children Iob 1.6 To which I answer that Christ is called Gods only Son because he alone is his Son by nature and eternall generation and none but he whereas the Angels are his sons but by creation as indeed are all the creatures of the world besides and his elect and chosen children by a more speciall grace of redemption and adoption as it is said As many as received him to them he gave power to be the sons of God even to them that beleeve in his Name Ioh. 1.12 And againe When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman and made under the Law that he might redeeme them which are under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons Gal. 4.4 5 verses And therefore as S. Iohn saith Behold what love the Father hath shewed on us that we should be called the sonnes of God 1 Ioh. 3.1 So that as I say we are sons indeed by grace and adoption but Christ is his only Son by nature and eternall generation as I said before and none but he And therefore unicus dicitur quia nec comparationem recipit cum creaturis nec similitudinem as S. Augustine speaketh He is called Gods only Son because there is neither comparison nor resemblance betwixt his Son-ship and that of the creatures He being a Son of Gods owne substance for ex ore altissimi prodiâ—i I came out of the mouth of the most high primogenitus being the first borne of all creatures as Ecclus. 24.5 and unigenitus the only begotten Sonne of God as before out of Ioh. 1.18 A Son then begotten not created not of grace but nature before not in time as all the creatures are and therefore an onely Son Hereupon himselfe taking his farewell of his Disciples Ioh. 20. as Mr. Hum. Sidenham hath well observed hee shewes them this intervallum and distance betweene his generation and their adoption in saying I goe to my Father and your Father and to my God and your God not to our Father but to mine and yours This separation implies a diversitie and shewes that God is his Father indeed but our Creator and therefore he addes my God and your God mine by a privilege of nature yours of grace mine out of the wombe as it were of everlastingnesse yours out of the jawes of time And therefore seeing Christ only is properly and truly Gods Son and none but he it may serve thus farre to be a comfort and consolation unto us yea and to strengthen our trust in God in that the love of God hath beene so wonderfull and his mercie so unspeakable towards us as that he hath not spared his owne and his onely Son for us as it is said God so loved the world that hee hath given his onely begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Ioh. 3.16 sufficit pro unico The third and last circumstance is that he is called our Lord And in Jesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord So saith S. Paul to us There is but one God which is the Father of whom are all things and wee in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and wee by him 1 Cor. 8.6 And therefore he saith of himselfe to his Disciples Yee call me Master and Lord and yee say well for so I am Ioh. 13.13 For God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Jesus whom yee have crucified saith S. Peter Act. 2.36 Now this is as S. Augustine saith because Spoliavit antiquo hostem singulari dominio suo asciscit nos He having vanquished and overcome our old enemie the Devill and spoiled him of all principality and power he now rules and reignes over us himselfe by the power of his Word and holy Spirit guiding and directing us in all our wayes and protecting and defending us in all our dangers so that our spirituall enemies shall no more be able to prevaile against us As also in regard of our redemption because he hath purchased us to himselfe being before captives and slaves of the Devill and therefore may justly challenge a lordship and dominion over us And this may serve first to comfort us That hee being our Lord and we abiding under his protection we need not feare what any enemie whether spirituall or temporall whether Devill or wicked men can doe unto us For if God be on our side who can be against us saith Saint Paul Rom. 8.31 And therefore let us not feare them which can kill onely the body but rather feare him which is able to destroy both body and soule in hell as it is said Matth. 10.28 And indeed in the second place his Lordship over us ought to beget a feare in us towards his holy name according to that of the Prophet If I be a Lord where is my feare Malac. 