special Instructions to guide and direct us in the whole course of our life Thus far I have declared my Faith concerning the Passion of Christ under Pontius Pilate and now I will shew you what I believe concerning his Death I do believe that he died I believe his death was not a fiction or imaginary death but a true death indeed according to the Prophesies which were before delivered concerning him Isa 53. He was cut off from the Land of the living Dan. 9. The Messiah shall be cut off The Types and Sacrifices of Lambs daily in the Temple did fore-shew and preach the death of the Lamb of God The accomplishment and truth of the Types and Prophesies are recorded faithfully Joh. 1.29 ch 19. Mat. 26 27 Chapters Mark 15. Luk. 23.26 First He died to satisfie the Justice of God for the Elect that he might free them from death and from the fear of death as it is written Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch as the Children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part with them that he might destroy through death him that had Power over death that is the Devil and that he might deliver all them which for fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Secondly He died to fulfil all the Promises of God from the beginning Gen. 3.15 Thirdly I say his death was voluntary and an accursed death First voluntary for so he speaketh Joh. 10.18 No man taketh my life from me but I lay it down of my self Secondly It was an accursed death for so it is written Gal. 3.13 Christ was made a curse for us and how He sheweth it in the words following Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree As if he should avouch in effect that Christ's death was accursed that is that it contained in it the first death that is the separation of Body and Soul for that for a time he did apprehend and undergo the wrath of God due to Man for sin yet was he never out of God's favour for in the midst of his loud cryes he calls God his God Matth. 27.46 He was never so oppressed of death as the damned are For as he suffered the bodily death without any corruption of body so be suffered the extream pangs of the Soul but not as forsaken of God more than in his own apprehension and feeling Fourthly The Comfort and Use we have of this Faith or the Blessings we reap by the death of Christ are many and very precious never to be forgotten of true-hearted Believers 1. This voluntary and true obedience of Christ unto death even this accursed death is our Righteousness before God as it is written Rom. 5.19 As by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one Righteous many are made Righteous In this Righteousness of Christ's Death lyeth the chief matter of all our felicity and rejoycing as the Apostle speaketh Gal. 6.14 God forbid that I should rejoyce in any thing but in the Cross of Christ There is no one thing more recommended in so many and so evident Prophesies than this So by the Death of Christ I am freed from the second Death 2. By this Faith in Christ crucified and dead for us I behold to my exceeding comfort a divine proportion between the infinite debt of God's Elect and the satisfaction done by the death of Christ unto God's Justice for the same as infinite as the debt 3. I see the unspeakable love of God to his Elect continually preached unto me and manifested as before mine eyes Joh. 3.16 4. I see that God's Divine Justice is satisfied by Christ's Death in the same Nature which offended him Gen. 3.15 Heb. 2.14 to mine exceeding great consolation 5. My trembling Conscience by this Faith is quiet and pacified for I feel hereby that the pollution of my Conscience is done away because my heart is sprinkled with the blood of Christ Heb. 9.14 and the scorching heat of it is abated by this Water of Life which streams unto my heart from the side and heart of Jesus Christ Zach. 12.10 11. 13.1 6. The first Death by Christ is turned into a blessing and made unto me a gate of Life So that now I may truly say That the day of Death is better unto me I being in Christ than the day wherein I was born 7. The Death of Christ doth ratifie his last Will and Testament unto me Thus it pleased the Father to make authentical and to seal unto me the Covenant of Grace Heb. 9.16 8. By his Death he hath not only taken away the condemnation of sin Rom. 8.1 for us but also hath broken the power and infection of it in us The act of Christ's Death is past but the vertue and powet thereof endures forever When we have Grace to deny our selves and to put our trust in Christ and by Faith hold him fast in our hearts then as Christ himself by the Power of his Godhead overcame Death Hell and Damnation in himself for us so shall we by the same Power of his Godhead and Grace dwelling in us Eph. 3.20 Gal. 2.21 2 Cor. 13.5 crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Gal. 5.25 26. 9. The Death of Christ ought to be to all impenitent Sinners the greatest Motive to move them and turn them unto Christ and to humble them because they have pierced him by their sins This I say ought to cause them to mourn for him as the Prophet Zechary speaketh Ch. 2.10 whom even they themselves and not the Jews only have wounded Isa 53. wherefore if this move them not their case is dangerous 10. Be ready if thou beest a Believer to lay down thy life for Christ if need so require as he hath done for thee and to die rather than to do any thing which thou knowest manifestly to be contrary to his Will Of this mind were all the Martyrs and Faithful People of God in all Ages 11. To give some special Instructions if it be doubted what the Altar was whereon Christ offered his Sacrifice because the Papists avouch it to be the Cross I believe rather that Christ himself was the Priest the Sacrifice and the Altar as I said before the Sacrifice as he is Man the Priest as he is both God and Man the Altar as he is God For the property of an Altar is to sanctifie the Sacrifice as Christ saith Matth. 25.9 Now Christ as he was God sanctifieth himself as he was Man Joh. 17.19 For their sakes sanctifie I my self And this he did First By setting apart his Manhood to be a Sacrifice unto his Father for our sins Secondly By giving unto his Sacrifice merit and efficacy to be a meritorious Sacrifice wherefore the Wooden-Cross was not his Altar as Papists have imagined 12. The Prophet Haggai saith that the second Temple built by Zerubbabel was nothing in beauty unto the first which was built by Solomon For it wanted
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
when your thoughts are come to the highest stay there and be content to wonder in silence and if you cannot reach to conceive of him as he is yet take heed you conceive not of him as he is not Neither will it suffice your Christian mind to have this awful and confused apprehension of the Deity without a more special and inward conceit of three in this one Three Persons in this one Essence not divided but distinguished and not more mingled than divided There is nothing wherein the want of words can wrong and grieve us but in this Here alone as we can adore and not conceive so we can conceive and not utter yea utter your selves and not be conceived yet as we may think here of one substance in three subsistences one Essence in three Relations one Jehovah begetting begotten proceeding Father Son Spirit yet so as the Son is no other thing from the Father but another Person or the Spirit from the Son Let your thoughts here walk warily the path is narrow the conceit either of three substances or but one subsistence is damnable Let me lead you yet higher and further in this intricate way towards the Throne of Grace All this will not avail you if you take not your Mediator with you if you apprehend not a true Manhood gloriously united to the Godhead without change of either Nature without mixture of both whose Presence whose Merits must give passage acceptance vigour to your Prayers Here must be therefore as you see thoughts holily mixed of a Godhead and Humanity one Person in two Natures of the same Deity in divers Persons and one