man being God from all eternity in due time he also was made man When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his Son made of a woman Galath 4 4. This woman was called Mary which is the same name with Miriam as it is written in the Old Testament When she conceived and bare Christ she was a pure Virgin Behold a Virgin shall conceive and bear a Sonne and shall call his name Immanuel that is being interpreted God with us Isai 7. 14. It was prophesied of Christ who was conceived and Born of a Virgin Matth. 1. 22 23. It was not by the concurrence of man but by the Power of the Holy Ghost that Christ was conceived in the Wombe of his Mother That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost said the Angel to Ioseph Mat. 1. 20. And so the Angel told the blessed Virgin The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the most High shall overshadow thee c. Luke 1. 35. Therefore Christ was holy from his very Birth and Conception alltogether free from that originall pollution which others being conceived and borne after the ordinary course of Nature draw from Adam and bring into the world with them as David confessed of himself Psal 51. 5. That therefore Iob 254. How can man be clean that is born of a woman that I say is meant of such as are borne after the usuall manner by naturall generation it extends not unto Christ whose birth was extraordinary and above nature As the Virgin did corporally conceive bear Christ in her womb so must we spiritually conceive and bear him in our hearts My little Children of whom I travell in birth again untill Christ be formed in you said Paul to the Galatians Gal. 4. 19. And Christ pointing at his Disciples said Behold my mother and my brethren For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven the same is my brother and sister and mother Matth. 12. 49 50. Of Christs Passion or suffering Suffered under Pontius Pilate Christs whole life was a continuall suffering his very Incarnation was a Passion For him who was God blessed for ever to take upon him the nature of man for him who was Lord of all to take upon him the forme of a servant this was a great and wonderfull suffering So whiles hee lived hee was never free from suffering Being newly born he was laid in a Manger there being no room for him in the Inn where he was Luke 2. 7. Eight dayes after his Birth he was circumcised Luke 2. 21. Soon after he was persecuted by Herod and was fain to be carried into Egypt to escape the danger he was in Matth. 2. 13 14 15. Of the rest of Christs life untill hee was about thirty yeares old Luke 3. 23. the Scripture speaks but little it being not so necessary for us to know Yet thus much it tells us plainly of him that he was subject to Joseph and Mary Luke 2. 51. And it intimates unto us that Christ did exercise the Trade that Ioseph his Mothers husband was of For whereas it is said Matth. 13. 55. that some did say of him Is not this the Carpenters son S. Mark relates it Is not this the Carpenter Mark 6. 3. Which implies that as Ioseph his supposed Father was a Carpenter so he also for a while did follow the same Trade After that he came abroad to shew himselfe to the world and to execute the Office for which he was sent how was he opposed by the Scribes and Pharisees and such as could not endure the holinesse of his Life and Doctrine Besides he still lived a mean and despicable kinde of life Though he were rich yet for our sakes he became poor 2 Cor. 8. 9. Even so poor that others did minister to him of their substance Luke 8. 3. And whereas the Foxes have holes and the Birds of the air have nests he had not where to lay his head Luk. 9. 58. Thus was Christ continually suffering all his life long but the things that he suffered at the last at and immediately before his death were such and so great that they peculiarly are called his Passion or Suffering And this is that which is here said Suffered under Pontius Pilate This Pontius Pilate was Governour of Iudea under Tiberius the Romane Emperour to whom the Jews were then subject See Luke 3. 1. Pilate was the Judge that gave sentence upon Christ and condemned him as all the Evangelists record And even forraign Writers as namely Josephus a Jew and Tacitus a heathen testifie that Christ was put to death by Pontius Pilate But the Scripture relates as more fully what Christ suffered to wit how he was buffetted spit upon reviled scourged crowned with Thorns c. so also why he suffered to wit not for any offence that he had done no Pilate himself as the Evangelists shew did divers times declare him to bee innocent but for our sins which he was to beare and to satisfie for He bare our sins in his body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. Him that knew no sinne God made sinne for us 2 Corinth 5. 21. Surely he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our Peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep went astray turning every one to his owne course and the Lord laid upon him the iniquities of us all Isai 53. 