curse of thy sin and though thou seest that all the good of his abasement came to thee thou wilt endure nothing for him Ah conforme henceforth thy loue to his Secondly heere is an excellent ground of comfort that we haue a most perfect and all-sufficient Sauiour not onely the son of man but the Son of God almighty Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Son that whosoeuer should beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life All other sauiours were meere sonnes of men Ioshua the Iudges Iephte Samson c. And their deliuerances but temporall from the sonnes of men but heere is an eternall Sonne of God an heauenly Sauiour and Saluation from all spirituall enmities worthy the Sonne of God Hereupon namely the excellency and dignity of his Person ariseth the excellency price and merit of his obedience both actiue in fulfilling the law and passiue in satisfying the breach For being the naturall Sonne of God he cānot but be very God of the same substance and Godhead with the Father vnto which Diuine nature the humane being vnited it receiueth an excellency and dignity aboue all created natures of men and Angels for to which of the Angels did he at any time say Thou art my Sonne Heb. 1. 5 And hence all his obedience must needs bee of infinite merit the Person being so infinite else could he not haue sustained the infinite burden of mans sin nor appeased the wrath of his Father infinitly offended nor in so short time haue made so full and perfect satisfaction which must be of infinite worth and desert nor haue vanquished so infinite enemies as sin death hell and the deuill nor haue purchased for vs that infinite and eternall Crowne of righteousnes vnlesse he had been Immanuel God with vs and for vs blessed for euer Thirdly If Christ be that true Sonne of God so declared by the Prophets then wee are instructed 1. To beleeue in him for this is the Commaundement of GOD that we doe beleeue in the Name of his Sonne Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And the reason is because the Father and the Son are one Besides no creature can be the obiect of faith which fixeth it selfe vpon God as Mar. 11. 22. Haue faith in God which word God in the Creed is but once named to note the vnity of essence yet in vnderstanding is to be referred to all the three persons in whome we beleeue and in nothing else And because we must beleeue in him wee must pray not onely by him as a Mediator but vnto him as God equal with the Father into whose name we are baptized Thus the Apostles prayed to him Lord increase our faith and a Leper came and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Math. 8. 2. And often it is made a marke or note whereby all Christians are described that they are such as call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus Christ Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. In one word whatsoeuer diuine worship is due to the Father is due to this Sonne of God Rom. 15. 12. In him the Gentiles shall trust euery knee shall bowe vnto him and Ioh. 5. 23. That all men might honour the Son as they honour the Father 2. We must esteeme and affect him as the Sonne of God accounting him the chiefe of 10000. as the Church doth to loue and reuerence him aboue all other saying Thou art fayrer then the sonnes of men If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed 1. Cor. 16. 22. Yea account all things as losse and dung in comparison of him hate father and mother if need so require in respect of him and be so farre from being ashamed of him and his profession as to acknowledge it the greatest honour to suffer in his cause 1. Pet. 4. 13. 3. If Christ be the onely naturall Sonne then kisse the Son of God Psal. 2. 12. 1. In token of subiection as a kisse is if it be of an inferiour to a superiour so Pharaoh said to Ioseph All my people shall kisse thee Gen. 41. namely in token of subiection so Idolaters are said to kisse their Idols that is to be subiect and deuoted vnto them 1. King 19. 18. 2. In token of loue good will if from a superiour or equal thus the Saints must kisse one another with an holy kisse And thus must euery Christian kisse the Sonne of God both in token of their homage and subiection as also as a sure pledge of their loue and faithfull affection towards him especially wee must take his yoke vpon vs stoope vnder his Scepter and obserue whatsoeuer hee hath commanded vs. Doe as the people promised Ioshua chap. 1. 16. All that thou commandest vs wee will doe whither thou sendest vs we will goe whosoeuer rebell and will not obey thy words let him die the death and as Mary his mother said to the seruants Whatsoeuer hee shall bid you doe that doe Beloued Sonne The English is too short for the Greeke where we finde two articles and it soundeth thus This is that my Sonne that my beloued and such a beloued one as on whom all a mans loue is cast for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly vsed of that which is but one as of Isaac Take now thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy onely Sonne thy beloued Sonne Christ is the proper obiect of Gods loue on whom all his loue is cast figured not onely in Isaac but in Salomon 2. Sam. 12. 25. The Lord also loued him and called his name Iedidiah that is the beloued of the Lord Christ is the true Iedidiah prophecied of Isa. 42. 1. Behold my Elect in whom my soule delighteth The Apostles expresse this loue in sundry phrases Ioh. 1. 18. The onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath declared him that is who is intirely and inwardly loued with such affection as is due onely to her who is to be layd in the bosome who is thy best-beloued thy heart thy selfe And hee is called Gods deare Sonne Col. 1. 13. 1. God loues him as himself as being one with him The Father I are one saith Christ in nature in essence in will in operation looke with what loue he loues himselfe with the same he loues his Sonne the only begotten of the Father full of grace and trueth 2. Christ is capable of perfect and infinite loue as no creature is and therefore is perfectly and infinitely loued of his Father hence is it that the Father giueth him all that euer he hath Mat. 28. 18. All power in heauen and in earth hence he reuealeth and declareth his whole counsell to him who from eternity hath coexisted and layd in the bosome of his Father whereas all creatures are not capable of this knowledge 3. Christ as Mediator is most deare to his Father and