Nature wherein if ever Heavenly Wisdom must bestir it self in directing us so to sever these apprehensions that none be neglected so to conjoyn them that they be not confounded O the depth of Divine Mysteries more than can be wondered at O the necessity of this high Knowledge which who attains not may babble but prayeth not Still you doubt and ask if you may not direct your Prayers to one Person of three Why not safely and with comfort What need we fear while we have our Saviour for our pattern O my Father if possible let this Cup pass and Paul everywhere both in thanks and requests but with due care in Worshipping all in one Exclude the other while you fix your heart upon one your Prayer is sin retain all and mention one you offend not None of them doth ought for us without all It is a true rule of Divines All their external works are common To sollicite one therefore and not all were injurious And if you stay your thoughts upon the sacred Humanity of Christ with inseparable adoration of the Godhead united and thence climbe up to the holy conceit of that blessed and dreadful Trinity I dare not censure I dare not but commend your divine method Thus should Christians ascend from Earth to Heaven from one Heaven to another If I have given your Devotions any light it is well the least glimpse of this knowledge is worth all the full gleames of Humane and Earthly skill But I mistake if your own heart wrought upon with serious Meditations under that Spirit of Illumination will not prove your best master After this weak direction study to conceive aright that you may pray aright and pray that you may conceive and meditate that you may do both and the God of Heaven direct you inable you that you may do all CHAP. III. Concerning Christ our Mediator I Will now by God's help prove by the holy Scriptures that the Eternal Word viz. the second Person in the Trinity took flesh of the Virgin Mary and so was made like unto his brethren in all things sin only excepted Heb. 2.17 4.15 For neither the Father nor holy Spirit took our nature upon them but Christ only For as by the first Adam came sin and death by sin even so comes grace and life by Jesus Christ Rom. 5. But here we must note how Christ took Man's Nature upon him Not by turning his Godhead into his Manhood but by assuming of his Manhood into his Godhead not by confusion or mixture of substance but by unity of Personâ— For as the reasonable Soul and fleshly body is one Man even so the Deity and Humanity is one Christ When I say Christ took our Nature upon him I mean not that he took our flesh only as some Hereticks have thought but the Soul of man also Forasmuch as he is no half-Saviour but a Redeemer both of Body and Soul for St. John saith The Word was made Flesh viz. by taking Man's flesh or Nature in union with the Word which is Christ And why he is called the Word I have already shewed and shall God willing do it again in the Questions and Answers about Christ in a place set for it therefore I pass it over here Quest But the Eutychians ask us Of what matter the flesh of Christ was made Or Did he not bring it out of Heaven Answ No truly for as the first Adams flesh was made of the Earth as it is written Gen. 2.7 Even so it is written Christ was made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 for he did not pass through her as Water through a Pipe but took part of her substance therefore the Prophet Isaiah saith There shall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a branch or blossome shall grow out of his roots Isa 9. Acts 13.23 And Solomon calleth him a Lilly and Rose Cant. 2.1 Now you know the Flower and the Rose taketh its nature of the root For as St. Paul saith As is the root such are the branches Rom. 11.16 17. Besides it was the Will of God that the same flesh that sinned should be punished as we may see an instance in Davids Child although David sinned in killing of Vriah yet it pleased God to spare Davids person from death and punish him in his flesh viz. his Child with death See 2 Sam. 12.14 Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the Child also that it born unto thee shall surely die Even so it was Adam that sinned but it pleased God to spare his person and punish him in his flesh viz. Christ For as St. Paul saith He was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 And as St. Peter saith The just suffered for the unjust 1 Pet. 1.18 3.18 See the comparison also betwixt the two Adams in Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous And thus as St. Paul saith He is flesh of our flesh Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same Heb. 2.14
is subjectively communicated to the Humanity of Christ but only the Humane Nature was assumed of the Son of God into the same Person Heb. 2.16 Q. What is the Personal Vnion in Christ A. It is that whereby the Person of the Son of God being a Person from all Eternity existing did assume the most pure Nature of Man wanting all personal existing of its own into the unity of his Person and made it his own the properties of each Nature being preserved Or as Paul defines it Col. 2.9 whereby in Christ doth dwell all the fulness of the Godhead bodily whereof we have a manifest resemblance in the union of the Soul and the body And therefore the Apostle doth well call it a great Mystery of Godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 Q. How is this Union made A. Without all confusion Without all conversion of one Nature into another indivisibly inseparably The difference of the Natures by no means being taken away by the union but rather the propriety of either Nature being saved and joyned together or concurring into one Person and one subsisting as the Calcedon Synod speak in the History of Evagrius lin 2. cap. 4. And from that time that the Word did assume our Humane Nature he never left it no not in his death And to this purpose make these Verses I am that I was not I was that I am now both am I called Thou knowest me not except thou know me subsisting of both Natures See Mr. John Tombes his Exposition upon the Calcedon-Council concerning the two Natures in Christ asserted in his Book intituled Emmanuel or God-man Sect. 15. Q. By what testimonies will you prove that the Divine and Humant Nature in Christ did joyn together in one and the same Person A. Isa 7.14 9.6 Luk. 1.35 That which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God Joh. 1.14 And the Word was made Flesh not by Sacramental-union in which respect Christ was said to be a Rock not by confusion of the Natures nor by commutation as Water is turned into Wine Joh. 2.14 but by assuming the flesh into the unity of this Person The Voice of God speaketh thus of Jesus Christ the Son of Mary This is my beloved Son Matth. 3.17 He that descended is even the self-same that ascended above all Heavens that he might fill all things Eph. 4.10 God sent his Son born of a Woman Gal. 4.4 Q. Why is it necessary that Christ should be both God and Man in one and the same Person A. 1. To die end he might reconcile God and Man or that he might make God and Man one 2. That he might be a fit Mediator between God and Men 2 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 8 6 by reason of his Participation and Affinity with them both 3. That he might reconcile God unto us by his death which if he had been God alone he could never have suffered if only Man he could never have overcome 4. That the work of Redemption performed in the flesh of the Son might become of sufficient price for sin whereby God that infinite good was offended For although certain actions do properly proceed from the Divine Nature and some are done by the Humane Nature yet all of them do equally receive their price and worthiness from the Divine Nature So the flesh of Christ hath power to quicken because it is the flesh of that Person who is God the obedience of the Man Christ doth Justifie because it is the obedience of that Person who is God the blood of Christ redeems the Church because it is the blood of God Acts 20.28 Q. What is the