hated iniquitie therefore hath God euen thy God anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Dan. 9. The holy of holy shal be anointed Afterwardes he saith The Messias shall be cut of and then the people shall destroye the Citie and the Sanctuary with that Captaine that shall come The Angel witnessed the fulfilling of this anointing Hierusalem yet standing Luke 2. Behold I bring you glad tidinges of great ioye that shal be to al the people that a Sauiour is this day borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lord. The whole multitude of the heauenlie hostes witnesseth the same thing praising God and saying glorie to God in the highest heauens and in earth peace and towardes men a good will Mat. 2. The starre and the wise men witnesse Christ or the anointed of the Lorde to be sent and in the second of Luke Symeon and Anna the prophetesse from the 25. verse to the 41. where also the prophesie of Esaias is sene fulfilled Ca. 8. ver 14. A notable prophesie of Isaias in the 61. Cap. is fulfilled Luke 4. Iesus came to Nazareth where he had ben brought vp and entred as he was wont vpon the sabboth day into the synagogue and rose vp that he might reade Then was giuen vnto him the Booke of the Prophet Esaie and when he had opened the booke he found a place in whiche it was written The spirite of the Lorde is vpon me because that he annointed me that I should preach gladde tidinges he sent me to heale the broken in heart that I should preach deliuerance to captiues and recouerie of sight to the blinde that I should seâ— them at libertie that are distressed And that I should preach the acceptable yeare of the Lorde And when he had restored the booke closed vnto the minister he sate downe and the eies of all that were in the synagogue were fastened on him Then he began to say vnto them This day is the scripture fulfilled in your eares Also Acts the 10 vers 38. The vniforme praier of the Apostles witnesseth the prophesie in the 2. Psalme to be fulfilled in our Lorde Iesus For so also Luke writeth in the 4. of the Actes The man was aboue fortie yeare olde on whom this miracle of healing was shewed Nowe being let goe they came to their companie and shewed what the cheefe of the priestes and the Elders had saide vnto them And when they heard it they lift vp their voices with one accorde to God and saide O Lord thou art the God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all thinges that are in them Who hast saide by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid Whie did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges The kinges of the earth stoode vp and the princes were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For they were gathered together in deede against thy holie sonne Jesus whom thou hast annointed both Herode Pontius Pilate with the nations and peoples of Israel that they might do whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsel had determined before to be done These are the testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles that Iesus is the Christ or the annointed Messias What we are taught by the name of Christ or anointed BY the terme of Christ or anointed is taught that this person came with the commandement of the father and that the same was ordained of him that he shold erect that Priestly kingdom by the scepter of his word power of his spirite in this life and should finishe it in the life euerlasting For like as anointing wherby at Gods commandement Kinges Priestes and prophets were appointed amongst his people with an outwarde and visible oyle was a publike testimonie that God would gouerne efend his people by this person also kepe vpholde his diuine worshippe and likewise teach his people and this person had commandement of this thing that they might suffer themselues to be gouerned clensed and taught so the sonne of God manifested in the fleshe concerning his manhoode is anointed with the holy Ghoste without measure which is the truth of that outward anointing and so is ordained and giuen of the father to be the king priest and prophet of his Church First of all therefore the name Messias or Christ serueth for a notable confirmation of our faith to witte whilest we vnderstand by anointing that the sonne of God hath commandement in the very same that he is Christ or anointed by his kinglie power to keepe vs by his euerlasting sacrifice to reconcile vs to the Father and to open vnto vs al the will of the father to be short not to rest vntil he haue beautified his Church with glorie and euerlasting life Ioh. 6. verse 27. cap. 10.18 Psalme 43.6.7 to the Heb. 2. ver 8.9 Also cap. 5. ver 4.5 Heb. 1. ver 9. And forasmuch as the sonne of God that same annointed of the Lord hath his solemne commandement it is certaine that he wil execute it most faithfully Of the frute or consolation which the faithful receaue thereby THe first fruite is that our faith hath a certaine obiect or matter to respecte to wit this same