beloued as a sea or fountaine from whose fulnesse loue must be deriued to all other Eph. 1. 6. He hath made vs accepted in his Beloued the head of the body must be filled with sense and spirit and life because it must send these into all the members so the Head of the Church As the Apostle therefore saith In him are the treasures of wisedome so he is Gods store-house of loue whence all our supplies must be fetched Of consolation 1. In respect of Gods affection 2. Of Christs intercession 3. Of our owne acceptation The first if God thus dearely loue Christ the Head he must needes dearely loue the mēbers whence Christ prayeth thus Ioh. 17. 23. That the world may know that thou louest them as thou hast loued me namely with a fatherly and free loue What then if the child of God be in want distresse danger death it selfe God looking on him in Christ cannot but pitty him the wife and children cannot so pitty and helpe vs when they can weepe about vs. Psal. 103. 13. Secondly Christs intercession for vs must needes be powerfull and preuailing because he therefore euer liueth to make requests for vs and being also euer loued it must needes be fruitfull for vs he was heard in all things in the dayes of his flesh and much more now in his glory We see what great suits a Kings fauorite can carry away as Ahashuerosh because Hester found grace in his sight would not deny her to the halfe of his Kingdome and shee easily got her suit for her selfe and all her people But Christ shall not be denied the whole Kingdome if he aske it for his Elect. Thirdly hence comes in our boldnesse to come to God in the name and for the sake of Christ in whom our persons and prayers finde acceptance we in our selues being enemies to God strangers from God and his couenant hauing forfaited all are by his mediation receiued into such fauour as Aske what wee will in his name in faith and vnderstanding and wee shall be speeders Of instruction in two things 1. If God thought not his deare Sonne too deare for vs but although his whole loue was cast on him would not spare him shall wee thinke any thing too deare for him If benefits will binde search heauen and earth you shall not finde such a loue which is left with an admiration Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world c. And oughtest not thou to giue vp thy soule body and life it selfe as a reasonable sacrifice for him Oh the ingratitude of men that are so farre from this as that they will not part with a grain of their wealth with a dram of their credit nor with their base lusts The proud will not depart from his pride nor the drunkard with his drunkennesse nor the froward with his malice and reuenge for Christ and much lesse from liberty life c. And what is the reason Men loue their liues their lusts c. and did not God loue his Sonne more than thou canst loue these he set his whole loue euen an infinite loue vpon him and yet hee gaue him to death for thee and wilt thou doe nothing suffer nothing for him Wilt thou loue hatefull things better than God who loued not his dearest Sonne too well for thee 2. If God so dearely loued Christ his Sonne so must we we want no reasons or motiues thereunto for first hee loued vs first not existing yea resisting Secondly he hath declared his loue by innumerable gifts of body and soule yea by that inualuable gift of his owne bodie and soule Thirdly hee hath more to declare to vs hereafter in greater things which eye hath not seene eare hath not heard for hee will not be in heauen without vs. Fourthly God cannot loue vs if wee loue not his beloued Sonne Can a father who hath cast his whole affection on his childe and worthily endure that hee should be contemptuously entreated and despised The sentence is passed If any loue not the Lord Iesus let him bee accursed Fifthly the greatest reason of all is the strait vnion and band between Christ and the Christian he the foundation wee the building coupled he the roote we the branches ingrafted he the Head we the body vnited he the Husband we the wife married and hence is the communication betweene vs in natures goods estates he puts on our nature to cloath vs with his diuine nature he put vs in state of all his goods wisedome righteousnes sanctification and Redemption yea giues vs right to heauen to earth and the creatures he takes on him our low estate to aduance vs to his glory yea our troubles are his in our wrongs he is wronged and whatsoeuer is done to vs of well or woe hee takes it as done to himselfe either to recompence or reuenge it Now what an vnseemly and confused sight were it to behold the building falling off of the foundation the branches seuering from the roote the members cutting themselues from the head and the wife suing for a diuorce or at daggers with her husband Notes of our loue to Christ are these 1. Often to thinke of him and these thoughts bee deepe large frequent which argues abundant affection in the soule Often out of that abundance to speake of him and neuer but to his glory for where we heartily loue we can willingly praise Thus the loue of God in Dauids heart filled his mouth and pen with often praises Psal. 119. 164. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee Thus the Spouse in the Canticles loued much and praised much My beloued is white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand chap. 5. 10. Yea by this meanes bring others to be in loue with him as wee doe with our deare friends Psal. 31. 23. O loue the Lord all ye his Saints Cant. 5. 16. His mouth is as sweet things he is wholly delectable this is my welbeloued and this is my louer O daughters of Ierusalem 2. To bee carefull to please and content him in all things the man I loue I will doe any thing wherby I may please him I will abstain from y t which will offend and incense him 2. Cor. 5. 9. We couet both at home and from home to be acceptable vnto him I will not forget his desire his word I will thinke the time short and well spent to do his requests I will not imprison his loue in my heart or mouth but expresse it in my whole course and calling as Peter was thrice enioyned to expresse his loue to Christ in feeding his sheepe and lambes Ioh. 21. 16. 3. Loue is bountifull I will spare nothing for my friend all I haue is his to command and vse because my selfe am sincere loue is communicatiue and will be at cost for Christ those that loue Christ first giue themselues to Christ and then their gifts their graces their goods to the vse of Christ and of his members
sincere loue is diligent and will refuse no paines to please or pleasure the partie loued what infinite paines will men that loue the world take for an handfull of it and such as loue Christ will refuse no paines to enioy to glorifie him as the Apostles and Martyrs in whom we see how loue ouercommeth all things and the hardest paines is pleasure to it 4. This Christian and holie loue is ready to defend Christ no man can endure to heare or see his friend abused loue carries a sympathy with it that is a fellow-feeling causing ioy or griefe to see his glory Word or Kingdom aduanced or hindred it carries a godly zeale to Gods house which consumed Dauid Psalm 69. 9. Paul and Barnabas when GOD was dishonoured were mooued and rent their cloathes and loue to Christ makes a mā take to heart things against his name and honour nay it makes the Christian ready to suffer with Christ and for Christ and accept of neuer so hard a conditiō with him Much water cannot quench loue nor the flouds drowne it Cant. 8. 6. Yea if all the world should forsake Christ and sincere profession of him sincere loue would loue the more and die with him rather than deny him 5. Now in his absence to loue him in his image in his seruants because they loue him in his Word Sacraments which are his letters and pledges in his gifts and graces which are his loue-tokens and long to obtaine his presence for the Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come yea euen to be sick of loue after him Cantic 5. 8. Thus may wee trie our loue of Christ and shame our selues for want of it and stirre vp our selues to grow vp in the image of God who hath set his whole loue vpon him and long after the day when wee also shall set our whole loue vpon him as he vpon vs. In whom I am well pleased Sect. 10. HEre is the fruit of this neere relation declaring to vs that God is not onely pleased with Christ his person his actions and perfections for hee saith not with whom but that in him whatsoeuer is presented is accepted and hee is pleased with that also Neuer is God appeased with any man but in and through his Christ whom hee so loueth as that all his wrath is appeased with all that are in him Eph. 1. 6. We are accepted in his Welbeloued Col. 1. 20. In him are all things reconciled and set at peace through the bloud of his crosse both in earth and in heauen that is the whole bodie of the Church which is partly in earth and partly in heauen by Christ vnited to God Luk. 2. At his birth the Angels sang Glory to God peace on earth good wil to mē teaching vs that now by Christ Gods good will was turned towards men Add hereto that all the fauors we receiue from God are ascribed vnto him Ephes. 1. We are elected in him adopted in him called with an holy calling iustified but all in him and vers 3. He hath blessed vs with all spirituall and heauenly blessings in Christ. For 1. If God look on vs in our selues in the common masse wee are so couered ouer with sin as he must needs pronounce of vs as once hee did of mankinde It repenteth me that I haue made man he must needes bring the curse of the Law vpon our neckes But looking on vs through Christ he changeth his voyce that as when wee behold a thing through a red or greene or coloured glasse euery thing looks as the colour of the glasse so God beholding vs through Christ we receiue the dye and tincture of his bloud and obedience and so are iustified and accounted innocent and pure And thus as it is said of the Church Ezek. 16. 14. we recouer our former beautie which is made perfect through his beautie 2. This was shadowed in the old Testament Ge. 8. 21. When the earth was destroyed and Noah came out of the Arke hee offered burnt-offerings to the Lord and the Lord smelled a sauour of rest and said I will no more curse the earth c. A notable type of Christ the Mediatour and maker of atonement betweene God and man from whose meritorious sacrifice God only smelleth a sauour of rest So likewise in Aaron the high Priest Exod. 28. 