men offend 1. When they labour not to know their owne faith when they will not trie their estates and make it sure they haue Faith 2. When they seeke not helpe for the diseases and weaknesses of their Faith but being often assaulted with doubting are so sluggish as they will not seeke found resolution for their doubts 3. When they instruct not their Faith in the particulars of Gods treasures nor imploy it to a daily vnlocking of the riches contained in the Chists of Gods particular promises 4. When they esteeme not Faith but through vnthankfulnes smother the acknowledgement of Gods singular gift herein 5. When they wearie their faith with doubâ—full disputations and will not direct it to the studie of necessarie and glorious truthes 6. When they leade not out their Faith to traine it in the day of peace against the day of battell when they â—â—y not vp prouision against the euill day and doe not before hand instruct their Faith how to hold out when tryall commeth 7. When men beleeue not so heartily and with such full assurance as becomes the excellency of the doctrines of Faith 8. When Faith is kept idle and men doe not daily exercise their Faith about the successe and crosses of their callings and about the labour and workes of loue Lastly many Instructions necessarily depend vpon this doctrine of Faith for 1. Such as want Faith should bee effectually moued to vse all courses to get them a sound Faith and there are many things may moue men to beleeue and helpe to breede Faith as First men must effectually consider vpon Motiues vnto faith on Gods part and especially such as are taken from his mercy and goodnesse to thinke on it how good and gratious God is should make men beleeue his promises and receiue his grace offered and the rather if they seriously ponder vpon these things in Gods goodnesse First that it is free he stands not vpon desert he offers loue loue to his very enemies Rom. 5. 10. Secondly it is exceeding great able to forgiue all sinne and supply all wants Psal 36. 108. 5. Ephes â— 4. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Thirdly it is inuiting God doth offer his mercy hee sends abroad his Proclamations to offer pardon and fauour in the Gospell yea he beseecheth men to be reconciled 2 Cor. 5. 19. 20. Fourthly it is indefinite hee offers Mercy to all sorts of men to the World to euery creature Col. 3. 11. Ioh. 3. 16. Marke 16. 16. Fâ—fthly it is naturall It is not against his nature as it is for a couetous man to be bountifull Mercy pleaseth him Micha 7. 18. He was neuer angry with any for beleeuing but extreamely displeased with men for not beleeuing Iohn 3. 16. 17. Secondly men must carefully auoid all the lets of faith and marke what keepes them from beleeuing Whether it bee any beloued sinne or some venomous obiections or the cares of the world and the fond excuses that belong thereunto or carnall wisedome and selfe conceitednesse in hearing the Word or procrastination or corrupt opinions about the possibility or necessity of beleeuing or the like and in particular some Christians must bee warned of that strange impediment namely when men iudge themselues vnworthy of Eternall life and so put off the promises of God through vnbeliefe Thirdly men must attend vpon the meanes of begetting Faith they must compell vpon themselues the care thereof They must pray God to giue them the spirit of Faith and to helpe their vnbeliefe They must cry to God with teares for this thing Marke 9. 24. and withall they must attend to the Word of Faith which is the Gospel so waiting vpon the publike Ministerie as they studie the promises of God exactly and seeke resolution of their doubts and direction about Faith in priuate Thus concerning such as want Faith Secondly such as haue Faiâ—h must bee carefull to looke to these things 1. They must with all watchfulnesse keepe their Faith as they would keepe their liues prouiding that they may abide in the Faith to the end and neuer denie their first Faith 1. Tim. 1. 19. Acts 14. 22. 1. Tim. 5. 12. 2. They must be carefull to imploy their Faith both euery day by learning how to liue by Faith and in the times of tryall to see to it that they cast not away their confidence Yea he should striue to shew forth such a power of beleeuing in all the effects of it that his Faith may be spoken of through the World Gal. 2. 20. Heb. 10. 35. Rom. 1. Hitherto of the maine body of the doctrine of beleeuing with the Vses Before I passe from it It will bee profitable to answer certaine questions that may arise in mens mindes about beleeuing Quest. 1. Whether the Apostles would haue vs beleeue no more then is contained in the Creed seeing the Creed is called their Creed Answ All doctrines of Faith may be reduced some way to the Articles of Faith in the Creed as being either expressed or implyed there We are bound to beleeue all things written in the Prophets and Apostles bookes that is so farre as they are reuealed vnto vs. But the doctrines contained in the Creed are such as none may be ignorant of without danger of damnation simple Ignorance in other truthes is not damnable so as these things be rightly beleeued Quest. 2. How can Faith be said to be one Ephes 4. 5. seeing in the manner of setting downe the Creed euery Christian hath a Faith of his owne because he saith I beleeue Answ There is but one Faith in respect of the Obiect or thing beleeued which is especially the grace of God in Christ which was the particular Obiect of Faith from the beginning of the world since the fall But there are many Faiths or gifts of Faith in respect of the Subiect that is the persons beleeuing for so there are as many Faiths as there are beleeuers Quest. 3. Is euery Christian bound alwaies to make profession of his Faith Answ 1. We must alwaies make profession by our deedes that is we must alwaies liue as becommeth the doctrine of Faith 2. Wee must in our words neuer for any cause deny any doctrine of Faith 3. If we be called vpon by lawfull Authority wee must giue answer to euery man that asketh a Reason of our Faith 4. In other causes we are bound to make profession in words so farre as we haue calling and fitnesse to doe it to the glory of God Quest. 4. Whether all true beleeuers doe beleeue these Articles alike with the same measure of Faith Answ No for Faith is wrought in men by degrees and so some haue a weake Faith and some a strong Faith Faith is formed in the soule as the body is in the wombe for in framing the body in the wombe there is first the braines and heart and then the veines sinewes arteries and bones and then afterwards all is couered and filled 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
he beleeued the man answered as the Church beleeued and the diuell asking him how the Church beleeued he answered as I doe and hereupon the diuell ranne away and was vanquished And it mâ—y well bee the diuell durst aske him no more questions for feare least he should get out of his Snare now that by these answers he had made it manifest he was fast in for hee that takes not in the doctrine of faith parâ—icularly takes it not in at all for as the Childe may starue though you set before it a whole loafe of bread or other prouision if you cut it not for him bit by bit so is it with vs in beleeuing To set the body of faith before vs and not teach vs how after it is diuided to take any part is to starue our soules To bee short then we must looke to it that we vnderstand and beleeue these Articles not in the whole lumpe onely but in the partes not by trusting to other mens iudgements but distinctly taking notice of each doctrine of faith our selues 4. We must beleeue all the Articles of the faith totally not in some parts onely faith is copulatiue heere we must beleeue all or none He cannot be sound in the faith that is corrupted in his iudgement about any these Articles faith that is a sound faith beleeues all that is written 5. We must beleeue with application It is not inough to beleeue that these doctrines are true or good but wee must beleeue that they belong to each of vs in particular or else we shall haue little profit or comfort by them What can it comfort vs to beleeue that these things are or that others shall haue the benefit of them if they belong not to vs Thus I must beleeue that I haue the benefit of Gods power or prouidence and of Christs Incarnation and Passion and exaltation and that I am a member of the Church and haue my parte in his priuiledges This is a maine thing to be attained for a reprobate may goe so farre to beleeue that these doctrines are true 6. We must beleeue with all Christian simplicity which should haue two things in it first wee must cast away all trust in our owne merits It is a compounded and corrupted faith that beleeues any of these things vpon the perswasion of his owne merits or deserts To beleeue aright and merit cannot stand together true faith casteth out merit For if they which are of the law inherit any of these treasures then faith is void and the promise and gift of Gods grace of none effect Rom. 4. 14. secondly we must beleeue so as we will giue glory to God though the things to bee beleeued bee neuer so vnlikely to carnall reason or be things absent and not yet giuen or things aboue our vnderstanding in the full glory of them our faith must not bee curious or vnquiet to binde God to giue vs a reason of his promises or actions Herein we must take heede that the Serpent beguile vs not nor seduce vs from the simplicity that is in Christ Iesus 2. Cor. 11. 3. Yea this is the glory and triumph of faith in these things without doubting to giue glory to God Our faith must bee the substance of things hoped for and the demonstration of things not seene Wee must beleeue eternall life though we must die and a blessed resurrection though we shall be rotten in the graue and that we are Iustified though sinne yet dwell in vs and that we are blessed though yet exposed to much miseries c. 7. We must beleeue with full assurance wee must not wauer or doubt but bee fully resolued and established in the perswasion of these things and our right in them Colos 2. 2. 1. Thes 1. 4. this we ought to labour for and this may bee had and therefore we should giue all diligence to get this full assurance of faith I grant that a lesse degree of faith may be true faith as shall bee shewed afterwards but yet this is that which we should striue for that we may effectually glorifie God by beleeuing 8. We must beleeue with perseuerance we must so giue entertainement to these sacred truthes now as that wee also meane to liue and die in this faith The faith that is temporarie will little auaile vs we must so prouide that our faith may last to the end And therefore the word is I do beleeue in the present time not I haue beleeued or I will beleeue to note that there must be no time wherein a Christian may truely say now I beleeue not Now that we may not be deceiued herein we must looke to three things First that we cast off all carnall ends in our profession of faith and looke to it that wee take not vp the profession of religion for sinister respects as many haue done for such ends as these to wit to get credit and the fauour of men or to make themselues capable of the preferment of this world or to shew their gifts or which is worse to couer secret wicked practises or open faults Secondly that we build not our Faith vpon wrong Causes or grounds such as are the respect of any mans person or opinion or the intising words of mens wisedome or the meere colours and probabilities of mens arguments but be sure we place our Faith vpon the Word of God Thirdly that we be not deceiued with the seeming effects of Faith but learne to distinguish betweene the force of the Word vpon our hearts when we are meerely as it were patients and the force of the Word working a habit or action in vs. I expresse my meaning thus Many a man liues in a place where the word is taught in the power and glory of it comes to heare without any care or purpose to regard or profit by it yet the truth in the deliuerie of it so shines in his heart that he is not only conuinced but for the time delighted and heares with great gladnesse as feeling his heart to be warmed with the doctrine he heares yet cares not for it when he is gone away nor makes any vse of it at all as being destitute of any gift by which he should receiue or apply the doctrine so that this heat in his heart did not arise from any habit in him receiuing the Word and making vse of it but onely from the forcible penetration of the doctrine As a stone that is heated by the beames of the Sunne that neither had heat in it selfe before nor keepes heat when the Sunne hath done shining but is a meere patient Now this hearer hath not so much as a temporarie Faith for he that hath the temporarie Faith hath a kinde of habit be gotten in him so as he doth receiue the doctrine and keepe it after a sort and from the force of it so kept doth bring forth some fruit and so the seede receiued into his heart is like grasse vpon the house top or seede sowen
holy Ghost Phil. 2. 6. 7. Among the creatures the father and Sonne are two things in number but in this diuine generation it is not so for the Father and Sonne and so the holy Ghost are but one God 1. Iohn 5. 7. The Vse may bee either for information or instruction or consolation or terror first since GOD is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ by such an vnconceiueable generation wee may thence learne 1. The glory of our Sauiours condition He was before the world was he was with the father brought vp with him as his eternall delight more deere to the father then any created nature can conceiue of the Sonne of his Loue neuer father loued his son so as God the father loues Christ yea hee was God with the father Consubstantiall Coequall Coeternall Pro. 8. 22. c. 30. Iohn 17. 25. Philippians 2. 6 Rom. 9. 5. 2. The Originall of all father-hood The father of Iesus Christ was the first father euer was yea the Creed giues the Title of father to God onely as if there were no father but he and so Christ saith Mat. 23. 9. call no man father on earth for one is your father which is God and indeed properly none is a father but God other fathers that are called so haue the name only because there is in them a kind of Image or similitude of God the father and yet they beget so imperfectly in comparison of God the father that they resemble him rather in that generall that they doe beget then in the manner of begetting Thus for Information 2. Since God is the father of Iesus Christ wee should bee instructed 1. To acknowledge this Mystery and though wee haue cause to be abased for the defect of our vnderstanding heerein in that we cannot tell the fathers name nor what is the name of his Son Pro. 30 4. yet we should confidently beleeue as the very foundation of our Religion that Iesus Christ is the Son of the liuing God vpon the Rock of this confession is the Church built Mat. 16. 16 c. It is a glory Christ stands vpon to be acknowledged in the glory of the onely begotten Son of God Ioh. 1. 14. If we acknowledge the Son wee haue the father or else not 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Yea this is an honour God stands vpon to bee glorified with one heart and one mouth of all his seruants euen as the father of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 15. 6. 2. To be fully established in the perswasion of the sufficiency and efficacie of the obedience and passion of Iesus Christ for vs we may confidently call him the Lord our righteousnes seeing God is called his father for his obedience is more then the obedience of a man yea of more value then the obedience of worlds of men and besides hee is all in all with God the father who so loues him hee can denie him nothing c. 3. To rely vpon him for instruction The father loues him and shewes him all things that he doth or intends to doe and in him are all treasures of wisedome and knowledge therefore we should heare him alwaies in any thing hee will reueale to vs yea God the father chargeth vs with this duty as the very vse he would haue vs make of the knowledge of his eternal generation as appeares by the voice from heauen mentioned Mat 17. 5. While he yet spake behold a bright cloud shadowed them and behold there came a voice out of the cloud saying This is that my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him But especially this doctrine serues for consolation and so is frequently vrged in Scripture for if God be the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ then these comforts will manifestly follow to the beleeuing Christian 1. That God is well pleased with the sacrifice of Iesus Christ for our sinnes Mat. 3. 17. 2. That Christ is able to raise vp the dead hearts of men with spirituall life for as the Father hath life in himselfe so hee hath giuen to the Son to haue life in himselfe Ioh. 5. 26. 3. That in Christ we may haue supply for all our wants wee may receiue of his fulnes all sorts of graces needfull for vs as is from this doctrine gathered Iohn 1. 14. 18. 4. That Christ is able to giue vs eternall life and will performe euen that great gift at the time appointed to all that beleeue Iohn 3. 16. 17. 2. no beleeuer shall perish 5. That whatsoeuer he askes the Father for vs hee shall haue it yea that our prayers prescribed by him shall be heard 6. That nothing that is good for vs shall bee withheld from vs for if God hath giuen vs his Son how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Rom. 8. 32. 7. That God beares a great affection euen to vs for Christ hath besought the Father that he would loue vs with the Loue he loued him and that the warmth and comfort of that loue may be euer with vs Iohn 17. 24. 25. Lastly if God be the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ then vaine are all the consultations and rebellious proiects of wicked men against Christ and the meanes of his kingdom then also woe will bee vnto them for God will make Christs enemies his footstoole hee will bruise them with an iron rod and breake them like a Potters vessell for vnto the Son hath the Father giuen the ends of the earth and whatsoeuer rebels against him shall not prosper as from this doctrine is inferred Psal 2. 110. 1. Thus God is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Secondly Faith lookes vpon God as our Father especially in Christ 2. Cor. 1. 2. Gal. 1. 4. 2. Thes 1. 1. 2. 1. Thes â— 11. 13. God is our Father foure waies first by Creation and so principally in respect of our soules which he creates of nothing and infuseth into our bodies and so he is called Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. secondly by Regeneration because by his Almighty power he renewes spirituall life into our soules that were dead in sin 1. Pet. 1. 3. thirdly by Adoption when of his meere grace hee acknowledgeth vs for children Gal. 4 5. 6. fourthly by Resurrection because he giues a glorious being to our bodies that were rotted and dissolued in the earth and so as hee was said to beget Christ in the day that he raised him from the dead Act. 13. so is he said to grant vs the Adoption of sonnes when he restores our bodies to life out of the graue Rom. 8. 19. 21. And this terme of Father is giuen to these workes of God not vnfitly for the resemblance they haue to the relation betweene a Father and Son in Nature for 1. God giues vs a spirituall being making vs a soule or spirituall substance for as we call them Fathers because we haue our bodies from them so God is more fitly called a Father because we haue our spirits
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
by some Diuines That Iesus is his proper name is manifest but whether Christ be his Syrname as some think may iustly bee doubted because it seemes rather a Title of Office as King Duke or Earle are amongst men which are no Syrnames And in Iesus COncerning this Title of Iesus diuers things are to bee considered 1. The Etymologie of it It comes of an Hebrew roote and signifies a Sauiour and is the same name with Ioshuah and Iehoshuah and it may well be that he had an Hebrew name to signifie that he was a Sauiour of the Iewes and hee had a Greeke name Christ to signifie the interest the Grecians or Gentiles had in him 2. Who gaue him this Name Hee did not assume it to himselfe though knowing the end of his comming and the fulnesse of his sufficiencie he might haue done it neither was it put vpon him by men who giue names either casually without respect of signification or else when they giue good significant names there is a contradiction betweene their names and their liues but an Angell was sent from Heauen with great solemnity to appoint and impose his Name before he was borne Luke 1. 26. and hee talketh with the Virgin about it as an euill Angell talked with the woman about our perdition so heere a good Angell talkes with the Virgin about our Saluation 3. Why was he called Iesus Answer this Name Iesus or a Sauiour agrees to mâ—ntso fitly as to Christ hee onely deserues to be so called 1. Because his worke is to saue his people Matthew 1. 21. 2. Because there is no other Sauiour but he hee alone saueth them there is no other Name in Heauen and Earth by which we can be saued Acts 4. 12. Rom. 5. 17. 3. Because he saues from sinnes which no man can doe to deliuer from diseases of the body Physitians may or from thraldome and outward seruitude great Princes or commanders may but to saue the soule and from sinne none but Christ can Mat. 1. 21. And to saue from sinne is the greater worke because it cannot bee done vnlesse Gods Iustice be satisfied and mans nature recouered and the diuels conquered and the world ouercome c. 4. Because he can ransome and redeeme dead men Rom. 8. 2. 11. 5. Because he saues by such a price he redeemes by dying by shedding his owne bloud who also is more then man to saue vs he destroyes himselfe Gal. 3. 13. Heb. 2. 9 10. 13. 12. 6. Because he is a perfect Sauiour he will by degrees deliuer his people from the guilt of sinne and the power of it and the effects of it so as at the last they shall be freed from all sinne and miserie for euer He makes Attonement for all sinnes 1. Iohn 1. 7. not for one onely and vndertakes to pay all our debts and to heale all our diseases and at the last day will free vs from all sorrowes sicknesse sin death and all misery whatsoeuer 7. Because he is an eternall Sauiour hee doth not saue such as liued in one age onely but hee saueth all that come to him in euery Age Heb. 7. 25. 13. 8. 8. Because he is a generall Sauiour not of Iewes onely but of Gentiles also Rom. 3. 25. Hee is the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world Iohn 1. 9. Because hee doth all this worke of Saluation by one offering of himselfe hee did it at once for all Ages Heb. 10. 14. 10. Because his Redeemed ones shall neuer bee in bondage againe 11. Because he giues such preferment to all his Redeemed ones as neuer Conquerour did or was able to giue Hee makes them all Sonnes of God Heires coheires with himselfe and giues them all eternall life which will best appeare at the last day Colos 3. 3. 4. Rom. 5. 17. 6. 23. Reuel 19. 10. The Vse should be especially for instruction and so in many things 1. This should be tidings of great Ioy that there is a Iesus a Sauiour such a Sauiour This word Iesus is a short Gospell euen the substance of all good newes Acts 8. 35. our hearts should reioyce and our tongues should be glad Acts 2. 26. 22. Yea our whole liues should bee filled with gladnes and thankefulnesse that haue such a Sauiour that saues not from the Turke but from the diuell that pacifies not the wrath of a mortall man but of the Immortall God that payes all our debts that ouercomes all our enemies that saues not our bodies onely from sicknesse but our soules also from sinne 2. We should especially looke to it that we faile not of Saluation by Iesus but labour to be such as he may be Iesus to vs and so three things are necessarie 1. That we should seeke vnto him for our ransome and healing and Saluation and desire to know nothing but the Lord Iesus onely 1. Cor. 2. 2. 2. That wee beleeue in his Name this is Gods preceptorie Commandement or wee shall haue no part in Iesus 1. Iohn 3. 23. 3. That if we would haue him saue vs from our sinnes that they damne vs not we must then repent and conuert from our sinnes if we would haue God to blesse vs in Iesus Acts 2. 19. 13. 23. 24. Gal. 5. 6. Ephesians 4. 21. 2. Thes 3. 6. Iude 4. 3. Wee should shew that wee are saued by Iesus by liuing so as may become this Doctrine and so wee should shew it 1. By acknowledging his supremacie and sufficiencie against all the Popes Papists and diuells in the world wee should magnifie his Name aboue all Names Acts 19. 17. 1. Cor. 12. 3. 2. By louing the Lord Iesus aboue all things accounting all things but losse and dung in comparison of the knowledge of him 1. Pet. 1. 9. Phil. 3. 8. longing for his appearing and praying daily that the Lord Iesus would come Reuel 22. 1. Thes 1. 10. 3. By liuing to him spending our daies in his seruice and as may become the honour of such a Sauiour 1. Thes 4. 1. doing all things in his name Colos 3. 17. and seeking his glory more then our owne things Phil. 3. 20. we should set him alwaies before vs Acts 2. 22. 25. 4. By hauing no confidence in the flesh but placing all our ioy and trust in Iesus Phil. 3. 3. 5. By willing suffering any thing for Iesus sake Yea our liues should not bee deare to vs to confirme the testimonie of Iesus Acts 5. 41. 20. 24. 21. 13. 2. Cor. 4. 11. Reu. 12. 6. By liuing louingly and with vnity amongst our selues Paul beseecheth them by this Name Iesus that there should be no diuisions amongst them especially in matters of Religion for Iesus is a Sauiour alone and hee cannot bee diuided 1. Cor. 1. 10. 7. By shewing all Faith and Hope in the expectation of the Resurrection of our bodies and Saluation of our soules Finally this explication of the Name of Iesus may shew diuers sorts of men know not
whose it should be shewed that mâ—â— do not attaine the righteousnesse merits of Christ by â—â—eir owne deserts industry or skill but by lot that is â—â— the immediate gift of God Our portion amongst the Sâ—ints in light is by lot Coloss 1. 12. Concerning the derision he suffered it is obserued by the Euangelist Saint Matthew Chap. 27. 39 c. that they that went by wagged their heads at him vpbraiding him with the destruction of the Temple and the chiefe Priests and Scribes and Elders derided him many wayes and tempted him mocking at his Miracles and trust in God and the Theeues also that were crucified with him vpbraided him also the standers by mocked him about the very prayers hee offered vp to God peruerting his words wilfully as if he called to some creature to helpe him so that he was here on all hands despised as a worme and no man and all this he suffered 1. That from those often extreme contempts powred out vpon Christ at other times now we might be throughly made to know how hatefull our sinnes are to God especially the sinnes by which we and our first Parents haue despised or slighted God and dishonoured him and caused others to blaspheme his Name in that God doth so reuenge our Transgressions vpon his Sonne 2. That wee being deliuered from that eternall scorne and contempt which was due to vs might in this life inioy the comfort of a good name and in the life to come eternall glory before God and his Angels Christs ignominie did merit and procure our honour 3. That by his example wee might be comforted and by his silence and patience learne to despise the shame and scornes of sinfull men and not render reuiling for reuiling Heb. 12. 3. It may perhaps runne in mens mindes to wish that our Sauiour would haue done as they said seeing they promise to beleeue in him if he could saue himselfe from the Crosse But let men consider first that our Redemption had beene hindered if he had not died on the Crosse and besides being brought to that houre as our surety hee could not come downe till he had satisfied Gods iustice and further he had denied to worke Miracles in his life time when they and Herod defired him to doe it because they were an adulterous generation and cast off of God who was now loth to haue them conuert Esay 6. 10. Neither would they haue repented though they had had their desire and if Miracles would haue satisfied them he had done store of them in his life time and in that kinde he had saued himselfe from the hands of a multitude that intended to kill him as when they tooke vp stones in the Temple to stone him and it was more that he did to rise from the dead then to come downe from the Crosse and yet they did not beleeue him Againe in these reproches we may obserue that wicked men doe hate godly men for the very goodnesse that is in them and the true glory God hath stamped vpon them and the good they do They doe not vpbraid Christ for any euill no not for the euils they accused him of before for they themselues knew hee was innocent but for the good hee had done in sauing others and for his trust in God and for his prayers to God Further we may gather from hence that all persecutors are Atheists though they professe Religion for these men though learned and great men yet blaspheme God and deride him as if he had not power to saue him Moreouer we may obserue how malice and wickednesse had besotted the Priests and Scribes They alledge a place in the Psalmes viz. He trusted in God let him saue him now if he will haue him which words were there vttered in the name of the wicked enemies of God and yet these men so skilfull in the Old Testament haue not the braines to discerne that by their owne mouthes they haue condemned themselues Thus doth God in his iustice infatuate wicked men so that their owne mouthes doe betray them Lastly see how desperately wickednesse is set in the hearts of men the poore Theeues now ready to dye for their offences yet haue no loue of Iesus or the truth in him but ioyne with the Iewes in reuiling Christ. It seemes both the Theeues reuiled Christ when they first came vp vpon the Crosse which increaseth the wonder of the conuersion of one of them The third thing he suffered was grieuous torments both of soule and bodie And first for the torments of his bodie they must needs be great both in respect of what went before and what he then felt Before he had beene grieuously pained in that Agonie in the Garden when he sweat bloud and afterwards was tyed bound and carried away bound and was buffeted and beaten with rods and with extreme contumelie kept waking all night and then cruelly whipt crowned with thornes and beaten with a Reede and made to carry his Crosse on his shoulders and after all this to be so tortured with nailes in his hands and feet it must needs import a most grieuous torment he felt so as of him may be said what Dauid vttered My heart melted like wax my tongue cleaued to the roofe of my mouth and thou hast placed me in the dust of death Psal 22. 15 16. and this exceeding weaknesse and torment of body he suffered 1. That thereby he might satisfie for vs that had so often despised the power of God and his threatnings against our sins and in generall to pay for all the sinnes we had committed in the body 2. That thereby he might free vs free vs from eternall torments in our bodies and that he might make vs strong in his might so as to say The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid and through Christ I can doe all things 3. That hereby he might sanctifie the paines we feele in our bodies either from diseases or from the hands of violent men or persecutors and to teach vs with patience to beare our paines by faith looking vpon the torments such a Sauiour endured for vs and when we feele our bodies weakned by diseases we should by faith remember that our Sauiour was beyond all comparison made more weake in body for our sinnes That he suffered most grieuous distresse and anguish in his soule appeares by that lamentable voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me By which words it appeares that he was not only tormented in conscience vnder our sinnes and Gods wrath but that he was also forsaken of God and forsaken he was in two respects First that God lest him in most vnutterable distresse and did for the time defer his deliuerance Secondly that God withdrew from his Humane Nature the consolation might support him suffering him to endure those torments we should haue endured for euer Ob. How could God forsake him seeing the Diuine Nature was vntted to the Humane
