infallible for besides that we beleeue nothing heere but what hath bin in all Ages receiued except it bee in that point of Christ descending into Hell so all those Articles are grounded vpon expresse Scripture except before excepted that there can bee no doubt of the truth of them if we will beleeue the Scripture and therefore we should with the more willingnesse attend to these Doctrines seeing they are not in the number of those truthes that seeme to bee opposed not onely by the iudgements of learned men but by the Word of God the meaning of Gods Word appearing not so clearely to vs in those things 6. From the sufficiencie of the Doctrine of the Creed It containes all things necessary to be belieued to saluation All things I say necessary for babes in the proposition and for strong men in the exposition 7. From the necessitie of knowing and beleeuing these things these Articles must be beleeued or we cannot be saued Yea all these Articles must be beleeued of necessity to faile in any is desperately dangerous 8. From the Permanencie of these truthes Heere is that said that will abide in a Christian and is indelible 9. From the consideration of the condition of many hearers some are but new beginners and others though for the time they might haue bin teachers yet neede to bee taught these principles Yea neede to be taught them againe being such as those Heb. 5. 12 13. It is in these things also that the better sort of hearers complaine of their ignorance 10. We were tyed in our Baptisme vnto the doctrine contained in this Creed and so we stand bound before God and the Angels to learne it and keepe it as a great Treasure 11. From the consideration of the manner of propounding these Articles they are set dnwne in the Creed plainely and so they cleare our iudgements and withall briefely so as wee neede not feare our memories it is short in words but great in mysteries 12. Lastly because of the singular vse may be made of these doctrines there is great vse of the whole and great vse of euery part of it other Sciences for the most part add nothing to vs but to our knowledge onely or little to our practise especially so as to aduance our happines now there are many commodities arise from the knowledge keeping of these truthes as 1. Contemplatiue delight Men are delighted with the smell of flowers and the sight of colours how much more may and ought our mindes to be delighted in the obseruation meditation of such glorious truthes as these for these Articles doe exhibit to the beleeuing soule the glory of God to be veiwed in the things of greatest excellencie euen the choisest things wherein God hath made knowne the wonder of his goodnes vnto man And therefore these things are good for meditation all the daies of our liues if we had once but the skill to open the glories are heere contained Many Christians are much distressed about meditation They complaine they cannot tell what to thinke of profitablie In the Creed is cōtained the abridgement of these shining doctrines vpon which we may and ought alwaies to look wonder 2. The restoring of the Image of God in our mindes for by bringing in these knowledges wee set vp againe the frame of the Image of God in our mindes which lieth vtterly defaced in vs till the light of these doctrines begin to shine in our vnderstanding wee are purblinde yea wee are starke blinde so long as we are ignorant in these groundes 3. The nourishment of the whole soule The soule of man takes not foode further then it layes hold vpon these and such like truthes and when these are thought on and applied soundly al things in the soule wil thriue and prosper and the more is this to bee regarded because in these Articles is contained foode for all sorts of Christians for heere is milke for little ones in the proposition of these Articles and meate for strong men in the exposition of these all wholsome foode 4. The Creed containes the substance of those Articles of agreement made betweene God and vs so as we may easily and daily thence take notice of the maine points that are treated of betweene God and vs The condition of the couenant on our parte concerning either faith or practice all that is required of vs in effect in respect of faith is heere set downe 5. By the dexterous vse of these doctrines we may try all Religions in the world for heere is the roote of faith the touchstone to try things that are to bee belieued the square by which they are to be measured 't is that little Iudge in matters of quarrell about Religion for whatsoeuer doctrine is contrary to the Analogie of faith in these things may bee safely reiected and must be 6. It is the very Charecter of the Church and serues to distinguish vs from all other professions of men in the world as first from meere naturalists that beleeue no more cōcerning God religion then they can see by the light of nature as it is now corrupted and so it distinguisheth vs from the Philosophers and therfore much more from the common sort of Gentiles that entertained opinions monstrous and against the very light of Nature secondly from the Turkes who though they receiue some truthes from the light of Scripture yet reiecting most of these fundamental truthes entertaining a multitude of blasphemies of their owne against the Christian faith are worthily condemned as men without the pale of the Church thirdly from the Iewes because they denie all the Articles concerning Christ fourthly from all sorts of Heretickes that haue erred from this faith in some of the Articles concerning Christ such as are the Arrians and Papists at this day fifthly from such as haue but a wandering opinion concerning God in any of these Articles so as they onely know them by coniecture or hearesay and haue not entertained them with distinct assurance into their hearts and such are multitudes of people of all sorts euen in the Visible Church To conclude euery word almost of the Creed doth pierce the sides of some or other hereticall or blasphemous men As we beleeue one God against the Gentiles the Father Sonne and holy Ghost against the Antitrinitans Creator of Heauen and Earth against Carpocrates Cerinthus and the Ebionits we beleeue that Christ is the Lord against Valentinus who acknowledged him to bee a Sauiour not a Lord and that he is our Lord against those in Origens time that said hee was the Lord of God and that hee is the onely begotten Son against the Arrians conceiued by the holy Ghost against Apollinaris Valentinus and Eutiches that he was dead against Basilides rose againe against Cerinthus and sitteth at the right hand of God against Praxeus and we beleeue one Catholique Church
things of knowledge may be attained by the force of mans owne wit and industry faith is grounded vpon the truth and power of God besides and aboue the strength of nature and the iudgement of the whole world Knowledge is grounded vpon naturall causes and principles to omit other differences Sixtly nor must that perswasion which ariseth from experience and the fulfilling of things be taken for true faith because faith laies hold vpon things before the euent also Heb. 11. 1. Nor lastly is faith and hope all one for faith sees Christ exhibited and present in the Word and Sacrament Hope lookes for him to be reuealed from Heauen Faith beleeues what God hath promised and Hope waites for performance faith is assured of eternall life and Hope expects it to be reuealed Faith is the foundation of Hope and Hope is the nurse of faith Thus he must cast out things that are onely like vnto faith but are not faith 3. When he hath thus cast out the contraries of faith and findes himselfe free from them and withall hath prouided that he is not deceiued with the things that haue a likenesse vnto faith and are not he must then in the third place looke to it that he take not a wrong faith for the right faith for there be many kindes of faith and one onely that is the faith that will iustifie vs before God and so the right faith is not 1. That politicall faith which is a vertue imployed about humane contracts and societies to beleeue aright is more then to bee faithfull in promises or to bee trustie in imployments or to bee iust in our dealings or to keepe our words to men 2. Among the faithes that are found onely in the Church it is not the Symbolicall faith that hath nothing in it but an outward auouching or professing of the true Religion 3. Nor is it contained in that faith called Historicall which hath nothing but the vnderstanding and assent vnto the word that it is true but wants application and life 4. Nor is it that temporary faith of which was intreated before but is such a beliefe as containes in it all the six things before mentioned 5. Nor is it that faith they call a Morall faith by which a man beleeues out of charity that other men are Gods Elect and true Christians Lastly when he hath freed his heart from the mistakings may arise from any of the former hee must then trie himselfe by the direct signes of a compleate and effectuall faith and these things which essentially belong to the true beleeuer and so a man may haue comfort that hee is a true beleeuer 1. If he can shew the warrant of his faith from the Testimonie of Gods Word in the Scriptures A man may then comfort himselfe that he is not deceiued in his faith when hee is able to proue these doctrines of faith by the euidence of Gods Word Acts 17. 10. 11. 2. If hee beleeue these Truthes also with Application to himselfe 3. If hee finde his heart so established that hee can resolue to suffer for his faith and can abide the Tryall of reproaches losses or any Persecution from the world and this hee can indure simply for the loue of God and the truth and not for carnall or corrupt ends Phil. 1. 2â— 4. If he finde in his heart and life the liuely fruites and effects of faith such as are 1. Solid and true ioy and comfort The true beleeuer carrieth his heauen about him when hee carrieth his Creed in his heart These doctrines are as a daily spring of reioycing vpon all occasions and these ioyes are glorious and vnspeakeable 1 Pet. 1. â— Phil. 1. 25. It is otherwise with the hypocrite and vnbeleeuer for he through vnbeliefe carrieth his hell about him And for want of this Sun-shine of comfort is daily and secretly afrighted and disquieted in himselfe Yea these very doctrines of faith many times torment his soule 2. A combat with the vnregenerate parte If these doctrines be rightly beleeued a man shall finde in himselfe that these truthes doe resist and fight against the corruptions of our owne nature euen the most secret euills of our hearts and will not rest till they haue mastered the flesh wiâ—h the lusts thereof or else they cause vnspeakeable sighes and groanes and sorrow after God for the presence and power of rebellious corruptions The true faith will by no meanes brook the polluted and euill disposition of the heart Acts 15. 9. 3. The liberty of the heart from that banishment and imprisonment in which it liued before without God so as now by the light and incouragement of these truthes the heart discernes Gods free grace in calling vs to his presence and is well perswaded of God and therefore daily with an holy boldnesse goeth vnto God in the vse of his ordinances by the direction and assistance of his spirit Ephes 3. 12. Rom. 5. 2. 8. 38. 2. Cor. 3. 4. Gal. 4. 6. 4. The life of the soule for true faith is the eye hand mouth tongue teeth stomack and heate of the soule by which Christ is receiued and digested and that daily by which food the soule liues for euer Romanes 1. 17. Hebrewes 10. 37. 5. Victorie ouer the world and worldly Relations and respects for he that truely belieues these things knowes no man after the flesh and can deny himselfe in his profits pleasures credit hopes or the like It ouercommeth both the trust in these things and the lusts after them and the temptations that arise from them 1. Ioh. 5. 4 6. Peace of conscience The right knowledge and beliefe of these doctrines breeds such an inward tranquility as passeth all vnderstanding of all men that haue not this beliefe Rom. 5. â— 7. Good workes euen all sorts of faire fruites Euen the fruites of loue towards God in the duties of Piety to God and loue towards men in the duties of Mercy and Righteousnesse This beliefe is the roote the workes of loue are the fruites of it And these workes it sets a man about with a desire and resolution to obey God in all things and that though it bee opposed by diuells or men Gal. 5. 6. The light of this faith giues a daily heate vnto Charity Iam. 3. 17. 8. Hope and expectation of the singular glory of God in the treasures of a better life Which hope hath such a power in the heart that the beleeuer is not ashamed of any thing can befall him for the profession of his faith Gal. 5. 5. Rom. 5. 3. Heb. 11. 13. 25 26 35. 36 37. 9. Confession of the glory of Gods Mercy and Power The beliefe of these things makes the dumbe man speake in the celebration of Gods praises The mercie of God is neuer seene nor magnified with any life till faith come into the heart because we haue belieued therefore we speake 2. Cor. 4. 13. 10. Contentation in all estates Phil.
