of himselfe without any dependance The manner of subsisting is the furnishing of a thing with peculiar Relation including a Person Now then the Persons in the Trinity differ from the Essence onely in the manner of subsisting because the Essence subsists in one manner in the Father and in another in the Sonne c. They doe not differ in Essence for all of them haue the same but onely in the manner of the subsisting of the Essence in each Person In the Trinity there is another and another but not another thing there is another that is another Person there is not another thing that is not another Essence In Christ now there is another and another thing for his diuine Nature is one thing and his humane Nature is another thing and yet there is not alius that is another Person But it is otherwise in the Trinity The being of the Father is the being of the Sonne and the being of the holy Ghost but to be the Father is not to be the Sonne or the holy Ghost Thus the Persons differ from the Essence They differ one from another foure waies In order in personall proprieties in number and in operation First in order they differ for the Father is the first Person the Sonne the Second and the holy Ghost the Third This Priority must not not be mistaken for one Person is not before another in time or in dignity but onely in Nature or in order of Nature so as one Person depends vpon another As the Sun is before the beames of the Sun not in time but in order of Nature because the beames are from the Sun so in the Trinity the Son and holy Ghost are after the Father not in time but because they receiue the originall of their Persons from the Father Relatiues are together in time onely note that Nature heere signifies the manner of subsisting not of essence for in respect of Essence there is no priority in the Trinity Secondly they differ in personall Proprieties As the personall Proprietie of the Father is to be of himselfe in respect of his Person vnbegotten The personall Proprietie of the Son is Generation or to bee of the Father by begetting The personall Propriety of the holy Ghost is to bee of the Father and the Son by Spiration or proceeding and thus each Person differs from other by incommunicable Characters Thirdly they differ in number they are the same in number in respect of the Essence because one God is Father Son and holy Ghost and yet in respect of those Characters in the manner of subsisting each Person hath a subsisting by himselfe which in number is not the same with the other Persons The Father hath one manner of subsisting in number the Son another and the holy Ghost another Note that I say each Person hath his subsisting by himselfe not of himselfe Fourthly they differ in operation and so both in externall and internall operations In externall workes though in respect of the things wrought they are common to all three persons yet in respect of the manner of working there is distinction of the persons for the Father workes by the Son in the holy Ghost The Father worketh from none the Son from the Father and the holy Ghost from them both Gen. 19. 24. Iohn 5. 19. 30. 8. 28. 16. 13. There are two principles to be marked for the vnderstanding of this point The one is that the workes of the Deity that are outward are common to all three Persons The other is that looke what order there is of existing in the Trinity the same order there is in working as was said before the Father worketh by the Son in the holy Ghost Thus Creation Adoption Sanctification are the workes of the whole Trinity as the Scriptures proue that attribute Creation to the Father and to the Son and to the Spirit and so of the other workes all three Persons worke the same Apotelesma or worke but not all after the same manner as for instance in the worke of our Redemption the Father workes by sending the Son the Son by assuming our Nature the holy Ghost by sanctifying and forming the bodie of Christ out of the flesh of the Virgin c. so in the Creation the Father wils it the Son by the holy Ghost effects it But this is withal to be noted that as any outward worke hath more resemblance in any part of it to any person in the Trinity so it is more specially attributed to that Person so in the Creed and in the Scriptures too Creation is attributed to the Father who being of himselfe fitly giues being to the creatures Redemption is attributed to the Son who as he resembles his Fathers Image is fittest to represent vnto mankinde his mercy and being an eternall Word in the Fathers minde doth fitly by his Word tell vs his Fathers meaning Sanctification is attributed to the holy Ghost who as he is breathed as it were from the Father and the Son per modum voluntatis amoris so doth hee fitly by breathing or inspiration inlighten and sanctifie our wills and affections And as they differ in externall workes so doe they in internall for the Father onely begets a Sonne the Father and Son as it were breathes forth the holy Ghost And thus of the matter of the Doctrine of the Trinity the Termes follow to bee considered of These words Persons and Trinity Essence c. were taken vp in the Primitiue Church as the fittest words to expresse what they conceiued of these glorious Mysteries The speech of man in many things extreamely doth want words Wee say three Persons not as if thereby the mystery were vttered but that it may not be vtterly concealed for that which is of such ineffable eminencie cannot be expressed in such a word wee speake therefore of these things as the Father said not as wee ought but as wee can And againe the same Father saith It hath bin lawfull for vs for discourse and disputation sake to say three persons not because the Scripture saith so but because it doth not contradict it and a kinde of necessity brought the Ancient Church to inuent the words for when Heretikes would yeeld to the termes of Scripture and varied vpon the corrupt senses they put vpon the words the Ancients were driuen to inuent words which did expresse the true sense that thereby the Heretikes might be tryed whether they hold the right Faith or no which termes that before were promiscuously vsed in other learning being in the daies of the first Christian Churches made free in the Cittie of God haue euer since enioned their freedome and may not now be turned out without suspition of contentiousnesse selfe conceit and Schisme The sense is in Scriptures though the words be not there As the Scripture saith there be three in Heauen which are one which the Church adds the three are Persons and the one is essence It adds not to
the sense of the Text but to the words and yet the Word Person is found Heb. 1. 3. in the same sense in a manner as it is taken heere To bring in new words might bring in new errors and it were a great wrong to cast out such words as haue done such seruice against Heretickes and are so fit to reduce the mindes of men to vnderstand the right way of beleeuing in these high Mysteries But yet wee must bee warned that the termes doe not alwaies fully expresse the thing especially if wee iudge of the termes about the Trinity as wee doe of the same words amongst vs in other things As for instance a Person in the Trinity differs from a person among men or Angels as for example Peter Paul and Iohn are three persons to whom our humane Nature is common yet these three persons differ one from another first in Substance because each of them haue their substance of soule and body separate from the other secondly in Time one is younger then another thirdly in Will Paul contradicts Peter fourthly in Power Paul labours more then all the Apostles fifthly in Operation Peter workes amonst them of the Circumcision and Paul amongst the Gentiles But it is not thus in the three Persons in the Trinity Peter and Iohn are separate wholie one from another whereas in the Trinity the Father is in the Sonne and he in the Father 1. Iohn 3. 24. They may be farre asunder in place but God the Father and the Sonne are neuer asunder Iohn 8. 29. and in the Trinity there is in all one will one power all three Persons are Almighty all eternall and all worke the same worke Ob. Some may say it seemes impossible that three should be one Sol. In one and the same respect but not in diuers Three Persons cannot be one person but three Persons may bee one Essence As the Nature of man may be common to many persons as to Peter Iohn Paul c. Ob. He that seeth Christ sees the Father for he is in the Father and the Father in him therefore the Father and the Son are but one Person Sol. He that sees the Sonne sees the Father because the Son hath the same Essence with the Father and being manifested in the flesh reueales the whole will of God he is the same with the Father in Will and Essence not in person Ob. If the being of the Father be not the being of the Sonne or holy Ghost then it followes that there are three diuers beings and so three Essences Sol. The being of the Father notes the being of his Person not of his Essence and so three Beings are but three Persons subsisting in one Essence As the light of the Sun and the light of the Moone and the light of the Ayre in substance are one and the same light and yet three distinct lights the light of the Sun being of it selfe the light of the Moone from the Sun and the light of the Ayre from them both Ob. If there bee more IEHOVAHS then one then there are more Essences then one but heere are more IEHOVAHS for IEHOVAH raigned fire and brimstone from IEHOVAH in heauen Gen. 19. 24. Sol. IEHOVAH is a Terme giuen to the Persons aswell as to the Essence and so diuers IEHOVAHS notes diuers Persons not Essences Ob. The Sonne and holy Ghost had their beginning from the Father therefore it seemes the Father onely is God Sol. The Sonne and holy Ghost had the beginning of their Persons from the Father but their Essence they had of themselues as being common to all three Persons so as euery Person is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe Ob. Three and one makes foure if in God there bee three and one then three is a Quaternity not a Trinity Sol. Three and one if they bee things essentially and really diuided make foure but one and the same thing may haue diuers relations or manners of being which are distinct one from another Ob. He that is the whole God-head besides him there can be no other in whom likewise should be the whole God-head but the Father is the whole God-head therefore the Sonne and holy Ghost are not so Sol. The Maior Proposition is false for the whole God-head is in euery Person as the whole Nature of man is in diuers men Ob. The power of the Persons is not one and therefore how can their Essence be one their power is not one because the Father can beget and so cannot the Sonne Sol. The naturall power of the Persons is all one the personall power differs Ob. How can the Essence begetting and the Essence begotten be all one the Father begets the Son is begotten how can they be one then Sol. Distinguish betweene Generation and Communication and betweene Essence and Person the Person begets and is begotten but the Essence neither begets nor is begotten but onely is communicated Ob. If the Essence of the Father and the Sonne bee all one then the Father was incarnate for the Son was Sol. The Essence of God absolutely considered was not incarnate but the Person of the Sonne who though he had the whole diuine Nature in him yet in respect of the manner of his subsisting did differ from the Father and holy Ghost Ob. Whose operations are distinct their Essences are distinct but the operations of the Persons in the Trinity especially those internall are distinct therefore they haue distinct Essences Sol. The Maior is true of Persons that haue a finite Essence but not of the Persons in the Trinity who haue an infinite Essence common to them The consideration of this Doctrine of the Trinity should serue for diuers Vses 1. It should strike vs with amazement and admiration of the glory of God and remoue the sense of our owne insufficiencie and narrownesse of heart and vnderstanding who are so ouercome with glory that our mindes are not able to conceiue of or behold these wonderfull secrets in the Diuinity It should worke in vs an vnspeakeable feare and Reuerence to thinke of the being of God that so infinitely excells the being of all creatures in heauen and earth 2. It should compell vpon vs more care and attendance of spirit in worshipping God so as we be sure we direct our seruice to him that is one in Nature and three in Persons for worship belongs equally to all three Persons And herein the Christian fundamentally differs from Pagans Turkes and Iewes and in heart becomes as one of those when he worships a God that is not three Persons 3. We are bound to take notice as of the common glory of all the Persons so of that speciall glory is due to each person as we finde it either described in the Word of God or expressed in the workes of God 4. We must take heede what wee speake of the Trinity
in Vnity for we may fall vpon such formes of speech as may be extreamely erronious and dangerous and for the helpe of the ignorant I will note diuers of the speeches which are dangerous and vnsound as that there are three Gods three Eternalls three Almighties c. or that the Essence is distinguished into the Father Son and holy Ghost that God is threefold or that there is a triplicity in God that God doth beget another God that the Father is another thing from the Son that the Sonne and holy Ghost haue a beginning of their Essence that the Person was begotten or did proceede from the Essence by discerning where the errour lies in these sentences wee may try our skill in the former doctrine of the Trinitie 5. The Doctrine of the Trinity should be wonderfull comfortable vnto the true Christian because as the Apostle Iohn shewes there are three in Heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit which will auouch the happinesse of the true beleeuer and his comfort may be increased if he consider what was before taught that all three Persons doe ioyne in the work of his Redemption 1. Iohn 5. 9. Lastly it is not vnprofitable out of the Doctrine of the Trinity to shew how all sorts of Hereticks haue assaulted it bin confuted by it which may be briefely thus shewed We must beleeue that in the Trinity there is nothing created as Dionisius would haue it nothing vnequall as Eunomius and Aetius nothing before or after or lesser then other as Arius said nothing forraine or seruing to another as Macedonius said nothing inserted by stealth or perswasion as Manichaeus said nothing corporeall or in fashion of bodies as Melito Tertullian and Vadianus said nothing inuisible to themselues as Origen said or visible to the Creatures as Fortunatus said nothing diuers in motion or will as Marcion said nothing taken out of the Essence of the Trinity and put into the Nature of the creatures as Plato and Tertullian said nothing singular in office or communicable to another as Origen said nothing confounded as Sabellius said Aug. Tom. 3. Thus of the Trinity in generall The Father This terme Father is attributed to God both essentially and personally Essentially and so the terme belongs to each Person in the Trinity as being a terme that followes the God-head Mat. 23. 9. and thus God is said to bee a Father diuers waies as first by Predestination because he inrolls the Elect as Sonnes from all eternity Ephes 1. 3. secondly by Creation because he made things to be of nothing by his owne power thus Adam is said to be the Sonne of God Luke 3. 38. and and God is called the Father of spirits Heb. 12. 9. thirdly by temporall redemption and so God is acknowledged for the Father of the Israelites because hee made them a people to himselfe and brought them out of Egypt and gaue them the outward priuiledges of his children Esay 63. 16. 11. 12. fourthly by regeneration when hee changeth our natures and makes them like his diuine Nature 2. Pet. 1. 4. and so wee are sonnes so soone as we beleeue Iohn 1. 12. and so soone as he giues vs the Spirit of Sanctification and Adoption Rom. 8. 15. fifthly by personall vnion and so Christ in respect of his humane nature is the Sonne of God because that nature doth subsist in the diuine Nature Luke 1. Now all these waies God is a Father by grace and in respect of Regeneration the second Person in the Trinity is called a Father aswell as the first Esay 9. 6. 7. and is said to haue an ofspring and generation Esay 53. 10. Lastly God is said to be a Father by Nature and by generation as he begets a Sonne consubstantiall with himselfe and so the first Person in the Trinity is called Father onely as he is the Naturall Father of our Lord Iesus Christ In the Creed heere Faith beholds God as a Father principally in respect of eternall generation as the first Person in Trinity is the Father of the second but withall as it extracts vertue out of that high Mysterie it layes hold vpon the Father of Christ as he is our Father in Christ also for Faith is of that Nature that when it laies hold of any thing it will not off till it haue gotten by contemplation and conclusion what may be collected any way from thence Wee are first then to consider of God as the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ and then as our Father As God is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ these things would be proued and opened 1. That God doth beget a Sonne 2. That IESVS CHRIST is that Sonne 3. The manner of this Generation For the first that God hath begotten a Sonne is a Mysterie beyond the reach and comprehending of all men and Angels yet is it a truth in many Scriptures charged vpon vs to beleeue as namely Psal 2. 7. Iohn 1. 14. Iohn 3. 16. 1. Ioh. 3. 8. 5. 13. Mat. 28. 19. For the second that the Lord IESVS CHRIST is that Sonne of God is apparant by Scripture too Rom. 15. 6. Col. 1. 3. Ephes 1. 3. Mat. 16. 16. Mat. 3. 17. 2. Cor. 1. 19. 1. Ioh. 1. 4. 4. 15. 5. 20. 2. Ioh. 3. For the third how the Father did beget the Sonne is vnknowne vnto vs It is a secret cannot be reuealed to vs especially in this mortality Pro. 30. 4. onely by way of Negation the Scripture intreating of it shewes vs that God doth not beget his Sonne as men beget theirs for 1. Men beget without themselues so as the Sonne is diuided from the Father but so doth not GOD the Father beget Christ his Sonne hee is distinguished from the Father but not diuided the Father begets in himselfe 2. The substance of the Son amongst vs may bee like the Father but it is not the Fathers substance But in the Trinity the Father and the Sonne are of the same substance consubstantiall 3. In corporall Generation the Father deriues vnto the Sonne but a part of his substance but GOD the Father communicates his whole substance to his Sonne 4. The creature begets a Son that is mortall but God begets a Son that is immortall 5. The creature begets in time but God begets in eternity which hath three differences in it for first the time may be named when the creature did beget the Creator begets before all time Pro. 8. 22 c. 30. secondly the creature ceaseth begetting but God the Father begets his Son eternally he alwaies begets Psal 2. 7. thirdly the substance of the Father was before the substance of the Sonne but not so in this eternall generation Christ is of the Father but not after the father 6. Among the creatures the Son is subiect to the father but in this eternall and diuine generation the Sonne is equall to the father Subiection is due to God the father from all creatures but not from the Sonne or
〈◊〉 vnbegotten It is in the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicated by generation It is in the holy Ghost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proceeding Now the humane nature is assumed by the diuine considered onely as it is in the Sonne and in the manner as the sonne enioyes it God the Father that eternall minde begets the Word or perfect Image of himselfe which is the second person Now to that Image of the Fathers person is the nature of man vnited It is true that the Incarnation being a worke ad Extra is common to all three Persons in the Trinity for about it all three worke and yet the Sonne onely did assume our Nature though the Father also did worke it by the holy Ghost Diuines vse to expresse it thus three Virgins in one common worke make a garment which one of them onely weares so heere the three persons make the humane nature which onely the second Person puts on or assumes when it was made The fourth thing is what was assumed and so in generall the matter assumed was the seede of the woman Gen. 3. 15. The seede of Abraham the seede of Dauid the flesh of the Virgin Mary In particular he tooke 1. A true humane bodie not the shew of a body not any diuine or Celestiall body but a true humane body the very flesh which the body of man consists of 2. A true humane soule aswell as body Mat. 26. 38. Marke 14. 34. Luke 23. 46. 3. The naturall proprieties of a humane soule and body for he was made like vnto vs in all things Heb. 2. 12. 4. 18. By proprieties I meane such proprieties as agree to the humane nature now or by Gods decree shâ—ll be fastened vpon the humane nature as his body on earth was heauy and needed meate and drinke and sleepe but now in Heauen is spirituall shineth as the Sunne and needs no food 4. The infirmities belonging vnto our nature both in soule body that this may be rightly vnderstood we must distinguish as first about the infirmities bodily some arise from an outward cause some an inward Those that arise from outward causes Christ bare onely so many of them as by the counsell of God or in respect of his Office was needfull for him to beare Such were the calamities and sorsorrowes inflicted vpon him by others and borne by him as our High-Priest These that arise from an inward cause doe either vniuersally follow the whole nature of man since it was fallen as to be subiect to heate cold wearines paine or the like or else are personall and arise not from the common sinne of man nor fall vpon all men at all times but are found onely in some men such as are some kinde of diseases the former sort Christ bare not the latter Now the infirmities of the soule are likewise of two sorts some vitious and detestable as sins others vnblameable deseruing rather pittie then punishment as to bee ignorant of some things feare sadnesse anger and the like the former sort were not in Christ Luke 1. 35. Heb. 4. 15. Ioh. 8. 46. The latter were Luke 2. 52. Marke 13. 32. Mat 26. 37. Iohn 11. 33. And those affections in Christ differed much from ours for his were easily ruled by right reason but not so ours his were carried onely to good obiects ours often to euill Christ was troubled in his affections and so are we but with great difference His affections were without sin As a glasse that is cleane and hath cleane water in it if it be shaked and tossed yet there is no filth in the water but if the glasse be foule and mud be setled at the bottome of the water if it bee shaked the water is all foule so is the difference betweene the trouble of Christs affections and ours The fifth point is the time when the Sonne of God was Incarnate and that was not assoone as man was fallen but long after it being deferred by the Wisdome of God of purpose that man being left to himselfe might both feele his disease and see need to call for the remedie and exercise his Faith in the expectation of it and that it might appeare that all mankinde was vnrecouerably fallen into mischiefe of themselues And at that time was this wonderfull worke done when most fitly an example of the Iustice of God towards the Iewes and his mercy towards the Gentiles might be shewed for at that time when the Word was made flesh was the sin of the Iewes almost full and among the Gentiles in that ripe Age of the world were innumerable Elect ones ready for the spirituall haruest Mathew 9. 37. Luke 10. 2. Iohn 4. 35. Gal. 4. 4. The sixth point is the Reasons why it was necessary hee should be Incarnate and these are diuers first the Iustice of God required that satisfaction should be made in the same nature that offended secondly for satisfaction the maledictions and curses of the Law and in particular death must bee inflicted vpon him that will bee our surety Now as God hee was impassible and immortall hee could not suffer nor die thirdly he tooke not the Nature of Angels but of man that so he might bee a mercifull High-Priest and fit to deale with man and for man as concerned not onely our necessities but our infirmities too Heb. 2. 17. 18. The seuenth point is how he was Incarnate or the manner of the Incarnation how the Word was made flesh This is a great Mystery and cannot fully bee expressed or comprehended especially by vs in this estate of Mortality yet diuers things may be vttered as 1. He did not assume the nature of man as it is extra subiectum or a thing that is conceiued by the minde or as it is common in the soules and bodies of all men but as the nature of a man is in one subiect in vno indiuiduo 2. The nature of man as it was in the wombe of the Virgin was in the very moment of the Conception ioyned to the Nature of God in personall vnion so as soule and body in Christ did not make a person as it doth in other men but did and doe subsist in the person of the Sonne of God being carried and vpheld by the diuine nature of Christ so as both his natures make but one person in him and this may bee gathered out of these places Luke 1. 36. Esay 7. 14. 3. We may approach to a better vnderstanding of this vnion if we consider it by way of negation how it differs from other vnions The word and the flesh are made one not in Essence as the Persons in Trinity are one nor in nature as soule and body make a third nature nor is this vnion carnall as man and wife are one nor spirituall or mysticall as God and the faithfull are one or as Christ and the Church are one but personall the two natures being one in person Nor is the flesh in the Word by simple inhabitation
nature formes that substance into the parts of the body distinctly but yet it is without life then is the soule infused when the body is organicall and so it is quickned a true man it is not before a man but Embryo as they cal it Now the question is how Christ could receiue that imperfect Embryo or the flesh at the first conception seeing it was not a perfect humane Nature To this some answer that our Sauiour did not follow the ordinary course of taking flesh as other men doe but in the very instant of the conception his body was made organical had perfect members and the soule infused at that instant also and their reason is this because the Sonne of God did not become a person to any thing but the Man-hood of Christ Now the Man-hood must needs haue a reasonable soule and body formed and organicall else we must say that something did subsist in the Person of his diuine Nature that was not man as Embryo or the lumpe vnformed and not animated was Besides when God made a man by the power of the holy Ghost without the seed of man hee made him perfect at one instant and euery way formed in all parts as when he made Adam and Eue they were in an instant made perfect in soule and body Other Diuines conceiue that this opinion cannot be true because Christ was made in all things like vnto vs sinne onely excepted now there could bee no sinne in that ordinary course of Nature if originall sinne bee remoued as it was in Christ Now in the course of Nature first that which is materiall is formed as it were the house of the soule and then the soule is infused not onely as the guest of it but as the forme and life of it and so it must be in Christ Now for the first reason they answer that the Hypostatical vnion in the person of Christ was so made aboue nature as withall Christ assumed that which belonged to the nature of man according to the course of Nature and so first the seede and then the body formed and the soule infused according to nature into that body so as that flesh before the comming in of the soule did subsist in the Word as it did after the soule was infused for the Word tooke our Nature which is not hindered by the absence or presence of the soule as when Christ was dead his soule was in his Fathers hands and his flesh was shut vp in the graue and was not quickened then by the soule yet the flesh of Christ without the soule and life did subsist in the word aswell as it did before or after The other reason is of no force for God did not make our first Parents so out of necessity but out of the good pleasure of his will not binding himselfe to that frame of working for all times afterwards And thus of the production of the humane nature The assumption of that Nature into personall vnion with the word followes and the summe of that which wee are to beleeue concerning this Mystery is that the whole nature of man in that particular subiect soule and body with all meere naturall faculties and parts yea and infirmities was taken into an vnspeakeable and eternall personall vnion with the diuine nature of Christ There was nothing which was ours sinne excepted which was not by the holy Ghost vnited to the word for as Christ had all that God the Father had praeter ignascentiam saue that he was not vnbegotten so he had all that Adam had solâ except â peccantiâ saue that he was without sinne as a Father said onely for the manner of this assuming of our nature diuines conceiue that the word was ioyned to the soule immediately and to the body mediately that is by meanes of the soule And thus of the fourth point The fifth is The manner of the conception how the holy Ghost did it and that in respect of the perfect vnderstanding is simply aboue the reach of any creature especially any mortall creature if it be true of our conception in the wombe that we are fearefully and wonderfully made as is said Psal 139. 13. then it must needs be much more true of Christs conception and forming but a certaine glimpse of it is giuen vs by two formes of speech vsed in this Text Luke 1. 35. The first is the holy Ghost shall come vpon thee the other is the power of the most high shall ouershadow thee by the first forme of speech is noted the wonder of the worke that it was not done by any naturall meanes but extraordinarily aboue the course of nature by the holy Ghost and that it was done after a most pure and diuine manner about which a Father saith Oh most pure coniunction without filth where speech is the husband and eare is the wife meaning that shee conceiued vpon the speech and hearing of the promise assoone as shee had giuen her matrimonial consent as it were the ouershadowing by the power of the most High imports that is was not done spermatically but operatiuely and that the holy Ghost did this by a speciall power of working neuer any such thing hauing bin donne before as also it imports that the worke was most secret and mysticall so as the Virgin being couered as with a cloud could not her selfe tell how it was done and that though God did worke this with a speciall excellencie of glory yet his Maiesty should not ouercome her but it should be as it were clouded and lastly that that holy thing which was to be conceiued in her and borne by her should be protected and kept safe as the greatest treasure God had care of or did giue vnto men The sixth thing is why it was necessary Christ should bee so conceiued after such a wonderfull manner and with so much holines and sanctification I answer for two euident Reasons for first if his body had not bin most pure it had not bin fit to bee ioyned in personall vnion with the Word And secondly if he had bin conceiued in sinne as other men are he could not haue bin a Sauiour to vs because then he would haue needed a Sauiour for himselfe The seuenth thing is the time when the Virgin conceiued and that was immediately vpon the speech of the Angell and her owne consent to it which was the twenty fiue of March the day which is called the Annuntiation of the Virgin Mary and one may wonder why that day should not rather be called the day of the conception of Christ then of the Annuntiation of the Virgin The eighth point is the effects of this conception in respect of vs and so the first effect is the hiding of the impurity of our conception from the sight of God and satisfying Gods Iustice for our originall sinne for the holinesse of Christs conception is the first and chiefe part of the righteousnesse imputed to vs All his righteousnesse is ours and so
