that hath made all for vs as good seruantes should be more carefull of their masters honour profite thē of their own Nowe let vs giue thankes to such a God that hath vouchsafed to giue vs faith to beleeue in him being so mightie a God and we so lowe and base children so mercifull a father vnto vs notwithstanding we are vnthankefull sonnes to him And let vs praye vnto him to confirme this faith and to encrease it in vs euery day till we come to a perfect man in Iesus Christ Let vs desire of him to giue vs grace to behold this his wonderful and diuine worke of his creation wherin hee hath shewed his wisedome power mercy and iustice vnto al men that we may magnifie it as it doth require worthyly with our heartes and set forth his honour and glory in these thinges with thankes giuing for all his benefites seeing they appertayne vnto vs our bodyes and soules which are fed and nourished by them This grace and mercy let vs desire him to continewe vnto vs for his Christes sake our sauiour who hath dearly bought vs to whom with the holy ghost his infinit power three persons and one euerliuing God bee rendred all power prayse glory honour and thankesgiuing both nowe and for euer Amen The seconde Lecture vpon the creede which is vpon the seconde article And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lorde which was conceiued by the holy Ghost WE haue seene in the first article going before the thinges which we haue to beleeue as concerning God the father in his creation now followeth consequently what we haue to beleeue of God the sonne Iesus Christ as concerning his incarnation and all the benefites of his death and passion which is the second part of the creede as we deuided it And here in this article you must vnderstande and repeate as in the former so in this also I beleeue in Iesus Christ that is I trust in him and put my whole confidence in him that hee is my onely sauiour and that God will for his sake forgiue me all my sinnes For it is not sufficient to beleeue in God the father to know him vnlesse we also beleeue in his only begotten sonne Iesus Christe our Lorde and knowe him also As Iohn repeating the wordes of our sauiour Christ saith This is life eternal that they know thee to be the onely very God whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Ioh. 17. So that our sauiour Christ ioyneth and matcheth in one the knowledge of him selfe with the knowledge of the father as he sayeth also in another place Except ye beleeue that I am he ye shal die in your sins We see then that if we must beleeue in Iesus Christ he is one God with the father and a creator other wise it were idolatry to beleue in any that is not God And that we may beleue in him this is warrāted vnto vs by his owne commandement saying in the 19. of Iohns gospel to his disciples Let not your heart be troubled beleeue ye in God beleeue also in me A notable place to prooue this matter Where we may also learne that if we beleeue in God our hearts shal not be troubled nor wauer hither thither not hauing any place to rest in For therfore in our miseries dāgers are we vexed troubled out of measure because we put not our full trust in the father the sonne Nowe let vs see with what titles our Christ is beautified adorned with for our cōfort consolation first of all he is here called Iesus which is an Ebrew word soūdeth in English as much as Sauiour which name the Angell gaue vnto him by Gods appoyntment before he was conceaued in the wombe of the virgin Mary his mother As we reade notably set forth vnto vs in the first of Matth Shee shal bring foorth a sonne and cal his name Iesus or sauiour for he shall saue his people from their sinnes and offences And for this cause he came into the worlde as he testifieth of him self The sonne of mā came to saue that which is lost not to destroy soules but to saue and to giue his life a redemption for many Luk. 19. By this we learne that there is no other Sauiour appoynted for mā either in heauē or earth but only Iesus and they that wil haue saluation of God the father must haue it onely at his handes Therefore doeth the scripture pronounce of him that there is no other name giuen vnder heauen vnto men wherein they must be saued but only in the name of Iesus Christ For this is the stone which is become the head stone and the chiefe in the corner neither is there any saluation in any other Act. 4. We haue then to seek our saluation not in Angels not in saints not in men or in our selues but in him onely that hath the key of Dauid that shutteth heauen and no man openeth it and openeth it no man shutteth This is the first title of dignitie and honour that is giuen vnto him of his father the next is that hee is called Christ which is a Greeke word and signifieth in English Anoynted which doth more plainly effectually declare his office function giuen him of the father for vs. For he was anoynted for three especiall purposes first to bee our Prophet to teach vs secondly our priest to offer him selfe a sacrifice for vs and thirdly our king to rule to defēd vs from our enemies These things are al giuē vnto vs to vnderstande in this name Christ For as al the Prophets and priestes and kinges in the time of the olde law before the comming of Christ were anoynted with oyle by the commandement of God as God cōmanded Elias to anoynt Eliseus Prophet in his stead Moses was cōmaunded to anoynt Aaron hye priest and Samuel to anoynt Saul Dauid to be kinges so was Christ also anoynted not with oyle materiall as they but with spiritual oyle of gladnesse as Dauid saieth aboue his fellowes that is with the holy ghost aboue al mē for he had it without measure Ioh. 3. 34. So then as the Prophets priests kings were all figures shadowes of Christ anoynted with oyle to signifie that they must be gentle meeke soft to al their brethren so it was also necessary that Christ should performe al this that was prefigured by him And first we see that Christ toke vpon him the office of a Prophet to teach the people his fathers wil not thrusting in him selfe as the false prophetes did whom the Lord sent not at al but being thereto lawefully called authorised by his father from heauen saying Heare him that is to be our doctour and teacher our Prophete and Scholemaster Being thus ordayned a Prophet to teach vs he executed his office and calling most diligently most paynfully and faithfully for he taught them in season and out of season earely and late
spirit by his grace and godhead which is euery where For he sayeth that he will not leaue vs fatherles but will come vnto vs which he meant by sending his spirit Iohn 14. We are not then to looke for Christes body here nowe vpon the earth as certaine heretikes do suppose euen as he him selfe saith Matt. 26. Me shal you not haue alwayes Surely this saying can by no meanes be true if his body be euery where in euery place at euery sacrament then is not his body departed from vs then is he not ascended into heauen but remaineth here still in the earth But the Angell sayde to the women that he was not there That was some place then he had a glorified body And it is said that heauen must conteine him vntill all things bee restored Act. 3. Surely being now ascended in body we neither reade of nor beleeue any other descension in body then that wherein he shall descēde to iudge at the latter day as the Angels spake to the disciples This Iesus which is taken vp frō you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him go into heauen So that vnles we see Christ so come down as he went vp we will not beleeue the papistes that say he is in the boxe or pixe much lesse them that say he is euery where making him in deede to haue no body at all but altogether swallowed vp by his diuinitie For tell mee I pray you if Christ had meāt his body should alway remaine here vpon the earth why did he say that he must depart from them They cannot meane it of his diuinity but of his humanitie Againe what needed his disciples to bee so sorowefull for his going away if they had had his body with them Here they answere The disciples had not his body visibly but his body inuisible or not seene But surely the disciples if they had vnderstoode it so as the Papistes say of his inuisible body they were not such children but that they would haue contented them selues as well with his inuisible body as his inuisible spirit and grace afterwardes therfore they would needes know howe they should be comforted when hee was gone from them Christ told them by his spirite although inuisible and not by his body inuisible which surely would haue comforted them although they saw it not if it had then bene with them as his spirite was but Christ meant no such thing and therefore promised euer his spirit to them and all others after and not his inuisible body This is a plaine case but I leaue to discourse of it any further because I intend in this booke to edifie and instruct the simple readers onely in the poyntes of Christianitie concerning their faith and not to make any treatise for the learned Seeing then wee haue a great hie Priest which is entred into heauē euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs hold fast our professiō as the Apostle sayth