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
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
of men and seeth them afarre off euen before they be yet formed or conceiued hee can tell what all the men in the world thinke at all times 1. Chron. 28. 9. Psal 7. 10. 94. 11. Ier. 11. 20. 17. 10. Yea he knowes all things which are possible to be though they neuer shall be To conclude he knowes all things diuine or humane or Angelicall Celestiall or Terrestriall good or euill secret or manifest vniuersall or singular necessary or contingent noble or vile great or small which are or are not past present or to come euen things which shall neuer be 5. Because his knowledge is most perfect hee not onely knowes all things but he knowes them most perfectly hee knowes not in part as we doe but exactly his knowledge cannot be increased or diminished he learnes nothing hee forgets nothing Rom. 11. 33. Psal 147. 5. And the perfection of his knowledge appeares first in the clearenesse and euidence of it therefore all things are said to be naked before him Heb. 4. 13. and also in the distinctnesse of it he knowes all things not confusedly or generally or in the masse or lump onely as wee are said to know a man that know not a thousand things in him thus God knowes very sparrowes and the very haires of our heads and the number of them Luke 12. 7. Mat. 10. 29. And this also proues the perfection of Gods knowledge that his knowledge is immutable he neuer varies though things may be subiect to infinite alterations yet Gods Knowledge of them is alwaies the same His Knowledge is infallible fourthly the perfection of his Knowledge appeares in this that hee knowes things holily hee neither adds nor detracts and takes any thing according to the outward shew or pretence but he iudgeth not according to the face or person but according to the Truth 6. Because he knowes the things after a manner incommunicable to the creatures for all things the creatures discerne they discerne by one of these waies either by sense as by the ministry of the eye or eare or taste or touching or smelling or else they discerne things by opinioÌ„ which is done by coniecturing or ghessing at things by their causes or the like or else by Faith when they know things by the report of others Or else by knowledge framed by reasoning discoursing by the benefit of certaine propositions to extract from thence the conclusion which breeds knowledge or lastly by certaine Images or species taken in by the sense and imprinted vpon the Phantasie which are thence offered to the vnderstanding by which the knowledge of things is kept for contemplation when the sense of the things is lost But God knowes things by none of these waies as being all imperfect as many Reasons might shew But he knowes them all by his Essence not by any sense or speciall facultie And that this may bee vnderstood wee must note First that the whole Essence of God is as it were wholy an eye or a mind Secondly that God is all thâ—ngs by Eminencie Deus est omnia Eminenter as they say in Schooles Thirdly God containes all things in himselfe and his Essence is the example or patterne of all things and therefore needs but to looke vpon himselfe and then he sees all things as in a glasse our vnderstanding is imperfect and therefore depends vpon the Obiects by which it is as it were coloured and so while it striueth to know other things is driuen to neglect and forget it selfe as the glasse which is so coloured from other things which shine in it that it doth as it were loose his owne colour but God being infinite and independent is not bound to the things without him to receiue impressions from them but in himselfe hath the Ideas or formes of them and are but as it were little shadowes or slender likenesses cast out from the diuine nature Hence it is that the Knowledge of God is not lyable to the imperfections that cleaue to the things to be knowne without himselfe thus he knowes temporall things after an eternall manner mutable things immutablie contingent things infalliblie future things presently dependent things independently created things after an vncreated manner 7. Because hee knowes all things vno intuitu with one view all at once The eye of man beholds many things at once as with one looke it can see the Ants in a Mole-hill but if it will see other things it must remoue the sight Now the minde of man can at once take in a larger circuit to looke vpon as a Cittie or Countrey yea the whole earth yea the whole world but it is onely in the lumpe or ball or whole masse of it for if it would take the distinct contemplation of things it must remoue from forme to forme and from thought to thought Now Gods vnderstanding takes all at once most stedfastly and most perfectly and so by a way more excellent then all the creatures in heauen or earth Gods Knowledge is not a successiue knowledge as ours is to take in things by comparing or distinguishing or reasoning c. for all things without God are but as a center or little point which with infinite ease he discernes and therefore wee must by the way take notice of it that when wee reade in Scripture of fore-knowledge of things to come or remembrance of things past that these things are called so in respect of vs not in respect of God They are not giuen to God properly but are tearmes borrowed from our vse the more distinctly to inform vs of the branches as it were of Gods knowledge 8. Because Gods knowledge of things hath such force in it that when and where hee will hee can make the Creature feele the warmth and comfort of the knowledge of him It is a knowledge that hath influences vpon some creatures It refresheth and worketh more vpon the soule then the Beames of the Sunne vpon the bodie Thus when God is said to know the way of the Righteous or their soules in aduersity or the like the knowledge is not a bare taking notice but an acknowledgement or making of them to know that he knowes them or a powerfull setting of the beames of his knowledge so vpon them that they are thereby preseâ—ued and wonderfully refreshed and the like to this can no created knowledge doe it can cast no influence vpon the thing knowne Psal 1. 6. 2. Tim. 2. 19. Iohn 10. 14. 27. Exod. 33. 12. This appeares by the contrarie when of wicked men God saith he knowes them not Mat. 7. 23. The consideration of these surpassing glories in the knowledge of God should serue for diuers Vses 1. It should breede in vs with the Apostle Admiration of those depths of Wisedome and Knowledge of God Rom. 11. 33. 2. It may informe vs concerning the vanity of Idols which haue no vnderstanding they cannot know nor foretell any thing and therefore not like the true God Esay 41. 2â— And it
mercifull bountifull c. but GOD is loue it selfe mercie it selfe c. 3. Because their goodnesse began but yesterday a little while agoe whereas Gods goodnesse was from euerlasting 4. Because their goodnesse is mutable they may hate and loath whom they formerly loued and piâ—tied vehemently and they may loue and pittie such persons as when they die may perish in hell for euer where they shall neuer enioy comfort by them more whereas Gods loue is immutable and euerlasting 5. Because they can shew no such fruits of their loue and mercie as God doth they cannot ransome the world nor quicken and raise the dead soules and bodies of men nor medicine the afflictions of them they loue to turne them to good nor subdue those mighty enemies diuells sin death and hell nor nourish soules nor giue an immortall inheritance Secondly the consideration of his glorious goodnes should compell vs 1. To magnifie him for his goodnesse and striue to set out his praises to mention the louing kindnesses of the Lord according to his great goodnesse shewed to vs Esay 63. 7. The Prophet Dauid in many places vrgeth this vse vehemently vsing this forme of exhortation in many places Oh praise the Lord for he is good for his mercy indureth for euer Psalme 106. 1. 107. 1. 118. 1 1â—6 1. and though worlds of carnall people cannot bee inflamed to the admiration of this matchlesse goodnesse of his yet Israel the redeemed of the Lord all that feare him and haue experience of his mercy should bee vehemently affected with desire to magnifie his praises as these places shew Neither will it suffice after a dull or sullen manner to doe it but wee are bound to praise this goodnesse of God after a speciall manner for 1. We must studie his praises herein and striue to seeke out with delight the conceptions of his glorious praises Psal 111. â— â— 2. We must bee sure that Gods praises heere bee set out with affirmations and language aboue the praises of all other things in the world we must do it abundantly Psal 145. 7. and with our whole hearts Psalme 111. 1. our soules must blesse him not our tongues onely Psal 103. 1. 3. Wee must not rest satisfied to praise him for a fit but must striue to doe it for euer all our life should bee full of his praises Psal 104. 33. and good Reason seeing wee can neuer want matter and cause of praise because the earth is full of his goodnesse Psal 3â— 5. and who can at once declare all his praise Psal 106. 2. 4. Nor will it suffice that wee praise him when wee worship him in the word Prayer or Sâ—craments but we must talke of his praises one to another and labour mutually to heate our hearts by daily mentioning the glory of his Nature and Kingdome Psal 145. 11. 2. Gods goodnesse should force vs to repentance and so it should diuers waies It hath in it strong incitations to humiliation to cast downe to the care of a new life It should exceedingly humble vs and breake our hearts to think that wee haue so long and so grieuously transgressed against God that is so full of goodnesse towards vs. It should make vs teare our very hearts with weeping mourning and fasting Ioel. 2. 12. secondly It leades vs to repentance also as it giues vs incouragement to come to him to beg mercy and forgiuenesse because mercy pleaseth him Mich. 7. 18. and his Throne of grace is alwaies easie to come to and he freely shewes mercy and will multiply pardon There can be no such aggrauations of our sinnes but if wee repent all will be swallowed vp in the seas of his goodnesse Esay 55. 7. Ioel 2. 13. Heb. 4. 6. thirdly it should continually fire vs to the hatred of our sinnes and care to liue righteously and soberly and godly in this present world denying vngodlinesse and worldly lusts Titus 2. 12. who would not serue so good a Nature 3. It should set our affections all in a flame and make vs wonderfully in loue with God seeing beyond all comparison there is all that in Gods nature which should kindle affections Oh we should loue him with all our hearts and all our soules and all our might both because hee is so infinitely amiable in himselfe and shewes it to vs daily as also because he seekes to be ours and to vnite vs to himselfe The Doctrine is wholly lost if it will not make vs more in loue with God If such Loue Mercie Bounty Grace and Patience cannot allure vs then nothing that is good can The whole booke of the Canticles sets out the Loue should be in the Church to God Yea it shewes that the vehement passions of Loue should be in vs because all that can be Amiable is in him The desire of our soules should bee euer after him and the remembrance of him We should be much abashed that any louer should shew more affection to an earthly creature then we shew to God Our mindes should still runne vpon him And because we may finde a horrible vnto wardnesse in our nature and extreame dulnesse in our affections therefore wee should make conscience of it to circumcise our hearts that we might more be in loue with God both by afflicting our soules and iudging our selues for our defects and by cutting off and casting away all those delights that might steale away our affections from the Lord beseeching the Lord himselfe to direct our hearts into his loue 2. Thes 3. 5. Esay 26. 9. Psal 31. 19. 21. 23. Deut. 30. 6. 4. It should teach vs to make more account of his loue to vs and all the signes of it we should wonderfully ioy in all the pledges of his fauour esteeming his louing kindnesse better then life Our very soules should be satisfied as with marrow Psalme 63. shall the Lord reioyce ouer vs with ioy and take such delight in vs Zeph. 3. 17. and shall wee so lightly esteeme of his fauour presence and all his loue tokens Oh the Tidings that GOD loues vs should fill our hearts with indelible delights and admiration 5. It should fully perswade vs to rest vpon God and trust in him with all confidence in all estates euen wholly to commit our selues and our waies to his protection who would not trust so good so louing so pitifull so bountifull a Nature Blessed are they that are fauoured by him and can trust in his mercies and shew it both by their abundant contentation and by their continuall recourse to him to seeke all needfull good things from him that is the Fountaine of all goodnesse Psal 34. 9. 13. 6. 6. How should it make vs long for the comming of Iesus Christ and hast to that day how should wee desire to bee dissolued that we might be prefent with the Lord and see his beauty face to face and enioy that vnspeakeable sweetnesse of his Nature immediately Oh what hearts haue we that doe not euen
3. Especially what heart of man can looke vpon Iesus Christ the Sonne of Gods Loue and consider his grieuous Agonies when he felt the wrath of God Hee was but a suretie for sinne had neuer done any thing to offend his Father and yet when hee feeles Gods wrath it makes him sweat for paine yea he sweates bloud Oh can it be that men should be so ouercome with spirituall dotage as to thinke Gods Iustice may be more easie towards them that are the parties offending then it was towards Iesus Christ And as the Iustice of God towards the wicked is terrible so it is vnauoidable If they say their riches shall ransome them they must be answered that a great ransome cannot deliuer them God will not esteeme their riches nor their gold nor all their forces of strength Iob 36. 19. Ezek. 7. 19. Besides riches can flie away in the day of Gods wrath Iob 20. 28. and if they remaine yet God can bring men into straits in the middest of their sufficiencie and raine vpon them the furie of his wrath euen they are is eating Iob 20. 22. 23. Nor will their sinnes be forgotten for they are written with a penne of Iron and with a point of a Diamond yea they are grauen vpon their owne Hearts and rather then God would want witnesses the heauens should declare their wickednesse and the earth should rise vp against them Ieremie 17. 1. Iob 20. 27. Nor can it ease them that they see that godly men suffer the same afflictions that they doe they may not gather from thence that God is no more displeased with them then hee is with the most Religious for there is a great deale of difference betweene the fire with which God melts his owne seruants as in a Furnace and the fire of his enemies for in the one God onely intends to refine and purifie his seruants in the other hee intends to consume his enemies hee respects the strength of his seruants but respects the sinne of his enemies Esay 26. 11. Ier. 46. 28. Nor may they say there are no Passions in God and therefore no wrath for though it be true that Passions are not in God as they are in man yet that little helpes them but rather increaseth the terror because wrath is in God after a way agreeable to his nature farre aboue that wrath can bee in man Mans anger is mutable and finite Gods anger is immutable infinite And to beate this into the heads of wicked men God doth ascribe to himselfe not onely the words of anger and wrath but of loathing with his soule iealousie furie smiting with the hands c. Psalme 11. 5. Ezek. 22. 13. 38. 18. 19. and the more to affect men when God is described as angry a consuming fire is said to goe before him and darkenesse to bee round about him the earth trembling vnder him and the hills melting at the presence of God and the heauens remouing out of their place c. Psalme 97. 2 3 4. Esay 13. 13. Nor may they thinke to finde meanes to escape for the Lord hath a mighty arme Psalme 89. 14. and hee hath his sanctified ones and his mighty ones whom he commands for his Anger Esay 13. 3. and to shew that there can be no resisting he is compared to consuming fire and to a continuall whirle-winde vpon the head of the wicked which shal not returne till it hath accomplished the minde of God Heb. 10. 29. Ieremie 30. 23. â—4 If they say wee haue escaped hitherto I answer that though his heart be set in wickednesse because sentence is not speedily executed yet he shall not prolong his daies though he doe euill an hundred times the wrath of the Lord hangs ouer his head and will fall downe at length Eccles 8. 12. Iob 31. 3. Iohn 3. 36. Nor will their going to Church or outward seruing of God somtimes serue their turne for God wil not accept of thousands of Rammes nor Riuers of Oyle nor if they would Sacrifice the Sonnes of their bodies for the sinnes of their soules yet it will not auaile them Mich. 6. 6 7. If they thinke that God that made them will pittie them and not destroy them they are deceiued for the Lord hath answered long since that he would not spare them though he made them yet he would not haue compassion on them Esay 27. 11. If they thinke to escape because they are such a multitude they are therein also deceiued for the vision is concerning the multitude and wrath is vpon all the multitude Ezek. 7. 12. 13 14. the glory and pompe and the multitude shall goe downe into hell Esay 5. 13 14. Nations that forget God shall be turned into hell Psal 9. 16. Nor will it ease them to thinke how hard a course this will be thought to be by all sorts of men for God will be iustified in his sayings and cleare himselfe though they condemne him Psalme 51. 4. hee will not respect the wise in heart Iob 37. 24. Neither may they persist in their wilfull pretending that God is mercifull and they can shew it by diuers Scriptures that God hath bound himselfe to shew wonderfull mercy to sinners for all that mercy belongs to the godly onely and besides God hath expreslely declared himselfe that if any man hearing the curses of Gods Law shall blesse himselfe in his heart God will not be mercifull to that man Deut. 29. 19. Finally they may not be confirmed against the feare of Gods Iustice by the testimonie of such Ministers as haue publikely or priuately incouraged them by promising peace and mercy and contradicting the Doctrine of other Ministers that haue soundly vrged the seuerity of Gods Iustice for God by the Prophet Ezekiel doth at large threaten that hee will breake downe those walles of vaine confidence which haue bin built in the hearts of wicked men he will finde a time when their daubing with vntempered morter shall be found by the sinner himselfe to bee vtterly without any foundation of Truth see the place at large Ezek. 13. 13 14 15 c. Thus you see the portion of the wicked and this is the Heritage he shall haue from the Almighty Iob 20. 29. The consideration of Gods Iustice toward wicked men may serue for wonderfull abasement and humiliation to men that liue in their sinnes without repentance Oh is it possible can thy heart indure to heare all this or can euer thy hands bee strong when the Lord shall haue to doe with thee Ezek. 22. 14. Oh woe to him that striues with his Maker Esay 45. 8 9. Oh but what must we doe is there no remedie for vs must we despaire I answer no but rather feare this dreadfull God for according to his feare will his anger bee Psal 90. 11. and with all possible speede and earnestnesse humble thy selfe before the Lord and insomuch as by this doctrine thou maist see what neede thou hast of a Sauiour to quench
this most blessed Immortality and hath prouided for vs habitations in that glorious eternity and so it should comfort vs against the shortnesse of our liues Psal 113. 12 13 29. 3. Yea it should comfort vs that God will visit vs and dwell in our hearts in this world that of himselfe dwells in eternity Esay 57. 15. 4. Our aduersaries are in Gods hands who is Lord of time and can cut them off at his pleasure Psalme 92. 8 9 10. Lastly all the good things God hath promised vs shall bee accomplished for the Eternity of Israel cannot lie nor will repent 1. Sam. 15. 29. which is also true of the curses denounced against wicked men Thus of the Eternity of God His Immutability followes In the Immutability of God two things are wonderfull and to be adored 1. That he is altogether and euery way vnchangeable 2. That he onely is Immutable For the first that God is altogether and euery way vnchangeable must be proued and explained The absolute Immutability of God is proued by these places euidently Psal 102. 27. 28. Mal 3. 6. Iam. 1. 17. For the explanation of this Doctrine two things are to bee noted first how God is Immutable and secondly in how many respects For the manner of his Immutability we must know that he is Immutable by Nature and of himselfe and so hee differs from some creatures that haue a kinde of Immutability As the heauens after they are renewed shall neuer be changed and so the soules and bodies of the faithfull after the day of Iudge ment but these are thus immutable by grace not by Nature by the gift of God not of themselues whereas Gods immutability depends vpon no other but hee is so absolutely and of himselfe Now God is Immutable in foure respects 1. In essence or substance and so he cannot bee changed to a-another essence or Nature he cannot die as hauing Immortality alone hee is alwaies in act hee hath not possibilities he is not changed so much as by motion neither in respect of place or working not in respect of place because he fills all things and is simply immense and infinite not in respect of working because he onely hath the glory to worke and yet be quiet in operation and vnmoueable nor can he be changed by growth or alteration in substance because being immense he cannot wax bigger by Augmentation nor lesser by Diminution and finally he cannot be changed by suffering from any other as being that onely essence that is impatible Thus the Psalmist saith that God is alwaies the same Psal 102. 28. and that the Lord stands vpon in his Title when hee calls himselfe I am or I am that I am Exodus 3. 2. In nature or proprieties for all his proprieties are to euerlasting the same so he is alwaies omnipotent omniscient most holy wise glorious c. As he cannot die in respect of substance so he cannot lie in respect of attributes he cannot denie himselfe or doe vniustly as diuers Scriptures shew 3. In decrees as is his essence so is his Sentence Immutable his counsell must stand and is for euer vnchangeable Heb. 6. 17. 18. Esay 46. 4. In promises all his promises hee makes in his word are yea and Amen Heauen and earth shall passe away but no iot or sillable of his Word shall passe vnsulfilled which is also true of his Threatnings and of that platforme of Holinesse giuen in the Law of Nature and exprest in Scripture Mat. 24. 35. Mal. 3. 6. as also in his Prophecies Reuel 22. 5. In his Gifts of grace bestowed vpon his people and so his gifts and callings are without Repentance Rom. 11. Iames 1. 17. If any should obiect that God was changed in Essence because the word became flesh and God was made man I answer that though the word was made flesh yet his diuine Nature was vnchanged for neither was the Deity turned into the Humanity nor was the proprieties of the Humane Nature deriued vnto the diuine but remaining what hee was viz. God he became what he was not viz. Man If any should obiect That motion from place to place is attributed to God because God is said to depart from some men and returne to other men That hath bin answered before in the Doctrine of Gods Immensitie for God mooues in respect of effect in vs being vnmoued in himselfe As a man that rowes in a Boate looking vpon the bancke thinkes the bancke goes from him or comes neerer him whereas the bancke is vnmoueable and the motion is in the boate If wee respect Grammer in these Phrases God seemes indeed to bee moued but if we respect a more high and secret Philosophie wee then vnderstand thereby that God is vnmoueable but is said to moue by returning when by the working of his spirit he makes vs returne to him If any yet obiect that the Spirit of God was said to moue vpon the waters Gen. 1. 2. The answer is that by that saying is signified no more then that the holy Ghost by his power and mouing did cherish and sustaine that indigested matter as an Hen that sits vpon her Egges to make them fit to bee hatched If any say that Gods suffers mutation in his knowledge because hee takes in the Apprehension of things present or to come and is turned backe to looke vpon things past I answer that though God be full of all knowledge of things past present and to come yet he is not cast backe to that which is past nor stands pondering vpon that which is present nor by hoping is stretched towards that which is to come because God sees all things with an eternall and vnchangeable view as hath bin shewed in the Doctrine of his Knowledge If any yet obiect that God suffers because he receiues worship from his children and is blasphemed by the wicked and that therefore God should be passible I answer that Passions are of two sorts some transmutatiue some Intentionall Some Passions worke a Reall mutation in the Obiect as when fire heates water thus Passion is transmutatiue Some Passions doe onely determine the Action as when I looke vpon heauen heauen suffers Terminatiuè non subiectiuè as they say in Schooles It suffers as the obiect of my sight but in it selfe vndergoes no change and this is Passion Intentionall and such onely is the Passion in God He suffers no alteration from any action of ours but is onely the obiect or Terme of our Actions good or euill If any obiect that God threatned to destroy the Niniuites and that Hezekiah should die and yet hee did not accomplish it and that therefore Gods Word and will is mutable I answer that those threatnings or predictions were not absolute but with condition or respect and therefore no change in Gods will Niniueh shall be destroyed if respect bee had to their merits and vnlesse they repent Now God is not bound alwaies to expresse the condition of his Threatnings and beside all
