of Creede in English I take it arose frō the abuse of the first word in Latine Credo Where on theyr beades they were inioyned to say so many Auemaries Paternosters and Credoes wheron this was called creed Which is a Latine word and doth signifie as much to say I belieue my creede that is that which I doe belieue whereof vvee shall haue better cause to speake by and by So then the creede is that which one by direction of the word of God doth and ought to belieue The parties are the Apostles whose it is said to be The Apostles are those twelue sent out by GOD into all the world to preach the Gospell Some thinke it is called theirs as beeing in matter and forme penned by them by diuine inspiration after the holy Ghost came vppon them before they departed from Ierusalem to preach the Gospell So as some set downe what euery Apostle did set downe This is not so for then it were Canonicall Scripture which it is not for the Romanists themselues graunt it to be but tradition Others think that it is said to be the Apostles as consonant to theyr doctrine as an abstract abridgement thereof So is it though this be not all for I iudge that this name is added to put a difference betweene other formes of creeds vsed in the church as the Nicene I belieue in one God Athanasius Whosoeuer will be saued Now for difference this is called the Apostles as of their doctrine Now touching this title some questions may be asked 1 Que. What authoritie is this Creede of diuine or humane or how bindeth it Aun It is diuine for matter though not for forme for the Apostles did not pen it And therefore so far bindeth as it is agreeable to the Scriptures And therefore when a thing is saide to be as true as the Creede it is onely for the matter 2 Que. Whether all things to be knowne necessarily to saluation are contained heerein Aun I thinke they may be said to be implied though not expressed And if God reueale and giue meanes of knowledge of no more these may suffice otherwise not Wee must belieue all that God will haue vs. 3 Que. vvhether is it certaine damnation not to beleeue euery of these Aun vvee must distinguish betweene articles of the foundation and others Articles of the foundation beleeued may suffice when others are not reuealed Againe we must consider for articles or doctrines not of the foundation whether they be cleerely reuealed or not if they be not they shall not preiudice Againe whether wee erre of simplicitie or wilfulnesse vvilfull error damneth simple doth not in things not of the foundation Things of the foundation I call faith and repentance most necessary 4 Que. Are we bound to sunder them into twelue Aun No. Remember that as God reuealeth man must belieue This for the title the contents follow from the beginning to the end These contents haue the profession the assent Profession in all to the particle Amen Assent in the word Amen In the profession is the manner and matter The manner is I beleeue The matter the rest Wherof before we can as we should speake of any some generall rules are to be remembred for all 1 We must build our faith in euery of these points vpon the written word of GOD not onely the wordes of this Creede and therefore Acts 24 14 Luke 24 44 must vnderstand all according to the scriptures 2 Euery one must make it for himselfe Iob 19 25 Gala 2 20 Iohn 20 28. 3 To euery clause in heart this I belieue must be adioyned though it be not expressed in word 4 Wee must labour more and more to grow in fuller assurance of euery parcell Mar 9 24 Luke 17 5. 5 Our life must be aunswerable to the profession of faith Iames 2 18. Therefore saith Irenaeus to belieue Lib 4 14. is to doe as God will 6 Though wee cannot dissolue all doubts Lib. 15 de trinitate capit 2 wee must not shrinke from the profession First belieue after you shall more and more vnderstand Faith seeketh saith S. Augustine vnderstanding sindeth out 7 The Creede is no prayer Hetherto the generall rules the manner of profession foloweth I belieue Whereof wee may consider feuerally in it selfe and ioyntly with the matter following And first wee must consider the groundes of scriptures whereof in this point to belieue and personally I belieue wee may note these heads 1 Commaundements to belieue Iohn 20 27. 2 Promises made to belieuers Mar. 9 23. 3 Rebuking of vnbeliefe Math 6 30 Math 8 26 Math 14 31. 4 Commendation of parties for their beliefe sake Math 8 10 Math 15 28. Whereupon men are often noted by this in the New testament that they are belieuers 5 The meanes appointed by God to worke increase true faith the worde and Sacraments and euen the vvhole ministerie The same meanes are for personalitie as I may call it First therefore this I belieue is that I haue beliefe Beliefe is sometime put for a thing which I doe belieue sometimes for a gift whereby I doe belieue For a thing which I doe belieue as 1 Tim 1 19 Iude 3 So is it not barely to be taken heere For a gift whereby I doe beleeue Mark 9 23. So is it taken heere and thus doe I say I belieue as Philip 1 19. Now for the better vnderstanding of this manner of profession wee must consider 1 what parties haue faith 2 where faith is in such parties as haue it 3 vvhereabout faith is hestowed as about her proper matter 4 vvhat be the parts thereof 5 vvhat properties it hath 6 lastly how it is wrought The parties who haue faith are reasonable 1 God who is said to be faithful in keeping his promise This to belieue is to belieue a promise 2 Creatures 1 Angels 2 Men. In mankinde infants haue not faith So as deuils haue a kind of faith Neuerthelesse there is difference of Angels and deuils faith and mens Angels faith is in God the Creator legall no other then Adams was Mens faith must be likewise in the Redeemer Angels are not properly said to be redeemed but rather confirmed by Christ as some Diuines hold Deuils faith is onely of the truth and power of God in generall out of themselues For the second point faith is said to be in the hart Rom. 10.9 10. Acts 8 37. Ephe. 3 17. Now so is it said to be in the hart as to be conueied into the whole man especially into the chiefe powers of the soule Whereof the one is the minde the other is the will In both which I doe iudge that this faith is All agree for the minde some doubt for the will which may thus be prooued First because it is said to be in the hart which implieth the whole soule Secondly for that faith knitteth to God Thirdly fayth and hope differ not I take it in place hope is an affection This is
