the Churche Thus then wee may perceiue what the word to iustifie or iustification it selfe in the sight of God meaneth when we speake of our iustification by faith For it is nothing in effect but the apprehension and application of Christs righteousnes redemption to a mans selfe according to the free promise and gift of God whose good will and pleasure it is to impute it to euery true beleeuer as verily and fully as if hee had performed it himselfe Question But what doth the same worde signifie when the Apostle denyeth that to workes which hee ascribeth to faith hee affirming plainely and peremptorilie that no man can possiblie be iustified by his owne workes Answere The meaning is that no man either hath or can possiblie performe the morall workes commanded in the most holy and righteous law of God so perfectlie that he should thereby deserue to be accounted righteous before the iudgement seate of God and for the same to be worthy of that high rewarde of the Crowne of righteousnesse and glorie the which God of his free grace and mercie hath for his Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christes sake layde vp for those onely which beleeue in his name and loue and longe after his most glorious and blessed appearing ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe It is true So saith the Apostle Paul 2. Timoth 4.7.8 And againe Rom 3.20 Wee knowe that whatsoeuer the lawe saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe that euery mouth may be stopped and all the world be culpable before God Therefore by the workes of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified in his sight for by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne And in the same chapter verse 28. Therefore wee conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Likewise chapt 11. 6. and in many other places of his most holie Epistles But it may be obiected that the Apostle Iames seemeth to teach otherwise For hee affirmeth expressely that not onely Abraham that renowmed father of the faithfull but also that Rahab a heathen woman one that was before of an infamous condition of life was after that she beleeued iustified by her workes Question Howe therefore are these wordes of the Apostle Iames to be vnderstood Answere We are first of all vndoubtedly to perswade our selues that it neuer came into the Apostle Iames his minde to teach any thing in his holie Epistle contrarie no nor in any the least thing dissenting from the doctrine of the Apostle Paul ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe This ought to bee out of all question indeede For both the one and the other did both write and preach alwaies by one and the same most faithfull and constant Spirit of truth by whom no doubt they were perfectly guided led into all truth according to the promise of our Sauior Christ Iohn 16 13. And the rather are we thus to perswade our selues in the present pointe of doctrine because it is a doctrine both of the most singular honour and glorie to the most free grace and mercie of God and also of the greatest comfort to our owne poore soules that may be as was mentioned before Yea and further also of all other doctrines most effectuall to prouoke vs and all true beleeuers to all holy thankfulnes and good dutie toward the Lord God our most gratious and mercifull Father for the same And the rather also will we thus perswade our selues if we duly consider as the truth is that the doctrine of Iustification by workes and the imagined opinion of the merit and worthines thereof before the iudgement seate of God is as a learned and godly Father hath well obserued many waies exceedingly preiudiciall both to Gods glory and to our owne comfort and to the truth it selfe M Foxe in his obseruations concerning the doctrine of the lawe of God Act. And Mâ—n pag 894. For first as he truly saith they that teach Iustification by the workes of the lawe the which is contrary to the ende and scope of the lawe they do peruert all method and order of doctrine 2 They seeke that in the lawe which the lawe cannot giue 3 They are not able either to comfort themselues or other 4 They keepe mens soules in an vncertaine doubting of their saluation 5 They obscure the light of Gods grace 6 They are vnkinde to Gods benefits 7 They are iniurious to Christes passion Yea enemies to his crosse 8 They stop Christian libertie 9 They bereaue the Church the spouse of Christ of her due comfort as taking away the Sunne out of the world 10 In all their doings they shoote at a wrong marke For where Christ onely is set vp to be apprehended by our faith and so freely to iustifie vs they leauing this Iustification by faith set vp other markes partly of the lawe and partly of their owne deuising for men to shoote at This therefore as that learned Father hath obserued is the B. of Romes doctrine and not the doctrine of the Apostle Iames. Question How then is the Apostle Iames to be vnderstood in that he saith Abraham and Rahab were iustified by workes Answere The Apostle Iames hauing iust cause to reproue certaine vaine and carnall professours of the Gospell euen such as verbally and in word onely boasted of their faith but were altogether vnfruitfull in good workes he is accordingly veriâ— earnest in declaring not what are the causes of our Iustification as the Apostle Paul doth but onely what maner of faith the iustifying faith is whereby true beleeuers are iustified in the sight of God It is very true and so can it not but be acknowledged of euery vpright and diligent Reader Proceed you therfore to declare what manner of faith the true iustifying faith is according to the doctrine of S. Iames. Question How can you describe it according to the true intent of the Apostle Iames Answere He giueth plainly to vnderstand that the true iustifying faith is not an idle and vnfruitfull faith such as theirs was whom he iustly reproueth and therefore termeth it a dead faith but that it is such a faith as through the quickening grace of the holy Ghost worketh by loue Gâ—l 5. â— Heb. 11.33 and is fruitfull in the actions and duties thereof And that for the same cause it maâ— iustly be said that such as do so beleeue are by their workes that is to say by the fruites of their faith iustified to haue a true iustifying faith in deed to the comfort of their owne hearts and before the Church of God so farre as it may iudge and discerne Explication and proofe That this is the true scope of the doctrine of the Apostle Iames it will in deed appeare to euery one that will diligently and in the feare of God bend his minde to consider of it wisely comparing one thing with an other Let vs therfore yet againe vpon the occasion renewed vse some further diligence for the clearing of this point of
nostrills mouth hands feet c they are so frequeÌ„t in the Scriptures that it is needles and would be ouerlong to rehearse in what respect the Lord doth thus speak of himselfe We may read them to very good purpose in the beginning of the first booke Of the substance of religion by Amandus Polanus who hath diligently gathered them together and learnedly interpreted them to our hand The eyes of the Lord note his wisedome and prouidence his mouth the declaration of his will his arme and right hand his invincible power and gouernment his feete and footesteppes the proceeding and execution of his iudgements c. Psal 68.24 and Psal 77.18 and 89 51. But in all such speaches we must beware that we conceiue in our mind nothing carnally of the diuine and Spirituall nature of God For as it is said in the book of Iob ch 10.4 that he hath no carnall eyes neither seeth as man seeth so is it to be acknowledged concerning the rest For in so much as our Sauiour Christ saith of Spirits that are creatures that they haue not flesh bones Lu 24 â—9 much lesse is the Creator of Spirits to be thought to haue so or to bee any substance of any shape and outward forme And thus if we seek to know God according to the instructions and testimonies of the holy Scriptures we shall by the grace of God know him as he is to be known a thousand fold more perfitly theÌ„ by all Philosophicall conceit discourse of reason accordingly we shal rightly beleeue in him Yet wheÌ„ we haue vsed all good holy diligence we must rest our selues in that knowâ—â—dge which is vnto sobrietie For as touching the nature of God as he is in hâ—mselfe we cannot knowe it but by his backe parts as hee himselfe speaketh As for his most perfect glorie which shineth aboue all visible brightnes as it were in his face we cannot possibly behold or looke vpon it It belongeth to euery Christian saue onely as hee hath reuealed himselfe in the face of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Cor. 4.6 And yet this knowledge also is passing knowledge as touching the full perfection of it Ephes 3.19 And Galat 4.9 Wee cannot know God as wee are knowne of him Hitherto therefore of the meaning of the Article I beleeue in God NOwe let vs inquire of the third pointe to witte what promise wee the Gentiles haue that this onely true God who was in speciall manner the God of Israell wil be likewise our God Question What proofe haue you for this Answere In the first chapter of the Prophesie of Hosea verse 10 thus we read In the place saith the Lorde where it was said vnto them yee are not my people it shall be saide vnto them yee are the Sonnes of the liuing God And againe chapt 2. the last verse I will haue Mercie on her that was not pitied and I will say to them that were not my people Thou art my people and they shall say Thou art my Lorde This is indeede a generall promise concerning the calling of vs the Gentiles including euerie one of euerie Nation whosoeuer shall in the time and season of this calling haue grace truelie to beleeue in God Reade Rom 9.24.25.26 c. Question But what proofe haue you that the time of this generall calling is all readie come Answere In the 3. chapt to the Rom verse 29. the Apostle Paul affirmeth that euer since the Gospell hath bene Preached to all Nations by the Commandement of our Sauiour Christ God is to be acknowledged not onely the God of the Iewes but also of the Gentiles For saith hee it is one God that shall iustifie the Circumcision of faith and vncircumcision through faith ExplicatioÌ„ proofe By Circumcision of faith the Apostle vnderstandeth the beleeuing Iewes that were circumcised as by vncircumcision the Gentiles beleeuing though they were not circumcised His meaning is therefore that the same Faith in Christ doth iustifie them both in the sight of God And let vs marke to our comfort seeing the greatest cause and title that wee haue is pleaded howe earnest the Apostle is in auerring and affirming the calling of vs the Gentiles into the fellowship of the couenant of grace and saluation togither with the Iewes Is God saith he the God of the Iewes onelie and not of the Gentiles also Yes euen of the Gentiles also Read also 1. Corint ch 12. verse 13. and Ephes 2.11 c. And Act 11.1 c. and chap 15. 7. c. This verilie is worthie our speciall obseruation For in so much as it is certaine that wee the Gentiles were cut off from Gods conuenant it is necessarie that wee should haue ground and warrantise of our insition and ingrafting againe To this purpose the testimonies alledged are infinitely more worthe then their weight in Golde as a man may say Question BVt that we may proceed seeing the faith of Gods elect as it is called Tit 1.1 is common to all the people of God whether Iew or Gentile as hath bene shewed and there is but one Faith Ephes 4.5 Why doe wee in the profession of our faith single out our selues as it were euery one for his owne part saying I beleeue in God c And not We beleeue Answere First because it is of the verie nature of the true Iustifying Faith to make particular application of the Promises of Almightie God to euerie one whom God hath indued with it Secondlie because it is the duety of euery true beleeuer to make profession of his owne Faith rather then of any other mans in so much as no man knoweth the truthe and certaintie of the saith of any other so vndoubtedly as hee may doe of his owne Thirdly because no man can be saued but by his owne Faith Finallie to the ende that euery beleeuer might be admonished and prouoked each by the example of other to seeke to haue the ground of faith firmely setled in him selfe and euerie one to trie and examine himselfe concerning the truth of his owne faith lest hee should at vnawares deceiue himselfe in a vaine opinion and imagination of faith in steade of faith it selfe Explication and proofe These are verie good reasons in deede for the particular confession and profession of euerie Christian his owne Faith For the proofe wherof touching the first let vs consider that it is the vsuall manner of the publishing of the Gospell to applie it particularlie as Roman 10.9 If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord IESVS and shalt beleeue in thy heart that GOD hath raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued Gal â— 7 Act ch 16. 14. 15. and verse 31. Belieue and thou shalt be saued Likewise Chapt 8.37 Philip saith to the Eunuch Lord Treasurer to Candaces the Queene of the Aethiopians If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou maiest be baptized And hee answered I beleeue that IESVS CHRIST is the Sonne of GOD.
deferre till wee come to the death it selfe following the course of the holy story Onely let vs from hence beare in mind that we haue from the most graue and testamentary witnesse of our Sauiour himselfe a most vndoubted and sure ground of the full and absolute perfection of it to all purposes for the which it pleased him to tast of death as the holy Apostle speaketh THis interim obserued and laide vp in our mindes let vs now come to the last and most immediate speech of our Sauiour next the sâ—me his most holy and propitiatorie death That was this Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit A speech likewise of very great importance full of excellent direction both for the ground and comfort of a liuely faith as also for direction in sondrie duties concerning the right manner of a Christian death And to note the importance of them it is to singular good purpose that the Euangelists both Matthewe Marke and Lâ—ke doe all report vnto vs that our Sauiour Christ vttered these his last wordes with a loud and mightie voice as hee had done the foâ—mer My God my God why hast thou forsaken me For whereas the Euangelist Matthew saith that he cryed againe with a loud voyce the EuaÌ„gelist Luke telleth vs that those aboue mentioned Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit were the wordes which he spake the second time with so loude a voice The loudenes of the voice therefore giueth plainly to vnderstand that as our Sauiour would haue all most audibly to heare them being there present and all other to heare of theÌ„ by the preaching of his Gospel according to the faithfull record of the holy Euangelists so no doubt that he would stirre vp all by this so loud sounding a voice to consider diligently of them according to the like practise of our Sauiour to the same purpose Iohn chap 7.28 Then cryed Iesus in the Temple as he taught c. And verses 37.38 In the last and great day of the feast Iesus stood and cryed saying If any man thirst let him come to me and drinke c. And chap 11 43. He cryed with a loud voice Lazâ—rus come forth And chap 12.44 And Iesus cried and said he that beleeueth in me beleeueth not in me but in him that sent me c. Concerning these words therfore let vs first coÌ„sider the reasons why our Sauiour vttered them with so loud a voice and then the meaning of the wordes themselues Touching the loudnes and strength of the voice our Sauiour being now at the point of death would giue to vnderstand that he died not as other men by a meere necessarie fainâ—ing and feebling of the spirits of the naturall life but most voluntarily to most singular endes and purposes aboue the death of any other man according to that which he had said before of himself Iohn 10.17.18 Therefore doth my Father loue me because I lay downe my life that I might take it againe No man taketh it from me but I lay it downe and I haue power to take it againe this commendement haue I receiued of my Father The which words notwithstanding wee are so to vnderstand that wee doe in no wise denye the truth of his naturall death and of his humane infirmitie and passion therein though by his diuine power hee ouerruled all so that notwithstanding as the Apostle Peter saith Hee was put to death concerning the flesh yet hee was quickened in the spirit and had the power of life and death in his owne hande according to the decree and determination of God and was not left to the will and pleasure of wicked men Iesus Crucifixus sic ex causa natural efflauit animam nimirum ex violentia cruciatibus quos in tam crudeli supplicio passus erat vt tamen separatio animae a suo corpore procederet a pura ipsius voluntate Beza Hom in hist pass 32. And to the same ende did our Sauiour lay down his life sooner then was ordinarie in that kinde of execution which caused Pilat to marâ—el as we read Mark 15 44 And the Centurion before him verse 39. Secondly our Sauiour Christ vttered these last words Father into thy hands I commend my spirit with like loud voice as he did those My God my God why hast thou forsaken me that it might euidently appeare that hee continued yet in the same dolour and distresse Neuertheles in the third place hee would make it known vndoubtedly in his church to all beleeuing Christians that howsoeuer his sufferings were exceeding great yet he did nothing doubt of his preuailing against them nor of his dying in peace So that I say euen for this cause also we may well conceiue that our Sauiour Christ to put the matter out of all doubt would the rather as mightily vtter these words which are most cleare words of a most perfect and liuely faith Father into thy hands I commend my spirit as those former words My God my God c. according to that saying of our Sauiour Iohn 11.41.42 Father c. I know thou hearest me alwaies but because of the people that stand by I said it that they may beleeue that thou hast sent me And to the same purpose let vs now after the reasons of the loudnes of the voice come in the next place to coÌ„sider of the meaning of the words theÌ„selues And herein that which is in the first place is worthy to be principally weighed of vs that as our Sauiour Christ called God his Father at his heauie enterance into his sufferings Father if it be possible let this cup passe from me And in the middest of them Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe So hee doth now in the conclusion of them call God his Father Father saith he into thy handâ— I commend my spirit Neither doth he call him so either then or now in respect of the vnitie of the Godhead and because he is the naturall eternal Son of the Father onely but rather in regard of that loue and fauour which he is assured of from him on our behalfe euen in respect of this that he is the naturall Sonne of fraile man hauing taken our nature to his diuine nature in the vnitie of one Person of a mediator and therein hath fulfilled all righteousnes and now at the point of death vttering these his last words had euen perfited his sufferings for our sins to the full satisfaction of the diuine iustice and to the reconciling reducing of vs into the most gratious and blessed fauour of God In these respect I say doth he with most full perfect assurance of the most full and perfect loue of God both toward himselfe and for his sake toward all whom he had redeemed reconciled call him by the name of Father And in the same assurance doth he commend his spirit that is to say his soule for soâ—s the word Spiâ—it vsed often as 1. Cor. 6.20 Act.
stoupe thus lowe to our Sauiour Christ and to his Church for his sake who may thinke himselfe excepted from like dutie and seruice And seeing the king ought to haue this generall care and dutifull regard of all for Christ sake how can we thinke but euery Christian in particular standeth deepely bound to loue and reuerence the Christian King and Queene in and for the Lord Iesus Christs sake yea euen for their owne sake in him Rom 12.10.11 But let vs proceed Question What other dutie is there to be yeelded more generally as a fruite of the comfort of faith in the sufferings of our Sauiour for vs Answer It is our dutie both in regard of the glory of God and also of loue to our Christian brethren and likewise for the testimonie of our faith in Christ who hath endured all kinde of sufferings for vs and therewithall also for the strengthening of the faâ—th of the brethren to suffer whatsoeuer affliction it shal please God to call vs vnto euen vnto the death if neede shal so require Explication and proofe So it is indeed as our Sauiour himselfe giueth to vnderstand Iohn 12.25.26 He that loueth his life shal loose it and he that hateth his life in this world shal keepe it vnto life eternall If any man serue me let him followe me c. And chap 16.1.3 These things saith our Sauiour haue I saide vnto you that yee should not bee offended They wil excommunicate yee yea the time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you wil thinke thâ—t he doth God seruice And the Apostle Iohn is plaine in this point 1. Epistle 3.16 Hereby saith hee haue wee perceiued loue in that he that is our Sauiour laied downe his life for vs therefore we ought to lay downe our liues for the brethren Read also 1. Pet. 2.21 Herevnto are yee called to wit to endure with patience sufferings vniustly laied vpon ye for Christ also suffered for vs leauing vs an example that we should followe his steps And cap 4.12.13.14.15.16 Herein we are partakers of Christs sufferings and God is glorified Read also Colos 1.24 where the profession of the Apostle Paul is notable to this purpose And likewise Philip 2.17 yea though I bee offered vp vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I am glad and reioyce with you all For the same cause also be yee glad and reioyce with me Now furthermore insomuch as we stand iustly bound to yeeld such an entier obedience vnto our Lord and Sauiour who hath so dearely redeemed vs vnto himselfe from the wrath of God eternally due to our sinnes is it not our dutie much rather to be sorie for our sinnes to hate and abhorre them and euen in all holy defiance to seeke the vtter death of them which were the cause of the bitter death of our Sauiour which also had it not beene for his death and sufferings would most certainly haue beene our most woful death and destruction both of bodies and soules for euer and euer Question Is it not our dutie I say to be therefore sorie for our sinnes with most heartie godly sorrow and to hate them euen to the death with most perfect hatred c Answer It must needes be so in all good reason For otherwise wee should make but a light matter of all the sufferings of our Sauiour and bereaue our selues of all the fruites and effects of them Explication and proofe It would doubtles proue so in very deed For if we seeke not to be partakers of the power of Christs death to the crucifying of the power of sinne in our wicked and sinfull nature wee shall neuer bee partakers of the merite of his death to the remouing of the guiltines of our sin out of the sight of God And euen to coÌ„mon iudgement it might seeme a most absurd thing that we should professe our selues to beleeue in Christ who hath for no other cause then for our sinnes suffered most grieuous sufferings The Duties in respect of his preparation to suffer euen to the enduring of a most cursed death and that in the meane while wee should make no conscience of sinne but without all remorse giue our selues ouer to commit wickednesse c. Hetherto of the duties belonging to the more generall consideration of all the sufferings of our Sauiour LEt vs henceforth consider of the duties pertaining to the same in more particular respects and that according to the order of the historicall report of them as we haue done before in the comforts And first of all in regard of our Sauiours preparing of himselfe to his sufferings Question What are the duties to be learned and performed of vs in that respect Answere First our Sauiour himselfe hath taught vs that we for our parts ought to prepare our selues in the times of our trialls by watching and prayer lest we should enter into tentation Secondly that we be constant in prayer yea with feruencie in praying so long as the occasion of any speciall tentation remaineth Thirdly that we labour to frame our hearts to be willing to suffer for Christs sake when the occasion so requireth and to this end to subdue our own wils to be obedient to the will of God Fourthly that according to the grace of God bestowed vpon our selues we be carefull to incourage and hearten others vnto sufferings specially such as by their speciall places and callings doe more nearely appertaine to our SAVIOVR CHRIST ExplicatioÌ„ proofe All these duties are euidently to be obserued partly from the example and practise of the same our Sauiour and partly from his doctrine together with his example Luke 22.40 When hee came to the place hee saide Pray lest ye enter into temptation And hee himselfe praied often at the same time And finding his Disciples weake hee incouraged them as the storie maketh all plaine Finally seeing our Sauiour himselfe could not ouercome himselfe to bee willing to drinke of his bitter cup vntill he had ouercome his naturall desires though in him arising from pure affection of nature they were without sinne how may we thinke that wee shall euer be able without striuing by earnest prayer vnto God to ouercome our sinfull corruption which is infinitely more loth to suffer for Christs sake then he was for vs without Gods speciall grace Now that we may goe forward When we consider that our Sauiour was betraied by Iudas one of his owne most neare and familiar Disciples Question What good dutie may we learne by our beholding of the patience and mildenes of our Sauiour herein Answer This ought to teach vs patience and to arme vs that wee stumble not nor fall away from our Sauiour Christ and his Gospell although wee doe at any time see such as made great shewe of godlines and Christianitie in outward appearance and profession most grossely to fall away yea though like Iudas they growe to be such as doe betray vs into the handes of wicked men as hee did
least of those that be the Lords which he taketh in like ill part as if hee were neglected or molested himselfe Matth. 25. verses 45. It ought to suffice yea to be ouer much in our iudgement that the Lord hath once drunke vinegre and euery way the most bitter potion of Gods wrath for our cause though we doe neuer make him nor any of his any vnkinde offer of it againe Thus much concerning this short speech I thirst for declaration of that duty which ought to be yeelded from the comfort of it NOw we are come to the next like short speech of our Sauiour which was his Question It is finished What duty ought to arise from the comfort of faith herein Answere It is most cleare and manifest from hence that we ought not in any wise to looke to any other sacrifices or satisfactions or merits either in the whole or in part for our redâ—mption and iustification in the sight of God but to this of our Sauiour alone neither that wee are to feare the popish dreame of any other purgatory then the blood of our Sauiour Christ to the washing away and remouing of all sinnes out of the sight of God Explication and proofe This is very cleare and manifest indeed For seeing we haue our warrant from our Sauiour himselfe that all was finished yea euen to the very point of death when he spake these words and that immediately after this he tooke his death which was the sealing vp of all therefore we may yea we ought iustly to be out of doubt that all doctrines of any further addition for satisfaction or merit before God are false and Antichristian And for thâ— same cause to be vtterly reiected of all true christians who cannot buâ— looke onely to Christ for their perfit redemption and saluation according to the expresse doctrine of the holy Scriptures THe duties which doe belong to that comfort of faith which ariseth from the consideration of the last words of our Sâ—uiour vpon the Crosse they are yet behinde Answer Which ought those duties to be Question We ought from the example of our Sauiour Christ who at his death commended his spirit intâ— the hand of his Father to esteeme alwaies of our soules as of a chiefe treasure and to be carefull ouer them aboue all earthly things Yea more then of our corruptible boâ—ies against the time of our death whensoeuer it shall come Secondly it is our dutie to make choise of God as of the onely worthy feoffie of trust as one wou d say to whose custody wee may safely commend them from day to day And thirdly it is likewise our bounden dutie comfortably to beleeue that if we shall faithfully commit our soules vnto him hee will for our Sauiours sake keepe them most charity and tenderly in his owne hands alwaies and at the end of our liues receiue them and reserue them in a blessed estate vntill the resurrection of our bodies and then also wilâ— ioyne them againe to our bodies like as our Sauiour returned to his bodie the third day and thenceforth will blesse vs with glorie and happinesse in them both for euermore Explication proofe Vnto these duties no doubt doe the wordes of our Sauiour Christ leade all true beleeuers according to that notable imitation of Stephen Act. 7.59 Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit And according to the practise of S. Paul 2. Tim. 1.12 saying I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day Yea and hee beleeued likewise no doubt that God was as willing to doe it as he was able according to that in the 8. verse of the 4. chap. of the same Epistle in that he saith Henceforth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge will giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also which loue his appearing The same thing therefore ought we to beleeue at this day which they did then according to the practise of our most blessed Sauiour And the rather because as we may perceiue both by the words of Stephen and also of the Apostle Paul that our Sauiour hath the ioint care of our soules together with the Father according to that he saith None shall take them out of my hand Iohn 10. verses 27.28 29 30. My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand My Father who gaue them to me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father am one So that well saith M. Beza The hands of our Sauiour are not now held fastened to the Crosse after the manner as our painters doe paint him for then hee could not embrace vs but he hath them at full libertie euen from heauen to embrace the soules of those that dye in hâ—m the which hee cherisheth in his bosome vnto the time that they shall be restored to their bodies to the enioying of an euerlasting spirituall life and vntill that hee doe come in the cloudes of heauen to meete vs and that wee for our parts be taken vp into the aire to meete the Lord to enioy together with him that blessed estate which is prepared for vs for euer 1. Thes 4.14 Goe to therefore as saith that comfortable and faithfull Preacher Let vs be of good cheare and lay these things to heart euen these so great and notable comforts for our necessary reliefe specially against the last combate God as we knowe doth earnestly require trustie fidelitie in one man toward another euen concerning the least thinges that are committed to anie mans trust that they should be forth-comming and therfore inioineth a penaltie to be laide by the Magistrate vpon all such as shall be found to deale vntrustily as we reade Exod. chap. 22. verses 7.8 c. to the 13. How therefore can we thinke but that the Lord who requireth fidelitie in men as a principall point of his lawe as our Sauiour also declareth Matth. chap. 23. verse 23. will assuredly approue himselfe most faithfull aboue all men to euerie one that accounting him faithfull shall commit themselues to his trust Thus much of the comfortable duties of faith concerning the comfortable manner of our Sauiour Christes dying Question NOw what may our duty be in regard of the death it selfe which the same our Sauiour died Answer First of all as his death was in the manner of it farre differing from the death of all other so are we to know that the endes and fruites of his death are most singular aboue the death of any or all other creatures ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is very true as the endes and fruites themselues rehearsed in the Comforts doe euidently declare So that as K. Dauid was not affected after a
euidently performed therein Herein therefore as was said our Sauiour Christ is very earnest reprehensiuely interrogatiuely to affirme assure the truth of these things as being most meete and necessary that they should come to passe euen as they fell out because God had so decreed spoken For this is the manner of the Spirit of God by such a kind of asking the question to affirme a thing more earnestly to the awaking of the dul affection of man then by a simple categorical proposition as the Logicians spake Let vs therefore learne this wisedome from the instruction of our Sauiour that we for our parts do confirme and establish our faith from that which is a stumbling blocke euen to this day vnto all vnbeleeuing Iewes and foolishnes to all vnbeleeuing Gentiles to wit his sufferings death vpon the crosse And let vs wel consider this point of our Sauiours speech that so it ought to be not only that the scriptures might be fulfilled but also because it standeth with al holy reasoÌ„ that it must be so For how could it be that maÌ„ hauing sinned against God so deserued death shuld possibly haue his sins forgiueÌ„ be deliueâ—ed froÌ„ Gods wrath vnles by man the iustice of God were satisfied which could not be vnles such a maÌ„ shuld die as were worthy to work so great a work To this so excellent a purpose let vs furthermore according to the third branch of the reply of our Sauiour diligently acquaint our selues with that which is written of him from point to point through out all the Scriptures of the old Testament euen from the beginning of Genesis the first booke of the Prophet Moses to the end of Malachie the last of the Prophets For this as the Euangelist Luke testifieth did our Sauiour to the end hee might establish the doubtfull and staggering hearts of these two of his Disciples And not without cause seeing the holy Scriptures are giuen of God to be the ordinary outward stay and foundation of the faith of his Church One would haue thought that the word of our Sauiour by his liuely voyce might haue beene of it selfe absolutely sufficient seeing he was not onely the most faithfull witnesse of the truth but euen the truth it selfe But behold he thus farre honoureth the holy Scriptures of God that he maketh them the canon and rule and determiner of the truth He interpreteth the Scriptures indeede for as the godly Eunuch saith to Philip who asked him if he vnderstood what he read How should I vnderstand vnlesse I had a guide neuerthelesse it is plaine that he maketh the holy Scriptures themselues the ground of all that he saide vnto them Wherefore seeing our Sauiour himselfe did so how shall any that commeth in the name of a Minister of Christ and his Gospel dare presume to take any other course then his Master and Lord hath taken before him as being the onely lawfull course for the grounding and establishing of faith Verily it is the duty of a seruant to treade in his Masters steps for the ordering of all such things as he hath as it were in his owne steâ—d made him ruler of and wherein he hath of purpose giuen him an example how he should follow him But touching our present indeuour it may be said for the staying of it that though Saint Luke testifieth thus much that our Sauiour interpreted out of all the holy scriptures those things which were written of him concerning both his humiliation and also his exaltation yet he doth not rehearse the interpretation which our Sauiour gaue nay nor so much as the texts of scripture themselues How then should we know how to doe it Or why should wee thinke it to be necessary to stand vpon the rehearsall of them We answer that the Euangelist omitteth them in this place for breuities sake as was saide before insomuch as hee hath already alledged them from point to point in the course of the Gospel which he hath diligently set downe vnto vs. Wee may and ought therfore froÌ„ thence from the writings of the other Euangelists and of the Apostles to take our light and direction And though we cannot doe it so excellently and exactly as our Sauiour himselfe did yet it is our dutie to indeuour to doe it by the helpe of his grace so well as we can The order which we will follow herein shall be no other then the order of the bookes of the holy scriptures themselues The which also it is most likely was the order that our Sauiour Christ himselfe obserued beginning at Moses as the Euangelist Luke telleth vs. Like as saint Stephen though vpon a contrary occasion doth orderly prosecute and collect the principall heads of the holy story beginning at Genesis and proceeding so far forth as hee could be suffered both to proue himselfe to be a witnes of the truth in testifying of Christ and also to conuince the wicked Iewes to be resisters of the truth of God in opposing themselues against Christ To whom as he concludeth all the Prophets gaue witnes Act. 7.1 c. and verse 52. saying Which of the Prophets haue not your Fathers persecuted and they haue slaine them which shewed before of the comming of that lust one of whom ye are now the betrayers and murtherers c. Genesis First therefore to begin at Genesis the first booke of Moses we haue euen shortly after the fall of Adam and Eue together with the pronouncing of the curse vpon them for their sin the promise also of mercy and saluation through Christ that should come both for them and for all their posterity whosoeuer should repent of their sinnes and beleeue in him So we reade Gen. 3. verse 15. in these words He shall breake thine head that is the seede of the woman shall breake the serpents head to wit the power of the diuell who is the common aduersary of mankinde Now that he should vanquish the Diuell by sufferings and therein by satisfying the wrath of God bent against mans sinne c. the Lord himselfe gaue Adam to vnderstand in that immediately vpon this promise he gaue him also his ordinances of sacrificing to figure and assure the same vnto him and his posterity as it followeth ch 4. verses 3.4 For both Abel and Caine as they had learned of their father Adam did offer sacrifices Caine of the fruit of the grounds and Abel of his sheepe And this Abel did by faith as the Apostle declareth yea euen by faith looking to Christ Heb. 11.4 By the which faith also he was accounted righteous before God as our Sauiour himselfe giueth to vnderstand Mat. 23.35 By faith Noah built the Arke a type and figure of our baptisme into the name of Christ by the washing of whose blood we are saued 1. Pet. 3.21 By the which faith also he offered sacrifice looking to Christ the Messiah to come wherein God was pleased Gen. 8.20 For this faith in Christ all
Amen And thus we doe se how large a field as it were our Sauiour Christ had to hold out a good long walke with his two Disciples and what a large fruite they reaped from that care which they themselues had to talke and conferre together to the end that as well as they could one might helpe another against the doubtings of their faith and against the heauie sorrowe and griefe of their heart For behold our Sauiour of his most tender compassion steppeth in and breaketh off this their heauines and giueth them a cleare direction to the chasing away of euery scruple out of their mindes from the warrant of the holy Scriptures Let vs beloued haue the like care to seeke for instruction comfort alwaies as our necessities and the matter it selfe requireth for the bettering of our knowledge and faith in our Sauiour Christ to the quieting of our mindes in the peace of a good conscience before God in the comfortable assurance of our saluation aboue all other things And then assuredly we shal find our Sauiour in due time to be as gracious to vs as he was vnto them while hee shall finde vs walking in his waies But all this while as the Euangelist giueth vs to vnderstand our Sauiour had not yet made himselfe known to these his Disciples How then commeth it to passe that immediately vâ—on this holy discourse of his beeing ended hee maketh as if he would haue presently departed from them not to haue made himselfe knowne to them at all For so it followeth in our text verse 28. They drewe neare vnto the towne which they went vnto and he made as though he would haue gone further But they constrained him saying Abide with vs for it is towards night the day is farre spent So he went in to tarrie with them For this was indeed the purpose of our Sauiour when he came vnto them at the first to take his opportunitie to make himselfe knowne vnto them Question But what was the reason then why he made any offer of departing from them before he had so done Answer It may be thought that he did so for two causes First to let vs to vnderstand that the word of God is of it selfe a sufficient stay to our faith and therfore that these his Disciples ought to haue rested fully satisfied albeit our Sauiour had not made himselfe bodily knowen vnto them to be risen againe Secondly it may likewise be thought that our Sauiour made an offer of departure to the end he might hereby prepare them to take so much the better and more sure knowledge of him afterward and to leaue so much the more deepe an impression in their hearts that he was verily risen againe ExplicatioÌ„ Nothing letteth indeed why we may not thinke so Herein therefore let vs reuerendly obserue the singular wisdome and most tender loue of our Sauiour toward these his Disciples and in them to vs and all other of his people whosoeuer will yeeld to be Disciples schollers vnto him As for that which some make question of how it may agree with the perfit simplicitie truth of our Sauiours dealings that he should pretend to depart from his Disciples before he had made himselfe known to them when he came to them with a purpose to make himselfe known before he would depart from them it may easily be answered froÌ„ that which hath bin said already And beside we may well thinke that our Sauiour did not so lightly offer to depart but that it might wel stand with his purpose to depart indeed if his Disciples had not earnestly intreated him to stay with them though he had in the euening or the next day come to them againe So we read that the holy Angels refused to goe with Lot into his house vntil Lot was very earnest with them For as the text saith Gen 19.2.3 they said we will abide in the street all night Yet when Lot pressed vpon them earnestly they turned vnto him came to his house abode with him Moreouer when we doe not blame Ioseph but rather maruell at his wisedome in that he did not by by make himself known to his vnkind brethren what reason haue wee why wee should not conceiue most honourably of the course of our Sauiours dealing in the present case Simplicitie vprightnes doth not take away godly policie and discretion from the actions of our Sauiour Christ or his seruants They must both goe as it were hand in hand together Simplicitie without godly wisdom is in many cases no better then meere folly like as wisedome or policie without godly simplicitie vprightnes of heart both toward God his people it doth easily degenerate into extreame craft diuellish subtiltie And therefore our Sauiour himselfe giueth his precept in most excellent wisedome Be wise as serpents and simple as doues But enough of this vpon the preseÌ„t occasion For it might seeme a dishonour to our Sauiour that we should be much in this point as though his dealing were such as that it needed any long or great laboured defence Question To come therfore to the issue of the matter how did our Sauiour Christ make himselfe knowne to these his two Disciples at the last Answer Ch 24. The Euangelist sheweth vs how he did it in the 30 31. verses as it followeth thus in the text 30. And it came to passe that as he sate at table with them he tooke the bread and gaue thankes and brake it and gaue it to them 31. Then saith the Euangelist their eyes were opened and they knewe him but he was taken out of their sight ExplicatioÌ„ In these words we haue not onely the gracious manifestation of our Sauiour recorded but also his miraculous departure Let vs therefore consider of either of them In the manifestation of our Sauiour we are to obserue two things First the action of our Sauiour whereby he made himselfe knowne Secondly the opening of the Disciples eyes And both these concurred and met together so that they knewe both by their sight and also by their hearing that it was verily our Sauiour that was then with them and who had all the while in their iournie talked with them before But let vs stand to consider a litle of these things from the wordes of the text And first of the action of our Sauiour Question What was that Answer The action whereby our Sauiour made himselfe knowne was no doubt principally his most reuerend thankesgiuing which he gaue vnto God in breaking of bread when they sate downe to supper Explication proofe No doubt it was so For so doe the Disciples themselues acknowledge as we read in the 35. verse of the chapter They tould the rest of the Disciples saith the Euangelist how he was knowne of them in breaking of bread that is when he brake bread Not by the breaking of bread it selfe but by that principall action of thankesgiuing which our Sauiour
