which respects the Spirit was neuer communicated vnto any but to Iesus Christ alonely Thus we vnderstand how Iesus was annointed which vnction is not here first made as if before this hee had not beene endewed with the holy Ghost for wee beleeue that he was conceiued of the holy Ghost but here is the first declaration and publike manifestation to the world by a visible signe of the fulnesse of grace communicated to him for the doing of this great worke whereunto he is now ordained and this is done partly for the confirmation of Iohn who albeit hee knew that Christ was come yet he knew not who hee was till by this token giuen of God Christ was pointed out vnto him for so hee witnesses himselfe And I knew him not but he that sent mee to baptise with water said vnto mee vpon whom thou shalt see the spirit come downe and tarry still on him that is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost and partly also for instruction of the people that by this signes seene of them all they might know who hee was whom shortly after the audible voice from heauen proclaimed to be the Sonne of God And that the holy Ghost discends vpon him at this time in the similitude of a Doue and not in the similitude of fire as thereafter he descended vpon the Apostles it is to declare vnto vs both what he is in himselfe as also what sort of creatures true Christians are made by his grace As for himselfe he is a meeke Sauiour not terrible to penitent sinners but louing and comfortable ye shall finde that of all those who in the Gospell came to seeke mercy and grace from him neuer one was reiected but all of them louingly receiued and sent away with a comfortable answere for it was prophesied of him that hee should not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe and no maruell that hee was kinde to his owne for he was meeke toward his very enemies He prayed for them on the crosse when they were persecuting him to the death and when his Disciples vvould haue had him bring fire from heauen to burne the Samaritans because they held him at the Ports of their citie he gaue them this answere yee know not of what spirit yee are the Sonne of man is not come to destroy but to saue The Law was giuen with fire and thunder with tempest blacknes and darknes in so terrible a manner that Moses himselfe did quake for feare but Iesus the Mediatour of the new Testament when he comes to proclaime the Gospell a doctrine of the ioyfull tidings of mans saluation hee comes not in a terrible manner Neither to accuse nor conuict of sinne nor to trouble and torment the conscience for sinne for that is the operation of the Law but as the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world hee cryes peace to the conscience within of euery poore penitent sinner that beleeues in him he is such a Physitian as being himselfe annointed of the Lord he cures his patients not by burning or cutting or by any such hard medicine but onely by annointing them then the which no gentler kinde cure can be Whatsoeuer bitternes was in that potion that heales the deadly disease of sin he dranke it himselfe and wonderfull it is the Phisitian drinkes the potion and the Patient is healed And therefore let not penitent and beleeuing sinners feare to goe neere him And as he is in himselfe such makes he those who are his hee endues them with the properties of the Doue he learnes them simplicitie lowlinesse and meekenes As the elect of God they put on tender mercie kindnes humblenes of minde meekenes and long suffering but where there is yet bitternes anger wrath euill speaking and maliciousnes by which after the manner of rauening birds men deuoure one another it is an euident argument that such were neuer as yet renued by by the grace of Christ Iesus And there was a voice from heauen saying Thou art my beloued Sonne in thee I am well pleased THe third way by vvhich the Father beareth witnes vnto Christ is by an audible voice from heauen where wee haue to consider not onely the testimonie it selfe but the circumstances that goe before it as namely vvho giues the testimonie God the Father in vvhat manner it is giuen by an audible voice and from what place from heauen As for the first the author of this testimonie may be collected out of the words to be God the Father the Sonne comes to make the Father known vnto the world for no man knowes the Father but the Sonne No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him and the Father againe makes the Son knowne vnto the world by the holy Ghost for euen Iohn Baptist though the greatest Prophet among the children of women knew not this Sonne of God till the Father as we said pointed him out vnto him Here then for our further comfort wee haue to consider how the three persons of the blessed Trinitie concurre together to worke the great worke of our redemption for here is the father designing ordaining proclaiming here is the Sonne accepting and the holy Ghost annointing these three wrought coniunctly the worke of our first creation in the beginning of Genesis mention suppose obscure is made of them by a name Plurall Elohim expressing the Trinitie of persons and a verbe singular Bara expressing the vnitie of their Nature and coniunct operation But here a more cleare and distinct mention is made of the three persons yet all working one worke and that for our comfort that we considering who it is hath taken in hand to worke the worke of our saluation should neither be discouraged for the power and malice of our spiritual aduersarie that withstands it neither yet for our owne manifold wants and infirmities for that grace which Iesus hath receiued is not for himselfe but for vs that as saith the Euangelist of his fulnesse we might all receiue grace for grace which was figured in that ointment poured on the head of Aaron it rested not there but went downe to the borders of his garments euen so the grace communicated to Christ flowes from him to the smallest member of his mysticall body in such measure as shall be sufficient to prepare and perfect them vnto eternall life The next circumstance containes the manner by which this testimonie is giuen to wit by an audible voice such as all the people there present might heare vnderstand How this voice was sounded is needlesse for vs to enquire the Lord who made the tongue can speake without the tongue and frame Organes of voice at his pleasure by which he can proclaime his will euen to the eares of men who without a voice cannot heare
which hee is seeking euen such should be the disposition of a Christian so earnestly desiring mercy and grace from God that till hee finde it no other thing be in his minde to distract him from seeking it And vnto this continuance and feruencie in prayer it should greatly encourage vs that now we see after our Sauiours prayer the heauens are opened shewing vs the great vertue of prayer if wee pray in his name if we send it vp like incense perfumed with his merit flowing from faith in him it opens heauen vnto vs brings vs backe a fauourable answere Oratio iusti clauis est coeli ascendit precatio descendit dei miseratio VVhen our Sauiour prayed on Mount Tabor then was he transfigurated and his countenance changed when Peter prayed in the top or platforme of Simon the Tanners house in Ioppe then did he receiue in a trance the heauenly vision when Daniel prayed then the Angell appeared to him when the Disciples prayed then the holy Ghost descended vpon them such is the vertue of prayer that by it not onely doe the heauens open vnto men and out of their treasure send downe necessarie blessings and consolations to them but men are also transported and carried vp into heauen and so begin to practise the first degree of their ascension with Christ for as by newnesse of life they rise with Christ partakers of the first resurrection so by prayer they ascend with Christ partakers of the first ascension which is vnto them an vndoubted pledge of the ascension both of their soules and bodies hereafter For if while they are in the bodie they get accesse to the throne of grace many a time and finde heauen opened vnto them how much more when they are separate from the bodie shall they finde the same And therefore let vs take great delight in this heauenly and most profitable exercise of Prayer That the heauens were opened HItherto wee haue heard the first point of Christ his consecration to the office of the Mediator Wherein wee haue seene how by receiuing the Sacrament of baptisme he did willingly take our debt vpon him and binde himselfe to make satisfaction to his fathers iustice for it Now followes the second how the Father not onely accepts the Sonne becomming debtor for vs but also ordaines him to doe the worke of a Redeemer vnto vs and to this same effect annoints him and publikely proclaimes and declares him in this great assembly at Iordaine to be that only high Priest and peace-maker by whom attonement is made betweene God and Man Let vs ioyne these grounds of comfort togither and we shall see what a strong fortresse of faith they make vp vnto vs. Since the Father hath giuen vs Christ for a Redeemer Since the Sonne hath voluntarily aboliged himselfe to doe the worke of our Redemption Since the holie Ghost hath annointed him to this same effect may wee not now say GOD is with vs who can be against vs Let Sathan calumniate let infidelitie call in question we see whom we haue beleeued Our saluation is more sure then that the powers of hell are able to disanull it But here wee haue to consider how by three sundry strong testimonies God the father witnesseth the willing acceptation of his Son to this great office of the Messiah which now is committed vnto him First by the opening of the heauens Secondly by the sending downe of the holy Ghost in a visible shape vpon him Thirdly by an audible voice from heauen proclaiming him to be that beloued Sonne of God in whom the Father is well pleased The first then is the opening of the heauens by which visible signe is plainely declared that Iesus Christ is hee by whom man hath accesse to the Throne of grace the first Adam for his transgression was cast out of earthly paradice but by the humble obedience of the second Adam the heauens are opened vnto vs we are aduanced to an estate as far exceeding Adams best estate in paradise as the second Adam is more excellent then the first what was figured by the Ladder of Iacob is now performed by Iesus for by him things which are in heauen and in earth are now gathered togither into one by him Angels come down and doe seruice vnto men by him men goe vp to the Father to worship him Whereof God willing we shal speake more at large hereafter And the holy Ghost came down in a bodily shape like a Doue vpon him THe second way wherby the Father beares witnesse vnto him is as you see by sending down the holy Ghost vpon him in the similitude of a Doue vvhereby his vnction which in it selfe is spirituall and could not be perceiued was represented notified vnto al the people for he was not annointed vvith any materiall oyle but with the oyle of gladnes according to that Prophesie The spirit of the Lord is vpon mee therefore hath the Lord annointed me he hath sent me to preach good tidings vnto the poore c. Where for remouing of all doubts that may here arise we must vnderstand that Christs vnction hath in it these two things the first is a separating and designing of him to the worke of a Mediator this part extends to the whole person of Christ Iesus God and Man Now in this action of designation albeit the three persons of the blessed Trinitie concurre and so Iesus be both the designer and the person designed yet because the father is first in order this action is ascribed to him for him hath the father sealed The other part of this vnction is the communicating of the graces of the Spirit vnto him and this is extended onely to his humane nature so that albeit it be true that our Sauiour was annointed in both his Natures because he is our Mediator not in any one of them but in both yet we must remember the difference that his annointing in respect of the diuine Nature imports onely the separating and designing of the second Person of the Trinitie to worke the vvorke of mans Redemption Illius enim opus erat nos restituere qui ab initio cum nâ—n essemus nos condidit Nec poterat alius renouare in nobis abolitam dei imaginem nisi patris imago For it was his worke to restore and redeeme vs vvho from the beginning created vs when wee were not and had no being Neither could any other restore the image of God blotted out in vs but the image of the Father that is to say his Sonne Christ. But his annointing in respect of his humane Nature imports also the communication of the graces of the holy Spirit vnto him not in measure as his brethren receiues them but aboue all measure for in number he had all graces of the spirit he wanted none and next he had euery one of them in the full degree in
