Iesus hath God raised vp whereof we are all witnesses The figure of Ionah Cap. 2 is manifest and expounded of Christ himselfe Math. 12. â—9 40. Esay 53.8 He was taken out from prison and iudgement and who shall reckon his age and generation And in the 10. verse when he shall make his soule an offeringe for sinne he shall see the seede that shall prolong his daies and the will of Iehouah shall prosper in his handes There is also cited of Paul Acts 13. the 55. Chapter of Esay and the 2. Psal and the 16. to the ende hee may shewe that Christ must rise againe that he might declare himselfe to be the very sonne of God Rom. 1. and that that same couenant of God made with Dauid might be firme and euerlasting Nowe Paules sermon is on this sorte Men and brethren you sonnes of the stocke of Abraham and those amongest you that feare God to you is this worde of saluation sent For the inhabitantes of Jerusalem and their rulers because they knewe him not nor yet the wordes of the prophetes which are read euery Sabboth day they haue fulfilled them in condemning him and though they found no cause of death in him yet desired they Pilate to kill him And when they had fulfilled all thinges which were written of him they put him beeing taken downe from the tree into a sepulchre but God raised him from the dead and he was seene many daies of them which came vp with him from Galile to Hierusalem which are his witnesses vnto the people And we preach vnto you that touching the promise made vnto the fathers God hath fulfilled it vnto vs their children in that he raised vp Iesus euen as it is written in the second Psalme Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Nowe in asmuch as he hath raised him vp from the dead and he shall no more returne into corruption he hath saide I will giue you those same firme and good things of Dauid Wherefore he saith also in an other place Thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption Howbeit Dauid after he had serued his time by the counsaile of God he slept was laide with his fathers sawe corruption but he whom God raised vp sawe no corruption Be it knowne vnto you therefore men and brethren that through this man is preached vnto you the forgiuenes of sinnes and from all things from which you could not be iustified by the lawe of Moses by him euery one that beleeueth is iustified Beware therefore least that come vpon you which is spoken of in the Prophet Daniel and other Prophetes foreshewe both that both the Messias is to be cut of and yet notwithstanding that he shall raigne for euer Therefore he must be quickened againe For abiding in death he raigneth not Daniel 7. and 9. Iohn 2. Destroy this Temple and I will raise it vp againe in three daies where also is prophesied concerning the fulfilling of that prophesie in the 2. of Aggei Iohn addeth when he was arisen from the deade his disciples remembred that he had saide this vnto them and they beleeued the scripture and the word which Iesus had spoken vnto them 1. Cor. 15. doth witnesse at large the resurrrection of Christ and the fruite of it And the Euangelistes they beare witnesse concerning the resurrection they set it out and confirme it by the testimonies of Angels Math. 28. Mark 16. Iohn 20. 21. Luk 24. The meaning of this article The third day he rose againe from the dead I Beleeue that it was impossible that that same holie Iesus the Christ and annointed of God should be holden of death which entred into the worlde for sinne onely Actes 2. aswel because he was pure in himselfe from all blot of sinne as also because he abolished our sinnes which were laide vpon him and also because the humanitie beeing personally vnited to the diuine nature or to that same substantial quickening worde and that therefore the bondes of death beeing loosed that he arose againe the thirde day by his diuine power and appeared againe to his disciples in life deuoide of al passion and mortalitie and so declared himselfe in verie deede the conquerour of our sinne and of death Matth. 28. Marke 16. Of the vse or fruite of the resurrection of Christ THe vse or fruite whereof we be partakers of the resurrection of Christ is fourefold The first is that the resurrection of Christe is a publike testimonie that by the Messias as Daniel speaketh there is brought a perfect and euerlasting righteousnes vpon all and ouer all that doe beleeue For seeing that he is deade not in his owne but in our sinnes that were laide vpon him and that out of them he is arisen againe to a life that shall neuer die hence there shineth to the mindes of all beleeuers a wonderfull light that not so much as one of all their sinnes remained vnwashed or vnsatisfied For if so be that there had remained but one of all their sinnes which none excepted Christe tooke vpon him either not thoroughly punished or imperfectly punished then could not Christ our pledge and truce-maker rise againe for asmuch as where there is but one sinne there of necessitie must death be for so hath the vnchangeable trueth and righteousnes of God decreed Rom. 6. The wages of sinne is death Neither yet doth the resurrection of Christ so make to our iustification as it is onely a publike testimonie thereof but also in a more highe consideration and that sound perfect euerie manner of waie to wit that that same raising vp of the Sonne is as I may say an actual remission from the sinnes of all them which beleeue For euen as the Father by deliuering Christ to death hath in deede condemned our sinnes in Christ Rom. 8. verse 3. so also by raising him from death he hath in the same deed absolued Christ from our sinnes and vs in Christ There is a most sure demonstration of this doctrine in the 1. Cor. 15. If Christ saith he be not risen againe in vaine is our faith ye are yet in your sinnes that is to say ye are yet guiltie before God Therefore because Christ is arisen we are not any longer in our sinnes that is we are in very deede absolued from them in this very thing that the father hath raised him from the dead that they might not be laide to our charge 2. Cor. 5.19 So also is that same place to be taken Ro. 4. For it was written not for Abraham alone for that this was imputed vnto him but also for vs to whome it shoulde come to passe that it should be imputed that is to say to them which beleue in him who hath raised vp our Lorde Iesus from the dead who was deliuered for our sinnes raised vp againe for our iustification What hath the father done by deliuering Christ to death He hath deliuered him for our sinnes he hath punished our
like as therefore there was a certaine person by whom sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so became as it were the cause and foundation of falling away from God ending into league with the diuel so also must there be a certaine person appointed of God that might be the foundation and cause of reconciliation and of neuer breaking that same coniunction with God the fountaine of all happinesse Now this person is the euerlasting sonne of God with all the proprieties of the diuine nature and very man with all the proprieties of mans nature And euen like as there must both these natures true and sound the proprieties of either being kept in one person of Christ to reconcile man to God and to strike this couenant so also to kepe this couenant that according to the promise oath of God it may be euerlasting both natures must remaine for euer sound with their proprieties vnlesse we will haue the couenant in the verie piller and foundation to be shaken Therefore Satan hath alwaies gone about and yet doth by his instrumentes either altogether to denie one of the natures in the Mediator of the couenant or else vtterly to ouerthrow it For euen like as when the roote of a tree is hurt the braunches also wither and no fruite can be hoped for euen so the doctrine being corrupt concerning the person of Christ and the two natures in the same person together with their distinct proprieties the doctrine also of the Priestly and Kingly office of Christ remaineth corrupt which are as it were the fruits of the doctrine concerning the person The causes of this foundation and first why the mediator must remaine verie man and that euerlastinglie keping the proprieties of the humaine nature THe end of once taking neuer putting off againe mans nature was that God might declare his vnchangeable righteousnes and wrath against sinne and his mercie towardes vs. His iustice I say and his wrath whilest he will not so make his couenant that he be found vnrighteous and a lyer who had truely and righteously pronounced in what day soeuer you shall eate of that tree you shall die the death And Psal 5. Thou art not a God that wilt iniquitie Therefore he punished sinne in the flesh of man yea in the flesh of his onely begotten sonne that his high and vnchangeable righteousnesse truth and wrath against sinne might be manifest to the whole worlde His mercy whilest he punisheth not our sins in our selues which notwithstanding he might iustly do but deriueth his wrath vpon his onely begotten sonne that he might in very deede declare his infinite mercy towardes vs. Therefore wonderfully and with great wisedome the righteousnesse and mercy of God do meete and agree together or rather that same loue towards mankinde in Christ Iesu I will speake more largely that the matter may be more euident God going about to enter into couenant with man or willing to reconcile man euerlastingly vnto himself wold yet so shew his mercie that he denied not his righteousnes which is essētial vnto him which he can no more denie thē he can denie himself Now the seuere exact righteousnes of God required that forasmuch as corruption and transgression cleaued in mans nature that is to say both in our soule and bodie so also in the same that is in the nature of man taken of the sonne of God of the same substance and like in all thinges vnto vs sinne onely except which neither belongeth to the substance nor to the properties of man as he was created of God there should be a satisfaction and repaire For like as by one man sinne hath entred into the worlde as the Apostle saith to the Rom. cap. 5. and by sinne death and so death hath passed vpon all men in as much as al haue sinned and as by the disobedience of one man manie are made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous Also If by the sinne of that one many are dead much more the grace of God and the gift through grace which is of one man Iesus Christ hath abounded towardes many Wherefore Christ must be very man both in soule bodie who by obedience euen to death and to the death of the crosse might satisfie the vnchangable righteousnes of God who would not punishe that in Angels because men had sinned but in the verie nature of man therefore the sonne of God tooke not Angels but the seede of Abrahā that is the very nature of man of the seede of Abraham Heb. 2. Secondly it behoued the mediator of the euerlasting couenant to bee brotherlie affected towardes vs and therefore he must be our verie brother in deede and abide so for euer with all the proprieties of a verie brother in deede as is plainely taught in the second chap. to the Hebrues He that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are al of one For which cause he was not ashamed to cal them brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middest of the Church I will sing praises vnto thee And that we may knowe that like as the Sonne of God was not ashamed to become once our brother with brotherly affection other verie humaine properties so also that he is not now ashamed of vs neither that he hath put off nature or affectiō and other very properties of man and of a brotherly nature the Scripture saith in the end of the Chapter Wherfore in al things it behoued him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be merciful a faithfull hie priest in thinges which were to be don with God that he might make reconciliation for the sinns of the people For in that he suffered whē he was tempted he is able to succour them which are tempted And least any man should cauil that Christ after his ascension into heauen begā to be ashamed of vs and to put off the nature of a brother that is that verie nature of man and the properties thereof Heare what the spirite of trueth saith farther in 4. cap. of the same Epistle Hauing therfore an high priest which hath entred into the heauens euen Iesus the sonnne of God let vs hold fast our profession For we haue not an high Priest which cānot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in al thinges tempted in like sort yet without sinne Let vs therfore go with confidence now he set the foundation of confidence to be in this that we haue an highe Bishop who not onely hath the nature of God but also of man a very brother in deed hauing not put of the properties of nature so that he can haue compassion vpon vs to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede Thirdly God hath confirmed by oath that the fruite of the loines of Dauid should raigne for euer Psal 133. and the 89. It
glorie which wee looke for in vaine Neither is it to be feared that by this meanes any reproch is offered to the sonne of God For here Christ is to be considered in these qualities which hee hath not in himselfe but by imputation in respect of the office of a mediator which condition he willingly tooke vppon him that wee againe being iustified by faith might bee his brethren and heires together with him of the same kingdome For wee beleeue that hee did truely beare the cursse of an other laide vppon him by doing whereof hee both yelded high obedience to God his father and also by ouercomming that cursse which hee tooke vpon him manifested his diuine power Deade Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles IT came to passe neither by chaunce nor at aduenture that Christ died but so it was foretolde of God Genesis 3. The seede of the woman shall bruise the serpentes heade and thou shalt bite his heele To this agreeth the place of the Hebrewes chapter 2. For as much then as children are partakers of fleshe and bloode he also himselfe likewise tooke parte with them that hee might destroye through death him that had the power of death that is the diuel The sacrifices of the olde Testament for sinne were shadowes of the sacrifice to come of which thing it is so written in the 10. to the Hebrewes and also the prophesie out of the 40. Psalme is expounded The lawe obtayning a shadowe of good thinges to come and not the verie image of thinges can neuer with these sacrifices which they offer yeare by yeare continually sanctifie the commers vnto it And a little after Wherefore entring into worlde hee saith Psalme 41. sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a bodie hast thou ordeined mee Burnt offeringes and sacrifice for sinne thou hast not allowed Then saide I Loe I am present In the beginninge of the booke it is writien of mee that I shoulde doe thy will O GOD which hee so expoundeth there of the voluntarie death of Christe through the which will wee are sanctified by the offering vp of the bodie of Iesus Christ once made for all The sacrifice of Abel was acceptable to God and in the sacrifice of Noah it is said that God smelled a sweete smelling sauour Genesis 9. And whie because they were figures of the sacrifice of the Messiah To which place of the 9. of Gene. Paul had regarde in the 5. to the Ephesians when he saith Christe gaue himselfe for vs an oblation and offering to God of a sweete smelling sauour The Paschall lambe contayned a manifest and as it were a visible prophesie of the death of Christ as Iohn the Euangelist◠teacheth in the 19. Chapter that that prophesie was fulfilled by the wonderfull prouidence of God There shall not a bone of his be broken Which albeit it was spoken of the boanes of the Paschall lambe Exodus 12. yet notwithstanding he saith that it was truely fulfilled in the death of Christ saying that when hee was deade his legges were not broken as were the theeues Where also Iohn teacheth that an other prophesie which is written in the 12. of Zacharie was fulfilled They shall see whome they haue pearced when one of the souldiers had pearced Christes side and by and by there issued out water and bloode Of the Passeouer also thou hast in the 1. Cor. 5. Our passeouer is sacrificed for vs euen Christ. Also that same dailie sacrifice did set before our eyes the sacrifice of Christ to come Euerie daye morning and Euening a lambe was offered vp Hitherto belong those same places Iohn 1. verse 36 and the 1. Pet. vers 19. Isay 5.3 He was cut of from the land of the liuing For the transgression of my people hee was wounded To this agreeth that of the 9. of Daniel The Messias shall be cut off and this must be fulfilled before Ierusalem be destroyed Againe Isay 5.3 When hee shall haue laide downe his soule for a sacrifice for sinne hee shall see a seede that shall prolong his dayes And by the knowledge of himselfe my righteous seruaunt shall iustifie many and hee himselfe shall beare their iniquities Zacharie 9. Thou also shalt bee saued by the bloode of thy couenaunt I haue sent out thy bond ones out of the cesterne wherein there is no water Christ the heade of all the Prophetes foresheweth his death in the 12. of Iohn Verilie verilie I say vnto you except a grain of corne falling into the earth be deade it remaineth alone but if it be deade it bringeth much fruite And in the 10. chapter 15.16.17.18 verses And Matth 20.28 See also a wonderfull prophesie by the mouth of Caiphas Io. 11. vers 49.50.51.52 1. Cor. 15. I haue deliuered vnto you first of all that which I receaued to wit that Christe dyed for our sinnes according to the scriptures Dauid in the 114. Psalme prophesieth of the stone refused by the builders Christ teacheth that that prophesie had an accomplishment in his death Matth. 