wrought by the holy Ghost in the hart of a partie regenerate whereby hee or shee taketh knowledge of the doctrine of saluation is perswaded it is true and that it belongeth to him or herselfe and wholely relieth there-upon First that it is a gift appeareth Eph 2 8 not of nature for all haue it not Neither is it a common or base gift but most excellent better then gold as before in this chapter It is from God for so is euery good and perfect gift I am 1 17 and so of God as from the whole Trinitie from the father From Christ for so the Apostles prayed to him to increase their faith and the man in Marke 9 14 Helpe my vnbeliefe Therefore is it not an easie matter to haue it wrought in vs. The holy Ghost worketh it Not without the other persons as before but rather to implie the other two persons from the which the holy Ghost proceedeth But it is ascribed to the holy Ghost to shew that no creature nor all together can worke it The spirit worketh it powerfully though secretly no man can perceiue how Ioh 3 8. And not without meanes of the word and Sacraments No partie hath faith but the regenerate so Ioh 1 12 13. And yet not to euery regenerate but such as are of discretion and haue knowledge without the which no faith can be Besides this faith is in hart that is the soule to wit the minde will so is it Rom 10 9 and Act 8 37. This draweth all others parts and powers after That which faith regardeth is truth to saluation this truth is the word of God To wit the body of Canonicall Scriptures as far as it is reuealed vnto vs and more particularlie that truth which is concerning Christ For as men make much of some Iewell yet is it especially for some workmanship or stone in it so doe all beleeuers like of all truth diuine but especially of Christ Beyond all this faith taketh knowledge of the doctrine of saluation I meane not such knowledge as the Philosophers speake of by causes without all ignorance which is able subtillie to dispute and dissolue all doubtes but that which hath for all that light and vnderstanding Hence it is that knowledge is often in scripture for beliefe This knowledge we speake of is first notice that there is a truth to be beleeued Secondly it alwayes hath some ground of scripture Thirdly it vnderstandeth the meaning of that ground Fourthly it can distinguish betweene truth and falshood Againe faith is perswaded that that which it beleeueth is true Hence is it called the ground of things hoped for Heb 11 1. So as that by the euidence men can not doe but as that directeth Act 4 20. Nay Paule could be contented in assurance thereof to die so did they Heb 11 37 38.39 So will the Saints of God alwayes doe die rather then denie the truth of God Lastly faith applieth all sauing truth vnto it selfe that is that which it knoweth in generall it is perswaded is true in speciall and in the partie where faith is So Thomas called Christ my Lord my God Paule saith Christ loued him and haue himselfe for him So Dauid my God my God c. This application is the opening of the hart to attend vnto the truth Act 16 14. When the mind iudgeth all to be true in it selfe and the will maketh much of them in it selfe wisely therefore was the Creed so framed as that euery one must professe I beleeue Abraham particularly beleeued so saith Saint Paule is euery man iustified Rom 4. Christ compareth himselfe to bread Ioh 6 so as if he be not applied he is not ours This made the word vnprofitable to the ancient Iewes because it was not imped with faith Heb 4 2 that is application Besides how commeth that neere coniunctiō betweene Christ and vs he to be the head we the members he the stocke we the branches he the foundation we the building not by application true it is God taketh hold of vs so doe we of God that it is hand in hand So as nothing can separate Rom 8 38 Iob and others Of or to this application there be some speciall workes of the soule necessarie The first is approbation of that which we applie for vnlesse we like it we will not apprehend it like it we doe when we iudge our selues happie if we could get it wretched while we want it looke Philip 3 8 9 10 verse The second is expetition or desire thereof To this belongeth the hungering and thristing mentioned in the scriptures Zacheus climed into a tree but to see Christ with his eyes The third is apprehension whereby so soone as grace approcheth we lay hold of it presently not letting it goe as the lame held Peter and Ioh Act 3 11 and the Canaanitish women would not giue ouer Christ in the Gospell The fourth is oblectation or delight whereby we make this grace apprehended our cheefe treasure comforting our selues therein more then in all other Lastly faith relieth it selfe vpon all sauing doctrine Thus much for the setting out the nature of faith some other things may serue also heereunto And first we must know that Though sundrie times faith and feeling goe together yet are they seuerall in nature feeling is a fruit of faith But is not alwayes with faith Feeling I call a manifest worke vpon the affectiōs wherby one hath experience in himself of that which he beleeueth Secondly a man may haue faith though he doe not know that he hath it as a sleeping man life and a drunken man reason Thirdly all haue not faith in the same measure some more some lesse the least is faith Fourthly the greatest faith in any of the Saints hath sometimes beene shaken as in Abraham Paule Dauid Which God of purpose doth to make vs wholely hang vpon him that we should not be secure but haue exercise of our giftes Fiftly in the greatest shaking of fayth it is faith for all that that doth vphold and perceiueth the want of faith as a party hauing a light on his head and forgetting where it is seeketh the light by the light Or as in an ecclipse the light remaining in the Moone bewrayeth the light shadowed So is it in one who hath dimme sight hee perceiueth by the dimme sight he hath that he cannot see cleerly By all this wee may somewhat see what faith is now the Apostle requireth the practise heereof Some learned men thinke that fayth once giuen alwaies continueth in presence though not practise But I thinke it continueth in both so as that it is not onely present but alwaies working closely I confesse as life in sleep or Apoplexie or some such For Paule saith that fayth is one of those gifts which doe continue 1 Cor 13 13. Besides all the former the Apostle speaking in generall trust yee meaneth that euery one should for theyr parts so doe as at the table those onely are refreshed who