certaine person sent and appointed from the Father with commandement which now beginneth in vs that same spiritual and euerlasting kingdome which is righteousnes peace and ioie in the holie Ghost in the sted of sinne euerlasting heauines and death and shal finish it afterwardes and seeing that he holdeth vnder his gouernement and iron scepter al thinges created both his and our enemies that is both wicked men and diuels that they hurt not either his glorie or our saluation but rather that euen against their willes they aduance both Hence peace and ioye arise in the heartes of beleeuers who are citizens of this kingdome For as it must needes bee that al they be made sadde that doubt vnder what Lorde they are in this life whether vnder Christe or Satan so on the contrarie it can not be but all they must be filled with ioye who by the inwarde testimonie of the anointing of faith and by the outwarde of holie baptisme are assured that they are vnder Christe the King of righteousnes and are translated out of the kingdome of darkenesse into the kingdome of Christ Coloss 1. and haue the kingdome of the sonne of GOD euen begone in them as Christ saith the kingdome of God is in you or amongst you The Angel exhorteth vs to this ioye in the verie manifestation of this king Luk. 2. verse 10.11 Be not afraide For beholde I bring you glad tydinges of great ioye that shal be to all the people to wit that this daie a Sauiour is borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lorde Hence is the same peace and good will in the heartes of beleeuers of which afterwardes that same multitude of heauenly hostes doe mention in their songe Glorie in the highest heauens
right it is and I will giue it him Of the time of the comming of the Messiah note both these diligently that hee must be borne when the scepter shoulde be taken away from Iehudah as hath beene shewed and yet notwithstanding whilest the Temple and Priesthood should yet stande as Daniel saith in the 9. Chapter After 62. weekes Christ shall be cut off and there shall be none to helpe him and the people of that Capitaine to come shall scatter that citie and that sanctuarie Of the place of his birth touching the flesh also of his comming forth from the dayes of eternitie in respect of his diuine nature MIchee 5. And thou Bethlehem Euphratah art little to be among the thousands of Iudah yet out of thee shall hee come foorth vnto me that shall be ruler in Israel Whose goings foorth haue beene from the beginning and from euerlasting With what a wonderfull prouidence of God was this prophesie fulfilled Whilest Ioseph and Marie by the edict of Augustus are called into Bethlehem where shee brought foorth Christ See Luk. 2. in the beginning of the chapter and with what a wonderfull prouidence the wise men were lead vnto the place being holpen of Herod and of the Scribes See the seconde of Matthew Of the holinesse of his conception IEremie 23. Beholde the dayes come saith the Lord of hoastes And I will raise vp a braunch to my seruaunt Dauid and this is his name whereby they shall call him The Lorde of hoastes our righteousnesse The prophesie is fulfilled Luke 1. verses 31.22.33.35 Daniel in the 9. Chapter foretolde that the holinesse of holinesses must be annointed whereby in verie deede he sheweth plainely and cleerely that his conception must be holy and must be the seconde Temple yet standing What that the Prophet Isaiah and Haggeus foreshewed that it shoulde come to passe that the glorie of the seconde Temple should be much greater then the glorie of the first it shoulde be euerlasting was it not truely fulfilled in this most pure conception of the Sonne of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which by the power of the holy Ghost that same euerlasting worde hath personally vnited the humaine nature and hath begon to dwell in it as in his owne Temple As also Christ himselfe nameth his body a Temple Ioh. 2. So both the prophesies are fulfilled not as in a temple of stone or a figure whose glorie was much lesse then the glorie of Salomons Temple neither did that Temple continewe euerlastingly but after the Messiah was exalted to wit that same true Temple was taken away into the fathers glorie neuer after to be builded againe The prophesie of Isaias is playne in the 60. Chapiter vers 13. The glory of Lybanon shall come vnto thee the firre tree the elme and the boxe tree together to bewtifie the place of my sanctuary For I will glorifie the place of my feete And in the same place I will make thee an eternall glorie c. The Prophesie of Haggai in the second Chapiter is more notable So saith the Lorde there Speake nowe vnto Zerubbabel the sonne of Shealtiel Prince of Iudah and to Iehosua the sonne of Iehozadak the high Priest and to the residue of the people saying who is lefte among you that sawe this house in her fiâ—st glorie and howe do you see it nowe Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it as nothing Yet now saith the