Martialis Ignatius Irena Tertullian Origen and those of their times did not proceede further then the Trinity In the first book of Socrates his Eccless Hist. Chap. 19. we finde The Creed thus recited We beleeue in one God the Father Almighty and in the Lord Iesus Christ his Sonne begotten of him before all worldes true God by whom all things were made which are in heauen and which are in earth Who descended and was incarnate and suffered and rose againe and ascended into Heauen and from thence shall come againe to iudge the quicke and dead and in the holy Ghost in the Resurrection of the flesh in the life of the world to come in the Kingdome of Heauen and one Catholique Church reaching from one end of the earth to the other In Saint Ambrose his time the baptised was asked three questions as first dost thou beleeue in God the Father Almighty and the baptized answered I beleeue and then hee was dipped vnder the water secondly hee was asked doest thou beleeue in the Lord Iesus Christ and his Crosse and hee answered I beleeue and then was dipped againe thirdly hee was asked doest thou beleeue in the holy Ghost and he answered I doe beleeue and was the third time dipped Ambrose lib. 2. de Sacram. cap. 7. so that 't is probable that the Creed was not fully finished in this forme it now is till about the fourth age after Christ And thus of the Authors of the Creed To conclude therefore this point concerning the Authors of these Articles the Creed is called the Apostles Creed in two respects first to distinguish it from all other Creeds There haue bin diuers Creeds made in the seuerall ages since Christ some by particular writers some by Councells of particular writers Athanasius Creed doth most excell which is the Creed set downe in the booke of Common Prayer next before the Letany and of Councells these are the chiefe Creeds the Nicen Creed which you may finde in the booke of Common Prayer also set downe in the order of the Communion as also the Creed of the Ephesian Synod and the Creed of the Calcedonian Synod reade Am. Pol. synt Theol. lib. 2. cap. 2. Now this Creed is called the Apostles Creed to shew that the Churches did hold it to bee of greater authority then any other Creed and that other Creeds are but as it were expositions of this Creed Secondly it is called the Apostles Creed to giue it authority aboue all humane writings euen those that haue much or most excelled The confession of Nationall Churches haue been worthily had in great request so haue the Creeds of the Councells and so haue the Apocripha Scriptures but yet none of these haue attained to the honour of this Creed The translation of the Canonicall Scriptures in respect of the words are humane though in respect of the matter and order they are diuine and these of all humane writings are the best yet not without the defects of the Translators whereas the originall in both Testaments is diuine both for matter order and words also Thus of the Authors The kinde of writing followes Creede Symbolum is the word vsed in the most Christian Churches and is plainely agreeable to the originall word the Creed being first penned in the Greeke tongue If the word bee deriued of Syn and bolus then it may signifie two things first a morsell or as much as a man may well swallow at once and so the whole Scriptures containing but the diuine furnishing of Gods Table as it were the Creed containes each particular Christians morsell so much as hee may and must swallow and receiue downe into his heart without leauing any of these Articles out secondly a draught euen as much as a net can take at once The sea is the Word the fisherman is the Christian man the Net is faith the Creed is as much as the faith of the Christian can take at a draught out of the Sea of doctrine contained in the Scriptures But it is more likely the word should be deriued of Syn and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then it may signifie all or any of these fiue things 1. A Shot it containing the reckoning which the Apostles made for the Churches being deducted or cast in out of the seuerall writings of each of the Apostles 2. A Watchword or any signe in the time of warre by which the Souldier might be distinguished from spies or strangers and so might shew to what captaine or colours hee belonged so the Creed is the Military signe by which the true Christian is distinguished from all spirituall spies and forreiners 't is Gods Watchword 3. The Motto or Poesie or word giuen in mens Armes so the Creed is the Christians Motto his word which is set in his Armes being made noble in bloud by Christ and so able to giue the Armes of his spirituall house and kindred 4. A token or Bill of Exchange by which a man is enabled to trade or receiue commodities By the Creed the Christian may trade for any spirituall commodities 5. A Passeport Christians are strangers and Pilgrims a great way from home and the gouernment of the Christian world will not let a man passe without his authenticke Passeport Now by his Creed the Christian man may passe and finde entertainement in any part of the Christian world As for the name Creed it is not easie to tell when it first came vp in our Language but it is certaine it comes of the first word which is in Latine Credo rendered I beleeue But by the way if these Articles be a Creed then they are not a Prayer nor to be said as a Prayer as the ignorant multitude doth abuse it Thus of the Title I Beleeue Marke 9. 24. IN the Creed it selfe we must consider first matter of dutie which is in the word Beleeue which is the hand or claspe that takes hold of all and euery of the Articles secondly matter of doctrine which may be cast into two Heads as it concernes God or the Church for the Lord doth not vouchsafe to comber Religion with the whole doctrine that might concerne the estate of all men out of the Church concerning God the Articles looke vpon all three persons and in the doctrine of the Father amongst his attributes singles out his Almightinesse and amongst his workes lookes vpon his making of Heauen and Earth In Christ faith lookes vpon his Person and his Office In his Person it acknowledgeth his diuine Nature as Gods onely Sonne and his humane Nature in these two words viz. conception by the holy Ghost and birth of a Virgin His Office is considered according to his estate both of Humiliation and Exaltation In his Humiliation is considered his sufferings first in body in that he suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was dead and buried and then in soule in that he descended into Hell In his Exaltation faith viewes his Resurrection Ascension and Session at the right hand of God
we are to consider what a Person is and then how these three Persons do agree one with another and how they differ one from another A Person is an vnderstanding substance indiuiduall and incommunicable which is not sustained in any other or by any other It is an vnderstanding substance so it excludes plants and beasts which are no persons though they be substances and it is not sustained in any other and so excludes the humane nature of Christ which is therefore not a Person because it subsists in the Diuine Nature and it is incommunicable to distinguish it from the Essence which is communicated to all the Persons Foure things are common to each Person in the Trinitie First Truth and so each Person is the true God hauing all the properties of God and doing all the actions of God and receiuing all the worship of God Secondly Mutuall Immeation or Immanencie as they call it which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which none of the Persons are separate from the Diuine Essence but subsist in it and so all meet in the Essence Thirdly Perfection by which each of the Persons are not a part of the Diuine Essence but the whole Diuine Essence is in each Person Fourthly Distinction so as euerie Person is distinguished from the other Persons so as the Father is not the Sonne nor Holy Ghost nor the Sonne the Father or Holy Ghost nor the Holy Ghost the Father and the Sonne For the first of these things in common which is Truth so as each Person is the true God It needes not much explanation for the sense for vnder that Head three things are giuen to each Person in common First the properties of the God-head so as each Person is Eternall Infinite Immutable in life knowledge holinesse and glorie and so Secondly the Actions of the Deity are common to euery Person according to that Rule in Schoole Opera Trinitatis ad extra sunt indiuisa The workes of the Trinitie that issue outward are vndiuided So the Father creates the Sonne creates and the Holy Ghost creates as there is one worke so there is but one worker which is God in three Persons To make man in Gods Image is common to all three Persons Let vs make man c. Gen. 1. 26. soe Iohn 5. 19. what the Father doth the Sonne doth the same and in many other places And as they agree in working so doe they in worship all diuine worship doth equally belong to each Person For the second which is the mutuall seating or meeting of all the three Persons in the same Essence so as they are one in another diuers Scriptures proue so Christ saith I am in the Father and the Father is in me Iohn 14. 10. and this must needs be so because the essence of God is infinite and therefore euery person possessing it it must needs follow that wheresoeuer one is there the other are also and that one is in another so as there can bee no place or thing where one of them is but there the other are also Excellent is that saying of that Father concerning the three Persons in the Trinity Singula sunt in Singulis c. Each are in each other and all in each and each in all and all in all and one all Hee that seeth this in parte darkely as in a glasse let him reioyce that hee knowes God and as God let him honour him and giue him thankes He that seeth it nor let him tend to see it by godlinesse and not to calumniate by blindnesse for God is one and yet there is a Trinity c. Thus Hee For the third the whole Essence is in each Person They are all consubstantiall not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of like essence onely no◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a diuers essence nor are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as haue one Nature common to them but not the same in number as it is with men nor are they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is such as haue euery one a nature that no other either person or thing hath as the Sunne and Moone haue such a Nature as no other haue there being but one Sunne and one Moone but they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all of the same substance Coessentiall and Consubstantiall For the fourth That the Persons are distinguished is common to all the Persons how they are distinguished is that which is to bee considered in the next place Distinction imports Opposition Now there is a threefold opposition The greatest opposition is amongst contraries for these fight one against another There is also a middle opposition which is in things onely disparate as they call them as betweene men and beasts so as a man is not a beast The least opposition is betweene things that are relate as the Father is not the Sonne the Subiect is not the Prince and the like this opposition betweene things in relation is in things that doe in many respects agree and this distinction agrees to the Nature of God and is the least of all distinctions The difference of the Persons is two waies to bee considered for first they differ from the Essence and then one from another The Persons in the Trinity differ from the Essence which that it may bee vnderstood wee must know that some things differ Ratione not Re that is not in deed but in respect of our conceiuing as for instance The Attributes of God differ but how not in deed nor in themselues but onely in our cogitation of them and so the power of heating and of drying in the Sunne differs onely in respect of conceiuing for in the power it selfe there is no distinction to bee found it is found onely in our heads But this is not the difference in the Trinity for the Persons differ one from another really and would so doe if wee neuer thought of them A reall distinction is grounded either vpon the respect of the essence of things or in respect of the manner of being A distinction in respect of essence is not in the Trinity for all the Persons haue the same essence it remaines then that the Persons in the Trinity differ from the essence onely in respect of the manner of their being and so in short differs from the essence as the manner of a thing differs from the thing it selfe The manner of being in euery thing doth determine it Now things in respect of the manner are three waies to bee considered of for there is the manner of the essence the manner of hauing that essence or the manner of subsisting The manner of the Essence is shewed by Attributes as when we say It is true good Iust c. The manner of hauing that essence is either with or without dependance as in the creature the manner of their hauing their essence is by dependance vpon God and in the Creator the essence is had
to inlarge his Dominions and to pull downe the Kingdome of Antichrist 4. To endeuour to carrie themselues as may become their Relation to Christ either as his Subiects or as made Kings by him as his Subiects they should consider that it behoues them 1. To study the Mysteries of his Kingdome Mat. 13. 11. 2. To send their Lambe to the Ruler of the whole earth Esay 16. 1. to doe their Homage and to acknowledge their King 3. To bow at the Name of Iesus Phil. 2. 11. making of legges will not serue the turne they must bee subiect with all feare and reuerence and submit themselues to his will 4. To shew themselues sensible of his dishonor and not bee silent or carelesse when they heare their King abused 5. To shew all meekenesse and patience for their King though he be a great King yet is meeke and humble Mat. 21. 5. 6. To obserue whatsoeuer he commands Mat. 28. vlt. prouing themselues to be his subiects by fearing to displease him in any thing Hosea 3. 5. 7. To seeke to him in all our necessities seeing hee is so highly exalted and able to helpe vs and delights to receiue petitions from his Subiects And in asmuch as we partake of his holy Oyle also and are by him made Kings vnto God wee should shew our selues to the world as spirituall Kings and that first by subduing our owne passions lusts inordinate desires carnall reason maintaining continuall warre against the remainders of corruption in our natures He is a King indeed that can rule ouer his owne perturbations secondly by shewing our selues resolute not to bee brought in bondage by the diuell or the world by the Baits of profit or pleasure or by the inforcements of scorne threatning or punishment we should let the world know they should assoone conquer the kings of the earth as win vs from our sincerity and fidelity to Iesus Christ thirdly by our conuersation in heauen wee should alwaies order our liues as if wee were presently to bee Crowned in Heauen Lastly such as are Kings Rulers or Gouernors ouer others should hence learne with feare and trembling to confesse the glory of Christ and acknowledge that they haue their Scepters and Authority from Iesus Christ and accordingly reckon their kingdomes on earth to be but as places of seruice in which they doe the worke which Iesus requireth of them Psal 2. 11. IOHN 1. 14. And we beheld his glory as the glory of the onely begotten of the Father His onely Sonne HItherto of the Titles Iesus and Christ now followes the third Title and so our Redeemer is called Gods onely Sonne About which ground of Faith wee haue these things to consider 1. The Proofes that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God for to beleeue God hath a Sonne is not inough we must beleeue that Iesus Christ is that Sonne of God Psal 2. 7. compared with Heb. 1. 5. Ioh. 10. 36. Mat. 16. 16. Rom. 1. 3. Iohn 9. 35. 2. What kinde of Sonne Christ is to God God hath many Sonnes some by Grace and one by Nature The sorts of sonnes which God hath by Grace see in the explication of the terme Father in the first Article of the Creed But Christ is his naturall Sonne because God the Father did communicate to him his owne nature so as he is by nature the Son of God he is the begotten Sonne of God because he receiued his Fathers Nature by Generation He is the first begotten Sonne of God so called in Scripture because hee hath the right of the first-borne ouer his brethren and was begotten before the world was he is the onely begotten Son of God because by Generation God hath no other Sonnes but he 3. In what Nature Christ is the onely Sonne of God It may be conceiued that he is so in respect of his humane Nature for no other Sonnes of God were conceiued of the holy Ghost or borne of a Virgin but hee onely but wee must vnderstand that Christ in his Incarnation hath the same Nature with vs it differs onely in the manner of receiuing it Now he is called the onely Son from the nature which hee receiues from the Father and he onely and so he is the onely Sonne of God as he is the second Person in the Trinity and in respect of the manner of receiuing his diuine Nature This is mightily opposed by the antient and moderne Arians who striue vehemently to carrie it that hee is called in Scripture the Sonne of God onely as he is man and that God hath no Son that was before Iesus was borne or conceiued Now to establish our Faith against their Heresie we should often thinke of these Scriptures where mention is made of a Sonne of God before Iesus was borne or was greater then man could be as Iohn 3. 16. God sent his Sonne into the world and God had a Sonne by whom he made the world Heb. 1. 2. Colos 1. 16. God had a Sonne of whom it was said that hee onely reuealed the Father Mat. 11. 27. now either he was before he was incarnate or else the Church in the Old Testament knew not God the Father and vnto the Sonne he saith Thy Throne O God is for euer and euer then he had a Sonne was God as well as man Heb. 1. 8. besides it is cleare he had many brethren as man Heb. 2. 12. and therefore as man could not bee the onely Sonne 4. How he was begotten To this question a perfect answer cannot bee giuen by vs in this mortality Pro. 30. 4. It is a Mystery exceeds all mortall capacity Yet the Lord is pleased to let fall certaine similitudes in Scriptures that giue vs some glimpse of it as when Christ is called the Wisedome or Word of his Father Pro. 8. Iohn 1. thereby we gather that as the soule begets reason or the word that is afterwards to be vttered beget I say within it selfe without ioyning with any other creature so doth God as an eternall minde beget his Sonne in himselfe so when Christ is called the brightnesse of his Fathers glory it imports that as shining is begotten of the Sun so is Christ of the Father Heb. 1. 3. So when Christ is called the Character or Image of his Fathers person is imported that as the print of the seale is set vpon waxe and doth resemble it perfectly without loosing any part of the seale so doth God communicate his whole Nature to his Sonne without loosing any thing from himselfe Heb. 1. 3. And as the minde of man begets an Image of what it conceiues so God that eternall minde when hee conceiued of himself he begat that Image of himself which we call the Sonne of God perfectly resembling the Father See in the Notes vpon that word Father in the first Article of the Creed seauen things wherein this eternall geneneration of Gods Son is vnlike to our generation by earthly parents 5. Why our Redeemer needed to be the Son of God
Lord Iesus in all things without murmuring or vnthankfulnesse though you finde his worke bee contrary to your natures desires ease credit profit or liking of carnall friends as resolued to take vp any Crosse may fall vpon you for well-doing Luke 9. 24. 4 That you set downe your resolution to hold out thus to the end as resolued to hire your selues to Iesus Christ not for a day or a yeere or a fit but for euer neuer more to looke backe to the world or sinne forsaking all your former euill wayes and taking an eternall leaue of your corruptions which by the power of Christ your Lord you may doe 5 That you abound in the worke of the Lord striuing to doe all the good that possible you can knowing that your worke is not in vaine in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. 6 That you looke to it to auoid carnall and corrupt ends in doing your Masters worke looke not after the praise of the world and vse not praising of your selues but rest fully satisfied with the praise of Christ for not hee that commendeth himselfe or is commended of the world is approued but he whom the Lord commendeth 2 Cor. 10. vlt. 7 That you meddle with your owne businesse and make conscience of it to doe that worke faithfully which Christ requires of you in your particular places as God hath distributed to euery man and as the Lord hath called euery man so let him walke auoiding vaine discontentment with his calling and condition 1 Cor. 7. 17. and take heed of iudging one another in doubtfull or in different things looke thou to thine owne worke what hast thou to doe to iudge another mans seruant he stands or falls to his owne Master Rom. 14. 4. Besides there are other particular vses may be made â—f this part of our Creed as first in asmuch as the earth is the Lords and consequently all creatures are sanctified in him and by his right therefore we should not disquiet our hearts with vaine scruples about the vsing or not vsing of such creatures as are supposed to haue bin abused to Idolatry for the Idoll cannot so infect any of the creatures as to destroy Christs right in them and therefore a Christian may vse them when the abuse is remoued without making any question for conscience sake 1. Cor. 10. 26. Secondly when the chastening hand of Christ our Lord is vpon vs either in our goods or in our bodies when hee takes away any of these things from vs we should patiently beare it for as it was the Lord that gaue them to vs so it is the Lord that takes them from vs and therefore wee should part with them and blesse the Name of the Lord as Iob did Iob 1. vlt. Thirdly the Apostle writing to the Ephesians from this point that we haue but one God and one Lord doth inferre that as we should haue but one Faith so we should be of one minde and one heart wee are all seruants to one Lord and therefore should in all humblenesse of minde loue one another and agree one with another and beare one with another Ephes 4. 3 4 5. Fourthly our Sauiour teacheth vs himselfe from this part of our Creed this lesson therefore not to giue ambitious and flattering titles vnto men or to humor proud persons that arrogate to themselues glorious Titles and hunt after the applause of men much lesse should wee affect or receiue such vaine titles our selues seeing one is our Master and Lord euen Christ Mat. 23. 7 8 9 10. Fifthly such as are Lords or Masters or Rulers ouer others should carry themselues humbly and iustly doing that which is iust and equall to their Subiects Tenants or Seruants for they haue a Lord and Master in Heauen that will giue to euery man according to his workes Colos 4. 1. Ephes 6. 11. Lastly since Christ is Lord yea Lord of Lords therefore woe bee to his enemies they shall all bee made his footstoole Psal 110. 1. and in these warres against Antichrist this is the comfort that the Lambe is the Lord of Lords and therefore these holy warres shall prosper and the man of sin shall be destroyed Reuel 19. The third Article Which was conceiued of the holy Ghost LVKE 1. 35. And the Angel answered and said vnto her The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most High shall ouer shadow thee therfore also that holy thing which shall be borne of thee shall be called the Sonne of God HItherto of the Titles of the Redeemer His Incarnation followes wherein Faith beholds and wonders at two things first his Conception by the holy Ghost and secondly his Birth of a Virgin But before I open these two points it is needfull to consider of his Incarnation in the generall and so 1. What the Incarnation of Christ is 2. The proofes that he was Incarnate 3. Who was Incarnate 4. What was assumed in his Incarnation 5. The time when he was Incarnate 6. Why he was Incarnate 7. How he was Incarnate 8. The effects or consequents of his Incarnation 1. The Incarnation of Christ is a part of his abasement whereby the Sonne of God after a most perfect manner assumed the Nature of man into personall vnion with his diuine Nature I call it a part of his abasement because it was a great Humiliation for God to become man and so it may bee reckoned with his Passion following saue that in the same nature of Man hee was afterwards exalted 2. Now that God became man or Christ the Sonne of God was likewise true man is proued by these and other expresse Scriptures 1. Tim. 3. 16. Ioh. 1. 14. Rom. 1. 3. 4. Rom. 9. 5. Gal. 4. 4 5. Phil. 2. 6 7. 3. If we aske who tooke the Nature of man we must answer as it is in the Creed the Sonne of God hee that was Gods naturall Sonne and very God himselfe the second Person in Trinity as also the former proofes shew It was this Son by whom man was created at first Colos 1. 16. and therefore was the fittest to restore vnto man what he had lost by making him againe And it was most comely that he that was the naturall Sonne of God by being made the Sonne of man should make vs sonnes of God and giue vs the right of Adopted sonnes Ioh. 1. 12. and the second person in the Trinity alone is called the Image of the Father Colos 1. 15. Heb. 1. 3. and therefore is most fit to restore in vs the Image of God which we had lost and defaced by our sinnes Quest But how can one person in the Trinity be Incarnate and not the other two seeing the diuine nature is in each person and cannot be diuided Answ Though the diuine nature cannot be diuided yet it is after one manner in the Father and after another manner in the Sonne and so in the holy Ghost for the diuine nature is in the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