1.6 For howsoever as he is a Saviour hee most truly deserves our love yet as hee is Lord both of heaven and earth and Judge both of quicke and dead he as justly requires our feare Now both these titles as yee see are here ascribed unto him and given him even in this one Article of our Creed for as hee is in this last clause of it stiled and called our Lord so before hee was called Jesus a Saviour here Dominus which is nomen Majestatis a name of feare and Majestie there Jesus which is nomen benignitatis amoris a name of benignitie and love This shewes him to be an eternall being and a giver of being to all his creatures That that hee is the Authour of our well being that had made our selves in a miserable being so that it had beene better for us never to be than to be in such a miserable estate as either we were all by nature or they all shall be that are and shall be without this Jesus this Saviour uterque hic profitetur Dominus Salvator he is here professed to be both both Lord and Saviour ut pro potestate qua omni suae creaturae dominatur jure metuendum ostenderetur pro bonitate vero qua misericorditèr quosdam salvat dignum dilectione demonstraretur as S. Augustine speakes i. e. that in regard of his power whereby he rules over all his creatures it might be shewne that hee ought worthily to be feared and in regard of his goodnesse whereby hee saves some he might be demonstrated to be worthy likewise of all love but as one saith Many are willing and readie to embrace Christ as Jesus to save them who yet like not to have him urged upon them as their Lord to governe and command them sufficit pro hoc atrticulo Which was conceived by the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgin Mary THese two circumstances of the conception and birth of Christ expresse to the full the manner how he tooke our humane nature upon him and became man for as all mankind is so generated and brought forth into the
fast hold of our former preposition In and to say with the holy Apostles in this place Credo in Deum c. I might be much more plentifull in uses on this subject but that I promised and intended brevitie and therefore this shall suffice Luther said well that there was much Divinitie in Pronounes And here you see that there is some also and that not a little even in prepositions And in Jesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord c. WHere we may first observe as S. Augustine speaketh Quomodo in Patrem sic in Filium credendum est That as we are to beleeve and put our trust in God the Father as I shewed unto you the last day so likewise are we to doe the like in the Son too And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne c. which shewes him to be God as well as man because we are to put our trust and beliefe in none but only God And therefore Si Deus non sit Filius sed creatura non ergo colendus nec adorandus as the Father goes on If the Son were only man and not God hee were not to be worshipped and adored neither were we to invocate and call upon his Name no nor yet to beleeve and put our trust in him but being God of the substance of his Father as the Nicene Creed professeth The God-head of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost being all one the glory equall the Majestie coeternall as Athanasius Creed hath it therefore we must worship this one God in Trinity and Trinity in Unity neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the substance and as we said I beleeve in God the Father so likewise must we say I beleeve in God the Son yea and in God the Holy Ghost too as I may have occasion to shew more at large if I ever come to the handling of that Article I beleeve in the Holy Ghost Now this doctrine of beleeving in the Son and of his God-head and the like teaches us with the more confidence and boldnesse to rely and depend upon him in the matter of our redemption and to have recourse unto him in any our necessities and troubles whether of body or soule because he is God and therefore able to accomplish and bring to passe whatsoever he hath undertaken and findes to bee necessary and needfull for us And indeed to whom else should we goe as Saint Peter saith seeing he only hath the words of eternall life Ioh. 6.68 And therefore Come unto me saith he himselfe all yee that are heavie laden and I will refresh you and ease you Matth. 11.28 But this doctrine and use comes to be handled almost in every Sermon and therefore I proceed And in Iesus Christ his only Sonne our Lord. Where you see the next circumstance is the two names of this sacred Person that we â—rofesse to put our trust and beleefe in first Jesus then Christ And in Iesus Christ His first Name Jesus was the name appointed him by the Angell Gabriel which was Gods messenger sent unto his Mother the Virgin Mary before hee was conceived in her wombe Luke 1.31 32. where it is said by him unto her Feare not Mary for thou hast found favour with God and behold thou shalt conceive in thy wombe and bring forth a Son and shalt call his name Jesus The reason also of the Name being set downe in Saint Matthewes Gospell viz. because hee shall save his people from their sins Matth. 