Lorde of hoastes strengthen thy selfe Zerubbabel c. And a litle after Thus saith the Lord God of hoastes yet a little while and I will moue the heauen and earth and the the sea and the drie land and I will moue all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hoastes Siluer is mine and golde is mine saith the Lorde of hoastes The glory of this last house shal be greater then the first saith the Lorde of hoastes Of the virgines bringing forth a childe ISay Chapter 7. The Lorde shall giue you a signe Beholde a virgine shall be with childe and shall bring forth a sonne thou shalt call his name Immanuell Thou hast the fulfilling of it in the 1. of Mathew verses 22.23 To which adde the Prophesie of Isay Chap. 9. A litle childe is borne vnto vs. A sonne is giuen vnto vs and the gouernement was vpon his shoulder and he shal cal his name wonderful Counsailour the mightie God father of euerlastingnes Prince of peace Fulfilled in the 2. of Luke ver 11.14 The meaning of the wordes which was conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the virgine Marie THe meaning is that the euerlasting Sonne of God of the same substance with the Father without any putting off of his diuine nature without any conuersion or commixtioÌ„ was made that which he first was not to wit man which the Scripture enterpreteth He tooke the seede of Abraham that is our flesh of the virgine Marie and his verie humane soule and that by the power of the holy Ghoste that he might be like vnto his brethren in al things sinne onely excepted Ioh. 1. And to the Hebr. 2. and the fourth 1. Tim. 3. Rom. 1. The consolation which a faithful man conceaueth by this pure conception WE conceaue hereof this consolatioÌ„ first that we haue an vndoubted and true mediator with God in al thinges that we haue to do with him as who hath not onely the communioÌ„ of one but of both natures to wit diuine and humane Againe that he is such a Mediator whose bodie and soule in the verie conception were sanctified first that he might be a pure and holie sacrifice through which all our corruption might be cleansed that it might not be laide vnto our charge Heb. 7. verses 26.27 Rom. 7. verse 20. and the 8. verse 1. Moreouer to the end that the efficacie of his fulnes might by litle and little sanctifie this defiled lumpe of ours vntil he deliuer vs fully from that same natural corruption and by the same holie spirite whereby that substantial worde hath sanctified both soule and bodie euen from the wombe might also reforme our soules and bodies in the time appointed of God according to his owne image Io. 1. verse 16. the 1. Cor. 15. verse 45.47.48 The drifte and purpose of this article and how necessarie the true vnderstanding therof is THis same article concerning the person of Chirst which consisteth of two natures the humane the diuine knitte together by a personal vnion euerlastingly yet the proprieties of either being kept euerlastingly containeth the foundation and piller of the kingly Priesthood of Christ and consequently of his euerlasting priesthood betwixt God and men For it is mans happines to be ioyned with God the fountaine of al goodnes 1. Ioh. 1. Contrariwise it is the greatest vnhappinesse to be separated from God But man had separated himselfe by sinne from God and had entred into couenant with the deuill Euen
AN EXPOSITION of the Symbole of the Apostles or rather of the Articles of Faith In which the chiefe points of the euerlasting and free couenant betweene God and the faithfull is briefly and plainly handled GATHERED OVT OF THE catechising Sermons of GASPER OLEVIAN TREVIR And now translated out of the Latine tongue into the English for the benifite of Christ his Church By IOHN FIELDE AT LONDON Printed by H. Middleton for Thomas Man and Tobie Smith ANNO. 1581. To the right honorable and my very good Lord Ambrose Earle of Warwicke Master of the Queenes Maiesties Ordinance Knight of the noble order of the Garter one of her Maiesties most honorable priuie counsell I. Fielde his faithfull seruant wisheth with his heart grace from God the Father by Iesus Christ and constancie in the trueth of the Gospell to the ende Amen OF all the faultes that we fall into in these dayes of our vanity right honorable my very good Lord I know none that deserue greater blame than to be vnthankfull where we haue receaued benefites And this is the cause that I hauing takē some paines in this profitable worke which I am bolde vnder your honours name to offer to the whole Church of God I thought good to leaue it in lieu of thankefulnesse as a testimony both of your honours loue towards the truth of God and of my humble duety againe towards your honor and the whole Church of God to all posteritie for who am I that I should not whiles life lasteth liue to the profite of the Church and who are you with all your honour auctority wealth and libertie all the gifts which God in mercie hath bestowed vpon you that you should not employ all to the maintenance of