as the sailes are in the ship nor by affectioÌ„ as two friends are one nor in respect of ioynt worship as if onely the humane nature had the honour to be worshipped with the diuine nor in respect of Harmonie or consent as if onely the diuine and humane will of Christ did agree nor in respect of Title only as if the flesh of Christ had no more but the honour to be called by the same Title his Diuinity is as the Sonne of God or Christ or the like nor by mingling the humane nature with the diuine to make a certaine third thing but the humane nature is fastened to the diuine nature in the vnity of person after an vnconceiueable manner so as the diuine nature is not changed nor either nature altered nor separated by distance one from another The eight point is the effects of this personall vnion of the diuine and humane nature in this worke of Incarnation The effects I meane in Christ not in vs. Now many things flow from this vnion as 1. The communication of proprieties and that is the attributing of such things as are proper to either nature vnto the person of Christ because that these natures doe subsist in that person so as that is truely said of Christ which yet is to be vnderstood with a respect to that nature vnto which that property doth belong Thus the Sonne of Man is said to haue power to forgiue sinnes on earth which is the propriety of the diuine nature Mat. 9. 6. and to bee called the Sonne of the most High Luke 1. 32. Thus the Sonne of Man is said to ascend where hee was before Now he was not in heauen in his humane nature before Ioh. 6. 62. and so he saith hee was before Abraham was Ioh. 8. 58. and his bloud is called the bloud of God Acts 20. 28. The like speeches are found in other Scriptures as Colos 1. 17. Heb. 1. 2 c. 2. The pouring out of gifts vpon the humane nature which were as great as could be receiued by a created nature and these were giuen both to the body and soule of Christ His body obtained the highest degree of perfection could be fall a body which glory for our saluation was with-held from his body during his abode on earth in respect of his office and so his body was subiect to infirmities passions of diuers sorts and death and buriall but that worke being finished which he vndertooke for vs in his body it now shineth in Heauen in greater glory then any bodily creatures doe or shall attaine vnto Vpon the soule of Christ by vertue of this vnion with the diuine Nature were powred out gifts aboue the glory of the gifts which are in men or Angels and to make this a little better to appeare I will instance in his knowledge and in his Charity There were diuers kinds of knowledge in Christ Hee had an eternall and vncreated knowledge and wisdome which did belong onely vnto his diuine Nature but it is the created knowledge belongs to this place and that vnderstanding and knowledge is either from experience or from reuelation or from vision 1 There was in our Sauiour an experimentall knowledge by which our Sauiour knew all things could be knowne by the light of Nature and though hee had not expeperience of all things yet by reasoning from the like or the contrary or from the causes or effects he perceiued things hee had not experience of As by the infirmities he felt and by the things he suffered he knowes all the things we suffer in the full nature of them Heb. 2. 18. 4. 15. and in this kinde of wisdome it is that hee was said to grow vp in or profit and increase in and in this kinde of wisdome he was able to discerne more then any man in the world 2 There was in our Sauiour a knowledge infused which they call the knowledge of Reuelation by which heauenly things are vnderstood by a light they call the light of grace And by this knowledge our Sauiour did discerne in his soule spirituall things more exactly then euer man or Angell did of this is spoken Esay 11. 12. 3 The third kinde of knowledge in Christ is the knowledge by vision which is called the knowledge of the blessed in Heauen by which God is seene face to face and in this Christ excells all men and Angels for it is hee that brings all iust men to this happinesse of seeing God in Heauen Heb. 2. 10. And besides this personall vision his soule is neerer vnto God then men or Angels can bee and therefore sees GOD more cleerely then they can doe As a man that hath a good sight doth see a thing that is hard by him more exactly then another man that is farther off from it Yea this knowledge in the soule of Christ doth not fully comprehend God for that which is infinite cannot be comprehended by that which is finite he seeth God whole that is all tâ—at iâ— in God but not wholly that is not by an absolute comprehension of it And in as much as all iudgement is committed vnto Christ as the Sonne of man it is most probable that as man hee doth see the thoughts of all men that are to be iudged by him as man though not by any naturall efficacy in his vnderstanding as man yet by a supernaturall infusion of light from his diuine nature Ioh. 5. 27. Thus of the gift of knowledge Charity and loue was powred out vpon the soule of CHRIST aboue all the measures of Charity in men or Angels Iohn 13. 1. Romans 5. 6 7. Thus of the gifts were powred out vpon the humane nature of Christ Yet by the way it is not amisse to note that certaine gifts were not powred out vpon CHRIST or not till his glorification as faith and hope were not in CHRIST at all for in as much as the obiect of faith is things not seene faith it selfe could not be in CHRIST who did inioy the vision of GOD by vertue of the personall vnion with the diuine nature euen from the beginning of his Incarnation by that kind of knowledge which I called before his knowledge of vision or the knowledge of the blessed yet to want faith did not argue imperfection in CHRIST but rather remoued imperfection as hee that wants Spectacles when he needeth them not is no whit inferiour to him that vseth Spectacles because of the weaknesse of his sight The like is to bee said of hope for as Faith beholds things that are not seene so hope lookes to things which are not yet had or possessed Rom. 8. 24. and the cheife obiect of both is the chiefe good which is GOD now CHRIST enioyed GOD yea euen in the very instant of his death but if we looke to secondary obiects and by hope vnderstand an expectation of some kinde of helpe promised by GOD then such a kinde of hope may be granted to haue beene in
Christ verse 23. 6. That God would in his due time bring them all to him in heauen that they may for euer behold his glory there verse 24. These are maruellous things and should wonderfully affect vs and comfort vs. 5. By what arguments our Sauiour vrgeth these peâ—itions for his very reasons doe shew what care he had of vs and how he pities vs and that he stands vpon our right And so we shall finde that hee vsed foure Reasons why God should grant all he asked for them The first was because we are Gods thine they are vers 9 10. and therefore God should defend vs in that we are his owne and belong to his charge and care The second was because the world hates vs vers 14. we are likely to be so ill vsed in the world that God must needs looke to vs to protect and prouide for vs. The third was because our Sauiour himselfe should be now no more in this world to looke to vs in his owne person and therefore hee praies God to looke to vs vers 11. The last was because hee had sanctified himselfe for our sakes and therefore pleads his owne merits for vs vers 19. Lastly it is profitable for vs to marke the intimation our Sauiour giues all along his prayer by which he lets fall a description of what we must be if we would haue our part in his Intercession For in the 20. verse wee may see it plaine we must be beleeuers and verses 6 7 8. with 26. We may see further that we must be such as will receiue the words which God gaue to Christ to deliuer to vs by them will know Gods name and such as will keepe the word as the greatest treasure in the world They that heare not Christs preaching on Earth shall not haue benefit by Christs praying in Heauen Nor will hearing serue turne but there must be knowledge and beleeuing and keeping of the word as a treasure and for practise Thus of the prayers our Sauiour made for the Church The prayers he made for himselfe concerne either his Glory in Heauen or his Passion on Earth His prayer for his Glory in Heauen is recorded Iohn 17. v. 1. to 6. and in that prayer our Sauiour first layes downe the substance of his request vers 1. Secondly hee vrgeth it with arguments vers 1 2 3 4. Thirdly hee explaines his meaning for the manner how he would haue his petitions granted The substance of his suit is that God would glorifie his Sonne The Reasons are First because God is his Father and he his Sonne vers 1. Secondly because if God glorifie him hee will glorifie God againe verse 1. Thirdly because God had giuen him power before to bestow glory vpon others and therefore much more he should haue it himselfe verse 2 3. Fourthly because hee had glorified God on earth and should within a little time finish all his hard taske verse 4. Now the manner how hee would be glorified was by receiuing the same glory againe which hee had with the Father before the world was which referred to his humane Nature must be vnderstood of his exaltation aboue all things that are made in heauen or earth and so to be worshipped with the diuine Nature And as it is referred to the diuine Nature it must bee vnderstood of manifestation to the world that as alwaies he as second Person had glory equall with the Father so that God would let it be knowne to be so through the world which was accomplished after his resurrection when the Diuinitie of Christ was published to all Nations Thus of his prayer for his Glorification The prayer that concernes his Passion was made in the Garden a little before his enemies came to apprehend him And concerning that prayer diuers things may be obserued 1. The company was with him or neere to him at the time of his prayer and so the Text notes that he singled out of all the Disciples three of them whom he loued most viz. Peter and Iohn and Iames. Now this company hee tooke for two Reasons First that they might bee witnesses of this part of his Passion Secondly he chose them to be by him as such as to whom he could more freely discouer himselfe and in this our Sauiour did expresse that which is setled in the natures almost of all men and so of all godly men in the businesses of religion There be some persons before whom a man would more willingly pray or preach or doe any dutie and yet others haue no iust cause to take exceptions as if they were neglected or it was partialitie for we see here Christ himselfe did single out these men and leaue the rest of the Disciples further off Matth. 26. 36 37. and withall from hence we may learne that the very presence of such as we loue doth vs good when we are in distresse though they should say nothing to vs as here our Sauiour giues these Disciples a great charge to tarry by him and yet they say not a word to him no not when he makes his moane that his heart was heauy to the very death yea it seemes our Sauiour was not willing to be without them though they slept by him and seemed to take little notice of his distresse Further these three were they that had seene his Transfiguration on the Mount and therefore are now the fittest to behold this great abasement without wauering in the faith of his Diuinitie because they had seene him glorious whom now they are to behold so infirme 2. The gesture he vsed in prayer viz. He felt on his face and praied Euen the more grieuous the distresse was vpon him the more humbly did he demeane himselfe towards God When his heart was so heauy nothing but praying to God would helpe him for he had made his moane to the Disciples and that eased him not Nor doth hee rest in that simply to pray but his Agonie being great hee applies himselfe to that gesture might best fit the greatnesse of his distresse to teach vs what we should doe when our hearts are heauy and how we should striue to inlarge our affections and suit our whole behauiour in Gods presence according to his hand vpon vs or the great need we haue of his helpe 3. What befell him when he went to pray viz. a most grieuous Agonie in soule which with such speed increased vpon him that he cried out to his Disciples that his soule was euery way compassed about with sorrow euen vnto the death and he sweat in that Anguish very bloud as is noted by the Euangelist and he was maruellously amazed and afraid Now if any aske what made our Sauiour fall into this perplexitie I answer that wee must not thinke that it was the feare of bodily death that thus affrighted our Sauiour seeing we know that the Martyrs that were infirme men did yet embrace death without these Agonies though by the way we must remember that
makes sufficient payment to Gods iustice and ouercomes death for vs and that by reason of the worthinesse of his person It is more for Christ to die one houre than for all the world to be dead for euer For it is in this as it is in a prison into which many debtors are cast It is an euerlasting prison to such as cannot pay their debts but it is but a temporarie prison to such as either by themselues or any other make full payment of what is owing 6. That by his death he might make a medicine to kill sinne in vs which might so eat downe the power of sinne that it should no more reigne in vs and so by degrees abolish sinne He died that we might die to sinne by the vertue of his death Rom. 6. 7. That thereby he might buy life for the world He gaue his flesh for the life of the world euen to purchase eternall life for the elect world Ioh. 6. 51. 8. That many sonnes might be borne to God Christ was like seed falling from heauen to the earth and there dying it quickned and brought forth many sonnes to God Esay 53. 10. Ioh. 12. 24. yea the doctrine of Christ dead for our sins is still like to diuine seed falling into our hearts which conuerts men and turnes them to God Thus of the Reasons Now what vse may we make of the consideration of the death of Christ Many things we may learne from hence 1. It should teach vs to be stedfast in the faith and to beleeue and trust vpon Gods mercies for Christ died for our sinnes and therefore wee are certainly reconciled vnto God 1 Cor. 15. 3. Rom. 5. 10. And God doth assure vs of so much in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Matth. 26. 2. We should neuer be afraid of Death and Hell 1 Thess 5. 9 10. Christ by dying for vs hath deuoured and euen swallowed vp Death and Hell so as they shall neuer hurt vs. As the fire consumes the stubble so by wonderfull Art Christ by dying hath consumed all the forces and power of Death and the sting of it 1 Cor. 15. 54. Heb. 2. 15. 14. Death as a curse was laid vpon Christ that our death might be blessed to vs. 3. It should maruellously inflame our hearts with the admiration of the loue of Christ to vs 1 Ioh. 3. 16. 4. Henceforth we that liue should not liue to our selues but to him that died for vs and carry our selues as men that are dead to the world and the sinfull pleasures and lusts thereof and shew the proofe of the vertue of Christs death in vs by the mortification of our sinnes 2 Cor. 5. 15. Rom. 6. 2. 6. 5. It should breed in vs a holy resolution to suffer any thing for his sake euen to forsake Father Mother Wife Children Husband yea and Life it selfe for his sake and the Gospels Iohn 12. 24 25 26. yea it should make vs willing to lay downe our liues one for another if our life may doe seruice to the Church of God and our brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 16. 6 Seeing Christ in death falls to the ground like a dead carkas we should be like spirituall Eagles to flie to it wheresoeuer we finde it whether in the Word or Sacraments and our soules should feed heartily but spiritually vpon it Matth. 24. And seeing God in his ordinances presents vs still with the dead body of his Sonne it should be a meanes to draw all men to it and to gather into one all the children of God that were scattered abroad Iohn 11. 52. and 12. 32 33. 7. The meditation of the death of Christ should make vs in all estates to liue at rest and in a holy security as knowing that Christ died for vs that whether we wake or sleepe we might liue together with him 1 Thess 5. 10. If we liue we liue to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord Whether we liue or die we are the Lords Rom. 14. 7 8. Thus of the generall proposition concerning the death of Christ and the Reasons and Vses of it In the Explication these things are to be confidered 1. Who died 2. Who were the speciall witnesses of his death 3. How he died 4. For whom he died 5. When he died 6. The consequents of his death For the first if we aske who died the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. 34. answers It is Christ which is dead Which is to be obserued the better to stirre vp our hearts to consider both the wonder of it and the reason of it That any other man should die is no wonder because all other men were sinfull and mortall but here Iesus Christ the Righteous who onely hath immortality dies and withall it leads vs to thinke of the reason of it for he did not die nay he could not die if he had beene considered as a priuate person because he deserued not death in his owne person but he died as our suretie and as a publike vndertaker for vs all hee died in our roome But yet we are further to inquire into this question and to consider whether this death belong to the person of Christ or only to his Natures or to each of them he being God and man in one person And in this we must take heed what our hearts answer for though it be true that Christ died in respect of the flesh so as it was only the flesh that suffered death in respect of the Nature that died yet his death belonged to the Word in respect of the Person for the Word the Lord of life and glory suffered and died not in respect of his Diuinitie which is immutable and altogether impassible but in respect of his Humanitie or in his flesh God did not die with the flesh but in the flesh and he died in his flesh that is in that flesh which was vnited to the diuine Nature If the flesh of Christ were the flesh of the Sonne of God then his dying in the flesh doth belong to him as the Sonne of God Thus his bloud is said to be the Bloud of God Act. 20. 28. and this we must needs beleeue for else his death as a bare man could not haue beene of sufficient merit for all our sinnes There is yet one thing more to be thought on about this Question and that is that the Humanitie that is the soule and flesh of Christ did in death and after death remaine in the Person of the Sonne of God firmely vnited Though the Soule was disvnited from the Body yet neither Body nor Soule were dis-vnited from the Person of the Sonne of God The parts of the Humane Nature were diuided in death one from another so as one was on earth and the other in heauen but yet both of them remained and subsisted in the Diuine Nature else if in death there had beene a new manner of subsisting Christ had had two Persons as well as two Natures which is Heresie to
as when out of the liking of the writings of olde Philosophers they brought in Angell worship into the Churches Colos 2. 8. 19. and such stuffe also was that which the Apostle condemnes vnder the name of traditions of men that is superstitious obseruations when the inuentions of men are vrged with opinion of holinesse or necessity Col. 2. 8. 20. of this nature were prophane and olde Wiues fables 1. Tim. 4. 7. and such is all that stuffe men haunt after that will not bee wise to Saluation but curiously search after things not reueiled Secondly true Doctrine may be vnwholsome and so wee finde diuerse instances in Scripture as first when the truth is so varnished by the inticing words of mans wisedome that the power of God is not obserued or regarded and the conscience is not intended to be informed When men in deliuering the truth studie to shew their owne wits more then the glory of Gods Truth this is not wholesome for the hearers and therefore exclaimed against and protested against by the Apostle in diuerse places 1. Cor. 1. 2. Colos 2. 4. Secondly the time is spent in knottie and obscure places that are neither easie nor necessary to be vnderstood and in handling whereof scandalous or dangerous conceits may bee raised in mens mindes Thus the hard places of the Apostle Paules writings were peruerted as the Apostle Peter complaines 2. Pet. 3. 17. Thirdly when disputations about things indifferent are brought in when the questions are doubtfull and the weake may be intangled Rom. 14. 1. Fourthly when the Word of God is diuided vnskilfully and ignorantly as when strong meate is giuen to Babes and strong men can get nothing but milke Thus as they are wholesome words Secondly they are said to be Patternes the Collection of the choisest truthes into one frame or body is called heere a Patterne and so the Creed may be said to be a Patterne of wholsome words because in the Creed there is as it were a short but liuely resemblance of all those truthes in a little roome which are at large and dispersedly handled throughout all the Bible and therefore fitly was the Creed called the little Bible Yea it may be called a patterne because we may compare with it all the truthes we reade of in Scripture and marke how they agree with or suite to the Articles of our Creed and because we may trie all Doctrine we heare and free our selues from the Intanglement of such controuersies about opinions that agree not with or belong not to our Creed As the Decalogue is a patterne of all duties to be done and the Lords Prayer a patterne of all requests to God so the Creed is a patterne of all Doctrine to be belieued Thus of the discription of the Creed as the words of the Apostle fitly serue for it The more manifest description of it will appeare afterwards The keeping of this patterne followes When the Apostle exhorts Timothie to the keeping of this patterne he may be vnderstood to speake to him as a Minister or as to a Christian in general As a Minister he is inioyned with all care to endeuour to preserue the purity of Doctrine and with great respect to teach often and powerfully those points of Doctrine which were exprest in the patterne as the principall truthes hee should aime at in the course of his Ministerie He should not through desire of vaine glory affect Curiosities or Nouelties but build vp his Hearers in all the knowledge he could infuse into them by continual teaching of those doctrines If hee speake to him as a Christian in generall then this is the point of Doctrine the Apostle aimes at that all Christians bee exceeding carefull to get the distinct knowledge of the maine Articles of the Christian faith and aboue all Doctrines keepe those as a great treasure And so in particular since we haue in the Creed such an excellent frame of the Doctrines of faith we must hence learne that it is our duties to regarde these Doctrines with all respect There be twelue Reasons why wee should bee in a speciall manner desirous to heare learne and make vse of the doctrine of these Articles of our faith 1. Because wee see heere it is the commandement of the Apostle that wee should keepe this patterne of wholesome words The Apostle saw it was a Doctrine of excellent vse for the Churches and therefore to be learned and kept as a great treasure and the Commandement to keepe them imports that whatsoeuer we are ignorant of yet we should not be ignorant of these points and whatsoeuer we forget yet these things we should bee sure to remember and whatsoeuer wee wanted affection in yet in these things wee should striue to be greatly affected It is therefore a sinne of great vnfaithfulnesse to neglect these points and shewes wee are too wise in our selues if we haue no minde to learne and keepe such things as God in his wisedome hath in some speciall manner charged vs to regarde 2. Because God himselfe is the immediate Author of these Doctrines it is God onely that opens this Schoole of Faith These are lessons that are to be learned not from wise men as many other things but from God himselfe to whom alone the glory of reuealing these high Misteries belonges 3. Because the matter heere contained is Doctrine of the highest nature that was euer taught or learned in the world what higher Doctrine can there be then of God the Church of God no Science hath such a Subiect The Phisickes intreats but of the naturall bodie Astronomie but of the heauens all the Mathematicks but of some particular and inferior subiects and so all Artes onely Theologie and in Theologie the Creed intreates of a number of most choise Mysteries in diuine things All the Doctrines heere are such as naturall reason or sense can say little or nothing to for except it be in the first Article nature is altogether silent in the rest And for this Reason wee should bee wonderfully desirous to bee imployed in these knowledges for to bee taken vp with easie things belonges vnto the Vulgar but to bee informed in things remoued from the senses belonges to the wise onely 4. Because the Doctrine of the Creed hath bin receiued in all Ages of the Church it is Catholicke Doctrine it hath bin entertained with great Honour in all Christian Churches that Doctrine which all Christians in all Ages of the world haue learned and admired should bee much attended to by vs and such is the Doctrine of the Creed The Creed is the confession of the whole Church of God since Christ and if wee reade and respect the confessions of particular Churches yea of particular men then how much more ought we to studie the confession of the Church vniuersall it containing the faith in which all the Martyrs and Saints of God liued and dyed 5. Because it is matter that is
from the natures of all other things and therfore nothing can be found to liken God to it without singular iniurie Esay 40. 17. 4. God doth not now appeare to vs as hee did to the Fathers in the first Ages of the World 5. We are destitute of the helpe of Demonstration à priori as they call it in Schooles There was no essence before him nor any thing that might leaue the name or nature of a cause of his being 6. We are in and of our selues much more vnable to conceiue of God then we were at the first in our Creation by reason of our fall from God into sinne The light we had being put ouâ— and nothing left but sparkles these sparkles left breed more smoake in our mindes then either heate or light for 1. There is in vs naturally a world of Atheisticall conceits strange opinions about God as appeares not onely by the variety of strange Religions but also by that naturall Atheisme which euery man by occasion feeles in himselfe when he either doubts of God and thinkes things that bee altogether disagreeing and disproportionall to the Nature of God 2. A singular debility and impotencie to take in the doctrine of God especially with affection into our hearts 3. A slippery kinde of Leuity in our mindes that what we do receiue we loose and forget or else change into other conceites 4. An vnspeakeable kinde of sluggishnesse and vnwillingnesse to be at paines to study this doctrine 5. What knowledge of God doth come into our mindes for the most part we staine it miserably with villanous and filthy thoughts and desires 6. God hath reuealed to vs but onely his backe parts in this life wee cannot see him face to face Exod. 33. 7. The diuells vse all their methods to keepe men without the knowledge of God 8. The world distracts vs and deuoures vsually the time should be spent about the studie of God 9. God himselfe that he may be reuenged on the ingratitude of many men doth hide himselfe out of the way from them And it is necessary wee should take notice of this difficulty of the knowledge of God both to humble vs and to quicken vs to the more diligence and to make vs more thankefull if God be pleased in any measure to reueale himselfe to vs. For the third though it be thus extreame difficult to know God yet we must not dispaire of it as of a thing impossible for though the creature of it selfe cannot conceiue God yet God can reueale himselfe to the creature according to the the creatures capacity God that dwelt in the secrets of Eternity onely knowne and seene to himselfe since the Creation hath bin pleased to come out of his secret seate and by certaine meanes or degrees to make himselfe knowne to men as 1. By planting in the minde of man certaine naturall and common Notions and generall principles concerning God These were and are in euery man like little sparkles of light and fire fastened in mens mindes and such as by glimpse shew some little conceptions of God 2. By Apparition God was pleased in the first Ages of the world to appeaâ—e vnto men and by some certaine visible signes of his presence to acquaint himselfe with man 3. By the booke of the creature for by vnfolding before man in an open and â—â—sting shew the various formes and shapes of things which he made he by them did augment the light of the naturall sparkles and euidently confirme and proue his Diuinity Wisedome Power and Goodnesse to man Rom. 1. 4. When none of these were sufficient to bring man to a perfect knowledge of God nor to so much as might saue his soule and bring him into happy fellowship with God God was pleased in the book of Scripture to extract out of the infinite depths of knowledges which were in his eternall minde a frame of descriptions and testimonies concerning himselfe and his will and this in his due time by degrees he gaue vnto the Church and is contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles 5. To make all these helpes more effectuall vnto the eternall blessednesse of the Elect he sent his owne Sonne who was the ingrauen forme of his Person and his perfect Image to take mans nature and to come and dwell amongst vs and through his humanity to make God as it were after a most glorious sort visible The God-head shining through his flesh as the Candle through the Lanthorne Ioh. 1. 14. 9. and in that nature hee did himselfe teach and instruct man coâ—cerning God Heb. 1. 1. 6. Hee hath made himselfe further knowne vnto certaine choice men by inspiration that is by a speciall inlightning and breathing of the holy Ghoâ—â— 7. He is daily discouered vnto his children by effects especially by his blessings and benefits and long-suffering and manifold goodnesse Exodus 34. and among these by the entertainement hee giues to the soules of his people in his house and by the â—oyes in his presence Yea so farre is the Lord pleased to reueale himselfe this way to his people that they are said not onely to see God but to behold his beautie Psal 27. 4. 63. 2. It is true the vnquiet heart of man is vexed because God is not visible to his eyes as if the knowing of God by colours were the only pleasing way of seeing him Thy bodily eyes cannot see God what then If thy eyes cannot discerne God is it any greater thing then that thy hands or feete cannot discerne other thing God is discerned by such Instruments as are capable of him But thou wilt say not onely thy eyes but thy reason cannot reach God so as to ease or please thy minde I answer that some things are infra rationem below reason and so are all things discernable by sense onely Some things are iuxta rationem agreeable and discernable by reason and so are a multitude of things in nature Some things are supra rationem aboue Reason and so are diuers things in the doctrine of God especially the Mysterie of the Trinity and the like Now though Reason will not reach heere yet God hath not left his children destitute but hath giuen them an instrument from heauen which is capable of these things and that is Faith And yet God hath not altogether abandoned the vse of senses in his children for the knowledge of him for they know God by sight in his creatures and by hearing in the word and by trusting in his blessings 1. Pet. 2. 3. That this point may bee yet more clearely vnderstood wee must consider the different waies how God is knowne by seuerall things first himselfe knowes himselfe with infinite perfection of absolute knowledge and so hee is knowne onely to himselfe secondly Christ man knowes him by vnion that is by vertue of his vnion with the diuine nature hee doth after a way vnspeakeable and vnimitable see and vnderstand the God-head thirdly the Angels and