defection yea in most dangerous places euen there where Sathan hath his throne for this is no small argument of true religion deepely rooted in your heart that hauing trauelled through Italy Rome and other parts of the Popes Dominions heard and seene all those allurements which carrieth away instable minded men not rooted nor grounded in Christ after the loue of that richly busked Babilonish Whoore your Lordship hath returned home vnspotted neither burnt with their fire nor blacked with their smoake not vnlike those three children who came forth out of Nabuchadnezzars fire and had not so much as a smell thereof on their garments This Pietie euen in the iudgement of them who had no more but Natures light was esteemed the highest matter of a mans praise maiorem virtutem religione pietate in Deum nullam in humano genere inueniri quisque sibi persuadeat The reason hereof is giuen by Diuines illuminate with the light of the word to be this that by Pietie and holinesse of life we ascend ad primarium illud bonum vnde originem traximus and therefore the same father speaking in the praise of Cyprian affirmes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And indeede since we are the generation of God made to his image what greater glory can man haue then to conserue that image and be like vnto him to whose similitude hee was made Vna itaque nobilitas imitatio dei Goe on therfore right Noble Lord follow the course which yee haue happily begunne shew your selfe the kindely sonne of so worthy Fathers aboue all the Sonne of God by the new generation his worke-manship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes Keepe in minde that warning of our Lord Much will be required of him to whom much is giuen as the double portion obliged the first borne to the greater seruice otherwaies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In all your waies looke vp to the Lord hee it is that exalts them of lowe degree and puts downe the mighty from their seates turning their glory into shame who vse not their glory to honour him Pittifull proofes whereof wee haue in this fearefull earthquake as I may call it going through this countrey by which many Castles Houses and Lands spewes out their inhabitants shaking off the yoke of their ancient Lords and rendring themselues to be possessed of their seruants because they haue also cast off the yoke of the Lord their God or at least not welcommed his grace offred in the Gospell as it became them The consideration whereof I doubt not doth affect your Lordship as it doth others who are become wise through the feare of God and learnes by the losse of others to gather their thoughts and make peace with him whose praise it is that he buildes houses to men and vpholds them for by him enterprises are established And herewithall remember Right Noble Lord that as trees on tops of hils are subiect to the blast of euery winde so men in the height of honour to great temptations against which they haue neede to be armed But least I seeme Monere memorem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more laborious then neede requires I end Humbly praying your Lordship to accept these small and scarse-ripe fruit of my labours as a testimony of my affection to your Honour till it may please God some better token come into my hand whereby to declare it Your Lordships to command M. WILLIAM COVVPER Minister of Perth The Preface IT may iustly be spoken of many in this age which the Apostle Saint Paul spake of the Hebrewes When as concerning the time yee ought to be teachers of others yee haue neede againe that wee teach you the first principles of the word of God and are become such as haue neede of Milke and not of strong meate they professe faith in Christ but in truth doe not beleeue in him neither yet can they because they know him not they are baptised in his name but are not bureid with him through Baptisme neither raised vp together through the faith of the operation of God that raised him from the dead they carrie his cognisance and badge but are not militant vnder him in his warrefare As the Athenians sacrificed Ignoto Deo to a strange God and the Samaritans worshipped that which they knew not so our Atheists profitentur ignotum Christum professe a strange Christ they know not what he is in himselfe nor how hee is become ours nor what hee hath done for vs and therefore neither in life nor death doe they expresse his vertue They liue licentiously reprobate vnto euery good worke dishonouring Christ as if hee were a Sauiour who had no power to sanctifie those which are in him and they dye without comfort as if Christ by death had not obtained life and by death did not transport to life all that are in him thus while they professe fellowship with him they declare themselues to be strangers from him It is witnessed by the Lord in Ezechiel the same soule that sinneth shall die the sonne shall not beare the inquitie of the father neither shall the father beare the iniquitie of the sonne but the righteousnesse of the righteous shal be vpon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shal be vpon himselfe If according to this testimonie of the word it be demanded of them seeing Christ is holy and righteous and wee are the sinners how is it that hee is punished and wee are spared This is but one of the least of Sathans assaults by which he impugnes the faith of men and yet if they be required to answere it they shall soone bewray themselues to be voide of knowledge and solide faith confident onely in a naked profession which will not faile in the end to beguile them For as an house faultie in the foundation cannot abide the stormy windes and raine no more can a Christian not informed with knowledge not rooted grounded and builded in Christ Iesus by faith endure in the houre of tentation That therefore the doctrine of Christianitie may be learned by such as knowes it not from the very foundation we haue here proposed three most necessary points to be entreated The first is Christs Genealogie the second his Baptisme the third his Tentation In the first wee are taught what manner of man our Lord is in himselfe In the second what manner of way he is become ours In the third what manner of way he did begin to worke the worke of our Redemption all most necessary to be knowne for the right grounding of our Faith on him In his Genealogie wee see how Iesus the sonne of Mary is that same blessed seede of the woman whom the Lord promised in Paradise to whom the Prophets of all times pointed and for whom the godly fathers of all ages waited and expected lineally desended from Adam by seauentie and foure fathers In his Baptisme wee see how he was consecrated
and ordained in most solemne manner to doe the office of the Mesias that is of an anointed King Preist and Prophet for our Saluation so that he is now no more a priuate man but a publike by most sure authoritie and in most solemne manner become our head and redeemer And in his temtation we see how immediately after his ordination he encounters with Sathan in a singular combat ouercomming him in the wildernesse who before had ouercome our parents in paradise and so by his first deed after his consecration makes it manifest that he was come to destroy the workes of the Diuell If these three be ioyned together in one wee shall finde them making vp vnto vs a compleat doctrine of Christian consolation The Lord Iesus in regard of his diuine nature is called by the Prophet Zachary Gnamith Iehoua that is the fellow and companion of Iehoua or as Saint Paul expounds it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equall with God In regard againe of his humaine nature Iob calleth him Goel my kinsman In regard of his vnited natures he is called by Esay Emanuel God with vs. Now we know that by the law he who was neerest kinsman had power to reuenge the blood of his brother vpon the Murtherer if hee had found him without a Citie of refuge and therefore was he stiled by the name of an auenger and likewise hee had power to redeeme the inheritance which his brother through pouertie had lost for the word Gaal from which Goel commeth hath in it these two principall significations to redeeme and to reuenge So that heere wee see how the Lord Iesus being neerest of kinne vnto vs as wee may see out of his Genealogie being likewise clad with the power of a redeemer and reuenger as wee shall learne out of his Baptisme commeth immediately after his entrie to the publicke Office of the Messias vpon Sathan that murtherer and finding him out of a Citie of refuge enters into combat with him to reuenge the blood of his Brethren and to redeeme the inheritance which they had foolishly sould for nothing yea moreouer he doth that which no tipicall Goel vnder the Law was able to doe for not onely doth hee ouerthrow the murtherer but restoreth life againe to his brethren that were slaine and murthred by him Yours in the Lord William Cowper THE GENEALOGIE OF CHRIST Declaring how Iehoua becomes Gnimanuel GOD with vs. MATTHEVV 1. 23. Beholde a Virgin shall be with Childe and shall beare a Sonne and they shall call his name Emmanuel which is by interpretation GOD with vs. THE FIRST TREATISE declaring Christ his Genealogie THe Genealogie of IESVS CHRIST our LORD is written for this end that wee might know him and beleeue that Iesus the sonne of Mary is the Christ the sonne of God that blessed seede of the Woman promised to Adam that should breake the Serpents head that seede of Abraham in whom all nations were to be blessed for whom the godly looked in all ages the same is he whom in the fulnesse of time GOD hath exhibited vnto vs a branch of righteousnesse a pllant of renowne sprung of Iuda his tribe according to the flesh Herein haue wee neede to be confirmed that wee wander not in vncertainties but our faith may be stablished and grounded aright in him There are foure which haue written vnto vs the holy Gospell not at one time nor at one place nor yet aduising one with another for so it might haue beene thought there had beene some collusion among them but in that they wrot in seuerall places and times and yet doe speake all as it were with one mouth no difference at all being among them in these Articles that concerne the substance of saluation to wit the Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord it is out of all doubt as Chrisostome calles it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a very great demonstration of the verity Of these foure there are two onely that records his Genealogie vnto vs Saint Mathew and Saint Luke and these write of it diuerso modo sed non aduerso diuersly but not contrarily and the diuersitie being well considered shal be found to make vp the greater harmony as shall appeare in the particular handling thereof For Saint Mathew reckons from the Fathers downeward to the children but Saint Luke reckons from the Children vpward to the Fathers the one lets vs see how both they and wee come from God by his eternall Word Christ Iesus the other how by that same Word incarnate wee assend and returne to God againe We are of him by Christ Creator as his creatures or sonnes by our first creation we goe to him by Christ Redeemer as his new creatures or his sonnes by regeneration the first of these is common to all men the second proper to those onely who are of Christs spirituall kindred and the praise of this communion betweene God and man is to be reserued to CHRIST Iesus onely for it is no lesse absurditie to say that wee can goe to GOD the Father by any other then Christ then if it should be said also that wee came of God the Father by another then Christ. But now for orders sake wee will diuide the whole Genealogie into fiue sections reckoning as Saint Mathew doth from the Fathers to the Children for the better help of our memories the first is from Adam to Noah the second from Noah to Abraham the third from Abraham to Dauid the fourth from Dauid to Zorobabel the fifth from Zorobabel vnto Iesus Christ. In the first and second from Adam to Abraham Saint Luke runnes him alone In the third from Abraham to Dauid Saint Mathew and Luke runne together In the fourth from Dauid to Zorobabel they take different courses for where Saint Mathew goes downe from Dauid by Salomon Saint Luke followes the line from Dauid by Nathan and both of them meets in Salathiel where going on two steps together they part againe and the one takes his course from Zorobabel by Rhesa to Mary the other from Zorobabel by Abiud to Ioseph and in the end both of them meetes againe in Christ Iesus the reason of which diuersitie will appeare God willing in handling the seuerall sections thereof The first then is from Adam to Noah contayning ten Fathers Adam Seth Enosh Kenan Mahalaleel Iared Henoch Methusalem Lamech Noah Here as I said Saint Luke reckons him alone where Saint Mathew goes no higher then Abraham the reason of this diuersitie is that Saint Mathew in writing had a special respect to moue the Iewes to embrace the Gospell and therefore beginnes it in a manner most plausible to them The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham because it was then most commonly in the mouthes of all men that the Mesiah should be the sonne of Dauid But Saint Luke