the truth and defence of the Church vnder her Maiestie wherein both high and lowe receaue the assuraunce of spirituall blessings sealed in the hope of an euerlasting kingdome And as the glory of God is shewed most herein that he defendeth his spowse hath bewtified her with giftes from aboue that she might be a pure and vndefiled spowse chast and holy vnto him selfe so this is our greatest glory of what state or condition so euer we be to be members of this Church by the Communion whereof we are his members For he is the onely head of his Church to giue it gifts to gouerne it to lead it to that great and euerlasting saluation There is no life but from this head nor any saluation but in this Church wherein as syncere doctrine is professed and out of his worde shineth and dwelleth so that holy obedience of children towards their father and of seruauntes towards their Lord framed and conformed to his will alwayes appeareth and sheweth it selfe And therefore it is called his howse because he is the husband of it the housholder and master that ruleth in it setting down his owne orders to his children and familie wherein it is intollerable presumption if not blasphemie for any man to dare to alter or chaunge the least iote against his will He is the Kinge and Pastor of it Luke 12.4 and his friendes stande and heare him Io. 10.4.5 his sheepe followe his voice and will not goe after a straunger They loue him that keepe his wordes and he beautifieth them not onely as guestes strangers but as Citizens and Saintes Ephes 2.19 and such as are of his owne housholde These are they that flie as the cloudes such is the multitude of them dispersed vpon the face of the earth and they mounte vp as Doues to his windowe Esay 60.8 And this is both called is the Church of the liuing God 1. Timot. 3.15 the foundation and piller of truth the body of Christ the house of the highest the keeper teacher of the Gospell the mother of the faithfull clensed of Christ and pretious vnto him This is no particular synagogue whorish and disobedient impure and filthy full of rebellion and falsehood as is that synagogue of Rome which hath departed from her first faith and loue which although the Papists would aduāce aboue the skies alwaies like Cuckowes singing one the same songe and shamelesly begging that which they shoulde chiefly proue yet they shall neuer be able though they burst their harts for it to proue it to be either the Catholique Church of Iesus Christ or a member of it For they maintaine another head besides Christ another worde besides the worde of Christ vnwritten verities or rather absurde vntruthes preferring the commaundements of a sinnefull man before the vnchaungeable and euerlasting trueth of God And truely I do not a little wonder what madnesse is entred into their braines that with such Owles faces they dare in the open lighte of the Gospell schritch forth their olde absurdities as though now after the great instruction of the truth they were able to thrust forth vnto vs as in times past when they lead vs in the darke their counterfaite ware to deceaue vs and so turne vs away from the glorious lighte of our saluation We had thought they had receiued their aunswere long agoe would neuer haue durste to looke the trueth in the face againe but nowe as they are continually instructed from that same enemy of truth so they bring forth their olde rotten stuffe and their new Iesuites haue furbushed ouer their olde arguments of their blinde predecessors as if they were spicke spanne newe they offer them vnto vs. But we finde them all of one metall This onely is the difference that whereas they were wont to speake in their owne language and like themselues nowe they speake in an other dissembling voyce and being in case to couch for feare of the whippe they haue turned their rustie roughnes into some smoothnes and like Angels of lighte that they may haue some entertainment amongest vs and to the end they may infect the lande againe with their idolatries and turne vpside downe the quiet peace the blessing of the Gospell hath brought vs and drinke vp our bloud as together with Antichrist their head they haue done in times past and in the countries where they haue had entertainment rounde about vs with strong flatterie they prepare euen to creepe into our bosomes And hēce are those speaches vsed by Parsons Howlet in that fraudulent and doubling Epistle that he of late hath presumed to whoope in the eares of her Soueraigne Highnes wherewith because I haue dealt more fully in another place now I do but touch it But as there is greatest daunger when foes beginne to faigne so haue we greatest cause to distrust these enemies of God and of the common weale when they haue made their tongues most glyb and smoothe to deceaue withall August in Psal 9. that as one saith verie well they may binde mēs soules in their sinnes For a sinner delighteth to doe those things wherein not onely the reprouer is feared but also the praiser is heard There are