and let vs goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receyue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede For this was the third point that I sayde was to be obserued of vs to weigh with our selues what profit and commodity thereby doeth ensue to all the faythfull that hee is in heauen Surely this cannot be but great comfort to al the faithful for they all are assured by Christes ascension that they also shall one day euen at the resurrection of their bodies ascende with him for he is gone to prepare a place for them as he testifieth in Iohn 14. I goe to prepare a place for you and if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come agayne and receyue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also Christ by his ascension hath opened the gates and doores of heauen and Paradise for vs which were shut against vs before so that wee had no entrance thither For this is most certayne and true that if the head be there then shall the body and members be there also and if our captayne be there then shall his souldiers which are we be one day with him and the master will haue there his seruantes to wayte and attend vpon him in his house And to be short seeing Christ is in heauen he wil haue his true Christians to be with him Is not this a great comfort in all troubles and hurlyburlies in this life to meditate vpon this that one day we shall come into the presence of our louing Master Iesus Christ Surely this would comfort any poore afflicted soule or body if he did remember it but we forget it and then what ioy can wee haue in this vale of miserie This comforted Dauid in his banishment saying When shal I come to appeare before the presence of God This reioyced Paul greatly when he sayd A crowne of righteousnesse is layde vp for me in that day when the Lord shal appeare 2. Timothie 4. So then this is the first and one of the greatest benefites that by Christes ascension wee haue an assurance of our owne For when Christ shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory Colossians 3. But yet wee must remember that as Christ first suffered shame and reproche and bitter death also and so in the ende entred into heauen by diuers crosses and calamyties so must wee also for the most part enter in the same way with him for by many tribulations must we enter into the kingdome of heauen and all that wil liue godly in Iesus Christ shal suffer persecution For you knowe that the seruant must not looke to be better handled thē his master or the scholer to be in better case then his teacher nor we thē Christ Againe Christ by his ascension doth solicite al our sutes causes matters iniuries which we suffer to God his father For hee is our Atturney pleadeth for vs as Iohn sayth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous Is it not a great comfort to a poore man that can not make friendes or come vp to the prince because of costs and charges to haue alway one of the priuy counsell to helpe and further his sutes as readily and diligently as if hee were there himselfe So surely it is with vs wee haue alwayes Iesus Christ at hand with God his father being of his most priuy and secrete counsell to make requestes to God for vs continually to pardon our sinnes to grant vs grace and all other thinges necessary This is singular ioy to a godly heart so that wee neede not to seeke any other Mediatour as the Papistes doe as if hee were not sufficient of him selfe or as mercifull to heare vs as his mother or Peter or any other saynt in heauen This is their folly and madnes let vs be contented with our only Mediatour Iesus Christ because he is most able and most willing to heare vs yea biddeth vs to come to
haue also declared that it is called Catholike because it is not tyed to any time persons or place whatsoeuer but is dispersed euery where as seemeth good to the Lord. We haue furthermore shewed vnto you what be the markes of it and what are not the trewe signes of it and that it consisteth not in multitude of people but in weight of trueth Last of al we haue made manifest to what end y◠Lord hath gathered a church together vnto himselfe here in earth which is that hee may be honoured and gloryfied in it accordingly by their good workes and christian conuersation Now let vs giue thankes to Iesus Christ the head of this Church in that hee hath vouchsafed to make vs the holy members of it which were before the firebrandes of hell and a generation of Satans broode Let vs moreouer prayse his name for as much as he doth daily preserue vs by his fatherly goodnes and diuine prouidence in this sheepefold of his from all wolues and rauening beastes which otherwise would deuoure vs. And because he doth feede vs in it with wholesome greene pastures of his holye worde and leadeth vs foorth to the waters of life and comfort to refreshe our soules let vs not be vnmindful or vnthankfull to him for this so great a benefit Now let vs most humbly pray vnto him that he would vouchsafe to keepe vs in this church of his vnto the ende lest we wander and go astray from it as lost sheepe and beseech we him that he would continue his graces heauenly promises made vnto vs so liberally in his Gospel that from day to day we may grow in holines toward him as becōmeth this church vntil the time come that our full redemption from him shall appeare This God graunt vnto vs not for our sakes but for Christ Iesus sake which hath purchased al these things for vs with the shedding of his most precious blood vpon the crosse for our sinnes To this Iesus Christ with the father and the holy Ghost his power be rendred all praise and glory honour dominion and thankesgiuing both now and for euermore Amen The tenth Lecture vpon the tenth article of our Christian fayth which is The Remission of sinnes IN the article going next before we haue heard what wee haue to beleeue concerning y◠church which is the house of Christ Now followe the ornaments and benefits which the Lord in mercy doth wil bestowe vpon this house which are in number three 1. Remissiō of sinnes in this life 2. Resurrectiō of our bodyes frō corruption at the last day of iudgement 3. And euerlasting happines in the life to come These benefites are great so inestimable that wee can not worthyly conceiue of them being couered with flesh and bloud and therefore wee are the lesse thankeful then otherwise we should be if we did or could deepely consider of them for they are such iewels as the Lord doeth only bestow vpon his children and none els and therefore they are put after the Church and communion of Saintes as thinges following the state of the church necessarily for none can haue them but such as abide in the church and are true liuely members of Iesus Christ ingraffed into his body by faith The first of these graces is the remission or forgiuenesse of all our sinnes The meaning therefore of this article for the capacity of the simple in moe wordes is this I that am a Christian doe stedfastly beleeue that almighty God both hath doeth and will of his mercie forgiue me all my sinnes both originall and actuall committed before and after baptisme howe many and great soeuer they be not for any woorke or merit of mine which am an vnprofitable seruant but for the sacrifices sake of Christes death and passion wherein hee is wel pleased by whose righteousnes because I am clothed and apparelled by beleeuing in him vnfeignedly I am sure and certayne that I am deliuered from euerlasting death and hel which is the reward of sinne Romanes 6. This is the playne and simple meaning of this Article and is proued and confirmed vnto vs out of scriptures aswel of the olde as of the newe Testamēt In the 31. of Ieremy we reade thus This shal be the couenant that I wil make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I wil put my law in their inward partes and write it in their heartes and I wil be their God and they shal be my people For I will forgiue their iniquitie wil remember their sinnes no more So likewise we haue the proofe of this in the second epistle to the Corinthians Chap. 5. God was in Christ and reconciled the world vnto himselfe not imputing their sinnes vnto them And in the second to the Colossians Ye which were dead in sinnes in the vncircumcision of your flesh hath he quickened together with him freely forgiuing you all your trespasses We see thē this doctrine to be warranted with y◠testimonies of the holy ghost So that we neede not to doubt any thing at al of it Seeing then the the first entrance into the house of the Lord is by putting away of all our sinnes and because we haue nothing to do with God except our offences be blotted and wiped out of his remembrāce Let vs a litle I pray you dearely beloued brethrē in Christ marke what we haue to cōsider in this article for our instructiō edificatiō vnto a godly life We say here that we doe beleeue that there is a remission of sinnes for the children of God and seruants of Christ The first thing therefore that we ought to learne and beare in minde vpon this article is that we confesse and acknowledge most humbly and meekely our sinnes before God For if we say and graunt a remission of sinnes wee must also confesse that wee are sinners otherwise wee can not at all haue pardon of them Secondly we must cōsider by whom this remission doeth come vnto vs and for whose sake it is Thirdly by what meanes we are made capable and partakers of this so great a benefite As concerning the first poynt it is playne and euident that wee are all of vs miserable sinners before GOD which looketh vpon the hearts of men and tryeth them For who can iustly and truely saye of him selfe My heart is cleane I am no sinner Nay Salomon doeth tell vs that there is not a man that sinneth not 1. Reg. 8. Eccle. 7. And Saint Iohn sayeth playnely that if we say we haue no sinne we doe but deceyue our owne selues and there is no trueth in vs. We are begotten conceyued and borne in sinne we liue and are brought vp in sinne and shall any man be so impudent and shamelesse as to deny that he is a sinner God forbid The Apostle sayeth All men haue sinned and are destitute of the glorie of God Rom. 3. But we neede not to goe farre for the proofe of