God both in word and deede And chap 12.35.36 Yet a litle while is the light with you walke while ye haue the light lest darkenes come vpon you for he that walketh in darkenes knoweth not whether he goeth While ye haue the light beleeue in the light that ye may be the children of the light And Iohn 14.6 I am the way and the truth and the life No man commeth vnto the father but by me Thus by this generall metaphor of the light our Sauiour Christ which is the onely true sunne of righteousnes as the Prophet Malachie calleth him is both for doctrine in the most cleare reuelation thereof and for example of life in paterning out the same doctrine a most perfect load-starre for vs all to looke vnto And more particularly read Iohn 13.12.13.14.15.16 where after that our Sauiour had washed his Disciples feete he doth from his owne example teach them true loue and humilitie two speciall grounds of godlines And therefore he saith expressely I haue giuen you an example that ye should doe euen as I haue done to you Verily verily I say vnto you The seruant is not greater then his maister neither the Embassadour greater then he that sent him If yee knowe these things happie are yee if yee doe them And chap 15.9 10.11.12 As the Father hath loued me so haue I loued you continue ye in my loue If ye shal keepe my commandements ye shall abide in my loue as I haue kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his loue These things haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy might remaine in you and that your ioy might be full This is my commandement that ye loue one an other as I haue loued you But it must in no wise be neglected that as you answer our Sauiour must be imitated and followed onely according to the duties of our seuerall places and callings wherein God hath placed vs and in the common duties of Christianitie wherein our Sauiour hath gone before vs in most perfect care and conscience of obedience to euery commandement of the lawe of God For otherwise the calling of our Sauiour Christ in that he was annointed to be the redeemer iustifier sanctifier and euerlasting Sauiour of the Church of God it was so peculiar and proper vnto him that no creature neither angel or man can followe him in one steppe thereof God hath made him alone to be wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption vnto vs 1. Cor 1.30 Neither is there any other name either in heauen or in earth whereby we may be saued Act 4.12 In this respect he alone both might and could by his diuine power worke the workes of God And although the Apostles whom he ordained to be the most immediate and neare followers of him in the ministration of his diuine workes yea so as our Sauiour promised that they should doe greater workes then he did Iohn 14.12 yet they did them not in their owne name or by their owne power as they doe confesse Act 3.12.16 but onely as the instruments and seruants of Christ appointed by himselfe and enabled by the power of faith therevnto For as touching those that without the calling of our Sauiour presumed to attempt such miraculous workes as they wrought they found by miserable experience how vaine their attempt was as we reade Act 19.13.14.15.16 To the end therefore we may be true imitators of our Sauiour Christ euery one of vs and principally the ministers of the word and Gospell of Christ must look diligently to the duties of their seueral callings that so they in their places may shine as lights to the rest and that all Christians after their example may walke as children of the light euery one following other so farre as any doe folloâ—e our Sauiour Christ according to that of the holy Apostle alledged a while since Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ The reason thereof is for that though there be many examples of godlines recorded in the holy Scriptures and many also to be seene in the Church of God from time to time yet there be very few nay rather none at all wherein there be not some great sinnes and blemishes in their liues wherein they ought to be shunned and not followed And therefore we are alwaies to haue a principall regard to the example of all examples euen our Lord Iesus Christ who alone as was noted in the beginning is the onely cleare perfect light both for doctrine and life through the whole course thereof in euery age and condition of the same both publikely and priuatly vnder his parents and otherwise as hath beene declared before Now secondly as touching our imitating and following of our Sauiour Christ in the patient and meeke induring of the crosse that is of euery kind of affliction while we walke in his holy waies though not to such endes as our Sauiour suffered in that he was a mediator betwixt God and vs to make satisfaction for our sins c. yet to declare the truth both of our obedieÌ„ce to God also of our loue to our Sauiour his Church we read first the instruction and incouragement of our Sa himself herevnto Mat 11.28.29 Come vnto me all ye that are weary laden and I wil ease you Take my yoak on you and learne of me in that I am meeke and lowly in heart to wit in bearing affliction from the hand of God and ye shall find rest vnto your soules For my yoake is easie and my burden is light to wit that measure of affliction which God will lay vpon you while ye humble your selues vnto him through faith in my name it shall not bee aboue that strength which he wil giue you And Ioh 15.18 c. If the world hate you ye know it hated me before you c. The seruant is not greater then his maister c Read the place mark the sundry notable reasons which our Sauiour alledgeth to harten and incourage vs ro indure afflictions for his sake as hath bin heretofore declared vnto you from the same words of our Sauiour Call to mind also that which was rehearsed before concerning their vnworthines to haue any part in Christ whosoeuer loue him not more then their outward peace or worldly wealth or very naturall life it selfe And that wee are to followe our Sauiour Christ in his sufferings on the behalfe of his Church for that loue we beare to the brethren in desire of confirming them in the faith of the truth euen by our sufferings for it and that euen to the death if need should so require Read Philip 2.17.18 Yea saith the Apostle Paul and though I be offered vp vpon the sacrifice and seruice of your faith I am glad and reioyce with you all For the same cause also be ye glad and reioyce with me And Collos 1.24 Now reioyce I in my sufferings for you and fulfill the rest of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his
by a sharpe encounter against the aduersaries The reason is because our Sauiour did not rise againe so much to declare himselfe to be in his owne behalfe perfitly iustified in the sight of God seeing hee had no sinne of his owne as for the sake of his Church and to let it appeare that wee poore sinners beleeuing in him are by him iustified and deliuered from our sins and from all the punishments thereof and namely from death that it should not preuaile against vs but that wee should haue the victorie ouer it in the end Neither did our Sauiour rise againe as a priuate person but as the head of his Church to the ende that he might in due time drawe all the members thereof after himselfe And therefore it is that the holy Apostle maketh these propositions equiualent and conuersiue as one may say If Christ be risen thou shall the faithfull one day rise againe to wit bodily as Christ is already so risen And againe If any man say that the faithfull shall not rise at the last day it is saith the Apostle as much as if he should say Christ himselfe is not risen For so wee read verse 13. If there be no resurrection of the dead then Christ is not risen And indeed they that denie the proper effect doe as wee may well say in effect denie and annihilate or frustrate the cause it selfe As for example if one should affirme say There shal be no Sōmer or any renewing of the fruits of the earth this next yeere it is as much as if he should say that there shall be either no kindly heate on the earth by the Sunne nor moisture of raine from the cloudes of heauen or else no vegetatiue power in the roote of grasse and trees c. nor generatiue or pocreating power in any cattell c. So then this is the first reason of the Apostle that the bodies of the faithfull shall rise againe as the proper and necessarie effect because our Sauiour who is in the most holy counsell and decree of God appointed to be the proper powerfull and effectuall cause thereof is already risen againe And that our Sauiour is so appointed of God it is plainly testified taught in many places of the holy Scriptures As Rom 8.11 and chap 14.9 and 1. Cor 6.14 2. Cor 4 14. Eph 1.19.20 ch 2.5.6 Philip 3 20.21 1. Thes 4.14 and 1. Pet 1 2.3.4 c. The holy Apostle doth vse diuerse other notable reasons to proue the Article in question as we shall see hereafter But before that he commeth to any new reason hee doth to the further strengthening of this set downe diuerse grosse and hereticall absurdities which must needes followe vpon the deniall of the resurrection of our Sauiour For as he giueth plainely to vnderstand it is the vtter rasing and ouerthrow of all Christian religion And insomuch as he is thus carefull to confirme this Article of our Sauiours resurrection it may iustly be no obscure argument to vs that they who doubted of the bodily resurrection of the faithfull did therewithall call likewise into question the truth of the bodily resurrection of our Sauiour as though it had beene onely represented in some vanishing and flitting apparition and not performed really and in very truth But farre be it from vs and from euery good Christian once to admit any one thought that way For then it should bee an easie thing for the diuel to make vs to doubt of our own resurrection And therefore not without great cause doth the holy Apostle hedge vp the way against this so dangerous a conceite as it were with a high hedge of sharpe thrones that wee might neuer be driuen into it Question Let vs now heare the Apostles wordes Answer Which are they 14. If Christ be not risen saith Saint Paule then is our preaching vaine your faith is also vaine 15. And wee are found also false witnesses of God for wee haue testified of God that he hath raised vp Christ whō he hath not raised vp if so be the dead be not raised 16. For if the dead be not raised then is Christ not raised 17. And if Christ be not raised your faith is vaine ye are yet in your sinnes 18. And so they that are asleepe in Christ are perished Explication These are the wordes of the blessed Apostle as they followe in our text verses 14.15.16.17.18 And here the saying is made true that one absurditie granted many other doe followe vpon it The Apostle as we see reckoneth vp fiue or sixe of them First that if our Sauiour Christ be not risen then the Apostolicall ministery was a vaine institution and to no good effect Secondly that the faith of the hearers was but a vaine fancie and no powerfull grace to eternall saluation Thirdly the Apostles should therewithall be found false witnesses Yea so as it is saide in the fourth place that God himselfe should be made accessarie to this most fraudulent crime Fiftly the Corinthians should haue no true assurance of the forgiuenes of their sinnes Finally all the faithfull already departed this life are perished as dying in a wrong beliefe All which as was saide are most irreligious yea hereticall and blasphemous absurdities most worthy to be abhorred of all true Christians In which wordes also as wee see he vrgeth againe the equiualencie of these propositions The faithfull shall not rise againe bodily And Christ is not bodily risen againe But of this more when wee shall come to consider of the danger of not beleeuing this Article In the meane season let vs proceed to the second reason for the proofe of the resurrection of our bodies as it followeth in the 19. verse Question Which is that Answer 19. If in this life onely saith the Apostle we haue hope in Christ we are of all men the most miserable Explicatiō These wordes must be vnderstood as spoken partly concerning our bodies in respect of those most cruell persecutions which Christians are oftentimes vexed withall aboue any other sort of people euen for that speciall hatred which the wicked of the world beare against the name and doctrine of our Sauiour Christ but they are chiefly vttered in regard that the immortalitie of the soule and the resurrection of the body to eternal life and glory are grounded vpon one and the same foundation so as the one cannot bee denied without the deniall of the other Like as also our Sauiour Christ Mat 22. proueth the resurrection of the body which is to come from the present immortalitie of the soules of the faithfull insomuch as either of them haue like ground from that couenant which God hath made with his people calling himselfe the God of Abraham Isaak and Iaakob For as our Sauiour saith he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing as though he should haue said God is the God of the whole persons of his confederates both of their bodies and also
deferre their Baptisme till they should bee going out of this life Finally Maister Francis Iunius so interpreteth these wordes as if huper vsually and rightly turned super should neuertheles according to the vse of the same both greeke and latine preposition in greeke and latine writers be taken here for praeter besides or in the signification of insuper moreouer as noting the continuance of the Sacrament of Baptisme in the church of God by a constant course for the comfort of the liuing still like as it was found to be of comfortable vse to those then dead so long as they were aliue As though the wordes of the Apostle were to be read thus Else what do they that are baptized still or moreouer and beside those that are already dead because otherwise it might be inferred that vnlesse the dead should rise againe neither haue the dead any fruite of baptisme abiding them to wit in respecct of their bodies and so shall bee disappointed of that which they looked for by faith neither haue the liuing any reason at the least in respect of the body why it should be continued among them And this indeed may the doubling of the question by the Apostle import Else what shall they doe who are baptized to wit such as are alreadie dead And againe why are they namely they who are liuing yet baptized But howsoeuer it be all must come to this issue that they who denie the resurrection of the body doe frustrate the vse of the Sacrament of baptisme at the least in one speciall part of it Thus much concerning the fourth reason for the right vnderstanding whereof we haue cause as we see to pray to God for his holy Spirit of iudgement and discretion The fift reason is now to be considered of vs. It followeth in the 30 verse Question Which is that Answer The Apostles wordes are these 30. Why are we also in ieoperdie euery houre Evplicatiō In these wordes the holy Apostle reasoneth from that speciall worke of the grace of God in the hearts of his children and namely of the Preachers of the Gospell in those dayes whereby they were made most willing and couragious to expose and lay open their bodies and naturall liues to all necessarie dangers as they that made no reckoning of them for the Gospels sake hauing an assured hope of a better resurrection after the example of the more ancient Martyrs of whom wee reade honourable mention to bee made Heb 11.35 The which reason the same our Apostle illustrateth from his owne example in that hee was most prodigall of his life as one may say in the cause of the Gospell as it followeth in the 31. verse and in the former part of the 32. Answer Which are his wordes Question 31. By our reioycing saith Saint Paule which I haue in Christ Iesus our Lord I dye daily 32. If I haue fought with beastes at Ephesus after the manner of men what doth it aduantage me Explicatiō The meaning of Saint Paule is to protest with great earnestnes in manner of taking an othe or rather by an attestation and calling of the Corinthians themselues to witnes that he for his part for the comfortable hopes sake of a better life and euen for the comforts sake of the resurrection of the body through faith in Iesus Christ whom he calleth the reioycing both of himselfe and of them did as they might well perceiue carrie his life continually as it were in his hand for the testimonie of the truth According to that which he writeth also 2. Cor 11.13 that he had beene oftentimes neare to death for it yea and that by all sorts of perills and dangers as we read in the 26 verse But here as wee see he giueth one speciall instance among the rest which could not but be famously knowne vnto them in that hee refused not to put himselfe in danger to haue his body most cruelly torne in peeces and deuoured by wilde beastes at Ephesus For to this punishment it seemeth that he was there condemned for our Sauiours sake and his Gospell and should haue beene so destroied had not the Lord strengthened him to ouercome the wilde beastes in fighting with them and so to escape the danger according to the lawe of victorie in that the Ephesians their inhumane and barbarous custome which they had to condemne men to that sauage fight to make themselues sport in the beholding of it Now therefore saith the Apostle in this respect what profite could I haue looked to haue come vnto me by this my dangerous aduenture had not the hope of the resurrection animated me against the naturall feare and terrour concerning the spoile of my body The holy Apostle no doubt considered thus with himselfe that if hee had made that aduenture in carnall respectes and dyed in the combate his death had beene wofull or if he should haue escaped as by the mightie and powerfull mercy of God hee did yet should the glorie of his manhood be a meere vaine thing when it should be saide Paule plaide the man so that he ouercame wilde beastes at Ephesus c. And thus we may plainly perceiue that the holy Apostle doth make the beliefe of the resurrection of the body the ground of all comfort as touching the sufferings of the body Neither indeed is there any iust cause why wee should make any doubt but that as the body beareth a great part in that fight of all afflictions for all buffetings scourges imprisonments rackings c. doe befall it so God will giue it a great part of that blessed reward which he hath promised to giue vnto those that shall suffer any such things in their bodies for his truthes sake Now the sixt reason which is the last of those which the Apostle Paule vseth to proue the resurrection of the body it is yet behind Question Which is that Answer It is contained in these wordes 32. If the dead be not raised vp let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe wee shall dye Explicatiō This last reason taketh his strength from another great absurditie which followeth vpon the deniall of the resurrection of the body euen this so great an absurditie that the vngodly speech and practise of Epicures and Bellie-Gods as wee call them should cleane contrarie to the rule of Gods blessed word and practise of his holy religion haue at the least some colour and shewe of reason in that they say Let vs eate and drinke for to morrowe weee shall dye Wherefore seeing this so absurd and godlesse an opinion speech and practise is to be vtterly condemned of all men like as God himselfe most seuerely condemneth it as we reade Isai 22. verses 13.14 it followeth that euen for the same cause also that opinion or doctrine whatsoeuer which would giue incouragement licence to so great prophanenes is with like detestation to be condemned of all true Christians And of that sort is the deniall of the
rather shall the bodies of men as we reade verse 23. of the chapter And likewiise 1. Cor. 16.20 they are bought with a price Doubtlesse insomuch as the bodies of the faithful beare the violence of all cruell persecutions for the Lords cause he will not suffer theÌ„ to want their reward In this respect the sacrament of Baptisme is the more comfortable as we haue seene in the fourth reason of the Apostle The like may be said of the Lords Supper whereof the body is partaker For seeing the tree of life should haue beene a sufficient means or assurance of euerlasting life to Adam both in soule and body if he had abode faithfull to God much more will our Sauiour sacramentally represented yea wholly giuen vnto vs in this Sacrament be the author and meanes of eternall life vnto vs. Thus comfortable is the assured hope of the resurrection of the body to all those that apprehend it by a true and liuely faith so that not in vaine may they comfort themselues and one of them comfort another in this respect as Paul exhorteth and incourageth the beleeuing Thessalonians 1. Epist 4 18. Wherfore much more shall the comfort of the fruition it selfe be when once we shall be made partakers of it BVt till that time come it is necessary that we do not onely diligently learne to know but also carefully indeuour to practise those duties which this comfortable hope iustly challengeth at our hands and which are as it were the way to the obtaining of it at the last Question Which may these duties be Answer They are set forth vnto vs by the Apostle Paul in the former alledged 15. chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians as it followeth verses 57. and 58. which are the last verses of the chapter Question Let vs heare the Apostles words What doth he write in these verses Answer 57 Thanks be vnto God saith he who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ 58 Therefore my beloued brethren be ye stedfast vnmoueable aboundant alwaies in the worke of the Lord for as much as ye know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. ExplicatioÌ„ These words of the Apostle doe notably set forth vnto vs the duties belonging to the comfort of the resurrection partly by his owne practise and partly by his exhortation made to the Corinthians The Apostles practise commendeth vnto vs most hearty thankfulnesse to God as one particular dutie most boundenly belonging to him through the Lord Iesus Christ in this respect And that not without very iust cause seeing it is a very great and gratious benefit The which duty of thankfulnes would to God we had grace to remember to performe euery day that we rise out of our beds more heartily then hitherto we haue done For our bed may not â—naptly represent vnto vs our graues and our sleepe in our beds that sleepe of death which our bodies must haue in the graue And likewise euery mornings vprising from the sleepe of the night may not vnfitly put vs in mind of our resurrectioÌ„ which shal be at the last day and therewithall of this dutie of thankfulnesse which wee speake of for that comfortable assurance which he hath giuen vs concerning the same The exhortation of the Apostle moueth the Corinthians and likewise all other Christians more generally first to constancie in the assured beliefe of this Article of the Gospel as well as of all the rest against the false doctrine of all deceiuers in which respect he saith Therefore my beloued brethren be ye stedfast and vnmoueable And secondly it prouoketh to diligence in all good duties of obedience to God to the vttermost of our power both with soule and also with body all the daies of our liues according to the same assurance of immortality not only to the soul presently after the death of the body as we haue seen before but also to the body from the time of the resurrection of the same So that by this time we may see how truly it was said in our entrance to treat of this Article that this one fifteenth chapter of the Apostle Saint Paul containeth not onely the ground and warrant of it but also there withall the true Meaning of it and the Promise and the Duties belonging vnto it yea and the Danger also of not beleeuing it as we shal haue occasion to consider in the coÌ„clusion of our inquirie concerning this Article But before we come to that it may be profitable for vs first to see how the duties aboue mentioned are called for as fruits belonging to the comfort of the resurrection which we speake of and secondly what other duties do belong to the same Question In the first place therefore What other Scripture haue you for the dutie of thankfulnesse Answer In the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 4. verses 13 14 15. thus we reade 13 Because we haue the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeued and therefore haue I spoken we also saith the Apostle doe beleeue and therefore we speake 14 Knowing that he which hath raised vp the Lord Iesus shall raise vs vp also by Iesus and shall set vs with you 15 For all things are for your sakes that most plenteous grace by the thanksgiuing of many may redound to the praise of God ExplicatioÌ„ Here no doubt the resurrection of our bodies apprehended by faith is made one speciall cause of this thanksgiuing whereof the Apostle speaketh as depending vpon the resurrection of our Lord Iesus Christ Shew now likewise some other testimonies of holy Scripture for constancie in the faith and for the care of all good duty as a fruit of the comfort of the same faith touching the said resurrection Question What other testimonies can you alledge Answer It followeth in the 16. verse of the 4 chapter of the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians before alledged thus 16 Therefore saith the Apostle we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily Explication and proofe To this purpose also well may that serue Acts 24.15 16. Where the same our Apostle professeth in an excellent profession of his faith that he had hope towards God that the resurrection of the dead which the Iewes themselues also did generally looke for shall be both of iust and vniust And herein saith he further I endeuour my selfe to haue alwaies a cleare conscience toward God and toward men Reade also Philip. chapter 3. verses 7 8 c. The things saith the same Apostle againe which were aduantage vnto me the same I accounted losse for Christs sake c. And verse 11. If by any meanes I might attaine vnto the resurrection of the dead Not that the Apostle doubted of his attaining vnto it but hee speaketh so to note the excellencie of that which hee laboured after as being worthie all labour that may be imployed about it as it is further euident verses 12.13
set downe vnto you That is to say that from that which hath beene hitherto said for the interpretation and vse of all and euery of the Articles thereof wee may so clearely vnderstand what manner of faith that is whereby wee are iustified in the sight of God that the question of our iustification by faith may by the due consideration thereof be easily decided by vs. For we may easily perceiue that it is such a faith as is grounded wholly vpon the infallible warrant of the most holy and canonicall Scriptures of God rightly vnderstoode and not vpon any humane traditions True iustifying faith generally considered or vnwritten verities as they are called Such a faith as looketh directly to the grauous promises of God and not to those blinde incouragements and ouerweening perswasions or hopes which carnal confidence suggesteth Such a faith as yeeldeth that onely true comfort wherewith the heart of man may soundly boldly comfort and reioyce it selfe Such a faith as worketh by loue and is plentifull in all good duties both toward God and man Gal chap. 5. verse 6. Phil. chap. 1.11 In which respect it is worthily called the faith of the truth which is according to godlinesse vnder the hope of eternall life Tit. chap. 1. verses 1 2. It is no idle and dead faith such as Saint Iames doth iustly condemne chap. 2 verse 14 c. It is not a bare historicall or inwrapped saith to beleeue as the Church beleeueth nor any doubting faith as if it were good modestie so to beleeue such as the Popish Teachers deceiue the people withall It is no such faith as carnall gospellers doe make boast of and in the same their boasting feare not to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse Finally it is no such faith as is void of the power of godlinesse Wherevpon also it likewise followeth that he is no true Christian whosoeuer hee be that hath such a kinde of idle historicall inwrapped or doubting faith Neither is the carnall or loose worshipper any true or kindely and faithfull worshipper of God but onely such as be very carefull to glorifie God and to dispose of all their waies aright in obedience to all the lawes and commandements of God According as God himselfe hath solemnly determined this matter in the 50. Psalme namely in the last verse of the Psalme speaking thus by his holy Prophet He that offereth praise shall glorifie me and to him that disposeth his waie aright I will shew the saluation of God Such as will truely serue and please God must worship him seriously and in good earnest They must also be constant or else all former labour is lost The true faithfull Christian continuing constant must therewith also encrease For as we reade Rom 1.16 17. The Gospel is the power of God to saluation c. whereby the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith And therefore it is that the same Apostle maketh his prayer for the Thessalonians 2. Epist chap. 1.11 that God would make them worthie of his calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnesse and the worke of faith with power That the name of our Lord Iesus Christ may be glorified in them and they in him according to the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesus Christ Reade also Ephes 4 verse 11 12 13 c. And the Apostle Peter 2. Epist 3.18 Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to him be glory for euer and euer Amen Moreouer this we must know that albeit faith is of a working nature yet to speake properly it doth not iustifie by works but onely in that it apprehendeth Christ whom God hath made the Lord our righteousnesse yea to be euen all in all vnto vs and for vs. 1. Cor. 1.30 and Colos 2.9 10. Wherevpon it is that the Apostle Paul often affirmeth yea that he plentifully and strongly disputeth and proueth that our iustification is of the free grace mercy of God namely in his Epistles written to the Romans and to the Galatians So that faith it selfe hath no power to iustifie otherwise then as an instrumentall cause and that also by the meere grace of God which inableth it to apprehend and lay hold vpon our Sauiour Christ and his righteousnesse Neither hath it any power at all to worke but through the sanctification of the holy Ghost And both of these powers also are diligently to be distinguished For as both the fire and the Sunne haue their double force that is to giue light and to make warme yet doe they neither warme by their light nor giue light by their warmth so albeit faith doth inlighten the mind to behold the fauour grace of God in Christ Iesus also inflameth the heart to be zealous of all good workes to the glory of God yet doth it no more iustifie by working then fire or the Sunne do burne by that light which they giue Yea and to speake more properly it is God onely who iustifieth sinners as the alone efficient cause and fountaine of iustification and that euen through his meere grace in that he forgiueth their sinnes for Iesus Christs sake and imputeth his righteousnesse vnto them Rom. 3.24 25 26 27 28. And 2. Cor. 5.21 as was said before As for works of obedience they are fruits onely declaring the truth of that faith which iustifieth And so is the Apostle Iames to be vnderstood as hath beene shewed more at large in the beginning of this part of our Treasurie Finally it may well be obserued that when we speake generally of iustification by faith wee may vnderstand iustification to be a generall fruit of beleeuing the whole doctrine of saluation contained in all the Articles of our beliefe as well concerning God the Father and the holy Ghost as the Sonne c. without neglect of any of them though with a special respect and relying vpon the sufferings and death of our Sauiour Christ These are the things which I thought good to adde vnto all former particulars for a generall conclusion of the whole doctrine of our christian beliefe Now God of his infinite mercy make vs truly wise with all his Saints and elect children vnto our eternall saluation in the right vnderstanding beleeuing and obeying of the great mysterie of Godlinesse in Iesus Christ our Lord. To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost one true and eternall God be all praise honour and glory both now and for euer and euer Amen FINIS Verses Eucharisticall or of thanksgiuing to the honour and praise of our most gratious good God THe Gospel is a Iewell rare And hidden from our sight Gospel This present worke a key it is To bring it vnto light Faith is the hand whose proper t' is Thereon to lay sure hold Faith Iustification This book this hand doth guide vnto This pretious pearle of gold And by this Faith which holdeth it Made iust and sau'd we be This
and Paul preached vnto the people of Lystra that they should turne from vaine Idolls to the liuing God c. The same Apostles doe make report of the conversion that is of the repentance of the Gentiles And verse 19. My sentence is saith the Apostle Iames that wee trouble not them of the Gentiles that are turned to the Lord. And the Epist of Iames chapt 5.19.20 Vnto this conuersion or turning to the Lorde erring or going astray is opposed And 1. Pet 2.25 Yee were as sheepe going astray but nowe yee are returned vnto the Shepheard and Byshop of your soules that is to our Lord Iesus Christ and to the obedience of his Gospell c. Reade also 1. Thessalon 1.9 and 2. Corinth 3.16 Finallie how repentance or at the least a singular meanes or introduction to the renewing of it is noted by the worde of remembrance or bethinking our selues of our former euill wayes Reade Reuelat 2.5 Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first workes c. And chapt 3.3 Remember howe thou hast receiued and heard and see thou holde fast and repent Neither is it without great cause that this remembring of ourselues should be required to repentance because wee are naturallie forgetfull of our duties and of all good things Yea wee are naturallie so possessed with the thoughts and remembrance of vaine and wicked things that there is no roome for any good thought or meditation And so it commeth to passe that the heart is set altogether vppon euill which onely is present and ready both to eye and to eare to hand and foote and all vntill it shall please God to giue vs grace better to remember and bethinke our selues And thus wee may perceiue howe the nature of Repentance is opened vnto vs euen from a distinction of those sondrie names or words whereby it hath pleased the holie Ghost to expresse the same vnto vs in the holie Scriptures both of the olde and also of the new Testament Concerning the which distinction of the words this yet we must neuertheles vnderstand as touching the matter it selfe that it must be entirely and whollie conceiued of vs though one of the wordes onely be any where mentioned instead of the rest And so doth our English translation oftentimes by good interpretation exhort generally to amendment of life euen from the first of the Greeke words aboue rehearsed though it doe properlie signifie the change of the minde onely Yea and for the same cause also the same words are for the more full declaration of the nature of repentance not seldome combined and lincked together in the holie Scriptures themselues chieflie the first and the third of them the same also sometime with an addition of some other words for more euidence sake as Deut 30.1.2 If thou shalt turne into thine heart c. and returne vnto the Lord thy God and obey his voyce in all that I command thee this day thou and thy children with all thine heart and with all thy soule Then the Lord thy God will cause thy Captiues to returne and haue compassion vppon thee c. And 1. King 8.47.48 If they turne againe vnto their heart c and turne againe to the Lorde with all their heart and with all their soule confessing their sinnes c. The like is in many other places of the olde Testament And in the new Testament likewise as for example Matth 3.8 and Luk 3.8 and Act 26.18 wher the Apost Paul saith that our Sauiour Christ sent him to preach to the Gentiles that their eyes might be opened and so might turne from darknesse to light and from the power of Sathan to God And verse 20. hee professeth accordinglie that he preached both to Iewes and Gentiles that they should repent and turne to GOD and doe workes worthie amendment of life that is to say such as might outwardly argue and declare the inward truth of the change of the heart and minde Read also Act 3.19 Amend your liues and turne that your sinnes may be put away c. But enough concerning the words wherby the holie Scriptures of God doe note out and signifie repentance euen such as our owne English wordes doe answer vnto when wee say of any that hee is repentant penitent conuerted amended c. NOw let vs furthermore euen as brieflie as wee can lay forth the nature of repentance from that description which hath bene set downe of it according to the doctrine of the holie Scriptures Wherin wee may well be so much the more briefe because it hath bene in a great part cleared already euen by the opening of the words werby it is vsually pointed out vnto vs. First therfore concerning that which was answered in the beginning namelie that repentance in the generall signification of it comprehendeth all graces of spirituall regeneration and new birth faith onely excepted it may hence appeare that the whole worke of Gods grace which he worketh in his children is comprehended vnder these two heads Repent and beleeue the Gospell For this is a briefe summe of the whole doctrine of the Gospell Mark ch 1.15 And so doth the Apostle Paul abridge his whole doctrine saying that he witnessed both to Iewes and Grecians repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ Act 20.21 and 2 Tim. 1.13 Keep the true paterne of wholsome words which thou hast heard of me in faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus Wher loue is Synecdochicallie put for whole Repentance because it is a principall grace and as wee may say a radicall or fundamentall part therof And Heb 6.1 Not â—aying againe the foundation of repentance from deade workes and of Faith toward God Neuertheles we graunt herewithall that repentance and conuersion to God may be construed in so large a sense that it shall comprehend faith also as a part of it But wee speake here of the more proper and exact limites and bownds of them like as faith also and knowledge are to be distinguished though sometimes the one is put for the other according to that of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 17. This is eternall life to knowe thee c. And Esay 53. By his knowledge my righteous seruant shall iustifie manie c. Secondlie from the former proofe it is euident that Repentance doth alwaies accompanie true iustifiyng faith But that repentance should be a fruite of faith and that faith in a certaine order is to haue his place assigned before it howsoeuer in time they goe together as touching the inward change of the heart and minde it is not from the former testimonies to be so easily discerned in so much as Repentance in course and order of Doctrine is placed before it the reason wherof hath bene obserued heretofore Wee are therefore for this pointe to looke to some other places of holie Scripture whence it may be cleared And namely to the 9. verse of the 15. chap of the Actes where we read it plainely expressed