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
into hell pertaineth to his humiliation as Peter expressely in the second of the Actes teacheth by Dauid These thinges many of the auncient fathers more diligently waying thought that hell was to be taken here simply for the graue But if it had beene no other thing it had not beene needefull that the same should be repeated in the articles more darkely that before nowe was spoken more clearely Of the true meaning of this article He descended into hell THere is no doubt but that the descending of Christ into hell is the lowest and extreamest degree of Christs humiliation wherby he hath humbled himselfe for vs and as it were put off his glorie making himselfe of no reputation Acts 2. Now we must see what manner of humiliation that is by the thinges that are signified by his descension into hel The significations are these hel signifieth the graue secondly by translation the place of the damned thirdly extreame sorrowes Psalme 18 1. Sam. 2. fourthly it is taken for the condition which is in buriall and which followeth the same or els for that same ful state of extreame ignominie to wit whiles they that are buried lie oppressed and as it were swallowed vp of death Isaias 14.11.15.16.17 Of the first signification we haue saide why the descension into hell must not be taken simplie for burial in this place The other signification also to wit the descension to the place of the damned we haue shewed not to agree to this article There remaineth two significations to wit the sorrowes of mind and that same state or condition which followeth those sorrowes and burying it selfe In the first signification Christe in his whole passion not onely in his bodie but in his soule especiallie felt those same horrible anguishes which Peter calleth the sorrowes of death Actes 2. In the verie entrance of this most feareful bottomles pit the voice of Christ doth witnes this very thing Matth. 26. My soule is heauie vnto death in the proceeding into the same bottomlesse gulfe the droppes of bloud doe also witnesse a greater anguish of the minde which fell from his face vpon the earth Luke 22. And from the verie bottome of this gulfe proceeded that voice of Christ witnessing his extreame torments O God my God why hast thou forsaken me Matth. 27. In verie deede because we haue not onely sinned in bodie but principallie also in soule and deserued the wrath of God it behoued our pledge Christ before that righteous tribunall seate of God to feele the wrath of God not only in bodie but also in soule and to appease it that he might be the redeemer not onely of the bodie but also of the soule 1. Cor. 6.20 Of whih matter there is a notable place to the Hebrues Cap. 5. vers 7. Who that is to say Christ in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death and was also heard in that which he feared and though he were the sonne yet learned he obedience by the thinges which he suffred and being consecrated was made the author of eternal saluation vnto all them that obey where also this is to be obserued that the willing obedience of Christ is seene in that same descending of Christ And therefore Saint Peter also 1. Epistle cap. 2 calleth Christ the Pastor of soules Nowe although that Christ in his passion did onely feele these sorrowes of hel for a time yet notwithstanding this same humiliation of the sonne of God into those same extreame sorrowes of hell enduring onely for a time is equal with those euerlasting paines which in sinning against the eternal God we haue deserued seeing that same person God is euerlasting who hath so humbled it selfe in his humaine nature that it felt the sorrowes of hell Which also is the cause why those same sorrowes in Christe could but last onely for a time vnder which the vngodlie lie ouerwhelmed for euer Neither is there any cause why any man should thinke that these thinges which are attributed vnto him of the Euangelistes to wit heauinesse feare and to conclude sorrowe all which doe spring of infirmitie to be vnmeete for the person of Christe First for because Christe not for his owne but for our cause tooke these thinges vpon him of his owne accorde and therefore they withdraw nothing from his power and strength Moreouer this infirmitie of Christe was pure and free from all sinne aswell because he continued in true obedience so that he suffered such great tormentes without any blasphemie against God as also because he left not off to haue hope in God admit he were vexed aboue measure when he ceased not to call him his God of whom he cryeth out that he was forsaken Hebrues 5. verses 7.8.9 This signification which is the thirde in order to wit of the sorrowes of the minde springing from the curse doth conteine a profitable and necessarie doctrine agreeable with the holie Scripture and this signification were sufficient for the expounding of this article sauing that two pointes doe let both that in the death of Christ which was accursed those same sorrowes springing from the feeling of the curse are comprehended and that same article of burying is adioyned The later signification therefore of hell is that same condition which is in buriall and which followeth the same that is to say whiles they which are buried lie oppressed and as it were swallowed vp of death And therfore Dauid saieth Who shal cōfesse thee in the graue Psa 49.15.16 Esai 14.11.15.16.17 Christ also would humble himselfe euen vnto this same verie state that he might lie vntil the thirde day as Ionah in the bellie of the whale swallowed and as it were ouercome of death For so the Scripture speaketh of Ionah the figure of Christe praying out of the bellie of the fishe Chapter 2. verse 2. In my affliction I haue called vpon the Lord and he hath heard me from the bellie of hell haue I called vpon thee and thou hast hearde my voice And in the fourth verse But I haue saide I am cast away from thy sight yet I will looke towardes the temple of thy holinesse And verse 6. the barres of the earth haue shutte me in for euer Saint Peter ioyneth both significations together in one the same verse Actes 2. saying Whom God raised vp loosing the sorrowes of death because it was impossible that he should be holden of it For first in those wordes those same sorrowes of death without all controuersie are those same extreame tormentes not onely of the bodie but principally of the minde wherwith God would bruse him Esaie 53. and in which he being set and placed he crieth out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Moreouer Peter addeth that then those same sorrowes of death were loosed when God raised him vp from the dead because that it was impossible that he should be holden of it
from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If when Christ raigned in humilitie the diuels were constrained to aske him leaue howe shall they nowe dare to attempt anie thing against any member of Christ after that Christ is ascended on high hath led captiuitie captiue vnlesse first they shall entreate the Lorde Christ But faithfull is Christ our Lorde who shall not suffer vs to bee tempted aboue that wee shall bee able to beare 1. Corinthians 10. If then when he gouerned his kingdom in humilitie and great abasement the sea was still when he said Mar 4. be still What shall be now done he raigning in high glorie when he wil declare his wil as were but by a becke against the stormes of persecutions But wee are the members of so great a Lorde and of Christ and therefore he not only can but also will that which is most healthful vnto vs. And doe not we nowe much more deserue that Christ should vpbrayde no lesse vnto vs then vnto the Apostles a lacke for sorrowe that same faintnes of faith because that in the tempestes of aduersities in the meditation of so great thinges our faith doeth mount vp no higher See an example of defence Act. 18. ver 8.9 From thence he shal come to iudge both the quicke and the deade Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles DAniel 7.13 I did see in a vision by night behode one like the sonne of man came in the cloudes of heauen and approached vnto the auncient of dayes and they brought him before him and he gaue him dominion honour and a kingdome that all people nations and languages shoulde serue him his dominion is an euerlasting dominion which shall neuer be taken away and his kingdome shal neuer be destroyed And in the Epistle of Iude verses 14.15 And Enoch also the seauenth frō Adam prophecied of these saying beholde the Lorde commeth with thousandes of his sainctes to giue iudgement against all men and to rebuke all the vngodly among them of all their wicked deedes which they haue vngodly committed and of all their cruell speakings which wicked sinners haue spoken against him Matth. 25. And when the sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him Then shall he sit vppon the throne of his glorie and all nations shall bee gathered before him and hee shall separate them one from an other as a sheepehard separateth the sheepe from the goates And he shal set his sheepe on his right hand and the goates on the left Then shall the king say to them on his right hande Come ye blessed of my father take the inheritance of the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world For I was an hungred and ye gaue me to eate I thirsted and you gaue me to drinke c. 2. Pet. 3. verse 9. The Lorde is not slacke as some men count slackenesse of that promise he hath promised but is patient toward vs and woulde haue no man to perish but all to come to repentance But the day of the Lord wil come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe awaye with a noise and the elements shall melt away with heate and the earth with the workes therein shall be burnt vp Seeing therefore that all these thinges must be dissolued what maner of persons ought ye to be in holy couersation and godlinesse looking for and hasting vnto