being as testifies Eusebius by birth a Gentile borne in Antiochia learned in medicine and now a proselite conuerted himselfe hee writes his Gospell to conuert others wherein especially for the comfort of beleeuing Gentiles hee drawes the line of Christ by twentie degrees higher then doth Saint Mathew the one teaching vs to seeke the SAVIOVR of the world in the linage of Abraham and DAVID the other againe teaching how all beleeuing people hath their interest in Christ not they who are of Abrahams posteritie onely but they who are of Adams also In this section wee marke no particular but this one that the first father of Christ according to the flesh reckoned in this Genealogie Adam is called the sonne of God to wit both by creation and regeneration for in it wee haue manifold comforts discouered vnto vs if wee conioyne the end of this Genealogie with the beginning For in the beginning thereof wee see that the first Adam is the sonne of God and the same by diuine dispensation the the first father of Christ according to the flesh and so as Euthymius said of Dauid he is et deifilius pater dei In the end of it againe wee see how Christ the son of God doth also become the sonne of man A marueilous dispensation that man made by God should become a father to Christ who being very GOD would also be made the sonne of man that by him men might be made the sonnes of GOD. See what a binding corner-stone the Lord Iesus is knitting together not man with man onely Gentiles with Iewes but man with God also and that not by a personall vnion onely which hee hath perfected in himselfe but by a spirituall vnion also by which he vnites all the members of his misticall body in a blessed peace and fellowship with God and this hath hee now begun and shall perfect in the end O what a comfort is heere that Gnamith Iehoua the fellow or companion of Iehoua for so the father stiles his sonne Christ Iesus should now become Emanuel God with vs yea as Iob calles him Goel our kinsman neerest to vs of flesh and blood clad with power and might from God to reuenge our blood to redeeme our life to restore our lost inheritance Where shall we finde such ioyfull tydings as these are We read that vnder the Law the Lord came downe to Mount Sinai and Moses went vp a great fauour indeed that the Maiestie of God should come downe to visite his owne creature and should honour man by keeping dyet to speake with him in so homely a manner But vnder the GOSPELL in a more fauourable manner the Lord shews himselfe familiar with men for not onely doe his holy Angels ioyne in company with shepheards but himselfe becomes the sonne of man walking among men to mak men the sonnes of God Let vs meditate vpon this mercy that howsoeuer wee be not able to conceiue the greatnesse thereof yet at least wee may grow in thankfulnesse to our God for it he came to seeke vs hee found vs imprisoned bound with the fetters of our sinnes hee hath loosed our bands gone vp againe before vs and bidden vs follow him worthy are wee of double shame and confusion and that our second woe should be worse then our first if wee will not arise to make hast and follow him The sinnes done against the Law may be cured by the grace of the Gospell but if the grace offered in the Gospel be despised remaines there any other sacrifice for sinne None at all but a fearfull looking for of iudgement and violent fire Beside this we are here confirmed in two other notable points of Christian religion the one is of Christs marueilous Incarnation by which hee became the sonne of man the other is of our supernaturall Adoption whereby wee become the sonnes of God Wee beleeue that our first father Adam was a very naturall man yet neither gotten of a man nor borne of a woman but formed immediatly by the hand of God and that of the earth being as yet a virgin so to call it with Ireneus for neither had the Lord rayned vpon it neither had the hand of man tilled or laboured it as likewise wee beleeue that Euah was a naturall woman yet neither begotten by a man nor borne of a woman but formed of Adams rib immediately by God Why then will we doubt that Christ was made a very naturall man yet not begotten by man but formed of Dauids seede in the virgins wombe by the immediate operation of the holy Ghost Indeed if the first Adam had beene begotten of the seede of man it might probably haue beene thought that the second Adam was begotten of Ioseph but seeing the first Adam was formed of the earth by the hand of God immediately it was also conuenient that the second Adam who was to bring home man againe to GOD should be made man by the hand of God without the operation of man that so the second Adam might haue with the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same similitude and likenesse of generation The other point wherein here wee are confirmed is of our owne supernaturall Adoption wee see that the sonne of God is become the sonne of man the sonne of Dauid of Abraham of Adam and why then will wee not saith Chrisostome be strengthned in the faith to giue glory to God by beleeuing that the sonnes of Adam and Abraham following the Adoption shall also be made the sonnes of God surely in mans iudgement it seemes more impossible that God should become Man should walke on earth in the shape of a Seruant and suffer the ignominious death of the Crosse then that man should be exalted vnto heauen and crowned with glory yet the first of these we see done and wee beleeue it why then shall wee any more doubt of the second especially seeing it was not in vaine and for nothing that the God fo glory humbled himselfe vnto so base an estate No no but that from our basenesse he might raise vs vp into his glory The second section of this Genealogie is from Noah to Abraham by other tenne Fathers Sem Arphaxad Sale Heber Peleg Regu Sarug Nahor Terah and Abraham In this wee obserue no thing but that of Noah his three sonnes Iaphet Sem and Cham from whom all mankind are descended the Lord makes choise of the second Sem to be the father of Christ according to the flesh and where Sem also had many sonnes hee passes by them all and makes choise of Arphaxad and so contracting his promises into narrower bounds he makes vp the couenant with the Hebrews and is content to be named the God of Sem which is the first time that euer we read God to haue beene called the God of one man more then of another Where least of our weaknesse
wee should faint and be discouraged when we heare that Iaphet our father of whom wee are descended is not in the line of Christs parents let vs remenber that promise which God made to Iaphet and his posteritie at the same time that he entred into couenant with the house of Sem and wee shal be comforted for then the Lord promised that hee should perswade Iaphet to dwell in the tents of Sem that is in most louing manner he should allure the posteritie of Iaphet to embrace the couenant made with the house of Sem like as at this day praised be God he hath performed For now partly obstinacie is come to Israel till the fulnesse of the gentiles come in Sixteene hundreth yeares did the Lord dwell in the house of Sem and now other 1600 yeares hath he dwelt in the house of Iaphet going through the seuerall families thereof among whom hee hath also visited vs in these ends of the earth his holy Name againe be blessed therefore for euer for now wee see that vnto vs no lesse then to them appertaineth the promises of Mercie and couenant of Grace And therefore though our parents be not among the progenitors of Christ according to the flesh for that is the priuiledge of our elder brethren the Iewes that theirs are the fathers of whom Christ is come according to the flesh yet let vs endeuour to make sure this comfort to our selues that we are come of him according to the spirit grace of regeneration When that woman in the gospell cried out after our Lord Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the papps which gaue thee sucke she receiued this answere from him yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And when againe one told him behold thy Mother and thy Brethren stand without desiring to speake with thee he answered who is my Mother and who are my Brethren he stretched out his hand toward his Disciples and said behold my Mother and my Brethren Now it is knowne that many of his Disciples were not his kinsmen according to the flesh but to remoue all scruple and to shew how much hee esteemes of the spirituall kindred he subioynes For who soeuer shall doe my fathers will who is in heauen the same is my Brother and Sister and Mother It is true indeede all Christs progenitors were blessed being honoured by him and endued with faith by his grace teaching by the way all children to communicate the best things they haue vnto their parents yet is it true of them all which Beda cited by the Rhemists themselues said of the Virgin Mary She was blessed indeede in that she was the tempor all meane and minister of the Incarnation but much more blessed in that she continued the perpetuall keeper of his word that is blessed indeede in that she was the mother of our Lord and conceaued him in her wombe but much more blessed for conceauing him in her heart by faith Then our instruction is that though neither our names nor our Fathers be in the catalogue of Christs progenitors yet if we be in the roll of his children and brethren wee shall haue comfort sufficient though hee be not come of vs according to the flesh if wee be come from him according to the spirit as his sonnes and daughters by regeneration wee shal be blessed in him euen as they were The third section containes the roll of Fathers from Abraham to Dauid fourteene in number Abraham Isaac Iacob Iuda Phares Esrom Aram Aminadab Naasson Salmon Booz Obed Iese and Dauid Where first it comes to be considered how is mention made that Iacob begat Iuda and his brethren more then that Abraham begat Isaac and his brethren or that Isaac begat Iacob and his brother the reason is that all the sonnes of Abraham did not belong to the couenant howsoeuer circumcised neither did the Lord choose their posterities to be his Church and peculiar people as hee did choose the sonnes of Iacob and their children for vnto them all pertained the Adoption and the Glory and the Couenants and the giuing of the Law and the seruice of God and promises What a dispensation is this all the sonnes of Iacob are pertakers of the externall Adoption not so the sonnes of Abraham But so it is the calling of the Lord is freely he is debtor to none and therefore they to whom his calling is come should so much the more acknowledge themselues obliged to his mercy as this day wee are bound to doe considering that he hath passed by so many of the sonnes of Adam so many of the families of Iaphet more famous and honourable then wee are and hath beene pleased to make his couenant with vs but let vs be wise euer remembring that there are many within the couenant externally Adopted who doe not for all that belong to the election of grace and therefore giuing thankes to God for the one that wee are in the couenant and haue receiued the seales thereof let vs prease further to be pertaker of the other that is the grace of the Couenant Next it is to be considered heere why in this Genealogie Thamar Rahab and Bethsabe are mentioned among the mothers of our Lord and not Sara nor Rebecca women famous for godlinesse whereas this Thamar howsoeuer shee had an earnest desire of seede and thereby declared her faith in the promises of God yet shee sought it by an vnlawfull incestuous copulation with her owne father in law and Rahab by Nation was a Cananite by conuersation a harlot and Bethshabe the wife of Vriah was shee with whom Dauid committed double adultrie The reasons of this are many but wee content vs with three the first is to humble the Iewes the second is to comfort sinners the third to shew the great glory of Christ. As for the first it is knowne how insolently the Iewes gloried that they were the posteritie of Abraham neglecting the vertues of their fathers they boasted that they were their children esteeming their fathers vertue a sufficient Apologie and defence of all their vices and therefore to humble them the blemishes of their parents are purposly shewed in this Genealogie And to teach all men that true Nobilitie is not in the priuiledges of flesh but in the graces of the minde neither to be sought without vs in the prerogatiues of our parents but within our owne proper vertues whereby we are rectified But at this day it may be spoken to many which as Nazianzen records was sometime answered to a Noble man despising another that was come of meane parentage boasting of his owne nobilitie mihi inquit probro genus meum est tu autem generituo My parentage is a reproach to me but thou art a reproach to they parentage The second reason is to comfort poore penitent sinners The Lord Iesus