with flesh vnto a iust proportion So is it in the soule for first there is wrought a small degree of sauing knowledge and spirituall desire after God in Christ and then flowes from thence the veines and sinewes that take hold of the promises of grace and lastly by degrees as our knowledge and experience increaseth the whole body of Faith growes after a compleate manner formed in vs when our hearts are filled with increase of sound and solid knowledges but because this point toucheth the spirituall free-hold of many godly Christians I would therefore beate it out more distinctly And so foure things are to be considered 1. How it may be knowne that Faith is weake 2. How weake Faith may be knowne to be a right Faith 3. How the beleeuer may be comforted that findes hee hath but a weake Faith 4. Admonition to him that is weake in the Faith not to rest in that condition for diuers reasons For the first a weake Faith is easily discerned by these signes and the like to them 1. By daily doubts of Gods fauour and feares least their estate be not right 2. By ignorance not onely in many ordinary truthes but in many of the promises of the Gospel Matthew 8. 26. 16. 8. 3. By the hastie and violent vnquietnesse of the heart in aduersitie euen in the daily and lesser crosses of life and by those sudden feares in time of danger notwithstanding Gods promise and the experience of Gods assistance and deliuerance and by the vnrest of the heart if there be not present helpe Iames 1. 5. 6. Mat. 14. 30. 31. Luke 18. 8. 4. By the daily cares of life about foode and rayment Mat. 6. 31. 5. Aptnesse to stagger and be carried about with the winde of contrary doctrine Ephes 4. 13. 6. Feare of death For the second a weake Faith may be discerned to be a true Faith by these signes 1. By the constant and earnest desire of Gods fauour in Christ Psal 10. 17. Mat. 5. 6. Reuel 21. 6. 2. By their griefe for their vnbeliefe and frequent complaint of it Marke 9. 24. 3. By their constant desire after the sincere milke of the Word 1. Pet. 2. 2. 4. By their feare to offend God in the least euill they know to be a sinne For the third the beleeuer may be comforted many waies though his Faith be but weake for 1. Christ hath promised that he will not breake the bâ—uised reede nor quench the smoaking flaxe Mat. 12. 20. 2. Weake Faith doth apply the mercy of God and the benefits of Christs death aswell as a strong Faith as a weake or paraliticke hand will receiue a gift aswell as a sound and sted die hand he that hath a weake sight though he see not so well as he that hath a persect sight yet he sees so much of the light of the Sunne as may serue his turne to walke safely Though an Infant cannot eate so much as a strong man yet he eates so much as preserues life and makes him grow 3. God hath receiued him that is weake in Faith Rom. 14. 13 4. The power of God is manifested in their weakenesse 2. Cor. 12. 9. Lastly the weake in Faith must be admonished to looke to their Faith and to labour for growth Though God accepts their weake Faith in the beginning of their conuersion yet he likes not the neglecting of Faith and continuing in ignorance and vnbeliefe Heb. 5. 12. Besides so long as they continue in weakenesse of Faith they keepe themselues without many and singular comforts Though weake Faith bee sufficient to Saluation yet it is not sufficient to consolation Hitherto of the Nature of Faith The ground of Faith were worthy to be considered for it is not inough to know that we must beleeue or what things are to be beleeued but vpon what ground or warrant wee doe beleeue it And so heere I might consider of the Word of God as the ground of Faith or originall of Faith for he that will euer prosper in beleeuing these Articles must be resolued of these things 1. That the things he beleeueth are warranted to him by the testimonie of God himselfe for no humane testimony of particular men or of the whole Church can be the ground of a mans Faith 2. That the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles are the very word of himselfe and so infallible 3. That the writings of the Prophets and Apostles are euery way perfect and doe containe all things necessary to be beleeued in the matter of his Religion 4. That he can see how each Article of his Faith is grounded vpon the Word of God 5. That he will cleaue vnto this Word of God all the daies of his life as the principall meanes of his direction and comfort and of his further increase in Faith and knowledge for his knowledge and Faith comes in but by degrees and in part and the truth is opposed by his owne reason corrupted and by the suggestions of the diuell and by almost infinite varieties of opinions against all which he resolues to cleaue to the Word of God as his perpetuall warrant But because this principle concerning the Word of God is not expressed in the Creed I will therefore forbeare the proofe and explication and illustration of these things which concerne the Word of God And I conceiue that this Head of the Word of God was left out in the Creed in the first Age of the Church for two reasons The one was because as then it was not questioned so much as the rest of the Articles But the other Reason is the most important and that is that these doctrines of the Creed though they be principles yet are of another sort then these doctrines that concerne the Original perfection or authority of the Scriptures for these principles are conclusions framed out of those principles concerning the Word and so containe a frame of doctrins which are built vpon the granting of the former or thus they are distinguished from them These are parts of Theologie whereas the Word of God is not a part but principiuÌ„ cognoscendi the foundation of Theologie The doctrines concerning the Scriptures are not properly Articles of Faith but grounds or the foundation of Faith Not things to bee beleeued so much as things by which we beleeue I Beleeue in God Psal 11. 1. HItherto of our duty in the first word I beleeue The doctrine to be beleeued followes and it concernes either God or the Church The doctrine that concernes God lookes vpon him either as Father or Sonne or holy Ghost In the first Person of the Trinity Faith sees and wonders at his Nature his Relation his Power and his Workes His Nature in the Word God his Relation in the word Father his Power in the word Almighty and his Workes in the words Creator of heauen and earth The first thing we are to studie to know and beleeue is God This is the first doctrine of the Creed
22. 15. 20. All ciuill honest men that rest only in being free from outward grosse crimes these shall come to iudgement for their want of the power of Religion Matth. 5. 19. and for all their idle words Matth. 12. and for all their euill thoughts for God will trie the heart and reines Lastly all the godly must come to iudgement too but not to the iudgement of condemnation as was shewed before wee must all appeare wee as well as other men 2 Cor. 5. 10. This point should greatly terrifie all impenitent sinners seeing no man can escape the iudgement of God multitude will not helpe them nor can there be any help from worldly meanes God hath his booke in which are written the names of all to whom he gaue life and therefore none shall be forgotten and therefore this should be a warning to inforce euery man to repent in time lest God surprize him at vnawares and carry him away in an houre he thinks not of and then as Death leaues him Iudgement will finde him And besides this very point should greatly stirre vp the desire of all that loue the appearing of Christ to wait for and long for this great Assise Men generally long to be at such Assises where many persons are to be tried and where they shall haue great causes examined and iudged especially if there be any great man to be arraigned How them should we desire that day when all men shall be iudged and the causes of so many great men of the earth shall then be openly heard c. Thus of the Sixth point The Seuenth Question concernes the signes of the comming of Christ and these are of two sorts for they are either signes that goe before and prognosticate and foretell of his comming or else are such as are ioyned with the instant of his comming Before I reckon the Signes that goe before I must giue the Reader warning of certaine euents that are by some Diuines reckoned for signes which I take vnder correction of the better learned to bee no signes at all of the last Iudgment it is easie for vs when wee take things vpon trust somtimes to mistake As first some make the preaching of the Gospell to all Nations to be a signe and such a one as is yet to be performed whereas it is cleare by that of the Apostle Col. 1. 6. that that promise was accomplished in the Apostles daies For all Nations in that text Matth. 24. 14. stand opposed to the countrey of the Iewes that whereas in former times and then the Gospell was onely preached to Iewes the time should come and that shortly that it should be preached all the world ouer that is in many other Countryes There is no necessity to vnderstand it so that euery particular Nation in the world should haue the Gospell preached to them or if it were it must not be meant of any one time but successiuely at one time or other Againe some make the security of the world which our Sauiour likens to the security of the old world Matth. 24. to be a signe whereas that is spoken of by way of complaint of the carelesnesse of men that would not awaken no not when his comming was neer at hand for otherwaies the world is alwaies secure and wicked men are alwaies so minded and therefore it cannot bee a signe that hath no distinction in it Againe some make that a signe that when Christ comes he shall not finde faith vpon earth Luk. 18. which place is not meant of his second comming but of his comming to auenge the quarrell of his Elect that suffer in all ages And the want of faith he complaines of is not to be vnderstood simply but in that respect which hee intends in the Parable before and so his meaning is that thâ—â—e are few of the very elect themselues that haue so much faith as to persist in praier to resolue to ouercome God by importunity and not to be discouraged though God seeme not to heare their praiers and put off a great while before he deliuer them Againe some make the persecutions mentioned Mat. 24. 9. and the warres and other plagues mentioned vers 6. and the decay of loue in many vers 12. and the rising of false Prophets and false Christs vers 24. to bee all seuerall signes whereas these were accomplished before or about the time of the finall destruction of Ierusalem as is plaine in the text for hee speakes not of the signes of his comming till the 29 vers and besides it is said they shall be accomplished before that generation passe vers 34. The signes which do properly prognosticate and giue warning to the world of the comming of Christ are so described in Scripture as they serue successiuely one after another to giue warning in euery age of the Church and therefore the signes began to discouer themselues in the very age of the Apostles and so downwards and will so be ordered as euery age yet to come shall haue their speciall warnings to prouide for that day and so I take the proper signes to be in number eight The first is the signes of certaine Antichrists that is speciall false and hereticall teachers professing the Christian religion which should teach doctrine that depriued the soules of men of the benefit of redemption by Christ and these Antichrists were but fore-runners of the great Antichrist This Saint Iohn makes a signe and this signe was accomplished or began to be so while yet S. Iohn was aliue 1 Ioh. 2. 18. The second signe is giuen by S. Paul 2 Thes 2. 3 4. and that is a generall Apostasie of men in the visible Church from the soundnesse of religion and this was accomplished vnder Arrius and the many ages of the Papacy The third signe is the reuealing and discouering of Antichrist and the making of it knowne who was that great Antichrist 2 Thes 2. 4. and this was done by Gods two witnesses that is by a few choise Instruments that God raised vp in the very times of this Apostasie to preach and teach that the Pope was Antichrist and this was done in seuerall ages of that Apostasie The fourth signe is the preaching againe of the euerlasting Gospel and the publike profession of reformed religion Rev. 14. 6. 7. and 15. 1 2 3. and this began in the age next before vs that now liue in the ministery of Luther Zwinglius and diuers other The fift signe is the fall of Babylon not onely in respect of the consumption of the body of it which hath been a doing by the word of Gods seruants now this 100. yeares but also in respect of the destruction of the seat of that Whore of Babylon the Pope and the dissoluing of his visible gouernment 2 Thes 2. Rev. 18. and 14. 8. This in the latter part of it is yet to come and will bee accomplished at a time appointed in the day that is called The day of the great Battell
