which respects the Spirit was neuer communicated vnto any but to Iesus Christ alonely Thus we vnderstand how Iesus was annointed which vnction is not here first made as if before this hee had not beene endewed with the holy Ghost for wee beleeue that he was conceiued of the holy Ghost but here is the first declaration and publike manifestation to the world by a visible signe of the fulnesse of grace communicated to him for the doing of this great worke whereunto he is now ordained and this is done partly for the confirmation of Iohn who albeit hee knew that Christ was come yet he knew not who hee was till by this token giuen of God Christ was pointed out vnto him for so hee witnesses himselfe And I knew him not but he that sent mee to baptise with water said vnto mee vpon whom thou shalt see the spirit come downe and tarry still on him that is he which baptiseth with the holy Ghost and partly also for instruction of the people that by this signes seene of them all they might know who hee was whom shortly after the audible voice from heauen proclaimed to be the Sonne of God And that the holy Ghost discends vpon him at this time in the similitude of a Doue and not in the similitude of fire as thereafter he descended vpon the Apostles it is to declare vnto vs both what he is in himselfe as also what sort of creatures true Christians are made by his grace As for himselfe he is a meeke Sauiour not terrible to penitent sinners but louing and comfortable ye shall finde that of all those who in the Gospell came to seeke mercy and grace from him neuer one was reiected but all of them louingly receiued and sent away with a comfortable answere for it was prophesied of him that hee should not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoaking Flaxe and no maruell that hee was kinde to his owne for he was meeke toward his very enemies He prayed for them on the crosse when they were persecuting him to the death and when his Disciples vvould haue had him bring fire from heauen to burne the Samaritans because they held him at the Ports of their citie he gaue them this answere yee know not of what spirit yee are the Sonne of man is not come to destroy but to saue The Law was giuen with fire and thunder with tempest blacknes and darknes in so terrible a manner that Moses himselfe did quake for feare but Iesus the Mediatour of the new Testament when he comes to proclaime the Gospell a doctrine of the ioyfull tidings of mans saluation hee comes not in a terrible manner Neither to accuse nor conuict of sinne nor to trouble and torment the conscience for sinne for that is the operation of the Law but as the Lambe of God that takes away the sinnes of the world hee cryes peace to the conscience within of euery poore penitent sinner that beleeues in him he is such a Physitian as being himselfe annointed of the Lord he cures his patients not by burning or cutting or by any such hard medicine but onely by annointing them then the which no gentler kinde cure can be Whatsoeuer bitternes was in that potion that heales the deadly disease of sin he dranke it himselfe and wonderfull it is the Phisitian drinkes the potion and the Patient is healed And therefore let not penitent and beleeuing sinners feare to goe neere him And as he is in himselfe such makes he those who are his hee endues them with the properties of the Doue he learnes them simplicitie lowlinesse and meekenes As the elect of God they put on tender mercie kindnes humblenes of minde meekenes and long suffering but where there is yet bitternes anger wrath euill speaking and maliciousnes by which after the manner of rauening birds men deuoure one another it is an euident argument that such were neuer as yet renued by by the grace of Christ Iesus And there was a voice from heauen saying Thou art my beloued Sonne in thee I am well pleased THe third way by vvhich the Father beareth witnes vnto Christ is by an audible voice from heauen where wee haue to consider not onely the testimonie it selfe but the circumstances that goe before it as namely vvho giues the testimonie God the Father in vvhat manner it is giuen by an audible voice and from what place from heauen As for the first the author of this testimonie may be collected out of the words to be God the Father the Sonne comes to make the Father known vnto the world for no man knowes the Father but the Sonne No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten Sonne who is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him and the Father againe makes the Son knowne vnto the world by the holy Ghost for euen Iohn Baptist though the greatest Prophet among the children of women knew not this Sonne of God till the Father as we said pointed him out vnto him Here then for our further comfort wee haue to consider how the three persons of the blessed Trinitie concurre together to worke the