life Yea and for the better declaration of this excellent doctrine I desire that you shew which they are as each succeede other in either of the same respects Question FIrst therefore which are the former sort of those graces that belong to mortification so farre as for some orders sake we may for the present discerne of them Answere They are these which follow First a true knowledge and earnest meditation of sinne yea of that originall fountaine of sinne which is in our wicked nature How infinite also in number and how haynous in offence our sinnes are and alwaies haue beene in the sight of God How grieuous to the children of God who haue alreadie begun to repent so farre as they haue broken forth to Gods dishonour Ad how dangerous and deadly they are euen against our owne soules Secondly shame and confusion of face and conscience both before God and the holy Angels and also if neede so require before all good and godly men Thirdly remorse and pricking of conscience in the sence of the guiltines of our sinnes and in the feare of Gods iust wrath and vengeance due to them Fourthly godly sorrow and mourning euen with salt teares of repentance from the bitternes of a mans soule in contrition as it were and brokennes of heart before the Lord. Fiftly a willing suffering and induring of all rebukes and chastisements which God sendeth at any time to the taming and subduing of our vnruly and rebellious nature But aboue all and in all a most neare application of the death of our Sauiour Christ to our wounded soules and consciences the which onely is a most soueraine plaister to mortifie and kill as it were the proud flesh of sinne and also to heale and quiet euerie soule that is troubled and distressed for the same Explication and proofe These indeede doe most immediatly goe before in the worke of Gods grace to the mortification of sinne Concerning the first whereof that is the knowledge of sinne c. it commeth as we haue alreadie learned from the doctrine of the law which God hath for the benefit of his children made as it were a seruant to the Gospell though to the obstinate it is armed as a Iudge to their condemnation And further for the meditation of the greatnes of sinne and the infinite number of them euen from our youth yea from our originall corruption of nature consider the example of Dauid Psal 25.7 and 38.4 and 40.12 and 51.4.5 and Psal 19.12 And of Iob. Cha. 9.2.3 and Chap. 13.26 And of Ezra Chap. 9 6. And for the griefe which we put the godlie vnto by our sinne consider it from the example of Lot 2. Pet. 2.8 of Dauid Psal 119. verses 136.158 of Ier Chap. 9.1 and Paul 2. Cor. 12.21 and Phil 3.18 Secondly for shame and confusion read in the same Ch of Ezra and in the beginning of the same verse where note that when the seruants of God are ashamed and confounded for the sinnes wherein other haue chiefely trespassed how much more then ought euery one to bee ashamed of his owne For the which reade further Ieremy 3.25 Wee lye downe in our confusion and our shame couereth vs for wee haue sinned against the Lord our God wee and our Fathers from our youth euen vnto this day and haue not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God Reade also Ezek. Chap. 16.68 Thou shalt remember thy waies and bee ashamed c. And I will establish my couenant with thee and thou shalt knowe that I am the Lord. That thou maiest remember and bee ashamed and neuer open thy mouth any more because of thy shame when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done saith the Lord God And Rom. 6.21 What fruite had yee then in those thinges whereof yee are now ashamed For the ende of those things is death Marke heere the iust cause why we should be ashamed of sinne namely that we should euer be so foolish as to addict our mindes to follow so greedily and to delight so excessiuely as we haue done in that which without repentance would be our vtter destruction For want of this shame for sinne read a vehement rebuke Ier. 3 3. Thou haddest a whores forehead and wouldest not be ashamed And chap. 6.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination Nay they were not ashamed no neither could they haue any shame therefore shall they fall among the slaine c. The Prophet speaketh of a godly shame for otherwise by the conuiction of their consciences that they doe ill in the committing of sinne the very wicked haue a certaine shame though it profiteth them not as chap. 2.26 As the thiefe is ashamed when he is found so is the house of Israel ashamed they their Kings and their Princes and their Prophets Saying to a tree thou art my father and to a stone thou hast begotten me c. There is none in the world who if they haue not by custome of sinne and hardnesse of heart as it were feared their consciences with a hoat yron as the Apostle writeth but they haue akinde of shame and blushing in their face when their sinne is found out according to the prouerbiall saying The good blood lyeth not But the shame of those that are in the way of repentance is an other manner of shamefastnesse for they doe willingly shame themselues and that euen as in the sight of God and from their very hearts in a dislike of their sinne c. Thirdly for remorse and pricking of conscience read Gen. 42.21.22 We haue verily sinned against our brother say the brethren of Ioseph c. Read also 2. Sam. chap. 24.10 Dauids heart smote him after hee had numbred the people and Dauid said to the Lord I haue sinned exceedingly in that I haue done Therefore now Lord I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant for I haue done very foolishly And Acts. 2.37 Now when they heard it to wit how grieuous a sinne they â—ad coÌ„mitted in crucifying the sonne of God they were pricked in their hearts c. Fourthly concerning godly sorrowe and mourning the holy Apostle Paul writeth that godly sorrow causeth repentance to saluation neuer to be repented of 2. Cor. 7.10 The Apostle meaneth that this is one helping cause among the rest through the worke of Gods grace though not the onely cause It causeth repentance because it doth by the grace of God prouoke it not onely to beginne but also more and more to worke forth the owne worke For when a man is truly sorie for sinne hee indeuoureth to leaue it and to take a better course In which respect King Salomon Eccles 7.4 affirmeth that it is better to goe to the house of mourning then to goe to the house of feasting because this is the end of all men and the liuing will lay it to his heart Likewise he saith that anger is better then laughter he speaketh of that anger which a man
receiue saith our Sauiour Christ c. Nowe this wee knowe is a speciall petition which wee are to aske of God that it would please him to increase our Faith as wee haue the example of the Disciples of our Sauiour Christ Thus much for the explanation and proofe of this answere NExt to this it is not as I suppose amisse that you shew after what manner I meane in what course and order the holie Ghost doth work this worke of our regeneration and newe birth with the increases thereof in the seuerall parts or branches of it so farre as for the present wee can discerne Question What is the order of this his working Answere First hee sheweth euery one of the Elect children of God his owne ignorant sinnefull and damnable estate yea hee subdueth their soules to an acknowledgement of the iust deserued damnation which is due thervnto and accordinglie to feare and tremble at the curse of the Lawe Secondly hee inlighteneth the minde to see the Saluation of God with hope to bee a partaker thereof Thirdlie hee stirreth vp the affection of the heart to a longing desire after it and therewithall to mourne for sinne which might iustly separate betwixt vs and it Yet so as hee causeth the heart to long with patience in waiting for the comfort and assurance of attaining vnto it Fourthlie he powreth into the soule and conscience a feeling and ioyous tast of Gods loue and of his gratious readinesse to shew mercie yea hee giueth such a certificat of their particular Adoption to bee the children of God that they reioyce more therein then if they had wonne the whole world Finallie the holy Ghost doth not cease to stirre vp euerie true beleeuer to an earnest care and indeuour of daylie profiting by all holy meanes both in Knowledge and Faith and also in Repentance and obedience of the Gospell comforting and strengthening them also against all such lettes and discouragementes as they doe meete withall For the first of these read Iohn ch 16.9.10.11.12 The holie Ghost as our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs reprooueth the world of Sinne and of Righteousnesse and of Iudgment Of sinne saith our Sauiour because they beleeue not in mee c. Wherby it is euident that not to beleeue in Christ is a very great and a grieuous sinne For the second read Ephes 1.17.18 where the holie Ghost is called the Spirit of wisedome and Reuelation inlightening the eyes of our vnderstanding to know the hope of the calling of God c. Read also 1. Cor 2.9.10 The things which the eye hath not seene c. God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God And for the comfort of Hope see Rom 8.24 Wee are saued by Hope Thirdly for that desire and longing after Saluation which the holy Ghost worketh read in the same chapt the 23. verse and also verses 26.27 Wee which haue the first fruits of the Spirit doe euen sigh in our selues waiting for the Adoption euen the redemption of our bodies Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not what to pray as wee ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh request for vs with sighes which cannot be expressed c. And the children of God are noted by this property that they loue the saluation of God Psal 40.16 And which is in effect all one they are said to be such as loue the appearing of the Lord. 2. Tim. 4.8 And therefore they pray Come Lord Iesu come quickly Reuel 22 20. And Psal 119.41 Let thy louing kindnes come vnto me ó Lord and thy saluation according to thy promise Neuerthelesse they wayte with patience according to that of the Patriarke Iaacob Gen 49.18 O Lord I haue waited for thy saluation And as Simeon vppon whom was the holy Ghost as the Euangelist testifieth waited for the consolation of Israel Luke 2.25 And as we read Rom 8.25 If we hope for that we see not we doe with patience abide for it According also to that in the 123. Psal Behold as the eyes of seruants looke to the hand of their Maisters and as the eyes of a maiden to the hand of her Mistres so our eyes waite vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercie vpon vs. And that the holy Ghost causeth the children of God to mourne for their sinnes it hath beene shewed before in which respect they are said to be such as mourne in Sion Isai 61.3 The which mourning also ministreth hope of Gods mercy Lamen chap 5.19.20.21 Ezek chap. 9. For the proofe of the fourth branch read Rom 5.5 The loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. And chap 8.15.16 Ye haue receiued the Spirit of adoption whereby wee crie Abba Father The same Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirit that wee are the children of God Herein as the Apostle Peter teacheth wee haue cause to reioice with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious 1. Ep 1.8 And in comparison heereof all is but dung as the Apostle Paul truly estimateth Phil 3.8 Finally touching the care of further profitting both in knowledge faith and repentance which the holy Ghost worketh it may be proued from that wee read Philip 1.7 God will performe the good worke which hee hath begun And the prayer of the same Apostle warranteth the same 2. Thessa 1.11 God will fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodnes and the worke of faith with power Hee will leade from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith and from glory to glory according to the image of God Rom 1.17 2. Corinth 3.18 Read also Prouerb 4.18 The way of the righteous shineth as the light which shineth more and more vnto the perfit day And for proceeding in knowledge consider of that 2. Cor 5.16 Henceforth know wee no man after the flesh yea though we had knowne Christ after the flesh that is not so purely as we ought looking too much to his abasement c. Yet henceforth know we him so no more A figuratiue concession like to that 1. Corinth 4. ◠Consider also of the similitude which the same Apostle vseth in the 13. chap of the same Epistle verse 11. When I was a childe I spake as a childe I vnderstoode as a childe I thought as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things So it is in the spirituall age as it were of Christ not onely in comparison of our estate heere with that it shall be in the Kingdome of glory but also in respect of that differing measure of grace heere in the Kingdome of grace which now wee speake of For as in the worke of nature all the parts and powers are not perfect at once but they growe in the wombe first Ecclesiast 11.5 and after by the milke of the mothers breast c so is it in the worke of grace Wee are borne of the Spirit wee must growe vp still by the
Gospel which are the seales of all the Articles of our Christian faith And also of the Lords praier which is a principal rule of Christian praier a singular exercise of faith c. Question Which therefore first of all be the Articles of our Christian beliefe as they are in that briefe summe comprised and by the common consent of all true Churches of Christ euen froÌ„ the most incorrupt times coÌ„mended vnto vs Answere I beleeue in God the Father almightie maker of heauen earth And in Iesus Christ his onely sonne our Lord which was conceiued by the holy Ghost c. ExplicatioÌ„ proofe This summe of the doctrine of the Gospel concerning the chiefe Articles of our faith gathered out of the holie scriptures as hath bene said it conteineth an bridgement of the most high diuine mysterie of the nature of God that is to say of the incomprehensible Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of one most absolute perfect spirituall essence or beeing of the Godhead so farre as it is meet for vs to enquire or may be knowne and discerned of vs. And therwithall it setteth out vnto vs fraile creatures and most miserable sinners the free couenant of Gods diuine mercy fauour and grace towards vs. Herewithall also A briefe summe of the doctrine of the holy Gospel contained in the articles of our Beliefe it layeth forth these two things first the causes of our iustification and secondly the fruites or benefits thereof The causes are these first to speake more generally the whole Trinitie of persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost eternally consenting in the vnitie of the Godhead to elect and ordaine vs therevnto But more particularly the Father for orders sake as the efficient cause the Sonne in that hee tooke our nature and therein liued preached wrought miracles fulfilled the righteousnes of the law and at the last died for vs and rose againe c. the materiall cause The holy Ghost in that by the preaching of the Gospell he giueth faith the formall cause The small cause being the euerlasting praise of the same most glorious free grace and mercie of God Now the fruite and benefit of this grace of God towards vs beeing generally comprehended vnder this worde saluation the particulars are partly expressed Communion of Saints in one holy catholike Church forgiuenes of sinnes resurrection of the body and euerlasting life and partly they are to be collected from those that be mentioned as vnspeakable peace of conscience heere yea euen against death and hell it selfe and the immortality of the soule in heauen euen from the very time of our departure out of this life c. This summe of the chiefe Articles of our faith therefore containeth an abridgement of the Historie of all the greatest and most glorious counsels and workes of God and of his most wonderfull benefits towards vs Election Prouidence Creation Adoption Redemption Iustification Sanctification Saluation and Glorification and to these ends and purposes alike abridgement of the incarnation of the sonne of God and therewithall of the vnion of the humane nature with the diuine in one most holy person of a mediator and also of the sufferings of the sonne of God c. all of them as was said before proceeding from the infinite bountie of Gods mercie to vs most vnworthie men Of the which most great counsels and works of God it is worthily written by the Apostle Paul 1. Tim. 3.16 * Omologoumenos Confessedly oâ— by a general acknowledgement to wit of all tâ—â—e Christians Without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlines which is God manifested in the flesh iustified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleeued on in the world and receiued vp in glorie Read also Rom 8.29.30 c. Those which God knew before he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his sonne that he might be the first borne among many brethren Moreouer whom he hath predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified What shall we then say to these things If God be on our side who can be against vs c. And Ephes 3.8.9.10 c. Euen to me the least of all Saints saith the holy Apostle is this grace giuen that I should preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ And to make cleare vnto all men what the fellowship of the mysterie is which from the beginning of the world hath beene hid in God who hath created all things by Iesus Christ. c. Of these most high and excellent things we will by the grace of God treat and inquire according to this summe of the Articles of our faith in the order following First of all wee will consider of some speciall ground of holy Scripture whence euery article or point of our faith may be warranted and from whence also the right sence meaning thereof may be interpreted and opened For the word of God contained in the bookes of Canonicall Scripture the which God himselfe hath giuen and authorized for the instruction of his Church it is the onely certaine and vndoubted ground and foundation of faith And therefore also it is our bounden dutie to yeeld it the honour of teaching and confirming euery truth of God from the sacred testimonie and witnesse thereof And thus we read how in matters of faith the Scripture referreth it selfe to the Scripture the latter to the former Luke 24. verses 25.26.27 and verses 44.45.46.47 And before this in the 22. chap ver 37. Reade also Acts chap 26. verse 22. and 1. Corinth 15.1.2.3.4 and 2. Pet 1.19 And verily it were too great sluggish a folly for any to content themselues so with any briefe abridgement that the originall copie wherein is the more full and perfect declaration of all things should be neglected A man will not doe so with his seuerall Deeds and more large writings shewing the conueiances of his landes for any briefe extent or suruey which hee hath taken of them And shall we be more vnwise concerning the grand euidence of our saluation Nay rather as great landed men by how much they see by a short viewe that their possessions are very ample c. they will make the more reckoning of all their auncient Court-rouls or Charters c. So let vs by all meanes prouoke ourselues notwithstanding any other testimony to make our principall and most precious account of the authenticall and diuine records of God And that not onely for the points themselues which concerne our faith but also for the right vnderstanding of them and for all holy circumstances belonging to them For in this respect the holy Scriptures are so necessarie that without them wee should not by the shortnesse of our Creede heare of many points necessarily to bee bee beleeued of vs for our holy instruction and comfort And they that are mentioned could not without the holy
our creation And herein let vs all consider earnestly what we were but one hundreth of years agoe yea a great deale lesse And as for many of vs what were we but euen a tewe yeares since Where were we in all the world what were we were we not iust nothing Our owne creation therefore may iustly be a strong argument vnto vs of the creation of all other things and of the world it selfe For seeing that God by his almightie power hath made our selues in this our time as all other in â—heir ages why should it be strange to vs to heare the word of God to teach vs that all things were created of nothing Surely that creatures who haue reason should call into question the truth of the doctrine of creation it is not onely without reason but also euen vnnaturall For a created nature hauing reason and not being peruerted in it selfe must needs easily see and feelingly as it were acknowledge euen from the own state the creation of all other creatures WE therfore putting away all doubt herein Let vs proceed to the manner of the creation as the Lord himselfe hath of the same his most gracious goodnes made it knowne vnto vs. Question How was that Answere All things at the beginning that is so soone as time it selfe had any beeing they were created and began to take their beeing onely by the word and commandement of God according to his owne eternall decree in this behalfe Explication and proofe This is indeed the tâ—â—e meaning of the first wordes of the holy Bible euen of the first wordes of the first booke of the Scriptures of God In the beginning saith the Prophet Moses who hath this testimonie of God that he was very faithfull Heb â— 5. God created the heauens and the earth In the beginning that is to say eâ—en so soone as there was any beginning of any creature did the creation of all things begin yea euen so soone aâ— time it selfe began The which time God made also as the measure of all the rest of his creatures and works in regard of their first beeing when they began and also of their continuance as they are former or latter euen to the last ende of the longest time that may be of this short and transitorie world According to that Psal 102 2â— â—6 27 They shall perish but thou shalt endure c. And 1. Cor 7.29 The time is short And verse 30. The fashion of this world goeth away And 1. Pet 4.7 The ende of all things is at hand But touching the newe heauen and the newe earth which shall bee established the time of the continuance of this present euil and sinnefull world once ended as they shall bee in a more excellent estate so shall their continuance for euer be measured by another kinde of measure euen aboue measure that is by time as it were timelesse for euer and euer euen by time and times time without ende As Reuel 21 23. The Citie shall haue no neede of the Sunne c. Neither is there any night there c. Of the which enough for this time Wherefore that wee may proceede It is true also that you haue answered that the onely immediate cause efficient of the creation was the word and commandement of God without all instruments and meanes which the wicked and vngodly Epicures and Atheists of the world mockingly aske after According to the holy testimonies of the diuine Scriptures Ps 33.6 as it hath beene alledged before And againe Psal 148.5 He commanded and they were created Euen according to the historicall narration of Moses in this our first Chapter or Gene God saide let there be light and there was light Let there be a firmament or spreading out of the aierie regions c. And all were presently so as God spake and commanded Question But I pray you doe you vnderstand this so as if God vttered any sound of words and that by the vertue thereof he created all things Answere I haue beene taught to vnderstand them otherwise then so Explication and proofe There is good reason thereof For hetherto there was no vse of vocall and sounding speech seeing there was yet no creature to heare it nor instrument to sound it or place whether the sound thereof should bee carried no nor ayer wherein it should bee sounded I meane at the first instant of the creation Question How then haue you learned to vnderstand the speech and commanmandement of God at the first beginning and so forth in the whole worke of creation Answere It noteth the execution of his eternal decree in the beginning of time Loquutus est Deus hoc est inquit Caluinus aeternum suum decretuÌ„ protulit Comment in Gen. 1.11 God hath spoken saith Caluin that is hee hath performed his eternall decree according as eternally and before all time without beginning he purposed in himselfe to accomplish his worke by his Sonne together with the holy Ghost who are eternally and without all beginning the essentiall wisedome and power of God ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe Thus indeed concerning the sonne of God doth the holy Euangelist Iohn most diuinely expound this creating WORD chap 1.1 c. In the beginning saith he was the word and the word was God The same was in the beginning with God All things were made by it and without it was made nothing that was made In it was life and the life was the light of men c. And verse 10. The world was made by him c. And thenceforth he proceedeth to shewe that as the world was at the first made by him and set in good estate so it being peruerted by the sinne of man it is againe renewed deliuered from vanitie and corruption by him c. 2. Cor. 5.17 And touching the holy Ghost that hee was as the hand and euen the very power of God in this mightie worke of his creation Moses himselfe expresly affirmeth it in the second verse of his first chapter So then by the testimony and interpretation of the Euangelist Iohn it is plaine that as well the heauen and the earth at the first instant as afterward the whole disposition of them and the creation of all the other earthly and visible creatures out of them were created by the word or speech and commandement of God in such sence as hath beene already expounded Question Doe you not see this to be plaine from the Testimonie and interpretation of the Euangelist Iohn It is very cleare and plaine And the Apostle Paul also doth as clearly confirme the same in his Epistle to the Colos chap 1.15.16 and 17. verses Rehearse you the wordes of the Apostle Which are they Question Who that is the deare Sonne of God whom hee had mentioned a little before is the Image of the inuisible God Answere the first begotten of euery creature that is eternally begotten and hauing his personal subsistence from God the Father before there was any
God euen from the beginning of the world THese things thus obserued Let vs now come to the secoÌ„d daies work the which Question for our more familiar vnderstanding we vse to cal Monday What did the Lord create in it Answere The Lord so cleared and ordered the regions of the aire as they might be most commodious for the placing of all heauenly creatures in their proper seates limits and circuites as it were in their chambers and lofts each aboue other and likewise that all earthly creatures might liue comfortably vpon the earth euery one according to their kindes when they should afterward be created As it followeth in the 6.7 8. verses of this first chapter of Genesis Question Rehearse Moses his own words as they are there conteined Which are they Answere They are these Againe God said Let there be a firmament or as it is Englished more agreeable to the Hebrew word in the margent of our Bibles Let there be a spreading ouer and therewithall aire in the middest of the waters and let it seperate the waters from the waters 7 Thus God made a certeine firmament or spreading ouer as before and separated the waters which were vnder the same firmament from the waters which were aboue it and it was so 8 And God called this firmameÌ„t heaueÌ„ so the euening the morning were the 2 day The work of the Lord in this second day though it be recorded but as one yet it is a very great and a gratious one For therin he fitted the regions of the ayre for all excellent vses that the Sun and the Moon and the Starres might haue their places courses in them that the clowds might haue their place course as the bottels of God to water the earth in due time that the snow and the haile might be congealed and spred abroade in their due seasons c. And that the earthly creatures might haue a cleare and thin not a grosse and foggie aier to draw their breath in and that also to this end the windes might with their blasts purge the same For to these if ther be any such like purposes God in this second day fitted the whole aier and disposed of the seuerall regions as it were the sollers and loftes and chambers thereof according to that of the 104. Psal verse 3. The Lorde layeth the beames of his chambers in the water and hee maketh the clowdes his Chariot and walketh vpon the wings of the winde And verse 13. Hee watereth the mountaines from his chambers And Gen 7.11 it is said to note aboundance of rainâ— that the windowes of these chambers were opened the which are called the windowes of Heauen Likewise Mal 3.10 In this respect also the clowdes are called the bottels of Heauen Iob 38.37 On this day also this part of the firmament had a disposition giuen it in the times and seasons therof to ingender snowe and haile c. Of the which wee read in the same 38. chapt of the booke of Iob. So that from hence wee may not vnfitlie gather that the clowdes and the windes had their creation in this second day besides that all was fitted to all ends before specified Read also Iob chap 38.9 where the clowdes are said to haue beene the couering of the Sea while darknesse was as the swadling bands therof Amos 4.13 God is the Creator of the windes Thus therefore did the Lord in the second day cleare and order the aire in most excellent manner euen before the deepe gulfe of the waters were emptied out of the earth and before ther was any drie land at all to the end that herein as well as before and as we shall haue occasion to obserue afterward the wisedome and power and goodnesse of God might rather be considered in it selfe then from the reason of naturall causes as the ouerwise Philosophers of the world haue too busilie accustomed themselues to doe for want of the true knowledge of the word of God herein This firmament or spreading out and the ordering of the aire and namely of that region or circular space which the Lorde hath appointed for the raine and moysture of heauen to be staied in ouer our heads and euen this lower aire also wherin we liue and breath God called heauen that is he appointed them to be as wee may say the aiery heauen according as wee vse to call the foules or raine and such like things which are in these partes of the aier the fowles or clowdes or raine of heauen c. This as Moses assureth vs was God his wise gratious and mighty work in the second day For the which we ought to glorifie praise his most holie and glorious name as Ps 148.4 Question THe worke of the third day is next Howe doth Moses reporte that Answere It foloweth thus in the 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. verses of the same 1. chap of Gene. 9 God said againe let the waters that be vnder the heauen gather themselues or flowe together into one place and let the drie land appeare and it was so 10 And God called the drie land Earth and he called the gathering together of the waters Seas and God saw that it was good 11 God said also let the earth bud forth the bud of the hearb that seedeth seed the fruitfull tree which beareth fruit according to his kinde which hath his seede in it selfe vpon the earth and it was so 12 Thus the earth brought forth the budde of the hearbe that seeedeth seede according to his kinde also the tree that beareth fruit which hath his seede in it selfe according to his kinde And God saw that it was good Explâ—cation and proofe 13 So the euening and the morning were the third day This day was that which we commonly call Tuesday Here are two mightie workes of God The one the clearing of the land as before the Lord had cleared the ayre The other the replenishing of the earth with hearbes and trees bearing their seedes and fruits But because the clearing of the earth from the waters could not be done without another worke for the conveyance and as we may say channelling and banking in of the Seas Note also that the riuers and fountaines or springs of water were ordered disâ—oâ—ed in this day read Reuel 14.7 therefore we may iustlie vnderstand this to be a third worke of God vpon the third day The least whereof could not possiblie be wrought and brought to passe but by an Almightie and creating power Of these things therfore let vs stand to consider a little that our mindes may be the better informed concerning the greatnes and excellencie of them by the help of some other testimonies of the holie Scriptures which doe worthilie stand in the commemoration of the same And first for the clearing of the earth by the emptying of the waters it is spoken of as of a worke of a newe creation For before this it was as if it had not
thanksgiuing which he had before acquainted them withall Luke 24.30.35 Moreouer that we are to blesse God in the beholding of the Sunne c the 8. Psalme may teach all that account themselues schollers in the Schoole-house of the holie Ghost And for the renewing of the creatures when we behold them what our duetie is wee may learne from the ordinance of God in the children of Israell their offering of the first fruites to God Read Deut 26.1.2 c. And by the practise of the Church in the song of thankesgiuing for the renewing of the pastures and of the sheepe and of corne by the seasonable showers of heauen while yet they grewe in the fieldes Psalm 65.9 c. And by the example of Hezekiah and his Princes who blessed God for the heapes which they sawe chambred for the maintenance of Gods worship and for the ministers therof 2. Chron 31.8 Finallie that we may ende with the proofe of the beginning of the answer Read Rom chapt 15. verses 12.13.14 and 1. Corin 6.12.13 and chap 7.29.30.31 and Ephes 5.17 c. Be yee not vnwise but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is And be not drunken with wine wherin is excesse but be fulfilled with the Spirit speaking to your selues in Psalmes and hymnes c. Thus then all the creatures and ordinances of God mariage and whatsoeuer doth most affect the senses and the naturall man they must all and euerie of them be so vsed and in the vse so moderated that wee take heede that by the vse of them wee be furthered and not hindered in the holie worship and seruice of God our heauenly Father For otherwise as we haue learned before out of the 1. Epist chap 2. of the Apostle Iohn the loue of the Father cannot remaine with vs. Let this suffice for the duties of faith concerning the comfort of other the visible creatures of God Question LEt vs come to ourselues and see what our Duties are in respect of our owne creation And in the first place what Duties are belonging to the comfort of this that God hath created our bodies to be the Temples of the holie Ghost here in this life and to be partakers of the resurrection of the iust at the last day to euerlasting happines and glorie Answere Insomuch as our bodies beeing in themselues no better then dust from the dust of the earth are neuertheles by the Fatherlie goodnes of God thus highly aduanced it is our most bounden dutie so much the rather to yeelde them whollie and euerie member therof to the seruice of his heauenlie Maiestie And to this end to pray earnestly to God for holie wisedome and vnderstanding according to that wee read Psalme 119. verse 73. Thine hands haue made me and facioned mee giue me vnderstanding therfore that I may learne thy commandements In this respect also are wee verie liuely and sensiblie admonished to consider and acknowledge our owne humane frailtie and for euer to humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God by whose power alone we line mooue and haue our beeing as the Apostle Paul teacheth vs. Acts 17.28 Explication and proofe It is very true poore soules that wee are the pot-sheard with the pot-sheardes of the earth saith the Prophet Isai ch 45.9 That is one in this respect is no better then another the King is euen as the poore man the strong as the weak c according to that Psal 62.9 The children of men are vanitie yea euen in their best estate Plalm 39.5 And againe Isai chap 40.6 All fleshe is grasse For so great is our humane frailtie euen in our best and most healthfull estate that euerie sixt hower wee are faine to seeke reliefe from other the pore and fraile creatures of God euen such as the earth from whence wee our selues are taken sendeth forth and cherisheth to wit corne fleshe fruites of the trees butter from the kine c. Wee cannot one hower forbeare apparell in the colder season of the yeare And this wee borow from the fleece of the sillie sheep or from the poore sillie worme c. How little a distemper will put vs into a fitte of an ague howe little a thing will offend our queisie stomack who can make his owne heart so much as to pant in his bodie or his pulse to beate in the wrest of his arme Halfe our life time wee passe away in sleeping And if wee want but a little of our ordinarie sleepe our senses are greatly dulled Wee are euer and anone out of tune in one part or other Wee are like the instrument of Musicke which though it be exquisitelie and finelie made yet it must be often newe set c. And within a short time all will be out of frame and hasten to an vtter dissolution till the time of restoring do come according to that excellent description of our bodilie and earthlie frailtie Eccles chapt 12.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8 c. ch 3.20 and Iob 34.15 Ps 146.3.4 Fraile creatures are wee therefore as was said and so let vs acknowledge our selues and humble our selues vnto the Lord by whose power wee liue c. Hereof we haue Abraham for a notable example Gen 18.27 Read also Iob. 4 19. and 10.9 Psal 103.14 and 2. Corin 5.1 Hence cometh this phrase God raiseth out of the dust 1. Sam 2.8 1. King 16.2 Psalm 113.7 Hence also was the ancient ceremonie of sprinkling dust vpon the head Iob. chapt 2.12 Lament ch 2. verse 10. ch 3.29 The afflicted putteth his mouth in the dust if there may be hope Read also Ezek. 27.30 And Micah 1.10 Roule thy selfe in the dust Now therfore to the end we may finde fauour with God and be supported by his good hand for that short time which wee haue here to liue Let vs vse our members as weapons and seruants to righteousnes according to the excellent instruction of the Apostle Paul Rom 6 13. c. Read also Psalm 24.8.9.10 Singular preparation is to be made to giue intertainment to the Maiestie of so glorious a King And Luk chapter 3 4 5 6. But who is hee that hath not great cause to lament the abuse of his body and of the members thereof so that hee may iustly say I haue looked vppon that with mine eyes which I ought not to haue seene I haue hearkened with mine eares to heare that which I should not haue heard I haue spoken with my mouth such words as I should not haue spoken I haue put forth mine hands to that which I should not haue medled with c. Verilie the more wee boast our selues of the creatures as of apparell c. the more doe wee abase our selues and our owne bodies The more we seeke to delight our selues with delicate fare the more costly medecines and preseruatiues wee vse c by so much the more wee preach our owne frailtie But with no good vse or profit till wee learne thereby to humble our selues and our bodies to the good pleasure and
though this his mighty working by creation may be called also a kinde of begetting in such sense as God is called a Father partly in regard of his works of creation as hath beene declared heretofore The second thing to be obserued in the report of this promise of conception is the instrumentall or materiall cause thereof which was the Virgine Marie So that the word Conceiued is to be referred both to the holy Ghost and also to the blessed Virgin to him as to the author of the conception to her as to the instrument ministring the matter of the conception The reuelation of this most extraordinary conception thus promised to the Virgin Marie is to be accounted of vs a singular mercy and fauour of God not only to the Virgin her selfe but also to vs to the whole Church of God To Marie because otherwise she could not haue possibly conceiued in her minde that her body had beene conceiued by the holy Ghost with the Sonne of God She should haue beene confounded rather then reioyced at this so strange and vnsearcheable a worke of God Well might she haue had peace in her conscience in that she knew well that she had neuer dishonested her selfe but comfort of faith how could she haue had any but by reuelation from God The reuelation of this mystery therefore was a singular mercy of God to Marie her selfe as was said But not onely to her but also to vs and to the whole Church as was further affirmed And the rather considering as well the honourable Messenger that was sent euen the holy Angell of God as the notable manner of his doing of the message from the Lord. First by an vnwonted salutation verse 28. Secondly by a sweete and comfortable incouraging of the blessed Virgin against her feare by reason of his sodaine appearing to her being alone and because of the same his strange and vnwonted salutation verse 30. Thirdly by a plaine narration of the whole matter vnto her with an excellent description of the childe what maner of one he should be ver 31 32 33. Fourthly by a notable description of the manner of the conception how it should be wrought and effected in the wombe of the Virgin for her further satisfaction and confirmation against all her doubtings verse 35. Yea so as the Angel would not leaue her till she was put out of all doubt To the which end he gaue her also a very rare signe and token for the further establishing of her faith For he discouereth vnto her the conception of old barren Elizabeth and the time how long since so that she might perceiue that Elizabeth was then vpon her quickening with childe verses 36.37 as Marie found it to be true shortly after euen as the Angell had told For shee going to Elizabeth at her very comming to her the childe did spring in the wombe of Elizabeth and therevpon Elizabeth moued by the holy Ghost reioyced and saluted Marie by the most honourable name of the mother of the Lord and shewed her selfe thankfull to God Wherevpon Marie also brake forth in a very heauenly and propheticall thanks-giuing as it followeth in the same chapter So then from this notable message of the Angel the Virgin Marie being plainely informed and obtaining victorie both against her astonishment and also against all succeeding doubtings it is so much the more vndoubted a confirmation to our owne faith that she was that Virgin which God in his most holy prouidence had set apart and appointed therevnto To the which purpose also the diligence of the holy Euangelist yeeldeth a memorable furtherance in that he certifieth vs of the time when this blessed message was sent to what place to what person euen to this Marie whom he also describeth by as particular circumstances as might be verses 26.27 Thus the narration of this immediate promise of the conception of our Sauiour by the holy Ghost was a great mercie of God The Comforts both to the blessed Virgine Marie and also to vs and to the whole Church of God ANd thus being assured of the promise wee come to inquire of the Comforts Question arising to our faith from the assurance of the same What may these comforts be Answere This most holy conception of our Sauiour Christ is as it were the foundation of all our comfort concerning his humane nature in so much as if he had not been conceiued he could neuer haue beene borne nor haue wrought or suffered any thing at all for vs. Likewise the comfort is exceeding great in that we are hereby assured that hee in whom we belieue is not only the true Christ according to the prophesies of the holy Scriptures fulfilled in his conception but also that he was euen from his conception perfectly fitted to be a most worthie al-sufficient mediator and Sauiour vnto vs and for vs. Moreouer the vnion of our humane nature in him to the diuine is generally the ground of all comfort in so much as hereby his humane nature is made the meanes and as it were the condite-pipes to cleanse our filthy nature and to conuay all graces and euen the gift of eternall life it selfe vnto vs from the diuine nature which alone is the euer-springing yea the euer-ouerflowing fountaine of the water of life Finally this Personal vnion of the humane nature of our Sauiour with the diuine nature is the very ground of our vniting and espousing with Christ and so of our revniting to God wherein standeth all our happines Explication and proofe It is very true Our coniunction with God is our happines euen as on the contrary it was from the beginning our miserie that wee were seperated from him through the fall of our first father Adam For thereby beside the guiltines of his sinne wee haue in our selues an originall fountaine of all sinne the which of the owne accord doth continually flow forth to our eternall destruction both of body and soule vnles God should be mercifull vnto vs. Ier. 6. verses 7.8 Now therefore seeing by our Sauiour Christ alone wee are reconciled to God and through him revnited in a perfect league of peace and friendship neuer to be dissolued any more yea seeing we are in and by Christ one with God and he with vs it is manifest that herein resteth all our happines as vpon the onely sure ground and foundation So that whatsoeuer we lost by Adams defection that yea a farre more excellent estate is restored vnto vs by our Sauiour Christ both for righteousnes and holines and also for happines and glorie partly to be apprehended by faith here and fully and really to be enioied for euer in the kingdome of heauen For our Sauiour Christ is made of God to be vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes and sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1.30 Ye are of him in Christ Iesus saith the Apostle who of God is made vnto vs wisedome c. That according as it is written He that reioyceth
