in six dayes and that for diuers reasons for God would haue the creation of the first matter of Nothing to be manifest and distinct from the framing and fashioning of bodies out of that matter besides thereby he shewed his power and freedome in producing the creatures making them to be before any naturall cause of them was as to make light before the Sunne and Moone was and further thereby hee shewed his goodnesse and care for the principall creatures prouiding foode before hee brings in the beasts and furnishing the whole world sets man to liue in it and finally hee warnes vs not to slip ouer the meditation of his workes suddenly but with long and continuall deliberation Hee created the world in many dayes to intimate that wee should not thinke a little time enough to wonder at so great glory Seuenthly he made all things without himselfe for though all things are in God as in their cause and Author in whom they liue moue and haue their being yet are they out of God in that they are no parts in God nor the very diuine Essence but haue a nature distinct from the Nature of God they are not separate from God in place as if they could be any where where God is not but are other things then God is and are not in God as a subiect to which they inhere or are fastened Thus of the manner how they were made Thirdly the end why the world was made was the glory of God Prou. 16. â—4 that is that the world might bee a Glasse or Theatre of diuine vertues and a Temple in which God would set forth and teach and make knowne to man his power wisdome and goodnesse Rom. 1. not that God by the Creation doth get to himselfe any glory seeing he abounds in glory himselfe so vnmeasurably as nothing can bee added to it or taken from it but onely hereby he communicates his glory to the Creature and gaue the creatures occasion to admire and commend his glory for by the Creation God makes himselfe visible as it were to the Creatures that are reasonable for though the Essence of God be inuisible yet by the Creation his power or Attributes are set out to be seene and read in that great Booke of nature and if any men see little of God in this mighty Frame of his Workes it is not because God hath declared himselfe therein but obscurely but because we are peruerse and blockish and full of natiue darkenesse by reason of sinne and the effects of sinne in vs. Now though infinite praises of God may be collected from the consideration of the whole world yet especially his power wisdome and goodnesse doe shine in his workes His power we may gather two waies both in that he could make all things of nothing and that he could make such great things as well and as easily as the smallest things and things so many and diuerse 1 Cor. 15. 41. Psal 89. 10. The goodnes of God appeares both in this that he made all things so good and in that he hath shewed means so fit and conuenient powerfull to preserue life and being in euery creature Psal 104. prouiding for creatures of diuers natures appetites diuers food remedies and Armour to preserue and defend them But especially who can expresse the goodnes of God shewed to men Ephes 3. 18. Acts 14. 17. As for Diuels Serpents or venemous Creatures or hurtfull they were not so by Creation but by defection and sinne or as punishments for sinne The wisdome of God is admirably discouered in the Creation in that hee hath made all things in such beautifull order and hath appointed to euery thing such peculiar vses and ends which they obserue men only excepted and that he gouernes them in such a constant certaine and perpetuall course euery thing hauing not onely his fit and proper place in the Frame but indewed also with such variety of vses and seruices Fourthly for the time when the world was made we must know that the world and time were made together so as all things were created in the beginning of time and the computation of the dayes or yeeres since the beginning of the world hath beene kept carefully in the Church the reckoning being made by Moses and the Prophets in the old Testament and since kept by the Christian Churches so as now the world is aboue 5600. yeeres old Before this time there was nothing but God himselfe and if any will needes aske What God did before the world was I may not answer as the Iewes wickedly did That he was making many little worlds which he destroied againe and neuer liked any till this Frame was vp but our answer must be That secret things belong vnto the Lord and reueiled things to vs Deut. 29. 29. or else that of Augustine That God was making Hell for the curious or else That the Frame of all things was in the minde of God from all eternity and so the world was as present to him then as now First we may hence be informed and confirmed that God is onely the true God because he is Creatour of Heauen and Earth Esay 45. 