5 6. Of Christs crucifying Was crucified Here follows now more particularly after what manner Christ suffered He was Crucified that is nailed alive to the Crosse and so did hang untill hee were dead So the History of the Gospel shews and hence the Crosse of Christ is so much spoken of in the Scripture This kinde of punishment was not in use among the Jewes untill they came under the power of the Romans with whom it was frequent It was a punishment both full of pain and also full of ignominie onely such as were of meanest rank and vilest Malefactors were wont to have this punishment inflicted on them why Christ suffered on the Crosse yet as painfull and ignominious as it was Christ was content to suffer it for our sakes Yea it was a cursed kinde of punishment and therefore Christ submitted unto it to free us from the curse which by reason of our sinnes was due unto us Christ saith S. Paul hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a Curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Gal 3. 13. And Phil. 2. 8 he exaggerates Christs humiliation by this that he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Of Christs Death Dead The Wages of sinne is death Rom. 6. 23 Not onely the first death the separation of the soul from the bodie but also the second death the damnation both of soul and body as appears by the
opposition in the words there immediately following But the gift of God is eternall life through Jesus Christ our Lord. why Christ suffered death Christ therefore suffered death to free us from death from the second death altogether Verily verily saith Christ if a man keep my saying he shall never see death he meanes eternall death John 8. 51. So John 11. 26. He that beleeveth in me shall never die to wit eternally And so also Christ by his death hath freed all that beleeve in him from the first death as it is a curse so that the nature of it is changed it is now to them as no death but an entrance into life even life eternall The sting of death is sinne saith the Apostle and the strength of sinne is the law But thanks be unto God who giveth us victory through Iesus Christ our Lord 1 Cor. 15. 56 57. To live to me is Christ saith he and to die is gain Phil. 1. 21. And he adds Vers 23. that he desired to be dissolved and to be with Christ which was farre better for him How the death and passion of Christ is so efficacious The death and passion of Christ is of such vertue and efficacie as to satisfie for our sinnes and to deliver us from that wrath which by reason of our sinnes is due to us because his death is not the death of a meer man but of God himself that Person that dyed for us being not onely man but God also God as God is immortall and cannot die but God assuming the nature of man in that nature as man did die for us God with his owne blood hath purchased his Church Acts 20. 28. The blood of Christ is the blood of God and therefore it is indeed precious blood as it is called 1 Peter 1. 19. It is a price sufficient to ransom and redeem all Therefore what ever thy sinnes be yet as Paul said to the Jayler Beleeve in the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shall be saved Act. 16 31. Of Christs buriall And buryed Christ being dead was buried as the Evangelists testifie And he was buried for these reasons Reasons why Christ was buried First to shew that he was truly dead and not in appearance onely For men use not to be buryed till they be dead indeed And the Scripture notes unto us that Pilate did first diligently enquire whether Christ was already dead and was certified of that before hee would give leave that he should be buryed Marke 15. 44 45. Secondly that so Christs rising from the dead might bee the more conspicuous and manifest Therefore he was not onely buryed but buried in a Sepulchre hewne out of a Rock and in a new Sepulchre wherein none before had been buried Matth. 27. 60. Iohn 19. 41. So that it could not be said either that Christs Disciples did undermine the Sepulchre and so get him away or that it was not he but some other that did arise Neither yet could it be pretended that Christ rose not by his own power but by the touch of some other that had been buryed there before as we read of one who being laid in the grave of the Prophet Elisha as soon as he touched the dead bones of the Prophet revived 2 Kings 13. 21. Thirdly Christs buryall was a further degree of his humiliation in that he condescended and stooped so low as to be laid in the Grave the common receptacle of the dead Iob speaking of a man that is most potent while he liveth shews how low he shall be brought when he dyeth Who shall declare his way to his face and who shall repay him what he hath done Yet shall hee bee brought to the grave and shall remaine in the Tomb. The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him Iob 21. 31 32 33. Fourthly this makes Christs victory over death the more glorious that he not onely dyed but was also buryed death seemed to have full conquest over Christ having got him into its Den yet even there did Christ vanquish and subdue it O death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy destruction saith he Hosea 13. 