THE RVLE OF FAITH OR AN EXPOSITION OF the Apostles CREED so handled as it affordeth both Milke for Babes and strong meat for such as are at full age By that worthy seruant of Gods Church Master NICHOLAS BIFIELD late Minister of Gods Word at ISLEVVORTH and by him in his life time fully perfected and transcribed so much as is now published for the benefit of Gods Church by his Sonne ADONIRAM BIFIELD 1 PET. 2. 2. As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the Word that ye may grow thereby LONDON Printed by G.M. for Philemon Stephens and Christopher Meredith and are to be sold at their shop at the golden Lion in Pauls Church-yard 1626. TO THE RIGHT VVORSHIPFVLL AND Religious Knight Sir THOMAS POSTHVMVS HOBY and to the honourable and vertuous Lady the Lady MARGARET his wife A. B. wisheth the increase of grace heere and the fruition of glory hereafter RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL THere are many waies to attaine to seeming honour heere vpon earth there is no way to attaine to true honour besides this of Piety and Vertue Godlinesse brings the best gaine the greatest honour vnto a Christian others may be more rich none are more honorable then they others may bee more esteemed of by the men of the world none haue more honour both with God and good men then they as Salomon saith The wise shall inherit glory but fooles dishonor though they be exalted this is the inheritance of the godly who is the onely Wise man So that I may now say with our Sauiour your Worships haue both chosen the better part which shall neuer be taken from you I hauing euer obserued it to haue been your greatest ambitions to be true Christians which alone makes you more excellent then your neighbours neither haue you made choise of Religion as many Hypocrites and Time-seruers doe making it a stalking horse a footstoole to the seat of preferment making choice of Religion for nothing else but onely for the aduancing of themselues and compassing of their owne priuate ends no your end and aime hath euer beene in all your seruices and imployments both to aduance the glory of God as also to further the peace and welfare of this Church and Common-Wealth wherin we liue and whereof God hath made your Worship a worthy member This indouldens me humbly to present this ensuing Treatise vnto you both which may be called the Rule of Faith the Symbole or Badge whereby a true Christian may be distinguished and knowne from all Iewes Turkes Atheists Papists Hereticks counterfeting Temporizers and false Professors the Doctrine of the Creed containing in it the substance of Christian Religion Taught by the Apostles Imbraced by the ancient Fathers and Sealed by the bloud of the Martyrs The exposition of which Creed so far as it was perfected by the Author I heere present vnto you both desiring that it may shelter it selfe vnder your protection many reasons inforcing me thereto first that honour and Singular Loue which you both haue shewed vnto those that Labour in the Word and Doctrine as you are patternes of Piety so are you Patrons of pious and godly men and of their labours secondly that loue and respect which you were pleased in particular to expresse vnto the Author of this Treatise my deare Father now with God which since his death you haue been pleased to continue both vnto the fruit of his Braine as also to the fruit of his body this imboldens me to commit this Posthumus to your protection thirdly that good esteeme which you haue euer had of this work manifested both when you were pleased to bee diligent hearers of it when it was preached so long as you were both resident in those parts as also by your earnest desire of the publishing of it for the benefit of Gods Church and I doubt not but that you will now fauorably receiue that which formerly you haue so highly esteemed so much desired lastly that speciall duty which I my selfe owe vnto you both for your extraordinary Loue and by me vndeserued fauours which you haue beene both pleased to shew vnto me since it pleased God to depriue me of the benefit of such a Father this my duty bindeth me with all humility and thankfulnesse to acknowledge them therefore doe I willingly take this oportunity humbly to present this ensuing Treatise vnto you both not doubting but that you will receiue it into your Patronage so that whilst you beleeue and countenance and defend the Truth The Truth shall make you free These things do and the God of Truth and Peace shall be with you now the God of all grace make you perfect confirme strengthen and establish you and blesse you with all spiritual blessings in heauenly things through Christ with temporal blessings here and with eternal blessings in his Kingdome Such shall be the dayly Prayers of Your Worships humbly deuoted ADONIRAM BIFIELD To the Christian Reader CHristian Reader it was the Authors purpose if God had spared him life so long to haue finished this Exposition vpon the Creed but man purposeth and God disposeth It pleased God to â—aish his course before he had finished this work yet God in his diuine prouidence hath so disposed of it as that you may finde the substance of those Articles which are not here perfected to be handled in some of his other labours vnto which briefly I referre you For the ninth Article concerning the holy Catholike Church the Communion of Saints I referre you to his Treatise called The Principles or the patterne of wholsome words Chap. 23. And whereas The Communion of Saints consists of two parts First The communion of the members with the head Secondly The communion of the members among themselues for the former read his Exposition vpon the Colossians Chap. 1. vers 18. pag. 121 122 123. for the latter reade his Exposition vpon the third of Peter ver 7. pag. 169. for this title Saints read his Exposition vpon the Colossians Chap. 1. ver 1. pag. 7 8 9. If you would be directed how to carry your selues in this communion amongst the Saints and towards the godly read his little Treatise called The Rules of a holy life Chap. 25. For the tenth Article The forgiuenesse of sinnes I referre you to his Booke of the Principles Chap. 24. as also to his Exposition vpon the Colossians Chap. 1. vers 14. pag. 108 109. Would you know what course to take to bee deliuered from your sins then I refer you to his little Treatise called The Doctrine of the beginning of Christ or The Catalogue of sinnes Chap. 2. pag. 14. For the eleuenth Article The resurrection of the body I referre you to his Booke of the Principles Chap. 26. For the last Article Euerlasting life I referre you to his Exposition vpon the third Chapter of Peter ver 7. where this is largely handled from pag. 141. to 163. The Author hath handled most of these things in diuers parts of this
Treatise called the Rule of Faith which you may easily finde out by the vse of the Index These things I thought good to acquaint thee withall for thy helpe and benefit as also to shew that by the diuine prouidence good supply euen out of the Authors owne workes may be made of that defect which by his immature death may be thought to be in this Rule of Faith That which is required on thy part is diligence and care to treasure vp in thy heart these wholsome and sound words contained in this Treatise that so thou maist walke according to this Rule knowing that as many of you as walke according to this Rule peace shall be vpon them and vpon the Israel of God Thine in the Lord ADONIRAM BIFIELD THE CREEDE OF THE CREED IN GENERALL Text 2. Timothie 1. 13. Hold fast the forme or Patterne of Sound words THere haue bin in all Ages of the Church since the giuing of the Scriptures two wayes by which the Ministers of the Church haue taught men the knowledge that is necessary to Saluation The one was to make choice of some Text of Scripture and to expound it to the people and thence to make vse of it Thus they did in Ezra his time Nehemiah 8. 4. 7. 8. and thus did our Sauiour Christ at Nazareth Luke 4. 16. 17 c. and it is noted in that place that it was our Sauiours custome so to doe Thus did Philip Acts 8. 30. 35. The other was without being tyed to any particular Text to handle the maâ—ne body of Doctrine as was most necessary for the people that were to be instructed Thus the Sermons of the Prophets were not the exposition of any particular Text but a solid and compleate collection of all that matter which at that time were needfull for the people And this course also did the Apostles hold in their Epistles and Sermons to the Churches choosing out so much matter out of the reuealed Will of God as was most behoouefull for the Christians to whom they writt or preached onely confirming what they taught by the Scripture Both these courses haue bin followed in the Christian Churches to this day onely amongst vs with this difference That the instruction out of a Text is vsed in Churches and the instruction without a Text in Schooles But that both these courses may bee held in popular teaching is manifest by the proofes before and it is manifest that if Diuines for the profit of their hearers would vndertake solidly to set before the people the whole body of Theologie and shew them at once all the choice things they are to beleeue concerning God or Christ or the Creation or the like it cannot but in some respects be much more profitable then to cleaue onely to the exposition of whole bookes of Scripture or particular portions because by the former course the people may see altogether that which by the other way they should heare but by peece and at seuerall times onely as the Texts will giue occasion I obserue not this to disgrace the godly course of preaching by Texts but rather to shew that both are needfull and as I conceiue it were much to be desired That Diuines euery where would teach the people the whole frame and body of the Doctrine of godlinesse The Apostle Paul in this place shewes that besides their course of instructing the Churches in particular