with death Whether may a Prince suffer the Ambassadour of a forraigne Prince to vse his conscience Aun I thinke he may because he hath no authority ouer him not being his soueraigne but none of his owne subiects must be permitted to communicate with him in false worship 2 The second property is that faith is explicit not onlie to beleeue as the Church beleeueth but to say what wee beleeue why we beleeue what we meane by that which we say we beleeue 3 The third that it is liuely and formed No true faith is dead Charity is not the forme of faith 4 The fourth it can neuer be lost if it be rooted and confirmed 5 The fift according to the doctrine it belieueth it must be taken diuersly and therefore it is sometimes to belieue sometimes to belieue in Faith is wrought effectually by the holy Ghost instrumentally by the word Hetherto haue we spoken of the manner of this profession in generall and seuerally in it selfe now followeth that we consider it with application to euery branch following First therefore as euery one of discretion must belieue so must they in God so the rest following secondly from the hart thirdly according to diuine truth written Fourthly we must know grounds of scripture for euery one vnderstand the meaning thereof perceiue the difference from others be able to teach them to others apply them to our selues Fiftly professe them in due time expresse them lastly our faith must be liuely And thus much for the manner of profession the doctrine and matter professed foloweth beginning at in God and so on to life euerlasting The matter hath two parts 1 of God 2 of the Church Of God to I belieue the holy Catholique c. exclusiuely of the Church in the rest This of God is essentially and generally or personall particularly Of God essentially in name or attributes Name in God In attributes Almightie Maker of heauen and earth That beliefe is to be in God looke the commaundement 1 Tim 6 17. Promise Iere 31 33 Heb 8 10. Vnbeliefe or not belieuing noted Rom 11 30. punished Psalm 78 22. Beleefe in this kind commended Iohn 14 1. Neither is this onely true in generall but also in speciall and particuler so Exod 3 6. So God promiseth Gene 17 2 no more to Abraham then others Rom 4. For Abraham is father of the faithful Thus did Daniel 6 23 Paule Acts 27 25. Dauid Psalm 22 1. Now this in God hath to be considered the meaning of God then what is this in him God must be vnderstood as in the scriptures The scriptures set out God as he is towards his creatures in generall or toward his Church in speciall Towards his creatures That 1 God is 2 God is one 3 God is a Spirit infinite 4 God is present euery where 5 God knoweth all things 6 God can doe all things 7 Loueth mankind 8 Is most iust 9 Is most certaine and sure of his word Toward his Church as he maketh couenant The forme of the couenant is I will be theyr GOD they shall be my people This forme in generall is set downe Ierem 31. In particuler Gene 17 2. In this couenant is a promise and commaundement Promise on Gods part that he will be our God as Gen 17 1 Gene 1 11 where are promised all things to happinesse full and for euer So as if we tell him of our losse hee will restore it of out sicknes he is phisitian of death he is our rayser In particuler God promiseth 1 To teach vs all things necessarily to be knowne of vs They shall be taught of God Looke Esay 30 21. 2 To maintaine and nourish vs. 3 To defend vs. 4 To gouerne vs. 5 To deliuer vs. 6 To be happines and all that hart can thinke to vs. The commaundement is that they shall be my people that is that wee should belieue all these and doe duties thereafter This is God then doe wee belieue in him when wee professe that we belieue all the former of God to our owne behoofe and doe all duties aunswerable thereunto as God is in generall and speciall towards his Church Memorandum that this article professeth the first commaundement 1 First therefore euery one disavoweth all Atheisme 2 Belieueth in God as the scriptures reueale 3 Acknowledge but one God 4 Who knoweth whatsoeuer they doe 5 Is present to them 6 True of his promise made Whereby they seeke vnto him rest in his iudgment of them are perswaded that all thinges shall worke for theyr good heere and that GOD shall be full and for euer happinesse vnto them so as they make him theyr portion aboue all other things Thus farre touching GOD by Name nowe follow the attributes Ob. The Father is first named therfore should it be first opened Aun So might it Neuerthelesse seeing that attributes are of the essence and Father is a person and essence for easie teaching should goe first therefore we may without offence not blaming the order of the Creede speake first of the attributes These rules must be remembred of them 1 Though heere they be ioyned with the Father that is but for orders sake they belong likewise to the Sonne and holy Ghost and so must be remembred 2 There are more belonging to God and to be belieued in God then these Looke Exod 34 6. The attributes heere are two Almighty and maker of heauen and earth Que Why are these named and no more Aun These are named 1 as beeing very well knowne euen to some of the heathen Giue mee saith S. Augustine a Pagan a worshipper of many Idols a seruaunt of deuils who saith not that God is almightie Plato could see that the world was made 2 These put a manifest difference betweene the true and false god God himselfe by his power proueth himself to be the true God So doth Elias cōuince the people 1 Kin 18 24 34 38 and for making the world looke Iere 10 11 and Augustine Let any make a world and he shall be God 3 These are of speciall vse for fayth and life Que Is there any thing in the order that these are heere named Aun The creation prooueth the almightines of God There are heere no more then these named for shortnesse sake and memory Now for the grounds of this article 1 Consider the generall promise 2 Cor 6 18. More specially applied Exod 6 3. To Abraham Gene 17 1. 2 Where the almighty is prayed vnto there must be faith he is prayed vnto Gene 28 3 Gene 43 14. 3 The practise of Gods children was thus to belieue in the almighty Paul 2 Cor 6 18 the three men Dan 3 17. 4 Vnbeliefe in this kinde is punished in Zachary Luk 1 20 in the Prince 2 Kings 7 17 in Benhadaes seruaunts 1 Kings 20 28. That God is almighty it needeth not to be proued yet to satisfie such as are ignorant this may serue Namely the consideration of the sundry mighty works of God