6 7. if any pleade that he is God the answer is at hand let him make such a Heauen and Earth and we will belieue in him else not Secondly the Creation of the World should teach vs many duties 1. To meditate of Gods works and studie the glory of God reuealed in this great booke of Nature all are required to learne to read here and if men will not take it well if their skill shewed in any cunning piece of work be not acknowledged or regarded how much more cause hath the Lord to be displeased with vs for neglecting such a curious and glorious frame so full of admirable variety and skill Whâ—t account shall we make at the last day we I say that are so naturally bent to delight in shewes that are either sinfull or vaine or imperfect such as are plaâ—es or rare sights as we call them or Pageâ—nts or Maskes or the like and yet haue no heart or will to goe out to see and wonder at the mâ—tchlesse shewes that God sets out before vs in his works Eccles 7. 15 Psal 111. 2 3. 2. Nor is it inough to meditate of his workes but wee must giue him the glory of them by praising his power and wisedome and goodnesse shewed in them we must striue to get a Language to that end and so bewaile our barrennesse of heart and words as withall to beseech him that requires vs to learne his praises to teach vs also to profit and to giue larger hearts and better Language Reuel 4 11. Thus haue the Worthies of the Lord done Iob and Dauid and Moses who haue set themselues in speciall manner to celebrate the praises of God in his workes and of them wee should learne to praise him at least make our selues skilfull in their formes of praise Psal 136. 5. 6.
and in respect of her birth and in respect of her preseruation First her Originall in respect of decree is wonderfull because she is vpon record from euerlasting the names of all the members of the Church are particularly written in the booke of life God made an act for her being and aduancement before she was he prouided for her from euerlasting and chose her in his euerlasting grace and loue and this is her originall before time In time shee was in such bondage and misery that she must of necessity be redeemed and purchased out of that vile condition and this purchase is the more wonderfull if we consider either the person by whom or the price by which The Person that redeemed her was no lesse than the Son of God and the price he paid was his owne bloud Acts 20. 28. Her originall in respect of her Birth is also very strange and wonderfull For first she is borne of God not of the blouds of men nor of the will of man but as of God by regeneration fearfully and wonderfully made The world neuer heard of two stranger things than the generation of Christ and the regeneration of the Church of Christ as the Son of God of the Church as it were the daughter of God Secondly she is borne of immortall seed shee is so indued with life that she can neuer die but liue as long as God himselfe 1 Pet. 1. 24. And that seed is the word of God preached to her which makes her all new God hauing chosen a company of men of purpose and separated them by a holy calling to this Ministration euen to sow this seed of immortalitie and eternall life in mens mindes Thirdly in her birth by the mightie working of the Holy Ghost she is qualified with supernaturall gifts such as no other of the children of men can attaine vnto such as are faith and all the gifts of holinesse sauing grace Fourthly the originall of her preseruation also is as wonderfull for her preseruation she hath from Christ her head that doth that for the Church which any naturall head can doe for the bodie This company of men can no more subsist without a head than the naturall or politicall body can It was a law of the Creator that all bodies should liue by their heads in respect of gouernment nourishment and dependance Now the Church hath great cause to reioyce in her Head because first hee is a perpetuall Head that liues in all ages to gouerne and nourish the Church spirituall life being kept afoot in euery age from the beginning of the world till now If the Church had a new Head in euery age then must shee die as often as her Head dieth and be made aliue as often as shee hath a new Head Her Head therefore is alwaies one and the same FINIS AN ALPHABETICALL Index of the most materiall points that are handled in the explanation of the CREED GEntle Reader whereas this Index doth point to the seuerall Folio's wherein vpon perusall thou shalt finde some errors viz. from Folio 64. to 101. Let me intreat thee to correct with thy pen what hath bin mistaken at the Presse so thou shalt make this Index more vsefull vnto thee A. A Bba Father why Christ giues this Title to God page 344 Absence of Christ a fearefull punishment page 527 Sentence of Absolution at the last day page 523 Man infected with Actuall sins page 204 Christ in Adam how page 262 Aduersaries of Christ consult page 326 Our Affections must be set vpon things aboue