sinne actual as murder adultery is that I was conceiued in sinne and can doe nothing els of my selfe but sinne euery houre as Paul also cōplaineth of himselfe Rō 7. O wretched mā that I am who shal deliuer me frō the bodie of this death and then cōmeth vnto Christ thanketh him that he hath deliuered him from it We haue thē to cōfort our selues in this that Christ was conceiued for vs borne for vs died for vs whatsoeuer he did he did it for our profite and cōmodity In that that Christ was conceiued we also vnderstand the verity of Gods promises made vnto vs in the prophtes which had lōg before prophecied of it As in Esai 7. Behold saith he A virgin shall conceiue beare a sonne and she shall call his name Immanuel So we gather that God hauing perfourmed this he is alwayes iust true in his promises that he maketh to a thousād generatiōs And furthermore that the Prophets spake not by their own wil as Peter saith but by the wil spirit of God euen as they were led moued by the holy ghost 2. Pet. 1. So the whatsoeuer God ether speaketh or promiseth to the good godly to their comfort it shal come to passe as here in Esai God promiseth the cōceptiō of Christ for a cōfort to Hierusalē besieged w̄t her enemies whē Achaz was king Esa 7. Likewise on the contrary part whatsoeuer the Lord of hosts threatneth to the wicked destroyers of his Church shal also in due time be fulfilled and accōplished to the vttermost as vpō the Iewes for murdering of Christ vpon the Romane Emperours for going about to ouerthrow his cōgregatiō flock Although it be many times long before the Lord doth either deliuer the godly or punish the reprobate yet it is most sure certaine because his mouth hath spokē it that can not lie or deceiue as Balaam saith of him Hath he spoken shal he not performe it said it shal he not make it good That were vnpossible When we say that Christ was conceiued in the wombe of the virgin Marie his mother by the operation and worke of the holy ghost we meane that to bee spoken according to his humanitie only and not according to his diuinitie for so hee is likened to Melchisedech without father as touching his flesh without mother as concerning his godhead and yet we say that Christ was conceiued because Christ both God mā was ioined together in one person Therfore we must wisely distingush make a differēce betweene y◠two natures properties of Christ his māhod Godhead Whē Christ saith he can of him self do nothing he iudgeth no mā he knoweth not the day of iudgemēt that the father is greater thē hee with such like sentēces in that Gospel you must vnderstand these things to be spokē as he was only man In that he saith he was before Abraham and the father and he are al one and that the scripture termeth him The first begottē of all creatures the lord of al things the brightnes of his father these sayings are all applied to Christ as he is the sonne of God and God himselfe that made al things as Iohn saith of him By him al things were made If we marke obserue these two points the diuinity of Christ his humanity we shal finde great light and easines in reading the newe testament and things which were hard before wil seeme plaine euident vnto vs by this rule Thus haue ye heard the meaning the good lessons that may be gathered out of this 2. article of our christiā faith y◠cōception most pure most cleane of our sauior Iesus Christ First that he was conceiued as the word doth testifie Secondly wherefore he was conceiued which was because he might become very man to redeeme and suffer for man offending the maiestie of the almightie God Nowe let vs giue most hūble and heartie thankes as we are bound to this Iesus Christ y◠being so hie he woulde vouchsafe to descende so lowe for vs poore wretches as to be conceiued in the wombe of a maide to make vs pure and let vs also pray vnto his Maiestie that seeing his conceptiō is pure vnspotted he would also make ours so to be with the free imputatiō of his conception all other benefites of his death and passion that he would kill sinne in vs more and more daily by his spirit of sanctification that we may liue here in righteousnes and holines before him without feare al the daies of our life whē the sinfull course of this trāsitorie life is ended we may haue that life which neuer shall haue ende whose ioyes neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor heart of mā can possibly conceiue or thinke which God grant vnto vs for his Sonne Christs sake to whom with the holie ghost be rendred al power dominiō praise and thankesgiuing both now and for euer So be it The third Lecture vpon the third Article of our Christian fayth which is Borne of the virgin Marie IN this article is mentioned and set downe vnto vs the natiuitie and birth of our Sauiour Iesus Christ how that he was borne not after the cōmon sort of men but of a maide or virgin not a married woman which knewe any man so that the meaning of this article in moe wordes is this I that am a Christian man or woman doe beleeue also that as Iesus Christ was conceyued by the holy Ghost so was he borne likewise for mee of his mother Marie she notwithstanding remayning still a virgin Out of the which article we haue to note these three good lessons and poyntes for our instruction and consolation First the birth it selfe secondly the maner of it with all the circumstances of the same thirdly the profit and commoditie that we may reape by it beleeuing it truely as we ought to doe 1 As concerning his birth Esai in his seuenth and ninth Chapter saith The Lord him selfe shall giue you a signe Beholde a virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne and she shall call his name Immanuel butter and honie shall he eate till he haue knowelege to refuse the euil and to chuse the good Likewise the ninth Chapter Vnto vs a childe is borne and vnto vs a sonne is giuen and the gouernment is vpon his shoulder and he shal call his name Wonderful Coūseller The mightie God The euerlasting Father The Prince of peace the increase of his gouernment and peace shal haue no end he shal sit vpō the throue of Dauid and vpon his kingdome to order it and to establish it with iudgement and with iustice from henceforth euē for euer The zeale of the Lord of hosts will performe this Thus we see howe euidently Esai long before prophesied of this birth to the comfort of the people in his time The like thing doeth Ieremie also declare vnto vs in