38. Aaron must beare the iniquitie of the offerings of the children of Israel and Holinesse to the Lord shall be alwaies vpon his forehead to make them acceptable to the Lord here saith Caluine must all our senses bee fixed vpon the forehead of the only high Priest from whom all holinesse floweth foorth to his Church neither could the Priest make the people acceptable in his owne person but as hee stood a type of Christ. 3. Consider Christ 1. in himselfe God was so pleased in him as hee was neuer displeased nothing was euer found in him displeasing no guile in his lips no spot in his person but was euer a beloued Sonne it is not so with vs who were before the sonnes of wrath and Lo-ammi Lo-ruhamah 2. Consider him as Head of the Church and Mediatour his obedience was so voluntary and satisfactory so full and meritorious as must needs appease his fathers wrath in him the Father hath his Law wholly fulfilled euen all righteousnes in him he hath the curse borne carried away in him he hath a new righteousnes of faith restored to beleeuers and a new image repaired vpon them so as now beholding them not in the first Adam but in the second not in the old roote but in the new plantation he loueth the members because he loueth the Head accepteth them as sons through his beloued Sonne To note the miserable condition of all them that are without Christ because they are as the Gentiles without God in the world without hope for nothing else in the world can put backe the wrath of God there is no name else vnder heauen in which a man can be saued How fearefully is the wrath of God come vpon the Iewes to the vttermost who reiect this Corner stone and yet expect a Messiah of their owne making Neither the cleere testimonies of the Prophets nor of Iohn nor Heare this voyce of the Father nor his own mighty works haue moued them because hardnesse is come vpon them till this day and the vaile is vpon their hearts which wee must pray that God would in his time remooue Those mightie kingdomes of Turkes and Heathens who refuse the Sonne of God and will not acknowledge him more than a man lye vnder Gods wrath and in the power of the diuell and reiect the onely meanes whereby they should come into fauor with God which when we consider as we are to pitie and pray for them so with praise and gladnesse wee are to acknowledge Gods goodnesse whose prouidence watched ouer vs to be borne in the places and times wherein Christ rideth most gloriously in
Prince but by an homely man that liued like an Eremite in an austere manner of life for dyet and clothing so must not we account baser of the sacramēts for the meannesse of the man if a lawfull minister seeing Christ refused not the sacrament at Iohns hand neither must wee from the meanest minister seeing the least in the Kingdom of God is greater then Iohn nay not the meannesse only but euen the wickednes of a minister doth not pollute the sacrament to a worthy receiuer why 1. A good minister doth not make it the better to a bad man therefore not a bad minister the worse to a good man 2. The efficacy of a sacrament depends on Gods ordination on the truth and power of Christ not on mans goodnesse or badnesse A message may bee as truely deliuered by a bad man as a good and good wax will receiue an impression as wel by a brazen seale as a golden one But of this point God willing wee are to deale more fully elsewhere 3. Christ was content to wash in a common water in the floud Iordan he feared no infection from it though Naaman the leper were washed there though the Pharises hypocrites washed there yet he takes no exception contracts no vncleannesse so the wickednesse of another Communicant doth not preiudice him that is rightly prepared though hee communicate with him in the Sacrament yet not in his sinne It maketh indeed for our cōfort when we doe receiue with such as of whose godly life and conuersation we are perswaded because in it wee professe our selues members fellow Christians with them and desire to be confirmed in that communion Besides our loue and zeale may be better stirred vp by the prayers and example of such rather then by wicked ones But notwithstanding 1. no mans sin can defile another or make Gods promise in vaine nor the seale of it to him that is no way accessary to it neither hath power to hinder him from the Sacrament Eze. 18. 20. The same soule that sinneth shall dye Gal. 6. 5. Euery man shall beare his owne burden 2. Christ not onely communicated heere in the seruice of God with common men but elsewhere with those assemblies in which were many notoriously wicked as at Maries purification Luk. 2. 22. and when he went vp yeerely with his parents to Ierusalem Vers. 14. Besides the Apostles were continually in the temple notwithstanding all grosse corruptions in it Luk. 24. 53. Act. 21. 26. And lastly we should otherwise bee bound not to examine our selues onely but al others with whome we communicate but the Apostle saith Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate and drinke and Hee that eateth drinketh vnvvorthily eateth drinketh his owne damnation 1. Cor. 11. 28 29. 