page 476 Affections in Christ differ from ours page 250 Gods mercy appeares in Afflictions in foure things page 67 God moderates our Afflictions foure waies page 82 Agony of Christ what caused it page 241 It is comfortable in diuers respects page 342 God Almighty in ten respects page 1â—8 Why Almighty attributed to the Father onely page 139 Almightines of God comfortable page 143 Christ Amazeth the Iewes with the impression of his diuinity for three reasons page 348 Angells witnesses of Christs Ascension page 483 Creating of Angels a glorious worke page 156 Their Titles Ibid. Their Substance page 157 Their Place Ibid. Their Number Ibid. Their manner of being and working Ibid. Their knowledge and power page 158 Their Language Ibid. 4. Questions about Angels answered page 159 Angels serue for many vses Ibid. A good Angell to euery elect probable Ibid. No diuine worship due to Angels page 160 Gods Anger pacified page 443 Iustice of Gods Anger shewed towards the godly two waies page 81 Anointing of Christ page 219 What was shadowed out by it Ibid. To what Office hee was Anointed page 220 Christ Anointed to be a Prophet page 221 Strange Apparell page 213 Apparition of Christ He appeared forty daies after his Resurrection page 458 Why he Appeared page 459 To whom he appeared Ibid. He Appeared not to the chiefe Priests and people why page 459 He Appeared to his owne page 460 He Appeared the day of his Resurrection fiue times Ibid. He Appeared to the two Disciples at Emaus who they were page 461 They know him not why page 461 How Christ vanished out of their sight page 462 He Appeared to the Disciples the dores being shut how page 463 His Apparition to Thomas page 464 He Appeared to seuen of the Disciples who were a fishing page 465 His Apparition to 11. Disciples p. page 468 Some of them doubted how page 469 Christ Apprehended why page 350 Christs Arraignement in the Ecclesiasticall court page 350. 358 Arminians confuted page 307. 308 Ascention of Christ How he is said to Ascend page 478 Christ God man Ascended how page 479 How he Ascended Ibid. He Ascended visibly page 480 He Ascended in a cloud why Ibid. He Ascended forty daies after his Resurrection why no sooner page 480 He Ascended from the Mount of Oliues why page 481 He Ascended into Heauen Ibid. He Ascended aboue all heauens how page 482 We must know that Christ Ascended for three reasons page 482 He Ascended for diuers euds page 483 Difference betweene the Ascention of Elias and of our Sauiour page 485 Profit that comes to vs by Christs Ascention Ibid. Christs Ascention procures for vs a threefold Ascention Ibid. Christ Ascending leads our enemies captiue Ibid. Christs Assumption of the humane nature page 265 Gods Attributes how coÌ„municable page 96 Of Gods three Incommunicable Attributes page 97 B. FAll of Babylon page 514 Baptisme Gods broad seale page 472 Baptisme in the name of the Trinity Ibid. Baptisme helps not vnbeleeuers page 473 How Baptized in S. Ambrose time page 14 Forme of Answering at Baptisme in the Primitiue Church page 17 Baptisme not precisely necessary to Saluation page 413 Barrabas is chosen Iesus reiected page 371 Beasts subiect to man page 191 Three things obseruable in Beasts page 189 The Scripture teacheth vs foure things concerning Beasts page 190 Gods prouidence for Beasts appeares in seuen respects page 191 Consideration of Beasts must humble
should take heede of reasoning against the Iustice of God in disposing of men to conditions of lesse honour in this life or in damning of wicked men in hell for they are all the worke of his hands and as the clay to the Potter Rom. 9. 21 22 23. 5. Our Originall from the dust of the Earth should teach vs to carrie our selues humbly towards God and men towards God when we speake to him we should remember we are but dust and ashes Gen. 18. and when we conuerse and discourse with men wee should take heede of pride and vaine glory and say as he did in Iob I also am cut out of the clay Iob 33. 6. as also wee should take heed of excessiue cares for the clothing and pampering of our bodies of clay 6. Especially we should striue to answer the end of our Creation Man was made and set in this visible world that God might haue a creature to know him and what hee had wrought and to acknowledge him and serue him and to resemble him in all holinesse and righteousnesse till this be done by man he doth nothing that answers the end of his being he dishonors God that made him And seeing God made both soule and body wee should serue the Lord in both 1. Cor. 6 10. We are not at our owne disposing to doe what we list we are his to command that made vs our very countenances set so as to looke vpwards shewes that we should not be like the beasts that see and regard nothing but earthly things let vs pray God that made vs to direct vs and enlighten vs to do his work and glorifie him Psal 119. 