was any ceremony in all the world so honoured as this Baptisme of Christ was The ancient sacrifices of Gods institution were honoured by manifest signes of his gracious presence as by the fire which came from heauen continually to consume them the Arke was honoured with speciall signes of his glorious presence sitting betweene the Cherubims answering by Oracle and voice vnto cases propounded the Temple it selfe at Ierusalem at Salomons prayer and dedication was filled with the glory of God manifested in that cloud that filled the House of the Lord 1. Kin. 8. 10. and this cloud still watched ouer the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 34. But these were all but shadowes to this wherein the Lord did not cloud and vaile his presence or reueale his presence in some signe but the Diuine Maiesty manifested it selfe distinctly as we may say in person yea in the distinction of all the three Persons the Father testifying his delight in his deare Sonne the Sonne standing in Iordan and receiuing his Fathers testimony and the holy Ghost descending in the visible shape of a Doue From whence is notably grounded the doctrine of the blessed Trinity of persons in the Vnity of diuine essence because they be so really distinguished although they cannot bee separated But the word Trinity is not to be found in the Scriptures Yet the doctrine is if not according to the letter yet according to the sense Mat. 17. 5. In the transfiguration of Christ the Sonne standeth the Father by his voice witnesseth and the holy Ghost ouershadowes him in a cloud as heere by a Doue So Matth. 28. 19. Baptize them in the name not names to note the vnity of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost And 2. Cor. 13. 14. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the holy Ghost bee with you all Besides there is expresly the word three frō whence Trinity comes 1. Ioh. 5. 7. There be three that beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one So also Gal. 4. 6. God sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts Which is worthy to be by the way obserued as against sundry other damnable Heretikes so especially against the Iewes at this day who hold an indistinct essence in the Deity without distinction of persons and secondly against the wicked Arrians who deny the Sonne of God to bee begotten of the essence of the Father and to bee coeternall and coequall with him they hold him to be meere man onely borne without sin and receiuing the Spirit beyond measure and in all those places where he is called God they vnderstand it God by office not by nature as the Magistrate is called God and by this equiuocation they can deceiue the Magistrate and professe namely in this their sense that they verily beleeue him to bee God and yet meere man But this place and many other assume him into equall dignitie with the Father and holie Ghost as wee shall further see in the Fathers testimonie of him In the opening of the heauens consider 1. how they were opened 2. why they were opened For the former not the whole heauens but a part and that part ouer the earth where Christ prayed in the banke of Iordan and not to all the people of the earth but to those onely that were present with Christ were the heauens opened and therefore it is said The heauen was opened vnto him not as some say to Iohn but to Christ for so the phrase is vsed Act. 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visae eis linguae i. supra eos The difficultie is in the manner Some think it was but an apparition in the aire because the densitie of the heauens as Philosophie teacheth cannot admit of any diuision in the same But this is vnlikely for in apparitions the eye is easily deceiued by thinnesse or thicknesse neerenes or remotenes light or darknesse of the parts of the heauens and clouds now God would not haue so notable a confirmation of Christs calling stand vpon the credit of a thing so liable to deceit as apparitions be Againe this was a miracle by which Christs office was exalted and therefore goes beyond nature and it is absurd to limit so transcendent a power within the rules and hedge of nature Others of the Fathers whom some Schoolemen follow think that there was no alteration in the heauēs to the bodily eye but it was a meer vision which none but Christ saw and that not with the eyes of his body but of his minde such a vision as Ezekiel and Steuen saw But this is not so for first to the eyes of Christs minde heauen was neuer shut Secondly Mark 1. 10. hee saw the heauens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clouen a word vsed in things really done and vsed of the rent garment Luk. 5. 