Communication of Properties A. It is such a manner of Predication whereby those things which be proper to Natures are indifferently attributed to the Person of Christ which is but one and that because Christ in his two Natures is both to wit perfect God and perfect Man to whom therefore these things are truly and indeed attributed as well those which are proper to God as those which be proper to Man Therefore it is well and truly said God or else the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary suffered was crucified and God purchased unto himself the Church with his own blood 1 Cor. 2.8 Acts. 20.28 Not simply principally and by himself as he is God but by accident and in another respect or in regard of another thing because that which is proproper to one Nature namely to be conceived born crucified to die is not attributed to his Divinity but to the Person taking the name of one namely of the Divine Nature For this word the Son of God or God which is the subject of the Proposition is the concrete and not the abstract and signifieth not the Divine Nature but the Person who is God and Man Therefore it is well said The Son of Man or Christ-Man is Eternal Almighty All-present saveth raiseth the dead giveth Eternal Life And Joh. 3.13 No man hath ascended into Heaven but he that came down from Heaven both in respect of the Union seeing that the self-same Person is both Man and God for as God by reason of the unity doth account those things which belong to the Humane Nature proper to himself so as he is Man by reason of the union doth account those things which belong to the Divine Nature to be proper to it self and also because the Son of Man is a word concrete which signifies the Person of Christ being but one consisting of the Divine and Humane Nature and therefore whole Christ is every where present but not all that is in Christ On the contrary it is wickedly said That the Divinity of Christ was born of the Virgin suffered death and that the Humanity of Christ is Eternal every where present Almighty for the Divinty is a word abstract which simply signifieth the Divine Nature in Christ which is most free from all manner of sufferings Now the Predication of divers Natures by reason of the Hypostatical or Personal Union is of no force but in those things which are signified as whole and perfect for as we do not use to say the Body is the Soul or the Man is the Soul so neither do we say this God Christ is the Body of Christ or the Soul of Christ but only God is Man Q. Is the communication of Properties verbal only or real A. It is a true and real speech because the Person of whom by the trope Synechdoche as well the Divine as the Humane either names of Proprieties or Effects are indifferent and equally affirmed containeth all those things in it self truly and indeed which do agree to very God and very Man those things which be Divine as he is God those also which be Humane as the same is Man but not in respect of both Natures but according to the one and the other For then should be brought in the Eutychian Heresie of the confounding of the Natures or Properties and it should cease
quickned by the Spirit which we call his Divine Nature for as he did bear our sins so also our punishment for sin which was death but by his Divine Nature he overcame it as aforesaid 1 Pet. 3.18 Obj. 2. Peradventure some will object against these things as I have before laid down saying He may be the Son of David although he did not take of the flesh of the Virgin Mary and so by consequence the flesh of David inasmuch as he was born of the Daughter of David for it may be read Born of a Woman as well as made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 as also Rom. 1.3 born of the Seed of David A. We say with you He was born of the Seed of David and so of the Virgin Mary But yet so as he was also made of the Seed of David and of a Woman Which thing you deny viz. that he was made of the Seed of David and if so then he was not properly the Son of David although born of a Daughter of David no more than Bethsheba's Child was Vriah's which was begotten of her by David which you know was David's and not Vriah's Child although she was his Wife for no man is properly the Son of such a man except he partake of the substance nature or flesh of that man But you say Christ did not do so therefore he was not by your Opinion the Son of David Obj. 3. But no Child say they doth take any thing from his Mother but only nourishment therefore Christ did not A. Who told you so not God's Word and do you know by experience how bones do grow in the womb but if your Opinion be true why then doth God forbid his Children to marry their Sister by the Mothers side how is she kin to him if she was begotten by another father But God saith your Opinion is false as you may see Levit. 18.9 c. Some Queries to the Eutychians Query 1. Whether doth not the Eutychian Opinion in denying the two Natures in Christ viz. the Divine and Humane by consequence deny the Lamb the Priest and the Altar mentioned in the Law to be types of Christ contrary to the Analogy of Faith Answ They do for Christ as Man is the Lamb as God the Altar and as God-Man the Priest Q. 2. Whether doth the Holy Ghost apply these three to Christ in the New Testament yea or nay A. Yes he doth apply them for he is the Lamb or Sacrifice for sin Joh. 1.29 Heb. 9.26 10.10 and the Altar Heb. 13.10 and the Priest Heb. 5.6 For as the typical Lamb was without blemish even so was Christ saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.18 2.24 Secondly The Priest was sanctified or set apart to offer a Sacrifice acceptable to God even so was Christ Joh. 17.17 Thirdly As the Altar did sanctifie the Sacrifice even so did the Godhead of Christ the Humane Nature Heb. 9.14 Query 3. Whether doth not the Eutychian Opinion make the threefold Offices of Christ of none effect or deny them all A. Yes for the Divine Nature cannot be anointed to be Priest Prophet and King Query 4. Whether can any man come to the Father but through Faith in these threefold Offices of Christ A. No for what the Tabernacle or Temple was to them under the Law that is Christ to us under the Gospel And as God manifested to them in the Temple was the proper object of worship to them even so God manifested to us in Christ is the proper object of worship to us for the Flesh or Humane Nature of Christ is the medium or mean by which we have access to God in all our Worship This is proved Heb. 10.19 20 c. Some Arguments to prove the Opinion of the Eutychians heretical and dangerous Argum. 1. That Doctrine or Opinion that saith Christ was not the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 which was promised of God to break the Serpents head is a dangerous Arg. 2. That Opinion that maketh the Tabernacle or Temple Lamb Priest and Altar ordained of God for Divine Worship till Christ came in the flesh no true types of him is a dangerous Opinion But such is their Opinion Therefore dangerous Arg. 3. That Opinion which in it self or the natural consequences depending thereon maketh void all the promises of God concerning man's Salvation by Christ must needs be a very dangerous Opinion But such is their Opinion therefore dangerous The Reasons appear plain to every impartial Reader in all these three Arguments But here I will add That either the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 was God which was justly offended with Adam for his sin Or else it was the Man Christ which was made of a Woman Gal. 4. But it was not God that was made of a Woman therefore Man And now for you to say that God the Creator of all things in Heaven and in Earth Col. 1.16 made himself a Creature or was made so is false as I said before and also impossible sith God is Perfection it self And to say that he passed through the Virgins womb as Water through a Conduit as some Hereticks have said is also false And to say he had an imaginary body and not a real body as some Hereticks have said is also very false as appeareth by his death and resurrection As to the