came into the world non vt iudex sed vt medicus not as a iudge but as a Phisitian non vt nostra fugeret opprobria sed extingueret potius that hee might not shunne our reproches but rather that hee might blot them out and heale them If it had pleased him hee might haue created mans nature anew such as had neuer sinned as was Adams nature before the fall such a one I say might hee haue created and ioyned it in a personall vnion with his diuine but if so hee had done where then should haue bene the comfort of sinners wee had still remained vnder desperation without any hope that this nature of ours should euer haue beene deliuered from the corruption thereof but that now hee assumed our nature which once was sinfull and hath fully seperated it from all sinne it giues vnto vs liuely hope that hee will also sunder vs from our sinnes so that they shall not be able to hinder our spirituall fellowship and communion with him The third reason is to manifest Christ his greater glory by declaring to the world that hee tooke no holinesse of his fathers If all his parents mentioned in this Genealogie had bene famous for godlinesse onely it might haue beene thought a small matter for Christ to be holy that was come of so holy progenitors but in that he descended of sinnefull parents and yet was borne a holy one and without sinne it declared him to be that great high Preist holy harmeles vndefiled separate from sinners who giueth holinesse to all that are in communion with him but takes not holinesse from any This is his peculiar glory belonging to himselfe alonely and to none other And therefore the Papists while as they goe about to honour Christ by affirming that his mother the blessed Virgin was conceiued and borne without sinne doe in very deede rather dishonour him as if from her he had taken the holinesse of his nature or that hee could not haue beene conceiued and borne without sinne vnlesse his mother had beene conceiued and borne without sinne before him They might consider that the holy Ghost by whom our Lord was conceiued could very well discerne the seede of Dauid in the Virgins wombe from the sinnefull corruption thereof he tooke that seede hee sanctined it and separated it from sinne and of it framed the humane body of our Lord and this is the true doctrine reseruing to Iesus Christ his proper glory and to poore sinners their necessary comfort But the contrary doctrine of the Aduersaries long before vs was condemned by Bernard as a presumptuous noueltie the mother of Temeritie the sister of of Superstition the daughter of Leuitie so hee termed that vnaduised attempt of the Channons of Lyons who first did institute a feast of the conception of Mary to be obserued in the Church in the honourable remembrance of her conception without sinne for it is saith he the onely prerogatiue of Christ who was to sanctifie all hee came without sinne to take away the sinnes of others quo excepto de caetero vniuersos respicit ex Adamo natos quod vnus humiliter de seipso veraciter consitetur In iniquitatibus conceptus sum et in peccato fouit me mater mea What then wil be the reason of this festiuall conception how shall that conception be esteemed holy which is not of the holy Ghost but of sinne or how shall it be honoured with a feast which is not holy Lubenter gloriosa virgo tali honore carebit quo vel peccatum honorari vel falsa induci videtur sanctitas willingly saies hee will the glorious Virgin want such honour by which either sinne seemes to be honoured or a false holinesse brought into the Church In the rest of this section no other particular is to be touched but that Salomon begets Booz of Rahab who was a Cananitish woman and Booz begets Obed of Ruth a Moabitish woman both of them Gentiles yet reckoned in by name among Christs mothers according to the flesh and that for the comfort of the Gentiles also to let vs see that God is no accepter of persons but that whosoeuer calles vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued for in Christ Iesus neither Circumcision auailes any thing nor vncircumcision but saith which workes by loue Both Iew and Grecian bond and free male and female are now all one in Christ Iesus And if we be Christs then are wee Abrahams seede and heires by promise The fourth section containes the roll of Fathers from Dauid vnto Zorobabel where againe Saint Mathew and Saint Luke takes diuerse courses for where Saint Mathew diduces the line from Dauid by Salomon Saint Luke brings it downe from Dauid by Nathan not Nathan the Prophet but another of that name Dauids sonne by Bethshabe and so Salomons brother germaine Where if the doubt be moued how our Sauiour could discend of them both they being two brethren it is answered that by the Law established among the Iewes it was prouided that if a man had died without issue his brother or neerest kinsman was bound to marrie his wife and raise vp seede vnto him now Salomons race we may see ended in Ieconiah the eighteenth man after him according to that word of the Lord by Ieremie O Earth Earth Earth heare the word of the Lord thus saith the Lord write this man childelesse for there shal be no man of his seede that shall prosper and sit vpon the throne of Dauid or beare rule any more in Iuda It is true that to this same Ieconiah children are ascribed 1 Chro. 3. but these are children by succession not by generation And therefore Ieconiah as I haue said dying without issue Salathiel the sonne of Neri in the line of the other brother Nathan comes in as neerest Heyre and is reckoned by Saint Mathew the sonne of Ieconiah to wit Legall For wee must vnderstand that there was a double discent vsually reckoned among the Iewes the one Legall the other Naturall the Naturall discent was when as one by Naturall generation discended of another the Legall when one not naturally discended of another yet succeded as neerest of kinne to the inheritance now to let vs see the agreement of the Euangelists Saint Luke diduces the Naturall line of Christ from Dauid making it knowne how Christ by Nathan is the Naturall sonne of Dauid according to the flesh but Saint Mathew diduces the Legall line of Christ from Dauid making it knowne how Christ as Salomons heire and lawfull King of the Iewes succeeded as neerest of kinne to sit vpon the throne of Dauid his father For the which also Saint Mathew calles him borne King of the Iewes and the Iewes themselues could not name any of there nation neerer then he and therefore hauing no lawfull exception against him cryed out in their wilfulness Wee will haue no King
but Caesar. This is necessary for vs to obserue that Christ our Lord is not the Naturall sonne of Salomon neither read we that at any time it was promised that so he should be but hee is the Naturall sonne of Dauid by Nathan and yet Salomons lawfull heire whereof it is euident that our Lord euen in respect of his manhood was a Noble man yea a borne King discended of the most honourable and ancient stocke that euer was in the world and therefore we haue no cause to be ashamed neither of him nor of his testimony but so much the more to loue him who being euery way so honourable a person yet for loue of vs was content to be dishonoured yea to suffer the shamefull death of the Crosse. And in this suddaine decay of Salomon his temporall kingdome posteritie the one whereof was weakned by the folly of his sonne Rehoboam whereby hee procured the abstraction of tenne parts of the kingdome from him the other ends in the eighteenth man after him all men may learne what dangerous sinnes the sinnes of spirituall and corporall whooredome are Salomon to stablish and encrease his posteritie hee multiplied Wiues contrary to the commaundement of God who did make one woman for one man though he had aboundance of spirit and might haue made many yet he would not because he sought a godly seede and by this euill hee was carried to a greater for the pleasure of outlandishwomen he tollerated their abhominable idols in a holy land and was himselfe at length polluted with their Idolatrie And therefore receiued hee this fearefull recompence of his errour that the Lord diuided his kingdome and cut off his posteritie so that of all his seede which hee had multiplied there was not one to sit vpon his throne In the last section the difference is that from Zorobabel the sonne of Pedaiah and nephew of Salathiel Saint Mathew reckons by Abiud otherwise named Hananiah 1 Chro. 3. the fore fathers of Ioseph nine in number Saint Luke againe reckons the forefathers of Mary eighteene in number from Rhesa this Rhesa was the second gouernour of Israell after the captiuitie called by Philo Rhesa Mesciola or as 1 Chro. 3. Meshullam Now in the end of these lines all the difficultie is that Ioseph by Saint Mathew is called the sonne of Iacob but by Saint Luke the sonne of Eli for resolution of it we must vnderstand that hee is called the sonne of Iacob because Iacob was his Naturall father but the sonne of Eli because Eli the Naturall father of Mary was Iosephs father in law And therefore is it to be obserued that in Christ his Naturall line diduced by Saint Luke Ioseph is the onely man who is not Christs Naturall father but supposed onely of man so to haue beene where all the rest are Christs Naturall fathers according to the flesh and Eli the Naturall father of Mary the mother of our Lord for it is euident that our Lord sprang out of Iuda Of all this then as was said before if we take a short view of the person of Christ Iesus vnspeakable is the comfort that shall arise vnto vs for wee shall see how meete and conuenient a person he is to doe the worke whereunto he is consecrated He is called by Zacharie Gnamith Iehouae the fellow or companion of the Lord which the Apostle to the Philippians ☜ expounds when hee saith that he was equall with God and this is in regard of his diuine nature for these stiles doe clearly point out in him a nature aboue the nature of any creature Angel or man hee is called againe by patient Iob Goel my kinsman for by the eyes of faith hee saw his incarnation long or euer it was accomplished and this is in respect of his humaine nature for which also Iacob calles him in his Prophesie Shiloh which signifieth that little skin or tunicle of flesh wherein infants are wrapped when they come into the world thereby pointing out also his humane nature hee is also by Esâ—y called Gnimmanuel God with vs and this is in respect of his vnited nature Heere wee must vnderstand the word Goel vsed by Iob properly signifieth a redeemer or reuenger from the word Gaal redemit vindicauit Now by the Law the power to redeeme the inheritance belonged to the neerest kinsman as likewise the power to reuenge blood for which it is vsed to signifie a kinsman so then our inheritance being lost by reason of our sinne and the posteritie of Adam cruelly slaine and murthered by Sathan here comes in our kinsman of our owne flesh and blood the sonne of Adam to redeeme againe our inheritance and to reuenge our blood Yea to doe that which neuer was done by any tipicall redeemer or reuenger for they might haue slaine him that flew their brethren if they had found them out of the Citie of refuge but could not giue life againe to their brethren but the Lord Iesus hath not onely slaine the murtherer Sathan finding him without a Citie of refuge but hath like a mightie conqueror restored life to his brethren In this Genealogie wee haue seene how hee is our kinsman and in the next Treatises wee shall see how among all the sonnes of Adam neuer any but hee was consecrated and endued with power and calling from aboue to be an Auenger a Redeemer and a Sauiour of his brethren REVEL 7. 12. Praise and Glory and Wisedome and Thankes and Honour and Power and Might be to our God for euermore 1 TIM 1. 17. Vnto the King euerlasting Immortall Inuisible vnto God onely wise be honour and glory for euer Amen A TABLE SHEVVING the Harmony of S. Mathew and S. Luke in the diduction of Christs GENEALOGIE Heere S. Luke reckoneth alone stepping vp by twenty degrees higher in the GENEALOGIE of our LORD then Saint Mathew doth GOD. Adam 3 Seth. 4 Enosh 5 Kenan 6 Mahalaleel 7 Iared 8 Henoch 9 MethusaleÌ„ 10 Lamech 11 Noah 12 Sem. 13 Arphaxad 14 Saâ—e 15 Heber 16 Peleg 17 Regu 18 Sarug 19 Nahor 20 Terah Heere the two Euangelists reckon on together the Naturall line of our Lord from Abraham vnto Dauid Abraham 21 Abraham 22 Issac 23 Iacob 24 Iuda 25 Pharez 26 Ezrom 27 Aram. 8 Aminadab 29 Naasson 30 Salmon 31 Booz 32 Obed. 33 Iesse From Dauid Saint Mathew reckons the legall line of Christ to let vs see that christ was lawfull King of the Iewes succeeded by the law as neerest of kinne to sit vpon the throne of his father Dauid 34 David Salomon Roboam Abia. Asa. Iosophat Ioram Ozia Ioatham Achaz Ezechia Manasse Amon. Iosias Ieconias Here ends the race of Salomon From Dauid Saint Luke reckons the naturall line of Christ to let vs see that Christ is the sonne of Dauid naturally discended of him by Nathan according to the flesh for the Messiah was promised to be