36. and of the vaile of the Temple which was rent in twaine Thirdly the other signes were really and sensibly done the Spirits descending visible and the Fathers voyce audible and sensible which are things of greater difficultie to conceiue as wee shall see and visible and sensible were they not so much for Christs as for Iohns and the peoples confirmation that stood there It seemeth therefore to bee true that the heauen was sensibly diuided and rent in twaine euen as the earth was when Korah and his company were swallowed vp This is not vnreasonable to conceiue if wee consider that the Lord might well doe as much for his Sonne as he had formerly done for his seruants Henoch in his body as wel as in his soule was taken vp into heauen here either the heauens must diuide themselues or one body must pearce and penetrate another which euen glorified bodies cannot doe Eliah when Elisha prayed him that his spirit might be doubled on him answered thus Thou askest an hard thing yet if thou see me when I am taken from thee thou shalt haue it so 2. King 2. 11 12. and Elisha saw him when he was taken vp into heauen by a whirlewinde and consequently saw the heauens diuided to receiue his body now glorified in the act of translation When Christ had accomplished his whole ministery Act. 1. 9. while his Disciples beheld he was taken vp into heauen they did see the heauens opening themselues to receiue his glorious body and shall we think it absurd that according to the letter of the Scripture his Father should enter him into that ministery by a sensible opening of the heauens As easie it must bee for God to doe this as to make the Sunne stand still the Sea runne backe yea the Sea to diuide it selfe and stand like a wall for the defence of his people And that he thus did it is plaine because this serueth for the greater confirmation and glorie of the businesse in hand which aboue all other the Lord set himselfe to aduance commend to the world Now in the
in the former verse where Christ is called the head of all things being the head of his body hee hath made a passage both for himselfe and his members How doth Christ open heauen for vs oh that we could see such a sight Christ openeth heauen 1. by the merit of his obedience vnto the death so saith S Paul Col. 1. 20. By the bloud of his crosse he hath set at peace all things Meditate on his death 2. By the donation of his Spirit who worketh faith in the heart of Gods child which is as an hand wherby Christ with all his benefits is receiued and a mouth whereby he is eaten so is it an eye cleered to see thorow the clouds God sitting in his glory vpon the Propitiatorie and Mercy-seate and sometimes vpon the throne of his iustice Heb. 11. 27. By faith Moses departed Egypt and feared not the fiercenesse of the King but endured as one that sawe him that was inuisible By faith Henoch walked with God hee had him euer in his eye heauen was euer open and vndrawne vnto him Ioseâ—h saw on the throne of his iustice and said Can I sinne and doe this great wickednesse against God Thus the godly in this life haue heauen after a sort opened so as they haue God euer present with them Steuen being full of the holy Ghost saw heauen open get faith and thou shalt see it open too 3. By the benefit of his intercession Ioh. 17. Father I will that where I am they also be to behold my glory Now he was heard in all that he prayed for so as by vertue of the merit of his intercession all the elect shall be gathered in soule and body into heauen after this life This same key openeth heauen to our prayers and persons Heere is the comfort of the godly that whereas the first Adam hath shut heauen on them and set hell wide open and armed all the creatures against them this second Adam hath opened heauen againe and reconciled all things there is now passage from man to God from earth to heauen by the prayer of faith and betweene God and man while hee heareth prayer and bestowes heauenly blessings a passage for the Spirit and for Gods helping hand in trouble there is a beaten way betweene heauen earth in which Gods Angels are continually mouing as diligeÌ„t ministers to the heires of saluation Here ye may see Iacobs ladder which reacheth from earth to heauen on which the Angels are continually ascending and descending this ladder is Christ himselfe who by his humanity toucheth earth and by his diuinity reacheth vp to the heauens and so hath made heauen earth meete together And as this comforteth vs through our whole life so especially in the houre of our death it is of exceeding vse then happie is he that can see the heauens opened by Christ for him as Steuen did he shall lay himselfe downe in rest and assurance that though his body shall be inclosed in the earth for a time yet his soule shall ascend to God and both soule and body in the Iudgement day shall partake of the glory vnto which Christ the Head is already ascended and the same power which made the heauens themselues now at his baptisme set themselues open to strengthen encrease the grace of his Saints shall then set them wide open to confirme them for euer in glory And Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him Sect. 7. THis is the second diuine testimony whereby God the Father would make euident to all the world that Christ the Sonne was the Messiah anointed with the gifts of the holy Ghost for this purpose Where for the meaning of the words must be knowne 1. What is heere meant by the Spirit of God 2. How the Spirit could descend or be seene so to doe 3. The manner of his descending like a Doue 4. Why hee lighted vpon Christ. 