7â— Secondly from the serious meditation of the doctrine of our Creation we may finde many things for Humiliation vnto all men especially to the wicked It may humble all men to consider that they are but men of dust earthly creatures 1. Cor. 15. 47 48. made of myre and clay Iob 13. 12. and that they are in continuall danger of dying They dwell but in houses of clay earthly Tabernacles Iob 4. 19. 2. Cor. 5. 1. 't is as easie for God to destroy vs as it is for the Potter to breake an earthen vessell our breath is in our nostrills if our mouthes and noses be stopped we fall downe as dead carkases especially all men haue cause to bee extreamely grieued to thinke how wofully they are fallen from the glory in which they were created whether they look vpon their soules impurities and filthines or the bodies deformity diseases or the miseries inuade iustly their outward condition with all the fearefull losses spirituall and temporall which haue befallen them for their sinnes More especially the wicked haue cause of grieuous sorrowes that remaine still in that wofull estate of degeneration hauing God and all creatures against them and carrying about bodies and soules so full of sinne and lyable to such fearefull danger Woe to him that striueth with his maker shall the Potsheard striue with the Potter and be safe Esay 45. 9. and the rather they should be afflicted if they consider no part of their wickednes can be hid from God Hee that made them knowes euery part about them there cannot bee a vaine desire thought or lust but God sees it and no darkenesse can hide from him Psal 139. 12 13. Lastly there is great consolation in this doctrine of the Creation vnto godly men that are restored in Christ to the priuiledges of their first Creation for vnto them will God bee for the substance of true happinesse all that he was to Adam their right to Gods fauour and fellowship with God and dominion ouer the creatures is restored they are againe made like to God in Christ Iesus Colos 3. 10. their bodies and soules are the Temples of the holy Ghost They need not feare any aduersaries for God keepeth all their bones and the haires of their heads are numbred Psal 34. 20. and though they haue many frailties bodily and spirituall yet God will pittie them he knowes the mould they are made of and that they are but dust Psal 103. 13. 17. Esay 64. 12. and seeing God hath made vs he accounts himselfe bound to helpe vs and sustaine vs and prouide for vs Isay 43. 7. and will not forget vs Esay 44. 21. The second Article And in Iesus Christ 1. COR. 3. 11. For other Foundation can no man lay then that which is layd which is Christ Iesus HItherto of the Nature of God and the workes of Creation Now it followes that we consider of the Articles that concerne our Redemption by Christ and so the workes of grace And so in the Redeemer Faith lookes vpon foure things First his Titles Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God and our Lord. Secondly his Incarnation wondering at both his Conception and Birth Thirdly his Humiliation for our sinnes as hee suffered vnder Pilate was crucified c. Fourthly his Exaltation as hee rose from the dead and ascended in Heauen c. But before I come to breake open these glorious Mysteries It is conuenient to consider of three things 1. What neede we haue of a Redeemer to be thus incarnate or thus humbled c. 2. By what right we can be capable of any interest in a Redeemer 3. In what manner wee must beleeue these Articles For the first there are two things in the condition of euery man by nature which may shew euidently that hee doth infinitely neede some course to bee taken to free him out of that misery he is in the one is his sinnes the other is the punishment either is vpon him or he is liable to And first for sinne euery man 1. Is guilty of Adams sinne Rom. 5. 12. 2. He is possessed by originall sinne by which hee is two waies vilely plagued for he hath lost all that righteousnesse and integrity of nature man had in the Creation which he may feele by his want of seruent loue to God awfull feare of God confident trust in God affectionate delight in God shining knowledge of God c. and so by his strange deficiencies in his disposition toward his neighbour and besides he is poysoned and infected with corruption in his nature which is the more grieuous because all men are infected Rom. 5. 12. all are so from the wombe Psal 51. and this insection is in the whole nature of man which he may feele by the very disorder of his naturall appetite to foode sleepe procreation by the corruption of his very senses his eyes ready to wander after vanity Psal 119. if they bee not guarded and watched Iob 31. 1. and so his taste and other senses in his vnderstanding he may feele a strange kinde of power of darknes and disability to thinke of any good things pronenesse to a world of vanities and euil in his affections he may daily perceiue a very vassalage to euil concupiscence giuing lawes of wickednesse to his members Rom. 7. 3.