of men and seeth them afarre off euen before they be yet formed or conceiued hee can tell what all the men in the world thinke at all times 1. Chron. 28. 9. Psal 7. 10. 94. 11. Ier. 11. 20. 17. 10. Yea he knowes all things which are possible to be though they neuer shall be To conclude he knowes all things diuine or humane or Angelicall Celestiall or Terrestriall good or euill secret or manifest vniuersall or singular necessary or contingent noble or vile great or small which are or are not past present or to come euen things which shall neuer be 5. Because his knowledge is most perfect hee not onely knowes all things but he knowes them most perfectly hee knowes not in part as we doe but exactly his knowledge cannot be increased or diminished he learnes nothing hee forgets nothing Rom. 11. 33. Psal 147. 5. And the perfection of his knowledge appeares first in the clearenesse and euidence of it therefore all things are said to be naked before him Heb. 4. 13. and also in the distinctnesse of it he knowes all things not confusedly or generally or in the masse or lump onely as wee are said to know a man that know not a thousand things in him thus God knowes very sparrowes and the very haires of our heads and the number of them Luke 12. 7. Mat. 10. 29. And this also proues the perfection of Gods knowledge that his knowledge is immutable he neuer varies though things may be subiect to infinite alterations yet Gods Knowledge of them is alwaies the same His Knowledge is infallible fourthly the perfection of his Knowledge appeares in this that hee knowes things holily hee neither adds nor detracts and takes any thing according to the outward shew or pretence but he iudgeth not according to the face or person but according to the Truth 6. Because he knowes the things after a manner incommunicable to the creatures for all things the creatures discerne they discerne by one of these waies either by sense as by the ministry of the eye or eare or taste or touching or smelling or else they discerne things by opinioÌ„ which is done by coniecturing or ghessing at things by their causes or the like or else by Faith when they know things by the report of others Or else by knowledge framed by reasoning discoursing by the benefit of certaine propositions to extract from thence the conclusion which breeds knowledge or lastly by certaine Images or species taken in by the sense and imprinted vpon the Phantasie which are thence offered to the vnderstanding by which the knowledge of things is kept for contemplation when the sense of the things is lost But God knowes things by none of these waies as being all imperfect as many Reasons might shew But he knowes them all by his Essence not by any sense or speciall facultie And that this may bee vnderstood wee must note First that the whole Essence of God is as it were wholy an eye or a mind Secondly that God is all thâ—ngs by Eminencie Deus est omnia Eminenter as they say in Schooles Thirdly God containes all things in himselfe and his Essence is the example or patterne of all things and therefore needs but to looke vpon himselfe and then he sees all things as in a glasse our vnderstanding is imperfect and therefore depends vpon the Obiects by which it is as it were coloured and so while it striueth to know other things is driuen to neglect and forget it selfe as the glasse which is so coloured from other things which shine in it that it doth as it were loose his owne colour but God being infinite and independent is not bound to the things without him to receiue impressions from them but in himselfe hath the Ideas or formes of them and are but as it were little shadowes or slender likenesses cast out from the diuine nature Hence it is that the Knowledge of God is not lyable to the imperfections that cleaue to the things to be knowne without himselfe thus he knowes temporall things after an eternall manner mutable things immutablie contingent things infalliblie future things presently dependent things independently created things after an vncreated manner 7. Because hee knowes all things vno intuitu with one view all at once The eye of man beholds many things at once as with one looke it can see the Ants in a Mole-hill but if it will see other things it must remoue the sight Now the minde of man can at once take in a larger circuit to looke vpon as a Cittie or Countrey yea the whole earth yea the whole world but it is onely in the lumpe or ball or whole masse of it for if it would take the distinct contemplation of things it must remoue from forme to forme and from thought to thought Now Gods vnderstanding takes all at once most stedfastly and most perfectly and so by a way more excellent then all the creatures in heauen or earth Gods Knowledge is not a successiue knowledge as ours is to take in things by comparing or distinguishing or reasoning c. for all things without God are but as a center or little point which with infinite ease he discernes and therefore wee must by the way take notice of it that when wee reade in Scripture of fore-knowledge of things to come or remembrance of things past that these things are called so in respect of vs not in respect of God They are not giuen to God properly but are tearmes borrowed from our vse the more distinctly to inform vs of the branches as it were of Gods knowledge 8. Because Gods knowledge of things hath such force in it that when and where hee will hee can make the Creature feele the warmth and comfort of the knowledge of him It is a knowledge that hath influences vpon some creatures It refresheth and worketh more vpon the soule then the Beames of the Sunne vpon the bodie Thus when God is said to know the way of the Righteous or their soules in aduersity or the like the knowledge is not a bare taking notice but an acknowledgement or making of them to know that he knowes them or a powerfull setting of the beames of his knowledge so vpon them that they are thereby preseâ—ued and wonderfully refreshed and the like to this can no created knowledge doe it can cast no influence vpon the thing knowne Psal 1. 6. 2. Tim. 2. 19. Iohn 10. 14. 27. Exod. 33. 12. This appeares by the contrarie when of wicked men God saith he knowes them not Mat. 7. 23. The consideration of these surpassing glories in the knowledge of God should serue for diuers Vses 1. It should breede in vs with the Apostle Admiration of those depths of Wisedome and Knowledge of God Rom. 11. 33. 2. It may informe vs concerning the vanity of Idols which haue no vnderstanding they cannot know nor foretell any thing and therefore not like the true God Esay 41. 2â— And it
this most blessed Immortality and hath prouided for vs habitations in that glorious eternity and so it should comfort vs against the shortnesse of our liues Psal 113. 12 13 29. 3. Yea it should comfort vs that God will visit vs and dwell in our hearts in this world that of himselfe dwells in eternity Esay 57. 15. 4. Our aduersaries are in Gods hands who is Lord of time and can cut them off at his pleasure Psalme 92. 8 9 10. Lastly all the good things God hath promised vs shall bee accomplished for the Eternity of Israel cannot lie nor will repent 1. Sam. 15. 29. which is also true of the curses denounced against wicked men Thus of the Eternity of God His Immutability followes In the Immutability of God two things are wonderfull and to be adored 1. That he is altogether and euery way vnchangeable 2. That he onely is Immutable For the first that God is altogether and euery way vnchangeable must be proued and explained The absolute Immutability of God is proued by these places euidently Psal 102. 27. 28. Mal 3. 6. Iam. 1. 17. For the explanation of this Doctrine two things are to bee noted first how God is Immutable and secondly in how many respects For the manner of his Immutability we must know that he is Immutable by Nature and of himselfe and so hee differs from some creatures that haue a kinde of Immutability As the heauens after they are renewed shall neuer be changed and so the soules and bodies of the faithfull after the day of Iudge ment but these are thus immutable by grace not by Nature by the gift of God not of themselues whereas Gods immutability depends vpon no other but hee is so absolutely and of himselfe Now God is Immutable in foure respects 1. In essence or substance and so he cannot bee changed to a-another essence or Nature he cannot die as hauing Immortality alone hee is alwaies in act hee hath not possibilities he is not changed so much as by motion neither in respect of place or working not in respect of place because he fills all things and is simply immense and infinite not in respect of working because he onely hath the glory to worke and yet be quiet in operation and vnmoueable nor can he be changed by growth or alteration in substance because being immense he cannot wax bigger by Augmentation nor lesser by Diminution and finally he cannot be changed by suffering from any other as being that onely essence that is impatible Thus the Psalmist saith that God is alwaies the same Psal 102. 28. and that the Lord stands vpon in his Title when hee calls himselfe I am or I am that I am Exodus 3. 2. In nature or proprieties for all his proprieties are to euerlasting the same so he is alwaies omnipotent omniscient most holy wise glorious c. As he cannot die in respect of substance so he cannot lie in respect of attributes he cannot denie himselfe or doe vniustly as diuers Scriptures shew 3. In decrees as is his essence so is his Sentence Immutable his counsell must stand and is for euer vnchangeable Heb. 6. 17. 18. Esay 46. 4. In promises all his promises hee makes in his word are yea and Amen Heauen and earth shall passe away but no iot or sillable of his Word shall passe vnsulfilled which is also true of his Threatnings and of that platforme of Holinesse giuen in the Law of Nature and exprest in Scripture Mat. 24. 35. Mal. 3. 6. as also in his Prophecies Reuel 22. 5. In his Gifts of grace bestowed vpon his people and so his gifts and callings are without Repentance Rom. 11. Iames 1. 17. If any should obiect that God was changed in Essence because the word became flesh and God was made man I answer that though the word was made flesh yet his diuine Nature was vnchanged for neither was the Deity turned into the Humanity nor was the proprieties of the Humane Nature deriued vnto the diuine but remaining what hee was viz. God he became what he was not viz. Man If any should obiect That motion from place to place is attributed to God because God is said to depart from some men and returne to other men That hath bin answered before in the Doctrine of Gods Immensitie for God mooues in respect of effect in vs being vnmoued in himselfe As a man that rowes in a Boate looking vpon the bancke thinkes the bancke goes from him or comes neerer him whereas the bancke is vnmoueable and the motion is in the boate If wee respect Grammer in these Phrases God seemes indeed to bee moued but if we respect a more high and secret Philosophie wee then vnderstand thereby that God is vnmoueable but is said to moue by returning when by the working of his spirit he makes vs returne to him If any yet obiect that the Spirit of God was said to moue vpon the waters Gen. 1. 2. The answer is that by that saying is signified no more then that the holy Ghost by his power and mouing did cherish and sustaine that indigested matter as an Hen that sits vpon her Egges to make them fit to bee hatched If any say that Gods suffers mutation in his knowledge because hee takes in the Apprehension of things present or to come and is turned backe to looke vpon things past I answer that though God be full of all knowledge of things past present and to come yet he is not cast backe to that which is past nor stands pondering vpon that which is present nor by hoping is stretched towards that which is to come because God sees all things with an eternall and vnchangeable view as hath bin shewed in the Doctrine of his Knowledge If any yet obiect that God suffers because he receiues worship from his children and is blasphemed by the wicked and that therefore God should be passible I answer that Passions are of two sorts some transmutatiue some Intentionall Some Passions worke a Reall mutation in the Obiect as when fire heates water thus Passion is transmutatiue Some Passions doe onely determine the Action as when I looke vpon heauen heauen suffers Terminatiuè non subiectiuè as they say in Schooles It suffers as the obiect of my sight but in it selfe vndergoes no change and this is Passion Intentionall and such onely is the Passion in God He suffers no alteration from any action of ours but is onely the obiect or Terme of our Actions good or euill If any obiect that God threatned to destroy the Niniuites and that Hezekiah should die and yet hee did not accomplish it and that therefore Gods Word and will is mutable I answer that those threatnings or predictions were not absolute but with condition or respect and therefore no change in Gods will Niniueh shall be destroyed if respect bee had to their merits and vnlesse they repent Now God is not bound alwaies to expresse the condition of his Threatnings and beside all
from him 2. God renewes our natures and begets them to bee like his Nature for being regenerated we partake of the diuine nature being made to liue Gods nature in holines and righteousnes and he may well be called a Father that begets that which is like to himselfe besides by Faith we put on Iesus Christ Gal. 3. 26. 27. 3. God giues vs the right and priuiledge of Sons and therefore is fitly called our Father for first hee findes vs foode and rayment Mat. 6. and teaching Esay 54. 13. and attendance not onely setting his Angels to looke to vs Psal 34. Heb. 1. but himself also carrying and bearing vs in his armes when any thing ayleth vs Esay 63. 9. 46. 4. Secondly he layes vp for vs as Fathers do for their children Psal 89. 28. 31. 19. and appoints vs the inheritance of Sons to be inioyed when we be of full yeeres Rom 8. 16. Before I passe from this point one thing must be added and that is that howsoeuer God be the Father of all men in respect of the Creation of their soules yet Faith lookes vpon him as a Father in Christ and so by Adoption and regeneration and therefore wee must diligently examine our selues whether we be sons and daughters to God by grace in Christ or no for all such as are by grace truely the Children of God haue in themselues such signes as these 1. They were borne by promise the preaching of the Gospell did mightily work vpon them to the renewing of their natures and infusing spirituall life into their soules Gal. 4. 29. Rom. 9. 8. 2. They are all beleeuers they come to Christ for happinesse and rely vpon him and so haue power to be the Sons of God Iohn 1. 12. 3. They lay hold vpon Gods couenant and consecrate themselues to his seruice and loue his name and to be his seruants and in particular are carefull to keepe his Sabboths Esay 56. 4. 5. 7. 4. They are children that will not lie they are noe Hypocrites they desire to be as good as they seeme to bee they abhorre counterfeiting and dissimulation their spirits are without guile Esay 63. 8. 5. They are led by the spirit and mortifie the deeds of the flesh Rom. 8. 13. 14. 6. They cry Abba Father they haue the spirit of prayer they can call vpon God in secret with affection and confidence esteeming nothing more then the Loue and fauour of God And thus how God is a Father and to whom The Vses follow and so In the first place this should teach Gods children many lessons as 1. To giue this glory to God to acknowledge him as a Father and daily so to call him from their hearts The first thing a childe speakes in nature vsually is the name of his parents and so the first thing in Religion should bee to call God Father we can doe nothing in Religion till we can call vpon God as vpon a Father this is the very foundation of the Church because all effectuall Religion is built vpon this principle that God is our Father 2. Thes 1. 1. Rom. 8. 15. 2. We should liue without care as our Sauiour shewes Mat. 6. for we haue a Father to care for vs and hee is a heauenly Father and therefore both knowes what wee need and is fully able to helpe vs and besides he daily feedes the foules of the ayre and yet he is not a Father to them how therfore can hee neglect vs whom hee hath begotten as children to himselfe ver 26. 32. 3. If God be our Father then we must honour him for wee are bound to honour our father and mother all our care should be to obey him and honour him and please him and doe our worke so as others might glorifie our Father which is in heauen Mal. 1. 6. Mat. 5. 16. liuin◠〈◊〉 â—as we shame not our fathers house 4. If God be our Father we must striâ—â—â—â— be like him and to imitate his nature and carriage and so we are vrged to follow and imitate him in mercie Mat. 5. 45. 48. in Loue Ephes 5. 1. 2. and in holines 1. Pet. 1. 14 15. 5. If God be our Father wee should be quickned vnto prayer wee should runne to him to make our moane in all our wants But withall it imports two things we should looke to in prayer first that we auoide vaine bablings and repetitions and affectation of length of prayer and the like for wee pray to a Father that needs not vaine and tedious discourses The words of a childe should bee humble and earnest and direct to the point but not tedious as our Sauiour shewes Mat. 6. 7. 8. secondly that wee pray in faith and not wauer because wee aske of a father If earthly fathers can giue good gifts to their children what will the heauenly father denie to his children Mat. 7. 7. 16. Yea if God himselfe should fight against vs with his terrors yet we must in prayer stick fast to this that he is our father and alwaies keepe this in our pleadings to wrestle with God by this Argument as the Church did in those straites mentioned Esay 64. 8. 4. 6. If God bee our father wee must then patiently beare his corrections seeing we indure correction at the hands of the fathers of our bodies who many times correct vs for their owne pleasure therefore much more should we submit our selues to the father of spirits who neuer corrects vs but for our profit And to desire to be without correction is to be in the condition of bastards and not of sonnes if we would haue God to loue vs we must be willing to let him correct vs Heb. 12. 4. to the 10. 7. If God be our father then nothing should more grieue vs then that wee haue offended him by our sinnes Ier. 31 18. Luke 15. 18. 8. If God be our father then wee must sort our selues with his children and auoid all needlesse societies and vnequall yoaking with the wicked of this world who are as like the diuell as euer childe was like his father Iohn 8. 2. Cor 6. 14 18. 9. We should in all welldoing rest in his praise as being our father that seeth in secret A childe seekes no more then to be accepted of his father Mat. 6. 1. 4. 10. We need not therefore the helpe of Saints or Angels to bring vs to God He is our father wee may goe to him our selues Esay 63. 16. 11. Therefore we should call no man father vpon earth hauing so great and gratious a father in heauen Mat. 23. 9. 12. Therfore also we should liue in peace one with another seeing we haue all one heauenly father Ephes 4. 4 6. Thus for instruction Secondly many consolations arise from hence if we beleeue that God is our father for then 1. He will spare vs as a father doth his son that serueth him he will beare with our infirmities Mal. 3. 17. 2. Though hee should correct vs yet hee
in six dayes and that for diuers reasons for God would haue the creation of the first matter of Nothing to be manifest and distinct from the framing and fashioning of bodies out of that matter besides thereby he shewed his power and freedome in producing the creatures making them to be before any naturall cause of them was as to make light before the Sunne and Moone was and further thereby hee shewed his goodnesse and care for the principall creatures prouiding foode before hee brings in the beasts and furnishing the whole world sets man to liue in it and finally hee warnes vs not to slip ouer the meditation of his workes suddenly but with long and continuall deliberation Hee created the world in many dayes to intimate that wee should not thinke a little time enough to wonder at so great glory Seuenthly he made all things without himselfe for though all things are in God as in their cause and Author in whom they liue moue and haue their being yet are they out of God in that they are no parts in God nor the very diuine Essence but haue a nature distinct from the Nature of God they are not separate from God in place as if they could be any where where God is not but are other things then God is and are not in God as a subiect to which they inhere or are fastened Thus of the manner how they were made Thirdly the end why the world was made was the glory of God Prou. 16. â—4 that is that the world might bee a Glasse or Theatre of diuine vertues and a Temple in which God would set forth and teach and make knowne to man his power wisdome and goodnesse Rom. 1. not that God by the Creation doth get to himselfe any glory seeing he abounds in glory himselfe so vnmeasurably as nothing can bee added to it or taken from it but onely hereby he communicates his glory to the Creature and gaue the creatures occasion to admire and commend his glory for by the Creation God makes himselfe visible as it were to the Creatures that are reasonable for though the Essence of God be inuisible yet by the Creation his power or Attributes are set out to be seene and read in that great Booke of nature and if any men see little of God in this mighty Frame of his Workes it is not because God hath declared himselfe therein but obscurely but because we are peruerse and blockish and full of natiue darkenesse by reason of sinne and the effects of sinne in vs. Now though infinite praises of God may be collected from the consideration of the whole world yet especially his power wisdome and goodnesse doe shine in his workes His power we may gather two waies both in that he could make all things of nothing and that he could make such great things as well and as easily as the smallest things and things so many and diuerse 1 Cor. 15. 41. Psal 89. 10. The goodnes of God appeares both in this that he made all things so good and in that he hath shewed means so fit and conuenient powerfull to preserue life and being in euery creature Psal 104. prouiding for creatures of diuers natures appetites diuers food remedies and Armour to preserue and defend them But especially who can expresse the goodnes of God shewed to men Ephes 3. 18. Acts 14. 17. As for Diuels Serpents or venemous Creatures or hurtfull they were not so by Creation but by defection and sinne or as punishments for sinne The wisdome of God is admirably discouered in the Creation in that hee hath made all things in such beautifull order and hath appointed to euery thing such peculiar vses and ends which they obserue men only excepted and that he gouernes them in such a constant certaine and perpetuall course euery thing hauing not onely his fit and proper place in the Frame but indewed also with such variety of vses and seruices Fourthly for the time when the world was made we must know that the world and time were made together so as all things were created in the beginning of time and the computation of the dayes or yeeres since the beginning of the world hath beene kept carefully in the Church the reckoning being made by Moses and the Prophets in the old Testament and since kept by the Christian Churches so as now the world is aboue 5600. yeeres old Before this time there was nothing but God himselfe and if any will needes aske What God did before the world was I may not answer as the Iewes wickedly did That he was making many little worlds which he destroied againe and neuer liked any till this Frame was vp but our answer must be That secret things belong vnto the Lord and reueiled things to vs Deut. 29. 29. or else that of Augustine That God was making Hell for the curious or else That the Frame of all things was in the minde of God from all eternity and so the world was as present to him then as now First we may hence be informed and confirmed that God is onely the true God because he is Creatour of Heauen and Earth Esay 45. 6 7. if any pleade that he is God the answer is at hand let him make such a Heauen and Earth and we will belieue in him else not Secondly the Creation of the World should teach vs many duties 1. To meditate of Gods works and studie the glory of God reuealed in this great booke of Nature all are required to learne to read here and if men will not take it well if their skill shewed in any cunning piece of work be not acknowledged or regarded how much more cause hath the Lord to be displeased with vs for neglecting such a curious and glorious frame so full of admirable variety and skill Whâ—t account shall we make at the last day we I say that are so naturally bent to delight in shewes that are either sinfull or vaine or imperfect such as are plaâ—es or rare sights as we call them or Pageâ—nts or Maskes or the like and yet haue no heart or will to goe out to see and wonder at the mâ—tchlesse shewes that God sets out before vs in his works Eccles 7. 15 Psal 111. 2 3. 2. Nor is it inough to meditate of his workes but wee must giue him the glory of them by praising his power and wisedome and goodnesse shewed in them we must striue to get a Language to that end and so bewaile our barrennesse of heart and words as withall to beseech him that requires vs to learne his praises to teach vs also to profit and to giue larger hearts and better Language Reuel 4 11. Thus haue the Worthies of the Lord done Iob and Dauid and Moses who haue set themselues in speciall manner to celebrate the praises of God in his workes and of them wee should learne to praise him at least make our selues skilfull in their formes of praise Psal 136. 5. 6.