5. Why it is said Iohn saw all this 1. By the Spirit of God is meant sometimes the whole essence of the God-head as it is common to all the three Persons as Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit Somtimes the gifts and graces of the Spirit as Luk. 1. 15. Iohn was filled with the Spirit that is spirituall gifts by a Metonymie of the cause for the effect And Act. 6. 5. Steuen a man full of faith and the holy Ghost Somtimes the third Person in Trinity as 1. Ioh. 5. 6. and that Spirit is truth and thus is the word here vsed not the gifts and graces of the spirit nor taken essentially or commonly for the whole Trinity but personally for the third Person in Trinity who is distinct from the Father and the Sonne equall vnto the Father and the Sonne and the same God in Nature and Essence with the Father and the Sonne though not the same person And the third person is called a Spirit because he is that essentiall vertue proceeding and as it were spired or breathed from the Father and the Sonne or from his effect who bloweth where he listeth and inspireth holy motions and graces into the hearts of the elect 2. How can the holy Ghost be said to descend `who is God omnipresent and filling heauen and earth Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I goe from thy Spirit Answer True it is that this descending of the Spirit was a locall motion from heauen where it was opened vnto earth to the very head of Christ and yet wee may not conceiue any locall motion in God or any of the persons but in one word The signe or siymbol wherein the holy Ghost pleased to testify a speciall presence or efficacy doth take the name of the thing signifiyed the Doue a signe of the Spirit is called by the thing signified the Spirit it selfe not that the blessed Spirit was changed into a Doue or any similitude whose nature were it not immutable he could not bee God but because it pleased him retaining his owne vnchangeable nature to appeare vnder this forme and likenes and thus Iohn also seeing this shape and appearance descend froÌ„ heauen is said to see the Spirit which is inuisible the Doue signifying called y e Spirit signified by a figuratiue kinde of speech common in the Scriptures The Ark was called The Glory of God because it was a speciall signe of it Three Angels came to Abraham one of them seeming to be more glorious then the other is called by the name Iehoua a name proper to God and not agreeable to any Angel further then he representeth the Sonne of God as that did The right interpretation and vnderstanding of such phrases would cut off infinite quarrels about the reall presence which is onely held vp because by this same figure the bread signifying is called the body signifyed which if it necessarily imply a change of the bread into the very Body of Christ then because the Spirit of God is called a Doue
beloued as a sea or fountaine from whose fulnesse loue must be deriued to all other Eph. 1. 6. He hath made vs accepted in his Beloued the head of the body must be filled with sense and spirit and life because it must send these into all the members so the Head of the Church As the Apostle therefore saith In him are the treasures of wisedome so he is Gods store-house of loue whence all our supplies must be fetched Of consolation 1. In respect of Gods affection 2. Of Christs intercession 3. Of our owne acceptation The first if God thus dearely loue Christ the Head he must needes dearely loue the mēbers whence Christ prayeth thus Ioh. 17. 23. That the world may know that thou louest them as thou hast loued me namely with a fatherly and free loue What then if the child of God be in want distresse danger death it selfe God looking on him in Christ cannot but pitty him the wife and children cannot so pitty and helpe vs when they can weepe about vs. Psal. 103. 