1.21 For the word indeed signifieth a Saviour and Deliverer and therefore is a name fitly given to our Lord Christ because the worke of our salvation both from sin and punishment is wholly and onely wrought by him Wholly because as the Apostle saith He is made unto us of God Wisdome and Righteousnesse and Sanctification yea and Redemption too 1 Cor. 1.30 And therefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Hebr. 7.25 Yea and only too For there is no salvation in any other neither any other name under heaven whereby men can be saved Acts 4.12 And therefore he saith of himselfe I am the way the truth and the life and no man commeth to the Father but by me Ioh. 14.6 So that he that beleeveth in the Son hath everlasting life and hee that beleeveth not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3.36 Because as there is but one God so but one Mediatour betweene God and men the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 So that he may justly say as in the Prophet Torcular calcavi solus I have troden the wine-presse alone and of all the people there was none with mee Esay 63.3 For howsoever there have beene many Iesusses in ancient times as Iesus or Ioshua the son of Nun Moses successour Acts 7.45 Iesus the son of Iosedecke Ecclus. 49.12 Iesus the son of Syrach Ecclus. 50.27 also Iesus one of Saint Pauls work-fellowes called Iustus Coloss 4.11 And these or some of these have had their names also given them by reason of saving and delivering yet their deliverances have not beene like this from which this IESUS the Sonne of God which we professe here to beleeve in doth deliver those that put their trust in him But their deliverance have beene onely corporall this spirituall their 's temporall this eternall theirs from bondage slavery or some pressures of the body this from the most dangerous and fearfull sin and sicknesse of the soule He shall deliver his people from their sins ut supra And therefore as I can never be weary of writing or speaking of this saving Name Jesus but when I thinke I have written and spoken enough could enter into a new discourse of it and begin againe so be you never weary of hearing reading and beleeving in it seeing that through this Name all that beleeve in him shall receive remission of their sins as all the Prophets witnesse as it is said Acts 10.43 yea and rejoyce in it too saying with Saint Augustine O Jesu nomen dulce nomen delectabile nomen comfortans O how sweet how delightfull how comfortable is thy saving name Jesus unto mee For here is fuell indeed to kindle the fire and feed the flame of joy to keepe it ever burning on the altar of our hearts that we can say I beleeve in Jesus i. e. the only Son of God and Saviour of the world This is that joy which when we have once truly entertained no man can take from us as our Saviour himselfe saith Ioh. 16.22 wherewith compare what pleasure soever and it is but griefe all sweet is sowre unto this and there is nothing that may delight but it seemes troublesome and offensive in respect of this as devout S. Bernard hath well observed But this is odor sanitatis saith the Apostle a sweet smelling savour unto God Ephes 5.2 Dulcedo animae sanitas
he offered up himselfe as there followes verse 27. see also the ninth Chapter of the same Booke to the same purpose vers 24 25. c. And thirdly a Prophet to teach and instruct us in the way of godlinesse and salvation for of him was it said I will raise them up a Prophet among their brethren like unto thee and I will put my words into his mouth and unto him shall they hearken Deut. 18.15 18. Yea the Spirit of the Lord is upon mee saith the Prophet Esay of him because he hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek to bind up the broken hearted Esay 61.1 And therefore it is likewise said of him This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased heare yee him Matth. 17.5 And therefore seeing he is thus anointed to become all these things unto us let us faithfully beleeve and put our trust in him in this anointed one and we also in an inlarged sense shall be made with him and by him spirituall Kings Priests and Prophets our selves for he being Prince of the Kings of the earth and loving us and washing us from our sins in his bloud hath made us also Kings and Priests unto God his Father Revel 1.5 6 verses First Kings to beare rule over our owne hearts and to master our owne rebellious thoughts wils and affections that so sin may not reigne in our mortall bodies nor we obey it in the lusts thereof as Saint Paul speaketh Rom. 6.12 but as kings and conquerours may fight a good fight and overcome the corruptions of our owne hearts that without resistance will in the end destroy our soules Secondly Priests to offer up to God many spirituall sacrifices As first of Prayer for so saith David Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting up of mine hands as an evening sacrifice Psal 141.2 Secondly