Doctrines according to occasion they did extract into one body the Heads of all Religion which they did in all places carefully vnfolde and preach vpon vnto the people and these Heads thus gathered together as the principall things handled in all the Scriptures the Apostle calles heere the patterne of wholesome words and were diuided into two generall Heads or Titles Faith and Loue. Now there are also two waies of handling these heads of Religion the one more plainly and briefly by way of Catechizing the other more largely and exactly by way of Methodicall Doctrine The one is necessarie for young beginners in Religion and the other needfull to build vp a people in the knowledge begun in them Hauing therefore by Gods gracious assistance heretofore handled the bodie of Diuinity after the first sorte in the extract of principles and Doctrine of foundation onely with some explication of them I now intend by the like gracious assistance of God to goe ouer all the body of sacred Theologie in a more exact manner adding those Doctrines that may serue to build you vp in the larger knowledge of those glorious Mysteries of true Religion And long dilating with my selfe vpon what Foundation to raise this new frame I at length resolued vpon the Apostles Creed where I finde all the Doctrine of Faith collected into one faire body ready to my hands And in discourseing of these glorious Truthes I intende to obserue a mixt course of Teaching that both sorts of hearers may finde matter of profit Heere will be plaine things for the simple and more higher Contemplations for the more Iudicious Two things I especially intend in handling these Articles of Faith the one is the apparelling of each Article with the glorious furniture I finde made fit for it in any parte of the Scripture and this is by way of Exposition The other is the discouerie of the many and singular vses we may put such glorious truths to in the whole course of our liues and this by way of vse Now then for an Introduction in generall this Text giues vs occasion to consider of two things 1. What the Creed is 2. What we are bound to doe with the Creed For the first the Apostles owne words doe tell vs what such sound abridgements of the chiefest Mysteries of Religion are they are Patternes formes or frames of wholesome words where two things are said 1. That they are wholesome words 2. That they are Patternes They are wholesome words both by way of opposition to doctrines that poyson and corrupt the mindes of men and by way of difference from such truthes as for the present and in some respects are not wholsome to the hearers though in themselues they be wholesome We may obserue by diuerse passages in the Epistles of the Apostle what kinde of Doctrine hee accounts to be in it selfe vnwholesome as all false Doctrine contrary to the Gospell of Iesus Christ such as was Iustification by workes the forbidding of marriage and meates the denyall of the Resurrection and the like and this he calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to teach other Doctrine Such corrupt stuffe the Apostles also accounted all the vaine ianglings of men with pride and peruersenesse wrangling about wordes or disputing of needlesse things and those he calles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1. Tim. 1. 3. 6. 4 5. â—0 Further vnwholesome words the Apostle accounts all their curiosities and vaine speculations in Philosophie
Martialis Ignatius Irena Tertullian Origen and those of their times did not proceede further then the Trinity In the first book of Socrates his Eccless Hist. Chap. 19. we finde The Creed thus recited We beleeue in one God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Iesus Christ his Sonne begotten of him before all worldes true God by whom all things were made which are in heauen and which are in earth Who descended and was incarnate and suffered and rose againe and ascended into Heauen and from thence shall come againe to iudge the quicke and dead and in the holy Ghost in the Resurrection of the flesh in the life of the world to come in the Kingdome of Heauen and one Catholique Church reaching from one end of the earth to the other In Saint Ambrose his time the baptised was asked three questions as first dost thou beleeue in God the Father Almighty and the baptized answered I beleeue and then hee was dipped vnder the water secondly hee was asked doest thou beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and his Crosse and hee answered I beleeue and then was dipped againe thirdly hee was asked doest thou beleeue in the holy Ghost and he answered I doe beleeue and was the third time dipped Ambrose lib. 2. de Sacram. cap. 7. so that 't is probable that the Creed was not fully finished in this forme it now is till about the fourth age after Christ And thus of the Authors of the Creed To conclude therefore this point concerning the Authors of these Articles the Creed is called the Apostles Creed in two respects first to distinguish it from all other Creeds There haue bin diuers Creeds made in the seuerall ages since Christ some by particular writers some by Councells of particular writers Athanasius Creed doth most excell which is the Creed set downe in the booke of Common Prayer next before the Letany and of Councells these are the chiefe Creeds the Nicen Creed which you may finde in the booke of Common Prayer also set downe in the order of the Communion as also the Creed of the Ephesian Synod and the Creed of the Calcedonian Synod reade Am. Pol. synt Theol. lib. 2. cap. 2. Now this Creed is called the Apostles Creed to shew that the Churches did hold it to bee of greater authority then any other Creed and that other Creeds are but as it were expositions of this Creed Secondly it is called the Apostles Creed to giue it authority aboue all humane writings euen those that haue much or most excelled The confession of Nationall Churches haue been worthily had in great request so haue the Creeds of the Councells and so haue the Apocripha Scriptures but yet none of these haue attained to the honour of this Creed The translation of the Canonicall Scriptures in respect of the words are humane though in respect of the matter and order they are diuine and these of all humane writings are the best yet not without the defects of the Translators whereas the originall in both Testaments is diuine both for matter order and words also Thus of the Authors The kinde of writing followes Creede Symbolum is the word vsed in the most Christian Churches and is plainely agreeable to the originall word the Creed being first penned in the Greeke tongue If the word bee deriued of Syn and bolus then it may signifie two things first a morsell or as much as a man may well swallow at once and so the whole Scriptures containing but the diuine furnishing of Gods Table as it were the Creed containes each particular Christians morsell so much as hee may and must swallow and receiue downe into his heart without leauing any of these Articles out secondly a draught euen as much as a net can take at once The sea is the Word the fisherman is the Christian man the Net is faith the Creed is as much as the faith of the Christian can take at a draught out of the Sea of doctrine contained in the Scriptures But it is more likely the word should be deriued of Syn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it may signifie all or any of these fiue things 1. A Shot it containing the reckoning which the Apostles made for the Churches being deducted or cast in out of the seuerall writings of each of the Apostles 2. A Watchword or any signe in the time of warre by which the Souldier might be distinguished from spies or strangers and so might shew to what captaine or colours hee belonged so the Creed is the Military signe by which the true Christian is distinguished from all spirituall spies and forreiners 't is Gods Watchword 3. The Motto or Poesie or word giuen in mens Armes so the Creed is the Christians Motto his word which is set in his Armes being made noble in bloud by Christ and so able to giue the Armes of his spirituall house and kindred 4. A token or Bill of Exchange by which a man is enabled to trade or receiue commodities By the Creed the Christian may trade for any spirituall commodities 5. A Passeport Christians are strangers and Pilgrims a great way from home and the gouernment of the Christian world will not let a man passe without his authenticke Passeport Now by his Creed the Christian man may passe and finde entertainement in any part of the Christian world As for the name Creed it is not easie to tell when it first came vp in our Language but it is certaine it comes of the first word which is in Latine Credo rendered I beleeue But by the way if these Articles be a Creed then they are not a Prayer nor to be said as a Prayer as the ignorant multitude doth abuse it Thus of the Title I Beleeue Marke 9. 24. IN the Creed it selfe we must consider first matter of dutie which is in the word Beleeue which is the hand or claspe that takes hold of all and euery of the Articles secondly matter of doctrine which may be cast into two Heads as it concernes God or the Church for the Lord doth not vouchsafe to comber Religion with the whole doctrine that might concerne the estate of all men out of the Church concerning God the Articles looke vpon all three persons and in the doctrine of the Father amongst his attributes singles out his Almightinesse and amongst his workes lookes vpon his making of Heauen and Earth In Christ faith lookes vpon his Person and his Office In his Person it acknowledgeth his diuine Nature as Gods onely Sonne and his humane Nature in these two words viz. conception by the holy Ghost and birth of a Virgin His Office is considered according to his estate both of Humiliation and Exaltation In his Humiliation is considered his sufferings first in body in that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was dead and buried and then in soule in that he descended into Hell In his Exaltation faith viewes his Resurrection Ascension and Session at the right hand of God
