diuine The Monothelites say likewise that there is one onely will in Christ And thus we seeing how many and how wicked and damnable heresies are taken vp and imbraced against the holy truth of this Article it may and ought iustly to starre vs vp to be both very diligent to ground our selues in the truth and also to watch with great circumspection that the Diuel doe neuer by any of his wicked suggestions or deceitfull instruments drawe vs away in one respect or other either on the right hand or on the left And to this end let vs all pray to God all waies with great instance that it may please him of his infinite mercie euen for our Lord Iesus Christs sake to teach direct preserue and establish our hearts in his holy truth And so shall wee bee safe Amen Beliefe in God the Sonne borne of the Virgin Marie Question LEt vs now goe forward What followeth in the next place in the Articles of our Christian Beliefe Answere It followeth that we professe our selues to beleeue that our Sauiour was borne of the Virgin Marie Question What ground of holy Scripture haue you for the proofe and warrant of it Answere The holy History of it together with the report of those things which are adioined to the further illustration of it is contained in the 2. chap of the Euangelist Luke from the beginning of the chapter to the 20. verse And in the last verse of the first chap of the Euangelist Matthew And in the â—â—ch from the beginning of it to the 19. verse of the same Explication and proofe So then we haue two things to obserue concerning the Natiuitie and birth of our Sauiour First the historie of the Natiuitie it selfe in respect of the most neare circumstances of it Secondly those things which followed after it for the more full manifestation and confirmation of the certaintie of it Let vs therefore consider both of the one and also of the other of them Question And first what doth the holy storie teach vs concerning the Natiuitie or birth it selfe Answere It reporteth these three things First the time when our Sauiour was borne Secondly the place where Thirdly the manner how Beliefe in God the Son who was borne of the Virgin Mary ExplicatioÌ„ proofe Qus What doth it teach vs concerning the time of the birth Ans The holy Storie teacheth vs in the first place that it was shortly after the birth of Iohn the Baptist It is true For so may it plainely be gathered by comparing of the lattter part of the first chapter of Saint Luke from the 57. verse with the beginning of the second chapter For immediately after that the Euangelist hath recorded the birth of Iohn Baptist and the memorable matters belonging thereunto then he continueth the holy Storie thus in the first wordes of the 2. chap And it came to passe in those daies c. that is to say the daies shortly following the birth of Iohn the Baptist So that like as he had before annexed the Historie of the coÌ„ception of our Sauiour Christ succeeding the history of the coÌ„ception of Iohn about sixt monthes after so he doth now answereably note the birth of our Sauiour as following the birth of Iohn in the same proportion And the rather are wee so to vnderstand the Euangelist Luke because hee doth obserue the like course of proceeding afterward treating of the Preaching of our Sauiour after the History of Iohns Preaching the apprehension death of our Sauiour after the historie of the imprisonment and beheading of Iohn The which notation of the time is agreeable to the holy Prophecie of Malachie who forthwith vnder the name of Elijah foretelling that Iohn the Baptist should bee the forerunner of our Sauiour and that then our Sauiour himselfe should follow shortly after wherevnto also the other Euangelists as well as Luke doe agree as touching the successiue Preaching of our Sauiour after the Preaching of Iohn though in the report of their successions in conception and birth Luke is alone Thus then we see in the first place the first note concerning the description of the time Question How doth the Euangelist note it else Answere He telleth vs that it was at such time as Augustus Caesar was Emperour of Rome a time of famous note in all the world At the which time also as he further recordeth Cyrenius was the Gouernour of Syria a thing well knowne to the Iewes and other nations adioined to the same They are the very wordes of the Euangelist indeed So that the time of the natiuitie of our Sauiour is described by such notes as all both Iewes and Gentiles are plainely instructed and certified of it as of a truth vndoubtedly to be beleeued And it standeth in certaine record among other the famous and well knowne workes of God to the condemnation of all infidels and athiests in the world as a publike testimonie of the whole world against them if so be they will not repent them of their grieuous sinnes of vnbeliefe and contradiction and imbrace the truth of God to their saluation And this description of the time is agreeable to the ancient prophecie of the Patriark Iaakob Gen 49.10 by whom God foretold that the scepter or tribe Shebet for so the hebrewe word doth often signifie in the bookes of the Prophet Moses should not depart from Iuda nor a law-giuer from betweene his feete till Shilo that is vntill his Sonne to wit Christ that promised seede and great Law-giuer and King should come Yea euen of that tribe of Iuda to rule and gouerne all Israel and the whole Church of God both Iewes Gentiles for euer As though Iaacob should haue said thus albeit both distinction of tribe and also the power of scepter and gouernment shall be vtterly taken away after the birth or comming of Christ in the flesh for so the word Shilo signifying the after-birth giueth to vnderstand the continent being put for the thing contained or lapped vp in it yet before this his comming it shall not be altogether so saith the holy Patriarke And so it came to passe indeede For vnto the birth of our Sauiour as Iosephus writeth in his Historie of the Iewes this tribe had the gouernment of Sanhedrim which was a senate of 72. persons among whom no doubt some were of the stocke and family of King Dauid But Herod not long after the birth of our Sauiour maliciously caused those that were then of this Senate to bee cruelly murthered So that though there continued a power of gouernment among them after this yet it was with great limitation and restraint as appeareth Iohn 18.31 Where they themselues professe that they had no authoritie to put any man to death and it did waste away more and more vntill the Scepter altogether ceased among them yea and the distinction of the tribe also by reason of that horrible destruction which fell vpon many hundred thousands of them and
because Christ that was at this time hanging on the Crosse is long since glorified and triumphant in heauen from whence he shall come in glorie to iudge all the worlde Moreouer the obedience of Iohn is to be marked of vs not onely for his commendation but much rather for our imitation touching the willing care ouer anie worthie person or thing which for the Lordes sake shall be in his name committed vnto vs. Likewise the loue of Iohn and his constancie in abiding by our Sauiour is to be preferred before the rest of the Disciples who hid themselues from him Yet so as both Iohn and euery Marie is altogether silent and feele their great weakenesse no doubt in the beholding of this great worke which was to be wrought and was indeede performed by our Sauiour alone hee bearing the whole burthen of it entirely in himselfe and therfore is to haue from vs and all his redeemed the whole glorie and praise thereof These are brieflie the excellent things to be obserued in this text concerning the care which our Sauiour had of his Mother while he did hang still vpon the Crosse THe third thing is now to be considered of vs to wit the rayling scornfull reproches of all sortes of the beholders against our Sauiour Of the which there were fiue sortes 1. First the rulers that is to say the high Priestes with the Scribes and Elders and Pharisies 2. The people of the Iewes 3. Thirdlie the Souldiers that attended the execution not onely those fowre that fastned him to the Crosse but the rest also that were there with the Centurion that is with the Captaine of an hundreth souldiers mentioned in this Storie after the death of our Sauiour 4. Fourthlie the Passengers who passing by came and stayed at their pleasure to see what the matter was 5. Fiftlie the Thieues that were crucified with our Sauiour speciallie one of them and as it seemeth both of them at the beginning though one of them was afterward conuerted as we are to obserue hereafter Of these seuerall sortes of railers and scoffers against our Lord and Sauiour let vs heare what the holy Euangelists doe report vnto vs. The grouÌ„d and history of his leading to be crucified And first of the three former that is of the rulers coÌ„mon people and Souldiers And insomuch as S. Luke doth most orderly rehearse them let vs heare what he writeth of them What are his words Question In the 23. chap. verses 35.36 37. thus he writeth Answere 35. And the people stood and beheld and the Rulers mocked him with them saying He saued others let him saue himselfe if he be the Christ the chosen of God 36. The Souldiers also mocked him and came and offered him vineger 37. And said if thou be the King of the Iewes saue thy selfe Who the Rulers were who mocked our Sauiour S. Matthew doth most fully expresse chap. 27.41 to wit The high Priests with the Scribes and Elders and Pharisies ExplicatioÌ„ as was rehearsed before And he doth rehearse their scoffing words morefully then S. Luke as it followeth verses 42.43 He saued others but he cannot saue himselfe if hee be the King of Israel let him come downe from the crosse and we will beleeue him He trusted in God let him deliuer him now if he will haue him for he saide I am the Sonne of God Likewise also doth S. Marke report their words chap. 15.31.32 He saued other men himselfe he cannot saue Let Christ the King of Israel now come downe from the Crosse that we may see and beleeue Moreouer as touching the fourth sort of scorners onely the same Euangelists Matthew and Marke doe tell vs of them though as it may seeme in respect of time something out of order in that they begin with them but not without good reason in some other respect insomuch as very likely they comming as strangers and being possessed freshly with the matter and willing to gratifie those that were readie to make the most odious report that they could vnto them were the most clamorous mockers among the rest as their words personally cast out against our Sauiour doe declare Whereas the Rulers did not so directly vtter their taunts to our Sauiour but spake them among themselues as the Euangelist Marke testifieth though like enough so as he might heare them to the increase of his griefe The words and also the gesture of these fresh mockers are set downe both by S. Matthew also by S. Marke Question How doth S. Matthew first report them Answere In the 27. chap. verses 39.40 thus we read 39. And they that passed by reuiled him wagging their heads 40. And saying Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three dayes saue thy selfe if thou be the sonne of God come downe from the Crosse 29. And the words of the Euangelist Mark are like to these Cha. 15. verses 29 30. And they that went by saith he railed on him wagging their heads and saying Hey thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three dayes 30. Saue thy selfe and come downe from the Crosse ExplicatioÌ„ These are then the fourth sort of mockers and such as haue beene now rehearsed were their mâ—â—king words And touching the thieues crucified with our Sauiour who were numbred for the fift sort the same Euangelists testifie likewise that they also reuiled him As we read Marke 15.32 And Matthew 27.44 The same also saith hee to wit the same mocking words which the Rulers vsed the thieues which were crucified with him cast in his teeth But as it appeareth by S. Luke one of them was soone wearie of his part and therefore doth not stand to note him for a railer seeing his notable repentance did as it were blot out the beginnings of his vnaduised misdemeanour And therfore he writeth thus of one only chap. 23. â—9 And one of the euill doers which were hanged railed on him saying If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. Of these seuerall sorts of mockers and scorners let vs stand a while to consider for our instruction and warning and comfort And first to speake generally let vs well obserue that all of them did sinne verie hainouslie in that they doe thus sport themselues and take their pleasure in the beholding of a man in outwarde distresse according as the Spirite of of Prophesie giueth vs to vnderstand Psal 22.17 The grouÌ„d history of his crucifying They pierced my handes and my â—eete I may tell all my bones yet they behold and looke vpon mee If our Sauiour Christ had bene anie other then hee was yea a malefactor which God forbid wee should once thinke it had bene an inhumane practise at the least But seeing he was vniustlie on their parts crucified their sinne was the greater according to that of the Prophet Obadiah verses 11.12 For many of them in whose afflictions the Edomites reioyced were more righteous then they But in so much as our