the sonne of Dauid 35 Nathan 36 Mattatha 37 Mainan 38 Melea. 39 Eliakim 40 Ionan 41 Ioseph 42 Iuda 43 Simeon 44 Leui. 45 Matthat 46 Iorim 47 Eliezer 48 Iose. 49 Er. 50 Elmodam 51 Cosam 52 Addi 53 Melchi 54 Neri Where S. Mathew cals Salathiel the sonne of Ieconias vnderstand his legall sonne succeding as neerest of kin Salathiel Pedaiah Zorobabel Where S. Luke cals Salathiel the sonne of Neri vnderstand the naturall sonne of Neri S. Mathew reckoneth in this line the forefathers of Ioseph Abiud Eliakim Azor. Sadoc Achim Eliud Eleazer Nathan Iacob Ioseph Ioseph is called by Saint Luke the sonne of Eli because he was his sonne in law S Luke againe reckoneth in this line the forefathers of Mary 58 Rhesa 59 Ioanna 60 Iuda 61 Ioseph 62 Semei 63 Mattathia 64 Maath 65 Naggi 66 Esli 67 Naum. 68 Amos. 69 Mattathias 70 Ioseph 71 Ianna 72 Melchi 73 Leui. 74 Matthat 75 Eli. 76 Marie IESVS CHRIST that blessed seede promised to Adam Noah Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob Iuda Dauid Zorobabel and Mary THus you haue the golden line reaching from ADAM to CHRIST it beginnes at the first Adam and is absolued in the second it containes a roll of the Fathers who through the priueledge of the first borne were ordinary Doctors and cheife lights of the Church till the comming of Christ. Vpon this golden line runnes the whole booke of God he that would read it with profit must remember the course of the spirit of God in the diduction of this line If at any time he diuert from it it is onely to interlace some purpose which may cleare the storie of the line So with the description of the linage of Seth hee adioynes also a description of the house and off-spring of Cham who are not in the line Likewise when he draws the Genealogie of Sem hee entreates of the posteritie of Iaphet and Cham and as hee handles the Historie of Abraham Isaac and Iacob so likewise the historie and posteritie of Nahor Ismaell and Esau. But as we may easily perceiue he insists not in the historie of them who are beside the line but hauing spoken so much of them as may cleare the storie of the line he lets them alone and returnes to his purpose alway following forth the line till he come to the promised Shiloh THE SECOND TREAtise of Christ his Baptisme THe second ground of doctrine we proposed to be entreted of is the Baptisme of CHRIST wherein we haue as I said before his most solemne consecration to the publicke office of the Mesiah Hitherto hee had liued a priuate life for the space of twentie nine yeares and now beginning to be thirtie years of age hee is manifested vnto the world by doing the great worke of a redeemer for which he came for so Saint Peter reckons all the time of his publicke charge and ministration to haue ben from the Baptisme of Iohn to the day of his ascension Many Kings Preists and Prophets hath God sent vnto his Church since the beginning of the world but neuer one like Iesus the great King high Preist and Prophet of the Church and therefore it is not without cause that exordium tanti officii tot est mistriis consecratum Neuer one was sent to doe such a worke as he and therefore neuer one had such a calling and confirmation as hee for now the heauens are opened the holy Ghost in a visible shape discends vpon him and God the father by an audible voice from heauen doth authorise him The principall end of this Treatise will be to teach vs how Iesus is become ours which is a speciall and necessary point for vs to learne The parts of his Consecration are two In the first wee see how the Lord Iesus by receiuing the Sacrament of Baptisme doth come in our place and roome as our kinsman as the first borne of his brethren as the head of his misticall body in a word as our cautioner acting and obligating himselfe to pay our debt and to fulfill those points of righteousnesse which we were bound to fulfill but could not doe by our selues and so to releiue and redeeme his brethren In the second wee see how the father not onely accepts him as debtor for vs but also designes and ordaines him to this great worke by annointing him with his holy spirit And thereafter in a publicke assembly of the people at Iorden in most solemne manner by an audible voice from heauen proclames him to be that great high Preist by whom onely attonement must be made betweene him and vs. These two ioyned together make vp vnto vs a most sure ground of Christian comfort If first we consider that the Lord Iesus for the loue hee bare to the glory of his father and saluation of his brethren voluntarily steppes into our roome and in our name becomes obliged to his father according to that notable Prophesie Psal. 40. 6. 7. which yet were a small thing were it not that the second followes to wit that the Father of his infinit wisedome finding out in Christ a way to preserue both the glory of his mercy and iustice doth of his speciall loue toward vs not onely accept him but ordaine him to doe the worke of a mediator imponing to him that singular law of a redeemer which was neuer imposed to man nor Angell as we shall here hereafter And here wee learne how by most sure right the Lord Iesus becomes ours to wit by the surest right that can be namely the free gift of God hee is giuen for a Prince of saluation to vs according to these testimonies both of Angels and men speaking by inspiration of the holy Ghost Vnto you this day is borne in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Againe God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeues in him should not perish And againe Christ Iesus is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Looke then what way any other thing is ours which most properly wee may call ours that same way Christ is ours namely by the free and sure gift of God If we know and beleeue this we shall finde it a most sure ground of comfort to vphold vs in the houre of tentation It is true Gloriatio Ecclesiae est omnis Christi actio Euery action of Christ is the Churches reioycing and comfort but what reioycing shall wee haue in any of his actions if this ground be not first laid that he is ours and what he did hee did it for vs and vnto vs If he had not died for our sinnes and risen for our righteousnesse what could his death and resurrection haue profited vs But here is the ground of all that he is giuen vnto vs of the Father for a Sauiour whereunto most willingly hee condescends and for which worke the spirit annoints him
him Thus the Lord both by his practise and precept hath declared that hee will haue his Gospell which is a doctrine of Christ preached to the whole world clearely distinctly and in such a manner as all may heare it the practise wee haue here the precept we haue hereafter for our Sauiour commanded his Disciples that what hee told them in the eare they should proclaime it on the tops of houses for this cause did the holy Ghost endue them with the gifts of tongs that vnto euery people they might speake in their owne language otherwise one language had been sufficient for all people Whereof it is euident that they who deliuer this doctrine either by whispering or muttering in the eare or else in such a language as people doe not vnderstand declare themselues not to be the Ambassadours of the God of heauen neither following his practise nor obaying his precept but Locusts proceeding from the smoake that comes out of the bottomlesse pit by which Antechrist that fallen Star endeauours to obscure both the Sunne and the Ayre knowing that the vantage of his kingdome stands in darknesse The third circumstance is of the place from which this testimonie is giuen to wit from heauen whereof first wee learne that the doctrine of the Gospell is heauenly doctrine not written by nature in the heart of man as is the law but heauenly and supernaturall bred in the bosome of God proceeding from the deep of God his infinite wisedome which no creature neither Angell nor man by the light of Nature could euer haue imagined if the Lord from heauen had not reuealed it and therefore euen the Angels notwithstanding they be secundaria lumina next vnto God Spirits of greatest light and vnderstanding are said to admire this mysterie of the Gospell desirous to behold those things which are taught in the Church concerning it Secondly the maiestie dignitie of the Gospell is here recommended vnto vs the Law was giuen on earth proclaimed from the top of Mount Sinai yet euery transgression and disobedience thereof receiued a iust recompence of reward how then shall wee escape if we neglect so great a saluation which at the first began to be preached by the Lord and afterward was confirmed to vs by them that heard him And againe we are warned See yee despise him not that speakes for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shal not wee escape if wee turne away from him that speakes from heauen And thirdly the proclaiming of this doctrine from heauen as likewise the opening of the heauens at the first proclamation of it is to teach vs that there is no way whereby man may learne a ready way to heauen but by this doctrine of the Gospell which is come from heauen Pitifull then is the blindnes of worldlings to whom heauen is opened and offered by the Gospell but they will not so much as looke vpon it but like those vncleane beasts in the Law do creepe with all foure vpon earth seeking the fatnesse of the earth for their portion more miserable then those Iewes to whom regresse was offred to Canaan but they would not come out of Caldee for loue of earth they little esteemed heauen and therefore iustly shall they be depriued of both the heauens shall not be opened to them to receiue them and their place on earth shall shortly deny them yea the earth shall open her mouth and swallow them as vnworthy to liue vpon earth vvho reioyced not at this grace of the Gospell by which the heauens were opened vnto them Thou art my beloued Sonne THe circumstances being permitted now followes the testimonie which may be called Contractum Euangelium for it containes the summe of the Gospell first concerning his Person and next his Office The first vvee haue in these words Thou art that Son of mine that beloued for so the Article imports Thus the Father speakes of him to distinguish him from other sonnes and other beloued the Father hath many beloued sonnes but none like Christ he is not the Sonne of God by creation as Adam and the Angels nor by Adoption as regenerate men are but hee is the Sonne of God by essentiall generation as also by the grace of personall vnion that is as hee is the second person of the blessed Trinitie he is the Sonne of God by essentiall generation for the Father begat him from all eternitie by a full and whole communication of his essence vnto him in a manner most maruellous and vnspeakeable and therefore rather to be adored by vs then enquired and searched out Againe as man is the Sonne of God in a most speciall manner for hee had no man for his Father but his humane Nature was made and formed by the holy Ghost and this Nature thus formed he hath ioyned and vnited vnto the diuine Nature of Christ that so in his person it might haue the being and subsistence And thus the Lord Iesus being one Person in whom are two Natures in respect of them both and of their vnion in most maruellous manner is the Sonne of God Now because Sathan who durst call it in doubt to the Son of God himselfe whether or not he were the Sonne of God will farre lesse spare to call it in doubt vnto vs let vs oppose against all his blasphemies this notable testimonie of God proclaimed by an audible voice from heauen at the baptisme of Christ and repeated againe on Mount Tabor at his transfiguration as they haue reported vnto vs who heard it with their eares for so witnesses not onely S. Iohn in the first Chapter of his first Epistle but most cleerely S. Peter in his second Epistle and first Chapter We followed not deceiueable fables when wee opened vnto you the power and comming of our Lord Iesus but with our eies we saw his Maiestie for hee receiued of God the Father honour and glorie when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glorie This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And this voice wee heard when it came from heauen being with him on the holy Mount The Angels in like manner bare witnesse vnto him and many thousands of his Saints hath sealed the truth of this testimonie with their bloud The miserable estate of the Iewes who since the day that they reiected him and tooke his bloud vpon them and their children haue euer beene as vagabonds and abiects in the world proues the truth of this Gospell which declares him the Sonne of God yea Sathan himselfe hath beene forced to confesse it as a truth Iesus thou Sonne of God why art thou come to torment vs before the time But beside all those wee haue as saith S. Peter a most sure word of the Prophets to which we shall doe well to take heede for if we well consider how all
