a most wise and mightie heade Christ and a defence against the enemies This kingdome when it was in this worlde beganne in humilitie as he saith repent amend for the kingdome of God is at hand The exaltation therefore in this kingdome is that same placing in highest degree of honour to the end the sonne may shew himself openly before the Angels blessed men in great light to be the king and heade of all the elect and by shedding his power euen vnto vs with a greater efficacie then when he was in his body in the earth he may restore and repare life and saluation by the worde and spirit in his electe and may defend thē against al enemies Eph. 1.21.22 The father hath placed Christ at his right hand in the heauens far aboue all power principality might and dominion euery name that is named not in this worlde onely but in that which is to come and he hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feet and hath appoynted him to be heade ouer all thinges to the Church which is his bodie and the fulnesse of him which fulfilleth al in al things Ioh. 16.7 I speak the truth vnto you it is expedient for you that I goe away for vnlesse I goe that comforter shall not come vnto you but if I depart I will sende him vnto you And this was because it was so appointed by God his decree that Christ being exalted in his kingdome should sende him What fruits we are partakers of by the exaltation of Christ in his kingdome LIke as Christ was borne and died for vs so also he sitteth at the right hande of God for vs. Nowe the first fruite is that onely Christians doe rightly knowe God call vppon him and praise him For therefore the father placed Christ at his right hande that hee might be acknowledged worshipped and praised both of Angels and men as their onely God and Lorde And contrariwise God doeth abhorre all other worshippes which are not directed vnto Christ in whome onely hee will bee acknowledged called vppon and praysed Peter inferreth Acts 2. of the sending of the holy Ghost out of the testimony of Dauid concerning the sitting of the Messias at the right hand of God Therefore let all the house of Israel knowe for a suretie that God hath made him both Lorde and Christ this Iesus I say whome ye haue crucified And Phil. 2.9.10.11 Wherefore God hath also highlie exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euerie name that at the name of Iesus shoulde euery knee bow both of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth and that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde vnto the glorie of God the father And Psa 97. ver 7. Apo. 5. ver 7.9.12.13 1. Cor. 1. ver 2. Act. 7. ver 59. cap. 9. ver 14. The second and the third fruite THE other fruits are knowen by their ends For therefore Christ is exalted in his kingdome that inwardly hee maye enrich his Church and without he may defend it against enimies yea and also may bridle those that are deadly and inwarde enemies the seconde fruite therefore is that the father for and by this Christ doeth assuredly giue the holy ghost to them that aske it doeth gouerne and quicken the faithful by the ministerie of the Gospel both beautifieth the whole Church with diuerse gifts and also giueth to euery mēber so much giftes as are sufficient for the glorie of the head for the edificacion of the whole body and the saluation of that same member but hee leaueth none of them without necessarie gifts or letteth them to be emptie Actes 2.33 Christ exalted to the right hand of God and hauing obtained of his father the promise of the holy Ghost hath shed forth this which ye nowe see and heare And to the Eph. 4.7 To euery one of vs grace is giuen according to the measure of the gift of Christ. And a litle after He therefore gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some pastors and teachers for the repairing of the Saintes for the worke of the ministery and for the edification I say of the body of Christe till wee all meete together in the vnitie of faith and that acknoweledging of the Sonne of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Also Let vs altogether growe vp in him which is the heade to wit Christ by whome all the bodie fitly knitte and compact together by all the ioynts for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euerie part the whole receaueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Christ therefore raigneth vnto vs at the right hande of the father that powring out the holy Ghost vpon vs he might be effectual by the ministerie and through the spirite might make vs his mēbers and might aduaunce his spirituall kingdome day by day in vs vntill he might fully ioyne vs vnto himselfe being perfectly regenerate and washed againe from sinne and corruption and so he might be God all in all 1. Corinthians 15. The thirde fruite THE thirde fruit is the defense of the Church against all our enemies sinne the flesh the worlde tyrantes diuels all which our heauenly father calleth the enemies of Christ and in verie deede he sheweth dayly examples of his power in ouerthrowing them Psal 110. The Lorde hath said to my Lord sit at my right hande vntill I make thine enimies a footestoole vnto thy feete Iehoua shall sende the scepter of thy strength out of Sion rule in the middest of thine enimies Surely a wonderful consolation that we are his brethrē yea his members to whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth without whose will power neither the Turkes nor antichrist can deuise any thing against the Church no nor conclude or moue so much as a finger for the executing of their counsailes so that Christe raigneth in such sort in the middest of his enemies that he will not be shut out no not out of their most secrete counsailes Yea we are the brethren and members of that Christ by whose most present diuine power all men are gouerned and all creatures in heauen and in earth so that wee may saye with full securitie of minde with the Apostle Romanes 8. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation shall anguish shall persecution shall hunger shal nakednes shall danger shall the sword as it is written For thy sake are we killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe appointed to the slaughter yea but in al these thinges we are more then conquerours through him that hath loued vs. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor hight nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separat vs