that most speciall manner of the manifestation thereof in the personall assuming and vniting the humane nature to the diuine The which also because it is most neare and firme in one indiuiduum that we may vse the Logitians terme therefore it is said that the Word that is the Sonne of God being very true God was made flesh Iohn 1.14 And 1. Tim. 3.16 God is manifested in the flesh And therefore also is our Sauiour very God and very man called by the name of Immanuell God with vs. Matth. 1.23 euen by the appointment of God himselfe Thus much shall suffice for the diuers acceptious of the fiâ—st word to Descend Whence vpon due consideration wee may easily see first that the descension attributed in one tenure and course to our Sauiour Christ crucified dead and buried doeth not belong to his Deitie which cannot be said properly to descend but to his humanitie wherevnto all that is beleeued concerning conception birth life death resurrection ascension sitting at the right hand of God and comming to iudgement as well as his descension doth properly apperteine But how this descension doth properly belong to the humanitie of our Sauiour Christ whether to the soule or to the bodie alone or ioyntly to both we shall better conceiue after that we haue considered the diuers significations and vses of the latter wore Hell as we haue of this former word to Descend SHew you therefore in like manner the diuers significations of the word Hell accorâ—ing to the Hebrew word Sheol and the Greeke word Haides englished Hell in this Article of out faith Which are these diuers significations Question First and most properly as I haue beene taught they signifie the graue Answer Secondly they are by a trope as the learned speake or figuratiuely applied to signifie manie other things Explication The truth herein hath beene taught and deliuered vnto you For first that they signifie the graue and that also in the most proper signification the words themselues may giue to vnderstand First the Hebrew word Sheol which hath his name of the verbe Shahal to aske yea to aske as a greedie coâ—morant thaâ— can neuer be satisfied according to that in the booke of the holy Prou. chap. 30.15.16 There be three things which will not be satisfied yea some which say not It is enough And of these Sheol the graue is reckoned for the fiâ—st Likewise Hab. 2.5 The prowd man hath inlarged his desiâ—e as the graue and is as death which cannot be satisfied And Isa 5.14 And then the Greeke word haides which commeth of eido to see and the priuatiue letter a according to the Greeke deriuation and signifieth a place of darknes which hideth the buried within the earth from the sight of the liuing which walke vpon it Iob. 10.21 22. and chap. 17.13 But let vs see some testimonies of holy Scripture for this signification And first that Sheol signifieth the graue in the olde testament we reade Gen. 37.35 Surely saith Iaacob I will goe downe or descend into the graue vnto my Sonne mourning And chap. 42.38 My Sonne to wit Beniamin shall not goe downe with you for his brother is dead and he left alone to wit of those children which he had by Rachell if death come to hâ—m by the way that yee goe then ye shall bring or cause my gray head with sorrow to descend into the graue Likewise by the same word the graue is noted 1. King 2. verse 6. King Dauid speaking to his sonne Salomon of Ioab who murthered Abner and Amasa very wickedly doe therefore according to thy wisedome saith hee and let not his hoare head goe downe or descend to the graue in peace And of Shimei who cursed him being his soueraigne Prince with a horrible curse he saith in like manner Therfore thou shalt cause his hoare head to descend downe to the graue with blood And in this sense the opening of the earth is called the graue of Corah Dathan and Abiram and of their rebellious company but yet with a speciall declaration of the wrath of God against them by such an vnwonted strange and fearefull kinde of buriall as we reade Num. 16.29 33. They descended or went downe quicke into the pit or graue Sheol But in the Psalmes the graue ordinarily vsed to buriall is oftâ—ntimes signified by the same word Sheol as Psal 6.6 In the graue who shall praise thee And Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not saith Dauid prophesying of the resurrection of our Sauiour Christ leaue my soule that is that part of my humane person which is subiect to buriall in the graue Sheol Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one that is the body of me whom thou hast gratiously receiued to thy fauour to see that is to haue experience of corruption shacath that is Shacath peraitio foueâ— to lie so long in the graue that it should rot and turne to dust as the bodies of all vse to doe Psal 40.9 Man can by no meanes redeeme his brother c. That he may liue still for euer and not see the graue the word is shacath corruption as before But sheol againe verse 14.15 of the same Psalme Like sheepe they lie in the graue to wit like the rotten carkases of sheepe cast out into ditches For the Prophet speaketh of the wicked that die in their wickednes and in a hautie conceit of themselues To the which purpose he saith further Death deuoureth them vntill the righteous shall haue dominion ouer them in the morning that is at the day of the resurrection and vntill that the graue â—hat is Hell as we are afterward in the next signification fuâ—ther to obserue do consume their beauty that is the beauty of the wicked or their forme and substance which they shall at the last day receiue againe to their further condemnation both in soule and bodie together euen from the house that is the graue which belongeth vnto it to wit as a prison house for the wicked vntill that day of their great Gaile deliuery But God saith the Prophet speâ—king in the person of all true beleeuers will deliuer my soule from the hand that is from the power of the graue to wit so farre forth that it shall not preuaile finally against me for he will receiue me Selah A matter worthy to be obserued as an effect of the diuine and almighty power of God as by the word Selah the Psalmist giueth to vnderstand Moreouer Psal 31.17 Sheol is vsed for the graue Let the wicked saith Dauid be put to confusion and silence in the graue And Psal 55.15 Let death seaze vpon them let them goe downe quicke into the graue the Prophet as it is likely alluding to that iudgement of God vpon rebellious Korah and his company Num. 16. as was alledged before And againe in the same sense though in other words They that seeke my soule to destroy it shall goe into the lowest parts of the earth Yea generally Psal 8â— 48 What
the proofe of the second point that all religious worship both inward and outward is due to our Sauiour sitting at the right hand of God Which that it is so it may be euident vnto vs from that which we reade Philip. 2.9 10 11. where after that the Apostle hath made a notable description of his exceeding great humiliation hee inferreth this vpon it saying Wherefore also God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name That at the name of Iesus euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and of things on earth and of things vnder the earth And that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lord vnto the glory of God the Father Reade aâ—so 1. Tim. â— 21 I charge thee saith the Apostle to Timothie an Euangelist before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angells that thou obserue these things without preferring one to another and doe nothing partially He speaketh of such things as doe nearely concerne the diuine worshippe and seruice of God and our Sauiour Christ and the reuerend ordering and performing the duties thereof And againe 2. Epist 4.1 I charge thee therefore before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ c. Reade also Heb. 12.28 29. Wherefore saith the Apostle seeing we receiue a kingdome he speaketh of the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ now established from heauen which cannot be shaken let vs haue grace whereby we may so serue God that wee may please him with reuerence and feare For euen our God is a consuming fire And so it is said of our Sauiour Christ that hee shall come at the last day with flaming fire rendering vengeance to them that doe not know God and which doe not obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ c. To this purpose therefore the propheticall exhortation of the 2. Psal ought to take place among vs yea among the Princes of the earth as wee reade verse 10 c. where after that the Prophet hath shewed how fearefully our Sauiour shall proceede against his enemies yea euen here in this worlde hee earnestly admonisheth and exhorteth those that bee corrigible euen so manie as appertaine to the Lorde that they would bee wise in time and so preuent the perill Be wise now therefore O yee Kings saith he be yee learned O yee Iudges of the earth Serue the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling Kisse the Sonne that is in all honourable sort declare your selues to be his willing and professed subiectes lest hee be angrie and yee perish in the way to wit before you bring your owne deuises to passe which surely hee will frustrate aboue that you can be aware when his wrath shall sodenly burne or as they translate and as the wordes will well signifie burne neuer so little to shewe the fearefulnesse of his wrath And then hee concludeth the Psalme with this excellent sentence Blessed are all that trust in him The last place which I will alledge to this purpose is Psal 110. verse 3. where the same holy Prophet euen the princely Prophet Dauid deriueth this as an effect from the sitting of our Sauiour in his kingly glory and souerainge power at the right hand of God that his people should bee such as will through the mightie power of his word and by grace of his holy Spirit in the daies of his Gospel stocke in companies and that also with great cheerefulnesse to yeelde all spirituall worshippe and seruice to our God in the name of Iesus Christ our Lord. The Lord saith King Dauid shall send the rodde of thy power that is the scepter of his word and Gospel out of Zion saying Be thou ruler in the middest of thine enemies Thy people shall come to offer willingly in the time of the assembling of thine armie to wit to defend thy Gospel by the sword against the violent aduersaries thereof according to that Psalme 47. verse 9. or rather when they shall come by troopes vnto the places of thy spirituall worshippe to learne to fight thy spirituall battells against their spirituall enemies the worlde the flesh and the Diuell by an allusion to the holy custome of the Iewes resorting by companies to the Temple of the Lord at the solemne feastes of the Lawe according to that Psalme 42. verse 4. and Psalme 84 verse 7. For so the wordes seeme to follow aptly thus in the seemely places of thy holinesse yea euen from the wombe that is so soone as they shall bee spiritually regâ—nerated vnto thee as it were betimes in the morning or at the peepe of the day that is most diligently shall the dew of thy youth that is thy newe borne babes very copiously according to the falling of the dew vpon the earth like to that phrase of speech 2. Sam. 17.12 vsed in that sense though then by Ahitophel to a wicked purpose shall present themselues vnto thee The reason whereof followeth answer rable to that which went before The Lord hath sworne and will not repent Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And thus wee see that from this Article concerning our Sauiours royall aduancement to bee the onely spirituall King and Prince of his Church that is of all the Saintes of God that all holy and religious worship is due vnto him Now thirdly that all submission and obedience is for his sake and according to this word to be yeelded to all ciuill Magistrates and t all ecclesiasticall Church gouernour as it is euident Rom. 13.1 c. Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers c. And Matth. 18.15 and verses 18 19. Verily saith our Sauiour I say vnto you Whatsoeuer ye shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen c. Where out of all question he had respect of that heauenly soueraigntie which he hath now at the right hand of God And fourthly touching generall obedience in the common actions and conuersation of our liues reade Colos 3.1 c. If then yee be risen with Christ saith the Apostle seeke those things which are aboue where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Set your affections on things which are aboue and not on things which are on the earth For ye are dead your life is hidden with Christ in God When Christ who is our life shal appeare then shal ye also appeare with him in glory Mortifie therfore your meÌ„bers which are on the earth fornication vncleannes c. And 1. Thes 4.1 2. And furthermore saith the Apostle we beseech ye brethren exhort ye in the Lord Iesus that ye increase more more as yee haue receiued of vs how yee ought to walke and to please God For yee know what commandements we gaue you by the Lord Iesus For this is the will of God euen your sanctification and that ye should abstaine from fornication c. If we shall doe thus yea constantly to the end and not be turned away by any afflictions then behold