of life So then as we are crucified with Christ vnto sinne and dead and buried thereto so must wee rise againe with him vnto righteousnes But of this more God willing in that article of his resurrection The last thing to be noted in this death of Christ is the paynes which he suffered which is called his descension into hell Although this bee last in wordes yet in sense it is to be ioyned with his crucifying and went before his death in body and buriall in the sepulchre The meaning therefore of this his descension is this that Christ our sauiour to redeeme vs both in body and soule which had offended God suffered the tormentes of hell the wrath infinite of his father for the time not onely in body but also in soule and did abide the most bitter and vnspeakeable sorowes of death in his minde and consciēce pressed downe with the burden of all our sinnes as if hee had bene forsaken of God his father In this hell and torment partly he was in his heauy agony in the garden when he swette as it were teares of blood trickling downe from his face his soule was verie heauie and sorowfull euen vnto the death so that there came an angel and comforted him from heauen Luke 22. This hell was so great vnto him that he prayed his Father if it were possible that the cuppe of his passion myght passe from him Yea which was most of all he was compelled for the very anguish and griefe of heart and soule to say and cry out O my God my God why hast thou forsaken me So that all the things that Christ suffered before were nothing to this that now he suffered whē he cryed out for very payne extreme sorowe of minde For we must remēber that Christ vpon the crosse did not only suffer paines in body as they did which were crucified with him which were the paines that the Iewes did put him to but farther he suffered the extreme wrath of God his father hanging vpon him heauier then heauen and earth which no angel was able to endure therfore that he might be able to endure and to cōquer it it was necessarie that he should be God also as well as man For he suffred for all the sinnes originall and actuall in thought worde and deede of all men that euer were or are or shall be from the beginning of the worlde from Adam vntill the ende of it I say he hath suffred sufficiently for them all and as great paynes and torments as any damned soules in hell can or shall suffer And was not this an hell trowe you vnto our Sauiour to abide in his bodie and soule all these torments which can not be vttered with any eloquēce or tongue of man Nothing had bene done for vs if Christ had dyed the common death of the body onely as other dyd It was necessarie therefore and very expedient that we might be perfectly redeemed in both partes both body and soule that hee shoule feele the seuere punishment of the vengeāce of God because he powred out his soule an offering for sinne and tooke vpon him our part which were the malefactors and offendors to bring vs vnto the fauour of God againe We must not thinke then yea God forbid we shoulde that he suffered no more payne then the Iewes put him to or the other two dyd which hanged with him For we see they cryed not out as Christ dyd for they felt not so much as he did which suffred for the whole worlde And all this was for our cause Let vs then applie it as a medicine to our wounds otherwise it will not heale vs. Take the shielde of fayth that when yee are in great torment and griefe for your sinnes as Satan doeth many times obiect them vnto you when yee are euen at the brinke of desperation then this will be a notable comfort vnto you to beare off all assaultes and grieuous tentations yea to quench the fiery dartes of the deuil to remember that our Sauiour Christ suffered the torments of hel euery one of them to deliuer you from thē This one lesson if it be well learned surely setled in our hearts will heale a wounded conscience will rayse vs vp from the gates of hel and will in our greatest distresse be very sweet vnto vs. Be our sinnes neuer so many either as the sands of the sea or as the starres of heauen as they can not be so many yet Christs mercy is aboue thē all greater thē they hath paide a sufficient price and ransome for them all If they were as redde as purple or as crimson yet they shal be made as white as wool and like to snowe Esay 1. A notable cōfortable place for before the Prophet sharply rebuked them of their grieuous sinnes and offences and nowe in these words promiseth them mercy if they will repent and amende and so turne to the Lord with their whole heart In this that Christ hath suffered the tormentes of hell for all we gather that all that are saued are saued by Christ alone from Adam vntill this time and to the ende of all the world for he is the lambe slayne from the beginning of the worlde Reuel 13. That is to say his death and passion was as effectuall to redeeme al that were before him that dyd beleeue in him that he shoulde come as it was auayleable afterwarde to saue all that are after him which do beleeue that he is come in the flesh already to saue them This is that that our Sauiour meant when he sayde that Abraham reioyced to see his dayes and sawe them that is reioyced in Christ that he shoulde be his Sauiour For none other is there giuen vnder heauen wherin we must be saued Actes 4. Thus wee see what is meant by these words descended into hell howe he suffered hellish tormentes for vs not that his soule went into hell after his death for it was in paradise in the hands of God as he commended it to his Father as the soules of the blessed are his body was in the graue Neither is there any place of scripture to proue any other discension thē this which is ful of trueth comfort They alledge y◠place of Dauid Psal 16. 10. But that doth proue vnto vs his resurrectiō that his body shoulde not be left in the graue as others were to see corruption and to rotte as Peter doeth apply it Act 2. 27. to proue his resurrection from death and not his descension into hell The place of 1. Peter 3. doeth shewe that the Spirite of Christ was in the dayes of Noe and preached by him to the wicked which were then rebellious and disobedient and are nowe damned soules in hell which he tearmeth spirites in pryson This is the meaning of Peter in that place as also good interpreters doe prooue Neyther did Christ descende into hell to fetch the godly Patriarkes
spirit by his grace and godhead which is euery where For he sayeth that he will not leaue vs fatherles but will come vnto vs which he meant by sending his spirit Iohn 14. We are not then to looke for Christes body here nowe vpon the earth as certaine heretikes do suppose euen as he him selfe saith Matt. 26. Me shal you not haue alwayes Surely this saying can by no meanes be true if his body be euery where in euery place at euery sacrament then is not his body departed from vs then is he not ascended into heauen but remaineth here still in the earth But the Angell sayde to the women that he was not there That was some place then he had a glorified body And it is said that heauen must conteine him vntill all things bee restored Act. 3. Surely being now ascended in body we neither reade of nor beleeue any other descension in body then that wherein he shall descēde to iudge at the latter day as the Angels spake to the disciples This Iesus which is taken vp frō you into heauen shall so come as ye haue seene him go into heauen So that vnles we see Christ so come down as he went vp we will not beleeue the papistes that say he is in the boxe or pixe much lesse them that say he is euery where making him in deede to haue no body at all but altogether swallowed vp by his diuinitie For tell mee I pray you if Christ had meāt his body should alway remaine here vpon the earth why did he say that he must depart from them They cannot meane it of his diuinity but of his humanitie Againe what needed his disciples to bee so sorowefull for his going away if they had had his body with them Here they answere The disciples had not his body visibly but his body inuisible or not seene But surely the disciples if they had vnderstoode it so as the Papistes say of his inuisible body they were not such children but that they would haue contented them selues