13. Secondly Christs intercession for vs must needes be powerfull and preuailing because he therefore euer liueth to make requests for vs and being also euer loued it must needes be fruitfull for vs he was heard in all things in the dayes of his flesh and much more now in his glory We see what great suits a Kings fauorite can carry away as Ahashuerosh because Hester found grace in his sight would not deny her to the halfe of his Kingdome and shee easily got her suit for her selfe and all her people But Christ shall not be denied the whole Kingdome if he aske it for his Elect. Thirdly hence comes in our boldnesse to come to God in the name and for the sake of Christ in whom our persons and prayers finde acceptance we in our selues being enemies to God strangers from God and his couenant hauing forfaited all are by his mediation receiued into such fauour as Aske what wee will in his name in faith and vnderstanding and wee shall be speeders Of instruction in two things 1. If God thought not his deare Sonne too deare for vs but although his whole loue was cast on him would not spare him shall wee thinke any thing too deare for him If benefits will binde search heauen and earth you shall not finde such a loue which is left with an admiration Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world c. And oughtest not thou to giue vp thy soule body and life it selfe as a reasonable sacrifice for him Oh the ingratitude of men that are so farre from this as that they will not part with a grain of their wealth with a dram of their credit nor with their base lusts The proud will not depart from his pride nor the drunkard with his drunkennesse nor the froward with his malice and reuenge for Christ and much lesse from liberty life c. And what is the reason Men loue their liues their lusts c. and did not God loue his Sonne more than thou canst loue these he set his whole loue euen an infinite loue vpon him and yet hee gaue him to death for thee and wilt thou doe nothing suffer nothing for him Wilt thou loue hatefull things better than God who loued not his dearest Sonne too well for thee 2. If God so dearely loued Christ his Sonne so must we we want no reasons or motiues thereunto for first hee loued vs first not existing yea resisting Secondly he hath declared his loue by innumerable gifts of body and soule yea by that inualuable gift of his owne bodie and soule Thirdly hee hath more to declare to vs hereafter in greater things which eye hath not seene eare hath not heard for hee will not be in heauen without vs. Fourthly God cannot loue vs if wee loue not his beloued Sonne Can a father who hath cast his whole affection on his childe and worthily endure that hee should be contemptuously entreated and despised The sentence is passed If any loue not the Lord Iesus let him bee accursed Fifthly the greatest reason of all is the strait vnion and band between Christ and the Christian he the foundation wee the building coupled he the roote we the branches ingrafted he the Head we the body vnited he the Husband we the wife married and hence is the communication betweene vs in natures goods estates he puts on our nature to cloath vs with his diuine nature he put vs in state of all his goods wisedome righteousnes sanctification and Redemption yea giues vs right to heauen to earth and the creatures he takes on him our low estate to aduance vs to his glory yea our troubles are his in our wrongs he is wronged and whatsoeuer is done to vs of well or woe hee takes it as done to himselfe either to recompence or reuenge it Now what an vnseemly and confused sight were it to behold the building falling off of the foundation the branches seuering from the roote the members cutting themselues from the head and the wife suing for a diuorce or at daggers with her husband Notes of our loue to Christ are these 1. Often to thinke of him and these thoughts bee deepe large frequent which argues abundant affection in the soule Often out of that abundance to speake of him and neuer but to his glory for where we heartily loue we can willingly praise Thus the loue of God in Dauids heart filled his mouth and pen with often praises Psal. 119. 164. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Thus the Spouse in the Canticles loued much and praised much My beloued is white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand chap. 5. 10. Yea by this meanes bring others to be in loue with him as wee doe with our deare friends Psal. 31. 23. O loue the Lord all ye his Saints Cant. 5. 16. His mouth is as sweet things he is wholly delectable this is my welbeloued and this is my louer O daughters of Ierusalem 2. To bee carefull to please and content him in all things the man I loue I will doe any thing wherby I may please him I will abstain from y t which will offend and incense him 2. Cor. 5. 9. We couet both at home and from home to be acceptable vnto him I will not forget his desire his word I will thinke the time short and well spent to do his requests I will not imprison his loue in my heart or mouth but expresse it in my whole course and calling as Peter was thrice enioyned to expresse his loue to Christ in feeding his sheepe and lambes Ioh. 21. 16. 3. Loue is bountifull I will spare nothing for my friend all I haue is his to command and vse because my selfe am sincere loue is communicatiue and will be at cost for Christ those that loue Christ first giue themselues to Christ and then their gifts their graces their goods to the vse of Christ and of his members