to think that we know nothing so throughly and perfectly as we ought to know it or to beleeue in it and obey it Hetherto of the first part of the warning of our Sauiour Christ that we take heed that we be not deceiued either by false Christes or by false Prophets It followeth that we do likewise consider of the second part which is against those discouragements which might arise from outward troubles such as our Sauiour foretelleth should be either generally in the world euen so long as the world shal last or more particularly with like continuance or often renewings against the Church of God to the special trial trouble of his seruants either in goods liberty or life it selfe And that either by the hatred of their own kindred against the law of nature or by the false and back sliding brethren contrarie to the law of God all bond of true christianity For against all these doth our Sauiour giue vs a gratious admonition take heede that we be at no time inordinatly disquieted by theÌ„ Ye shall heare of warres saith our Sauiour or rather we may read it thus ye shall heare warres to wit the stroke of the drum or sound of the Trumpet c. either more neere at hand or further off as we heard the noise of the great Gunnes against Ostend the other Sommer And touching rumors of warres wee haue heard them in our age as others haue done in their times from diuers places Yea so as there is still great likelihood that they shal coÌ„tinue as they haue done heretofore no man knowing how long nor to what extremity they may grow Neuerthelesse be ye not troubled saith our Sauiour so as ye should for this giue ouer the profession of my name nor any thing remit or lay aside the work of the lord so far forth as ye may by any lawful means further promote the same The warres rumors of warres such as the Iewes had experience of as Iosephus reporteth were vnder these Romane gouernours Cumanus Felix Albinus Florus in the cities of Caesarea Scythopolis Aschelon Ptolomais Alexandria Damascus before that Ierusalem was besieged ouercome by Vespasian Titus the Romane Emperours theÌ„selues And touching the warres rumors of warres among vs Christians they are so rife in our knowledge hearing to this day that wee neede say nothing of them saue onely to wonder at Gods mercy that they haue not been more greeuous to vs for our parts and to haue commiscration of our brethren who haue been more sharply afflicted then our selues But our Sauiour proceedeth to incourage his Disciples all christians to be of good cheare thogh beside wars rumors of wars they must look that there shal be likewise often renewings of pestilence famine and earthquakes that is though God for the sinnes of the world doe send all foure of his great iudgments according to his threatning giuen forth against Israel by his Prophet Ezekiel Earthquakes being here put in stead of wilde beasts there mentioned which may well be accounted for the roaring of the Lion in the Forest as the Prophet Amos speaketh both of theÌ„ the rest of God his iudgements For all these our Sa would haue him Disciples look to meet with in the world and yet not to be discouraged or confounded And how truly the words of our Sauiour haue bin are fro time to time performed both we all the world haue sufficiently tasted God grant that we may learn by theÌ„ to repent of our sins but touching well doing that we may not be discouraged but rather quickened to all godlinesse thereby according to this blessed admonition of our Sauiour Now touching afflictions troubles against the Church more immediatly we read ver 9 10. TheÌ„ saith our Sauiour they shal deliuer you to be afflicted to wit in course of pretended iustice before the Magistrate as it is by the other EuaÌ„gelists Mark Luke expressed in these words They shal bring you before Kings Rulers for my names sake Where also these diuers kinds of afflictions are mentioned scourging imprisoning killing of some Yet our Sauiour would not haue his disciples danted nor any christian for al this And to this purpose he doth adde in the same Euangelists most gratious promises to the animating of theÌ„ vs. For wheras in such extremities we are vsually ready to discourage our selues while euery poore christian is apt to think thus with himselfe This was the estate of poore christians in the 10. persecâ—tions vnder the heathen Emperours since that vnder the câ—uell Pope and in late daies among our selues in the reigne of Queene Mary as tâ—e Acts and Monuments of the Church doe perfitly shew me promerimnate apologethenat Alas what shall I do I shall be carried before great learned men before great men of power authority hauing both the prison the whip the sword at their coÌ„mandement before men of stern sower countenances before men of taunting reuiling spirits before men of ireful cruel affections c. what shal I say how shal I behaue my self so that I may not dishonour the glorious holy profession of the name of christ nor giue the wicked any iust occasioÌ„ to make a scorn of my self the blessed gospel c Behold our Sauiour giueth vs his gratious promise to this effect Let vs chearfully dispose our selues to answer as wisely reuerently meekly as we can the Lord himselfe wil be so assistant by his holy spirit to guide both our harts our tongs that he wil glorifie himselfe by vs in conuicting the aduersaries of the truth by that testimony which he shall giue vnto it either to moue theÌ„ to repentance to win theÌ„ to the gospel or els to leaue them without all excuse when they shal see vs ready if they will so far presse vs to seale our professioÌ„ of the truth with our blood And therfore saith our Sauiour to this effect as we read in Marke Luke See ye giue place to no distrustful or distracting thoughts or doubts for so doth the word which he vseth signifie neither be ye careful to make any eloquent exquisite apologies or defences but go ye euen simply plainly to worke I wil be with you giuing you such a spirit such wisdome as your aduersaries shal not be able to resist We must not then be carelesse neither distrustfully careful We may wel incourage our selues by the word of our Sauiour as Moses did by looking vp to the inuisible God against all the fierce countenances speeches of meÌ„ against all their carnal wit And to coÌ„clude while we shal coÌ„sider what reproaches cruelties our Sa indured himself so hath not only left behind him the doctrine but also an exaÌ„ple of incoÌ„parable sufferings Heb. 12.2 3. why should we refuse to take such part as our Lo M. did Now thirdly for incouragement
seruants to the prouident grace and mercie of God As Ezek ch 18.30.31 Returne ye saith the Lord and cause others to turne away from all your transgressions so iniquitie shall not be your destruction Cast away from you all your transgressions whereby you haue transgressed and make yee a newe heart and a newe spirit for why will yee die ô yee house of Iâ—rael And our Sauiour Christ saith to Peter Simon Simon behold Sathan hath desired to winnowe you as wheat but I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not therefore when thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren Luk 22.31.32 And the Apostle Iames ch 5.19.20 Brethren if any of you haue erred from the truth and some man hath conuerâ—ed him Let him know that hee which hath conuerted the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death and hide a multitude of sinnes But yet further I would haue you shew by what means the holy Ghost doth work our regeneration and all the graces therof to wit knowledge faith and repentance with euery other grace belonging therevnto and withall the increases of the same Question Which are they Answere Principalâ—â—e and in an ordinarie course the preaching of the glad tidings of the Gospell and all the holy instructions thereof in our hearing by such faithfull ministers of the word as hee for the same purpose sendeth vnto vs. Herevnto also serueth the opening of the doctrine of the Lawe and the vses thereof by the same ministerie of preaching Moreouer diligent and reuerend reading and meditating vppon the holy Scriptures by euery one by himselfe apart as also conferring with other wise godlie Christians for mutuall edification and comfort in the clearing of necessarie questions and doubtes which at anie time arise in our mindes and therewithall the teaching and incouraging of those that are ignorant and weake Likewise the serious meditation of our Baptisme with often and due resorting to the Lordes Table Finallie earnest and constant prayer vnto God for his gratious blessing vppon all these meanes These indeed are the ordinarie meanes wherby it pleaseth the holie Ghost to worke his whole most gratious work in the hearts of all the children of God What his more immediate working is wher it pleaseth him for supplie of the wants of any of these meanes yea euen of the principall of them as in the case of infants c it is not for vs curiouslie to inquire or trouble ourselues let vs leaue it as a hidden secret to his own Diuine pleasure wisedome and with all thankfulnesse let vs for our partes make the best vse of all the blessed meanes which he hath vouchsafed aboue many others to make vs partakers of And first that the preaching of the Gospell is the principall means of our Regeneration Read Iames 1.18.19 Of his owne will the Father of lightes hath begotten vs by the word of truth that wee should be as the first fruites of his creatures Wherefore my deare brethren saith the holie Apostle Let euery man be swift to heare c. And 1. Pet. 1.22 c. Seeing your soules are purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit to loue brotherlie without faining loue ye one another with a pure heart feruentlie Beeing borne a new not of mortall seed but of immortall by the word of God who liueth and indureth for euer For all flesh is grasse The grasse withereth and the flower falleth away But the word of the Lord indureth for euer and this is the word which is preached among you Thus the whole work of our regeneration is generally asâ—ribed to the preaching of the word as the principall meanes which the holy Ghost vseth therevnto Now more particularlie touching knowledge giuen by meanes of the word and principallie by it preached and applyed to our consciences Reade Prou 1. verse 1.2.3.4.5 The parables of Salomon c. To giue wisedome and instruction c. To giue vnto the simple sharpnes of wit and to the childe knowledge and discretion A wise man shall heare and increase in learning and a man of vnderstanding shall attaine to wise counsells c. And cha 2â— 19 O thou my sonne heare and be wise And Psa 2.10 Be wise ye kings be learned yee iudges of the earth that is Submit your selues