him not by a Trope or Symbolically by reason of the presence of God as Exod. 17.15 It is given to the Altar Psal 24.8 It is given to the Ark. Jer. 33.16 It is given to Jerusalem Q. 9. Which be the testimonies of the second sort A. The works which none can do but God alone which are ascribed to him to wit to create and preserve to redeem to blot out iniquities to search the heart to hear our prayers to quicken to judge moreover the Miracles which he wrought by his own power according to that Prophesie Isa 53.5 6. unto which also even Christ himself sendeth us and for the working whereof he gave power to his Apostles moreover those Attributes which do agree only to the Nature of God and ascribed unto him as Eternal Almighty Infinite King of Kings Saviour and the rest testifie him to be God by Nature See these Scriptures following Joh. 1.3 5.17 Col. 1.16 Heb. 1.23 1 Cor. 1.30 1 Thess 1.10 Matth. 9.6 9.4 Mar. 2.8 14.13 Joh. 14.14 5.27 5.22 10.25 Matth. 11.45 10.8 Mic. 5.2 Joh. 1.1 17.5 3.31 Phil. 3.21 Matth. 18.20 28.20 Rev. 19.26 Matth. 1.21 Acts 4.12 Q. What is the third kind of testimonies A. The worship and honour which is performed unto Christ namely Invocation Adoration Faith Hope Psal 72.11 All the Kings of the Earth shall worship him all People shall serve him Isa 11.10 and Rom. 15.11 12. All Nations shall call upon him and trust in him Rom 14.11 Phil. 2.10 Psal 2.12 Blessed are they that put their trust in him every knee shall bow unto him And Joh. 14.1 Ye believe in God believe also in me Acts 7.39 Lord Jesus receive my Spirit All which do prove that he is true God Q. Why is it necessary that Christ the Redeemer should be God A. For two causes especially whereof of former is the greatness of the evil wherewith all mankind was overwhelmed which could be taken away by no creature The later is the greatness of the good Mat. 19.17 which could be restored by none to man again but by God who alone is truly good Q. What is the greatness of the evil A. It standeth in Four things which be these The greatness of man's sin the infinite and unsupportable weight of God's anger the power of Death the tyranny of the Devil which to take away to abolish to appease to overcome none was able but God alone Q. What is the greatness of the good which could be restored by no creature A. The restoring again of the Image of God therefore Christ 1 Cor. 1.31 is made to us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption Col 3.10 not only by revealing and teaching of them but by performing and restoring of them Q. Why is he called the Word A. Because it is he that spake the Word and all things were made Q. According to which Nature is he called the Image of God Col. 1.15 A. Not according to his Humane Nature alone as man is said to be made after the Image of God but especially according to his Divine Nature but manifested in the flesh 2 Tim. 3.16 or so far forth as God hath truly manifested himself in Christ whereupon he is called The brightness of the Glory of the Father Heb. 1.3 and the Character or ingraven form of his Person because he is not some vanishing representation but ingraven and durable Q. Prove that Christ is very Man A. I will Gen. 3.15 The Seed of the Woman is promised which shall break the Serpents head Gen. 22.17 God promised Abraham that in his Seed all the Nations of the Earth should be blessed 3 Sam. 7.12 It is promised to David that his Son must sit upon his Throne and Reign for ever Isa 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall Conceive and bring forth a Son Besides all this the History of the Gospel doth plainly prove that Christ was conceived * Luke 1.31 2.7 21. 22.20 Heb. 2.4 Mat. 26.38 4.2 Joh. 19.29 19.34 Mat. 27.50 9.36 Joh. 2.17 11.33 35. Mat. 26.37 38. Acts 1.9 11. born circumcised had a true Body and Soul was hungry thirsty shed his blood that he died and that he had all the Properties and Affections of man's Nature yet without sin that he ascended visibly and locally into Heaven and thence that he shall come again to Judgment Q. Why must Christ needs become Man A. 1. The Justice of God required it should be so that the disobedience committed in our flesh might in the same be repaired Rom. 5.17 18 19. Heb. 2.14 2. The reason of our Adoption for it pleased the Son of God to take the Nature of Man upon him and to become our brother and so by that means to become our nearest kinsman and most near allied unto us that we being made his members might be made the Sons of God Gal. 3.16 and that he might have right to redeem and ransom us Hence is matter of comfort in every kind of temptation Therefore the Apostle to the Hebrews Heb. 2. 17. 