14. Now through Christs victory over death and the grave we may be assured that death shall bee no plague the grave no destruction to us We may say O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory 1 Cor. 15. 55. As Christ was crucified dead and buryed so also must we in a Metaphoricall and mysticall sense be crucified dead and buryed that is our old man our carnall corrupt nature must be crucified dead and buryed They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5. 24. Knowing this that our old man is crueified with Christ that the body of sinne might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sinne Rom. 6. 6. And v. 3. 4. Know ye not that so many of us as are baptized into Christ are baptized into his death Therefore we are buryed with him by Baptism into death c. So Col. 2. 12. Buryed with him by Baptisme Of Christs descending into Hell and what is meant by it He descended into Hell As all the other Articles of the Creed are grounded upon and clear by Scripture so is this also For those words Psal 16. 10. Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell suppose that his soul should be in Hell otherwise it were absurd to say that it should not be left there if it should never be there Now that was spoken by David not of himself but of Christ For David speaketh concerning him c. saith Peter Act 2. 25 But what is here meant by Hell Surely not that which we commonly understand by the word Hell to wit the place where after this life the damned are in torment Christ never came there for any thing that we can finde in Scripture and therefore we have no reason to make that any part of our Beliefe The foure Evangelists Matthew Mark Luke and John write of Christ from his Incarnation to his Ascension yet mention no such thing as that Christ went to Hell in that sense Neither was it any part of the Gospell that Paul preached as appears 1 Corinth 15. 1 2 3 4. There rehearsing some of the Heads of the Gospell which he had preached he mentioneth Christs death and his buriall and his resurrection but for his going to Hell the Hell of the Damned he neither expresly nor implicitely makes any mention of it Again David was left in that Hell in which Christ was not left This appears by Peters argument which he useth to prove that David in those words Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hell spake in the person of Christ and not in his own person He proveth it by this that the words were not true if meant of David but most true as meant of Christ Men and Brethren saith he let me freely speak unto you of the Patriarch
David that he is both dead and buryed and his Sepulchre remaineth with us unto this day Acts 2. 29. By Davids sepulchre remaining with them unto that day he means that David was left in Hell and therefore when he said Thou wilt not leave my soule in Hell did not speak of himself but of Christ and of his resurrection Therefore being a Prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loyns according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne he seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soul was not left in Hell nor his flesh did see corruption Verse 30. and 31. Now if such a Hell be meant as in which David was left and such a Hell we must understand if we will make S. Peters argument good then can it not be the Hell of the Damned the place of torment for David was not left in that Hell he never was in it being none of the Reprobate to whom alone that Hell appertaineth Further it appears rather by Scripture that when Christ dyed as his body went to the earth so his soul went to Heaven and therefore not to Hell as it signifies the place of the Damned This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise said Christ to the beleeving Thiefe that was crucified with him Luke 23. 43. now by Paradise is meant the third Heaven the place of Blisse and Happinesse as appears 2 Cor. 12. 2. compared with 4. These reasons are sufficient to evince that by Hell here in the Creed and so in those places of Scripture upon which this Article is grounded is not meant the Hell of the Damned But may some say what is then meant by it I answer the estate of the dead or the power of death is meant by Hell and the meaning of the Article is that Christ so humbled himself as that for a while he was in the estate of the dead and under the power of death though as David prophesied of him he did not long continue in that estate but was soon delivered out of it Christ being risen from the dead saith the Apostle dyeth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6. 