which no other creature can doe and this discerning would be in the minde if there were no Sun in the firmament and aboue all things that the soule can know it is most excellent in that it can know God himselfe Man onely of all visible creatures can see God and his workes and acknowledge his workemanship which none of the other creatures can doe 3. The soule of man was made in the Image of God in other things the footsteps of God doe appeare but in man onely in this visible world did the similitude of God appeare Gen. 1. 26. Man was not made like the Sun in the firmament or like some Angell in Heauen but like God himselfe and so especially in his soule for the soule of man is a spirit as God is himselfe and it is inuisible and immateriall like God and as in the substance of the soule we resemble God so in certaine qualities or vertues printed in the soule which resemble the Attributes of God such as are goodnesse loue knowledge mercy Iustice patience and the like Ephes 4 Colos 3. 10. The nature of no creature being capable of vertue or the lawes of vertuous liuing but onely man 4. The soule is immortall it is a thing within vs that will neuer be at an end when worlds of other things bee dissolued round about it and this is an vnspeakeable indowment if we could seriously thinke of it that God should let vs last as long as himselfe and all other liuing things die and expire and come to nothing A mans soule will bee aliue after a thousand times tenne thousand yeeres All the diuells in Hell or Tyrants on earth cannot kill our soule 5. The soule of a man workes within strange things euen in his very body It carries the body about being a thing without body it selfe and giues diuers gifts to diuers parts of the body It workes sight in the eyes hearing in the eares feeling in all the body tasting in the Pallate smelling in the Nostrills breathing in the Lungs concoction in the Stomach operation in the hands ambulation in the feete and motion in the whole bodie yea it so workes by the senses of the body that it takes in by them all other things to it selfe in the species of them 6. As it is wonderfull for the things it worketh vpon the body so it is admirable for the worke it can doe when the body lyeth a sleepe and stirres not The soule then resembles God in the Creation It creates worlds of shapes within it selfe with strange furniture and variety which inward Creation of infinite frames of things would be like this world which God made but that the soule cannot giue them continuance life c. It was a great gift of God to giue the soule power to make these things within 7. The soule doth excell in quicknesse of motion working other creatures are swift some in running some in flying but what can be among them comparable to the soule which can in thought in an instant suruey the ends of the Earth In these and many other things the soule of man doth wonderfully excell being set in the body of a man as it were the God of the body as a little God in the little world as IEHOVAH is the great God in the great world The whole person of man considered as consisting both of soule and body did and doth enioy many singular prerogatiues aboue all other creatures in this visible world as 1. Man had the honour to be brought into the world when all other things were made and the world furnished ready for his vse Gen. 1. 2. God did man a great honour in the manner of making him for hee made man with consultation but all other things were made by saying the word onely let them be Gen. 1. 3. The soule and body of a man is knit together with such a bond as is beyond the reach of mortall creatures to expresse the manner of the Vnion 4. Because God conuerseth with man onely of all the creatures in the world our parents did see God in Paradise and he reuealeth himselfe still to the blessed ones in heauen Since the fall this is for the most part lost saue that with the godly the Lord conuerseth by many signes of familiarity in the vse of his ordinances 5. Because God made such prouision for man as hee did for no other creature as in the first Creation hee set man in Eden the garden of vnutterable pleasure and when man dies now if he be redeemed by Christ hee hath prouided that heauen of heauens for him 6. Because God hath made man Lord ouer the other creatures and bestowed vpon him dominion ouer the beastes of the field and foules of the Ayre and fishes of the sea yet the vastest creature aboue or below doth minister vnto man and God hath planted a naturall feare of man in other creatures Psal 8. â— Gen. 1. 9. 2. 7. Because the body and soule of a man is the Temple of the holy Ghost to dwell in so it was with the first man and so it is still in some men euen in this world 2. Cor. 6. 16. God dwells in man and walkes in him 8. Yea God hath done that honour to the nature of man that he hath not done to the nature of Angels and that is that he hath ioyned it inseparably to his diuine nature in the person of his Son Christ Iesus so as man is now as neere to God as the body is to the soule Heb. 2. 16. The consideration of this Glory of God in the Creation of man may serue for Instruction Humiliation and Consolation By way of Instruction it should teach vs many duties as 1. We should giue glory to God and acknowledge that it is he onely that made vs and not we our selues our parents are but instruments of the propagation of our bodies it is God that is the principall efficient Psal 100. 3. especially we should with all gladnesse acknowledge Gods goodnesse to vs that made vs such creatures so excellent aboue other workes of his hands he might haue made vs vile Vermine or poysonfull creatures Toads and Serpents Psalme 149. 2. 2. We should learne hence submission to God in all things concerning our life or death hee hath made vs and therefore hath absolute power ouer vs as the worke of his hands to doe with vs whatsoeuer pleaseth him and to call for the spirit backe againe and leaue vs to returne to our dust at his pleasure Ier. 45. 4. Psal 90 3. 3. Seeing all men are the worke of Gods hands and that our God made them it should teach Superiours to shew due respect to their Inferiours in gifts estate age or the like for he that made the rich made the poore also hee that made the Master made the Seruant also and therefore Inferiours are not to be despised Iob 31. 13. 15. Pro. 14. 31. All mankind made of one bloud Acts 17. 26. 4. We
Iesus as 1. The Man of sinne that vndertakes by his owne power to deliuer the people from their sinnes by giuing them pardons or by appointing them intercessors or by prescribing them waies of satisfaction for their sinnes and all besides Iesus 2. All such as do not see themselues to be lost and so to need a Sauiour 3. All such as liue in their sinnes without repentance for that shewes that Iesus hath not saued them from their sinnes Iude 4. 4. All that dispaire vnder the burthen of their sins 5. All that will not bow at the Name of Iesus First that will not by sound subiection and obedience yeeld themselues to be gouerned by Iesus Christ and by his ordinances Phil. 2. 11. 't is not bowing their legges will serue the turne 6. All such persons in generall as doe things contrary to the Name of Iesus by opposing that good way of Saluation in Iesus Acts 26. 9. Thus of the first Title Christ His second Title is Christ Where I consider first of the terme and then of the things signified by the terme About the terme diuers things are to be considered 1. The signification Christ is a Greeke word and signifies Anointed and is the same in sense with the Hebrew word Messiah which also signifies Anointed 2. Why in the New Testament and so in our Creed hee is called rather Christ by a Greeke terme then Messiah which was the antient and Hebrew terme And that may bee to signifie the interest of the Gentiles for as Iesus an Hebrew name shewes the Right of the Iewes so Christ a Greeke name shewes the Right of the Gentiles both meeting in one Mediator betweene God and all sorts of men 3. The necessity of taking in this Title into our Creed for the Iewes willingly acknowledged this Title of Iesus Iohn 6. 24. but excommunicated out of their Synagogues any that would openly acknowledge this Title of Christ Iohn 9. and therefore it stands vs vpon to hold fast this Title 4. It must bee noted that in the fift Application of this terme it must not onely be annexed to Iesus Acts 2. 36. Luke 2. 26. 27. but it must be vnderstood as if it were read the Christ the terme of Christ as Anointed may be giuen to other men as Dauid was Christ or Anointed so are Kings Gods Anointed but none was the Christ but Iesus of Nazareth Thus of the terme Christ The thing signified is his Anointing and about the Anointing of Iesus diuers things are to be considered 1. Who Anointed him viz. the Spirit of the Lord or the whole Trinity Esay 61. 1. 2. What his Anointing comprehends viz the substance of all that which was signified by the Oyle in the Ceremoniall Law especially the Oyle with which the high Priest was Anointed for thereby was shadowed 1. That hee was certainely the person was chosen to the Office of a Mediator for as the powring out of the Oyle did shew which was the Man that was the Priest or King so the Anointing of Iesus did shew that hee was the person chosen for this great worke 2. That he had his ordination to his Office from God for the Oyle in the Law was prescribed by God onely no creature did prescribe it or might make the like Exod. 30. 33. 37. 3. That he was qualified with abundance of grace and fitnesse for his Office as that Oyle was compounded of diuers spices Exod. 30. 34. so was Christ indued with all sorts of gifts needfull for a Mediator He was full of grace and truth Iohn 1. 14. and hee had of the Oyle aboue his fellowes neuer any Anointed with such a measure of graces God gaue not him the Spirit by measure Iohn 3. 34. Psal 45. 7. Acts 10. 38. 4. That he did execute the Office of Mediator with vnspeakable gladnesse and willingnesse Neuer man did worke so willingly It was the Oyle of gladnesse hee was Anointed withall Psal 45. 7. 5. That the gifts bestowed vpon him were such as were agreeable to his humane nature for the Oyle consisted of earthly substance his humane nature was not endowed with the essentiall properties of the God-head but with created qualities 6. That Iesus should be acceptable to God and man he was a sweet smelling sauour vnto God and no perfume can smell so sweet in the nostrills of men as doth Iesus in the hearts of all beleeuers nothing sauours so sweetely 7. That our persons and workes are made acceptable to God by him As the Oyle did not onely wet Aarons head but ranne downe vpon his garments so Christ is qualified with those rich graces not onely to make himselfe acceptable to God but all his members smell of his Oyle in the sight of God Wee are saith the Apostle a sweet sauour vnto God in Iesus Christ Psal 133. 2. Cor. 2. 16. wee haue receiued of his Anointing 1. Iohn 2. 27. The third thing is to which nature this Anointing belongs For answer it belongs to the whole Person and so to both Natures Christ is Mediator and so Anointed in respect of his Person for Anointing comprehending especially ordination to the Office and qualification for it though in respect of the latter the humane Nature was richly adorned as a sumptuous Palace for the diuine nature to dwell in and the diuine Nature could not need any pouring out of gifts yet in respect of ordination to the worke of Mediator the diuine Nature is assigned of God and chosen thereunto aswell as the humane The fourth thing is to what he was Anointed or to what Office I answer hee was Anointed to bee all that which the Ceremoniall Anointing did signifie Now three sorts of men were Anointed Priests and Kings ordinarily and the Prophet Elizeus extraordinarily which shadowed out that the Messias should be both the Prophet the Priest and the King of the Church and to all these three was he called and accordingly qualified with three especiall gifts Wisedome Holinesse and Power Wisedome fits him for his propheticall Office and holinesse for his Priestly Office and Power for his regall Office and so he answers to three things in our misery The first is our ignorance the second is the corruptions disorder of our liues the third is the guiltinesse by which we are lyable to eternall punishment our ignorance hee takes away as a Prophet our guiltinesse as a Priest and our corruption and disorder as a King bringing vs into order His worke then is threefold to be a Prophet to the Church a Priest and a King his work as Prophet is to teach the Church all needfull knowledges His worke as Priest is to make satisfaction for the sinnes of the Elect His worke as a King is to gather and rule the Church First then he is Anointed a Prophet to the Church and his worke is to teach and about his prophecying or teaching wee haue many things to inquire of as 1. What he treats of in his teaching and so his worke is to
Christ Psalme 31. Now there were certaine gifts which our Sauiour had not till he went to Heauen as impassibility and immortality on Earth hee might and did suffer and dye but now in Heauen hee can neither suffer nor dye any more Romans 6. 10. Thus of the second effect of the personall vnion in the Incarnation The third effect belongs to both natures and is the grace of office for from this vnion ariseth a fit Mediatour and head of the Church for in both natures considered as vnited is Christ our Mediatour so as all things belonging to our reconciliation and saluation were done by Christ in both natures yet were not the Actions of the diuine and humane nature so confounded but that each nature did that which belonged to that nature onely to speake distinctly in euery thing done for our saluation wee must consider First the Worker and that is the Person of Christ or Christ considered in his Person Secondly the things by which he workes and that is his Natures Diuine and Humane Thirdly the working it selfe and that followes that Nature that doth worke Fourthly the worke or the thing outwardly done which they call in another language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now this outward worke was done by the diuers workings of each Nature concurring to dispatch the worke as to sacrifice for mans sinne is one worke yet to this worke concurre the workings of both Natures the Humane Nature is offered as the gift and the Diuine Nature doth inable and sanctifie the gift c. As in Chirurgery when a limbe of a man is to bee cut off and burnt or seared vp all at once this is done by a Sword or other Instrument made red hot yet there we see in that fired sword that it is still but one sword and yet there is two Natures in it fire and yron and these two Natures haue different forces the one to cut and the other to burne and there is two workings diuers the yron cuts and the fire or heat burnes and yet the outward worke is but one worke done at once which is the searing of the Member by cutting The last effect of this vniting of the diuine nature to the humane is the grace of honour and worship giuen to the humane nature for the humane nature that in it selfe were not to be worshipped being a creature doth partake of the honour to receiue diuine worship in as much as worship is directed to that person that is both God and man Thus of the last point in the explication which is the effects of the personall vnion in the worke of the Incarnation The Vses follow and are for information and instruction and consolation From the Doctrine of Christs Incarnation wee may be informed of diuers things as 1 Concerning the wonder of the person of our Sauiour for here mortality and immortality meet together in the same person It is truly affirmed that hee is created and vncreated without beginning and yet did beginne in time a Iew according to the flesh and yet GOD blessed ouer all for euer GOD before all ages and yet man liuing amongst vs God before the flesh God in flesh and God with flesh By his Miracles shewing his Diuinity and by his Sufferings shewing his Humanity Hauing one generation without beginning and another generation without example In the one hee makes man and in the other hee deliuers man The one was before man and the other aboue man Gods Sonne becomes mans Sonne and yet not changed from what he was but assuming what he was not The taking of our low estate did not diminish the Maiesty of his high estate for he so tooke what was ours as he lost not what was his owne ioyning both natures in such a bond as neither Maiesty consumed the inferiour nor assumption diminished the superiour in man changing the condition of other men and yet in himselfe remaining vnchangeable The manner of this vnion in the Incarnation being a mystery to bee beleeued not discussed That the Word was made flesh I know but how he was made so I know not nor doe any creature know The mystery hid from ages was reueiled in this last age reueiled I say that there was such a thing done but not reueiled how it was done 2 Concerning the glory of God shining in this worke and that especially in two things The one is in the way of communicating of himselfe to the creature The other is in contriuing the forme of our redemption For the first God being the chiefe good it seemed good to him to communicate himselfe to the creature that he hath done three waies First by communicating nature to the creature that highest being granting nature being with Nature with great diuersities of proprieties in that being 2. By communicating grace to the creature which is the prerogatiue of certaine creatures that by Gods gift hauing powred out vpon them a similitude likenesse of God himselfe whether on Earth or in Heauen Now the third way is aboue the former to be adored and admired for euer and that is a way by which God doth not giue any created gifts either of nature or grace but he that is the Creator and Lord of glory doth giue himselfe to the creature to make one person with the creature The first way God is communicated to all creatures the second way to the reasonable creature the third way to Christ man And yet obserue and wonder for God in Christ hath communicated himselfe to all creatures for in as much as the nature of man comprehends in an Epitome or by way of repetition the substance of all that is in all other creatures and therefore is called a little world when God assumes the Nature of man into personall vnion with himselfe hee doth after a sort exalt euery creature and reduce it to himselfe Now for the other point the glory of God in contriuing a way for the saluation of mankinde lost doth greatly appeare in this work of the Incarnation for the debt of the first man was so great that none ought to pay it but man none could pay it but God and therefore God assumes man into the vnity of his person that so man that in nature ought to pay and could not in person might make full discharge Againe all mankind it lieth vnder sinne the Iustice of God will haue all damned the Mercy of God will haue all saued now the wisdome of God moderateth betweene his Iustice and Mercy and by this way satisfies both His Iustice is pleased in giuing a surety so as the offence being infinite in respect of the obiect which is God it was exhausted by an infinite power in respect of the subiect or the surety satisfying Secondly the Doctrine of Christs Incarnation should worke in vs by way of Instruction and so it should teach vs in some things that respect Christ and in some things that respect Christians In respect of Christ it should inflame in vs
a vehement desire to bee made like vnto his nature If he come so neere to vs to take our nature wee should desire to approach to him to take his nature If he were made like vnto vs in infirmities we should striue to be made like vnto him in grace and holinesse shall hee descend to vs and shall not we ascend to him If he abase himselfe to tâ—ke the proprieties of our Nature how should we striue to be exalted in taking to vs the vertues of his nature and for our respect to other Christians the Apostle from this Doctrine tels the Philippians in what things they should be like-minded to Christ They should learne of him to be humble and to shew their loue to their brethren though it were to deny themselues and their owne profit or seeking the good of others and not their owne good which you may reade there vrged at large Phil 2. 6 7. Thirdly the Doctrine of the Incarnation might be very comfortable to all the godly and so in diuers respects First in that he did take our Nature into vnion with his diuine Nature we should ioy in it for is it not an admirable priuiledge that the nature of man is taken into such a society with the holy Trinity being a part of Christ who is the second person in Trinity who can sufficiently admire the honour done to our nature that it should now be one with the blessed Trinity Secondly if wee consider what he assumed He tooke my whole Nature that I might be wholly saued he left nothing of man which hee tooke not to himselfe Thirdly to comfort vs in all infirmities and distresses hee made himselfe like vnto vs He was poore with Lazarus wept with Mary thirsted with the woman of Samaria was an hungry in the wildernesse to satisfie for our eating in the Garden he was in bonds with Paul he was tempted that hee might succour vs that are tempted in all things he became like to vs that we might not sinke vnder the burthen of our infirmities or sufferings Fourthly it must it needes be a great deale of comfort to vs to haue such assurance giuen vs of his loue to vs that for our sakes would ioyne his Maiesty to our vilenesse his power to our weaknesse his immortality to our mortality that being in the for me of God would for vs vouchsafe to be in the for me of a seruant Fifthly it comforts vs in that it may wonderfully settle our faith in beleeuing in him we may safely rest vpon him that wants not power to saue vs seeing he is God nor will to saue vs seeing he is one of vs a true man that hath had experience of our miseries Sixthly it should greatly encourage our hearts in all our suits to God seeing our owne flesh and bloud sits at the right hand of God what can wee aske the Father in his Name that will be denyed He that was made like to vs in suffering will neuer bee strange to vs in praying He that became our brother by Incarnation will not shew himselfe a stranger in the businesse of Intercession Lastly in the hope of our glorification in Heauen we receiue hence great comfort for therefore did the Sonne of God become the Sonne of man on earth that the Sonnes of men might become the Sonnes of God in Heauen Lastly this Doctrine also is not without terrour to wicked men that will not receiue him whom GOD hath sent amongst them that God which hath beene so wonderfull in sending his Sonne to liue amongst vs in our nature if we will not beleeue in him and striue to be like to him will make himselfe wonderfull in our destruction This will be the condemnation of the world that so great a light came into the world and the world receiued it not Hitherto of the Incarnation in generall Now we come to consider of the parts of his Incarnation viz. his conception by the Holy Ghost and his birth of the Virgin Mary One thing is common to both these parts viz. the anunciation of them by an Angell God sent an Angell from Heauen to signifie both these wonders in the Incarnation of our Sauiour and the Ministery of an Angell is vsed in the beginning of our redemption by the Incarnation of our Sauiour partly because as in our perdition an euill angell came to the woman in the Serpent so would God haue a good Angell come to the woman to treat with her about our Redemption and partly because good Angels were in some respects witnesses in the worke of our Redemption for thereby the places amongst the Angels made void by the fall of diuels are by the Redeemer to be supplyed by holy men and withall the Angels receiuing their confirmation in goodnesse from Christ are now actually to subiect themselues together with Elect men vnder that one Head Christ Iesus Now concerning the Conception which is the first part of Incarnation these things are to be considered 1. The proofes that there was such a conception 2. Who was so conceiued 3. Of whom hee was so conceiued 4. What was done by the Holy Ghost in this conception 5. How it was done 6. When it was done 7. The effects of this conception in respect of vs. 8. Why it was necessary hee should bee thus conceiued 9. Where the Body of CHRIST was when it was thus conceiued 10. A question about the Virgin Mary and lastly the Vses of all For the first that our Sauiour was conceiued of the Holy Ghost is proued by this Text Luke 1. 35. as also Mat. 1. 18 20. and Rom. 1. 3 4. For the second if wee respect the matter conceiued then Christ man was conceiued but if we respect the person conceiued the second Person in the Trinity was conceiued in the wombe of the Virgin for so it is said in this Text that it was the Son of the most High and the Prophet Esay saith it was Emmanuel God with vs for though the Virgin did not giue the diuine Nature to Christ yet the person that receiues the humane Nature in her wombe was the Sonne of God Ob. Then it seemes the whole diuine Essence was conceiued for the whole diuine Essence was in the second Person in the Trinity Answ This Incarnation was not according to his Essence but according to his person the person onely assumed our nature in this Conception Luk. 1. 31. 32. 35. Rom. 9. 5. 1. Tim. 3. 16. and therfore to speake properly we may not say that in this conception the humane nature began to be for that hath no subsistence in it selfe but the Person began to bee then in the humane nature Tylen For the third he was conceiued of the holy Ghost as the former proofes shew He was not conceiued as other men be by propagation or by generation in the coniunction of man and woman but without man by the working of the holy Ghost Ob. If he were conceiued of the holy Ghost then the holy Ghost
of our liues against the sense of our owne vnrighteousnesse and defects of Holinesse It is the ioy of our Hearts that we may euer say of Iesus he is the Lord our righteousnesse and that he is made vnto vs of God righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Rom. 5. 19. And therefore this great and free gift of God we must not only beleeue but acknowledge and professe Againe we should alwaies be stirred vp from the meditation of the singular holinesse of heart and life which was in Christ to striue to be holy as he is holy for though a perfect obedience be not required of vs in the new Gouenant yet this righteousnesse of Christ is bestowed vpon those men only that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 3 4. Now for the reasons why this Article of Christs actiue obedience was not mentioned in the Creed I cannot well tell what they were vnlesse it were for breuities sake or because it is implied in his passiue obedience for it is true that we must not diuide his actiue and passiue obedience the one from the other because as they meet both in one Sauiour so they are both ioyntly imputed to vs to make vp that one worke of our Iustification It remaines now that I enter vpon the explication of the sufferings of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and so there be Six things of great weight and profit to be distinctly considered of 1. Who suffered 2. From whom he suffered 3. For whom he suffered 4. Why it was needfull he should suffer 5. What he suffered 6. How he suffered For the first hee that suffered is described in the words next before in the Creed it was Iesus Christ the only Sonne of Godour Lord who was so wonderfully conceiued and borne For the vnderstanding whereof we must conceiue that the Passion of Christ belongs to his Person and so is attributed in respect of the Person to both Natures for though in his diuine Nature he cannot suffer because hee is Immutable nor can die because he is Immortall and therefore properly suffers but in his humane Nature yet in respect of the Person suffering his sufferings belong euen to the diuine Nature for if the flesh be the flesh of the Word then must also the sufferings of the flesh be the sufferings of the Word also for neither was the Word disioyned from the flesh nor the flesh seuered from the Word Nor was there any hurt done to the Nature that is inuiolable by that which was to be suffered in the Nature passible If the Sunne shine vpon a peece of timber though an axe cut the timber yet the Sunne remaines impassible so is it when the Diuinitie is ioyned to the suffering flesh of Christ yet I say in respect of the personall vnion the suffering is also attributed to the diuine Nature Thus the Scripture saith God redeemed the Church with his bloud Act. 20. 28. and the Lord of glory was crucified 1 Cor. 2. 8. So then the summe of all is that the Son of God did suffer in that Nature he could suffer in and this point may serue for very many vses As 1. We may stand still and with amazement gaze and wonder at the glory of this Mystery imported in this first point What is this the eyes of our faith behold was it euer thus seene before The Maker of man is made Man and while he rules the Starres he suckes the brests He that is Bread hungereth He that is the eternall Fountaine is athirst He that is the Way is weary He that is the Truth is obscured by false witnesses He that is the Iudge of quicke and dead is iudged by a mortall Iudge He that is Righteousnesse himselfe is condemned by the vnrighteous He that is the God of all Order is beaten with rods He that is the Power of God is made weake He that is Saluation is wounded and He that is Life dies 2. By the Euidence of this Truth the Christian Church draw out those Heretiques were called Patripassiani that held that God the Father suffered and that the termes of Father Sonne and Holy Ghost did note but one Person only Which grosse Heresie as it is confuted by the Doctrine of the Trinity before so by this Doctrine contained in this branch of this Article 3. We may hence gather how hatefull sinne is that can make God suffer that can abase so fearefully as you shall heare afterwards the very Sonne of God who yet did no sinne but was only a surety as is to be shewed yea it makes him suffer from his owne naturall Father so vile a thing is sin and so iust is God What can be more senselesse than the heart of man that from hence doth not clearely see the vgly and monstrous nature of sinne and the most vnauoidable iustice of God in punishing sinne Doth Christ suffer and from his owne Father and is it possible any of vs should be so bewitched as to go on in sinne and yet think there is such mercy in God as to spare him though he forsake not his euill wayes 4. Is Gods Sonne thus abased for vs and doe not wee pitie him Are not our stony hearts melted with compassion towards him Oh why doe we not more mourne for him suffering than we would for our owne and only sonnes This wee should doe and must neuer haue the praise of good Nature till we can be more affected with his abasement that was so high and excellent in his owne Person 5. Our faith should be wonderfully from hence strengthned considering the vnspeakable sufficiencie of the sufferings of Christ for our sinnes for if the Sonne of God redeemed vs and satisfied for vs and suffered for vs then wee must needs be fully ransomed and though our sinnes be many yet the bloud of Iesus Christ the Sonne of God cleanseth vs from all our sinnes 1 Ioh. 1. 7. Note that he saith the bloud of the Sonne of God for that makes his bloud a perfect and sufficient price of Redemption 6. If the Sonne of God suffered then it should be a shame for the sons of men to be vnwilling to suffer or to be impatient in their afflictions Heb. 12. 3. especially such as are in meane condition in this world should from hence be resolued without murmuring to beare hard vsage as is vrged in the case of seruants 1 Pet. 2. 18. 19. Thus of the first Point For the second Point viz. from whom he suffered We must know that if we let passe the higher causes of his Passion and looke vpon the creatures only he suffered from all sorts of Enemies The Deuils and the High Priests the Pharisies and the People Iudas and Pilate Herod and the Souldiers Iewes and Gentiles his owne Countrey-men and strangers all oppose him and from all he suffered as the History of the Gospell more at large shewes Which point is worthy our obseruation for diuers vses First
Scripture acknowledgeth no other propitiation than the passion of Christ nor can there be need of any other seeing it is the passion of him that is God Secondly hence we may be confirmed against the scandal of the Crosse of Christ though Iewes and Gentiles declaime against Christ for that very cause because he was so vile and contemptible in the eyes of the world yet we see there was great reason for it he should be so abased for else our sinnes had not beene satisfied for nor heauen purchased Thirdly hence we may see the difference betweene Christs sufferings and the sufferings of the Martyrs For first the sufferings of the Martyrs were not punishments for sinnes but only trials or chastisements whereas Christs sufferings were maledictions and punishments laid vpon him for our sins Againe the sufferings of the Martyrs were not meritorious they deserued nothing for others because they are considered but as priuate men but Christs sufferings were meritorious because he vndertooke them as our suretie and was sustained vnder them by the immediate assistance of the Diuine Nature in respect of which they were the sufferings of God Fourthly hence we may take occasion to be grieued at heart for our sinnes for our sinnes were the cause of the sufferings of Christ and brought vpon him all the miseries he endured when we see Christ crucified we see him who was so pierced for our sinnes Fifthly seeing we are bought with such a price as the sufferings and bloud-shedding of Iesus Christ we should therefore not be the seruants of men seeing Christ paid so deare for vs we should be ashamed to applie our selues to the humours and lusts and vanities of the men of this world as if we were still their seruants He knowes not Christ or the price of his redemption that for base and corrupt respects will leaue the sinceritie of Christs seruice to humour or please men 1 Cor. 7. 23. Sixthly seeing Christ laid downe this price to redeeme and saue his people from their sinnes wee should goe away resolued to sinne no more and to walke worthy of so great redemption Shall wee againe crucifie the Sonne of God by returning with the dogge to our vomit or the swine to the wallowing in the mire Seuenthly how should we admire the loue of Christ to vs that hath washed vs from our sinnes by his owne bloud Oh glorious medicine Oh how vnspeakable was that loue What tongue can vtter it What heart can conceiue of it Reuel 1. 5. But the especiall vse is for consolation for these ends of Christs sufferings doe manifestly import the fruits and benefit of his suffering to vs which is so great as we should euer exult and glory in the Crosse of Christ aboue althings and desire no better a way of liuing than to liue by the faith of the Sonne of God that gaue himselfe for vs Galat. 2. 20. and 6. 14. For since Christ did suffer for those reasons before specified it will manifestly from thence follow 1. That the hand-writing that was against vs is cancelled our bond which we forfeited cannot now be sued against vs Col. 2. 15. 2. That God is pacified and well pleased with vs Mat. 17. 5. 1 Ioh. 2. 12. 3. That death and damnation is now swallowed vp into victory that we need not liue in such feare of them Ro. 8. 1. 1 Cor. 15. Heb. 2. 14 15. 4. That the deuill being but Gods Sergeant or Iaylor hath now no power ouer vs Heb. 2. 14. 5. That we are absolued and discharged from the guilt of all our sinnes and may by faith lay hold vpon all the promises of grace and pardon in the Scripture 6. That sinne shall haue no more dominion ouer vs for the bloud of Iesus Christ cleanseth vs from all our sinnes as well in respect of vertue as in respect of merit and against the power of it as well as against the guilt of it Rom. 6. 7. That we shall be sure of heauen when we die And in generall the passion and bloud-shedding of Christ doth ratifie and assure to vs all the good things of the new Couenant or Testament Heb. 9. 16. c. and for matters may be needfull for vs in this life how can we doubt for if God haue giuen vs his Sonne how shall he not with him giue vs all things Romanes 8. 32. Thus of the fourth point The fifth point is what he suffered for vs and this will be large in the explication of it For though his sufferings vnder Pontius Pilate be mentioned and his suffering of what fell out at the end of his life be called the Passion by an excellencie yet in as much as Christ suffered nothing casually or for himselfe but for vs therefore we must reckon all the parts of his sufferings as parts of his Passion for vs and so remouing the Synecdoche which is in the words of the Creed and considering at large of Christs sufferings euen those parts which are not menâ—ioned in the Creed as well as those that are the whole Systeme or Method of the doctrine of Christs Passion may be disposed as followeth The Passion of Christ is both Priuatiue and Positiue His Priuatiue Passion did consist in this that he wanted that glory ioy and felicitie which he might and ought to haue had if he had not voluntarily for the redemption of man depriued himselfe of such glory and felicitie and this kinde of Passion did extend it selfe to both Natures For first his Diuine Nature suffered as it were an eclipse of glory all the time of our Sauiours dwelling on earth it was hidden as it were behinde the veile for if his Diuinitie had shone out in the brightnesse of the glory of it when he came to dwell amongst vs Iohn â—â— 14. it would haue beene as wonderfull on earth amongst men as it was and is in heauen amongst Angels And besides though the glory of Christs Diuinitie be so infinite as nothing can be added to it or taken from it in it selfe yet is it said to be glorified or obscured according to the conceptions of it in the minds of men and so he suffered a priuation of glory or rather a defect of it in that light came into the world and the darknesse of mens hearts was such as they did not compâ—ehend it Yea it was a great Passion that the Diuinitie of Christ should be so slowly and by so few acknowledged al the dayes of Christs being in the flesh on earth And as for his humane Nature there was due to it all abundance of glory and happinesse and ioyfull life in as much as he was a iust man and did perfectly fulfill the whole Law of God for he that doth that should liue the meaning is he should liue a most pleasant and happy life for euer But this glory also for our sakes he was contented to want for a time to his very humane Nature Of this kinde of Passion is spoken Ioh. 17. 5. Phil.