as well with his inuisible body as his inuisible spirit and grace afterwardes therfore they would needes know howe they should be comforted when hee was gone from them Christ told them by his spirite although inuisible and not by his body inuisible which surely would haue comforted them although they saw it not if it had then bene with them as his spirite was but Christ meant no such thing and therefore promised euer his spirit to them and all others after and not his inuisible body This is a plaine case but I leaue to discourse of it any further because I intend in this booke to edifie and instruct the simple readers onely in the poyntes of Christianitie concerning their faith and not to make any treatise for the learned Seeing then wee haue a great hie Priest which is entred into heauē euen Iesus the sonne of God let vs hold fast our professiō as the Apostle sayth and let vs goe boldly vnto the throne of grace that we may receyue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede For this was the third point that I sayde was to be obserued of vs to weigh with our selues what profit and commodity thereby doeth ensue to all the faythfull that hee is in heauen Surely this cannot be but great comfort to al the faithful for they all are assured by Christes ascension that they also shall one day euen at the resurrection of their bodies ascende with him for he is gone to prepare a place for them as he testifieth in Iohn 14. I goe to prepare a place for you and if I goe to prepare a place for you I will come agayne and receyue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also Christ by his ascension hath opened the gates and doores of heauen and Paradise for vs which were shut against vs before so that wee had no entrance thither For this is most certayne and true that if the head be there then shall the body and members be there also and if our captayne be there then shall his souldiers which are we be one day with him and the master will haue there his seruantes to wayte and attend vpon him in his house And to be short seeing Christ is in heauen he wil haue his true Christians to be with him Is not this a great comfort in all troubles and hurlyburlies in this life to meditate vpon this that one day we shall come into the presence of our louing Master Iesus Christ Surely this would comfort any poore afflicted soule or body if he did remember it but we forget it and then what ioy can wee haue in this vale of miserie This comforted Dauid in his banishment saying When shal I come to appeare before the presence of God This reioyced Paul greatly when he sayd A crowne of righteousnesse is layde vp for me in that day when the Lord shal appeare 2. Timothie 4. So then this is the first and one of the greatest benefites that by Christes ascension wee haue an assurance of our owne For when Christ shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory Colossians 3. But yet wee must remember that as Christ first suffered shame and reproche and bitter death also and so in the ende entred into heauen by diuers crosses and calamyties so must wee also for the most part enter in the same way with him for by many tribulations must we enter into the kingdome of heauen and all that wil liue godly in Iesus Christ shal suffer persecution For you knowe that the seruant must not looke to be better handled thē his master or the scholer to be in better case then his teacher nor we thē Christ Againe Christ by his ascension doth solicite al our sutes causes matters iniuries which we suffer to God his father For hee is our Atturney pleadeth for vs as Iohn sayth If any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the righteous Is it not a great comfort to a poore man that can not make friendes or come vp to the prince because of costs and charges to haue alway one of the priuy counsell to helpe and further his sutes as readily and diligently as if hee were there himselfe So surely it is with vs wee haue alwayes Iesus Christ at hand with God his father being of his most priuy and secrete counsell to make requestes to God for vs continually to pardon our sinnes to grant vs grace and all other thinges necessary This is singular ioy to a godly heart so that wee neede not to seeke any other Mediatour as the Papistes doe as if hee were not sufficient of him selfe or as mercifull to heare vs as his mother or Peter or any other saynt in heauen This is their folly and madnes let vs be contented with our only Mediatour Iesus Christ because he is most able and most willing to heare vs yea biddeth vs to come to
counsell and the spirit of the feare of the Lord because it giueth al these qualityes vnto men and doeth teache vs the what good gift soeuer we haue we haue it frō the holy ghost the giuer of al and whatsoeuer we lacke we should seeke it likewise of the same spirit none other The holy Apostle rekoning vp the diuersities of the giftes of the holy spirit affirmeth alwayes That it is one and the selfe same spirit that giueth these things as the gift of wisedome of knowledge of faith of healing of miracles of prophecie of discerning spirites of tongues of interpretation of tongues al these thinges sayethe he worketh one and the same spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he wil 1. Cor. 12. This doeth also teache vs that this spirit hath most plentifull store of giftes to enriche the body of the Church of Christ and that there is no want or lacke in him A great cōfort vnto vs to knowe whither to resort incōtinently for any good gifte to haue it forthwith For Christ hath promised this holy spirit to them that seeke aske and knock for it Luke 11. Doest thou feele thy selfe to lacke fayth or hope or loue or sanctification of life or any good and necessary gift to edifte Gods Church withall Pray to this holy spirit vse the ordinarie meanes he willeth thee as hearing the word prayer labour and study and this spirite shal be giuen thee This spirit was so necessary that our sauiour promised to send it aboue all things to his disciples to comfort them with when he departed from them For he breathed vpon them and said Receiue yee the holy ghost Ioh. 20. And afterwarde sent it downe more plentifully vpon them in the likenes of fire and clouen tongues Act. 2. Wher with they were not a little cōforted in their miseries troubles against their aduersaries which were not able to resist them speaking with this holy spirite Act. 6. This spirit is sayd to haue diuers names appellations in the scriptures to comfort vs withal in tētations He is called the spirit of trueth to teache vs the trueth and to leade vs into all trueth He is called also the cōforter because he dothrefresh cōfort our hearts nothing more thē in tētations aduersities as Paul found it true in the 2. Cor. 1. Cap. he is called the power of God because he worketh al things nothing is vnpossible vnto him sōetime he is named the autor of light because he doth illuminate enlightē our darke blind hearts with the bright sunbeāes of his wil pleasure Briefely he is the wel foūtaine of al goodnesse whereat we must draw al things needeful for vs in this life This being so it stādeth vpō euery one of vs to labour by all meanes possible to haue this spirit dwelling abiding with vs for euer For surely the necessitie of him is great the vse of him aboue most