that day of the Lord by the which the heauens being on fire shall bee dissolued and the elementes shall melt with heat Why this article is added vnto the former THis article is added vnto the former for the greater confirmation of our faith For because Christ sitting at the right hand of his father doeth so exercise his kingly power of iudging partly by defending his that are in couenant with him that yet in the meane while hee keepeth them vnder the crosse and wronges of their enemies to mortifie sinne partly so bridling the vngodlie Actes 12. that in the meane season he leaueth many thinges vnpunished to the ende his long sufferaunce may exclude all excuse and therefore Christ our Lorde will to the ende that wee bee not troubled with any miseries or crueltie of enemies that we shoulde lift vp our heades with true confidence of minde to looke for his comming that the greater our miserie shall bee the more certaine wee may bee that the daye of our triumph is at hande and of the righteous destruction of all the wicked enemies of God That the generall and last iudgement must of necessitie be that we may bee armed against those scorners whome the holy Ghost hath foreshewed shoulde be by Peter the Apostle in these last times A sure foundation may bee taken from the righteousnes of God and the state of the righteous in this life as Paul hath concluded in the 1. Thes 1. For it is a righteous thinge with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you which are troubled release with vs when the Lorde Iesus shall shewe himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire c. Forasmuch therefore as that recompence is not in this life which the righteousnes of God requireth and this notwithstanding this righteousnes remayneth firme vnmoueable with God for euer that the wicked may be punished the Godly may receiue that same promised release there vpon the Apostle inferreth that that is a manifest token of the iust iudgement of God to followe of the comming of the Lorde Furthermore this foundation being laide the destruction of the citie of Ierusalem maie bee added which Christ ioyned with the prophecie of the last iudgement not without a great weightie cause that is to say the figure with the thing signified that wee might no more doubt of his wrath to come vppon the vngodly in the day of iudgemēt then of the shame of the Iewes foreshewed of Christ which yet they beare before our eyes Matth. 24. Luke 21. Of the meaning of this Article THE meaning of this article is I doe beleeue that Iesus Christe doeth not onely nowe exercise his kingly power of iudgeing by his vertue from heauen by diuerse examples aswell in defending the godly as repressing the wicked but also that he shall solemnly come from heauen from the right hande of the power of God in a corporall presence thorowly to iudge all men as well those that are departed out of this life frō the beginning that the worlde was created whose bodies shal rise againe as those whome that day shall finde remaining yet liuing in this worlde who shall soudenly be changed Nowe forasmuch as to iudge is to absolue the innocent to beautifie them and to condemne the wicked and to punish them I beleeue that he shall so iudge that hee shall fully deliuer the godly and beutifie them with eternall glorie contrariwise that he shall fully execut the condemnation vppon the
contemners of so great long suffering patience and so shal drowne sathan as Pharaoh with all his armie in euerlasting destructiō but he shal bring in his confiderats fully deliuered from al tyrannie of the wicked into that same true heauenly inheritance as into the lande of promise to which Paul would haue vs to loke whē he saith as often as ye shall eat of this bread drinke of this cup ye shal shew forth the Lords death vntil his comming againe Why the comming of Christ is not so feareful vnto the faithful FIrst the cause doth cōfort the faithful for which he shal come to iudge Now the chiefe end of the cōming againe of Christ to iudgement is the glorifying of the Church that is to say that sinne and death being fully ouercome and the enemies of the kingdome being adiudged by the iust iudgemēt of Christ to euerlasting paine and so all offences and impediments remoued which did let the glory of the sons of God God might appeare without any let fully perfectly glorious in his saints Eph. 5.1 Cor. 15. Christ setteth this same cause or rather ende scope before our eyes whilest he calleth that day the day of redemption Secondly the very person of the iudge doth take frō vs al feare For euen for this cause the father hath deliuered al iudgmēt to the son as he is the sonne of man that he might make our consciences quiet take from vs all terror of condemnation Ioh. 5.22.27 Both because that now we beleeue that he shall be iudge and also because we shal behold him with our eyes in whose body our sinnes are cleansed and all the curse taken away Heb. 9.28 Tit. 2.13.14 Last of al the commandement