great worke of our redemption for here is the father designing ordaining proclaiming here is the Sonne accepting and the holy Ghost annointing these three wrought coniunctly the worke of our first creation in the beginning of Genesis mention suppose obscure is made of them by a name Plurall Elohim expressing the Trinitie of persons and a verbe singular Bara expressing the vnitie of their Nature and coniunct operation But here a more cleare and distinct mention is made of the three persons yet all working one worke and that for our comfort that we considering who it is hath taken in hand to worke the worke of our saluation should neither be discouraged for the power and malice of our spiritual aduersarie that withstands it neither yet for our owne manifold wants and infirmities for that grace which Iesus hath receiued is not for himselfe but for vs that as saith the Euangelist of his fulnesse we might all receiue grace for grace which was figured in that ointment poured on the head of Aaron it rested not there but went downe to the borders of his garments euen so the grace communicated to Christ flowes from him to the smallest member of his mysticall body in such measure as shall be sufficient to prepare and perfect them vnto eternall life The next circumstance containes the manner by which this testimonie is giuen to wit by an audible voice such as all the people there present might heare vnderstand How this voice was sounded is needlesse for vs to enquire the Lord who made the tongue can speake without the tongue and frame Organes of voice at his pleasure by which he can proclaime his will euen to the eares of men who without a voice cannot heare
the sonne of Dauid 35 Nathan 36 Mattatha 37 Mainan 38 Melea. 39 Eliakim 40 Ionan 41 Ioseph 42 Iuda 43 Simeon 44 Leui. 45 Matthat 46 Iorim 47 Eliezer 48 Iose. 49 Er. 50 Elmodam 51 Cosam 52 Addi 53 Melchi 54 Neri Where S. Mathew cals Salathiel the sonne of Ieconias vnderstand his legall sonne succeding as neerest of kin Salathiel Pedaiah Zorobabel Where S. Luke cals Salathiel the sonne of Neri vnderstand the naturall sonne of Neri S. Mathew reckoneth in this line the forefathers of Ioseph Abiud Eliakim Azor. Sadoc Achim Eliud Eleazer Nathan Iacob Ioseph Ioseph is called by Saint Luke the sonne of Eli because he was his sonne in law S Luke againe reckoneth in this line the forefathers of Mary 58 Rhesa 59 Ioanna 60 Iuda 61 Ioseph 62 Semei 63 Mattathia 64 Maath 65 Naggi 66 Esli 67 Naum. 68 Amos. 69 Mattathias 70 Ioseph 71 Ianna 72 Melchi 73 Leui. 74 Matthat 75 Eli. 76 Marie IESVS CHRIST that blessed seede promised to Adam Noah Sem Abraham Isaac Iacob Iuda Dauid Zorobabel and Mary THus you haue the golden line reaching from ADAM to CHRIST it beginnes at the first Adam and is absolued in the second it containes a roll of the Fathers who through the priueledge of the first borne were ordinary Doctors and cheife lights of the Church till the comming of Christ. Vpon this golden line runnes the whole booke of God he that would read it with profit must remember the course of the spirit of God in the diduction of this line If at any time he diuert from it it is onely to interlace some purpose which may cleare the storie of the line So with the description of the linage of Seth hee adioynes also a description of the house and off-spring of Cham who are not in the line Likewise when he draws the Genealogie of Sem hee entreates of the posteritie of Iaphet and Cham and as hee handles the Historie of Abraham Isaac and Iacob so likewise the historie and posteritie of Nahor Ismaell and Esau. But as we may easily perceiue he insists not in the historie of them who are beside the line but hauing spoken so much of them as may cleare the storie of the line he lets them alone and returnes to his purpose alway following forth the line till he come to the promised Shiloh THE SECOND TREAtise of Christ his Baptisme THe second ground of doctrine we proposed to be entreted of is the Baptisme of CHRIST wherein we haue as I said before his most solemne consecration to the publicke office of the Mesiah Hitherto hee had liued a priuate life for the space of twentie nine yeares and now beginning to be thirtie years of age hee is manifested vnto the world by doing the great worke of a redeemer for which he came for so Saint Peter reckons all the time of his publicke charge and ministration to haue ben from the Baptisme of Iohn to the day of his ascension Many Kings Preists and Prophets hath God sent vnto his Church since the beginning of the world but neuer one like Iesus the great King high Preist and Prophet of the Church and therefore it is not without cause that exordium tanti officii tot est mistriis consecratum Neuer one was sent to doe such a worke as he and therefore neuer one had such a calling and confirmation as hee for now the heauens are opened the holy Ghost in a