precious gold siluer pearls Psal 19. Dauid vnderstoode this right wel to be so for hee prayeth that God woulde not take away his spirite from him but stablish him with his free spirit Psal 50. For where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie and freedome from the seruice of the deuill from the slauery of sin We are by nature al of vs the children of wrath damnatiō earthly minded alwayes groueling to the ground being ouerloden burdened with the weight of our sinnes except we be raysed lifted vp by this spirit euē as the soule maintaineth vpholdeth the weake brittle body It cōmeth to passe then in vs no otherwise thē we see it by experience in bladders the which if they be empty cast into the waters for the weight of thē they sinke foorthwith are drowned But if they be blowen filled with wind wherewith they be made light they flyt aboue the water swim Euē so it fareth with vs How heauie we are with sin our cōsciences if we examine thē wel wil tel vs. Wherefore we cānot but sinke being tossed in the waues of the sea of this world drowned with the inordinate desires passiōs affectiōs of this life being altogether voyde of this spirite which should beare vs vp frō these surges tēpests of this life But now if we be filled replenished with this heauenly spirit thē shall we swim aboue triumph ouer sin wickednesse not be drowned with it Wherfore Paul wel weying with himselfe this dāger if we were destitute of the holy ghost willeth vs that we should not be drūke with wine wherin is excesse which maketh vs so heauie drowsie that we sinke but saith that should be filled with the spirit which causeth vs to mount vp to heauē Therefore is it that he so oftē times cōmādeth vs to walke in the spirit to do the works of the spirite which are loue ioy peace long suffering gētlenes goodnesse faith meekenes tēperāce We are with out this spirit as a ship in the sea without a gouernour or as a mā without his eyes in most dangerous case for tell me I pray you what is the cause why so many now a dayes run headlong to all wickednesse abominatiōs some to whoredōe some to couetousnes some to drūkēnes some to pride some to theft robberies some to one sin some to another what is the reasō I say but only this because God hath not giuē his holy spirit vnto thē to defēd thē frō these euils mischiefs And this cause doth S. Iude render in his Epistle for hauing rekoned vp the natural properties conditions of the wicked reprobate namely that they were despisers of gouernment autoryty as the Anabaptistes are defilers of the fleshe liuing in pleasure murmurers complayners walking after their owne lusts speaking proud things flatterers such like In the end hee addeth this as the cause mother of al these sinnes the not hauing of the spirit meaning in deede that because God hath not giuen thē his holy spirit therfore they were such kind of mē as he there painteth forth in their colours such as we dayly se here with vs. And yet for al this God is not boūd to any man to giue him his spirit as Paul proueth Rō 11. neither do they humble thēselues to aske his grace by earnest hearty praier for thē should they haue it Iam. 1. By the lacke and want of this spirite in other men wee may easily see what a benefite we haue by him to keepe and defende vs so mercifully euery houre in all our waies and actions of our life If this spirit leaue vs neuer so litle while to our selues then we fal into an hundred mischāces and euils as we see in Moses a singular man being left to his owne will and choyse but a litle he fell twise together to doubt and distrust of the power of the Lorde whether he were
this matter Our Sauiour Christ hath taught his to say dayly and hourely euen as long as they liue Forgiue vs our sinnes or trespasses Matth. 6. It is therefore a deuilish pride and presumption to say whosoeuer he be that he is no sinner for surely thē Christ can not helpe him for he came to saue sinners And yet there are some in the world and haue bene also that haue denied this So greatly that Satan bewitched them Well if these testimonies of scripture did not condemne them sufficiently yet I am sure their owne heart consciences some time or other wil accuse thē and their own mouth witnes against them Iob telleth vs this thing plainely in his booke Chap. 9. If I would iustifie my selfe my owne mouth would condemne me We see thē that we are al of vs euen the best wretched sinners Nowe as we are sinners so we must also learne to confesse and acknowledge these sinnes otherwise it is to no purpose if a man be a sinner and will not confesse it If a man be sicke and eyther doeth not or will not acknowledge it hee can not lyghtly bee healed of the Physitian for he wil not seeke vnto him Except a man feele his wound he will not go to the Surgeon and vnlesse a man be ignorant and seeth the want of his knowledge that he ought to haue he wil neuer desire to be further instructed but continewe still in his ignorance and blindnesse Who desireth meate that is not hungry or drinke that is not thirstie or clothes that thinketh he hath apparel ynough My meaning is this It is not ynough for a man to thinke he is a sinner vnlesse he hath an earnest and an effectual feeling of his sinnes in his conscience that they are as an heauy grieuous burden vnto him Thē if he come to Christ he shall quickly haue remedy for thē For he came not to cal the righteous y◠is thē that thought themselues ryghteous boasted of it for in deed there is none righteous before him but he came to cal poore sinners to repentāce And this agreeth with that notable saying of Paul that Christ Iesus came into this world to saue sinners wherof he cōfessed himself to be chiefe 1. Tim. 1. There is a notable place cōcerning this matter in the fourth of Luke where our Sauiour Christ entring into the Synagogue of Nazareth to reade and to preach on the Sabboth day found the place where it was writtē of him in the 61. of Esay saying The Spirit of the Lord is vpon me because he hath anointed me that I should preach the Gospel to the poore he hath sēt me that I shoulde heale the broken hearted that I should preach deliuerance to the captiues and recouering of sight to the blinde that I shoulde set at libertie them that are brused and that I shoulde preach the acceptable yeere of the Lord. This place doeth shewe for whom Christ Iesus is sent and is meete that is for the poore the broken hearted the captiues in sinne the blinde in minde the bruised in pryson If we feele our selues to be such men Christ is sent vnto vs otherwise hee is not for vs. And this is the cause that made our Sauiour to keepe companie most commonly with Publicans and sinners and such as were infected with great sinnes offences as Marie Magdalene and Matthew and Zaccheus for these did willingly confesse their sinnes vnto him and so he cured them But on the contrary side hee refused the company of the Scribes and Pharises the hie Priestes and Doctors of the lawe because although they were sinners yea and grieuous sinners too yet they had an opinion of holines and righteousnesse in them selues aboue other men and iustified them selues before our Sauiour Christ as we see in the parable of the Publicane and Pharise that went vp both of them to praye into the Temple Luk. 18. These Pharises our sauiour saide they had no neede of the Physician because they dyd not acknowledge their infirmitie and weakenesse vnto him Christ in deede is meate but for the hungry Iohn 6. he is water and drinke but for the thirstie Esay 55. Iohn 7. he is a refreshing but for them that are loden and burdened Matth. 11. Doe wee giue almes at any time to a stout begger that although he haue neede yet wil not confesse it and aske his almes gently acknowledging his pouertie No more surely will the Lorde giue vnto any spirituall almes vnlesse wee shall humble our selues before him with true feeling of our pouertie and miserie For verely herein we must all of vs bee lyke vnto beggers that to mooue pitie and compassion shewe not the best thinges they haue if they haue any but the worst as their ragges their sores their pouertie and nakednesse And this moueth men the sooner to pitie them Dearely beloued in Christ the case standeth so and no otherwise betweene the Lorde and vs. If we will get any thing it is by falling downe and humbling our selues and not by vaunting of any thing that is in vs for he resisteth the proude and giueth grace to the humble and lowly Do we not see it so by experience Is not the best pasture and meddowe grounde in the lowest places and valleyes and the most barren grounde in the hyghest hilles and mountaines So the graces of the Lorde rest in the lowe stomacke and heart and flee from the hye and loftie minde Let therefore euery hill and mountayne be layde lowe Luke 3. A notable example of this meeke and humble confession of our sinnes we haue in the Prophete Dauid who although he were a King yet when he was reprehended and reprooued sharpely of the Prophete Nathan for his adulterie and murder sayd without any replying or checking of the Prophete most mildely I haue sinned vnto the Lorde And therefore he heard incontinently that sweete answere from the Lorde The Lorde also hath put awaye thy sinne thou shalt not die 2. of Kinges 12. Chapter This thing Dauid reporteth of himself in the Psalme 32. Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto the Lorde neyther hid I mine iniquitie For I thought I will confesse agaynst my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lorde and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Looke in the Psalme 51. where hee describeth the same more at large This lesson is to be learned of vs all that when we commit sinne we shoulde not cloke our sinne as the hypocrites doe Looke vpon the poore Publicane and vpon Peter the one confessed them humbly the other wept for them most bitterly And surely so dyd all the good men doe from time to time Howe often doe the Prophetes Esay and Daniel confesse their sinnes and the sinnes of the people Did not Tobiah do the like and Paul him selfe doeth in many places confesse with griefe of minde that he was a persecuter of the Church of Christ 1. Cor. 15. yea that he had the relikes of sinne still abiding in him Rom.
vpon them The other cause is in respect of the wicked and reprobate vpon whom the Lorde will shewe his perfite iustice against sinne and wickednes cōmitted of thē without repentance These will hee make vessels of his wrath which shal burne in thē with an vnquenchable fire without ende and mercie who because here they haue not bene throughly punished or sometimes not at all therefore the full measure of their punishment is reserued til that great day then to be powred out vpon them in fire and brimstone in that burning lake continually which neuer shall haue ende For these causes is this resurrectiō whereof wee speake ordayned To speake of the end for the godly first so it is that the Lord hath promised in mercie to reward all his faythfull seruants which commeth not manie times to passe in this life therefore there remaineth a life to come to be shewed in the resurrection of the flesh And if all godlinesse bee sure to bee recompensed with a promise of a good turne in the life to come as Paul declareth to Timothie the first Epistle and fourth Chapter Then out of all doubt very expedient and necessarie it is that there shoulde be a resurrection If any man say The soules of the faythfull are rewarded as soone as they depart from the bodie with this promise of life and therefore they seeme not to lacke a rewarde although there be no resurrection and so God is true of his promise I answere that as the bodyes of the faythfull while they liued well here haue bene temples of the holie Ghost to serue the Lord withall and as not onely in soule but also in body through diuers tentations and persecutions they haue bene afflicted for Christ and haue still bene vnder the crosse so surely they also with the soule shall be glorified and rewarded according to the things that they haue done And to this agree the wordes of the holy Apostle We must all sayeth he appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery man may receyue the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it bee good or euill 2. Corin. 5. Here he nameth expresly the body otherwise the rewarde were vnperfite if in one part onely it were bestowed The Lord will not suffer the giuing of a cuppe of colde water to his saints to goe vnrewarded much more therefore will he rewarde those that haue giuen their bodies to be consumed in the flames of fire for his cause and the Gospel so that if any lose his life for his sake in this worlde he shall finde it in the worlde to come with an hundred fold more with all happinesse and ioy restored vnto him If we looke vpon all the saints that haue bene from time to time we shall see that they had no felicitie nor happinesse in this life The Epistle to the Hebrewes speaking of the excellent fayth of the olde Patriarkes and ancient fathers sheweth vs what was their estate in this life for their good woorkes and deedes Some were racked and woulde not bee deliuered others were tryed by mockings and scourginges by bandes and imprisonment they were stoned they were hewen asunder they were tempted they were slayne with the sworde they wandered vp downe in goates skinnes and sheepes skinnes being destitute afflicted and tormented wandring in wildernesses and mountaynes and dennes and caues of the earth If we aske the end why they suffered and endured such things of the wicked the same Apostle doeth make vs answere This they did that they might receiue a better resurrection And surely they had bene fooles to endure such tormēts of body if the body and soule had perished in their death and graue as doe the bodies of bruite beastes without any hope of the resurrection Consider ye the Apostles how they were rewarded here for their preaching and godly life did they not all for the most part in the ende suffer death and martyredome for their labour howe was Paul rewarded of the Lorde in this life did hee not whippe and scourge him when hee receiued him for his sonne yes truely And he confesseth what his whole life was after his conuersion nothing but a sea of troubles miseries fightings without and terrours within hunger and thirst colde nakednesse bandes and pouertie were the rewardes that the Lorde gaue him here insomuch that hee might seeme to be in worse case after his conuersion to Christ then before if hee had iudged of his afflictions by a worldly and carnal eye and not according to faith as did carnall Demas and therefore because hee felt miseries in this life in Christianitie reuolted from Paul and embraced this present euill worlde 2. Timothie 4. These things made Paul to say that vnlesse there were a resurrection his state had bene most miserable of al others for what saith hee aduantageth it me to suffer these things if the dead rise not agayne then let vs eate and drinke and liue in pleasure So we see the hope of the resurrection stayed him from running into condemnation with the wicked he confessed els where that his crown was not here in this life but was layde vp for him And al these vexations of the bodies of soules of mindes and consciences of men is to teach them that no blessednesse is to bee hoped for in this our vale of miserie but we looke for a citie to come whose builder and maker is God seeing wee haue none here that is permanent Our sauiour when he comforted his disciples agaynst persecutions to come when as they shoulde bee mocked reuiled taunted yea and killed for his sake willed them in that day to be glad and to reioyce for their rewarde was great in heauen Hee said not in earth that their mindes might be with drawen frō this life to the euerlasting rest out of this world And this can not be but in the resurrection of our bodies They that will haue their reward in this life in short transitorie pleasures of sinne for a season feasting sporting them selues in their wantonnes vngodly delites are impatiēt to looke wait for the heauenly promise of ioyes that shal haue no ende are like vnto the rich man both proude and gluttonous that fared deliciously euery day and went in purple and silke not regarding the poore estate of Lazarus and therefore nowe in hel receiueth paine punishment endles which in his life time receiued pleasure cōfort But they that with paciēce quiet minds can take al things in good worth whether it be sicknes or pouertie or shame ignominie which the Lord here sendeth to thē in this life for a trial of their faith can looke vp vnto y◠celestial life to come tarying the Lords leasure these men are like to poore Lazarus which in deed in his life time receiued paine but is now comforted beyond all mās expectation with an euerlasting comfort Luke 16. Dauid pronounceth thē blessed that
be due common to all men generally neuerthelesse the Lord through his mercy hath reserued to himselfe a certaine nūber which are onely knowne to himselfe the which he hath drawē from this corrupt heape hath sanctified clensed the same in the bloud of his sonne Iesus Christ by meanes thereof hath made them vessels of election honour apt vnto all good workes The xi Article I beleeue that the Father in Iesu Christ his sonne thorow the holy Ghost hath elected chosē those y◠are his owne according to his good will before the foundations of the world were layed whō he hath predestinate vnto eternall life that there by they might be his children adoptiues ouer whom he hath without comparison a much greater care thē the best father can haue ouer the best child in the world for he suffereth not that any thing shall come to passe either on high in heauen or beneath on earth which shall not be for their good and great profite The xii Article I beleeue that the father through his sonne with the holy ghost hath alwaies frō the beginning intended to restore mā vnto whom after he had sinned he shewed him selfe promising vnto him that blessed seede by whome the heade of the serpent should be troden downe and by whome the faithful shoulde receyue blessing By this promise which hath since bene oftentimes ratifyed and confirmed to the holie fathers man which otherwise had dispayred in sinne is releeued holpen comforted and clothed with hope euen vnto the ful performing thereof The thirteenth Article I beleeue also that after this promise the Lorde hath prescribed and giuen the lawe of the commandements to man promising life to the obseruers therof death to the transgressours of the same and hee gaue them not to the ende that man should seeke iustification saluation or life therein but for the policie peace and tranquilytie of his people for the defence of the good for the chastenyng and punyshing of the wicked to preserue eche one in his office but especially that therebye man might the better know himselfe his disease his pouertie and imperfection and by meane thereof to take an occasion to humble himselfe before this lawe giuer to seeke remedy saluation life in some other that is to saie in the holie promised seede which is Iesus Christ For this cause the lawe is called a scholemaster to come to Christ the which also serueth vs for a glasse to knowe our sinnes by and to encrease the same knowledge in vs. Likewise it serueth vs for an accuser to accuse vs before the Lorde and for a seuere and cruell iudge to declare the wrath and iudgement of God ouer vs and his condemnation vnto eternall death and by this meane to make vs afraide and to bring vs vnto dispaire vntill we be comforted by the Gospell through faith in Iesus Christ wherby we are deliuered frō all these causes These are the offices of the lawe the which are turned into our good through fayth in the Gospell the which hath other offices and cleane contrary For the rest I confesse that the lawe of the Lorde is good iust holy and perfit and where the same doth not bring vs vnto perfection it is not long of it selfe but of vs which are altogether vnperfect and can in no wise accomplish the same no not to touch it with our litle finger The xiiii article I beleeue and confesse Iesus Christ to be the fulnes the ende and accomplishmēt of the Lawe to the iustification of all that beleeue thorow whom and by whom only all the promises of the father be accomplished yea euen to the vttermost the which also alone hath perfectly satisfied the Lawe in that which no other amōgst men coulde persourme for so much as the law doeth cōmaund things impossible y◠which neuertheles mā must accōplish not by working but through beleeuing For so is the lawe accomplished through faith and not through works by this meanes shal man find the righteousnes of faith to be auaileable before the Lord not the righteousnesse of works y◠which leadeth nothing vnto perfection As concerning the first poynt of my faith this is y◠which I beleeue of the father y◠things that are made by him consequētly of the holie Trinitie also of the soule of man Nowe let vs come to the second point which is of the Sonne of God and of the thinges done by him especially of the restoring repairing agayne of man 2 And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lorde which was cōceiued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgin Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descēded into hel the third day he rose againe frō the dead he ascended into heauen and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almightie from thence he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead The xv Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ is veryly God and verily man hauing two natures comprehended in one person a nature diuyne after the which he is the onely naturall sonne of God equall with the father in all thinges and a nature humane after the which he is verye man in al things like vnto vs synne excepted The xvi Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ the sonne of God in