let him reioyce in the Lord. In which respect also he is called our life and the hope of our glorie Colos 1.27 and chap. 3. verse 4. When Christ who is our life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glory This making of our Sauiour to be a fit person to these so great ends and purposes of Gods manifesting of his rich and glorious grace began euen by the most holy conception of his humane nature in the wombe of the Virgin Whence it is also that as the Apostle Peter teacheth vs God according to his godly power hath giuen vnto vs all things that pertaine to life and to godlines through the knowledge of him that hath called vs vnto glory and vertue Whereby or as wee may reade rather in so much as most great and pretious promises are giuen vnto vs that by them wee should be partakers of the diuine or godly nature that is of the renewing of the Image of God in holines and righteousnes as a fruit of this our spirituall communion with God in and through our Lord Iesus Christ in that as it followeth in the Apostle we flee the corruption that is in the world through lust Read also to this purpose Iohn ch 14. v. 16 c. 26. and so forth For these are those pretious promises which the Apostle Peter speaketh of which are the cause also of these so great effects The Duties according to that of the Apostle Iohn 1. Epist 1.3.4 and chap. 4.16 And all these haue their foundation in the conception and incarnation of Iesus Christ the verie true Sonne of God our Lord. Yet so as the confirmation and ratifying thereof hath a necessary and further reference not only to his birth and life but also euen to his death and thenceforth to his sitting at the right hand of God the Father in his diuine maiesty and glory O most blessed and happy time therefore that euer in Christ Iesus this only begotten Sonne of God our humane nature was thus gloriously vnited to the diuine nature by a most sacred bond neuer thenceforth to be dissolued againe that he might for euer be Immanuel God with vs and an euerlasting redeemer and Sauiour vnto vs. Thus much concerning the Comforts of faith in respect of this Article THe duties which ought to arise from the same Comforts are in the next place to be considered of vs. Question Which are they Answere First wee are to take diligent heede that we doe conceiue nothing carnally or corruptly but most purely and holily of this conception of our Sauiour the which though it was very naturall in the effect as touching the Virgin Marie and the humane nature of our Sauiour yet in the manner it was most heauenly and diuine in respect of the holy Ghost Secondly it is our dutie to esteeme most reuerendly of it blessing God alwaies with most thankefull hearts for his great mercie in reuealing this most secret and comfortable mystery vnto vs. Thirdly it may iustly admonish vs to humble our selues in the acknowledgment of our own natural and sinful corruption in the ordinarie course of our conception Fourthly hereby we may learne that without our Sauiour Christ our profane nature could by no meanes haue beene perfectly sanctified to God We may learne also from this consideration to beleeue in the holy Ghost as in God our sanctifier in so much as he had so diuine a hand in the chiefe meanes of our sanctification and whole redemption Finally we may iustly put our selues in minde from hence to sooke for our sanctification and all increases thereof by vsing those meanes onely which the holy Ghost hath sanctified to that holy end and purpose We may well doe so indeede But let vs see some particular proofes from point to point Explicatiō and proofe in order For the first point that which wee reade Iohn 3.6 may afford vs a good proofe in that our Sauiour himselfe saith That which is borne of the spirit is spirit For seeing he speaketh so of our spirituall regeneration it may much rather be affirmed that his conceiuing of our Sauiour was euery way most spirituall pure and holy For the second we haue Elizabeth for a notable example in that she reioiced at the conception of our Sauiour blessing the fruit of Maries wombe and God for reuealing it vnto her many months before it was borne Wee haue likewise the example of Marie her selfe who praiseth God and reioyceth in her Sauiour while yet he was in her wombe And thus from them wee may perceiue that we ought not to thinke reade or heare of the conception of our Sauiour but it ought iustly to be a matter of great ioy and thankfulnes euen to this day and for euer so long as the world shall endure Touching the third It is an euident conuiction of mans naturall corruption seeing our Sauiour who was to be pure from his conception might not be conceiued by humane generation For that which is borne of the flesh is flesh that is to say it is corrupt and sinfull as our Sauiour teacheth in the 3. chap. of Iohn the former part of the 6. verse before alledged According to the fourth point our Sauiour is called our holines and so is made vnto vs as it were by the hand of the holy Ghost as wee saw it plainely testified before 1. Cor. 1.30 The danger of not beleeuing this Article For the fift point reade Iohn cha 3. verse 3. and 5. Except a man he borne againe of water and of the spirit he can neither see nor enter into the kingdome of God Reade also 1. Pet. 1. verses 2. and 22. And 2. Thes 2.12 For the last point reade forward in the 14. verse of the same chapter And 1. Cor. ch 12. verse 3. and 13. For the word and sacraments are speciall meanes of our sanctification Reade also 1. Ioh. ch 17. verse 17. Eph. 5.25 26 27. and Tit. 3.5 Hauing thus seene the ground of this Article as also the meaning the promise comforts and duties the last thing to be considered according to our order is the danger of not beleeuing in our Sauiour Christ conceiued by the holy Ghost and thereby taking the true nature of man of the substance of the Virgin Marie Question WHat therefore is the danger of it They that beleeue not in our Sauiour Christ conceiued such manner of one as he was Answere and of necessitie must be can neither beleeue rightly in Iesus Christ either brought into the world or liuing in the world or going out of the same againe and consequently can haue no fruit or benefit by him It is very true The whole doctrine of faith is so nearely knit and lincked together Explication and proofe in all the parts of it as linkes in a golden chaine that the latter is not perfit and effectuall to the beleeuer without the faith of the former nor the former but in respect of the latter The diuine nature
adiuring of him in the name of the liuing God as it were vpon an oath to the ende hee might drawe out some thing from his owne mouth which they might take aduantage of that they might pretend some cause of death For that was already determined by them and it was the verie cause of their comming togither as the Euangelist Matthew noteth in the beginning I charge thee by the liuing God saith the high priest yea euen as it were vpon the religious regard of an oath as thou wilt answere before God for such is the force of the word Exorcizo which hee vseth that thou tell vs if thou be the Christ the Sonne of God whom for the further colouring of his pretended zeale he calleth the blessed God Mark 14.61 Vnto the which vehement adiuration of the high priest we are fourthlie to obserue that albeit our Sauiour Christ knowing his wicked drifte continued his silence for a time as the Euangelist Luke recordeth rendered these reasons of his silence If I tell you ye will not beleeue it And if also I aske you ye will not answere me nor let me goe yet seeing it was a materiall point for the Church to be perswaded of our Sauiour Christ knowing as well when to answere as when to be silent he answereth directlie though he knewe that it should cost him his life Thou hast said it saith our Sauiour that is it is as thou hast said it I cannot neither may I denie it And that this was the meaning of our Sauiour Christ the Euangelist Mark maketh it plaine chapt 14.62 For he addeth that our Sauiour Christ said further I am hee Yea and notwithstanding he saw himselfe most extreamly despised and abhorred of the high priest the whole Councill Neuertheles saith our Sauiour I say vnto you hereafter shall ye see the Sonne of Man that is to say the Sonne of God euen my selfe in that I am the Sonne of man euen in my humane nature aduanced to sit at the right hand of the power of God and come in the clowdes of heauen In the which words our Sauiour doth notablie euen vpon the danger of his life testifie and confirme all the Articles of our Christian faith concerning his whole Exaltation and diuine glorie in his humane nature in regarde of the humiliation wherof they so vilelie accounted of him Herevpon in the fifte place we haue to obserue the counterfet or blinde malitious zeale of the high priest ioined with most currant exquisite malice in his extream detestation of the most holy reuerend answer of our Sauiour And so the venemous spider sucketh poyson out of that sweete flower from whence euerie true Christian gathereth plentifull store of honie to the replenishing of the hiue of his faith c. He blasphemeth saith the blasphemous lying high priest rent his clothes as an effect of his malitious detestation of that which hee ought most thankfullie and dutifullie to haue imbraced and at the hearing wherof hee ought to haue fallen downe most humbly before our Sauiour Christ to haue craued mercie of him whom he most sinfullie blasphemeth But in steed of this he goeth on insulting vpon our Sauiour saying What haue wee any more neede of witnesses Beholde now yee haue heard his blasphemie What thinke ye Thus as wee are to obserue in the first place hee who ought to haue bene the chiefe in giuing glorie to the Sonne of God is the principall blasphemer of him and as the bellows of the Diuel to inflame the rage and blasphemie of the whole Councill against him Nowe therefore in the sixte place we haue in a short viewe th'acclamation of the whole Councill They are all birds of a Fether. With one consent they giue their voices that he is worthie to die A most strange spectacle or most hellish consent euen a work fit indeed to be wrought in the hower of the power of darknes as our Sauiour himselfe spake of it And finallie that nothing might be wanting in this wicked Session to make vp the full measure of all the iniquitie that might possiblie be practised in it against our blessed Sauiour the Lord of life and glorie most worthie of all and aboue all to be reuerenced and honoured both in regarde of the excellencie of his Person and also of the holinesse of his office of the righteousnes of his life wee are to consider and in considering iustlie to tremble in thinking of the most Barbarous and Diuellish practises of those that were the keepers or garde of the poore bound Prisoner as also of the Sergeants and many other of the companie to the most vile disgrace and molestation of our most blessed Sauiour that possiblie might be both by worde and deede aboue all reproch and disgrace that euer was done to any prisoner yea to the most wicked malefactor that euer was in any examination before any commission or Councill from the beginning of the world Their molesting of our Sauiour Christ by their most vile and reprochfull actions and deedes was practized sower waies first they spit in his most pure and holie face and that we may iustlie thinke with no small quantitie of spawlings among them as we would not vse a dogge The which also must nâ—eds be the more greeuous vncomfortable to our Sauiour because being bound he could not wipe it of againe but must stand and goe still thus dreuelled and defaced for anie help that he could yeeld to himselfe Secondlie they blind-folded him as we read Mark 14.65 and Luke 22.64 as though he that is the onely true and glorious light of the world had ben vnworthie to see the light And that they might make way for that sporte and pastime which they intended to make themselues hereby For their third practise was that they did beat him thus blind-folded vpon the face with their fists as wee read in the places of Marke and Luke before alledged And as Mark addeth further for a fourth practise because the sergeants could not come at him to strike him with their fists they reache ouer the heads of the rest and strike him with their roddes And thus was fulfilled that of the Prophet Isaiah chapt 50.6 that our Sauiour Christ gaue his backe to the smiters and his cheekes to the nippers and that hee did not hide his face from shame and spitting These were their most wicked and vile disgraces done to our Sauiour Christ by actuall practises Their speeches were euerie way suteable to their deedes For they hauing blind-folded our Sauiour they mocked him as the Philistims mocked Samson Yea they most scornfullie deâ—ided his holie and heauenly Prophesie sporting themselues thereat saying Prophecie to vs ô Christ who is hee that smote thee Thus they feared not to play blinde hobbe as it were with the Lorde of eternall life and glorie And not contenting themselues with this they spake manie other thinges blasphemouslie against him as the Euangelist Luke testifieth
answeres of our Sauiour The first whereof is not direct and plaine for holie modesties sake or lest he might seeme to a profane Ethnike ouer light and in his conceit verie ridiculous in taking to himselfe that great and stately name of a Kâ—ng hee standing before Pilate in a poore and base estate So that wee may call it an answere in way of a modest demurre vntill the occasion should waxe more pressing and growe to some further maturitie and ripenesse ouâ— Sauiour also hereby preparing Pilate to consider that he had a more weightie matter in hand then all the dayes of his life hee was in all his politike wisedome aware of The second answer of our Sauiour containeth a description of the nature and qualitie of his Kingdome wherein also is implied a more direct answere to the first question then was made before And so did Pilate vnderstand it as appeareth by his third question Wherevpon in the third Answer our Sauiour doth furthermore render a most graue and weightie reason of the same profession of his to the further remouing of that appearance of vanitie and lightnes which Pilate no doubt would easilie haue imputed vnto him as was mentioned in the first answere if it had not bene most prudentlie preuented by the wisedome of our Sauiour And so might haue bene as a rocke to the profane and ignorant man who had not learned to distinguishe betwixt an earthlie and a heauenlie kingdome euen at once to haâ—e made shipwracke of an equall proceeding in the examination of this innocent cause of our Sauiour But this beeing preuented at the verie first our Sauiour taketh the fit occasion which hee had thus prepared for himselfe verie notablie though briefelie to describe who and what maner of ones they be who are right and kindelie subiectes of his kingdome All which Questions of Pilate and Answers of our Sauiour Christ the three former Euangelistes doe verie brieflie contract according to that of S. Matthew who is in this matter the largest of them chapter 27. verse 11. in these wordes And IESVS stoode before the Gouernour and the Gouernour asked him saying Art thou the King of the Iewes Iesus said vnto him Thou saiest it Of these things therefore let vs heere stay a while to consider for our better vnderstanding according to the full reporte of the holie Euangelist Saint Iohn And first the most wise and holie modestie of our Sauiour is diligentlie to be weighed of vs from his first Answer Wherin hee hath clearelie shewed himselfe to be of a cleane contrarie disposition to our most vaine and corrupt nature Fâ—r euery one of vs is ready to vauâ—t and boast our selues to the vttermost yea vnasked though we heare that all fleshe is grasse and though in truth we haue nothing of our selues worthy to be gloried in But behold our Sauiour Christ though he was most worthy of all glorie and had all excellencie of graces most iustly to be reioiced in yet he most wiselie and with all holy modesty auoydeth euen the appearance of vaine boasting The which as he did at this time before Pilate beeing examined of his Kingdome so did he before in the working of his miracles For though they could not be hidden yet he shewed plainely that hee did not by them seeke any vaine applause of men as that charge which hee gaue to diuers of those in whom he shewed his gratious power doth declare See thou tell it to no man saith our Sauiour See that no man know it c. Mat. 9.30 Mark 5.43 And againe ch 8.26 Read also Matt. 17.9 and ch 21.5 And so was the prophesie of Isaiah fulfilled in this behalfe as the same Euangelist St. Matthew declareth at large vpon the like occasion ch 12. verses 15 16 17 18 19 20. Our Sauiour Christ therefore is herein a most notable example and paterne vnto vs both to teach vs true and discreete modesty and also to reprooue and condemne the extreame vanity and folly of that arrogancy which is seated in our light and hauty nature Secondly from the description of the nature and quality of the kingdome of our Sauiour Christ conteined in his second answer we haue to consider first the meaning of the words and then the vses which we are to make of the same And so also concerning the third answer of our Sauiour In that therfore he saith My kingdome is not of this world the meaning of our Sauiour is not to exempt no not the wicked which be thick threefold in it froÌ„ his regency gouernment as touching their restraint froÌ„ much mischief which otherwise they would surely practise against his Church here in this world Nor yet to exempt them or any kingdom of this world from his iudgment and vtter destruction at the last whosoeuer should rebell against him Onely his meaning is that his kingdome being of another nature then are all or any of the kingdomes of this world is to be erected and administred wheresoeuer it shall please him to rule and reigne among his subiects after another manner then the kingdomes of this world are begunne at the first or afterward vpheld and maintained That is to say the kingdome of our Lord Iesus Christ being a spirituall kingdome all his subiects are ruled and gouerned spiritually and they doe yeelde him a spirituall obedience c. And for the same cause it is that our Sauiour Christ doth not say My kingdome is not in this world but thus My kingdome is not of this world The which words also are so to be vnderstood as they may no way debase the kingdome of our Sauiour but so as may serue best for the aduancing of it infinitely aboue all the vaine and transitory kingdomes of this fading and decaying world For of the kingdome of our Sauiour Christ there is no end but it shall put an end to all other kingdomes and remaine it selfe alone in all perfection of eternall blessednes and heauenly glory for euer and euer Luke 1.32.33 and chap. 19.27 1. Cor. 15.24 25 c. Reuel 19.11 12 13 14 15 16. And all this according to the former prophesies which we reade Psalm 2.8 9. and Psalm 110.1 2 c. Dan. 2.34 35 36. a part of the dreame of Nebuchadnezzar and verses 44 45. which is the Prophet Daniels interpretation of the same Such is the meaning of the most wise and graue answer of our Sauiour Christ to Pilat concerning his kingdome by an excellent and lightsome distinction of his spirituall and eternall gouernement and the temporall and worldly gouernment of all worldly Kings and Rulers Wherein also he giueth Pilate plainely to vnderstand that his kingdome was such a one as was no way preiudiciall to the kingdome or Empire of Caesar nor to any other kingdome of the world that should be subiect vnto it but that they may well stand together yea that his kingdome shall cause them to flourish and prosper And so Salomon a most wise and prosperous
nature so as he is Father to no creature beside this confirmeth plainely that his prayer must needes be most effectuall with God aboue all that euer haue prayed or can pray Yea so as no prayer hath euer beene accepted from any but as they haue had doe and shall haue respect to the vertue and grace of his mediation and prayer And herein our Sauiour Christ performeth one speciall dutie of his most holy office of high Priesthood in that he praieth for sinners as wel as in that he yeelding to be fastened to the Crosse offereth vp himselfe an euerlasting and most propitiatory sacrifice vnto God that by his blood issuing out by the wounds of his holy hands and feete he might wash away the sinnes of all his elect Let vs come to the reason which is this For they know not what they doe Not that ignorance excuseth the offender or that he sinneth not because he knoweth not that it is a sinne which he committeth This is not the meaning of our Sauiour Christ for then what neede was there that he should pray so earnestly for forgiuenes or vse any prayer at all to that end In that therefore he praieth yea seeing he prayeth so earnestly that they may be forgiuen though they did not know what they did it is euident that their sinne was grieuous in the sight of God though they sinned of ignorance And so we read that God in his law appointed sacrifices to be offered for sinnes done of ignorance he giuing therein plainely to vnderstand that ignorance excuseth not seeing euery one might haue knowledge if the fault were not in our owne negligence but contrariwise that sinnes done of ignorance are damnable if they be not pardoned for Christs sake vnto whom all the sacrifices pointed Read Leuit. chap. 4. the whole chapter What was the meaning of our Sauiour then in this reason which hee vseth No doubt his meaning is to giue to vnderstand that there is a great difference betwixt sinnes committed of ignorance and those that are committed of presumption malice against knowledge and conscience yea betwixt one and the same sinne committed in so diuerse a manner from so differing a ground and originall For that done of ignorance must needes be sinfull in a lesse degree then the other and accordingly pardoned more easily or with lesse difficulty as one may say Our Sauiour therfore in vsing this reason would leaue some special ground of comfort for those of his persecutors whosoeuer should afterward come to the conscience of their sinne when their consciences should beare witnes with them that they did they knew not what so were within the coÌ„passe of the prayer of our Sauiour when as on the contrary he would exclude all such froÌ„ the comfort of it whosoeuer sinned of malice against their knowledge with a high and presumptuous hand as some of his persecutors did as may appeare by his doctrine concerning the sinne against the holy Ghost deliuered against them Matth. 12.31.32 And as Stephen the holy Protomartyr next after our Sa Christ doth plainly declare Act. 7.51 in that he chargeth them to haue resisted the holy Ghost Concerning all which the Apostle Peter saith that our Sauiour committed his cause to him that iudgeth righteously 1. Epist. 2.23 But how may it be said that any of those that persecuted our Sauiour Christ and did execution vpoÌ„ him were ignorant of that sinne which they coÌ„mitted seeing they knew no cause against him why they should so deale as they did For no man can be ignorant of this that it is a sinne to do violence against any man without cause It is very true Neuerthelesse in this case our Sauiour may iustly say that a number of them knew not what they did For their sinne was greater then they were ware of yea though they had beene conuicted in their consciences to haue dealt vniustly cruelly against a righteous man For they knew not that this righteous man was the Lord our righteousnes they knew not that he was the Sonne of God the Lord of life glory c. For then surely as it is testified of those whom our Sauiour praieth for they would not haue crucified him According as we read Act. 3.13.14.15.17.18.19 And chap. 13.27.28 And 1. Cor. 2.7.8 We speake the wisedom of God in a mysterie c. which none of the Princes of this world haue knowne for had they knowne it they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory Note It is not onely ignorance for a man not to know a thoght or action to be a siâ—ne but also not to know how great and grâ—euous a sin that is which his conâ—cience telleth him though lâ—â—â— nâ—ly that it is a 〈◊〉 But to conclude the interpretation of this reason of our Sauiours praier did he onely pray for the forgiuenes of those that sinned of meere simple ignorance No doubt our Sauiour being most aboundant in pitty compassion did vnderstand ignorance in as large a significatioÌ„ as it might possibly be extended vnto Yea so farre as if malice were of ignorance or that ignorance was more then malice we are not to account any such whosoeuer were of the elect of God to be excluded or excepted by our Sauiour The which affection he carrieth still toward all other that belong vnto God euen to this day whosoeuer sinne in the like manner against him in persecuting of his seruants for his Gospels sake or in resisting his holy word and ordinances though none can now so directly iniurie his most holy glorified humanity as these did The vse of all is briefly this that insomuch as by ignorance men are carried headlong to rush into so great sin as they are not ware of therfore The ground and history of his crucifying it is the duty of all to seeke after true knowledge iudgement from the word of God that by the light direction therof they may not only auoid sinnes of ignorance to do they cannot tell how great euill but that they may be wise to obey God and in obedience vnto him to doe more and greater good then they can see or vnderstand of as doubtlesse euery one doth that walketh faithfully in his calling as in the sight presence of God But of the vses both for duty and also for comforts we shal by the grace of God inquire consider more fully afterward Now the course of the holy story requireth that wee come to the third part of the execution of the sentence of Pilate against our Sauiour with the sufferings and other worthy matters appertaining vnto it This third part of the holy History of the execution as was obserued containeth the time of the continuance of our Sauiour vpoÌ„ the Crosse The which time we may not vnfitly distribute or distinguish into these three parts or spaces dâ—mensions as it were First froÌ„ the third houre of the day vnto the sixt Secondly from the sixt houre to
according to the most holy annointing of God and that he should ascend vp to the heauenly throne of the Maiestie thereof Neither could he otherwise with any comfortable hope of remission of sins and of the inheritance of his heauenly kingdome among the rest of his Saints desire our Sauiour to remember him that is to shew him so great and grieuous a sinner when he should take the possession or sit downe in the throne of his kingdome And thus we may plentifully perceiue by these so manifold excellent graces wrought so speedily and without all meanes yea against all outward lets hinderances obiect to his senses by the reproches of the wicked against our Sauiour notwithstanding the troublesome paines of his own crosse that his conuersion was most extraordinarie and admirable and therefore a most euident and eminent declaration of the mighty grace and vertue and merit of the sufferings of our Lord Iesus Christ in the sight of his father to reconcile poore sinners yea euen most great and grieuous sinners vnto him whosoeuer shall find grace truly to beleeue in his name and vnfeinedly to repent of his sinnes as this great sinner did And hereunto we are to adde for the conclusion of this point and for a perfect confirmation of all that hath beene obserued concerning this rare conuersion the most gracious answere of our Sauiour Christ to the suppliant and repenting thiefe the which wee reade in these most sweete and comfortable words as the Euangelist Luke doth likewise rehearse them Then said Iesus vnto him Verily I say vnto thee to day shalt thou be with me in Paradise O admirable effect of mercie answerable to the former admirable cause of mercie I meane that gift of mercie in the conuersion of this so miserable a sinner of the most free grace and mercie of God our heauenly father whose onely fauour is both the cause and also the effect of all mercy he crowning and rewarding nothing in any of his elect children but those gifts and graces which he hath first giuen them The greatnes of this grace of our Sauiour is to be considered from his own words the faithfull interpreter of his gracious mind and therefore let vs stand a litle to ponder and weigh them Verily saith our Sauiour euen he that is the truth affirmeth it in truth and with his holy and graue affirmation vsuall to him in the affirmation of great and weightie points worthy all credit to the end he might raise vp the mindes of those to whom he spake to the more firme and vndoubted faith of them thus he speaketh to the conuerted thiefe of a profane thief being now changed to be a beleeuing and holy Christian And it is to great purpose that it be obserued that he who is thus the truth and the true Sauiour speaketh it because whosoeu r else had spoken it it should haue beene a vaine speech Yea it is singularly to be obserued that Christ crucified speaketh it because it is by the vertue of his sufferings vpon the crosse that he saueth both him and all of vs. And therefore to magnifie the benefit of his crosse he is thus gracious and earnest in giuing assurance of remission of sinnes and eternall life to a very great and grieuous sinner Neither doth our Sauiour hold him in any long suspence by making him a promise for a long time to come but he assureth him of the experience of his mercy and saluation euen the same day the day also being now halfe spent to the end that the poore soule might be comforted more and more with the assured hope of a blessed life against the discomfort of the naturall death euery minute of the houre more and more hasting and approaching Yea and he doth not assure him of a small blessing and fauour but that hee shall be with him that is that his soule shall be with the soule of our Sauiour Where Euen in Paradise that is in heauen According to that similitude whereby the holy Scriptures doe sundrie times vse to signifie the same as 2. Cor. 12.4 and Reuel 2.7 And euen to this end that the holy delight and spirituall pleasure and ioy of heauen might be familiarly shadowed out from the Hebrewe word Pardes which signifieth a pleasant and delightfull garden or orchyard principally alluding to that garden of Eden wherein Adam was placed at the first in a very blessed and comfortable estate and condition To the which ende also our Sauiour ioyneth these two together with me in paradise meaning in the like happie estate condition for euer though not in the same degree of honour glory which is not meet for any creature according to the most holy prayer of our Sauiour Iohn 17.20.21.22.23.24 Such is the most gracious promise and answere which he maketh the repenting sinner he himselfe as well as the thiefe hanging yet fastened to the crosse Wherein notwithstanding we see how he beginneth his most glorious triumph The which wordes of our Sauiour were noe doubt not onely comfortable to the thiefe that was though now noe thiefe but a Saint clothed with the righteousnes of Christ by a true and liuely faith but also to Marie the mother of our Sauiour and to the other Maries mentioned before and to Iohn his beloued Disciple who no doubt marked these things and laied them vp in their hearts And they may also be exceedingly comfortable to vs and to all true beleeuing Christians as we are diligently to obserue in our course and order among the rest of the comforts Hetherto of the first part or space of time and the memorable things falling out therein which we propounded to our selues to consider of concerning the third that is to say the last part of the execution of our Sauiour The first part or space of time as wee haue seene reached from the fastening of our Sauiour to the crosse which was a little after the third houre to the sixt houre of the day which was with them about high noone THe second space of time which we according to the course of the holy storie haue propounded to consider of as iâ— were in another diuision or seuerall treatise is from the sixt houre to the ninth touching those other like worthy and memorable things which fell out in that time Of this part of the storie let vs therefore henceforth set our mindes with like reuerence and diligence earnestly to inquire But this we are to doe from the ground testimonie of the holy storie Which therefore are the words thereof 44. It followeth thus in the Euangelist Luke ch 23. v. 44.45 And it was about the sixt houre and there was darkenes ouer all the land vntill the ninth houre 45. And the Sun was darkened the vaile of the Temple rent through the middest The holy Euangelist hauing described vnto vs the notable conuersion of one of the thieues the gratious acceptation which our Sauiour vouchsafed him he telleth vs now about
blood which was let out of his side by the speare which the souldier thrust into it was a certaine proofe that he was verily dead Ioh. chap. 19.34 and 1. Epistle chap. 5. verse 6. and verse 8. And for the same cause also the death of our Sauiour is noted by the word of sacrificing because the sacrifices of the lawe which were figures of Christs death were slaine when they were sacrificed to God Now secondly that the death of our Sauiour was an accursed death and that therin he did beare the curse due to vs it is euident in that it was the death of the Crosse For the Lord himselfe saith The curse of God is on him that is hanged Deut. 21. verse 23. And that in bearing our curse hee remoued it from vs and procured vs all blessing it is likewise euident Galath chap. 3. verse 13.14 Christ hath redeemed vâ— from the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs for it is written Cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Iesus that we might receiue the promise of the Spirit through faith And it standeth with good reason that the Sonne of God bearing the most cursed and ignominious punishment euen a dogges death as wee vse to speake of hanging yea worse then a dogges death in this kinde of hanging by nailes should procure and purchase thereby the greatest and most glorious blessing that might come vpon those for whom he according to the will of God indured so miserable and cursed a death So then insomuch as by the death of our Sauiour Christ our curse is remoued that is the wrath of God and all wofull effects thereof and seeâ—ng on the contrarie we are made partakers of all blessing euen as amply as euer the promise was made to Abraham the perfection of the obedience of our Sauiour and the most blessed fruites thereof vnto vs howsoeuer for the time most bitter and grieuous to him in the sense and sufferings of our nature is euidently argued as hath beene partly declared already But it shall furthermore be yet more fully cleared vnto vs if we consider in the perfection of the death of our Sauiour the perfection of that most holy and propitiatorie sacrifice whicâ— he our onely high Priest hath once for all offered vp to sanctâ—fie vs vnto God for euer To the which end let vs reade and marke well that which wee read Heb. 2 16.17.18 Our Sauiour saith the Apostle in no sort tooke the Angels but he tooke the seed of Abraham Wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that hee suffered and was tempted hee is able to succour them that are tempted And chap. 4 14.1â— The which perfection of the sacrifice of our Sauiour by his sufferings vnto death as also the perfection of his high Priesthoode by the most excellent vertue whereof the sacrifice was perfited they are in the same Epistle most notably laied forth and confirmed by a declaration of the excellent perfection of either of them â—euit 8. chap. 9. in comparison both of the high Priests and also of the sacrifices of the law and of Moses himselfe of whom the law beareth the name and whom God put in speciall authoritie and trust to see to the institâ—tion and administration of the ordinances thereof according to that which we read Heb. chap. 3.1 â— 3.4.5.6 and chap 10. from the beginning of the Châ—pter to the 19. verse The which it were needlesse to set downe here seeing all is neare hand and may easily be altogether in the view of euery christian Reader that will take his bible to peruse the same But heerewithall I would intreat him euen for his owne singular benefit to read that which our very learned and Christian brother M. Perkins hath written in his Exposition of the Creed concerning the excellencie of the sufferings of our Sauiour Christ vnto the death in this respect that hee thereby offered vp himselfe in sacrifice vnto God for vs. For as God hath blessed his good seruant with singular dexteritie in other things so in this notable point for one instance among the rest he hath blessed both him and vs by him in very gratious excellent manner The summe of all briefely if not ouer briefely for so excellent and large a Treatie it is thus much that the perfection of the sacrifice arising from the perfection of the Priesthood of our Sauiour because of the Deitie ioyned therein with the humanity which conferreth an infinite merit vertue and efficacie vnto it is as much aboue all sacrifices of the lawe as his Priesthood is exceeding the Priesthood thereof insomuch as he is a Priest of the most high order of Melchisedech who was both a King and a Priest yea infinitely excelling Melchisedech himselfe as is euident from his most royall and princely triumph vpon the altar whereon he offered himselfe The which though to speake of the externall matter of it wee may giue that name vnto the Crosse whereon hee was crucified and slaine as an heaue offering of eleuation to the Lord yet spiritually and as touching the most perfect holines and sanctifying power of this sacrifice we are to vnderstand that the Deitie of Christ in that he offered vp himselfe to God by the eternall Spirit was the only altar which sanctified this most high sacrifice for euer The excellencie whereof and of the most high Priest himselfe is further argued and blazoned as it were by a most princely triumph vpon the same Crosse as it were from his triumphant chariot by seauen notable effects as it were banners or ensignes of the same First the roiall title set vp ouer his head Secondly the most gratious and miraculous conuersion of the thiefe on the Crosse Thirdly the miraculous darkening of the Sunne by the space of 3. houres Fourthly the rending of the vaile of the temple from the top to the bottome Fiftly the mighty earthquake Sixtly the opening of the graues and cleauing of the stones Seâ—uenthly the testimony that his aduersaries are enforced by these glorious effects of his diuine Maiestie to giue vnto him I onely mention these things and leaue many other particulars vnmentioned desiring that they who haue not read these worthy things and the rest handled in that Exposition might be the rather induced to reade that Exposition it selfe not only in these points but in all the rest for the manifold benefit and fruit thereof Hetâ—erto of the death of our Sauiour Christ NOw it followeth according to our course and order we following therein the order of the holy Story it selfe that we doe come to consider of those things which did either accompanie or immediatly follow his death and and thenceforth such other things as did
that most speciall manner of the manifestation thereof in the personall assuming and vniting the humane nature to the diuine The which also because it is most neare and firme in one indiuiduum that we may vse the Logitians terme therefore it is said that the Word that is the Sonne of God being very true God was made flesh Iohn 1.14 And 1. Tim. 3.16 God is manifested in the flesh And therefore also is our Sauiour very God and very man called by the name of Immanuell God with vs. Matth. 1.23 euen by the appointment of God himselfe Thus much shall suffice for the diuers acceptious of the fiâ—st word to Descend Whence vpon due consideration wee may easily see first that the descension attributed in one tenure and course to our Sauiour Christ crucified dead and buried doeth not belong to his Deitie which cannot be said properly to descend but to his humanitie wherevnto all that is beleeued concerning conception birth life death resurrection ascension sitting at the right hand of God and comming to iudgement as well as his descension doth properly apperteine But how this descension doth properly belong to the humanitie of our Sauiour Christ whether to the soule or to the bodie alone or ioyntly to both we shall better conceiue after that we haue considered the diuers significations and vses of the latter wore Hell as we haue of this former word to Descend SHew you therefore in like manner the diuers significations of the word Hell accorâ—ing to the Hebrew word Sheol and the Greeke word Haides englished Hell in this Article of out faith Which are these diuers significations Question First and most properly as I haue beene taught they signifie the graue Answer Secondly they are by a trope as the learned speake or figuratiuely applied to signifie manie other things Explication The truth herein hath beene taught and deliuered vnto you For first that they signifie the graue and that also in the most proper signification the words themselues may giue to vnderstand First the Hebrew word Sheol which hath his name of the verbe Shahal to aske yea to aske as a greedie coâ—morant thaâ— can neuer be satisfied according to that in the booke of the holy Prou. chap. 30.15.16 There be three things which will not be satisfied yea some which say not It is enough And of these Sheol the graue is reckoned for the fiâ—st Likewise Hab. 2.5 The prowd man hath inlarged his desiâ—e as the graue and is as death which cannot be satisfied And Isa 5.14 And then the Greeke word haides which commeth of eido to see and the priuatiue letter a according to the Greeke deriuation and signifieth a place of darknes which hideth the buried within the earth from the sight of the liuing which walke vpon it Iob. 10.21 22. and chap. 17.13 But let vs see some testimonies of holy Scripture for this signification And first that Sheol signifieth the graue in the olde testament we reade Gen. 37.35 Surely saith Iaacob I will goe downe or descend into the graue vnto my Sonne mourning And chap. 42.38 My Sonne to wit Beniamin shall not goe downe with you for his brother is dead and he left alone to wit of those children which he had by Rachell if death come to hâ—m by the way that yee goe then ye shall bring or cause my gray head with sorrow to descend into the graue Likewise by the same word the graue is noted 1. King 2. verse 6. King Dauid speaking to his sonne Salomon of Ioab who murthered Abner and Amasa very wickedly doe therefore according to thy wisedome saith hee and let not his hoare head goe downe or descend to the graue in peace And of Shimei who cursed him being his soueraigne Prince with a horrible curse he saith in like manner Therfore thou shalt cause his hoare head to descend downe to the graue with blood And in this sense the opening of the earth is called the graue of Corah Dathan and Abiram and of their rebellious company but yet with a speciall declaration of the wrath of God against them by such an vnwonted strange and fearefull kinde of buriall as we reade Num. 16.29 33. They descended or went downe quicke into the pit or graue Sheol But in the Psalmes the graue ordinarily vsed to buriall is oftâ—ntimes signified by the same word Sheol as Psal 6.6 In the graue who shall praise thee And Psal 16.10 Thou wilt not saith Dauid prophesying of the resurrection of our Sauiour Christ leaue my soule that is that part of my humane person which is subiect to buriall in the graue Sheol Neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one that is the body of me whom thou hast gratiously receiued to thy fauour to see that is to haue experience of corruption shacath that is Shacath peraitio foueâ— to lie so long in the graue that it should rot and turne to dust as the bodies of all vse to doe Psal 40.9 Man can by no meanes redeeme his brother c. That he may liue still for euer and not see the graue the word is shacath corruption as before But sheol againe verse 14.15 of the same Psalme Like sheepe they lie in the graue to wit like the rotten carkases of sheepe cast out into ditches For the Prophet speaketh of the wicked that die in their wickednes and in a hautie conceit of themselues To the which purpose he saith further Death deuoureth them vntill the righteous shall haue dominion ouer them in the morning that is at the day of the resurrection and vntill that the graue â—hat is Hell as we are afterward in the next signification fuâ—ther to obserue do consume their beauty that is the beauty of the wicked or their forme and substance which they shall at the last day receiue againe to their further condemnation both in soule and bodie together euen from the house that is the graue which belongeth vnto it to wit as a prison house for the wicked vntill that day of their great Gaile deliuery But God saith the Prophet speâ—king in the person of all true beleeuers will deliuer my soule from the hand that is from the power of the graue to wit so farre forth that it shall not preuaile finally against me for he will receiue me Selah A matter worthy to be obserued as an effect of the diuine and almighty power of God as by the word Selah the Psalmist giueth to vnderstand Moreouer Psal 31.17 Sheol is vsed for the graue Let the wicked saith Dauid be put to confusion and silence in the graue And Psal 55.15 Let death seaze vpon them let them goe downe quicke into the graue the Prophet as it is likely alluding to that iudgement of God vpon rebellious Korah and his company Num. 16. as was alledged before And againe in the same sense though in other words They that seeke my soule to destroy it shall goe into the lowest parts of the earth Yea generally Psal 8â— 48 What