legall threatnings had in perpetuall doctrine of them the condiâ—ion of repentance annexed The condition therefore being performed by the Niniuites God destroyes them not yet without change in his will it being but a conditionall will And for Hezekiah he must die if we respect second causes yet in respect of Gods eternall purpose fifteene yeeres must bee added Now this Threatning of death being a Threatning of Tryall and containing true grounds of it in Naturall causes shewes neither dissimulation nor mutation in God Thus it is manifested that God is Immutable That he onely is Immutable is easily proued for that place Psal 102. 27. saith of the creatures that they all perish and wax old as a garment God remaining the same and that some Angels and men shall haue Immutable Natures after the day of Iudgement is not by nature but by grace as was said before The Vses follow and so Gods immutability may serue 1. For Humiliation and so first to Image-mongers that will needs haue God resembled by pictures what doe they lesse then change the glory of the Immutable God into the likenesse of a mutable creature Rom. 1. 23. secondly for all men it should humble the best of vs that thinke how glorious God is for Immutability and yet we so mutable as nothing can satisfie vs which mutability as it fearefully appeared in our first Parents so doth it breake out in the disposition of all sorts of men what fearefull change doe many men make in Religion Reade of the Iewes Isa 1. 21 22. Of the Christians Galat. 1. 6. 3. 1. Thirdly this is a terrible doctrine for wicked men for all that he hath willed and threatned shall certainly come vpon them God cannot change Hee is not as a man that he should repent as Samuel told Saul 2. For Instruction and so it should teach vs three things First Patience in all the changes of this life God only is immutable wee must looke for it to be subiect to many alterations Secondly the Celebration of Gods glorie here Wee should praise him for euer that is only Eternall Immortall and Immutable 1. Timoth. 1. 17. Thirdly the Imitation of his vnchangeablenesse in things we know to be true and good we should be vnmoueable such as cannot be altered whatsoeuer befalls vs 2. Tim. 3. 14. 1. Cor. 15. 58. Such and so we should be in our faith hope charitie promises and good workes 3. For Consolation and so this doctrine should much refresh all godly Christians It should giue them strong Consolations as the Apostle sayth and so in diuers respects 1. Because all Gods promises shall certainly bee accomplished as these places expresly shew Num. 23. 19. Heb. 6. 17. 18. Wherein God willing more aboundantly to shew vnto the Heires of promise the immutability of his Counsell confirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might haue a strong Consolation who haue fledde for refuge to lay hold vpon the hope set before vs. 2. Because hereby they know they shall neuer faile of saluation or fall from grace for the gifts and calling of God are without Repentance Rom. 11. 3. Because hereby God himself would assure his people that they shall not be destroied with temporall miseries though they be afflicted for a time as the Lord reasoneth Mal. 3. 6. For I am the Lord I change not and yee sonnes of Iacob are not consumed 4. Because when wee come to Heauen we shall by grace be made immutable too for then the Image of God shall be perfect in vs. Hitherto of the Immutability of God and so of the attributes of both sorts It remaines that we inquire after the Substance or essence of God vnto which all these glories are attributed and so two things are to be considered about the Essence of God 1. That it is spirituall 2. That it is One. First that it is Spirituall some essences haue being only and not life as the Heauens Earth Seas c. and amongst these wee must not looke for God Some essences haue life but it is onely bodily life as trees beasts foules and among these gods Essence is not Some things haue a mixt life partly bodily and partly spirituall and such is the essence of all men who consist and liue both in body and soule but to find out God we must looke for him only amongst minds There are essences that are onely mentall and immateriall but yet compounded though not of parts yet of power and act as the Angells For they are neuer in act that which they are in power they are in possibility still for diuers things may befall their Natures and their possibilities are finite too God is then higher then these God then is a minde or Spirit aboue all Spirits humane or Angelicall vnto which essence of his if we adde the former attributes we doe fullie difference him from all Creatures Thus God is an eternall minde infinite immutable in life knowledge holinesse and glory Is God a Spirit then these Vses will follow 1. That we should conceiue nothing bodily or terrene concerning God when wee thinke of God wee must not imagine of him any bodily forme for that is to make an Idoll 2. Wee must hence learne to checke and curbe that naturall desire in our corrupt hearts to haue God visible we should be ashamed of that secret rebellion of our hearts that are often after a close manner vnquiet and discontented because we doe not see our God we serue for God being a spirituall substance must needs be inuisible and altogether imperceptible by any senses hee could not bee a true GOD if senses might perceiue him 3. Since it is Gods glory to bee a Spirit wee should heartily praise him for our glory which is our soules for that hee hath made vs mindes also and so of more excellent essence then meere bodies be 4. We should therefore learne to serue God in Spirit and Truth It is the seruice of Spirits that agrees best to Gods Nature Iohn 4. 24. Lastly we should therefore most seeke such things as serue for the vse of Spirits The treasures that are spirituall are farre more excellent then bodily and earthly things can be euen for this reason because they bring vs neerer to God and more properly commend vs to him The second thing wee are to know about Gods essence is that it is one and but one The Nicen Creed and Athanasius haue it thus I beleeue in one God which the Apostles Creed doth affirme too though not so expresly for we say Wee beleeue in God not in Gods importing thereby that there is but one God Nor is God one by aggregation or consent or kinde or sort but he is one in number By aggregation a whole heard of cattell is said to be one by consent many friends are one by kinde men and beasts are one for they are liuing creatures By sort all men are one because
doe things which hee cannot will or are contrary to his will Hee can doe many things more then he will but he cannot doe any thing which hee cannot will for his will is as infinite as his power nor can he doe any thing against his will or contrary to his owne purpose or decree Fourthly he cannot doe contradictories to make one and the selfe same thing to be and not to be at the same time to make a Creature finite and infinite in that wherein he is finite Fiftly he cannot doe things simply impossible I say simply impossible for many things are impossible to men and Angels which in their owne Nature are not impossible As it is impossible for vs to make a Cable to goe through the Eye of a Needle but it is not simply impossible in it selfe and therefore God can doe it God is therefore called omnipotent because he can doe all possible things Neither doe any of these things argue impotencie but doe rather establish his omnipotencie Gods power is not lessened because he cannot deceiue or dye c. for it were impotency if he could doe these For the last this also must be added that God onely is Almighty this glory belongs onely vnto him for the most powerfull creatures are finite and cannot doe a world of things and they receiued their power from God and are or may be letted or resisted in things they can doe and their power will cease if it be not renewed and confirmed by God Ier. 32. 18. 19. The consideration of Gods omnipotency may first teach vs diuers duties 1. To striue by all meanes to set out the praise of Gods wonderfull power and workes that hath done such great things in heauen and earth Psal 15. 2. 89. 11. 12. c. Reuel 4. 8. 2. To walke before him in all vprightnesse carefull in all things to please him and to auoid all sin considering what power he hath to doe vs good if we serue him or to destory vs body and soule if we liue in our sins Gen. 17. 1. Mat. 10. 28. 3. It should teach vs in all dangers and difficulties to beleeue in God and rest vpon him so as when we know his goodnesse or promise to vs though we see no meanes of deliuerance or performance of good things yet we must giue glory to Gods power and rest without wauering vpon God knowing that nothing is hard or impossible to him as Abraham beleeued God concerning his son Isaac Rom. 4. 18. and as Ieremie was commanded to trust God when God inioyned him to purchase a field at that time when he was to threaten the ineuitable captiuitie Ier. 32. 17. 27. c. So 1 Sam. 14. 6. 4. In the experience of all our weaknesses we should runne to God for power to support vs All might is in him and therefore whither should we runne for power but to him To him should wee lift vp our hearts for strength Esay 40. 28. 5. It should teach vs to be patient in affliction when it is vpon vs and to tremble at his grieuous iudgements when they are vpon other his dreadfull power when it is declared should make vs tremble and be silent and when his hand toucheth vs we should not struggle for it is in vaine what can we resist his power Psal 39. 10. Esay 30. 15. It is the Lord and therefore be quiet let him doe whatsoeuer he will 6. The consideration of his omnipotency should be often thought vpon when we come to pray vnto God for spirituall or temporall things Our Sauiour Christ in the Lords prayer gaue vs three staies or mighty pillars to hold vp our faith in praying to wit Gods kingdome and Gods power and Gods glory Mat. 6. 13. 7. Wee must hence be warned to take heed of despising weake Christians to reiect them as either past hope or void of grace or not likely to hold out because of their many frailties and ignorance for God can stablish them Rom. 14. 4. 8. The Apostle Paul vrgeth the consideration of Gods power as an argument to perswade to workes of mercy because God is able to inrich vs and to abound towards vs in all recompence both in spirituall and temporall things 2 Cor. 9. 8. 9. It should teach vs to beleeue the power of God in the Sacrament though the outward signes may make no great shew yet our faith should be built vpon the inward operation of God who will doe all that which either the signes signifie or the word promiseth Col. 2. 12. 10. It should make vs the more wonder at Gods goodnesse and loue shewed to his people in that sometimes he layeth chaines as it were vpon his power onely in fauour to them As for instance God cannot destroy Sodome till Lot be gone which yet is most easie for him to doe but for his loue to Lot Gen. 19. 22. so God loues his people that many a iudgement would fall vpon wicked men in the places where they liue yet cannot because of Gods affection to the godly Secondly this doctrine of Gods omnipotency reproues many men for sinning against the power of God Now men transgresse against the omnipotency of God diuers waies 1. Such as plead his power for the effecting of what is either contrary to his nature or will or simply impossible as many prophane persons doe that will needs beleeue that God can saue them though they liue in their sinnes quite contrary to his word And as the Papists doe about the Sacrament of the Lords Supper beleeuing that Christs body can be in many places at once and so in the Sacrament to be eaten locally and orally it being simply impossible for a body remaining a body to be in many places at once in the same manner and respect as it is also without word or promise of God and Scripture 2. Such as will not vse the lawsull meanes appointed vnto them either for preseruation or deliuerance reasoning most foolishly God can keepe me without meat therefore I will not eat or can deliuer me without meanes therefore I will vse none neuer considering that Gods Almightinesse is shewed by working in the Meanes as well as without and that God commands vs to make vse of his power by the meanes he hath ordained to worke by 3. Such as by fearefull Imprecations and Curses awaken Gods power to bring vpon them such fearefull things as they asked but did not expect as the Iewes that wished the bloud of Christ might be charged vpon them and their children 4. Such as dishonour Gods power by putting their trust in Creatures 5. Such as through vnbeliefe rest not vpon God but thinke it is impossible such and such blessings should be obtained or such dangers or euils auoided Gen. 18. 14. Esay 50. 2. Ier. 32. 24. 25. 27. 28. c. 6. Woe vnto the wicked that liue in their sinnes the Lord will plague them and none shall deliuer out of his hand or resist his wrath Deut. 32.
bodily which they proue by infallible reasons yet are they such a body as wee may call as it were spirituall next in purity to the substance of Angels and mens soules 3. If we consider the qualities admirable is the glory of that heauen of heauens whether we thinke of it Philosophically or Theologically Philosophically considered it is a place void of all decay alteration and motion A place that suffers not from without it selfe any thing of naturall grieuance or violence or annoyance A place aboue all places large and ample as containing in the bowells and circumference of it all this visible world But if wee inquire after it as considered Theologically we may see it in a Mirror but yet it is but darkely no tongue of man can vtter the glory of it noe Paul himselfe that was there yet could not declare what he saw nor can it enter into the mortall heart of man to think what it is what is reuealed in Scripture in praise of it is inough to rauish our hearts with desire after it if we were such as we should be It is a place most lightsome for God is said to dwell in light vnapproachable vnapproachable I say to vs mortall crâ—atures It is light aboue al that light the Sun or Moone can giue to this lower world for there is no need of Sun nor Moon which shine in respect of that light as a candle doth to the light of the Sun with vs There is no night there and it is a light of a farre more excellent and transcendent kinde then this light we haue from the Starres or Sunne or Moone and that is the reason why it doth not penetrate to vs as being farre aboue the capacity of our eyes as they are now to see it The Apostle saith of this light it was like vnto a stone most precious euen like a Iasper stone cleare as Christall that is alwaies flourishing and shining without any clouds or darkenesse and how can it be otherwise seeing God himselfe and the Lambe is the light of it there floweth from God being the place of his speciall glory a created light from God himselfe I say by which it is after an vnspeakeable manner inlightned Reuel 21. 11. 23. Whence it followes that it is a place full of all vnspeakeable refreshing pleasure and delight If the light of the Sunne at some seasons of the yeere can so please how much more doth this light of the glory of God What shall I say It is a place that hath nothing in it of euill and abounds in all that may content the glorified nature of the Creatures And how can it be otherwise seeing there is no sinne nor no vncleane person there and it is a place that hath the glory of the Lord vpon it Reuel 21. 11. which is as much as if he should say that the glory of heauen doth differ from all the glory of any place on earth as God differs from the Kings and Potentates of the Earth and therefore his chiefe house of Residence must needs almost infinitely excell theirs And the more is the glory of heauen because it is eternall it cannot fade or euer cease to bee which is signified by those golden and pretious foundations Reuel 21. Other Citties wil decay because they are builded by man and of corruptible matter but this Cittie can neuer decay because God was the builder of it immediately and made it incorruptible To conclude it must needs bee a place of surpassing glory seeing all the Treasures of this world are searched out and they can serue but to giue a litle glimpse of the meanest part of the praises of heauen as the twentie one Chapter of the Reuelations shewes Before I come to the Vses some questions would be briefely resolued Quest. 1. Whether this Heauen was created or no or was it eternall with God Answ It was created by God is as said expressely Heb. 11. 10. that God was the builder and Maker of it It being not the Creator It must needs be a creature Quest. 2. Where is this Heauen Answ It is aboue all these visible heauens Ephes 4. 8. Acts 7. 55 56. their opinion is vaine that thinke it is euery where for then Hell should be in Heauen Quest 3. Why did God build and make this Heauen Answ Not to be a place for himselfe to dwell in for hee needs no such place being Immense and these Heauens cannot containe him he being in his Essence without and beyond all Heauens 1. Kings 8. 27. but he made it that it might bee a a place wherein he might manifest his glory in speciall manner but especially that in that place hee might giue entertainement vnto such as by grace he had chosen to bee his children and therefore is called the Fathers house The consideration of the Doctrine of this Heauen of Heauens should make violent impression vpon our hearts and that in three respects 1. It should wonderfully abase vs to thinke how wee haue neglected the knowledge and care and desire after this glorious place It should make vs hate our selues for our senselessnes and madnesse that preferre an earthly mudde-wall cottage before such a princely or rather diuine Pallace that are in loue with this earthly place that is full of sinne sorrow disgrace darkenesse and death and yet haue no heart after a place so wonderfully free from all euill and so replenished with all good Oh wretches that wee are that labour care day and night to repaire these glassie or mud-walled Tabernacles of our bodies and haue no more minde to prouide for that matchlesse triumphing place of spirits 2. It should wonderfully fire our hearts to the loue of God that hath prouided for vs such a place of glorious inheritance of his mercy loue and grace so happy so lasting so amiable yea what thankes can wee euer giue him for the very comfort with which he hath refreshed vs in telling vs of Heauen that were such as in our selues had bin so farre from hauing it as we had neuer knowne of it by the light of Nature 3. It should exceedingly transforme our hearts into the earnest care and endeauour to carrie our selues so as might become the desire and assurance of so blessed a place wee should shew that we vnderstand what a place Heauen is 1. By auoiding euery thing that is abhominable euen all those sinnes that are threatned with the want or losse of heauen as remembring that that is no place for vncleane persons to liue in Reuel 21. 8. 2. By earnest endeauour to get the righteousnesse that may make vs fit for that kingdome Mat. 6. 33. 3. By studying the the assurance of Heauen aboue all other assurances whatsoeuer 4. By a conuersation in heauen directing our thoughts and affections after heauen remembring it aboue all delights our mindes daily running vpon it and imploying our selues in such dueties as might shew that our hearts were in Heauen though our
We should learne to liue without care for our clothing if God so clothe the grasse of the field will hee not prouide for vs as our Sauiour vrgeth it Mat. 6. 30. 4. If men would thriue and prosper in the possession and vse of these fruits of the Earth they must be such as God would haue them to be God himself hath set downe diuers rules to be obserued by such as would prosper in the fruitfulnes of these things as 1. They must keepe his Commandements and obey his word and not liue in sinne without repentance Deut. 28. Leuit. 26. 4 c. Deut. 11. 13 c. 2. They must pay their Tithes and honour God with the first fruites of all their increase Mal. 3. Pro. 3. 3. They must be diligent in their callings and not flothfull and carelesse Pro. 21. 25. 26. 19. 15. 14. 23. Adam inioyned to labour 4. Men must by prayer seeke a blessing from God in their callings else in vaine to goe to bed late and rise earely and eate the bread of carefulnesse for it is God onely that maketh the earth fruitfull Psal 127. 3. 5. We must remember the poore to leaue a gleaning after Haruest and the Vintage for the poore and so consequently in all other increase Deut. 24. 19 20 21. 6. Wee must take heede of oppression of Tennants or hard vsage of labourers or seruants imployed about the fruits of the Earth Iob 31. 38 39 40. 7. From the fading condition of these herbes and flowers we are put in minde of our mortality and the transitorinesse and vanity of the glory of the world 1. Pet. 1. 24. 8. From the manner of the sowing and growing of the corne we are taught to beleeue the Resurrection of our bodies which may rise againe in a better shape aswell as the corne that is cast into the earth and is first putrified before it growes 1. Cor. 15. 36. 37. 38. Thus of the Instructions The contemplation of the vegetables may serue for Humiliation also 1. To all men when they behold Thornes bristles and thisties and weedes for these are a standing Monument of mans sinne and doe daily vpbraid him to his face being the fruites of malediction for the Earth is cursed for mans sake Gen. 3. 2. To wicked men and that in diuers respects for first euen in these things God can be reuenged on them by restraining the fruits of the earth from them Deut. 11. 15 c. Hosea 3. 8 Ier. 12. 13. Ioel 2. 1. secondly God hath threatned to make them and their glory like the grasse of the field Psal 92. 7 37. 2. But these brutish men will not be warned by these Monitors and the rather will the Lord be incensed against them if they abuse these creatures to his dishonor in surfetting and drunkennesse or Idolatry or strange apparell or the like Hosea 2. 8. and if they themselues that looke for fruite from the earth liue vnfruitfully if they cut downe vnfruitfull trees God will cut downe and root out vnfruitefull men Thus of the Vegetables The contemplation of the Beasts of the field followes And concerning them we are instructed in many things by sense and therefore these things are not taken notice of in Scripture the Lord intending by his word to tell vs of such things as are aboue sense either in the nature of them or in the vse of them The things that are worthy consideration which sense instructs vs in are such as these 1. The great variety that appeares in these creatures The man ifold wisedome and power of the great Workeman appeares in the seuerall formes faces forces and vses he hath declared vpon these creatures who can count the variety of Gods Workemanship in them The sorts and numbers of creatures are in respect of vs innumerable 2. The motion and sense that is in the creatures which see heare smell taste and stirre vp and downe by force of some power and cause which God hath set in them which wee see not it must needs bee strange to see creatures of such bignes stirre themselues with such variety of Motions and yet nothing from without to lift them The skillfullest Artificers in the world though they can make strange and curious formes of things yet they cannot make them stirre or liue or see c. When they made Gods of Pictures yet they could not make them moue or liue c. 3 The strange prouision God hath furnished them withall in respect of cloathing defence and food No beast but hee comes into the world clothed and hath by nature Armes to defend himselfe either hornes or teeth or hoofes or pawes or the like and besides wee see that the young ones of euery kinde doe presently moue themselues to their food and can make some shift for themselues to liue Man in these things is inferiour to the beasts for he comes into the world naked infirme crying and hath no vse of his limbs to helpe himselfe all bloudy as if hee had newly escaped the hands of Theeues and besides he is bound in swadling bands as if he were a Captiue In the Scriptures these things are charged vpon vs to take notice of concerning the beasts 1 Their Originall which they haue from God for they were made by the Word of the Lord as the Heauens and the Earth were for God commanded the Earth to bring forth the liuing creature after his kind Cattle and creeping things and the beast of the Earth after his kind It was God that made the Beast of the Earth after his kinde and Cattell after their kinde and euery thing that creepeth vpon the earth after his kind Gen. 1. 24 25. 2 The end of their Creation which was partly the illustration of the glory of God as they are visible looking-glasses to shew the goodnesse wisdome and power of GOD to man and therefore man is charged to aske the beasts of the field and they shall teach him Iob 12. 7 8. and partly for the vse of man both for his body and soule for his body they were created to serue him for his clothing foode and for the dispatch of his labours And for his soule they serue not onely to helpe his knowledge euery beast being a seuerall booke for him to reade in but also to reproue and instruct him as will appeare in the vses afterwards 3 The prouidence of God in maintaining them in which God receiueth praise in diuers respects First that hee respects and cares for all the beasts of the field euery worke of his hand as he knoweth them all so he like a Shepherd tends them and prouides for them these all looke vp vnto thee Psal 104. 27. Secondly that hee hath giuen them such large roome in the Earth He hath made them free in all Deserts and Wildernesses through the world allowing them these places to dwell in and to feede in Iob 39. 5 6 7 8. Thirdly that he hath ordered it so as they must depend
Spider Of the Ant we should learne diligence and prouidence in times of plenty to prouide for dearth especially in spirituall things Of the Mountaine Rats we should learne vpon the experience of our owne weaknesse to prouide by Faith so as we may rest in the Rock of Gods Almighty protection Of the Locusts we should learne to doe our duties though we be not compelled and to be carefull to keepe our fellowship with the Saints Of the Spider that workes euen in Kings Palaces we should learne to hold forth the light of the Truth by either Doctrine or good example in all places and not to be daunted for the presence of any or the example of the multitude that are otherwise imployed Hitherto hath beene intreated of the Creatures of all sorts some of them being onely spirituall Creatures as the Angels some of them onely bodily creatures as all the rest in Heauen and earth Now followeth that we consider of man who is a creature both spirituall in respect of his soule and corporall in respect of the outward matter of which he consists A creature into whom enters the composition of all the world Nature as it is spirituall and bodily meeting in man for man is the Epitomie of all Gods works and a patterne of the great Vniuerse He is the world abridged or the little world into whose being enters the nature of euery thing without him being a creature partly terrestriall partly celestiall partly mortall partly immortall so as what God made a part in other creatures he makes perfect and ioyntly together in man He had made spirits by themselues and bodies by themselues and then he makes a Creature that should consist of spirit and body ioyned together and therefore as wee haue read in the great Booke of nature which is the world so now we must learne to read in the little Booke of Nature which is man else it will be a shame for vs to know other things and not know our selues He were a sencelesse man that did know curiously all the roomes in other mens Palaces and yet knowes not so much as a corner of his owne dwelling The excellency of Gods workmanship in creating man appeares if we consider his body apart or his soule apart or his body and soule iointly About the body of man God hath done many things more then he did to any other bodily creatures for 1 Whereas all other bodies were created only by saying let them be they were so God did take more special regard of mans body and therefore doth forme it as it were with his owne hands out of the dust of the earth Gen. 2. 7. 2 The body of man now since the Creation is not propagated by the Parents without the wonderfull workmanship of God and therefore all our bodies are said to bee made and fashioned by God as well as Adams Iob 10. 8. Yea it was the Spirit of the strong God that made vs and the breath of the Almighty that put life into vs Iob 33. 4. We are creatures now as well as Adam Marke 16. 15. and Dauid saith He was fearefully and wonderfully made it was a maruellous worke and he was curiously wrought in the wombe Psal 139. 14 15 16. Yea he saith there that God did it by the Booke hauing written it downe from eternity how all his members should be fashioned Euery part of our bodies if wee knew the forming of them would shew a speciall glory of working in God our bones would say Lord who is like to theâ— Psal 35. 10. And as we know not what is the way of the Spirit so we know not how the bones doe grow in the wombe of her that is with childe and so we may say of the rest we know not the workes of God who maketh all Eccles 11. 5. the hearing eare and the seeing eye the Lord hath made euen both of them Prou. 20. 12. It was God onely that clothed vs with skinne and fenced vs with bones and sinewes Iob 10. 11. and so it was God onely that formed the inward parts of mans body hee formed the heart Psalme 33. 15. and the workemanship within mans body was so great that he reserues it as a glory onely to himselfe to know and search the heart and reines of a man and this is the more admirable if we consider that no part of the body is superfluous or idle but euery part hath his function and some excellent worke to doe which function it exerciseth by it selfe for the good of the whole body without medling with the office of the other members which is the more wonderfull if we consider the innumerable parts and parcels of the body of a man Not the least threed or veine in a mans body but it doth some excellent office 1 Cor. 12. 3 God made the body of man in beauty and fairenesse excelling all other visible creatures for both his countenance is lifted vp to Heauen and the parts of his body are with more comlinesse proportioned and his colour is full of sweetnesse and louelinesse Thus it was with man in his Creation and thus and much better it shall bee with his body when hee shall shine as the Starres in the Firmament 4 The body of man had at the first no disposition to wearinesse or sicknesse or death which the bodies of all other liuing Creatures were subiect to This priuiledge mans body had not by nature but by the gift of GOD GOD hauing infused into the body a soule that did her worke in the body perfectly and allowing him such foode as was most effectuall for vegetation and giuing man skill and care to looke to himselfe and if the body in time would haue declined God would haue preuented that by tranflating man to Heauen without sicknesse and death 5. Language is an admirable indowment of the body of man onely who is able to expresse himselfe with infinite variety and distinctions of sound whence flowes all conuersation and delightfull or profitable society But the excellencie of Gods power and glory in the Creation of mans soule who can perfectly recount God hath done wonderfully for man in respect of his soule aboue all other visible creatures for 1. The soule was breathed into the body of man by God himself by speciall inspiration and singular Creation Gen. 2. and neuer was a soule in the body of man but was made of God by his speciall power our bodies may haue earthly fathers but our spirits haue no Father but God Heb. 12. It is God onely that creates and frames the spirit of man within him Zacharie 12. 1. and so man is the generation of God Acts 17. 2. The soule is indued with the light of reason and can discerne things by reasoning and inward discourse seeing things by a light that is Immateriall and with great variety contemplating of things that the senses cannot reach to and finding out strange things euen in those things are presented by the senses