4.5 saith He took not upon him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham and in all things became like to his brethren that he might have compassion of his brethren 3. For the confirmation of our Resurrection for in that Christ took on him our Nature and hath raised it up and given unto it immortality and hath exalted it in Heaven by vertue of that Communion which we have with him shall we be raised up at the last day and this our vile body shall be made conformable to the glorious Body of Christ Phil. 3.21 1 Cor. 15.22 As in Adam all are dead so in Christ shall all be made alive Q. Why was neither the Father nor the Holy Ghost incarnate but the Son A. 1. Because it was meet that the World should be redeemed and all things restored by him by whom all things were created or that man should be redeemed from death by him by whom he was first created and should have been brought unto life eternal if he had not sinned 2. It would have been unconvenient that there should be two Sons one in the Divine Nature another in the Humane Nature 3. It was the Eternal Decree of the Father whereby he purposed to save mankind by his Son Heb. 2.10 Q. Whether is Christ God and Man divided or joyned together A. Joyned and uniced but not divided Q. By what kind of Vnion A. Not by inhabitation only as God dwelleth in the Saints Joh. 17.21 not by consent only as the Faithful are one in the Father and the Son not by Mixture as when Water is mingled with Wine not by Combination as two boards be joyned together lastly not by Composition whereby of the mixture of two things there ariseth a third but by Personal Union which as it 's said the Greeks call Incorporation because neither the whole Deity nor any part of it
look for Heaven but by lively Hope to possess it for that we possess it in our Head already For this cause it is written Eph. 2.6 That God hath made us to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ He hath there a Pledge for us even our flesh and we again by his Ascension have received from him an heavenly Pledge even his Spirit Joh. 6.7 I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you 2 Cor. 1.22 He hath sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts DVTIES First That our Conversation be in Heaven where Christ is Our Hearts our Thoughts our Words our Works our whole Conversation must be such as if we conversed already with the Angels in the highest Heavens Secondly If we believe we be possest of Heaven in Christ we must strive to enter into him with holy Contention of Spirit using the means he hath appointed that we may come unto him with all the good-speed we can If we be assured of his Purchase made for us by his Blood we must pass through all dangers to come unto him and unto it and not only contend to get in our selves but also endeavour to bring with us all we can specially all such as God by near bands of Love hath knit unto us as our Wives and Children c. providing as much as in us lyeth that they may be with us Heirs together of the same Grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 Thirdly In all grievances of Body and Mind seek to no means for ease but only to the Comforter and the means he hath appointed and ordained in the Word If thou believest the Ascension of Christ remember this was one end of his Ascension to send down the Holy Ghost to work more effectually and comfortably in the hearts of his Children And therefore endeavour in and by the Word and Sacraments to be comforted by him in all affliction of this life I believe that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God c. Here two things must be understood First Note That this blessed Person of the Son hath the same equality of Majesty and Glory with the Father Secondly By this phrase is also understood that the Humane Nature of Christ is exalted to a most high excellency of Glory even to execute Judgment as he is the Son of Man Joh. 5.27 And it may not be here said is in the Resurrection That like as Christ rose only in respect of his Humane Nature so also he sits at Gods right hand in respect of the same Nature for the session an God's right hand is not a property of Nature but signifieth the state of the Person of Christ resting now in the execution of his Offices as being King Priest and Mediator between God and his People The Benefits which follow this Exaltation and Session of Christ at the right hand of God are either in respect of his Priesthood or of his Kingdom The Believer gains these benefits by his Priesthood First He is now and may be truly perswaded that as the Covenant of Grace and Priesthood of Christ have no end Heb. 8.6 1 Tim. 2.5 1 Joh 2.1 Joh. 17. so his Intercession for him and for all and every Believer shall never cease to the end of the World for all Rom. 8.34 Christ is risen again and sitttth at the right hand of God and maketh request for us and for every one I have prayed for thee Peter that they Faith fail not The manner of this is thus He appears in Heaven as a publick Person in our stead He appears in the sight of God for us Heb. 9.24 and makes the same Requests he made on Earth Joh. 17. The difference between Christ's Passion and Intercession is this The Passion is a satisfaction to God's Justice for us c. and as it were the tempering of a Plaister but Intercession applyes it to the very sore So then the Believer is hereby sweetly comforted in heart being perswaded that Christ Jesus God and Man now sitting in great Majesty and Glory in Heaven First hears his Prayers in Heaven And Secondly accepts and sanctifies all his Sacrifice and Service which the Believer offers to the Father by his hand Heb. 13.15 Psal 119.106 for all our Service is imperfect yet for his Intercession sake it is accepted as perfect A second Consolation here arises to the believing heart he may now with boldness go to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 because we have there an High Priest that sitteth at the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Heb. 8.1 And for this cause the same Apostle in the same Epistle Chap. 10.19 20. biddeth us draw near with a true heart and with an undoubted perswasion of Faith And again most sweetly Phil 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in all things let your requests be shewed unto God in Prayer A third Consolation is this His Intercession preserves every Repenting Sinner in the state of Grace that being once Justified and Sanctified they may so continue unto the end Fourthly A most sweet Consolation in this The Intercession of Christ in Heaven casteth down such beams of Grace into the Believers heart on Earth that it causeth another Intercession of the Spirit in him or causeth the Spirit of Prayer to be effectual and working in him Zach. 12.10 11. Rom. 8.26 He giveth us his Spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh Request for us with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed but he which searcheth the heart knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit for he maketh Request for the Saints according to the Will of God The Holy Ghost makes Request by stirring every repenting heart to pray with groans and sighs which the mouth cannot express and this is a special fruit of the Intercession of Christ in Heaven So that a Man may soon know by the Spirit of Prayer in his own heart how Christ prayeth for him in Heaven A Man may soon find it by his own coldness or fervency in Prayer or by the inward groans of his heart when he cannot so well express his grief in words before God Here I renounce the Opinion of Papists touching Intercession as being Heretical uncomfortable and condemned of God First For that the Saints departed who be their Mediators with Angels know not our particular wants and griefs Secondly For that he that makes this Intercession must bring something of his own of price and value unto God to procure the grant of his Request Thirdly It is a Prerogative belonging only to Christ to make Request in his own Name and for his own Merits Fourthly Scriptures never mention any other but contrarily Fifthly We must Pray to him in whom we believe Rom. 10.14 We believe only in one God c. therefore we pray only to one God Furthermore As touching his Kingdom we are well to consider what Kingdom he hath next
one another as he gave us Commandment and we receive remission of sins by this Faith See Acts 26.15 16 17 18. where Christ saith to St. Paul I send thee to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among them which are sanctified by Faith that is in me So that Jesus Christ is God and Man in one Person for none can forgive sins but God none can be the primary and proper object of Faith but God Faith being a part of divine moral Worship for we give honour to him in whom we believe None can be a Mediator between God and Man but he that is God and Man in one Person none can offer a Sacrifice to God for the sin of man so as to procure peace and purity of Conscience but Jesus Christ who is God and Man in one Person God of the substance of his Father begotten before the World and Man of the substance of his Mother born in the World perfect God and perfect Man of a reasonable Soul and humane Flesh subsisting * See the Creed of Athanasius Joh. 1.1 2 3. Rom. 1.3 Gal. 4.4 Prop. 3. Jesus Christ as God-Man is our Saviour he united our Nature to his Divine Nature he was born of the Virgin Mary he kept the Law and fulfilled all Righteousness and then suffered Death for us as Man he died and by the power of his Godhead he was raised again that we might be justified by faith in him see Rom. 4.24 25. so that we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Eph. 1.7 Hence St. Paul desireth to know nothing among the Corinthians save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2.1 2. Our Communion with God is by faith in the Son of God see Phil. 2.1 1 Joh. 1.3 The life which I now live in the Flesh saith St. Paul I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 2.20 So that Christ is the object of divine Worship Acts 7.59 Rev. 5.12 Of that hope which is saving and maketh not ashamed Col. 1.27 Rom. 5.5 of our sincere and greatest love 1 Cor. 16.22 of our absolute service and divine faith Rom. 14.9 18. Joh. 14.1 Oh the excellency of Jesus Christ to a believing Soul Mr. Calvin reprehends those as highly injurious to miserable Souls who by calling of God the object of Faith simply in the mean while omit Christ without whom there can be no Faith nor Access to God c. See Calv. Institut lib. 2. sect 4. Prop. 4. We in order of nature not of time believe first in Christ and by Christ in God As the Apostle Peter teacheth speaking of Christ who verily saith he was fore-ordained before the foundation of the World but was manifested in these last times for you who by him do believe in God that raised him from the dead and gave him glory that your Faith and hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1.20 21. So that Christ is the Way the Truth and the Life No man cometh unto the Father but by him Joh. 14.6 He is the Mediator as the Apostle teacheth his Son Timothy 1 Tim. 2.5 For saith he there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus Extreams come not together but by their midst from the nature of a just God unto a Sinner God in Christ is a tender