〈◊〉 vnbegotten It is in the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicated by generation It is in the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceeding Now the humane nature is assumed by the diuine considered onely as it is in the Sonne and in the manner as the sonne enioyes it God the Father that eternall minde begets the Word or perfect Image of himselfe which is the second person Now to that Image of the Fathers person is the nature of man vnited It is true that the Incarnation being a worke ad Extra is common to all three Persons in the Trinity for about it all three worke and yet the Sonne onely did assume our Nature though the Father also did worke it by the holy Ghost Diuines vse to expresse it thus three Virgins in one common worke make a garment which one of them onely weares so heere the three persons make the humane nature which onely the second Person puts on or assumes when it was made The fourth thing is what was assumed and so in generall the matter assumed was the seede of the woman Gen. 3. 15. The seede of Abraham the seede of Dauid the flesh of the Virgin Mary In particular he tooke 1. A true humane bodie not the shew of a body not any diuine or Celestiall body but a true humane body the very flesh which the body of man consists of 2. A true humane soule aswell as body Mat. 26. 38. Marke 14. 34. Luke 23. 46. 3. The naturall proprieties of a humane soule and body for he was made like vnto vs in all things Heb. 2. 12. 4. 18. By proprieties I meane such proprieties as agree to the humane nature now or by Gods decree shâ—ll be fastened vpon the humane nature as his body on earth was heauy and needed meate and drinke and sleepe but now in Heauen is spirituall shineth as the Sunne and needs no food 4. The infirmities belonging vnto our nature both in soule body that this may be rightly vnderstood we must distinguish as first about the infirmities bodily some arise from an outward cause some an inward Those that arise from outward causes Christ bare onely so many of them as by the counsell of God or in respect of his Office was needfull for him to beare Such were the calamities and sorsorrowes inflicted vpon him by others and borne by him as our High-Priest These that arise from an inward cause doe either vniuersally follow the whole nature of man since it was fallen as to be subiect to heate cold wearines paine or the like or else are personall and arise not from the common sinne of man nor fall vpon all men at all times but are found onely in some men such as are some kinde of diseases the former sort Christ bare not the latter Now the infirmities of the soule are likewise of two sorts some vitious and detestable as sins others vnblameable deseruing rather pittie then punishment as to bee ignorant of some things feare sadnesse anger and the like the former sort were not in Christ Luke 1. 35. Heb. 4. 15. Ioh. 8. 46. The latter were Luke 2. 52. Marke 13. 32. Mat 26. 37. Iohn 11. 33. And those affections in Christ differed much from ours for his were easily ruled by right reason but not so ours his were carried onely to good obiects ours often to euill Christ was troubled in his affections and so are we but with great difference His affections were without sin As a glasse that is cleane and hath cleane water in it if it be shaked and tossed yet there is no filth in the water but if the glasse be foule and mud be setled at the bottome of the water if it bee shaked the water is all foule so is the difference betweene the trouble of Christs affections and ours The fifth point is the time when the Sonne of God was Incarnate and that was not assoone as man was fallen but long after it being deferred by the Wisdome of God of purpose that man being left to himselfe might both feele his disease and see need to call for the remedie and exercise his Faith in the expectation of it and that it might appeare that all mankinde was vnrecouerably fallen into mischiefe of themselues And at that time was this wonderfull worke done when most fitly an example of the Iustice of God towards the Iewes and his mercy towards the Gentiles might be shewed for at that time when the Word was made flesh was the sin of the Iewes almost full and among the Gentiles in that ripe Age of the world were innumerable Elect ones ready for the spirituall haruest Mathew 9. 37. Luke 10. 2. Iohn 4. 35. Gal. 4. 4. The sixth point is the Reasons why it was necessary hee should be Incarnate and these are diuers first the Iustice of God required that satisfaction should be made in the same nature that offended secondly for satisfaction the maledictions and curses of the Law and in particular death must bee inflicted vpon him that will bee our surety Now as God hee was impassible and immortall hee could not suffer nor die thirdly he tooke not the Nature of Angels but of man that so he might bee a mercifull High-Priest and fit to deale with man and for man as concerned not onely our necessities but our infirmities too Heb. 2. 