which no other creature can doe and this discerning would be in the minde if there were no Sun in the firmament and aboue all things that the soule can know it is most excellent in that it can know God himselfe Man onely of all visible creatures can see God and his workes and acknowledge his workemanship which none of the other creatures can doe 3. The soule of man was made in the Image of God in other things the footsteps of God doe appeare but in man onely in this visible world did the similitude of God appeare Gen. 1. 26. Man was not made like the Sun in the firmament or like some Angell in Heauen but like God himselfe and so especially in his soule for the soule of man is a spirit as God is himselfe and it is inuisible and immateriall like God and as in the substance of the soule we resemble God so in certaine qualities or vertues printed in the soule which resemble the Attributes of God such as are goodnesse loue knowledge mercy Iustice patience and the like Ephes 4 Colos 3. 10. The nature of no creature being capable of vertue or the lawes of vertuous liuing but onely man 4. The soule is immortall it is a thing within vs that will neuer be at an end when worlds of other things bee dissolued round about it and this is an vnspeakeable indowment if we could seriously thinke of it that God should let vs last as long as himselfe and all other liuing things die and expire and come to nothing A mans soule will bee aliue after a thousand times tenne thousand yeeres All the diuells in Hell or Tyrants on earth cannot kill our soule 5. The soule of a man workes within strange things euen in his very body It carries the body about being a thing without body it selfe and giues diuers gifts to diuers parts of the body It workes sight in the eyes hearing in the eares feeling in all the body tasting in the Pallate smelling in the Nostrills breathing in the Lungs concoction in the Stomach operation in the hands ambulation in the feete and motion in the whole bodie yea it so workes by the senses of the body that it takes in by them all other things to it selfe in the species of them 6. As it is wonderfull for the things it worketh vpon the body so it is admirable for the worke it can doe when the body lyeth a sleepe and stirres not The soule then resembles God in the Creation It creates worlds of shapes within it selfe with strange furniture and variety which inward Creation of infinite frames of things would be like this world which God made but that the soule cannot giue them continuance life c. It was a great gift of God to giue the soule power to make these things within 7. The soule doth excell in quicknesse of motion working other creatures are swift some in running some in flying but what can be among them comparable to the soule which can in thought in an instant suruey the ends of the Earth In these and many other things the soule of man doth wonderfully excell being set in the body of a man as it were the God of the body as a little God in the little world as IEHOVAH is the great God in the great world The whole person of man considered as consisting both of soule and body did and doth enioy many singular prerogatiues aboue all other creatures in this visible world as 1. Man had the honour to be brought into the world when all other things were made and the world furnished ready for his vse Gen. 1. 2. God did man a great honour in the manner of making him for hee made man with consultation but all other things were made by saying the word onely let them be Gen. 1. 3. The soule and body of a man is knit together with such a bond as is beyond the reach of mortall creatures to expresse the manner of the Vnion 4. Because God conuerseth with man onely of all the creatures in the world our parents did see God in Paradise and he reuealeth himselfe still to the blessed ones in heauen Since the fall this is for the most part lost saue that with the godly the Lord conuerseth by many signes of familiarity in the vse of his ordinances 5. Because God made such prouision for man as hee did for no other creature as in the first Creation hee set man in Eden the garden of vnutterable pleasure and when man dies now if he be redeemed by Christ hee hath prouided that heauen of heauens for him 6. Because God hath made man Lord ouer the other creatures and bestowed vpon him dominion ouer the beastes of the field and foules of the Ayre and fishes of the sea yet the vastest creature aboue or below doth minister vnto man and God hath planted a naturall feare of man in other creatures Psal 8. â— Gen. 1. 9. 2. 7. Because the body and soule of a man is the Temple of the holy Ghost to dwell in so it was with the first man and so it is still in some men euen in this world 2. Cor. 6. 16. God dwells in man and walkes in him 8. Yea God hath done that honour to the nature of man that he hath not done to the nature of Angels and that is that he hath ioyned it inseparably to his diuine nature in the person of his Son Christ Iesus so as man is now as neere to God as the body is to the soule Heb. 2. 16. The consideration of this Glory of God in the Creation of man may serue for Instruction Humiliation and Consolation By way of Instruction it should teach vs many duties as 1. We should giue glory to God and acknowledge that it is he onely that made vs and not we our selues our parents are but instruments of the propagation of our bodies it is God that is the principall efficient Psal 100. 3. especially we should with all gladnesse acknowledge Gods goodnesse to vs that made vs such creatures so excellent aboue other workes of his hands he might haue made vs vile Vermine or poysonfull creatures Toads and Serpents Psalme 149. 2. 2. We should learne hence submission to God in all things concerning our life or death hee hath made vs and therefore hath absolute power ouer vs as the worke of his hands to doe with vs whatsoeuer pleaseth him and to call for the spirit backe againe and leaue vs to returne to our dust at his pleasure Ier. 45. 4. Psal 90 3. 3. Seeing all men are the worke of Gods hands and that our God made them it should teach Superiours to shew due respect to their Inferiours in gifts estate age or the like for he that made the rich made the poore also hee that made the Master made the Seruant also and therefore Inferiours are not to be despised Iob 31. 13. 15. Pro. 14. 31. All mankind made of one bloud Acts 17. 26. 4. We
should take heede of reasoning against the Iustice of God in disposing of men to conditions of lesse honour in this life or in damning of wicked men in hell for they are all the worke of his hands and as the clay to the Potter Rom. 9. 21 22 23. 5. Our Originall from the dust of the Earth should teach vs to carrie our selues humbly towards God and men towards God when we speake to him we should remember we are but dust and ashes Gen. 18. and when we conuerse and discourse with men wee should take heede of pride and vaine glory and say as he did in Iob I also am cut out of the clay Iob 33. 6. as also wee should take heed of excessiue cares for the clothing and pampering of our bodies of clay 6. Especially we should striue to answer the end of our Creation Man was made and set in this visible world that God might haue a creature to know him and what hee had wrought and to acknowledge him and serue him and to resemble him in all holinesse and righteousnesse till this be done by man he doth nothing that answers the end of his being he dishonors God that made him And seeing God made both soule and body wee should serue the Lord in both 1. Cor. 6 10. We are not at our owne disposing to doe what we list we are his to command that made vs our very countenances set so as to looke vpwards shewes that we should not be like the beasts that see and regard nothing but earthly things let vs pray God that made vs to direct vs and enlighten vs to do his work and glorifie him Psal 119. 7â— Secondly from the serious meditation of the doctrine of our Creation we may finde many things for Humiliation vnto all men especially to the wicked It may humble all men to consider that they are but men of dust earthly creatures 1. Cor. 15. 47 48. made of myre and clay Iob 13. 12. and that they are in continuall danger of dying They dwell but in houses of clay earthly Tabernacles Iob 4. 19. 2. Cor. 5. 1. 't is as easie for God to destroy vs as it is for the Potter to breake an earthen vessell our breath is in our nostrills if our mouthes and noses be stopped we fall downe as dead carkases especially all men haue cause to bee extreamely grieued to thinke how wofully they are fallen from the glory in which they were created whether they look vpon their soules impurities and filthines or the bodies deformity diseases or the miseries inuade iustly their outward condition with all the fearefull losses spirituall and temporall which haue befallen them for their sinnes More especially the wicked haue cause of grieuous sorrowes that remaine still in that wofull estate of degeneration hauing God and all creatures against them and carrying about bodies and soules so full of sinne and lyable to such fearefull danger Woe to him that striueth with his maker shall the Potsheard striue with the Potter and be safe Esay 45. 9. and the rather they should be afflicted if they consider no part of their wickednes can be hid from God Hee that made them knowes euery part about them there cannot bee a vaine desire thought or lust but God sees it and no darkenesse can hide from him Psal 139. 12 13. Lastly there is great consolation in this doctrine of the Creation vnto godly men that are restored in Christ to the priuiledges of their first Creation for vnto them will God bee for the substance of true happinesse all that he was to Adam their right to Gods fauour and fellowship with God and dominion ouer the creatures is restored they are againe made like to God in Christ Iesus Colos 3. 10. their bodies and soules are the Temples of the holy Ghost They need not feare any aduersaries for God keepeth all their bones and the haires of their heads are numbred Psal 34. 20. and though they haue many frailties bodily and spirituall yet God will pittie them he knowes the mould they are made of and that they are but dust Psal 103. 13. 17. Esay 64. 12. and seeing God hath made vs he accounts himselfe bound to helpe vs and sustaine vs and prouide for vs Isay 43. 7. and will not forget vs Esay 44. 21. The second Article And in Iesus Christ 1. COR. 3. 11. For other Foundation can no man lay then that which is layd which is Christ Iesus HItherto of the Nature of God and the workes of Creation Now it followes that we consider of the Articles that concerne our Redemption by Christ and so the workes of grace And so in the Redeemer Faith lookes vpon foure things First his Titles Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God and our Lord. Secondly his Incarnation wondering at both his Conception and Birth Thirdly his Humiliation for our sinnes as hee suffered vnder Pilate was crucified c. Fourthly his Exaltation as hee rose from the dead and ascended in Heauen c. But before I come to breake open these glorious Mysteries It is conuenient to consider of three things 1. What neede we haue of a Redeemer to be thus incarnate or thus humbled c. 2. By what right we can be capable of any interest in a Redeemer 3. In what manner wee must beleeue these Articles For the first there are two things in the condition of euery man by nature which may shew euidently that hee doth infinitely neede some course to bee taken to free him out of that misery he is in the one is his sinnes the other is the punishment either is vpon him or he is liable to And first for sinne euery man 1. Is guilty of Adams sinne Rom. 5. 12. 2. He is possessed by originall sinne by which hee is two waies vilely plagued for he hath lost all that righteousnesse and integrity of nature man had in the Creation which he may feele by his want of seruent loue to God awfull feare of God confident trust in God affectionate delight in God shining knowledge of God c. and so by his strange deficiencies in his disposition toward his neighbour and besides he is poysoned and infected with corruption in his nature which is the more grieuous because all men are infected Rom. 5. 12. all are so from the wombe Psal 51. and this insection is in the whole nature of man which he may feele by the very disorder of his naturall appetite to foode sleepe procreation by the corruption of his very senses his eyes ready to wander after vanity Psal 119. if they bee not guarded and watched Iob 31. 1. and so his taste and other senses in his vnderstanding he may feele a strange kinde of power of darknes and disability to thinke of any good things pronenesse to a world of vanities and euil in his affections he may daily perceiue a very vassalage to euil concupiscence giuing lawes of wickednesse to his members Rom. 7. 3.
4. The parts of his Priest-hood are Sacrifice and Intercession by Sacrifice he prayes for the sinnes of the Elect to this end to reconcile them to God and to deliuer them from the power of the diuell and this Sacrifice of our Sauiour excells all the Ceremoniall Sacrifices for they were but Types this was the substance They prepared the bodies of beasts or other things he prepared his owne body yea his very soule was made a sacrifice for sinne as hee offered vp himselfe as a Sacrifice for many sinnes they needed many sacrifices but he by one sacrifice of himselfe makes Attonement for all the sinnes of the Elect and that Sacrifice but once offered whereas theirs were offered successiuely and their sacrifices could not cleanse the conscience from sinne properly nor pacifie God as many Scriptures testifie whereas Christs Sacrifice of his owne body and bloud doth fully pacifie God and doth effectually purge the conscience from dead workes Their sacrifices did not make the worshippers more holy Heb. 9. 13. 14. With the bloud of these sacrifices the very high Priest in the greatest solemnity could onely enter within the vaile of the Temple but Christ by his bloud opens heauen and that not onely once a yeare but keepes it alwaies open nor did Christ enter within the Vaile onely for himselfe but hath left the way for vs euen a liuing and lasting way for vs to get to heauen by vertue of his bloud Heb. 10. 19. The second worke of our high-Priest is Intercession or to offer prayers and so he made a threefold Intercession for vs. The one a little before his Atachment recorded Iohn 17. The other in the very time of the Sacrifice while it was hanged vp of which is mention made Luke 23. 34. The third in the heauenly Sanctuary as he sits at Gods right hand to make request for vs Heb. 9. 24. The Vse should be first for consolation and that in diuers respects 1. Because God hath giuen vs such an excellent high Priest 2. Because by his Priest-hood we obtaine such excellent benefits as the Scriptures shew viz. from his sacrifice Reconciliation with God 1. Pet. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 10. The opening of the very Fountaine of grace Zach. 13. 1. Forgiuenesse of all our sinnes Rom 3. 25. Iustification by his righteousnesse Dan. 9 24. The taking away of all malediction and condemnation and the merit of eternall life Heb. 10. 19. and from his intercession we receiue the obtaining of our prayers and suits at Gods hands Reuel 8. 3. 4. and the pouring out vpon vs the spirit of intercession teaching vs and helping vs to pray Zach. 12. 12. Rom. 8. 26. and the perfuming of all our workes making them acceptable to God the non-suiting of all the Accusations of Sathan or euil men brought against vs Romanes 8. 33. Iohn 17. 14. 15. 3. Because he hath made vs Priests also vnto God by pouring out vpon vs of the Oyle of his Grace Reuel 1. Secondly the consideration of the Sacrifice and intercession of Christ should teach vs 1. To take heed that wee dishonor not God through vnbeliefe and dispaire 2. That we liue as may become the glory of him that hath bought vs at such a price abhorring all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 1. Cor. 6. 20. 3. Seeing we are Priests wee must offer those Sacrifices are inioyned vs which are 1. The Teares of contrition or a broken heart Psal 51. 19. 2. Prayers and Thankesgiuing vnto God Psal 141. 2. Reuel 5. 8. Heb. 13. 15. 3. Almes to the Poore or Contribution to the distressed Phil. 4. 18. 4. The giuing of our selues to our Teachers to be wholy ruled by them our soules so subiected are the sacrifice and they offer them vp to God when they pray and giue thanks for vs Rom. 15. 16. 5. Good workes for these are sacrifices of righteousnesse euery good worke is a Sacrifice Psal 4. 5. But especially to giue our selues soule and body to God to let him doe with vs whatsoeuer he will is the chiefe of Sacrifices euen a whole burnt offering when wee yeeld to obey God in all things without reseruing any thing to our selues Rom. 12. 1. Thus of his Anointing to the Priest hood His Anointing to the Kingdome followes where these things may bee distinctly obserued 1. That the Church of God is not without a King though he be not so visible to vs as the Kings of the Earth are Ier. 23. 5. Psal 2. 6. 2. That Iesus of Nazareth is that King Mat 28. 18. Acts 2. 30. â—3 36. 1. Cor. 15. 25. 3. Iâ— what things it may appeare that Christ is a King 1. He hath the â—â—â—es of a King Yea King of Kings Reuel 19. 16. 2. He liues in the Maiesty and Glory of a King he sits in the Throne of Glory Psal 45. He hath his Court in diuers places of the Earth where he is pleased to keepe house The Sanctuarie is his Court. Hee is attended on as a King hee hath thousands of Angels that waite about his Throne 3. He hath the power of a King All Power is giuen him in Heauen and Earth Mat. 28. 18. 4. He giues Lawes like a King He is the onely Lawgiuer of the Church Iames 4. 12. 5. He Conquers like a King who can recount the greatnes of his conquests in the conuersion of the Gentiles And so he conquers daily in gathering men by his Word and Spirit out of the kingdome of darkenesse into the kingdome of his grace here 6. He gouernes like a King prouiding for the welfare of the godly in all Ages ruling all things by his owne power and making them to worke together for the best to them that loue God 7. He hath power of life and death as a King and is appointed of God a Iudge both of quick and dead Act. 10. 42. 2 Tim. 4. 1. Ier. 23. 5. Fourthly the excellencie of Christ the King aboue all other Kings and so he excells 1. In the preheminence of his Person Other Kings are the sonnes of men hee is the Sonne of God Hee is better borne then any King Whether we respect his Generation as God or his Incarnation as man for he was conceiued of the holy Ghost and so had no sinne and borne of a Virgin not by the way of propagation as other Kings are borne Hee had neither Father nor Mother no Father as man no Mother as God Psal 2. Luke 1. Heb. 7. 2. In the excellence of his gifts for gouernement Neuer King so qualified he is fairer then the children of men and Anointed with the Oyle of grace and gifts aboue his fellowes Psal 45. He is the mighty God an euerlasting Father he is wonderfull for Wisedome and Counfell a Prince of Peace that knowes how to keepe the gouernment vpon his owne shoulders Esay 9. 6. and being now glorified in Heauen hath laid downe all humane infirmities and is glorified in his humane Nature with all degrees of heauenly gifts can
aswell as the Son of Man It was requisite he should be the Son of God for diuers reasons first because there must be a proportion betweene the sinne of man and the punishment due to his sinne and the satisfaction made to God for the sinne and punishment due Now mans sinne being infinite as in other respects so because it was committed against God who is infinite his punishment must be infinite also Now no finite creature can performe an infinite satisfaction in a finite time and therefore it was requisite hee should be infinite in person that suffered which as man he was not secondly the benefits necessarie for vs require that the Mediator should be God for to deliuer man from spirituall enemies sinne and Sathan and to restore to man the Image of God lost to performe by one a Righteousnesse able to iustifie many could not bee done by any one meere man Nor can any one mans righteousnesse deserue the opening of the Kingdome of Heauen for many men thirdly he that must mediate betweene God and man had need to be God to treat with God in things that concerne him and man to treat with man in the things that concerne man And as it was a way most necessary so was it most comely who fitter to make vs sonnes of God by Adoption then he that was the Sonne of God by Nature and who fitter to restore the Image of God in vs then hee that was the substantiall Image of his Father The Vses follow and so First we should make conscience of it to receiue this doctrine with our whole hearts with all life of affections for hereby wee shall improue wee are Christians and not Iewes They could beleeue Iesus was a man but could not indure it that he should call himselfe the Sonne of God Iohn 10. and the diuell hath mightily also laboured to make the Diuinity of Christ suspected As when he came into the world by making men think of a worldly kingdome then stirring vp the Priests and Pharisees to seeke to kill him as a blasphemer in saying he was the Sonne of God And in the beginning of the Christian Churches he raised vp pernitious Heretickes to denie his Diuinity and at this day hath raised many in other countries that write and teach most dangerously in this point And therefore we must hold fast this Truth against all the power of hell This confession is the Rocke vpon which the Christian Church is built Mat. 16. 16. 17. If we acknowledge the Son we haue the Father 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Secondly it should wonderfully quicken and establish our Faith in relying vpon him for Saluation and all happinesse vpon him I say that hath vndertaken for vs and is so full of merit and power his Satisfaction and Righteousnesse must needs be perfect and sufficient that is the Sonne of God Ier. 23. 6. God cannot but bee infinitely well pleased in his satisfaction and hath signified so much Mat. 3. 17. and therefore wee should settle our consciences in all peace and ioy in beleeuing in him Yea in all passages of our liues wee should make vse of our Faith in the Sonne of God whatsoeuer we want for soule or body or the preseruation of our liues we may with much confidence goe to him for out of his fulnesse wee may receiue grace for grace Ioh. 1. 14. 18. And seeing God hath giuen vs his Sonne how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Rom. 8. 32. Yea it should much establish our Faith against the feare of our falling away before wee come to possesse eternall life for he is stronger then all and no man nor diuell can take vs out of his hand and therefore we shall not perish Iohn 10. 29. 30. Thirdly it should much inflame vs to the Loue of God that hath had such mercy to such miserable creatures as wee were as to send his owne Son to redeeme vs Ioh. 3. 16. Oh it should make vs to loue God aboue all things and to esteeme of his loue as better then any thing else in our liues Fourthly God the Father himselfe from Heauen taught vs a maine vse of this point when hee proclaimed him to bee his Sonne for then he charged vs to heare him None abler to instruct vs for the Son hath his knowledge out of the bosome of the Father Mat. 11. 27. and none hath better right to rule vs because he is the first-borne and therefore ought to rule ouer his brethren It should therefore bee our conscionable care all our daies to attend to his voice and to do whatsoeuer he commands vs Mat. 17. 5. Fifthly we must hence also learne to ioyne Christ with the Father in all religious seruice for when God brought forth his first-begotten Sonne into the world he said let all the Angels of Heauen worship him and therfore much more we must doe it Heb. 1. 6. Ioh. 5. 23. Againe from hence we may gather the wofull estate of all vnbeleeuers that weare out their time and do not lay hold vpon the way of Saluation by Iesus Christ for this increaseth their condemnation because they doe not beleeue now that GOD hath sent his owne Sonne to bee the Sauiour Iohn 3. 36. Finally two things about the Diuinity of our Sauiour are here implyed first that he is God for if he be the Sonne of God then he hath the Nature of his Father and so is God which though the Creed doe not expressely mention yet the Scripture doth acknowledging him for God equall with the Father Rom. 9. 5. 1. Iohn 5. 20. Phil. 2. 6. but because the Creed doth not expresse this I forbeare the explication of it resting satisfied to haue treated of that which the Creed mentions Another thing implyed is that hee is a person distinct from the Father for if he be the Son of God then he differs in person from the Father ACTS 2. 36. Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made Iesus both Christ and Lord. Our Lord. HItherto of the three former Titles the Last Title of our Sauiour is that which is here exprest viz. Our Lord and concerning this Title diuers things are to be considered 1. That it is a thing that God chargeth vpon our Faith to beleeue distinctly that Iesus is our Lord. Thus Dauid in spirit called him Lord and this all the House of Israel must know Act. 2. 35. 36. and Luke 2. 11. he is stiled Christ the Lord and Act. 10. 36. he is proclaimed Lord of all yea it is a Title so proper to Christ as sometimes hee hath no other name giuen him but the Lord as 1 Cor. 6. 14. GOD hath raised vp the Lord meaning Christ And 1 Cor. 12. 3. It is accounted a worke of the Holy Ghost in any man to professe this point That he beleeueth that Iesus is the Lord. 2 How Iesus comes to be our Lord by what right and title and so he is our Lord by a fiuefold