21. in that parable of the sonne the heir of the vineyarde slaine of those same husbandmen of the vineyarde verses 38.39 For so he saith haue yee not reade in the scriptures The stone which the builders reiected the same is made the chiefe corner stone This is done of the Lorde and it is wonderfull in our eyes c. And when the chiefe of the Priestes and Pharisees had hearde his parables they kneewe those thinges to bee spoken concerning them Herevnto belongeth that same excellent power which shewed it selfe in the 4. of the Actes of that reicted stone by death When they had placed them meaning the Apostles in the middest of them By what power or in whose name doe you this Then Peter full of the holy Ghost saith vnto them O ye chiefe of the people and elders of Israel forasmuch as the question is this day of the benefite bestowed vppon the sicke man to wit howe this man is saued be it knowen vnto you all and to all the people that through the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whome you haue crucified whome GOD hath raised vp from death by this I say doeth this man stande whole and sounde in your sight This is that stone that was esteemed as nothing of you builders which is made the chiefe corner stone Neither is there saluation in anie other And a litle after They seeing him stande with those that were healed they coulde say nothing against it Why Christ died THE ende of Christes death was to satisfie the righteousnes and wrath of God for our sinnes and so by dying to destroye and abolish sinne in which all the power of sathan consisted For in as much as sinne by the iust iudgement of God raged vppon mankinde his wrath was appeased and satisfied for sinne and all power taken frō it that it might not raigne in the beleeuers 1. Ioh. 3. To this ende was the sonne of God manifested that hee might dissolue the workes
of the Diuel both which the Apostle plainly ioyneth together 2. Cor. 5.15 and Rom. 5.18.21 and Rom. 6.7.8 2 Tim. 1.10 Of the fruites whereof we are made partakers by the death of Christ THE first fruite is that the obedience of Christ is our righteousnes before God For in the death of Christ faith specially looketh vpon that same voluntarie and speciall obedience of the sonne whereby he was made obediente to the father euen to the death and to the death of the crosse Philip. 2.8 Hebr. 5.8 And therefore euen as by the disobedience of one man manie were made sinners so by the obedience of one righteous many are made righteous Rom. 5. And because by his death he iustifieth vs from our sinnes through which the diuell gotte the power of death the scripture saith that the sonne of God through death abolished him that had the power of death that is the diuel set free as manie as through the feare of death through all their life were subiect to bondage Heb. 2. Therefore in this article there is contayned this promise which I take by faith that Christ died for my sinnes the iust for the vniust that I clothed through faith with this obedience might be esteemed righteous before God And surely when Isay in the 53. chap. had largely set forth that same willing obedience of the death of Christ as a lambe not opening his mouth after wardes he expressely setteth foorth in the same being laid hold on by faith our iustification in these wordes My righteous seruaunt by his knowledge shall iustifie manie because he shall beare their sinnes Certainly it must needes be that the voluntarie passion and death of the son of God be an excellent thing seeing that there are not so many so euident prophesies of any thing as of that so that there was no day passed but the same in a figure as in a visible prophesie to wit in that continuall sacrifice morning and euening was set before the eyes and seeing without the shedding of bloode there coulde be no remission it must of necessitie be a most precious thing and seeing S. Peter saith that the Prophets haue enquired and searched when or what time that same forewitnes which was that same spirit of Christ in them should declare the sufferinges that should come vnto Christ and the glorie that shoulde followe 1. Pet. 1.11.19.20 Nowe the worthines of this obedience euen to the death hangeth vppon the worthines of the person for that so great a person to wit as the sonne of God who was in the forme of God was made so far foorth obedient in his humaine nature that hee refused not to vndergoe that same curssed death vpon the crosse By these it is plaine that this is the first fruit of the death of Christ that hee might be our righteousnes before God and vnlesse that thing be vndoubtedly determined of vs wee doe not worthily enough esteeme the precious death of the sonne of God Of the second fruite of the death of Christ THe seconde fruite is the mortifying or killing of sinne For he hath not only through his death satisfied the iudgement of God for sinne but also hath broken the power of the infection of it which by the iust iudgement of God it had ouer vs. This I open thus in that Christ died he died once and that for sin And that he died for sinne I vnderstand thus that he not onely satisfied for it by his death but also so brake the power of sinne which was altogether wholy comprehēded in the iust iudgemēt of God by making a perfect satisfaction that nowe it cannot any longer as before creepe rage in the bodie of Christ which is the church but must by little and little decay Heb. 9.14 2. Tim. 1. ver 10. For euen as when the hearte of a man hath receaued a deadly wounde he is as one for dead because he cannot escape death euen so sinne hath receaued a deadly wounde in Christ so as we are saide to be dead in Christ Rom 6. And so the Lord speaketh in Hosee the Prophet cap. 13. I will redeeme them from the power of hell o death I will be thy death saith he euen I Iehouah will be thy death O death Therfore Christ who is God or Iehouah manifest in the flesh by hearing ouercōming death was the death of death sin that is to say by satisfying for sinne that it shoulde not be laide to our charge and by breaking the force of sinne which is the sting of death that is the power of infection which the iust wrath of God had gotten ouer vs to wit the wrath of God being appeased 1. Corinthians 15. Therefore Iohn saith The sonne of God was manifested to this end to dissolue the workes of the diuel Therefore the sonne of God which is the true Iehouah Iere. 23. dyed not onely that he might satisfie for sinne but also that by satissatisfying he might destroy sinne as the worke of the diuel For in satisfying hee both tooke away the cursse and also that might strength of growing further from sinne all which was conteyned in the iust iudgement of God to which he fully satisfied and this fauour he also obtayned for vs that hee by his spirite might kill sinne in vs who grewe vp together by one spirite into one bodie together with him 1. Corinthians 12. And was buried Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles ISay 53. And he gaue his buriall with the wicked and with the rich in his death albeit he had committed no iniquity neither was there deceipt in his mouth This prophesie was fulfilled Ioh. 19. verses 38.39.40 where the Lord is buried by Ioseph of Arimathea The figure of Ionas is applyed also to this by the Lord himselfe Mat. 12. vers 39.40 And in the 13. of Marke when Iesus was at Bethania in the house of Symon the leper when he was set downe a woman came hauinge an alabaster boxe of Spikenard very costly and breakinge the boxe shee powred it on his heade Nowe many disdained and were offended amongst them selues saying to what end is this wast of the ointment For this might haue beene solde for more then three hundred pence and giuen to the poore and they raged against her But Iesus saide let her alone why trouble you her shee hath wrought a good worke on mee For the poore you shall haue alwaies with you when you will you may do them good but mee you shall not haue Shee hath done that shee could For shee came afore hand to anoint my body to the burying These thinges hath Marke Where we see that the holy ghost by a secret instinct through that woman hath in that same visible ointment set before the eies of all as it were a visible prophesie of the death and buriall of Christ. To what ende the buriall of Christe tendeth and which are the fruites of it BVrial is a part of the humiliation
in which wordes he manifestly ioyneth that state which followed the sorrowes of death and the burial with the sorrowes themselues And why so For although the bodie lying in the graue were voide of all sorrowe and of all sense and feeling when Christ was truely and in deede dead notwithstanding seeing that death it selfe â—â—â—ch was continued in the graue seemed to be nothing else but as it were the victorie ful triumph ouer those same sorrowes and torments Christ is then worthily saide to haue ouercome those same deadly and desperate sorrowes which are truely the sorrowes of hell when being dead he ouercame death that he with his might liue euerlastingly with God Seeing therefore that it is certaine that Peter entreateth there of the extreamest degree of the humiliation of Christ it followeth that by his descending into hell there is noted not onely the sorrowes of death but also that extreame shame as the victorie of sorrowes whiles being holden in the graue euen vntill the thirde day he lay as it were oppressed of death Esaie 53. ver 8. And in verie deed although Christ were greatly humbled vpon the crosse and was accounted of the enemies as one forlorne of God and also cried out that he was forsaken of God yet notwithstanding their minde was not contented neither had their rage and madnes together with Sathans ben satisfied vnlesse hee had lien wholy shut vp and oppressed in the graue and so had bene holden of death They shewe that same discontentednes Let him come down from the crosse and we will beleeue in him and albeit they doe so triumph ouer him whiles Christ truely felt those sorrowes of hell as also he witnesseth the same by his voice yet notwithstanding it was but halfe the triumph of Satan or as it were euen begon For euen they by whome Sathan had triumphed ouer Christe as forsaken of God and nowe oppressed they were doubtful careful to continue the same victorie and therefore desire that the sepulchre may be kept and they also set their seale vpon it Matth. 27 verse 62.63 And why doe they this thing euen because they sawe that it should be an imperfect or rather no victorie vnlesse also after burial the possession of victorie might be continued that is the cutting off of Messias as one altogether forsaken of God Daniel in the 9. Chapter seemeth to haue expressed this great humiliation of the sonne of God The Messias shal be cut off and there shal be none to wit that shal helpe him he shal be vtterly forsaken yea whiles he doth not onely foreshewe that but also foresheweth an other that it shal come to passe that he wil establish his couenant and in the seuenth Chapter that he may establish an euerlasting kingdome hee plainely prophecieth that hee shall after that extreame abasing of him selfe rise againe a victorious Conquerour 3. Moreouer besides these Paule sheweth 1. Cor. 15. out of Osee the Prophet that then at length Christes victorie shal be perfect and the deliueraunce from hell in his members when he shall also deliuer their bodies out of that vile estate in which they lie buried for they are sowen in dishonour verse 42. shall ioyne them vnto their soules When this bodie subiect to corruption shal put on saith hee an incorrupt nature and this mortal shal put on immortalitie then shal be fulfilled that which is written Death is swallowed vp in victorie O death where is thy victorie O hell where is thy sting Therefore as long as the graue holdeth them in prison but it holdeth them euen till the resurrection so long it hath some victorie and that shal be fullie taken from it in the resurrection of our bodies So also as long as death and the graue helde Christ dead and as it were vanquished so long continued their power ouer him nowe the same is fullie taken from him when he arose from the dead Lastly the very order it selfe of the articles themselues shewe that by the descending of Christ into hell there is noted that same extreame ignominie which followed his buriall the which thing also is manifest by the antithesis or contrarie comparison of Christe his exaltation For to these same three degrees He is dead buried and descended into hel there are set these three he is arisen ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand against death is set resurrection into life against the graue the house of death is set heauen it selfe against the descending into hell as the extreamest degr e of humiliation in dishonour is set the sitting at the right hand of GOD the Father Almightie which is the highest degree of exaltation in glorie Of the fruite of Christe his descention into hell THE summe therefore of either signification of Christe his discending into hell of whiche the latter agreeth more properly to the order of the articles of the faith is that Christ must throughly be humbled or rather forsaken of God to the end that wee might not be forsaken of GOD. First his diuine nature not shewing forth his power that he might feele the sorrowes of death not onely in the bodie but also in the soule moreouer the same worde or rather diuine nature keeping it selfe in secrete and for a time not quickening that lumpe of flesh that it had taken but permitting the bodie pulled from the soule for the space of three dayes to be in the hand or power of the graue that by all meanes Christ might bee thoroughly humbled and made of no reputation for vs to the end we might be assured that not onely our soules are deliuered from the sorrowes of death but that also all ignominie and dishonour is chased from our bodies by this Christe and his merite and by the efficacie and vertue of him at the length fully to be takeÌ„ away albeit they be holdeÌ„ for a time shut vp in the graue as it were conquered of death To be short faithful mindes doe conceaue so much the greater confidence and trust of the loue of God and of that same ful cleansing which is made by the sonne as they see Christ to be made more humble and abiect that without sinne and so much the dearer they see that their saluation did cost him The third day he rose from the dead Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles concerning the resurrection of Christ Psal 16 20. THou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption Actes 2. Men and brethren saith Peter I may boldely speake vnto you of the patriarche Dauid that he is both dead and buried and his sepulchre remaineth with you till this day Therefore seeing he was a Prophet and God had sworne with an oath vnto him that of the fruite of his loines he would raise vp Christ concerning the flesh whom he would place vpon his throne he knowing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soule should not be left in graue neither should his flesh see corruption This