can receiue any hurt of thē but so farre as God being their moderator shall vouchsafe to giue thē place who maketh that same hurt to worke together with him their good Ps 27.1.3 psa 91. He shall couer thee with his winges and vnder his winges thou shalt be safe His truth is thy shield and helmett Thou shalt not feare for the feare of the night Also Psal 118. vers 6. Rom. 8. vers 31.38 So Dauid humblie beholding the nature of God hopeth that Simeies railinges should turne to his good 2. Sam. 16. vers 12. Perhappes the Lord will behold my affliction and render me good for his cursing this day By what a wonderfull prouidence was Paule saued with all the rest that were in the shippe with him where euen in the middest of the waues of the sea and in roaring of the windes al things to the shew were confused there appeared euident and vndoubted printes of the diuine prouidence which draue the shippe thither whence they might safely escape Acte 27. which thing vndoubtedly from thencefoorth brought great securitie to Paule against all the hurt of all creatures and then especially when he must come before Nero and should wey with himselfe with how greate prouidence of God contrarie to his owne determination and counsaile he was brought thither Moreouer he conceiued greater securitie for the time to come by his deliuerance in his first defence as he writeth in the 2. Tim. chap. 4. No man assisted me but all forsooke me the Lord lay it not to their charge but the Lord was present with me and strengthened me that through me the preaching should be fulfilled and all the Gentiles heare And I was deliuered out of the mouth of the Lion And the Lord will deliuer me from euerie euill worke and will keepe me to his heauenly kingdome to whom be glorie worlde without end Amen This is euen that couenant that the faithfull that are confederate to God the creator haue also necessarily with all creatures because without the will of the creator they cannot somuch as moue whereof Hoseas speaketh in the 2. chap. THE SECOND PART CONCERNING THE sonne and our reconciliation And in Iesus Christ Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles ESay 9. A childe is borne vnto vs A sonne is giuen vnto vs whose gouernment shal be vppon his shoulder his name shal be called Wonderful Counsailor the mightie God father of eternitie Prince of peace Matt. 1. She shal bring forth a sonne thou shalt call his name Iesus For he shall saue his people from their sinnes Furthermore all this is done that that might be fulfilled which the Lord hath spoken by his Prophet saying Beholde a virgine shall be with childe shal bring foorth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Emanuell which is if thou interprete it God with vs. Luk. 1. The Angel saith vnto Marie thou shalt call his name Iesus This man shall be great and shall be called the sonne of the highest And the Lorde God shall giue him the seat of Dauid his father he shal raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shall be no ende Why we beleeue in Iesus Christ the only begotten sonne of God WE beleeue also in Iesus Christ the onelie begotten sonne of God First because the sonne of God is of one substance glorie together with the Father Io. 1. We sawe his glorie as of the onely begotten sonne of the father Therfore in the first Chapter to the Hebrues he is called the brightnes of his glorie and engrauen forme of his person Ioh. 10. I and the Father are one Further because the Father hath commanded that we beleeue in the sonne Psalm 2. Kisse ye the sonne And in the end of the same Psalme Blessed are al they which trust in him Also This is my beloued sonne in whome I rest heare him Nowe we so heare the sonne expounding the commandement and promise of the father Io. 6. This is the wil of that my father who hath sent me that whosoeuer seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue euerlasting life And I wil raise him vp in that last daie And in the 14. of Ioh. he saith Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And this is so seuerely commanded that a most greeuous punishment is denounced against such as refuse the benefite offered in Christ He that beleeueth not the sonne shal not see life but the wrath of God abideth vpon him Io. 3. Also the 8. Vnlesse you beleeue that I am he ye shal die in your sinnes And the 1. Io. 2. Therefore I confesse that I beleeue in the sonne of God verie God begotten of very God before all worldes To the Hebrues 3. Prouerb 8. And that from my hearte I submitte my will to this commandement and promise of the father that I am throughly persuaded although I be a wretch that yet for this eternal sonne of God I am indeede receiued neither would he I should adde this the greatest sinne to my great and manifolde sinnes that I should reiecte the sonne of God freely offered but that his desire is that with all my soule I should resist all vnbeliefe and should deliuer my selfe altogether deuoide of saluation to be saued to this sonne forasmuch as our heauenlie father hath so commanded Why the sonne of God is named Iesus THe sonne of God manifested in the flesh is named Iesus because he hath saued vs through