4. Seeing Christ so honoured the ministerie of man who dare disdaine the holy ministry and societie of the Church which the Sonne of God sought vnto Where be they that think it too base for them to goe to Church to seek the Sacrament Oh it is more state to haue Baptisme come to them into their houses Nay but the Church is now our Iordan hither come or else thou art more stately than Christ. How dare great men so despise our ministerie which Christ in his owne person hath graced that it is not worthie their presence The third point is the end of Christs comming to Iohn namely that hee might be baptized of him Why would Christ be baptized what need had he of it Christ needed not for himselfe for 1. he needed not the regeneration of the holy Ghost being sanctified in the wombe and conceiued of him 2. Baptisme is a Sacrament of clensing sinne with which hee was neuer polluted 3. What should it seale and signifie to him which hee wanted But for sundrie other reasons it was fit he should for to omit that giuen here by himselfe till we come to it So it becomes vs to fulfill all righteousnes 1 as the high Priest when he was inaugurated had his whole body washed with water so would our High Priest entring be commended to his Fathers loue and care and protection in his office by the publike ministerie of the Church that the Truth might be answerable to the type 2. Although hee vndertooke not the Sacrament as a Sacrament of regeneration or as a symbole of new life yet hee did 1. as it was a Sacrament of Christian societie 1. Cor. 12. 13. for as by it the faithfull are set into his body so would hee by it be set into the body of the Saints and take on him the common marke and priuiledge of his members euen as we see Kings and Princes by whom all hold their freedome will sometimes bee made free and so receiue a publike testimony of association from their people and loe here our Prince in the colours of a common souldier 2. As Baptisme is a symbole of affliction so hee would vndertake it so Mar. 10. 38. Christ calles his crosse and death by the name of Baptisme 3. Christ would bee baptized not to wash himselfe but vs not to put off sinne as we but to put on our sinne that so our sin in him might bee washt away that hee might sanctifie this Sacrament to vs and all waters the element of it and in his owne person he might commend and confirme it vnto his Church also to put an end to legall worship and to testifie that we must be spiritually washed whereto he sets seale first in his owne person 4. That in nothing hee might be vnlike vs sinne onely excepted Hebr. 4. 15. But Iohn baptized the baptisme of repentance which Christ needed not Being sent in the similitude of sinfull flesh Rom. 8. 3. hee would not disdaine the marke and badge of sinners he was as sicke among the sicke that hee might be a most familiar and acceptable Physician Is. 53. We counted him as plagued smitten of God and hee was numbred among the wicked yea reiected behinde Barrabas But how could he no sinner take vpon him the Sacrament which is a symbole of remission of sins of purification of putting off the old man and putting on the new 1. Hee was content to be as like sinners as might be and not be a sinner and therfore he that tooke the curse of sinne vpon him in his execrable death abhorred not to take a badge of sinne vpon him in his holy baptisme Admire the Lords humility who knew no sinne yet standeth among sinners to be baptized 2. Of the couenant of grace whereof Baptisme is a seale be two parts 1. On Gods part the promises of grace and remission of sinnes to beleeuers with renouation of nature c. and thus Christ receiued it not for himselfe 2. On mans that is by accepting of his seale or badge the obligation of our selues to resigne vp our selues wholly to him and his seruice and become
predestination a carelesnesse and leaue to doe what wee list vpon the doctrine of Gods mercie a boldnesse and licentiousnesse in sinne vpon the doctrine of care for our family a couetous earthlinesse Verse 15. Suffer now for so it behoueth vs to fulfill all righteousnesse so he suffered him Sect. 3. SVffer now Let it be so now for the time of my abasement and for the time of my office and ministery and for the dayes of my flesh wherin I haue voluntarily laid aside my greatnes I aym now at another thing there is a righteousnes which I must performe for which I haue descended frō heauen must descend be further abased thē thus yet vpon earth therfore suffer now By righteousnesse here is meant not any speciall vertue but generally perfection of all vertues namely whatsoeuer the Law of God requireth for that is the rule of all righteousnesse The fulfilling of all righteousnesse is perfect and absolute obedience vnto all Gods holy constitutions and ordinances according to those many precepts in Scripture as Deut. 11. 32. Take heed that yee doe all the commaundements and lawes that I haue set before you this day and 6. 1 2 and 4. 6 c. This fulfilling of righteousnesse the Law looking for at our hands in our owne persons but being now impossible because of the flesh Rom. 8. 3 God sent his owne Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh that the righteousnesse of the Law might bee fulfilled in vs not by way of inherency but of imputation not by doing but by beleeuing And this fulfilling of righteousnesse our Sauiour here speaks of wherby as a most obedient seruāt of God our surety he was voluntarily subiected to all Gods ordinances Thus to satisfy the law he must be circūcised for that Moses his law required he would bee presented in the temple Luk. 2. 21 22. As it is written c. At 12. yeeres he came vp to Ierusalem after the custome of the feast vers 42. He was after this subiect to his parents vers 51. for so the Law required and hee that hitherto had fulfilled all legall rights and obseruances now at this time must vndertake another which was yet wanting But what law or ordinance was there for baptisme to which Christ must be subiected It was decreed by the whole Trinity 1. That Christ should bee initiated by this ceremony wherein also hee must manifest himselfe the author of all purity and cleanenesse 2. Iohn had preached it and shewed the necessity of it by diuine authority 3. Hee would not onely subiect himself to his Fathers ordination but also for our sakes the vertue of whose baptisme depends vpon his as also giue vs helpe by his example and therefore would himselfe doe that which he commaunded others to do 4. Christ as Mediator and in our stead was to be made our righteousnes 1. Cor. 1. 