9. That intimates that for some time though but a short time Christ was under the power of death and it had dominion over him This power and dominion of death whereby it having separated the soul from the bodie keeps it still in that state of separation untill the body be raised up and the soule and it re-united together this I say is that which is meant by Hell when Christs descending into Hell or his not being left in Hell is spoken of The words in the Originall which are translated Hell Sheol Hades do not properly and directly signifie Hell as taken for the place of Torment but they signifie either the grave or the power of death and the estate of the dead in generall whether their souls be in the place of torment or in the place of comfort And thus our English word Hell is sometimes used As Psa 89. 48. in the old vulgar Translation which is in the Book of Common Prayer What man is hee that liveth and shall not see death and shall he deliver his soul from the hand of Hell The Interrogation hath the force of a strong Negation and the meaning is that certainly there is no man living that shall not see death none that shal deliver his soul frō the hand of Hell that is either of the grave as our last translation hath it or of the power of death For it were absurd there to understand the Hell of the Damned many through Christ being delivered from that Hell And so Revel 20. 14. where it is said Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of fire by Hell cannot be meant the Hell of the Damned for that is meant by the Lake of fire but the Power and Dominion of death is meant which after the resurrection there spoken of shall have no place any where but in that Lake of fire which is there called The second death Of Christs rising from the dead The third day he rose again from the dead After Christs humiliation followed his exaltation the first step and degree whereof was his Resurrection or rising from the dead That Christ rose from the dead all the Evangelists have diligently recorded and the Apostles diligently preached See Acts 1. 22. and 4 33. and 1 Cor. 15. 4 15. This Article of Christs rising from the dead is of such concernment that S. Paul sayes If Christ be not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faith is also vain 1 Cor. 15 14. And again vers 17. If Christ be not risen your faith is in vain you are yet in your sinnes Reasons why Christ rose from the dead It was necessary that Christ though hee dyed and was buryed and remained a while under the power of death yet should rise again 1. For the fulfilling of the Scriptures For it was written of him that his soul should not be left in Hell nor his flesh see corruption Psal 16. 10. Therefore there was a necessity of his rising from the dead as S. Peter sheweth Acts 2. 24. 25 c. Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it For David speaketh concerning him c. So elsewhere in the Old Testament Christ is spoken of as abiding for ever Psal 110. 4. Dan. 7. 13 14. Which did not import as some erroniously conceived John 12. 32 33 34. that Christ should not die but that hee should not remain dead but be raised up and live for ever O fools and slow of heart to beleeve all that the Prophets have written Ought not Christ to suffer these things and to enter into his glory Luke 24. 25 26. So spake Christ to some who startled at his death and when they were told of his resurrection were slow to beleeve it And in that same Chapter verse 45 46. it is said that comming to his Apostles He opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures And said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day 2. To make it appear that by his death he had fully satisfied for our sinnes and wrought out our redemption for us Who was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. We trusted that it had been he that should have redeemed Israel Luk. 24. 21. So they spake who knew Christ to have been dead but doubted of his rising again They did before expect redemption by him but now they had small hope of it And indeed if Christ had onely dyed and not risen from the dead all hope in him might well have dyed with him But Blessed be God and the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us againe unto a lively hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in heaven for us 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. 3. To assure us of our resurrection For the resurrection of the Members depends upon the resurrection of the Head the resurrection of Christians depends upon Christs Resurrection See after upon those words The resurrection of the body Quest But if Christ rose the third day to wit after that he dyed how is it said that he should be three dayes and three nights in the heart of the earth that is in the grave Matth. 12. 40. Answ That is not so to be understood as if Christ were three dayes and three nights compleat in the grave but onely some part of three dayes and three nights He dyed as the Evangelists shew the day before the Jewish Sabbath that is on Friday as we call it in the afternoon and was buryed the same day That part of the day stands for the whole day and also the night going before which the Jews beginning their naturall day that consists of 24 hours at Evening Levit. 23. 