his desert and yet still saueth vs by his power from all our sinnes Mat. 1. Acts 4. Hebr. 7 Nowe the fruite that comes vnto me by this knowledge is this Seeing God that can not lie Tit. 1. hath giuen this name Iesus from heauē to his sonne manifested in the flesh that is to saye of a sauiour I knowe and vndoubtedly assure my selfe that he fully and perfectly saueth me wholy both in soule and body and in this faith I call vpon him As often as I heare therefore the name of Iesus I ought to remember the promise of the Gospell that lyeth hidde in it that he through his merite hath saued me from my sinnes and by his power mortifieth the remnants of sinne in me vntill he fully deliuer me from them that he also quickeneth me through his holy spirite and that he euerlastingly keepeth for me that same saluation purchased with so great a price 1. Pet. 1. and so he beareth that worthy name for my sake which was giuen vnto him by the father from heauen that he might shewe the truth of his name in truth and effectually aswel in my saluation as in the saluation of al beleeuers He is faithful that beareth that notable name of sauiour and he that hath promised shall doe it Christ Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles TO the Sonne he saith Thy throne O God Psal 45. is for euer and euer thy scepter a right scepter the scepter of thy kingdome Thou hast loued righteousnesse and
to God peace to the earth A good wil in men Like as therefore in times past when Salomon by the commaundement of God was annoynted there was publike ioye amongest the people of God because they knewe that God woulde doe them good and defend them by the hande of a king so also we when wee heare out of the worde of God that our Lorde Iesus is Christ that is that same annoynted of the lorde we ought together with the Angels to be filled with an exceeding ioye of minde being surely persuaded that euen in this verie thing that the heauenly father hath appointed and in verie deede giuen his owne sonne Christ that is annointed to be our king that he doeth openly from heauen declare that hee by this sonne will become the euerlasting restorer and defender of his Church Why Christ was annointed not onelie to be king but also Priest IT followeth that we declare whie he was not onely annointed to bee a king but also a Priest The reason is because the kingdome of Christ was so to bee established that he must satisfie for euer the righteousnes of God and so this begonne peace promised grace might staie vppon a sure and sound foundation Now the foundation is the euerlasting priesthood of Christ that is that same gift which not onely by commaundement but also by solemne oth in a wonderful wisedome and mercie is from the father laide vpon this certaine person whereof these are partes First the prayer of so great a person most pure and most holy together with a sacrifice matchable with the sinnes and wickednesses of all beleeuers Io. 17. Heb. 7. the other the shewing of himselfe before the face of the father in the heauens after this sacrifice is offered vp Hebr. 9 vers 24. Because it was ordained of God by an oath and by an vnchangeable decree of God which we may surely trust to that Christ should shewe himselfe to witte his owne bodie and soule taken into the vnitie of his person in which all our sinnes were punished without ceasing before the face of the father that alwayes the efficacie of that Sacrifice once offered vp might florish and be of force before the father Of the profite that we take by this that Christ was anointed to be a priest THe chiefe profite is that I haue a certaine person which hath sacrificed for mee and continually maketh intercessiō for me that the force of his intercessiō made sacrifice offred vp in earth might alwaies be of force in the sight of God as it is saide in the Psalme 110. The Lorde hath sworne and will not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer Nowe an euerlasting priest is not without an euerlasting vse and fruite of his priesthoode towarde his faithfull But wee will speake more aswell of the kingdome as of the Priesthoode in the article of sitting at the right hand of God Why also was he annointed to be a Prophet THe reason why hee was annointed to bee a Prophet is because that same priestly kingdome in which euerlasting righteousnes and peace should florish was to bee established by the scepter of his worde that is by the preaching of the Gospell and in the power of the spirite whereby he was annointed And truelie so was it foretold by Esay The spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath annointed me that I should preach glade tydinges vnto the power he hath sent me that I shoulde heale the contrite in heart as our Lorde affirmeth in the 4. of Luke that it was fulfilled in him Therefore hee saith vnto Pilate that his kingdome was not of this worlde that he came into the worlde that he might giue testimonie vnto the truth I vnderstande Christ therefore so to be annointed a Prophet that hee being sent out of the bosome of his heauenly father in mans nature was annointed with the fulnes of the holy Ghost that being ful of grace and trueth hee might cleerly and manifestly set forth vnto vs that same mysterie hidde from the beginning the euerlasting will and counsell of God concerning the redemption of mankinde Iohn 1. The onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath shewed it vnto vs. Furthermore also that the same Christ may effectuallie teach vs to the end of the worlde For which cause hee also hath promised his presence by the office of teaching Beholde I am alwayes with you euen to the end of the worlde Of the fruite of Christes propheticall office THe Lorde Iesus is anointed with the spirite of prophesie to this end that we should by no meanes