〈◊〉 vnbegotten It is in the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicated by generation It is in the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceeding Now the humane nature is assumed by the diuine considered onely as it is in the Sonne and in the manner as the sonne enioyes it God the Father that eternall minde begets the Word or perfect Image of himselfe which is the second person Now to that Image of the Fathers person is the nature of man vnited It is true that the Incarnation being a worke ad Extra is common to all three Persons in the Trinity for about it all three worke and yet the Sonne onely did assume our Nature though the Father also did worke it by the holy Ghost Diuines vse to expresse it thus three Virgins in one common worke make a garment which one of them onely weares so heere the three persons make the humane nature which onely the second Person puts on or assumes when it was made The fourth thing is what was assumed and so in generall the matter assumed was the seede of the woman Gen. 3. 15. The seede of Abraham the seede of Dauid the flesh of the Virgin Mary In particular he tooke 1. A true humane bodie not the shew of a body not any diuine or Celestiall body but a true humane body the very flesh which the body of man consists of 2. A true humane soule aswell as body Mat. 26. 38. Marke 14. 34. Luke 23. 46. 3. The naturall proprieties of a humane soule and body for he was made like vnto vs in all things Heb. 2. 12. 4. 18. By proprieties I meane such proprieties as agree to the humane nature now or by Gods decree shâ—ll be fastened vpon the humane nature as his body on earth was heauy and needed meate and drinke and sleepe but now in Heauen is spirituall shineth as the Sunne and needs no food 4. The infirmities belonging vnto our nature both in soule body that this may be rightly vnderstood we must distinguish as first about the infirmities bodily some arise from an outward cause some an inward Those that arise from outward causes Christ bare onely so many of them as by the counsell of God or in respect of his Office was needfull for him to beare Such were the calamities and sorsorrowes inflicted vpon him by others and borne by him as our High-Priest These that arise from an inward cause doe either vniuersally follow the whole nature of man since it was fallen as to be subiect to heate cold wearines paine or the like or else are personall and arise not from the common sinne of man nor fall vpon all men at all times but are found onely in some men such as are some kinde of diseases the former sort Christ bare not the latter Now the infirmities of the soule are likewise of two sorts some vitious and detestable as sins others vnblameable deseruing rather pittie then punishment as to bee ignorant of some things feare sadnesse anger and the like the former sort were not in Christ Luke 1. 35. Heb. 4. 15. Ioh. 8. 46. The latter were Luke 2. 52. Marke 13. 32. Mat 26. 37. Iohn 11. 33. And those affections in Christ differed much from ours for his were easily ruled by right reason but not so ours his were carried onely to good obiects ours often to euill Christ was troubled in his affections and so are we but with great difference His affections were without sin As a glasse that is cleane and hath cleane water in it if it be shaked and tossed yet there is no filth in the water but if the glasse be foule and mud be setled at the bottome of the water if it bee shaked the water is all foule so is the difference betweene the trouble of Christs affections and ours The fifth point is the time when the Sonne of God was Incarnate and that was not assoone as man was fallen but long after it being deferred by the Wisdome of God of purpose that man being left to himselfe might both feele his disease and see need to call for the remedie and exercise his Faith in the expectation of it and that it might appeare that all mankinde was vnrecouerably fallen into mischiefe of themselues And at that time was this wonderfull worke done when most fitly an example of the Iustice of God towards the Iewes and his mercy towards the Gentiles might be shewed for at that time when the Word was made flesh was the sin of the Iewes almost full and among the Gentiles in that ripe Age of the world were innumerable Elect ones ready for the spirituall haruest Mathew 9. 37. Luke 10. 2. Iohn 4. 35. Gal. 4. 4. The sixth point is the Reasons why it was necessary hee should be Incarnate and these are diuers first the Iustice of God required that satisfaction should be made in the same nature that offended secondly for satisfaction the maledictions and curses of the Law and in particular death must bee inflicted vpon him that will bee our surety Now as God hee was impassible and immortall hee could not suffer nor die thirdly he tooke not the Nature of Angels but of man that so he might bee a mercifull High-Priest and fit to deale with man and for man as concerned not onely our necessities but our infirmities too Heb. 2. 17. 18. The seuenth point is how he was Incarnate or the manner of the Incarnation how the Word was made flesh This is a great Mystery and cannot fully bee expressed or comprehended especially by vs in this estate of Mortality yet diuers things may be vttered as 1. He did not assume the nature of man as it is extra subiectum or a thing that is conceiued by the minde or as it is common in the soules and bodies of all men but as the nature of a man is in one subiect in vno indiuiduo 2. The nature of man as it was in the wombe of the Virgin was in the very moment of the Conception ioyned to the Nature of God in personall vnion so as soule and body in Christ did not make a person as it doth in other men but did and doe subsist in the person of the Sonne of God being carried and vpheld by the diuine nature of Christ so as both his natures make but one person in him and this may bee gathered out of these places Luke 1. 36. Esay 7. 14. 3. We may approach to a better vnderstanding of this vnion if we consider it by way of negation how it differs from other vnions The word and the flesh are made one not in Essence as the Persons in Trinity are one nor in nature as soule and body make a third nature nor is this vnion carnall as man and wife are one nor spirituall or mysticall as God and the faithfull are one or as Christ and the Church are one but personall the two natures being one in person Nor is the flesh in the Word by simple inhabitation
as the sailes are in the ship nor by affectioÌ„ as two friends are one nor in respect of ioynt worship as if onely the humane nature had the honour to be worshipped with the diuine nor in respect of Harmonie or consent as if onely the diuine and humane will of Christ did agree nor in respect of Title only as if the flesh of Christ had no more but the honour to be called by the same Title his Diuinity is as the Sonne of God or Christ or the like nor by mingling the humane nature with the diuine to make a certaine third thing but the humane nature is fastened to the diuine nature in the vnity of person after an vnconceiueable manner so as the diuine nature is not changed nor either nature altered nor separated by distance one from another The eight point is the effects of this personall vnion of the diuine and humane nature in this worke of Incarnation The effects I meane in Christ not in vs. Now many things flow from this vnion as 1. The communication of proprieties and that is the attributing of such things as are proper to either nature vnto the person of Christ because that these natures doe subsist in that person so as that is truely said of Christ which yet is to be vnderstood with a respect to that nature vnto which that property doth belong Thus the Sonne of Man is said to haue power to forgiue sinnes on earth which is the propriety of the diuine nature Mat. 9. 6. and to bee called the Sonne of the most High Luke 1. 32. Thus the Sonne of Man is said to ascend where hee was before Now he was not in heauen in his humane nature before Ioh. 6. 62. and so he saith hee was before Abraham was Ioh. 8. 58. and his bloud is called the bloud of God Acts 20. 28. The like speeches are found in other Scriptures as Colos 1. 17. Heb. 1. 2 c. 2. The pouring out of gifts vpon the humane nature which were as great as could be receiued by a created nature and these were giuen both to the body and soule of Christ His body obtained the highest degree of perfection could be fall a body which glory for our saluation was with-held from his body during his abode on earth in respect of his office and so his body was subiect to infirmities passions of diuers sorts and death and buriall but that worke being finished which he vndertooke for vs in his body it now shineth in Heauen in greater glory then any bodily creatures doe or shall attaine vnto Vpon the soule of Christ by vertue of this vnion with the diuine Nature were powred out gifts aboue the glory of the gifts which are in men or Angels and to make this a little better to appeare I will instance in his knowledge and in his Charity There were diuers kinds of knowledge in Christ Hee had an eternall and vncreated knowledge and wisdome which did belong onely vnto his diuine Nature but it is the created knowledge belongs to this place and that vnderstanding and knowledge is either from experience or from reuelation or from vision 1 There was in our Sauiour an experimentall knowledge by which our Sauiour knew all things could be knowne by the light of Nature and though hee had not expeperience of all things yet by reasoning from the like or the contrary or from the causes or effects he perceiued things hee had not experience of As by the infirmities he felt and by the things he suffered he knowes all the things we suffer in the full nature of them Heb. 2. 18. 4. 15. and in this kinde of wisdome it is that hee was said to grow vp in or profit and increase in and in this kinde of wisdome he was able to discerne more then any man in the world 2 There was in our Sauiour a knowledge infused which they call the knowledge of Reuelation by which heauenly things are vnderstood by a light they call the light of grace And by this knowledge our Sauiour did discerne in his soule spirituall things more exactly then euer man or Angell did of this is spoken Esay 11. 12. 3 The third kinde of knowledge in Christ is the knowledge by vision which is called the knowledge of the blessed in Heauen by which God is seene face to face and in this Christ excells all men and Angels for it is hee that brings all iust men to this happinesse of seeing God in Heauen Heb. 2. 10. And besides this personall vision his soule is neerer vnto God then men or Angels can bee and therefore sees GOD more cleerely then they can doe As a man that hath a good sight doth see a thing that is hard by him more exactly then another man that is farther off from it Yea this knowledge in the soule of Christ doth not fully comprehend God for that which is infinite cannot be comprehended by that which is finite he seeth God whole that is all tâ—at iâ— in God but not wholly that is not by an absolute comprehension of it And in as much as all iudgement is committed vnto Christ as the Sonne of man it is most probable that as man hee doth see the thoughts of all men that are to be iudged by him as man though not by any naturall efficacy in his vnderstanding as man yet by a supernaturall infusion of light from his diuine nature Ioh. 5. 27. Thus of the gift of knowledge Charity and loue was powred out vpon the soule of CHRIST aboue all the measures of Charity in men or Angels Iohn 13. 1. Romans 5. 6 7. Thus of the gifts were powred out vpon the humane nature of Christ Yet by the way it is not amisse to note that certaine gifts were not powred out vpon CHRIST or not till his glorification as faith and hope were not in CHRIST at all for in as much as the obiect of faith is things not seene faith it selfe could not be in CHRIST who did inioy the vision of GOD by vertue of the personall vnion with the diuine nature euen from the beginning of his Incarnation by that kind of knowledge which I called before his knowledge of vision or the knowledge of the blessed yet to want faith did not argue imperfection in CHRIST but rather remoued imperfection as hee that wants Spectacles when he needeth them not is no whit inferiour to him that vseth Spectacles because of the weaknesse of his sight The like is to bee said of hope for as Faith beholds things that are not seene so hope lookes to things which are not yet had or possessed Rom. 8. 24. and the cheife obiect of both is the chiefe good which is GOD now CHRIST enioyed GOD yea euen in the very instant of his death but if we looke to secondary obiects and by hope vnderstand an expectation of some kinde of helpe promised by GOD then such a kinde of hope may be granted to haue beene in
was his Father and the rather because in the Originall the proposition imports that this Conception was not onely by him but of him Answ The holy Ghost did worke this Conception not materially but effectually by causing it to be not by giuing matter out of himself to the Nature of Christ As Damascen said the holy Ghost begetteth not spermatically but operatiuely And Bernard saith that Christ was conceiued not of the substance but of the power not by any generation but by the appointment and benediction of the holy Ghost Rom. 11. vlt. all things are said to be of God Now it were senselesse therefore to conclude that God is the Father of all things for though he made all things yet hee did not make them out of his own substance for he is Father that makes a thing to be out of his owne substance so the holy Ghost did not make the humane Nature of Christ For the fourth there were two things done by the holy Ghost in this conception the first was the production of the humane Nature the other was the vniting of it to the second Person in the Trinity The first of these is most properly the worke of the holy Ghost the secoÌ„d but in som respects for the secoÌ„d Person in Trinity did assume the matter so prepared wrought by the holy Ghost The humane nature produced was both the body and soule of our Sauiour now in the production of the body of Christ there are two things to be considered first the preparation of the matter of his bodie secondly the sanctification of it The matter of the body of Christ prepared in the conception was the very substance of the flesh of the Virgin that is the seed or purest bloud of the Virgin separated by the holy Ghost and carried to the place of conception and therefore is Christ called the fruit of her wombe Luk. 1. 42 The sanctification of this matter containes in it two things first the washing of that substance from the staine of sin with which it was infected by nature so as now it should neuer more haue any spot or staine of sin in it and the stopping of the imputation of Adams sinne secondly the infusion of all purenesse and holinesse which belongs vnto the soule aswell as the body in that very moment it was ioyned to the body Now that Christ was conceiued without sinne of that there was no sin in that flesh when it became the flesh of Christ is manifest by these Scriptures he was made like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 4. 15. and Rom. 8. 3. he was said to be made onely in the similitude of sinfull flesh Against this diuers things are obiected as Ob. 1. That the Scripture saith that Christ was made sinne for vs. Answ He was made sinne for vs as he was made a Sacrifice for sinne so the sinne offerings in the Old Testament were called sinne Againe he was made sinne for vs by imputation because our sinnes were charged vpon him but he had no sinne in his Nature 1. Pet. 2. 21. Ob. 2. Whosoeuer were in Adam sinned in Adam Rom 5. 12. But Christ was in Adam as appeareth by the Genealogie which is drawne vp euen to Adam Luke 3. Answ It is not true that all that were in Adam sinned in him for they onely sinned that were in him not onely in respect of the substance of the flesh but in respect of the carnal manner by which ordinarily man is begotten by man but Christ was in Adam in respect of the substance of his flesh but not in respect of the manner of propagation by him because he was conceiued without the seed of man and therefore sinned not in Adam or thus Originall sin is deriued vnto Adams Posterity by propagation only now Christ to preuent that came into the world by this wonderfull conception by the holy Ghost Paul saith not of one man but by one man sin entered into the world Christ is onely from Adam other men are from him in respect of substance and by him in respect of propagation Ob. 3. But the flesh of the Virgin Mary was sinfull and therefore his flesh must needs be so Answ That flesh of hers was first sanctified made cleane by the holy Ghost before it was the flesh of Christ Ob. 4. If it be granted corruption of nature was not in Christ yet there is another part of Originall sinne and that is guiltinesse of Adams sinne in Paradise for all his posterity being in him sinned in him as Leui paid Tythes in Abraham and therefore that flesh of Christ sinned in Adam and was guilty of Adams particular offence though it neuer was propagated for propagation caries downe onely corruption of nature or an euill disposition to sinne after conception Answ If Adams offence bee imputed to none but to such as come of him by propagation as the Apostle imports Rom. 5. 12. then this scruple is so auoided secondly doth not the sanctification of that flesh in the wombe of the Virgin clense it from Adams actuall offence aswell as from euill disposition thirdly what inconuenience will follow if we grant that Adams sin was imputed to Christ so as we vnderstand it in respect of the Malediction for Christ was a surety for all sinnes Adams sin and all the sin of his posterity Ob. 5. Vpon whomsoeuer death came he sinned but death came vpon Christ therefore it seemes he sinned Answ It is true that whomsoeuer death by his owne power doth preuaile against that party surely sinned because death is the wages of sinne But death did not exercise any power ouer Christ for hee was not compelled to die but laid downe his owne life voluntarily Iohn 10. 17. 18. besides death befell him not as a sinner but as a surety for sinne and so though death came vpon him for sinne yet it was not for his sinne but for other mens The Papists to auoid sinne in the flesh of Christ say that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne and so it came to passe that Christ was without sinne But this is a senselesse doâ—age for first where doe they proue it by Scripture that shee was without sinne Secondly if shee were conceiued without sinne then her parents were so too and if her parents then theirs and so into an infinite thirdly then what needed Christ this conception by the holy Ghost Thus of the producing of the body of Christ His soule was produced as the soules of other men are that is It was immediately created by the holy Ghost and infused into his body onely there is difference amongst diuines about the time of the infusing of the soule of Christ for in the ordinarie course Nature proceeds in this manner first there is the masse of bloud or seed receiued in the wombe but there is no parts of a body framed at the first after a certaine number of weekes
nature formes that substance into the parts of the body distinctly but yet it is without life then is the soule infused when the body is organicall and so it is quickned a true man it is not before a man but Embryo as they cal it Now the question is how Christ could receiue that imperfect Embryo or the flesh at the first conception seeing it was not a perfect humane Nature To this some answer that our Sauiour did not follow the ordinary course of taking flesh as other men doe but in the very instant of the conception his body was made organical had perfect members and the soule infused at that instant also and their reason is this because the Sonne of God did not become a person to any thing but the Man-hood of Christ Now the Man-hood must needs haue a reasonable soule and body formed and organicall else we must say that something did subsist in the Person of his diuine Nature that was not man as Embryo or the lumpe vnformed and not animated was Besides when God made a man by the power of the holy Ghost without the seed of man hee made him perfect at one instant and euery way formed in all parts as when he made Adam and Eue they were in an instant made perfect in soule and body Other Diuines conceiue that this opinion cannot be true because Christ was made in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted now there could bee no sinne in that ordinary course of Nature if originall sinne bee remoued as it was in Christ Now in the course of Nature first that which is materiall is formed as it were the house of the soule and then the soule is infused not onely as the guest of it but as the forme and life of it and so it must be in Christ Now for the first reason they answer that the Hypostatical vnion in the person of Christ was so made aboue nature as withall Christ assumed that which belonged to the nature of man according to the course of Nature and so first the seede and then the body formed and the soule infused according to nature into that body so as that flesh before the comming in of the soule did subsist in the Word as it did after the soule was infused for the Word tooke our Nature which is not hindered by the absence or presence of the soule as when Christ was dead his soule was in his Fathers hands and his flesh was shut vp in the graue and was not quickened then by the soule yet the flesh of Christ without the soule and life did subsist in the word aswell as it did before or after The other reason is of no force for God did not make our first Parents so out of necessity but out of the good pleasure of his will not binding himselfe to that frame of working for all times afterwards And thus of the production of the humane nature The assumption of that Nature into personall vnion with the word followes and the summe of that which wee are to beleeue concerning this Mystery is that the whole nature of man in that particular subiect soule and body with all meere naturall faculties and parts yea and infirmities was taken into an vnspeakeable and eternall personall vnion with the diuine nature of Christ There was nothing which was ours sinne excepted which was not by the holy Ghost vnited to the word for as Christ had all that God the Father had praeter ignascentiam saue that he was not vnbegotten so he had all that Adam had solâ except â peccantiâ saue that he was without sinne as a Father said onely for the manner of this assuming of our nature diuines conceiue that the word was ioyned to the soule immediately and to the body mediately that is by meanes of the soule And thus of the fourth point The fifth is The manner of the conception how the holy Ghost did it and that in respect of the perfect vnderstanding is simply aboue the reach of any creature especially any mortall creature if it be true of our conception in the wombe that we are fearefully and wonderfully made as is said Psal 139. 13. then it must needs be much more true of Christs conception and forming but a certaine glimpse of it is giuen vs by two formes of speech vsed in this Text Luke 1. 35. The first is the holy Ghost shall come vpon thee the other is the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee by the first forme of speech is noted the wonder of the worke that it was not done by any naturall meanes but extraordinarily aboue the course of nature by the holy Ghost and that it was done after a most pure and diuine manner about which a Father saith Oh most pure coniunction without filth where speech is the husband and eare is the wife meaning that shee conceiued vpon the speech and hearing of the promise assoone as shee had giuen her matrimonial consent as it were the ouershadowing by the power of the most High imports that is was not done spermatically but operatiuely and that the holy Ghost did this by a speciall power of working neuer any such thing hauing bin donne before as also it imports that the worke was most secret and mysticall so as the Virgin being couered as with a cloud could not her selfe tell how it was done and that though God did worke this with a speciall excellencie of glory yet his Maiesty should not ouercome her but it should be as it were clouded and lastly that that holy thing which was to be conceiued in her and borne by her should be protected and kept safe as the greatest treasure God had care of or did giue vnto men The sixth thing is why it was necessary Christ should bee so conceiued after such a wonderfull manner and with so much holines and sanctification I answer for two euident Reasons for first if his body had not bin most pure it had not bin fit to bee ioyned in personall vnion with the Word And secondly if he had bin conceiued in sinne as other men are he could not haue bin a Sauiour to vs because then he would haue needed a Sauiour for himselfe The seuenth thing is the time when the Virgin conceiued and that was immediately vpon the speech of the Angell and her owne consent to it which was the twenty fiue of March the day which is called the Annuntiation of the Virgin Mary and one may wonder why that day should not rather be called the day of the conception of Christ then of the Annuntiation of the Virgin The eighth point is the effects of this conception in respect of vs and so the first effect is the hiding of the impurity of our conception from the sight of God and satisfying Gods Iustice for our originall sinne for the holinesse of Christs conception is the first and chiefe part of the righteousnesse imputed to vs All his righteousnesse is ours and so
worldlings or people giuen to vanitie It is enough for the seruant to be as his Lord is If we be set at nought and reproched and scorned by the world we should not thinke any great matter was befallen vs for thus was Christ himselfe vsed and that in the open Court of a great King publikely Againe we should know that Christ did therefore endure to be thus vilified by Herod and his men of warre that hee might make vs pretious before God and his heauenly Armie of Saints and Angels And whereas Herod sends him backe clothed in a white or gorgeous robe though Herod intended nothing but matter of scorne yet Diuines conceiue that God did thereby acknowledge him to be that lambe without spot that should take away the sinnes of the world and to be indeed the true King of Heauen That which men did in iest God did in earnest Herod clothes him with a robe like a King as one that foolishly had affected the kingdome But God by permitting the Royall robe doth acknowledge his iust claime to be King of Sion 4. The euent of this businesse was the reconciliation of Herod and Pilate who were made friends the same day Luk. 23. 12. which shews the temper of the men of this world who though they cannot agree among themselues yet rather than Christ shall not be persecuted they will become friends Wicked men are easily agreed when there is a common opposition to be made against religion Ephraim is against Manasses and Manasses against Ephraim and yet both will agree to be against Iudah Yet obserue here the vanity of all friendship amongst Politicians Herod is greatly pleased that Pilate will acknowledge so much right to him as to send his prisoner to him only because hee was a Galilaean Now Herod was mistaken for though that were Pilates pretence yet he intended another thing which was to deriue the hatred of so foule a businesse vpon Herod as Caiaphas had serued Annas before And thus of Pilates second Policie The third Policie which Pilate vsed to acquit Christ was to make a motion to the people to haue Christ giuen to them in honour of their great Feast About which obserue 1. The occasion of this practise and that was a custome which the Iewes had to haue a prisoner deliuered at the Feast of the Passeouer by the Gouernour which they would Now this custome was either an ancient custome of the Iewes who to signifie their deliuerance out of Egypt had deuised this custome at the Passeouer to let a prisoner goe free Or else it was some grant which the Romanes had made vnto the Iewes after they had reduced the Country into the forme of a Prouince 2. The manner of Pilates dealing to accomplish his will in this motion and so he matcheth Christ with one Barrabas that was a murtherer and a notorious malefactor and then giues them power to chuse their prisoner so as they chuse one of the two supposing that the horrible offence of Barrabas would for the very shew of it hinder them from chusing him 3. The choice the Iewes made and so by the perswasion of the Priests the multitude chuseth Barrabas and reiecteth Iesus The author of life is by the Iewes reiected and a murtherer chosen The innocent must die and the guilty liue He that thought it no robbery â—o be equall with God hath a Theefe and a Robber preferred before him Now doth he pay for our sinne that preferred the Deuill that murtherer before God the author of life In these Iewes we see the nature of carnall persons They make more account of grosse offenders than they doe of godly Christians They chuse the Barrabasses of the world Drunkards Papists Whoremongers Swearers Murtherers to be the companions of their liues but altogether shun and auoid the company of Gods seruants But the godly that are so vilified should comfort themselues by this example of our Sauiours suffering herein Christ was not so well accounted of as Barrabas and yet endured it but what cause haue those Christians to be so vnquiet when others are preferred before them that are indeed more wise learned godly humble than they 4. When none of these courses will serue turne then Pilate yet tries one more to see whether he can appease the cruell malice of the Iewes The way he vsed was this He tooke Iesus into the common Hall and caused him there to be extremely scourged and vilified by the souldiers Iohn 19. 1 2 3. thinking that when the Iewes saw him so hardly vsed and abased and that he being a Iew should be so dealt withall by Gentiles they would haue relented and so haue beene satisfied with that punishment was now inflicted vpon him Obserue the implacable malice of men that hate sinceritie and true religion nothing but bloud will satisfie their thirst of reuenge And withall obserue the foolish reasoning of Pilate I finde no fault in this man I will therefore chastise him and let him goe Most senslesly spoken Shall he be chastised and yet be innocent Luk. 23. 14 15 16. But wee must looke higher if we would finde out the true cause of the scourging of Iesus 1. He was scourged that he might redeeme vs from those spirituall and eternall scourges were due vnto vs for our sinnes Amongst the Romans fugitiue seruants were brought backe to their Masters and beaten with rods We haue all beene fugitiue seruants and run away from God our Masters workes Iesus now beares our stripes and giues his owne hands that giue liberty to be bound and his owne bodie to be beaten that he might deriue our stripes vpon himselfe 2. That he might sanctifie those bodily scourges which befall vs such as are diseases of any sort For diseases are called scourges Matth. 5. 29. 3. That by the vertue of his stripes our soules might bee healed of our sinnes 1 Pet. 2. 24. and the sores that arise from the buffets of Sathans temptations 4. That we might learne in patience from his example If we be scourged vniustly either with the scourge of the tongue or of the hand and in particular seruants that are beaten by froward Masters vniustly are exhorted to patience by the force of this ensample 1 Pet. 2. 20 21. Hitherto of the accusation of our Sauiour and the proceedings of the Iudge in his tryall his condemnation followes and there foure things may be noted 1. How our Sauiour was pronounced innocent before sentence 2. Why Pilate would not deliuer him knowing him to be innocent 3. The Sentence it selfe 4. The consequents of the Sentence For the first our Sauiour was declared to be innocent first by Pilates wife and then by Pilate himselfe Concerning Pilates wife it is obserued Matth. 27. 19. That when Pilate was now set on the Iudgement seat shee sent to him saying Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man for I haue suffered many things this day in a dreame because of him Where we may note diuers things 1.