the fulnesse of the tyme appointed of the father from the beginning was sent into the worlde by the father was made perfect man and was conceiued in the wombe of a woman being a pure virgine called Marie of her proper substance of her proper bloud so that he was found a perfect man descēding of the seede of Adā Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob Dauid other fathers vnto whome the promise was made The .xvii. Article I beleeue also that all this was done by the working of the holye Ghost without the worke of man to the ende that all that was wrought therein might be holye and without spot pure and cleane And that thereby our conception might be made cleane holy which of it selfe is altogether spotted and defyled with sinne The xviii Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ was borne of the Virgyne Marye without any manner of sinne and without breach of her virginitie so that by his pure and holye natiuitie he hath purified and made holye ours which of it self is altogether vncleane defyled with sinne In this Natiuitie of Christ I see and consider the first estate condition of man with his fall which was y◠cause of Christ his cōming into the world Likewise in this I see and consider the fauour and inestimable loue of God the father which hath presented and giuen his onely sonne to serue vs. I see also and consider in this Natiuity the charytie of the sonne which hath abased humbled himselfe to lifte vs vp became poore to make vs riche became bonde to make vs free became the sonne of man to make vs the children of God
are dead for the Lordes quarell but also principally as touching the cause fruites and vses thereof thereby to knowe the greatnesse of my sinnes the grace and mercie of the Father and the charitie of the Sonne by whome wee are reconciled vnto GOD deliuered from the tyrannie of the deuill and restored to the libertie of the spirite This is the glasse without spotte to teache vs to knowe our filthinesse the lauer or cleare fountayne to wash and clense vs the infinite treasure to satisfie all our creditours Of whome and by whome onely the diuine iustice is fully satisfied for all the sinnes of all that haue beene be nowe or shall bee vnto the ende of the worlde And therefore I doe beleeue and confesse that Christ his condemnation is mine absolution that his crucifying is my deliuerance his descending into hell is mine ascending into heauen his death is my life his blood is my clensing and purging by whome onely I am washed purified and clensed from all my sinnes so that I neyther receyue neyther beleeue any other Purgatorie eyther in this worlde or in the other whereby I may bee purged but onely the blood of Iesus Christ by the which all are purged and made cleane for euer The xxvii Article I beleeue that Iesus Christ by the sacrifice of his bodie which hee offered vpon the tree of the crosse hath defaced and destroyed sinne death and the deuill with all his kingdome and hath wholie performed the woorke of our saluation and hath abolished and made an ende of all other sacrifices So that from thence foorth there is none other propiciatorie sacrifice eyther for the liuing or the dead to bee looked for or sought for thē the same For by this one onely oblation hath he consecrated for euer all those that are sanctified The xxviii Article I beleeue that the holy Supper of the Lorde is not a sacrifice but onely a remembrance and commemoration of this holy sacrifice of Iesus Christ Therefore it ought not to be worshipped as GOD neyther as Christ therein conteyned who must bee worshipped in fayth onely without all corruptible elements Likewise I beleeue and confesse that the Popish masse is the inuention and ordinance of man a sacrifice of Antichrist and a forsaking of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ that is to say of his death and passion and that it is a stinking and infected sepulchre which hideth and couereth the merite of the blood of Christ and therefore ought the masse to bee abolished and the holy Supper of the Lorde to be restored and set in his perfection againe The xxix Article I beleeue also that as the Prophete Ionas was in the Whales bellie which is a place of corruption three dayes and three nyghtes without being corrupted and the thirde daye came out of him alyue without any maner of hurte Euen so Iesus Christ after hee was dead was layed and put in a newe Sepulchre which is a place of corruption in the which hee was three dayes and three nyghtes not touched with any kynde of infection of fylthinesse or corruption but continued in his perfection to declare the vertue of his blood to accomplish the wrytings of the holy Prophetes and to verifie the trueth aswell of his bodie as of his death with whome I beleeue that the lawe was buryed abrogated and abolished as touching the faythfull not as the acquiting of an obligation whereby they shoulde bee no more bounde to lyue and walke therein but onely as concerning condemnation that is to saye that the transgression of the Lawe condemneth them not before the iudgement seate of GOD because of their fayth which they haue in Iesus Christ And therefore with in one Sepulchre I doe comprehend three things to bee buried That is to saye Christ the Lawe and all the faythfull which ought to be crucified and buried with Christ through the mortification of their flesh The xxx Article I beleeue that as Iesus Christ was put to death for our sinnes so also hee rose agayne the thirde daye for our iustification vnto euerlasting life wherein hee hath openly declared him selfe both GOD and man obtayning the victorie ouer all his aduersaries and hath confounded and beaten downe all his enemies that is to say the worlde sinne death hell and Satan not for him selfe but for vs that beleeue in him knowing that his victorie is ours and that in him and by him wee ouercome the selfe same enemies obtayning the victorie ouer them vnto the honour of the Lorde and our great profite The xxxi Article I beleeue and consider this resurrection of Iesus Christ not onely as an hystorie as was that of Lazarus and other such like which miraculously were raysed vp by the vertue of the Lorde but also as the example and cause efficient of my rysing againe and as the earnest and first fruites of the generall resurrection of all that beleeue That as Iesus Christe was raysed vp the thyrde day after his death vnto eternall lyfe thorowe his diuine vertue Euen soe by the same vertue I hope one day to bee raysed vp in bodye and soule vnto eternall lyfe after that I haue here in this worlde beene raysed vp in spirite thorowe liuely and true faith in newnes of life mortifiyng and crucifiyng the fleshe with the affections and concupiscences of the worlde the which ought to bee dead and crucified to vs and wee to it For wee are buried with Christe in his death thorowe Baptisme to the ende that as hee is risen from death by the glorie of the father without dying any more euen so wee shoulde walke in newenesse of life without seruing of sinne any more searching alwayes principally for the thinges that are on high heauenly and eternall and forsaking the earthly and transitorie thinges of the worlde knowing that wee haue not here an abyding Citie but that we must seeke for that which is to come The xxxii Article I beleeue and confesse that Iesus Christ the fourtieth day after his resurrection visibly and before all his Apostles did ascende into heauen that is to saye in the maiestie of his father in glory and eternal felicitie in the which hee was before hee came into this miserable worlde to become man yea euen before the foundation of the worlde was layde that is to say from euerlasting The xxxiii Article I beleeue that he is ascended into heauen to accomplishe and to fynishe all thinges and to open heauen for vs that wee might ascende after him and followe him as our head to bee eternally knitte with him in glorie the which thing here wee beginne thorowe fayth In like maner hee hath done the same for the benefite of his Churche that hee might sende vnto his Apostles that comforter that hee promised them by the which they were comforted instructed and guided in all trueth and there by is his Church supported maintayned and defended against all the blastes of Satan and all the gates of Hell The xxxiiii Article I beleeue