doubt of the vnchangeable wil of the father towarde vs. Heb. 1. God in times past at sundrie times and in diuerse maners spake vnto our fathers by the Prophetes but in these last times he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne Further who dareth to say howe shall I knowe the will of God towardes beleeuers seeing the sonne him selfe to whome the minde and will of the father is throughly knowen hath opened the will and promise of the father in the Gospell The other fruite is nowe declared for that it teacheth vs effectuallie to the end of the worlde and transformeth vs into that which we are taught of him 2. to the Corinth 2. vers 17.18 Howe far forth those things which are spoken concerning the office of Christ or of the priestly prophetical kingdome of Christ agree with the doctrine of the free couenaunt BVt same man will say that same priestly kingdome that thou hast said to be established by that same Messias or annointed of the Lord by the scepter of the word and power of the spirite is it not that same euerlasting couenaunt or worke of saluation that standeth in the free forgiuenesse of sinnes and vndeserued gift of the holy Ghost and euerlasting life Yes verilie For that same couenant of saluation made with Abraham was renewed with Dauid and to him was promised out of his seede an euerlasting king who shoulde be the mediator of this couenaunt Psalme 89. And in the first of Luke the Angel saith to Marie This shall be great and he shal he called the sonne of the most high and the Lorde God shall giue vnto him the seate of Dauid his father and he shall raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer and there shall bee no end of his kingdome And a little after Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptiste being full of the holy Ghost prophecied saying Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel because he hath visited and redeemed his people and hath lifted vp an horne of saluation vnto vs in the house of Dauid his seruaunt as he hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets which were since the world began that it should come to passe that he would saue vs from our enemies and out of the hande of all that hate vs that he shoulde shewe mercie towardes our fathers and be mindfull of his holy couenaunt of the oath
temporall euen to the soule and conscience When both these meete together dwell in one kingdome and kisse ech other there is a blessed state and in regarde of Christian Princes though treason against the one can not be with any loyaltie to the other yet we exempt such ignorant and seduced Papists from the gilt of treason as being led by such Capitaine Romanists as Sanders and Allen are onely haue a dislike of the truth yet bear dutifull hearts to their Prince and Country hauing not in such ouert and actuall manner hatched forth that cursed and treacherous seede But I wish these with all my hearte in time to take heede lest whilest they nourish and foster this conceaued superstition in them they growe to the same wretched attempts that they see others haue done do daily to their great cost they pay as they are worthy the same price for it Let them in time therefore feare God and honor the Kinge obey God that they may obeye their Prince Poperie is the nurce mother of treason rebellion and confusion Poperie hath alwaies been a perker and prier in to princes greatest secretes and intentions for the maintenance of it owne kingdome True religion in deede teacheth all estates and taketh knowledge to reproue whatsoeuer is contrary to the light But poperie rusheth into all matters and causes and chalengeth and vsurpeth authoritie ouer all persons it taketh vpon it the alteration of kingdomes ouerturneth Princes crownes alienateth inheritances intermedleth vniustly in al things as I wil if god assist me shew further if I be further vrged I beseech your Honor pardon me that I haue passed the boundes of an epistle These creaking papists eueÌ„ compel me who are so shamelesse in the cleere light of the gospell still to prouoke vs But a day shall come that shal reueale al things in the meane time I nothing doubt of his mercifull goodnes if we go cheerefully forward and draw not his iudgements vpon vs by our slacknesse coldnesse towards the synceritie of his truth towards his poore Church towards her Maiestie and the whole body of this coÌ„mon weale And thankes be to God for that rich and vnspeakeable knowledge of his truth wherby he hath enabled vs to discerne and see their errors Of all benefites this is most precious and I beseech your honor in your place to seeke the aduancing of it Let them not be able to preuaile with you that bewray their owne shame whilest with boasting words they would seeme to mount vp to heauen and yet lie flat groueling vpon the earth hauing no sparke of heauenly wisedome or vnderstanding from the word of God Onely they haue a few waste words a little lauish latine wherewith they thinke to ouergoe and ouerthrow the setled truth of God We looked for high matter from our chalinging champion at the least seeing he coÌ„meth after al others we looked for som shew of weightie and grounded arguments but alacke our hope is frustrate for nothing appeareth but that a man may finde in these goldeÌ„ daies of knowledge 〈…〉 euen in those youthes and boyes that yet haue scarse a farre of saluted diuinitie His ten arguments are nothing els but so many paralogismes all taken froÌ„ others that wrote long before him onely he hath turned the wrong side of â—heir coates outwarde Because some men haue refused certaine bookes to be numbred in the Canon of the scriptures for which yet they are not destitute of some testimonies and yet some of those books haue not bin denied of vs therefore we flie the scriptures and Campion hath woon the fielde already because the sense and meaning of the scriptures haue been diuersly taken of some particular men in some controuersies therfore the meaning of the scriptures are on his side Thus he braineth himselfe with his owne hammer and cutteth his owne throte with his owne sworde As though all that professe papistrie keepe one sense and meaning in the interpretation of the scripture because they boast of the name of a Church the name of the Church is glorious we loke wan at it and must needes flie because they com against vs onely with the bare name We make a church of our owne fashioÌ„ a Platonicall Idea and an idle fancie In discribing a church we vtterly ouerthrow it c. All the heretiques that euer were are our predecessors because papists say so we must subscribe to their church or else to a church that is no where TheÌ„ forsooth al general Councels are theirs and we refuse all because some haue erred and many haue byn contrary one to another The CouÌ„cel of Trent shal liue wheÌ„ Kemnitius shal be buried if he take not heede with Arrius now we may trust them for Iohn Hus brake the conditions that the Emperour had set him and running away which the Emperour had forbidden vpon paine of his head was iustly not headed but burned and yet the Councel of Constance debated specially of this matter thought they were not bound to the Emperours promise Hierom of Prage spake freely in the Councell recanting departed freely but falling into his heresie again drunk of the same cup. We refuse all fathers he alloweth all and refuseth none tagge and ragge are welcome to him all their errours shal be defended for manifest truth Not so much as Dionisius Hyppolytus but must be ranked amongest the Doctors And if euer any searched the scriptures these did it and spent their whole liues in it And all histories make for them and our historiographers for 1500 yeares together are emptie of all matter sauing of that they write for them and to maintaine their cause And we can not deny but that Rome was an holy Church that their faith was famous that Paule preached there that a Church was gathered in that Babylon where Peter ruled Whether Clement succeeded Peter or Linuâ— I would faine haue determined and Clement succeeded c. therefore all are his for his religion We further maintaine nothing but Paradoxes and monstrous opinions of God of Christ of man of grace of righteousnesse of manners c. And we must needes speake and be vnderstood as this lustie challenger will haue vs to speake and be vnderstoode Our Sophistications are palpable and our barenes in testimonies are miserable he hath from heauen from the earth from Roses from Lilies the one purpuled with martyrdome the other whited with innocencie They haue those that were shepeheardes to all landes and all flockes of all faithfull all were theirs of all sortes and none ours And thus we are confuted But my Lord it hath ben an old said saw The greatest barkers are not the best biters nor the greatest boasters the best fighters I doubt not but he shal receaue a ful answere in time In meane time let him al the papists in the world if they can ouerthrow the truth of doctrine which we hold the articles of whose faith
I haue also oftentimes thought of that same saying of Daniel that the reward of Christ his seruantes are laide vp for them in the heauens The teachers saith he shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament and they that haue brought others vnto righteousnes shall shine as the starres in euerlasting times Let vs therefore content our selues in our calling with meane things and resigne ouer our selues to our heauenly father to be fed through Christ at his hands we our wiues and our children for he is the true father and will neuer be vnmindefull of compassion a fatherly care ouer vs and so much the lesse he will be vnmindefull by how much we shall be more mindefull of our calling We may therefore safely committe our selues and ours to his prouidence which ought to suffice for the ouercomming of all hinderaunces letts specially to them to whom God is all in all Farewell ¶ An Exposition of the Apostles Creede or rather of the articles of the Christian faith That the kingdome of Christ is offered vnto vs in the Articles of our faith and that the faithfull are partakers of it whilest they liue here IT is certaine that there are two spirituall kingdomes euen in this worlde to wit the kingdome of darkenes and the kingdome of light it must needes be that euery man be of one of these whilest he liueth here For so Christ the king himselfe speaketh to his elect vessell Acts. 26. For this cause haue I appeared vnto thee that I might appoynt thee a minister and witnes of those things which thou hast seene And a little afterwards That thou mightest open their eyes that they might be turned from darknes to light and from the power of Sathan to God and might receaue remission of sinnes a lotte amongest the sanctified through the faith which is in mee So to the Colossians the first Giuing thankes vnto God the father who hath made vs fitte to be partakers of the lotte of the Saintes in the light who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes and translated vs into the kingdome of his dearely beloued sonne Hereby it is cleare that there are two spirituall kingdomes euen in this world the kingdome of Christ in which in very deede are all they that truely repent beleeue in Christ and are also baptized into his name as also their children vnlesse when they shal be growen and come to age through vnbeliefe they reiect the benifite offred But the other the kingdome of Sathan and darkenes in which all they are which doe not repent and beleeue not in Christ these partly are not baptized but open contemners of baptisme as the Turkes and Iewes and