visible shape discends vpon him and God the father by an audible voice from heauen doth authorise him The principall end of this Treatise will be to teach vs how Iesus is become ours which is a speciall and necessary point for vs to learne The parts of his Consecration are two In the first wee see how the Lord Iesus by receiuing the Sacrament of Baptisme doth come in our place and roome as our kinsman as the first borne of his brethren as the head of his misticall body in a word as our cautioner acting and obligating himselfe to pay our debt and to fulfill those points of righteousnesse which we were bound to fulfill but could not doe by our selues and so to releiue and redeeme his brethren In the second wee see how the father not onely accepts him as debtor for vs but also designes and ordaines him to this great worke by annointing him with his holy spirit And thereafter in a publicke assembly of the people at Iorden in most solemne manner by an audible voice from heauen proclames him to be that great high Preist by whom onely attonement must be made betweene him and vs. These two ioyned together make vp vnto vs a most sure ground of Christian comfort If first we consider that the Lord Iesus for the loue hee bare to the glory of his father and saluation of his brethren voluntarily steppes into our roome and in our name becomes obliged to his father according to that notable Prophesie Psal. 40. 6. 7. which yet were a small thing were it not that the second followes to wit that the Father of his infinit wisedome finding out in Christ a way to preserue both the glory of his mercy and iustice doth of his speciall loue toward vs not onely accept him but ordaine him to doe the worke of a mediator imponing to him that singular law of a redeemer which was neuer imposed to man nor Angell as we shall here hereafter And here wee learne how by most sure right the Lord Iesus becomes ours to wit by the surest right that can be namely the free gift of God hee is giuen for a Prince of saluation to vs according to these testimonies both of Angels and men speaking by inspiration of the holy Ghost Vnto you this day is borne in the Citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Againe God so loued the world that hee hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeues in him should not perish And againe Christ Iesus is made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Looke then what way any other thing is ours which most properly wee may call ours that same way Christ is ours namely by the free and sure gift of God If we know and beleeue this we shall finde it a most sure ground of comfort to vphold vs in the houre of tentation It is true Gloriatio Ecclesiae est omnis Christi actio Euery action of Christ is the Churches reioycing and comfort but what reioycing shall wee haue in any of his actions if this ground be not first laid that he is ours and what he did hee did it for vs and vnto vs If he had not died for our sinnes and risen for our righteousnesse what could his death and resurrection haue profited vs But here is the ground of all that he is giuen vnto vs of the Father for a Sauiour whereunto most willingly hee condescends and for which worke the spirit annoints him
BAPTISME is a seale hath two parts in it to wit GODS part and mans GODS part of the couenant containes promises made to vs of the remission of our sinnes and renouation of our nature comprised in this one word I will be your God Our part againe containes promises made to God by vs of faith and obedience comprised in this one word we shal be his people Now as Baptisme is a seale of God his part confirming the promise of the remission of our sinnes and renouation of our nature vnder which two all other good things are comprehended that way Christ our Sauiour did not receiue it for himselfe seeing as I haue said hee had neither sinne to be forgiuen nor nature to be renewed but as it is a sacrament of the resignation of our selues to God and a band whereby we become obliged to be his by acceptation of his badge and marke vpon vs that way Christ receiued it that by accepting the seale of the promise hee might become obliged in our name as our head to fulfill that which wee promised but first behoued to be performed for vs by himselfe and at last shall in vs all by his grace also be perfected And so we see that sicut nobis natus est ita etiam nobis baptisatus est as hee was not borne for himselfe but for vs so was hee not baptised for himselfe but for vs. Secondly he was baptised that he might sanctifie Baptisme to vs and giue it authority to become a seale of grace vnto vs vt nobis secundae natiuitatis consecraret lauacrum and a lauer of regeneration as the Apostle calles it He was washed saith Ambrose in the water of Iorden non mundari volens sed mundare not to be made cleane by water but to make the water