from him 2. God renewes our natures and begets them to bee like his Nature for being regenerated we partake of the diuine nature being made to liue Gods nature in holines and righteousnes and he may well be called a Father that begets that which is like to himselfe besides by Faith we put on Iesus Christ Gal. 3. 26. 27. 3. God giues vs the right and priuiledge of Sons and therefore is fitly called our Father for first hee findes vs foode and rayment Mat. 6. and teaching Esay 54. 13. and attendance not onely setting his Angels to looke to vs Psal 34. Heb. 1. but himself also carrying and bearing vs in his armes when any thing ayleth vs Esay 63. 9. 46. 4. Secondly he layes vp for vs as Fathers do for their children Psal 89. 28. 31. 19. and appoints vs the inheritance of Sons to be inioyed when we be of full yeeres Rom 8. 16. Before I passe from this point one thing must be added and that is that howsoeuer God be the Father of all men in respect of the Creation of their soules yet Faith lookes vpon him as a Father in Christ and so by Adoption and regeneration and therefore wee must diligently examine our selues whether we be sons and daughters to God by grace in Christ or no for all such as are by grace truely the Children of God haue in themselues such signes as these 1. They were borne by promise the preaching of the Gospell did mightily work vpon them to the renewing of their natures and infusing spirituall life into their soules Gal. 4. 29. Rom. 9. 8. 2. They are all beleeuers they come to Christ for happinesse and rely vpon him and so haue power to be the Sons of God Iohn 1. 12. 3. They lay hold vpon Gods couenant and consecrate themselues to his seruice and loue his name and to be his seruants and in particular are carefull to keepe his Sabboths Esay 56. 4. 5. 7. 4. They are children that will not lie they are noe Hypocrites they desire to be as good as they seeme to bee they abhorre counterfeiting and dissimulation their spirits are without guile Esay 63. 8. 5. They are led by the spirit and mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. 14. 6. They cry Abba Father they haue the spirit of prayer they can call vpon God in secret with affection and confidence esteeming nothing more then the Loue and fauour of God And thus how God is a Father and to whom The Vses follow and so In the first place this should teach Gods children many lessons as 1. To giue this glory to God to acknowledge him as a Father and daily so to call him from their hearts The first thing a childe speakes in nature vsually is the name of his parents and so the first thing in Religion should bee to call God Father we can doe nothing in Religion till we can call vpon God as vpon a Father this is the very foundation of the Church because all effectuall Religion is built vpon this principle that God is our Father 2. Thes 1. 1. Rom. 8. 15. 2. We should liue without care as our Sauiour shewes Mat. 6. for we haue a Father to care for vs and hee is a heauenly Father and therefore both knowes what wee need and is fully able to helpe vs and besides he daily feedes the foules of the ayre and yet he is not a Father to them how therfore can hee neglect vs whom hee hath begotten as children to himselfe ver 26. 32. 3. If God be our Father then we must honour him for wee are bound to honour our father and mother all our care should be to obey him and honour him and please him and doe our worke so as others might glorifie our Father which is in heauen Mal. 1. 6. Mat. 5. 16. liuin◠〈◊〉 â—as we shame not our fathers house 4. If God be our Father we must striâ—â—â—â— be like him and to imitate his nature and carriage and so we are vrged to follow and imitate him in mercie Mat. 5. 45. 48. in Loue Ephes 5. 1. 2. and in holines 1. Pet. 1. 14 15. 5. If God be our Father wee should be quickned vnto prayer wee should runne to him to make our moane in all our wants But withall it imports two things we should looke to in prayer first that we auoide vaine bablings and repetitions and affectation of length of prayer and the like for wee pray to a Father that needs not vaine and tedious discourses The words of a childe should bee humble and earnest and direct to the point but not tedious as our Sauiour shewes Mat. 6. 7. 8. secondly that wee pray in faith and not wauer because wee aske of a father If earthly fathers can giue good gifts to their children what will the heauenly father denie to his children Mat. 7. 7. 16. Yea if God himselfe should fight against vs with his terrors yet we must in prayer stick fast to this that he is our father and alwaies keepe this in our pleadings to wrestle with God by this Argument as the Church did in those straites mentioned Esay 64. 8. 4. 6. If God bee our father wee must then patiently beare his corrections seeing we indure correction at the hands of the fathers of our bodies who many times correct vs for their owne pleasure therefore much more should we submit our selues to the father of spirits who neuer corrects vs but for our profit And to desire to be without correction is to be in the condition of bastards and not of sonnes if we would haue God to loue vs we must be willing to let him correct vs Heb. 12. 4. to the 10. 7. If God be our father then nothing should more grieue vs then that wee haue offended him by our sinnes Ier. 31 18. Luke 15. 18. 8. If God be our father then wee must sort our selues with his children and auoid all needlesse societies and vnequall yoaking with the wicked of this world who are as like the diuell as euer childe was like his father Iohn 8. 2. Cor 6. 14 18. 9. We should in all welldoing rest in his praise as being our father that seeth in secret A childe seekes no more then to be accepted of his father Mat. 6. 1. 4. 10. We need not therefore the helpe of Saints or Angels to bring vs to God He is our father wee may goe to him our selues Esay 63. 16. 11. Therefore we should call no man father vpon earth hauing so great and gratious a father in heauen Mat. 23. 9. 12. Therfore also we should liue in peace one with another seeing we haue all one heauenly father Ephes 4. 4 6. Thus for instruction Secondly many consolations arise from hence if we beleeue that God is our father for then 1. He will spare vs as a father doth his son that serueth him he will beare with our infirmities Mal. 3. 17. 2. Though hee should correct vs yet hee
tells them Esay 61. 1. 1 Cor. 3. 8. Yea they must be such as will declare their wayes to him that is such as will confesse how ignorant and foolish they are and hane beene Psal 119. 26. 2 They must be such as will attend dayly at the Schoole doore at the gates of wisdome Prou. 8. 34. They must be constant hearers not such as will play the Truants or come to be taught but now and then but they must bee such as will be present as often as Christ shall reade not like those that heard him and maruelled and went their way and left him Mat. 22. 3 They must be such as are broken in heart and wounded in Spirit for their sinnes for he was sent to preach the Gospell to them that are broken in heart such as bewaile their sinnes and know no sorrowes greater then for their sinnes these are such as Christ desires to teach and will powerfully instruct Esay 61. 1. CHRIST sends the rich and such as are hard hearted by whole skores empty away he will not teach them as we see by dayly experience from Sabbath to Sabbath when multitudes come to Church he doth speake to the hearts but of a very few the rest he turnes away to goe as they came 4 His Schollers must be meeke that is they must bring him a heart free from passions and worldly perturbations and pride for he saith he will teach the meeke and humble his way froward peruerse proud persons get little from Christs teaching Psal 25. 5 There must bee in his Schollers the contempt of the world soundly formed for he will not sow among the Thornes If mens hearts runne after their couetousnesse or pleasures or reputation with the world they are not fit for Christ 6 His Schollers must receiue his Word with an honest and good heart that is with a heart that is free from base wickednesse and filthy lusts and grosse sinnes and doth loue and admire goodnesse and holinesse for-it selfe and it is a heart that had rather get sound grace then great credit striues more to be good then to seeme so Luk. 8. 15. such as will learne the truth as the truth is in Christ Iesus Eph. 4. 7 He requires of his Schollers that they should receiue his Word with full assurance and put that difference betweene his teaching and all others as with all confidence to beleeue and rest vpon what he saith Heb. 3. 6. 2 Pet. 1. 19. 8 They must keepe his words and not let them runne out or be taken away by the Deuill and deuillish distractions they must be carefull to lay them vp in their hearts as in a Treasury Luk. 8. 15. 9 They must hearken to doe it Deut. 4. 1. He lookes that his Schollers should shew their learning by their practice and hearken to this end to get skill to doe what he teacheth them Yea they must doe according to all that he teacheth them Mat. 28. vlt. and they must bring forth fruit with patience they must not thinke much to endure what may befall them from the Deuill or the world Luk. 8. 15. 10 He cannot abide such Schollers as will not increase in learning but after they haue come to schoole many yeers yet need to be taught their A. B. C. in religion againe Heb. 5. 12. 11 Hee requires his Schollers should teach others that which they haue learned of him themselues He so prophesies to them that hee makes them Prophets likewise to instruct the ignorant admonish those that are out of order comfort the weake especially those of them that haue any authority ouer others that is so many of them as be Parents or Masters or Rulers ouer others Psal 71. 17. Psal 119. 27. 1 Thes 5. 15. But withall he chargeth them that they take heed of falling out one with another or being masterly and imperious in teaching or iudging others especially in giuing lawes to others in things doubtfull or indifferent without the authority and warrant of Christ Iam. 4. 11 12. 3. 1. 12 He will not haue his Schollers learne of any body but of himselfe he cannot abide they should be carried about with diuerse and strange doctrine Heb. 13. 9. Lastly though he will teach freely yet he expects from all his Schollers the freewill offrings of their mouthes that is praise and thankesgiuing according as they finde their profiting by his teaching Psal 119. 108. The Papists sinne against the Prophesie of Christ many wayes as 1 In that they create such swarmes of Mas priests and seuerall orders of men that either cannot or will not teach the Church 2 In that they restraine knowledge from the people of God by withholding the Scriptures and seruice of God from them in strange languages 3 In setting vp stockes and stones euen grauen Images and tell the people that they shall arise teach them Hab. 2. 19. Thus of the Propheticall office of our Sauiour His Priest-hood followes About the Priest-hood of Christ we may consider 1 The Titles or names which are giuen to him in respect of that office and so he is called the Lambe of God Iohn 1. Our Passe-ouer 1 Cor. 5. Sin or an offering for sinne 2 Cor 5. vlt. Romans 8. 3. An attonement and propitiation Romans 3. 25. 1. Iohn 2. 2. An Aduocate 1. Ioh. 2. 2. 2. The places that proue that hee is indeed a Priest Psal 110. 4. Heb. 5. 10. Chap. 7. 3. The difference between him and the Priests of the Law for Christ is a Priest after the order of Melchisedech Psal 110. 4. they were Priests after the order of Leui Their Priest-hood was Typicall his was Real Heb. 10. 1. Theirs were instituted by the Law of the carnall commandement without an oath his was instituted by the law of the spiritual commandement with an oath Heb. 7. 16. 20. 21. their Priesthood was ordained in the Old Testament where the Church was in her nonage in bondage but his in the time of the New Testament when the Church was growne to be of yeares and free Heb. 7. 28. There was difference also in the Person of the Priests for those Priests were of the Tribe of Leui men infirme mortall sinners that needed sacrifice for themselues but Christ was of the Tribe of Iudah infirme onely in the dayes of his flesh but without all sinne both before and after his death Heb. 5. 3. 7. 7. 14. 28. besides Christ is Mediator of a better Testament then they were Heb. 8. 6. 9. 15. Their Priest-hood was to bee abrogated his lasts for euer Heb. 8. 13. Thâ—ir Priest-hood passed from Father to Sonne but his abides alwaies in himselfe without succession Hebrewes 7. 3. 23. 24. 25. They were many and of different degrees hee but one Melchisedech but a Type to which hee is resembled not a companion equall with him Hebrewes 7. 23. Lastly they executed their Priest-hood in earth onely hee executes his Priest-hood in heauen also viz. by Intercession Heb. 9. 24.