generall particuler He is the God of hostes In this article wee may consider the meaning and the duties which we professe The meaning may easily appeare in the name Almightie which is who hath all might Might in God is whereby hee is of power and can doe things This might and power is absolute or actuall Absolute power in God is whereby hee can doe more then he will as Math 3 9 to raise vp of stones children to Abraham To giue Christ more then legions of angels which he would not Actuall power is that whereby God doth what hee will Quest Whether of the two powers is meant heere Aun Wee must belieue both Neuerthelesse actuall is that which more neerly concerneth vs wherein wee can haue comfort in Of this it is said Psalm 115 3 And hee spake the word and they were made God is said to be thus Almightie 1 Dooing whatsoeuer he will and heere Gods omnipotencie is not in doing sinne Sin hee willeth not Againe sin is of weakenes not of strength 2 Hindering what he willeth Obiect Why doth he not then hinder sin Aun Because he is not bound so to doe 2 for that hee can bring out of sinne good 3 Dooing all things with ease hee but willeth and they are 4 Causing all power where it is euen making weake strong c. Thus farre for the meaning the duties remaine which we doe professe 1 Neuer to presume of the Almighty power of God for vs vnlesse wee know his will to that end For though our faith beleeueth he can doe more then he will yet we neuer can reape comfort of his power disioyned from his will So as Romaine Catholiques not prouing Gods will for transubstantiation say nothing to purpose Or loose professors resting on Gods power as able to conuert them and not vsing meanes doe but beguile themselues 2 Neuer to doubt but whatsoeuer God will shall surely come to passe promised threatned generally particulerly Obiect May one then neglect meanes Aunswer No. They serue for Gods Almightines to worke by in deede in the most vsuall we may easily perceaue Gods power 3 To renounce all trust in creatures 4 To trust wholy in God 2. Cor. 1 9.2 Cor. 12 9. Eph. 6 10. 5 To be strong in faith Rom. 4 21. 6 To be assured of the performance of our prayers 7 To haue contentation in God 2 Cor. 9 7. Heb. 13 5. For indeede God so promiseth to be to vs. Gen. 15 1. 8 In what estate so euer we be to reioyce in God Psal 46 Iob 22 25 26. Thus much for the former attribute the latter followeth Maker of heauen and earth In speaking whereof we may consider it ioyned with the rest and in it selfe As it is ioyned with the rest first why at all it is set down Aun I take it against the poyson of Marcions heresie who thought it not meete to beleeue in God the maker of the world vvhereas the scriptures though teach so to beleeue It is set in this order after the former as a proofe thereof For the maker of heauen and earth cannot choose but be Almighty In it selfe marke three things the grounds of scripture the meaning the things professed The grounds of scriptures are 1 Gods making of himselfe thus knowne Hier. 10 11. Esa 45 7. Esa 66 2 Acts. 7 50. He is so prayed vnto Act 4 24. So beleeued in Psal 124 8. So professed Ier. 32 17. By this name and title praised Psal 136 5 6. So as S. Augustine saith Let any creature that you will come and make a world and I will say it is God Thus is God preached to be beleeued in Act 17 23.24 Act 14 15. This for the grounds of scripture The meaning will appeare by the words where the cause is ioyned with the effect The cause Maker the effect heauen and earth Maker in the scriptures is properly called Creator Creator is who did create Create is to make of nothing 1 This God did 2 By his commaundement 3 Not all things together but in sixe dayes 4 When time began so as there are not yet 6000. yeeres since the world began 5 So as that he ruleth and gouerneth otherwise then Athiests thinke God ruleth and gouerneth for euer Gods ruling or gouerning is his prouidence Prouidence is either generall or speciall Generall prouidence is whereby all things ioyntly are ruled such there is Particuler is whereby euery seuerall is ruled especially most choisely man As to the lighting of a sparrowe vpon the ground to the number of our haires O thou omnipotent saith S. Augustine who rulest all as one and one as if he were alone The effect is Heauen and earth Where by a manner of speech when that which containeth is put for the contained all things are meant all being contained in heauen and earth Heauen is all from the face of the earth vpward There are three heauens ayrie starrie glorious The ayrie heauen is from the face of the earth to the lowest part of the sphere of the Moone Wherein are fowles meteors as winde raine snow haile thunder lightning The starry is from the Moone vpward as farre as motion goeth Wherein are the starres fixed or planets the diuers motions the influences The glorious heauen is aboue all motion where the glorie of the Trinity doth most appeare There is the humane nature of Christ the soules of the elect departed this life the blessed Angels ministring These Angels were created They are ministring spyrits for the necessities of the Church The earth is put for the earth and water together from the face of it to the centre and middle In the water are fishes pearles in the earth are mettals diuers kinds of precious earth stones c on the earth are beasts and cattell but especially man All creatures haue some print or vestigium of God man hath Gods image 1 Now all these things are good Gen. 1 31. Obiect Some things are hurtfull to vs. Aun They are of very good vse being applied by God Quest Whence commeth euill Aun By the disobedience of the reasonable creatures to God Obiect God maketh euill Aun Of punishment not of fault 2 All these make but one world Quest What say you of the deuils Aun God made them at the first good spirits but they haue left their first beginning For their substance they are good not in their qualities This is the meaning the duties professed remaine They are of two sorts either in respect of the creation or prouidence In respect of the creation 1 That wee belieue that the world was ordained by the word c. Heb 11 3. 2 That seeing the creatures were made by GOD wee ought to meditate of them 3 By the creatures to rise more to the knowledge of God Psalm 19 1 Rom 1 25. 4 From the consideration of the creation to get increase of faith for perswasion of performance of our prayers Act. 4 24. 5 To praise God Psalm 136 5 6. 6 To consider of