promise of Christ doth free deliuer vs frō al feare The cōmandement is plaine in Luk. 21. Whē ye shal see these thinges come to passe be of good comfort lift vp your heades Math. 24. It shall come to passe that yee shall heare of wars and rumors of warre but see that yee he not troubled for these things must be The promise is plaine in third of Ioh. He that beleeueth in the son is not iudged or cōdēned And cap. 5.24 1. Thes 4.14.17 cap. 5 ver 9.10 Ioh. 17. ver 22.24 yea let that promise be cōsidered which is in 1. Cor. 6. doe yee not knowe that the sainctes shall iudge the worlde And a little after bee yee ignorant that it shall come to passe that wee shall iudge the Angels And surely seeing all the Articles of the faithe are deliuered for our consolation it must needes be that this article also of iudgement is deliuered not to shake but to confirme and establishe our faith Howe we ought to make our selues readie to iudgement WE must prepare our selues to the iudgement of Christ by faith and a good conscience that is to say by a faith which leaneth vppon a fast and sure foundation and by the fruites of faith which doe beare witnesse of it and with which it is exercised Nowe the foundation of faith is not our merite neither in whole nor in part but of Christ alone who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come 1. Thess 1. For no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laide alreadie to wit Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3. The which also is manifestly vnderstood by the wordes of the iudge himselfe For first he saith Come ye blessed of my heauenly father Nowe wee are not blessed by or in our selues but by Christ by whome we are both deliuered from the cursse and also adopted to be sonnes of the meere good will and free purpose of God Galat. 3. Ephesi 1.2 The iudge further addeth Possesse for an inheritance the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde If an inheritance then no merite If prepared from the beginning of the worlde then not gotten by vs which yet were not And these things concerning the foundation wherevppon our faith leaneth Nowe after that I am assured through faith that I am one of the sheepe of Christ which he hath redeemed not with golde and siluer but with his owne blood I must endeuour that I may haue those same markes where with by his spirite hee is wont to marke his sheepe to wit fruits worthie repentance which are that I feede Christ being hungrie and giue drinke vnto him being thirstie in his mēbers that I receiue Christ by hospitalitie in strangers c. But the faithfull rest not vppon these workes of thankefulnesse like as also they shall say in the iudgement Lord when saw we thee hungrie and thirstie and gaue meate drinke vnto thee But they shall onely reste vppon Christ who is made vnto them of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1. To these fruites and exercises of faith belong sobrietie calling vpon the name of God and watchfulnesse For it is a precious deceit of sathan whilest he persuadeth men that that same iudgement is yet farre off or that there is no neede euerie houre or moment to looke for it when as notwithstanding the comaundement of Christe and the doctrine of the Apostles require speciall watchfulnesse Luke 21. Matth. 24. verse 44.45 1. Thessa 4. vers 15.17 and chapter 5. verse 1.2 1. Pet. 3. Besides these the looking for iudgement doeth admonish the faithful that aboue all thinges they take heede vnto themselues least they defile their bodies or their soules with the idolatrie of Antichrist or with the like that they vnderprop their mindes with patience concerning which matter there are extant graue admonitions Mat. 24. ver 24.25 Apo. 14. ver 7.7.11.12 chap. 18. ver 4. To conclude wee must keepe a good conscience in al things euen vntil the Lord shal come who shall make manifest the secretes of darkenes shal lay open the coūsels of the hart 1. Cor. 4.5 So Paul saith Act. 24. In this therefore I exercise my selfe that alwayes I may haue a conscience without offence before God and men THE THIRDE part of the Creede I beleeue in the holy Ghost Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles Ioel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterward I will power out my spirit vpon all flesh your sonnes your daughters shal prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shal see visions yea and vppon the seruants and maidens in those days I will powre out my spirit and I will shewe wonders in the heauen in the earth blood fire pillers of smoke the sonne it selfe shal be turned into darkenes the moone into blood before the great terrible day of the Lord come And further it shal come to passe that whosoeuer shall cal vpon the name of Iehovah shall be saued for in Mount Syon and Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lorde hath saide and in the remnant whome the Lorde shall call Actes 2.16.17 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet