon his onely begotten sonne by whom not onely lillies but all thinges aswell visible as inuisible are created and who yet vpholdeth and mainteineth them with the word of his power Heb. 1. Who also is appoynted heire of all thinges I say our heauenly father hath giuen this his sonne for thee to death and hath freely appointed thee a fellow heire together with his sonne through faith How therefore can it be that any creature should hurt thee which without the present operation of the sonne of God who is thy pledge cannot so much as moue it selfe yea rather how can it be that all creatures through and for the sonne in whom they consist and of whom they are gouerned and whereof thou art also a fellow heire should not necessarilie be constrained to serue thee and to worke to thy good yea euen then when they seeme greatliest to be against thee So Paule looketh vpon this pledge in the 8. chapter to the Romaines What therefore shal we say to these thinges If God be for vs who shall be against vs Verily he which hath not spared his owne sonn but hath deliuered him for vs all how should he not also with him gratifie vs with all thinges The third poynt of doctrine concerning Gods prouidence THou seest without thee partly men and partly also other creatures Because therefore thou hast to doe with both thou shalt not doubt that the prouidence of God doth gouerne ouer both And first of all the most high hath the counsailes willes endeuors and to be short all the powers of men whether they be good or bad in his owne hand aswell for the mitigating and turning of their mindes vnto thee as also for the brideling of their malice Of that we haue an example in Gene. 33. where Esau imbraceth Iacob who notwithstanding went out against him with a minde altogether deadly Call also vpon the Lord with the same confidence that Iacob did in the like danger Also Exod. 3. I wil giue this people fauour with the Egyptians and it shall come to passe that when ye depart ye shall not depart emptie of this we haue an example in Gene. 35. When they went foorth to wit Iacob and his sonnes the feare of God was vpon those Cities which were round about them so that they did not follow the sonnes of Iacob Moreouer the prouidence of God doth so gouerne ouer other creatures that what so euer can fall out from them to the faithfull being his confederates he turneth it to their good saluation Rom. 8.28 Now we know that all thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God The fourth poynt of doctrine concerning Gods prouidence THe other are creatures which we see not to wit Angels and diuels Of both these let a faithfull man so fully perswade himselfe First that God vseth Angels themselues as notable and excellent spirites to the ministerie and defence of his confederates as he hath promised Psalm 34. and 90. Heb. 1. Gene. 24. And as for the diuels that lie in waite against the saluation of his elect albeit he gouerneth them not by his spirite as he doth the Angels yet notwithstanding he so curbeth them in by his power as it were with a bridle that they can not so much as moue themselues vnlesse so farre forth as he suffereth them yea and he cōstrayneth them though they resist it to perfourme his will will they nil they Iob. 1. Luk. 22 Rom. 16. 1. Cor. 10. The fift poynt of Doctrine concerning Gods prouidence WE must vse the means that God offreth they are gifts of his prouidēce not for distrust which turneth the heart from God or for confidence in creatures but for obedience that we tempt not God passing the boundes of our vocation or despising the meanes which are instrumentes of the diuine prouidence and prescribing vnto him an other meane of helping then that he wil help vs by Mat. 4. vers 7. When the diuel would shew the prouidence of God to the end Christ should throwe himselfe downe headlong because God had commaunded his Angels concerning him that they should beare him vp in their handes he answereth it is written againe Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And Paule in the Acts. 27. vers 21. saith O men ye ought to haue obeied me and not to haue gone from Creta and haue gained this iniurie and losse Also vers 30.31 The first vse or fruite of that doctrine concerning the prouidence of God THe first fruite is the glorie of God For a faithful man wil glorifie God in al things aswell prosperous as hurtfull from whom through whom and to whom all thinges are and he will vndoubtedlie persuade himselfe both morning and euening that God sheweth foorth no lesse power in the preseruation and gouernement of all thinges then in the first creation For verilie albeit God ceased from the creation of all newe sortes or kindes on the seuenth day yet
can receiue any hurt of thē but so farre as God being their moderator shall vouchsafe to giue thē place who maketh that same hurt to worke together with him their good Ps 27.1.3 psa 91. He shall couer thee with his winges and vnder his winges thou shalt be safe His truth is thy shield and helmett Thou shalt not feare for the feare of the night Also Psal 118. vers 6. Rom. 8. vers 31.38 So Dauid humblie beholding the nature of God hopeth that Simeies railinges should turne to his good 2. Sam. 16. vers 12. Perhappes the Lord will behold my affliction and render me good for his cursing this day By what a wonderfull prouidence was Paule saued with all the rest that were in the shippe with him where euen in the middest of the waues of the sea and in roaring of the windes al things to the shew were confused there appeared euident and vndoubted printes of the diuine prouidence which draue the shippe thither whence they might safely escape Acte 27. which thing vndoubtedly from thencefoorth brought great securitie to Paule against all the hurt of all creatures and then especially when he must come before Nero and should wey with himselfe with how greate prouidence of God contrarie to his owne determination and counsaile he was brought thither Moreouer he conceiued greater securitie for the time to come by his deliuerance in his first defence as he writeth in the 2. Tim. chap. 4. No man assisted me but all forsooke me the Lord lay it not to their charge but the Lord was present with me and strengthened me that through me the preaching should be fulfilled and all the Gentiles heare And I was deliuered out of the mouth of the Lion And the Lord will deliuer me from euerie euill worke and will keepe me to his heauenly kingdome to whom be glorie worlde without end Amen This is euen that couenant that the faithfull that are confederate to God the creator haue also necessarily with all creatures because without the will of the creator they cannot somuch as moue whereof Hoseas speaketh in the 2. chap. THE SECOND PART CONCERNING THE sonne and our reconciliation And in Iesus Christ Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles ESay 9. A childe is borne vnto vs A sonne is giuen vnto vs whose gouernment shal be vppon his shoulder his name shal be called Wonderful Counsailor the mightie God father of eternitie Prince of peace Matt. 1. She shal bring forth a sonne thou shalt call his name Iesus For he shall saue his people from their sinnes Furthermore all this is done that that might be fulfilled which the Lord hath spoken by his Prophet saying Beholde a virgine shall be with childe shal bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Emanuell which is if thou interprete it God with vs. Luk. 1. The Angel saith vnto Marie thou shalt call his name Iesus This man shall be great and shall be called the sonne of the highest And the Lorde God shall giue him the seat of Dauid his father he shal raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be no ende Why we beleeue in Iesus Christ the only begotten sonne of God WE beleeue also in Iesus Christ the onelie begotten sonne of God First because the sonne of God is of one substance glorie together with the Father Io. 1. We sawe his glorie as of the onely begotten sonne of the father Therfore in the first Chapter to the Hebrues he is called the brightnes of his glorie and engrauen forme of his person Ioh. 10. I and the Father are one Further because the Father hath commanded that we beleeue in the sonne Psalm 2. Kisse ye the sonne And in the end of the same Psalme Blessed are al they which trust in him Also This is my beloued sonne in whome I rest heare him Nowe we so heare the sonne expounding the commandement and promise of the father Io. 6. This is the wil of that my father who hath sent me that whosoeuer seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life And I wil raise him vp in that last daie And in the 14. of Ioh. he saith Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And this is so seuerely commanded that a most greeuous punishment is denounced against such as refuse the benefite offered in Christ He that beleeueth not the sonne shal not see life but the wrath of God abideth vpon him Io. 3. Also the 8. Vnlesse you beleeue that I am he ye shal die in your sinnes And the 1. Io. 2. Therefore I confesse that I beleeue in the sonne of God verie God begotten of very God before all worldes To the Hebrues 3. Prouerb 8. And that from my hearte I submitte my will to this commandement and promise of the father that I am throughly persuaded although I be a wretch that yet for this eternal sonne of God I am indeede receiued neither would he I should adde this the greatest sinne to my great and manifolde sinnes that I should reiecte the sonne of God freely offered but that his desire is that with all my soule I should resist all vnbeliefe and should deliuer my selfe altogether deuoide of