those things which the Prophets of old prophesied were to be done by the Messia are all accomplished in the person of Christ Iesus we shall finde the word like a light shining in darknesse clearely declaring vnto vs that Iesus the Sonne of Mary is the promised Messia It was promised in Paradise that he who should trample down the head of the Serpent was to be the seede of the Woman this was made clearer by Esay that a Virgin should conceiue a Sonne whose name should be Emmanuel how this was fulfilled S. Mathew records shewing how that when Mary was betrothed to Ioseph before they came together she was found with childe of the holy Ghost Micah foretold that out of Bethleem should come that ruler in Israel whose goings forth hath beene from the beginning and euerlasting Now that Christ was borne in Bethleem is euident out of the Euangelists Hosea fore-prophesied that he should be called out of Egypt And S. Mathew witnesses that when Herode sought Iesus to destroy him the Angell of the Lord appearing to him in a dreame commanded him to flee vnto Egypt that it might be fulfilled saith hee which was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet Out of Egypt haue I called my Sonne Malachy foretold that a messenger should be sent before the Messia to prepare his way whom after that he calles Eliah the Prophet Who should be said Esay a crying voice in the wildernesse Prepare ye the way of the Lord make straight in the desart a path for our God euery valley shall be exalted and euery mountaine made lowe How this was fulfilled S. Luke witnesses for Iohn Baptist came before the Lord Iesus in the spirit and power of Eliah and hee cried in the wildernesse Prepare the way of the Lord and make straight his pathes Againe it was foretold by Esay that hee should beginne his preaching in Galile And so indeede witnesses S. Mathew that when Iesus heard that Iohn was deliuered to prison hee returned into Galile and leauing Nazareth hee went and dwelt in Capernâ—um which is nere the sea in the borders of Zabulon and Nephtalim that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esay The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephtalim by the way of the sea beyond Iorden Galile of the Gentiles the people which sate in darknes saw great light and to them that sate in the region and shadow of death light is risen vp In like manner it was spoken by Esay that he should confirme his preaching with many miracles as that the blind should see and the deafe should heare all which the Euangelists records was performed by the Lord Iesus Zacharie fore-prophesied that hee should come riding to Ierusalem on an Asse which the Euangelists testitestifies was done It was also fore-shadowed in Dauid his type and figure that his own familiar friend whom he trusted and did eate of his bread should lift vp the heele against him and that hee should be sold for thirtie peeces of siluer said Zacharie with the which thereafter a potters field should be bought and so indeede was our Lord betrayed by his owne Disciple Iudas and sold for thirty peeces of siluer which when he had cast againe to them that gaue it to him they bought with it a potters field to be a buriall for strangers and of his suffering Esay fore-prophefied as if he had seene it that hee was counted among transgressors that hee was wounded for our transgressions the chastisement of our peace laid vpon him that with his stripes we are healed Ioyne with this the prediction of Dauid that they should peirce him hand and foote and when they had crucified him they should scorne him and nod their heads at him saying hee trusted in the Lord let him deliuer him and againe that they should part his garments among them and cast lots about his vesture and should giue him gall in his meate and in his thirst vinegar to drinke all which the Euangelists record most clearely to haue beene accomplished in the Passion of Iesus Christ for they executed him betweene two theeues scourged him scorned him and crucified him Yea more particularly also haue they foretold that he should lye in the graue of a rich man that he should rise the third day as was shadowed in his figure Ionas that hee should ascend on high and leade captiuitie captiue all these with many moe prophesies fore-spoken of the Messias concerning his person his actions his sufferings his triumphant resurrection and ascension as more particularly they are collected by Athanasius Since wee see them so clearely fulfilled in the person of Iesus Christ what remaines but that wee close the mouth of Sathan and of our owne infidelitie receiuing this for an vndoubted truth which the Lord in this heauenly Oracle deliuereth vnto vs that this Christ Iesus the Sonne of Mary is the Sonne of God and that promised Messias on whom all the Fathers since the first beginning fastened their hope and of whom all the Prophets hath spoken pointing him out as it were with the finger how hee was to come to worke the worke of our saluation which in all circumstances wee see performed by him as was prophesied by them to our euerlasting comfort Wee might hereunto adde some testimonies of the Gentiles as of Mercurius Trismegistus little posterior in time to Moses whose testimonie Lactantius cals Diuino simile Diuine-like as likewise out of the Oracles of Sibillae which were tenne in number so called because they declared the counsels of God quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and were by some of the Fathers accounted prophetesses of the Gentiles for seeing the Lord Iesus was to be sent into the world for saluation both of Iewes and Gentiles it pleased the Lord long before his comming to make signification thereof not to the Iewes onely by Prophets raised vp among themselues but to the Gentiles also who because they could not easily embrace the testimonie of the Iewes in a matter of religion it pleased him by their own Prophets to make predictions and descriptions of Iesus Christ that when they should come to passe they might haue no exception against them And therefore is it that the heathen persecuting Emperours stirred vp with hatred by Sathan against the very name of Christians the mysterie whereof they no manner of way vnderstood nor yet would receiue any light that might bring them to the knowledge therof forbade the reading of their owne Sibilline Oracles and that because euen their owne prophesies bare witnes to the veritie of Christian religion But for the present we content vs with that most sure word of the Prophets as S. Peter calles it and rests in this heauenly Oracle which the Father from heauen proclaimed concerning his Son Blessing the
annoint thine head and wash thy feet that thou seeme not vnto men to fast but vnto thy father who is in secret and thy father who sees thee secretly will reward thee openly But this condemned hypocrisie is now counted good deuotion both among Papists and carnall professors for if they haue a day of fasting it is such as is knowne to all those who knowes them Last of all let it alwayes be seconded with amendment of life this is Magnum deo acceptum ieiunium a great and acceptable fast vnto God when the eye the tongue the hand the foote and all fasts from the workes of vnrighteousnes honor ieiunii non ciborum abstinentia sed peccatorum fuga not the abstinence of meats but the flying of sinnes is the honour of fasting and indeede fasting this way beautified with abstinence from sinne is not onely as Augustine highly commends it futuri seeuli forma a resemblance of the world to come but as Ambrose also calles it a most forcible and present helpe of a godly life here Inde incipio in Christo viâ—ere vnde in Adamo victus sum fi tamen Christus imago patris mihi virtutis sit exemplum by eating where God forbad me began my fall in the first Adam and by abstaining as Christ the image of the Father hath taught me I beginne againe to liue Then the Diuell said vnto him THe circumstances thus being premitted now followes the temptations which are three in number for three sundry times doth Sathan renew his assaults against the Lord Iesus letting vs see how the wicked nature of him is restlesse in tempting It is said of his wretched members they cannot rest vnlesse they haue done euill but it is true in him that when hee hath done euill yet can hee not rest If hee durst tempt our Lord oftner then once notwithstanding that he strongly resisted him what maruell if he be restlesse in tempting vs ouer whom hee hath so many times preuailed Let vs be assured that where once he hath been harbored there hee thinkes to lodge againe and therefore euen they who haue cast off this yoke are to prepare themselues for new temptations and to put on the whole armour of God that they may resist him The temptations by sundry are sundry waies distinguished Elias Cretensis commenting on Nazianzen thinkes that the first of them is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siue gulae gluttony the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siue ambitionis ambition the third 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 siue auaritia couetousnesse Ambrose againe so distinguishes them vt gulae sit vnum Iactantia alterum ambitionis tertium These are I confesse customable to Sathan and dartes dangerous enough but these which here he shootes against our Lord if wee looke more narrowly to them wee shall finde them more deadly for here hee opens all his treasures of wickednes and comes out with his strongest armour to impugne our Lord. The battell as yee see is threefold in the right wing stands Presumption in the left wing Desperation in the maine battel comes in the loue of the World the honour and glory thereof these are Sathans three generals and grand-captaines vnder whom are militant all the forces of spirituall wickednes As the Philistimes sought earnestly to know wherein the strength of Sampson lay that so they might ouercome him so euery good Christian should heare learne wherein the strength of Sathan lyes that so he may ouercome him Arme thee against these three Desperation Presumption and the loue of the world and Sathan shall not be able to hurt thee for against Presumption set thou the feare of God presume not to sinne because God is mercifull but by the contrarie conclude that because mercy is with him therefore thou wilt feare him Againe against Desperation set faith in Christ Iesus count not bodily wants or spirituall desertions arguments of reprobation but cleaue thou to the Lord resoluing with patient Iob albeit the Lord would slay mee yet will I trust in him And thirdly against the loue of the world sâ—t thou the loue of GOD and of eternall life And this haue we spoken in generall concerning the nature and order of these temptations Then SAthans first temptation is to Desperation wherein taking vantage of Christs bodily wants hee labours to perswade him to doubt and distrust that hee was the Sonne of God the time of it is first noted Then namely when he was hungry Sathan can very well obserue the time and occasion of temptations hee tempted not Euah when she was with Adam hee tempted not Dauid when hee was in trouble hee tempted not Peter in the company of Christ thus is he a craftie obseruer of times places and conditions fittest for his purpose and wee should looke the more narrowly vnto him The Diuell said vnto him SAthan is called the Diuell because hee is a great Calumniator and false accuser a lying reporter hee neuer reports good of God to any of his Saints neyther can hee commend to God the good of any of his Saints If hee know any good in them hee extenuates it or speakes euill of it if hee know any euill he enlarges it and so desirous is he to speake euill of vs that rather then want hee will faine Whereby we may gather how glad hee is when wee giue him any iust matter wherevpon to accuse vs. Cum magno calumniatore habemus negotium si quaerit fingere quod non est vt in Iob quanto magis obijcere quod est Wee haue much to doe with a great accuser if he seeke to faine that which is not as he did in Iob how much more to obiect against vs that which is By the smallest circumstances hee euer seekes if he can make vs odious to God at least infamous among men And therefore seeing wee haue to doe with so crafty a calumniator we should alway take heede that wee giue him no aduantage against vs. If thou be the Sonne of God HIs purpose here is to impugne that notable Oracle sounded from heauen at Christs Baptisme This is my beloued Son in whom I am well pleased so said the Father but this cannot be now saith Sathan that voice hath beene but a delusion for the Sonne of God is the heire of all things and hath the Angels for his ministers and Seruants but it is not so with thee for here thou art among wilde beasts in great necessitie like to perish for hunger The temptation if wee marke it narrowly hath two branches and in them both Sathan shootes at one end which is to driue Christ to distrust or else to doubt whether he be the Sonne of God or no or else to remedie his present hunger by conuerting stones into bread and so to limit the Lord and bound his prouidence as if by no other means the Lord could sustaine him but by bread onely or as if hee