partly againe are baptized but yet are impenitēt vnbeleeuers these albeit they be baptized and ioyne themselues to the visible Church remaine notwithstanding in very deede so long in the kingdom and power of darkenes vntill they be conuerted and beleeue Mat. 28.1 Cor. 6 vers 8.9.10 12. and 2. Cor. 12. vers 21. Now forasmuch as the Articles of the fayth containe the summe of that doctrine deliuered by Christ the king to his Apostles it is certaine that in them the kingdome of Christ and all the priuiledges thereof are offred and exhibited to all them that repent and beleeue againe that we are taught by this confession whence we may assure our selues that we are true Citizens of the kingdome of Christ yea and that in this life that we haue a partaking with Christ the king himselfe with all his benifites to witte if we beleeue with our heart and confesse with our mouth For that saying of the Apostle is sure in the 10. to the Romanes The worde is neare thee in thy mouth and in thy heart This is that worde of faith which we preach to witte that if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God hath raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation For the scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed What the kingdome of Christ is and that the newe couenaunt is administred therein LEt vs then see what the kingdome of Christ is which beginneth in the faithful in this worlde which also in the same sense is named the kingdome of God and the kingdome of heauen Mat 3. vers 2. Luk. 4. vers 43. and Chapiter 7. vers 28. The kingdome of Christ in this worlde is the administration of saluation whereby Iesus Christ the king himselfe outwardly gathereth to himselfe through the Gospell and sacrament of baptisme a people or visible Church in which many hypocrites are mingled and calleth them to saluation and administreth and giueth himselfe the same saluation to which he calleth them in those whō he accounteth for his elect in this congregatiō whilest that he maketh this outward vocation effectuall that is to say calleth them to repentance and faith by which they aunswere to him that calleth and whom he thus calleth those also he iustifieth not imputing their sinnes vnto them whom he iustifieth those also he glorifieth purging them daily more and more from their sinnes and so instructing framing and perfecting them to all godlinesse righteousnesse and that to life euerlasting that the glory of Christ their king may shine in them vsing to that purpose the dispensation of his worde and sacraments by meete ministers and that both publique domesticall and priuate and therewithall also the diligent administration of his discipline aswell of repentance and ceremonies as of mans whole life The vniuersall administration of this kingdome of Christ is that same newe couenant that God hath promised in the last times to make with vs by Ieremy the Prophet not according to that same couenant he made with our fathers when he brought them out of the lande of Aegypt because they had made that couenant voide but that this should be the couenaunt that he would giue his lawe in the middest of vs and that he would write it in our hearts and that he would be our God and we should be his people and that we should knowe him because he would be mercifull vnto our iniquity and would not remember our sinnes any more Ierem. 31. And by Hoseas the Prophet Cap. 2. I will marry thee in faith and thou shalt knowe the Lord. This couenant Christ the king and priest of his Church hath ratified for euer by his merite betweene God and vs and euery day worketh in vs through his efficacie Daniel the 9. Verily by his merite seeing that Christ by his priesthoode that is by his intercession and sacrifice laying an euerlasting foundation vnto his kingdome hath satisfied the righteousnesse of God and so deliuereth vs from sinne and the cursse of the lawe and from the kingdome and power of the deuill and obtaineth the spirite of sanctification through which he may raigne in
vs and through his efficacie or operation whereby as the king of his Church he first bringeth our heartes to the knowledge of their euill and to the consideration of the diuine righteousnesse and createth in them the studie of reconciling themselues to God and conuerting them to his wil. Now afterwards things thus set in order he offreth the worde of reconciliation and engendreth faith in them through which he communicateth himselfe after whom they thirst vnto them to this ende that hauing obtained through his merite iustification they may vse it to the euerlasting peace of their conscience and may dayly also through his spirit be restored and builded vp Lastly he exhorteth those that are reconciled and thus endowed with his spirit to bring forth workes worthy those that repent to the ende that the glory of their king may shine in them Rom. 8. ver 29 30. These degrees in the administration of the kingdome of Christ and of his new couenaunt the Lord comprehendeth in that same speach to Paule when he saith that thou mayst open their eyes that is done when through the working of that king Christ their conscience is illuminated through the holy Ghost For it is he that maketh his ministerie effectuall so as they knowe both themselues and their sinnes and againe God his holynesse and righteousnesse to which they must be conformable that through faith turning vnto him they may receaue in Christ a double benefite forgiuenes of their sinnes a lot amongest the sanctified who daily studie Christ exhorting them to bring forth the worthy fruites of repentance For whom he hath chosen those also hath he called whom he hath called those also hath he iustified whom he hath iustified those also he hath glorified First therefore let vs see how Christ our king by calling