our owne soule and body Looke psal 139 13 14. and Iob 10 8 9 10 11 12. Thus much for duties professed in respect of the creation duties in respect of prouidence follow 1 That we acknowledge all things to be most wisely ruled by God 2 That he hath particular care of vs. 3 That the Angels watch about vs. 4 All the creatures shall worke for our good Iob 5 22 23. 5 Be contented with whatsoeuer God doth 6 Vse not the name of fortune lucke chaunce 7 Tempt not God by neglect of meanes 8 Remember Iam 4 15. Hetherto touching God essentially now followeth of him personally Whatsoeuer is said of God in generall in this Creede or in the scriptures is true of euery person the Father onely is not Creator and almighty but so likewise is the Sonne and holy Ghost It may be obiected that the Sonne doth nothing of him selfe Aun True not without the Father but all with the Father 2 Not in the sence the Iewes conceiued of him taking him for a bare man so he doth nothing Que. Why are these ascribed to the Father Aun Onely for order Of God personally it is said that he is Father Sonne holy Ghost First is Father Father is a name that cannot be vnderstood without respect to child or sonne God is father of a sonne who is GOD or of sonnes who are men To vnderstand God the father of a sonne who is God somewhat must be touched concerning the misterie of the Trinitie There is as was said before but one God There are 3. persons Father Sonne holy Ghost A person is a manner of beeing in the God-head distinguished by an incommunicable propertie The persons be coequall and coeternall The Father is of none The Sonne is begotten of the Father The holy Ghost proceedeth frō the Father and the Son The Sonne may be considered as not incarnate and nowe incarnate Not incarnate he was called the Word incarnat the sonne of man In respect of his person and manhood hee is the Sonne of God To vnderstand God the Father of sonnes who are men somewhat must be touched concerning the mistery of our redemption and adoption Of mankinde which might haue perished by the fall of Adam it pleased God in Christ to adopt and make some to be sonnes vnto himselfe Ephe 1 5 Iohn 1 12. Que It may be demaunded whether wee must belieue in God the Father of Christ or our father or both Aun Both. So saith Christ your father my father Praying himselfe calleth father and teacheth vs so to pray Our Father Let vs then consider the grounds of scriptures the meaning of this article and what we doe therein professe But because there be two branches implied first consider of the first then of the latter And that wee ought to belieue in the father of our Lord Iesus Christ it appeareth for that God himselfe maketh himselfe knowne by that name Math 3 17 Luke 3 22 Heb 1 5. He is praysed vnder that title 2 Cor. 1 3 Ephe 1 3. Christ promiseth Iohn 14 23. Is prayed vnto Ephe 3 14. The meaning heereof is that I acknowledge to belieue in that God who is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ And heereby doe disavow all Turkish Iewish doctrine which holdeth not the doctrine of the blessed Trinitie Now for belieuing in God who is my Father God promiseth himselfe so to be 2 Cor 6 18 Iere 31 1 more particularly Exod 4 22 23. God commaundeth so to be called vpon Iere 3 19. And findeth fault that any other should be so called Iere 2 27 Math 23 9. Christ himselfe applyeth this name Math 6 8 14 15 18 and that very particularly Math 6 18. Thus did the godly Esay 63 162 So are we taught Mat 6 6. Luke 11 2. I meane then that I know the doctrine of adoption am perswaded that it belongeth to me I know it when I know whence I am redeemed namelie from misery for whom I am adopted namely for Christ how I am assured heereof to wit by faith I professe in this branch 1 To make more account of this that God is my father in Christ then of all thinges in the world beside 2 To looke for all fauours from God as a Father beeing now made a sonne of his The first fauour is Gods sparing as a father is wont to doe Mala 3 17. This is in 1 not imputing faults 2 not inflicting punishments 3 moderatly and gently chastising 4 in taking in good worth the weakenes and vnperfectnes of our obedience Hence must needes arise great peace of conscience and ioy in the holy Ghost The second is the Spirit of adoption whereby wee crie Abba father This Spirit 1 hath boldnes to come into the presence of God 2 Ability or gift to poure forth prayers and desires and prayses 3 Perswasion that al are heard and accepted of God The third is his care to prouide things necessary for vs 2 Cor 12 14 Math 6 32 Psal 23 From hence we haue that 1 which is enough 2 Where-with wee are contented 3 That which God blesseth as the womans oyle the Iewes apparell The fourth is his defence of vs. Keeping vs from euill Deliuering out of euill The fift title to the creatures which we lost by the fall of Adam The sixt certainty of inheritance in heauen All mens children are not heires but Gods are and fellow heires with Iesus Christ 3 I professe to performe all duties to God as a child to a father For there is no benefit but requireth a duty All the duties which wee owe to God or can performe are honour Exod 20 3 Mal 1 6. This honour may be considered in respect of God our selues and others In respect of God we ought 1 To acknowledge this our being sonnes is meerely of grace 2 To seeke to God in all our wants 3 To thanke him for all fauours 4 To take all his instruction 5 To obey his commaundements 6 At his corrections to acknowledge our faults and amend In respect of our selues remember whence we came into this fauour to carry our selues humbly all the time of our liues In respect of others who are without and haue not yet giuen their names to Christ wee must doe nothing to the shaming of our house and father but all things to his glorie Who are of the Church all of vs hauing one father to be one to other brother and sister Hitherto of the first person the second followeth to I beleeue in the holy Ghost For the doctrine touching the second person wee may speake of it ioyned with the former and in it selfe It is ioyned with this word and. And sheweth that it goeth with the rest and in this order It goeth with the rest as may appeare euery where in scripture so as that it is not enough to beleeue in the former The order is that it followeth the former not for any vnworthines it hath in respect of the former but for that somwhat must