The great glory of Gods power in giuing testimonie to the innocence of his children When Iewes and Gentiles haue banded themselues against Christ and when his owne Disciples are now fled and dare not speake for him yea when all that professe religion were swallowed vp with amazement God herein raiseth vp a woman a stranger a Pagan to force a way for his testimony euen at this great Assises 2. Note that God keeps this testimonie till the very last moment for the Iudge is now set to giue Iudgement to shew vs that God can send comfort and succour to his seruants though he withhold it till almost all hope bee gone 3. Gods message must be deliuered though neuer so many obiections lie against it Shee might haue thought how vnfit it was for her to meddle being a woman and a stranger and her owne husband being Iudge but yet shee will send the message 4. The Diuinitie of Christ showes it selfe maruellously in this thing while Pilate is ready to condemne him hee miraculously conuerts his wife His Godhead breakes through the veile and their opinion that thinke this woman was truly conuerted is charitable and not improbable For what was in the confession of the Centurion or the Thiefe vpon the Crosse that is not in the confession of this woman Shee confesseth him when all the world refuseth him yea she vrgeth her Husband to saue him when it might proue his vtter ouerthrow considering the tumult of the Iewes and the displeasure Caesar might take seeing Christ was charged with Treason against Caesar and besides so peremptorily to acknowledge his goodnesse at such a time when it was so generally questioned imported a minde much affected to Iesus Howsoeuer we may learne of this great woman to stand for the truth how euill soeuer the times be or what danger soeuer it may bring vpon vs. Yea note that Iesus can doe great things in Prison as well as at Liberty No outward abasements or restraints can hinder Gods counsell or the successe of religion or Gods worke for the soules of his people 5. Concerning Dreames we must vnderstand that they are of foure sorts Naturall Morall Diuine or Diabolicall Naturall dreames arise from the constitution of the body according to the complexion or present estate of the bodie either as diseased or well Morall dreames arise from the studies and imployments that we are extraordinarily affected withall in the day time Diuine dreames arise either from the working of some Angell or by some other way vnknowne to vs and are vsed by God either to shew his power or foretell things to come or vnknowne or as an extraordinary entertainment he would giue vnto his seruants Diabolicall dreames are villanous conceptions wrought in the mindes of men in their sleeps either to torment them or to seduce them or to tempt them to some monstrous euill The question is what kinde of dreame Pilates wiues dreame was There is no colour of reason to thinke it was Naturall Some Diuines thinke that it was Diabolicall and giue this reason that the Deuill some way now perceiuing that the death of Christ would be the life of the world hee seekes to hinder it by this dreame But if that were so why had not Pilate the dreame or why did not the Deuill vse the Iewes that were his owne instruments and therefore it is more than likely that the dreame was from God Quest But may we now giue heed to dreames Answ By dreames we may guesse at the state of our bodies sometimes And by dreames wee may guesse at the corruption of our natures and finde what sinnes we are secretly prone to Yea no doubt but wee may haue Diabolicall dreames which we may discerne by the same signes we know the temptations of the Deuill from corruption of nature As when we are tempted to things contrary to our natures and prodigiously vile or when we feele that our nature doth abhorre the motion and giue no consent to it Nor doe I doubt but God may treat with his people also by dreames and we should be thankfull for holy dreames wherein God giues vs speciall comforts or doth in any speciall manner fire our hearts to the loue of goodnesse Only we must receiue no opinions by dreames which are not agreeable to the word nor must we trust vpon Predictions of things to come only when they are come to passe glory should be giuen to God with a resolution still to depend vpon the Law and the Testimonies only as the direction of our liues 6. We should all feare the great power and wrath of God we should be afraid to displease him for hee can finde strange wayes to make vs suffer If all the world were at firme peace with vs and all the Deuils in Hell would be quiet yet God can fight against our spirits with a very Armie he can raise in our very dreames Little doe we know how suddenly and how easily and yet how fearefully God can seaze vpon vs either body or soule 7. Note that shee saith I haue suffered many things and yet it was Pilate that offended whence we may gather that ill husbands may make all that belongs vnto them suffer for their faults They may be as a common plague to all that is about them or comes of them They sinne and their wiues may suffer many things for their sakes so may their children and their posterity Lastly obserue that she dreames in the day time It seemes she was no early riser but guilty of that fault which is still too common amongst great persons yea amongst them that are much inferiour to her to lye long in bed whereas the good woman described in the Prouerbs chap. 31. is commended for Rising while it was yet night Thus of the declaration of our Sauiours innocence by Pilates wife By Pilate himselfe he was declared to be innocent partly in words and partly in action In words Pilate came forth publikely three times and professed that he found no fault in him after he had heard out their accusations and examined him Luke 23. 14 22. Whence we may gather that wieked men in the Visible Church may be as vile yea more vile than those that are not in the Church at all The Iewes accuse him when a Gentile absolues him They wilfully pursue Christ to death when the Pagan for a good while striues as hard to saue him Pilate was afraid when his very accusers had charged him that he said that he was the Son of God and yet these cursed Iewes are not afraid though they had seene many signes that proued he was the Son of God And therefore it shall be easier for Pagans and Papists in the day of Iudgement than for these wicked men in the Church as our Sauiour said of the Cities of Galilea Mat. 11. 20. to 25. In Action Pilate pronounceth our Sauiour innocent by vsing solemnly the Ceremony of washing his hands and expoundeth his meaning thereby to signifie that he was
yea as lyes being only capable of that glory can runne into their senses Especially it is impossible for the men of this world to see the glory of Christs Kingdome in the daies of tribulation and affliction And therefore Christians should be content with the excellencie of their estate though the world will not acknowledge their glory as the sonnes of God Thirdly herein he payes for our affectation of Gods own Kingdome when in Paradise our hearts would not be content vnlesse they were gods or like the Almighty in Maiesty Fourthly hereby hee merited for vs an eternall kingdome and made vs Princes and Kings before God Reuel 1. 6. 2. Why did he suffer these strange indignities as to be stripped of his cloathes spit vpon and beaten on the head and all so publikely Answ First that hereby he might beare that ignominie and shamefull disgrace and loathing which was due vnto vs for our sinnes hee herein carries our filth and suffers that abomination was due to vs and so satisfies for the many and base iniuries which wee haue done to God and to his holy Name Secondly that he might here leaue vs an ensample to learne of him and so might be armed and fenced against all the scornes and base vsages we may finde in the world especially when wicked men doe therefore deale shamefully with vs because abhorre it that we should professe the hope and expectation of a kingdome from God in heauen Wee should neuer account any indignity strange that haue had a Sauiour that suffered so vnspeakable meane and base vsage Thus in generall Now almost euery one of these particular things done to Iesus haue their speciall vse and signification These things were done in a Mysterie as 1. He is stripped of his cloathes that thereby he might expiate our fall in Adam that by sinning lost our garments of originall Righteousnesse 2. They put vpon him a Scarlet Robe that thereby it might appeare that he was that excellent Warriour so liuely foretold and described Esay 63. 1 to 7. 3. He was crowned with Thornes that thereby hee might merit for vs a crowne of glory in heauen and that hee might take vpon him our cares and beare that malediction which God had laid vpon vs in our bodily labours and that he might thereby signifie that he should make vnto himselfe a royal and diuine people that should compasse about when he spake in the name of the Lord. For out of men that were like Briers and Thorns for iniustice and hurtfulnesse doth he gather a People which in the publike assemblies do compasse him about in the honour of his Name and publike profession of his Truth as the King and Lord of heauen and earth 4. He had a Reed in his hand as a Scepter to signifie that it was he that should breake the old Serpents head for they write that a Reed is mortiferous to Serpents and therefore now that he was in the Chase of the old Dragon he takes a Reed into his hand that wee might be deliuered from the power of that Serpent 5. That face of his that was to be reuerenced of Angels was dishonoured with the loath some spittle of these base wretches that thereby he might cleanse the face of our soules once made in the likenesse of God from the filth and loathsome foulenesse that temptations and sinnes had left vpon them 6. They tooke off his purple garment whereby was signified that his kingdome of grace should be laid downe and put off 7. His owne garments were put vpon him againe to signifie that as he clothed his owne body so should we be clothed with his owne garments of Righteousnesse and life and immortalitie Crucified 1 COR. 2. 2. For I determined not to know any thing among you saue Iesus Christ and him crucified HItherto of the Arraignment of Christ The parts of his Passion after his Arraignment follow in the Creed and so his crucifying is the first to be considered of And about the crucifying of our Sauiour six things are memorable in the storie 1. The place where he was crucified 2. What fell out in the way and before he was crucified 3. The causes why he was crucified 4. The manner how he was crucified 5. The things that befell him on the Crosse 6. The glorious testimonie was giuen concerning him when he was on the Crosse First for the place where he was crucified and that in generall was without the Citie and in particular it was called Golgatha Now he suffered without the Citie of Ierusalem for foure reasons First that thereby he might fulfill that which was foresignified by the figures of the old Law For the bodies of those beasts vpon which the sinnes of the people were put whose bloud was offered by the High Priest in the holy place as things accursed were burnt without the campe of the people of Israel Leuit. 1. 11 12. and 6. 30. and 16. 27. Heb. 13. 11 12. So Christ as the Sacrifice that bare the curse due to the sinnes of the people as vnworthy the societie of men was led to be crucified without Ierusalem Secondly that thereby he might teach vs to take notice of it that we haue here no abiding Citie and must not looke for any long peaceable entertainment in the world but must seeke an abiding Citie in the world to come Heb. 13. 14. Thirdly that thereby we might be armed and resolued to goe to him without the campe bearing his reproach not caring what indignities we finde from the world so we may meet with Iesus Heb. 13. 13. Fourthly he was cast out of the earthly Ierusalem that he might bring vs into the heauenly Ierusalem The particular place was called Golgotha that is to say a place of a Skull Why this place was called Golgotha is not with one consent affirmed Many of the Fathers say it was called the place of the Skull because Adam was buried there and his Skull was found there Some haue said it was called so of a little Hill that was in the place of the likenesse of a mans Skull But the most likely opinion is that it was so called because it was a place full of Skuls of dead men that had beene executed there and so it must needs be a place whither only notorious offenders were brought and besides a place of pollution by reason of the touch of dead bodies Now our Sauiour suffered in this place First that the Scriptures might be fulfilled that said he should be despised and reiected of men Esay 53. 3. Secondly that so for our exceeding consolation he might cure the barrennesse of our iustification and saluation in the very place of condemned men whom Iustice had sentenced to die and that he might deliuer vs from the place of eternall Iudgement where wee should haue all lyen as so many dead mens skuls and bring vs to a place of eternall ioy Thirdly hee is defiled with the dead that we might be deliuered from the filthinesse
inflicted for their sinne 4. He vnapparrelled his body amongst men that our soules might be clothed with his Righteousnesse before God 5. That as the first Adam entred into the earthly Paradise naked so the second Adam might enter into the heauenly Paradise also naked in body but graced and apparelled with glory and innocencie and immortalitie and that we might likewise so enter into heauen 6. That we might be comforted in the example of his Passion if at any time we be vncloathed of earthly things and suffer the spoile of our goods by the hands of vnreasonable men 7. That he might teach vs that he that prepares for heauen as a man that hath vanquished the world and the Prince thereof must not seeke earthly things but rather forsake them as hinderances to his passage The world must be crucified to him and he to the world For the Second he was fastened to the Tree 1. That as by the Tree death entered into the world so vpon the Tree it might be conquered and driuen out of the world and life and immortality brought backe againe 2. That the old shadowes might be fulfilled Isaack was laid vpon the wood for sacrifice and the brazen Serpent was fastened to the tree and so the sacrifices were laid vpon the wood 3. He was fastened with nailes for foure reasons The one that the Scriptures might be fulfilled that said of him They haue digged into my hands and my feet Psal 22. 17. The other that he might thereby declare that the hand-writing that was against vs was cancelled and therefore he nailed it on high on the Crosse that it might appeare to be of no force and so that we might be deliuered from the Ordinances of Moses which were but as so many confessions or Bills of our hands against vs. Thirdly that by his wounds we might be cured of the spirituall wounds with which the old Serpent had wounded our Natures Iohn 3. 14. Fourthly that when we are wounded by the enemies of the Truth we might beare them as the markes of the Lord Iesus in our bodies Gal. 6. 17. For the Third point hee was lifted vp on high on the Crosse for three reasons First that thereby he might fulfill the figure of the old Law for the sacrifices were lifted vp vpon the Altar and there sacrificed And as Moses lifted vp the brazen Serpent so must the Sonne of Man be lift vp Iohn 3. 14. Secondly that he might thereby carry on high in his body our sinnes and so take them away and make it manifest he was sacrificed for vs 1 Pet. 2. 14. Ioh. 1. 29. Hebr. 9. 26. 28. Thirdly that being lifted vp into the Aire he might subdue and triumph ouer the spirits that rule in the Aire that is the Deuill Coloss 2. 15. For the fourth point hee was crucified with his hands spread abroad First that he might draw all men vnto him and vnite both Iewes and Gentiles among themselues This day of his crucifying was the day which the Prophet Zacharie spake of Chap. 3. 9 10. in which he should remoue and take vp the sinnes of the world and make peace amongst men so as men should call one another by the preaching of the Gospell into the communion of the Church which hee resembles to a Vine and Fig-tree see also Ioh. 12. 32. Ephes 2. 16. Secondly that thereby he might signifie his great loue to vs readie to imbrace vs and take vs into his armes and bestow vpon vs the benefits of his Passion and that his torments made him the more to long after vs. For the fift point our Sauiour shed his bloud on the crosse for diuers reasons First that he might fulfill the figures of the old Law for the bloud of the sacrifices shadowed out the effusion of Christs bloud Secondly that thereby he might make expiation for our sinnes and reconcile vs to God and so make peace betweene God and vs pacifying his displeasure Heb. 9. 28. Rom. 3. 25. Coloss 1. 20. and so get forgiuenesse of all our sinnes for vs for without effusion of bloud there could be no remission Heb. 9. 18 c. Matth. 26. 28. Thirdly that his bloud might be a fountaine and lauer in which our soules might be washed and purged from all our sinnes Zach. 13. 1. 1 Cor. 6. 11. Reuel 1. 5. 7. 14. Heb. 9. 14. 20. 22. Fourthly that the partition wall might be broken downe and Iewes and Gentiles be made one Ephes 2. 12 c. Fiftly that we might be deliuered from the Ceremoniall Law of Moses 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Sixtly that his bloud might be our drinke to eternall life Ioh. 6. 55 56. Seuenthly that his bloud might be an vniuersall medicine for all the infirmities and languishings of our soules 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Lastly that thereby he might open heauen for vs and obtaine an eternall Redemption for vs. Hebr. 9. 12. 10. 19 20. For the sixt point he was crucified in the middest of two theeues for diuers reasons First that the Scripture might be fulfilled that said Hee was reckoned among the wicked in his death Esay 5. 3. 12. Secondly that he might sanctifie the death of malefactors that turne to God by repentance that they might know that their kinde of death shall be no hinderance to their Saluation Thirdly that hee might thereby shew that the fruit of his death should be diuided amongst sinners and that he came to die for them Mat. 9. 13. Fourthly that thereby he might shew that he should be the Iudge of the quicke and dead of good and bad hauing the good on his right hand and the bad on his left Thus of the fourth thing in the History of his crucifying The fifth point is the things he suffered while he hanged on the Crosse and those were 1. The diuision of his garments 2. Derision from the High Priests and people 3. Grieuous torment both of soule and body 4. Thirst of body Concerning the diuision of his garments the Euangelists say that the Souldiers diuided them into foure parts to each one a part and for his Coat without seame for it they cast Lots who should haue it and all this was done 1. That the Scriptures might be fulfilled that had foretold of so much as Psal 22. 1â— 2. That thereby might bee signified that the goods of Christ and his grace should be diuided euen amongst his enemies and that he would inrich them that were sometimes enemies to him which we reade was fulfilled in the Story of the Acts of the Apostles and is still found to be true by experience 3. The diuision of his garments into foure parts signified that the grace of Christ should be caried into all the foure parts of the world and diuided amongst the Elect whose sinnes crucified Iesus 4. The not diuiding of his Coat without seame imported some Mystery as that the whole righteousnesse of Christ is giuen to the godly without parting of it 5. The casting of lots for it
the Moone was then at the full whereas the Sunne is neuer eclipsed in the course of Nature but in the new Moone and besides Saint Luke seemes to import that there was a darknesse brought vpon the whole earth besides the darkning of the Sunne Luke 23. 44 45. And whereas Saint Luke saith it was ouer all the earth Interpreters are diuided in opinion about the meaning of all the earth Some thinke it was but ouer all the land viz. of Iudea other thinke it was ouer all the world About this latter opinion something seemes to make for it and something makes against it for it seemes to be the testimonie of Dionisius the Areopagite who is said to see it in Egypt and of the Philosopher at Athens that seeing it should say Now either the world is perishing or the God of Nature suffers and of Orosius that said it was at Rome and ioyned with great trembling of the Earth and of Eusebius who saith it was in Bithinia Against it seemes to be manifest reason for with the Antipodes it was at that houre midnight and it could not be at the sixth houre in all places It is very likely it was chiefly in Iudea but yet so as in the neighbouring Countries it might be obserued and a part of the darknesse might extend thither Now for the second point many things may be hereby signified as 1. It might signifie that the Sunne of Righteousnesse did now set That the true light and life of the world was now a dying 2. It might signifie the horrible blindnesse of the Iewes and foretell the spirituall darknesse should be confirmed vpon them that as heretofore the Egyptians had darknesse and in the Land of Goshen was light and by that darknesse was signified the imminent destruction of the Egyptians and by that light the liberty and saluation of the Israelites so now the Iewes should be left in horrible darknes and desolation and the light of the Gospell should shine in other Nations to bring saluation to them 3. It might import the detestation of that fact The great light of the world withdrawes his beames as abhorring to see so dreadfull a spectacle as the Sonne of God crucified or to vouchsafe light to so mischieuous creatures as the Iewes about such a worke and at that very time railing and blaspheming 4. It might signifie the vnspeakable vilenesse of our sinnes seeing that at the time they were opened and by imputation laid vpon our surety the very frame of Nature is turned vpside downe and it was vsuall in Scripture by the threatning of the darkning of the Sunne to set out the wrath of God against the sinne of man Ier. 15. 9. Ezech. 32. 7 8. Ioel 2. 10. 30. 31. Aâ—â—s 8. 9. 5. It did most euidently signifie the Diuinitie of Christ this and all other miracles which fell out at that time were therefore wrought that it might appeare hee was more than man that suffered If he had died without miracles he might haue beene thought to be but a meere man and that our faith might be strengthned by the greatnesse of the wonders that otherwise might be weakned by the ignominie of his suffering so vile a death as to be hanged on a Tree 6. Was it not to teach vs compassion Is Nature troubled at this sight and doth the Sunne mourne and couer it selfe with blacknesse as with a garment and cannot our hard hearts be melted to mourne for him who was pained for our sinnes Thus of the second Testimonie The third Testimonie was the conuersion of one of the Theeues vpon the Crosse and his conuersion did notably serue to demonstrate the glory of Christ both in respect of his Diuinitie that could conuert a soule without meanes he must needs be more than man that can immediatly make the heart of man new as also in respect of the vertue of his Passion and Death which so liuely shewes it selfe vpon the soule of the Theefe in killing his corrupt humours and kindling in him the life of true grace and both the more wonderfull in respect of the circumstance of the time that it was when Christ was on the Crosse derided of men and plagued of God and forsaken of his owne c. Now in particular concerning this conuersion I would make vse of three things By considering first who was conuerted 2. When he was conuerted 3. How he shewed the truth of his conuersion For the first The person conuerted was one of the two Theeues whence we may gather That notorious malefactors may repent and be saued for God is abundant in mercie and the bloud of Christ is of vnspeakable value which as it should teach vs to admire Gods goodnesse so it should keepe vs from despairing of any though their course be neuer so vile so long as God continues the day of his grace and prolongs his patience towards them For the second He was conuerted at his last end euen when he was ready to die vpon the Crosse I suppose diuers that heare but this point named will hence gather that men may repent them at their latter end euen at the last gaspe It is true that a man may be saued that repents not before his end This Theefe was saued and they that went into the Vineyard at the eleuenth houre and God hath promised to receiue the sinner in what day soeuer he shall returne and repent Mat. 20. Ezek. 18. But yet lest men should abuse this example to confirme themselues in that most dangerous procrastination consider with me foure things 1. That we here reade of one that repented at his latter end that no man might despaire and yet but one that no man might presume 2. That the conuersion of this Theefe was an immediate worke of the diuine power of Christ and so a dreadfull miracle and though this one man was saued so extraordinarily without meanes yet that doth not proue that God will doe so to other men if Christ doe conuert thee at thy latter end he doth as great a worke as to raise the dead or darken the Sunne and cleaue the rocks or the like And what warrant hast thou that thou shalt be saued by miracle 3. That men haue as much reason to be afraid they shall not repent because the other Theefe did not repent at his latter end as to thinke they shall because this Theefe did repent 4. That it is said by them that went into the Vineyard at the eleuenth houre that therefore they went not in sooner because no man hired them Matth. 20. which was like to be the case of this Theefe He neuer was called before he had not had the meanes of conuersion but this can be no ground for such as haue had the meanes from the third or sixth or ninth houre and will not be hired nor perswaded to enter into the Vineyard but put all off till the eleuenth houre Indeed if men had neuer had the meanes till their old age or sicknesse they
makes sufficient payment to Gods iustice and ouercomes death for vs and that by reason of the worthinesse of his person It is more for Christ to die one houre than for all the world to be dead for euer For it is in this as it is in a prison into which many debtors are cast It is an euerlasting prison to such as cannot pay their debts but it is but a temporarie prison to such as either by themselues or any other make full payment of what is owing 6. That by his death he might make a medicine to kill sinne in vs which might so eat downe the power of sinne that it should no more reigne in vs and so by degrees abolish sinne He died that we might die to sinne by the vertue of his death Rom. 6. 7. That thereby he might buy life for the world He gaue his flesh for the life of the world euen to purchase eternall life for the elect world Ioh. 6. 51. 8. That many sonnes might be borne to God Christ was like seed falling from heauen to the earth and there dying it quickned and brought forth many sonnes to God Esay 53. 10. Ioh. 12. 24. yea the doctrine of Christ dead for our sins is still like to diuine seed falling into our hearts which conuerts men and turnes them to God Thus of the Reasons Now what vse may we make of the consideration of the death of Christ Many things we may learne from hence 1. It should teach vs to be stedfast in the faith and to beleeue and trust vpon Gods mercies for Christ died for our sinnes and therefore wee are certainly reconciled vnto God 1 Cor. 15. 3. Rom. 5. 10. And God doth assure vs of so much in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Matth. 26. 2. We should neuer be afraid of Death and Hell 1 Thess 5. 9 10. Christ by dying for vs hath deuoured and euen swallowed vp Death and Hell so as they shall neuer hurt vs. As the fire consumes the stubble so by wonderfull Art Christ by dying hath consumed all the forces and power of Death and the sting of it 1 Cor. 15. 54. Heb. 2. 15. 14. Death as a curse was laid vpon Christ that our death might be blessed to vs. 3. It should maruellously inflame our hearts with the admiration of the loue of Christ to vs 1 Ioh. 3. 16. 4. Henceforth we that liue should not liue to our selues but to him that died for vs and carry our selues as men that are dead to the world and the sinfull pleasures and lusts thereof and shew the proofe of the vertue of Christs death in vs by the mortification of our sinnes 2 Cor. 5. 15. Rom. 6. 2. 6. 5. It should breed in vs a holy resolution to suffer any thing for his sake euen to forsake Father Mother Wife Children Husband yea and Life it selfe for his sake and the Gospels Iohn 12. 24 25 26. yea it should make vs willing to lay downe our liues one for another if our life may doe seruice to the Church of God and our brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 16. 6 Seeing Christ in death falls to the ground like a dead carkas we should be like spirituall Eagles to flie to it wheresoeuer we finde it whether in the Word or Sacraments and our soules should feed heartily but spiritually vpon it Matth. 24. And seeing God in his ordinances presents vs still with the dead body of his Sonne it should be a meanes to draw all men to it and to gather into one all the children of God that were scattered abroad Iohn 11. 52. and 12. 32 33. 7. The meditation of the death of Christ should make vs in all estates to liue at rest and in a holy security as knowing that Christ died for vs that whether we wake or sleepe we might liue together with him 1 Thess 5. 10. If we liue we liue to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord Whether we liue or die we are the Lords Rom. 14. 7 8. Thus of the generall proposition concerning the death of Christ and the Reasons and Vses of it In the Explication these things are to be confidered 1. Who died 2. Who were the speciall witnesses of his death 3. How he died 4. For whom he died 5. When he died 6. The consequents of his death For the first if we aske who died the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. 34. answers It is Christ which is dead Which is to be obserued the better to stirre vp our hearts to consider both the wonder of it and the reason of it That any other man should die is no wonder because all other men were sinfull and mortall but here Iesus Christ the Righteous who onely hath immortality dies and withall it leads vs to thinke of the reason of it for he did not die nay he could not die if he had beene considered as a priuate person because he deserued not death in his owne person but he died as our suretie and as a publike vndertaker for vs all hee died in our roome But yet we are further to inquire into this question and to consider whether this death belong to the person of Christ or only to his Natures or to each of them he being God and man in one person And in this we must take heed what our hearts answer for though it be true that Christ died in respect of the flesh so as it was only the flesh that suffered death in respect of the Nature that died yet his death belonged to the Word in respect of the Person for the Word the Lord of life and glory suffered and died not in respect of his Diuinitie which is immutable and altogether impassible but in respect of his Humanitie or in his flesh God did not die with the flesh but in the flesh and he died in his flesh that is in that flesh which was vnited to the diuine Nature If the flesh of Christ were the flesh of the Sonne of God then his dying in the flesh doth belong to him as the Sonne of God Thus his bloud is said to be the Bloud of God Act. 20. 28. and this we must needs beleeue for else his death as a bare man could not haue beene of sufficient merit for all our sinnes There is yet one thing more to be thought on about this Question and that is that the Humanitie that is the soule and flesh of Christ did in death and after death remaine in the Person of the Sonne of God firmely vnited Though the Soule was disvnited from the Body yet neither Body nor Soule were dis-vnited from the Person of the Sonne of God The parts of the Humane Nature were diuided in death one from another so as one was on earth and the other in heauen but yet both of them remained and subsisted in the Diuine Nature else if in death there had beene a new manner of subsisting Christ had had two Persons as well as two Natures which is Heresie to