sinnes in him And what hath he done by raising him vp He hath iustified all in him for when he had deliuered him that is the beleeuers so that their sins shal be no more laide to their charge but righteousnes shall be imputed vnto them For these wordes raised vp for our iustification are to be vnderstoode of imputation as by this it is easie to bee seene because that in the last verse sauing one he hath saide that righteousnes is imputed of him who hath raised him vp and in this laste verse he nameth it our iustification in him who is raised vppe Loe that which before he had called imputation of righteousnes this hee nameth now our iustification What for that the same Apostle in the 1. Timoth. 3. saith And without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlinesse God manifested in the flesh iustified in spirite seene of Angels preached vnto the Gentiles beleued on in the world receyued vp into glorie doth he not manifestly shewe that that same true God who was manifested in the fleshe wherein also he suffered by the spirite which he opposeth against the fleshe that is by the power of his owne diuinitie whereby he raised vp the fleshe from the deade was iustified and that not from his owne sinnes but from ours which he had taken vppon him After which raising vp and iustification of him their folowed the testimonie of Angels the publike preaching of the remission of sins through him vnto the gentiles the beleefe which was giuen vnto him and to be short the receiuing of him vp into glorie all which testimonies verely coulde not haue followed vnlesse he had beene iustified from our sinnes by rising againe thorowe the power of his diuinitie For neither coulde the Angels giue witnes of him as of the Sauiour if he had remained oppressed in our condemnation neither remission of sinnes haue ben preched in his name if frō thē in our name he had not beene fully iustified neither faith haue bene giuen to him if oppressed of sinne death he could not haue giuē the holy gost which is the author of faith neither could he haue ben receiued vp into glory vnlesse that same flesh vpon which all our sinnes had beene cast Esay 53. had beene iustified from them when it was raised vp from death to which by the counsaile of death it was condemned This is that same power of the resurrection of Christ whereby the righteousnes which is not of the lawe but the righteousnes which is of God is brought forth through faith concerning which Paul Phil. 3. in an vndoubted and full persuasion of faith glorieth after this manner as touching the righteousnes which is in the lawe I was blamelesse but the things which were vantage vnto mee those things I accounted losse in respect of Christ yea doubtles I thinke all things losse for the excellent knowledge sake of Christe Iesus my Lorde for whom I depriue my selfe of al these things accoumpt them for doung that I may gaine Christ and may be founde in in him not hauing my righteousnes which is of the lawe but that which is of Christ through faith the righteousnes which is of GOD through faith that I may knowe him the force and power of his resurrection Therefore also Paul Rom. 8. not onely opposeth death as the price and redemption against condemnation but also of the resurrection as the absolution and as it were a higher degree For so he saith Who is it that shall condemne It is Christ which is deade or rather which is risen againe Why also doth Peter recken the resurrection of Iesus Christ to be the couenaunt of a good cōscience vnlesse it be because then the conscience is clere and restored into libertie when that same light of iustification in the resurrection of Iesus Christ shall shine vnto it Therefore then at length the couenaunt of Baptisme is ratified in beleeuers when faith shall haue obtayned this victorie in our heartes see the 1. Pet. 3 And hitherto maketh that same course and order of propounding the Gospell which the Apostles kept in the Actes to witte why they so greatly vexed that hee whome they had crucified was raised vp againe from the deade and why they set out in him being raised vp frō the deade iustification or rather forgiuenes of sins to wit because as our sins are condēned in the death of Christ so our absolutiō is in his resurrection Therfore whē Paul Act. 13. shewed forth the death of Christ and proued his resurrectiō by many reasons at the length he concludeth Brethren be it therefore knowen vnto you that through this man is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes and from all thinges from which you coulde not be iustified by the lawe of Moses by him euerie one that beleeueth is iustified And those same wordes that went before doe shewe that Paul doth gather that same conclusion concerning iustification not onely of the death but also of the resurrection of Christ which wordes are in this sort Wee also preach vnto you the same promise which was made vnto the fathers which God hath fulfilled vnto their children that is to say to you hauing raised vp Iesus And surely that same course or maner of propounding of the Gospel was agreeable to the commaundement For why by the commandement of Christ was the full gospell sent at length after the resurrection to the gentiles and to euerie creature as Christe saith in Luke For so it behooued that Christ shoulde suffer and rise againe from the dead the thirde day and remission of sinnes be preached in his name to all nations to wit because then at the length these things might be fullie published in his name after he had borne our sinnes in his body vppon the tree and had risen againe being iustified from them For then was the Gospell full all manner of wayes 1. Cor. 15.1.2.17 and the grace of iustification most full and abounding ouer euerie fault in all and ouer all that do beleeue The summe therefore of the first fruit of the resurrection of Christ is that our sinnes can no more bee laide to our charge then to Christe himselfe and that in Christ we are accounted as righteous and innocent as Christ was when he rose from the dead Forasmuch as by his death going before hee had taken away our sinnes through obedience nowe hereof it followeth seeing he arose iustified who before as a sinner was condemned accurssed of God in our person that hee was iustified in our name from our sinnes Neither is there any cause that any man shoulde meruell that Christ by rising from the deade was iustified from our sinnes and we in Christ before we were borne forasmuch as the Apostle saith 2. Tim. 1. that that same grace was giuen vnto vs before all worldes but manifested in the son and yet also manifested in the Gospell see also Ephes 1. Of the seconde fruite of the resurrection of Christ THe seconde fruite is
viuification or quickening because as Christ is iustified from our sinnes by rising againe and therewithall is quickened so he that beleeueth in Christ is both iustified and quickened as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 2. vntill the 11. verse Therefore Paul Rom. 5. calleth the same iustification of life and opposeth it to the fault of condemnation and maketh an antithesis or matching of contraries betwene sinne that raigneth to death and the righteousnes of Christ which whosoeuer receiue they raigne in life verses 17.18.21 And in deede so as not onely Christ worketh in vs not onely that same newe life but also Christ is that life himselfe as him selfe saith I am the way the trueth and the life Iohn 14.6 And Gala. 2.20 Nowe I liue no more But Christ liueth in me Viuification therefore is the seconde fruit of the resurrection of Christ to wit for that Christ himselfe alwayes liuing is become our life through faith and because by the vertue which we drawe from our heade Christe through the spirite of faith we arise in this life into newnes of life that by liuing purely and holily wee might wholy consecrate our selues to the will of God This thing the Apostle teacheth Col. 3. If yee be risen with Christ seeke those thinges that are aboue where Christ is sitting at the right hande of God Care for heauenly thinges and not for earthly For this cause also the selfe same Apostle saith Rom. 6. that We are planted into the similitude of the death of Christ that being partakers of his resurrection we might walke in newnes of life In which wordes he not onely setteth out the resurrection of Christ as an example for vs to followe but also especially teacheth that this thing especially wrought in vs that by the vertue of the resurrection of Christ wee might rise agayne into a newe life Of the third fruit of the resurrection of Christ The thirde fruit which is ioyned with the second is the assurance of our perseuerance in faith and of full victorie against sinne and death For euen like as Christ dyeth no more but liueth the life which neuer can faile for in that he is dead he is once dead to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God death shal haue no further dominion ouer him Rom. 6. so they that are engraffed into Christ through faith do drawe out of him a spirituall life from which they can neuer fal and which no not in the verie separation of the body and of soule can bee extinguished as Christ saith If any man keepe my word he shall neuer see death Iohn 8.51 Therefore seeing the faithfull liue this life of Christ in an entrance or beginning the force and nature whereof shed into their minds from Christ is such as it can neuer altogether die they are also assured of the full consummation and perfecting of it The selfe same thing also Peter teacheth 1. Epist 1. Blessed be God and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who of his great mercie hath begotten vs into a liuely hope through the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And verse 4. 6. he laieth the cause foundation of a liuely hope in the mercie of the father resurrectiō of Christ because as Christ after that hee arose in our name by the mercie of the father he alwaies liueth so hope also hath a permanent and indurable life in him partly regeneration being begone and partly it loketh for it in that same full consummation and finishing In the first to the Ephesians verses 19.20.23 there is a notable place most fit and agreeable vnto this doctrine to wit that God doeth shewe foorth that selfe same power in vs whiles he giueth vs faith which hee wrought and declared in his sonne when he raised him vp from the dead and that same substantiall word it selfe to be that which filleth all in all thinges The same also 1. Pet. 1. verse 3.5 2 Cor. 4.14.16 And from hence floweth that same certaintie concerning full victorie against sinne against the assaultes of sathan and death For like as that euerlasting worde in flesh which it tooke and which in it owne power it raised from the deade Iohn 10. ouercame our sinne imputed vnto him death so also that same euerlasting worde shall not cease dwelling by grace in the faithfull but vtterly to abolish in those also the remnauntes of sinne and death already ouercame by his vertue and power 1. Corinthians 15. vers 54.57.58 1. Iohn 5.4.5 For by no other vertue and power but by the verie same whereby that euerlasting worde in that receiued lumpe ouercame our sin and death we know also according to the promise the same worde also working in vs that wee shall vanquishe and ouercome Io. 4. Because he is mightier that is in vs then he that is in the worlde This certayntie of our perseueraunce in true faith and of a full victorie through faith bringeth to passe that we take all thinges from his hande whether they be thinges prosperous or full of aduersitie being fully persuaded that all those thinges doe hasten the fruition of that same victorie which now is gotten for vs by Christ 1. Cor. 15. Thankes be to God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Jesus Christ The same is in the 2. Cor. 4.15 Concerning the last fruite of the resurrection of Christ SEing that not only our soules but also our bodies are mēbers of our head Christ through the bonde of the spirit of faith 1. Cor. 6. ver 5. 15. Rom. 8.11 therefore in the resurrection of our heade Christ our bodies haue a certaine pledge and seale that they are not onely raysed vp from sinnes in this life as was shewed in the second fruit but also the selfe same bodies which are yet mortall haue both nowe the right of euerlasting life and through that same quickening spirit of Christ are repaired to the fruition of him and to true immortalitie in the end of the world and that in the selfe same state and condition with the glorious body of Christe Phil. 3. Who shall transforme our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to that effectuall working whereby hee is made able to subdue all things vnto himselfe 1. Cor. 15.49 As we haue borne the image of the earthly Adam so shall we heare the image of the heauenly The last fruit therefore of the resurrection of Christ is tha◠immortalitie is adiudged vnto vs from God himselfe made in the raysing vp of the Messiah and offered vnto vs by the Gospell and sealed by the spirite of Christe 2. Tim. 1.10 Who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light thorough the Gospell To the Ephesians chap. 1. In which Christ also you haue hoped hauing heard the worde of trueth euen the gospell of your saluation in which also after that ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the
worlde For indeede according to the flesh which the worlde hath taken on it Augustine according to that that was borne of the virgin according to that which was taken of the Iewes which was nayled to the tree that was taken down from the crosse that was lapped in linnen that was laide in the graue that was manyfested in the resurrection You shall not alwayes haue mee with you Why so Because hee was conuersant according to his bodily presence fourtie dayes with his disciples and leading them by seeing but not by following he ascended into heauen and is not here For hee is there and sitteth at the right hande of the father and is here for the presence of his maiestie hath not departed And otherwise according to the presence of his maiestie we haue Christ alwaies but according to the presence of the fleshe it was well said vnto his disciples but me ye shall not haue alwayes Of the fruite of the ascension FVrthermore wee must speake of the fruits which faith doeth lay holde vpon by the ascension of Christ And first of all like as our iustification is ascribed vnto the resurrection so the proceeding and continuing of the same iustification is ascribed vnto the ascension and that two manner of wayes first because in the same bodie which was accurssed in our sinnes he could not ascende into heauen vnlesse first he had beene fully in our name iustified from them For euen like as hee coulde not haue risen into life if there had but one of our sinnes remayned vnsatisfied for and vnlesse all beleuers had ben iustified in him whose person tooke vppon him when hee shoulde bee condemned in them so much lesse coulde he haue entred into that same high light wherevnto there was no way whither no impure thing coulde attaine yea where God doeth shewe himselfe to be seene of the blessed Angels vnlesse he had beene fully iustified for our sinnes and we in him when he ascended thither in our name Iohn 14 The holy Ghost shall reprooue the worlde of righteousnes because I goe to the father and you shall see me no more For like as it was not lawfull for the high priest to enter into the holy of holiest without bloode for his owne sins and the sinnes of the people Heb. 3.27 so that same true sanctuarie had not beene open to Christ to wit that same entrie into heauen vnlesse first he had satisfied for our sins which he had taken vpon him Heb. 1. verse 2. and 9. verse 7.11.12 Therefore whiles Christ doth enter into that same sanctuarie not made with handes heauen it selfe by his owne bloode it is a sure demonstration and thereby the world is conuinced that euerlasting righteousnesse is brought by Christ as Daniel had foretolde And surely the Apostle Ephes 