proof of the second Argument That the Lamb the Priest and the Altar were types of Christ see what is already said in the Questions and Answers as also the Scriptures thereunto annexed Which cannot be applyed to him viz. Christ except you with us grant the two Natures to be in one Person If you can shew us how you do it As to the proof of the third Argument That your Opinion doth deny all the Promises of God I prove it thus That Opinion that denyeth Christ to be the true Son of David denyeth all the Promises of God concerning mans Salvation But such is your Opinion Therefore c. 2ly That Opinion that denieth the proper signification of the Sacraments viz. Baptism the Lords Supper must needs be a dangerous Opinion but such is your Opinion therefore dangerous The reason of the minor Proposition is because it denyeth the two Natures in Christ which are lively set forth by the Sign and the thing signified by these Sacraments 1. For as all the Ordinances of God's instituted Worship as Sacrifices under the Law c. so all the Sacraments under the Gospel seem to have immediate relation to Christ as God manifested in the flesh For you may observe they consist of two parts the one Natural the other Spiritual the one External the other Internal the one as it were the Body the other the Soul of it the one representing the Humanity the other the Divinity of Christ so that every Ordinance of Worship is as it were a representation of Christ incarnate 2. The Divine Essence or Godhead in Christ seemeth to be the proper object of all Worship for Christ saith
to be a speech by Synechdoche viz. wherein a part is taken for the whole or the whole for a part Q. But those Titles which belong to the Office of Redemption are they to be attributed to the Natures severally asunder or to the Person A. To the Person as Christ is a Mediator Pastor Priest according to both Natures although each of them in that work retaining his own proper efficacy or operation Q What is the Effect of that Personal Vnion A. The bestowing of gifts whereby the Humane Nature in the Person of Christ is adorned and whereby it excelleth all other Creatures in Wisdom Goodness Holiness Power Majesty and Glory which the old Fathers call the Deifying of the Flesh the Schoolmen Habitual Grace of the Communion of Properties which is mutual one of another and the reciprocation of the Names altogether distinct Q How manifold is the state of Christ A. Two-fold one of Humiliation whereby he willingly undergoing the burdens reproaches and punishments of our Nature did humble himself to the death of the Cross the Divinity in the mean while according to Irenaeus resting or hiding it self that he might be crucified and die The other of Exhaltation whereby after his death his Humane Nature did lay aside all the infirmities of it but not the Essential Properties and was wonderfully exalted above all Creatures unto the greatest honour yet not in any case match'd and equalled to the Divine Nature of Christ Phil. 2.7 9. Q. What are the Doctrines contrary to this A. The first Heresie of Macedonius and Valentinus who affirmed That Christ brought with him a Celestial body from Heaven As also of Apelles who said His Body was aiery his Flesh star-like and that he passed from the Virgin as Water from a Pipe 2. Of the Marcionites who feigned unto him an imaginary Body 3. Of Apollinaris who denyed that Christ did assume a reasonable Soul but that his Divinity was unto him instead of his mind 4. Of Eunomius who affirmed Christ to be meer man and that he was called the Son of God by Adoption And of Ebâ—oni who said that Christ was born by Humane generation 5. Of Nestorius who taught That as there be two Natures in Christ so there are two Persons and that the Divinity is present with the Humanity by circumstance and combination but not by Personal union Therefore he denyed that Mary was the Mother of God or brought forth God and affirmed that Man not God was crucified of the Jews 6. Eutyches Heresie contrary to the former for he taught that the Humane Nature after the Union was indued with the properties of the Divinity viz. the Divine Nature was turned into flesh 7. Of the Manichees who avouched that Christ had but one only Will and not two a Divine and a Humane Will 8. Of the Vbiquitaries who attribute to the Humanity of Christ the Essential properties of the Divinity altogether forgetting that saying He that taketh away the Properties taketh away the Nature and on the contrary He that attributeth the Proprieties attributeth the Nature and of whatsoever the Essence cannot be affirmed no more can the Essential Proprieties thereof be affirmed of the same Now I have here briefly given you an account of these Eight Opinions about Christ as aforesaid And by these you see St. Peters words fulfilled 2 Pet. 2.1 But there were false Prophets also among the People even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable HERESIES even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And many shall follow their pernitious wayes by reason of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of Acts 20.28 For St. Paul saith Take head therefore unto your selves and unto all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood for I know this that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you not sparing the Flock also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things to draw away disciples after them So Isa 9.21 saith That Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses and both against Judah Also Herod against Pilat and Pilat against Herod and both against Christ even so here is the Eunomians or Socinians or Bidelians against the Eutychians and both against Christ for the one denyeth his Divine Nature and the other his Humane contrary to Matth. 22.45 and Rev. 22.16 I am the root and off-spring of David and so by consequence both deny the true Christ For the Devil knoweth there is no Salvation for us without Faith in him who is David's Lord and David's Son Acts 4.12 Neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Acts 4.12 And now Brethren that I may as the Apostle Paul saith Acts. 20.26 be clear from the blood of you all for I have and will declare unto you all the counsel of God that I know touching this matter but as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.9 So say I for we know in part and we prophesie in part for now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known 2 Pet. 3.17 Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these things before beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness For some of you have been as brands pluck'd out of the fire Jude 23. I mean out of the Eutychian Heresie which doth not only deny Christ to be truly David's Son but saith That he that was truly David's Lord and Creator was mortal and died contrary to 1 Tim. 1.17 Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only Wise God be honour and glory for ever and ever Amen And now because the right knowledge of Christ and union of his Natures is so absolutely necessary to Salvation I will add some Questions and propound them for the Eutychians consideration CHAP. VII Containing Questions Answers about the Union of Natures in Christ Quest 1. WHy must Christ become Man and take our Nature viz. the flesh of the Virgin Mary Answ Because the Justice of God required that seeing in that Nature God was offended in that Nature should a satisfaction be made to God for the offence Now sin was committed in Man's Nature Adam sinned first and in him all his Posterity therefore Christ took Man's Nature that so he might suffer death and so make satisfaction to his Father for Men's sins Q. 2. Is there no way appointed of God to remit our sins but by shedding of blood A. No so saith the Holy Ghost Heb. 9.22 Without shedding of blood there is no remission Q. 3. Can Christ considered as he is the Eternal Word Joh. 1.1 and very God 1 Joh. 5.20 die A. No for God is immortal and