into his kingdome doth engender in men a desire of being reconciled to God then how he offreth vnto them the forgiuenes of their sinnes or rather the free grace of reconciliation and iustification and therewithall how he beginneth their restoring to euerlasting life and glory how daily he setteth it forward and at length in the worlde to come doth fully finish the same How Christ the King engendreth in his elect the studie of reconciling themselues to God and howe he preserueth and encreaseth in them which are reconciled the studie of holding that reconciliation CHrist the King doth engender in his elect the studie of reconciling them selues to God first of all by shewinge that all men are vnder sinne and in the kingdome of darkenes especially because that when all men haue the knowledge of God naturally engraffed in them and the worke of the lawe by nature written in their heartes and by the thinges created are constreined to knowe God notwithstanding doe not glorifie him but doe sinne contrarie to the lawe of nature Rom. 1. The which thing they witnes in their deedes and their owne conscience doth conuince their thoughtes either accusing or excusing them Againe by vncouering all and euerie of their wickednesses and in accusing them by the lawe written and by the threatninges which are manifest euerie where throughout the whole prophetes many wickednesses also being heaped together as plainely may be seene in the Epistle to the Romaines Chap 3. vers 9 10 11 12 13 14. And also by shewing that this is the vnchangeable will of God whereby he will not onely that all men be conformed to the lawe of nature but also to the lawe written otherwise that he will so long accounte them for sinners and enemies til they be conuerted and through faith be reconciled vnto God Iohn 3 vers 36. Rom. 5. vers 10 11. Secondly by shewing what a great euil sin is Such and so great an euil sin is that it deserueth the euerlasting destruction of mā yea verily so great an euil that it cannot by the euerlasting destruction of man be cleansed Wherevppon it foloweth that sinne is a greater euill then mans euerlasting damnation seeinge that the damned cannot by euerlasting paines cleanse or ouercome so greate an euill To conclude it is so greate an euill to haue offended the maiestie of God but with one sinne that the destruction of all creatures were a lesse euill For certainly neither the destruction of all creatures yea if they shoulde be brought to nothing were a sufficient price for the cleansing of one onely sinne which could not otherwise be cleansed but by the death of the sonne of God Thirdly by shewing that the nature of God is righteous and therefore that it doth accurse all sinners to wit as well theire bodies as soules as well in this worlde as in the world to come Deut. 28. vnlesse reconciliation be made For so immutable is this righteousnes of God and will to iudge sinnes that not so much as one sinne amongst so many thowsandes which dayly are committed shall escape vnpunished For either it is punished in vs or els in Christ in Christ it is once perfectly punished so that we repent and amende and beleeue in him in our selues it shal be punished if we haue an vnbeleeuing hearte and such a a one as cannot repent as Christ saith verily I say vnto you that men shall make accounte for euerie idle word in the day of iudgement Also if this be done in the green wood what shal be done in the dry 1. Peter 4. verse 17 18. To be short god is so righteous and so great an euil is sin that euen when he doth forgiue sinnes he doth not yet alowe them and that he may shew this thing he doth chastise them in those that are conuerted yea after the forgiuenes thereof with most sharpe scourges as in Dauid yea after God had spoken vnto him by Nathan the Prophet The lord hath taken from thee thy sins We see by how sharpe whips he declared that he did not allow the sin of Dauid 2. Sam. 12. ver 11.12.13 also 2. Sam. cap. 24 vers 10.12 Fourthly by setting forth the execution of the righteousnes iudgment of God against the impenitent vnbeleeuing First in the examples which he hath exercised dayly doth exercise aswel in the wringing terrors of cōscience wherwith the vnrepētant are afflicted as also in those same temporal punishments which although they be great yet are the onely signes of the wrath of God to come farre greater yea most great For like as the patience gentlenes of God is greater then the gentlenes of al creatures so also his wrath doth exceede the wrath of al creatures Secondly by setting before their eyes the day of this wrath or the euerlasting iudgement as the scripture doth often times set the same aswel before the eyes of the faithful as of the vnfaithful By these the like reasons meanes taken out of the word of god Christ the king doth engēder in the ministerie of the word through his spirite in thē whō he hath first called that same study of recōciling themselues vnto God