hath the Spirit and fulnesse 1 Of himselfe we haue that which we haue from him 2 He hath it without measure we haue our allowance 3 He meriteth so cannot we The things to be belieued which we professe are 1 That Iesus is the Christ 2 That in him is all fulnesse of the holy Ghost 3 He onely is the sufficient teacher and preacheth with power 4 All fauour to be had and kept with God is by him 5 Hee will procure all things for his Churches good 6 We must haue the annointment 1 Iohn 2 27. Whereby we are to teach our selues and others To offer vp our selues a liuing reasonable acceptable sacrifice to God To keepe vnder all our rebellious affections and motions For we are said to be a royall priesthood Hetherto haue beene the simple names in nature first the relatiue or to be vnderstood with reference remaine his onely sonne our Lord. And heere the order is not amisse in relation to consider him first toward GOD afterward the creatures And indeede first becommeth God our Father before we can so much as acknowledge him a Lord. The former of these is his onely sonne His that is of God the Father as before The grounds of scripture are 1 The witnesse of God the Father Psalm 2 7 expounded by Paule Acts 13 33. Heb 1 5. 2 The witnesse of Iesus Iohn 10 36. For which the Iewes blamed him Iohn 10 33. 3 Euen the deuill confesseth thus much Math 8 29. 4 It is the very sum of the Gospell Rom 1 3 9. 2 Cor 1 19 Gala 1 16. 5 The end of the ministery Ephe 4 13. 6 Iohn witnesseth this Iohn 1 34. 7 Who doth not thus belieue is damned Ioh 3.36 8 Who doth beleeue hath euerlasting life Ioh 3 36. 9 Christ himselfe dooth propound it particularly to be belieued Iohn 9 35. 10 The Eunuch belieuing this is baptised Acts 8 37. 11 For faith in this Peter is so highly cōmeuded Mat 16 16. The meaning of this branch will appeare if 1 Wee consider that it is to be ioyned with Iesus Christ Rom 1 3. Math 16 16 2 Cor 1 19. For wee must belieue in Iesus the Christ the sonne of GOD. 2 If we consider the contents which are 1 That he is the Sonne of God 2 Onely begotten A Sonne is by nature So is this fauour This branch that he is a sonne implieth two things 1 That he is God 2 That he is a distinct person That Christ is God many things may shew 1 He is so called Ioh 1 5 20 Iohn 20 28 yea the verie name of Iehoua is ascribed to him Iere 23 6 as appeareth 1 Cor 1 30 1 Cor 10 9. 2 The properties belonging to God are his Eternitie Esay 9 6. Omnipresence Math 18 20 and 28 20. Omniscience Omnipotence Philip 3 21. 3 Workes Creation Colo 1 16 17 Heb 1 2. Forgiuenesse of sinnes Working of miracles Sending the Holy Ghost Beeing free from sin c. Looke Rom 1 3. 4 Adoration proper to God It may be obiected that Christ is a creature because he is called first begotten of creatures Colo 1 19. Aun He is before all creatures that is the meaning to whom right ouer them doth belong And whereas Gala 4 4 it is saide hee was made of a woman it is meant according to his flesh So are many places to be vnderstood Neither is it true onely that Christ is God but it is requisite that so he should be 1 Else he could not saue Esay 43 11. 2 Vnlesse he were infinite he could not beare the infinite wrath of God 3 It increaseth his merits Otherwise he could haue but deserued for himselfe 4 The scriptures did so foretell 5 It was the best way to set out the loue of God Thus for that Christ is God now foloweth that hee is a distinct person from the Father as may appeare Math 3 16 17 Math 28 19 1 Iohn 5 7. It followeth onely begotten Iohn 1 14 and Iohn 3 18 1 Iohn 4 9. Somewheres he is called first begotten Aun Looke a little before He is onely begotten in respect of the Father diuine nature he is first begotten is respect of his mother and humane nature This onely begotten implieth begotten alone He is begotten of the Father Psal 2 7 Heb 1 5. Obiect God is not begotten Christ is God Therfore not begotten Aun God is taken essentially personally The person GOD the Father begetteth the person the Sonne God So is Christ God of himselfe Sonne of the Father as Gregory of Valence Bellarmin confesse that Caluin truly thinketh Quest How is this Sonne begotten Aun I cannot tell and I would wish you not to seeke adore this misterie He hath the whole essence communicated to him Que. When was he begotten An. Before all worlds He is alone Obiect God hath other sonnes Aun By fauour not nature This name implieth partaking all the essence the whole loue and counsell of God Therefore is he said to be in the Fathers bosome Ioh. 1 18. Hitherto the meaning the things professed remaine 1 That Christ in whom I beleeue is true God otherwise then the Iewes who iudge him a man 2 That Christ is a distinct person from the Father 3 That God the Father loueth mee wonderfull well Ioh 3 16. 4 That vnlesse I beleeue in him I shall be damned 5 If I beleeue I shall be safe Ioh 3 36. 6 That God giuing his Sonne will giue all things with him Rom 8 32 7 That all the good I haue is by meanes of the Sonne of God The latter remaineth our Lord. For the which are grounds of scripture 1 Psal 110 1 interpreted and applied by Christ Math 22 43 44 45. 2 In this name doth Daniel pray 9 17. 3 Thus hath God ordained Act 2 36 4 So doe the Apostles euery where write 2 Cor 4 5 5 To this end did God Phil 2 9 10 11 6 In so much as Paule highly preferreth this Phil 3 8 and denounceth an horrible curse to the contrary 1 Cor. 16 22. 7 In particular did apply this to themselues Dauid Psal 110 1. Mary Ioh 20 13 Thomas Ioh 20 28 Paul Philip 3 8. The meaning we shall best vnderstand if we remember that 1 This must be ioyned with that which goeth before and followeth In so much as Christ after an especiall manner is called the Lord. 2 Consider the words in which the relation is our Lord Lord and our Lord in scripture is taken 3 wayes 1 Essentially so is it with Iehouah As in the translation of the old Testament 2 Ciuilly for a name of reuerence As Act 16 30 Lords or sirs And so it aunswereth to Adonai 3 Possessiuely an owner and so it aunswereth to Baal So doth Sara call Abraham Lord and seruants their maisters Euery of these are true in Christ Yet I thinke the last is chiefely meant as he being the owner of vs all Now Christ is so Lord as the onely 1 Cor 8 6 Eph 4 5. In