to be taught from the word of God that yee may be wise Read also 2. Corinth 4.6 c. Touching Faith by the preaching of the word read Rom chapt 10. verses 14.15.17 and chapt 1.17 By the Gospell the righteousnes of God is reuealed from faith to faith And Ephe 4.13 Till we ad meeâ— together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the Sonne of God vnto a perfect man to the measure of the age of the fullnesse of Christ And for repentance let that one famous example Actes 2.37 aboundantlie suffice Where also obserue according to that which hath heretofore bene noted that the lawe of God hath his office to the convincing of the conscience and consequentlie to the furthering of repentance Likwise also more priuate instructions together with the publike ministerie yeeld their helpe herevnto Rom 1. verses 11.12 and as was alledged a little while since out of the last chapt of the Apostle Iames verses 19.20 Neither is it to be doubted but as in all other learning they that are skilfull doe by teaching the ignorant growe more experte themselues so is it in the Arte of all Artes as touching those that instruct others vnto the kingdome of heauen Vnto reading also and meditation ther is a promise of blessing Psal 1.2 And Reuel 1.3 Blessed is hee that readeth and they that heare the wordes of this Prophesie And withall mark also that he requireth the keping of those things that are written therin According to that of Iames 1.22 Be yee doers of the word and not hearers onely For this must in no wise be forgotten that practise is a singular meanes of confirming yea of increasing that knowledge saith and repentance which is allreadie begonne in vs. As for Baptisme it cannot be but the due knowledge meditation of it is a means of helping forward regeneration seeing God hath appointed it to be vnto vs a signe seale therof as both our Sa Christ Ioh 3.5 And the Apo Paul Tit. 3.5 do giue to vnderstand by their speeches wherin they do not obscurely point vs to the institution and vse of this Sacrament Likewise if the fault be not in our owne selues great profite is to bee obtained by often resorting to the Lordes Table 1. Corinth 11.17 Finallie that prayer is a helpfull meanes to further Knowledge Faith and Repentance yea the whole work of our regeneration it may be discerned of vs from the testimonie of the Apostle Iude in the 20. verse of his Epistle writing thus Beloued edifie your selues in your most holy faith praying in the holie Ghost The gratious promises which God hath made vnto prayer doe euidently confirme the same Aske and yee shall
succour mighty and effectuall for the defence of his people For the proofe whereof consider that which wee reade Psalme â—0 and Psalme 21. Heere call to minde againe Psalme 89.15 c. and Psalme 144.15 Blessed are the people whose GOD the Lord is Wherevpon also iustly is the exhortation made vnto all the people that they would reioyce in him Psalme 66.1 c. and 67 4. and 68 32. yea many Psalmes together following after the 95 Psalme The experience of this comfortable fruite of faith is testified in the holie Scriptures both generally and particularly Our Fathers trusted in thee saith the Prophet Dauid they trusted in thee and thou didst deliuer them They called vpon thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded Psalme 22 4. 5. And more particularly concerning himselfe In the Lord doe I put my trust how say ye then to my soule flee away from your mountaine as a little bird to wit as one chased away as easily as a silly bird is scared from place to place Psal 11 1. And Psalm 18.16 17. Likewise Iehoshaphat and Hezekiah godly Kings of Iudah they trusted in the Lord and prayed vnto him and they were deliuered from their mightie aduersaries 2 Chron 20 20. and chap â—â— The Lions also did not hurt Daniel because hee beleeued in his God Dan chap. 6.23 According to the comfort of the same experiments iustly may we hearken to the generall incouragement of the same the holy Scriptures of God such as we may read Psal 31.24 All ye that trust in the Lord be strong and hee shall establish your heart And Psal 37 3 4 c. and 55.22 Read also Heb. 13.5.6 And consider that God hath bound his holy promise with an oath that hee might thereby helpe the weakenes of our faith chap. 6.17.18.19 Yea this comfort may wee haue in our greatest afflictions that the Lord will not leaue vs. Prou. 24.16 and Rom. 8.28 There are many comfortable testimoâ—ies euery where in the holy Scriptures to this end Great therefore is the generall comfort and benefit of faith in one onely true GOD euen one onely in his diuine nature and essence as hath beene prooued before And yet one thing more let vs obserue heere the which may be of good vse for afterward and that is this Whereas wee doe generally ascribe all comforts to beleefe in GOD as hee is one onely in nature wee doe not exclude the Trinitie of Persons For faith in the vnitie of the Godhead and fâ—ith in the Trinitie of Persons it is all one and the same faith and the comfort of both is one and the same comfort So that as a learned Father saith well * Grego Nazaaâ—z Ou phihano to en noesat caâ—tois triâ—i perâ—â—â—mpomat Ou phthano ta tria dicâ—em carets to en anapheromai I cannot thinke of the vnitie but the brightnes of the Trinitie shineth about me neither can I distinguish the Trinitie but my thoughts doe send me to the vnitie Onely for orders sake and to make the doctrine of faith and the manifold instructions thereof more plaine wee take the occasion heere to gather the comforts of faith as they are in the holy Scriptures rehearsed vnder the name of God indefinitely and without distinction of person as afterward wee shall likewise by the grace of GOD obserue the comforts which bâ— ascribed to faith as it beleeueth distinctly in euery person yet so as it continually looketh to the vnitie of the Godhead without all distraction or diuision of the minde The like is to bee considered concerning the duties But before wee come to them let vs more particularly examine the comforts of this principle of our faith in one onely true God in that hee is the eternall and almightie the most wise and gratious Creator Gouernour and Preseruer of all things the most righteous Iudge of all men c. according to the seuerall titles belonging vnto him Question ANd first what is the comfort of this that the Lord our God is Iehouah the onely eternall and euerliuing God in whom wee liue and moue and haue our beeing as the Apostle Paul teacheth Act. 17.28 Yea that he is in his diuine nature a most holy GOD What I say is the comfort of this The comfort arising from hence is this that the same our God who hath giuen vs a beeing and life Answer and mouing who also is the father of our soules and spirits will no doubt preserue and maintaine vs in this life according to his owne good will and pleasure against all aduersarie power whatsoeuer Yea more then this that hee will sanctifie vs to himselfe and effectually accomplish all the holy promises which he hath made to his whole Church and to euery true member thereof concerning a most happy and gâ—orious estate after this life euen for euer and euer So indeed the Lord himselfe assureth his people fâ—om this his name Iehoua as we read ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe Exod. chap. 6 2 3 4 c. Wherevpon also the Church of God praieth against the enemies thereof that they may be so confounded in their wicked enterprises that they may know by experience that God who is called Iehoua is God alone euen the most high ouer all the earth Psal 83 16 17 18. Read likewise Psal 31 14 15. I trusted in thee ô Iehouah I saide thou art my God My times are in thy hand deliuer mee from the handes of mine enemies c. And Psal 68 verse 4. Exalt God in his name Iah and reioyce before him For according as hee is in himselfe eternall so it pleaseth him to bee our God for euer and euer Psal 48 14. And Psal 102 verse 24 c. euen to the ende of the Psalme The eternitie of the Church is lincked with the eternitie of God by vertue of the most gracious and faithfull promise of his couenant And Psal 111 â— He hath coÌ„manded his couenant for euer holy and fearefull is his name Finally as our Sauiour Christ hath testified Matth. 22 33. God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing hee therein assuring the faithfull of their immâ—rtalitie with faithfull Abraham and that euen from the faithfulnesse of the immortall God And that God being in himselfe most holy wil sanctifie his people it is euideÌ„t by his ordaining sanctifying of his Sabbath euen from the beginning Gen. 2 verses 2 3. And Exod. 31 12 13 14. And Ezek. 20 12. God calleth it a signe betwixt him and his people that hee doth sanctâ—fie them Yea and it is a speciall meanes of sanctification to all such as doe religiously sanctifie it by the exercise and practise of the holy duties of Gods worship Reade also Hab 1 12. Psal 22 3 4 5. And the praier of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 17 verses 17 18 19. Sanctifie them with thy truth thy word is truth c. All is very comfortable The comfort of faith in Gods almightie power and in this
vnpossible that any who professing ChristaÌ„tie doe not beleeue in one onely God three distinct Persons should auoide the opinion either of many Gods or of the inequality of Gods For the name of God is coÌ„municated to euery one of these Persons in the holy Scriptures Finally they that doe not thus beleeue doe deny vnto God his due worship and honour seeing the Father requireth to bee honoured in his Sonne that his Sonne should be honoured with him and that both Father and Sonne should be honoured in and with the holy Ghost From all miserable vnbeliefe therefore specially from all hereticall blasphemous and obstinate contradiction to this so chiefe and foundamentall a point of our onely orthodoxe and true Christian faith the Lord our most gracious and mercifull God euen the Father for his onely Sonne our Lord Iesus Christs sake by the grace of the holy Gost preserue and keepe vs for euer Amen Thus much concerning the doctrine of beliefe in the most holy and glorious Trinitie of Persons in one onely true God more generally or coniointly Beâ—â—efe in God the Father Beliefe in God the Father The grouÌ„d of it HEnceforth wee are to examine the doctrine of our faith concerning euery distinct Person Question And first concerning the Father how doe the articles of our faith teach vs to beleeue in him Answere They doe teach vs to beleeue in the Father as in the almightie God the maker of heauen and earth It is so They are the very wordes of the Creed I beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth Here are many things to be considered Question BVt first of al what proofe haue you that God is a father or as the words of the articles of our beliefe are the Father that is such a father as none else is or possibly can be euen he that is almightie c. and that therefore wee are accordingly to beleeue in him Answere Beside other diuine testimonies we haue the witnes of Saint Paul in the 8. Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians the 5 and 6. verses And likewise in the 5. and 6. verses of the 4. chap to the Ephesians Rehearse you the words of the holy Apostle in the first of those places Question Which are they Answere Though saith the Apostle there be that are called Gods whether in heauen or in earth as there be many Gods and many Lords yet vnto vs there is but one God who is the Father of whom are all things and we in him Explication and proofe The meaning of the holy Apostle is that howsoeuer partly by most wicked and abusiue custome the name of God hath by idolaters beene vsually attrâ—buted to their idolls and false Gods for so as he saith there be many Gods and many Lords to wit coÌ„monly so called according to that 2. Kings chap. 1 2 and chap. 18 33 34 35. and Amos. 8.14 and Ier. 2 26. They say to a tree thou art my father and to a stone thou hast begotten me for they haue turned their backe vnto me Read also Isaâ— châ—â—â— 1â—â—â— and not their face but in the time of their trouble they will say Arise and helpe vs. But where are thy Gods which thou hast made thee Let them arise if they can helpe thee in the time of thy trouble for according to the number of thy cities are thy Gods ô Iudah Thus I say howsoeuer as the Apostle saith partly by abusiue and idolatrous custome the name of God is ascribed to idolls and false Godâ— and partly also albeit God himselfe doe in most wise considerations as hath beene declared in the Treasury vpon the 5. Commandement impart his most holy honourable names God and Father to ciuil Magistrats and to naturall Parents c. Psal 82 and Iohn 10.34.35 36. and in many other plâ—ces Yet to speake properly and from the originall roote and fountaine of all Father-hood and power or authoritie God the father onely is both Father and God according to that of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 23 9. Call no man your Father vpon earth for there is but one your father euen hee that 〈◊〉 in heauen The other place to the Ephesians mentioned in the former answere is like to that alreadie rehearsed out of the Epistle to the Corinthians For these are the wordes of the Apostle in that fourth Chapter to the Ephesians There is one Lord one faith one Baptisme one God and Father of all who is aboue all and through all in you all Not that the diuine nature of God the father is mixed â—ith ours or with the nature of any other creature for he is onely and altogether entire and perfectly consisting in and by himselfe but because it is his power which continually supporteth all creatures as wel as at the beginning he did originally create and make them all Thus therefore seeing God is a father yea rather the onely father of all fatherhood that is so a father as none else is or can be as was said we haue no cause to doubt but that wee are to beleeue in him accordingly that hee is such a Father as is very true God euen God the Father almightie c. And thus when the Apostle Peter 1. Epist Chap. 1. verse 21. writeth that God hath raised vp Christ from the deade and giuen him glorie that our faith and hope might bee in God it is plaine from that which goeth before in the 17. verse that the Apostle writeth of that God who is the Father Yea euen our Father and the Father of all true beleeuing Christians by the grace of that adoption and couenant which of his infinite mercie it hath pleased him to make with vs through his owne onely and naturall Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ as we are hereafter further to consider And now furthermore this also we are to vnderstand that insomuch as our heauenly Father in whom wee are to beleeue is very true God therefore all the essentiall attributes of the diuine nature doe essentially belong vnto him in that he is the Father So that we are not onely to beleeue in him as in an Almightie Father of the which his almightie power wee are to consider afterward but also as in our eternall Father according to that which we read Isay chap 63.16 Thou ô Lord art our Father redeemer thy name is for euer Neither are we to beleeue in the Father onely as in an almightie and as in an eternall Father the maker of heauen and earth but also as in a most prouident Father euen the most gracious ruler and gouernour of all thinges specially ouer his Church As Iohn 5.17 My Father worketh hitherto saith our Sauiour Christ And Matth. 6.26 Your heauenly Father feedeth the foules of heauen And Chap. 10 29.30 A Sparrowe falleth not to the ground without your Father Yea and all the haires of your head be numbred Read also chap. 18.10 and 24.36 and 26.53 and Act. 1.7
gouernment vnder his authoritie and name and finallie to execute by his Ministers all the censures and iudgements belonging to the gouernment of hiâ— Church here in this world both for spirituall rebuke and also for comfort Explication and proofe That these things are so we may euidently perceiue from the latter part of the 110. Psal Reade also Heb. 3.6 Matth. 28.18 Luke 1.32 33. Act. 1. verses 2 3. 1. Tim. 5.21 and cha 6 13.14 Question Is there yet any other comfort that you can rehearse Answer He hath by the vertue and efficacie thereof made vs and all true Christians Priests and Kings yea a royall Priesthood vnto God Whereunto also he hath appointed and sealed vs by the earnest of his holy Spirit which he hath giuen vnto vs. ExplicatioÌ„ proofe This is expresly affirmed Reuel chap. 1. verses â— 6. And againe chap. 4.10 and 1. Pet. 2.9 and 2. Cor. 1.20 21 22. And whence should this double dignitie be deriued vnto vs but from this his owne anointing whereof he maketh vs partakers To wit in such sort as it may be meete for vs to haue communion with him herein as we shall consider further hereafter But now for a further helpe to the clearing of this matter What meaneth this Question that our Sauiour Christ hath made vs Priests and Kings vnto God Whereas we are in our selues profane God hath sanctified vs to himselfe in our Sauiour Christ taken vs all as it were into holy orders with him Answere and herefore doth not any longer account any of vs for profane and vnâ—oly but admitteth vs as holy Persons to performe the holy duties of his diu ne worsâ—â—p and seruice before him Lik wise thougâ— we are in our selues verie vâ—ssalls to sinne and Satan who is the Prince and after asort the God of the chi dren of this sinfull woâ—â—d by our Lord Iesus Christ we are â—et free and made more then conquerours ouer them so that by his power and vertue we are enabled to command them and as it were euen to tread and trample them vnâ—er our feete ExplicatioÌ„ proofe These verily are most great and comfortable aduancements and could in no wise agree to such base and sinfull wretches as we are were it not by meere and high fauour through the mediation intercession of the Sonne of God our most worthie and royall higâ— Priest Now therefore seeing our Sauiour Christ hath purchased them for vs and God hath for the same our Sauiours sake freâ—ly bestowed them vpon vs let vs not profanely cast away so great an honour and dignitie from our selues Nâ—ither let vs any longer suffer the Popish hierarchie falsely to appropriate it to them taking and making themselues an odious kinde of Priesthood of their owne deuising whereby they haue vniustly made the honourable name of Priest vnpleasant to christian eares in so much as they haue notoriously abused it to a most sacrilegious vsurpation highly derogatorie to the onely propitiatorie sacrifice of our Lord Iesus Christ in that they challenge to themselues a power to offer Christ euery day to God in an vnbloodie propitiatory and meritorious sacrifice for the quicke and the dead But we reiecting their wicked abuse and ouerstriding the stumbling blocke The Duties which they haue laid in our way Let vs according to the holy ordinance and meaning of the Lord reioyce and blesse his holy name for this our christian prerogatiue in that the vaile being rent and the Priesthood of the law abolished we are now all of vs made a holy and kingly priesthood to God Yet so as two cautions are herein necessarily to be obserued First that we doe not in thâ—s respect fancie any confusion in the Church of Christ as if there were no difference now betwixt Minister and people in regard of publike ministerie And secondly that we must alwaies remember that this is a spirituall and no earthly aduancement wherein we should pride our selues with contempt of Princes and Magistrates in the ciuill estate but that the truth and perfection of this our glorie and aduancement in Christ is to humble our selues most lowe in giuing glorie to God and in seeking the benefite of his Church lifting vp our mindes onely against sinne and the Diuell ouer whom our Sauiour Christ hath giuen vs power to reigne But of this more in the Duties Question Now in the last place of the Comforts What is the comfort of this that Iesus Christ the Sonne of God is called and is in verie deede our Lord Answere Seeing he hath the onely soueraigne right and Lordship ouer vs we haue this comfort to our consciences that wee are spiritually free from the bondage of all other whether profane Tyrants or superstitious and prowd popish Prelates in that they haue no lawfull power and authoritie granted them of God to command and binde our consciences to any thing contrarie to his lawes and to the doctrine of the Gospell of our Sauiour Christ. This in deede may also be iustly a great comfort considering we haue but one Master and Lord ouer our soules and consciences whom we are to serue and to whom we stand bound to seeke to approue our selues So that if we shall please him in the way of our saluation and in the spirituall affaires of his kingdome we may touching those matters be out of care to please any other Master or Lord whosoeuer shall shew himselfe to bee of a contrarie or disagreeable minde The comfort of this is the same in effect with the comfort of Christs kingly authority but it is vnder this word Lord more familiarly and distinctly expressed in the words of our Creed And finally let vs marke and we shall perceiue that all the comforts haue their originall ground from euery of the titles as well as from any of them and from all of them ioyntly though we haue for the more plainnes of instruction thus distinguished them Happy therefore yea thrise happy are all true christians who haue such a Sauiour as is both the Sonne of God and also Iesus and Christ and Lord that no consolation might at any time or in any estate and condition of life be wanting vnto them Hetherto of the comforts NOw let vs come to the Duties belonging to these notable Comforts of our christian faith Question And first to speake more generally Which may they be Answere In our iudgement we are to esteeme him to be most high and excellent aboue all other not onely earthly men but also heauenly Angells In our affection we are accordingly to loue and reuerence him aboue all creatures and most earnestly to seeke after the true knowledge of him In outward profession and practise of diuine worship it is our dutie euen from our verie soules and spirits to honour and serue him with the same honour and seruice which belongeth to the diuine Maiesty of God in faith and feare with prayer c. Finally we are to be so farre off from
therefore it was that he frustrated the vaine attempt of the people at such time as they would haue made him their king chap 6 1â— And therefore also euen then when it pleased him to make some declaration of his kingly authoritie concerning his spirituall soueraigntie ouer his Church to wit when as he rode to Ierusalem to reforme the abuses of his Temple the second tâ—me he did it in a manner altogether vnlike to the statelines and pompe of â—iuill Kings and Princes that is to say he did as much come short of their pompe in worldâ—y shewe as he exceeded them in spiritual maiestie and power aâ— tâ—e most strange effect thereof declared Mat 21. verses 1.2.3 c. 17. And Luke chaâ— 19. verse 27 c. And answerable to this profession and practise of our Sauiour concerning his kingdome was his vsuall description of it The which we will now henceforth briâ—fly touch To this purpose he vseth many very notable parables and similitudes the which sort of parables the Euangelist Matthew doth most fully record vnto vs. And therefore we wil take them from his hand especially as we did another sort of them before concerning the doctrine of the Law from the report of the Euange ist Luke who is most plentifull in that respect First therefore to beginne wi h all we haue euen in one chapter to wit the 13. of Saint Mathew the record of seuen diuerse parables vsed by our Sauiour to lay forth the nature or estate of his kingdome thereby and to shewe what manner of one it is to be here vpon the earth Among all which the first is of seede sowen in foure sorts of grounds of the which one sort onely brought forth increase Wherein our Sauiour admonished his Disciples and in them al other that it is not enough for any to heare the word preached which is the Scepter of his kingdome vnlesse we doe heare it with honest and dutifull hearts and with care and conscience to practise and obey it According to that vse which Saint Luke noteth from the wordes of our Sauiour himselfe chap 8 18. And by this parable also our Sauiour preuenteth that offence which might otherwise haue arisen when the vnprofitabâ—â—â—eâ— of many hearers of his word should be obserued as though he should 〈◊〉 sâ—id doe not looke that all will submit themselues to my word and doctâ—â—ne The state of my kingdome here in this world shall be such as I haue descrâ—â—eâ— vâ—to you in this parable Mat chap 13. verse 3. and so forth to the 23. versâ—â— the same Anâ— secondly hee saith to the same ende and therewithall to stirre vp all whom he calleth the children of