that this sacred Person which did this great Work with his own blood is very God But here we be also to observe that there is no Communication of the Essential Properties of these Natures but in the concrete only as Logicians speak not in the abstract as we may say truly and according to the Doctrine of Godliness that God died for us but we may not say therefore the Deity died for us And here beloved I will shew you once more why our Mediator must be very God and very Man and that these two Natures must thus admirably be united together and his Conception so pure First briefly for the first He must be very God First because he hath received a Charge from his Father which did require an infinite Power to wit by his Merits and Vertue to save the Elect or Believers for it was needful that his Price should over-prize our sins Secondly If he had not been very God he could not have overcome death Rom. 1.3 4. Thirdly for that it behoved him also to overcome and kill sin and death in us even in our Consciences Joh. 5.24 25. and to quicken us Rom. 8.11 by giving us the Spirit of Faith to apprehend all his Merits and to apply the same unto our selves Now who can give the Holy Ghost but God himself Luk. 11.13 Joh. 3.7 8. Lastly He was to loosen and destroy all the accursed works of Satan in us Secondly And for the second Point He must be very Man First that God might declare his unchangeable Justice and hatred of sin and his unspeakable Love and Mercy to the Elect the first he sheweth in punishing sin in his own Son the second he declareth in that he punisheth not our sins in out selves but in another Secondly That we might conceive rightly of the Brotherly Affection of our Mediator towards us and how that he which sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one Thirdly For that God had confirmed it with an Oath that the Messias should come of the loins of David Psal 133. 89. and of the Seed of the Woman according to the Gospel preached in the beginning in Paradise Gen. 3.15 Thirdly For the third Point This I believe and avouch briefly That Salvation could not have been obtained for Man unless the Nature of God and Man were united together in one Person First Because otherwise this work had not been performed by blood of the Son of God and so it had been insufficient for us Secondly Because the Humanity of Christ could never have born that punishment for sin Thirdly Salvation thus obtained could never have been maintained but that these Natures be thus knit together for that Christ is and must be the pledge of our Reconciliation for ever Psal 110.1 Matth. 22.44 Fourthly By this means we have as it were kindred with God in Jesus Christ who is become our Emmanuel God with us or God manifest in our flesh Matth. 1.1 Tim. 3.16 Fourthly For the fourth and last branch of the Question I say and believe that it was necessary our Lord and Saviour should be pure without the stain of sin in his Conception and that the Holy Ghost in this great Work did so provide First For that the most glorious and Divine Nature of God could never else be united unto the Humane Secondly For that a sinner could never have been accepted to make this Atonement or to offer up any Sacrifice for sin Thirdly For that he could not have Sanctified others unless he were the most Pure and the most Holy One of God in himself Heb. 2.11 10.9 10. Thus then the Lord Jesus Christ our most blessed Saviour and Redeemer hath taken to himself of the whole mass of mankind he took I say one Portion thereof and did perfectly sanctifie it by the power of the Holy Ghost and out of it derives perfect Holiness and Sanctification upon all his Elect by imputation of his Merits for their Justification and by his Holy Spirit working in them inherent Righteousness and Sanctification that so they may serve him continually in this life and for ever And here I will also shew you the use of this Article which we reason'd so much on in our Church-meetings when we were upon the Creed viz. I believe that he was crucified dead and buried All the Evangelists testifie with one accord that this was the form of his Execution he was crucified on a Cross and to fill him with pain his hands and feet were fastened with nayls unto the Cross Acts 3.18 Gal. 3.1 Phil. 2.8 And all this was done to accomplish God's Eternal Decree manifested before by the Prophets The brazen Serpent was a picture of this Numb 21 Joh. 3. For so he saith himself As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up that all that believe in him perish not but may have life everlasting And again Joh. 12.32 And when I shall be lifted up from the Earth I will draw all men unto my self Of this the Psalmist Prophesied saying They pierced my hands and my feet Secondly That we might in Conscience be resolved that Christ came under the Law Gal. 3.13 and suffered the Curse thereof for us and bare in his own Body and Soul the extremity of the Wrath of God for us And albeit other punishments were notes of God's Curse yet was the death of the Cross in a special manner above the rest accursed by vertue of a particular Commandment and special Word pronounced by God himself fore-seeing and fore-shewing what manner of Death Christ our Lord should die Thirdly The Apostle assureth us that in this form of Execution we may behold how Christ did undertake all the Malediction due unto all the Elect or Mankind himself for he saith Gal. 3 13. That he was made a Curse for us And again in the like prhrase 2 Cor 5. â—1 He was made sin for us By which manner or speaking we may not fear that any manner of reproach is offered the Son of God For both Sin and the Curse following are his by imputation Though in regard of himself he was no sinner yet as he was our Surety he became sin for us and consequently the curse of the Law for us in that the Curse every way due unto us by imputation and application were made his Instructions and Consolations which follow this Faith First We learn here with bitterness to bewail our sins for Christ suffered here the Wrath of God not for any offence that ever he committed but all for us and therefore just cause have we to mourn for our own sins which brought our Saviour to this low and base estate If a man should be so far in debt that he could not be freed unless the Surety should be cast into Prison for his sake nay which is more be cruelly put to death for his debt it would make him at his wits end if there were left but
natural and civil humanity in him and his very heart would bleed And this is the case with us by reason of our sins we are God's debtors yea bankrupts before him yet have we gotten a good Surety even the Son of God himself who to recover us to our former liberty was crucified and died for the discharge of out debt And therefore as the Prophet saith We should look upon him whom we have pierced and lament for him Look as the blood followed the nayls that were stricken through the blessed hands and feet of Christ so should the meditation of Christ's Passion be as nayles and speares to draw blood from our hands and hearts for our sins Secondly If thou doubtest where to see and find Christ crucified because the Prophet Zachary bids thee look on him Be advertised That he is set before thy face as nailed and fastened on a Cross wheresoever his Gospel is truly Preached in thine hearing for so the Apostle teacheth us Gal. 3.1 Oh foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the Truth before whose eyes Jesus Christ was discribed in your sight and among you crucified We must seek God's face in Christ who is the living form or most bright glory wherein we behold God himself and we must ever seek Christ's face in the Gospel if we find it not there we perish everlastingly 2 Cor. 4.3 4. We need not go to Crosses nay we must not go but to the Glass he hath himself appointed for us Note this word till And remember it that till such time as we come thus by Faith and Meditation of the Gospel we lie continually as poysoned by Satan that old Serpent and as stung to death Thirdly We learn to follow Christ in the pursuit and crucifying of our sins for so we are taught Gal 5.24 