gall chap. 27. 34. As for the reason of this fact it is generally receiued amongst Diuines that either the Iudges appointed or that the women of Ierusalem out of pitie to the malefactors going to execution prepared a Potion of strong wine the better to comfort them against death or to inebriate their senses so as they should not feele the paines of crucifying And it is guessed that this was a custome euen in Solomons time because of that sentence hee vseth Prou. 31. 6. Giue strong drinke to him that is ready to perish and wine to him that is of a heauy heart If the Potion were giuen only to cheere their hearts it was a worke of mercy at least in their intendment but if it were to make them drunke it was horrible cruelty to the soules of the poore creatures that should be better prepared for death Now for reconciling of the difference betweene the Euangelists to omit many opinions I thinke their iudgement is the most probable that say that the women of Ierusalem gaue him wine mingled with mirrhe but the Souldiers and the Iewes out of very spight and cruelty changed it into vineger mingled with gall Now it is said of the first Potion he receiued it not and of the latter when he had tasted he would not drinke of it By all which was signified 1. That Christ hath paid for our vicious pleasures by tasting of the cup of gall 2. That true solace and comfort is not to be found or sought from the earth or the men of this world who in stead of sweet incouragements vsually doe of purpose giue vnto Gods seruants drinke of gall and vineger that is proffer them all occasions of vexation and discontent And for further vse let vs consider that it was our sinnes that were this gall and vineger to Christ If we blame the Iewes for giuing him such a Potion let vs iudge our selues for our sins for it was we that gaue him this gall to drinke Deut. 32. 22 23. Now for the third question in the diuision Christ was crucified for these Reasons or Vses First that thereby it might appeare that he was the true Messias and Sauiour promised to the Fathers as he himselfe saith Iohn 8. 28. Secondly that thereby he might deriue the malediction of the Law vpon himselfe which was due to vs and that we might possesse and inherit the blessing Gal. 3. 13 14. Thirdly that by a vertue flowing from his crucifying the viciousnes of our corrupt natures might be abolished that we might not afterwards serue sinne Rom. 6. 6. Fourthly that our debts being there paid the hand-writing that was against vs might be cancelled so as our sinnes should be no more remembred of God Col. 2. 14. But the speciall thing to be considered in Christs crucifying is to looke vpon it as a sacrifice offered vp to God for the sinnes of the elect in which an atonement and expiation is made for our sinnes About this Sacrifice diuers things are to be inquired into As first who is the Priest And that is Christ considered in both Natures as is proued in many chapters of the Epistle to the Hebrewes And he is indeed the only Priest of the New Testament considered really for he came in stead of all the Leuiticall Priests his Priesthood is euerlasting Heb. 7. 24. because it doth not passe from man to man by succession as the Leuiticall High Priesthood did Secondly what is the Sacrifice and that is Christ as he is man or the manhood of Christ so we are said to be sanctified by the offering vp of the body of Iesus Heb. 10. 10. and this Sacrifice of his was not an Eucharisticall but an whole burnt offering or a propitiatorie Sacrifice such a Sacrifice as was seized vpon by the fire of Gods wrath and all burnt to ashes Thirdly what was the Altar And that was the Godhead of Christ not the Crosse properly because the Altar sanctifieth the gift Matth. 23. 19. and that which sanctified the Humanitie that it might be a meritorious Sacrifice was the Diuine Nature vpon which it was laid and presented to God Fourthly how often this Sacrifice was offered viz. but once only as is proued Heb. 10. 14. and 9. 28. 25. Fifthly the excellencie of this Sacrifice which appeares by the fruit of it and by the continuance of it The fruit of it was both the bearing of our sinnes Heb. 9. 28. and the taking away of our sins from before Gods sight Heb. 9. 26. so as he made thereby a perfect atonement and propitiation for our sinnes God smelling a sauour of rest and his sacrifice being a sweet smelling sauour vnto God so as he is well pleased Gen. 8. 21. Ephes 5. 2. And besides by this Sacrifice we are consecrated as a holy and peculiar people to God as the Priests were consecrated in the Law Heb. 10. 14. Thus of the fruit of it The continuance of the Atonement and fruit of this Sacrifice is for euer it was not such as needed to be renued Heb. 10. 14. for he is a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech Sixtly what is required of vs that we may haue benefit of his Sacrifice and crucifying for vs And so three things chiefly are required First that we be crucified with him not only in sorrow for his sufferings Zach. 12. 12. but in bewailing our sinnes and crossing the corrupt disposition of our Natures and forsaking the vaine pleasures and glories of this world Rom. 6. 6. Gal. 6. 14. Secondly that we looke vpon Christ by faith as the Sacrifice offered for vs or the brazen Serpent lifted vp vpon the Crosse for vs Ioh. 3. 14. Thirdly wee must be sanctified as a people willing to consecrate themselues to God as a liuing sacrifice soule and body for his seruice Heb. 10. 14. Rom. 12. 1. The fourth point is the manner how he was crucified and so six things are distinctly to be noted 1. That he put off his garments and suffered naked 2. That he was lifted vp vpon the Crosse 3. That he was fastened to the Crosse and fastened with nailes driuen into his hands and feer 4. That he hanged with his armes spread abroad 5. That he was crucified in the middest of two Theeues 6. That he suffered the effusion of his precious bloud on the Crosse For the first our Sauiour being to be crucified put off his garments for diuers reasons 1. That he might thereby shew that he was ready for death and did willingly imbrace it 2. That he might satisfie for the sin of our first Parents that made themselues naked by losing the garment of innocencie in which they were created and so make expiation for their abominable nakednesse 3. That hee might vnâ—loath vs of sinne and mortalitie of which the garments giuen to our first Parents were a Monument for when they had sinned God made them garments of the skinnes of dead beasts and put them vpon them as memorials of mortality
whose it should be shewed that mâ—â— do not attaine the righteousnesse merits of Christ by â—â—eir owne deserts industry or skill but by lot that is â—â— the immediate gift of God Our portion amongst the Sâ—ints in light is by lot Coloss 1. 12. Concerning the derision he suffered it is obserued by the Euangelist Saint Matthew Chap. 27. 39 c. that they that went by wagged their heads at him vpbraiding him with the destruction of the Temple and the chiefe Priests and Scribes and Elders derided him many wayes and tempted him mocking at his Miracles and trust in God and the Theeues also that were crucified with him vpbraided him also the standers by mocked him about the very prayers hee offered vp to God peruerting his words wilfully as if he called to some creature to helpe him so that he was here on all hands despised as a worme and no man and all this he suffered 1. That from those often extreme contempts powred out vpon Christ at other times now we might be throughly made to know how hatefull our sinnes are to God especially the sinnes by which we and our first Parents haue despised or slighted God and dishonoured him and caused others to blaspheme his Name in that God doth so reuenge our Transgressions vpon his Sonne 2. That wee being deliuered from that eternall scorne and contempt which was due to vs might in this life inioy the comfort of a good name and in the life to come eternall glory before God and his Angels Christs ignominie did merit and procure our honour 3. That by his example wee might be comforted and by his silence and patience learne to despise the shame and scornes of sinfull men and not render reuiling for reuiling Heb. 12. 3. It may perhaps runne in mens mindes to wish that our Sauiour would haue done as they said seeing they promise to beleeue in him if he could saue himselfe from the Crosse But let men consider first that our Redemption had beene hindered if he had not died on the Crosse and besides being brought to that houre as our surety hee could not come downe till he had satisfied Gods iustice and further he had denied to worke Miracles in his life time when they and Herod defired him to doe it because they were an adulterous generation and cast off of God who was now loth to haue them conuert Esay 6. 10. Neither would they haue repented though they had had their desire and if Miracles would haue satisfied them he had done store of them in his life time and in that kinde he had saued himselfe from the hands of a multitude that intended to kill him as when they tooke vp stones in the Temple to stone him and it was more that he did to rise from the dead then to come downe from the Crosse and yet they did not beleeue him Againe in these reproches we may obserue that wicked men doe hate godly men for the very goodnesse that is in them and the true glory God hath stamped vpon them and the good they do They doe not vpbraid Christ for any euill no not for the euils they accused him of before for they themselues knew hee was innocent but for the good hee had done in sauing others and for his trust in God and for his prayers to God Further we may gather from hence that all persecutors are Atheists though they professe Religion for these men though learned and great men yet blaspheme God and deride him as if he had not power to saue him Moreouer we may obserue how malice and wickednesse had besotted the Priests and Scribes They alledge a place in the Psalmes viz. He trusted in God let him saue him now if he will haue him which words were there vttered in the name of the wicked enemies of God and yet these men so skilfull in the Old Testament haue not the braines to discerne that by their owne mouthes they haue condemned themselues Thus doth God in his iustice infatuate wicked men so that their owne mouthes doe betray them Lastly see how desperately wickednesse is set in the hearts of men the poore Theeues now ready to dye for their offences yet haue no loue of Iesus or the truth in him but ioyne with the Iewes in reuiling Christ. It seemes both the Theeues reuiled Christ when they first came vp vpon the Crosse which increaseth the wonder of the conuersion of one of them The third thing he suffered was grieuous torments both of soule and bodie And first for the torments of his bodie they must needs be great both in respect of what went before and what he then felt Before he had beene grieuously pained in that Agonie in the Garden when he sweat bloud and afterwards was tyed bound and carried away bound and was buffeted and beaten with rods and with extreme contumelie kept waking all night and then cruelly whipt crowned with thornes and beaten with a Reede and made to carry his Crosse on his shoulders and after all this to be so tortured with nailes in his hands and feet it must needs import a most grieuous torment he felt so as of him may be said what Dauid vttered My heart melted like wax my tongue cleaued to the roofe of my mouth and thou hast placed me in the dust of death Psal 22. 15 16. and this exceeding weaknesse and torment of body he suffered 1. That thereby he might satisfie for vs that had so often despised the power of God and his threatnings against our sins and in generall to pay for all the sinnes we had committed in the body 2. That thereby he might free vs free vs from eternall torments in our bodies and that he might make vs strong in his might so as to say The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraid and through Christ I can doe all things 3. That hereby he might sanctifie the paines we feele in our bodies either from diseases or from the hands of violent men or persecutors and to teach vs with patience to beare our paines by faith looking vpon the torments such a Sauiour endured for vs and when we feele our bodies weakned by diseases we should by faith remember that our Sauiour was beyond all comparison made more weake in body for our sinnes That he suffered most grieuous distresse and anguish in his soule appeares by that lamentable voice My God my God why hast thou forsaken me By which words it appeares that he was not only tormented in conscience vnder our sinnes and Gods wrath but that he was also forsaken of God and forsaken he was in two respects First that God lest him in most vnutterable distresse and did for the time defer his deliuerance Secondly that God withdrew from his Humane Nature the consolation might support him suffering him to endure those torments we should haue endured for euer Ob. How could God forsake him seeing the Diuine Nature was vntted to the Humane
inseparably Sol. The Diuine Nature of the Sonne did not forsake the Nature assumed but secretly susteined it but yet so as the glory of that vnion was hidden for the present Nor doth the Humanitie of Christ complaine that the second Person in the Trinitie had forsaken him but that God the Father did forsake him Ob. God loued his Sonne with an eternall loue how could he then be so wroth with him Sol. God loued Christ with an eternall loue and yet as he was our surety he powred out vpon him the vials of his wrath deserued by our sinnes The Vse of these grieuous torments in soule and Gods forsaking of him may bee diuers 1. It may confute their opinion that say he suffered not in soule at all when the Scripture saith His soule was made an offering for sinne and these words cannot without great iniurie to Christ be thought to be vttered by Christ in respect of his bodily torments then not onely the Martyrs but the Theeues on the Crosse should beare their paine and death more patiently than he 2. It may make vs all afraid of sin when we seriously thinke on it how wroth God is with his owne Sonne to pursue him so that was but a surety to make him vtter this pittifull complaint Can men euer thinke that God can endure sinne in them that in the spirit heare Christ making this moane Now was the time that the whole Sacrifice was on fire and burning in the flame of Gods wrath 3. It may greatly comfort Gods seruants when they are in great distresse Christ was forsaken of God for a time that they might not be forsaken for euer and therefore wee should take heed of doubting of Gods care for vs Esay 40. 28 and 49. 15. and resolue vpon it that though he leaue vs for a time yet he will receiue vs with euerlasting mercy Esay 54. 7 8 10. Yea and withall it may bee some comfort to weake Christians that doe too much feare lest God will leaue them to thinke that this feare was in Christ 4. We may hence gather what is the wofull case of all impenitent sinners if it were such a griefe to Christ to be forsaken for a time what is their case that shall be forsaken for euer If God thus torment his owne Sonne that neuer knew sinne how can he spare them that haue beene transgressors from the wombe 5. We should hence learne to pitie poore Christians that are afflicted in conscience no torments of the body are like the trouble of the conscience which our Sauiour shewes here in his owne case And withall we may hence learne to iudge charitably of such as say they are damned or forsaken of God for we see it may be found in Gods deare children though it be true that in some men these words are the fruits of hellish despaire Lastly note in the words of Christ that he expresseth his faith in the middest of his conflict My God my God are words of hope as why hast thou forsaken me are words of feare Whence we should learne to esteeme assurance and to make vse of it as the only thing will be left to vs to hold by if great extremities come vpon vs. To know that God is our God if the chiefe support of our spirituall life The last thing which he suffred while he was aliue on the Crosse was the Thirst of which he said I thirst Ioh. 19. and this thirst of body he suffered First that the Scripture might be fulfilled that said In my thirst they gaue me vineger to drinke Psal 69. 22. Secondly that thereby he might merit the satisfying of our spirituall thirsts and the desires of our hearts In his thirst they gaue him vineger to drinke that thereby the same Scripture might be fulfilled which was mentioned before Ioh. 19. 28. Secondly that thereby hee might expiate for the tasting of the Iuice of the forbidden fruit and for all our sinfull pleasures Thirdly that we might be warned not to looke for better intertainment from the world but to be serued with sharpe and bitter potions for we must drinke of his cup Matth. 20. 23. Thus of the things our Sauiour suffered while he hanged aliue vpon the Crosse The glorious Testimonies giuen to Christ on the Crosse while hee was yet aliue follow and they were foure The first was in the Superscription was written ouer his head The second was in the darknesse was ouer the Earth The third was in the wonderfull conuersion of one of the Theeues The fourth was in the rending of the veile of the Temple For the first Pilate caused a Superscription to be written ouer his head in Latine Greeke and Hebrew in these words Iesus of Nazareth the King of the Iewes or rather as the originall sounds Iesus that Nazarene that King of the Iewes Ioh. 19. 19. This Superscription it is likely was written in a Table and hanged ouer our Sauiours head for it is not probable that so many words in so many Languages in great Characters that might be read of them that passed by could be grauen vpon the head of the Crosse As for Pilates meaning herein some Writers thinke that it was the custome for the ludges to set ouer the heads of them that died the cause of their death Yet we reade not of any such custome in Scripture nor of any Title set ouer the heads of the two Theeues It is very probable that Pilate meant in this Title both to vp-braid the Iewes and withall to saue himselfe from blame with Caesar and to shew how carefull he had beene of Caesars right But God intended by a speciall prouidence herein to giue testimonie to his Sonne which we may gather two wayes First by the consent of the Euangelists who all make mention of this Title which must needs import that they saw some mystery in iâ— Secondly by the very words for besides that they containe a most exact description of the substance of our faith in Iesus they are not the words of the Iewes accusation vpon which he was condemned but an expresse affirmation of his glory which is the more plaine because when the Priests gowled by the Title would haue it mended thus He said he was King of the Iewes yet Pilate would not alter it his hand being stayed by the power of God This Title then was giuen from God from aboue and is of Gods owne deuising and she was vs for the confirmation of our faith what God himselfe acknowledgeth and what he would haue vs make vse of in the meditation of the Passion of Christ Many things may be hence noted 1. That God acknowledgeth his Name vpon the Crosse to be Iesus that is a Sauiour of his people from their sins This name was giuen him by an Angell before hee was horne with this signification yea with an acknowledgement of his Diuinitie that he was Emmanuel God with vs Matth. 1. 22 23. And now on the Crosse did he fulfill what was
Christ was pierced First that the Scripture might be fulfilled which said They shall looke vpon him whom they haue pierced Ioh. 19. 37. Zach. 12. 10. Secondly that great mysterie of the originall of the Church is here imported As Eue was formed out of the side of Adam when hee was asleepe so the Church was to bee formed out of that which flowed from the side of Christ when he was dead God opened the side of Adam when he would make the woman and so God opened the side of Christ the second Adam when he was to make the Christian Church Now that place of the Prophet shewes what vse wee should make of this part of the Passion of Christ namely to take occasion from thence to bewaile our sinnes that were the cause of his death and to acknowledge that we were the men that are spiritually guilty of that cruelty shewed vnto Christ And because our hearts by nature are barren and vnapt to this godly sorrow we must pray God to powre out vpon vs of his Spirit as it is a Spirit of compassion to melt our hearts and a Spirit of deprecation to make vs able by prayer to sue for pardon of our sins and to beseech God to accept of the propitiation made in Christs bloud that so his wrath may not fall vpon vs for our sinnes Now the water and bloud that came out of the side of Christ was both miraculous as is thought and wonderfully mysticall That it was miraculous is gathered from that extraordinary notice S. Iohn takes of it Iohn 19. 34. and 1 Iohn 5. 6. wherin the miracle should lye is not easie to tell There is a skin that incloseth the heart called Pericardium which holdeth water in it that cooleth the heart of man which is so essentiall to life that if it be consumed it is impossible the creature should liue Now I take it that the wonder lyes in this that whereas in death especially such a painefull death as Christs was that water is consumed and dried vp with the extreame heat of the heart striuing for life yet in Christ who died not only willingly but also before the time he needed to die with the paine the water was still in that bag or skin and therefore when the speare pierced the heart both water and bloud came forth Now for the Reasons why this fell out diuers are assigned For first hereby the truth of Christs death is infallibly proued For no creature can liue if the heart and that Pericardium be pierced And it concernes our saluation that Christ should die indeed and not in appearance Secondly the chiefe thing intended by this suffering was the discouery of a dreadfull mysterie concerning the vertue of the death of Christ for this is he that came by water and bloud euen Iesus Christ that brings with him for our saluauation both the water of Sanctification to wash vs from the staine of our sinnes and the bloud of expiation to make full atonement before God for the guilt of our sinnes Not by water only but by bloud also Moses when he deliuered the people of Israel in that bodily deliuerance came by water when he went thorow the Red-sea but he brought no bloud for atonement Iohn Baptist when he brought tidings of Spirituall deliuerance he came by water washing men to signifie repentance but there was no bloud that he could exhibite and his water was but Symbolicall and significatiue But Christ came by water and bloud which hee not onely powred out on the Crosse but hath left in the hearts of all beleeuers as witnesses not only to him but to them also 1 Ioh. 5. 7 8. For as there be Three in heauen that beare witnesse of Christ and the happinesse of Christians in him viz. the Father who testified by voice from heauen Mat. 3. and the Word who testified both by doctrine and miracles and the Holy Ghost who testified as at other times so on the day of Pentecost Act. 2. So there be Three on earth that testifie viz. the Spirit of Adoption that witnesseth to our spirits and the water of Mortification which washeth away and destroyeth the staine and power of sinne and the bloud of Iustification for a beleeuer relying vpon the bloud of Christ as the pacification for his sinnes is effectually deliuered from the guilt of them Now there would be no water to wash him from his sinnes nor bloud to make atonement if Christ had not shed both water and bloud vpon the Crosse Now all this is testified by the Spirit also in the Gospell and by water in Baptisme and by bloud in the Lords Supper and these also receiue all their life and force from the water and bloud that came out of the side of Christ on the Crosse Now the vse that we should make of this dreadfull Mystery should be to flie vnto this part of the Passion of Christ for our comfort against the power and guilt of our sinnes as beleeuing that out of the side of Christ at this time did runne that Fountain that was opened vnto the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannesse Zach. 12. 1. Though our sinnes were neuer so many and loathsome yet in this Fountaine they may be cleane washed away but then withall wee must striue to get this Fountaine within vs this miraculous Fountaine I say that runnes water and bloud and to shew that we haue indeed a part in the death of Christ by the sound fruits of mortification and by the solide tran quilitie of our conscience beleeuing the expiation made in the bloud of Christ for vs as verily as if that bloud had beene really sprinkled vpon our hearts Some Diuines doe obserue another mystery in this water and bloud running out of the side of Christ for they obserue that as out of the side of the first Adam came the woman that deceiued all the world so out of the side of Christ came redemption and oblation from that deceiuing Thus of the piercing of Christs side after his death The testimonie giuen of his glory in his death was partly diuine and partly humane The diuine testimonies were three the Earthquake the rending of the Rockes and the opening of the Graues Matth. 27. 51 52. The trembling of the earth may signifie diuers things as First the immediate presence of the Diuine Nature for as the earth trembled when Christ came to giue the Law on Sinai Psal 67. 8 9. and as both heauen and earth shall melt and be in a manner consumed when Christ comes to Iudgement 2 Pet. 3. 10. So now that Christ is making atonement for the sinnes of the Elect and going out of the world hee makes the earth doe him homage and acknowledge his Diuinitie at that time when he seemed so despised amongst men Secondly the horrible indignitie of the fact of the Iewes in killing Christ the senselesse creatures tremble when the Lord of life dies and the Creator
priuation of what he had before for first the Body was taken from the soule and a diuorce made between that couple that had liued so louingly together See 2 Cor. 5. 2. Secondly the 〈…〉 part of the soule was abolished seeing hearing breaâ—â—â—ng speaking and the like all ceast in Christ all the vessels or instruments of the senses being taken away from the soule Thirdly all outward operations did cease in which the soule was wont to worke and now could worke no longer This is to be vnderstood of doing worke in the visible and corporeall world Fourthly there is in the soules euen of the godly and so in Christ a most earnest longing yet without paine or sorrow for the consummation of felicitie to be enioyed with the body resumed The soule departed is ioyned to the body still though not in life and sense yet in naturall affection so as it enioyes no happinesse which it doth not wish to the body The soules of the righteous crie vnder the Altar for though they rest saith one à labore yet they doe not rest à clamore and though they haue nothing that molest them yet they haue not yet what would more delight them viz. their bodies Thus of the first sense Secondly Christ in soule descended into Hell when as our furetie he submitted himselfe to beare those hellish soâ—rowes which we were bound by our sinnes to luffer for euer His descension is his proiection of himselfe into the sea of Gods wrath conceiued for our sinnes and his ingression into most vnspeakable straits and torments in his soule which we should else haue suffered for euer in Hell This way of Christ descending into Hell is expresly vttered in the person of Dauid as the type of Christ Psal 86. 13. and 116. 3. and 69. 3. Thus the Prophet Esay saith His soule was made an offering Esay 53. 10. And this I take it Dauid meanes when hee said of Christ Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell Psalm 16. Acts 2. And thus Christ descended into hell when hee was aliue not when he was dead Thus his soule was in Hell when in the Garden hee did sweat bloud and on the Crosse when hee cried out so lamentably My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Matth. 26 38. And according to this sense is the Article fitly placed in the Creed for hauing reckoned before what hee suffered in bodie in this Article is expressed what hee suffered in soule and in the sixteenth Psalme it seemes hee first reckons what hee suffered in soule and his deliuery from it when hee said Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell and then speakes of the priuiledge of his body in the graue as a thing which followed the suffering and deliuerance of his soule out of Hell The vse of this Article may be 1. To informe vs againe of the hatefulnesse of sinne that hath thus abased the Sonne of God and withall to shew vs how great that surpassing loue of Christ to vs was that could bee content for our sakes to be thus abased 2. To instruct vs especially in two things Humility and Patience This is a matchlesse patterne for vs to learne by how should our hearts fall low and descend in vs when we heare how many wayes Christ hath descended and abased himselfe for vs this should destroy our pride and those high thoughts in vs that hinder true lowlinesse of heart Phil. 2. Matth. 11. 29. And for Patience what can wee suffer that is comparable to the descension of Christ into Hell in all those senses Such vnworthy creatures are we as whatsoeuer God doe with vs wee cannot descend lower than wee are or deserue to be and if God haue deliuered our Sauiour from this bottomlesse sea of misery into which he descended for our sakes why should wee doubt through vnbeleefe or despaire This should teach vs to trust vpon God and wait for deliuerance from whatsoeuer distresse we doe or can fall into 3. To comfort vs for his Descension is our Ascension He descended into Hell that we might ascend into heauen He hath endured vnspeakable sorrowes on earth that we might enioy riuers of pleasure in heauen The fifth Article 2 TIM 2. 8. The third day he rose againe from the Dead HItherto of the Articles of the Creed that describe the abasement and humiliation of of Christ the Mediator on earth Now it followes to consider of the Articles that concerne the exaltation of Christ as hee is the Mediator made glorious and so three things are entertained into the Christian faith as the three parts or degrees of the glorification of Christ viz. his Resurrection Ascension and Session at the right hand of God But before I handle these in particular I must consider of his exaltation in generall Concerning the exaltation of Christ in generall two things are to be considered both what in Christ was exalted and what good it is to vs that hee was so exalted For the first of these The person of Christ was exalted and that in respect of both Natures The Diuine Nature was exalted but in some respect the Humane Nature was exalted simply The Diuine Nature being immutable could receiue no increase of glory or essence in it selfe but yet was exalted in respect of the manifestation of the glory and Maiestie which in the estate of humiliation was hidden as it were vnder a vaile Rom. 1. 4. so that Christ was exalted in respect of Manifestation onely as he was God The Humane nature was exalted absolutely and simply and that two waies namely by the deposition or laying downe of Infirmities and by glorification or susception of most excelling gifts In the estate of exaltation Christ put off the infirmities of our nature which he assumed in his Incarnation such as were hunger thirst wearinesse in the body and negatiue ignorance and feare and sorrow in his soule The gifts he receiued were both in body and soule his body being rescued from corruption and death and all misery becomes incorruptible immortall impatible and was made to shine with all purity strength agility and brightnesse as became the body of God 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. His soule receiued all knowledge could befall a nature euen the knowledge perfect of all things that are and all vertues and gifts in their highest degree that can be in a glorified creature aboue all blessed Angels and men Yet by the way wee must know that Christ did receiue such glory as did not destroy the humane nature Christ laid downe all infirmities of the flesh but not the flesh it selfe for now hee is glorified hee hath the same flesh he had when he was borne and crucified He was not emptied of the substance of his humanity but in it glorified not deified for How can a finite thing equall that which is infinite And how can wee say wee beleeue in Christ God and Man if he be no more a man Wherefore we must constantly hold the difference between
the Maiestie vncreated the Maiestie created which is in Christ the one belongs to the Diuine nature the other to the humane The good that comes to vs by his exaltation is threefold the first is the confirmation of our faith and hope for his exaltation shewes plainly that hee hath fully satisfied for our sinnes and conquered all our enemies Sinne the Law Death the Deuill the Graue and Hell and that hee hath purchased Gods fauour and all that concernes our eternall saluation 1 Pet. 1. The second is the perpetuation of his office both as the Prophet and Apostle of our confession Psal 22. 23. Ioh. 17. vlt. as our Priest to make intercession for vs Psal 110. 4. Rom. 8. 33. and as our eternall King Psal 45. 4. 5. and 89. 36. Dan. 7. 27. Luk. 1. 33. Rom. 14. 9. and in all these by his glorification hee hath procured a larger donation and effusion of the Holy Ghost which makes the times vnder Christ more happy than those before Ioh. 7. 39. In all his gifts he giues now as he that is exalted aboue euery name that is named in heauen and earth The third is our owne exaltation he was therefore exalted that he might exalt vs to the glory of heauen Eph. 2. 6. 7. The consideration of the exaltation of Christ may serue greatly for our comfort for besides the former benefits it may raise vp in vs an assurance of hope of preferment by him seeing our Brother is so highly preferred and withall it may greatly encourage vs in all our suits to God seeing wee haue Christ with him that is so high in his fauour and further in all the straits and distresses of the Church here on earth this may ioy our hearts that Christ is so highly preferred that he is able to preserue and deliuer the Church when pleaseth him But yet we must remember two things if wee would haue benefit by Christs exaltation the one is that wee be true Christians for else his preferment will not reach to vs onely such as are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh haue part in his glory and such are none but true beleeuers The other is that if wee will reigne with Christ wee must suffer with him wee see here how it was with him first he was abased and then exalted so it must be with vs Luk. 24. 26. Heb. 2. 9. 2 Tim. 2. 12. Thus of his exaltation in generall The first degree of his exaltation was his Resurrection from the dead Concerning the Resurrection of Christ diuers things are to be considered of 1. That he did rise from the dead 2. What of him did rise 3. When he rose 4. How he rose 5. Why he rose from the dead 6. His Apparitions after his Resurrection 7. What good comes to vs by his Resurrection That Christ did rise from the dead we beleeue against all Iewes Turkes and prophane Mockers and are enduced so to doe by testimony both diuine and humane The diuine testimonies are three first the Spirit of God which testifiech two waies first by the Apostles and Euangelists in the Euangelicall Story which wee ought to beleeue if the Apostles had neuer beene eye-witnesses for if the witnesse of men be receiued the witnesse of God is greater Secondly in the heart of euery beleeuer that relyes vpon the Gospell Ioh. 15. 26. The second testimony is the witnesse of Angels who were sent from heauen of purpose to signifie so much Luk. 24. 5. as by Angels the conception and birth of Christ was testified from heauen so was his resurrection The third was the Apparition of Christ shewing himselfe many times aliue from the dead The Humane testimonies were three first was the testimony of Mary Magdalen and the other women that came to annoint the body of Iesus Ioh. 20. 1. as a woman was the first that brought from the Deuill the tidings of sinne vnto the first Adam so a woman is the first that from the good Angels brings the tidings of the Resurrection of the second Adam by whom we are iustified from our sinnes The second was the testimony of the Apostles and fifty Disciples and S. Paul who all saw Christ after hee was risen 1 Cor. 15. 6. The third was the testimonies of the Souldiers that watched the Sepulchre wherein obserue the great prouidence of God that makes the high Priests against their wils from these men to know that Christ was risen from the dead who were set of purpose to hinder the report of the Resurrection by watching the Sepulchre lest his Disciples should steale away his body by night The second point is quickly opened If any aske What of Christ did rise The answer is That the body of Christ onely did rise his Deity could not and the sould did not For the time of the Resurrection Christ did rise the third day after the end of the Sabbath on the first day of the weeke about Sunne rising and concerning this answer diuers things are to be considered of First it was necessary Christ should not rise from the dead sooner or later than the third day from his death and buriall for so it was foretold Hos 6. 2. He shall restore vs to life after two daies viz. the Messiah shall doe it and the third day hee shall raise vs vp viz. in his owne person which was a pledge of our Resurrection and wee shall liue in his sight It is thought S. Paul had respect vnto this place when he said He rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures 1 Cor. 15. 4. and besides this was prefigured by the type Ionas the Prophet as our Sauiour himselfe shewed in his life time Mat. 12. 40. Thirdly he could haue risen as soone as hee was buried but he would not lest the truth of his death should haue beene questioned and beyond the third day hee would not tarry lest the faith of his Disciples should faile and lest any should haue cause to thinke that he brought not the same body was dead but some other Further obserue that as Christ died the same day Adam was created so he liued againe the same day the world began to be the same day God made heauen and earth the same day he filled the earth with the grace and heauen with the ioy of the Resurrection of Christ and therefore this day was called the Lords day Rev. 1. 10. Thirdly hee rose at the rising of the Sunne to shew that he was the true Sunne of righteousnesse that was now rising to enlighten the new and Christian world after the long night of darknesse and legall shadowes and that hee had brought life and immortality to light 2 Tim. 1. 10. For the fourth point to wit how Christ rose diuers things are to be answered first that he rose by his own power He raised himselfe vp from the dead Ioh. 2. 19. and 10. 18. and 5. 25. for though other Scriptures attribute resurrection to God the Father the Holy
true members Rom. 6. 4 5. And if thou haue no part in this first Resurrection thou art in danger to be swallowed vp of the second death Reu. 20. 6. and therefore we must all with Saint Paul seeke the vertue of the Resurrection of Christ Phil. 3. 8 9. And to this end we must daily present our selues with honest and good hearts before the voice of Christ in the Gospell which is able to raise vp the dead hearts of men Ioh. 5. 25. and withall pray to God by his power to plucke vp our hearts out of the graues of sinne that we may liue the life of grace in his sight Thirdly Saint Paul vrgeth another vsâ— Col. 3. 1. If we be risen with Christ then we must set our affections on things that are aboue and not on things here below and haue our conuersation so lifted vp from the respect of earthly things as Christ had in the fortie dayes he was on earth 3. By way of consolation and so it is comfortable foure wayes 1. Against desperate afflictions if we be brought as low as Christ was by the hand of God or malice of men yet we should hope in God who is able to raise vs vp from most deadly crosses Thus the Prophet Esay tells the people their dead men shall liue Esay 26. 19. 2. Against the combat with Gods wrath for our sinnes We may safely flie to the Resurrecton of Christ to assure our Iustification hee died and was buried for our sinnes and therefore rising from the dead it must needs be for our Iustification Rom. 4. 25. Seeing in his Resurrection hee comes our of Prison and so declares that he hath discharged all our debt and this a good conscience may plead to saue it selfe against the seas of Gods wrath if they were like the waters of the Deluge as Saint Peter shewes 1 Pet. 3. 21. 3. In the point of our Sanctification against our sinnes and the power and filth of them for if lesus be aliue he receiued this life as our head and for vs as the head is the fountaine of Senses whence they are deriued to all the parts of the body so is Christ our Head the Fountaine of spirituall life and senses whence comes life and sense to euery member If Christ rose the third day then after two dayes also we shall be reuiued Hos 6. 1 2. And we are ingrafted into the similitude of his Resurrection Rom. 6. 4. Nor should weake Christians be discouraged that finde not a like degree or measure of life as other Christians haue from Christ for all the members haue not a like measure of sense from the head and Christ doth conueigh the influence of his grace by degrees as he that went into the water that ran out of the Temple first was in to the Ankles then to the knees then to the loynes then it grew so deepe as it could not be sounded to the bottome so is it with the water of life in true Christians Ezech. 47. 3 4 5. Some Christians are like Ezechiels bones when they first had life there appeares nothing in them but skin and bone but the Lord can cause the wind so to blow that they shall be filled vp and made compleat men in Christ Ezech. 37. 4 7 8. 4. In the case of the resurrection of our bodies as hath bin shewed before for by the sound beleefe of this Article we infallibly gather that our owne mortall bodies shall be raised vp at the last day as is euidently affirmed Rom. 8. 11. 1 Thess 4. 14. The sixth Article LVKE 24. 51. He ascended into heauen c. HItherto of the Resurrection from the dead The second degree of his exaltation was his Ascension into heauen Concerning which before I diuide the matter to bee handled I must speake somewhat of the sense of the words To Ascend in this Article doth not signifie a change from one condition to another or a disparition or vanishing out of fight nor is it vttered figuratiuely by an Anthropopathie as it is sometimes ascribed to God as Gen. 17. 22. Psal 47. 6. but it signifies properly a Motion from one place to another and from a lower place to a higher and so from earth to heauen which the diuers tearms vsed in Scripture manifestly shew He was receiued vp saith S. Marke Ch. 16. 19. He was parted from them and caried vp saith S. Luke Ch. 24. 51. He was taken vp from them Act. 1. 9. And the Apostles looked stedfastly as he went vp Act. 1. 10. and the place is mentioned expresly viz. into heauen So that the sense of the Article is as it soundeth literally Hee went vp from earth to heauen Now concerning this degree of his Exaltation I would consider of these things 1. Who ascended 2. How he ascended 3. When he ascended 4. From what place he ascended 5. Whither he ascended 6. The witnesses of his Ascension 7. The ends of his Ascension and then the vses of all For the first If wee aske who ascended The Creed answers Iesus Christ the onely Sonne of God that was borne of a Virgin c. so that Ascension is attributed to the whole person Christ God and Man ascended he that descended first is he that now ascends Eph. 4. 9. Christ God ascended but it was in respect of his humane nature The Word that was with God and was God was alwaies in heauen but yet the Word made flesh was not alwaies in heauen now the Word ascended as it was made flesh that is as it presented his humane nature taken vp locally from earth to heauen before his Father and the Angels So then the answer is That Christ the Son of God ascended in his flesh not in his Diuinity which fills all places and so cannot ascend For the second question diuers things are to be answered viz. that he ascended first by his owne power euen by the power of his diuine nature carrying vp his body into heauen and opening heauen to bring in his Humanity as also by a vertue in his glorified body which was able to moue vpward as well as downward Secondly that being about to leaue his Disciples in a solemne manner hee lift vp his hands and blessed them To blesse is sometimes to wish a blessing as when Parents blesse their Children Sometimes it is to pronounce a blessing as when the Priests blessed the people Numb 6. 22. or Melchisedech blessed Abraham Gen. 14. 19. sometime it is to foretell a blessing as when Isaac blessed his two sonnes sometimes it is to conferre a blessing and so only God blesseth vs and his Sonne Christ God blesseth vs in bestowing all spirituall blessings in heauenly things Eph. 1. 3. And so when wee read that Christ blessed them lifting vp his hands wee must thinke of him as that blessed seed the fountaine of blessings to all Nations in whom onely all blessednesse was to be had that had now satisfied Gods Iustice and remoued the curse and therefore
penance before one particular congregation for one fault when the punishment is inflicted for their amendment and it may be men will pray for them forgiue them What wil the horror be then whē they must be shamed before all men and Angels for all their sins and this iudgement must be for their confusion and no eye shall pity them And so it serues for the singular comfort of the godly if it be a comfort to be praised and cleared of aspersions before a great assembly on earth as say it were at the meeting of Parliament and done by the mouth of a King with the applause of all the hearers What shall their euerlasting comfort be when at that day by the voice of Christ himselfe they shall be praised for all the good they haue done and cleared from all aspersions censures suspitions and wrong iudgements on earth before all the world of men and Angels 6. It will bee a sudden iudgement Christ will come vpon the world like a theefe in the night that doth not vse to knocke at the doore and giue men warning He will come as the snare doth vpon the bird Luke 21. 35. 1 Thess 5. 2 3. Which serues to shew the wofull estate of wicked men that liue in securitie for while they say Peace peace sudden destruction comes vpon them either by particular or generall iudgement 1 Thess 5. 3. and it should serue to warne wicked men to take heed of those sins which doe especially harden the hearts of men and breed securitie and indisposition in them Our Sauiour himselfe instanceth in surfetting and drunkennesse and cares of life Luk. 21. 34. and it should teach all men to watch and daily to pray to God for mercy and grace that they may be alwayes ready as our Sauiour vrgeth in the same place Luk. 21. 34. 7. It will be a righteous Iudgement Rom. 2. 5. Reu. 19. 11. Psal 9. 9. for God will iudge according to his owne righteousnesse which is infinitely perfect Psal 7. 9. and it will be true iudgement without error or mistaking either by euidence or the law or the sentence Reuel 15. 5. and 19. 11. He will not respect any mens persons 1 Pet. 1. 17. nor will he iudge according to the outward appearance and colours of things Esay 11. 3. and it must be righteous because it shall be according to mens wayes and workes Ezech. 18. 30. Rom. 2. 7. 2 Cor. 5. 10. and hee cannot be corrupted with bribes for riches will not auaile in the day of wrath Iob 36. Nor will he regard the false testimonie of the world either for the wicked or against the godly for though it be true that Christ saith As I heare I iudge Ioh. 5. 30. yet that is meant of what he heares from his Father and his booke of prescience and remembrance and not of what hee heares from the world and no multitude nor power can be able to daunt this Iudge for he is a Lord of hoasts Ier. 11. 20. and will iudge by his strength Psal 54. 1. and therefore woe to the Hypocrite that makes a shift to scape the iudgement of man by his deceitfull colours and woe to the mightie men that now breake the net and scape and no man dares controll them and woe to all those foolish men that beleeue not Gods iustice because they like it not or seemes to be against their reason at that day God will ouercome euen in the things he is now iudged Psal 51. 6. Rom. 3. 4. and woe to all them that haue pronounced wrong iudgement on earth their sentence shall not stand but themselues shall come to iudgement for their ill iudgement on earth Eccles 3. 17. and in generall if God will iudge in righteousnesse then no wicked man shall euer be able to stand in iudgment Psal 1. 5. 8. It will be an eternall iudgement for so it is called Heb. 6. 2. not because the Iudge shall sit for euer in examining of causes and sentencing of men but because the effect of this iudgement shall be for euer Looke what happinesse is by sentence of the Iudge appointed for the godly that shal last for euer and so what miserie the wicked are adiudged to shall last for euer Which should serue greatly for reproofe of the carelesnesse of most men that so thinke of a present estate in this little space of time on earth that they forget to take order for eternitie and most wofull is the case of the wicked that so esteeme the pleasures of sinne here which are but for a season that they care not to plunge themselues into estate of torment which shall neuer haue end Ob. But how can this be iust that they should be punished for euer that haue sinned but a little time Sol. Diuers things may be answered to this 1. That no Iudge limiteth his torments to the time of the doing of the fact or crime he measures his punishment by the greatnesse of the offence not by the length of time As in the case of treason murder whoredome c. which may be done in an instant or short time and yet the punishment be for a long time as men punish by death which is a remouing of the malefactor from the societie of men for euer and shall not God haue the like allowance for his proceedings Secondly we must consider of the greatnes of sin by the person against whom it is committed men sinne against God who is infinite and therefore must suffer punishment that is infinite in continuance Thirdly if two men bargain together one selleth another buyeth the buyer will haue his bargaine for euer though the contract be made in a quarter of an houre now sinning is a selling of mens soules and bodies to the deuill for a short pleasure and therefore why should it not be iust that the deuill should haue them for euer Hitherto of the Answer to the first Question The second question is who shall be the Iudge The answer is to that that Christ shall be Iudge euen the same person that is Mediator and of whom all the former Articles of the Creed affirmed which is apparent by these and other Scriptures Ioh. 5. 22. 27. Act. 10. 42. and 17. 31. Not that the Father and Holy Ghost is remoued from this Iudgement for the authoritie of iudging belongs to the whole Trinitie but because the Sonne shall appeare in the Humane Nature and speake and pronounce sentence but when he speaks God speaks and when he iudges God shall iudge not only because he is God but because the Father shall speake and iudge by him so that the Iudgement belongs to him in respect of the visible proceeding in Iudgement and the promulgation and the execution of the sentence Dan. 7. 9. 13. and the like may bee said of his iudging as Man not that he is not Iudge in his Diuine Nature but because that which shall be seene and heard in the Iudgement shall proceed from his
1000. yeares in our age since the Gospell was restored many men haue laboured mightily to assigne either the yeare or at least the age when these things should be As those that assigned the yeare 1587. which experience hath proued false It had beene much to haue beene wished that diuers Writers vpon the Reuelation which are held in good fame in the Church had forborne that curiositie of computation in reckoning so strictly by yeares for it doth much hurt in the mindes of weake Christians when either experience or reason beats them from those grounds which they haue sucked in from such writings There is a tradition that sticks in the minds of many pretended to come from one Elias not Elias the Thisbite that the world should last 6000. yeares 2000. before the Law 2000. vnder the Law and 2000. after the Law and then the end shall be only for the elects fake those dayes should be shortned Now this is a manifest dotage for it was more than 2000. yeares before the Law and lesse than 2000. yeares vnder the Law as the Learned know How then shall we beleeue this tradition to be true for the time to come that is proued false for the time past And as for the shortning of the time for the elect that is spoken by our Sauiour about the destruction of Ierusalem not about the end of the world To let goe then all these false opinions the iudgement of such as speake according to the Scriptures containes three assertions 1. That God hath precisely set and appointed the time and day when he will iudge the world by Christ this appeares by Scripture Act. 17. 31. Heb. 9. 27. and God will haue this knowne both for the consolation of his seruants that they may haue hope in their afflictions and to leaue the wicked without excuse that being warned will not repent and to driue out of the godly securitie that so they may keepe themselues in the good way and walke in the feare of God watching and prouiding for that day 2. That this Iudgement day shall be in the end of the world and not before therefore it is said in Scripture it shall be at the last day Quest But why doth God put off the generall Iudgment so long not call men to an account til after some thousands of yeares after some of them died Answ First God hath vnsearchable respects of his owne glory in dispatching by his prouidence the great businesse that concerns the rising or alteration of things in the state of mankinde As in disposing of the Monarchies of the world the kingdome of Antichrist raised and ruined the reiection and recalling of the Iewes and such like which will not be effected till the day which he hath appointed for the comming of Christ Secondly it is put off so long that the elect may be all gathered it being Gods pleasure to gather them by ordinarie meanes so as the Iust haue a time to be borne liue heare the word fulfill their measure of worke c. Thirdly it is put off for the more effectuall triall of the faith and patience of Gods elect and exercise of their hope and prayer Fourthly that he might by the confession of all men be iustified in this that he hath allowed vnto the world space and time enough to repent in Rom. 2. 4. and 9. 22. 2 Pet. 3. 9. and therefore if wicked men doe not repent they may be left without excuse and the rather seeing he can no way be charged to proceed in iudgement against them rashly or with more respect of his owne Iustice seeing before he passeth the finall sentence he staies so exceeding long Fifthly as he glorifies his mercy in sauing the elect and his iustice in damning the wicked so doth he by his exceeding long stay glorifie his patience and clemencie 3. That the precise day moneth or yeare when this Iudgement shall be is knowne to no man or Angell Mark 13. 32. Act. 1. 7. Quest. But seeing God will haue vs certaine that there is a time for Iudgement why will he haue vs vncertaine when it shall be Answ That thereby he may teach vs at all times to watch and striue to be prepared He will not let vs know what day it shall be that we may be euery day prepared And besides he thereby the better exerciseth our faith and patience and making vs lay hold on his promises without limiting him to times and seasons And therefore we should make this vse of it and restraine our curiofitie and neuer search or inquire after that which God will not haue vs to know but looke to our taske for it is our dutie to thinke it neere at hand and therefore to get oyle into our lamps to be ready when the Bridegroome shall come and to stand alwaies vpon our watch like the wise Master of the house that keeps all things carefully because he knowes not when the theefe may assault his house Mark 13. 32 to the end Matth. 24. 42 43. and 25. 3 4. If Christians were taught to say it was the last time when S. Iohn wrote to them how much more cause haue wee to thinke wee liue in the last time vpon whom the ends of the world are more apparently come Another question is moued about those words Mark 13. 32. How it was true that the Sonne of Man himselfe did not know the day and houre of his owne last comming Diuers answers haue beene giuen to this question As first hee did not know it that is hee did not know it so as to make vs know it or it was no part of that knowledge which as the Prophet of the Church he was bound to make knowne to vs as in that speech The Lord your God proues you that hee may know that is that hee may make you know c. and when wee say O Lord arise we meane make vs arise and such like phrases are vsed in Scripture or their answer is that as our Sauiour assumed diuers infirmities of ours yet without sinne so did hee assume ignorance Ignorance I say of some things that were not necessarie for him as man to know which belongs onely to the estate of Humiliation for now hee is glorified and hath laid downe all infirmities he now in heauen as man knowes both the day and houre Thirdly it may be answered that as Man he could not know it without reuelation from his Diuinitie and therefore if the Sonne of Man did then know it it was not a knowledge that belonged to his Humane Nature in it selfe but he had that knowledge giuen him from his Diuine Nature Thus of the time For the place where the Iudgement shall be we haue nothing in particular certaine of the Scriptures Some men haue thought that it should be held in the valley of Iehoshaphat which was a place neere to Ierusalem and to that purpose they alledge the words of the Prophet Ioel Chap. 3. 2. But this opinion is rash and