saluation to be saued to this sonne forasmuch as our heauenlie father hath so commanded Why the sonne of God is named Iesus THe sonne of God manifested in the flesh is named Iesus because he hath saued vs through his desert and yet still saueth vs by his power from all our sinnes Mat. 1. Acts 4. Hebr. 7 Nowe the fruite that comes vnto me by this knowledge is this Seeing God that can not lie Tit. 1. hath giuen this name Iesus from heauē to his sonne manifested in the flesh that is to saye of a sauiour I knowe and vndoubtedly assure my selfe that he fully and perfectly saueth me wholy both in soule and body and in this faith I call vpon him As often as I heare therefore the name of Iesus I ought to remember the promise of the Gospell that lyeth hidde in it that he through his merite hath saued me from my sinnes and by his power mortifieth the remnants of sinne in me vntill he fully deliuer me from them that he also quickeneth me through his holy spirite and that he euerlastingly keepeth for me that same saluation purchased with so great a price 1. Pet. 1. and so he beareth that worthy name for my sake which was giuen vnto him by the father from heauen that he might shewe the truth of his name in truth and effectually aswel in my saluation as in the saluation of al beleeuers He is faithful that beareth that notable name of sauiour and he that hath promised shall doe it Christ Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles TO the Sonne he saith Thy throne O God Psal 45. is for euer and euer thy scepter a right scepter the scepter of thy kingdome Thou hast loued righteousnesse and
which he sware vnto Abraham our father that he woulde giue vnto vs c. to the end of the Chapter Therefore I vnderstand that by the title of Christe or annointed the office of the mediator of the couenaunt is expressed to wit by what way and meanes the heauenly father leadeth vs to saluation promised and sworne in the couenaunt by the hande of the mediator that is to say by his merite and vertue Nowe the meane is because the father hath annointed this Iesus to be the prophet or teacher who can informe vs of this free couenaunt of God to be the Priest who confirmeth and ratifieth this couenaunt by his intercession and sacrifice and to be a king who maintaineth his couenaunt made and enricheth and defendeth his faithful confederate ones so that in the whole businesse of saluation wee flie by faith vnto Christ as to him whom the father hath signed as Christ himselfe speaketh of him selfe Ioh. 6. And first for that which concerneth the Propheticall office of Christ I thinke that to pertaine to the couenaunt in such sort to wit that firste of all men bee instructed of the free couenaunt of saluation and therefore When in times past God spake after sundrie sortes and wayes by the Prophetes nowe at length hee woulde speake vnto vs by his sonne Heb. 1. to wit clothed with mans nature For otherwise the sonne also spake by the Prophetes 1. Pet. 1. Wee must therefore fullie resolue that the euerlasting Sonne of God who is in the bosome of the father was sent a legate vnto vs and taking our fleshe vppon him was annointed with the spirit of wisedome and power that he might cleerely and fully laie open vnto vs that same euerlasting Counsel of entring into league and couenaunt with vs might declare that same good and vnchangeable will of God towards vs whereby he hath freely chosen vs to himself in the sonne and might frame vs to true amēdement to beleue the Gospel yea might also confirme his doctrine by miracles as by healing the blind by raising vp the dead c which neither the diuel nor anie creature can followe That he might also adioyne the sacramentes as holy signes to the renewed couenaunt to wit baptisme and the Lords supper Moreouer concerning the priestlie officie I thinke it so to belong to the couenant that euen like as the Propheticall office of Christ instructeth vs of the couenaunt and of a full reconciliation with God in Christ so the priestly office goeth further and offereth vp the verie price of this reconciliation to wit a perfect sacrifice with intercession wherby the mediator of Gods righteousnes doeth perfectly satisfie for our sinnes which did let and keepe of the couenaunt and without the clensing whereof that same prophetical ambassadge frō heauen had beene taken in vaine to intreate of the couenaunt seeing neither wee can satisfie for our sinnes our selues neither would God denie his owne righteousnes Last of all concerning that kingly office forsomuch as it was not enough for a mediator to haue taught vs of the couenaunt and to haue sanctified it by the offering vp of his body and bloode vnlesse hee likewise should defend maintain the couenant against the assaults of the enemie should throgh his might build vp a people in himself day by daie more and more repaire frame the same being endewed with spiritual giftes to euerlasting life therefore the heauenlie father would that the same mediator should be the head and giuer both of the conseruation of grace gotten and of an effectual communicating and mainteining the same Ephes 1.23.24 His onelie begotten Sonne Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles FOr he receaued of God the Father honour 2 Pet. 1. and glorie when there came such a voice vnto him from the excellent glorie This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased And this voice we heard when it came from heauen when we were together with him in the holie mountaine and we haue a most sure worde of the Prophets to the which ye do wel that you take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntil the day dawne and the daie starre arise in your heartes so that ye first know this that no prophesie of the scripture is of any priuate interpretation For the prophesie came not in olde time by the will of man but holie men of God spake as they were moued by the holie Ghost Psalm 2. I wil shewe out of the decree The Lorde of hoastes hath saide vnto me Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I wil giue the nations for thy possession the endes of the earth I say for the right of thy possession And a little after Kisse the sonne that he be not angrie And in the ende Blessed are al which trust in him Al these thinges agree not to Dauid but to the sonne who is appointed heire of all things And to the Heb. 1. Hee hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne by whome also hee hath made the worlde who being the brightnes of the glorie and the engraued forme of his person and bearing vp all thinges by his mightie worde c. And a little after Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou arte my sonne This day haue I begotten thee c. And in the same place And againe when he bringeth his first begotten sonne into the worlde he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Psa 97. ver 7. Io. 1. We haue seene his glorie as the glorie of the only son of God ver 10. He was in the world the world was made by him but the world knew him not He came vnto his owne his owne receaued him not But as manie as receaued him to them he gaue power that they should bee made the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name What the meaning of these wordes is His onely begotten sonne THe ende of these wordes is that our faith shoulde be stable first that we beleeue in the true God when wee beleeue in his onlie begotten sonne who is begotten of the substaunce of the father and therefore by nature is verie God as before is shewed Then also that we be no lesse vndoubtedly persuaded of the wonderfull loue of God towardes vs surmounting the loue of all creatures who hath so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Io. 3. And so God not only dealeth with vs by promises and by oath but also by giuing his son in whom all the promises are yea and Amen To be short that all thinges which he hath suffered for our saluation and whatsoeuer thinges followe in the other articles of faith be esteemed of the worthinesse of this person which is the onely begotten sonne of God Galat. 4. vers 4.5 Mat. 3. vers
17. Why the scripture calleth him the onely begotten seeing all we which beleeue are the sonnes of God THerefore the Scripture calleth him the only begotten sonne of God that he may put a necessary difference betweene Christe and all the faithfull For Christ is called and indeede is the onely begotten sonne of God because he is the only euerlasting son of the euerlasting father begotten of the substance of the father before al worlds and therefore is very God in whō we ought to beleeue Pro. 8. Ioh. 1. Now we are called and are the sonnes of God not by nature but by adoption and grace through which God hath vouchsafed to adopt vs to be his children whilest he hath made vs through faith engrafted into his sonne his true and liuely members who otherwise were the mēbers of Sathan and by nature the sonnes of wrath Ioh. 8. Ephes 2. But in meane time that same adoption and name of the sonnes of God is not onely an emptie title but when we are in truth members of the sonne of God we haue by his grace a true communion and fellowship with him in respect of which he is called the first begotten amongest many brethren Rom. 8. And surelie if the Adoption made of men be not a vaine and an emptie title but such an acceptation of another mans childe to be a sonne whereby in truth all the right of sonnes is communicated vnto him as if he were a true and naturall sonne certainly by that same adoption of God whereby we are so engraffed into his sonne that we are gouerned quickened by his spirit we do not onely receaue the title