could make bread no other way but of stones onely and therefore neyther will our Sauiour graunt the first nor yet doe the second though otherwise hee could haue done it because both of them were proponed to vrge him to diffidence If thou be the Sonne of God SAthan knew that Iesus was the Sonne of God and afterwards hee confesseth it yet such is the malice of his nature that hee fighteth against his knowne light Hee knew that God had forbidden Adam and Euah to eate of the Tree hee knew that if they did eate they should die yet was hee bold to perswade them the contrary And that which by an Historicall Faith he beleeueth himselfe hee perswadeth his wretched captiues eyther to deny it as a false thing or to doubt of it as an vncertaine thing Hee beleeueth there is a God and trembleth but how many Fooles are there in the world blinded by him who haue said in their harts There is no God Hee beleeueth there is a Iudgement to come wherein greater torment abideth him then yet is laid vpon him and yet he perswadeth his Infidels to scorne and mocke at it as a thing which neuer will be Thus as the Pharisies made their Proselytes tenne times more the children of the Diuell then themselues so Sathan makes his schollers professe points of Atheisme which himselfe durst neuer auouch and to misbeleeue some points of Religion which hee himselfe beleeueth to be true Now if Sathan durst call this in doubt to Christ whether or no hee was the Sonne of God what maruell if he dare call the like in doubt vnto vs His principall care is to impugne our Election for this cause tempts hee man to sinne that man may furnish him arguments to proue that man is not the Son of God He could not be content that the first Adam should liue in Paradise and farre lesse that Adams posteritie should be exalted to inherit those heauenly places which hee lost by pride and therefore eyther by tempting him to sinne doth he prease to hold him backe from the dignitie of the Sonne of God or if so hee cannot then troubles hee him with doubting of his Calling and Election making him to mis-conceiue that such a miserable man as hee cannot be the Sonne of God And the reasons which in this tentation commonly he vseth are taken from our wants spirituall or corporall for concerning spirituall desertions wherein wee are troubled with the sight of our sins and want for the present the sense of mercy then his reasoning is It cannot be that thou art one of Gods Elect for they are not ordained to wrath but to mercy if thou wert so then should the fauorable face of God be toward thee and thou shouldest not be vexed as thou art with the sense of his wrath In all this he is but a false deceiuer for was not the Lord Iesus troubled with the same temporall desertion when hee cryed My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and yet notwithstanding he was the beloued Sonne of God and that this many times is the manner of his working with his owne children hee declares himselfe For a little time in mine anger haue I forsaken thee but with euerlasting compassion will I imbrace thee Again out of the want of worldly necessaries so he reasons with many thou hast beene so long in sicknes daily crying for deliuerance yet the Lord hath not heard thee thou art vexed with pouertie and prayest euery day for daily bread but it is not giuen vnto thee surely this is because thou art none of his hee is not thy Father neyther hath he any fauour towards thee nor cares hee for thee but herein also hee is a deceiuer For the dignitie of Gods Sons stands not in the aboundance of these worldly things neyther is his fauour or anger to be measured by them for so he might haue proued the rich Glutton to haue beene the Sonne of God and Lazarus an abiect and therefore let vs beware vpon our wants to inferre any such Conclusion as this Sophist would enforce that wee are not beloued of God if wee be hungry and haue not to eare remember so was it with Christ if we haue no earthly possession wherein to rest vs no more had Christ if our friends be turned into foes so did Christs familiar betray him if our kindred despise vs for our pouertie so was it with our Lord Hee came among his owne and his owne receiued him not It is enough for vs that the Lord is become our portion what euer he doe with his moueables which hee dispenseth to his Children more or lesse as he sees may doe them good let vs giue him glory and rest in him what can we want that enioyes him as our Father in Christ Iesus Now seeing this is the point wherein Sathan labours chiefly to impugne vs to wit that wee are not the sonnes of God we should by the contrary laâ—or most carefully to confirme our selues in it which wee shall doe if wee finde in our selues these two things first the Seale next the testimonie of the Spirit for if wee be the Sonnes of God wee are sealed by the holy spirit of promise vnto the day of redemption and as a Signet leaues such an impression in the Waxe as is in it selfe so the Spirit of God imprints in vs the Image and similitude of GOD. Naturally we beare the Image of the first Adam but being by grace made the Sonne of God then do wee beare the Image of the second another minde another heart other affections words and actions are giuen vnto vs then those which wee had by Nature whereupon will follow the other to wit the testimonie of the Spirit not onely witnessing but also perswading our Consciences that wee are the sonnes of God Command THis which Sathan requireth was such a thing as our Sauiour might haue done but he will not learning vs neuer to doe any thing for Sathans command no though in appearance it seeme neuer so tollerable for Sathan can transforme himselfe into an Angell of light and sometime speake a truth or giue a plausible counsell or a reasonable command yea doe some good indeede as it seemes to men but hee neuer doth any of these but for a greater euill And lastly how Sathan in his temptations aymes at this to make the Sonnes of God earthly minded caring for things of this earth with distrust of God If thou be the Sonne of God command that these stones may be made bread as if no more were to be sought for by the Sonne of God but bread bread to haue the things of this World in abundance And alas how many are so snared with the loue of things pertaining to this life that they forget all care of the life to come no thought no speech no labour but all for bread A lamentable thing wee professe the hope of an eternall life and
ioyning others with Christ in it Making some prayers to God and some to creatures making some religious bowing of the body to the Lord and some religious bowing of the body which they thinke lawfull to giue vnto Saints not reseruing falling downe for worship to God onely doe faile against this Commandement and how euer they please themselues with distinctions thinking to hide their sinne vnder a couering of words yet this most cleare word of the Lord doth conuince them of the crime of Idolatry They say that the worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they giue vnto God onely as due vnto him To Creatures they giue no more but the worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But against their owne distinction sometime they teach that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be giuen to others than vnto God And if we take these words according to the vse of Scriptures it is cleare that these two are indifferently vsed for one the whole seruice men owe to Christ is comprised vnder the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 16. 18. And the Apostle condemnes the Galathians of Idolatrie because they gaue the worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those things which by Nature are no Gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which manner of reasoning were not forcible if this distinction of the Papists were true that the worship of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be giuen to those which are no Gods according to the vse thereof in Scriptures But what euer they meane by these words of Worship why do they bowe the knee to things of Gold siluer and stone they cannot say it is for ciuill reuerence for their Images haue not eyes to see them nor tongues to answere them If it be as it is for religious Worship why doe they not remember that by this the Lord distinguisheth true Worshippers from false I haue seauen thousand that neuer bowed their knee to Baall and that the three Children are commended for that they would not bowe the knee to fall downe and worship Nabuchadnezars Golden Image Or how can they excuse their offering of Incense to their Images seeing it is commanded to be offered vnto God himselfe and the Iewes are condemned for offering Incense to the brasen Serpent and to Baal Where if they obiect vnto vs that we doe great wrong in comparing their Images which are of Saints now glorified in heauen with the Images of Nebuchadnezzar of Baal c. I answere wee acknowledge a great difference betweene the Saints of God and those falsely reputed Gods of the Heathen but in this point wee affirme it is no lesse Idolatry to giue religious worship to the Saints or their Images then it was for the Iewes to giue it vnto Baal It is true Paul and Barnabas are more excellent Creatures being the chosen vessels of the liuing God then Iupiter and Mercurius yet to giue religious Worship to them is no lesse Idolatry then to giue it to Iupiter and Mercurius for if they be compared in this point Paul and Barnabas are no more Gods then Baal Iupiter or Mercurius But to returne let vs for our owne instruction take diligent heede to those things which the Lord hath reserued to himselfe onely and be content with those things which hee hath offered vnto vs. Where hee saith Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God onely farre be it from vs to breake that limitation by giuing any part of his worhip vnto another I will not saith the Lord giue my glory to another that which the Lord will not giue how dare man be so bold as to giue that vnto another what greater glory hath the Lord then the glory of a Sauiour and Redeemer hee made vs wee made not our selues What greater glory hath hee then that hee is the Father of lights from whom euery good gift doth descend shall wee take this glory and giue it vnto another shall wee seeke from another the fulfilling of our necessities then from him is there any eyther more willing to help seeing hee is our father or more able seeing hee is almightie Shall I goe to him by another Mediator then by his Sonne seeing the Father hath proclaimed This is my Sonne in whom I am well pleased Or shall we ioyne other Mediators with him seeing the Apostle saith Hee is able to saue perfectly all those that come to God by him From such impieties the Lord deliuer vs for his great names sake to whom be all praise honour and glory for euer Amen FINIS MEDITATIONS for Instruction and Consolation Very profitable and right necessary for euery Christian to read PSAL. 119. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes LONDON Printed for Iohn Budge 1612. MEDITATIONS for Instruction and Consolation The glory of Britaines Ile EVery Kingdome glorieth of their priuiledges we haue our owne also wherein wee are nothing inferiour to them but let this be the greatest glory of our Ile that 2600. yeeres agoe the Lord promised to giue the ends of the earth for a possession to Christ which in our time blessed be his holy name for it is abundantly performed The Law came forth of Sion the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem and with a speedy course ouer-shadowed this Ile with the brightnesse thereof whether it was by S. Paul as Theodoret affirmes or by Simon Zelotes as Dorotheus and Nicephorus witnesseth or by Ioseph of Arimathea as many testifie sure it is by some either Apostle or Apostelique man soone after the death of our Lord from Gentilisme we were conuerted to Christianitie long before that Papistry or papall power was knowne in the world for which by the testimonie of the aduersaries themselues euen they who dwell in the Northmost part of the I le are honoured with the stile of ancient Christians Scoti antiquiores Christiani A warning to the I le of great Britaine AS the going forth of the Sun is from the one end of heauen vnto the other rising in the East and running on like a mightie man in his course toward the West so hath the light of the Gospell from them in the East shined towards vs in the West where now it stands more marueilously then the Sunne did in Gibeon in the dayes of Ioshua till the fulnesse of Gentiles in these parts be brought into the Tents of Sem. And sure we are it shall stand like a cleare light in the Firmament of his Church till all his Saints be gathered together Now the Candlesticke is remoued from them in the East the Sun is gone downe ouer their Prophets darknes is vnto them in stead of diuination While we haue the light let vs walke in the light for woe shall be to vs also if the Lord depart from vs. Time of Grace how dispensed by the Lord. THe time of grace is called by the Lord an acceptable yeere or day of saluation to tell vs it is but short and therefore wee should redeeme