therefore they are not only Idolaters which worship and serue Idoles and strange Gods as the Ethnicks such like but also all those which worship and serue the true God of heauen after their owne fantasie or after the traditions of men without faith without the word of God otherwise thē God hath commaunded them And they only are Christians which do confesse and serue one onely God which is in heauen according to his word and commandement all whose woorkes aswell outwarde as inwarde corporall as spirituall bee the true seruice of the Lorde because the same are done in the fayth of the Sonne of God and according to the calling of the Lord after the which euery faythfull bodie ought to walke The Lxxxvi Article I beleeue and confesse that it is not lawfull for a Christian to be present eyther in spirite eyther in bodie at the idolatrous sacrifices neither to enter into their temples while they are in doing of their idolatries and sacrifices if it be not of purpose to rebuke and vtter their impietie and to teache the trueth as the holy Prophetes and Apostles did and not to dissemble as the hypocrites doe For if the bodie be the creature of God as it is in deede aswell as the soule and be the Temple of the holy Ghost and a member of the mysticall bodie of Christ and if it shall one day rise and possesse eternall life with the soule it must then followe of necessitie that it ought to be wholly dedicated vnto the ryght seruice of God in this worlde together with the soule and the spirite or else they can not at the generall resurrection be coupled together but must be separated asunder the one to be with God in heauen whome it loued and the other to be in hell with the deuill whom it serued the which thing is impossible for that cause I say that al such dissimulatiō is a plaine forsaking of Christ and of his Gospel Likewise I beleeue and confesse that all maner of such dissemblings by the which the trueth of the Gospel is hid the word of the Lord despised infidelitie and ignorance confirmed and the weake are offended the same can not be of God but of the deuill and altogether against the trueth of Gods worde And therefore there must be no halting on both sides but wee must goe and walke foorthryght and strayghtly before this great Lorde which seeth beholdeth and knoweth all things yea euen before they are begonne The Lxxxvii Article I beleeue also that the beginning of all Idolatrie was the fynding out and inuention of Images which also were made to the great offence of the soules of men and are as snares and trappes for the feete of the ignorant to make them to fal Therefore they ought not to be honoured serued worshipped neyther to bee suffered in the Temples or Churches neyther in any other places where Christian people doe meete together to heare and vnderstande the word of God but rather the same ought vtterly to bee taken awaye and throwen downe according to the effect of the second commandement of God and that ought to bee done by the common authoritie of the Magistrate and not by the priuate authoritie of any particular man For the wood of the gallowes whereby iustice is done is blessed of GOD but the Image made by mans hande is accursed of the Lorde and so is he that made it And therefore wee ought to beware of Images aboue all thinges This is that I beleeue of the Catholike faith and of the thinges that concerne the same and is for the fourth point of my faith Nowe resteth to speake of the fruites that proceed out of the same and what I receiue by the same faith which fruites are in number three whereof the first is The forgiuenesse of sinnes The Lxxxviii Article I beleeue that al those that are come and shall come of the race and lyne of Adam generally are conceiued borne in iniquitie and corruption except Iesus Christ only and that they are all sinners transgressers and breakers of the law and wil of the Lord and according to their nature they are corrupt the children of wrath worthy of Gods iudgement of condemnatiō eternal death all needing the grace and mercie of God and of Christes blood shedding For God hath wrapped all vnder sinne to the intent hee woulde haue mercie vpon all through Iesus Christ our Lorde The Lxxxix Article I beleeue that the knowledge of sinne proceedeth of the lawe but the remission and forgiuenesse of sinne commeth of the Gospel and is giuen vs by the onely grace and mercie of God in the blood of Iesus Christ through the faith wee haue therein whereby wee are counted righteous before God not through our good woorkes or deseruings neither by the merites of any other creature either in heauen or in earth For I knowe not neither do I alow any other merites but the merites of my good Lord master and onely sauiour Iesus Christ who hath merited and sufficiently satisfied for vs hath paide for his owne their dette in wiping out the hande writing and obligation which was against vs and in taking the same from vs hath fastened it vnto the Crosse The xc Article I beleeue that this iustifiyng faith is a meere and singular gift of God the which is commonly giuen by the hearing of Gods woorde whereupon onely it is builte and not vpon the doctrines and traditions of men I call a iustifiyng faith a certaine assurance and earnest perswasion of the good will loue grace bounteousnesse and mercy of God towarde vs whereby we are assured verily perswaded in our hearts of the mercy fauour and good will of God the father that he is on our side and for vs against all that are against vs and that he wil be a mercifull father vnto vs pardoning our sinnes and will giue vs his grace make vs his children by adoption and admitte vs for heires vnto eternal life and all this freely in his sonne by his only sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde and not for our merites or good workes This faith can doe all thinges and to it nothing is impossible the which faith is neuer perfect nor great ynough in vs and therefore ought wee alwayes to praye with y◠Apostles saying Lorde increase our faith helpe our vnbeliefe For that faith only doth comfort vs maketh vs holy maketh vs righteous and acceptable before the Lorde it declareth vs to be the children of GOD and heires of eternall life the which faith also is the mother the spring and roote of all good workes like as infidelitie is the fountaine and roote of all wickednes The xci Article I beleeue also that good workes are not superfluous vayne and vnprofitable but necessarie to saluation I call good workes not those which are done after the fantasie or commaundement of men but onely those that God by his woorde hath commaunded to bee done the which ought to be done
The meaning of these wordes is this I the seruant and childe of God I I say not another for me doe beleeue hope and trust in one almightie eternall euerliuing God which is not only a God of might vnto me to be able to do all thinges but a most mercifull father in Iesus Christ most willing and ready to helpe me in al troubles and aduersities of this life when I shall cry call vnto him First therefore we learne here to beleeue trust in God only and not in any creature whatsoeuer for they cannot helpe vs as Dauid sayeth in his Psalmes Vaine is the helpe of man It is thou that sauest me from mine aduersaries And here note that there is a great differēce betwene these three to beleeue God to beleeue there is a God to beleeue in God the deuils beleue the first the second that God is true of his word and promise which is to beleeue God they also beleeue there is one God and no moe and tremble as S. Iames the Apostle sayth Chap. 2. 