but the full priuiledge and right of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. For he hath giuen this priuiledge dignitie right and power to all as many as haue receiued the Lorde Iesus that they should be made the sonnes of God Ioh. 1. And in the first Epistle of Iohn the first Chapiter That which we haue seene and hearde declare we vnto you that ye also may haue fellowshippe with vs and our fellowshippe or communion is with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ And these things write I vnto you that your ioye may be full All the faithfull therefore haue not a meane and common couenant but a most excellent couenant with God whilest he will haue his confederates to be in the place of sonnes making thē members of his onely begotten Sonne from whom they are neuer plucked away and regenerating or rather renueing them through his spirit so excelent notable a couenāt I say in euery respect that we may freely say with the Apostle to the Rom. 8. that he that hath not spared his owne sonne but hath giuen him for vs all howe can it be that he should not together with him giue vs all thinges Yea but this same couenant grounded vpon so excellent loue of God towardes vs is so sure and vnmoueable that we may farther say with the same Apostle I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor Angells nor Principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Our Lorde Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles THe Lorde hath said to my Lorde c. Psalm 110. And Matthew 22. verse 42.43 Actes 2 verse 36. Therefore all the house of Israel knowe for a suretie that God hath made him both Lorde and Christe this Iesus I say whom ye haue crucified The end and drift of these words is that being entred into league with so faithful a Lord who hath redeemed them from the power of darkenesse neither with golde nor siluer but with his owne blood making thē his owne peculiar and not onely he so purchased them but he protecteth and preserueth them being so purchased with a speciall care they might safely and with assured confidence of minde committe themselues vnto him yea and yeelde vp themselues to be kept for euer Againe they are also admonished that they are not in their owne power but are bought with a price that both in bodie and soule which are Gods they may glorifie God 1. Corinthians 6. And to the ende all that are confederate and beleeue shoulde willingly suffer them selues to be gouerned of such a Lorde to wit by his worde and by his spirit who to the ende he might haue vs vnder his lordship gouernment was appointed of the father head of the Angels and of all beleuers Conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles Genes 3. I will put enimitie betweene thee and the Woman and betweene thy seede and her seede It shall bruise thy heade and thou shalt bruise his heele To the Gala. 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his sonne made of a woman c. That the sonne of God must take the nature of man of the stocke of Abraham GEnes 22. In thy name shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gala. 3. Act 3. in the ende and Luke the 2. That the stocke was restrained to the tribe of Iudah and here somewhat concerning the time that the Messias should be giuen GEnes 49. The tribe shall not desist from Iehudah nor the Lawgiuer from the middest of his feete vntill his sonne come and obedience of peoples be made vnto him fulfilled in the 2. of Luk. ver 1. Where the whole worlde is taxed and therefore nowe the scepter was departed from Iuda when the tribe of Iudah was taxed of Augustus and therefore also Marie together with Ioseph And herevnto belong those prophesies which are to be seene in the 6. of Zacharie ver 11. Take therefore siluer and gold that thou maist make crownes and put them vpon the heade of Iehoschuhh the sonne of Iehosadac the high Priest Thou shalt say vnto him after this manner so saith the Lord God of hoastes in saying Beholde a man whose name is a slippe who shall bud foorth out of his place and hee shall builde the Temple of the Lorde of hoastes Hee I say shall build a temple to the Lorde of hoastes and the same shall beare away comelines and shall sit and beare rule vppon his seat and hee shall be a priest vpon his seat and the counsell of peace shall be betwixt both And let there be crownes for euerie one for Helē for Tobiah and Iedaiah to Hen the son of Zephaniah for a memoriall in the temple of the Lorde of hoastes and they that are farre of shall come and builde in the Temple of the Lorde c. And Ezechiel the 21. So hath the Lorde God of Hoastes saide Remoue awaie the Diademe and the crowne This which is nowe shall not be that I will aduaunce the humble will throw drowne the proude I will ouerturne ouerturne ouerturne it and it shall be no more vntill hee come whose
must needes be therefore that Christe this king be of the substance and loines of Dauid and continue an euerlasting kinge and very man not onely in name but in the very substance and properties of a naturall fruite sprong from the loines of Dauid and abiding and raigning worlde without end in the throne of Gods maiestie in the highest heauens Hebr. 1. Which thinge bringeth vs exceeding ioye in euerlasting life for that we shall behold our nature in our brother and heade Christ to be adorned with so great glorie in all eternitie Causes for which it must needes be that the mediator of the couenant be very God with all the properties of God THe causes for which it is necessarie that the mediator be not onely very mā but also very God be these The chiefe cause is because God would declare his infinite loue And this is the meaning of that So God loued the worlde so I say that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. The second cause is next vnder this because he had receaued a commandement of the father that required an almightie worker to wit a commandement by his merite and vertue to saue the elect Nowe there is but one Almightie euen God Ioh. 10. vers 18. Out of this same second cause which properly belongeth to Christ these endes are deriued The first concerning desarte For therefore must the Mediator be verie God that that same obedience of Christ whereby so great a person which is equal to the father humbling himselfe in the nature of man that the curse might be made in it might be from the beginning of the world for al eternitie to come a matchable price or rather a price of redemption for the sinnes of all the elect of the whole worlde euen that the price might wey downe our sinnes Therefore in the 20. of the Actes it is saide That God redeemed his Church with his bloud And in the 9 to the Hebrues Also grace hath abounded aboue the fault This obedience of the Sonne when it is made a sacrifice for vs it surmounteth all obedience of Angels and al other creatures The second end is that seeing he must be a Sauiour no lesse in vertue then in merite he must first in himselfe ouercome our sinne the wrath of God and death Nowe that the waight of the infinite wrath of God in the manhoode might stand ouercome and moreouer that he might raise himself frō death it was necessary that he that should suffer should be very man in such sort that he might together be infinite that is the true and euerlasting God that is that his manhod should be personallie inseperablie vnited to his godheade of which it should vpholden that our saluation might not by any meane be in danger seeing it is impossible that that vnion should be dissolued For God alone could not die as one of the auncient fathers haue wittilie said neither could man alone ouercome death Therefore to the Romans Ca. 1. he saith that he is declared to be the sonne of God by the power of his resurrection Moreouer by his power it behoued him also to ouercome sinne and death in vs Ioh. 5. to witte by giuing faith whereby that merite might be applied vnto vs and the holy Ghoste through whō he might restore in vs the image of God and quicken vs euerlastingly and also maintaine that saluation so gotten Now forasmuch as all these things are of nature belonging to him who is almightie it was necessary that he by nature should be God almightie For who could haue performed that but he through whom man in the beginning was made after the image of God Coloss 1.3 who could haue giuen the holy Ghost which is God but he which is God himselfe who could haue restored euerlasting life but that same word the sonne of God in whō life is from the beginning Io. 1. Finaly forasmuch as God hath said I am the Lord besides me there is no sauiour it was necessarie that our sauiour Christ which by the decree of God was appointed to obtaine and bestowe saluation should be very God with all the properties of the Godhead omnipotencie eternitie infinite maiestie and glorie without which he could neither be a Sauiour nor abide for euer Why those same two natures must be vnited in the Mediator THat the foundation of that same couenant of grace or rather of that coniunction betwixt God and vs might be firme GOD would haue these two natures in Christ to be knit together after a wonderful manner to wit by the vnion of persons Now when we say that the diuine and humaine nature of Christe are personallie knit together we vnderstand that the sonne who is God hath taken mans nature into the vnitie of his person and so God is manifested in the flesh and made man but in the person of the sonne and so as the proprieties of both natures remaine safe aswel that the saluation of men might be obtained by that meane that he had appointed as also that it might be maintained and continued for euer For saluation could not haue ben obtained vnlesse mans nature and the nature of God had bene knit together in a personall vnion First because it had not beene the bloude of the Sonne of God that was to be shed and so it had not bene a sacrifice worthie enough for the sinnes of the whole worlde Moreouer the humanitie could not haue beene able to sustaine the wrath of God neither haue abolished the sinnes that were laide vpon it vnlesse the diuinitie had ben coupled vnto it into the vnitie of the person by a most firme and altogether vnlooseable knotte both which that same man Christ by the power of his diuinitie being personally knitte vnto him hath perfourmed Acts 20. Philip. 