4. doeth lay out that same ascension of Christ as a publike testimonie of our iustification as it were in a triumph to be beholden of the eyes of our faith When he ascended on high he led captiuitie captiue gaue giftes vnto men Surely he led not captiuitie with him into the heauens that is to say death sin for neither is there any place there for sinne death What then That same ascension was as it were a publike testimonie of sinne ouercome and of damnation taken away and of righteousnesse obteined and of full victorie Againe that same entrie into that high sanctuarie is not onely a testimonie of our righteousnes but also that same abiding in the same sanctuarie and shewing of himselfe before the Father is an euerlasting continuance of the same righteousnes to wit whiles by the vertue of his onely one sacrifice being iustified for euer from our sinnes he appeareth there in our name that we might be esteemed righteous perpetuallie in him and to the ende hee might giue giftes vnto men to wit the giftes of the holie Ghost amongest which the Apostle doth speciallie commende faith whereby he doth engraffe vs into him selfe as members vnto the head and doth applie his benefites vnto vs Ephes 4. vers 12.13.15.16 But of this same shewing of Christ before the Father there will be a more fit place when we shal entreate of the sitting at the right hand of God How the death resurrection ascension and sitting of Christ at the right hand of GOD make to the iustification of faith BVt nowe seeing before mention was made of our righteousnes in the death and resurrection of Christe some man will demande not without cause by what waie and meanes the death resurrection and ascension and the sitting at the right hand of God doth make to the iustification of Faith I. The obedience of the death of Christ is the thing it selfe that is imputed to vs to righteousnesse For that satisfieth for our sinnes neither is there any thing wanting to this obedience as Christ saith It is finished And the Apostle Rom. 5. doth set the obedience of Christ against our disobedience II. The resurrection from the dead is a publike testimonie and demonstration both of Christe his righteousnes and ours to wit that Christ is iustified from all our sinnes and we also likewise in him for otherwise if there had remained but one sinne vnpunished he could not haue arisen And this is that same confident demanding which our conscience maketh to God through the resurrection of Christ whereof Saint Peter entreateth in his 1. Epistle Chapter 3. But we haue spoken more of this matter in his place III. The ascension is the proceeding continuance of his righteousnesse First because in his owne bodie that was accursed in our sins he could not ascend in our name I say into that high glorie vnlesse he had bene fullie iustified from our sinnes and we likewise in him who are ingraffed into him through faith Hebrues 1. verse 7. IIII. Nowe that same ascension and entrance into that highe sanctuarie is not onely a publike testimonie of our righteousnesse but also the sitting at the right hand of God that is that abiding of his and perpetuall shewing of himselfe before the face of the Father in that same highe glorie is the continuing of the euerlasting righteousnesse of Christ and of ours like as we haue taught and shal afterwardes teach more fully in the article of sitting at the right hand of God Paule setteth downe all these degrees in the eight Chapter to the Romanes Who shall laie any thing to the charge of God his chosen It is GOD that iustifieth who shal condemne It is Christ which is dead loe the matter for which we are iustified from accusation and condemnation the death of Christ yea or rather which is risen againe which is an vndoubted token that that same death of Christ which he tooke vpon him was sufficient for the full absolution and forgiuenes of our sinnes otherwise he must haue abiden in death who is also at the right hand of God which yet is a greater testimonie that the captiuitie of sinne and damnation is
out of my hand My father who hath giuen thē vnto me is greater then all neither can any man snatch them out of the hand of my father I and the father are one Here thou hast both the most constant truth of the word of Christ and also his omnipotencie And so thou must trust that God offereth himselfe vnto vs in Christ a true and almightie God in an euerlasting couenant And further should not this selfesame nature of God wherein he is true and almightie pricke vs forward to amendement and to lead a life through faith according to his will For whilest we heare that his truth is one and vnchangeable let vs know for a suertie that he will not for euer approue sinnes which he hath witnessed to detect by his word Psal 5. Moreouer that it is more possible that heauen earth should be ouerthrown then that those punishmentes should not fall out which he hath threatened in his word vnlesse we turne from our sinnes Mat. 5. vers 18. For the nature of God must be changed if his truth were subiect to change And the same reason is of his omnipotencie For who would not wholy addict himselfe vnto him and altogether depend vpon his becke and frame all thinges to his will in whose hand is life and death who hath power to cast both body and soule into euerlasting fire As Christ saith Feare not those which kill the body but can do nothing against the soule I say vnto you whom you must feare euen him that hath power to cast both body and soule into hell fire The infinite wisdome of God auaileth much for the establishing of our trust in him as for example thus that faith may ouercome whatsoeuer is obiected of the flesh and of sinne against the word and workes of God and that it may at once breake all the broyles assaultes of distrustes giue it selfe to rest it must needes be that the minde ascend vp to that infinitenes of the wisdome vnderstanding of God that it safely rest in that as doing all thinges wisely and well and be fully persuaded that God is the gouernor of the world and not men and that he doth so gouerne all thinges that we neither can nor ought to wish them wiselier or better done then they are or may be done of God Paule teacheth vs to rest in that same infinite wisdome of God in the 11. to the Romanes O the depth sayth he of the riches aswell of the wisdome as of the knowledge of God how vnsearchable are his iudgementes and his waies past finding out Who hath knowne the minde of the Lord or who hath beene of counsel with him or who hath giuen vnto him first and he shal be recompensed againe for of him by him and in him are all thinges to him be glorie worldes without end Amen And Isai in the 40. chapter vers 13.14 and in the 104. Psal vers 24. O Lord of hoastes how are thy workes multiplied Thou hast done all thinges in wisdome And Psalm 147. vers 5. Our Lord is great and mightie in strength there is no number of his vnderstanding When therefore we heare our most wise yea our onely wise God who hath promised that he will shew himselfe such a wise God towardes vs who should not receiue his wordes with high reuerence and haue a contented minde in all and those most dayly workes of his prouidence as done most wisely an so rest in his wisdome The which diuine wisdome the Apostle wondring at doth therewithall praise it To the only wise God be glorie Romanes cap. 16. vers 37. Therfore also the wisdome of God doth incourage vs to cōfidence seeing he hath promised to shew himselfe such a one towardes vs. Also who knowing his wisdome doth not according to his word as the briefe rule of wisdom frame his his life Psal 119. Now after that we haue by faith layd holde vpon the omnipotencie and wisdome of God in all his workes hauing vtterly denied our owne wisdome of the fleshe Rom. 8. it followeth that he be acknowledged also to be good Now his goodnes is considered aswell in all effectes as in forgiuing of sinnes Concerning the first whatsoeuer is done of God it is good and thou must acknowledg it as verie good For how can any other thing but good proceede from him in whom there is nothing but good Therefore Dauid grauely and shortly saith Iehoua is good to all and his mercie is ouer all his workes Psal 145. Thou hast a singular vse and practise of this doctrine in the 107. Psalme Furthermore his goodnes mercy whereby amongest the rest of his workes he taketh away iniquitie wickednes ought so to reare vp our faith that if the flesh feare lest he should cast vs off for our iniquitie and wickednes faith ought fully to be resolued that this is the nature of God as Moses saith to take iniquitie and sinnes to witte from the beleeuers Now the nature of God is vnchangeable wherefore vndoubtedly he would take them from vs so that we beleeue This nature of God shineth in the face of Christ when he saith Be of good cheere my sonne Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Who therefore would not trust in him who also hauing heard of this so great goodnes would go on willingly and wittingly to offend him As the Apostle saith in the 2. to the Rom. vers 4.5 Doest thou despise the riches of his goodnes long sufferance and gentlenes not knowing that his goodnes doth prouoke thee to repentance But thou after thy hardnes and harte that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the iust declaration of the righteous iudgement of God Who also hauing heard of his mercie doth not feare to doe any man wrong or vniustly to oppresse his neighbour like as in verie deede by this his nature that he is merciful he turneth vs away from all hardnes of hearte and inhumanitie Exo. 22.26.27 If thou take the garment of thy neighbour for a pledge saith he before the sun go downe thou shalt restore it againe vnto him because it is his onely couering it is his garment to couer his skinne in which he should sleepe And when he shall crie vnto me to heare him I will heare him because I am mercifull Yea also the righteousnes of God doth so shine in the face of his Christ that also the most iust nature of God expressed in the lawe may comfort vs in Christ and confirme our hope which otherwise in our selues may worthily terrifie vs. For seing that God is most righteous and hath once called into iudgement the sinnes of all beleeuers and hath punished them in his sonne in the full rigour of his iustice the most righteous nature of God will not beare that the same debte once perfectly paide and clensed should be twise or againe repaide vnto him Againe forasmuch as God is so righteous that an innocent before him is not innocent
vers 9 That same worde is the onely begottē sonne of the father and the co-eternal image of the father His onely begotten sonne Io. 1. We haue seene his glory as the glory of the onely begottē of God To the Hebr. 1. who being the brightnes of his glory the light from the light and very ingraued forme of his person of his substance and bearing vp all things by the worde of his power Our Lord. c. And he is the Lorde of all creatures but chiefly of the faithfull or of the Church Io. 1. He was in the worlde and the world was made by him but the worlde knew him not he came amongest his owne and his owne receiued him not Before he came into the world he was a subsisting person and Dauids Lord from which Christ maintaineth his diuinitie in the 22. of Mathew saying What thinke you of Christ whose sonne is he they say vnto him Dauides he saith vnto them how then doth Dauid in spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said vnto my Lord sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footestoole If therefore Dauid call him Lord how is he his sonne Also Luk. vers 1. verses 16.17.43 and vers 76.77 And thou childe Iohn Baptist shalt be called the Prophet of the most high For thou shalt goe before the face of the Lorde to prepare his waies thou shalt giue the knowledge of saluation to his people Malach. 4. vers 5. Io. 1. This is he that commeth after me that was before me c. Io. 20. vers 28. Thomas answereth him my Lord and my God Acts 16. vers 31. and Chap. 18. vers 10. Who was conceaued by the holy Ghost So Christ was conceaued by the holy Ghost that being before that substantiall worde and by himselfe subsisting he tooke our flesh Philip. 2. who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God but he made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruante Hebr. 2. He tooke not the natures of Angels vpon him but he tooke the seede of Abraham Io. 6. I am that bread of life which came down frō heauen Io. 16. I went out from the father came into the worlde c. and 1. Timot. 3. Great is the mysterie of godlines God is manifest in the flesh Borne of the virgine Mary The Prophetes foretolde that this man which is borne of the virgine should not be a man in such sort as should subsist of himselfe as Peter and Paule but the true God to witte the second person bearing and vpholding that humaine lumpe into the vnitie of the person knitte vnto him Isay 7. Beholde a virgine shal be with childe and shal bring forth a sonne thou shalt call his name Immanuell God with vs. And in the 9. A childe is borne vnto vs A sonne is giuen vnto vs and the principalitie was vpon his shoulders and thou shalt call his name wonderfull counseller the mightie God father of eternitie and prince of peace Ierem. 23. I will reare vp to Dauid a righteous braunch and he shall raigne king and shall prosper c. And this is his name whereby they shall call him Iehoua our righteousnesse Miche 5. And thou Bethlehem Euphrata although thou be amongest the thousands of Iehudah out of thee shall there come forth vnto me which shal be the gouernour of Israel and his generations shal be from olde and from the daies of euerlastingnes Coloss 2. vers 9. In him dwelleth all fulnes of the Godhead bodily He suffred vnder Pontius Pilate He confessed before Pontius Pilate vnder whom he suffered that his kingdome was euerlasting and that therefore he came into the worlde that he might giue testimony of the truth Io. 18. vers 36.37 and Acts 4. vers 25.26.27.30 When the same iudge iudged him there is fulfilled that prophecy in the 11. of Zachary Mat. 27. And they tooke thirty peeces of siluer the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel valued And they gaue them for the potters fielde as the Lord appointed vnto mee That which the Lorde foretolde of the children of Israel prising him then when the couenant was to be taken away and the people to be forsaken which he signified by the breaking of the staffe which was called the staffe of meekenes or rather the staffe of ioye But in Christ God manifested in the flesh this full disanullance being at hande yea in all circumstances it was fulfilled by a wonderful prouidence Crucified Crucified Zach. 12. vers 10. They shal looke vnto him whō they haue pearced This Iehoua saith of himselfe and Iohn saith that this was fulfilled in Christ Cap. 19. vers 37. And the 1. Cor. 2. vers 8. If they had knowen they had not crucified the Lorde of glory Acts. 3 vers 15. Ye haue slaine the prince of life Dead Dead The Testament was to be confirmed by the death of the Testator Now the Testator was God Hebr. 9. vers 16.17 And Cap. 8. vers 8.9 Acts 20. God hath purchased the Church vnto himselfe hy his owne bloud Buried descended into hell Oze 13.14.15 Buried descended into hell God saith I will redeeme them from the power of hell I will redeeme them from death I will be thy death O death O hell I wil be thy destruction This was partly fulfilled by Christ and shall partly bee fulfilled hereafter as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 15. vers 55.56.57 Therfore Christ is true God he rose also by his owne power He rose from death the third day Rom. 1. vers 4. Io. 2. vers 19. Destroy you this Temple and I will reare it vp againe in three daies And Cap. 10. vers 17. 18. I lay downe my life that I might take it againe No man taketh it from mee but I laye it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and power to take it againe That he is the true God that ascended into heauen The third day he rose againe from the dead the Apostle plainly teacheth in the fourth to the Ephesians verses 7.8 9. To euery one of vs is grace giuen according to the measure of the gifte of Christ wherefore he saith when he ascended vp on high He ascended into heauen he led captiuitie captiue Io. 3. vers 13. No man ascendeth vp to heauen that is to say by his owne power for others ascend being drawene but he that hath descended from heauen And Io 6. vers 36. and vers 62. Also in the 16. Cap. vers 28. He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie He sitteth at the right hand of God and is worshipped of Angels and men Hebr. 1. To which of the Angels hath he euer saide sitte at my right hande In the same place all the Angels of God shall worshippe him And 1 Pet. 3. vers 22. to the Ephesians 1. verses 20.22.23 to the Philippians
2. verses 9.10 wherefore God lifted him vp on high hath giuen him a name which is aboue euery name That at the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth And that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde to the glory of God the father See the first to the Corinth From thence he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead 1. vers 2. Acts 9. vers 14. He hath power to iudge both the quicke and the deade and so he is priuie to all the thoughts sayings and doings of men and not onely that but also he is most iust and mightie to execute sentence 1. Cor. 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lorde come who will lighten thinges that are in darkenes and make manifest the counsells of the heartes Io. 5. He hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne that all may honour the sonne euen as they honour the father Mat. 3. His fanne shal be in his hande and he shall purge his floore and gather his wheate into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire To discerne hypocrites from the faithfull is the onely worke of God and to gather these into heauen and to thrust downe the other into euerlasting fire is also the onely worke of God The holy ghost also in whom we beleeue I beleeue in the holy Ghost Christ himselfe giueth which is a notable testimonie of his euerlasting godhead Ioh. 1. vers 23. This is he that baptiseth with the holy ghost Acte 2. compare the 17. verse I will powre out saith God of my spirite c with the. 33. vers He hath shed foorth this which you now behold and see Iohn 16. verse 7. and cap. 20. vers 22. He hath chosen vnto himselfe a catholique or an vniuersall Church The holy Catholique Church from among all mankinde Iohn 13.16 I know whom I haue chosen and in the 15. chapter You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you that ye goe and bring forth fruite and that your fruite remaine Also in the 10. Chap. vers 16. and Chap. 11 vers 52. He was present with this Church euen from the beginning as the euerlasting king and priest thereof Heb. 13. vers 8. Christ yesterday to day for euer Also the 1.3 vers 19.20 and the 1. Cor. 10. Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck and Heb. 7. ver 3. To this church from the beginning he reuealeth the father himselfe Mat. 11. No mā knoweth the father but the sonne and to whom soeuer the sonne will reueale him Also 1. Pet. 1. vers 11. He quickeneth this Church from euerlasting death Io. 5. vers 25. He will haue his Church holy vnto him and separated from idolaters and from those which professe not faith and repentance and therefore he directly opposeth the worshippe of himselfe in the Church against the worshippe of false Gods 1. Cor. 10 14. My beloued fly from idolatry that I may speake more wisely Iudge you what I say The cuppe of thankesgiuing whereby we giue thankes is it not the communion of the bloode of Christ And a little after Vers 19 20. What therfore do I say that the Idol is any thing or that which is sacrificed to Idols is any thing yea this I say that that which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to diuels not to God and I would not that you should haue felowship with diuels Ye cānot drinke the cup of the Lord the cup of diuels ye cānot be partakers of the Lords table of the table of diuels Do we prouoke the Lord to anger Are we strōger then he The communion of Sainctes He communicateth himselfe with the Sainctes that is with all the elect and he dwelleth in them howsoeuer they are throwne out of the world Iohn 14 vers 23. I and the father will come and make our abiding with him And in the 15 chap. vers 1.4 Also 1. Cor. 12. ver 12. For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body so is Christ Ephe. 3. That Christ may dwell in your hartes through faith Gala. 2. vers 20. Now I liue no more but Christ liueth in me Also Iohn 17. vers 23. and 26. He entreth into league and fellowship with the Church by the ministerie of the word and sacramentes he is present with it euen from the beginning of the world and remaineth present vnto the end 1. Cor. 10. Let vs not tempte Christ as some of them tempted and were destroyed of Serpentes Also 1. Pet. 1. vers 11. Matt. 28. Loe I am with you alwaies to the ende of the world He instituted baptisme the seale of the couenant and would haue vs no lesse baptised in his name then in the name of the father of the holy ghost making promise of saluation to them that beleeue and are baptised Matt. 28. vers 19. Mar. 16. vers 16. Collo 2. verse 9 10 11. Acte 8. vers 16. and chap. 19 vers 5. Now it is both blasphemie to be baptised in the name of any creature and it is onely proper vnto God to make promises of saluation and to fulfill them Wherefore also Christ is he which baptiseth with the holy ghost Mat. 3 verse 11. Act. 2. vers 18 32. He instituted the sacrament of thankesgiuing for the diuine worship of himselfe in the place of the Paschall as he saith Do this in remembrance of me Wherefore also Paule calleth it the cuppe of thankesgiuing whereby we giue thankes And concerning the seale of the newe Testament he speaketh thus This is the newe Testament in my blood Now it is the same Lord or Hoastes that had promised a newe Testament who confirmeth the selfsame by his death Ierem 31. vers 33. and Hebrewes 9. vers 17. The forgiuenes of sinnes which he not onely deserueth by his death but also giueth by his owne power is also a notable testimonie of the Godhead of Christ I beleeue the forgiuenes of sins For he iustifieth all his elect from the beginning of the world Act. 15. vers 10.11 Whie tempte ye God laying a yoake vpon the Disciples neckes that neither our fathers nor we were able to beare but by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we beleeue to be saued euen as they doe Iohn 8. vers 56. Psal 110. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck By and for this Priest were sinnes alwaies forgiuen to the beleeuers Now that he doth forgiue sins by his owne power he confirmeth by a miracle Matt. 9. But that you may know that the sonne of man hath auctoritie in earth to forgiue sinnes then he saith to the man sicke of the palsey Arise take vp thy bed and go
into thy house And in Ioh. 13. he saith Vnlesse I wash thee thou shalt haue no part with me The resurrection of the flesh The resurrectiō also of the flesh is a worke of Christ as also the inward renuing to euerlasting life Iohn 5. vers 2. and 28. As my father raiseth vp the dead and giueth them life so also the sonne giueth life vnto whom he will And the howre shall come that all that are in their graues shall heare his voyce c. Also Iohn 6. vers 39.40 and in the 11. chap. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though that hee were dead hee shal liue whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me he shall not die for euer By Christ shal be fulfilled that of Hoseas Death is swallowed vp in victorie O death where is thy victorie c. 1. Cor. 15. vers 55.57 and in the same Chapiter verses 45.48 And Christ himselfe giueth euerlasting life And life euerlasting Ioh. 1. Life was in him Ioh. 10. I giue eternall life vnto my sheepe neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any man take them out of my hande I and the father are one All these thinges which we haue rehearsed according to the order of the description of God and the articles of the faith seeing they are of that sorte as can agree to none but onely to God they plainly conuince Christ to be God by nature What daunger there is to be feared if we beleeue not in the sonne as in the true euerlasting God of the same substance with the father THe truth it selfe sheweth a most present daunger Ioh. 3. He that beleeueth in the sonne is not iudged or condemned but he that beleeueth not is iudged already because he beleeueth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God And in the 8. Chapiter You are from hell I am from aboue You are of this worlde I am not of this worlde therefore I haue said vnto you that you shall dye in your sinnes Moreouer it is said in the 1. Ioh. 2. vers 23. Whosoeuer denieth the sonne hath not the father Also in the 2. Ioh. vers 9.10.11 And in Ioh. 16 vers 3. Therefore the holy Ghost hath forewarned vs by the Apostle Peter that we should take heede of these deceauers 2. Epist Cap. 2. There were also false Prophets amongest the people as also there shal be false teachers among you who shall bring in deadly heresies denying the Lorde who hath bought them hasting vnto themselues a swift damnation and many shall followe their condemnation Nowe the Lorde who hath bought vs is Iesus Christ very God and man as the scripture witnesseth Acts. 20. God hath redeemed his Church through his blood Nowe therefore if so be that any do not beleeue that he is the true God that hath in mans nature shed forth his blood he denyeth the Lord who hath bought him Testimonies prouing the Godheade of the holy Ghost that he is a person and the true euerlasting God and not any motion or thought or any other thing that is created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THat the holy Ghost is subsisting and God by nature first of all it is shewed by the creation Genes 1. And the spirit of God moued it selfe vpon the face of the waters In which words it is attributed to the holy Ghost that he wrought together in the creation of all with the father and the sonne The creation is most clearely attributed vnto him Psal 104. Sende forth thy spirit and they shal be created and thou shalt renue the face of the earth Therefore the scripture affirmeth that the holy Ghost is Iehouah which is most plaine out of the 6. of Isay and the 28. of Acts vers 25. Isay 6. And he said Iehouah of whom before in the same Chapiter Seraphim had cried Holy Holy Holy Iehouah Lord of hoasts Goe and say vnto this people in hearing heare you and vnderstand not and in seeing see you and knowe not These same wordes which the Lorde spake Paule Acts. 28. saith that the holy Ghost spake Very well saith he spake the holy Ghost by Isaias the Prophet vnto our fathers c. Therefore the holy Ghost is Iehouah The same is also plaine by other places Ierem. 31. This is the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After these daies saith Iehouah I will giue my lawe into their hearte c. Nowe the Epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 10. vers 15. affirmeth that these same wordes of the lord proceeded from the holy ghost The holy ghost also himselfe witnesseth vnto vs. For after he had foreshewed This is my couenant that I will make with them c. The which also Ioel affirmeth Cap. 2. whom Peter also citeth and expoundeth that he may shewe them as plaine effectes of the holy Ghost which are altogether belonging to the power of the godhead I wil saith Iehouah powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie And these thinges which are alledged now to shew that the holy Ghost is God the creator by them also is shewed that he is an vnderstanding essence euerlasting good righteous mercifull most free of an infinite power and most constant truth neuerthelesse let vs yet see also certaine testimonies seuerally concerning those thinges that are attributed vnto him which as they onely agree vnto God so they plainly proue the holy Ghost to be very God That the holy Ghost is an vnderstanding essence euerlasting and which giueth vnderstanding it plainly appeareth out of the 61. of Esai The spirit of the Lord Iehouah is vpō me for that Iehouah hath anointed me to preach vnto the milde he hath sent me Luk. 4. Christ teacheth that he is he vpon whō is the spirit of Iehouah for that he anointed him But to anoint inwardly as Christ properly is anointed and by his owne power to send to preach glad tidinges and to giue power to preach glad tidinges aright is a work of a person truely subsisting vnderstanding and of the euerlasting God Also it appeareth by his effectes which are rekoned vp in the 5. to the Galathians that he is also good iust pure mercifull most free and in deede as God communicating his giftes vnto other The fruites of the spirit is loue ioy peace gentlenesse benignitie goodnesse faith softnesse of spirit and temperance And surely the same Apostle teacheth that the holy Ghost is the worker of these and therefore God 1. Cor. 12. There are diuersitie of giftes but the same spirite And there are diuersitie of administrations but God is the same that worketh all in all But the manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euery man to profitte withall For to one is giuen by the spirite the worde of wisedome and to another the worde of knowledge by the same spirite And a little after But all these thinges worketh one and the same spirite distributing to euery
not onely by some vniuersall reason and motion but also by a particular and speciall yea which stretcheth it selfe euen to the least sparrowes and to the most contemptible haires of our heades yea further euen to the direction of lottes so that all things are done by the dispensation and appointment of God and fall not out at aduenture or by chance and therefore he must haue the sight of his minde alwaies bent vpon God with whō he is in league as the chiefe cause of all things Testimonies Exod. 21 vers 13 He that hath not lien in waite for him but the Lorde hath appointed him into his handes Prouerbs Chap. 16. vers 33. Lottes are cast into the lappe and all the iudgement therof dependeth wholy vpō the Lord. Act. 1 26. Iam. 4.13.14.15 Go to now ye that say to day and to morowe we will goe into such a citie and let vs continue there a yeere buy sell get gaine who know not what shall come to passe to morrowe For what is your life It is euen a vapoure that appeareth for a little time and afterward vanisheth away And therefore yee ought to saye and if the Lord will and we liue we will doe this or that Matt. 10.29 Are not two sparrowes sould for a farthing and one of them falleth not on the grounde without your father And the haires of your head also are numbred Feare ye not therefore yee are of more value then many sparrowes Also Deutero 28. Ierem. 