19. but they beleeue not the third that is in God which is as much as to embrace acknowledge him for our good God and to sticke to him and to his worde only This is proper to the Elect children of God not to the deuils and reprobates which doe not trust in him For they lacke a true iustifying faith which is defined to be a sure trust in the mercies of God his promises made vnto vs in Iesus Christ his Sonne by whom he hath adopted vs that he wil be mercifull vnto vs forgiue vs all our sinnes This is faith this is it that we must haue when we say I beleeue in God For faith must looke vnto God not to any man or angel or saint in heauen Therefore Paul said to the iayler asking howe he might be saued when he had abused cruelly handled the Apostles Beleeue saieth he in the Lorde Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saued Surely he could not haue sayde Beleeue in Christ vnlesse he had bene very God and marke howe he sayeth not Beleeue Iesus Christ but Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued as it is sayde here in our Creede I beleeue in God This that we must beleeue in God is warranted by our sauiour Christ saying to his disciples Beleeue in God let not your heartes be troubled Iohn 14. So that this doctrine to beleeue in God in no other is a doctrine of comfort to al the godly and to settle their hearts that they be not troubled or caried away with vaine persuasions of men and of Angels which Paul forbiddeth Colos 2. But here may a question be made why we say not as in the Lordes prayer in the plurall number Our Father and forgiue vs our trespasses so here also in like sort why say we not We beleeue in God First I answere that is a prayer to God this is a confession of our faith Then I say the case is not all one or alike For I may pray for another man and am commanded so to doe because we are al members of the same body of Christ so that my prayer may helpe and profit him But I can not beleeue for another man neither shal my faith and beliefe profit another man except he beleeue him selfe the promises of Christ for euery man shall be saued by his owne faith as the Prophet Habakuk saith Chap. 2. The iust man shal liue by his own faith And this notably confoundeth reproueth that fond and false opinion of the papistes which say that it is inough to beleeue generally as the church beleeueth not knowing how or what to beleeue This sentēce also reproueth and conuinceth another heresie of theirs which say that a man may be iustified by his owne works Here it is sayd The iust shall liue by his faith and not by his good workes or deedes And when Habacuk saith his faith he meaneth not that faith is of our selues but that faith which doth saue vs is within vs in our hearts not without vs in other men meaning neuerthelesse that faith commeth from God aboue and not of vs. As Iames chap. 1. And this doth teach vs to apply the mercies of God vnto our selues saying I beleeue as well as other men that God wil help me be my father This is a great cōfort which the godly only haue and not the wicked as Dauid saith The Lorde is his Lorde as wel as he is a lord to other Thus much on whō we must beleeue that is in God only Now secōdly consider with your selues in what maner of god you doe beleeue and trust not in such a one as the Paynims did that could not help them as Iupiter Apollo Diana and such like which did appoint a multitude of them to gouerne and guyde the worlde because they thought that one was not able ynough of himselfe and therefore made one for heauen as Iupiter another for the sea as Neptune One for hell as Pluto One for the fire as Vulcan Neither are wee taught here to beleeue in such a god as the wicked Israelites did called Baal which could not heare them when they cryed vnto him as it is in the booke of the Kings whō Elias reproueth 3. Kings 18. Chap. Of such Idols and gods the Prophet Dauid speaketh and derideth them their worshippers Psal 115. Saying they haue mouthes and speake not eares and heare not eyes see not noses and smell not hands and handle not feete and walke not neither make they a sound with their throte Neither haue we such pety gods of stone and wood as the papists haue their Images But our God in whō we do confesse that we beleeue is such a one as is a father for his goodnes and mercie and almightie for his strength and power This doth Dauid meane when hee doeth speake of his great God and setteth him against al other false gods of the idolaters saying as for our God he is in heauē As if he would say he is a most mightie God and both what soeuer hee will no man can hinder or let his power This as it is a great comfort to all the godly to haue such a God to ayde them at all neede so it is a terror to the wicked to consider that they haue to doe with such a God as is omnipotent able to beate them to peeces and powder when they resist him As hee did mightily destroy Pharao so did hee wonderfully deliuer his people and children the Israelites out of his handes from the read sea So he declared him selfe an omnipotent father We see then here as in other places how God ioyneth his power and iustice to terrifie and also his mercie and clemency to comfort I say they are put both together euen to terrifie the godly also that they should not commit sinne but feare to offende such a
from thence which dyed in his faith before his comming in the flesh for they were in heauen already as concerning the soule for the soules of the righteous are in the hands of God and no torment shall touch them Wisd 3. Here then seeing Christ hath suffered and fulfilled all things for vs we may saye to God as concerning his iustice O righteous God if shame confusion and ignominie bee due to sinners for their euill desertes if death bee the stipende and reward of sinne Rom. 6. 23. If it deserue thy wrath and indignation most seuere If it be worthy to be punished not onely with most sharpe paynes of body but also extreeme torments of mynd and conscience briefely if it deserue hell and damnation for the vilenesse and filthinesse of it Then O most iust Father and God Christ thy Sonne hath suffered all these thinges to the vtmost hee hath paide al whatsoeuer thou canst require of mee for sinne he hath perfourmed thy bande and obligation and hath clearely canceled the handwriting that was against me For can there bee a greater burden with measure more heaped and full and pressed downe appoynted for sinne and iniquitie then this was which Christ Iesus thy beloued only Sonne which was in thy bosome hath borne already for me Therefore I beseeche thee most deare and tender Father whensoeuer my sinnes shall come into thy sight or question with thee which my aduersarie the deuill layeth before thee and me that then thou wouldest looke vpon Christ thy Sonne which is thy true looking glasse in whom thou shalt finde me to be most pure and innocent and to be of the same white colour with him and to shine most bryght in his righteousnesse which he giueth vnto me by faith if I beleeue in him as I can perswade my selfe most certainely and vnfaynedly that I doe Good Father for his sake receiue me into mercie and bestowe thy heauenly blessings vpon me because hee hath deserued them well at thy handes This prayer with boldnesse and confidence in Christes blood may a true Christian man make to God the Father when his sinnes shall begin to accuse him and herein may he finde comfort otherwise none at all For God is not pleased but in Christ and in his doings as he saith This is my welbeloued Sonne heare him Matt. 3. and 17. Where we note that Christ is our onely reconciler to God and our onely scholemaster to teach vs the trueth of Gods worde Thus haue we heard in this article the death of Christ a wonderfull and vnspeakable mysterie the circumstances of it the cause of the same the paines he suffered and what comfort we haue and enioy by it Nowe let vs giue to our heauenly Father most heartie earnest and continuall thankes for it and likewise to Iesus Christ that woulde vouchsafe to take it vpon him for our sakes such poore and miserable wretches as wee were It is the greatest and most precious Iewel and Diamonde that God coulde bestowe vpon vs. Let vs therefore pray vnto him to make vs deepely consider of the valewe of it in our hearts and mindes that we slightly esteeme not of so excellent a treasure but that wee may sell all and buy it Let vs furthermore desire of him that by the death of his Sonne hee woulde kill in vs all carnall and worldly lustes and mortifie our earthly members pride concupiscence ambition hatred couetousnesse and such lyke sinnes that wee walke in them no more Nowe seeing Christ hath dyed for them to put them all away and hath fastned and nayled them to his Crosse that we shoulde serue him being deliuered from the handes of our enemies without feare all the dayes of our life in holinesse and true righteousnesse before him This God graunt vnto vs for Christs sake to whome with the holy Ghost one blessed God be rendred all prayse and glory and thankes giuing for euer and euer Amen The fifth Lecture vpon the fifth article The third day he rose againe from the dead WE haue seene before three articles concerning the person of our sauiour Christ as his conception his birth his death which we haue expounded as God hath giuē vs ability by his grace Now foloweth the fift article concerning his resurrection from the dead And this doth folowe orderly in the beliefe after his death passion for so did Christ alwaies ioyne these two together his death and rising againe saying to his disciples Mat. 26. 21. Behold we goe vp to Ierusalem and the sonne of mā shal be deliuered vnto the chiefe priests and scribes and they shall condemne him to death shal deliuer him to the Gētiles to mocke to scourge to crucifie but the third day he shal rise again This was spoken to comfort them that although they cōceyued great care sorow in hearīg that he should be killed yet they might take as great comfort againe to heare that hee was risen from the dead Christes enemies did in deede what they might and coulde to keep him downe still they layd a great stone and heauie vpon his graue they sealed the stone they made the sepulchre sure with a watch of souldiers Matth. 27. 66. But all was in vayne for Christ must needes be true of his worde and promise to arise againe the third day as he had often foretolde and prophecied of to his Apostles and of the which they were al witnesses and as S. Paul saith moe then fiue hūdred brethrē at once did see him If any require testimonies of his resurrection out of scripture let him read the 28. of Matth. the 16 of Mar. the 24. of Luke the 20. 21. of Iohn the 1. Cor. 15. with many other places of scripture Wherefore no man can doubt of the trueth of this article being confirmed by so many places of the word of God This resurrectiō was very necessary for vnlesse it had folowed and Christ risen again nothing had bene wrought concerning our saluation neither had death bene conquered nor satā destroied nor we redeemed perfectly from the dolours of death Therefore S. Peter saith that God hath raised him vp loosed the sorowes of death because it was vnpossible that he shoulde be holden of it Acts 2. 24. as Dauid also proueth Psa 16. Thou shalt not leaue my soule in the graue neither shalt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption This article doth proue vnto vs that Christ is both man and God man in that he did rise with his body in the which he fell and died before for it is vnproper to say that God doth rise againe for he doth neuer fall His resurrection doth proue him to be God also because he raysed vp himselfe the third day as he testifieth Destroy this temple meaning of his body and in three daies I wil reare it vp agayne Ioh. 2. 20. It is also saide that he was raysed vp by the glorie of his father but that is spokē as concerning his humanity
this Iesus seeing their faith sayde to the sicke of the palsie Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee You see howe that the cure of the man is ascribed to their faith and not to their good workes Likewise two blinde men came vnto him to be healed crying and saying O sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon vs. This verily was a good confession and worke of them Matth. 9. But what sayeth hee vnto them Beleeue ye that I am able to doe this they sayde Yes Then sayeth he According to your faith be it vnto you The woman that was deliuered from the bloodie yssue heard this of him Daughter be of good comfort thy faith hath made thee whole Matt. 9. When he raysed vp the rulers daughter he required but onely faith of him which thing the Papistes saye we can not prooue out of the Scripture In the eight of Luke therefore this worde onely is put to exclude all other things for saith he Beleeue only she shal be saued Now if Christ require this faith in the cure of the externall man that is of the bodie which is the lesse thing hee doeth much more require it in the healing of the inner man the soule which is the greater cure and of more valewe You haue then heard that faith in Christ cureth the body heare nowe also that Christ requireth faith especially to beleeue in him to euerlasting life The Gospell written by Saint Iohn is full of this matter almost in euery Chapter Speaking of Christ he sayeth on this wise He came among his owne and his owne receyued him not but as many as receyued him to them he gaue prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name Iohn 1. Againe So God loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Ioh. 3. He that beleeueth in him is not condemned but he that beleeueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeued in the name of the onely begotten Sonne of God In the fift of Iohn our sauiour saith Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my worde and beleeueth him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life The sixte chapter is full of such godly and comfortable sayings I am that bread of life he that commeth vnto me shal neuer hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst Verely verely I say vnto you he that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life These things are written that ye might beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God in beleeuing ye might haue life through his name Ioh. 20. It were infinite to recite all the places in Scripture that make for this matter and I should be tedious if I would rehearse them all Notable is that place in the sixtenth chapter of the Actes of the Apostles where the Iayler demandeth of Paul and Silas what he should doe to be saued they answered forthwith Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and all thine house I referre them that list to see moe places to the Actes 3 10 13. chapt Rom. 1 3 4 5 9 10 11. chapters Ephes 2. Out of these wordes wee gather this doctrine for vs that all the graces and benefites of Christ are made ours by faith in his blood and by faith onely wee take holde and laye hande vpon them for faith is as it were an hand or a mouth open to receiue meate into the soule and to feede it We must then open our hande and our mouth to receyue him as Dauid sayeth in his Psalmes speaking in the person of God I am the Lord thy God which haue brought thee out of the land of Egypt opeÌ„ thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81. In that place the Lorde accuseth the incredulitie of the Israelites that did not open their mouthes in faith to receiue his benefites in such obedience as he powreth them out Againe if faith bee the meane to bee made partaker of Iesus Christ and to applie him to vs to heale our diseases then on the other side incredulitie of man is the stoppe or hinderance that letteth the Lord to powre down his blessings vpon vs. This lacke of faith doeth shut vp his beneuolence and good will from vs so that hee can not open heauen gates vnto vs and powre vs downe his blessing Of this the Prophets complayned in the olde time both Esai and Ieremie Behold sayeth Esai the Lords hand is not shortened that it can not saue neyther is his eare heauie that it can not heare but your iniquities haue made a separation betweene you and your God and your sinnes haue hid his face from you that he will not heare Esa chap. 59. So Ieremie in his fift Chapter Your sinnes haue hindered good thinges from you And what sinne or iniquitie can bee greater or more detestable before the Lord then the sinne of incredulitie and vnbeliefe euen the mother and fountaine of all other sinnes This is that which the Euangelist Saint Matthewe reprehendeth in the Nazarites euen their incredulitie for when our Sauiour Christ came among them to preach and teache and to heale them that were sicke as hee did in other places they were offended with him and gaue him iust occasion to saye of them That a Prophete was not without honour saue in his owne countrey and in his owne house Then is it added in the ende of the Chapter He did not many great workes there for their vnbeliefes sake Matth. 13. So likewise our Sauiour Christ sayeth to the father of the childe that was lunatike considering his want of faith If thou couldest saith he beleeue all thinges were possible to him that beleeueth Marke 9. And this is the onely cause that barred the Israelites out of the land of Canaan For we see that they could not enter in because of vnbeliefe Hebr. 3. No more shall any enter at all into heauen which was figured by the holy lande of promes which beleeue not for Iohn sayeth that all the vnbeleuing shal haue their part in thâ—â—ake that burneth with fire brimstoâ—â—â—hich is the second death Reue. 21. Nowe when wee saye that faith alone in Christ doeth applie all his good workes vnto vs wee doe not speake against good workes that are done of the godly here in this life but our meaning is that our good deedes doe not saue vs which any man that hath read the Scriptures indifferently wil graunt Wee exclude not workes in life and maners here before men but wee exclude them froÌ„ any part or portion of iustification before the almightie God in whose presence nothing is perfite cleane or pure no not the sunne nor the moone nor the Angels but onely the works of that immaculate and vnspotted Lambe euen the man Iesus Christ whose woorkes are all made ours and imputed vnto vs