same nature with the father for he is one with his father This is the third title giuen to our sauiour Christ that he is the only begotteÌ„ sonne of God but there may a question bee inade How is Christ the only sonne of God seeing we also are soÌ„nes as he is as Iohn saith As many as beleeue in Christ he gaue theÌ„ power to be the soÌ„nes of God To this we answere that Christ is the only sonne of God by nature substance and we by grace adoption which before were not For as when a man hath no childreÌ„ he maketh some by adoption and fauor whoÌ„ he loueth to enioy his lands and inheritaÌ„ce â—ounting them as his owne so it is with God and vs. He hath no moe sonnes but one onely by nature substance but by his loue and grace he maketh vs his deare children by adoption in Christ for all is done for Christes sake our elder brother as Paul proueth Ephe. 1. He hath predestinated vs to be adopted for sonnes in Iesus Christ For this then that we are sonnes to so high great a God a Lord and king ought we not to be very thankeful ought we not by all meanes to set forth his honor glory more then our own Surely we should do so for how would I loue that king here in the earth or that Queene or that noble maÌ„ that should make me a poore begger borne his louing sonne by adoption Now much more ought I to loue the sonne of God that hath made me sonne to his father by his death satisfaction And wheÌ„ Christ is called the only begotten sonne of God we must not imagine a carnall or grosse begetting as is here among meÌ„ but a diuine and heauenly incompreheÌ„sible and vnspeakable to our capacity before al beginnings most mystical secret The last title that is giueÌ„ to Christ here is the dignity honor of a Lord. We cal him our Lord that by right for his we are who hath bought vs redeemed vs by his owne body from the deuill sinne al other euils and mischiefes And this is that that the Apostle speaketh of that therefore Christ died and rose agayne that he might be lord of al both dead quicke Rom. 14 and againe Ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price 1. Cor. 6. And therefore is he made lord and king of his father ouer all the world that al should worship and honour the sonne as they honour the father him selfe for he is not only the head of men but of all the Angels in heauen as it is said Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. Ephe. 1. Thus ye see how Christ is appoynted Lorde and heyre of all thinges therefore is he called here our Lord and we then confesse our selues to be his seruantes and subiectes to do his wil and commaundement He is called also our Lord because we should conceaue comfort by it in trouble that he will be a most gratious lord vnto vs also as wel as vnto others as Thomas said of him so must we say and bee perswaded My God and my Lord. Iohn 21. Which was conceiued by the holy Ghost Nowe foloweth his coÌ„ceptioÌ„ by the holy ghost not by the seed of man for if he had bin conceiued by man he had not bene voyde of sinne as Ioh chap. 3. ver 6. Iob. 6. chap. 25. verse 5 6. and so shoulde he haue bene vnfit to deliuer vs from sinne Therefore our sauiour saith For them I do sanctifie my self And such an high Priest it became vs to haue which is holy harmeles vndefiled seperated from sinners and made hier then the heauens As that which went before did proue vnto vs sufficiently his diuinitie and godhead that he was yesterday to day for euer as is proued in the Epistle to the Hebrews cha 13. so this coÌ„ception in the wombe of the virgin doth proue that he is very and true man had a beginning according to his humanitie as the scriptures doe witnes vnto vs that he was made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh RoÌ„ 1. And that God seÌ„t his soÌ„ne into the world made of a woman Gal. 4. The maner of this conception is described liuely vnto vs by S. Luk. Cha. 1. For after that the Angel had told Marie that she should conceiue in her woÌ„be and bring forth a sonne and cal his name Iesus she asked howe it should come to passe saying she knew no man then the Angel telleth her that the holy ghost should come vpon her the power of yâ— most high should ouershadow her therefore that holy thing which shal be borne of thee shal be called the sonne of God So likwise in Matth. 1. we reade that when Ioseph her husband would haue put her away priuily thinking she had bene with child of some maÌ„ the Angel called vnto him being thus minded in a dreame saying Ioseph thou sonne of Dauid feare not to take Mary for thy wife for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy ghost We see then that al flesh in Adam had corrupted his way before the Lord that the ordinary generatioÌ„ of maÌ„ was vncleane therfore it was necessary that Christ that should redeeme others from sinne should not be subiect to it himself but bee borne by an extraordinarie meane to cleanse vs froÌ„ all our sinnes both original actual which he was voyde of by reasoÌ„ of this coÌ„ceptioÌ„ wherfore Christ must be both maÌ„ God to redeeme vs Man because maÌ„ had offended our sinnes had deuided him froÌ„ vs as a cloude doth the bright sunne from our eies he must be God also to make reconciliatioÌ„ to God his father for vs for no Angel in heauen was able to do this office of mediation but the only God maÌ„ Iesus Christ the true mediator for al our sinnes past present or to come Here coÌ„sider the great loue of Christ toward mankinde that despised not our flesh to take it vpoÌ„ him beeing God equall to his father and hath inuested and couered himselfe with our nature but yet without sinne This doth teach vs our duety towards him in thaÌ„kfulnes our duty towards our neighbors in yelding vnto them in matters for their behalf not to please our selues but to beare with them debase our selues for them as Christ hath done for vs already Phil. 2. Let the same minde be in you which was in Christ Iesus We learne by the coÌ„ceptioÌ„ of Christ by the holy ghost that he was thus coÌ„ceiued to make our sinfull conception pure For we are conceiued and borne in sinnes euery one of vs eueÌ„ the best of vs al that come of Adam Dauid lamenteth the impurity imperfection of his conception and birth saying Behold Lorde I was borne in iniquitie in sinne hath my mother conceiued me Psal 51. as if he would say The cause of this my outward