the kingdome to watchfulnes that his kingdome is like to a man which sowed good seede in his field But while men slept there came his enemie and sowed teares among the wheate c. Mat 13 24 c. 31. whereby our Sauiour giueth plainely to vnderstand as he himselfe afterward interpreteth as we read in the same chapter verses 36 37 c. to 44. that thâ— Diuel will vse his instruments euen men of peruerse mindes such as are heretikes and others to sowe false and erroneous doctrine and accordingly that he himselfe will doe what he can by his wicked suggestions to peruert the liues of many professors and by all meanes to hinder the good successe of the Gospell and of the blessed kingdome of our Sauiour here in this world where the Diuel also hath his kingdome We must not therefore looke for a perfect estate of the Church here That is reserued till the end of the world when our Sauiour shall come againe to iudge the same Neuertheles for the comfort of all that shall submit themselues to our Sauiour as dutifull and obedient subiects in his kingdome he sheweth by a third parable of the graine of mustard seede that howsoeuer the spirituall graces and gifts of the kingdome may seem every small and weake in the beginning yet they shall growe and prosper with mightie encreases through his diuine and secret blessing as it followeth verses 31.32 To the same end tendeth the fourth parable of the leauen verse 33. vnles we may extend the meaning of our Sauiour in them both to expresse not onely the mightie and secret worke of his grace in euery member or true subiect of his kingdome for the present but also the spreaâ—ing of his Gospell farre and neare from time to time notwithstanding all resistances whatsoeuer The fift parable is of the treasure hidden in the field verse 44. And the sixt is of the precious pearce verses 45 46. both of them tending to set forth the excellencie of the kingdome of our Sauiour aboue all worldly riches whatsoeuer whether wee respect the glory of it in the life to come or the present graces thereof while we liue here And herewithall our Sauiour admonisheth that his kingdome is diligently to be sought after of all those that would finde it indeed seeing it is a thing hidden yea that no cost of diligence and labour nor of goods or life be spared to the obtaining of it seeing it is most precious aboue all things in this transitorie and base world In the seuenth parable our Sauiour compareth his kingdome to a drawenet which catcheth both good and bad fishe verse 47.48.49.50 the ende and vse of which parable is like to that which was set downe concerning the teares sowne among wheat least that any should be offended and so caused either through pride or of vniust scruple to forsake the outward societie of the church when they should see many wicked persons to be found therein but rather to be so much the more carefull to looke to their owne standing and to yeelde so much the more diligence euery one in his place wisely and with all discreet patience to hinder the ouerflowings of iniquitie These are the seuen parables contained in one chapter namely in the 13. of the Euangelist Matthew All of them expressing as was said the estate of the kingdome of our Sauiour here in this world farre otherwise then we of our selues would haue conceiued of it had not he stored vs with this his excellent and manifolde instruction Vnto these seuen wee may adde two other recorded by the Euangelist Marke chap 4.21 c. and verse 26. c. The one of a candle to signifie that all things in the kingdome of our Sauiour Christ shall be made manifest and therefore that euery one is to beware of hypocrisie and of negligent profession of the Gospell according to that of Saint Luke chap 8.18 Take heede therefore how ye heare c. The other is of corne which groweth in the field aboue that the owner can discerne how it groweth at euery instant thereof to signifie the secret blessing of the kingdome of our Sauiour in the hearts of the true subiects thereof For so is the kingdome of God saith our Sauiour as if a man should cast seed in the grouÌ„d
which might be most to the credit and praise of his owne ambitious pollicie wading cunninglie in so weightie a cause rather then that which might be most to the glorie of God in the vpright discharge of his dutie therefore all Pilates vertue how great in shewe soeuer vanished away verie sudenlie as the morning dewe and came to nothing Nay it ended in his most foule sinne as it followeth in the last place of our present text to be in part considered For the Iewes are more strong to frustrate and ouerturne Pilate then hee was to holde out in his good indeuour For so soone as they returne to grate vpon their former string how false and vntunable soeuer Pilate had tried it to be namely that our Sauiour Christ had committed treason against Caesar and further yell out in threatning wise against Pilate as if they would draw him as an accessarie in the same pretended treason For if thou deliuer him say they thou art not Caesars friende howsoeuer Pilate carieth the same face a while longer yet because his heart was not vpright all at once hee yeeldeth most cowardlie and so bewraieth what the vanitâ—e of all heathenish vertue is not onely in Pilate but in all other whosoeuer make the greatest shewe if they be not renewed and sanctified by the holie Spirit of God of whose glorie all both Iewe and Gentile are depriued through our owne corruption as it is notablie discouered vnto vs in this the finall conspiracie and consent both of Iewes and Gentiles against the Sonne of God But that we may see the full issue let vs heare what foloweth in the holy Storie Question How is it continued by the Euangelist Answer It followeth in the 13.14.15 and 16. verses of the 19. chapter of S. Iohn 13. When Pilate heard that word saith the Euangelist he brought Iesus forth and sat downe in the iudgement seat in a place called the pauement in hebrew Gabbatha 14. And it was the preparation of the Passeouer and about the sixt hower and hee said to the Iewes Behold your King 15. But they cried Away with him away with him crucifie him Pilate said vnto them shall I crucifie your King The high priestâ— answered wee haue no King but Caesar 16. Then deliuered he him vnto them to be crucified Explication Thus then wee are come to the condemnation of our blessed Sauiour and his sufferings that belong therevnto THe which that wee may see in a more full and readie viewe wee are to take in heere that which thâ—â—ther Euangelistes doe furthermore write concerning the whole processe of the same matter Question And first what are wee to take in here from the Euangelist Matthew Answere Here as I have learned wee may not vnfitlie consider of that which he writeth concerning the message which Pilates wife sent vnto him as wee read chapt 27. verse 19. in these wordes 19. Also when he was set downe vpon the iudgement seate saith S. Matthewe his wife sent to him saying Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man for I haue suffered manie things this day in a dreame by reason of him ExplicatioÌ„ This indeed may not vnfitlie be thought to haue the iust place here For the holy Euangelist Iohn very particularlie recording the troublesome and vnsetled course of Pilate now going out to the Iewes and eftsoones returning into the Common hall againe and that fowre or fiue times hee doth not at all mention his sitting downe on the iudgement seate till this last time And as touching the Euangelist Matthew he doth not so exactly obserue the orderlie courses but speaketh ioyntlie both of the Iewes â—heir reiecting of our Sauiour Christ as abhorring him more then Barabbas and also of Pilates condemning of him Neither will this graue sitting downe agree to the former light and passionate course which Pilate tooke And therefore may we as was said not vnaptlie consider of this pointe heere in this place And moreouer wee may with like reason adde next vnto this that which the same Euangelist writeth further concerning Pilates washing of his handes before he gaue sentence of condemnation against our Sauiour as also the extreame and most desperate malice of ths Iewes as it followeth in the same 27. ch vers 44.45 Question What are the wordes of the holy Euangelist to this purpose The grouÌ„d and history of his condemnation by Pilate Answer 24 He writeth thus when Pilate sawe he auailed nothing but that more tumulte was made he tooke water and washed his hands before the multitude saying I am innocent of the blood of this iust man looke you to it 25 Then answered all the people and said His blood be on vs and on our children These things the Euangelist S. Matthewe alone doth testifie And his witnes is true and sufficient as of one sanctified and appointed by God himselfe thervnto Now of the rest the Euangelist S. Luke doth make most expresse mention of that iudiciall sentence of iudgement which Pilate gaue against our Sauiour and therfore we are to receiue his more full testimonie in this behalfe What doth he set downe Question concerning this pointe Answere His wordes are these chapt 23. verses 23.24.25 23 They that is the Iewes saith S. Luke were instant with loud voices and required that he might be crucified and the voices of them and the high Priestes prouâ—â—â—ed or were mightie and great to wit by an exceeding out-crie 24 So Pilate gaue sentence that it should be done as they required 25 And he let loose vnto them him that for insurrection murther was cast into prison whom they had desired and hee deliuered Iesus to do with him what they would Yea as the Euangelist S. Mark telleth vs ch 15. ver 15. Pilate did this being willing to content or satisfie the people so farre did his own false heart deceiue him And then it foloweth in the same Euang vers 16.17.18.19.20 How our Sauiour Christ was again most vilie abused by the souldiers of Pilate immediately vpon iudgement pronounced as they had dealt before so soone as they had cruelly and despitefullie scourged him Question What are the words of S. Mark whereby he reporteth this their wicked dealing Rehearse them Answer 16. Then saith the Euangelist Marke the souldiers led him away into the Hall which is the common hall and called together the whole bande 17 And they clad him with purple and put about him to wit on his head as S. Matthewe expresseth a crowne of thornes which they platted and wreathed 18 And began to salute him saying Haile king af the Iewes 19 And they smote him on the head with a reede to wit with a reede of a greater sort such as is the Caâ—e and spat vpon him and bowing the knees did him reuerence 20. And when they had mocked him they tooke the purple off him and put his owne clothes on him and led him out to crucifie him ExplicatioÌ„ The same also doth the