with meekenesse and reuerence And nowe let vs giue thankes as wee are continually bounde to our heauenly Father in that it hath pleased him to make vs Christians to beleeue these articles of our fayth to our great and endlesse comfort And let vs pray vnto him withall in the name of his welbeloued Sonne that he would giue vs grace to growe more and more euery day in this fayth that wee may not onely liue in it but also in the ende of our dayes die in it most constantly that so wee may bee blessed And that it woulde please him to giue this grace not only to vs but to all people nations of the earth especially to his vniuersall Church wheresoeuer it be dispersed abroade in all quarters of the earth And in this Church let vs pray for the state of all Kinges and Princes that wee may liue a godly and quiet life with all peace and honestie especially let vs commende to his fauour the Church of Englande desiring him to blesse it as hee hath done these many yeeres and to continue his holy Gospel amongst vs although wee for our vnthankfulnesse haue deserued to haue it taken away from vs long agoe Desyre wee of him in mercy still to beholde his seruant and handmaide our Queene and soueraigne that shee may bee still zealous to set forwarde the Gospell of Christ and to roote vp all superstition and idolatrie within her realme that shee may bee wise to foresee and preuent all mischiefes and dangers that are likely to hang ouer our heades that so shee may haue a long a blessed reigne ouer vs to his glory the profite and commoditie of all her louing subiectes Let vs likewise desire of God to blesse all her most honourable Counsell with true godlinesse and wisedome from aboue that they may boldly and stoutly minister to her maiestie the best aduice for the better ouerseeing and gouernment of this Christian common wealth wherein they liue that all their counselles and policies may especially bee directed to the honour of God Pray we him to blesse the state of the ministerie of this lande the Byshops and Pastours of his worde that not onely in worde but also in good and godly conuersation of life they may beautifie the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ beseech we him to roote out from his ministerie al rauening wolues papistes Atheistes blinde and vnlearned ministers and dumme dogges which seeke onely to fill their bellies and not to edifie the congregation that if it be his will he would giue to euery Church her faithfull and wise dispenser of the mysteries of Christ And because the schooles of good learning are as Nurses and well springes thereunto let vs desire Christ to giue his spirite amongst them also in the vniuersities that good learning and godlines may growe and increase dayly more and more Lastly for the whole body of this common weale let vs pray that God would keepe them al in his feare from the hiest to the lowest and giue them duetiful and obedient heartes towarde their prince and magistrates which are by his authoritie set ouer them for their welfare and happinesse These thinges and all other graces he onely graunt vnto vs which onely is able and wise and hath immortalitie which dwelleth in the light that no man can see to whom with his sonne Christ Iesus and the holy Ghost his infinite power bee rendred all prayse honour and glory for euer and euer Amen The Lorde be praysed ⧠A declaration of the holy Communion THe holy Communion called also the Lordes Supper was ordeined not of any mortall man but of the Lorde Iesus himselfe that as often as wee come vnto it for often it is to be receiued we shoulde remēber the great loue of our master Christ who loued vs so well that he gaue his body and blood for to redeeme vs from all our sinnes That this great benefite should neuer be forgotten of Christians he instituted that we shoulde receiue bread and wine in the remembrance of his death therfore this sacrament hath two partes the one is the outward signes bread and wine to put vs in mind that as bread doth nourish the body so doth Christs body nourish our soules receiued spiritually by faith into our heartes Ephe 3. 17. as wine doth refresh vs quēch our thirst so doeth his blood refresh our minds and wash them from sinne quench the spiritual thirst of our soules and this sacrament of Christes death is not giuen vs in bread onely but in wine also to teach vs that Iesus Christ is all in all vnto vs not only meate to feede vs Iohn 6. 35. but also drinke to quench our thirst as he saith Iohn 7. 37. If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke And so hee is also our apparell Put you on the Lorde Iesus Rom. 13. 14. The other part of this Supper is spirituall the remission of sinnes and heauenly graces receiued of vs as truely as wee receiue the signes of them if wee beleeue for this is to confirme our faith in this matter that we shoulde doubt no more of Gods fauour then we doubt whether we haue receiued the visible signes Nowe for the comming to this Supper that wee deceiue not our selues we must haue these two things first repentance of our former sinfull life to bee sorie for it which is done by trying and examining our selues whether wee bee heartily sorowfull or no for our offences secondly we must haue faith in Iesus Christ that yet we despaire not for our great sinnes but trust to haue mercy at his handes when we cal vpon him so that before we come vnto this banket wee must prepare our selues to come worthily reuerently in faith hope and loue this is the examination In receiuing of it our mindes must not bee on the bread and wine or vpon any other earthly thinges but vpon the body and blood of Iesus Christ in heauen signified vnto vs by these things belowe After wee haue receiued wee must giue vnto Christe most humble and heartie thankes for feeding vs with his body and blood and meditate and thinke vpon this continually not returne to our olde life againe Thus doing you shal be sure to come as the Lorde requireth and as a good Christian ought to do Which the Lorde graunt vnto you for his mercies sake Amen A briefe and cleare confession of the Christian faith conteining an hūdreth articles according to the order of the Creede of the Apostles written by that learned and godly Martyr I. Hooper sometime Byshop of Glocester in his life time Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie THis Creede following being made by the reuerend Father Iohn Hooper is deuided into fiue principall partes The first whereof intreateth of God the father the second of God the Sonne the third of God the holy Ghost the fourth of the catholique Church the fift and last part
not to deserue or merite any thing thereby at Gods hande or by the same to escape eternall condemnation but onely because God hath commanded them and that they might testifie the loue that we haue vnto our Lord and our obedience to his holy woorde and commaundement and to the intent that in vs and by vs hee might be glorified and that our neighbours aswell the infidels vnbeeleeuers as the faithful might therby be edified and in like maner to shewe and to manifest the faith that we haue in God and in his worde as the good tree sheweth it selfe and is knowne by his fruite yea to make sure and certaine vnto vs our calling election predestination To these endes serue all the good works commaunded by God and who soeuer doeth them to any other ende doeth misuse them sinneth and doth iniurie to the blood of Christ and dishonoureth God and his word for in so doing he declareth Christ died in vayne The xcii Article I beleeue that there is none either in this worlde or in the other worlde eyther in heauen or in earth which can forgiue mee and pardon my sinnes but onely God which hath giuen power and authoritie to the ministers of his worde to declare to all faithfull beleeuers which are of a contrite heart and be truely penitent that all their sinnes through the free mercy of God are forgiuen them through the blood of Iesus Christe which was shedde for them yea to declare vnto them that they are pardoned of their sinnes and that the same is done by the ministery of the worde of the holy Church in the which this remission is exhibited and giuen and not otherwise But on our part is required perfecte repentance the which hath two partes The first is contrition that is to say the knowledging hating and abhorring of sinne the which thing is administred by the Lawe and bringeth vs to despaire if with the contrarie we be not holpen with a lyuely fayth and the mercie of GOD the Father thorowe the blood of Iesus Christ which proceedeth out of the Gospel This fayth comforteth vs maketh vs stedfast and causeth vs to fynde fauour before the iudgement seate of God The xciii Article I beleeue that sinne dwelleth stil in man yea in the very saintes and children of God after their newe birth through Baptisme and the holie Ghost the which sinne neuerthelesse shall not be laied to their charge because of the faith they haue in Iesus Christ for as al the sinnes of the infidels and reprobate bee damnable and shall not bee pardoned because of their infidelitie euen so all the sinnes of the faithfull and chosen bee veniall sinnes and forgiueable because of their faith And therefore I beleeue that there is one onely sinne that is mortall and irremissible which is vnbeliefe or infidelitie that is to say not to beleeue in the sonne of GOD. For where true faith in Christ is founde there all sinnes are hid couered and pardoned I beleeue the resurrection of the flesh which is the second fruite of my faith The xciiii Article I beleeue that there shall bee one resurrection which shall bee generall to all the worlde aswell of the good as of the badde which shall bee in the ende of the worlde by the power of Christ and through the ministerie of the angels the which with a great voice of a trumpette shal cal together all the worlde before the Lorde and shall gather together the electe and chosen from