17. 18. The seuenth point is how he was Incarnate or the manner of the Incarnation how the Word was made flesh This is a great Mystery and cannot fully bee expressed or comprehended especially by vs in this estate of Mortality yet diuers things may be vttered as 1. He did not assume the nature of man as it is extra subiectum or a thing that is conceiued by the minde or as it is common in the soules and bodies of all men but as the nature of a man is in one subiect in vno indiuiduo 2. The nature of man as it was in the wombe of the Virgin was in the very moment of the Conception ioyned to the Nature of God in personall vnion so as soule and body in Christ did not make a person as it doth in other men but did and doe subsist in the person of the Sonne of God being carried and vpheld by the diuine nature of Christ so as both his natures make but one person in him and this may bee gathered out of these places Luke 1. 36. Esay 7. 14. 3. We may approach to a better vnderstanding of this vnion if we consider it by way of negation how it differs from other vnions The word and the flesh are made one not in Essence as the Persons in Trinity are one nor in nature as soule and body make a third nature nor is this vnion carnall as man and wife are one nor spirituall or mysticall as God and the faithfull are one or as Christ and the Church are one but personall the two natures being one in person Nor is the flesh in the Word by simple inhabitation
naturall condition to a glorious fruition of the name of God and therefore in the Originall the Preposition rendered in hath the force of into as well as in Baptise them into the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost 4. Words of consolation and so he comforts them by two arguments the one taken from the successe of their doctrine and the other from his own perpetuall presence with them The argument from the successe of their doctrine is recorded by Saint Marke and that is two-fold the one ordinary the other extraordinary The ordinary successe is either in the good or in the bad In the good so many as will beleeue and are baptised and will obserue all that Christ commands them which is to be supplied out of Saint Matthew they shall be as certainly saued in heauen as they are taught on earth And contrariwise such as will not beleeue and receiue their doctrine Christ wil reuenge it vpon them with the damnation of their soules nor shall their Baptisme helpe them if they will not beleeue and obey Mark 16. 16. The extraordinary successe should be in the signes should follow such as beleeue which are reckoned Mar. 16. 17 18. and these are attributed to all beleeuers though they were to be done but by some only because the end of those miracles was to glorifie the doctrine beleeued on by all Nor did these signes last vnto all times but onely in the first times of the Church for the more effectual confirmation of that doctrine which could not be demonstrated by naturall arguments Nor did euery beleeuer that shewed some of them shew all of them some spake with new tongues that yet could not heale the sicke for there were diuersities of gifts and operations and yet all from one Spirit 1 Cor. 12. 4 5. The second argument of consolation is taken from his perpetuall presence with them to the end of the world which must be vnderstood of his spirituall presence and must be extended to all the godly especially Ministers seeing the Apostles could not liue themselues to the end of the world Thus of the third Apparition after the day of the Resurrection We reade of the appearing of our Sauiour at three other times besides these as to more than fiue hundred brethren together 1 Cor. 15. 6. and to Iames the Apostle alone 1 Cor. 15. 6. And then lastly vpon the day of his Ascension he appeared to the Apostles on Mount Oliuet not far from Bethania Act. 1. 12. Of these three I haue nothing to say for concerning two of them we reade nothing in Scripture but the bare mention of them and for the last it belongs to the Article of his Ascension And thus of the Apparitions of Christ after his Resurrection The last part of my Diuision that concernes the Resurrection is about the fruit of the Resurrection or the good that comes to vs by our Sauiours rising from the dead and so 1. The Resurrection of our Sauiour serues exceedingly to confirme our faith and to assure vs that he was the Sonne of God Rom. 1. 4. and the promised Messias that could thus miraculously raise himselfe from the dead Ioh. 10. 17 18. and 2. 19. to 23. Matth. 12. 39 40. 2. The Resurrection of Christ assures vs of our Iustification from our sinnes Rom. 4. 25. The Father by deliuering Christ to death did actually condemne our sinnes in his flesh as our surety Rom. 8. 