we may hence take occasion to wonder at Gods skill and wisdome in ordering businesses What a confused heape is here of vile Instruments and yet what a glorious worke doth God doe without disorder nothing being done but according to his Determinate Councell Act. 2. 23. Secondly we may see how easily all sorts of men are drawne to practise against holinesse and sincere religion what doctrine was euer more powerfull than the doctrine of Christ and what man euer liued so harmelessely so profitably and yet how quickly is all the world raised vp against Christ and true Religion taught and profest by him What power hath the Deuill in the hearts of all sorts of men Who though he neuer require any worke but what is base and dangerous yet quickly gets Instruments to effect any thing he requires Oh how is miserable man sunke deepe into rebellion that since the fall of our first Parents had rather follow the Serpent than the Sauiour of the world who would euer care for the opinions or examples of any sort of worldly men Thirdly wee see here a naughtie nature will infect any Calling the Priesthood will not continue alwayes good nor Magistracie nor the retired life of the vulgar sinne infects any calling For the third Point for whom he suffered that is answered in diuers Scriptures he suffered not for himselfe but for vs 1 Pet. 2. 19. Now that this may be distinctly vnderstood it must be considered both Negatiuely and Affirmatiuely Negatiuely and so he did not suffer for all the men and women in the world vniuersally as the Arminians and Lutherans affirme and that we may gather by many sentences of Scripture as Matth. 26. 28. He saith his bloud was shed for many which imports it was not shed for all And Matth. 7. 23. Christ saith to somemen I know you not which imports strongly that he did not suffer for them and Ioh. 17. our Sauiour still limits his petitions in his pleading viz. for such as God the Father had giuen him and said he praied not for the world and Iohn 13. 1. it is said he loued his owne which were in the world and therefore all were not his owne and Iohn 10. 15. He layed downe his life for his Sheepe and therefore not for Goats and Swine and Ephes 5. 25. He gaue himselfe for the Church not for all the world and Reuel 14. 3 4. they that are bought out of the earth are distinguished from other men to shew all are not redeemed and Heb. 9. 15 16. The benefit of his Mediation and Bloud-shedding is extended only to such as are called Thus of the proofe of the Negatiue Now for the affirmatiue it is most cleare in Scripture that Christ suffered for beleeuers and for all of them not only for vs but for all of vs Rom. 8. 32. not only for Iewes but for all the world that is for the Gentiles of all Nations 1 Iohn 2. 1. His-righteousnesse extends vnto all and vpon all that beleeue Rom. 3. 22. The Vse may be first for the confutation of the opinion of those that hold that Christ suffered and died for all men in the world vniuersally we grant his sufferings were sufficient to redeeme all the world but not efficient and that their opinion is very grossely erroneous appeares by the former places of Scripture and many more might bee alledged Secondly seeing Christ did not suffer for all men vniuersally we should looke to it that we be such as may haue comfort that he died for vs. Now if we would know who they are in all the world that haue their part and portion in the redemption made in the sufferings of the Sonne of God we must vnderstand that they are such as are described in the signes that follow First they are beleeuers such as with the eye of faith can looke vpon and must to the promise of God made concerning saluation by Christ Ioh. 3 16. as is there shewed by the type of the brazen Serpent in the coherence Secondly they are such as turne from transgression in Iaoob Esay 59. 20. Thirdly they are such as will heare the voice of Christ and be ruled by him they are his sheepe Iohn 10. 15. Fourthly they are such as are made like to Christ in sufferings they beare his image in suffering affliction and yet for all their crosses they loue God Rom. 8. 28 29. 1 Per. 4. 1. Fiftly they are such as doe consecrate their liues and seruices to Christ they liue to him that died for them 2 Cor. 5. 15. Thirdly did Christ suffer for vs what patterne was there euer of such leue Consider what we were in our selues by nature First we were vniust 1 Pet. 3. 18. the Iust here suffers for the vniust one will scarce die for a righteous man but who euer was willing to die for the vnrighteous Rom. 5. 7 8. Naboath Zacharias the sonne of Iehoiada and Iohn Baptist were iust men and yet none would die for them and yet perhaps for some righteous man one durst die as it may be Ionathan durst haue died for Dauid but yet this is without president which here Christ doth he suffers for the vnrighteous Secondly we were not only vniust but his enemies also Rom. 5. 10. yea we were such as neuer sought to him for redemption as the Scriptures and experience shew What hearts haue we that cannot be more affected with this wonderfull loue of Christ Behold here is Piety scourged for the impious mans sake Wisdome is derided for the fooles sake Truth is denied for the lyars sake Iustice is condemned for the vniusts sake Mercy is afflicted for the cruell mans sake Life dies for the dead mans sake as said an ancient Father What a suffering is this when the Iust suffers for the vniust and with the vniust and vpon vniust causes and vnder vniust Iudges and by vniust punishments Fourthly hath Christ suffered for vs why then from his example we should learne to be willing and ready to suffer one for another 1 Iohn 3. 16. Fifthly we should comfort our hearts with this Doctrine seeing Christ did not suffer for himselfe but for vs wee should apply his sufferings to our selues and plead them before God against our sins and the temptations of the Deuill and seeing hee hath paid so deare a price to reconcile vs to God wee should make no question of it but that hee will now saue vs being reconciled and finish his owne worke Rom. 5. 10. Lastly seeing the Sonne of God is the Passeouer yea our Passeouer and Sacrifice for vs we should therefore purge out the old Leauen that we may be a new lumpe and should therefore keepe the feast not with old leauen neither with the leauen of malice and wickednesse but with the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth if Christ suffered for vs then our life should be a continuall feast yea in as much as he was offered vp as an immaculate Lambe and is tendered to vs as
doctrine but saith nothing of his Disciples and yet he might haue answered that one of them betrayed him and another denied him and the rest ranne away from him To teach vs that no extremity befalling our selues should make vs discouer the weaknesses of others to the Enemies of Religion when it may any way doe hurt to the honour of the profession of Religion And againe we may learne to be patient vnder the aspersion of Schisme not to be vnquiet at it Our Sauiour was examined about his Disciples vpon pretence that he had made a Schisme in the Church by admitting so many followers and such concourse of people to heare him with intimation that he might intend sedition in the State Now to all this he giues no answer but rests satisfied as knowing that the consciences of his aduersaries were perswaded otherwise of him 2. When he answers about his doctrine it is in generall and sparingly to teach vs wisdome in euil times and to learne how to bridle our tongues when we speake before men in authority especially if they be enemies to Religion 3. From his answer about his doctrine the Hearers of godly Teachers may learne one profitable lesson namely to marke the doctrine of their Teachers and to grow so cunning in it that they may be able to defend their Teachers and the Truth Christ referred himselfe to his Hearers Iohn 18. 19 20. 4. What admirable patience was that in Iesus Christ when he was smitten by the High Priests seruant to speake to him so coolely saying If I haue euill spoken beare witnesse of the euill but if I haue well spoken why smitest thou me Iohn 18. 23. He deales like a wise and patient Physitian if he haue a patient that is madde he doth not rage if his madde patient should strike at him but rather quietly will striue to pacifie the fury of the madde man or else binde him So doth our sweet Physitian of our soules they are spiritually madde that will strike Iesus their spirituall Physitian or offer indignities to such as come in his name Let vs all learne patience of our blessed Sauiour 5. We should from the consideration of all this vniust proceeding with our Sauiour be stirred vp from our hearts to praise God for the publique peace wee enioy in preaching and hearing the Gospell We little know what we should suffer if we should fall into the hands of vnreasonable men whether in the Ecclesiastical or Ciuil Courts but if at any time without our fault we should haue experience of corruption and enuious and malitious proceedings against vs for our consciences sake wee should comfort our selues by the remembrance of these things that befell our blessed Sauiour Before I leaue this part of his Passion one question may be asked and that is why our Sauiour held his peace when the false witnesses gaue euidence against him yea he held his peace though the High Priest vrged him to speak to the accusation of the witnesses Now for answer to this question we may conceiue that our Sauiour was silent for these Reasons 1. Because he knew that he came thither to suffer not to defend himself as being sent thither to suffer by God himself 2. Because he knew he should be condemned though he did cleare himselfe of their accusation 3. That by his patience and silence he might intimate the vanitie of their accusation and the falsenesse of it 4. That the Scripture might be fulfilled that said He was as asheepe dumbe before his shearer Esay 53. 7. 5. That so he might pay for our shiftings and excuses 6. That he might thereby acknowledge our sin-guiltinesse as suretie he stood there for men that were iustly accused of God and therefore as one confessing a fault he forbears to defend or excuse himselfe 7. That hee might by his example teach vs to bee silent in euill times when truth will not take place Thus of the Arraignment of our Sauiour in the Ecclesiasticall Court Now followes the things he suffered in the Ciuill Court before Pontius Pilate And here first in generall we may consider the reasons why Christ would be iudged in the Politicall Court of Iustice and he did it 1. That his innocence might be made more publike which fell out as appeares by the story in many things 2. That so he might be sentēced to die by the ordinary Iudge for the Iewes had not power to put any man to death 3. That so it might appeare that the Gentiles had interest in his death as well as the Iewes and therefore the Gentiles lay their hands vpon the head of this Sacrifice 4. That the crueltie and vnequall dealing of the Chiefe Priests and their counsell might be more manifest when it should appeare that the Politicall Iudge shall vse Christ with more respect than they did And thus it often comes to passe still in the case of his Ministers and seruants Quest But why must he be iudged by Pilate a Gentile a Deputie of the Roman Caesar Answ Euen that was not without speciall cause For first Christ seemes to say himselfe that God had giuen that power to Pilate to put Christ to death Ioh. 19. 10 11. Secondly it hath beene noted before that by this circumstance it appeared that the Scepter was now departed from Iudah and therefore Iesus was that Shiloh that should come And here by the way they of the Church of Rome might learne that Church-men must abide the iudgement of Lay Iudges yea though they be of a false religion Christ yeelded himselfe to be iudged by Pilate and therefore it is a tricke of Antichrist to refuse it Now in the Arraignment of our Sauiour before Pilate we are to consider two things 1. His Accusation 2. The proceedings of the Iudge About his Accusation three things may be noted 1. By whom he was accused viz. By the Chiefe Priests and Elders and Scribes and Pharisies They that were erewhile his Iudges are now become his accusers Saint Matthew notes they did it of enuy Matth. 27. 18. Surely enuy is very cruell and very base It is a cruell thing to pursue a man to the death for no other cause but because he is better beloued of God or man than themselues And it was most base for these great men to turne accusers at the Barre of the Ciuill Iudge and to doe it in their owne persons 2. Where he was accused viz. at the doore of the Common Hall Iohn 18. 28. These wretched men that made no conscience of pursuing an innocent man to the death yet are very strict about Ceremonies They would not enter into the Common Hall lest they should be defiled and so be made vnfit to celebrate the Passeouer And why would the Hall defile them but because it was the seat of a Gentile Oh vile hypocrisie will the house defile them and yet the presence of the man do them no hurt It is a most hateful thing to be an Hypocrite and an Hypocrite he