saith My soule is very heauie euen vnto death yet to speake properly their soules cannot die Now that which wee haue said of Sheol we may likewise affirme of Haides and that euen from the places already alledged 1. Cor. 15.54.55 Acts 2.27 Reuel 6.8 and chap. 20.13 For as was said before though Haides as well as Sheol doe in the holy Scriptures first and more properly signifie the graue yet wee must not restraine them to that signification onely The Hebrew word sâ—ith Iunius doth in very many places of the Scripture generally note whatsoeuer condition of the dead and for the same cause is to be referred sometime to the graue sometime to hell synecdochicallie and sometime to both together according to the circumstance of the place And againe the Latine Fathers vse the word Inferos as well as the Greekes doe Haiden indifferently for euery place or condition of the dead no not in sundry of the places already alledged Vox hebraea inquit lumus in Psal 49. stationem quamlibet mortuorum in vniuersum notat permultis Scripturae locis ideóque modò ad sepulchrum modò ad infernum synecdochicé modò ad vtrumqúe simul pro ratione locorum accommodanda est The same he saith likewise concerning Haides in his note vpon Tertul de Idololat cap. 13. Obseruandum quod ait Apud inferos de Lazaro Nam inferos Latini Patres vt Graeci Hadem pro omni loco aut statu mortuorum dixerunt promiscue Atque in hunc sensum Lazarus Diues apud inferos collocantur Quomodo Iraeneus Chrysostomus ex verbis Lucae 16.23 locuti sunt Tertullianus locis quamplurimis Thus much for the proofe of the first branch of the more generall signification of Sheol and Haides Touching the second branch to wit that they are sometimes vsed in the holy Scriptures to signifie the destruction of other things in the world moreouer and besides the corruption of the bodies of men and the altering of the state and condition of their soules by reason that they are by death seperated from their bodies it is euident Num. 16.32.33 Not onely Korah Dathan and Abiram with their families but also their goods and all that they had descended into Sheol And Isai chap. 14.11 Thy pompe is brought downe to Sheol and the sound of thy violls that is they are destroyed according to that wee reade in plaine termes Ier. chap. 51. verse 52 53 54 55. Reade also Ezek. 26.19 20 21. the same in words of like signification So likewise the destruction and ouerthrow of the Citie of Capernaum is threatned and signified by this word Haides yea and also the euerlasting condemnation both of the soules and bodies of the Citizens thereof so many as were obstinate despisers of the doctrine and miracles of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 11.23.24 Hetherto of the more generall signification Nowe more particularly And in the first place that the same wordes are vsed to signifie the continuance power and dominion of death as it were some great Lord and Commander reade the Prosopopie of the holy Prophet Isai 14.9 Sheol beneath is moued for thee to meete thee at thy comming saith the Prophet speaking of the King of Babylon raising vp the dead for thee euen all the Princes of the earth and hath raised from their thrones all the Kings of the nations This signification of Sheol is vsuall when it is put after the word Death by an increase or amplification of speech to the which purpose also diuers times the word signifying power is expressed as we haue seene before Psal 49.15 and 89 48. and Psal 6.5 Hos 13.14 Likewise Haides in the new Testament 1. Cor. 15.55 Reuel 6.8 chap. 20.13 Death and Haides The power of Death is also noted Rom. 6. verse 9. as preuailing so long as the body of our Sauiour Christ lay in the graue Secondly that Sheol signifieth the place of the euerlasting torment of the wicked which we doe vsually call Hell reade Psal 9.17 The wicked shall bee driuen backe euen to Sheol We may well vnderstand it not onely for the graue but also for hell as it is englished seeing that is the place appointed for the soules of the wicked after this life And Psal 49 14. Sheol consumeth their beautie Tremelâ—us translateth it Infernus Hell Likewise Psal 139.8 Sheol is opposed to Heauen where the Emphasis is most full if we english it Hell And Prou. 9.18 King Salomon saith That the wicked that follow their owne lusts are in the depth of Sheol which likewise may well be translated and vnderstood of Hell the receptacle of the soules of such wicked persons And chap. 15.11 Hell and dâ—struction are before the Lord. Sheol naabhaddon Hell and destruction may well be matched together seeing the King of hell is called by the name of Abaddon a destroyer Reuel chap. 9.11 And againe Sheol may well be taken for hell in the same 1â— chapter of the Proueâ—bs verse 24. The way of life is on high to the prudent to auoide from Sheol beneath Moreouer Isai chap. 5.14 we may extend the signification of it to hell And chap. 28.15 where the wicked said We are at an agreement with Sheol But they are vtterly deceiued For the fire of Gods wrath shâ—ll kindle and burne vpon them euen to the very bottome of Sheol â—nadh Sheol tachtijah according to the phrase of Moses Deut. 32.22 The fire of which wrath as he saith further in that place shall consume the earth with her increase and set on fire the foundations of the mountaines Now in the new Testament the other word Haides is likewise vsed is Matt. 16.18 The gates of Hell that is all the destroying power of the Diuels of hell shall not ouercome the Church and faith of the people of God by alâ— the siege and battery either spirituall or outward that they can possible either lay themselues or by their instruments procure against the same Likewise Luke chap. 16.23 The rich man being in Haides that is in hell torments c. Thus then both Sheol and Haides signifie hell the place of infernall torment The reason why these words are translated from the signification of the graue to signifie hell also may be for that the graue being a place of darknes and naturally vnpleasant and vncomfortable may fitly be vsed in way of a similitude something to resemble and shaddow it forth Let vs now come to the last of the more particular significations euen to bitter dolours and griefes of the soules of the children of God neare vnto the sorrowes of death yea of Hell sometimes in their owne weake sense and iudgment For the which reade Psalm 18.5 where the Prophet Dauid calleth the exceeding great sorrowes which he indured the sorrowes of Sheol the which some translate graue other Hell but all is one in effect The Prophet beeing in these grieuous sorrowes and trouble of heart saith in the same place I called vpon the Lorde and cried to my God
of this mat er Question Which of these interpretations are wee to cleaue vn o as being the very true professiâ—n of our Christian beliefe in this behalfe Answere It seemeth very hard and a matter of great doubt to say which we are to cleane vâ—to with the vtter refusing and reiecting of the other Question Why so How then can it be a matter of fâ—ith to beleeue these words concerniâ—g our Sauiour He descended into hell Were it not better to end all questioning and doubtiâ—g about the matter by putting them altogether out of our Creed seeing many affirme that they were not put into it a long season after the Apostles time Answere I haue heard you say that it is to be feared that the putting of them out and â— simple refusall to make profession of them would breed more question and doubt then there is iust cause of any question and doubt about the retaining and profession of them Explication and proofe It is very likely if not more then likely that it would doe so indeede For a descension of our Sauiour is exprâ—sly mentioned in the holy Scriptures as namely Ioh. 3.13 Rom. 10 7. and Ephes 4.9.10 How then can we simply refuse to acknowledge and professe a descension But it wil be answered that all the question lieth in the word Hell and in this that the descension which we speake of is neither immediatly opposed to ascension as in all the places now mentioned neither performed by his incarnation before his sufferings as in the first and last of the same places but to resurrection It is true Neuerthelesse the reply is readie that there is also as hath beene alreadie shewed an expresse mention made of such a descension as doth more immediatly and properly respect resurrection as namely that vsuall phrase of speech to descend to the grâ—ue whereby buriall is noted And on the other side also as hath beene further declared this phrase of speech hath in the second signification of the word Descend and in the last signification of Sheol which is Hell a certaine aptnes to describe extreame sufferings and afflictions How therefore shall we at once reiect all these considerations and not forthwith let in a Sea full not onely of questions and doubtings to some but also of endlesse contradictions from others And the rather also because by a common consent in so many ages and euen of those that haue beene best minded in those ages and to this day these words haue beene constantly retained as words which may be well vnderstood and truly applied to our Sauiour Christ according to the holy Scriptures oâ— God Now further if we should reiect all sentences admitting diuerse interpretations such as be not repugnant either to other or to the truth it selfe the holy Scriptures themselues should not in manie places finde that inâ—ertainment with vs that they ought of most bounden dutie to haue Wherefore as I suppose farre better it is with peace to imbrace the words and to inquire onely into the true sense and meaning of them then to the breach of the peace of the Church to reiect them Yea rather to imbrace either good sense as subordinate each to other or as the speciall vnder the generall by a distribution of the humiliation and sufferings of our Sauiour into their distinct kindes c then to cast away and suppresse the words of so good and comfortable signification as they be At the least not to be contentious against any good and profitable interpretation that may be giuen of them remembring alwaies the rule of the holy Apostle that we aime diligently at this that we proceede by one rule that we may mind one thing Philip. 3.16 Question THese things so wisely and peaceably obserued as by the grace of God we could attaine vnto What haue you beene taught to rest in vnlesse God should from the more cleare light of his word giue a more perfect resolution to you Answer I hauâ— beene taught that in respect of the word Hell set downe in our English Creed the most peaceable fittest and best sense that may be giuen is that our Sauiour Christ beside those his sufferings which were in the common vâ—ew of all the beholders of them and which are most familiar to our vnderstanding from the holy history of his sufferings did indure the secret and inuisible most fierce wrath of God on our behalfe to the satisfying of his d uine iustice and vengeance due to sinne yea euâ—n so great and heauie a wrath as was for the time comparable to the spirituall dolour and torment of the damned in Hell But if we vnderstand these words according to the order of the holy storie as things were performed in time one successiuely after the other which is the most famiâ—iar and plaine course in respect of the Latine Greeke and Hebrew phrase Then are wee to vnderstand nothing else by the descension of our Sauiour but his most willing and purposed abasing of hâ—mselfe to the estate of the dead though he was Lord of life and glory The which his witting abasing of himselfe he manifested not onely by yeelding to be buried but also by his continuance in the graue vntill his resurrection according to the article next following He rose againe from the dead insomuch as it is certaine that he rose againe from no other but from those to whom he had descended before ExplicatioÌ„ proofe You haue learned as I verily thinke that which may satisfie your conscience and also euery reasonable man to whom you should yeeld a reason of that faith that is in you touching this point For first of all touching the former of the interpretations it is receiued of many good Christians of our nation who the rather like wel of it because the phrase seemeth well agreeing to our owne naturall language and furthest off from dissenting from the word hell seeing that translation is followed And touching the latter interpretation as it is well agreeing with the holy historie according as it is set downe most fully perfectly in the holy Scriptures so it is also well fitting to the Latine phrase Descendit ad inferos if we put any difference betwixt ad inferos and ad infernum as we may very well doe although they be vsed sometimes of Latine Diuines for one and the same thing In which respect well saith M. Caluin Harm Matth. 28.1 speaking of the resurrection of our Sauiour Christus inquit mortis victor ex inferis emersit vt nona vita potestateÌ„ penes se esse ostenderet Christ saith he brake forth froÌ„ the dead a coÌ„querour ouer death that he might declare that the soueraignty of new life is in his power And it is also very well agreeing with the vse of the words Sheol Haides in the Hebrew Greek languages as we haue seen before So then these interpretations may indifferently be receiued yea they may be together admitted as pointing vs partly to those most
grieuous sufferings which went before and partly also to that last degree of his humiliation which followed after in that he lay in his graue as it were vnder the captiuity and dominion of death vntill his resurrection as was said before For we are not precisely to binde our selues to these words as if because they are set down in this summe of our beliefe therefore we must beleeue them as being of them selues the canonicall text or ground of our faith But wee haue free liberty granted nay rather wee stand bound to take counsell from the holy Scriptures and to beleeue them onely in such sense as they doe apply these words to our Sauiour Christ without any regard of the priuate interpretation of any which hath not certaine ground from the same Question But are there any such interpretations of these words giuen forth by any which cannot be warranted from the holy Scriptures Answere I haue heard it so affirmed for our admonition sondry times that wee might be stirred vp thereby to seeke to ground our selues in the right vnderstanding of them so as no erroneous or groundlesse interpretation might cause vs to decline from the truth therof Explication and proofe There is doubtlesse iust cause why you should be thus taught and admonished For sondry expositors haue their sondry expositions of these words He descended into hell which cannot be concluded from the word of God The which though they are in this respect all of like nature yet they are not to be accounted in like degree of error Question Which may these sondry and groundlesse expositions be Answer They are of three sorts First of those that haue taught the meaning of them to be this that the soule of our Sauiour Christ descended to hell the place appointed of God for the euerlasting torment of the wicked to manifest his diuine power to preach and declare the victorie of his crosse or rather as some think both to begin his victory and triumph and also vtterâ—y to subdue the power of the diuell and hell it selfe there Secondly of those that haue expounded the meaning of them to be this that the soule of Christ went downe to Limbus Patrum as it were to a region within the earth next aboue hell to fetch out the soules of them that were there till his comming and to carrie them with him into heauen after his resurrection Yea some haue taught from these words that the soule of our Sauiour Christ descended to hell to suffer the torments thereof for the redemption of our soules that they might neuer come there Thirdly the Marcionites and other heretikes called Liberatores affirmed that Christ by his Descension deliuered the soules of the reprobate out of hell All which opinions specially the two latter sorts if there be any other like to these they are carefully to be auoided of vs as hauing either no warrant in the word or else are plainly contrary to it Explication and proofe They are so indeede insomuch as a little leauen as wee are admonished sowereth the whole lumpe For to begin with the last of the second sort how can this agree with the words of our Sauiour on the Crosse who most solemnly affirmed that all his sufferings foretold by the Prophets were finished and perfited euen vnto the point of death which he also immediatly performed to the sealing vp of all the rest At which very instant also he did most faithfully commend his spirit into the hands that is into the gratious custody and preseruation of God his Father Who therefore shall dare presume to disable that which our Sauiour hath valued at a full and sufficient valure Seeing all was fulfilled vpon the crosse which God foretold by his holy Prophets who may be of sufficient credit to warrant vs any reuelation to the contrarie to be giuen vnto him And if there be reason that the soule of our Sauiour should descend to Hell to suffer torments in stead of our soules there why should not his body descend likewise to suffer for our bodies that they might neuer come thether Thus that exposition which would lay the most heauie burthen vpon our Sauiour Christ may from these and such like absurdities which followe vpon it be discerned to be the lightest in it selfe and to recoile most dangerously against those that haue so vnreasonably ouercharged it The other exposition of this second sort containeth likewise a meere fiction as may euidently bee perceiued because they can no where shewe vs any ground for such a place as they describe and altogether without booke determine vnto vs. But much rather because that which they say is contrarie to the holy Scriptures which determine another place for the soules of the faithfull which haue died in the LORD euen before the appearance of our LORD IESVS CHRIST For so doth our SAVIOVR himselfe giue plainely to vnderstand in that he placeth the soule of Lazarus in the bosome of Abraham which was in such a place as the LORD vsed the ministerie of the holy Angels to carrie it vnto The which also is expressely saide to be so situated that there is a great gulfe betwixt the one place and the other Luke 16 26. And as the Preacher saith Eccles chap. 12 7. Though the body which is dust returne to the earth as it was yet the spirit returneth to God that gaue it No doubt it doth not returne downeward but vpward I speake now of the soules of the righteous who as they liued so dye the seruants of God Yea like enough also the other may returne euen vpward to God if for no other cause yet to receiue their sentence and so to be cast downe from the glorious presence of God As for that which we read Heb 9.8 The way into the hoâ—iest of all was not yet opened while as yet the first Tabernacle was standing it can by no meanes be haled to determine any such Limbus or region and place within the earth either nearer or further off from Hell which the superficiall and darke braine of man hath fancied from the same The last opinion of deliuering the soules of the reprobate out of Hell it is most hereticall and direâ—tly contarie to the eternall iustice and truth of GOD concerning that eternall punishment which hee hath threatened and decreed against them And touching the former sort of expositions they are partly against the expresse doctrine of the Apostle Coloss 2 14 15. Where he teacheth that our Sauiour Christ by his sufferings and humiliation vpon the crosse did so sufficiently subdue yea and triumph openly ouer the Diuel yea as wee may say ouer all the Diuells of Hell that he needed not goe downe into any hidden and darke places of the earth to doe it And they are also against those famous testimonies and declarations which shewe that the victorie was then atchieued as appeareâ—h by the earthquake at the death of our Sauiour and by the rending of the vaile of the
kindly intreated of his seruants againe The friendship which the holy Angels doe vs for Christes sake is in this life to defend vs and at our death to carrie our soules into heauen as hath beene proued heretofore Ninthly that the whole Church of God is reconciled and set at peace in it selfe as well as with God as a fruite of the sufferings of our Sauiour we may be put in mind againe from that which we read Ephes 2.13.14 c. And that it ought to be so it will further appeare when we come to the duties Finally that the sufferings and death of our Sauiour are the ground of all our hope and longing after all our happines and glory in the life to come read Philip. 2.8 9. and Iohn 12 24.25 c. For like as the exaltation of our Sauiour himselfe is reckened for an effect of his humiliation Philip. 2.8 9 so in that 12. cha of Iohn the same our Sauiour speaketh of our lifting vp aduancing as a fruite of the same his humiliation Read also Heb. 2 9 10. By Gods grace he tasted death for all men For as the Apostle saith It becam him for whoÌ„ are all things and by whoÌ„ are all things seeing that he brought many childreÌ„ vnto glory that he should consecrate the Prince of their saluation through afflictions And chap. 9.15 For this cause is he the mediator of the new Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions which were in the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of the eternall inheritance And 2 Timothie 1.9 10. Hee hath saued vs and brought life and immortalitie to light through the Gospel What Gospel euen that which preacheth that Christ did this by dying for our sinnes according to that 1. Cor. 15.1 2 3. And that this hope is so certainely warranted vnto vs thereby that we may reioyce in the hope of it with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious reade 1. Pet. 1.6 Reade also Rom. 8.33 34. Thus as the holy Apostle saith Heb. 12.24 We are come to Iesus the mediatour of the new Testament and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel And Ephes 5.2 Christ hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour to God Yea more sweete and pleasant then were all the sacrifices of rest which Noah offered Gen. 8.21 22 23. or then were any or all those which the Priests of the law offered in their daily ministery c. Neither is it to be neglected here that as the sufferings of our Sauiour being most grieuous and bitter vnto him yea euen vnto the death are euery way most beneficiall and comfortable to all true beleeuing Christians so by the same the wicked aduersaries of our Sauiour of his holy Gospel are so much the more left without all excusâ— yea their wickednes is most wofully sealed vp against them as may euidently be collected by the most sharpe and zealous imprecations of those Psalmes wherein by the holy Spirit of prophesie mention is made of such namely Ps 55.15 end Ps 69.22 23 c. and Ps 109. in a great part of the Psalme And that most worthily insomuch as all that the wicked haue done or doe at any time against our Sauiour it is without any cause yea most contrary to all equitie For infinitely aboue any other may it be sâ—id of our Sauiour Christ What euill hath the righteous done yea rather what good hath he not done He may therefore infinitely aboue the most iust man that euer was take the booke that should be written of his reproches and iniuries and binde them vnto his head as a crowne of glory Iob 31.35 36. Thus much concerning the comforts and benefits of the sufferings of our Sauiour oftentimes as was said noted in the holy Scriptures by his death or by the shedding of his blood or by his offering vp of himselfe in sacrifice to God for vs because this death or bloodshed or sacrifice of his is the conclusion of all his painefull sufferings and the sealing vp as it were and confirming of all the rest according to that of the Prophet Isaiah 53 8 c. He was cut out of the land of the liuing c. He shal see of the trauell of his soule and be satisfied by his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many for hee shall beare their iniquities Therefore will I giue him a portion with the great and hee shall deuide the spoile with the strong because hee hath poured out his soule vnto death and hee was counted with the transgressours and he bare the sinne of many and prayed for trespassers The places of holy Scripture haue beene alledged already which doe ascribe all the benefites of our Sauiours sufferings to his death bloodshed and sacrifice Neuerthelesse it shall not be amisse here in this place to sort them to their seuerall heads in a more short view thus They are ascribed to the death Rom. 5. verses 6 7 8 19. and ch 8.31 c. 2. Tim. 1.10 Heb. 2.9 and ch 10.15 16 17. To the blood put for his death Heb. 10 verse 18. Rom. 3.24.25 Eph. 1.7 Colos 1. ver 19 20 21 22 23. and 1. Pet. 1.18 19 c. 1. Iohn 1.7 and cha 2.2 and ch 4 1â— Reuel 1.5 and ch 5.9 Act. 20. verse 28. To the sacrificing of himselfe by his enduring of the same his death Heb. ch 5.1 2 c. 7 8 9 10. and ch 9.23 24 â—5 c. and ch 10.4 5 6 c. 18. And 1. Pet. 2 24. NOw let vs goe forward to those particular comforts which are yet behinde following the order of the holy history as hetherto wee haue done What may be the comfort of our faith from the rending of the vaile of the Temple Question from the top to the bottome at the death of our Sauiour It containeth matter of good comfort in that hereby God hath sensibly declared that he hath remoued that partition wal Answer which had been in former times reared vp and did make a seperation both betwixt his diuine Maiestie and vs and also betwixt vs and the Iewes and consequently that he was now minded thenceforth to call vs the Gentiles into the fellowship of one and the same couenant of his mercie and grace together with all beleeuing Iewes Which thing also he hath accordingly most gratiously performed to our vnspeakeable comfort Explication proofe This is matter of very good comfort indeed according to that mentioned of late once or twice before Ephes 2. ver 11 12 13 c. to the end of the chapter Seeing also now we need not discomfort our own soules any more to say I am a stranger I am a drie tree or an Eunuch c. Isai 56.3 4 5 6 7. And seeing no other may say to vs yee are an vncleane people or thou art a profane person if so be wee doe
ground in the word of God and therefore to abstaine from all curious speculations beside As for example it were in the present case a vaine thing for any of vs to busie our selues to know who those men were that our Sauiour raised vp at this his owne resurrection and who they were to whom they appeared and what their communication behauiour was c. Neuerthelesse insomuch as the end why our Sauiour Christ did raise vp the bodies of these Saints is of it selfe euident namely to declare the mighty effect and most blessed fruite of his Resurrection vnto his Church which is that by him all the faithfull shall at the last day rise againe to euerlasting life neuer to die any more it seemeth that we may not without good reason conceiue that they died not againe but that they are receiued vp into heauen as a fruite of our Sauiours Ascension thither on the Church of Gods behalfe like as their resurrection was a fruite of his Resurrection as was said euen now But it is not meete that we should be ouer stiffe or contentious in it no more then wee ought to be concerning the bodies of Henoch or Elijah though it is most likely that they were taken vp bodily into heauen The iudgement of M. Caluin is worthy to be respected of vs in that he writeth concerning this point in his Harmonie thus Sicuti non facilis est nec prompta solutio ita anxié laborare nihil attinet in re cognitu non necessaria Diu in hominum coetu fuisse versatos verisimile non est quia tantum ad breue tempus conspici oportuit vt in illo speculo vel imagine manifesta esset Christi virtus Quum autem Deus apud viuos spem celestis vitae confirmare voluerit in illorum persona nihil absurdi erit si dicamus eos hoc officio defunctos iteruÌ„ quieuisse in suis sepulchris Veri similius tamen est vitam qua donati sunt non fuisse deinae illis ademptam Nam si mortalis fuisset solidae resurrectionis documentum esse non poterat That is As the dissoluing of the doubt is not easie or readie at hand so there is no neede to trouble our selues much about it seeing it is a matter not necessary to bee knowne That they continued long among men it is not very like for it was enough that they were seene for a short time to the end that the power of Christ might in that glasse as it were bee represented and made manifest vnto them And insomuch as it was the pleasure of GOD in their person to confirme vnto the liuing the hope of the heauenly life it shall not bee vnreasonable to say that they rested againe in their graues after they had performed this dutie Neuerthelesse it is more likely that the life where-with they were indued was not afterward taken away from them For if it had beene subiect againe to death it could not haue beene a through proofe of the resurrection To the which resolution Master Beza doth easily condescend where hee writeth thus Qui ante ipsum per ipsum ex miraculo suscitati sunt iterum morituri suscitati sunt quum tamen huius miraculi finis sit vt sciamus hos fuisse suscitatos testes virtutis resurrectionis Iesu Christi in aeternam felicitatem futuros Hom. 34. in Hist. Passionis Sect. 4. That is They which haue beene miraculously raised vp before him and by him were raised vp to die againe but the scope of this miracle is to let vs know that these were raised vp to set forth the power of the resurrection of Iesus Christ touching endlesse happinesse And Master Perkins in his exposition vpon this Article It may be demanded saith hee what became of the Saintes that rose againe after Christs resurrection Answ Some thinke they died againe but seeing they rose for this end to manifest the quickening vertue of Christs resurrection it is like that they were also glorified with Christ and ascended with him to heauen This is the iudgement of those good and faithfull seruants of God But some man may say If it be not a matter of faith but left as vncertaine by the holy Euangelist what mattereth it that any should be carefull to say any thing at all this way or that way of it I answer that it is a good duty and a worthy fruit of faith in matters doubtfull and yet of good vse to interpret them most nearely according to the proportion of faith and yet so as to determine without preiudicing of those who without contentiousnesse and without preiudice against any Article of faith doe differ in iudgement from vs. Touching other things conteined in this text they are more questionlesse and very certaine First that the bodies of the Saintes onely that is of those that died the faithfull seruantes of God were raised againe and that also to certifie the faithfull liuing that Christ was risen and that the raising vp of the bodies of these Saints should be likewise as a pledge of the resurrection of all the faithfull to euerlasting life at the end of the world Secondly that their soules returned euery one to their owne bodie from that place of rest where they were preserued among the soules of all other the faithfull departed Whence also the being or existence and immortality of the soule though seperated from the body may bee confirmed And thirdly it is certaine that these Saints did not appeare after the manner of Ghosts without any true bodies but they appeared verily and indeede in their owne true and naturall bodies which God restored to them againe And finally where it is demanded why in this our text the Citie of Ierusalem being most bloody and wicked yea though there had beene no other sinne among them but this of putting our Sauiour to death iâ— for all that called the holy Citie I answer that the holy Euangelist calleth it so first and principally in respect of Gods sanctification dedication of it from the beginning to himselfe to be a most holy Citie therfore plâ—ced his holy Temple in it though they had now long since miserably polluted defiled both it and the Temple by their sinneâ— And secondly he calleth it so The causes why hee was to rise againe because there were in it remaining stil a remnant of the holy seruants of God both of men and women Thirdly it is called holy because God minded to reare vp a spirituall Temple and Church vnto our Lord Iesus Christ in the midst of it by the Apostles preaching that from thence euen out of the Sion of God might the Gospel bee carried vnto the ends of the earth Psalm 110.3 Isai 2.3 Mich. 4.2 Luke 24.46.49 Thus farre of the manner of the resurrection of our Sauiour THe reasons or causes why the same our Sauiour did rise againe they are next to be considered of vs. Question Which are they Answer First the prophecies of
he was taken vp from vs must one of them be made a witnes with vs of his resurrectioÌ„ And further how they gaue this testimony to the Resurrection read in the same book of the Acts. ch 2.32 This Iesus saith the Apostle Peter hath God raised vp wherof we all are witnesses And againe ch 3.15 ye killed the Lord of life saith Peter to the wicked Iewes whom God hath raised from the dead whereof wee are witnesses Likewise ch 4.33 with great power gaue the Apostles witnes of the Resurrection of the Lord Iesus And againe ch 5.30.31.32 The God of our Fathers hath raised vp Iesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Him hath God lifted vp with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenes of sinnes And we are his witnesses concerning these things which we say yea and the holy Ghost whom God hath giuen to theÌ„ that obey him And yet againe ch 10. v. 39. c. 4â— And we are wâ—tnesses of all things that he did both in the land of the Iewes and in Ierusalem whom they slew hanging him on a tree Him God raised vp the third day and caused that hee was shewed openly Not to all the people but vnto the witnesses chosen before of God euen to vs who did eate drink with him after he arose from the dead And he commanded vs to preach vnto the people to testifie that it is he that is ordained of God a Iudge of quick and dead To him also giue all the Prophets witnes c. Read also chap. 13.30.31 God saith the Apostle Paul raised him vp from the dead And hee was seene many daies of them which came vp with him from Galile to Ierusalem who are his witnesses to the people And againe ch 26.21.22.23 The Iewes saith he caught me in the Temple and went about to kill me Neuerthelesse I obtained help of God continue to this day witnessing both to smal and great saying none other things then those which the Prophets and Moses did say should come To wit that Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead and should shewe light vnto the people and to the Gentiles And yet againe 1. Cor. 15.15 we haue testified of God The proofe of his resurrection by his own appearances that he hath raised vp Christ. Thus the whole blessed company of the twelue Apostles togither with Paul an honourable increase of that number they are all of them most faithfull authenticall witnesses of the Resurrection of our Sauiour so appointed and authorised by God himselfe they hauing his suffrages and voices so to be as we saw before Act. 10.41 For so the Greeke word procecheirotonemenoi signifieth This testification witnessing of the holy Apostles it was principally while they were liuing by wise and zealous preaching But seeing they were appointed to be witnesses to the end of the world they haue also for that cause left the same testified in the holy Scriptures as wee reade to this day in the writings of the holy Euangelists and in the Epistles of the Apostles But seeing the ground of all these witnesses and witnessings as was saide before were the appearances of our Sauiour whereby hee manifested himselfe after that he was risen as was alledged heeretofore from the beginning of the Acts and as it is touched againe ch 10.40.41 and ch 13.31 LEt vs therefore come vnto them and consider of them as diligently as God shall giue vs grace the which he for our Lord Iesus Christs sake graunt vs. Amen Question Which therefore are those appearances of our Sauiour which we speake of And to whom did he appeare and shew himselfe after his resurrection Answer They were these which follow First he appeared and shewed himselfe to Mary Magdalen she being alone Secondly to sâ—ndry other women * Hos nuntios hoc ordine recenset Beza Hom. 11. in Hâ—st retur pag. 263. nisi quod qâ—aâ—to in loco ponit apâ—aritionem Christi qua se ostendebat Petro. pag. 262. Sed tamen Apost Paulus 1. Cor. 15.5 primo in loco recenset Petrum Vnde Caluinus Cum inquit dicit Apostolus Christum Petro apparuisse primum intellige omnibus viris praeponi N hilo â—nnus de ordine non contendemus Thirdly to Peter Fourthly to Cleopas and another disciple as they walked from Ierusalem to Emmaus And to all these our Sauiour Christ appeared the same day on the which he rose againe before it was night Then the same day at night hee shewed himselfe to the eleuen which were his most choise Disciples onely Thomas being absent And eight dayes after this he came vnto them againe when Thomas was with them And againe after this hee shewed himselfe to seuen of his Disciples that is to Peter and Thomas to Nathanaell to Iames and Iohn and to two other of his Disciples at the Sea of Tiberias Moreouer he appeared vnto the eleuen on a mountaine in Galile He was seene also of more then fiue hundreth brethren at once And after this he was seene of Iames alone All these seuerall appearances are mentioned by the holy Euangelists and by the Apostle Paul to haue been within the space of those fourtie daies in the which he presented himselfe to his Disciples before he ascended vp into heauen Now when the time of his Ascension was come it is said further that he led them out into Bethania and that from the mountaine of Oliues he ascended vp into heauen in their sight Explication and proofe So then wee haue the Resurrection of our Sauiour Christ confirmed vnto vs by eleuen seuerall appearances and presentings of himselfe personally and bodily to his disciples from the time that hee arose vntill hee ascended vp into heauen Wherevnto if we shall adde two other appearances of our Sauiour after his Ascension the one to Stephen Act. 7.56 the other to the Apostle Paul 1. Cor. 15.8 then haue we all the appearancâ— gathered together which are mentioned in the holy Scriptures euen so many as may and ought iustly be accounted abundantly sufficient for the assuring of the Resurrection of our Sauiour vnto vs aboue all question or doubt that may be made about it And these two the last of all they may be to our speciall comfort in that not onely the Resurrection of our Sauiour is confirmed vnto vs by them but also that he being ascended vp into heauen hath not laied away his humane nature but retaineth it still euen on our behalfe vntill hee come againe to iudgement and thence-forth no doubt for euer and euer But insomuch as it is not sufficient to the confirmation of our faith The proofe of his resurrection by his first appearance to heare of them g nerally vnlesse we doe consider of them and lay them to heart with all the circumstances as God of his mercy hath commanded them to be recorded for a full
we began further to obserue as the words of the text make it manifâ—st Mary was more carefull about the matter then either of them both because whereas they dâ—part by and by shee tarieth by the sepulcher still that her minde might be further satisfied Wherefore also it is worthy to be marked that like as Mary was specially carefull aboue any other so as was said before our Sauiour doth vouchsafe her a speciall fauour First in shewing her a vision of Angels that by them he might prepare her mind to be the more fit to receiue the assurance of the resurrection and then also in that he representeth and maketh himselfe being now risen perfectly known vnto her Question In what words doth the Euangelist Iohn continue the text of the holy Storie vnto vs Answer It followeth in â—he later part of the 11. verse where wee left before and so forth to the 18. verse of the same chapter in these words And as Mary wept she bowed her selfe into the Sepulcher And she saw two Angels in white sitting the one at the head the other at the feet wherâ— the body of Iesus had laine And they said vnto her woman why weepest thou She said vnto them They haue taken away my Lord I know not where they haue laid him When shee had thus said shee turned her selfe backe and saw Iesus standing but knew not that it was Iesus Iesus saith vnto her Woman why weepest thou whom seekest thou She supposing that he had beene the gardener saide vnto him Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away Iesus saith vnto her Marie she turned her self said vnto him Rabboni which is to say Maister Iesus saith vnto her Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father but goe to my brethren and say vnto them I ascend vnto my Father and to your Father and to my God and your God Here is indeed a report of two singular fauours vouchsafed to Mary Magdalene from our Sauiour Christ ExplicatioÌ„ as a singular blessing vpon her special care and vnweariable zeale in seeking after him Whereby it may be euident vnto vs how gratiously God is minded to crowne his own graces in those that haue care to vse them well Yea that euen according to their care as it is in speciall measure so will hee answere them the more gratiously in giuing them that haue yea in giuing them more aboundantly c. But it may be said that Maries seeking was amisse and that all her mourning was without cause if wee looke duly into that she mourneth for and into that which shee intended yea though she might haue attained her desire It is true in these respects Mary is not to be coÌ„mended seeing Mary both sought the body of our Sauiour in the graue and also wept for it being out of the graue in forgetfulnes of the doctrine which our Sauiour Christ taught touching his resurrection while he was yet liuing Neuertheles in that al this proceeded of an exceeding deare reuerend regard of our Sauiâ—uâ— this her affection is in it selfe most coÌ„mendable how soeuer by these actions shee tooke not the best course to manifest exercise the same And herein the mercifull goodnes of our gracious Sauiour is so much the greater by how much he passeth by any the more great infirmities and yet accepteth of the holy desires and purposes of his seruants when they proceed from singlenes of heart and from a mind willing to be informed in that truth from the which it doth for a time in some action or opinion through ignorance goe astray But let vs come to consider of the double blessing which our Sauiour vouched safe to bestowe vpon Marie hee prosecuting his loue now to her singular consolation like as he had at the first receiued her in singular pitie and compassion ouer her wofull estate seeing shee is carefull in the remembrance thereof to be constantly dutifull and thankefull for the same And first let vs in a fewe wordes consider of the former of these fauours to wit the vision of the holy Angels Question What was the blessing or mercie which Marie Magdalene receiued hereby Answere It was a blessing vnto her in that she was hereby prepared and made the more fit to receiue the assurance of the resurrection of our Sauiour from that his appearance vnto her which followed immediately after Question How did the vision of the Angels prepare and make her fit herevnto Answere First by that brightnes and glory wherein the Angels appeared vnto her Secondly by their situation or placing the one at the head the other at the feete where the body of our Sauiour had laine And thirdly by their speech why weepest thou ExplicatioÌ„ It is â—â—ry true All these were excellent inducements to lead her to change her thoughts The chearefull brightnes to leade her from the vncomfortable thoughts of death The seating of themselues as they did in that thereby they gaue a most sensible demonstration that the body was gone Their wordes because they contained a gentle reproofe of her weeping as being causeles For the Angels were not ignorant why she wept but they point Mary to her ignorance which was the cause that shee wept so as shee did The same is to be said of the same wordes of our Sauiour immediately after So that there is no doubt but that though Mary good woman that she was had her heart wonderfully set this way desiring that she might yet once more haue a sight of the body of Ch though remaining still dead as she thought yet no doubt by these meanes the strength of her thoughts were abated made more pliable to admit the truth of our Sauiour his appearance vnto her The maÌ„ner of which his appearance and manifesting of himselfe vnto her is next to be considered of vs. How was that First our Sauiour sheweth himselfe but he doth not discouer himselfe to the knowledge of her eye Secondly he speaketh to her but withholdeth her vnderstanding that she could not discerne his voice Thirdly he calleth her by her name and euen thereby maketh himselfe knowne Fourthly he instructeth her how she was to be affected and in what sort she was to behaue her selfe toward him Last of all he giueth her a most sweet and comfortable message to carie to his disciples Explication proofe These thinges are all of them euidently expressed in the Text and they are very worthy our diligent and reuerend obseruation And first of all to speake generally we may see a liuely representation of the manner of our Sauiour Christ his ordinary dealing in his making of himselfe and his holy truth knowne For he neuer reuealeth all at once but by degrees like as hee dealt in his cure done vpon the blinde man in the Gospell in that hee caused his sight to returne by certaine increases that so when hee had receiued