3. So by letting him out of the prison of the graue in his Resurrection he did actually absolue and acquit him from the obligation in which he was bound and so in discharging him doth acknowledge payment and satisfaction and so we are discharged too If he had not risen we had been still in our sinnes 1 Cor. 15. 17 18. Rom. 8. 34. Phil. 3. 8 9 10. 3. The Resurrection of Christ is the cause of a two-fold resurrection in vs. The first Resurrection is of the soule from the death of sinne to the life of grace Eph. 2. 4 5. Col. 2. 12 13. Rom. 6. 4 5. and this flowes from his Resurrection The second is of the body out of the graue which is to be accomplished at the last Iudgement of which the Resurrection of Christ is both the cause and the pledge 1 Cor 15. 20 21 22. Rom. 8. 11. 1 Thess 4. 14. And a taste of this Christ gaue in the resurrection of diuers Saints that appeared to many in Ierusalem immediately vpon his Resurrection Matth. 27. 52 53. 4. The Resurrection of Christ begets in vs a liuely hope of a most glorious inheritance in heauen As the Apostle shewes 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. and Rom. 5. 10. where we shall for euer triumph with him in the victory ouer Death and the Graue and Hell Hosea 13. 14. 1 Cor. 15. 54 c. 5. It warrants and effects our persâ—uerance in life for he rose to life to die no more neither in himselfe nor in the spirituall life of his members as the Apostle reasons Rom. 6. 9 10. Now the reason of all this is because Christ sustained our person and rose againe as well as died in our stead He died and rose againe as a publike person and a root of a new mankinde and besides the same Spirit that raised Iesus Christ from the dead is in vs to worke all those things intended by his Resurrection Rom. 8. 11. The vse of this Article may be diuers 1. By way of Information and so it proues the Diuinitie of Christ the Apostle sayes he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by the Resurrection from the dead He that could ouercome so great Enemies as Sin Death the Graue and Hell and had power of himselfe to take vp his life must needs be God and so Saint Paul applies the words of the second Psalme Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee to the Resurrection of Christ which is true in respect of the manifestation of his Diuinitie Rom. 1. 4. Act. 13. 33. 2. By way of Instruction and so first Saint Paul 2 Tim. 2. 8. chargeth vs in a speciall manner to remember this Article and to lay fast hold vpon it for Iewes and Pagans can beleeue that Iesus died but a Christian must goe further to beleeue that he was raised from the dead Secondly wee should learne from Christs Resurrection to rise to newnesse of life A Christian should be ashamed to lye dead in the graues of sinne when his Sauiour is risen from the dead Nay if we be ingrafted into Christ aright wee are risen with him and are aliue from the dead and shew it by a spirituall liuelinesse in all parts of a renewed conuersation and therefore if thou wouldest haue comfort that thou art a true Christian thou must shew it by liuing in a new conuersation and by awaking from spirituall slumbring and securitie and standing vp from the dead Eph. 5. 14. If there be life in the Head there is life in all the
hath made vs to sit in heauenly places in Christ Iesus Eph. 1. 6. for as he left vs the earnest of his Spirit so he tooke from vs the earnest of the flesh and caried it into heauen as a pawne to assure that the whole should be brought after him So that his ascension into heauen works our ascension into heauen and so a threefold ascension For first heauen is opened for a spirituall ascension of our minds while our bodies are on earth our hearts taking vnspeakable comfort by faith in our vnion with Christ and so with God whereas otherwise without Christ our very thoughts are shut out of heauen our hearts hauing no cause of comfort but rather of sorrow to thinke of our losse of Gods fauour and so glorious a place Secondly heauen is opened for our soules to enter in when we dye our soules being to bee caried by the Angells into heauen that before in Adam kept vs out of heauen Thirdly heauen is opened for both soule and body at the last day 1 Thes 4. 14. 17. Ioh. 17. 24. Thus of the first benefit Another benefit comes to vs by the ascension of Christ and that is the leading of our enemies captiue for his triumph ouer them when he led captiuity captiue Psal 89. 