is that straines at a Gnat and swallowes a Cammell that is precise and superstitious about small matters and yet makes not Conscience of grosse sinnes 3. What they charged vpon him They charged vpon him three things First seducing of the people as one that had peruertedâ— their Nation and stirred vp the people throughout all Iudea beginning from Galile to Hierusalem Luke 23. 2. 5. Secondly sedition as one that deceiued and forbade the paying of tribute to Caesar Luk. 23. 2. Thirdly high treason against Caesar in saying hee was a King Luke 23. 2. Ioh. 19. 12. The first of these was vaine and the two last false For the extraordinary mouing of the people is not in it selfe a fault vnlesse they be moued without cause or by ill meanes or to ill ends The other two are false for he paid tribute himselfe though as a Prince of the bloud hee was free Matth. 17. 27. And when the people would haue made him King he refused it Ioh. 6. 15. Hence we see that euen Christ himselfe hath beene liable to the same accusations and slanders are cast vpon his poore seruants which should the more comfort the godly when they are slandered and charged with Innouation Schisme Sedition or to be enemies to Princes or the like But especially hence should the godly take comfort in the hope of the forgiuenesse of all their sinnes against God how great soeuer for to this end was Christ charged with these great offences vniustly that he might make atonement for our sinnes that were guiltie euen of high treason against God Thus of his Accusation The proceeding of the Iudge followes where we may note two things First how Pilate exammed Christ Secondly what meanes he vsed to deliuer Christ For the first when the Iewes had thus accused our Sauiour Pilate went in to Christ and examined him only vpon the three points whether he were a King The first as a businesse concerned their owne Law hee would not meddle with And the second either he beleeued not or accounted it to be comprehended in the third Now to this question of Pâ—late our Sauiour giues an answer wherein we should take notice of soure things which he thought good to testifie and auouch at his Arraignment as truths most needfull and not to be denied or controuled at any time First that hee was a King Secondly that his Kingdome was not of this world Thirdly that the end of his comming was to beare witnesse of the Truth Fourthly that his subiects were such as were of the Truth and did heare his voice Ioh. 18. 36 37. These parts of the confession of Iesus should not passe without liuely vse in our hearts For first if Iesus be King why are we discontented with our estates why liue we not out of feare and care Is there not a King in Sion Mich. 4. 9. and the rather because our King is a King vniuersall and all power is giuen vnto him in heauen and earth and besides he is a King immortall and of his kingdome there is no end and therefore we should seeke to him in all our necessities who is so able to helpe and trust in him And for the second if his kingdome be not of this world wee should not expect to haue the glory of our Religion to be liable to outward obseruations but rather pray that God would open our eyes to see wherein the true glory of Christs kingdome lies Eph. 1. 19. And withall it should teach vs to imploy our selues about spirituall things and not about earthly for the wealth of his kingdome lieth not in earthly things our trading must be about heauenly commodities Coloss 3. 1 2. And further seeing his kingdome is ouer the spirits of men wee should labour to get spirits without guile and to serue him in spirit and truth And poore men should not be discontent with their estates His kingdome is not of this world hee neuer promised great things in earthly matters to his followers they should rather reioyce that they are exalted to get the preferments of his kingdome in spirituall things Now for the third point if the end of Christs comming were to beare witnesse of the Truth we may gather diuers things from thence As first it may informe vs of the entertainment Truth findes in the world It is more villanously neglected and opposed and wronged when the Sonne of God must come from heauen to giue euidence in the behalfe of truth It imports the truth is more often questioned than error and wickednesse Againe it may intimate that Truth is great and will preuaile God will send from heauen to helpe it rather than it shall be supprest though it be opprest And besides we may gather hence that the preaching and publishing of diuine Truths is a most excellent worke in that the chiefe office of the Son of God was to beare witnesse of the Truth and so it should teach vs to receiue the word of truth with all reuerence and gladnesse and good conscience as accounting truth to be the most precious treasure God sends to men And from the practise of Christ both Ministers and People should learne with all wisdome and constancie to stand for the truth though it were to death and neuer to be ashamed to witnesse to the truth by holding out the light of the profession of it and shewing our sound obedience and subiection to it howsoeuer it be taken in the world As for the last point our Sauiour giues an excellent mark to know his subiects by They are of the Truth and heare his voice They are of the Truth not only as they take part with Truth to defend it but as men that were borne and bred by the power of truth they were regenerated and sanctified by the force of the sound of Truth and accordingly the chiefe comfort and treasure of their liues they account to be the hearing of the voice of Christ Hearing of Sermons is the Character of a true Christian But it is not all hearing but a hearing of such Sermond as haue the voice and power of Christ in them and such a hearing as placeth such felicity in the voice of Christ as they could be content as it were to doe nothing else but heare Christ still and such a hearing too as will giue glory to Christs voice in the hardest times when it is most scorned and opposed in the world and especially it is such a hearing as containes obeying and willingnesse to be ruled by the voice of Christ And this was the answer which our Sauiour made to the Gouernours question but Saint Matthew notes that when the chiefe Priests accused him he answered nothing and though Pilate said vnto him Hearest thou not how many things they witnesse against thee yet he answered not in so much that Pilate maruelled greatly Matth. 27. 12 13 14. He thus constantly forbare and refused to answer 1. Because he needed not any apologie being knowne to be innocent and thus it
many respects as first that God should bee pleased to deale so wonderfull gratioufly with them as to vouchsafe to put his Spirit into them Secondly they may thence gather that God that hath giuen them his Spirit will blesse them in many other things besides If Obed Edoms house was blessed because the Arke was there how much more reason haue wee to hope that God will blesse vs now his Spirit abides with vs. Thirdly it should be a great comfort to a Christian against all his feares and doubts arising from his ignorance or insufficiency or infirmities for by the holy Ghost that is giuen to him he may hence gather he may doe all things in time which God would haue him to doe Lastly this Article must needs be comfortable when God hath promised to giue the Christian the holy Ghost to bee his comforter and to abide with him for euer The ninth Article The holy Catholike Church HItherto of the Articles of the Creed that concerne God euen all the three persons in the Trinity Now followes the second part of the Creed which comprehends the Articles that concerne the Church of God Amongst all things that are in the world faith admires onely God and the Church The Church I say as next to God in glory and true honour Now the Articles concerning the Church concerne either the properties or the priuiledges of the Church The properties of the Church are two viz. that shee is holy and Catholike the priuiledges of the Church are such â—s shee enioyes in this life or such as she shall haue in another world The priuiledges of the Church in this life are two Communion of Saints and Forgiuenesse of sinnes And in the world to come two more viz. Resurrection of the flesh and Euerlasting life First of the properties of the Church But before I come to consider of the particulars mentioned I must first explicate the Doctrine to bee beleeued concerning the Church in generall and so I would shew 1. What the Church is 2. The originall of the Church 3. The estate of the Church 4. The markes and notes by which the true Church may be discerned And then the generall vses of all When I enquire what the Church is I meane the true Church for the false Church is no Church properly as an ill Gramarian is no Gramarian properly Now to finde out what the Church is we must first consider of the acceptation of the word and then of the definition of the thing it selfe The word Ecclesia was a word in vse among the Athenians and came of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and signified an assembly of Citizens that were called out from the multitude aâ— it were by name or in their rankes by the voice of the publike Crier to heare some speech or sentence of the Senate and was thence borrowed by the Apostles for their purposes by way of similitude The Church or assembly of Gods people being a company that came together not by chance or without order but by the voice of Gods Ministers as it were Criers called out of the Kingdome of Sathan to heare the doctrine of the Gospell reuealed from heauen The common people in common speech call the places set apart for the exercises of Religion Churches But so it is not taken here In Scripture the word hath diuers acceptations for sometimes it signified the assembly of the men of the world for their owne businesses and so that tumultuous Assembly of the Ephesians was called a Church Act. 20. 17. Sometime it signified the Assembly of the enemies of Gods people Psal 26. 5. this was the malignant Church Sometimes it signified the meeting of a few Christians in a family for religious priuate duties so there were Churches in godly mens houses Rom. 16. 5. Sometimes it signified a company of men in one Citie or Prouince that did outwardly professe the true religion 1 Cor. 11. 18. 22. and so vsually in the writings of Diuines the company throughout the world so professing is called the visible Church and in this sense there may bee hypocrits and scandalous Christians in the Church as well as godly men as the Parable of the Tares and the Draw-net shew But so it is not taken in the Creed for besides that this Church is holy as these wicked are not and enioyeth remission of sins which they doe not besides this I say we are said in the Creed to beleeue this Church to be which argues that in it selfe it is inuisible and knowne to God and cannot bee discerned by outward senses in the essentiall things of it Sometimes by the Church is meant the publike Officers in the Church that haue power of gouernment and censure as Matth. 18. 17. but in the strictest sense by the Church in the new Testament is signified the number of Gods Elect onely considered as they are effectually called by the Gospell and doe cleaue vnto Christ their head by a true and liuely faith Thus of the Etimologie of the word The definition of the Church followeth The Church here meant in the Creed is a company of men dwelling euery where effectually called ordinarily by the voice of Gods Criers from the misery and prophanesse of the world to the supernaturall dignitie of Gods children being vnited vnto Christ as their head by Faith and among then selues by loue as fellow-members In these words the generall nature of the Church is to bee considered and then the speciall difference of the Church from all other companies or professions or assemblies of men The generall nature is expressed in these words A company of men dwelling euery where where diuers things are to be noted 1. That it is a company not one man 2. That it is of men as the materiall cause not of other creatures for none but reasonable creatures are capable of Gods Image and so none but they can make a Church and among reasonable creatures I exclude Angels though they had a kinde of calling to that excellent estate they are in yet the Scripture speakes so sparingly of it that we cannot tell how to define it and therefore I meddle not with it and besides the Church is here considered as it is purchased by the blood of Christ which Angels were not neither are they tyed to the ministery of the Word as the Church in her calling is 3. I adde dwelling euery where to note that I define the Church that is Catholicke as the Creed calls it which tearms in the most euident sense agree to the Church now vnder the Gospell since the partition wall between Iewes and Gentiles was broken downe and yet in some sense it may agree to the Church from the beginining for euen in the time of the Iewish Church the Nations were not simply barred from fellowship with the Iewes and therefore we read of three sorts of people that belonged to the Iewish Church to wit the Iewes themselues and Proselites that is Gentiles that professed the Iewish