glorified in him God wil also glorifie him in himselfe yea he wil strait way glorifie him ExplicatioÌ„ proofe These words indeede are spoken in regard of the sufferings which our Sauiour was shortly after he spake of them to endure And moreouer in that he saith God is glorified in the Sonne and God wil glorifie him in himselfe he preacheth therein his owne Deitie and so laieth the ground of the doctrine following in the beginning of the next chapter that they shoulde therefore beleeue in him as well as in the Father as wee haue seene it opened and declared before Furthermore our Sauiour in this 13. chapter telling his Disciples of his departure from them first by death and then his ascension vp into heauen and that they were to stay a while here in this world after him he doth therewithall comfort them in this that they should afterward in the time appointed of God follow him and be for euer with him This also hee doth further confirme vnto them in the next chapter as it followeth in our text euen from the first words of the same And againe verse 19. Yet a little while and the world shal see me no more but ye shal see me because I liue ye shal liue also At that day shal yee know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you And verses 28.29 Yee haue heard how I said I goe away and will come vnto you If yee loued me yee would verily reioyce because I said I goe to the Father for my Father is greater then I. Our Sauiour meaneth this in respect of his humanity and office of mediation For otherwise as he is God he is equall with the Father as his owne words in many places of the Euangelists doe plainely shew and namely in this very chapter as a learned interpreter obserueth by many that is Piscator almost by twentie reasons And heere also this is worthily to bee obserued that our Sauiour Christ at this time meditating of his humiliation and death doth comfort himselfe in the beholding of that glory which was set before the eye of his faith verse 13. as also before chap. 12. verses 23.31.32 And afterward chap. 17.4.5 The which thing also the Apostle obserueth Heb. 12.2 Likewise no lesse worthie is it to be obserued on the other side that at such time as hee was for the present in glory to wit at his transfiguration and at his riding to Ierusalem when the people both olde and young yeelded the honour of a King vnto him he doth euen then ioine with this the meditation of the same his sufferings and death and ceaseth not to renue the speech of them not onely for his Disciples sake to pull away their mindes from their conceites about an earthly kingdome but also that he might the better prepare his owne heart to the willing patient enduring of them Read also Luk. 9. verses 43.44 This example of our Sauiour that we may by the way note a duty among the comforts is not onely to be admired of vs in respect of his wisedome in this his practise but also to be immitated and followed of vs in our measure and degree to the end we be neither too much puffed vp when we are in prosperity and honour c. neither yet too much deiected and cast downe or discouraged in our mindes when we shall fall into any aduersitie Moreouer it is to be noted for our comfort concerning the sufferings and death of our Sauiour that both in this and also in the chapter following hee sheweth that the comfort as well of his resurrection as of his ascension doth depend vpon his death insomuch as his death The comforts of his sufferings more generally was a necessarie passage vnto them both for himselfe first and then also for vs by him Yea so necessarie that if he had not died hee could neither haue risen againe nor ascended vp into heauen c. Whence it is that our Sauiouâ— from the comfort of the one doth argue the comfort of the other as ch 16. verse 5. c 22. And as we saw before ch 13. verses 12.24 25.26 â—2 And thus we see after what manner our Sauiour comforteth his Disciples against the sorrow of his death and departure out of this world The which ground of their comfort may likewise be iustly the ground warrant of our comfort and of the câ—mfort of the whole Church Shew you now likewise how he comforteth them and how wee our selues may take comfoâ—t against our owne troubles and afflictions or persecutions of this world Question Where is this contained Answer Our Sauiour Christ doth this first of all more briefly verse 18. of this 14. chap. of Iohn I will not leaue ye comfortlesse saith he But I will come vnto you And then verse 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth giue I vnto you Let not your heart be troubled nor feare â—ut moâ—e at large in the 15. chap. from the 18. verse to the end of the chapter and that by many reaâ—ons The which his comfortable speech he doth also furthermore prosecute from the beginning of the 16. ch verses 1 2 â— 4 And thenceforth he returneth againe to comâ—ort â—is Disciples against their sorrow concerning his departure from them It is true as was obserued not long since euen from the 5. verse to the 22. But which I pray you are the reasons whereby our Sauiour comforteth his Disciples against afflictions and persecutions of this world yea of the malignant Church that is both in the world and also of the world as our Sauiour rangeth it Question Which I say are these reasons Answere First our Sauiour saith If the world hate you ye know that it hated me before you verse 18 The which reason he further amplifieth in the 20. verse in these words Remember the word that I said vnto you The seruant is not greater then his Master If they haue persâ—cuted me they will persecute you also if they haue kept my word they will also keepe yours Secondlâ— our Sauiour comforteth his Disciples against the perâ—ecutions of this world from the excellencie of their estate as being chosen out of the worâ—d If ye were of the world saith our Sauiour the world would loue his owne but I haue chosen ye out of the world therâ—fore the worlâ— hâ—teth you Thirdly our Sau our comâ—orteâ—h his Disciples from the causlâ—sse ground of the persecutions of the wicked against them the which he sheweth to be no better then meere wilfull ignorance ioyned with â—atred and malice not onely against them but also against Christ and God the Father himselfe Wherevpon it followeth that they are therein without all excuse and that they make themselues most miserable and damnable in that wherein they imagine they serue God Explication and proofe So indeed it â—olloweth verses â—1 22 23 24 25. All these things will they doe
made an high Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Heb. 6.18.19.20 And hence it is that wee receiuing from the right hand of God this speciall grace and fauour that the spirit of our Sauiour Christ euen the Spirit of adoption who teacheth vs to crie Abba Father and helpeth our infirmities in this behalfe yea and maketh requests for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed wee haue exceeding comfort that our prayers which wee make shall be regarded of God seeing the spirit teacheth vs to make them according to the will of GOD and in the name of our Sauiour who sitteth at his right hand Romanes 8.15.16.26.27 and verse 34. In which respect also this may be no small comfort vnto vs which is mentioned in the articles of our beliefe and is confirmed in the holy Scriptures that our Sauiour maketh intercession for vs to God who beeing his naturall Father vouchsafeth also through him to be our Father by the grace of adoption and for the same cause is willing to heare both him for vs and vs for his sake yea and not onely willing but being almightie is as able as he is willing to graunt vs all things through him Finally this may iustly be exceeding comfortable vnto vs that looke what was represented by the glorious garments of the high Priest of the lawe his Ephod with the Onix stones in the which were grauen the names of the twelue tribes of Israell the breast-plate of iudgement wherein were likewise set twelue stones answerable to the names of the children of Israell grauen as signes the Vrim and Thummim also the hidden brightnes and perfection which were in the same breast-plate and he plate or crowne and miter on his forehead wherein was ingrauen Holines to the Lord the truth of all is nowe most perfectly and brightly performed a heauen by our Sauiour Christ For hee presents vs holy and righteous in himselfe before God continually hee supports his Church and euery weake member as it were on his shoulders hee carries the remembrance of all in his heart in him are all the hidden treasures of wisedome hee alone so sweetens vs and our prayers and all that wee doe in his name that though all be weake and vnpersit yet both wee and they are for his sake most gratiously accepted of God Reuel 8.3.4.5 Our Sauiour therefore at the right hand of GOD in the heauens in vnto vs that our onely high Priest who is anointed with the oile of gladnes aboue all his fellowes infinitely more delightfull and pleasant then euer was Aaron or any of his companions though the sweete smell of his perfume is greatly commended both in Exodus 30.22 c. and Psalme 133. Thus farre of the fruites and benefites of the exaltation of our Sauiour Christ to the right hand of God in respect of his royall and kingly priesthood Now in the last place what are the fruites and benefites of his sitting at the right hand of God Question in regard of his High-Priestry royaltie and spirituall Kingdome Answer They are partly such as doe more directly concerne his Church that is to say the whole companie of his obedient and faithfull subiects and that either from age to age in this life or at the end of the world for euer and euer And partly they are such as for the same his Churches sake and to the benefit therof doe concerne his dealing against all those enemies which it hath whom this our King and Sauiour taketh to be enemies likewise vnto himselfe It is true they may well be considered vnder these diuerse heads Question Which are they that be of the first sort Answer More directly for the benefit of the Church and euery true member thereof our Sauiour in respect of his kingly aduancement at the right hand of God he doth from the same First here vpon earth most holily spiritually and as we may say religiously rule and gouerne it Secondly he doth most vigilantly maintaine and preserue it Thirdly he doth most wisely and discreetly chastise and nurture it Fourtly he doth most sweetly comfort cherish and refresh it from time to time Finally he doth by all meanes make his Church and euery member therof truly humble and wise vnto their eternall saluation and he will verily for euer saue and glorifie them at the last in the Kingdome of heauen Explication and proofe These in deede are the most gratious fruites and benefites which proceed from the aduancement of our Sauiour to sit downe at the right hand of God in his most royall and priestly kingdome For proofe whereof read first Psa 45.6.7.8.9 and verses 13.14.15.16.17 compared with Heb. 1.8.9 And Psalm 72. vnder the type and figure of King Salomon And Psal 2.2 Blessed are all that trust in him Read Isaiah 32.1.2.3 c. Behold a King shalt raigne in iustice and the Princes shal rule in iudgement And that man to wit Christ our king shal be as an hiding place frō the wind and as a refuge c. Yea generally let vs obserue that whatsoeuer the holie Prophets doe prophesie of the speciall Kingdome of Christ in respect of the Church the perfection of the administration thereof dependeth vpoh this his sitting at the right hand of God and they are also so many proofes that his kingdom should be most graciously gouerned especially from the time of his sitting at the right hand of God as the effect it selfe confirmeth according to that Isaiah ch 9.6.7 ch 11.1.2.3 c to the end of the chapter For all I say taketh the full accomplishment from hence And to this end we may fitly ascribe that which is spoken in respect of his eternal Deitie before his incarnatiō to his most soueraigne royal state now in that he is mā vnited personally to the same Deitie so that it may be veried of him now which was said then by the spirit of prophesie Prou ch 8.14 c. I haue counsell wisedome I am vnderstanding and I haue strength By me kings raigne and princes decree iustice By me princes rule the nobles all iudges of the earth I loue them that loue me and they that seeke me early shal find me Riches and honour are with me euen durable riches and righteousnes My fruit is better then gold euen then fine gold and my reuenewes are better then fine siluer I cause to walk in the way of righteousnes and in the middest of the paths of iudgement That I may cause them that loue me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures And further whereas the church of our Sa Ch enioyeth godly Christian kings and princes for the protection and defence of it according to the promise of God Isai 49 23. Kings shal be thy foster-fathers and Queenes shal be thy nources c. this out of all question is the gift of our Sauiour Christ from the right hand of God euen of his royall bountie and from his most high and soueraigne