10 23. Prouerb 20. Actes 14. Gene. 25. Ioseph saith Gene. 45.5 It was not you that sould me into Egypt but I was sent before you by the will of God that I might preserue your life Ioseph knewe that he was not sould by chaunce but by the counsell of God so that he saith that he was sent thither by the will of God in which also he resteth Iob busieth not himselfe with complaints against the Chaldeans but he saith Iob. 1.21 The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. Is God therefore the author of sinne GOd forbid For God so gouerneth all things by his prouidence that in meane time he continueth free from all sinne first because he putteth not malice into man but the same is of the diuel Iohn 8. Although God vse the same as an instrument to the setting foorth of his glorie Secondly because all actions are discerned by their endes God in all actions hath an end agreeable with his vnchangable and euerlasting righteousnes Now men whiles they erre from the minde of God and from his righteousnes reuealed in his word they sinne The brethren of Ioseph haue an other ende then God You saith Ioseph Gen. 50.20 thought euill against me but God disposed it to good that he might bring to passe as it is at this day and saue much people aliue The diuel in afflicting Iob hath this end that he may cause him to blaspheme God Iob. 1. draw Iob to destruction The Chaldeans also haue their scope that they may waxe rich by robberie But God in all this busines so dealeth as he may trie Iobs faith and patience 2 Sam. 16.12 and manifest his owne glorie and at length deliuer him with Sathans confusion So Dauid acknowledgeth God to deale rightly and iustly by Simey as he saith Suffer him for God hath commaunded him to curse me When as notwithstanding the same Dauid pronounceth of the same deede that Simey sinned greeuously 1. King 2.8 And Simey also confesseth the same thing 2. Sam. 19.19 Because forsooth God vsed an euill instrument well to humble Dauid to the ende he might giue to God the praise of righteousnes and mercie but Simey himselfe had an ende purpose quite contrarie from the minde and lawe of God And therefore forasmuch as there is fault in the instrument at length by the wonderfull prouidence and iust iudgement of God he is drawne to punishment 1. King 2.36.44 Wherefore al things are so done by the prouidence of God that he in meane time continueth free from all sinne which is proper alone to the diuel and to the corrupte nature of man Argumentes taken out of the newe Testament whereby it is plainely shewed that God doth so worke that he remaineth voyde of sinne THe passion of Christ is a notable doctrine of this thing For there were the Pharisees Iudas Pilate yea and God himselfe not onely permitting but also working in it and striking his sonne Esai 53. vers 5 6.7 The Lord cast the iniquities of vs all vpon him and the Lord would bruse him and afflict him Also Acts 4. vers 27.28 Herod and Pontius Pilate with the gentiles and people of Israel are indeed gathered togeather against thy holy sonne Iesus whom thou hast anoynted that they might doe those thinges which thy hand and counsaile had before determined to be done Euerie one had their diuerse endes God had this ende that mankinde should not perish Iudas that he might gaine by betraying him the Pharises together with Caiphas the high priest that they might prouide for their owne glory which they sawe to be weakened and shaken of Christ and also that the Romaines might not come and vtterly destroy their nation and therefore that it was much better that one should die for the people whereas notwithstanding the highe priest of that yeare vnwittingly and thinking a quite contrarie thing prophecied of the ende which God had determined with himselfe Pilate that he might not incurre the displeasure of Caesar which the Pharises threatned c. Who will say here that God sinned in giuing his sonne to the death in punishing our sinnes with extreame torments both in the soule and body of his sonne offering himselfe thereunto of his owne accord for mankinde Who also will say that Iudas Caiphas the Pharises and Pilate sinned not in killing Christ whom they knew to haue committed nothing worthy of death albeit they did not any thing that first the hand and counsell of God had determined Because in doing this they regarded not nor set before their eies that same scope and purpose of God but had other endes altogether straunge from the minde and will of God reuealed The second poynt of doctrine concerning the prouidence of God WE must not onely determine that all thinges are done by the dispensation and appoyntment of God but also that al and singular thinges are done for our good and therefore thou shalt bee sure that euerie thing that commeth to passe shal be healthfull vnto thee First of all because he hath bound himselfe vnto thee although vnworthy in Christ whiles he hath promised Now there are notable promises set foorth in the 91. Psal He that dwelleth in the helpe of the most highest c. Also in Esaias the 49. Will a woman so forget hir infant that she will not haue compassion vpon the sonne of her wombe Although she shall forget it yet notwithstanding I will not
he hath not ceased neither ceaseth he to make singular things dayly neither doth he cease to cōserue gouerne al things which are made he maketh stil as Christ saith Ioh. 5. My father worketh hitherto and I worke Now to bring foorth and fashion all thinges which growe and spring vp dayly by a present operation to conserue all creatures to gouerne all thinges yea the least to rule and bowe all mens willes adde further to gather the church dayly by the voyce of the Gospell and to raise vp the same by the inward voyce of the Sonne from death euerlasting vnto life Iohn 5. All which thinges verily he doth dayly is of no lesse power then once to haue created heauen and earth Moreouer let vs extoll and glorifie his wisedome which forasmuch as it is altogether infinite let vs thinke daiely that all thinges that are done or wrought in the world are so wisely done of God as they could not be done wiselier Collo 1. ver 16. Dani. 4. vers 22. Esai 40. vers 14.15.16.17 These thinges are conteined in that saying of Paule O the depth of the riches aswel of the wisedome as of the knowledge of God! And a little after For of him by him and for him are all thinges And being mooued by these he glorifieth God saying To him be glory world without end Amen And surely such is the disposition of the faithfull that the consideration of Gods prouidence whereby the vngodly take occasion to striue with God hath this end with them to make them glorifie God And principallie in prosperitie in which we behold more euidently then in aduersitie the bright face of God to glorifie God and this doctrine of the prouidence of God ought to incourage vs to true thankefulnes of minde For what soeuer thing falleth out prosperously and as we would desire that a godly man doth wholly attribute to God whether he tast his bountifulnes by the ministerie of men or else be holpen euen by insensible creatures For this will he thinke with himselfe in his minde Surely it is the Lord who hath bowed the mindes of these vnto me it is he likewise who hath inspired his power into other creatures and doth still inspire it that they should be instrumentes of his goodnesse towardes me Ieremi 5. Acts. 3.14 The second fruite THe second fruite is patience aswell in our whole life which is full of miseries as also in induring persecutions for the truth of the gospel And verilie first we will breifly shew how the knowledg of the doctrine of Gods prouidence begetteth patience in vs. This bringeth forth impatiēce in vs because we loke vpon creatures that are aduersaries vnto vs. But indeede wee looke not vpon God when as notwithstanding he doth these thinges not as an aduersarie against vs but as a father And vndoubtedly those same afflictions wherewith he exerciseth our faith and patience what other thinges are they then instruments wherewith euen himselfe being present worketh and that verily for this end he worketh that all thinges according to his promise no not the least thing or greefe excepted I say that all things might worke together to our good Rom. 8. Whatsoeuer thinges therefore shal fall out either publique or priuate aswell ioyfull as heauie whosoeuer is throughly persuaded that God most wisely gouerneth al things by his prouidence and is fully reconciled vnto him in Christ he must needes take them no otherwise then as benifites yea and as benifites of God and which vndoubtedly are to his saluation Vnlesse therefore we will resist God who is onely wise with the wisedome of our flesh and become blasphemers against Christ as not hauing reconciled the father fully vnto vs we must not doubt any whit at all that the infinite wisdom of God by and for his goodnes worketh all thinges for our good how soeuer it seeme otherwise vnto vs. And therefore a faithful man when he once knoweth the doctrine of Gods prouidence he sticketh not in creatures by which he is afflicted or in the contemplation of his owne euill but he will rather lifte vp his minde to consider the fatherly hand of the most wise God whereby he is chastised and to that same vndoubted good that God through that same affliction will haue wrought and in his good time will make manifest For God alwaies hath the end ioyned with his owne glorie and the saluation of the faithfull The consideration of either of these must needes be of great force to imprint both that same quiet moderation of minde and patience in his children Whereof we haue notable examples in Ioseph Gene. 45. in Iob. cap 1. in the people of Israel Gene. 15. ver 13.14 Exo. 2.3.4.5 in Dauid 2. Sam. 16. So likewise the knowledge of Gods prouidence in suffering persecution for righteousnes sake doth bring foorth patience First because the enimies of the truth cannot thinke a thought no nor moue a finger against vs but by God not onely suffering it but euen working it To be short because they cannot exceede that bound appoynted from euerlasting For so Acts. 4. the Apostles being in persecution spake by the holy ghost Of truth they were gathered together against thy holy sonne Iesus whom thou anoyntedst Herod Pontius Pilate together with the gentiles and thy people Israel that they might doe what soeuer thy hand and thy counsaile had determined before to be done Also Ioh. 7.30 the 8. vers 20. Like as it was impossible therefore that Herod Pilate together with the gentiles Iewes should conclude more and bring any more to passe in afflicting Iesus Christ our head then the hand and counsell of the Lord hath ordained to be done frō euerlasting so also it is as impossible that the Herods of our time the Pilates and the Pharises together with the madde bewitched people should take more in hād bring more to passe in afflicting the members of Christ thē the hand and counsell of God hath first decreed to be brought to passe by them Nowe he hath decreed nothing that is not most healthfull for vs. The reason of this consequence is because the conformitie of the mēbers with the head Christe first in afflictions and afterwards in glorie is founded vpon the euerlasting counsaile of God vpō which also is founded the passion of Christ himselfe as it is taught Rom. 8.28.29 verses The last fruite of the doctrine concerning the prouidence of God THe last fruite is that same incredible security wherewith the Christian heart is euer afterward fenced for when innumerable euils lie vpon the life of man which threaten as many deathes when this light of Gods prouidence shall once shine forth vnto him then at length is he relieued from vexation feare in a manner from all care whereby he fully resolueth that he is receaued into the faith of God is a confederate to him cōmitted to the care of Angels free frō al dāger hurt of creatures neither that he
must needes be therefore that Christe this king be of the substance and loines of Dauid and continue an euerlasting kinge and very man not onely in name but in the very substance and properties of a naturall fruite sprong from the loines of Dauid and abiding and raigning worlde without end in the throne of Gods maiestie in the highest heauens Hebr. 1. Which thinge bringeth vs exceeding ioye in euerlasting life for that we shall behold our nature in our brother and heade Christ to be adorned with so great glorie in all eternitie Causes for which it must needes be that the mediator of the couenant be very God with all the properties of God THe causes for which it is necessarie that the mediator be not onely very mā but also very God be these The chiefe cause is because God would declare his infinite loue And this is the meaning of that So God loued the worlde so I say that he gaue his only begotten sonne c. The second cause is next vnder this because he had receaued a commandement of the father that required an almightie worker to wit a commandement by his merite and vertue to saue the elect Nowe there is but one Almightie euen God Ioh. 10. vers 18. Out of this same second cause which properly belongeth to Christ these endes are deriued The first concerning desarte For therefore must the Mediator be verie God that that same obedience of Christ whereby so great a person which is equal to the father humbling himselfe in the nature of man that the curse might be made in it might be from the beginning of the world for al eternitie to come a matchable price or rather a price of redemption for the sinnes of all the elect of the whole worlde euen that the price might wey downe our sinnes Therefore in the 20. of the Actes it is saide That God redeemed his Church with his bloud And in the 9 to the Hebrues Also grace hath abounded aboue the fault This obedience of the Sonne when it is made a sacrifice for vs it surmounteth all obedience of Angels and al other creatures The second end is that seeing he must be a Sauiour no lesse in vertue then in merite he must first in himselfe ouercome our sinne the wrath of God and death Nowe that the waight of the infinite wrath of God in the manhoode might stand ouercome and moreouer that he might raise himself frō death it was necessary that he that should suffer should be very man in such sort that he might together be infinite that is the true and euerlasting God that is that his manhod should be personallie inseperablie vnited to his godheade of which it should vpholden that our saluation might not by any meane be in danger seeing it is impossible that that vnion should be dissolued For God alone could not die as one of the auncient fathers haue wittilie said neither could man alone ouercome death Therefore to the Romans Ca. 1. he saith that he is declared to be the sonne of God by the power of his resurrection Moreouer by his power it behoued him also to ouercome sinne and death in vs Ioh. 5. to witte by giuing faith whereby that merite might be applied vnto vs and the holy Ghoste through whō he might restore in vs the image of God and quicken vs euerlastingly and also maintaine that saluation so gotten Now forasmuch as all these things are of nature belonging to him who is almightie it was necessary that he by nature should be God almightie For who could haue performed that but he through whom man in the beginning was made after the image of God Coloss 1.3 who could haue giuen the holy Ghost which is God but he which is God himselfe who could haue restored euerlasting life but that same word the sonne of God in whō life is from the beginning Io. 1. Finaly forasmuch as God hath said I am the Lord besides me there is no sauiour it was necessarie that our sauiour Christ which by the decree of God was appointed to obtaine and bestowe saluation should be very God with all the properties of the Godhead omnipotencie eternitie infinite maiestie and glorie without which he could neither be a Sauiour nor abide for euer Why those same two natures must be vnited in the Mediator THat the foundation of that same couenant of grace or rather of that coniunction betwixt God and vs might be firme GOD would haue these two natures in Christ to be knit together after a wonderful manner to wit by the vnion of persons Now when we say that the diuine and humaine nature of Christe are personallie knit together we vnderstand that the sonne who is God hath taken mans nature into the vnitie of his person and so God is manifested in the flesh and made man but in the person of the sonne and so as the proprieties of both natures remaine safe aswel that the saluation of men might be obtained by that meane that he had appointed as also that it might be maintained and continued for euer For saluation could not haue ben obtained vnlesse mans nature and the nature of God had bene knit together in a personall vnion First because it had not beene the bloude of the Sonne of God that was to be shed and so it had not bene a sacrifice worthie enough for the sinnes of the whole worlde Moreouer the humanitie could not haue beene able to sustaine the wrath of God neither haue abolished the sinnes that were laide vpon it vnlesse the diuinitie had ben coupled vnto it into the vnitie of the person by a most firme and altogether vnlooseable knotte both which that same man Christ by the power of his diuinitie being personally knitte vnto him hath perfourmed Acts 20. Philip. 2. Hebr. 19.14 Coloss 1. vers 14.15 And much lesse also might saluation nowe obtained be maintained vnlesse they were knit together and might so remaine for euer For euen like as it was required for the entry to that priesthoode and for the prouiding of full satisfaction that there should be the body and soule of the sonne of God in which there might be satisfaction so also that the priesthoode might be euerlasting and an euerlasting intercession be made for vs it must be that that same humane nature be properly belonging to the sonne of God which he must shewe before the face of the father in heauen in which as our sinnes are once cleansed so it might be the pledge of our reconciliation for euer Psal 110.1 and the 4. Matth. 22. vers 44. Moreouer that same man Christ could not by his vertue and power be a sauiour vnlesse also he had the diuine nature ioyned vnto him into the vnitie of person from which together as also from the father proceedeth the holy ghoste who bringeth vs into the possession of Christ engraffeth vs into Christ and begetteth vs againe into euerlasting life 1. Cor. 15. verse 21.45 Rom. 8. verse 8.9