165. of his great malice he fights against the knowne light 169. his schollers professe points of Atheisme 170 We should doe nothing at Sathans command 182 Sathans Temptation to make vs earthly minded 177 Sathan cannot hurt vs vnlesse we help him 206. he still seekes mans destruction 208 Why hee is called a Tempter 129. hee is commander of the wicked a tempter of the godly 141 Sathan seekes to remoue godly feare that he may bring men to a most remedilesse and most fearefull estate 210 Sathan fell by Presumption and by obstinacie cannot rise againe 214. he should alwaies be resisted 224. the best weapon wherewith wee may fight against him 224 Sathan seekes vantage of the place 229 How Sathan is called the God of the world 242 His lyes 243. his promises 244 Sathan frames his temptations according to the estimation he hath of men 246. he bids but a small price for such as hee knowes may be easily conquered 246 A shame for men to serue Sathan for small rewards 247. hee seekes more from men then he is able to giue vnto them 249. he offereth earth on condition to forsake heauen 249 Sathans defiance 277. 306 Sathan an enemie to Prayer 307. he raiseth vp that he may cast downe 202 Scripture abused by Sathan and by Atheists 210 211. to pag. 219. Scripture must be expounded by Scripture 225 Beginnings of Sinne should be resisted 284 The deceite of Sinne. 292 Mother-sinnes 293 Reproofe of such as heare their Sinnes condemned and are not moued 216 Three rankes of Sinnes 317 Couerings of Sinne. 320 Dignitie of the Sonnes of God stands not in the abundance of worldly things 173 A Soule stretching her wings to the Lord. 314. The desire of a godly Soule 316 T TEmptations of Christ with the circumstances thereof 115. 116 Persons in high callings subiect to the greatest Temptations 117 Christians must looke for Temptations 118 In euery place Sathan hath his snare for Temptation 121 Temptations are ordered by diuine dispensation 124 Three notable comforts in Temptation 125 Sundry sorts of Temptations 128 God tempteth man and is tempted of man 129 How one man tempts another 129 How Sathan tempts a man 130 How Adam and Eue were tempted 131 Our Temptations are not externall only but chiefly internall 133 Why we should not faint at Sathans Temptations 142 A singular preseruatiue against Sathans Temptation 146 It is a great Temptation not to be Tempted 143. After one Temptation let vs looke for another 160 Temptations how distinguished 161 Sathans temptations from our wants both spirituall and worldly 171. 172 Hee changeth Temptations for aduantage 192 After victory in any temptation let vs stand ready for a new battell 194. 195. c. Gods inuincible power made manifest in temptations 196 No place on earth free from the temptations of Sathan 199. 200 Sathans temptations to vaine-glory customable 206 How many waies men tempt God 226. 227. c. V THree most excellent vertues 279 Two things considered in the vnction of Christ. 80 Christs vnction in regard of his diuine and humane nature 81. 82 The manifestation of Christs vnction 83 A comfortable vnion made betweene God and man by Christ Iesus 9 W VVIcked their cursed conditions 286. how they runne poste into hell 309. their miserable ende 310 God the Father beareth witnesse to his Sonne three waies 78. 79. 80 Three things considered in this witnesse 88 The place from which this witnesse is giuen 93 The Word is the sword of the Spirit whereby wee fight against Sathan 181 Such as heare their sinnes condemned by the word and are not moued are conuinced 216 How Gods Children tremble at the rebukes of the word 217 Miserable Worldlings haue heauen opened but they loue the earth better 96 Worldlings by their talke declare that they are earthly 235 Blinde Worldlings follow Sathan as if the world were at his donation 244 Fruitlesse care of Worldlings 319 Many abhorre to be called Sathans worshippers who abhorre not to so be indeed 251. 252. 253 In his worship the Lord can suffer no Companion 253 Papists worshipping others with God guilty of Idolatry ibid. Their distinction of worshipping God 256 FINIS Ouid. Ouid. Claudian Aul. Gal. Plato in Epino Nazian Orat. 33. in laud. Hiero. Chrisost. Luke 1. 52. Hos. 4. 7. 2 Sam. 2. Heb. 5. 12. Ezech. 18. 20. A question good to waken drousie Christians out of their dead security Math. 7. The doctrine of Christianitie comprised in three articles collected out of his Genealogie Baptisme and Tentation The first is to know that Iesus the sonne of Mary is that promised Messiah The second teacheth vs what manner of way he is become ours The third how hee hath done the worke of a Redeemer These three ioyned together make vp a compleat doctrine of Christianitie Zach. 13. 7. ☞ Iohn 2. 6. Iob 19. 25. Esa. 8. 8. Nomb. 3 5. How Christ being his fathers equal and our kinsman is properly the true auenger and redeemer of his brethren Christs Genealogie is registâ—ed to let vs see that Iesus is the Christ. Ioh 20. 31. Gen. 3. Ezech. 34. 29. Heb. 7. 14. Foure Euangelists agreeing in one doe greatly confirme the truth Chris. in Mat. The diuersitie betweene Saint Mathew and S. Luke maks vp the sweeter harmonie For where Saint Mathew reckons from the fathers downeward Saint Luke reckons from the children vpward and why The whole Genealogie diuided into fiue Sections The different courses of the two Euangelists The first section is of ten fathers from Adam to Noah Why these are reckoned by Saint Luke and not by Saint Mathew Why these are reckoned by Saint Luke and not by Saint Mathew Colos. 4. 14. Saint Mathew teacheth that the Sauiour is to be sought in Abrahams house Saint Luke shews that he is also a Sauiour of the Gentiles Adam the first sonne of God among men and the first father of Christ according to the flesh Euthym. praef in Psalmos What a comfortable vnion betweene God and man is made by Christ Iesus Zach. 13. 7. Esa. 8. 8. Neuer was there so great a token of Gods fauour to man declared as in the incarnation of Christ. Exod. 19. Luke 2. 9. How wee should be thankefull for so great a mercy Heb. 10. 27. The article of Christs Incarnation confirmed Iren. lib. 3. Cap. 31. And that by a comparison taken from the creation of Adam and Euah ☜ How the second Adam hath with the first the same similitude of generation Theodoret. Dialog 1. Cap. 18. Our spirituall Adoption is here also confirmed ☞ For seeing we see that God is become the sonne of man why shall wee thinke it impossible that man may become the the sonne of God Chrisost. in Math. Hom. 2. The second section is of other tenne Fathers from Noah to Abraham Gen. 9. 26. Comfort against this that Iaphet our father is not in the rolle of Christs fathers Gen. 9. 27. It is sufficient that when Sem was chosen to be Christs father it
was also promised to Iaphet that hee should haue his part in Christ. Rom. 11. 25. Though Christ be not come of vs according to the flesh yet if wee be come of him by grace we haue comfort inough Rom. 9. 5. Luk 11. 27. Math. 12. 47. For the Lord Iesus hath alwayes esteemed most of the spiritual kindred Wherein did the greatest happinesse of our Lords progenitors consist See the Rhemists marginall Notes on Luk. 11. 28. out of Bedatract 19. in Ioan. ☞ The third section is of foureteene Fathers from Abraham to Dauid That all Iacobs sonnes are within the couenant not so all Abrahams what doth it teach vs Rom. 9. 4. What cause of thankes giuing is this that so many families of Iaphet pretermitted we are brought within the couenant A warning to such as are within the couenant Three reasons giuen why in this Genealogie Thamar and Rahab are mentioned among Christs mothers not Sara nor Rebecca The first is to represse the arrogancie of the Iewes glorying of their progenitors An answer for such as vainely glory of their parentage Nazan in nobilem male moratum The second is for the comfort of poore penitent sinners he asumed that nature which once was sinnefull and did separate it from sinne See wat a comfort is here ☞ The third is to manifest Christ his glory in that hee tooke no holinesse from his parents Heb. 7. 27 It is erronious doctrine to affirme that the Virgin Mary was conceiued and borne without sinne How this errore was condemned long since by Barnard Ber. Epist. 147. in Canonicos Lugdun Among Christs mothers in the Genealogie some are Gentiles foretelling how Gentiles also should haue their paâ—… in Christ. Galat. 5. 6. Gal. 3. 28. The fourth section hath a roll of Fathers from Dauid to Zorobabel 1 Chor. 3. 5. Deut. 25. 5. Salomons race ends in Ieconiah Ierem. 22. 26. Where Ieconiah is said to haue children vnderstand them to be by succession not generation A double discent vsually reckoned among the Iewes Saint Luke diduces the Naturall line of Christ Saint Mathew the Legall Christ Iesus is neuer called the sonne of Salomon Naturall Christ as man was borne a noble man of the most honourable and ancient stocke that euer was in the world ☜ The sudden decay of Salomons kingdome in his sonne and of his posteritie in the eightenth man after him Malach. 2. 15. Was procured by the sinnes of harlotry and idolatry The last section the Euangelists are shewed to agree wher they seeme most discordant Adricho Chronologia Lucidus de emendatione temporum ex Magdeburg Cent. 1. l. 1. Ca. 10. In the Naturall line diduced by Saint Luke Ioseph is the only man who is not Christ his Naturall father Heb. 7. 14. Great comfort arises of the consideration of Christs person He is the companion of Iehoua Zach. 13. 7. Iob 19. 25. And yet our kinsman Gen. 49. Why Iacob called him the Shiloh Esa. 8. 8. The true redeemer and auenger of his brethren Leuit. 25. 25. Num. 35. 12 The time of Christ his publicke ministration was from his Baptisme to his ascension Act. 1. 22. There was neuer a King Preist nor Prophet consecrated in so solemne a manner as Christ Iesus here is Two things considered in this consecration of Christ to the office of a Redeemer That Christ willingly maketh himselfe debtor for vs. That the father not onely accepts him but ordaines him to this worke What sweet comfort arises to vs of these two conioyned together How Christ Iesus is become ours in most sure manner Luke 2. 11. Ioh. 3 16. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Namely by the free gift of God the Father Except we know this we can haue no comfort in any of Christ his actions We read not in the Gospell of any Pharise conuerted but one For a soule filled with a conceit of the owne righteousnesse is not capable of grace Ber. in Can. Ser. 67. That Christ comes to be baptised among sinners shews his great loue and rare humilitie The second Adam takes a course flat contrary to the course of the first Adam Marke what comfort by a contrarie effect hath he brought vnto vs. Iohn 1. Act. 14. How hee that baptises with the spirit seekes the Baptisme of water from his owne seruant This hee did to recommend a reuerence of that ministrie ordeined by him in his Church 1 Cor. 1. 21. For three reasons was Christ our Lord baptised when as he needed no washing being the Lambe vnspotted First that he might fulfill a point of righteousnesse neuer required of any but of him The misterie of our redemption explaned for our greater comfort Gal. 5. 3. Two parts of the couenant of grace both of them sealed by Baptisme As Baptisme is a seale on Gods part promising vs remission Christ did not receiue it But as it is a seale of our part promising to God obedience that way he receiued it that he might be bound in our name Christ Iesus was baptised to sanctifie Baptisme Beda Ambros. in Lu. Cap. 3. Christ was baptised to seale vp his fellowship with vs. Our Sauiour receiued his baptisme with Prayer How is it that our Sauiour did pray for himselfe Heb. 5. 7. Our Lord by his example teacheth vs to sanctifie all our actions by Prayer Actions suppose they be good without prayer are like bodies without spirits Macar hom 40. Continuance required in Prayer Feruencie and attention in Prayer Chris. in Math. hom 25. Aug. The comfortable effects of prayer Prayer is the first step of our ascension to God with Iesus Christ. Reu. 20. 6 Followes how the Father not onely accepts his Sonne in our roome but ordaines him to doe the worke of a Redeemer vnto vs. See what a strong bulwarke of consolation is here ☜ Three waies doth the father beare witnesse to his Sonne First by the opening of the heauens Ephe. 1. 10. Secondly by sending the holy Ghost on him in the similitude of a Doue Esa. 61. 1. Two things considered in the vnction of Christ. The separating or designing of him to the worke of a Redeemer Ioh. 6. 1. The communication of grace sufficient for that worke vnto him Christs vnction in regard of his diuine Nature Athanas. de Incar verbi Christs vnction in regard of his humane Nature Here we haue the manifestation of Christs vnction Iohn 1. 33. Why the Spirit discends in the similitude of a Doue and not of fire To shew his loue and meeknes toward poore penitent sinners Mat. 12. 20. Luk. 9. 52. 53. The law was proclaimed with terrour not so the Gospell Iohn 1. 29 Christ cures his patients by annointing them ☜ With this same meeknes he endues all that are his Col. 3. 12. Ephe. 4. 31. By an audible voice from heauen Three things considered in this testimonie The author of it to wit God the Father Ioh. 1. 18. How the three persons of the blessed Trinitie concurre to the worke of our Redemption This comforts vs against the