so much that whereas Suetonius obserueth that Augustus refused the name of Lord Orosius noteth that it was at the time when Christ was borne that all Lordshippe might be ascribed vnto him As euery way so also for that hee ruleth in the conscience Obiect The Father and holy Ghost is Lord. Aun True but the Sonne is called for that all Lordship is committed to him to execute and that he only doth it in the humaine nature As Christ is onely Lord so is he Lord of Lords 1 Tim 6 15 Reuel 17 14 He is said to be our Lord our who professe this Creed True it is that he is Lord of al but specially of the church For 1 Being Lord of all he is also of his Church Psal 2. 2 He created vs all of nothing 3 Hee hath deliuered vs all from the hands of our enemies 4 He hath payed the price for vs 1 Cor 6 20 The thinges which heerein by direction of the scriptures we professe are 1 That we haue the holy Ghost 1 Cor 12 3. 2 Christ is Iehouah 3 I must alwayes speake and think honourably of him 4 That he being our onely Lord Peter is not Mary is not our Lady 5 That Christ onely commaundeth the conscience 2 Cor 1 24 Iam 4 12 6 I am not mine owne nor any thing which I haue 7 I must doe all things for the credit profit honour of my maister and that cheerefully and from the heart 8 In that Christ is our Lord if I thinke of fauours they are for me and mine if of duties I and mine must performe them 9 We must carrie the same minde one to other as fellow seruants and of the same cloath 10 I must not condemne my brother in indifferent things he is an other mans seruant Rom 14 4. 11 Lords ouer others must remember that there is a Lord ouer them and therefore they must not tyrannize ouer their inferiours Eph 6 9. 12 Neither should wee feare any Lords whatsoeuer aboue this Lord. Thus farre of the titles It may be demaunded whether there be nothing but these besides the estates to be known of Christ Aun Yes but these are the most necessary and easie Now follow the estates beginning at conception and so forward till I beleeue in the holy Ghost And heerein we may consider 1 the occasion 2 the distinction of the estates The occasion whereby they beginne to be and that is conception birth For conception is the article Conceiued by the holy Ghost The grounds whereof are Luk 1 35 Math 1 20 Math 1 18 Rom 1 3 4. Obiect It may be obiected this article is not word for word in the scriptures Aun It is in sence manifestly enough that is sufficient The meaning of this article shall appeare 1 By expounding Luk 1 35 Where the Angell deliuereth this doctrine and that by two speeches The first The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee Where is mention of the worker and worke Worker the holy Ghost that is the third person in Trinitie whereof more heereafter The worke is comming vpon the virgin whereby are signified first that this came from heauen and was wrought by God extraordinarily Secondly that it was in a moment wonderfully wherevpon S. Augustine saith O coniunction without filth where speech is the husband eare is the wife Hee meaneth that as soone as the virgin had heard the Angels message and assented to it that she was conceaued The second The power of the most high shall ouer-shadow The power of the most high is the holy Ghost as before Ouer-shadowing implieth that this is a misterie and can not cleerely be seene into so that the virgin her being as it were in a cloud cannot tell how it is wrought So as that we must not seeke curiously 2 By opening the words of the Creede which shewe what is done conceiued and by whom of or by the holie Ghost For vnderstanding that hee is said to be conceiued wee must know 1 who is conceiued 2 what it is to be conceiued 3 wherefore it was necessary this conception should be The party conceiued is Iesus Christ his onely Sonne our Lord. 1 So that it appeareth that hee that was conceiued is God that he might ad merit to the sufferings Act 20 28. Hence is he called Emanuel 2 That he was the Sonne of God 3 1 Because it was meetes as by the word all things were made so to be renued 2 the naturall sonne of God might make adopted 3 the beloued might bring into loue 4 the image of God might renue to Gods image 5 In the word life is said Ioh 1 4 to be 6 God the Father might set out his wonderfull loue to man in giuing his sonne Obiect The second person hath the whole diuine essence therefore the whole diuine essence was incarnate Aun Hee was incarnate according to person not essence Now followeth what it is to be conceiued Conceiued is of conception Conception is a worke in the mother whereby the young shee is with beginneth to be This if wee speake properly is for the first beginning but heere it signifieth besides fashioning and forming So is it Math 1 20. For the holy Ghost did frame him in the wombe as well as worke his conception Conceiued then he is saide to be when hee began to be man In this conception we may consider the parties properties The first part is fashioning and framing the humane nature This hath body soule The holy Ghost made the body of Christ of the sanctified substance of the virgine whereby it was free from sinne This body 1 was true 2 Had infirmities which came not of sinne The soule was made of nothing in the wombe of the virgin and person of the word The second part is assumption vvhereby the Sonne vouchsafed to take to him the manhood and not angely The third is personall vnion Vnion is whereby diuers things are gathered into one Personall when but one person or being is made For better vnderstanding know that vnion is 1 of persons in nature as the Trinitie in the diuine Essence 2 of natures in one person as in Christ 3 of persons and natures in will and affection as diuers men The middlemost is heere meant Whereby the vvord taketh the humaine nature into vnity of person From this vnion ariseth a kinde of speech which they call communication of properties when that which belongeth to one nature is said of the other or of the whole person The properties of this conception are in this and no other First at the same instant was ioyned to the vvord a reasonable soule and organicall body The soule in other conceptions commeth after the conception It is most probable that Christes body at the first in the body was organicall and not Embrye though it might in time increase 1 For the Word was being to mans flesh Mans flesh is not where there is not a reasonable soule a reasonable is not where there is not a formed body 2 He was