2. Hebr. 19.14 Coloss 1. vers 14.15 And much lesse also might saluation nowe obtained be maintained vnlesse they were knit together and might so remaine for euer For euen like as it was required for the entry to that priesthoode and for the prouiding of full satisfaction that there should be the body and soule of the sonne of God in which there might be satisfaction so also that the priesthoode might be euerlasting and an euerlasting intercession be made for vs it must be that that same humane nature be properly belonging to the sonne of God which he must shewe before the face of the father in heauen in which as our sinnes are once cleansed so it might be the pledge of our reconciliation for euer Psal 110.1 and the 4. Matth. 22. vers 44. Moreouer that same man Christ could not by his vertue and power be a sauiour vnlesse also he had the diuine nature ioyned vnto him into the vnitie of person from which together as also from the father proceedeth the holy ghoste who bringeth vs into the possession of Christ engraffeth vs into Christ and begetteth vs againe into euerlasting life 1. Cor. 15. verse 21.45 Rom. 8. verse 8.9
And surely as they can not any more fall from euerlasting life whiche are truely once engraffed into Christe by the holy Ghoste so that very worde the euerlasting Sonne of God of the substance of the Father to wit that same very fountaine of life in which life was from the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 1. taken in the nature of man to endure euerlastingly must dwell bodily that is to say personally For seeing that same highe maiestie of God was moste farre separated from our wretched condition and yet notwithstanding hee had appointed for his infinite loue toward vs moste wretched castawayes through grace to ioyne his diuinitie which is the fountaine of all happines to the end it might endure for euer it was needefull that hee should also ioine our humane nature taken out of the lumpe of mankinde vnto his diuinitie by a personal vnion Col. 1. verse 9.10 Otherwise we should not haue had neerenes enough nor sufficient stedfast kinred as it were with God which might assure our faith that God doth truely dwel with vs that Christ is and euerlastingly should be Immanuel that is God with vs. Isai 7. Mat. 1. What the personal vnion is and wherefore it is that the properties of both natures must remaine whole and sound in it THe personall vnion is the knitting together of two natures in Christ to wit of the diuine and humane in which admitte that the one be and remaine the maker and without beginning and the other be and remaine created and therefore haue a beginning one be of the same substance together with the Father the other be of the same substance with vs one be almightie because it is God the other be not almightie because the creature is not the creator neither are there two almightie ones but one almightie one one be and remaine infinite but the other be not infinite but finite hauing a finite head armes feete c. Admitte I say that these natures are most diuerse and remaine euerlastingly distinguished in their properties for as much as the creator will euerlastingly remaine distinct from all creatures yea from that same lumpe which it hath taken yet notwithstanding they are so coupled together that they make one Indiuiduum to wit Christe All this may be seene by the conception in which that same personall vnion was once perfectly made neither was it euer afterwardes otherwise made Ioh. 1.3 cap. 14. Hebr. 2.16 Seeing therfore that the couenant of saluation betweene God and men is euerlasting it must needes be concluded that in the person of Christ as in the foundation these two natures are so euerlastingly vnited together that in meane season the trueth of either nature remaine for euer with their properties and that neither be swallowed vp of the other vnlesse we would haue the couenant to be weakened and plucked vp from the very foundations For euen like as for the entring into the couenant and reconciliation with God that both those natures in the mediatour must be true and sound keeping their properties so also forasmuch as the couenant conjunction must endure in all euerlastingnes that this same our true and very flesh and bones may enioye the same happines that after our resurrection Philip. 3. it behoueth also that in the foundation to wit in the mediator vpon whome the office of sauing vs is euerlastingly laide there remaine for euer the same whole humaine nature both soule and body flesh and bones For the nature of any one beeing ouerthrowen or the properties thereof denied the couenant it self falleth that is it can neither be entred into nor be preserued as before is shewed Suffred vnder Pontius Pilate Testimonies out of the Prophets Apostles whereby it is shewed that Christ must not die by tumult but must suffer vnder a iudge and that when a straunge magistrate should exercise iudgement Isai 53. HE was reckoned amongest the wicked Therfore be must not perish by tumult but must be iudged or reputed amongest the wicked Wherto also that belongeth He was woūded for our iniquities smitten for our wickednesses The chastisemēt of our peace was vpon him and in his stripes we were healed And in the same place He was taken away by iudgement Therefore he must come into iudgement With these Propheticall sayinges agreeth truely that Propheticall explication of Christ which is extant in the 18. of Luke Beholde we goe vppe to Hierusalem and all thinges shal be fulfilled that are written by the Prophetes concerning the sonne of man He shal be deliuered vp to the nations and shal be mocked and euill entreated of them And after they shall haue whipped him they shall kill him and the third day he shall rise againe And Luke the 24. To those that went to Emaus he saith O fooles and slowe of hearte to beleeue all things which the Prophets haue spoken Ought not Christ to haue suffered these thinges and to enter into his glorie And beginning from Moses and all the Prophets he interpreted in all the scripture those thinges which were concerning him Acts 4. They gathered themselues truely together against thy holy sonne Iesus whom thou anointedst Herode also and Pontius Pilate with the nations people of Israel to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and Counsel had first determined should be done Now that he must suffer when a straunge magistrate executed iudgement the which thing the very mention of Pontius Pilate sheweth these Prophesies witnesse Genes 49. The Prophesie of the Patriarch Iacob The scepter shall not depart from Iudah till Schiloh come is throughly fulfilled when the scepter was translated from Iudah and when Pilate in the name of Caesar executed iudgement And the Prophesie of Zachary in the 6. cap. that a braunch shall builde a Temple the glory wherof should become greater then the glorie of the first Tēple And then must altogether be fulfilled as Ezechiel also in the 21. Cap. the 26. ver hath plainly prophesied when the golden crownes should be taken from the heades of the Kings of Iudah But when Pilate was president the Iewes acknowledge that they haue no other king but Caesar and so they professe that the crowne was taken from the heades of the Kinges of Iudah therefore now the time was come that they should destroy the temple of the bodie of Christ and that that same branch should reedifie it againe or that he should raise it vp the 3. day The glorie of which temple namely of the body of Christ raised vp from the dead in which the Deitie dwelleth bodily doth surpasse at this day and shal doe euerlastingly the glorie of the first temple according to the prophesie of Haggai in the second Chap. Why Christe must be condemned by a iudge before the iudgement seate THou must looke vpon God him selfe the Iudge exercising iudgement by the mouth of Pilate Christe is set before the tribunal seate of GOD here in earth laden with thine and mine wickednesses ready to