30. three vvayes 1. In being made an offering for vs by vvhich hee vvas to abolish our sin and curse and by his most perfect obedience satisfy the vvhole Lavv for vs. 2. By applying that righteousnesse purchased by his blood vvhich els vve could neuer haue had benefit by 3. By appointing and sanctifying meanes and instruments for that applicatiō called the ministery of the Spirit vvhereof one branch is the lauer of water in the Word And thus as in our stead hee stood in the general bound by the wil and ordinance of God in himselfe to sanctifie baptisme for vs. But why doth Christ say It behoueth vs to fulfill and not me seeing neuer any but he fulfilled all righteousnesse In the righteousnesse wherewith we stand righteous before God are two things 1. The merit of it and whole performance and thus by his satisfaction and obedience he alone procureth perfect righteousnes to his people he trod the wine-presse alone Isa. 63. 3. He looked for an helper there was none 2. The application of it in the meanes and thus he takes in helpers that is the ministery of the Word Sacraments whose labour he vseth in the worke of reconciliation and in this second consideration he takes Iohn in with himselfe who he also puts in minde of his duty and so speakes in the plurall number Our Sauiour seeth Iohn in an error because of his ignorance and want of consideration hee suffers him not to lie in it neither doth he imperiously checke and reproch him nor stand vpon his will Sic volo sic iubeo but vouchsafeth him a meek and modest answere whereby 1. he labours to roote out his error 2. To leade him into his dutie 3. To leade vs into our dutie in dealing with weake offenders 1. He answers him to roote out his error so hee dealt with Peter Ioh. 13. 37. I will lay down my life for thy sake Nay verily saith Christ I say vnto thee before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice The like with Nicodemus Ioh. 3. when he spoke most grossely and carnally of the high poynt of Regeneration so Matth. 20. 21. to the two sonnes of Zebede who would sit at his right and left hand and be aboue all the rest It is not mine saith he to giue and when the other ten heard this and disdained vers 26. how doth hee call them and teach them not to make this vse of the others weaknesse but learne to bee humble in themselues and become each others seruant In whose steps we must tread and bring our brethren our of their errors by exhorting one another and restoring one another by the spirit of meeknesse Gal. 6. 1. for 1. hereby we testifie our hatred of the euill which wee seeke to suppresse 2. It is a token of true Christian loue to helpe our brethren out of sinne whereas to let them runne on in error not seeking to reclaime them or restraine them is a part of hatred and crueltie Leuit. 19. 17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother nor suffer sinne vpon him as wee would not suffer our neighbour to runne into bodily harmes 3. It is the right vse and dispensing of our gifts whē we lay them out to the profit of our brethren 2. Christ leads Iohn into his dutie most gently which was to looke to his calling and not pretend modestie or reuerence to hinder him in the same This was Peters error Ioh. 13. 8. hee would not in modestie haue Christ wash his feete till Christ tolde him that then hee must haue no part in him Oh then said Peter not my feete onely but my head and hands and all God had called Abraham to kill his sonne he must not now pretend nature or pitie or the promise c. to hinder him Gods will and calling must bee his square Teaching 1. Ministers to haue respect more to their calling than to the greatnesse of any mans person for 1. God sends them equally to all 2. In the ministrie all are one In the kingdome of God there is no difference
hee must necessarily bee turned into a Doue of a creating God become a creature which is high blasphemy 3. The manner or forme of the Spirits descending was in the shape of a Doue Quest. Whether was this a true materiall Doue or an appearance of a Doue only Answ. It is enough to conceiue the presence of the holy Ghost vnder the forme of a Doue and it is no article of faith whether it was or no But yet I thinke it was a true reall body and corporal Doue 1. Because Luke addeth in a bodily shape implying that there was a body 2. Because none of the other signes were imaginary or appearances but reall things whence some of the Fathers conclude that it was as true a Doue as the Spirit was a true Spirit Obiect But if it were so how came it into heauen Answ. He that created of nothing all things created it at this time not for common vse but for this vse and purpose which when it was accomplished hee could bring it to nothing or resolue it into the first matter whereof it was made as it was with those bodies in which the Angels appeared Obiect But the text is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 like a Doue therefore it was but a similitude and appearance not a true body Answ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to be referred to the Doue but to the Spirit who manifested his presence in this likenesse 2. The phrase doth not alwayes note likenesse and similitude onely but verity and identity as Ioh. 1. 14. Wee saw his glory as the glory of the only Sonne of God and Phil. 2. 