of thanksgiving as the Apostle Let us therefore by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwayes to God that is the fruit of the lips Hebr. 13.15 Thirdly of Almes which is an acceptable sacrifice and pleasing unto God as the same Apostle affirmeth in the very next verse viz. 16. And therefore S. Paul else-where calleth an offering and contribution of the Saints an odour that smelleth sweet and a pleasant and acceptable sacrifice unto God also Phil. 4.18 Fourthly of broken and contrite hearts and soules unto the Lord which as David saith are sacrifices unto God such as he will not despise Psal 51.17 And lastly to offer up our whole soules and bodies to the service of God as S. Paul exhorteth saying I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you give up your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable serving of God Rom. 12.1 And after we have thus beene Priests in offering up all these pleasing and acceptable sacrifices unto God we shall in the last place become Prophets also in applying that knowledge wee have to the benefit and good of others as S. Peter was commanded when hee was converted himselfe to strengthen his brethren Luk. 22.32 And therefore seeing wee have all these great and speciall benefits and blessings by this anoynted one Christ Jesus let us comfort our selves and rejoyce in this name too accounting it the greatest honour unto us that could befall us to be called and stiled Christians according to it for what is that else but anoynted ones that is men set apart and consecrated to these high and honourable offices in the Church of God before expressed And therefore let us be sure to carrie our selves in our lives and conversations answerable to this name by our carefull performance of the former duties lest otherwise it be said of us as of the Church of Sardis Thou hast a name that thou livest but thou art dead Revel 3.1 But if wee walke worthy of this name which we have taken upon us why then we have great cause to comfort our selves and rejoyce in it as Theodosius the Emperour did who thanked God more for that hee was a Christian than fâ—r that hee was an Emperour because as he said the glorie which he had by the one would vanish but the benefits he enjoyed by the other hee knew would continue for ever and this sufficeth for the two names as they are distinguished first Jesus then Christ One observation more from them as they are conjoyned and then I have done and that shall be this that Jesus is an Hebrew and Christ a Greeke name which may intimate unto vs that hee came into the world as well to be a light unto the Gentiles as to be the glorie of his people Israel as old Simeon prophesied of him in his Nunc dimittis Luk. 2.32 The Greeke name Christ belonging to the Gentiles and the Hebrew name Jesus to the Jewes so that now all nations may challenge an interest in the worlds Messias none excluded none exempted for the whole world of people were anciently divided but into these two names and nations of Jewes and Gentiles They only being termed Jewes which were of the seed of Abraham and all nations else that derived not their pedigree from this line were called and accounted by a more generall name Gentiles as might be plentifully proved out of many passages of the holy Scriptures if it were a thing to be doubted or questioned Now then I say in that the Messias being borne of Jewish parents and kindred according to the flesh had yet a Gentile name conferred and bestowed upon him it shewes plainly his verie names significantly speaking so much that hee is come to be a Saviour and Redeemer unto all nations even to the one as well as to the other to the Gentile as well as to the Jew bringing salvation with him unto all men as S. Paul speaketh Tit. 2.11 which was verie happie and welcome newes brought into the world at the incarnation and birth of Christ for before this time the golden scepter of grace was not stretched forth to all nations nor to all countries nor the Chancerie Court of mercie holden generally in all the world but in a corner as it were and in one family or kindred of the Jewes alone till the fulnesse of time came in which this Jesus Christ was conceived of the Holy Ghost and borne of the Virgine Marie for from the calling of Abraham out of Urre of the Caldees it was onely in that one family increasing sometimes in Canaan sometimes in Aegypt sometimes in the wildernesse travelling and last of all in Canaan againe settled where it grew till it had filled indeed that whole land but yet still it was confined within that nation and people of the Jewes and within that little Kingdome of Canaan which was scarce an handfull in respect of the whole world whose Metropolitan Citie was Jerusalem the glorie and joy for the time of the whole earth for there it pleased the great King of heaven and earth to