receaue the sentence of the iudgement of GOD and to beare the paine of condemnation For seeing that we must haue beene set before the tribunall seate of the heauenlie iudge and there be condemned it behoued Christe for as much as he translated all our guiltinesse from vs to him selfe to be set in our person as a wicked person before the tribunall seate and to be condemned by God exercising iudgement by Pilate thinking nothing lesse Now the end of this is that all our sinnes being condemned at once of God himselfe exercising a righteous iudgement and being punished in his sonne with the greatest rigor of righteousnes wee might not be farther called into iudgement for them before Gods iudgement seate and much lesse be condemned for them The scripture teacheth vs that our mindes are to be lifted vp to God himselfe the president or Iudge of this most heauie sentence that we might haue sure consolation that wee if we beleeue in Christ are fully exēpt from the iudgement of GOD. And that thing doeth that horror of Christe declare when he crieth Let this cuppe passe from mee c. because he knewe that hee must appeare before the iudgement seate of God must drinke of that cup of condemnation for vs. Isay 5.3 God woulde by weakening him bruise him and treade him vnder To the Romans 8. For that which was impossible to the lawe inasmuch as it was weake because of the fleshe this did God sending his sonne in the similitude of sinnefull fleshe and for sinne condemned sinne in the fleshe And againe in the same place God spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all And 2. Cor. 5. Him who knewe no sinne God and made sinne for vs that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him God made Christ sinne that is to say a sacrifice for sinne Loe God made him And Act. 4 28. Why Christ by the mouth of the Iudge was condemned as an euil doer and by the same iudges mouth was pronounced innocent BOth these make for a notable confirmation of our faith For in that he is condemned and accounted amongest the wicked our heauenly father doth wittnesse vnto vs that he doth beare our person and in the same is made guiltie of the father for vs to the ende that hee taking that condemnaon vppon himselfe that laie vppon our heades hee might deliuer vs from it Againe whilest he is declared innocent by the same iudges mouth by which he was condemned the father witnesseth by the mouth of the iudge that he suffered not for his owne faults but for ours Ioh. 8. vers 21.24 For the father would not that his sonne should suffer in vaine but either for his owne or for others sinnes to witte for ours But he suffered not for his owne which were none by the testimony of the iudge him self and by the testimonie of the Prophets Psal 69 he paid that which he toke not and Esay 53. Why therefore doe wee distrust seeing Christ suffered not in his owne sinnes but in ours Crucified Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles CHrist saith in the 3. of Iohn out of the 21. of Numbers As Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernesse so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that all that beleeue in him perish not but may haue life euerlasting For so God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten sonne c. And Iohn 12. Now is the iudgement of this worlde and the Prince of this worlde shall be cast foorth And if I shall be lift vp from the earth I will drawe all vnto my selfe Nowe he spake this saith the Euangelist signifying what death he shoulde die And in the 3. of the Act. vers 18. Gala. 3. wherein that same diuine sentence is cited out of the 21. chap. of Deut. Christ hath redeemed vs from the cursse of the lawe whilest he is made the cursse for vs. For it is written Curssed is euerie one that hangeth vpon the tree that the blissing of Abraham in the nations might appeare in Iesus Christ Mark 15. They crusified also with him two theeues one at his right hande another at his left And that scripture was fulfilled which saith and he was numbred with the wicked 1. Pet. 3. out of Esay 52. hee that did no sinne neither was any guile founde in his mouth And a little after Who beare our sinnes in his owne bodie vpon the tree c. 1. Pet. 1. ver 10.11 Why Christ must rather bee crucified then suffer anie other kinde of death THe death of the crosse was accurssed of God Gal. 3. Therefore God pronounced the sentence of a curse by Pilates mouth against Christ The ende is that he might take away our cursse and the blessing promised to Abraham might come vnto vs. When God said in the law Curssed is he that hangeth vppon tree he knewe that his sonne shoulde be hanged vpon the tree Therefore Christ suffered not this kinde of punishment at aduenture or by the onely will of the Iewes but by the singular prouidence and counsaile of God Actes 2. For seeing that an execrable and curssed kinde of death was due to our wickednesses horrible offences and this same death of the crosse was accursed not onely by mens iudgement but by Gods owne sentence Deut. 21. It must needes be that Christ our pledge must vndergoe this kinde of death that by satisfieng hee might free vs from the cursse So Paul admonisheth vs that Christe had taken away our cursse that he might communicate his blessing vnto vs whilest he was hanged vppon the tree Gala. 3 Wherefore we more cleerely vnderstande by the crosse as the signe of cursse that the burden of the crusse wherewith wee were oppressed was laide vppon him which we could not vnderstande by any other kinde of death That Christ was truely and in deede made a cursse for vs neither yet for all that is there any contumely or reproch offered vnto him by vs for so saying CHrist was truely and not seignedlie made a cursse for vs as the holy ghost speaketh Gala. 3 And that verie thing the Apostle proueth by that voice of God Curssed is euery one that hangeth on tree And verilie God did not onely know what manner of death his sonne shoulde die when he spake that but also the death of the crosse which he pronounceth there accurssed was determined and decreed euen then to the son For in that consisteth all our hope in that appeareth the infinite loue of God that our God hath powred foorth truly and not feignedly all his wrath vpon Christ his sonne that he hath curssed truely and in deede without any figure that he might truely receaue vs into fauour so that indeed vnlesse Christ had also beene God he had remained in that cursse for euer whereby it passed from vs. For otherwise if the wrath of God had ben faigned then also had the obedience of the sonne beene faigned and also the hope of
Iesus hath God raised vp whereof we are all witnesses The figure of Ionah Cap. 2 is manifest and expounded of Christ himselfe Math. 12. â—9 40. Esay 53.8 He was taken out from prison and iudgement and who shall reckon his age and generation And in the 10. verse when he shall make his soule an offeringe for sinne he shall see the seede that shall prolong his daies and the will of Iehouah shall prosper in his handes There is also cited of Paul Acts 13. the 55. Chapter of Esay and the 2. Psal and the 16. to the ende hee may shewe that Christ must rise againe that he might declare himselfe to be the very sonne of God Rom. 1. and that that same couenant of God made with Dauid might be firme and euerlasting Nowe Paules sermon is on this sorte Men and brethren you sonnes of the stocke of Abraham and those amongest you that feare God to you is this worde of saluation sent For the inhabitantes of Jerusalem and their rulers because they knewe him not nor yet the wordes of the prophetes which are read euery Sabboth day they haue fulfilled them in condemning him and though they found no cause of death in him yet desired they Pilate to kill him And when they had fulfilled all thinges which were written of him they put him beeing taken downe from the tree into a sepulchre but God raised him from the dead and he was seene many daies of them which came vp with him from Galile to Hierusalem which are his witnesses vnto the people And we preach vnto you that touching the promise made vnto the fathers God hath fulfilled it vnto vs their children in that he raised vp Iesus euen as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Nowe in asmuch as he hath raised him vp from the dead and he shall no more returne into corruption he hath saide I will giue you those same firme and good things of Dauid Wherefore he saith also in an other place Thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption Howbeit Dauid after he had serued his time by the counsaile of God he slept was laide with his fathers sawe corruption but he whom God raised vp sawe no corruption Be it knowne vnto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenes of sinnes and from all things from which you could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Beware therefore least that come vpon you which is spoken of in the Prophet Daniel and other Prophetes foreshewe both that both the Messias is to be cut of and yet notwithstanding that he shall raigne for euer Therefore he must be quickened againe For abiding in death he raigneth not Daniel 7. and 9. Iohn 2. Destroy this Temple and I will raise it vp againe in three daies where also is prophesied concerning the fulfilling of that prophesie in the 2. of Aggei Iohn addeth when he was arisen from the deade his disciples remembred that he had saide this vnto them and they beleeued the scripture and the word which Iesus had spoken vnto them 1. Cor. 15. doth witnesse at large the resurrrection of Christ and the fruite of it And the Euangelistes they beare witnesse concerning the resurrection they set it out and confirme it by the testimonies of Angels Math. 28. Mark 16. Iohn 20. 21. Luk 24. The meaning of this article The third day he rose againe from the dead I Beleeue that it was impossible that that same holie Iesus the Christ and annointed of God should be holden of death which entred into the worlde for sinne onely Actes 2. aswel because he was pure in himselfe from all blot of sinne as also because he abolished our sinnes which were laide vpon him and also because the humanitie beeing personally vnited to the diuine nature or to that same substantial quickening worde and that therefore the bondes of death beeing loosed that he arose againe the thirde day by his diuine power and appeared againe to his disciples in life deuoide of al passion and mortalitie and so declared himselfe in verie deede the conquerour of our sinne and of death Matth. 