19. extends to vs. That we may vnderstand this the better wee must know that Christs victory ouer his enemies had fiue degrees First it is the ordination of it and so he conquered from eternity Secondly the prediction of it and so his conquest was a foot in all the ages of the old Testament and began at the promise in Paradise after the fall and was plainly renewed in that place of the Psalmes quoted before Thirdly the operation of it in his owne person and so he conquered on the Crosse and triumphed in his Ascension Fourthly the application of it and so he conquereth and hath in all ages conquered in his Members making them able to ouercome Sinne and Sathan and the World but this is but in part and in the beginnings of it Fiftly the consummation and full accomplishment of the victory and so the Deuils and the Graue and Death and Sinne and the World shall be for euer vanquished at the last day when Christ shall appeare in glory and wee be made like vnto him in an euerlasting freedome from all misery The third benefit is the daily helpe wee haue from the intercession of Christ in heauen that perfectly remembers vs and appeares before God for vs to make our persons and praiers and workes still accepted before God as hath beene shewed before The last benefit is the sending of the holy Ghost to be with the Church to the end of the world in a speciall manner to qualifie vs with all needfull gifts and to be our Comforter as hath likewise beene shewed before Thirdly this Article serues for confuration of diuers sorts of men as 1. Of those that say the very body of Christ is present to the bodies of men in the Sacrament of the Supper whereas the Article is plaine he is in body ascended into heauen 2. Of the Papists about merit of workes They say Christ merited our Iustification but wee must merit our place in heauen Whereas our Sauiour saith He went to heauen to prouide and prepare a place for vs. 3. Of such as say they must giue way to an insufficient ministery because able men cannot bee had Whereas Christ ascended to giue gifts vnto men and therefore if all lawfull meanes were vsed able men would bee found by his blessing 4. Of such as thinke because they were not brought vp to learning or haue liued long in ignorance therefore knowledge must not bee required of them nor can they attaine to it whereas if they had honest hearts and would conscionably vse the meanes they might bee led into all truth by the Comforter which Christ hath sent 5. Of such as say they may liue in some sinnes and they can neuer bee seduced in this life which is a varne excuse for their negligence and wilfull indulgence ouer their corruptions for Christ ascended to lead captiuity captiue 6. Of all worldlings that professe they are Christs and yet minde nothing but earthly things whereas if they were true Christians their hearts would haue ascended with Christ by seeking those things that are aboue Col. 3. 1. A fourth sort of vses are for instruction and so 1. This Article should make vs willing to dye seeing it is the highest point of our preferment to ascend to heauen and seeing to dye is but to ascend to heauen and goe to our Father and that Christ ascended to take possession for vs. 2. It should teach vs not to mourne immoderately for the losse of our dearest friends seeing they are ascended to heauen and wee can neuer lose so much as the Disciples did when such a Master and Sauiour was parted from them and went to heauen 3. It should stirre vs vp to all possible care of an holy and contented life it should seeme to vs a monstrous base thing to serue sinne or the deuill or the world that are such shamefull captiues to be a slaue to a slaue is a matchlesse basenesse and yet this is the condition of the most and which makes it more wofull man likes it and desires to continue so still Lastly it should worke vpon vs a strong impression of desire to carry our selues as strangers here and pilgrims and to haue our conuersation in heauen where Christ is and â—â—om whence wee looke for him to come and vnite vs to himselfe when he shall change vs and make vs like himselfe in glory Hitherto of the Ascension of Christ The third degree of his exaltation is his Session at the right hand of God The first words of this Article are ambiguous because they are not taken in their proper sense for properly God hath no right hand as being a Spirit and Christ may not be thought to vse no other gesture in heauen but sitting and therefore we must enquire of the Scripture for the sense as it is figuratiue and so first what sitting may signifie then what the right hand of God signifies and then what it is to sit at the right hand of God For the first Sitting in a figuratiue sense in Scripture is vsed two waies First to note habitation abiding or resting as when the Apostles were willed to sit in that City till they were endued with power from on high Luk. 24. 49 Secondly to note Soueraignty and Iudiciarie power and when Solomon is said to sit vpon the Throne of his Father 1 King 1. 30. so Prou. 20. 8. Isa 16. 5. The right hand of God when it is spoken of about earthly things notes his power and helpe as Psal 44. 3. and when it is spoken of as in heauen it notes supreme glory and Maiestie and authority Now to be at the right hand when it is spoken of men it signifies to helpe as Psal 142. 5.