sincere loue is diligent and will refuse no paines to please or pleasure the partie loued what infinite paines will men that loue the world take for an handfull of it and such as loue Christ will refuse no paines to enioy to glorifie him as the Apostles and Martyrs in whom we see how loue ouercommeth all things and the hardest paines is pleasure to it 4. This Christian and holie loue is ready to defend Christ no man can endure to heare or see his friend abused loue carries a sympathy with it that is a fellow-feeling causing ioy or griefe to see his glory Word or Kingdom aduanced or hindred it carries a godly zeale to Gods house which consumed Dauid Psalm 69. 9. Paul and Barnabas when GOD was dishonoured were mooued and rent their cloathes and loue to Christ makes a mā take to heart things against his name and honour nay it makes the Christian ready to suffer with Christ and for Christ and accept of neuer so hard a conditiō with him Much water cannot quench loue nor the flouds drowne it Cant. 8. 6. Yea if all the world should forsake Christ and sincere profession of him sincere loue would loue the more and die with him rather than deny him 5. Now in his absence to loue him in his image in his seruants because they loue him in his Word Sacraments which are his letters and pledges in his gifts and graces which are his loue-tokens and long to obtaine his presence for the Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come yea euen to be sick of loue after him Cantic 5. 8. Thus may wee trie our loue of Christ and shame our selues for want of it and stirre vp our selues to grow vp in the image of God who hath set his whole loue vpon him and long after the day when wee also shall set our whole loue vpon him as he vpon vs. In whom I am well pleased Sect. 10. HEre is the fruit of this neere relation declaring to vs that God is not onely pleased with Christ his person his actions and perfections for hee saith not with whom but that in him whatsoeuer is presented is accepted and hee is pleased with that also Neuer is God appeased with any man but in and through his Christ whom hee so loueth as that all his wrath is appeased with all that are in him Eph. 1. 6. We are accepted in his Welbeloued Col. 1. 20. In him are all things reconciled and set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both in earth and in heauen that is the whole bodie of the Church which is partly in earth and partly in heauen by Christ vnited to God Luk. 2. At his birth the Angels sang Glory to God peace on earth good wil to mē teaching vs that now by Christ Gods good will was turned towards men Add hereto that all the fauors we receiue from God are ascribed vnto him Ephes. 1. We are elected in him adopted in him called with an holy calling iustified but all in him and vers 3. He hath blessed vs with all spirituall and heauenly blessings in Christ. For 1. If God look on vs in our selues in the common masse wee are so couered ouer with sin as he must needs pronounce of vs as once hee did of mankinde It repenteth me that I haue made man he must needes bring the curse of the Law vpon our neckes But looking on vs through Christ he changeth his voyce that as when wee behold a thing through a red or greene or coloured glasse euery thing looks as the colour of the glasse so God beholding vs through Christ we receiue the dye and tincture of his bloud and obedience and so are iustified and accounted innocent and pure And thus as it is said of the Church Ezek. 16. 14. we recouer our former beautie which is made perfect through his beautie 2. This was shadowed in the old Testament Ge. 8. 21. When the earth was destroyed and Noah came out of the Arke hee offered burnt-offerings to the Lord and the Lord smelled a sauour of rest and said I will no more curse the earth c. A notable type of Christ the Mediatour and maker of atonement betweene God and man from whose meritorious sacrifice God only smelleth a sauour of rest So likewise in Aaron the high Priest Exod. 28. 38. Aaron must beare the iniquitie of the offerings of the children of Israel and Holinesse to the Lord shall be alwaies vpon his forehead to make them acceptable to the Lord here saith Caluine must all our senses bee fixed vpon the forehead of the only high Priest from whom all holinesse floweth foorth to his Church neither could the Priest make the people acceptable in his owne person but as hee stood a type of Christ. 