32. did belong unto it Then he rested in the grave all the night following and the next day which we call Saturday And the night after hee also remained in the grave rising early in the Morning on Sunday as we call it Now together with that night is rekoned the day following to which it belonged and so taking the part for the whole as sometimes it is taken Christ was three dayes and three nights in the grave though otherwise hee was little above two nights and one day in it After this manner is it said that Esther and the Jewes did fast three dayes and three nights Esth 4. 16. for the Fast was ended on the third day as is clear by Esthers putting on her royall apparell and addressing her selfe to the King on that day Esther 5. 1. As Christ rose from the dead corporally so must we spiritually wee must rise from the death of sinne to the life of grace Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead and Christ shall give thee light Ephes 5. 14. We are buryed with him by Baptisme into death that like as Christ was raised by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life Rom. 6. 4. And Vers 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves dead indeed unto sinne but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. And Col. 2. 12. Buryed with him by Baptisme wherein also you are risen with him c. And Col. 3. 1. If ye then be risen with Christ seeke those things which are above where Jesus Christ sitteth at the right hand of God He ascended into heaven This is the second step of Christs exaltation That Christ ascended into heaven the Scripture testifies Mark 16. 19. Luke 24. 51. Acts 1. 9. Of Christs Ascension into Heaven It was requisite that Christ should ascend into heaven Reasons why Christ ascended into Heaven First because he came down from heaven not that he brought his body from heaven as some Hereticks imagined but in that by his Incarnation he made himself manifest upon earth whereas before he onely kept residence as it were in heaven The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten Sonne of God c. Iohn 1. 14. In this respect Christ is called The Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47. And it s said that he came down from Heaven John 1. 13. Now as Christ thus came down from heaven so having finished the worke for which he came it was meet hee should return to heaven I came forth sayes Christ from the Father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the Father John 16. 28. And speaking to his Father I have glorified thee on earth said he I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O Father glorifie me with thine ownself with the glory which I had with thee before the World was Iohn 17. 4 5. Secondly that it might appeare that his Kingdome is not of this world as he said John 18. 36. Thirdly that hee might shew himself to triumph over sinn death and him that had the power of death that is the Devill Thou hast ascended on high thou hast led captivity captive Psal 68. 18. That was spoken of Christ as the Apostle sheweth Ephes 4. 8. To lead captivitie captive is as much as to lead a multitude of Captives as appears by Iudges 5. 12. Fourthly that he might send down the Spirit and inrich his Church with the gifts and graces of the Spirit Thou hast ascended on high c. thou hast received gifts for men Psal 68. 18. When hee ascended up on high c. he gave gifts unto men Ephes 4. 8. The holy Ghost was not yet given to wit in such measure as afterward because that Iesus was not yet glorified Iohn 7. 39. It is expedient for you that I go away for if I goe not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you said Christ to his Disciples Iohn 16. 7. Fiftly that having offered himself a Sacrifice for us on the Crosse he might present himselfe likewise unto God in heaven and make intercession for us For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it selfe now to appear in the presence of God for us Hebr. 9. 24. 6. That he might make way for us to ascend into heaven also I go to prepare a place for you said he to his Disciples John 14. 2. Whither the forerunner is for us entred even Jesus c. Heb. 6. 20. He is called the forerunner because he going before and preparing the way we also in due time shall follow after But in the mean time in our hearts and affections we must ascend into heaven whiles in respect of our bodies wee are here upon earth Set your affections on things above not on things on the â—arth Col. 3. 2. For our câ—nveâ—sâ—tion is in heaven Phil. 3. 20. Of Christs sitting at the right hand of God And sitteth on the right hand of God This is the highest step of Christs exaltation It is expresly mentioned Mark 16. 19. Hebr. 1. 3. and in other places But how is Christ said to sit And how on the right hand of God First for sitting it is not here taken properly as it imports such a distinct kinde of bodily posture What is meant by sitting It is not the intent of the Holy Ghost in the Scripture to shew what bodily posture now in heaven Christ useth to what purpose were it for us to know that But to sit we know is a posture of