the foure windes euen from the highest of the heauens vnto the endes of the earth and deuide the euill from the good and the wicked shall they cast into the fierie fornace where is weeping and gnashing of teeth and then shall the righteous shine as the sunne in the kingdome of their father and shall bee together and bee companions with the Angels of God This is the seconde resurrection and blessed is hee that shall haue part of portion therein for the same shall not be touched with the seconde death The xcv Article I beleeue that this resurrectiō shal be of the flesh not of the spirit that is to say that the spirit or soule of mā shal not rise because it is immortal dieth not But the body which before aswel by the reasō of nature as also because of sinne was subiect vnto death and corruption to rotte and to be brought to ashes shall be raysed vp and shal be coupled with his owne proper soule and spirite and shall bee set in a more perfect estate then that wherein the first man was before hee sinned and shall be clearely exempted from al maner of corruption of sinne and so consequently from all maner of imperfections and shall bee fashioned like vnto the glorious bodie of Christ The xcvi Article I beleeue that I shall rise not in any other mans flesh and body but in myne owne that I brought out of my mothers wombe euen with the self same body and bones that I haue at this present but the same altered and chaunged made of mortall immortall of corruptible incorruptible of vile and contemptible glorious And therefore I doe waite for the comming of my sauiour Iesus Christ the which through his power will change my vile body which was but a cast-away to make it like vnto his owne glorious bodie according to the power whereby he is able to subiect all things to him selfe I beleeue eternall life which is the third and last fruite of my faith The xcvii Article I beleeue that I shal rise as I haue said with all the faithful and elect not to die any more as did they that miraculously were raysed vp from death as well by Christ the Prophets the Apostles and such other but vnto a life that is immortall euerlasting shall endure for euer to raygne eternally with God both in body soule And thereof I am sure and doubt nothing at all knowing that whosoeuer doubteth of his saluation by Christ the same shall not bee saued Wherefore as I am sure and certaine that Christ is dead and risen againe for me and therein do not doubt euen so am I sure and certaine of my saluation wrought by him and that without fayle I shall be saued and by him shall enter into eternall life The xcviii Article I beleeue that then I shal see him face to face whome now I see as thorow the glasse of faith and then shall knowe him perfitly whome now I know but in part who after that he hath destroyed and confounded al his aduersaries and hath made them his footestoole shall make all thinges newe for the glory of those that are his Thē shal he be an whole God in all and ouer al things Then shal none teach his brother saying Knowe the Lord for then all shall knowe him from the greatest vnto the least The xcix Article I beleeue also that as the spirites of the infidels wicked and reprobate after they are departed from their bodies incontinently do goe to hell vnto euerlasting fire their bodies neuerthelesse abiding in the earth corrupting and rotting euen so likewise the soules and spirites of the faithfull and chosen children of God incontinently after they doe depart from their bodies without any tarying are on high in heauen to be in glory with the Lord and there do stil wayte with an earnest desire for the comming and whole redemption of their bodies the which they haue left rotting and corrupting in the earth the which thing they shall obtayne at the last daye and not before Wherefore I refuse the fonde opinion of the Sleepers which affirme that the spirits of the saintes are not yet in heauen but do sleepe in a certaine place vnknowen to vs vntill they shal receiue their bodies at the last day At which day the mysticall body of Christ wholly perfectly and fully must enter into eternall glory The C. Article I beleeue for a conclusion that as the Saintes and the blessed when the iudgement is ended shall goe with Christ triumphantly through the aire in body and soule to dwell euerlastingly in glory with him his Angels euen so the wretched wicked and miserable damned shal go to hell in bodie and soule with the deuil and his angels eternally to dwel and to be tormented with him in the fire of hell which neuer shall be quenched whereas shall be continuall weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth stung to the quicke with the worme that neuer shall dye From the which the Lorde God of his great mercie and grace vouchsafe to preserue and keepe vs. Amen FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London by Christopher Barker Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie Anno 1581. Actes 16. 1. Tim. 2. Potentia Dei Sapientia Dei Bonitas Dei God is knowen three wayes Psal 45. 7. Luk 9. 35. Christs priest hoode Psal 110. 5. Heb. 9. 14. Matth. 16. Luke 19. Psal 22. 1. Matt. 27. 46. Iohn 8. 56. Actes 4. 12. Col. 2. 14. Actes 27. 37. Matth. 28. 6. Gen. 4. 14. Exod. 8.8 and 9. 28. Gen. 27.38 2. Cor. 25. Luke 1. 75. Luke 24. What it is to sit at Gods right hand Iohn 1. 18. and 4. 24. Esaie 11. 1 Pet. 2. 9. Esa 1. Luke 17.
14. Where we may note that the resurrection is sayde to be a recompence and a rewarde for the iust And surely so it is for otherwise the Lord might seeme to be vniust which many times doeth not here reward the Godly as he hath promised nor punish the vniust as he hath threatned them And if we trust in Christ only in this life we are sayth Paul of all men most miserable We hope therefore for another life and this is in the resurrection this is our ioy comfort I see then no cause why mē should be so sory to dye and depart frō this world seeing a better world is kept in store for thē I come to the newe Testament In the 6 of Iohn our Sauiour hath a notable place to confirme this matter vnto vs. Our Sauiour in that place speaketh of both the resurrections the one from sinne in this life in the 25. verse that the dead should heare his voyce that is they that were in minde and fayth dead should nowe heare his Gospel and be renewed vnto repentance and so liue a newe life This seemed a strange doctrine to the Iewes and they wondered all at it Our Sauiour then goeth farther with them telleth them of more strange things then these saying Maruell not at this for the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life and they that haue done ill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Martha a woman was wel perswaded of this article for she did beleeue that her brother Lazarus shoulde be raysed vp at the last day Iohn 11. Againe if all nations shall bee gathered together before Christ then all shall rise that they may bee iudged otherwise he can not be sayde to be the iudge of quicke and dead Neyther doth the remayning of some aliue till the latter day hinder this position but that all shall rise For they that dyd neuer die shall bee raysed vp with newe bodies which change shall be as the rysing from the dead for hauing weake and corruptible bodies they shal be glorified and made heauenly bodies If we consider the power of God whereby he is able to do all things euen what he list and greater thinges then wee can imagine then this will not seeme hard or absurde vnto vs. We doe beleeue and confesse that he is almightie in the first article and therfore we must needes confesse that hee can doe it as easily as he raysed vp the bodie of Christ wherein he hath giuen the assurance of the whole Church And he that made al things of nothing at the first by his onely worde is able also nowe to bring to passe that of dust and earth shall bodies be raysed vp againe Saint Paul coulde not bee brought from this perswasion by any meanes eyther by feare or displeasure of the Sadduces or of Agrippa or Festus but he protested that he had hope towarde God that the resurrection of the dead which dyd seeme an incredible thing vnto thē Act. 26. shoulde bee both of iust and vniust Act. 24. The hope of this resurrectiō made Saint Paul as it shoulde doe vs to do his duetie roundly for herein saieth he I endeuour my selfe to haue alwayes a cleare conscience towarde God and toward men For verely for this cause doe many men make shipwracke of fayth and conscience in their actions and affayres of this life because they haue quite forgottē this day of the resurrection wherein an account must be giuen not onely of wicked deedes and blasphemous wordes but of euery idle worde spoken as our Sauiour sayeth Matth. 12. If wee woulde consider this howe wee must all stande naked before the hie tribunall seate of Christ Iesus it woulde surely make vs to tremble to quake euery veine and ioynt in vs when we thinke vpon it The day shal be fearefull and terrible I hope there is no man among vs that doubteth of the certaintie of this day although the day and houre it selfe be knowen to no man And this is to make vs alwayes to be in a readinesse for it For it shal come vpon a sudden 1. Thes 5. I should be long and ouer tedious and not seeme to write a Lecture to exhort teach but rather a treatise to conuince the aduersarie and wicked if I shoulde recken vp all the places that here myght be brought for the confirmation of this doctrine Let these therefore for this time suffice and if the diligent reader be disposed to see moe let him reade the 15. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians there he shall haue a goodly discourse handling of this whole matter of set purpose Paul prouing the resurrection by many reasons both diuine and humane and shewing moreouer with what qualities conditions and properties the bodies of the faythfull shall be raysed vp where he also answereth the obiections that may bee made to the contrary I conclude this part with the wordes of Saint Paul to the Philippians the thirde Chapter Let our conuersation be in heauen frō whence we looke for the sauiour euē the Lord Iesus Christ who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to the working whereby he is able euē to subdue al things vnto him selfe In these words he sheweth that Gods power is able to doe this and although our bodies bee vile they shall bee made fayre againe trees seeme to be dead and rotten in the winter which in the spring time come forth most florishingly with their fruite in due season so it is in the resurrection This made the fathers so carefully to burie the dead with their balmes odours knowing they should appeare againe Last of all I referre you to the 2. Pet. 7. Chap. Reue. 20. where this resurrection is most liuely as in a table before your eyes described It followeth in the second place to see to what ende this great resurrection shall be We haue seene the efficient and chiefe caus of this resurrection to be the power of God mightily woorking in him selfe The fourme of it is the ioyning and vniting together of the body soule for euer and the matter wherein this doeth stande is the soule and body of man which must bee repayred againe being once corrupted by sinne in our first grandfather Adam and also in vs his children springing of the same corrupt roote with him The finall cause why this resurrection shall bee is of two sortes the one is in the respect of the good and godly men who haue liued here in the feare of the Lord to his honour and glorie in these he will shewe his exceeding great mercie in making them vessels of honour to serue him whome he will rewarde with euerlasting life which yet notwithstanding they haue not of duetie deserued as the Papists say but in mercie doeth the Lorde bestowe it
vpon them The other cause is in respect of the wicked and reprobate vpon whom the Lorde will shewe his perfite iustice against sinne and wickednes cōmitted of thē without repentance These will hee make vessels of his wrath which shal burne in thē with an vnquenchable fire without ende and mercie who because here they haue not bene throughly punished or sometimes not at all therefore the full measure of their punishment is reserued til that great day then to be powred out vpon them in fire and brimstone in that burning lake continually which neuer shall haue ende For these causes is this resurrectiō whereof wee speake ordayned To speake of the end for the godly first so it is that the Lord hath promised in mercie to reward all his faythfull seruants which commeth not manie times to passe in this life therefore there remaineth a life to come to be shewed in the resurrection of the flesh And if all godlinesse bee sure to bee recompensed with a promise of a good turne in the life to come as Paul declareth to Timothie the first Epistle and fourth Chapter Then out of all doubt very expedient and necessarie it is that there shoulde be a resurrection If any man say The soules of the faythfull are rewarded as soone as they depart from the bodie with this promise of life and therefore they seeme not to lacke a rewarde although there be no resurrection and so God is true of his promise I answere that as the bodyes of the faythfull while they liued well here haue bene temples of the holie Ghost to serue the Lord withall and as not onely in soule but also in body through diuers tentations and persecutions they haue bene afflicted for Christ and haue still bene vnder the crosse so surely they also with the soule shall be glorified and rewarded according to the things that they haue done And to this agree the wordes of the holy Apostle We must all sayeth he appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receyue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or euill 2. Corin. 5. Here he nameth expresly the body otherwise the rewarde were vnperfite if in one part onely it were bestowed The Lord will not suffer the giuing of a cuppe of colde water to his saints to goe vnrewarded much more therefore will he rewarde those that haue giuen their bodies to be consumed in the flames of fire for his cause and the Gospel so that if any lose his life for his sake in this worlde he shall finde it in the worlde to come with an hundred fold more with all happinesse and ioy restored vnto him If we looke vpon all the saints that haue bene from time to time we shall see that they had no felicitie nor happinesse in this life The Epistle to the Hebrewes speaking of the excellent fayth of the olde Patriarkes and ancient fathers sheweth vs what was their estate in this life for their good woorkes and deedes Some were racked and woulde not bee deliuered others were tryed by mockings and scourginges by bandes and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen asunder they were tempted they were slayne with the sworde they wandered vp downe in goates skinnes and sheepes skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented wandring in wildernesses and mountaynes and dennes and caues of the earth If we aske the end why they suffered and endured such things of the wicked the same Apostle doeth make vs answere This they did that they might receiue a better resurrection And surely they had bene fooles to endure such tormēts of body if the body and soule had perished in their death and graue as doe the bodies of bruite beastes without any hope of the resurrection Consider ye the Apostles how they were rewarded here for their preaching and godly life did they not all for the most part in the ende suffer death and martyredome for their labour howe was Paul rewarded of the Lorde in this life did hee not whippe and scourge him when hee receiued him for his sonne yes truely And he confesseth what his whole life was after his conuersion nothing but a sea of troubles miseries fightings without and terrours within hunger and thirst colde nakednesse bandes and pouertie were the rewardes that the Lorde gaue him here insomuch that hee might seeme to be in worse case after his conuersion to Christ then before if hee had iudged of his afflictions by a worldly and carnal eye and not according to faith as did carnall Demas and therefore because hee felt miseries in this life in Christianitie reuolted from Paul and embraced this present euill worlde 2. Timothie 4. These things made Paul to say that vnlesse there were a resurrection his state had bene most miserable of al others for what saith hee aduantageth it me to suffer these things if the dead rise not agayne then let vs eate and drinke and liue in pleasure So we see the hope of the resurrection stayed him from running into condemnation with the wicked he confessed els where that his crown was not here in this life but was layde vp for him And al these vexations of the bodies of soules of mindes and consciences of men is to teach them that no blessednesse is to bee hoped for in this our vale of miserie but we looke for a citie to come whose builder and maker is God seeing wee haue none here that is permanent Our sauiour when he comforted his disciples agaynst persecutions to come when as they shoulde bee mocked reuiled taunted yea and killed for his sake willed them in that day to be glad and to reioyce for their rewarde was great in heauen Hee said not in earth that their mindes might be with drawen frō this life to the euerlasting rest out of this world And this can not be but in the resurrection of our bodies They that will haue their reward in this life in short transitorie pleasures of sinne for a season feasting sporting them selues in their wantonnes vngodly delites are impatiēt to looke wait for the heauenly promise of ioyes that shal haue no ende are like vnto the rich man both proude and gluttonous that fared deliciously euery day and went in purple and silke not regarding the poore estate of Lazarus and therefore nowe in hel receiueth paine punishment endles which in his life time receiued pleasure cōfort But they that with paciēce quiet minds can take al things in good worth whether it be sicknes or pouertie or shame ignominie which the Lord here sendeth to thē in this life for a trial of their faith can looke vp vnto y◠celestial life to come tarying the Lords leasure these men are like to poore Lazarus which in deed in his life time receiued paine but is now comforted beyond all mās expectation with an euerlasting comfort Luke 16. Dauid pronounceth thē blessed that