Father out of Christ a consuming fire Man's way to God is by the Man-God for Christ as the Redeemer is the Mediator not the ultimate object of Faith for by Christ we believe in God Beloved in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ I beseech you to consider the destructive and damnable nature of Heresie which is contrary to these Propositions which I have laid down and proved from the Holy Scriptures Heresie it denyes God it denyes his Essence it denyes the Trinity of Persons it denyes the Lord Jesus Christ it denyes his two Natures the Divine Nature whereby he is God the Humane Nature whereby he is Man it denyes his Personality whereby the two Natures subsist in one Person it denyes the object of saving Faith of Divine Worship it denyes satisfaction made by Christ unto the Father it denyes Remission of Sin Justification Adoption Sanctification and the hope of Glorification in a word what truth doth it not deny O the destructive and damnable nature of Heresie The Apostle charges the Corinthians but with one Heresie in the 15th Chapter How say some among you saith he that there is no resurrection of the dead But behold what are the natural consequences thereof how many Heresies doth that one Heresie let in or is the root of First If there be no resurrection of the dead then is not Christ risen 2. If Christ is not risen then is your preaching vain 3. and your faith is also vain 4. yea and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the dead rise not 5. For if the dead rise not then is not Christ risen 6. And if Christ be not risen your faith is vain and you are yet in your sins 7. Then they which are faln asleep in Christ are perished 8. If in this life we have only hope we are of all men most miserable Therefore 4thly Miserable will be the end of those that bring into the Church of Christ damnable Heresies they will bring upon themselves in so doing swift destruction the Apostle Jude pronounceth a Woe upon them and tells us v. 11 12 13. that they have gone in the way of Cain and in the error of Balaam for reward and perished in the gainsaying of Kore that they are spots in their Feasts of Charity Clouds without Water Trees whose fruit withereth without fruit twice dead plucked up by the roots raging waves of the Sea foaming out their own shame wandring Stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever So likewise the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 2.9 17. shows that the false Teachers shall be reserved unto the day of Judgment to be punished And the Apostle Paul also sets forth the punishment of Antichrist and all his Adherents because saith he they received not the love of the Truth that they might be saved for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a lye that they all might be damned that loved not the Truth but had pleasure in Unrighteousness 2 Thess 2.9 10 11 12. It will be good for us therefore to take heed for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God for our God is a consuming fire See Heb. 10.31 l2. 29 Yet Fiftly it is lamentable to think that Heresie should have such success in the World for is
Son and Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ God-Man Note this No man is saved without the knowledge of the Father No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1.18 No man is saved without the knowledge of the Son Whosoever denyeth the Son the same hath not the Father 1 Joh. 2.23 He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Joh. 5.23 No man is saved without the knowledge of the Holy Ghost Now if any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 Even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you Joh. 14.17 God heareth none but such as call upon him in the Name of Christ None can call upon God in Christ but such as are taught and assisted by his Spirit We cannot Worship God aright without the knowledge of the Trinity As God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is of the object of Faith so is he of the object of Divine Worship Baptism is an act of Worship and sign of the Covenant but we are baptized into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Matth. 28.19 God hath committed all Judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son as they honour the Father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him Joh. 5.23 Believers are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3.16 6.19 The Lord of the Temple is worshipped in the Temple We worship the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity All Obedience is to be performed unto God the Father Son and Holy Ghost To him that elected us that gave Christ to redeem us that created us that brought Israel out of Egypt that in a word doth all for us is all obedience to be performed But God the Father Son and Holy Ghost and that as God the Father Son and Holy Ghost elected us gave Christ to redeem us created us c. Therefore unto God the Father Son and Holy Ghost is all obedience to be performed The plurality of Persons in the Trinity is of great use for the confirmation of the truth unto us John asserts that great Truth of Jesus Christ being the Son of God and Saviour of all them that believe not only from the testimony of one God but from the testimony of that one God who is three Witnesses for there