3. Consider Christ 1. in himselfe God was so pleased in him as hee was neuer displeased nothing was euer found in him displeasing no guile in his lips no spot in his person but was euer a beloued Sonne it is not so with vs who were before the sonnes of wrath and Lo-ammi Lo-ruhamah 2. Consider him as Head of the Church and Mediatour his obedience was so voluntary and satisfactory so full and meritorious as must needs appease his fathers wrath in him the Father hath his Law wholly fulfilled euen all righteousnes in him he hath the curse borne carried away in him he hath a new righteousnes of faith restored to beleeuers and a new image repaired vpon them so as now beholding them not in the first Adam but in the second not in the old roote but in the new plantation he loueth the members because he loueth the Head accepteth them as sons through his beloued Sonne To note the miserable condition of all them that are without Christ because they are as the Gentiles without God in the world without hope for nothing else in the world can put backe the wrath of God there is no name else vnder heauen in which a man can be saued How fearefully is the wrath of God come vpon the Iewes to the vttermost who reiect this Corner stone and yet expect a Messiah of their owne making Neither the cleere testimonies of the Prophets nor of Iohn nor Heare this voyce of the Father nor his own mighty works haue moued them because hardnesse is come vpon them till this day and the vaile is vpon their hearts which wee must pray that God would in his time remooue Those mightie kingdomes of Turkes and Heathens who refuse the Sonne of God and will not acknowledge him more than a man lye vnder Gods wrath and in the power of the diuell and reiect the onely meanes whereby they should come into fauor with God which when we consider as we are to pitie and pray for them so with praise and gladnesse wee are to acknowledge Gods goodnesse whose prouidence watched ouer vs to be borne in the places and times wherein Christ rideth most gloriously in
second place the reasons why the heauens were opened were sundry 1. To manifest the truth and certaintie of the other signes which followed that seeing the heauens opened they might not conceiue that either the Doue or the voyce came from any other place 2. To shew that howsoeuer Christ stood there as a weake man and in similitude of sinfull flesh yet he was the Lord from heauen heauenly of whom was verified Ioh. 3. 31. Hee that is come from heauen is aboue all 3. That as his person so likewise his doctrine was diuine and heauenly ver 34. He whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God and this was the speciall worke of his doctorall office to reueale the will of his Father And Io. 1. 18. No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath declared him The power also and grace whereby he wrought miracles was not from Beel-zebub but from heauen 4. To shew that his office into which he was now entred was and is to open heauen again for vs who by sinne had shut it against our selues he hath made our way vnto y e throne of grace And thus this second Adam standeth in opposition with the first he shut vs out of Paradise a token that we were shut out of heauen but this lets vs into the Paradise of God againe The heauens are opened by his passion not by his baptisme Heb. 10. 19. They are opened by his death as by a common cause which must be specially and singularly applied and that is by baptisme therefore it is said Rom. 6. 3 4. We are baptized into his death that is to haue benefit by his death 1. Note hence that Christ by fulfilling all righteousnesse hath set heauen open vnto vs and consequently the iustification of a sinner is not onely by the obedience of his passion but also by his actiue obedience in fulfilling the Law for 1. the whole summe of the Law is to loue God with all the heart c. which if we performe not in our selues or in Christ then the whole Law is abolished whereof euery iot must be accomplished Math. 5. and Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfill it 2. The sanction of the Law Cursed is euery one that abideth not in all things cannot be auoided if all those things be not done in our selues or our surety 3. There are two parts of iustification 1. Remission of sinne which is by the blood of Christ which takes away all sin 2. Imputation of Christs righteousnesse neither can the one stand without the other as 1. Cor. 5. 21. Hee hath made Him sinne that knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in Him And this meetes with their maine obiection that when sin is taken away the Law is fulfilled and the sinner acquitted and iustified for that is not true for a sinner is not iustified when sinne is abolished vnlesse iustice be added Sinne must be couered indeed but that is but fulfilling of halfe righteousnesse vnlesse righteousnesse be imputed Rom. 4. 25. He was deliuered for our offences and was raised againe for our iustification where iustification is farre more then remission of sinnes 4. The words of Scripture are plaine Rom. 5. 18. By the obedience of Christ many are made righteous and 10. 