7. Christ was in the shape of man and like man shal we thence conclude that he was not a true man but one in appearance onely Why did the holy Ghost appeare in this shape For sometimes hee appeared in mighty winds as to the Apostles sometimes in burning fire wherein he seemes to be contrary to himselfe These diuers symbols and testimonies of the presence of the Spirit argue diuers but not contrary effects all of them his wisedome made choyce of according to the occasion and present vse There was great difference betweene the ministery of Christ and Moses betweene the Law and the Gospell and accordingly the Spirit manifesteth himselfe The Law was confirmed with terrour feare but to ratifie the Gospel the Spirit appeares in the shape of a Doue Act. 2. 2. Hee is noted to come like a mighty rushing winde to shew the mighty power of the Gospell in the ministery of the Apostles who were now to bee sent out so in the shape of tongues to shew the vtterance giuen by the Spirit to the Apostles in the shape of clouen tongues to note the variety of tongues and languages wherewith they were indued in the shape of fiery tongues to shew the fruit and efficacie of their ministery and doctrine which should bee as fire to seuer betweene drosse and pure metall So heere the Spirit would appeare in the shape of a Doue to note 1. what kind of Spirit Christs was 2. what kind of gifts they were which were collated and bestowed vpon him and 3. what was the fruit of those gifts For the first in the Doue obserue two things 1. Of all fowles it is the most mild without gall 2. It is most innocent and harmlesse not rauening and hurtfull Which signifieth that Christ should be indued with a mild meeke and gentle spirit so it was prophesied of him Isa. 42. 2. That he should not cry nor lift vp his voice in the streets a brused reed hee should not breake and how it was accomplished the whole story of the Gospell witnesseth Math. 12. 19. So also that he should be most innocent blamelesse of a most pure spirit In him was no guile no deceit in his lips Who could accuse him of sin being the spotlesse Lambe of God 2. As the Doue hath many excellent properties patience simplicity sincerity tendernesse to her young faithfulnes to her mate c. Euen so God the Father hath fitted Christ with all profitable and necessary gifts humility and patience holinesse and integrity loue and tendernesse constancy and diligence in working out the good of his members 3. The fruit of these gifts is the appeasing of his Fathers displeasure conceiued against the sinne of man for looke as the Doue which Noah sent forth out of the Arke returning with an Oliue branch which argued the ceasing of the deluge brought newes that Gods wrath was now asswaged and decreased with the waters so the Spirit of the Lord is vpon Christ in the form of a Doue sending him out to preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord and good tidings of liberty to captiues the opening of the prison to them that are bound forgiuenesse of sin and conferring of grace life c. Isa. 61. 1. Now this being the end of the Spirits appearing in this shape separating and sending Christ to his ministery that onely for this time and not reserued out of this time and vse it is not now lawfull for any man to represent the holy Ghost by this shape or make an image thereof for this is to make an Idoll as the Papists doe not onely in this but in painting God the Father like an old man because he is called the Ancient of dayes Dan. 7. 22. Both of them flat Idolatry God is aboue his Law if he make shapes Cherubs or bodies it is iust because hee doth it but wee are borne vnder the Law which expresly forbids the making or hauing of any Image of God in any vse or any at all in religious vse and enioynes vs to worship God in spirit and truth onely in the Image of his Sonne And it will strongly follow that if wee may not reserue the shapes which God himselfe hath vsed to manifest his presence much lesse vpon any colour any Images or Idols deuised and beautified by Idolaters abused in times past and in present and for time to come subiect to be abused to the maintenance of Idolatry Heere come all Popish pictures to bee defaced whose Idolatry is as grosse as euer the Heathens was a lamentable thing y t any Christian can feed and please his senses in the cōuicted instrumēts of Gods dishonour in so high a kinde A chaste heart will make a chaste eye The 4. point is the Spirits descending vpon Christ for these reasons 1. To shew that Christ was set apart to his great work not onely by the ministery of man but by the holy Ghost 2. That hee was now endued with gifts fit for such a worke for this was the vnction or anoynting of Christ to bee the King Priest and Prophet of his Church as Isa. 61. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is vpon mee hee hath anoynted mee to preach Obiect But Christ was filled with the holy Ghost from his infancy Answer He was endued with such a measure of the Spirit as was