shew that the spirituall vnion is only by an inward effectuall operatiō in the seueral mēbers not by any infusiō of the essence of the godhead into thē Furthermore by reason that the Church in the generall acception of it is catholike and vniuersall it is said to be inuisible and not a matter of sight seeing it is both in time exceeding any mans age and in place for the present so farre distant touching the particular members as one end of the earth is distant from the other And not onely so but also because touching that part of it which is triumphant it is as far remoued frō the whole earth as the heauens are in height extended and stretched most high aboue it Qu. But is the Church of God here vpon earth no way visible An. Yes if wee speake of the Church in regard of the particular assemblies and congregations of it in such places times and ages as it pleaseth God to make it visible and apparant by such externall notes and markes as hee hath giuen to make it knowne by Explicatiō proofe Question It is true as experience hath proued heretofore as it doth at this day manifestly confirme the same in many congregations and assemblies of people the name of God be infinitely blessed and praised for it But which are those outward markes whereby the Church of God may be thus visibly discerned Answer They are these First the publike profession of the name of Christ in the hearing and obeying of his Gospel preached among them Secondly publike prayer and calling vpon his name Thirdly the open and publike vse and celebration of his Sacraments Finally the right and publike vse and administration of the spirituall censures of that Church discipline which our Sauiour hath commanded Explicatiō proofe They are so indeede For wheresoeuer we or any other shall see these ordinances of our Sauiour Christ in vse according to his word and commandement there are wee to acknowledge the Church of God to be in the seuerall assemblies thereof And we for our parts are to ioyne with them in the same as it is the dutie of all true members of the Church of Christ According to that we reade Acts 2.42 that the Christians once baptized continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship and breaking of bread and prayers And therefore is the Church considered after this sort in the particular assemblies and congregations of Christians both Ministers and people thus obedient to Christ in the true profession of his name and exercise of his holy ordinances called the pillar and ground of the truth 1. Tim. 3.15 Therefore I say is it so called because resting staying it selfe wholly vpō our Sauiour Christ his word it doth hold forth the same and defend it both for the sound instruction edification and comfort of it selfe and of those that are yet to be called and also for the euiction and ouerthrow of all contrarie heresies But not for that it hath any power at all to come and command what new doctrines and deuises it list as the Church of Rome presumeth to the snaring of mens consciences and to the aduancement of ambitious Pastors c without the warrant of Gods holy word rightly vnderstoode and interpreted according to that entier harmonie and concent which it hath in and with it selfe And touching the ordinances of our Sauiour before expressed reade Mat. 28. where as wee know well our Sauiour hath commanded his Apostles to teach and baptize yea to teach his Church to obserue all things whatsoeuer he hath cōmanded them Yea all things so as nothing else is to be thrust vpon his Church And answerable to this is that of the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 11.20.23 where he professeth his conscionable regard of deliuering nothing to the Corinthians which he had not receiued of the Lord. And concerning Church gouernment the censures therof we haue the commandement of our Sauiour Matt. 18.17 Tell the Church And likewise the practise of the Apostles in the Acts of the Apostles according to the same commandement of our Sauiour and that with a most streight charge that it should be continued vntill the appearing of our Lord Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 6.14 Neuerthelesse this must be considered with all that euen in these assemblies which are to be accounted visible Churches of God sometimes in some places these ordinances of our Sauiour Christ are more purely entirely obserued then at other times in some other places as we haue the Church of Iuda Israel for example of old And as we finde it to haue fallen out from time to time euen to this day And therevpon we doe iustly call and account some Churches better reformed then other and these or these more corrupt and declining or at the least more defectiue and wanting then the rest Quest But hath God no Church at all but where these outward notes or markes are visibly to be seene and discerned An. If there be none of them apparant and in vse there can be no visible Church of God to the view of any mortall eye neuerthelesse there may be and oftentimes are in the times and places of greatest corruption or desolation where visible Churches haue been many true though vnknowne members of the inuisible Church of God Explicatiō and proofe It may well be so indeede Like as in the true visible Churches many of them that make an outward profession are no true members of the Church but verie hypocrites though they be externally in the bosome of the Church For as the Apostle Paul saith he is not a Iew which is one outward neither is that Circumcision which is outward in the flesh But he is a Iew which is one within and the circumcision which is of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Rom. 2.28 29. So may wee say of baptisme and of the whole profession of christianitie as touching those that make nothing else but a bare outward profession And contrariwise according to that which was answered we may truly say that where there is not any true publike and outward profession of religion yet may there be some true worshippers of God true mēbers of the true and invisible church of God as we may take those daies wherein the Prophet Elijah liued for an example For although he could not comfort himselfe in the beholding of any true visible face of a Church in Israel while wicked King Ahab reigned but thought himselfe to be as one left alone yet God had in secret reserued to himselfe seuen thousand that had not bowed the knee to Baal And Reuel 12.6 the Church is said to flie into the wildernesse where she hath a place prepared of God that she might be fed for a certaine season to the end she might auoid the extremitie of affliction And in the most excellent song of King Salomon shee is compared to the
doues which take their flight to the holes of the rockes c as being pursued persecuted of the wicked who are fallen away from the true worshippe of God to a false and superstitious religion Whence it is that we doe necessarily affirme that the Church which is visible in the parts thereof is either true or false chaste or adulterous c. And that in the true Church some are true and kindly children and that other be hypocrites or false brethren For they that are borne after the flesh as the Apostle teacheth will persecute them that are borne after the spirit as Ishmael did Isaak euen in Abrahams house Gal. 4.29 30. And many are called but few chosen as our Sauiour himselfe affirmeth Matth. 22.14 Of the true and elect Church of God our Sauiour Christ as was touched before is the onely and alone inuisible and mysticall head giuing the life and power of true faith and godlinesse to it through his Spirit And therefore the true Church considered in her members hath sometime her honourable denomination euen from the name of Christ himselfe according as in our present text 1. Cor. chap. 12. verse 12. St. Paul saith that the naturall body resembleth Christ that is to say Christ himselfe mystically considered with his Church which is therfore called the fulnesse of him that filleth all in al things as was said before Ephes 1.22 23. Read also Acts. 9.4 where our Sauiour Christ professeth himselfe to be persecuted when they are persecuted which doe truly professe his name As for the ciuill Magistrate yea euen the King though he be called the head of the people kingdom where he beareth dominion yet is he but a member though indeed a chiefe principall member of the Church of our Lord Iesus Christ So that when the name of head is attributed to the King as we reade 1. Sam. 15. verse 17. and 2. Chron. 20.27 and Psal 110.6 it is to be vnderstoode metaphorically and not mystically and spiritually For thus to be the head of the Church both generally and in the seuerall parts it is onely belonging to our Sauiour Christ who will not giue this his glorie to any other Neither in deede can any beside himselfe performe the office and vertue of a head to the soules of the people and Church of God as may further appeare by that subiection which is required of all Kings and Rulers in the Church and to the Church in respect of Christ Psal 2.10.11.12 and Isaiah chapt 49.23 Now of the false visible Church which falsely nameth it selfe the catholike Church Antichrist is the head so acknowledged of all those that receiue the marke of the Beast as the holie scriptures doe speake that is hee is the head of so many as doe willingly submit themselues to his Antichristian doctrine and gouernement seeking spirituall life and direction with all temporall peace and safetie from him Reuel 13.11 c. And ch 17 This Antichrist the great false head of of the false catholike Church is hee that presumptuously peruerteth the true doctrine of our Sauiour Christes most holie and high office through his erroneous and heretical tyrannous and hypocriticall assertions practises and deuises For he is idolatrous in his worship superstitious in his ceremonies and prowd and tyrannicall in all his gouernement imitating or rather exceeding here in the west Church with vs the princely state and pompe of the Romane Empire which at the first was verie cruell against the Church of Christ and therefore called the first beast Reuel 13.1 c. For wheras the Romane Empire was at the first breaking forth of the Gospell notorious for putting of our Sauiour Christ the Lord of life and glorie to death and afterward for murthering of many thousands of faithful Christians both in the East and West Church the Pope of Rome called the second beast hauing craftily gotten the power of the first beast hath himselfe bene more notorious for crueltie and pride here in the west then euer the other was either in the East or West Wherevpon most iustly haue wee with the true Churches of of our Sauiour Christ and with all true Christians withdrawne and seperated our selâ—es from his most hereticall and tyrannous vsurpation Hereticall I say again t our Sauiour Christ in respect of the truth of his doctrine and tyrannous also against the gracious equitie of his spirituall regencie and gouernment Yea and beside these presumptuous also and traiterous against the iust right and authoritie of ciuill Kings and Princes touching the soueraigntie of their ciuill policie and gouernment for Christ and his Gospell And therefore also according to our most boundeÌ„ dutie vnder our Sauiour Christ we froÌ„ the first shaking off of the popish yoke of bondage haue laboured with our onely soueriegne and supreme Gouernours next vnder our Lord Iesus Christ as other Churches haue done with theirs for the correction and restoring both of doctrine and discipline from all Popish corruption and abuse to the sinceritie and truth of the word and Gospel of God and according as the right ancient and apostolike Christians haue vniuersally acknowledged obeied it eueÌ„ froÌ„ the first publishing of the Gospell so farre as they could attaine and retaine it vntil this Antichrist as a great fals Prophet as a most ambitious high Priest and as a most vsurping king had subtilly deceiued and tyrannically oppressed the world Such is the doctrine of the true Church of God concerning the vniuersalitie of it or in that it is as we vse to speak catholike so neare as God vouchsafed vs grace to collect it from the ground proportion of our text of Scripture propounded to that purpose and therewithall also according to all other testimonies of holy Scripture which giue their further light to the same But as touching the other title of the same Church of God Question Why is it called holy Answer Because it is sanctified and set a part by the holy Ghost according to the will of God the Father and of our Lord Iesus Christ that all the members thereof being so sanctified vnto God both in their bodies soules and Spirits should carefully minde holines and indeuour to leade a holy life in obedience to all the holy lawes and commandements of God according to the faith of the Gospell all the daies of our liues contrary to that prophane and vngodly disposition and practise of the children of this world Explication and proofe This in deede is the nature of holy thinges that they should altogether differ in vse from thinges common and prophane yea and in inward truth from all thinges that haue onely an outward shewe of holines and religion This holines touching both the fountaine and also the full perfection of it is onely in our one onely Lord God the Father Iohn 17. verse 11. In the Sonne Act. 4.27 In the holy Ghost Iohn 14.26 According to that threefold acclamation of the Angels Isai 6.3 Holy holy holy