4. Christ is the end of the Law for righteousnesse and not only to remoue vnrighteousnesse As for all those places wherein it is said that Christ hath purged all sinne with his blood c. they are to be meant exclusiuely in respect of the blood of beasts or any meritorious workes of men out of Christ but not to exclude the meritorious actiue obedience of the Sonne of God 5. Hee that is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole Law Obiect That was to make him a fit Sauiour Answ. No but that hee might redeeme them that were subiect to the Law and that they might receiue the adoption of sonnes vers 5. Hee speakes plainely of Christs actiue obedience We will conclude with Bernard Totus mihi datus totus in meos vsus expensus est When I can haue too much of Christ I will renounce his actiue obedience but if by fulfilling all righteousnesse he hath opened heauen I will lay fast hold vpon all his righteousnesse to bring mee thither Secondly hence wee note what we are to thinke of the doctrine of Christ who came from heauen and spake from heauen Heb. 1. 1. In these last dayes God hath spoken to vs by his Sonne and therefore our meanes of saluation are great and glorious the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of his Father hath reuealed the Fathers will vnto vs. Naturall light hath manifested much of God to many men supernaturall light hath made him more manifest both by the deliuery of the Law and the promises of the Gospell concerning Christ to come whereby the Iewes saw God after a sort through the vaile of types and shadowes but did not see him clearely and perspicuously till Christ was manifested in the flesh who was in his person the brightnes of his Fathers image and in his office the chiefe Doctor and Teacher of his Church Whence it followes Heb. 12. 25. That if they escaped not who refused him vvhich spake on earth much lesse shall we if we turne from him that speaketh from heauen and 2. 2. If the vvord spoken by Angels was stedfast c. how shal we escape if wee neglect so great saluation which was first begun to be preached by the Lord and is confirmed to vs by them that heard him Obiect Oh if we should heare Christ speake from heauen wee would obey Answ. The doctrine that we bring is from heauen heauen opened it selfe to giue confirmation to it the same it is which Christ taught which the Apostles receiued from him and we from them and of vs holding our selues to the Apostles doctrine our Sauiour saith Hee that heareth you heareth mee With how great danger therefore doe men refuse and turne away from our doctrine how shall they escape that refuse doctrine from heauen A iust thing it is that they be giuen ouer to Satanicall and hellish delusions who refuse doctrine from heauen 3. This opening of heauen being a signe of that which Christ had done affoordeth speciall comfort to all the members of Christ in that heauen being shut against vs by our sin for into it shall no vncleane thing enter Christ hath set the gate of it open vnto vs againe hee hath made a way and as it were a thorow-fare betweene heauen and earth By him saith the Apostle all things in heauen and earth are gathered into one Ephes. 1. 10. and Col. 1. 20. He hath reconciled to himselfe through him all things which are in earth and in heauen that is all elect and beleeuing men on earth and the blessed Saints and Angels in heauen and this followes that
hee must necessarily bee turned into a Doue of a creating God become a creature which is high blasphemy 3. The manner or forme of the Spirits descending was in the shape of a Doue Quest. Whether was this a true materiall Doue or an appearance of a Doue only Answ. It is enough to conceiue the presence of the holy Ghost vnder the forme of a Doue and it is no article of faith whether it was or no But yet I thinke it was a true reall body and corporal Doue 1. Because Luke addeth in a bodily shape implying that there was a body 2. Because none of the other signes were imaginary or appearances but reall things whence some of the Fathers conclude that it was as true a Doue as the Spirit was a true Spirit Obiect But if it were so how came it into heauen Answ. He that created of nothing all things created it at this time not for common vse but for this vse and purpose which when it was accomplished hee could bring it to nothing or resolue it into the first matter whereof it was made as it was with those bodies in which the Angels appeared Obiect But the text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Doue therefore it was but a similitude and appearance not a true body Answ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be referred to the Doue but to the Spirit who manifested his presence in this likenesse 2. The phrase doth not alwayes note likenesse and similitude onely but verity and identity as Ioh. 1. 14. Wee saw his glory as the glory of the only Sonne of God and Phil. 2. 