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe and therefore not by generation Consider him in respect of his God-head and he is God of himselfe as the Father and holy Ghost but consider him in his Person and so hee is the Sonne begotten of the Father and not of himselfe for the Father is a beginning to the rest of the Persons And whereas the Athanasian Creed confesseth him God of very God and the Nicen Light of light and very God of very God the word God in both places must bee taken not essentially but personally namely the Sonne of God begotten of the Father But the God-head of the Son is from the Father because the Sonne is God The God-head of the Sonne is not begotten of the Father but the Person of the Sonne is begotten for the God-head of the Sonne is without beginning as the Father is but the Person of the Sonne is of the Father But the Son hauing the same Essence with the Father then the Father begetting the Sonne the Sonne begets himselfe also Person begets Person not diuine Essence begets diuine Essence the Person of the Father begets the Person of the Sonne but not the God-head of the Sonne If the Father and Sonne be one in Essence then the Sonne being incarnate so is the Father also It is a weake argument because Incarnation belongs not properly to the Essence but to the person or the diuine Essence of the Person of the Sonne became incarnate and tooke flesh or if to the Essence yet not absolute but limited The whole diuine Essence is the Father the Sonne is the whole diuine Essence therefore the Sonne is the Father not distinct or begotten There is an Homonymie in the word whole diuine Essence which is taken either essentially and absolutely as in the Proposition or personally limited to the second Person as in the assumption and therefore the reason is faulty because of foure tearmes in it But if the Father beget the Sonne then hee communicates either a part of his Essence or the whole but hee can doe neither not a part because it is indiuisible not whole for then he leaues none for himselfe The Father begetting communicates his whole Essence and yet retaines it wholly as a candle giuing light to another retaineth it wholly to it selfe If the Father begot the Son then either when the Son subsisted or when he did not if he did subsist how could hee beget him if he did not subsist then he had a beginning The Father begot the Sonne subsisting for generation and subsisting are in time together or rather both from eternity and in the Trinity there is nihil prius or posterius in time And thus also that obiection is stopt that the Father begetting must be before the Sonne begotten for the Father is not in time before the Sonne but in order But Christ is the first begotten and the first borne of many brethren Rom. 8. 29. and Col. 1. 15. therefore he is not the onely Sonne of God 1. The word Primogenitura is sometimes a word of dignity and not of order 2. Christ is called The first borne of euery creature because hee was begotten eternally before any creature 3. He is called First borne by a Metaphor and resemblance being shadowed by the first borne in the old Testament who were Heires and Priests in the family and had double portions c. All which types were verified in Christ who was first borne not of a few brethren in one family as they but of many brethren in all Tribes and Families Christ was the Sonne of the holy Ghost because he was conceiued by him No because he was conceiued not of the substance but power of the holy Ghost Againe consider him either according to the flesh so he was of the substance of the Virgin Mary not of the holy Ghost or according to his Deity and so hee was of the substance of his Father not of the holy Ghost But the Article he is that my Sonne is not to be omitted namely that promised seed Messias on whom all the fathers eyes haue been fixed whose day Abraham desired to see on whom all the Patriarkes cast their hopes whom all the Prophets with one mouth haue declared and poynted at as with one finger This is that my Son whom ye haue already seene borne of a Virgin Isa. 7. 14. Come out of Bethleem Mic. 5. 2. Called out of Egypt Hos. 11. 1. Out of Egypt haue I called my Sonne This is he before whom Eliah hath prepared the way Mal. 3. 1. that is Iohn Baptist in the Spirit of Eliah And as ye haue seen these things already so expect the accomplishment of all other predictions concerning him till he hath finished his course the whole worke of mans Redemption Is Christ thus peculiarly the Sonne of God then note the wonderfull loue of God and of Christ God the Father setting his onely Sonne separated from sinners and higher then the heauens among sinners to receiue among them not only the badge of sin but the curse of sin wherein hee was cast lower then earth and hell it selfe that we might by him become the adopted sons of God for this was the Fathers end that we might be vnited to his naturall Son and so to himselfe by him and receiue our title of Son-ship And what father that loued his son would so debase him that hee might take in some strāger yea an enemy to be heire with him And yet the loue of God hath done thus for vs. Againe the loue of Christ is surpassing and appeareth in his voluntary and extreme abasement that he would be pleased from the height of his Glory being Gods naturall Son to become not onely like but lower then all other men in his life and death No man liuing euer was or can be so abased for hee that is lowest of all can fall but from one degree in earth to another but Christ falls from the highest degree of the glory of heauen to the very bottome of hell What doth this infinite loue call for at our hands but returne of loue for loue Shall we thinke any of his Commandements grieuous shall we think much of any conditiō which God seeth fit for vs and Christ hath sanctifyed be it neuer so base shall we refuse the lowest abasement for his sake seeing we cannot bee brought so low for him as hee for vs Who art thou that professest loue to Christ and wilt not endure a word a frowne of a superiour a checke and rebuke for his sake and good conscience Was Christs loue such to thee or if it had where had thy hopes and saluation been Had he disdayned the frownes of his Father for thee the rebukes and shame of the world the cursed death to which hee voluntarily subiected himselfe thou hadst bin layd for euer vnder the frownes of God the Father and the