vs in diuers things page 192 Wicked men likened to Beasts page 193 Gods seruants must learne of Beasts page 194 Beast hurt without the Campe fore signified Israâ—l page 382 How Christ is Begotten page 237 How the Father did Beget the Sonne shewed by way of negation in seuen things page 129 Gods Begetting of Christ informes vs of two things page 130 A threefold manner of Being of things page 120 A two fold Beginning page 103 I Beleeue the Christians answer all his life page 17 Truely to Beleeue the Articles hath in it six things page 18 Beleeue aboue reason page 409 Beleeue in Christ page 209 Right Beleeuing in Christ casts out six things page 309 It hath in it foure things Ibid. Beliefe of our saluation in Christ hath in it six things Ibid. How we must Beleeue in Christ. page 210 Foure Rules for the attaining this right Beliefe page 211 Foure motiues to this duty Ibid. Eight benefits that come to vs by Beleeuing in Christ page 212 What it is to beleeue in God page 113 Three sorts of men doe not Beleeue in God page 114 Tenne things in the manner of Beleeuing these Articles page 19 Christian simplicity in Beleeuing must haue two things in it page 21 Questions about Beleeuing answered page 38 Christ Betrayed many waies page 333 Christ abased at his Birth for three Reasons â—18 Bishops of Rome oppose Christs Kingdome page 358 What it is to Blesse page 479 Christs Bloud shed vpon the Crosse for seuen reasons page 391 Body of man excells all other Bodily creatures in fiue things page 195 Gods Workemanship to make a Body Ibid. Christs Body needes no embalming page 441 Why it did not putrifie page 442 Fiue Books opened at the last day page 521 Not a Bone of Christ broken page 428 Creatures in Bondage how page 531 Christs Buriall He was Buried for seuen reasons page 434 Place where he was Buried page 435 Christ Buried by whom page 436 By rich men why Ibid. Manner of Christs Buriall page 439 He was wrapped in fine linnen page 440 C. TWo signes of a Childe of God page 356 Christ the signification of it page 218 Christ doth two things for vs. page 320 Christ carried from Annas to Caiphas page 351 The indignities the Iewes offer to Christ page 355 Christ indited and condemned for three reasons page 357 Christ charged with three things page 364 Christ falsely accused Ibid. Christ a King page 365 Christ stripped of his clothes why page 381 Christ slaine from the beginning in seuen respects page 426 Christ a sweet Sauiour page 440 Christ suffered strange indignities and scornes for two reasons page 380 Christ lifted vp vpon the Crosse for three reasons page 391 Why Christ did not saue himselfe from the Crosse page 394 Christ first humbled then exalted page 302 Christ did absolutely fulfill the whole Law for three reasons page 103 Christs conception declared by an Angel why page 259 Christ conceiued of the holy Ghost page 260 An Obiection answered Ibid. Two things done by the holy Ghost in this conception page 261 Christ conceiued without sinne page 262 Diuers Obiections answered Ibid. How Nature proceeds in the conception page 263 The manner of Christs conception page 265 Why Christ was so conceiued page 266 When the Virgin conceiued Ibid. Effects of Christs conception Ibid. Christs conception a medicine against originall sinne page 269 Christ Crucified The place where he was Crucified page 382 Crucified without Ierusalem for foure reasons page 382 Christ Carried his Crosse for two reasons page 384 Christ Crucified for foure reasons page 387 Christ Crucified becomes a sacrifice page 388 Christ crucified with his hands spred abroad for two reasons page 391 Christ lifted vp vpon the Crosse for three reasons Ibid. Christ crucified in the midst of theeues for foure reasons page 392 Christ tooke a true body page 267 Christs call at the last day page 533 Difference of being in Christ page 267 Christians like Ezekiels bones page 477 Christians resemble sheepe in foure things page 518 Distinction of true Christians page 438 Coniunction betweene Christ Christians page 526 Christians highly to be esteemed page 553 Church The originall of the Church page 429. 561 Church diuersly taken in scripture page 556 Definition of it page 557 The generall nature of it Ibid. How the Church from the beginning is called Catholike page 558 From what the Church is called page 560 To what it is called page 561 Members of the Church written in the Booke of life page 562 Church borne of God Ibid. Christ the Head of the Church Ibid. Churchmen most malicious against Christ page 358 Computation of the Romans page 440 God communicates himselfe vnto the creature three waies page 257 Christ condemned that we might bee saued page 378 A true Conuert cannot abide sin page 406 A true Conuert loues Christ better then his old acquaintance page 407 Euil Conscience what it doth page 347 377 Cost in Christs seruice page 439 Couetousnesse the cause of Iudas sinne aggrauated page 328 Beware of Couetousnesse page 331 Couetousnesse defined Ibid. Couetous heart not without the Diuell in it Ibid. Couetousnesse foure signes of it page 332 Couetous care vaine in diuers respects Ibid. Couetousnesse 4. vile effects of it page 333 Counsell of God cannot be altered page 368 Testimony of Counsels no infallible markes of truth page 359 Counsels against Christ as well as for him page 226 Sentence of condemnation at the last day page 527 Creation CreatioÌ„ a work of the whole trinity page 145 How all-things were created page 169 Created in six dayes why page 146 Creation the end of it Gods glory page 147 Gods power manifested in the Creation Ibid. Gods goodnesse appeares in the Creation page 148 Gods wisdom appears in the CreatioÌ„ Ib. A curious question about the Creation answered Ibid. Creation teacheth eight things page 149. Giue God the glory of our Creation page 200. Wee should answer the end of our Creation page 201 Doctrine of the Creation terrible to wicked men page 150 Comfortable to the godly page 150,202 Creation of new Heauens page 531 Creatures set at liberty at the last day page 532 Creatures how they discerne things page 59 How God knowes them page 60 Creed The Analysis of the whole Creed page 16 What the Creed is page 3 Why the Creed is called a patterne page 5 Creed called a little Bible Ibid. What respect wee should haue to this Creed page 6 Twelue reasons for it Ibid. Doctrine of the Creed Catholike page 7 No Science hath such a subiect as the Creed page 6 Creed food for all sorts of Christians page 9 Creed the character of the Church Ib. Creed a touchstone to try all religions by Ibid. How called the Apostles Creed page 11 Creed not collected by the Apostles Ib. Gathered out of Apostoticall writings page 12 Creed came not in all at once page 13 When it was finished page 14 Why called the Apostles Creed Ibid. Diuers
religion and were circumcised and withall religious or deuoute men that were Gentiles conuerted to the Iewish religion but were not circumcised such as were Cornelius and diuers others The speciall nature of the Church in which it differs from all other companies of men is exprest in the other wordes of the definition and so they shew vs three things 1. The efficient cause of the Church viz. her calling by the voice of Gods Cryer 2. The tearmes from which and to which she is called in the middle words of the definition 3. The foâ—me of the Church which consists in her vnion with Christ and communion with her selfe among the members of that company For the first when I say she is called ordinarily by the voice of Gods Cryers I intimate diuers things thereby 1. That the Preachers of the Gospell are as publike Criers to call men to heare what God hath to say to them like those Cryers in Athens of whom I spake before Matth. 3. Esay 48. 1. 2. That I consider not of the Church as she is elect of God till shee be called because many of the Elect for a great part of their liues may lie scattered about and hidden in the heapes of the men of this world 3. That the preaching of the Gospell is the meanes to make men actually of the Church and members of Christ and so to haue right to saluation The Gospell is the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. 16. and 10. 14. 4. I adde effectually called to exclude Hypocrites and carnall men that enioy the meanes but obey it not and to include the worke of the Holy Ghost making the hearts of the Elect to answer to Gods call and obey his voice for by the Spirit God speakes also internally to their hearts 5. I adde the Word ordinarily to shew that though God is pleased to binde men to the vse of the meanes yet he himselfe is not tied but can worke without the meanes and so it may giue vs occasion to informe our selues in diuers cases as first in the case of such as liue in places where the meanes is not nor can be had It is possible that God extraordinarily may worke conuersion in some men in such places which was the case of Cornelius liuing in Caesarea Act. 10. Secondly in the case of Infants who do belong to the Church by vertue of Gods Couenant though they liue not to receiue conuersion by the preaching of the Gospell for Christ saith of Infants Theirs is the kingdome of God Thirdly in the case of such as liue in Paganish and idolatrous places as in the times of the darknesse of Popery or in the case where men are by violence carried away and brought vp in idolatrous places God may haue a remnant amongst them that belong to his election and are in time truly called as in the daies of Elias in the kingdome of the ten Tribes vnder the reigne of Ahab Fourthly in the case of such as are borne deafe or become so before they are capable of receiuing the Gospell they being borne of godly parents may belong to the Church as Infants do I say God that knowes his owne from eternitie may euen amongst them by the supply of the Spirit make members of the Church Besides seeing the Holy Ghost doth not need speciall instruments to worke withall sometimes he may worke that by the eyes of the deafe which he doth by the eares of others for by their eyes he may powre in an eternall light into their mindes Lastly the case of such as are destitute of vnderstanding by nature or disease is very hard because they want reason and so are incapable of faith and if we say that the Holy Ghost may infuse an inward light then it is cleare they cease to be fooles or mad-men In this case therefore we must religiously and charitably suspend and leaue Gods worke to himselfe The termes from which and to which the Church is called follow in these words from the prophanenesse of the world to enioy the supernaturall dignitie of the children of God The terme from which Terminus à quo is from the prophanenesse of the world in which words three things may be noted First that the true members of the Church were in their estate of Nature as prophane as the people of the world liuing in sin and being the children of wrath as well as others which shew the exceeding riches of Gods grace and Christs loue to them that could respect them being so vile and sinfull Secondly that our first parents before the fall could not properly be said to be the Church because they neither were called from an estate of corruption nor did they then need Christ nor had that faith in Christ being perfect by creation and so not wanting a Sauiour whereas the Church is properly the Spouse of Christ Thirdly by these words all men in visible Churches may trie themselues for only they that are conuerted from prophanenesse are true members of the Church and so Hypocrites are excluded and open prophane persons and such as are only changed in their opinions and not in their practise 2 Pet. 1. 4. Terminus ad quem or the terme to which they are called is to the supernaturall dignity of the sons of God which words expresse the grace of Adoption which comprehends the substance of all that felicity we haue from God in Christ after calling Eph. 1. 4. but of the priuiledges of the Church afterwards The last words of the definition describes the forme of the Church the essentiall inward forme which is that vnion with Christ by faith they are really members of the Church that are vnited to Christ as their head by faith without this faith it is impossible to please God and faith comprehends all that which essentially God requires of vs to iustification and adoption Ioh. 3. 16. I adde their vnion one with another by loue because brotherly loue is an inseparable fruit of faith for faith worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. and is such a Characteristicall signe of a true member of the Church that the Apostle saith thereby we know we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 14. and the same Apostle seemes to make Loue a kinde of forme of the true Christian Eph. 1. 4. Thus of the definition of the Church The originall of the Church followes next to be considered and so I consider of the Church as she is the Church not as these men were in their estate of Nature for so her father was an Amorite and her mother an Hittite in as much as she was sinfully borne she was basely borne but that company that I call the Church were not the Church when they were in that estate of Nature The Church then as shee is the Spouse of Christ hath many things in her originall that are very glorious and much to be admired And that if we consider her originall in respect of decree