wheresoeuer vsed to this purpose cleane for so holy and heauenly a worke that Baptisme being consecrated by him might be an holy meane to consecrat vs. It is true indeede that Constantine the great deferred his Baptisme till hee might be baptised in Iorden where our Lord was baptised though by reason of sicknesse hee was forced to receiue Baptisme else-where but euen as the Lord Iesus by consecrating bread and wine which grew in Canaan did thereby sanctifie all bread and wine in any part of the world to be a Sacrament of his bodie and blood it being vsed according to his institution so by washing in the water of Iorden he hath sanctified water in any part of the world to be a Sacrament of regeneration and remission of our sinnes if so be it be vsed according to his institution And thirdly he was baptised to seale his fellowship and communion with vs that cognisance and badge whereby he will haue his souldiers and seruants discerned from professed infidels hee first taketh it on himselfe vt in nullo dissimilis esseâ— fratribus niâ—i solo peccato That in no thing he should be vnlike his brethren except in sinne alonelie And indeede it should be no small encouragement to vs to fight vnder this badge in the spirituall warrefare if wee doe consider how vnder this same badge the Prince of our saluation did encounter with Sathan and ouercome him as after shall be shewed And prayed The Euangelist saith that when our Sauiour was baptised he praied but what hee prayed he expresses not Neuerthelesse we may gather it out of other places of holy Scripture wherein we shall finde that he praied for himself for his church and for his enemies Where if it be demanded what needed our Sauiour to pray for himselfe seeing hee is very God the answere is ready that he is also very Man and as man had his owne feares dolours and griefes proceeding from the sense of the heauy burden of sinne not his owne sinne I say for hee knew no sinne but of our sinne which was laid vpon him As also from the sense of that fearefull wrath due to sinne for strength and comfort against these he prayed to his Father as witnesseth the Apostle that in the daies of his flesh he offered vp prayers and supplications crying and teares to his Father and was heard also in that which hee feared Which as we see in the Gospel he did before his Passion so now before his entrie to the worke of our redemption a worke greater then the worke of our first Creation for now he hath to satisfie the iustice of his Father to worke the confusion of Sathan and to effectuate the saluation of his brethren And therefore in the entrie of this great worke he prayes no doubt for an happy successe thereof and as it is euident by the answere he receiues from heauen hee was heard in that which hee prayed for And in this also our Sauiour learnes vs by his example to sanctifie all our actions with prayer When he was baptised he praied when he was tempted he prayed when he brake bread he prayed when he wrought miracles he prayed when he was troubled in the garden he praied when he suffred on the Crosse he prayed As Isaacs mariage could not but prosper because it was begunne with the prayer of Abraham his Father prosecuted with the praier of Eliezar his Seruant and finished with his owne prayer so can it not faile but a blessing must be vpon those honest actions which are begunne continued and accomplished with prayer where otherwise euen those actions which in themselues are good to the doer can not be good where they are done without prayer Vere nouit recte viuere qui recte nouit or are Hee knoweth truely how to liue wel who knoweth how to pray wel But best actions without prayer which obtaines grace to them are like bodies without spirits yea as the body without breathing cannot liue to doe any worke competent to a Naturall life so the soule without prayer can doe no worke that truely is Spirituall Therefore said Macarius that continuance in prayer was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the head of euery good purpose the crown of euery right and honest action But here we are to be warned that wee content not our selues with the shadow of prayer in steed of the substance thereof where we are to take heede of these two things First that our prayer be not by starts without making of conscience whether it be or not but we must continue perseuere in prayer remembring he that sowes sparingly shal reape sparingly Secondly that our praier be not outward but inward made with feruencie of spirit and attention of the minde remembring hee is the God of the spirits of all flesh with whom thou hast to speake in praier It is a godly Meditation of Chrisostomes that as a man who seekes a thing which hee hath lost in his house seekes it with such affection that he forgets all other things yea hee seeth not those things that are afore him so faine is he to see that