for that Gods presence shall then appeare who though hee come in fauour yet striketh great terror as to Elias It was cōmonly thought if one saw God that he should die Gene 16 13 Gene 32 30 and Iudg 13 23. But when hee shall come in iustice what terrors must there needes be Thinke but of trowanting schollers or slothfull seruants looking for a seuere Maister or of guiltie prisoners for an vpright Iudge and then tell mee how great mens feare may be of God For that none but haue some reliques of sinnes God beeing infinitely iust Now this must needs be increased by the thinking how God hath cast the Angels into hell and others but also in that the euent of this iudgement shall be for euer One shall be personally called out his owne thoughts his accusers his conscience witnesse against him feare his executioner Now when one shall see the brightnesse of Gods maiestie on the one part and the vglinesse of lothsome deuils on the other side how may not this trouble as Cyrill well obserueth Not to appeare heere is impossible to appeare may seeme to be intollerable For whatsoeuer may trouble will appeare If it were but feare to the mind it were much It will be sights to the eyes hearing to the eares noysome sents of brimstone to the smell finally it shal afflict the whole man Besides the trouble that will arise vnto vs at others troubles increaseth when we shall heare the horrible scrichings of others see their miserable shifts in perplexitie this cannot but astonish When all this shall be on a suddaine how much more will it amaze Neuer were wee in any terrible tempest of thunder and lightning Looke to the Israelites Exod 19 16 Habac 3 2. Thinke of the false terror at Oxford at London what will true doe Especially when Christ himselfe in whom all our comfort is is Reue 19 12. And the manner as is Luke 21. The end is to iudge This is sometimes put for gouerning in generall heere it signifieth two workes of iudgment 1 Laying open all things 2 Giuing sentence vpon all things The laying open is whereby all things may be perceiued not onely of God but euen of our selues as likewise I take it to others by our owne confession This laying open of all things is by the booke of conscience Apoc 20 11 12. And heere euery secret thing whatsoeuer shall be discouered Ecclesias 12 14. The sentence giuing is whereby to euery one shall be awarded whereto he may and must stand The proceeding shal be according to the deeds to teach what faith to trust vnto namely that which worketh by loue This sentence shall neuer bee reuersed Looke Math 25 46. The persons to be iudged quick and dead that is all and euery one Though now their bodies are consumed 1 The Scripture by this article teacheth vs to be setled against all Atheists and scoffers in full perswasion of this article 2 Pet. 3. 2 That since the Iudge shall come from heauen we may before send thither our harts to meete him in the meane while thence to looke for him Phil. 3 20. 3 Sithence Christ Iesus shall be Iudge beleeuers should haue great comfort so as they might wish for that day and vnbeleeuers cannot choose but be affrighted in that he cōmeth to iudge in whom they will not beleeue 4 And seeing one that is he shall iudge vs all we must not iudge or condemne one another 1 Except we haue a calling thereto 2 Not rashly 3 Not to determine peremptorily of their small estate 5 The suddainnes should make vs presently to be ready and not put off from day to day 6 Of the gloriousnes and terriblenes must we make vse 1 To our selues not quite to be out of hope but rather of good courage in Christ As also to labour to be found in peace 2 Pet. 3 14. So may we be if wee be in Christ and haue truly turned to God 2 Pet. 3 14. If we keepe a good conscience Act 24 16. Psal 125. If we be often thinking of this day and preparing against it 2 Towards others must we make vse as Paul Act 24 26 but especially 2 Cor. 5 11. 7 For that all things shall be layed open wee must take heede of secret sinnes Ecclesi 12 14. Eph 5 12 13 and euen of small As also to make much of a good conscience 8 And seeing the sentence shall be according to works labour for working faith 9 The sentence not being to be reuersed should make vs carefull that in death we might be cleared For as death findeth so shall iudgement Thus farre of the second person now followeth of the third Quest Is not that which is before being beleeued sufficient to saluation especially seeing that the Scripture oftwhere sayth that beleeuing in Christ we shall be saued Aun The former is not enough this misterie of the Trinitie reuealed must be beleeued And where it is said beleeuing in Christ suffiseth that is not meant to bar other doctrines but to shew that beleeuing in Christ is most necessarie which indeede is neuer without beleeuing in Father holy Ghost for that none can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost Obiect Some are said Act 19. not to haue heard whether there be an holy Ghost Aun That is vnderstood of the gifts of the holy Ghost Zonaras writeth in his 3 Tome that this article was not put into this Creede till the time of Macedonius the heretique This heritique denied about the yeere of Christ 364 the Godhead of the holy Ghost against whom the first Constantinopolitane counsell was gathered and condemned him It may be doubted whether Zonaras write true for that it is in the Nicaene Creede and in that of Athanasius Sure it is that the Scripture teacheth it and till more question was made of it it was not so cleare as others Where-vpon Gregory Nazianzen in an Epistle writeth to Basil thus Teach vs how farre we should in disputing about the Diuinitie of the holy Ghost and what words we should vse and how warily we are to behaue our selues Erasmus was blamed by some for his boldnes this way in saying that the Scripture did not call the holy Ghost God But if it were as Zonaras writeth surely these words of the Creede were not ioyned together by the Apostles though the doctrine be Apostolical Que. Doth not the placing of this article put some inequality betweene the persons Aun No it is onely for orders sake besides seeing the personall being of the holy Ghost is of the Father and Sonne and the full manifestation thereof after Father and Sonne therefore is it named after The grounds of Scripture for it are Gen. 1 2. Where the holy Ghost is said to doe like an Hen to cherish and warme the creatures and as it were to put life into them as to Chickens which no creature can doe 2 The forme of Baptisme doth manifestly proue this Math. 28 25 we are not baptized