are three that bear record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 To the same purpose is the Argument Christ useth disputing against the Scribes and Pharisees proving the truth of what he had spoken concerning himself being the Light of the World because it was averred by the Father and him as two Witnesses It is also written in your Law that the testimony of two men is true I am one that bear witness of my self and the Father that sent â—e beareth witness of me Joh. 8.17 18. The knowledge of the Trinity tends unto the Consolation of Believers Paul affectionately desirous that the hearts of the Colossians might be comforted sheweth two special means thereof viz. The acknowledgment of the Mystery of God and of the Father See Mr. Norton's Orthodox Evangelist p. 33 34. and of Christ with the full assurance of understanding and Brotherly-love Of God i. e. of God and of his Attributes of the Father i. e. of the Persons the first of which is the Father of Christ i. e. of his Person and Office so some without repugnancy to the Analogie of Faith or the words of the Text. Lastly The knowledge of the Doctrine of the Trinity is requisite to our Communion which as our Union is with God the Father Son and Holy Ghost And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.3 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen 2 Cor. 13.13 Matth. 28.19 Though the perfect manner how one Person is of another is incomprehensible and unutterable in this life the perfect knowledge thereof being reserved unto glory yet so far hath God revealed himself unto us in his Word in this life as that we may and ought to attain unto some distinctness yea unto such distinctness as is held forth in the Scriptures of Truth which is the measure of Faith and not to rest in an implicite Faith concerning this Mystery of Mysteries Secret things belong to the Lord our God but these things which are revealed belong unto us and to our Children for ever Deut. 29.29 Upon which last words viz. To us and to our Children they say the Hebrew hath extraordinary Pricks to stir up our attention to the matter here spoken of To be wise above what is written is not wisdom but perilous sin and folly To be wise according to what is written is sobriety To be wise up to what is written though alas we have all great cause to cry God be merciful to us all herein is our Duty No where saith Augustine throughout the revealed Will of God is the truth sought out with greater labour no where is our finding out of the truth fruitfuller no where do we err with greater danger 1 Cor. 15.34 Some have not the knowkedge of God I speak this to your shame saith St. Paul To this agrees the saying of Dr. Hall in his Collections pag. 407 408. How to conceive of the Deity in our Prayers in our Meditations is both the deepest Point of all Christianity and the most necessary so deep that if we wade into it we may easily drown never find the bottom so necessary that without it our selves our services are prophane irreligious We are all born Idolaters naturally prone to fashion God to some form of our own whether of an humane body or of admirable light or if our mind have any other more likely and pleasing Image First then away with all these wicked Thoughts these gross Devotions and with Jacob burn all your strange Godds under the Oak of Shechem ere you offer to set up God's Altar at Bethel and without all mental representations conceive of your God purely simply spiritually as of an absolute being without form without matter without composition yea an infinite without all limit of thoughts Let your heart adore a spiritual Majesty which it cannot comprehend yet knows to be and as it were lose it self in his infiniteness Think of him as not to be thought of as one whose Wisdom is his Justice whose Justice is his Power whose Power is his Mercy and whose Wisdom Justice Power Mercy is himself as without quality good great without quantity everlasting without time present every-where without place containing all things without extent And
The truth is this That good and bad shall rise again yet there is a great difference in the rising of the one and the other for the Godly shall rise by vertue of Christ's Resurrection and that to Eternal Glory But the Ungodly rise by the Power of Christ as he is a terrible Judge and to execute Justice on them Now to the Faithful Christ is said to be the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.16 Because as in the first Fruits of Corn being offered unto God the owner had an assurance of God's blessing on the rest So here by Christ's Resurrection the Believers have a Pledge of their own resurrection Now of his Ascention into Heaven Luke saith Acts 1.9 That he was taken up the meaning is this was done principally by the mighty Power of his Godhead and partly by the supernatural property of a glorified Body which is to move as well upward as downward without constraint or violence And thus Christ ascended into Heaven really and actually and not in appearance only And he went also locally by changing his place and going from Earth to Heaven so as he is no more on Earth bodily as we are now on Earth And whereas it may be doubted If he be so departed from us at touching hit bodily Presence how that may be true that he said he would be with us unto the end of the World Matth. 