of Christ For it is the proceeding of his death The first fruit therefore of this article is the cōfirmation of our faith that wee doubte not Christ being deade in deede and buried for vs that he was so farre foorth humbled that neyther death nor buriall can hurte vs forasmuch as the wrath of the father is truely and and indeede pacified For euen like as Ionah who was a figure of Christ being once cast into the sea the storme ceased and a great calme followed euen so Christe foretolde that hee shoulde be cut of frō the number of those that liued and should be placed in the heart of the earth that he might reconcile the father vnto vs being angrie for our sinnes Which thing forasmuch as Christ the mediatour of the couenaunt hath in deede fulfilled as is contayned in this article wee doe worthilie beleeue it And this in deede is the firste fruite of Christ his buriall The seconde This article also maketh to repentaunce and amendement of life For like as Christ deade by sinne resteth in the graue so wee by the vertue of that communion which wee haue with Christ deade and buried wee ought altogether to esteeme our olde man by the power of faith and by the testimonie of Baptisme to be buried together with Christ that true rest being restored to our consciences wee maye rest from our workes that is from our sinnes and so beginne heere that euerlasting Sabbaoth vntill by the vertue of Christe it bee fully accomplished in vs. So Paule when hee sayde in the 6. to the Romanes that wee are baptised into the death of Christ hee by and by addeth that wee are also buried with Christ by baptisme into death to witte that hee might expresse that by the vertue of that communion wee haue with Christe it is brought to passe in a continuall course and proceeding that wee mortifie our olde man And besides these principall endes and fruites whereof we haue spoken this is also to be added that buriall is an euident signe that Christ was deade in deede Vpon his death depended satisfaction for sinnes and therefore it behoued that to be most certaine and no place to be left of doubting Nowe all doubtinge of his death is taken away when he was buried as other dead men are and that according to the scriptures Isay 53. vers 9. Notwithstanding the principall and proper endes are those wee haue before mentioned He descended into hel Testmonies out of the Prophets and Apostles SAint Peter citeth the 16 Psalme in the second of the Acts of Christ his descending into hell saying This man being deliuered by the determinate counsell and foreknowledge of God after you had taken with wicked hands you haue crucified and slaine whom God hath raised vp loosing the sorrowes of death because it was impossible that he should be holden of it For Dauid saith concerning him I beheld the Lord alwaies before mee For he is at my right hande that I should not be shaken Therefore did my hearte receiue comfort and my tongue reioysed and so my flesh doth rest in hope Because thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption Thou hast made the waies of life knowne vnto mee and thou shalt replenish me with gladnesse in thy sight Of the false vnderstanding of this article where also is entreated of Lymbus and of the first beginning of the error thereof THat it followeth in the Creede that Christe descended into hell shal we say that it hath hath this sense that Christ descended into Lymbus in which place there is neither ioie nor sorrowe that he might deliuer the fathers from thence or els that he descended into the place of the damned No not so For first it is euident that the fathers also before the death of Christ had ioye and comfort as it appeareth Luk. 16. in Abraham and Lazarus Besides that the word Hell is not taken for Lymbus in any place of the scripture Nowe the beginning of the error concerning Lymbus is that many thought and yet doe thinke that sinnes were not forgiuen before that Christ suffered And the passion of Christ had his effect and power from euerlasting For Christ yesterday and to day for euer and the same world without end Hebr. 13.8 And Paule to the Romanes 4. defineth iustification by Dauid Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen Therefore in the time of Dauid before Christ had suffered sinnes were forgiuen by confidence and trust in that sacrifice of Christ to come And in the same Chapter he saith that we obtaine happines and remission of sinnes by no other meanes then whereby Abraham obtained it who is the father of all beleeuers So Math. 8. Many shall come from the East and from the West and shal sit with Abraham Isaack and Iacob in the kingdome of Heauen Seeing therefore that this same errour preuaileth against the Scripture that the Fathers had not remission of sinnes before Christ suffred from thence sprang this other errour concerning Lymbus For it was too harde to thrust the fathers downe into hel because as they cōfesse there is no redēption out of hel to place them in euerlasting felicitie they dust not because Christ hauing not yet suffered they thought their sinnes were not yet forgiuen They found out therfore a middle place in which there was neither felicitie nor sorrowe which in the schooles they called Lymbus as if they should say the porch of hell And so the diuell endeuoured to darken the greatnes of the efficacie of Christes sacrifice whiles he denied that the Fathers had remission of sinnes in the olde Testament by faith in the sacrifice to come and therefore he deuised vnto them Lymbus euen like as hee faigned Purgatorie for those faithful ones who were dead after the suffering of Christ That to the same ende also the power of cleansing from sinnes might be withdrawen from the passion of Christe against the manifest worde of God I. Iohn 1.7 2. Neither is it to be suffered in any case that we say that Christe descended into hell that is to the place of the damned that there he should ouercome death and the diuel for vs or that he should suffer any newe tormentes for that he both ouercame Sathan by his death and after death suffered no more sorrowes by which he should deliuer vs from the power of Sathan the Epistle to the Hebrues doth witnes chapter 2. That he might by death abolish him which had the power of death that is the diuel might set as many free as by the feare of death throgh al their life were subiect vnto bondage Also to the Coloss 2.14.15 And Luke the Euangelist witnesseth that he deliuered vp his spirite to the keeping of his father Neither can it fitly be taken of the shewing forth of the victorie of Christ in hell for that belongeth to that exaltation which at length he began in his resurrection nowe the descending of Christe
tabernacles of Sem. Esaie 54. Reioyce O barren which doest not bring forth breake forth into praise and reioyce which diddest not bring foorth because moe are the Sonnes of the desolate then of the married wife saith the Lorde Enlarge the place of thy tentes and let them spread out the curtaines of thy habitations And a little after For he that made thee is thy husband whose name is the Lord of hostes and thy redeemer is the holie one of Israel who shal be called the God of the whole world Also to the Galathians 4. verse 27. and Esaie 60. ver 1.2 c. Arise be enlightened because thy light commeth and the glorie of the Lord is risen vpon thee For behold darknes shal couer the earth thicke darknes the people but the Lorde shall arise vpon thee and the nations shal walke to thy light and Kinges to the brightnesse of thy rising Ezech. 37. verses 22 24. and Chapt. 10. And there shal be one sheepeheard and one sheepfolde Iohn 11. verse 52. And not that Iesus should die for that nation onely but also that he shold gather together in one the chidren of GOD which were scattered Apoc. 59.10 Thou hast redeemed vs vnto God through thy bloud out of euerie tribe and tongue people and nation What this part conteineth THE fourth part conteineth the effect of all that went before For except we will that the Father haue sent his sonne in vaine and that his sonne also hath suffered and is risen againe in vaine that the holie Ghost was promised and sent in vaine we must needes beleeue that the effect of all these is that the Father in Christ by the power of the holie Ghost doth builde vp a newe people vnto himselfe whom before he had freely chosen with whom he doeth enter into a free couenant and to which he doth communicate him selfe and all his benefites Esaie 53. When he shal laie down his soule a sacrifice for transgression he shal see the seede that shal prolong his daies and the will of Iehouah shal prosper in his hand c. Eph. 2. ver 6. The meaning of these wordes I beleeue the Catholike or vniuersal Church THe meaning is that the sonne of God euen from the beginning Matt. 11. ver 12. gathereth and buildeth vp a people vnto himselfe from the whole bodie of mankinde elected before all worldes whom Christ raiseth vp beeing dead in sinnes and reconcileth vnto him selfe by the ministerie of his worde and renueth by faith to life euerlasting Iohn 5. vers 8. Ephes 2. ver 1.2.3 and Chap. 5. vers 26. which he adioyneth vnto himselfe as his spouse or wife that all the true members of this people may haue true fellowship with Christe and mutuall amongest them selues both in this and in the life euerlasting 1. Iohn 1. Amongest which people I trust my selfe to be enrolled and neuer to be blotted out from them Iohn 10. 17. Why the Church is called Holy BEcause none can be vnited vnto God vnlesse he be holie and pure euen as God is holie pure therefore I doe vndoubtedly beleeue that God doth iustifie and also purge those whom he hath chosen to this inseparable vnion to holinesse and innocencie of life that the glorie of God may shine in them Rom. 8. Ephes 5. Nowe the Church is holy two maner of waies by renouation and by imputation By renouation in it selfe that same holinesse is onely begun Rom. 7. Of this same first manner of holinesse it is saide 2. Cor. 7. Working your sanctification and 1. Thes 4. ver 7. But by imputation her holines is most perfect in Christ as he saith I sanctifie my selfe for them In this second manner of holinesse I beleeue that there is no sinne no death in the Church that is to say that no fault or punishment is imputed to the true members of the Church Because they that beleeue in Christ are not sinners are not guiltie of death but are simply holie and righteous Lords ouer sinne and death in Christ and liue for euer Ro. 5. ver 8.9 and Heb. 10. ver 14. Colo. 2. ver 10. Ro. 8.1 Thess 5.10 Why the Church is called Catholike THe Church is caled Catholike or vniuersal because that like as there is one head of the Church to wit Christ so the vniuersal members thereof scattered throughout the worlde doe growe vp into one bodie by the same spirite Ephes 4.1 Cor. 10. and 12. Communion of Saintes Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles LEviticus 26. and 2. Cor. 6. verse 17. Ye are the Temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I will dwell amongest them and I will walke there and I will be their God and they shal be my people Wherefore Esay 52. Come out from among them and separate your selues saith the Lorde and I will receiue you I will be a father vnto you and ye shal be my sonnes and daughters saith the almighty Also Ioel 2. vers 32. 1. Tim. 3. verse 15.16 That thou maist know howe thou oughtest to behaue thy selfe in the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God the piller and ground of trueth 1. Cor 12. verses 13.14 For by one spirite we are all baptised into one bodie whether we be Iewes or Grecians whether we be bonde or free and haue beene all made to drinke into one spirite 1. Cor. 10.17 Because we that are many are one loafe and one bodie who are partakers of one and the same bread Also to the Heb. 3. verse 13 c. 1. Iohn 1. That which we haue seene and which we haue heard we declare vnto you that you also may haue fellowship with vs that our felowship also may be with the Father with his sonne Iesus Christ these things write we vnto you that your ioie may be full Acts. 2.47 And the Lorde added to the Church from day to day such as should be saued The meaning of these wordes THe communion of Saintes signifieth both that same outward fellowship wherby the people as members of the visible Church thorough the ministerie of the doctrine both of the Prophets and Apostles and also of the sacramentes are called into one bodie and also that same inwarde coniunction whereby those whome the Lorde hath alwayes chosen in this visible congregation that is to say the true beleeuers are knit and vnited together with the father with Iesus Christ his sonne and mutuallie one with another amongest themselues Concerning that same outward vnion we must knowe that the truth of the propheticall and Apostolical doctrine is an vndoubted token of the visible Church 1. Tim. 3. Besides all that professe that same trueth wheresoeuer they shal come in the world to any visible companie of the Church they haue right to communicate in hearing the worde in prayers and receiuing of the sacraments Esai 2.2.3 yea all the faithful haue commandement that wheresoeuer there is a visible assemblie of the Saints that they ioyne themselues
vnto it and by no meanes separate them selues from that cōmunion The Church also is bound to receiue them and to the vttermost of her power with a cheerefull minde to communicate those meanes which are committed vnto her such as all bodily and spiritual helpes are to the common saluatiō And as touching that same inward vnion or fellowship it hath as it were these degrees First all the electe haue the same right of the children of God that is common to all and so the same Father in heauen Rom. 8. Secondly all the elect are endued with the same faith whereby euen from the beginning they were engraffed into the sonne of God and yet are engraffed which is a forcible and an effectuall calling Thirdly the same fauour of iustification in Christ is common to all vnder the olde newe Testament Fourthly glorification is also common to the whole bodie so that the inhabitation of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost was alwaies the same vnder either testament to which scope and end al the gifts of the holie Ghost tend bestowed for the common building vp of the whole bodie that at length the glorie of the king may fully shine in the whole bodie I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles IEremie 31. I will haue mercie vpon their iniquities and I will not remember their sinnes any more Chapter 33. also Psal 103. O my soule blesse thou Iehouah and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thine iniquities who healeth all thine infirmities And a little after He hath not dealt with vs according to our sinnes neither hath he rewarded vs according to our iniquities For as the heauens are high aboue the earth so hath his mercie preuailed towardes those that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he put our offenses from vs. And 1. Iohn 1. The bloud of his Sonne Iesus Christ hath purged vs from all our sinne The benefites which Christ communicateth vnto his Church by the vertue of the holie Ghost are set out a little more fully in these last articles Nowe his benefites are to be considered two manner of waies First in respect of the possession which we haue in this life and in which we stande Moreouer in respect of the full enioying and perfection of them which vndoubtedly we shal be partakers of in the life to come I vnderstand the possession of the benefits of Christ which we nowe haue in this life thus that euen like as there is no saluation without the Church which is the bodie of Christ so also all they which are his true and liuely mēbers now haue do vndoutedly possesse true happines all which we comprehend in the Creed vnder the forgiuenesse of sinnes as