28. Marke 16. Of the vse or fruite of the resurrection of Christ THe vse or fruite whereof we be partakers of the resurrection of Christ is fourefold The first is that the resurrection of Christe is a publike testimonie that by the Messias as Daniel speaketh there is brought a perfect and euerlasting righteousnes vpon all and ouer all that doe beleeue For seeing that he is deade not in his owne but in our sinnes that were laide vpon him and that out of them he is arisen againe to a life that shall neuer die hence there shineth to the mindes of all beleeuers a wonderfull light that not so much as one of all their sinnes remained vnwashed or vnsatisfied For if so be that there had remained but one of all their sinnes which none excepted Christe tooke vpon him either not thoroughly punished or imperfectly punished then could not Christ our pledge and truce-maker rise againe for asmuch as where there is but one sinne there of necessitie must death be for so hath the vnchangeable trueth and righteousnes of God decreed Rom. 6. The wages of sinne is death Neither yet doth the resurrection of Christ so make to our iustification as it is onely a publike testimonie thereof but also in a more highe consideration and that sound perfect euerie manner of waie to wit that that same raising vp of the Sonne is as I may say an actual remission from the sinnes of all them which beleeue For euen as the Father by deliuering Christ to death hath in deede condemned our sinnes in Christ Rom. 8. verse 3. so also by raising him from death he hath in the same deed absolued Christ from our sinnes and vs in Christ There is a most sure demonstration of this doctrine in the 1. Cor. 15. If Christ saith he be not risen againe in vaine is our faith ye are yet in your sinnes that is to say ye are yet guiltie before God Therefore because Christ is arisen we are not any longer in our sinnes that is we are in very deede absolued from them in this very thing that the father hath raised him from the dead that they might not be laide to our charge 2. Cor. 5.19 So also is that same place to be taken Ro. 4. For it was written not for Abraham alone for that this was imputed vnto him but also for vs to whome it shoulde come to passe that it should be imputed that is to say to them which beleue in him who hath raised vp our Lorde Iesus from the dead who was deliuered for our sinnes raised vp againe for our iustification What hath the father done by deliuering Christ to death He hath deliuered him for our sinnes he hath punished our
earnest of our inheritaunce whiles we are redeemed into libertie to the praise of his glorie Although therefore wee die yet we shall rise againe into an immortall life because both the right of life is adiudged vnto vs in the raising vp againe of the sonne and wee are ingraffed into this Christ raysed vp as branches vnto the vine both by the outwarde testimonie of the Gospell and also by the inwarde witnesse of the holy Ghost 1. Corinth 15. If Christ bee risen againe we also shall rise againe Hitherto also belongeth it that he calleth him the firste fruits of them that rise againe because the whole haruest of all the faithfull from the beginning of the worlde was sanctified vnto God by the raysing vp of that lumpe which the sonne of God had taken of vs to a blessed resurrection Hitherto also it belongeth that he is called the first begotten from amongest the dead Colossians 1. as else where it shall bee declared more largely Seeing therefore that in raysing vppe of the sonne the right of life is brought to light vnto vs and that same quickening spirite of Christ is giuen vnto vs hauing heard the Gospell that same spirit I say of faith through which not onely our soules but also our bodies are members of our head Christe therefore wee haue an vndoubted pledge in the resurrection of our heade Christe that our bodies are to bee repayred and restored to immortalitie He ascended into heauen Testimones out of the Prophetes and Apostles THE Apostle in the fourth Chapter to the Ephesians citeth a prophecie out of the 68. Psalme concerning the ascension of Christ but vnto euerie one of vs grace is giuen according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith when hee ascended vp on high he led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men And the prophecie in the hundred and tenth Psalme of the sitting of the Messias at the right hand of God comprehendeth in it a prophecie of the ascension into the heauens as it were an entrie of that glorious exaltation at the right hande of God the which thing is confirmed by the testimonie of the holy Ghost himselfe by the mouth of Peter Actes 2.34 Since then that he by the right hande of God hath ben exalted and hath receaued of his father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shedde foorth this amongest you which you see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but hee saith The Lorde saide to my LORDE sitte at my right hande vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole So also Markâ— the Euangelist in the sixteenth Chapter ioyneth the entrie with the sitting it selfe at the right hand so after the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen and sitteth at the right hande of God And Christ Iohn 14. foresheweth his ascension into heauen let not your heart be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in mee In my fathers house are many dwelling places otherwise I woulde haue tolde you I goe to prepare a place for you And seeing I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my self that where I am there you may be also The Euangelists describe a sure manifest fulfilling of these foresayinges concerning the ascension of Christ Marke in the place nowe aledged and Luke in his Euangelicall historie chapter 24. Loe I doe sende the promise of my father vppon you but tarie ye in the citie of Ierusalem vntill yee bee indued with power from on high Now he ledde them out into Bethaniah and lifting vp his handes he blessed them And it came to passe that whiles he blessed them being separate from them heâ— was carried vp into heauen and they worshipping him returned to Ierusalem with great ioye and were continually in the temple lauding and praysing God And in the first of the Actes And when he had spoken these thinges while they behelde hee was taken vp and a cloude tooke him out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towardes heauen beholde two men stoode by them in white apparell who saide Yee men of Galilie why stande yee gasing into heauen This Iesus which is taken from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen And Peter Actes 3 And nowe brethren I knowe that through ignorance ye did these thinges as also did your gouernours but those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophetes that Christe shoulde suffer he hath thus fufilled Amend your liues therefore and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and when he shall send Iesus Christ which before was preached vnto you whom the heauen must containe vntill the time that all things bee restored which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began The meaning of these wordes He ascended into heauen THE meaning is I beleeue Christe who according to his diuine nature was alwayes in the heauens Iohn 1. and 3. after that he had fulfilled the office of ambassage and by the space of fourtie dayes had instructed his disciples concerning the trueth of his resurrection in that same true bodie of his that was taken out of the substance of Marie the virgine that it hanged vppon the crosse was deade and buried that being glorified rose againe that in the selfe same body I say together with a very humaine resonable soule he ascended into the heauens where the seat is of euerlasting felicitie The scripture in the first Chapter of the Actes doeth set out the matter most liuely before our eyes And in an other place he saith the same things that CHRIST departed from his disciples and was lifted vp into heauen Luke 24. that hee went from them Iohn 14. that hee left this worlde Iohn 16. that hee was taken awaye Actes 15. from vs Luke 24. into those same holy tabernacles not made with hands Hebrewes 9. into heauen it selfe Mark 16. that he is there continually and without any interruption Hebrewes 10. that heauen must holde him vntill the time of the restoring of all thinges Act. 2. Howe Christ being absent is yet present BVT if that Christ went from vs hath left this worlde howe is that promise of Christ fulfilled Beholde I am alwayes with you vnto the ende of the worlde Matthew 28. Surely it is so fulfilled euen like as that same other word of Christ was fulfilled Verilie I say vnto you that before Abraham was I am Iohn 8. For like as hee fulfilled that by the presence not of his fleshe but of his diuinitie and yet feared not to say I admit that he vnderstoode it onely of the presence of his diuinitie so also according to his maiestie according to his prouidence according to his vnspeakeable and inuisible grace that saying was fulfilled of him Beholde I am with you alwayes euen to the ende of the