it to the full he might the more clearely discerne how greatly hee was bound to glorifie God in that behalfe The which duty likewise all of vs ought to learne to performe better then we haue done both for our enioying of our bodily and naturall sight and also yea chiefly for the gift of that spirituall light of heauenly knowledge and vnderstanding which our Lord Iesus Christ hath bestowed vppon vs by his reuealing of himselfe in his most holie worde and Gospell vnto vs. But let vs come to the particulars concerning the appearance of our Sauiour to Mary Magdalen which was the first proofe whereby hee made it knowne that hee was risen againe from the dead as hath beene alreadie obserued In the first place therefore of this first appearance of our Sauiour hee did not as was answered forthwith make himselfe knowne vnto this Marie For so the text saith that though she hearing one to come behind her turned her selfe backe and looked vpon him yet she knewe not that it was Iesus Yea more then this the text sheweth further that albeit our Sauiour spake to this Mary vsing the same wordes which the holy Angel vttered saying Why weepest thou And againe Whom seekest thou The first words admonishing her to leaue weeping the other tending to put her in hope that shee should finde him whom she sought yet she did not for all this know our Sauiour But still her mind was carried in a longing after his dead body so strong is affection when it is once possessed with an errour Sir saith she if thou hast borne him hence tell me c. Whence we may iustly admonish our selues to take heed how we giue libertie to our affections without good reason or ground and direction from the word of God For if we doe so we shal easily fall into sorrow and in sorrow keepe no measure euen for that wee ought not to be any whit sorrie at all or contrariwise to be merrie and pleasant at that wherein there is no cause why wee should take the least pleasure or sport Yea without direction from the word of God wee shall vnder an opinion of religion and godly sorrowe fall through blinde deuotion into superstitious or needeles sorrowe we knowing in truth neither why nor wherefore as we vse to say But it may be demanded what the reasons were why Mary did not knowe our Sauiour Christ seeing we cannot thinke but his stature countenance and voice were answerable to that they were before we answer that the chiefe reason was that her eyes were withheld and restrained for a time by the diuine and retentiue power of our Sauiour himselfe that she could not knowe him like as it is saide afterward in expresse wordes concerning the two Disciples Luke 24.16 that their eyes were holden that they could not knowe him Secondly here it is manifest that our Sauiour appeared to Mary in another habit or kind of apparell then he had accustomed to weare so that he was induced to think that it was some Gardener that was to ouersee or dresse the garden who spake vnto her Thirdly it is to be considered that our Sauiour spake to her hitherto as it were a loofe in generall termes onely Woman why weepest thou c. These therefore may be the causes why Mary did not yet know our Sauiour though he was the man whom she sawe and heard to speake vnto her Now if any should further inquire in this place how our Sauiour rising naked out of the graue got that apparell wherein hee thus strangely appeared to Marie wee may well answere that it is a vaine question to be stood vpon considering the almightie power of him whose resurrection we now speak of who had all things both in heauen and in earth at his cōmandement could by his word create what pleased him in a moment and againe turne what hee would into nothing so soone as it should seeme good vnto him Finally if it be asked why our Sauiour would not at the first instant make himselfe knowne to Mary we may well conceiue that he tooke this course to the end he might affect her the more with the greatnes of the blessing which he vouchsafed her when afterward he should make himselfe known And that then it might worke the more deepe and assured impression in her heart But leauing these things we come now to the third point to wit how our Sauiour made himselfe known and that was as the text of the holy Scripture sheweth by his calling of her more familiarly by her proper name Mary And the same no doubt in such gracious and kind manner as he had vsed to doe before his death he therby shewing himself also to be that good shepheard who knoweth his owne sheepe and calleth them by name Iohn chap 10.3 Herevpon Mary though as it seemeth shee was minded to goe some other whither to see whether she her selfe could peraduenture spie out where the body of our Sauiour should be laide she turned backe againe And by this voice the spirit of our Sauiour no doubt inwardly inlightening and chearing her heauie heart she is incouraged to answer Rabboni that is to say as the Euangelist interpreteth Maister Whereby it is euident that now she was brought to the knowledge yea to the accknowledgement of him that before had spoken to her to be Christ both her and our Rabbie Maister and Teacher And hence also may wee well conceiue that it is no maruel though the ministerie of the word of our Sauiour Christ no more then the outward sound of his own voice to Mary can work no true knowledge and faith in him to saluation vnlesse it please him by his holy spirit most louingly and particularly to apply it to euery one of vs as it were by the calling of vs seuerally by our own proper names Verily no generall discourses with our selues in our owne mindes or with others in wandering conferences will doe it The word must be applied and imbraced in the secret and as it were closet of euery mans own heart and conscience And touching Mary that she vpon our Sauiour his particular naming of her not so much by his outward voice as internally by his holy spirit did know him to be hee the very same and no other it may appeare plainely by her behauiour toward him in that casting her selfe downe before him at his feete with a desire no doubt to kisse them with like affection to that whereof we read to haue beene as it is like in another like good and godly Mary Luke 7.38 and as we read to haue beene in those other women Mat 28.9 she giueth him that diuine reuerence and worship though with some weakenes which surely she would not haue yeelded to any other man Hence therefore it is that our Sauiour Christ as was answered in the fourth place taketh the occasion to instruct Mary and by her vs also how both she and we and all other ought to be affected toward
his resurrection from that which they were before The first cause was therefore that the power of their sight was defectiue in discerning the obiect that was before it like as the eyes of the Aramites were restrained that they could not discerne Elisha nor that hee led them into Samaria till they were in the middest of it And as the eyes of these two Disciples were thus holden so we may proportionably conceiue that their eares were also so restrained that they could not distinctly discerne the sound of his voyce from the voyce of one that was a stranger vnto them Thus then we see the first meanes whereby our Sauiour concealed himselfe from the knowledge of these his Disciples And it is a good thing for vs well to consider from hence that we haue not an absolute power no not ouer our owne naturall senses no more then Hagar could see the well of water that was neare to her vntill God opened her eyes to see it Gen. 21.19 And therefore much lesse haue wee any such power ouer our inward vnderstanding iudgement memory will and affection and least of all concerning heauenly things And therefore also that wee are to acknowledge all these to be in the dispositiue power of God either to diminish and restraine or vtterly to take away any or all at his pleasure and â—herefore likewise that we are alwaies to intreate him to giue vs grace and power that we may be carefull to vse them as we ought to his glory c But this as a note by the way The second way or meanes whereby our Sauiour concealed himselfe was that which the Euangelist Marke telleth vs of ch 16.12 insomuch as he did not shew himselfe in such apparell as he had vsed before his death but came vnto theÌ„ now as if he had bin a traueller to go a iournie it may be with a walking staffe in his hand c. like to themselues Yea though he had before appeared to Marie Magdalene in such manner as if hee had beene the gardener appointed to dresse and keepe that garden where the sepulchre was Wherein this our second Adam sheweth himselfe after a sort answerable herein to that part of the calling and condition of the first Adam Gen. 2.15 But concerning the appearance we now speake of the Euangelist Marke writeth thus After that saith he he appeared vnto two of them in another forme as they walked and went into the Countrie In another forme not that he changed his countenance as was said before but that he had on him another kinde of apparell c. Now let vs returne againe to Saint Luke who prosecuting the narration of this appearance of our Sauiour saith that he ioyned himselfe to these trauellers as a way-faring man and that after he had approached neare and gone a while with them he entered talke demanding in friendly and familiar manner two things of them First what that earnest talke was which they had betwixt themselues And secondly why they were so heauy and sad as no doubt their countenances did euidently bewray as the word scuthropoi which the Euâ—ngelist vseth giueth vs to vnderstand as wee may see further Matth. 6.16 Neuerthelesse this wee must know that our Sauiour did not aske these questions as though he was ignorant what they talked on but to giue them occasion to lay forth their griefe and the error of their thoughts at the full that so hee might take the occasion more fully to direct satisfie and quiet their mindes It followeth therefore as an appurtenance hereunto that the holy Euangelist sheweth what answer one of these hee being also herein as the mouth of the other gaue to our Sauiour to the full satisfying of eyther part of his demand as well what their communication was as what was the cause of their sadnesse Let vs heare the words of the Euangelist Question How doth he report this answer Answer He reporteth it in the 24. chap from the beginning of the 18. verse to the end of the 24. in these words 18 And the one saith the Euangelist named Cleopas answered and saide vnto him Art thou onely a stranger in Ierusalem and hast not knowne these things which are come to passe therein in these daies 19 And he said vnto them What things And they said vnto him Of Iesus of Nazaret who was a Prophet mighty in deede and in word before God and all the people 20 And how the high Priestes and our Rulers deliuered him to be condemned to death and haue crucified him 21 But we trusted that it had beene he that should haue deliuered Israel and as touching all these things to day is the third day that they were done 22 Yea and certaine women among vs made vs astonied who came early vnto the Sepulchre 23 And when they found not his body they came saying That they had also seene a vision of Angells which said that he was aliue 24 Therefore certaine of them who were with vs went to the sepulchre and found it euen so as the women had said but him they saw not Explication This is indeede the full report of the answer shewing as was saide both what their communication had beene and also what the cause of their sadnesse was Their communication as Cleopas answereth was of Iesus câ—â—monly sirnamed as it were from the place of his education Iesus of Nazaret Whom indeede Cleopas doth describe honourably though somewhat defectiuely from one part of his office and calling onely as one being among his Disciples reputed a most holy Prophet and also from the effects or signes thereof in that he shewed himselfe mighty in word and deede both before God and men God himselfe from heauen giuing witnes therevnto Thus I say Cleopas doth describe our Sauiour honourablie though as yet hee did not know either his Person or his Office perfitly That which they communed concerning this Iesus our Sauiour was first of his late sufferings and death euen that his death vpon the Crosse which their most enuious and malitious Gouernours had cruelly put him vnto but two daies before The which also as they say was done so publikely and in the open sight of all that euen in the beginning of this answer Cleopas telleth our Sauiour who not onely best knew but also alone felt the smart of all that he maruelled that any one about Ierusalem could be ignorant of it Secondly they talked as Cleopas further reporteth to our Sauiour though as yet vnknowne to Cleopas of that more priuate and as yet very secret newes which was brought vnto them being among the Disciples at Ierusalem the present morning before they vpon necessary occasion brake company and left them somewhat early to wit before that Marie Magdalene returned the second time The which newes was this that certaine women and namely Marie Magdalene going early to the sepulchre found not the body of our Sauiour there no nor yet they of the Disciples to wit Peter and Iohn who went
his Disciples lest the Lord doe iustly turne his back vpon vs for euer refuse to make vs partakers of his saluation heauenly kingdome Certainly all such are in great danger hereof whosoeuer stand thus indiffereÌ„tly affected that they care not greatly whether they enioy the Gospel or no to whom neither good Preaches of it or good Professors are at any time hartily welcome Let vs therefore I pray euery good Christian diligently beware we entertaine not this hoggishnes into our hearts euen as we doe tender the saluation of our soules that is to say let vs auoide it as charily as with all possibilitie of preuailing against our vnkind selfe-louing profane nature we may through the grace of God attaine vnto Hetherto of the gracious appearance manifestatioÌ„ of our Sauiour Christ to these his two Disciples for the confirmation of his resurrection vnto them and by them also and by the holy record hereof vnto vs and to all Christians But now that we may proceed let vs come to the second point of our text which concerneth the departure of our Sauiour from his Disciples The which departure of his was both strange and speedy yea sodaine immediately after that he had made himselfe vndoubtedly knowne vnto them Question What was the reason hereof Answer Two reasons may be rendered First to let it appeare that although our Sauiour rose againe with the same body and shewed himselfe verily and truly in the same humane nature which he had before his death neuer to lay the same downe againe yet that it was now in a more excellent state and condition then it was before as being all readie entered into the first degree of the eternall glorification of it by his resurrection Secondly that he might giue those his two Disciples and all other to vnderstand euen to the end of the world that we are not now since the resurrection to seeke to knowe or behold him bodily but rather spiritually and by faith onely by such helpes of his word and Sacraments as he hath giuen and sanctified to the same end vntill his comming againe at the end of the world Explication These reasons indeed may well be rendered of it and they doe minister very good inctructions vnto vs to the edification and comfort of our faith They doe likewise fitly answere to either point of the question demanded first touching the strangenes of the departure which was miracle-wise secondly touching the sodainenes of it aboue the expectation no doubt and desire of the Disciples Neuertheles neither the one nor the other of these points nor both considered together most cause vs to think that though our Sauiour Christ was sodainly taken out of the sight of these two Disciples and ceased to be seene of them as the words of the text are aphantos egeneto apparere desijt or though as afterward we shal see he did sodainly and as it were in a moment shew himself to other of his Diâ—ciples that therfore he had a vanishing inuisible nature and no firme corporal substance But we are rather to impute this to his diuine power like to that sodaine translating of the body of Philip the Eâ—angelist out of the sight of the noble Eunuch whom he baptized euen so soone as he had baptized him from about Gaza to Azotus so as the Eunuch saw him no more Act 8.26.39.40 The distance betwixt Gaza and Azotus as some Geographers estimate is about 36. of our English miles And herewithall likewise it may be thought that at this instant â—he eyes of the disciples were held as they were before so that they could not discerne the manner of his departure from them Hetherto of the appearance of our Sauiour to these his two Disciples with all the circumstances thereof and also of his departure from them The effects of this appearance are now onely behind Question Which were they Answer They are set downe by the Euangelist Luke ver 32.33.34.35 of the same his 24. ch as it followeth in this manner 32. And they said betweene themselues saith the Euangelist Did not our hearts burne within vs while hee talked with vs by the way and when he opened to vs the Scriptures 33. And they rose vp the same houre and turned to Ierusalem and found the eleuen gathered together and them that were with them 34. Who said that is some of the eleuen who were talking together The Lord is risen indeed and hath appeared to Simon 35. Then they that is the the two Disciples told what things were done in the way and how he was knowne of them in breaking of bread Explication In these wordes indeede the effectes which followed vpon the former appearance of our Sauiour are contained And they are three in number First the hearts of the two Disciples as they themselues doe mutually acknowledge were exceedingly affected For did not our hearts within vs burne say they while he talked with vs by the way and when he opened to vs the Scripture Secondly vpon the departure of our Sauiour Christ from them they doe forthwith returne to Ierusalem yea though it was now within night therefore must needs be very late before they could walke thither wiâ—h a minde to coÌ„municate report this appearance of our Sauiour vnto the Disciples there Thirdly as soone as they come vnto them they performe that which they intended the summe whereof the Euangelist comprehendeth in two branches First that they reported what things fell out in the way as they walked toward Emmaus SecoÌ„dly how our Sauiour was known of them in breaking of bread What may these things teach vs Question Answere In the first of these effects we learne what the nature of the word of God is in the interpretation and preaching therof namely to inlighten warme and cheare vp the hearts of the reuerend hearers of it In the second and third we see the end wherefore it pleaseth the Lord to reueale his truth to any of his children to wit that they should communicate and make the same known to the rest of the brethren Yea and that it is to be done chearfully and with all good expedition Explication proofe So indeed doth the example of these two Disciples teach vs yea so plainly that there needeth not many words to confirme the same The words doctrine of our Sauiour were as fire in their bosome Fire I say to inlighten their mindes fire to warme and cheare vp their hearts fire to chase away the errours and doubts of their former troublesome thoughts For these are three speciall properties of the holy fire of the spirit of our Sauiour Christ answerable to the properties of naturall fire familiarly knowne vnto vs to wit to giue light to warme that which comm th neare vnto it and to consume euery drossie thing which is put into it Thus the meaning of the disciples is easie to be vnderstood But for our selues to chase away the drowsines and frozen
glory of the onely begotten Son of God c yet if God doe not continue still to enlighten vs by his holy spirit we should be ignorant and vnbeleeuing touching those points yet remaining as euen these chief disciples were for a season And therefore we learne further from hence that we are still continually to craue of God that he will vouchsafe to open our eyes that euen as he hath lincked together all the Articles of our faith as in a golden chaine so it would please him to renewe from time to time the gracious light of his holy spirit that we may from point to point attaine to the true vnderstanding and faith of euery one of them For assuredly looke where the Lord leaueth teaching there of necessitie shall wee cease learning And therefore let vs be alwaies very careful not onely publikely but also priuately euery one by our selues and with our families to pray earnestly to God for the daily illumination of his holy spirit in euery point of his most holy and diuine truth This haue the excellent seruants of God done before vs namely the Prophet in the 119. Psalm verse 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy lawe And the Apostle Paul he praieth in the behalfe of such as had already profited excellently well in the knowledge and faith of our Lord Iesus Christ that the eyes of their vnderstanding might be yet more and more inlightened Ephes 1.16.17.18 Col. 1.9 Wherefore we much rather ought to doe it as they who stand insomuch the more need then they by how much we haue lesse profited Questionles the cause why many euen of such as haue heard the word a long time and enioyed all other the holy ordinances of the Lord doe remaine still very ignorant of whom it may be saide that they are euer learning and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth it is for that they be not instant with the Lord by praier both in publike ioyning with the preacher and also in priuate by themselues attending diligently vpon the ministery of the word intreating his blessing vpon the same For no doubt if the most ignorant in the congregation would pray feruently to God for grace they should find the Lord true in his most holy gracious promise Aske and ye shal receiue seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall be opened vnto you For as our Sauiour assure â— vs whosoeuer asketh receiueth and he that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened For what man is there among you c. Mat 7.7 c. read also Luk 11. â— They that are châ—ldren in knowledge and stande in need of milke should grow in time fit to be fed with more strong meat as the Apostle speaketh 1. Co 3.1.2.3 Heb â— 12.13.14 1. Pet 2.1.2 For as wee read Psal 19.7 The Lord giueth wisedome to the simple yea Prou 1.4 sharpnes of wit and to the child knowledge and vnderstanding Thus much concerning the effect of the breathing of our Sauiour vpon his Disciples saying Receiue the holy Ghost in that hereby their vnderstanding was opened And this is the fourth particular But that which is annexed vnto it is no lesse worthy to be obserued of vs touching the subiect matter of their vnderstanding namely the holy Scriptures for so saith the holy Euang that our Sa opened their vnderstanding that they might vnderstaÌ„d the Scriptures Our Sauiour could by immediate reuelation haue giuen them knowledge without the written word but to cut off all occasion of seeking after phantasticall reuelations beside the word as many proud spirited men doe attempt and in the meane while set not a flocke by the Scriptures it pleased our Sauiour euen of purpose no doubt to honour the Scriptures thus far as to make them the grouÌ„d and guides of the vnderstanding of his most choise disciples Yea he himselfe though all that he spake was as authenticall as the Scriptures for he was the very truth it selfe yet he had alwaies his recourse to the Scriptures of the olde Testament to ground his doctrine on Moses and the prophets as it is plentifully recorded by the holy Euangelists And as it followeth in the very next words containing the fift particular Question Which are they Answer And he said vnto them Thus it is written and thus it behoued Christ to suffer and to rise againâ— from the dead the third day Luke 24.46 ExplicatioÌ„ How the sufferings and resurrection of our Sauiour are written of in the holy Scriptures we haue shewed before Here let vs obserue diligently that insomuch as our Sauiour standeth so often in the rehearsall and confirmation of his sufferings and resurrection that they are matters of singular weight not to be posted ouer as children doe in saying the Articles of their faiâ—h but to be most seriously minded both of yong and olde with the best discretion and most aduised iudgement that all of vs can attaine vnto They are two of the principallest things which our thoughts and meditations ought to haue recourse vnto in the morning when we rise in the euening when we goe to bed yea in the night as wee lye vpon our beds Wee ought to talke of them as wee walke abroad with our neighbours and as wee sit at home with our wiues and children c. Verily none of vs haue yet euer sufficiently and deepely enough pondered and weighed them Whose heart should not be wonderfully affected both with godly sorrow for sinne with zealous hatred against sinne with vnsatiable loue towardes God our heauenly Father and towards the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ himselfe considering that hee would according to the will of his Father most willingly suffer for vs yea euen to the death the death of the Crosse as we haue heard at large before And who duly considering that the same our Lord Iesus Christ who dyed for our sinnes is verily risen againe for our iustification cannot but bee vnspeakeably reioyced and stirred vppe to rise from the death of sinne to serue the liuing God as we are after to consider in the comforts and duties belonging to the faith of the same Here also we see which are the principall things which our Sauiour commendeth to the faith of his Disciples as the chiefe grounds and pillars thereof and which were to be most carefully preached of them as the chiefe grounds of the common faith of all Christians There are many other Articles indeede in no wise to be neglected of vs but if wee should studie neuer so long we could not name two Articles of like necessarie respect yea of like both respect and prospect as we may say the one pointing vs backe yea containing in a manner all the humiliation of our Sauiour euen from his birth to his death the other pointing vs forward to his full and perfect glorification it being as a most triumphant entrance into it neuer to fall from the victorie and
knew not that it was Iesus Explication Our Sauiour who is other where called the great shepheard of the sheepe of the which wee shall haue occasion to speake afterward he sheweth himselfe at this time after the manner of the chiefe fisher maister ouer these his fishermen For so his words giue plainely to vnderstand First in that he standing thus on the shore calleth out vnto them and saith Sirs or children as the word Paidia which he vseth signifieth haue ye any meate wherein he speaketh as one being priuie to the cause of their fishing which was want of necessary food and victuall not as prouiding to serue any common market but for the priuate reliefe of the family Yea he speaketh as if he himselfe their Maister had set them about the present busines to that very ende For the word childâ—en according to the Hebrew pâ—rase is attributed vsually to seruants as the word Nehharim all one in signification with the Greeke Paidia that is to say children doth declare And so we read 1. Sam 25.5 13. where the holy Storie reporting how Dauid sent his seruants to Nabal and how they did their message vnto him and what answer Nabal gaue againe to them the word nehharim is often repeated in that narration And so Exod 33.11 Iosua though of mans age is called Moses nahhar that is his child or yong man c. and. 2. King 4.12 Gehazi the seruant of Elisha is termed by the name of his child or yong maâ— And Psal 119 9. By what meanes shall a yong man yea such a one as is in the flower or strength of his yeares redresse his waies c. It is true that the word Pais doth likewise sometimes signifie a seruant whether yonger or elder in yeares whether a boy or a man Neuertheles we are rather to think that our Sauiour respected the vse of the Hebrew language And so he speaketh to them euer as Moses should haue called out spoken to his seruant Ioshua or Eâ—isha to Gehazi or Dauid to his ten seruants whom he sent to Nabal c. Thus then in the first place these first wordes of our Sauiour are spoken after the maÌ„ner of a Maister to whom these fisher-men were seruants The same is yet more euident in the 2. speech which he vseth For immediately vpoÌ„ their answer that they had none he biddeth them Cast out the net on the right side of the ship and telleth them that so they should find Wherevpon they obey him as seruants their maister or at least hearkening to the aduise of one whom they supposed to be a man of good experience and thought that it might be that he saw some signe of some skole of fishes gathered together there about though indeed they did not yet know him to be our Sauiour Chr their Lord maister This then was the manner of our Sauiours shewing of himselfe to his disciples in this his seuenth appearance as both the time and the place and his speeches already interpreted doe plainely argue and declare Now let vs come to the fift point to wit what the speciall end and scope was which our Sauiour intended and aimed at in this appearance Question What was that Ans I haue heard you teach vs that all things duly considered it may be euident The proofe of his resurrection by his seuenth appearance that our Sauiour did not so much shew himself at this time to coÌ„firme his Disciples in the certaintie of his resurrection as to aximate and incourage those whom hee had chosen for his Apostles to settle themselues the more comfortably and confidently to that most difficult and hard peece of their Apostolical worke and seruice So it seemeth indeede both from all the circumstances before mentioned and by the manner of the appearance it selfe and also by all the speeches and actions of our Sauiour which are hereafter to be considered of vâ— Wee doe not say that our Sauiour did not at al propound to himself to confirme his very true and bodily resurrection to his Disciples yet more fully For then hee would not haue eaten with them Onely we say that he principally propounded to himselfe the confirming of the hearts of his chiefe Disciples to the work of their holy ministerie in the preaching of the Gospell after his ascension and specially of Peter for that there was cause why he might be more easily discouraged then any of the rest in the time of tentation while he should remember his former most grieuous fall in the deniall and forswearing of his Lord and maister In which respect also our Sauiour of his singular mercie vouchsafed him the first sight of him after his resurrection before yet he had shewed himselfe to any of the eleuen This verily in respect of Peter was the principall purpose of our Sauiour in this his appearance and in no wise as the Popish guides most blindly imagine and blasphemously teach that our Sauiour should intend to create Peter the prince of the Apostles and to make him his vicare generall ouer his Church much lesse to the end he might deriue it to the Popes of Rome in their succession c. Of the which more afterward when wee come to that speech of our Sauiour whence they would gladly father that their ambitious and proud conceit In the meane season let us consider how it may be discerned that the principall scope of ouâ— Sauiour was to incourage his Apostles present at this time to the worke and labour of the ministery Question How may this be discerned Answere Our Sauiour to this ende worketh three miracles In the first whereof his dealing is so answerable to that course which he tooke at the first calling of some of these his chiefe Disciples to be special followers of him in that he called theÌ„ from Sea faring fishing to be fishers of men that it is more then seeming that he would draw them at this time to the same consideration againe and to incourage them therevnto Yea the latter words of our Sauiour to Peter after dinner doe plainely declare that this was the chiefe scope of all both the words and the works which he wrought before ExplicatioÌ„ It may well be affirmed which you say For first if we compare that which we read Mat 4.18 c Mar 1 16. c. wiâ—h the 5. ch of Luk. v. 1. c. we shal find that these very persons Peter Iames Iohn were in the same sea fishing and Peters ship theÌ„ was the same likely that Peter fished with now They had then fished al night and could take nothing euen as they had done now They did cast their nets yet once againe at the coÌ„mandement of our Sa as they did at this time They tooke then a great multitude of fishes as they did now c. All things therefore agreeing so neerly how can we but think that the mind of our Sa was likewise at both the times euen one the same That
in vs toward him Wee must trie and examine our selues concerning our loue to Christ as the Apostle Paul telleth vs that euery Christian must try his faith in Christ 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether ye are in the faith examine your selues know ye not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in yee except ye be reprobates The reasons why wee are thus to try our selues are principally two First because there is naturally in euery one of vs too great loosenesse and negligence touching the matters of the Kingdome of GOD and of our owne soules and saluation as it is euident by the common speeches of all Who though their own consciences conuict theÌ„ that the houre is to come that euer they seriously setled their hearts to inquire and search after these things yet they will readily and boldly say they are sure of their saluation and that they loue God with all their heart and that it were pitie that any should liue that loue not Christ c. Thus euery man is ready to giue forth good words But loue in words onely and from the teeth outward as wee say is condemned betwixt man and man and therefore the precept is giuen Let vs not loue in word neither in tongue onely but in deede and in truth 1. Ioh. 3.18 Much lesse may wee thinke that the Lord will regard bare words how neere so euer the mouth draweth toward him when the heart is farre from him as he complaineth by his holy Prophet Isai 29.13 Matth. 15.7 c. Lest therefore this generall loosenes and negligence should deceiue vs it is necessarie that euery wise Christian doe take a more carefull course Secondly it is necessarie that we trie our hearts concerning our loue to our Sauiour because there is a most hidden deceitfulnesse in euery mans heart to thinke that much good is in it which is not in truth and that it is free from much euill which it is tainted withall vntill it be chased away by this diligent inquisition and by our putting of our selues as it were vpon the racke Yea rather vntill we distrusting our owne triall as being partiall therein doe after the example of Dauid intreate the Lord who onely doth truly trie the heart and searcheth the reines Ier. 17.10 as was alledged a while since that it would please him to trie vs and both to make knowne vnto vs that which is amisse and also to testifie what the worke of his owne holy and secret grace is in vs according to that Psal 26.1.2 c. and Psal 139 verses 23.24 Trie me O God and know mine heart proue me and know my thoughts And consider if there be any way of wickednes in me and leade thou me in the way for euer And although the Lord doe at any time trie vs by laying his word to our consciences according to that of the Prophet Isai chap. 28.17 Iudgement also will I lay to the rule and righteousnes to the ballance c. And Exod. â—0 verse 20. or by any affliction as Deut. 8.2 or by any of his righteous seruants Psal 141.5 yea or though it should be by an aduersarie 2. Sam. 16 1â—.12 Wee are to take heede that we be not therfore pettish and froward against the Lord after the manner of the wicked but that wee be sorie with Peter to remember that we haue giuen the Lord iust cause to call vs to so narrow a reckoning Neither are wee to thinke this to be contrarie to the Lords most free grace and aboundant mercie so comfortably described Psal 103 8. c. Ier. 31.33.34 Micah 7.18.19 and in many other places God doth neuer call to his owne minde or bring the sinnes of his children to their remembrance in his wrath and with a purpose to take vengeance of them but onelie in mercy to better their repentance and to stay them from further sinning euen from the remembrance of his former mercies in forgiuing their sinnes Thus our Sauiour dealt with Peter And the same course of the Lords dealing is very good for euery one of vs. For as it is truly said concerning the beneficence of one man to another that he which giueth the benefit should forget it but that he which receiueth it should hold it in stedfast memory so though the Lord do for euer forgiue our sins vtterly forgetteth to take vengeance of vs for theÌ„ yet we ought neuer to forget neither how infinit waies we haue offended him nor how great his mercy hath been is continually vnto vs in forgiuing forgetting the same our innumerable sinnes and offences Finally from that modestie which Peter sheweth in refusing to preferre himselfe before his brethren let vs also learne not to put forth our selues too farre as it were beyond our line through any inconsiderate rashnes or shew of boasting either in word or deede but wisely and discreetly keepe our selues within that measure of grace which God himselfe hath measured to euery of vs labouring alwaies after inward truth and not after outward shew and appearance in giuing honour going before all other as much as wee may in truth attaine vnto Thus much concerning the first part of the first speech of our Sauiour Christ to Peter particularly directed to him indeede but not vttered for his cause onely but that all might in him receiue their necessary instruction and admonition as was before truly affirmed Let vs now come to the second part of the same speech which is this Feede my Lambs and againe Feede my sheepe Feede my sheepe The which wordes as hath beene already obserued doe containe a most notable charge and direction to Peter in that hee was ordeined to bee an Apostle and Preacher of the Gospel how hee should both best trie his owne loue toward our Sauiour Christ to the peace of his conscience in the sight of God and also best declare his loue to the glory of God and profit of his Church and people as was touched before And therein also our Sauiour doth by a similitude or comparison taken from the sheepe and lambs of the flocke describe the properties of those that be the true members of his Church and dutifull hearers of his word c. So that the due consideration of these words will be no lesse profitable both to Ministers and Preachers of the word and also to the rest of the people of God then the former were and therefore let vs in the name of Christ with like diligence both inquire and also harken vnto it Question How may these things be gathered from the words of our Sauiour Answer First in them all ioyntly Feede my Lambs and then againe and againe Feede my sheepe Feede my sheepe verses 15.16 Secondly in a particular consideration of these words lambs and sheepe ExplicatioÌ„ You answer well But before we come to the interpretation of these words two things are very requisite to be presupposed of vs as you haue beene taught Question Which may they be