speakes on the Crosse is the words of his intercession Luke 23. 34. which should be an admirable paterne to teach vs to goe and doe likewise Neuer was there a greater man on earth nor did euer man suffer such wrongs and yet you see how he is affected He that bids vs pray for our enemies doth it himselfe in a harder case than euer can be ours If we will be true disciples we must shew it by forgiuing men their trespasses and by praying for them especially when we are about to die if we would euer haue God forgiue vs we must forgiue men their trespasses against vs. This prayer of Christ was heard as appeares by the conuersion of many of those enemies of his after his death Yet obserue he prayes not for such as sinned of malitious wickednesse but for such as sinned out of ignorant zeale or generall prophanenesse of Nature many of the people were carried with blinde zeale and many of the Gentiles were ignorant of the true story of the life and cause of Christ for which he suffered those were curable and for those he prayes And this may be a comfort to vs he that can obserue this difference in his persecuting aduersaries will much more shew it in considering the frailties and ignorances of his owne seruants that desire to please him though they faile of that they desire to doe through strength of temptation or other weaknesse and ignorance Againe note it is not enough for the partie offending that the partie offended doe forgiue but God also must be sought vnto for forgiuenesse Lastly our Sauiour shewes his religiousnesse in his maner of dying by his deuout care for his owne soule shewed in his prayer when he said Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23. 46. when he had be queathed all other things as Peace to his Disciples his body to the Iewes his garments to his Tormentors Paradise to the Theefe pardon to the penitent and his Mother to his Friend now only remained his Soule and that he commends to God Euen Iesus can carry nothing with him out of the world but his Soule and therefore he prouides for that Which should teach vs what we should doe our greatest care should be that our soules may be safe when we die and that they may be so we see here two things must be done while we liue First we must get assurance that God is our Father we are his children and then when we come to dye we must commit our soules by faithfull and heartie prayers into his hands and for feare of the worse wee should begin betimes to prepare for death and by daily prayer to put our soules into Gods hands Obserue that these words were first vsed by the Prophet Dauid Psal 31. 5. who committed his soule to God being horribly persecuted by Saul and in great danger and hauing no friend to trust to Now our Sauiour being in like but greater distresse doth make choice of Dauids words to expresse his prayer in which should teach vs to acquaint our selues with the Scriptures especially of this kinde for as it will be accepted if our prayers be made according to Gods will so is it a speciall aduantage and helpe to our faith and prayers to fashion them to the very paternes in Gods Booke and to say as the godly haue said to God in the like case Finally this practise of our Sauiour may be a great comfort to vs and that two waies for first we may gather from his example that if once we haue committed our soules to God he will keep them safe as Paul said 2 Tim. 12. And secondly it will be comfortable for vs in death or danger to flie to Iesus Christ to beseech him to helpe our soules with his Father who cannot forget that once himselfe on earth made the same moane to his Father that we doe now to him Thus Stephen doth Act. 7. The fourth question is for whom Christ died and the Answer is giuen distinctly in many places of Scripture First he died for men not for other creatures Heb. 2. 14. 18. Though the effect of his death reach to other creatures as to the Angels Phil. 2. 10 11. and to the creatures that suffered vanitie for mans sinne Rom. 8. 19 20 22. Secondly he died not for his friends but such as in the state of nature were his enemies and sinners not iust men Rom. 5. 8 10. Thirdly he died not for Iewes only but for the Gentiles also 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Fourthly hee died not for goats but for his sheepe Ioh. 10. 11 15. not for the world but for the Church Ioh. 17. 9. Eph. 5. 25. euen for such as should beleeue in his name Ioh. 3. 16. Fifthly he died not for some beleeuers but for all beleeuers Rom. 8. 32. and so not for learned men or great men but for all men of all sorts that beleeue 1 Tim. 2. 6. Sixthly he died not for those that did beleeue his words but for all that should beleeue the words of his seruants afterwards to the end of the world Ioh. 17. 21. And so he died for vs many hundred yeares before wee were borne Seuenthly not for all beleeuers in generall only but for euery particular by name Ioh. 10. 3. 14 15. And the knowledge hereof should serue for diuers Vses For first it should be very comfortable for all sorts of Christians to thinke that Christ died for them and did thinke of them in particular and by name Secondly it should much affect vs with admiration of the greatnesse of his loue that would die for such vile wretches as we were by nature wicked and enemies to him as the Apostle vrgeth it Rom. 5. 6. to 10. And thirdly in speciall it should much incourage such as are burthened with the greatnesse of their sinnes to know that he well vnderstood it that he was to die for the vngodly Fourthly it should teach Christians to restraine censure and iudging of them that are without The vertue of Christs death may reach to many more than we know and to such as for the present are vile enemies to the Christian name Fifthly wee should all labour to be such as Christ hath described to haue actually a part in his death And so Saint Paul tels vs we must be such as see and acknowledge how vile and wicked we are by nature whatsoeuer gifts or priuiledges we haue and how ciuill soeuer we haue liued in comparison of others Rom. 5. 6 c. and our Sauiour tels vs we must be beleeuers and sheepe such as will heare and be ruled by his voice and 2 Cor. 5. 15. the Apostle saith We must be such as will liue to him that died for vs and Saint Iohn saith Reuel 14. 3 4. we must not be defiled with women that is with Idolatry or spirituall whoredome that is with any beloued sinne and must follow the Lambe whithersoeuer he goeth Finally if Christ died for vs it must needs
spirituall and eternall rest from sinne and labour Quest 3. Why was the Sepulchre so fenced and sealed Answ That so the glory of Christs resutrection might the better appeare in that all their power and care could not hinder it and besides God hereby catcheth them in the works of their owne hands for by these meanes their owne Souldiers are made witnesses against themselues of the truth of the resurrection of Christ Quest. 4. But what was the reason that the bodie of Christ did not putrifie Answ Christ was without sinne and so his bodie could not corrupt and as for our sinnes he had made expiation for them on the Crosse besides this was so that the Scripture might be fulfilled that said Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption Psal 16. 10. Thirdly our Sauiour foretold vs thereby that one day our bodies should be as his was viz. after the resurrection they should be incorruptible for euer The Vses of the whole doctrine of the buriall of Christ may be 1. For consolation for by the casting of the body of Christ into the graue wee know that Gods anger is pacified and our sinnes are expiated for as the tempest was laied and stilled when Ionas was cast out of the ship into the Sea so when Christ was cast from among the liuing into the graue among the dead all the tempests of Gods wrath conceiued against vs were quieted and fully stilled and pacified Besides Christs buriall may greatly comfort vs against our buriall His bodie hath sanctified and perfumed our graues 2. For instruction and so the speciall Vse should be to teach vs to striue to be buried with Christ in respect of our sinnes Col. 2. 12. Rom. 6. 4. and this we may the rather hope to attaine because there is a vertue flowing from the buriall of Christ able to produce this spirituall buriall of sinne in vs. Now there be foure things in which our sinnes should be like a dead body in the graue First dead bodies are for euer remoued out of the society of men so should our sinnes be abandoned from vs. Secondly dead bodies in the graue vse to spend and confume away by little and little so should our sins Thirdly dead bodies vse to grow loathsome more and more so should our sinnes Fourthly dead bodies waxe out of memorie and are quite forgotten so should our sinnes in respect of any delight we should take in remembring them He descended into Hell COncerning this Article of Christs descension into Hell I propound three things to be considered of 1. The Originall of it 2. The Authoritie of it 3. The sense and meaning of it with the Vse For the first these words He descended into Hell were not in the most ancient Creeds Learned men giue instance both in the Creeds that haue them not in as also of most ancient Expositors that vndertooke to expound the Apostles Creed and yet makes no mention of this Article at all Amandus Polanus saith they are not in the Nicene Creed nor in the Creed of the Councell at Sardis nor in the Creed of the first Councell at Constantinople nor in the first Toletan Councell nor in the Creed of the Councell of Ephesus nor in the Creeds of the sixt and the eleuenth Toletan Councells nor in the Creeds of the Councels of Wormes and Franckford nor in diuers other Creeds And besides it is obserued that neither Clement the first nor Iernaeus nor Tertullian nor Iustine Martyr nor Origen nor Augustine though they expound the Creed yet make any mention of this Article and Ruffinus that doth receiue the words yet saith that they are not in the Creed of the Romane Church nor amongst the Churches of the East For the second though these words haue not beene found to be acknowledged in the first Churches yet because for many ages they haue beene receiued with an vniuersall consent of all Christian Churches and are acknowledged by many of the ancient Fathers and Councels and are receiued by the Church of England and by all sorts of Diuines in our Church therefore it were great impudencie for any man to reiect these words or question their authoritie either for the truth or vse of them onely for the interpretation of the words the learned know that the Diuines of no one age since they came into the Creed did fully agree about the proper meaning of them and as I conceiue the Church of England hath neuer made any interpretation of them in any Nationall Synode or Conuocation that might declare which sense our Church hath taken to And therefore men must be aduised and take heed of rash censuring of the opinions of Diuines in our Church that deliuer their consciences in this Article though there bee difference about the sense amongst them and weake Christians must know that it is possible for a Christian to be saued that beleeues the word of God and the rest of the Articles of the Creed though he neuer come to know infallibly what is the proper sense of this Article Now for the sense of the words of this Article if the opinions of Diuines be gathered together some of them will be found apparantly false some of them verisimilies things that be like Truth some of them are manifestly true And lastly there is a sense is not onely a truth but the proper truth of this place if we could finde it out Now for an introduction it will not be vnprofitable to take notice of the diuers acceptations of the Originall words rendered here Hell The Hebrew word is Sheol and the Greeke word Hades Now the Kings Translators of the Bible doe not render the words all alike in euery place As for the word Hades in the new Testament they translate it the most places Hell Yet in one place I finde it translated the Graue viz. 1. Cor. 15. 55. So for the word Sheol in the old Testament vsually they translate it Hell Yet in diuers places they call it the Pit as Iob 17. 16. and likewise in sundrie places they call it the Graue and it cannot well be otherwise rendered as Gen. 42. 38. and 37. 35. 1 King 2. 6. Psal 49 15. and 6. 5. Esay 38. 18. Now Christ may be said to descend into Hell either in respect of the wholeman or in respect of the body only or in respect of the soule only In respect of the whole Man it is true that he descended into Hell in foure Respects 1. In respect of Incarnation when our Sauiour descended from heauen to take our Nature in a large sense he may be said then to descend into Hades For the ancient Grecians whence the word Hades comes vnderstood by Hades the Earth and many of the ancient Fathers call the earth Infernum or Hell for they make a distinction of Hell and say One is superiour and that is the Earth and another is inferiour and that is the Hell of the damned Nor did Christ descend only to be vpon
earth but to assume Earth when he tooke our nature and that too considered as the earth was vnder malediction for the first Adams sinne and exprest in that sentence Thou art earth and to earth thou shalt returne and that other The earth is cursed for thy sake thorns and briers shall it bring forth And that he descended both in respect of his body and soule and of both of them together In respect of his body as Adam made of the earth so was Christ borne of a Virgin who had her originall from the earth and the earth is vsually said to be the common mother of vs all and his soule descended into this earth when it was vnited to his most sacred body In both soule and body in his Incarnation he descended into the earth euen the earth as it was accursed both in respect of infirmitie and in respect of mortality The infirmities of our Nature which he tooke both in soule and in body what were they but so many thornes and briers to afflict and seratch and paine his most blessed Nature I meane by his infirmities such as were without sinne such as came from sinne but did not tend to sin such were in his soule sorrow and feare and in his body thirst hunger pouertie And besides our Infirmities he tooke our Nature as it was Mortall and so descended into that Infernum the Fathers call Infernum mortalitatis for though he died not so soone as hee was borne yet he liued alwaies vnder the sentence of death A prisoner in the Goale when he is condemned all the time he liues is reckoned but as a dead man So was Christ Now the Scripture seemes clearely to acknowledge the descension of Christ into the earth of mortalitie and infirmitie as when he descended to take vpon him the forme of a seruant Phil. 2. 7. So it is by some Interpreters conceiued to be meant Rom. 10. 7. and Ephes 4. 9. though it is not doubted but these places haue a further meaning Thus of the first sense as Hades signifies the earth and the rather because some Diuines make it a rule that Christ is neuer said to descend any whither but into Hell or Hades 2. Christ may be said to descend into Hades when by death he went among the dead both in his body and soule He descended when he went downe among the dead And thus he descended not only into the Infernum mortalitatis but into the Infernum mortis also Thus according to the Psalme he was free among the dead and this was the greater abasement because hee was detained so long among the dead kept downe as a Prisoner in the graue in respect of his body He descended then when he suffered the state of the dead both in body and soule I say his abasement was very great in this condition because both his friends thought all was lost in him Luke 24. 21. Marke 16. 10. and his enemies insulted ouer him as conquered and called him Deceiuer Matth. 27. 62 c. Luke 23. 43. See what God saith Dan. 9. 26. And death held him downe as his prisoner Rom. 6. 9. So as it was with him as Iob 17. 12 13. But yet it is true he was glorious in this estate both in that his soule was in Paradise and his body inioyed incorruption But yet all this was secret and not knowne to men therefore some Diuines call this a kinde of middle state betweene humiliation and exaltation because it was partly glorious and partly ignomious And his detention in the graue answerâ— fitly to the order of the Articles For as Resurrection answers to his death and crucifying so A scension answers to his going into the graue and Session at the right hand of God answers to his continuance in the graue 3. Christ may be said to descend into Hell in respect of efficacie because though neither soule nor body went into the Hell of the damned locally yet the vertue of what he suffered in soule and body penetrated into Hell it selfe This was an operatiue descension The merit and vertue of his Passion descended euen amongst the damned Angels to spoile them of their power and confirme them in the horror of their estates and to signifie the deliuerance of the Elect out of their hands 4. These words He descended into Hell may be taken as an effectuall Epitome and repetition of all his Passion described before with a generall intimation of the vnexpressablenesse of the things he suffered for our sinnes as if they that inserted the words into the Creed would say he suffered all things that might concerne our Redemption which were so many and so grieuous as the heart of man is not able to reckon them or to finde the bottome of them for when he came to suffer for vs he desended into a very Abissus or bottomlesse pit of misery not to bee sounded by any mortall heart This sense is taken too by some Diuines as the most proper sense of the words in this place And for mine owne part with submission to information of better iudgements if one particular sense must be taken to I best like this Thus of his descension in respect of the whole Man In respect of his body our Sauiour descended into Hades or Sheol when he descended into the graue and so it is the same in sense with his buriall and this interpretation is not to be slighted for first I haue quoted many places of Scripture before where the Translators themselues render the words by the terme of the graue So Iacob descended into Hell when he went downe into the graue Gen. 42. 38. And besides Athanasius in his Creed which is one of the most ancient that haue this Article in leaues out Buried and puts in He descended into Hell as if he signified thereby that he tooke that to be the meaning of the Article And Ruffinus saith in his Exposition of the Creed that the sense of these words seemes to be the same with the other word Buried Thirdly in respect of his soule our Sauiour may be said to descend into Hell in two senses First in that hee abased himselfe so farre as to let his soule to be in that condition which our soules are in betweene the time of our death and our resurrection which was a great abasement though the soule suffered no paine for his very soule herein endures the common condition of all mens soules in death though the soule die not in respect of the substance yet in a generall sense euery change from that being wee haue for the present is a kinde of death because it makes a not being of that which was before or makes something not to be which had a being before What is mutabilitie but a kinde of death which while it changeth any thing into another fashion that ceaseth to be what it was and beginneth to be what it was not Thus in the soule of Christ there was not only a change but a
priuation of what he had before for first the Body was taken from the soule and a diuorce made between that couple that had liued so louingly together See 2 Cor. 5. 2. Secondly the 〈…〉 part of the soule was abolished seeing hearing breaâ—â—â—ng speaking and the like all ceast in Christ all the vessels or instruments of the senses being taken away from the soule Thirdly all outward operations did cease in which the soule was wont to worke and now could worke no longer This is to be vnderstood of doing worke in the visible and corporeall world Fourthly there is in the soules euen of the godly and so in Christ a most earnest longing yet without paine or sorrow for the consummation of felicitie to be enioyed with the body resumed The soule departed is ioyned to the body still though not in life and sense yet in naturall affection so as it enioyes no happinesse which it doth not wish to the body The soules of the righteous crie vnder the Altar for though they rest saith one à labore yet they doe not rest à clamore and though they haue nothing that molest them yet they haue not yet what would more delight them viz. their bodies Thus of the first sense Secondly Christ in soule descended into Hell when as our furetie he submitted himselfe to beare those hellish soâ—rowes which we were bound by our sinnes to luffer for euer His descension is his proiection of himselfe into the sea of Gods wrath conceiued for our sinnes and his ingression into most vnspeakable straits and torments in his soule which we should else haue suffered for euer in Hell This way of Christ descending into Hell is expresly vttered in the person of Dauid as the type of Christ Psal 86. 13. and 116. 3. and 69. 3. Thus the Prophet Esay saith His soule was made an offering Esay 53. 10. And this I take it Dauid meanes when hee said of Christ Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell Psalm 16. Acts 2. And thus Christ descended into hell when hee was aliue not when he was dead Thus his soule was in Hell when in the Garden hee did sweat bloud and on the Crosse when hee cried out so lamentably My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Matth. 26 38. And according to this sense is the Article fitly placed in the Creed for hauing reckoned before what hee suffered in bodie in this Article is expressed what hee suffered in soule and in the sixteenth Psalme it seemes hee first reckons what hee suffered in soule and his deliuery from it when hee said Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell and then speakes of the priuiledge of his body in the graue as a thing which followed the suffering and deliuerance of his soule out of Hell The vse of this Article may be 1. To informe vs againe of the hatefulnesse of sinne that hath thus abased the Sonne of God and withall to shew vs how great that surpassing loue of Christ to vs was that could bee content for our sakes to be thus abased 2. To instruct vs especially in two things Humility and Patience This is a matchlesse patterne for vs to learne by how should our hearts fall low and descend in vs when we heare how many wayes Christ hath descended and abased himselfe for vs this should destroy our pride and those high thoughts in vs that hinder true lowlinesse of heart Phil. 2. Matth. 11. 29. And for Patience what can wee suffer that is comparable to the descension of Christ into Hell in all those senses Such vnworthy creatures are we as whatsoeuer God doe with vs wee cannot descend lower than wee are or deserue to be and if God haue deliuered our Sauiour from this bottomlesse sea of misery into which he descended for our sakes why should wee doubt through vnbeleefe or despaire This should teach vs to trust vpon God and wait for deliuerance from whatsoeuer distresse we doe or can fall into 3. To comfort vs for his Descension is our Ascension He descended into Hell that we might ascend into heauen He hath endured vnspeakable sorrowes on earth that we might enioy riuers of pleasure in heauen The fifth Article 2 TIM 2. 8. The third day he rose againe from the Dead HItherto of the Articles of the Creed that describe the abasement and humiliation of of Christ the Mediator on earth Now it followes to consider of the Articles that concerne the exaltation of Christ as hee is the Mediator made glorious and so three things are entertained into the Christian faith as the three parts or degrees of the glorification of Christ viz. his Resurrection Ascension and Session at the right hand of God But before I handle these in particular I must consider of his exaltation in generall Concerning the exaltation of Christ in generall two things are to be considered both what in Christ was exalted and what good it is to vs that hee was so exalted For the first of these The person of Christ was exalted and that in respect of both Natures The Diuine Nature was exalted but in some respect the Humane Nature was exalted simply The Diuine Nature being immutable could receiue no increase of glory or essence in it selfe but yet was exalted in respect of the manifestation of the glory and Maiestie which in the estate of humiliation was hidden as it were vnder a vaile Rom. 1. 4. so that Christ was exalted in respect of Manifestation onely as he was God The Humane nature was exalted absolutely and simply and that two waies namely by the deposition or laying downe of Infirmities and by glorification or susception of most excelling gifts In the estate of exaltation Christ put off the infirmities of our nature which he assumed in his Incarnation such as were hunger thirst wearinesse in the body and negatiue ignorance and feare and sorrow in his soule The gifts he receiued were both in body and soule his body being rescued from corruption and death and all misery becomes incorruptible immortall impatible and was made to shine with all purity strength agility and brightnesse as became the body of God 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. His soule receiued all knowledge could befall a nature euen the knowledge perfect of all things that are and all vertues and gifts in their highest degree that can be in a glorified creature aboue all blessed Angels and men Yet by the way wee must know that Christ did receiue such glory as did not destroy the humane nature Christ laid downe all infirmities of the flesh but not the flesh it selfe for now hee is glorified hee hath the same flesh he had when he was borne and crucified He was not emptied of the substance of his humanity but in it glorified not deified for How can a finite thing equall that which is infinite And how can wee say wee beleeue in Christ God and Man if he be no more a man Wherefore we must constantly hold the difference between