They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof That is they endeavour to kill the Power of Sin in themselves by Repentance Prayer Fasting Meditation conference with the Saints and by avoiding all occasions of offence Fourthly we here learn in this president that seeing the Son of God was not only thus racked and crucified by men but also bare the Wrath of God in his Soul that therefore we must learn not to make so little account of sin as commonly we do Fifthly Whereas the Person crucified was the very Son of God it is manifest that the Love of God unto us in our Redemption is endless like the deep Sea without bank or bottom as it is testified Joh. 3.16 And if we shall not acknowledge this to be so our condemnation will be the greater Sixthly The Curse of God being here once and fully born of the Son of God not for himself but for his Elect It standeth not with God's Justice to lay any Curse on them they continuing in the Faith any more wherefore when they be afflicted their punishments are but temporary and not Curses but Crosses Chastisements which proceed not from Anger as it is to the wicked Isa 27.9 but from a most loving Father and so ever to be accounted Psal 103. Heb. 12.5 6 7 8. Now I will here declare what his enemies did against him both Jews and Gentiles and of his Passions on the Cross what herein we be specially to observe First They stone him bot as many Malefactors were executed as Achan Josh 7. and Naboth 1 King 21.13 but for a greater reproach they Crucifie him and this was the most shameful death among the Jews Secondly They Crucifie him after much beating bleeding and fainting and so make his green-wounds again to lie open even before the Sun to his greater grief and pain If the Son of God is Crucified for us we must be content in like manner to part with all for his sake that we may possess him and follow his Example Thirdly They pierced his hands and feet according to the Prophesie of the Psalmist Psal 22.16 in those parts which are most lively and sensible and so the weight of his body was born up by hands and feet fastened to the Cross but not in that gross manner that blind Papists have imagined but the feet nailed assunder with two distinct nailes as Godly Antients have delivered Fourthly They gave him Vinegar and Gall to drink tempered with Myrrh Matth. 27.34 Some think to take away his senses and memory intoxicating as it were his brain Thus they hastened his death See Med. Jos Hall pag. 501. not having any respect at all of his Soul whether he died in peace and favour with God yea or nay Others think it was to hasten his death Howsoever it was every sinner here is to be advertised That it was and is he as well as the Jews tempers who hath tempered such a Cup of Poyson for Jesus Christ Fifthly They Crucifie him between two Thieves Matth. 27.38 for his greater shame whereby they testifie that they esteemed him no common sinner Isa 53.6 but the Captain of all Thieves and Malefactors So think thou thy self with Paul 1 Tim. 1.15 that thou art the greatest of all sinners Sixthly They all mocked him both Jews and Gentiles wagging their heads and speaking spiteful words against him Mat. 27.39 45. Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it up in three dayes save thy self And again He saved others let him save himself The Jews paid dearly for this mocking and for crying His blood be upon us and our Children For their Children abide under the heavy wrath of Almighty God for it unto this day Seventhly and lastly When the Lord Christ had made an end of all things and had given full satisfaction to his Father's Justice after all his wrestling with Satan and Sinners and after many Passions in Soul and Body He concludes all his wearisom fight with this Prayer immediately before his death Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luk 23.46 By his example he teacheth us to recommend our Spirits to the Father of Spirits Who can preserve any work so well as the crafts-master And shall not the faithful Creator of Souls do this more carefully than man In great dangers we commit our Jewels to our best Friends so do thou thy Soul unto Jesus Christ that thou mayest say with St. Paul 2 Tim. 1.12 I. know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day The Passion of Christ is a mirrour of all Vertues which are the more excellent for that they be set before us not in Rules and Doctrine but in his own holy Practice I shall name some of them in order The Prophet Isaiah names six Vertues or special Graces proper to Christ and communicates by him in some measure to all his Members Chap. 11.2 First The Spirit of Wisdom Secondly Of Judgment Thirdly of Counsel Fourthly of Fortitude Fifthly of Knowledge and Sixthly of the Fear of the Lord. First For Wisdom
five things which the first Temple had First The Appearing and Presence of God at the Mercy-Seat between the two Cherubims Secondly the Vrim and Thummim on the Brest-plate of the High Priest Thirdly The Inspiration of the Holy Ghost upon extraordinary Prophets Fourthly The Ark of the Covenant which was lost in the Captivity Fifthly Fire from Heaven to burn their Sacrifices And yet notwithstanding all this loss the same Prophet in the same Chapt. the 10th vers following assureth That the Glory of the last House should be greater than the first Because the Sacrifice of Christ at his coming should give Glory and Dignity to it And for that his Presence Preaching and Teaching in it gave it more Glory than the former five special Graces and Gifts of God did or could give unto the first Temple So I believe that Christ died and was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Rom. 4.25 He died for our sins and rose again for our Justification 1 Cor. 15.3 4 14. Now I will speak of the manner of his Resurrection and the Use of it First The Lord Jesus being truly dead and buried rose again by his own Almighty Power as is often testified Joh. 18. No man taketh my life from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and have power to take it again And so his Apostles Paul and Peter assure us he quickned himself by his own Spirit Rom. 1.11 1 Pet. 3.18 whereby he doth approve himself comfortable unto us to be the very Son of God as St. Paul noteth Rom. 8.4 saying He was declared mightily to be the Son of God touching the Spirit of Sanctification by the resurrection from the dead Secondly As touching the form he rose in or how his body was qualified I Answer Thar after his Resurrection his body was glorified richly yea most gloriously qualified with supernatural Graces His body was incorruptible and it was made a shining body a resemblance whereof some of his Disciples saw in the Mount and it was indued with Agility to move as well upward as downward as may appear by the Ascention of his Body to Heaven which was not caused by constraint or by any violent Motive but by a property agreeing to all bodies glorified Yet in the exaltation of Christ's Manhood we must remember two Caveats First he did never lay aside the Essential Properties of a true Body as length breadth thickness visibility locality or to be in one place at once and no more but keeping all this still because they serve for the Being of his Body Secondly We must remember that the gifts of Glory in Christ's Body are not infinite but finite for his Humane Nature being but a Creature and therefore finite could not receive infinite Graces c. Christ's Body is not Omnipotent and Infinite for this is to affirm he had no Humane Body and to make the Creature the Creator That it might appear unto his Disciples he had a glorious Body and was changed he was not alwayes in their presence but came often suddenly into their presence and once the doors being shut the doors giving place and being opened as saith * See Mr. Perkins upon the Creed pag. 275. Mr. Perkins they knew not how He that thickned the Water to walk on can cause Doors and Locks to give way unto his coming without any piercing or passing through them as Papists have imagined Finally That he had a true Body a real Body the very