is already set foorth to wit that Christ ascended into heauen not onely that he might there enioy euerlasting felicitie as the Angels doe and all blessed men but that hee might sit at the right hand of God which farre exceedeth the dignitie of Angels and of men as he witnesseth in the Epistle to the Heb. Ca. 1.13 For vnto which of the Angels saide he at any time sit at my right hand til I make thine enimies thy footstole Nowe seeing God is not a bodily substance therefore hath neither right or left hande at which Christ should stand or sitte it is manifest that these wordes and manner of speeches are taken from men and worldly thinges by which holie thinges answering in some sorte our infirmitie might be liuely set before our eyes explaned For in verie deede men to whome they graunt or giue either equal honor or that which is nexte vnto themselues they are wont to place them at their right hand that in this verie thing they may testifie that honour 1. King 2. Psal 45. What the sitting at the right hand of God the Father is THat same sitting at the right hand of God the Father is the exaltation of Christe in his kingdome and priesthoode to wit that nowe he administreth his kingly and priestly office not as before in infirmitie and miserie but in a manifest heauenlie maiestie glory Therefore then thou doest truely beleeue in Christ his sitting at the right hand of God the father almightie when thou beleeuest that he doth entreate for thee in heauen in high glory and that he doth gouerne his kingdome with a mighty power so that he doth heare thee doth more effectually endue and defend thee with the spirite of consolation and wisedome then if he were yet in the earth and shoulde speake with thee Act. 5.31 Him hath God lifted vp with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenes of sinnes And Ephe. 1. He hath raised him vp from the dead and sette him at his right hand in the heauens farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euerie name that is named not onely in this world but in that which is to come and hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him head to the Church it selfe ouer all thinges which is his bodie euen the fulnesse of him which filleth all in all thinges Also to the Hebrues 8. verse 4. 1. Peter 3. verse 22. By these places it is plaine that the Scripture nameth the sitting at the right hand of God not that same administration of the kingdome and priesthoode which for the voluntarie abasing of Christ was weaker and more obscure but that same perfect gouernement honour and glorie of Christ which was free from all infirmities openly manifested and declared into which then the first entrance was when he arose againe from death ascended into heauen and there in an vnspeakable glorie declared himself to be Lord of al creatures in the sight of all holie Angels and men What fruite the faithfull receiue by that same sitting of Christ at the right hande of God or rather by that exaltation of Christe in his kingdome and priesthood FIrst concerning that same exaltation of Christ in the priesthood those that are in league with God doe reape from thence this consolation that they knowe that this couenant of grace by the intercession of this mediator kept and maintained euerlastingly as it appeareth Hebr. 8. verses 6. and 12. the which intercession is the shewing of him selfe before the face of the father that the efficacie and strength of that sacrifice once offered vp for all might continually be in force and this same perpetuall will of keeping it in this Mediator is agreeable with the will of the Father accepting that same sacrifice once offred vp for an euerlasting reconciliation and approuing this endeuor in the mediator of maintaining it according to the oathe Psalme 110. The Lorde hath sworne and it shall not repent him thou art a priestâ— for euer after the order of Melchizedek or that I may speake a little more largely First all the confederates doe reape this fruite in the exaltation of Christ in the priesthode that they know that the Mediator of this euerlasting couenant is entred into that same sanctuarie not made with handes the verie heauen it selfe and is exalted to the right hand of God that continuallie and without any interruption and that euery moment he may appeare an intercessour before the father for vs and so may maintein that same couenant once established for euer and may confirme it by his intercession in the heauenly throne of his Maiestie I. The testimonies of the euerlasting conseruation of this free couenant appeare in the eight to the Hebrues verse 6. But now our high priest hath obteined a more excellent ministerie in asmuch as he is the intercessor of a more notable couenant which is ratified by more excellent promises c. Also in the 7. to the Hebrues And that not without an oath for these are made priestes without an oath but this is made wtth an oath by him that saide vnto him the Lorde hath sworne and it shal not repent him thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech By so muche is Iesus made a suretie of a better Testament for among these many were made priestes by reason that death suffred them not to endure but this man because that he endureth for euer hath a perpetuall priesthod By which he is able also perfectly to saue those which come to God through him euermore liuing to make intercessioÌ„ for vs. II. Concerning the appearing of Christe in â—he sight of God for vs and the perpetuall verâ—ue of the sacrifice of Christ once offered vp it is written Hebru 9. verse 24. Christe entered in â—nto a sanctuarie not made with handes which â—s a patterne aunswering vnto the true sanctuâ—rie but into heauen it selfe that he may apâ—eare nowe in the sight of God for vs. And Heb. 10. ver 22. This man after he had offered one â—acrifice for sinnes sitteth without any interruption that 〈◊〉 for euer at the right hand of the Father III. As touching the will in the sonne of mainteining it and of the Fathers will in accepting of it the oath doth witnesse whereof God will not repent him and consequently neither will it repent the sonne of receiuing the office of being an euerlasting Sauiour Psal 110. Rom. 8. Who shal laie any thing to the charge of God his chosen It is God that iustifieth who shal condemne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God who also maketh request for vs. Out of which wordes that same constant will in the sonne of keeping vs before the sight of the Father which Paul comprehendeth in intercession is vnderstoode and which answereth vnto the will of God
contemners of so great long suffering patience and so shal drowne sathan as Pharaoh with all his armie in euerlasting destructiō but he shal bring in his confiderats fully deliuered from al tyrannie of the wicked into that same true heauenly inheritance as into the lande of promise to which Paul would haue vs to loke whē he saith as often as ye shall eat of this bread drinke of this cup ye shal shew forth the Lords death vntil his comming againe Why the comming of Christ is not so feareful vnto the faithful FIrst the cause doth cōfort the faithful for which he shal come to iudge Now the chiefe end of the cōming againe of Christ to iudgement is the glorifying of the Church that is to say that sinne and death being fully ouercome and the enemies of the kingdome being adiudged by the iust iudgemēt of Christ to euerlasting paine and so all offences and impediments remoued which did let the glory of the sons of God God might appeare without any let fully perfectly glorious in his saints Eph. 5.1 Cor. 15. Christ setteth this same cause or rather ende scope before our eyes whilest he calleth that day the day of redemption Secondly the very person of the iudge doth take frō vs al feare For euen for this cause the father hath deliuered al iudgmēt to the son as he is the sonne of man that he might make our consciences quiet take from vs all terror of condemnation Ioh. 5.22.27 Both because that now we beleeue that he shall be iudge and also because we shal behold him with our eyes in whose body our sinnes are cleansed and all the curse taken away Heb. 9.28 Tit. 2.13.14 Last of al the commandement promise of Christ doth free deliuer vs frō al feare The cōmandement is plaine in Luk. 21. Whē ye shal see these thinges come to passe be of good comfort lift vp your heades Math. 24. It shall come to passe that yee shall heare of wars and rumors of warre but see that yee he not troubled for these things must be The promise is plaine in third of Ioh. He that beleeueth in the son is not iudged or cōdēned And cap. 5.24 1. Thes 4.14.17 cap. 5 ver 9.10 Ioh. 17. ver 22.24 yea let that promise be cōsidered which is in 1. Cor. 6. doe yee not knowe that the sainctes shall iudge the worlde And a little after bee yee ignorant that it shall come to passe that wee shall iudge the Angels And surely seeing all the Articles of the faithe are deliuered for our consolation it must needes be that this article also of iudgement is deliuered not to shake but to confirme and establishe our faith Howe we ought to make our selues readie to iudgement WE must prepare our selues to the iudgement of Christ by faith and a good conscience that is to say by a faith which leaneth vppon a fast and sure foundation and by the fruites of faith which doe beare witnesse of it and with which it is exercised Nowe the foundation of faith is not our merite neither in whole nor in part but of Christ alone who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come 1. Thess 1. For no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laide alreadie to wit Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3. The which also is manifestly vnderstood by the wordes of the iudge himselfe For first he saith Come ye blessed of my heauenly father Nowe wee are not blessed by or in our selues but by Christ by whome we are both deliuered from the cursse and also adopted to be sonnes of the meere good will and free purpose of God Galat. 