7. Christ was in the shape of man and like man shal we thence conclude that he was not a true man but one in appearance onely Why did the holy Ghost appeare in this shape For sometimes hee appeared in mighty winds as to the Apostles sometimes in burning fire wherein he seemes to be contrary to himselfe These diuers symbols and testimonies of the presence of the Spirit argue diuers but not contrary effects all of them his wisedome made choyce of according to the occasion and present vse There was great difference betweene the ministery of Christ and Moses betweene the Law and the Gospell and accordingly the Spirit manifesteth himselfe The Law was confirmed with terrour feare but to ratifie the Gospel the Spirit appeares in the shape of a Doue Act. 2. 2. Hee is noted to come like a mighty rushing winde to shew the mighty power of the Gospell in the ministery of the Apostles who were now to bee sent out so in the shape of tongues to shew the vtterance giuen by the Spirit to the Apostles in the shape of clouen tongues to note the variety of tongues and languages wherewith they were indued in the shape of fiery tongues to shew the fruit and efficacie of their ministery and doctrine which should bee as fire to seuer betweene drosse and pure metall So heere the Spirit would appeare in the shape of a Doue to note 1. what kind of Spirit Christs was 2. what kind of gifts they were which were collated and bestowed vpon him and 3. what was the fruit of those gifts For the first in the Doue obserue two things 1. Of all fowles it is the most mild without gall 2. It is most innocent and harmlesse not rauening and hurtfull Which signifieth that Christ should be indued with a mild meeke and gentle spirit so it was prophesied of him Isa. 42. 2. That he should not cry nor lift vp his voice in the streets a brused reed hee should not breake and how it was accomplished the whole story of the Gospell witnesseth Math. 12. 19. So also that he should be most innocent blamelesse of a most pure spirit In him was no guile no deceit in his lips Who could accuse him of sin being the spotlesse Lambe of God 2. As the Doue hath many excellent properties patience simplicity sincerity tendernesse to her young faithfulnes to her mate c. Euen so God the Father hath fitted Christ with all profitable and necessary gifts humility and patience holinesse and integrity loue and tendernesse constancy and diligence in working out the good of his members 3. The fruit of these gifts is the appeasing of his Fathers displeasure conceiued against the sinne of man for looke as the Doue which Noah sent forth out of the Arke returning with an Oliue branch which argued the ceasing of the deluge brought newes that Gods wrath was now asswaged and decreased with the waters so the Spirit of the Lord is vpon Christ in the form of a Doue sending him out to preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord and good tidings of liberty to captiues the opening of the prison to them that are bound forgiuenesse of sin and conferring of grace life c. Isa. 61. 1. Now this being the end of the Spirits appearing in this shape separating and sending Christ to his ministery that onely for this time and not reserued out of this time and vse it is not now lawfull for any man to represent the holy Ghost by this shape or make an image thereof for this is to make an Idoll as the Papists doe not onely in this but in painting God the Father like an old man because he is called the Ancient of dayes Dan. 7. 22. Both of them flat Idolatry God is aboue his Law if he make shapes Cherubs or bodies it is iust because hee doth it but wee are borne vnder the Law which expresly forbids the making or hauing of any Image of God in any vse or any at all in religious vse and enioynes vs to worship God in spirit and truth onely in the Image of his Sonne And it will strongly follow that if wee may not reserue the shapes which God himselfe hath vsed to manifest his presence much lesse vpon any colour any Images or Idols deuised and beautified by Idolaters abused in times past and in present and for time to come subiect to be abused to the maintenance of Idolatry Heere come all Popish pictures to bee defaced whose Idolatry is as grosse as euer the Heathens was a lamentable thing y t any Christian can feed and please his senses in the cōuicted instrumēts of Gods dishonour in so high a kinde A chaste heart will make a chaste eye The 4. point is the Spirits descending vpon Christ for these reasons 1. To shew that Christ was set apart to his great work not onely by the ministery of man but by the holy Ghost 2. That hee was now endued with gifts fit for such a worke for this was the vnction or anoynting of Christ to bee the King Priest and Prophet of his Church as Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee hee hath anoynted mee to preach Obiect But Christ was filled with the holy Ghost from his infancy Answer He was endued with such a measure of the Spirit as was