make men more proud and carelesse of holy duties But how is it to be vnderstood that some doubted Interpreters are diuided in opinion Some say that they that doubted were other Disciples that had neuer seene Christ not the Eleuen that had so often seene him Some answer that this doubting is to be referred to some other time not to this Apprition S. Matthew for breuitie sake giuing a touch of what fell out in all the Apparitions And so some doubted must be expounded Some had doubted as Thomas for one But I thinke their opinion is the most probable that hold that none of the Disciples here doubted whether Christ were risen but that at the first they did not know whether he that appeared were Christ or not which was no new weaknesse in them for when he stood on the shoare at the sea of Tiberias it was a good while before any of them knew him 4. The words our Sauiour spake to them and those if the Euangelists be compared are 1. Words of vpbraiding or reprehension Hee vpbraided them for their vnbeleefe Mark 16. 14. and for their hardnesse of heart in not beleeuing them that had seene him after his Resurrection which hee doth most wisely and seasonably First it would doe them good to be humbled before they receiued so glorious a commission they might know it was not for any merit in them that they were so aduanced Secondly it might warne them to take heed of that sinne of vnbeleefe not only as that which was most hatefull to Christ but as that they would be often tempted to when they went about their worke by reason of the oppositions and troubles would befall them Thirdly most fitly doth he now tell them of their vnbeleefe that they might be the more compassionate and patient when they were to deale with the Nations about their vnbeleefe and not think it much if their report were at first reiected seeing they themselues had been so slow of heart to beleeue what was written In generall we may see here what comes of peruersenesse in any infirmitie We may perhaps heare Christ vpbraiding vs at such times when we looke for nothing but comfort and therefore let all men and women be warned to take heed of this sinne of way wardnesse and vnteachablenesse we may heare of it when we thinke Christ hath forgiuen and forgotten it 2. Words of declaration All power is giuen me both in heauen and earth About these words we may enquire both about the sense of them and about the end or vse of them For the sense had not he all power before and from eternitie as God Or if it be meant of a power communicated to the Humane Nature how is it that he had it not from his Incarnation The answer is that he speakes of a power he had both as God and man and such a power as he had not before because this is the power he obtaines as Redeemer of the world and the price was not laid downe actually till he had giuen himselfe as a Sacrifice for sinne and had humbled himselfe to the death euen the death of the Crosse Now he had purchased the inheritance of the Nations now he might lawfully send them to take possession for him and if he were resisted he might winne his owne by a spirituall conquest of this power is spoken Psal 2. 8. and 110. 1. Esay 49. 6 8 9. Dan. 7. 13 14. Phil. 2. 9 10. Now for the end or vse of this declaration of Christs patent or power it might serue for perpetuall vse both to the Apostles and all Teachers of the Gospell and to their hearers too To the Apostles this declaration was necessary because of the greatnesse of the things they were charged to proclaime to the world for he had need to haue a name aboue euery name that should in his name offer giue eternall life to the world and should challenge all the world to come vnder and doe homage to him and should send such a message in his doctrine as should subdue euery high thing and should lay all mankind as it were at his foot And though the conquest of the Nations might seeme an impossible worke yet they need not doubt to goe about it seeing they are sent from him that hath all power And the like comfort may all faithfull Ministers gather from hence against all the difficulties of their worke they serue him that hath all power And so in generall this is a doctrine of admirable comfort to all true Christians of any degree that will be perswaded to serue the Lord Iesus they cannot serue a better Master No master hath such power to preferre them He hath all power on earth but if he did it not here yet he hath all power in heauen they shall be sure of preferment in another world 3. Words of commandement and so his charge concernes either the doctrine they should teach or the signe by which they should confirme it viz. Baptisme As for their doctrine Saint Matthew saith Go teach all Nations Saint Marke saith Goe preach the Gospell to euery creature The obseruations are diuers that if many times God did not send the Gospell to vs we should perish before we would go and seeke it Secondly that preaching is the ordinary meanes to conquer the world to God Thirdly that all Nations need to be taught and euery creature of euery Nation They that thinke they can finde the way to heauen without teaching are certainly in the direct way to hell Fourthly that the principall worke for the highest Ministers in the Church to do is to preach the Gospell Fiftly that the doctrine of our Recōciliation with God in Iesus Christ is the principall doctrine to be taught or learned Sixtly that grace and mercy in Iesus Christ from God is offered to euery creature vpon condition of faith and repentance None is excepted Thus of their doctrine The signe by which they should confirme their doctrine was Baptisme which was added as Gods broad seale to assure vs the good things promised in the Gospell and in particular if they did beleeue as certainly as the water did wash away the filth of the body so should the bloud of Christ wash away the sins of their soules About the forme of Baptisme the Trinitie must be expresly mentioned it must be done in the name of the Trinitie both in respect of Authoritie to signifie that they were authorised to baptise by all the Trinitie and in respect of Confession that no saluation could be had without the beleefe of the Trinitie and especially in respect of fellowship with the Trinity as a fruit of faith and Baptisme for they had power to signifie to true Christians that in Baptisme they were married to the Trinitie and receiued into an euerlasting fellowship with the Father Son and holy Ghost As the wife at her mariage receiues the name of her husband so all Christian soules are transferred from the names of their owne
naturall condition to a glorious fruition of the name of God and therefore in the Originall the Preposition rendered in hath the force of into as well as in Baptise them into the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost 4. Words of consolation and so he comforts them by two arguments the one taken from the successe of their doctrine and the other from his own perpetuall presence with them The argument from the successe of their doctrine is recorded by Saint Marke and that is two-fold the one ordinary the other extraordinary The ordinary successe is either in the good or in the bad In the good so many as will beleeue and are baptised and will obserue all that Christ commands them which is to be supplied out of Saint Matthew they shall be as certainly saued in heauen as they are taught on earth And contrariwise such as will not beleeue and receiue their doctrine Christ wil reuenge it vpon them with the damnation of their soules nor shall their Baptisme helpe them if they will not beleeue and obey Mark 16. 16. The extraordinary successe should be in the signes should follow such as beleeue which are reckoned Mar. 16. 17 18. and these are attributed to all beleeuers though they were to be done but by some only because the end of those miracles was to glorifie the doctrine beleeued on by all Nor did these signes last vnto all times but onely in the first times of the Church for the more effectual confirmation of that doctrine which could not be demonstrated by naturall arguments Nor did euery beleeuer that shewed some of them shew all of them some spake with new tongues that yet could not heale the sicke for there were diuersities of gifts and operations and yet all from one Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 4 5. The second argument of consolation is taken from his perpetuall presence with them to the end of the world which must be vnderstood of his spirituall presence and must be extended to all the godly especially Ministers seeing the Apostles could not liue themselues to the end of the world Thus of the third Apparition after the day of the Resurrection We reade of the appearing of our Sauiour at three other times besides these as to more than fiue hundred brethren together 1 Cor. 15. 6. and to Iames the Apostle alone 1 Cor. 15. 6. And then lastly vpon the day of his Ascension he appeared to the Apostles on Mount Oliuet not far from Bethania Act. 1. 12. Of these three I haue nothing to say for concerning two of them we reade nothing in Scripture but the bare mention of them and for the last it belongs to the Article of his Ascension And thus of the Apparitions of Christ after his Resurrection The last part of my Diuision that concernes the Resurrection is about the fruit of the Resurrection or the good that comes to vs by our Sauiours rising from the dead and so 1. The Resurrection of our Sauiour serues exceedingly to confirme our faith and to assure vs that he was the Sonne of God Rom. 1. 4. and the promised Messias that could thus miraculously raise himselfe from the dead Ioh. 10. 17 18. and 2. 19. to 23. Matth. 12. 39 40. 2. The Resurrection of Christ assures vs of our Iustification from our sinnes Rom. 4. 25. The Father by deliuering Christ to death did actually condemne our sinnes in his flesh as our surety Rom. 8. 3. So by letting him out of the prison of the graue in his Resurrection he did actually absolue and acquit him from the obligation in which he was bound and so in discharging him doth acknowledge payment and satisfaction and so we are discharged too If he had not risen we had been still in our sinnes 1 Cor. 15. 17 18. Rom. 8. 34. Phil. 3. 8 9 10. 3. The Resurrection of Christ is the cause of a two-fold resurrection in vs. The first Resurrection is of the soule from the death of sinne to the life of grace Eph. 2. 4 5. Col. 2. 12 13. Rom. 6. 4 5. and this flowes from his Resurrection The second is of the body out of the graue which is to be accomplished at the last Iudgement of which the Resurrection of Christ is both the cause and the pledge 1 Cor 15. 20 21 22. Rom. 8. 11. 1 Thess 4. 14. And a taste of this Christ gaue in the resurrection of diuers Saints that appeared to many in Ierusalem immediately vpon his Resurrection Matth. 27. 52 53. 4. The Resurrection of Christ begets in vs a liuely hope of a most glorious inheritance in heauen As the Apostle shewes 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. and Rom. 5. 10. where we shall for euer triumph with him in the victory ouer Death and the Graue and Hell Hosea 13. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 54 c. 5. It warrants and effects our persâ—uerance in life for he rose to life to die no more neither in himselfe nor in the spirituall life of his members as the Apostle reasons Rom. 6. 9 10. Now the reason of all this is because Christ sustained our person and rose againe as well as died in our stead He died and rose againe as a publike person and a root of a new mankinde and besides the same Spirit that raised Iesus Christ from the dead is in vs to worke all those things intended by his Resurrection Rom. 8. 11. The vse of this Article may be diuers 1. By way of Information and so it proues the Diuinitie of Christ the Apostle sayes he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by the Resurrection from the dead He that could ouercome so great Enemies as Sin Death the Graue and Hell and had power of himselfe to take vp his life must needs be God and so Saint Paul applies the words of the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee to the Resurrection of Christ which is true in respect of the manifestation of his Diuinitie Rom. 1. 4. Act. 13. 33. 2. By way of Instruction and so first Saint Paul 2 Tim. 2. 8. chargeth vs in a speciall manner to remember this Article and to lay fast hold vpon it for Iewes and Pagans can beleeue that Iesus died but a Christian must goe further to beleeue that he was raised from the dead Secondly wee should learne from Christs Resurrection to rise to newnesse of life A Christian should be ashamed to lye dead in the graues of sinne when his Sauiour is risen from the dead Nay if we be ingrafted into Christ aright wee are risen with him and are aliue from the dead and shew it by a spirituall liuelinesse in all parts of a renewed conuersation and therefore if thou wouldest haue comfort that thou art a true Christian thou must shew it by liuing in a new conuersation and by awaking from spirituall slumbring and securitie and standing vp from the dead Eph. 5. 14. If there be life in the Head there is life in all the
iust It is in vaine to plead the mercy of God and Christ to proue the saluation of the wicked for he is iust as well as mercifull and that they shall know fully at his comming In the sentence of condemnation obserue foure things First the reprobation of the wicked vers 41. Secondly the cause of this reprobation vers 42 43. Thirdly the Apologie of the wicked for themselues vers 44. Fourthly the answer to their Apologie vers 45. In the Reprobation of the wicked I note diuers things as 1. In that speaking of the Iudge his title of King is left out which was mentioned vers 34 40. I gather that wicked men euen at the Tribunall when they shall see Christ in his greatest glory yet they cannot truly loue him or â—steeme of his glory The naturall hatred of Christ will continue vpon them euen at that day 2. In that he saith Depart yee from me it shewes that it is a grieuous misery to be thrust out from Christ it were an euerlasting fearfull punishment if wicked men did suffer no more but the absence of Christ for euer to liue without that Sunne of Righteousnesse is worse than to liue without the shining of the Sunne in the firmament and herein note the iustice of Christ in that wicked men could not abide the company of Christ and true Christians in this world they shall now be paid in the same kinde they shall neuer more enioy the presence of Christ or any one true Christian Woe to Hypocrites at that day though now they seeme to be ioyned to Christ yet let them thinke what it will be when they shall be made to depart 3. In that he calls them Cursed it shewes that euery wicked man is a cursed creature and withall that to be vnder Gods curse is the quintessence of misery And therefore godly men haue little cause to enuy the prosperitie of any wicked man nor wicked man to be so drunken with the estimation of the fading glory of earthly possessions 4. In that he saith Into euerlasting fire it notes the vnspeakable horror of the paine of wicked men in Hell If a man knew he must lie in a burning fire but one day oh how would he be dismayed Oh what senselesnesse hath bewitched vngodly men that are not frighted with euerlasting burnings They are wonderfully blinded that striue to beleeue that there is only Poena Damni not Poena Sensus in Hell That there is no paine in Hell but only losse of good things as the presence of God and Christ c. 5. In that he saith Prepared for the Deuill and his Angels we obserue 1. That God neuer purposed to shew mercy to the Deuills 2. That there is one Deuill is chiefe and hath power ouer the rest 3. That from the beginning God intended to shew mercie vnto mankind though not vnto deuils 4. That the eternall companions of wicked men shall be deuils such as loue wicked company in this life may here see what companions they shall haue in Hell From the description of the cause of the Reprobation we may note 1. That it is not enough to refraine from euill but we must doe good Not bearing of fruit will be a cause of cutting downe the Tree 2. All Religion is pretended in vaine by such as are able and doe not shew mercy to the poore It is a sinne that Christ shall finde only in the wicked From the Apologie of the wicked we learne 1. That men may be very innocent in some things in their owne sight and yet be very guiltie in the sight of God They did thinke verily they neuer saw Christ naked c. and yet in his members they did 2. That it is the propertie of the wicked to remember the good they doe and forget the euill they can remember their prophecying working of miracles and eating and drinking with Christ Matth. 7. 22. but forget all their sinnes of vnmercifulnesse and the like No ma ruell if they iustifie themselues before men that shall dare to doe it before Christ himselfe From the answer to the Apologie we learne plainly that all the iniuries done to the godly yea euen to the poorest and meanest of them Christ reckons as done to himselfe and will accordingly punish them at the day of Iudgement yea not only iniuries but the neglect of honouring and succouring and relieuing of them Hitherto of the manner of the Sentence The execution followes Vnto the execution of the Sentence foure things belong 1. The deliuery of Possession of eternall glory to the godly 2. The detrusion of the wicked into Hell 3. The creation of the new Heauens and new Earth 4. The deliuering vp of the Kingdome of Christ into the hands of God the Father For the first after the sentence ended the Elect shall be all taken vp to heauen with Christ there to reigne with him in eternall blisse where they shall presently be possest of foure incomparable benefits The first is the immediate vision of God so as neuer man saw him in this world If to liue in the presence of great Princes on earth be such a preferment what is it to liue in Gods presence for euer and if to see the Monarches of the earth in their glory so much affect men what is that eternall sight when men that once were but dust and clay are now admitted to behold that infinite perfection and fountaine of all goodnesse In God wee shall behold most perfectly all those things that can be of power to stirre admiration all those beauties and praises that the nature of man can delight in The second is the perfection of their owne natures both in soule and body Then shall their countenances shine like the Sunne in the firmament then shall their very bodies be like spirits able to passe whither they will in a moment then shall they possesse health without all infirmitie or power to feele paine or defect nor sorrow sicknesse or weaknesse shall any more assaile them but greater things than those shall be bestowed vpon their soules for then shall their knowledge be made perfect Here wee know but in part there we shall know as we are knowne there we shall enioy an euerlasting day It is darke night with vs in this world in comparison of that celestiall light of knowledge Here we are groaping in the darke to finde out some parts of truth but there God who is whole truth it selfe shall fill our mindes with the shining beames of his light Then shall all the faculties of the soule be made perfectly glorious in all righteousnesse and true holinesse all impotencies being remoued God himselfe being all in all in the Elect for euer The third is the acquaintance and most glorious societie with all the Angels of Heauen and all iust men of all ages and degrees which fellowship shall be made perfectly comfortable all things that may offend being remoued from them both in their natures and workes The heart of man
Christ prepared himselfe for his Passion in fiue things page 3â—5 Christs speech before his Passion Ibid. Patience of God See God The Patience of Christ towards Iudas page 328 Learne Patience page 450. 461 Perseuerance a worke of the spirit page 544. 492 How Perturbations are in Christ page 342 Peters dâ—niall page 351 Foure degrees of his fall page 351. 352 Manner of his fall page 353 Peters fall teacheth vs diuers things page 353 His example no warrant to sinne page 354 Persecutors are Atheists page 394 The wonder of Christs Person page 256 A Person what it is page 118 Fourethings common to each Person in the Trinity Ibid. Each Person is the true God as appeâ—res in three things Ibid. Three Persons are one in another page 119 Persons in the Trinity differ from the Essence how to be vnderstood page 112 Persons differ one from another foure waies page 121 Priority of Persons how to bee vnderstood Ibid. Persons differs in operations how to be vnderstood page 122 A Person in Trinity differs from a Person among men page 424 Christs Piety manifested in his death page 421 Pilate vseth Christ with more respect then the Priests page 362 Pilate examines Christ page 364 Pilate vseth foure policies to saue Christ page 368 Pilate in sending Christ to Herod dealt politickly though vniustly Ibid. Pilates wife declareth Christs Innocency page 373 Christ conuerts Pilates wife whilst he is ready to condemne him page 374 That shee was truly conuerted is probable Ibid. Pilate declareth Christs Innocencie by washing of his hands page 376 Whence that ceremonie was brought page 377 Two causes why Pilate would not deliuer Iesus Ibid. Which are strong motiues to iniustice page 378 When Pilate condemned Christ God condemned sinne Ibid. Pilate consents to Christs buriall for two reasons page 438 Poore men may speede in great suites page 411 Poore men may not repine at their distresses page 164 Potion giuen to Christ and why and what it was page 387 Two things signified by it Ibid. Christ indured pouerty for diuers reasons page 321 This teacheth vs 4. things Ibid. All Power was giuen to Christ at his resurrection how to be vnderstood page 470 Christs Power declared to the Apostles for diuers ends page 471 Christs Prayer Six things obseruable in it page 337 He Prayeth for six things for vs. page 338 Hee vrgeth his Petitions with foure reasons Ibid. Christs Prayer for himselfe page 338 He chuseth three of his Disciples to be with him for two reasons page 340 Christs Prayer for himselfe without sinne how page 344 Christs Prayer was heard yet hee not deliuered page 346 Preachers Publique cryers page 559 Two waies of Preaching page 1 Priests and Scribes most malitious against Christ page 326 The causes of it Ibid. High-Priests Office twofold page 337 Christs Priest of the New Testament page 388 Christs Priest-hood page 227 Difference betweene the Priest of the Law and Christ. Ibid Parts of Christs Priest-hood Ibid. Christs Priest-hood comfortable in diuers respects page 228 Benefits we obtaine by Christs Priesthood Ibid. The Priests more senselesse then Pagans page 433 A Prisoner deliuered at the Passouer the occasion of it page 371 Preferment by Christ. page 454 Man produced foure waies page 272 Production of Christs body page 261 Christ Prophecies in the Ministerie of his seruants page 221 Esteeme of Prophecying page 223 Communication of Proprieties page 252 Strange Punishments to workers of iniquity page 385 No Purgatory for soules page 412 R. TVVo things noted bout the Rainebow page 177 VVhat need wee haue of a Redeemer page 204 Our Redeemer must bee the Sonne of God for diuers Reasons page 237 Redemption giues no liberty to sin page 401 Christ had a Reed put into his hand why page 381 Religion hath small intertainment amongst voluptuous great ones page 370 Wicked men are easily agreed when there is opposition against Religion page 370 Heads of Religion handled two waies page 2 Christ Remembers vs in heauen page 410 Hee Remembers those onely in heauen that remember him vpon earth Ibid. A signe of a gracelesse heart not to Repent when wee are vnder the Rod. page 407 Christs Resurrection proued page 455 When Christ Rose againe page 455 Why not till the third day page 456 Christ Rose againe the same day the world was created Ibid. He Rose againe with an earthquake to signifie foure things page 457 He Rose againe for fiue reasons Ibid. Christs Resurrection assures vs of our Iustification page 474 Fiue fruits of Christs Resurrection page 473 A twofold Resurrection in vs. page 474 Christs Resurrection warrants our perseuerance page 474 Christs Resurrection a proofe of his diuinitie page 475 Rise to newnesse of life Ibid Christs Resurrection comfortable in foure respects page 476 What is necessary to true Repentance page 354 Reprobation of the wicked at the last day page 527 Restraining grace page 540 Rich men must honour Christ page 437 Right hand of God how taken page 489 Rockes rend page 432 Amongst the Romans fugitiue seruants were beaten with Rods. Gods Iustice in sending the Romans to destroy the Iewes S. CHrist Rested in the graue on the Sabbath day why page 442 Sabbath reckoned from morning to morning page 463 Incroach not vpon the Sabbath day page 439 Burials not so conuenient on the Sabbath day Ibid. Christs Sacrifice a propitiatory Sacrifice page 388 Fruit of this Sacrifice Ibid. This Sacrifice continues for euer page 386 That wee may receiue benefit by this Sacrifice we must doe three things Ibid. Christs Sacrifice excells cerimoniall Sacrifices page 227 What Sacrifices we must offer vp page 229 Rest vpon Christ alone for Saluation page 409 In things done for our Saluation consider foure things page 255 Gods glory in contriuing away for our Saluation page 257 Sanctification a worke of the Spirit page 543 How it is wrought page 544 No Satisfaction but Christs page 313 Burden of Satisfaction onely vpon him page 343 Christ a Sauiour page 215. 399 What Christ requires in his Schollars page 224 Christ scourged for foure reasons page 372 Sea What it is page 178 Originall of it Ibid. Wonder of Gods power in placing the Sea page 178 What vse it serueth for page 179 Gods workemanship about the Sea teacheth vs diuers things page 180 It is comfortable in three respects page 181 Prophets and Apostls course in their Sermons page 2 Seruant like theire masters true in courts page 359 A stone rowled to the Mouth of Christs Sepulcher why page 44 Christs goodnesse to his Seruants page 242 Christs Side peirced for two reasons page 429 Water and bloud commeth forth of his Side which is miraculous page 429 And Misticall page 430 Out of his Side came a Fountaine for sinne page 431 Christ was silent being accused for seuen reasons page 362 Christ Silent before Herod why page 369 Simon carried Christs Crosse it signifies diuers things page 384 Sins must be like a dead body in foure things page 443 Sin punished
with eternal punishments why page 500 Sins remitted and retained how page 463 Sitting what it signifieth page 489 Christs Sessio at the right hand of God is comfortable in seuen respects page 492 Christs Soule how produced page 263 Excellency of mans Soule aboue other creatures appeares in seauen things page 197 Soule of man made in the Image of God page 197 Soule immortall page 198 What the Soule workes in the body Ibid. Soule resembles God in the Creation Ibid. Condition of our Soules in death page 449 Soule of Christ in his death indured a priuation of what it had before Ibid Soules of the righteous cry vnder the Alter Ibid. Our greatest care must be for our soules page 422 Christ the Sonne of God page 335 God hath many Sonnes page 336 Where the Spirit is there is liberty page 541 Spirit quenched by two sorts of men page 546 Happinesse of Christs subiects page 233 Christs subiects must doe seuen things page 234 Sufferings of Christ Suffering attributed to the diuine nature in respect of personall vnion page 305 Christs Sufferings full of wonder and amazement Ibid. They teach vs six things Ibid. He suffered not for all proued against the Arminians page 307 He Suffered from all sorts of enemies Ibid. To teach vs three things Ibid. Who haue part in Christs Sufferings page 308 Christs Sufferings a matchlesse patterne of his loue page 309 Iust Suffers for the vniust Ibid. Seuen reasons why he suffered page 310 Scriptures fulfilled in his Sufferings Ibid. His sufferings teach vs patience page 311 Two obiections against his Sufferings answered page 312 Difference betweene Christs Sufferings and Martyrs page 313 End of Christs Sufferings teach vs diuers things Ibid. Benefit of his Sufferings appeares in seuen things page 314 Hee suffered by waie of Imputation page 316 Hee Suffered from his conception to his resurrection page 317 What he Suffered from his Baptisme to his last Supper page 320 Where he Suffered page 325 When he Suffered Ibid. Hee Suffered Voluntarily page 326 348 421 Hee Suffered meane vsage why page 356 Christ suffers two things from Herod page 370 Christs Sufferings should make vs afraid of sinne page 397 We should Suffer any thing for Christs sake page 417 Superscription ouer Christs Head page 399 Pilates meaning in it Ibid. God by this giues testimonie to his Son Ibid. Superscription written in three Languages page 402 Deriuation of Symbolum with signification thereof T. ALL men need be Taught page 471 Teares haue power ouer Christ page 385 Christ Teacheth diuers waies page 221 Excellency of Christs manner of Teaching page 222 Christ Tempted for diuers reasons page 320 Christs Temptation teacheth vs fiue things page 321 Christ dwels not in Temples made with hands page 243 Thiefe conuerted page 404 Abuse not his example to procrastination page 405 Three fruits of his conuersion page 406 Thiefes confession page 408 Thiefes prayer hath in it three things obseruable page 409 Christs answer to the Thiefe page 411 How the Thiefe vnderstood what was meant by Paradise Ibid. Profitable to teach the people the whole body of Theology page 2 Thomas his vnbeleefe page 464 Thomas his confession page 465 Christ crowned with Thornes page 381 Thankefulnesse to God for the blessings of Heauen page 176 Thunder and lightning page 170 Times and seasons left to God page 427 Worldfull of Treachery page 334 Christs apparition to his Disciples the doores being shut no proofe for Transubstantiation page 462 Truth of God See God Christ beares witnesse to the Truth page 365 Truth will preuaile Ibid. Constancy for the Truth page 366 Christs subiects are of the Truth Ibid. Christ fastened to a Tree for three reasons page 390 Doctrine of the Trinity page 115 Proofes of the Trinity page 116 In handling the Trinity wee must bee wise to sobriety page 117 Trinity Essence Persons all brought in in the Primitiue Church page 123 Eleuen obiections against the Trinity answered page 124 Doctrine of the Trinity vsefull page 126 We must speake of the Trinity in vnity page 127 Vnsound speeches of the Trinity Ibid. What Heretikes haue assaulted it Ib. V. ORiginall of vegetable creatures page 185 Their variety and vse page 186 Vaile of the Temple rent page 413 What it was Ibid. What it signified page 414 Vbiquitaries confuted page 502 They gaue Christ Vinegar to drinke for three reasons page 398 Virgin Mary not conceiued without sinne page 265 Virgin ouer-shadowed page 265 Christ tooke his Body of a Virgin page 267 Wofull estate of vnbeleeuers page 35 240. Christ vpbraided his Disciples for vnbeliefe why page 470 Vnity of God See God W. GOds dearest seruants exposed to outward Wants page 466 Great Wants fore-runne extraordinary supplies Ibid. Christ speakes to Women page 285 Comfort for Women in Child-bearing page 269 Women chiefe witnesses of Christs death page 419 What wholsome words are page 3 Wicked men incorrigible page 348 Wicked desire Christs miracles not his Word page 369 Wicked men of more account then godly page 371 Wicked men within the Church may be as vile as they are without page 376 Wicked men are impatient vnder Gods hand page 386 Wicked men are like a dry Tree Ibid. Wicked men in a wofull case page 397 Wicked men how condemned already page 509 Wicked men are Goats page 418 Wicked men are cursed creatures page 527 Wicked men forget their sins page 528 Wicked men taste the Word of God without digestion page 540 Difference betweene godly and wicked men in their desire after Christ page 369 Great World a little Garden page 161 It is like a Booke Ibid. Like a faire House Ibid. Fiue things wonderfull in the making of the world page 162 Workes of God of two sorts page 144 Externall Workes of foure sorts page 145 When the world was made page 148 Giue God the Glory of his Workes page 149 Meditate on Gods Workes not delight in idle shewes Ibid. World fiered at the last day how page 531 Word doth not euer presently worke page 354 God Workes sometimes by vnlikely meanes Ibid. How the Word was made flesh page 251 Vnion of the Word and flesh differ from other vnions Ibid. Gods Wisdome moderates betweene his Iustice and mercy â—8 Three beare Witnesse of Christ in Heauen three on earth page 430 LONDON Printed by G. M. for R. R. P. Stephens and C. Meredith and are to be sold at their shop at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1626. Pro. 335. * So much as now is published comes vnto thy hands as it was left fully perfected by the Author in his life time 2. Waies of Preaching 1. By Text. 2. Without Text. And both expedient The Apostles Patterne The method intended What the Creed is What wholesome words are Vnwholesome doctrines of two sorts 1. Corrupt doctrine Diuers sorts of corrupt doctrine How many waies true doctrine may be vnwholsome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How the Creed is a Patterne Note What great respect we should haue of the doctrines