3. Ephesi 1.2 The iudge further addeth Possesse for an inheritance the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde If an inheritance then no merite If prepared from the beginning of the worlde then not gotten by vs which yet were not And these things concerning the foundation wherevppon our faith leaneth Nowe after that I am assured through faith that I am one of the sheepe of Christ which he hath redeemed not with golde and siluer but with his owne blood I must endeuour that I may haue those same markes where with by his spirite hee is wont to marke his sheepe to wit fruits worthie repentance which are that I feede Christ being hungrie and giue drinke vnto him being thirstie in his mēbers that I receiue Christ by hospitalitie in strangers c. But the faithfull rest not vppon these workes of thankefulnesse like as also they shall say in the iudgement Lord when saw we thee hungrie and thirstie and gaue meate drinke vnto thee But they shall onely reste vppon Christ who is made vnto them of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1. To these fruites and exercises of faith belong sobrietie calling vpon the name of God and watchfulnesse For it is a precious deceit of sathan whilest he persuadeth men that that same iudgement is yet farre off or that there is no neede euerie houre or moment to looke for it when as notwithstanding the comaundement of Christe and the doctrine of the Apostles require speciall watchfulnesse Luke 21. Matth. 24. verse 44.45 1. Thessa 4. vers 15.17 and chapter 5. verse 1.2 1. Pet. 3. Besides these the looking for iudgement doeth admonish the faithful that aboue all thinges they take heede vnto themselues least they defile their bodies or their soules with the idolatrie of Antichrist or with the like that they vnderprop their mindes with patience concerning which matter there are extant graue admonitions Mat. 24. ver 24.25 Apo. 14. ver 7.7.11.12 chap. 18. ver 4. To conclude wee must keepe a good conscience in al things euen vntil the Lord shal come who shall make manifest the secretes of darkenes shal lay open the coūsels of the hart 1. Cor. 4.5 So Paul saith Act. 24. In this therefore I exercise my selfe that alwayes I may haue a conscience without offence before God and men THE THIRDE part of the Creede I beleeue in the holy Ghost Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles Ioel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterward I will power out my spirit vpon all flesh your sonnes your daughters shal prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shal see visions yea and vppon the seruants and maidens in those days I will powre out my spirit and I will shewe wonders in the heauen in the earth blood fire pillers of smoke the sonne it selfe shal be turned into darkenes the moone into blood before the great terrible day of the Lord come And further it shal come to passe that whosoeuer shall cal vpon the name of Iehovah shall be saued for in Mount Syon and Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lorde hath saide and in the remnant whome the Lorde shall call Actes 2.16.17 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet
vnto it and by no meanes separate them selues from that cōmunion The Church also is bound to receiue them and to the vttermost of her power with a cheerefull minde to communicate those meanes which are committed vnto her such as all bodily and spiritual helpes are to the common saluatiō And as touching that same inward vnion or fellowship it hath as it were these degrees First all the electe haue the same right of the children of God that is common to all and so the same Father in heauen Rom. 8. Secondly all the elect are endued with the same faith whereby euen from the beginning they were engraffed into the sonne of God and yet are engraffed which is a forcible and an effectuall calling Thirdly the same fauour of iustification in Christ is common to all vnder the olde newe Testament Fourthly glorification is also common to the whole bodie so that the inhabitation of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost was alwaies the same vnder either testament to which scope and end al the gifts of the holie Ghost tend bestowed for the common building vp of the whole bodie that at length the glorie of the king may fully shine in the whole bodie I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles IEremie 31. I will haue mercie vpon their iniquities and I will not remember their sinnes any more Chapter 33. also Psal 103. O my soule blesse thou Iehouah and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thine iniquities who healeth all thine infirmities And a little after He hath not dealt with vs according to our sinnes neither hath he rewarded vs according to our iniquities For as the heauens are high aboue the earth so hath his mercie preuailed towardes those that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he put our offenses from vs. And 1. Iohn 1. The bloud of his Sonne Iesus Christ hath purged vs from all our sinne The benefites which Christ communicateth vnto his Church by the vertue of the holie Ghost are set out a little more fully in these last articles Nowe his benefites are to be considered two manner of waies First in respect of the possession which we haue in this life and in which we stande Moreouer in respect of the full enioying and perfection of them which vndoubtedly we shal be partakers of in the life to come I vnderstand the possession of the benefits of Christ which we nowe haue in this life thus that euen like as there is no saluation without the Church which is the bodie of Christ so also all they which are his true and liuely mēbers now haue do vndoutedly possesse true happines all which we comprehend in the Creed vnder the forgiuenesse of sinnes as the Apostle proueth Rom. 4 out of the 32. Psalme Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered The meaning of this Article I Beleeue that whatsoeuer is sinne and so called whether it be originall or by birth as transgression in the loines of Adam the corruption that folowed of it which I beare about in my flesh or whether it be actuall sinne as thoughtes wordes and wicked deedes which spring from thence I beleeue I say that all that through faith whereby I am engraffed and dwell in Christ in the free and vndeserued goodnesse of God is freely forgiuen me and so freely that all memorie aswell of the fault as of the punishment like as if I had neuer sinned or had no sinne is taken away from before God and therefore I trust that I am now already blessed Nowe for asmuch as nothing is more harde then to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes goe to let vs see what are the causes of this certaintie concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes The chiefe and principall cause is because the couenant and oath of God which conteineth this article in it is confirmed by the death of the testator himselfe which is Iehouah that God will not be any longer mindefull of our sinnes of the testator I say euen of God himselfe which had made that couenant Nowe what can be a greater confirmation of this couenant and testament then when that personall worde who is the true and euerlasting God vouchsafeth to confirme by his death which he took vpon him in the flesh the same thing that he promised Now it is plaine out of the 31. Chapter of Ieremy that it is Iehouah himself that maketh that testament or couenant And in the eight Chapter of Hebrues verses 15.16 and againe in the 9. it is plainely taught that it is the same Iehouah which by his death hath confirmed the same testament Where there is a Testament saith he there must be the death of him that made the Testament In which place he also saith that the same Christ which died was the maker of that same Testament promised in Ieremie Also Act. 20. Now what may be said or thought greater in heauen or in earth then that this article I beleeue forgiuenesse of sinnes should be confirmed by the death of God himselfe That sinne is forgiuen not that it should not be but that it should not be laide to our charge BVt whether may we say that our sinnes are so forgiuen that no remnants therof remain in vs No in no case for although sinnes be in vs and shal be euen vntill our death yet notwithstanding we beleeue that they shall not bee laide to our charge but for the merite of Christ shal be forgiuen vs. And therefore Saint Paul with the Prophet pronounceth not them blessed in whome there are no sinnes but whose sinnes are couered The whole matter tendeth to this that we vndoubtedly beleeue that the Church which is the mysticall bodie of Christ and euerie member of it doth possesse in this life not an vncertaine and temporall but a firme and an euerlasting forgiuenesse not of one or another sinne but of all sinnes with which they must struggle which haue ioyned with it an incredible peace and quietnes of conscience and therefore happines it selfe For this is the meaning of the Prophet when he saith that nowe God doth crowne vs with mercie compassion And Iohn 5. He that beleeueth in me hath passed from death to life But God forbid that we should take occasion hereof to sinne because we beleeue that our sinne is forgiuē vs. For as many as are truly engraffed into Christ through true faith besides that benefite of forgiuenes with which the image of Sathan is couered we begin to possesse therwithal another to wit the restoring of the image of God which consisteth in the mortification of the old man and quickening of the spirit Rom. 6. Now both these benefites are freely giuen vs of the father for Christ into whom whilest he doth engraft vs by his holy spirit first he couereth our sinnes by the imputation of the perfect obedience and satisfaction of Christ then he doth further begin