the Apostle proueth Rom. 4 out of the 32. Psalme Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered The meaning of this Article I Beleeue that whatsoeuer is sinne and so called whether it be originall or by birth as transgression in the loines of Adam the corruption that folowed of it which I beare about in my flesh or whether it be actuall sinne as thoughtes wordes and wicked deedes which spring from thence I beleeue I say that all that through faith whereby I am engraffed and dwell in Christ in the free and vndeserued goodnesse of God is freely forgiuen me and so freely that all memorie aswell of the fault as of the punishment like as if I had neuer sinned or had no sinne is taken away from before God and therefore I trust that I am now already blessed Nowe for asmuch as nothing is more harde then to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes goe to let vs see what are the causes of this certaintie concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes The chiefe and principall cause is because the couenant and oath of God which conteineth this article in it is confirmed by the death of the testator himselfe which is Iehouah that God will not be any longer mindefull of our sinnes of the testator I say euen of God himselfe which had made that couenant Nowe what can be a greater confirmation of this couenant and testament then when that personall worde who is the true and euerlasting God vouchsafeth to confirme by his death which he took vpon him in the flesh the same thing that he promised Now it is plaine out of the 31. Chapter of Ieremy that it is Iehouah himself that maketh that testament or couenant And in the eight Chapter of Hebrues verses 15.16 and againe in the 9. it is plainely taught that it is the same Iehouah which by his death hath confirmed the same testament Where there is a Testament saith he there must be the death of him that made the Testament In which place he also saith that the same Christ which died was the maker of that same Testament promised in Ieremie Also Act. 20. Now what may be said or thought greater in heauen or in earth then that this article I beleeue forgiuenesse of sinnes should be confirmed by the death of God himselfe That sinne is forgiuen not that it should not be but that it should not be laide to our charge BVt whether may we say that our sinnes are so forgiuen that no remnants therof remain in vs No in no case for although sinnes be in vs and shal be euen vntill our death yet notwithstanding we beleeue that they shall not bee laide to our charge but for the merite of Christ shal be forgiuen vs. And therefore Saint Paul with the Prophet pronounceth not them blessed in whome there are no sinnes but whose sinnes are couered The whole matter tendeth to this that we vndoubtedly beleeue that the Church which is the mysticall bodie of Christ and euerie member of it doth possesse in this life not an vncertaine and temporall but a firme and an euerlasting forgiuenesse not of one or another sinne but of all sinnes with which they must struggle which haue ioyned with it an incredible peace and quietnes of conscience and therefore happines it selfe For this is the meaning of the Prophet when he saith that nowe God doth crowne vs with mercie compassion And Iohn 5. He that beleeueth in me hath passed from death to life But God forbid that we should take occasion hereof to sinne because we beleeue that our sinne is forgiuē vs. For as many as are truly engraffed into Christ through true faith besides that benefite of forgiuenes with which the image of Sathan is couered we begin to possesse therwithal another to wit the restoring of the image of God which consisteth in the mortification of the old man and quickening of the spirit Rom. 6. Now both these benefites are freely giuen vs of the father for Christ into whom whilest he doth engraft vs by his holy spirit first he couereth our sinnes by the imputation of the perfect obedience and satisfaction of Christ then he doth further begin
in vs by the same spirit that same newe obedience which is an vndoubted testimony of our engraffement into Christe and therefore of the forgiuenes of sinnes Rom. 8. in the beginning of the Chapiter For the free couenant of God doth containe these two partes as may be seene in the 31. Chapiter of Ieremy And hereof it commeth to passe that it is euerlasting because both he writeth his lawe in our heartes that is through his spirite he beginneth a newe obedience that we depart no more from God Ieremy 32.40 and because that being vnperfect he will remember our sinnes no more Where these two are there is sure friendshippe a constant and euerlasting couenant The resurrection of the flesh Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles DAniel 12. verse 2. And many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shal awake some to euerlasting life and some to shame and perpetual contempt Iob 19. verse 25. I knowe that my Redeemer liueth and he shal stand in the last day vpon the earth and I shal be clothed againe with my skinne and shall see God in my flesh I shal see him my selfe none other for me Paul 1. Cor. 15. as it were with the finger pointing at those same bodies which we carrie about saith on this wife that this corruptible that this mortal this I say and none other must put on incorruption and immortalitie The meaning of this article THe articles that followe conteine the consūmation or perfecting of those same benefites of Christ to wit that same blessed life which we shal liue both in bodie and soule in the kingdome of our heauenly Father beeing fully ioyned with our head Christe beeing fully regenerate and transformed into his image and glorie 1. Cor. 15. Philip. 3. For our soules as soone as they shall passe out of this life shal enter into the rest of their Lorde for that whiche was spoken vnto the beleeuing theefe is also spoken to all the faithfull Nowe in the end of the worlde their bodies being taken againe they shall enioy full happinesse And certainly the verie same bodies which hauing put off al infirmitie shal put on incorruption incomprehensible power glorie a taste whereof Christe gaue vnto his Apostles in the mount Matth. 17. for he was transformed before them and his face did shine as the sunne and his garments were glistering as the light That the dead aswell righteous as vnrighteous must needes rise againe THe resurrection of the dead hath most sure and certaine foundations First of all the infinite power of God whereby he could create our bodies of nothing and whereby he can bring all thinges vnder subiection to himselfe Gene. 1. Rom. 4. Philip. 3. Further his vnchangeable will wherein he hath declared his righteousnes vpon which foundation the reason of the Apostle 2. Thess 1. leaneth For it is a righteous thing with God saith he to render affliction vnto them which afflict you and to you who are afflicted release together with vs when the Lorde Iesus shall be reuealed from heauen with the Angels of his power The righteousnes of God requireth that not other bodies but euen the verie bodies of the wicked be afflicted and that the bodies of the godlie receiue that promised release nowe whatsoeuer God can and will that of necessitie is done That the same bodies which we beare here shal rise againe THese verie same bodies and none other concerning the substance shall rise againe For God is the fountaine of life who hath taken into his couenant not halfe man but whole man and therefore shal quicken our bodies that are confederats vnto him For the God of Abraham of Isaak and of Iacob who is also our God is not the GOD of the liuing but of the deade like as Christ himselfe proueth the resurrection by the couenant Therefore these verie same bodies in respect of the substance shall rise againe But if any man will aske concerning the qualities there is a great diuersitie and so is that same voice of Christe to be vnderstoode Matth. 22. that in the resurrection we shal bee as the Angels of God in heauen And Christ saith Matthewe 13. Then the righteous shall shine as the sunne For this cause the bodies of the faithfull are called clarified bodies of the clearenes of the heauenlie light wherewith they are enlightened and they are called glorious bodies of that same glory which appeareth in that same clearenes as in the face of Moses spiritual bodies of the spirit of Christ by which they are quickened bewtified not to returne againe to nothing Now the cause of this our glorious resurrection is set forth in the third fruite of the resurrection of Christe Indeede the bodies of the wicked shall also rise againe as I shewed before when I sette foorth the foundations of the resurrection And Paule expresseth this Actes 24. But in a condition and qualitie diuerse from the godly For infirmitie shame corruption and misery shall not be taken from the bodies of the vngodly but like as they rise in shame so by the iudgement and power of God they shal bee confirmed in shame and corruption so that they shal be made immortall and incorruptible in corruption and death it selfe not to bee consumed with any tormentes but as it were hot burning yron they shall burne for euer Daniel 12. Some shal rise to euerlasting shame and Math. 25. The reason is because not onely the first death but also the seconde which is euerlasting is the punishment of sinne cōmitted aswell in body as in soule against the infinite maiestie of God And life euerlasting Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles ESay 64. verse 4. And since the beginning of the worlde they haue not heard nor vnderstoode with the eare neither hath the eye seene another God beside thee which doeth so to him that waiteth for him The which place Paul citeth 1. Cor. 1. which the eye hath not seene which the eare hath not heard c. And in 21. of the Apoc. And God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrowe nor crying The meaning of this article THE meaning is I beleeue that the same life which is in Iesus Christ shall be reuealed also in mee Coloss 3. Your life is hid with Christ in God When Christ our life shall be made manifest then shall you also be made manifest in glorie The name of euerlasting life comprehendeth in it all that same happinesse and gladnesse both of soule and body which the soules enioye by and by after this life through Iesus Christe and which also the bodies ioyned to the soules shall enioye with them when they shall be taken vp into the aire that they may bee alwayes with the Lorde 1. Thess 4. I confesse not onely this euerlasting life but I trust that it is prepared proper to me Christ confirmeth this prorietie and feeling begun thereof which a ful
fruition shall follow saying Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my wordes and beleeueth on him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shal not come into iudgement but he hath passed from death to life Iohn 5. vers 24 The Apostle out of the Prophete Esay 1. Cor. 1. doeth so shadowe out the full fruition and the enioying thereof as which can not be comprehended by any thought or vnderstanding in this life whiche the eye hath not seene c. There is a notable picture of it in the Apocalips chapter 21. where amongest other thinges he saith I haue not seene a temple in it for the omnipotent Lorde is the temple thereof that is the lambe Neither doeth this citie neede sunne or moone to shine in it For the glorie of God hath enlightened it and the lambe is the light thereof For God to whome in Christe wee shall then bee so fully ioyned and knit as the fountaine of all goodnes that beyond him there is nothing to be desired to the ende wee might bee truelie happie as hee saith to the father of all nations and so to all beleeuers Genesis 15. I am thy greate rewarde and Psalme 16. Dauid saith Iehouah is my portion This fountayne doeth plentifully powre out it selfe vppon vs after the resurrection of our fleshe as the Apostle teacheth that God shall bee all in all The scope or vse of this Article THe scope is that the faithfull may knowe that their full and stayed felicitie is not in this earth and that he that hath begune his worke in vs wil also perfect it Of which knowledge there is a threefolde vse First the remembrance of our departure hence into euerlasting life to that same chiefe high good will not suffer our heartes to bee fastened here to these earthly thinges as the Apostle sayth 2 Corinthians 5. And therefore we are alwaies of good comforte and wee knowe that seeing wee are straungers in body wee are hardely absent from the Lorde for wee walke by faith and not sight but we trust and rather desire to depart out of the body and to goe to dwel with the Lord. And for this cause we endeuour that both dwelling departing hence we may bee acceptable vnto him So in the 8. to the Rom. wee our selues which haue the first fruites of the spirite do grone with our selues waiting for the adoption that is the redemption of our bodies 1. Pet. 1. passe the time of your abiding here in feare hee calleth it an abiding here but not a dwelling The seconde vse is patience and constancie For this same full felicitie is propounded to be beleeued to this end that the faithfull when they shall marke that same taste of happinesse which they feele by the first fruites of the spirit and shall perceiue that they are farre of from the full fruition and enioying of it in respecte of the manifold strife which they haue with sundrie tribulations which God vseth as instrumentes to mortifie sinne and to conserue them to the head Christ they shoulde not in the meane season be any whit at al discouraged but turning the eyes of their mindes to that ful happines they should waite with a peaceable minde for the day of the reuelation For so saith Christ Luke 21. Ye shall be hated of al mē for my name sake but an heare of your heade shall not perish possesse your soules through patience And 2. Tim. 2. If any man striue he is not crowned vnlesse he striue lawfully Nowe this same second vse ought specially to arme the ministers of the worde with an inuincible fortitude against the vnthankefulnesse of the worlde to which they doe good against the will thereof against pinching pouertie banishmentes and to be short sundrie daungers that if so be that the courage of their minde be sometimes pressed downe vnder the burthen of calamities they remember that that same great weight of the glory prepared be put in the other scale of the ballance which without all doubt shall so ouerwey it that it shal make that same first to be most light For this cause wee are not sluggish saith the Apostle 2. Cor. 4. but though our outwarde man perish yet the inwarde man is dayly renewed For our light affliction which is but for a moment causeth vnto vs a far most excellent and an eternall weight of glorie Let that same promise also brought by the Angel be alwayes in sight which albeit it be commō to all the faithful as all are prophetes yet it specially is directed to ministers in Daniel cap. 12. And the wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament and they that turne many to righteousnes shal shine as the starres for euer euer Therefore Christ also saith Your reward is great in heauen Matth. 5. Let them also beleeue this themselues which teach others to beleeue The thirde vse is the certaintie of perseuerance in faith that is to say that we beleeue that the Lord will neuer suffer that we shall vtterly fall from grace because he will haue vs to beleeue euerlasting life If I must beleeue euerlasting life I trust not without cause also that I shal be kept in the way As Peter plainly teacheth 1. Epist 1.5 which are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation which is prepared to be showed in the last time And 1. Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye are called into the fellow shippe of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde to him be honor and glorie world with out end Amen FINIS Page Line Fault Correction 60 4  read not enough to saluation 63 6  read embrace him by 67 27  read and doth 29 1 liuing read lying 122 17 povver poore 124 1 same some 137 12  read be both 145 7  read be vpholden 153 16 5.3 53. 153 25  read God made 159 30 5.3 53. 160 1 5.3 53. 185 8 vvhen vvhome 189 26 vexed vrged 198 30 vvorld vvord 205 18  read hauing receiued of vs.