28.20 The Answer is He said also That he would leave the Word to go to the Father Joh. 16.28 wherefore he must be understood to speak by a distinction True it is he was before Abraham Joh. 8.85 and so is he with the Church to the Worlds end according to his Divine Nature in Majesty Grace Vertue Power and Effectual working of his Holy Spirit Joh. 17.11 14.16 17. 16.13 But his bodily Presence is in Heaven Secondly If any doubt further Whether the Natures be not thus severed if where the one it the other is not alwayes I Answer No For the Divinity which cannot be comprehended must of necessity out-reach and yet comprehend the Humanity and thereunto be personally united It is not alwayes that of two things conjoyned where the one is there must be the other also For the Sun and his beams are both joyned together yet they are not both in all places together for the body of the Sun is seated and carried only in his Celestial Orbe in the Heavens but his beames are here beneath on the Earth In those Holy Phrases then we must remember that as Learned Men speak the Properties of both Natures must be distinguished in Christ for in such places properties belonging to one Nature are ascribed unto the other because of the Hypostatical Union of both Natures in one Person And thus far for the sense of the words of this Article where we see briefly that Christ's Ascention is an Exaltation or a receiving up of his Humanity to fit in the highest Heavens till the glorious day of his Appearance in Judgment Heb. 1.3 Now I come to the use of this Faith First When I do thus believe the Ascension of Christ I do believe also all the Effects thereof and all the Holy Adjuncts appertaining thereunto namely these two principal which the Apostle specially mentioneth Eph. 4.8 12. First that when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive By Captivity I understand a multitude of Captives as the Psalmist doth Psal 68.19 By Captives here are meant the World the Flesh Sin Satan and Death it self and whatsoever Engins and Confederates these had against Christ in his Humiliation and his Members all their dayes on Earth He so triumphed over them all on his Cross Col. 1.12 but especially in his Ascension that howsoever they may fear us otherwhile and scar us to waken us from Security yet they shall never hurt us for Christ hath taken away their sting 1 Cor. 15.55 and hath pinioned their hands behind them as Captives and set us Free if we will come unto him when he calls us by his Gospel Wherefore if we refuse now his Call our state is the more dangerous See Mr Perkins upon the Creed pag. 285. A man lies bound hand and foot in a dark Dungeon and the Keeper sets open the Prison door takes off his Irons and bids him come forth If he refuse and say he is well may it not be said he is mad and who will pity him in that case This is the state of all impenitents and contemners of the Gospel Secondly It is said also That then he gave gifts to his Church as Kings do in their triumph and his gifts were those Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the planting of the Church and the Propagation of the same and for the gathering of his Elect to the Worlds end If these were Christ's principal blessings which Christ gave his Church in his Ascension and so richly and highly to be accounted as being destinate and sent for so great a Work as the building of the Body of Christ which is his Church on Earth Eph. 4.12 Then they do not believe rightly and truly the Ascension of Christ that so basely and vilely esteem the sacred Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel of Christ and the Administration of his Sacraments as Atheists and Papists and all carnal Gospellers do Thirdly Like as our Justification is ascribed unto his Resurrection and Merit of the same So our proceeding in Grace and Perseverance may truly be attributed to his Ascension to Heaven and Intercession there for us Joh. 17. And like as he could never have risen in that Body wherein he was accursed for us unless he had been acquitted and justified from all our sins so much less could he have Ascended into the highest Heavens if he had not been pure from all our spots imputed unto him His Ascension is a clear evidence of his Righteousness Joh. 16.9 10. and consequently of our Righteousness in him and by him for which these Articles are sweetly knit together for the confirmation of our Faith touching our free Justification by Christ Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Is God that justifieth who shall condemn It is Christ which died yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right-hand of God and maketh request for us Wherefore ever remember to reject the Doctrine of Antichrist who teacheth that Christ by his Death did merit our Justification but we once Justified do further merit our Salvation Whereas thou feest here not only the beginning but also the continuance yea the accomplishment of the whole Work of our Salvation in our Vocation Justification Sanctification and Glorification is wholly and only to be ascribed to the merit of Christ Fourthly We receive also by his Ascension a confirmation touching our Ascension into Heaven for in believing the one we believe the other for the Head and Members must go together We be not now coldly to