Answer The first as I remember I heard you preach is that our Sauiour is the onely chiefe Sheepheard of the sheep yea both of all his Ministers the sheepheards which he appointeth ouer his flocke and also of all the sheepe ouer whom they are set For euen the sheepheards themselues are sheepe in regard of the soueraigne authority and vniuersall watch of Christ ExplicatioÌ„ The second is that Peter is in speciall manner authorised by our Sauiour to be vnto him among the rest one principall sheepheard of his flocke You remember well And it may iustly be affirmed that these things are very meete to be well weighed of vs before wee come to the wordes themselues First therefore that our Sauiour Christ is the onely chiefe Sheepheard of the sheep c. according to your answer it is euident both by the testimonie of our Sauiour himselfe before his death and of the Apostle Peter after our Sauiour his ascension By the testimony of our Sauiour himselfe as we reade Iohn chap. 10. verses 10.16 I am the good sheepheard c. Other sheepe also haue I which are not of this folde them also must I bring and they shall heare my voyce and there shall be one sheepfolde and one sheepheard And here in this our text our Sauiour calleth the sheepe his sheepe and the lambs his lambs which hee chargeth Peter to feede Reade also Matth. 25.31 All Nations shall be gathered before him and hee will seperate them one from another as the sheepheard seperateth his sheepe from the goates c. And thus are and shall be fulfilled the holy prophesies Isa 40.11 He shall feede his flocke like a sheepheard he shall gather the lambs with his arme and carry them in his bosome and feede them with young And Ezech. 34.23 I will set vp a sheepheard ouer them saith the Lord and hee shall feede them euen my seruant Dauid he shall feede them and he shall be their sheepheard And I the Lord will be their God and my seruant Dauid shall be the Prince among them I the Lord haue spoken it Thus by the testimony of our Sauiour himselfe according to these and such other prophesies hee alone is the chiefe Sheepheard of the sheepe The Apostle Peter to whom he spake as we reade in our present text acknowledgeth and witnesseth the same 1. Pet. 5.4 When the chiefe sheepheard shall appeare ye saith the Apostle speaking to the Ministers of the word shall receiue an incorruptible crowne of glory And in the same sense he is called the great sheepheard of the sheepe Heb. 13.20 yea so as was answered that the sheepheards themselues are his sheepe according to that which our Sauiour himselfe alledgeth out of the prophecie of Zechariah and applieth to those whom he had chosen to be sheepheards of his flocke I will smite the sheepheard that is Christ the great sheepheard and the sheepe of the flocke shall be scattered Mat. 26.31 By all which testimonies of the holy scripture it is euident that our Sauiour Christ is so the cheefe sheepheard as none can be no not in any ministeriall seruice For no creature can keepe so vniuersall and so continuall a watch as that charge requireth Neither is any able to stand vnder the infinite weight and burthen of it Hee alone that neither sleepeth nor slumbereth must be this watchman and hee onely that neither fainteth nor faileth must beare this charge That is to say such a one and no other must be this watchman and sheepheard who is not onely man but also very God euen that God who will not giue his glory to any other Neither is it meete neither may it be attributed to any creature without blasphemie against the Creator and redeemer We conclude therefore touching the first point of the answer that our Sauiour onely hath an incommunicable soueraignty ouer the whole flocke Neuerthelesse as it is answered in the second place our Sauiour hath his ministeriall sheepheards and seruants to attend and waâ—t vpon this flocke to wit all the faithfull Ministers of the word among whom the Apostles of our Sauiour were the chiefe in respect of certaine prerogatiues which they had aboue other and among them our Sauiour aduanced Peter to be one whom he did by vertue of his charge committed to him together with the rest authorise in speciall manner to be one of his principall sheepheards to helpe feede his flocke Question But why doth our Sauiour commit this charge vnto him in this speciall maner and by a particular direction of his speech to him rather then to any other Feede thou my lambs Feede thou my sheepe Feede thou my sheepe Answer Our Sauiour did in this gratious manner restore the office of Apostleship from the which hee had deserued to be cut of by his threefold deniall of him First for Peters own particular comfort assurance of his calling against all feares and doubts which might assaile his minde Secondly for the publike credite and authoritie of his Apostleship in the Churches of Christ to the end of the world notwithstanding his former most grieuous and vncomfortable fall Finally that our Sauiour might the more liuely and significantly expresse vnto him that he would account his loue and care of feeding his flocke so much as lay in him to bee the most singular fruit of that loue which hee did professe himselfe to beare vnto him Explication For these causes indeede did our Sauiour thus often repeate these words euen to make the matter more emphatical as we vse to speake as if our Sauiour had spoken as wee may say in the superlatiue degree I will account this the most excellent proofe of thy loue that thou canst shewe mee it shall be the greatest credite in the middest of my Church and flocke and it shall yeelde thee the most sweete and comfortable peace to thy conscience in the assurance of thy calling to this ministerie yea to thy eternall saluation that may be And herein also let vs well obserue to our comfort the singular care which our Sauiour hath ouer the soules of his people in that hee will not account either Peter or any other Pastor and Minister of his word to loue him if they haue not great care to further their saluation These things are so euident in themselues that we neede not stand to seeke any further proofe Now let vs come to the meaning of the words which our Sauiour vseth first for Peters feeding then of his owne lambs and sheepe Question First therefore what meaneth our Sauiour by this word Feede Feed Feed thus often repeated An. It is a word borrowed from the name of the sheepheards of the field whose office specially in the East countries of the which our Sauiour speaketh is to guide their flocks vnto the best pastures that may be found in the more barren and waste grounds or desert places and wildernesses appointed for sheepwalkes and to watch ouer them lest they should be deuoured of wilde beasts
nullo metu tactos fuisse fingunt desperationis materiam sumunt ex proprio metu And againe the Martyrs could not haue triumphed ouer the enemies of the truth vnlesse they had first fought against themselues Non possent nisi secum pugnando de hostibus veritatis triumphum agere And nowe further touching Peter insomuch as our Sauiour prophesied thus of that kind of death which he should dye wee may be sure that it came certainly so to passe though we cannot giue credit to all things that are written in Ecclesiasticall stories concerning the fulfilling thereof Neither doe the wordes of our Sauiour as some haue imagined describe and determine that he should be crucified We will not therefore looke much vnto humane stories in this matter seeing we haue a more certaine ground in the vndoubted prophesie of our Sauiour wherein we may safely rest By vertue whereof no doubt though Peter was sore maliced as we may perceiue Act 12.3.4 yet as it followeth in the same chapter he was mightily and miraculously deliuered that the word of our Sauiour might take place So then as this prophesie of our Sauiour was a warning to Peter wherevnto hee was to prepare and dispose himselfe at the last so it was as it were a comfortable charter of his life vntill olde age should come vpon him And euen so doth the time reported of his death in the last yeare of cruell Nero shew which was about 36. yeares after that our Sauiour had foretold thus much to Peter That which our Sauiour vouchsafed to declare vnto Peter is in his secret counsell knowne and determined concerning euery one of vs and all other beside Let vs therefore euen from hence comfort our selues that our times are in his handes whether we liue or dye in youth or in old age whether we dye the death of martyrdome or otherwise so that wee walke faithfully in his holy waies Thus much concerning the second speech of our Sauiour to Peter we come now to the third Question Which was that Answer 19. After the former speech ended saith the Euangelist Iohn our Sauiour saide to him Followe me Explicatiō This is a short speech but it is a speech of great waight and importance It appeareth by the next verse where it is saide that Peter following our Sauiour sawe Iohn also following that our Sauiour speaking these wordes to Peter followe me turned himselfe as minding to goe to some other place and to take Peter aside with him alone Neuerthelesse there is no doubt to be made but hee minded a further thing that is euen to teach him yet more familiarly the former lesson that he had giuen him to wit that as it was his dutie to followe him bodily steppe by steppe at his commandement so hee might consider thereby that it was likewise his dutie to be willing to followe him that is as we speake to the same purpose to be an imitator of him in his death as wel as in his life Thus much briefly cōcerning this third speech vntill we come to the repetition of it againe in the fourth speech where the meaning of our Sauiour is made more plaine by occasion of a question which Peter demandeth of him Question How doth the Euangelist report this last speech of our Sauiour at this his seuenth appearance and also the occasion of the same Answer 20. Then Peter saith Saint Iohn turned about and sawe the Disciple whom Iesus loued following who also had leaned on his breast at supper and saide Lord which is he that betrayeth thee 21. When Peter therefore saw him he saide to Iesus Lord what shall this man doe 22. Iesus saide to him if I will that he tarrie till I come what is it to thee Followe thou me Explicatiō In these wordes of the holy Euangelist we haue both the last speech of our Sauiour to Peter in this his seuenth appearance and also the occasion which Peter gaue therevnto by a question propounded to our Sauiour Yea and also the occasion which Peter tooke to aske this question to consider of The occasion which Peter did both giue and also take is contained in the former two verses The speech of our SAVIOVR is set downe in the last of these verses The question which Peter demanded was concerning Iohn the Euangelist in these wordes But this man what For these are the wordes His meaning was to desire to knowe either whether our Sauiour would haue him also to goe with him or else what should become of him whether he should likewise be put to death or no. As though he should haue said But as touching this man what to wit shall he doe or what shall he suffer But whether of these he minded the one or the other the answer of our Sauiour will shewe that it was a curious and an vnmeet question for him so boldly to propound The occasion of this question was as the Euangelist Iohn sheweth because Peter turning himselfe to looke backe sawe Iohn also following our Sauiour It is true that Iohn doth not set downe his owne name but the description can agree to none but to himselfe as chap 13. verse 23.24 and the 24. verse of this 21. chapter doth plainely declare Whence also wee may perceiue one cause why hee doth thus describe himselfe that is for the credite of the whole historie of this booke against all counterfeit Gospels like as Paul for the same purpose set his hand to all his Epistles that they might be knowne to be his and to haue an Apostolicall authoritie Col 4.18 and 2. Thes 3.17 The occasion of which circumspection of the Apostle read in the same Epistle ch 2. verse 2. An other cause of this description which the Euangelist maketh of himselfe may be this to imply a reason why Peter was moued to aske this question insomuch as he thought it strange that our Sauiour should take him alone with him now when he was wont to call his beloued Disciple Iohn also when he went a part as wee read Mark chap 5.37 and chap 9.2 and againe chap 14.33 And thus we may see how literally as was noted before our Sauiour biddeth Peter to followe him with his bodily feete though he intended to teach him an other kind of following as we shal see further by the answer of our Sauiour This answer of our Sauiour hath two parts The first is a reprehension of Peters question the second is a repetition of his former commandment Followe thou me By the reprehension we may easily perceiue that Peters question was curious and vnbeseeming him for to aske specially at this time when he ought rather to haue held his thoughts and meditations vpon the reuelation and commandement which our Sauiour gaue him concerning himselfe And I doubt not but that was one cause why he tooke him so aside Whereby we may iustly learne this lesson that it is our dutie to be more carefull of those things that doe concerne our selues and our
his maiestie verse 16. of the same chap. For he was gloriously transfigured before thē Mat. 17 2. much rather then may it be said in respect of his sitting at the right hand of God that he hath receiued most high honour glory frō God But because the highest dignity and honour of person was not sufficient for our Sauiour so infinit was the loue of God toward him and his own worthines in himselfe therefore did he ioyne a like soueraignty of office with his excellency of person that his power might maintaine and vpholde his honour For potentia est custos vindex honoris according to that which we may further reade Eph. 1.20 21 20 21 22 23. God set Christ at his right hand in the heauenly places farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and dominion euery name that is named not in this world onely but also in that which is to come And he hath made all things subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him ouer all things to bee the head to the Church which is his bodie euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things And Philip. 2.9 God hath exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name And 1. Pet. 3.22 and Heb. 2.9 We see Iesus crowned with glorie and honor Indeed as the Apostle saith in the same place our Sauiour was made a litle inferiour to the Angells through the suffering of death yea in that the Son of God was made man it was a wonderfull humiliation which he stooped vnto But now on the contrarie the aduancement is so great that wee may say that man is after a sort made the most high God This most high and diuine soueraignty of our Sauiour in office ioyned with the most high dignity and honour of his Person consisteth partly in that power which hee hath from God ouer men and partly in that fauour which he hath with God for men as was answered But because these things are afterward to be considered more fully in the benefites and comforts belonging to the faith of this Article therefore wee will content our selues onely to haue made mention of them now In the meane season let vs first obserue this in a word that whereas the holy Scriptures teach vs that our Sauiour sitteth at the right hand of the Father in the heauens we are not to conceiue as though he were restrained from all motion of his bodie Though indeede it is all one with him now whether he doe continually sit or should be in continuall motion and bodily action or should be continually standing as Stephen saw him And the right hand of God is principally euery where in the most glorious heauens where the throne of his Maiesty is Neither is our Sauiour said to sit at the right hand of God so much by these words to note the situation as one would say of his bodie as that excellent estate degree wherein hee is according to that which was declared before Question Now therefore all these things duly considered and laid together What is briefly the meaning of all the words of this Article He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father almightie Answer This Article teacheth me euery true christian vndoubtedly to beleeue that the only begotten Sonne of God our glorious Lord Iesus Christ who after his death rose againe bodily from the dead is now in the same our humane nature not onely ascended bodily into heauen but also that he hath there receiued of the Father as a fruit declaration of his infinite loue toward him and as a fruit of his owne infinite merit and worthinesse in his sight all perfection of diuine power glorie and maiestie to the perfecting of all things belonging to his most high and eternall office of kingdome ouer all and o priesthood prophetship for the perfect saluation glorification of his Church euen in that he is the Sonne of man Explication and proofe It is verie true For herein is fully confirmed to our Sauiour Christ that which he himselfe had affirmed before his death Iohn 5.20 27. The Father loueth the Sonne and sheweth him all things whatsoeuer he himselfe doth and hee will shew him greater workes then these that ye should meruaile c. And he hath giuen him power also to execute iudgement in that he is the sonne of man And that also is herein fulfilled which he said a little before his ascension Matth. 28.18 All power is giuen me in heauen and in earth And that which hee praied Iohn 17.1 Glorifie thy Sonne that thy Sonne also may glorifie thee as thou hast giuen him power ouer all flesh that he should giue eternall life to all them whom thou hast giuen vnto him And verse 5. Glorifie me thou Father with thine owne selfe with the glorie which I ha◠with thee before the world was In the which glorie of the Father he shall come at the last day Matth. 16.27 And chap. 25.31 And Luke 21.27 with power and great glorie THus from the meaning of the Article we come to the promise Question Haue we therefore any promise that our Sauiour Christ should be seated at the right hand of God the Father for our benefit Answer The prophesie in the 110. Psalme verse 1. containeth a promise in it saying The Lord saide to my Lord sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foote stoole Explication and proofe It is true For the conquest of our Sauiour promised to him was also to the benefit of the Church as the same Psalme doth plainely declare But because the promise will further appeare from all the effects thereof in the most comfortable fruits and benefites The Comforts which the sitting of our Sauiour at the right hand of God hath brought vnto the Church therefore wee will abruptly breake off from the promise and haste vnto them Qu. Which are those most comfortable fruits and benefits An. To speake as the truth is generally by this most high exaltation of our Sauiour Christ in our humane nature all the fruits how manie and how great soeuer wee receiue by him euen from his verie incarnation and first comming into the world to his ascension vp into heauen to wit redemption iustification sanctification saluation and whatsoeuer else beside they are all most perfectly warranted and sealed vp vnto vs and to euery true christian beleeuer yea euen to the poorest and basest of those which doe truly beleeue in his name It is very true according as that one place of the Apostle Saint Paul Rom. 8.29 30 c. Explicatiō proofe euen to the end of the chapter may aboundantly proue and declare For albeit as we must acknowledge he deduceth and deriveth our saluation from the very first and supreame cause of i◠that is to say from the most sacred and eternall election and high counsell of God yet he proceedeth to make the most low humiliation of our
grace in them to their sanctification it may appeare Gal. 5.21 The fruit of the Spirit is loue c goodnes faith c against whom saith the Apostle there is no law And Iames 2.13 Mercy reioyceth against iudgement Moreouer it may appeare by that we reade in the former Apostle Colos 3.12 Now therefore as the elect of God holy and beloued put on tender mercy kindnesse humblenesse of mind c. And thus saith our Sauiour himselfe shall men shew themselues to be the children of the most high Luke 6.35 36. Secondly that mercifulnesse and the fruits thereof are of exceeding regard acceptance with God it is euident in other places of holy Scripture though most notably in our present Text. Namely it is euident in that the Lord saith by his holy Prophet I will haue mercy and not sacrifice Hos chap. 6. verse 6. And our Sauiour himselfe sheweth it plainely where he promiseth assuredly that a cup of cold water giuen to any of his Disciples in the name of a Disciple that is because he is a Disciple shall not be vnrewarded Thirdly that the practise of the duties of mercy is both the way to glorifie God and also to attaine to his kingdome of glorie it cannot be doubted of those that know how earnestly and often these duties are commanded vnto vs euery where in the holy Scriptures For a taste whereof reade Exod. chap. 22. verses 21 22 23 c. 27. Deut. 15.7 c. Prou. 19.17 Isai 58.6 7. c. Ezek. chap. 18 7. Micah 6.8 and Zech. 7. verses 8 9 10. Luke 16.9 Make you friends with the riches of iniquitie riches being so called because they are vsually either gotten by fraude and oppression or vniustly detained from the relieuing of the poore that saith our Sauiour when ye shall faile to wit when life shall faile ye they may receiue ye into euerlasting habitations That is that you walking in this way or exercising the duties of mercy may through the infinite mercy of God be receiued into the kingdome of heauen Finally that the conscionable care and ready practise of those fruits of mercie are comfortable assurances to them that practise them that they are the children of God for whom he hath prepared his eternall kingdome we may be assured of it from that saying of out Sauiour Matt. 5. where he pronounceth the mercifull blessed and promiseth that they shall obteine mercie Likewise by the testimonie of Saint Iohn 1. Epist 3.14 We know that we are translated from death vnto life because wee loue the brethren The fruites of which loue hee doeth describe to be in a principall parte the actions of mercie and compassion in relieuing such as want with their worldly goods verses 17 18 19. Thus then we may perceiue how in sundry respects of great vse moment vnto vs the words of our Sauiour For I was an hungred and ye gaue me meate c may well be accounted a reason of the former part of his sentence for the acquiting of the godly As for those that can see no reason of this allegation of our Sauiour but the merit of the workes there mentioned they shew themselues more then purre-blinde And though they seeke for helpe both from Grammar and also from Logicke yet neither of them nor any of their riotous rhetoricke will relieue them in the pride of their opinion The causall coniunction in Grammar doth indeed serue to shew the reason of a former sentence but it doth not necessarily shew a reason from the cause of a thing but as often from the effect and from other kinde of arguments likewise as from the cause And Logicke also teacheth that there be diuers kindes of causes principall and lesse principall c. And of the principall and chiefe causes euery one hath a sufficient power granted of God ordinarily to produce the proper effect Yet that there should be a meritorious cause it cannot in the naturall proprietie of speech which it vseth allow of it And least of all can it allow that the lesse principall cause should in any reason beare the name of merit c such as are the workes of the most righteous in comparison of their eternall saluation though we ascribe the most we may vnto them Hetherto of the words of our Sauiour in such sense as they may be accounted a reason and that in diuers respects without any the least aduancing of the merit of mans workes THe same words of our Sauiour may likewise be esteemed as a law or rule whereby he will frame or order his iudgement Question How may this be Answer It may euidently appeare from hence that our Sauiour will order his iudgement according to his law and Gospel Explicatiō proofe It is true that you say For the faithfull shall be acquited by the Gospel wherevnto the law giueth witnesse as we reade Rom. 3.20 21 22. by the works of the law shall no flesh be iustified in his sight that is in the sight of God for by the law commeth the knowledge of sinne But now is the righteousnesse of God made manifest without the law hauing witnesse of the law and of the Prophets To wit the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And the wicked shall be condemned by the law which the Gospel establisheth as Rom. 2.5 6 c to the 18. verse And chap. 3.31 Reade also Matth. 5.17 18 19.20 And Iohn 3.18 19 20 21. And chap. 12.47 48. And Heb. 4.12 13. This is plaine in our text both on the behalfe of the godly to their saluation and also to the condemnation of the wicked For to the one as we haue alreadie seene hee giueth the praise of well doing in obedience to the law of God which requireth mercie aboue sacrifice And the Gospel as we know pronounceth the mercifull blessed and promiseth as was alledged before that they shall finde mercie But contrariwise as wee shall haue further occasion to consider in the other part of the sentence or iudgement of our Sauiour hee sheweth that the vnmercifulnesse of the wicked which both the lawe and the Gospel do condemne is a great part of the cause of their condemnation For as we reade in the new Testament beside the curse which the law of God a wardeth there shall be iudgement mercilesse to them that shew no mercy Iam. chap. 2.13 Thus much concerning the words of our Sauiour containing the reason or rule of the first part of his iudgement as was said It followeth now in the third place that we come to those words of our Sauiour wherein he cleareth a doubt or scruple which might arise from the same words of the reason in that he saith not to the godly The poore haue beene hungrie and yee fed them thirstie and yee haue giuen them drinke c. but thus I was hungrie and yee fed mee c. For how might this seeme to be so insomuch as our
shall be worthy to be punished with Hell fire The word which the Euangelist vseth is Gehenna with some little difference or deflection from the hebrewe words Geh bhen-hinnom the valley of Ben-Hinnom So then we may say of Hel-fire of the torment it selfe as was saide of the place of the torment that God hath certainly prepared it of olde for the most miserable and perpetuall torment of all the wicked The last amplification of the punishment which our Sauiour will adiudge the wicked vnto is from an adiunct as we may call it namely because therein they that haue refused the communion of Christ and his Church shall haue their followship with the diuel and his Angels That is to say with the whole companie of all diuels or wicked and vncleane Spirits For so are these words of our Sauiour the diuel and his Angels to be vnderstood according to that Reuel 12.7 There was a battell in heauen Michael that is to say Christ and his Angels fought against the dragon that is the diuel and the dragon fought and his Angels that is to say al the rest of the diuels For so the holy Scriptures speak of them as being subiect after a sort to one principall Mat 12.24 But herein we must take heed that we be not ouer curious Onely these two points are worthy our consideration First that seeing this punishment of euerlasting fire shall be so great as it shall torment the diuels according to that Mat 8.29 and 2. Pet 2.4 c Iude verse 6. it must then needes bee of that force that it shall make the stoutest among men to tremble and quake vnder it Secondly that insomuch as in our iudgement whatsoeuer the wicked thinke it is a very vncomfortable estate to be yoked with Idolaters Blasphemers Traitours Murtherers and such like for miserable comforters are they all much more hideous shall it be for the wicked to haue their ioynt portion of torment with all the diuels of Hell whose temptations they haue followed in their wicked lusts and sinfull pleasures all their life time Hetherto of the latter part of the iudgement of our Sauiour against the wicked to wit of the words of the sentence it selfe NOw followeth the reason or rule and lawe of the same Question What are the wordes thereof Answer For saith our Sauiour I was an hungred and yee gaue me no meate I thirsted and yee gaue me no drinke I was a stranger and ye lodged me not I was naked and ye clothed me not sicke and in prison and ye visited me not Explication This reason or rule and lawe whereby the iudgement is ordered is to be vnderstood as containing in it a full and sufficient cause of the condemnation of the wicked For euen vnmercifulnes alone is of it selfe very damnable There shal be iudgment mercilesse to them that shewe no mercy saith Saint Iames. And yet we may well vnderstand as was touched before that it goeth not alone For any sinne will easily lodge in the heart of the vnmercifull man neithere shall any other sinnes of theirs bee neglected in this iudgement though this onely be expressed For as wee knowe and as it hath beene obserued before all angry and vnaduised words shall come into iudgement Mat 5.22 yea euery ydle and vaine word chap 12 36.37 Likewise all youthfull prankes Eccles 11.9 And chap 12. the last verse Euery secret thing shall come vnto iudgement Yea 2 Cor 5.10 All things are reckoned within the compasse of the last iudgement All failings in the duties of our-seuerall callings and all transgressions of the lawe of God whatsoeuer The reason why our Sauiour made choise of this sinne of vnmercifulnes for the conuiction of the wicked hath beene alreadie rendered when wee spake of the contrary vertue of the godly in the other part of the iudgement That also which was alledged before to the praise of the godly for their fruites of mercie through the gratious acceptation of our Sauiour it serueth here in his iustice to shew the indignitie of the vnmercifulnes of the wicked insomuch as he taketh himselfe to be neglected when as any needfull or afflicted Christian is not relieued Question But what Shal al those be condemned that do not practise the duties of mercy here expressed Answer The reasō of this latter part of the iudgemēt is onely against such as hauing this worlds good doe shut vp their compassiō close vp their hands from their distressed brethren Explicatiō proofe It is so in deede the reason of our Sauiour is so to be vnderstoode For it is euident and cleare that euen of those that are needie and distressed themselues our Sauiour hath his blessed number though they be such as be so farre from relieuing other that they cannot succour themselues And besides sometimes euen those that gladly would relieue those Christians that are shut vp in prison cannot be permitted to haue accesse vnto them or to send that succour which they desire they might Some also are so vnapt to comfort those that be in distresse either in prison or in grieuous sicknes c. that they should in visiting of them more discomfort then comfort them much like vnto those to whom the Apostle said what doe ye weeping and breaking my heart Act 21 13. Neuertheles this we may be bold to say that none of those doe belong to the kingdome of heauen but shall be condemned by this sentence of our Sauiour whosoeuer haue not an vnfeined willingnes and desire according to their abilitie and according to that iust occasion which God giueth vnto them to feede the hungry to cloth the naked c. Or if they cannot themselues haue no care to stirre vp and perswade others therevnto that are able Or if being able for wealth and though vnfit in some other respect as was mentioned euen now if they should not send their good will and the fruite thereof by others that are meet to be imploied in such cases Or if not able to doe any thing else they should not be careful to pray for me afflicted as the church did for Peter when none might come at him but his armed enemies and keepers Act 12.5 Such as should thus farre faile in mercy should shewe plainely that they haue no true loue to Christ according to this his sentence here nor any truth of religion in them as we may perceiue by that which the Apostle Iames saith chap 1 27. Pure religion and vndefiled euen before God the Father is this to visit the fatherles and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Here therefore as wee see is most vrgent and necessarie cause offered that euery one should suffer themselues to be earnestly admonished yea that euerie one should most seriously admonish warne themselues to take heede euen vnder paine of damnation how he doe neglect to practise the duties of mercy and namely those cōmon familiar duties which our Sauiour doth by
them all tending to this end that he might bring the Corinthians to see and consider with themselues that whither soeuer they turned their eyes either to one kinde of grace or to another that all and euerie one of them were of the holy Ghost For which verie cause it is that in his particular rehearsall of the diuers kinds of them hee doth make often mention of that Spirit which giueth all according to the good pleasure of his will and the same also to the end the whole Church and euery member thereof might be edified and built vp in the sound knowledge and faith of Christ and all mutually knit together in one heart and mind not that any should be puffed vp thereby as we are afterward to consider more at large In the meane while this doth verie well follow vpon the present consideration that insomuch as all the gifts and graces which God bestowed on his Church are the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost and that hee distributeth them seuerally as he will to some one to some another to one more to another lesse c. And seeing the Apostle speaketh indifferently of them to be the gifts of God the gifts of the holy Ghost therfore we see iust cause and very sufficient reason why we ought to beleeue in the holy Ghost BVt this will yet more fullie and plainely appeare The meaning of the Article after that wee haue examined the doctrine of this Article of our faith in the holie Ghost according to our order obserued hetherto in all the former Articles I would therefore that in the next place ye doe shew what you haue learned to be the meaning of this Article I beleeue in the holy Ghost For from hence may wee well take the occasion both to make all things the more plaine and also to gather all meere proofes Question for the confirmation of the same Say therefore what is the meaning of it Answer This article teacheth me and all Christians to beleeue in the holy Ghost the third Person of the most holy and glorious Trinitie as being in Person truly distinct from the Persons both of the Father and of the Sonne and yet neuerthelesse in the vnitie of the Godhead very true God coessentiall and eternall and in all infinite Maiestie wisedome power and glory coequall with them Explicatiō proofe That the holy Ghost is a personall subsistence distinct from the Father and the Sonne that is to say that he is one hauing his eternitie and Beeing and in his Beeing eternitie of omnipotence infinitenes of wisedome c. considered both more simply in himselfe and also by relation in the distinction of the Person by reason of the most simple and entiere vnitie of one and the same Godhead wherein euery Person of the holy Trinity doth equally consist it is euident from very many places of holy Scripture And first that he is a Personall subsistence and the same also distinct from the Father and the Sonne hee himselfe hath declared it by his manifesting of himselfe at the baptisme of our Sauiour Christ the Sonne of God in the bodily shape of a doue Math. 3. And likewise by his representing of himselfe in the vision of clouen tongues ouer the heads of the Apostles Act. 2. For neuer did any quality or affection either of the minde of man or of any Angell appeare in any bodily shape or externall representation It is furthermore euident by that forme of Baptisme which our Sauiour Christ hath prescribed and commanded to his Church For it were absurd that any creature should be baptized into the name of that which is no Person Moreouer what reason or shadowe of reason were there why the holie Ghost should be called by the name of God if hee had not a Personal beeing But that this is so it hath bene declared before The which also will yet further appeare when we come to shew that the holy Ghost who is the searcher of the heart of man yea euen of the deep things of God which none can doe but God himselfe For who hath knowne his minde or who was his counseller but he himselfe to himselfe it will I say further appeare that he is a Personal subsistence when we shall come to shewe that all the diuine workes of the Godhead are attributed to the holy Ghost as well as to the Father to the Sonne as was touched in a word before The distinction of this Person of the holie Ghost is likewise euident by that his distinct manifesting of himselfe by descending from heauen at the baptisme of the Sonne of God in our humane nature when as the Father vttered his voice as remaining still in heauen The same is euident also by the distinct rehearsall of him with the Father and the Sonne in the institution of Baptisme And that hee is the third Person in the holie Trinitie the order of the same rehearsall doth make it plaine And likewise that place of the Apostle Iohn in his 1. Ep ch 5. where he is in like manner rehearsed in the third place Yet so as we must vnderstand that neither the Father is first nor the Sonne second nor the holy Ghost third in precedence of time or in dignitie of diuine honour but onely in respect of the incomprehensible order and māner of the existence or beeing of the diuine nature as was obserued before in the generall doctrine of the whole Trinitie Wherefore also it is truely affirmed heere that as the holie Ghost is coessentiall with the Father and the Sonne as the Apostle Iohn testifieth in the chapter before alledged saying These three are one so is he euery way coequall and coeternall both in wisedome and power c as by the more full opening of this Article will clearelie appeare Question Shewe you therefore what this Article of our faith doth furthermore teach vs in this behalfe Howe haue you bene further instructed Answer I haue learned from the interpretation of this Article that I my selfe and euery Christian doe stand bound to beleeue that God the holy Ghost hath alwaies without beginning heretofore and euen to this present had his ioynte-worke or as wee may say copartenership with the Father the Sonne both in purposing and decreeing also in ordering and effecting all the mightie workes of Creation and gouernement not onely in the whole world generallie or vniuersally considered but also more specially in the newe creation as it were gouernement of the holy Catholike church of God and in the sanctification of euery particular member of it Yea that he hath the same ioynt-worke and counsel for euer hereafter to the perfecting of all the counsells and workes of God both in mercie and in iudgement world without ende I haue learned also that I for my part do stand bound to beleeue in God the holy Ghost that he is my sanctifier as wel as the sanctifier of any other of the elect people of God
who I say duly considereth these things but he must haue his minde greatly incouraged to looke for all grace and comfort from him And the rather because wee are certified by himselfe in his holy Scriptures that he is minded to dwell wth vs and in vs as in the Temple of God Euery particular consideration may well bring with it a speciall and seuerall comfort that he will make vs wise that he will leade vs into all truth sanctifie reuiue quicken and leade vs vnto euerlasting life in his due time Yea so that though wee should for the present finde our selues very ignorant vnholy weake in faith fainting in hope destitute of all grace and euen as it were in the darke shadow of death yet wee may conceiue good hope that wee shall be inlightened with knowledge washed from filthines fined from drosse cheared in heart and made bold against all tentations and enemies of our spirituall ioy and peace Thus comfortable yea infinitely aboue that I can expresse may the comfort of beliefe in the holy Ghost be and that not onely in respect of priuate persons but also of whole Churches in so much as by him they are gathered to Christ and by his comfort multiplied and increased from day to day according to the testimonie of Saint Luke Act. 9.31 and Ephes 2 20.21.22 Question HEtherto therefore of the vse of this Article for the comfort of faith It followeth now that we are to inquire into the vse of it touching the obedience of faith What say you to this point Answer As this Article sheweth vs by whom alone all holy and spirituall comfort is immediatlie wrought sealed vp in our hearts so it doth in special manner require that all holy and spiritual fruits of obedience be most willingly chearfully constantly yeelded vnto him Beliefe in God the holy Ghost Question There is good equity in it in deede The Duties Which therfore ought those holy fruites to be At the least which are some of the principall of them For to rehearse them all we were not able at this one time Answer First our faith in God the holy Ghost who is the onely immediate worker of all grace and comfort in our hearts requireth that we vnfainedly acknowledge our owne miserable nakednes and pouertie of soule and spirit and that wee are alltogether carnall and corrupt in our selues neither to haue any power to attaine to any holy grace or true comfort of our selues but that all spirituall riches and inward beautie or ornament of grace with all sound consolation doth proceed to vs immediatly froÌ„ his gratious working alone Secondly it is for the same cause our dutie to giue most willing ioyous and reuerend entertainment vnto him as to our most welcome guest or rather as to the most honourable Lord and gouernour of the house whensoeuer he shall by his holy word or anie other meanes knocke at the dore of our hearts Thirdly it is our like bounden dutie to take most diligent heed lest after we haue giuen him entertainment wee doe at any time grieue him by any vnkinde and vnseemely dealing but contrariwise that we doe by all meanes procure as much as lyeth in vs that he may take good contentment and pleasure to abide for euer with vs. Fourthly it is to the same end and purpose our dutie to follow his blessed regiment and direction in all things and chiefly in the holie matters of Gods diuine worship according to the instructions and commandements of the word of God which hee himselfe hath set forth vnto vs. Finallie as was answered in the beginning all and euery one of the same spirituall duties of diuine worship honour they are of most bounden dutie to be yeelded and performed to the holie Ghost as well as to the Father and to the Sonne to wit faith loue reuerence prayer thanks-giuing and such like ExplicatioÌ„ proofe For the first of these points and to induce our hearts to the performance of the dutie there specified read Matth 5.3 Wher our Sauiour Christ beginneth that his large excellent Sermon vpon the mount with this asseueration that the poore in Spirit are assuredly blessed and that the kingdome of God is theirs But on the contrarie it is as certainely affirmed in the holie scriptures that God resisteth the prowde in Spirit And Reuel 3.17 the holy Ghost sharply reproueth the Church of Laodicea for that ouer-prowd conceite which it had of it selfe Whervpon it is euident that we cannot trulie beleeue in the holy Ghost so by faith haue him dwelling in vs vnles we be humble in our selues and doe acknowledge that nullitie of goodnes that is of our selues in our owne wicked nature For the second pointe read in the same 3. chapt of the Reuel verse 20. Behold I stand at the dore and knock if any man heare my voice open the dore I will come in vnto him and I will sup with him and be with me To him that ouercommeth c. Our Sauiour by his holy Spirit commeth as a Prince to the poore mans house bringing all his furniture and prouision with him not onely for necessitie but also for delicacie as it were hangings plate iewells and all kinde of spirituall delights and dainties And shall we not thinke it our parte to giue his holy Spirit most reuerend and ioyfull entertainment For the third point read Eph 4.30 Grieue not the holie Spirit of God by whom yee are sealed to the day of redemption A deede of gift or anie other euidence of writing is ratified when it is once sealed and so are wee as belonging to the Lord by the impression of his most holie and heauenlie Spirit Yea so firmelie that none can disable our title if wee our selues doe not cancell it Nowe therfore to the end we may not breake off or deface this blessed seale of God let vs haue tender and charie regard of that which the Apostle saith Grieue not the Spirit of God Yea let vs diligentlie obserue that which he saith to the same ende both in the wordes going before and also following after wherin he sheweth wherwith the holy Ghost is grieued namely by corrupt communication by bitternes c by idolatrie euery other kinde of sinne Iâ—st therefore is the reproofe which Peter giueth Ananias and his wife Act Beliefe in God the holie Ghost 5. verses 3.9 And that also which Stephen giueth the wicked rulers of the Iewes chap 7. verse 51. Read also Heb 3.7 8.9.10 Such vnkind dealing with the holy Ghost is the most vnworthy and greatest indignitie that may be Wherefore let vs on the contrarie considering that the holy Spirit of God vouchsafeth of his infinite mercie to be our nearest and in-most friend let vs I say esteeme of him and vse him alwaies as the most honourable dearest and best welcome friend vnto vs infinitely aboue all other The acceptable fruites of the Spirit are reckoned to be of three sorts Ephes