same wherein he suffered and not a feigned body as Hereticks have avouched is testified by many Arguments unto us he shewed some scars wounds and blemishes of his Passion in his Body now glorified as then remaining for the confirmation of men and to this end he conversed with men He did eat and drink often in the presence of his Apostles after his Resurrection The Use of this Article concerning Christ's Resurrection and of this Faith is this First The Resurrection of Christ is a publick testimony that he hath perfect Righteousness for all such as trust in him and if there had remained but one of our sins either unperfectly punished in him or not fully satisfied by him he could not assuredly then have risen from the death for where but one sin is there must be death Rom. 6.23 as God hath decreed Like as then the Father by delivering Christ to death hath indeed condemned our sins in Christ Rom. 8.3 so by raising him from death he hath absolved Christ from our sins and us in Christ 1 Cor. 15.17 Rom. 4.25 As our sins are condemned and punished in the death of Christ so our absolution and discharge is in his Resurrection Christ was given to death for our sins and raised again for our Justification Secondly The Believer is truly said to be dead to sin or to be dead with Christ because the vertue of Christ's death works effectually in his heart the death or sin and next to be buried with Christ into his death Rom. 6.2 3 4. because of the vertue which proceeds from Christ's burial to cause him so to bury sin that it never can rise up any more to be so stirring in him as it was before he came co Christ And lastly The Believer is as truly said to be risen with Christ Col. 3.1 because a special Vertue and Grace proceeds also from Christ's Resurrection to the believing heart to quicken it unto newness of life And this is that Grace which the Apostle desires more and more to feel and find to abound in himself when he desires to know Christ better and the vertue of his Resurrection Phil. 3.10 wherefore we must imbrace Christ risen in the arms of our precious Faith and so apply him unto our hearts that we may sensibly feel vertue to come from him not only to crucifie our old Affections but also to stir up daily new holy and heavenly Affections in our hearts Col. 3. If ye be risen with Christ seek those things which are above c. 1 Pet. 1.3 We art regenerate to a lively hope by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead As it was in the cure of the Woman that had the Bloody Issue so it is in the curing and quickning of sinners which are full of Bloody Issues all which must be stanched and cured by a certain vertue derived from Christ into them Mark 5.29 30. This is the Prayer Eph. 3.19 Thirdly The third fruit which is joyned with the second is the assurance of our perseverance in Grace and of our full victory against Sin and Death for they that are ingrasted into Christ by Faith and continuing therein unto death draw from him such a spiritual Life and Power as they shall never lose no not in the parting asunder of Soul and Body Rom. 8.38 Joh. 8.51 If any Man keep my Woad he shall never see death Fourthly The last benefit of his Resurrection is the resurrection of our bodies
what the administration of his Kingdom is and how comfortable to the Believers First That he is Lord and King over all in respect of Creation as also of Preservation and Providence it is manifest Col. 1.16 17. For by him were all things created in Heaven and Earthy c. and in him all things consist He is the same also much more by right of Redemption And his Kingdom is Eternal and Spiritual respecting the very Conscience having that only absolute Power to Command and Forbid to Condemn and to Absolve the Soul and Conscience This is testified Acts 2.36 Let all Israel know for a surety that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Jesus I say whom ye have crucified And to testifie this his Excellency when Christ went up to sit on his Throne for the Government of his Church it is said He gave great gifts to his Church far excelling the gifts of Earthly Princes in their Coronations for it is said He gave his Church Aposties Prophets Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 12. Now the End and Use of these Gifts and Benefits given by this Great King is comfortable for there it is said That these were given for the Collecting of his Church and the Building of it Luk. 11.13 Acts 16.6 9. Isa 11.2 3 4 5. Acts 2.32 33. This Collection is a separation of the Precious from the Vile Jer. 15.19 and a translation of Men from the kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light 1 Pet. 2.9 10,11 Eph. 2.2 3. by the Ministry and Dispensation of the Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 outwardly and the working of the Holy Ghost inwardly And this is the first part of Christ's Office in his Kingdom Secondly Christ leads his precious People as a great General doth his Army through the Wilderness of this World into his everlasting Canaan And this he doth also by the same means whereby he called them by his Word and Sacraments outwardly the mighty operation of his Spirit inwardly And in this Travel he doth Exercise them as in Canaan with manifold Afflictions and Temptations in this life Psal 23. and yet defends them against the rage of all Enemies First giving them in their life-time strength to suffer and to fight against all his Enemies most mightily Phil. 1.24 Unto you it is given for Christ that not only ye should believe in him but also suffer for his sake Chap. 4.13 I am able to do all things through him which strengthneth me Rom. 8.36 37. For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted at Sheep for the slaughter Nevertheless in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us And in death it self he never forsakes them Rom. 8.38 39. but then makes an everlasting Separation between them and all their Enemies Zech. 13. Luk. 16. Now I shall speak something to the last Article concerning Christ which is this From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead First I say this Article follows fitly after the former for confirmation of it For the excellency of his Kingdom shall mightily and wonderfully appear in the execution of Justice in the great day of the general Judgment which shall be in the last day of the World First to Judge or to give Judgment is the proper Action and Function of a Judge in Condemning or Justifying of any Man In Condemning by pronouncing him guilty of Sin and therefore adjudging him to some punishment for his Sin In Justifying by pronouncing him just or acquitting him of Sin and so freeing him from the punishment of Sin I say then the meaning of this Article is this I believe that Jesus Christ doth not only now exercise his Kingly Office in Heaven as is afore-shewed but shall also triumphantly descend from the right-hand of his Father in a visible form and corporal Presence to judge all men that shall be found at his coming alive or dead Now to proceed in order to speak of this great Judgment these Points must be considered First By what Arguments it may appear that there shall be a general Judgement Secondly What the form and manner thereof shall be Thirdly How this Argument serves to comfort us and to humble us First That there shall be an Universal Judgement may appear thus against cavillers that deny it First Luk. 8.17 Joh. 12.48 Jud. 14.15 2 Tim. 4.1 7 8. Joh. 5.22 27. The Scriptures are most evident for this Psal 50.1 The God of Gods hath spoken and called all the Earth from the rising of the Sun to the setting of the same our God shall come and shall not keep silence Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto Men that they shall once die and after that cometh the Judgement Secondly Christ promiseth his coming to Judgment by himself Matth. 25.31 and by his Apostles 1 Thess 4.16 Thirdly For that he hath charged us to wait for his Coming Rom. 8.23 Eph. 1.14 Luk. 21.28 and for the Redemption of our bodies Luke 21.28 Fourthly For that the Justice and Mercy of God requires this to punish the Wicked and to crown the Godly which we see is not in this present life therefore there is a special day and time appointed with God for it Fifthly For that the Lord hath often forewarned the World of this First By pronouncing the sentence of death against sin even before the Fall Gen. 2.17 Secondly By repeating the same sentence in his Law Deut. 27.26 Thirdly By the evidence of Conscience citing as it were Men to appear at a time appointed before the great Judge Rom. 2.15 16. Fourthly By his Judgments particularly on Sodom and Gomorah on Egypt on Jerusalem and all the Jews and generally on the World in the deluge First The preparation unto Judgement First Before his Coming preparation shall be made by fire Psal 50.3 A fire shall devour before him as we heard before out of St. Peter 2 Pet. 3.7 10 11 12. for Heaven and Earth must pass through a fire not to consume them to nothing for then where should Christ appear in Judgment and Sinners must be Judged on the Earth and in the place where they have sinned but to consume their Leprosie and Corruption wherewith the sin of Man hath infected Heaven and Earth and so being as Gold purified in fire they may shine bright and glorious and may be fit to entertain the Majesty of this great King at his glorious Coming to Judgement for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7.31 It is the figure or form not the Nature or Substance of the World that passeth away The same is testified Rom. 8.21 The Creature also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the of the Sons of God So Acts 1. and Psal 102.27 28. The Heavens shall wax old c. and shall be changed meaning into a better state as other Scriptures also testifie Rev. 21.1 Isa 65.17 66.22 Tit. 2.14 Secondly Then shall be the
cannot die 1 Tim. 1.17 for he only is without beginning and without end Q. 4. But although God as God cannot die yet cannot he change himself from a Creator to a Creature and so die A. No for saith the Holy Ghost Mat. 3.6 I am the Lord I change not Jam. 1.17 Neither is there any shadow of it Q. 5. Did Christ take our flesh and not our sin A. Yes for the Holy Ghost saith He was made like unto his brethren in all things sin only excepted Heb. 2.17 4.15 Q. 6. How could he take our flesh and not our sin also sith all other men partake of both A. All other men came from Adam and by Adam as a procreant cause Rom. 5.12 but Christ came from Adam but not by Adam viz. being made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 even as Eve was made of a Man Gen. 2. but not begotten as Cain and all other men are Matth. 1.18 Q. 7. How could Christ properly be the Son of Man and so the Son of David and of Abraham and Adam if he did not take the very flesh and blood of the Virgin Mary the Daughter of David as St. Luke in his third Chapter saith she was A. He could not for God had sworn with an oath to him That of the fruit of this Loyns according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne Acts 2.30 Q. 8. If so whether then is not that Opinion heretical and damnable that denyeth Christ to be the true Son of David A. It is because there is no Eternal Salvation to be had in any other Acts 13.38 39. Q. 9. Whether if Christ had been a Creature only although an Angel or Man could he have overcome death A. No for as he was Man the Jews did destroy the temple of his body Joh. 2.19 but as God he raised it up again the third day as he told the Jews he would do Joh. 10.18 Q. 10. Whether if Death and the Grave had kept Christ Prisoner for ever could any have been saved A. No so St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15. For then they which are asleep in Christ are perished Q. 11. Whether doth not this absurdity follow the Eutychian Opinion that if Christ be only God then he could not die as aforesaid if only Man then he cannot raise himself from the dead A. It doth unavoidably follow upon their Opinion Q 12. Whether such a Doctrine which by its natural consequences maketh the death and resurrection of Christ impossible or else in vain ought not to be abandoned by all Christians A. Yes doubtless it ought for it destroyeth the Faith of Gods Elect utterly if believed Q. 13. What must we do with those Brethren that are ignorant of these bad consequences as aforesaid A. Instruct them in the true Faith concerning Christ's death and resurrection Q. 14. But what must we do if they be obstinate and will not repent A. Then after the first and second admonition reject them Tit. 3.10 Q. 15. If Christ before he came from Heaven was of the uncreated substance of the Father their Essence being One then will it not follow that the Father was made flesh at well as the Sou sith you say it was the Essence that was made flesh not the Person of the Son took it into Personal Union as we with the Scriptures say he did Heb. 2.14 16. Q. 16. If it were possible for the uncreated substance to make it self into Flesh which by nature is a Spirit and spiritual substance Joh. 4.24 Then how could he receive nourishment from the Virgin as you say he did and grow in her womb Q. 17. If he be of the uncreated substance how could he grow in Wisdom as he did sith the uncreated substance is wisdom it self Prov. 8. Q. 18. If Christ be only of the uncreated substance then how could he be ignorant of the day of Judgment Mark 13.32 Q 19. If he was only of the uncreated substance then how could he be anointed by the Holy Ghost Luk. 4.18 Acts 4.27 Q. 20. If he be only of the uncreated substance then whose Will did he obey when he said Not my Will but thy Will be done Luk. 22.42 For the Essence is one in the Father and the Son Joh. 14.9 11. Q. 21. Why did Christ die as you say he did if he was only of the uncreated substance Did he die to satisfie himself viz. as God Answer fairly and do not now when you see all these gross absurdities follow your Opinion as the natural consequences of it say you cannot tell what he was before he was made flesh in the Virgins womb for then you worship you know not what Joh. 4.22 with the Samaritans and so you are Idolaters as they and the Athenians were Acts 17.22 23 c. Some Objections Object 1. Peradventure some may say These absurdities will follow upon your own Opinion as well as ours for you say he was God by Nature as well as we and there is but one God by Nature Gal. 4.8 Answ 1. Not so for we alwayes distinguish betwixt the Essence of the Son and the Person saying The Essence is one with his Father but not his Person therefore we say his Person was begotten not his Essence and we also say that his Person took Flesh of the Virgin Mary not the Essence and therefore it was the Person of the Son that was born of her not the Father nor the Spirit for although the Essence of the three be one yet the Persons be distinct as 1 Joh. 5.7 So that the Eternal Word the Son of God did never pray to his Father as I remember till he became our Mediator no more than the Holy Ghost doth pray to the Father which for himself you know he doth not but Christ did pray for himself which could not be for his Godhead but for his Manhood which is a Creature and therefore ought to perform homage to God the Creator For we alwayes distinguish betwixt the Natures which you deny therefore we say it was his Humane Nature that was ignorant of the day of Judgment for with his Divine Nature he knoweth all things Joh. 2.25 And by virtue of it he could and did forgive sins which two things viz. To search the heart and and to forgive sins none but God can do therefore we cannot conceive how he could become our Saviour and Mediator except he had these two Natures in one Person for if he had not took our Nature and so appeared before God in our stead bearing our sins in his own body as St. Peter saith 1 Pet. 2.24 And so St. Paul saith Was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 for else Justice could not have punished him 2. If he had been put to death in the flesh which we say only died which distinction you deny but we with St. Peter say he was put to death in the flesh but