hated iniquitie therefore hath God euen thy God anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Dan. 9. The holy of holy shal be anointed Afterwardes he saith The Messias shall be cut of and then the people shall destroye the Citie and the Sanctuary with that Captaine that shall come The Angel witnessed the fulfilling of this anointing Hierusalem yet standing Luke 2. Behold I bring you glad tidinges of great ioye that shal be to al the people that a Sauiour is this day borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lord. The whole multitude of the heauenlie hostes witnesseth the same thing praising God and saying glorie to God in the highest heauens and in earth peace and towardes men a good will Mat. 2. The starre and the wise men witnesse Christ or the anointed of the Lorde to be sent and in the second of Luke Symeon and Anna the prophetesse from the 25. verse to the 41. where also the prophesie of Esaias is sene fulfilled Ca. 8. ver 14. A notable prophesie of Isaias in the 61. Cap. is fulfilled Luke 4. Iesus came to Nazareth where he had ben brought vp and entred as he was wont vpon the sabboth day into the synagogue and rose vp that he might reade Then was giuen vnto him the Booke of the Prophet Esaie and when he had opened the booke he found a place in whiche it was written The spirite of the Lorde is vpon me because that he annointed me that I should preach gladde tidinges he sent me to heale the broken in heart that I should preach deliuerance to captiues and recouerie of sight to the blinde that I should seâ— them at libertie that are distressed And that I should preach the acceptable yeare of the Lorde And when he had restored the booke closed vnto the minister he sate downe and the eies of all that were in the synagogue were fastened on him Then he began to say vnto them This day is the scripture fulfilled in your eares Also Acts the 10 vers 38. The vniforme praier of the Apostles witnesseth the prophesie in the 2. Psalme to be fulfilled in our Lorde Iesus For so also Luke writeth in the 4. of the Actes The man was aboue fortie yeare olde on whom this miracle of healing was shewed Nowe being let goe they came to their companie and shewed what the cheefe of the priestes and the Elders had saide vnto them And when they heard it they lift vp their voices with one accorde to God and saide O Lord thou art the God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all thinges that are in them Who hast saide by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid Whie did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges The kinges of the earth stoode vp and the princes were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For they were gathered together in deede against thy holie sonne Jesus whom thou hast annointed both Herode Pontius Pilate with the nations and peoples of Israel that they might do whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsel had determined before to be done These are the testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles that Iesus is the Christ or the annointed Messias What we are taught by the name of Christ or anointed BY the terme of Christ or anointed is taught that this person came with the commandement of the father and that the same was ordained of him that he shold erect that Priestly kingdom by the scepter of his word power of his spirite in this life and should finishe it in the life euerlasting For like as anointing wherby at Gods commandement Kinges Priestes and prophets were appointed amongst his people with an outwarde and visible oyle was a publike testimonie that God would gouerne efend his people by this person also kepe vpholde his diuine worshippe and likewise teach his people and this person had commandement of this thing that they might suffer themselues to be gouerned clensed and taught so the sonne of God manifested in the fleshe concerning his manhoode is anointed with the holy Ghoste without measure which is the truth of that outward anointing and so is ordained and giuen of the father to be the king priest and prophet of his Church First of all therefore the name Messias or Christ serueth for a notable confirmation of our faith to witte whilest we vnderstand by anointing that the sonne of God hath commandement in the very same that he is Christ or anointed by his kinglie power to keepe vs by his euerlasting sacrifice to reconcile vs to the Father and to open vnto vs al the will of the father to be short not to rest vntil he haue beautified his Church with glorie and euerlasting life Ioh. 6. verse 27. cap. 10.18 Psalme 43.6.7 to the Heb. 2. ver 8.9 Also cap. 5. ver 4.5 Heb. 1. ver 9. And forasmuch as the sonne of God that same annointed of the Lord hath his solemne commandement it is certaine that he wil execute it most faithfully Of the frute or consolation which the faithful receaue thereby THe first fruite is that our faith hath a certaine obiect or matter to respecte to wit this same certaine person sent and appointed from the Father with commandement which now beginneth in vs that same spiritual and euerlasting kingdome which is righteousnes peace and ioie in the holie Ghost in the sted of sinne euerlasting heauines and death and shal finish it afterwardes and seeing that he holdeth vnder his gouernement and iron scepter al thinges created both his and our enemies that is both wicked men and diuels that they hurt not either his glorie or our saluation but rather that euen against their willes they aduance both Hence peace and ioye arise in the heartes of beleeuers who are citizens of this kingdome For as it must needes bee that al they be made sadde that doubt vnder what Lorde they are in this life whether vnder Christe or Satan so on the contrarie it can not be but all they must be filled with ioye who by the inwarde testimonie of the anointing of faith and by the outwarde of holie baptisme are assured that they are vnder Christe the King of righteousnes and are translated out of the kingdome of darkenesse into the kingdome of Christ Coloss 1. and haue the kingdome of the sonne of GOD euen begone in them as Christ saith the kingdome of God is in you or amongst you The Angel exhorteth vs to this ioye in the verie manifestation of this king Luk. 2. verse 10.11 Be not afraide For beholde I bring you glad tydinges of great ioye that shal be to all the people to wit that this daie a Sauiour is borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lorde Hence is the same peace and good will in the heartes of beleeuers of which afterwardes that same multitude of heauenly hostes doe mention in their songe Glorie in the highest heauens