is his soule into the hands of the Lord Iesus who no doubt receiued it Acts 7.59 According to that Reuel 6.9 10 11. where the soules of the Martyrs are said to lie vnder the altar to wit as being vnder the blessed safe protectiō of our Sauiour for whose sake vpō whō after a sort they offered sacrificed thēselues vnto God like as Paul vseth that maner of speech cōcerning himself Phil. 2.17 Neither was this the knowledge faith perswasion of the faithful at the cōming of our Sauiour since that time onely by the light of his doctrine promise and practise but it hath beene likewise the knowledge and beliefe of the Church of God in all former times euen frō the beginning For so taught king Salomon Eccl. 12.7 The body returneth to the earth euen dust as it was but the Spirit returneth to God that gaue it And Dauid before him being of this beliefe commended his soule into the hands of God Into thy hand saith he to God I cōmend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Ps 31.5 Where note we wel that the blessed immortality of the soule is a fruit of our redemption Yea Moses of more ancient time before him Abraham the rest of the Patriarks also before Abraham they all liued died in this beliefe Heb. ch 11.13 14 15 16. And ch 12.23 it is writtē of the souls of all the righteous departed this life euen frō the beginning of the world that they are in a perfit estate of happines in heauen so farre forth as they may be perfit till the resurrection of the body Hereof hath the Lord giuen a liuely testimonie from heauen in that he tooke Elias vp from the earth preuenting thereby his naturall death as men ordinarily die 2. King 2.11 And before him Henoch also who was more neare the first ages of the world Gen. chap. 5.24 And as we reade Heb. 11. 5. By faith was Henoch taken away that he should not see death c. This did God of speciall grace and fauour and for a reward to Henoch because he walked with God and had a care in all things to please him This reward out of all question was the blessed immortality of his soule in heauen if not of the glorious change of his body also And the immortality of the soule of Moses Elias is plainly testified by their appearance at the transfiguration of our Sauiour Christ Matth. 17.3 Thus the beliefe of this Article hath beene knowne and embraced euen from the beginning of the world to this day Yea so famous hath it beene from the beginning that the very heathen haue retained a certaine smacke of this doctrine as it is euident in the writings of their Philosophers from time to time euen from among the Egyptians and Caldeans to the Grecians and Latinists both Oratours and Poets As noble Mornaeus sheweth at large in his 15. chapter of Truenesse of religion though these Philosophers had this doctrine rather by rote as it were as wee say of children then by any religious assurance among them for want of the liuely testimonie and warrant of Gods holy word which either they had not or did not duly regard But let vs returne to the Apostles words And in the second place diligently obserue we that he opposeth the estate of the life to come whether before the resurrection or after to the estate of this present life so long as our our soules abide here in the body This he calleth the earthly house of this tabernacle that is a flitting and transitorie estate according to that 1. Pet. 1.17 and 2. Epist 1.13 14. Iob ch 4.19 and Isai 38.12 The other he calleth first a building of God secondly a house not made with hands thirdly eternall in the heauens fourthly such a building as is from heauen all which cannot altogether agree to the body alone Thirdly this building doth the Apostle with the rest as hee testifieth of them desire to be clothed with immediately after that they leaue this earthly tabernacle because otherwise as hee saith they should be found naked vntill the resurrection of the body Fourthly the Apostle sheweth that the faithfull are not wearie of this life because of the present afflictions and troubles thereof through impatience but because they know that this life ended it is the good pleasure of God that they shall be no longer strangers from him but come presently home vnto him into a blessed estate waiting therein for the adoption euen the redemption of their body till afterward Rom. 8.23 This therefore is the cause why they doe long till they may inioy it when once the time appointed of God shall come In soule first the power of sinne being extinguished and afterward in soule and body together freed from all mortality and corruption for euer and euer Herevpon it is that the Apostle reasoning from the causes of that longing and sure confidence that the faithfull haue hee saith first that God hath created or fitted them to this immortality in his owne purpose and counsell euen from the wombe and secondly that he hath in due time giuen them the assurance of it by the earnest of his holy Spirit Thus much therefore for the ground and warrant of the blessed immortality of the soules of the faithfull euen for all whosoeuer doe truly beleeue in our Sauiour Christ For all and euery one haue their part in all the benefits purchased by him as wee may remember from the doctrine of the communion of Saints Question NOw what is the meaning of this Article of the blessed immortality of the soule Ans The meaning of it is first That the soule is created of God The meaning of it such a spirituall substance distinct from the body of euery man and so liuing in it selfe 〈◊〉 causing life to the body that though the body die yet it remaineth still in the owne life and by the ordinance of God is not subiect to death nor possible for euer to be extinguished or to cease to hold that proper existence or Beeing which God hath giuen vnto it Secondly the meaning of this Article is that so soone as the naturall life which the soule ministreth to the body is ended God receiueth the soule of euery true beleeuer into his heauenly kingdome Where he maketh their estate vnspeakeably more blessed then before in that he giueth vnto them a most sweet comfortable fruit of all that christian knowledge faith sanctification of euery grace which they had obtained here in this life and that euen in all meete and full perfection so to continue for euer and euer with the thousand thousands of the holy Angells and Saints of God The meaning of this Article may well bee comprehended in these two branches Explicatiō proofe But yet so as the first branch of your answer may well be extended as well to the soules of the wicked and infidells as to
earthly corruptible and sinfull body Beliefe that to euery true member of the Church of God The grouÌ„d of the article belongeth the glorious resurrection of the body NOw let vs returne to the Article of the resurrection of the body it selfe at the last day the which we may wel reckon for a second benefit after this life Question What ground of holy Scripture haue you for it Answer It is laid downe vnto vs at large in the whole 15. chap. of the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians Explication and proofe It is so in deed And we will at this time answerable to our large handling of the former Articles of our beliefe take this most large warrant and confirmation of it And the rather also because it is so set downe and discussed by the holy Apostle that together with the certaine proofe of it to the reproofe of some among the Corinthians who began to call it into question he doth likewise shew the Meaning Promise vse of the Article both for Comfort and also for Dutie together with the Danger of not beleeuing it as we shall by the grace of God perceiue by our examining of the Apostles most excellent discourse But though the chapter be long yet will we by the same grace of God vse such breuitie as it shall not seeme tedious to any Christian heart that reioyceth in the truth of God The Apostle in this chapter disputeth and determineth three very weightie questions to the end hee might for euer put them out of all doubt in the Churches of God First that there is a resurrection of the body Secondly what manner of bodies the bodies of the faithfull shall be when they rise againe whosoeuer shall be found dead from the beginning of the world to the end thereof Thirdly how God will deale with the bodies of the faithfull whosoeuer of them shall be found liuing vpon the face of the earth at the last day when our Sauiour shall come to iudge the world The first of these questions is disputed and concluded from the beginning of the chapter to the 35. verse The second from the 35. verse to the 51. The third in the 51.52 and 53. verses From the which so large a discourse of the holy Apostle wee may fully and plainely vnderstand the meaning of this Article Moreouer the Comfort of this Article of our faith is set downe verses 54.55.56.57 Wherein also is contained the Promise from the propheticall testimonie of Hosea The Duties belonging to the Comfort of this Article are to be seene verse 58. And finally the Danger of not beleeuing this Article is euident euen from the second verse of this chapter And againe verses 13.14 c. to the 20. And yet againe verses 29. and 32. Let vs therefore consider of these excellent points treading as it were in the foote-steppes of the holy Apostle onely reseruing the Danger of not beleeuing to the last place according to our vsuall course And first of all that singular wisedome is to be obserued which the Apostle vseth in his entrance to treat of these things For where as he knew wel that the Diuell would subtilly take all the aduantages that hee could against the truth that it might be forsaken of the Corinthians hee doth for the same cause lay hold of all the aduantages which God had giuen him for the confirming and setling of it Belief that to euerie true member of the Church of God belogeth the glorious resurrection of the body in their hearts To this purpose he doth most prudently insinuate foure speciall thinges which might iustly be of good weight to stay the hearts of the Corinthians in the assured beliefe of the whole doctrine of the Gospel generally First because he being as they themselues were perswaded a faithfull Apostle of Iesus Christ had preached this truth vnto them according to the commandement of Christ was now in like faithfulnes with all good assurance readie constantly to confirme it in all points vnto them Secondly because they for their parts had by the grace of God receiued and embraced the same doctrine of the Gospell in all points for the truth of God as it is indeede Thirdly because they had for a good season retained it faithfully without doubting of the truth of it in any fundamentall point especially and therefore could not now without so much the greater note of lightnes and inconstancie call any such point into question Fourthly because in the entier beliefe of the Gospell without exception against any one foundamentall Article therof standeth the saluation of all Christians Question But in what words of the Apostles text are these generall insinuations contained Answer They are contained in the first two verses of the chapter in these words 1. Moreouer brethren saith the Apostle I declare vnto you the Gospel which I preached vnto you which ye also haue receiued and wherein ye continue 2. And whereby ye are saued â—f ye keepe in memorie after what manner I preached it vnto you except ye haue beleeued in vaine ExplicatioÌ„ These words as we may easily see doe containe those most wise insinuations of the Apostle expressed before Wherevnto also he annexeth these words of generall caueat Except ye haue beleeued in vaine Not that he would call into question the truth and constancie of their faith but doth admonish them to take heed lest by any meanes they should fall away from any Article of it and so hazard their saluation Now in the next place that is to say from the beginning of the third verse and so forth vnto the 12 the holy Apostle intending to dispute more particularly with all holy force of Apostolical argumentation against such as called the Article of the resurrection of the body into question he doth first of all most skilfully lay downe and confirme the bodily resurrection of our Sauiour Christ which is as it were the ground and foundation of the resurrection of ours And he doth it in this order First and formost from the Apostolical authoritie of his former preaching touching this point Secondly from the authority of the former or more ancient Scriptures of the old Testament Thirdly by an argument of paritie or equall comparison in that the resurrection of our Sauiour is as certainely confirmed both by propheticall and also historicall testimonie as is his death and buriall or any thing else that is written of him and therfore ought to be as firmely beleeued as any other Article besides euen as they would looke to be saued For as it is saide concerning the law that insomuch as one Lawe-giuer gaue all the commandements of the morall Lawe none can so soone tread vnder foote and despise one but hee breaketh and violateth all as wee reade Iames 2.10 so in the doctrine of the Gospell in so much as all the Articles therof are giuen by our one only Sauiour and do concerne one the same entiere saluation none can denie
any one of them but he may iustly be said in effect to denie them all And this is the cause why the Apostle is so earnest in the proofe of this Article But let vs heare the Apostles owne words Quest And first which are his words concerning his Apostolical authority Answ Verse 3. First of all saith he I deliuered vnto you that which I receiued how that Christ arose the third day c. Expli Here is a plaine proofe in deede from his Apostolical authoritie confirmed by the authoritie of our Sauiour Christ himselfe who put him into the office of Apostleship and deliuered vnto him the doctrine which he had preached Question In the next place which are his words of confirmation from former Scriptures Answer Verse 4. He saith to this end that he preached the resurrection of our Sauiour according to the Scriptures Explication and proofe He doth so in deede and namely in the 4. verse And he may well affirme it to be according to the Scriptures For as we haue seene in the handling of the Article of our Sauiours rising the third day from the dead that it was often prophecied of and foretolde in the olde Testament both in the booke of the Psalmes and also in other places of the holy Prophets Question Now thirdly how doth the Apostle reason by his argument of paritie or equall comparison Answer 4. To this purpose hee saith that hee had preached the resurrection according to the Scriptures as well as he had done the death and buriall of our Sauiour Explicatiō It is true And herein hee putteth the Corinthians well in minde that they ought by good reason constantly to beleeue this Article from the authority of the holy Scriptures as well as either of them And the rather also because this is as certainly confirmed by historicall testimonies of sufficient and authenticall eye-witnesses as either of the other were as the Apostle sheweth further by sixe seuerall appearances of our Sauiour after that he was risen from the dead and came out of his graue as it followeth in the text verses 5.6.7.8 Let vs heare the Apostles words Question Which are they Answer 5. He was seene of Cephas that is of Peter then of the twelue 6 After that he was seene of more then fiue hundreth brethren at once whereof manie saith the Apostle remaine vnto this present and some also are a sleepe 7. After that he was seene of Iames then of all the Apostles 8. And last of all saith S. Paul he was seene also of me as of one borne out of time Explication Here is very great euidence in deede and an vndoubted certaintie from historicall proofe touching the fulfilling of all former prophecies in this behalfe as it must needes be acknowledged And these manifold appearances of our Sauiour Christ after his resurrection were not onely so many proofes and confirmations of his owne resurrection as we haue seene more at large in the opening of that Article but they are also as many proofes and assurances to vs that if wee beleeue in our Sauiour Christ our bodies shall likewise be raised vp againe to glory at the last day as the Apostle in this place giueth vs further to vnderstand And let vs herewithall well consider also that in so much as the holy Apostle S Paul did by diligent and earnest preaching deliuer the testimonie of the witnesses here mentioned concerning the sundrie and often appearances of our Sauiour after that he was risen that therefore they are to be esteemed of necessarie vse and profit that they should be preached and accordingly that all whatsoeuer diligence and care which is vsed both in preaching and hearing and studying of them is so authorised by the holy Apostle that we neede not account our former labour therein to be repented of but rather that wee are greatly to blesse and praise God with all our hearts for his gratious direction and assistance therein that we ought to haue often recourse to the same doctrine and to be as readie to preach and heare it againe when iust occasion shal be offered as we were before Thus much concerning the historicall warrant and confirmation of the resurrection of our Sauiour according to the propheticall predictions foretellings of the same Where this is in no wise to be neglected touching the Apostles owne testimonie which he hath giuen vnto it vpon his own certaine knowledge in that he sawe our Sauiour after his ascension which he could not haue done if hee had not beene risen againe that though he doth after his wonted manner confesse and bewaile his sinnes and vtter his vnworthines to be an Apostle yet he doth it in such sort that is with such holy skill and dexteritie that he doth so much the rather magnifie the credite of his Apostleship and of this his present testimonie by how much hee doth more highly extoll the grace of God in that he of his infinite mercie had vouchsafed to appoint him though most vnworthy to that so high an office But letting fall all comparison and leauing the matter indifferently to bee considered hee concludeth after this manner that whosoeuer were the instruments of God to Preach the doctrine which he speaketh of the Corinthians could not denie but that they had heard it preached yea so effectually that by the grace of God and blessing of his holy Spirit they were confirmed in their hearts to beleeue the vndoubted truth thereof And thus hee maketh a notable transition to the disputing of the first question Question In what wordes doth the holy Apostle contriue this artificiall part of his speech Answer 8. Last of all saith he as we reade verses 8.9 10.11 he was seene also of me as of one borne out of time 9. For I am the least of the Apostles who am not meete to bee called an Apostle because I persecuted the church of God 10. But by the grace of God I am that I am his grace which is in me is not in vaine but I laboured more aboundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God which is with me 11. Wherefore whether it were I or they so we preach and so haue ye beleeued Explicatiō Thus then in these wordes the diuine art and skill of that holy wisedome which God gaue to his blessed Apostle is very plaine both for the vpholding of his Apostolicall credite in his vnfained abasing of himselfe and also in his most commodious transition from the ground of the question to the disputation it selfe as wee shall see further by the wordes which followe in the 12. verse Question Which are they Answer 12. Now saith Saint Paule vpon the premises if it be preached that Christ is risen from the dead how say some among ye that there is no resurrection of the dead Explicatiō Here it is plaine that the holy Apostle entereth to dispute the first question from the former ground of our Sauiours resurrection
verses 24.25.26.27.28 Of the which wordes because we haue considered before in the Article of our Sauiours comming to iudge the world so farre forth as concerneth the diuerse manner of the gouernment of his kingdome after that day from that which is now wee will not stand vpon it here Onely let vs for the present consider how the Apostle doth conclude that the resurrection of our bodies and of the bodies of all the faithfull that shall then be found dead shall be at that day Question What is his reason Answer If all the enemies of the faithfull whom God accounteth his enemies also shall at the comming of our Sauiour to giue iudgement at the last day bee vtterly and for euer subdued by him then doubtles Death which is one capitall and chiefe enemie and as the Apostle saith the last enemie of the rest shall be subdued But all the enemies of the faithfull shall be subdued saith the Apostle yea euen from the first to the last And therefore Death also together with them Explicatiō It is true And consequently it followeth therevpon that the bodies of the faithfull shall rise againe to euerlasting life For otherwise if their bodies being ouerthrowne by death should neuer be raised vp againe then should death raigne still or rather tyrannize ouer them But God will not suffer the enemie so to doe For seeing sinne shall be vtterly abolished which was the cause of death to the body death it selfe shall also one day cease touching the bodies of the faithfull as well as their soules haue alreadie escaped the second death And so according to the wordes of our text God shall be all in all insomuch as hee raising vp the bodies of his seruants to glory shall cause his most glorious power and the most rich grace of his Gospell to shine forth as well in their bodies as in their soules when they shall wholly liue together in eternall glory with him and when he shal vouchsafe together with the Sonne and the holy Ghost to liue most perfectly and fully in them all according to the prayer of our Sauiour Christ made in that behalfe in the 17. chap of the Euangelist Iohn This being the Apostles third reason let vs now come to the fourth as it is contained in the 29. verse Question Which are his wordes Answer 29. Else saith Saint Paule what shall they doe who are baptized for dead If the dead rise not at all why are they then baptized for dead Explicatiō In these wordes Saint Paule reasoneth from that vse and ende wherevnto our Sauiour Christ ordained his Sacrament of holy baptisme in the outward washing of the bodies of those that should beleeue in his name the which was no doubt as well to assure the baptized of the forgiuenes of their sinnes in respect both of soule and also of body as to teach them both in body and soule to dye vnto sinne and so consequently to assure euerlasting blessing and glorious saluation to them both Which could not be performed vnles the body should rise againe This seemeth to be the very true meaning and intent of the holy Apostle directly seruing to the purpose which hee hath in hand As though hee should haue saide thus If there should bee no resurrection of the body why should the Sacrament of Baptisme the seale of the Lords couenant of saluation be applied vnto it What fruite either haue the faithfull by it to wit in respect of the body who are alreadie dead Or what fruite may the liuing looke to finde by it in the same respect when they shall be dead if the hope of the resurrection be not assured vnto them thereby And whereas the aduersaries might peraduenture alledge that it is a sufficient vse of Baptisme to assure the faithfull of the saluation of their soules though the body haue no fruite by it Beside that this is an ignorant restraint of the most holy and gracious couenant of God the Apostle hath sufficiently preuented this obiection seeing if any denie the one part of it hee can haue no true faith to beleeue the other as in this his disputation hee giueth plainely to vnderstand as wee haue partly obserued alreadie and shall further obserue it to be so by the reasons that followe when we shall come vnto them In the meane while we cannot denie but that some wordes of the present text are diuersly translated and accordingly diuersly interpreted as though the Apostle should reason from some other ground then from that which we haue alledged But vpon due consideration it will be found as I verily suppose that no other ground will sufficiently vphold it to the purpose which is in hand And therefore whereas these wordes Oi baptizomenoi huper toon necroon are translated of some thus baptized ouer the dead as though it had beene euen in the Apostles time the manner of some to baptize ouer the graues of the dead this surely is very vnlikely I meane that the Apostle would ground his reason vpon such a groundles or fond vse if any such were And therefore this reading cannot well agree to expresse the Apostles meaning Neither yet doth that translation well agree which hath a respect to the ancient custome of the faithfull Iewes in that to the nourishing of their hope touching the resurrection of the body they vsed to wash the bodies of their dead and then to imbalme them before they buried them as though the Apostles wordes were to be translated thus Else what doe they which vse washing ouer the dead and therefore that from this custome the Apostle would proue that there is a resurrection of the body seeing otherwise this washing should be in vaine For this also though it be of more weight then the former as touching the matter alledged yet it is not sufficiently agreeable to the phrase or construction of the wordes which the Apostle vseth Wherefore we may rather hold our selues to the first translation and sense of the wordes vnderstanding the greeke huper to be vsed by Saint Paule as the latine pro is vsed in this latine phrase habere pro derelicto as Maister Caluin well obserueth so that he who is baptized should be baptized for dead that is as one in a māner dead euen to dye more and more to sinne but to liue more and more vnto God Neuerthelesse in that Maister Caluin interpreteth the Apostles wordes as though hee should reason from the custome of such conuertes as neglecting baptisme ouerlong were yet at the last prouoked in conscience to seeke after it when they did see death any way approaching vnto them lest they should be preuented of that benefite and comfort which they hoped to finde by it though the interpretation bee not lightly to be passed by yet for my part I cannot rest in it as in that which the Apostle would make the ground of his reason And Maister Caluin himselfe worthily condemneth it for a great falt in them that should so
vsuall manner but we shall all be changed Wherein first the Apostle compareth death to a sleepe to signifie that death is not an vtter destruction of the body as was touched before seeing that as the body though depriued of all sensible vse of the senses as one may say yet awaketh in the morning and findeth all after a sort renewed so the body after that it hath slept his full sleepe till the last day shall then rise againe in that morning to receiue life sense and motion according to that Psal 49.14 The righteous shall haue dominion in that morning Illo manè 1. quo resurgâ—nt pij quasi ex nocte sepulchri cum videlicet Sol iustitiae orietur Christus secundo aduentu suo Vt scité Iunius See more to this purpose in the 2. Booke page 609. where this sentence is englished Secondly the Apostle sheweth in these words We shall all he changed what shall be instead of a death and resurrection to all such as shall be found liuing at the comming of our Sauiour to iudge the world When as to speake properly they shall neither die nor rise againe but onely be after a wonderfull manner set in the same glorious estate with the other Thirdly in the words next following the holy Apostle giuing vs to vnderstand that this change of the faithfull who shall be found liuing at the comming of our Sauiour together with the change of all other creatures and the raising vp of all the dead being to be done with greater expedition then all things were made at the first it serueth notably to set forth the almighty power of God herein And therewithall mightily to strengthen our faith against all doubtings about the matter And yet not so that the moment which the Apostle speaketh of is precisely to be vrged further then to note singular expedition for so great magnificeÌ„t a work far aboue that any would think how it could be so soone wrought Like as Lament chap. 4.6 it is said by the holy Prophet that Sodome was destroyed as it were in a moment because it was done in a short time euen soone after that goodly sun-shine morning wherein Lot went out of it Reade also Numb 16. verses 21.45 Fourthly in the same verse the holy Apostle telleth vs yet further what shall be the instrumentall cause of this change and of the generall resurrection namely the sound of the trumpet of God euen that which 1. Thes 4. he telleth vs shall be sounded by the Archangel of God And the same no doubt in farre more glorious manner sounding to all the world then at the giuing of the law of God to the people of Israel This trumpet out of all question is not that which H. N. hath challenged to himselfe with a most shrill and lowd blasphemie as if he were appointed of God to be the man that should by his doctrine raise vp all the Lords dead as he saith Finally the holy Apostle St. Paul for the further strengthening of our faith concerning this change and the resurrection of all the faithfull to glorie hee assureth vs in the last verse that it is the very determined decree of GOD whose counsell and purpose nothing can possibly frustrate that it must be so For saith he this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality Concerning which words of the holy Apostle note we diligently that for further euidence and confirmations sake hee doth as it were point with the finger to this very body which wee carry about with vs as though he should say euen this and no other then euery mans owne body shall certainely rise againe according as Iob guided by the same Spirit of faith saith in the 1â— chapter of his booke verses 25 c. O that my words were now written c. For I am sure that my Redeemer liueth and that the last man shall rise to stand vpon the earth And though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh Whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shal behold and no other for me after my reines are consumed with my bosome As though he should say though both barke and belly euen the thickest part of the body be wholly consumed to dust c yet shall I see the Lord my Redeemer For like as our Sauiour Christ at his first comming in all the cures which he did both to the bodies also to the soules of men he did not giue them other soules nor other members to their decaied lame or withered bodies but onely a new renewed qualitie and disposition to either of them as sight to the same eyes hearing to the same eares strength to the same legges which before were lame as for example concerning the eare of Malchus which Peter strooke off our Sauiour Christ did not make another eare to grow out of his head but caused the same eare to grow to his head againe for as the holy Euangelist writeth he touched that eare which was stricken off and healed the man Luke 22.51 so at his second comming our Sauiour will not giue men other bodies but he will by his mightie power raise vp the very same bodies though by his grace endued with far more excellent qualities and aduanced to a farre more excellent estate then they were in before I speake of the bodies of the faithfull Neuerthelesse euen concerning the wicked this also is very equall and iust that the very same should be raised vp againe insomuch as the same that haue sinned and died in sinne are to be punished in the iustice of God and no other for them as well as that the same bodies of the faithfull which haue beene redeemed and done faithfull seruice to God should of his mercy be rewarded and no other instead of them This is the rather to be diligently obserued and soundly digested in our mindes because some not considering the almighty power of God haue in their weakenesse beene carried away to thinke that though we shal rise againe yet it must be with other bodies Wherefore beloued let vs be the more carefull so to settle and resolue our selues in the beliefe of the almighty power of our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ with like assurance of the good pleasure of his diuine will in this behalfe that we may be throughly perswaded that no burning of our bodies in the fire no deuouring of them by wilde hearts or by the rauening foules of the ayre c can possibly hinder that God should not easily gather together the same substance and the smallest resolued dust of it euen the same very first matter whereof the body was composed and framed at the first But yet more carefull ought we to be against the heresie of H. N. who maketh no reckoning of the resurrection of the body at all And as a fruit thereof in the 6. chapter of his Documentall sentences feareth not to contradict the plain meaning of the Apostle
sins and all other the promises of God Secondly we being through faith baptized into the death of our Sauiour Christ haue by the vertue thereof our sinfull and corrupt nature cleansed and sanctified so that our very persons are by the death of our Sauiour made acceptable to God We haue also that holy and heauenly peace made in our consciences which passeth all vnderstanding We haue furthermore power to walke in some measure of righteousnes and holines of life in the sight of God the which he doth for Christes sake accept from vs though it be full of much failing and weakenes The blessings of this life are made blessed and comfortable vnto vs. Yea all afflictions are sanctified and made profitable vnto vs. We haue dominion and Lordship ouer the creatures restored vnto vs by the death of our Sauiour And thereby also the naturall death is made a spirituall aduantage vnto vs. The holy Angels are by the same made most faithfull and louing friends vnto vs both in life and also at death Thereby also we are reconciled and set at peace among our selues and with all the people of God Finally we haue from the blessed sufferings and humiliation or abasement of our Sauiour Christ the ground of all our hope and longing after our exaltation to the happines and glory of the life to come in the expectation whereof we may boldly reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious ExplicatioÌ„ proofe Touching the first branch of this answere that we haue our reconciliation with God by the abasement and sufferings of our Sauiour Christ to the death We read Colos 1.19 c. It pleased the Father saith the Apostle that in him should all fulnes dwel And by him to recoÌ„cile all things vnto himself to set at peace through the blood of his crosse both things in earth things in heaueÌ„ And you who were in times past strangers and enemies because your minds were set in euill works hath he now also reconciled In the body of his flesh through death to make ye holy and vnblameable and without fault in his sight We reade the same againe Rom. 3.24.25.26 Wee are iustified freely by his grace saith the same Apostle through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to be a reconciliation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnes by the forgiuenes of the sinnes that are passed through the patience of God c. And the Apostle Iohn testifieth the same 1. Ep. chap. 1.2 And againe chap. 4.10 Herein is loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes This reconciliation is a greater benefite then the staying of Gods anger and wrath as may be made plaine by a similitude taken from the dealing of King Dauid with his sonne Absalom For though he let his anger fall yet hee would not for two yeeres space after that admit him to come into his presence 2. Sam. cha 14. It may be further illustrated from the booke of Ester chap. 2.1 and chap. 4.11 with chap. 5.1.2 Yea it may appeare by Gods owne dealing with K. Ahab from whom though he staied his wrath for a time yet he was not reconciled toward him And it is well worthie the noting yea it is most admirable concerning this reconciliation which we haue through our Lord Iesus Christ that God doth not deferre it â—ill wee seeke after it as men offended specially men of greater place then the parties offending vse to doe but of his singular grace mercy he himselfe though he be the most high maketh the first offer of it yea by his Ministers he intreateth vs to accept of it and to be reconciled vnto him 2. Cor. 5.18.19.20.21 And furthermore that the forgiuenes of sinnes and all other promises are ratified by the sufferings and death of our Sauiour We read Heb. ch 9. verses 15.16.17.18 in these words For this cause is he the Mediatour of the new Testament that through death which was for the redemption of the transgressions that were in the former Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of the eternall inheritance And ch 13.20.21 The blood of our Sauiour Christ is called the blood of the euerlasting couenant We read likewise Act. 20. verse 28. answerable to the prophesie of Zech. 9.11 Thou shalt be saued through the blood of thy couenant I haue loosed thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water For not onely the Iewes in their bodily captiuity but we also in respect of our spirituall thraldome may well be counted such prisoners answerable to the pitifull estate wherin Ioseph was through the malice of his brethreÌ„ for a time Gen. 37.23.24 And yet more generally touching the ratifying of all the promises of God by the same death and sufferings of our Sauiour Rom. 8.32 If God be on our side saith S. Paul who can be against vs who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to dâ—ath how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Thus much concerning the first branch Sâ—condly that our sinfull nature is cleansed and sanctified by the death of our Sauiour it is figured and represented vnto vs in holy Baptisme according to the testimonie of the Apostle Paul Rom. 6.3.4 seeing as there he affirmeth We are baptized into his death being baptized into his death we are also buried with him as touching the life and strength of sinne Knowing this as he saith in the 6. verse that our olde man is crucified with him that the body of sinne might be destroied that henceforth we should not serue sinne For he that is dead is freed from sinne Likewise Colos 2.11.12 And Heb. 10.19 By the blood of Iesus we may be bold to enter into the holy place c. And that hereby our very persons are accepted with God Reâ—d Ephes 1.6 and chap. 2.13 c. 1. Cor. 6.11 Heb. 11.4 Thirdly that by the same death and sufferings of our Sauiour we haue inward peace of conscience as a fruite or effect of our reconciliation with God we reade Rom. 5.1 c. Then being iustified by faith saith the Apostle wee haue peace toward God through our Lord Iesus Christ c. The reason whereof is rendered in the 6. verse c. because our Sauiour hath died for vs and by his blood reconciled and iustified vs. This peace is called The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Philip. 4.7 For as it followeth it preserueth our hearts and mindes quieted pacified in Christ Iesus against all disturbances aboue that we our selues would think how it could be euen as if our Sauiour Christ kept continual watch ward and maintained a garison of souldiers to defend vs against all our aduersaries For thus much doth the Apostle giue to vnderstand by the militarie word phroureses which hee vseth in this place This peace and the comfort of it is aboue
vnderstanding answerable to the cause of it that is to say the loue of Christ the which is said likewise to passe knowledge Ephes 3.19 Fourthly that with this vnspeakable consolation we haue power giuen vs to walke in some measure of holines righteousnes oâ— life we may learne from the grounds of the Apostles exhortation Rom. 6.12 c. For it is grounded in the vertue and efficacie of the death of our Sauiour whereinto we are baptized as we saw before And ch 8.3 God saith the same Apostle sending his own Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and that euen for sinne that is because of sinne he hath condemned sinne in the flesh that is by Christes sufferings in the flesh hee hath vtterly disabled disauthorised sinne froÌ„ all power of condemning the faithful And that hath God done as it followeth in the next verse to the end the righteousnes of the law might be fulfilled in vs to wit by the imputation of the perfect obedience of Christ vnto vs that we also as a fruit thereof might through his spirit of sanctification walk after the spirit not after the flesh To â—he which purpose also he saith further ver 10. If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne that is as touching sinne so that it beareth the sway or dominion no longer but the Spirit is life for righteousnes sake Or as touching righteousnes mighty to quicken vs to the actions therof And thus also he deriueth the ground of sanctification from the death of Christ speaking in his own person Gal. 2.19.20 I through the law saith Paul am dead to the law and that I might liue vnto God I am crucified with Christ Thus I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in me and in that I liue now in the flesh I liue by faith in the Sonne of God who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me Read also Heb. 9 13.14 For if the blood of Bulles and Goates and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling theÌ„ that are vnclean sanctifieth as touching the purifying of thâ— flesh How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without spot to God purge yâ—ur conscience froÌ„ dead works to serue the liuing God Fiftly that by the sufferings death of our Sauiour the blessings of this life are blessed and made comfortable vnto vs we may take one proofe from that which we read Psa 22. ver 26. where this is reckoned for a fruit benefit therof that the poore shal eate be satisfied And ver 29. All they that be fat in the earth shall eate and worship So that both poore and rich feele the benefit of the sufferings of our Sauiour Read also Act. 2.46 Christians did eate their meate together with gladnes and singlenes of heart Praising God they had sauour with all the people And that euen afflictions also are made beneficiall and comfortable vnto vs by the sufferings of our Sauiour see Heb. 12.2 3. c. Where they are held forth for a notable remedy against all fainting wearines in the middest of all trouble reproach yea and as a meanes of making vs partakers of the holines of God our heauenly Father and as leauing behind theÌ„ a quiet fruit of righteousnes Wherevpon the Apostle exhorteth afflicted Christians to lift vp their hands which hang down their weake knees c. verses 10.11.12 And Rom. 8.29 we are made like to the image of our Sauiour Christ by them It is also very comfortable that we in suffering any affliction for the loue we beare to our Sa Christ are for his sake in that hee hath suffered for vs accounted of God to haue coÌ„munion with him in his sufferings and he with vs. Act. 9.4.5 and Colos 1.24 Read also Philip. 3 8.9 10. And Rom. 8.17 If wee suffer with him we shall be glorified with him It is the ordinary and as it were the Kings high way to the kingdom of heauen to passe through many afflictions Act. 14.22 And 2. Tim. 2.11.12 And chap. 3.12 This causeth the seruants of God to reioice and to be of good cheare in the middest of their afflictions according to the exhortation of our Sauiour Luke 6.22.23 And of the Apostle Iames. chap. 1. ver 2. and of Peter 1 Ep. 4.12.13.14 All this doubtlesse is from the merit of the sufferings of our Sauiour for vs insomuch as of punishments they are by the vertue and grace thereof conuerted to be medicines to cure those euils that are in vs such as are selfe-loue and loue of the world c. yea they are turned to be blessed preparations and furtherances vnto vs toward the kingdome of God according to the holy Prouerb chap. 6 23. Corrections for instruction are the way of life And Ps 119. verse 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word And verse 71. It is good for me that I haue beene afflicted that I might learne thy word Sixtly that we haue the right of dominion Lordship ouer the creatures restored vnto vs by the death of our Sauiour read Ps 8. conferred with Heb. 2.6.7.8.9 For though Adam at the first had this dignity by the right of creation through the bounteous mercy of God yet he lost it by his disobedience and presumption against God And he lost it not onely from himselfe but also from vs. Our recouerie of that interest is only by the redemption of our Lord Iesus Christ who alone is the heire of all things so that we are no better theÌ„ intruders and vsurpers of all whatsoeuer we hold not as it were by lease permission or by free deed of gift from him Seauenthly that the naturall death is by his death made a spirituall aduantage vnto vs we may be assured by that which we read Philip. 1.20.21 22.23 This aduantage doth first of all betide our soules in that they cease to sinne and in that they are first receiued to glory and then our bodies who resting from the toile of their labours are freed for euer from their infirmities and diseases and shall at the last day rise againe to the same glory Thus in death we haue through the death of our Lord Iesus Christ a plentifull remedy against death it selfe like as the Scorpion by the skill of the Phisitian yeeldeth a medicine against the venime of the owne stinging and so is also the cause of the owne death vnto it selfe Eightly whereas the holy Angels must needes be enemies against vs because of our sinfull rebellion against God they are nowe made our friends through our reconciliaâ—ion with God by the death of Christ Heb. 1.14 For doubtlesse it is with the holy Angels as with the seruants of a Prince in his Court who when any are in disgrace with the King all stand aloofe from them c. but if the King receiue the same partie or parties to fauour and doe pardon their offence then are they