is plainly proued by the Scriptures 2 Sam. 23. 2 3. Esay 6. 7. with Act. 28. 25. Act. 5. 3 4. 1 Cor. 3. 16. hence is the Holy Ghost reckoned with the Father and the Sonne Matth. 28. 29. 2. That he proceedeth from the Father and the Son which the Creed intimateth in placing this Article last and is plaine by these Scriptures where he is called The Spirit of the Father Luk. 4. 18. Esa 61. 1. Ioh. 14. 16. 26. and 15. 26. and of the Sonne Ioh. 16. 7. 14. and 20. 22. Rom. 8. 9. Gal. 6. 4. 3. That he is a distinct person from the Father and the Son which is manifest in Scripture Matth. 3. 17. Matth. 28. 19. 4. That he is equall to the Father and the Sonne and therefore wee must beleeue in him as well as in the Father and Son This appears also in this That diuine worship is due to him as well as the Father or the Sonne Matth. 28. 19. 1 Cor. 619 20. 2 Cor. 13. 13. as also by this that the sinne against the Holy Ghost is vnpardonable Mat. 12. 31. The substance of the meaning of the Article is That euery Christian in particular doth professe to beleeue in and put his trust vpon the holy Ghost as the Author and worker of his happinesse and saluation Now that the reason of this Article may appeare it will be profitable for vs to consider what the Holy Ghost is in his owne nature and what he is in effect or operation vpon which we may ground our faith and trust in him There are diuers things in the nature of the Holy Ghost that should moue vs to beleeue in him and rest vpon him as first That hee is eternall and was before the world was Gen. 1. 2. and therefore cannot alter his disposition Secondly that he is immense and euery-where present Psal 139. 7. Ioh. 14. 16. Rom. 8. 9. and therefore he is ready to helpe Thirdly that he is omniscient Act. 1. 16. and 10. 19. and 20. 23. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Heb. 9. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 11 12. and therefore he knowes what wee want and what is needfull for vs. Fourthly that he is omnipotent Esa 11. 2. Mich. 3. 8. Pro. 1. 7. and 7. 8. Rom. 15. 19. 1 Cor. 12. 4. and therefore is able to deliuer vs and make vs happy Thus of what the Holy Ghost is in his nature what hee is by effect or opperation followes and so we are to consider of the benefits which the holy Spirit worketh all which serue to proue that we may ought to put our trust vpoÌ„ him Now these benefits are either common or proper The commoÌ„ benefits are such as belong either to all creatures or to all men The proper benefits belong only to the godly elect The operation of the holy Spirit common to all creatures is the making of them at the first and the speciall preparing and quickning of the first matter that it might produce the seuerall formes of things Thus the Holy Ghost is likened to a Fowle that sits vpon her egges till the young ones be hatched Gen. 1. 2. So did the Holy Ghost sit vpon the first Chaos till it was made apt for the seuerall formes of all things And it was the Spirit of the Lord that garnished the heauens Iob 26. 13. and so it is the worke of the holy Ghost to giue life to all the creatures stil in their seuerall kinds for the preseruation of the sorts of things Thus God sendeth his Spirit still and they are created Psal 104. 30. The operation of the Holy Ghost common to all men are of diuers sorts as 1. The speciall forming and in-liuing of euery particular man that comes into the world Thus Iob saith The Spirit of God hath made me and the breath of the Almighty hath giuen me life Iob 33. 4. Psal 139. 14 15. 2. The inuention of the mysteries of skill for the managing of particular sciences and trades and callings amongst men There is in all trades and professions of men such things of skill as are aboue the reach of the nature of man since the fall and are discouered only by the holy Ghost Thus the wisdome and skill Bezaliel and Aholiab had for building was from the Holy Ghost Exod. 31. 3. so Gâ—deons skill in matters of warre Iudg. 6. 34. and that these things must needs come from aboue appeareth by this that nature in any one man can hardly reach to make him capable of anie more trades or callings then one though he be helped with instruction 3. The inspiration of certaine men to conceiue and write the booke of God for the instruction of all men in the visible Church This sacred frame of holy words came not by the wit or skill of men but by the immediate diuine inspiration of the Holy Ghost 2 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Pet. 1. vlt. This I reckon among the benefits common for though the men inspired were all holy men yet the matter inspired serues for vse to wicked men as well as godly for though the Scriptures be auaileable onely to the saluation of the Elect yet it serues for so much information of the wicked as may leaue them without excuse and it serues to terrific them for their sinnes 4. The qualifying of the Ministers that are appointed for publike teaching for this skill is aboue nature and from the holy Ghost And Gods Spirit in the Teachers is giuen somtimes vnto the vse of wicked men as well as godly Neh. 9. 20. Act. 20. 20. and so the gift of teaching may be bestowed vpon wicked men so as they may bee like the Carpenters that built Noahs Arke and yet bee drowned themselues such was Iudas 5. The gifts of prophecying and working of miracles these are all from the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 9 10 11. and yet these gifts may be found in wicked men Mat. 7. 22 23. 6. The high gifts of illumination in diuine things in the vnderstanding of the doctrines of faith that are aboue nature for all men by nature haue a veile ouer their vnderstandings 2 Cor. 3. 15. Esa 25. 8. now if this veile be in any part pulled off it is by the holy Ghost for hee is the onely spirituall annointing and eye-salue 1 Ioh. 2. 20. Rev. 3. 18. Now this gift of enlightning and tasting of the good word of God and the discerning of the heauenly things in respect of the theory of it may be found in wicked men but not with application and practise Heb. 6. 4 5. Thus wicked men may receiue so much grace as to heare and receiue the word of God with ioy so as to haue a taste of the very powers of the world to come Luk. 8. 13. but this taste is without digestion they are not soundly humbled for their sinnes nor is it sufficient to take them off from the loue of this present world nor will they yeeld themselues to be ruled in all things by
the word they reioyce in nor doe they apply the promises to themselues so as to beleeue Gods fauour and their owne saluation in the world to come 7. The gifts of restraining grace this is a great gift by which a man is made to forbeare many vile actions contrary to the bent of his owne nature and to act diuers things wholly aboue his owne disposition so as he is as if he were another man as Saul was when the spirit of God fell vpon him and so many men euen among the heathen had an expression on of valour wisdome chastity iustice c. and this was from the holy Ghost for the good of humane societies Thus God kept Abimelech from Abrahams wife Gen. 20. 6. Thus Haman can refraine his rage against Mordecai Hest. 5. 10. If this gift were not wicked men would bee as the wilde beasts of the desert And yet it is one thing to restraine a mans corruptions and another thing to mortifie them Thus of the operations of the holy Ghost tâ—at are common both to good and bad but the surpassing glory of his working is in the benefits proper to the Elect only so his works may be considered either in general or in particular The generall workes are 1. The conception and qualification of the humane nature of our Sauiour by which hee was made fit for that great worke of the redemption of all the Elect Math. 1. 18. Esay 61. 1. and 42. 1. and thus hee receiued the Spirit without measure Ioh. 3. 34. 2. His habitation in the godly their hearts being the temple of the holy Ghost so as he dwells in them after a wonderfull manner Rom. 8. 11. Eph. 2. 22. 2 Cor. 6. 3. The regeneration of all the Elect in their seasons Ioh. 3. 3. 5. 1 Thes 2. 13. Tit. 3. 5. Thus they are washed sanctified and iustified 1 Cor. 6. 11. and in respect of new graces the godly are the Epistle of Christ euery grace being as a word or letter grauen vpon their hearts by the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 3. 3. 4. The vniting of all the godly into one mysticall body being himselfe the bond of that vnion in Iesus Christ of which most glorious worke the Scriptures speak euidently Eph. 4. 3 4. 1 Cor. 12. 12 13. 5. The quickning and raising vp of our bodies at the last day Rom. 8. 10. The particular workes or things he worketh in the godly are such as these maruellous things as 1. Liberty Liberty I say chiefly from the power of sinne making a godly man able to subdue such corruptions as nostrength of nature or naturall arguments or meanes could euer master This is farre aboue restraining grace Where the Spirit of God is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3. 17. and The law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me saith S. Paul from the law of sinne and of death Rom. 8. 2. and this the Spirit doth first by working a spirituall circumcision vpon the heart causing a man to imploy himselfe in the duties of mortification till he giue deadly wounds to his beloued sinnes and at length cast them away like a lothsome fore-skin Rom. 2. 29. making a man to accuse and condemne himselfe pray against the deedes of the flesh till hee get some victory ouer his corruptions Rom. 8. 13. and in this worke the holy Ghost discouers himselfe as a Spirit of iudgment and a Spirit of burning as the Prophet Esay calls him Esa 4. 4. Secondly by lusting against the flesh that is stirring vp consent and earnest desires and grones to be rid of the burthen of corruption Gal. 5. 17. Thirdly by causing a man to heare a word behind him when hee is about to goe out of the way either on the right hand and on the left Esay 30. that is by daily good motions and inward checks of conscience which tend to diswade a man from yeelding to any thing he knowes to be a sinne Fourthly by baptizing the penitent sinner with the baptisme of fire Matth. 3. 11. which is when the holy Ghost falls vpon his heart and so inflames his affections that he is full of indignation and a desire of holy reuenge against his corruptions and an vnspeakable zeale after righteousnesse and Gods glory 2. The infusing of diuine gifts qualifying the godly with such abilities as are altogether aboue nature such as are Faith Loue Hope and the gift of Prayer no man can beleeue things aboue reason and without meanes vnlesse he haue the spirit of faith Rom. 4. 17 18. 2 Cor. 4. 13. Heb. 11. 1. The loue of God is likewise shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5. 5. and it is the Spirit that makes a man hope and wait for the righteousnesse to be reuealed in another world Gal. 5. 5. and therefore is the Spirit called the Spirit of prayer or supplication Zach. 12. 11. because it is he only that qualifies a man with such a language as to be able to speake to God with iudgement affections and confidence Rom. 8. 15. Yea besides these he bestowes such gifts vpon the godly in respect of which they are said to partake of the diuine nature as they are made like vnto God 2 Pet. 1. 4. as when the Spirit makes a man resemble God in his contentment in his loue in his knowledge or wisdome and in mercy and a pure and sound minde and patience and goodnesse and such like First it is a wonderfull worke to make the heart of man vnmoueable like God delighted and pleased and at rest in himselfe without discontentment at his condition and this peace and ioy the Holy Ghost is the author of Rom. 15. 13. and 14. 17. Secondly the Holy Ghost makes a man to resemble God in his loue to the godly aboue all the people of the world and is therefore called the Spirit of loue Rom. 15. 30. 2 Tim. 1. 7. Thirdly to let goe all the other gifts of the Spirit which are mentioned in that catalogue Gal. 5. 22. I will only instance further in that grace of knowledge it is a wonderfull worke to make a man vnderstand supernaturall things the mysteries of Gods kingdome which are knowne only to God himselfe for the naturall man perceiueth them not 1 Cor. 2. 14. 13. 10. Matth. 13. 11. as to know how God stands affected to vs yea to know the height length bredth and depth of Gods loue to vs Eph. 3. 19 20. yea to know those sacred truths so as to be transformed by them and changed into the likenesse of the things taught vs from one glorious grace to another 2 Cor. 3. vlt. Now this knowledge or wisdome from aboue the Spirit worketh in vs both by curing and making sound our mindes 2 Tim. 1. 7. and by leading vs into all truth and bringing to remembrance the things which we haue heard Ioh. 14. 26. The third worke of the Holy Ghost in the elect is the fanctification of their works or
Creeds Ibid. The Word of God not handled in the Creed why page 41 Christs actiue obedience not mentioned in the Creed why page 303 Customes of the Country to bee obserued page 441 A fearefull example for such as curse page 377 D. DAmned in hell suffer 4. things page 530 Dangers of life sustained by Christ for diuers ends â—24 Darknesse vpon the whole earth how page 403 What this did signifie Ibid. Death of the godly more comfortable then the life of the wicked page 385 Death of Christ page 415 418 eight reasons of it page 416 Christ by his Death did abolish the power of death Ibid. How Christ frees vs from eternall Death seeing he suffred it not page 416 Christs Death teacheth vs seuen things page 417 Whether Christ Dyed in his humanity or diuinity page 419 The manner how Christ Dyed page 420 Death of Christ painfull Ibid. For whom he Dyed page 4â—4 When he Dyed page 426 The Dead Body of Christ not forsaken page 437 Death not to be feared page 417 Christ Derided for three reasons page 393 How God departs from men page 99 Christs Descension our ascension page 431 Diuell workes strange mischiefs from small beginnings page 330 Diuels companions of wicked men page 528 Diuel policy to make men suspect Christs Diuinity page 238 Diuels cannot take vs out of Christs hand page 239 Disciples Fishers of men page 466 Disciples drousinesse page 343 Christ preserues his Disciples safe from the Souldiers page 349 Diues message is sent to vs. page 531 What Doctrine is vnwholsome page 4 True Doctrine vnwholsome how Ibid. Dreames offoure sorts page 374 Dreame of Pilats Wife page 375 Dreames how wee may giue heede to them Ibid. E. AS Eagles we must flye to the dead Carcase page 418 Earth trembles at Christs death to signifie three things page 432 Earth six things admirable in the making thereof page 182 Seuen vses from hence page 183 In the Earth foure things admirable Earth-quakes how they come page 173 Ecclesiasticall courts corruption and iniustice in them page 358 Elect Gods goodnesse to them in foure things page 68 Enemies Christ prayes for them page 422 Essence of God page 110 Diuers Essences Ibid. Eternall how so called page 101 Eternity described by Boetius Ibid. Eternity of God described and explaned page 102 Difference between eternity and time page 102 Eternity of God proued by Scripture page 103 Doctrine of Gods Eternity should teach vs six things Ibid. Comfortable in fiue respects page 104 Euidence against wicked men at the last day page 522 Exaltation of Christ page 452 His diuine nature how Exalted page 452 His humane nature how Exalted page 453 The benefit that comes to vs by Christs Exaltation Ibid. F. FAith diuersly taken page 18 Profession of Faith hath in it two things Ibid. Implicite Faith a policy of Antichrist page 19 That we may not be deceiued about a temporary Faith we must looke to three things page 22 Effects of Faith differ in the true beleeuer and wicked man how Ibid. Paucity of such as haue true Faith appeares in six things page 24 How farre a temporary Faith goeth and wherein it is sufficient page 25 Tryall of a temporary Faith by diuers questions Ibid. Try whether we be in the Faith or no. page 27. Nine things repugnant to Faith Ib. Some things like Faith which are not page 28 Faith 5. kinds of it page 29 5. Signes of an effectuall Faith page 30 10. Effects of Faith Ibid. Assurance of Faith comfortable page 32 Extraordinary effects of Faith page 33 Faith procureth admirable things for our selues Ibid. For others page 34 Faith is our life in diuers respects Ibid. A christians Faith opposed in many things Ibid. Godly men offend about Faith in eight things page 35 Three meanes to breed Faith page 36 Le ts of Faith page 37 They that haue Faith must looke to two things Ibid. Faith wrought by degrees page 39 Foure things considered about a weake Faith Ibid. Signes of a weake Faith page 39 Signes of a true though weake Faith page 40 Comforts against weaknesse of Faith Ibid. Labour for growth in Faith Ibid. Ground of Faith the Word of God page 41 Concerning this ground we must resolue of fiue things Ibid. Faith of the godly shall neuer faile page 355 A right Faith in Christ breeds adoration and worship of Christ page 469 Faith and hope not in Christ page 254 Faithfull rest vpon God three wayes page 114 Father How attributed to God page 128 God a Father six wayes Ibid. God the Father of Christ proued and opened page 129 This teacheth vs three things page 131 It is comfortable in eight particulars page 132 God our Father foure wayes page 133 Hee is our Father by way of resemblance page 133 Faith lookes vpon God as Father in Christ page 134 Six signes of these who haue God to their Father Ibid. God is our Father this teacheth vs twelue things page 135 Acknowledge God as a Father page 134 Goe vnto him in all wants page 135 This is comfortable in diuers things page 136 God more then an ordinary Father page 137 Want of Feare of God the cause of all disorder 407 Christ layed downe infirmities of the Flesh but not the Flesh it selfe page 453 Fishing of the Disciples teach vs diuers things page 467 Wicked men Foolish page 356 Christ Forsaken in two respects page 396 Two obiections answered Ibid. Forsaken by all for soure reasons page 350 Fiuerules to be obserued in if we would prosper in the Fruitfulnesse of these outward things page 188 Cost in Funerals of Saints not vnlawfull page 440 Fowlâ—s of the ayre page 168 Gods care for them in Fiue things Ibid. What vses they serue for Ibid. They teach vs three things page 169 G. CHrist chose the Garden to begin his Passion in of purpose page 336 He was buried in a Garden why page 435 He put off his Garments before his sufferings for seuen reasons page 389 God Doctrine concerning God to be knowne for fiue reasons page 42 True knowledge of God hindred in six things page 44 We are vnable to conceiue of God for nine reasons page 46 God makes himselfe knowne seuen waies page 47 God is knowne diuers waies by seuerall things page 49 God knowne to man foure wayes Ibid He is described Ibid. Seuen rules for the attaining to the knowledge of God page 51 Three things to bee auoided in inquirong after the nature of God page 53 Many things spoken of God by way of likenesse page 55 Gods properties of two rankes Ibid. Foure things in Gods Nature matchlesse Ibid. Life of God admirable in three respects Ibid. This teacheth vs eight things page 56 Knowledge of God to bee admired in eight respects page 57 God the Fountaine of all wisdome page 58 Gods knowledge infinite Ibid. And most perfect as appeares in foure things page 59 God knowes all things at one view page 60 Consideration of Gods knowledge is vsefull page 61
be an Hypocrite page 365 I. I Dols are false Gods page 165 Christ suffered at Ierusalem page 325 He was buried neere to Ierusalem for two causes page 435 Iesus whence this word comes page 214 Why Christ was called Iesus page 215 The word Iesus is a short Gospel page 216 That Iesus may be our Sauiour wee must doe three things Ibid. The saued by Iesus must shew it in seuen things page 217 Diuers men know not Iesus Ibid. Calling of the Iewes page 414 Christ suffered Ignominie and disgrace in three things page 323 Hee bore this for foure reasons Ibid. Ignorance no plea. page 488 Immutability of God See God Gift of Illumination page 540 Humility of Christs Incarnation page 318 He sustained Infirmities of all sorts for foure reasons page 322 Christs Innocency page 37â— 440 God can giue testimony to the Innocencie of his page 373 Insufficient Ministers page 487 Christs Intercession shadowed out in the Law page 484 Incarnation of Christ page 248 How one Person is Incarnate and not the other Ibid What Christ assumed in his Incarnation page 249 When he was Incarnate page 250 Why Christ was Incarnate page 251 Gods glory shineth in Christs Incarnation page 257 Christ makes a threefold Intercession for vs. page 248 His Incarnation teacheth vs diuers things page 258 It is comfortable to the godly Ibid. Doctrine of Christs Incarnation terrible page 259 Christ like vs in all Infirmities page 258 Day of Iudgement shall bee in the end of the wâ—rld page 505 Why it is deferred so long Ibid. The precise time of this Iudgement vnknowne and why page 506 Christ did not know the day and houre of it how it is meant page 507 Place where the Iudgement shall bee Ibid. Who shall be Iudged page 508 Signes of Christs comming to Iudgement page 513 Euents no signes page 112 Corruption of manners a signe of Christs comming to Iudgement how page 514 Preparation of the Iudge to Iudgement hath in it foure things page 416 Preparation of the Persons ' Iudged hath in it foure things Ibid. The world summoned to Iudgement Ibid. Wicked men shall be Iudged according to their workes page 519 Diuers obiections answered Ibid. Infants how Iudged page 520 By what lawmen shall be Iudged â—â—0 Doctrine of the last Iudgement terrible to the wicked page 532 Comfortable to the godly page 534 Iudas his treason six things obseruable in it page 327 Why it was necessary that Iudas should betray Christ page 329 Iudas sin Informes vs of diuers things Ibid. Iudas meant not to haue Christ killed probable page 330 Good Iudges must learne expedition page 360 Christ Iudged in a polyticall court for foure reasons page 362 Church-men must abide the Iudgement of lay Iudges page 363 Why Christ Iudged by Pilate page 362 Iudges no accusers page 363 Iudges must haue cleane hands page 377 Needfull to vnderstand Christs comming to Iudgement page 496 Seuen properties of this Iudgement Ib. Particular Iudgement page 498 Last Iudgement manifest Ibid. It is sudden Ibid. Christs Iudgement a righteous Iudgement page 499 It is an eternall Iudgement how page 500 Christ shall be the Iudge page 501 This is comfortable to the godly Ibid. Terrible vnto the wicked page 502 How Saints and Apostles Iudge the world page 501 Whence Christ shall come to Iudgement page 502 When the day of Iudgement shall bee diuers opinions Ibid. Memoriall of the Iust blessed page 440 Iustice of God See God K. KIngdome of Christ page 229 Kingdome of Christ not of this world page 365 Christ clothed in habit of a King in way of scorne page 379 Christs Kingdome scorned page 380 Iesus that King by an excellency page 400 Kingdome of Christ deliuered to God page 532. 490 That Christ is a King appeares by seuen things page 229 Christ excells all other Kings in thirteene things page 230 Lawes of Christs Kingdome page 232 Christ our King what we learne from hence page 234 Diuers kinds of Knowledge in Christ page 253 Knowledge of God See God L. PVrge out the old Leauen page 310 Christs Legacy page 422 Lightnings Gods arrowes page 171 Liue not to our selues page 417 Iewes cast Lots vpon Christs garments for fiue reasons page 393 Beleeue that Iesus is our Lord. page 240 Christ is our Lord by a fiuefold right page 241 Excellency of Christs Lordship in six respects page 241 This teacheth vs diuers things page 243 Seuen Rules for the seruing of this Lord. page 244 Diuers vses of this point page 245 A threefold act in Loue. page 64 M. OBey Magistrates in the Lord. page 243 Malice in the wicked cruell page 327 372 Man the Epitome of all Gods workes page 194 Man miserable in respect of the euill of punishment diuers waies page 205 Christ the Son of Man page 268 Man hath eight prerogatiues aboue the creatures page 199 Notorious Malefactors may repent and be saued page 405 Christ appeared to Mary Magdalene page 460 Christ Manifested three waies page 270 Whether Mary may be called the Mother of Christ. page 267 Matter of Christs Body page 261 The sanctification of that Matter Ibid. God not tyed to the vse of Meanes in what cases page 559 Religion is vaine without Mercy page 528 How Mercy better then piety page 526 Ministers corrupt page 329 How Ministers betray Christ page 333 Qualifying of Ministers page 539 Publique Miseries to bee bewailed page 385 Christs care for his Mother page 421 He calls her woman Ibid. Mortality and Immortality in the same person page 256 Merit of workes confuted page 487 Meteors in the ayre page 169 Fiery Meteors page 170 Watery Meteors page 174 What vse God puts them to Ibid. N. Christs Natiuity HE was Borne three waies page 269 Bethlem the place of his Natiuity page 270 Time of his Natiuity Ibid. Christ borne poore why page 271 Borne of a Virgin why Ibid. Christ a first borne how page 272 Signes about the time of his Natiuity page 272 Three things haue relation to Christs Natiuity page 269 Diuers effects of Christs Natiuity page 271 Son of God tooke the Nature of Man page 248 He tooke it into vnion with his diuine Nature page 258 Mans estate by Nature hath need of mending page 205 No worke of Nature to beleeue in Christ page 207 Christ fastned to the Crosse with Nailes for foure reasons page 390 To destroy Niniuey a conditionall will in God page 108 O. CHrists Obedi nâ—e to his Father in death page 421 Auoid Occasions that leads to sinne page 353 Christs threefold Office page 226 Originall sinne page 204 A threefold Opposition page 120 P. PApists sin against Christs prophecie page 226 A twofold Paradice page 411 Paradice a Type of the glory of heauen page 412 Our life a continuall Passeouer page 310 Christ the true Passeouer page 428 Why Christ suffered at the Passeouer page 325 How Passion is in God page 107 Passions of two sorts Ibid. Christs primitiue Passion page 315 Extended to both Natures Ibid.
with eternal punishments why page 500 Sins remitted and retained how page 463 Sitting what it signifieth page 489 Christs Sessio at the right hand of God is comfortable in seuen respects page 492 Christs Soule how produced page 263 Excellency of mans Soule aboue other creatures appeares in seauen things page 197 Soule of man made in the Image of God page 197 Soule immortall page 198 What the Soule workes in the body Ibid. Soule resembles God in the Creation Ibid. Condition of our Soules in death page 449 Soule of Christ in his death indured a priuation of what it had before Ibid Soules of the righteous cry vnder the Alter Ibid. Our greatest care must be for our soules page 422 Christ the Sonne of God page 335 God hath many Sonnes page 336 Where the Spirit is there is liberty page 541 Spirit quenched by two sorts of men page 546 Happinesse of Christs subiects page 233 Christs subiects must doe seuen things page 234 Sufferings of Christ Suffering attributed to the diuine nature in respect of personall vnion page 305 Christs Sufferings full of wonder and amazement Ibid. They teach vs six things Ibid. He suffered not for all proued against the Arminians page 307 He Suffered from all sorts of enemies Ibid. To teach vs three things Ibid. Who haue part in Christs Sufferings page 308 Christs Sufferings a matchlesse patterne of his loue page 309 Iust Suffers for the vniust Ibid. Seuen reasons why he suffered page 310 Scriptures fulfilled in his Sufferings Ibid. His sufferings teach vs patience page 311 Two obiections against his Sufferings answered page 312 Difference betweene Christs Sufferings and Martyrs page 313 End of Christs Sufferings teach vs diuers things Ibid. Benefit of his Sufferings appeares in seuen things page 314 Hee suffered by waie of Imputation page 316 Hee Suffered from his conception to his resurrection page 317 What he Suffered from his Baptisme to his last Supper page 320 Where he Suffered page 325 When he Suffered Ibid. Hee Suffered Voluntarily page 326 348 421 Hee Suffered meane vsage why page 356 Christ suffers two things from Herod page 370 Christs Sufferings should make vs afraid of sinne page 397 We should Suffer any thing for Christs sake page 417 Superscription ouer Christs Head page 399 Pilates meaning in it Ibid. God by this giues testimonie to his Son Ibid. Superscription written in three Languages page 402 Deriuation of Symbolum with signification thereof T. ALL men need be Taught page 471 Teares haue power ouer Christ page 385 Christ Teacheth diuers waies page 221 Excellency of Christs manner of Teaching page 222 Christ Tempted for diuers reasons page 320 Christs Temptation teacheth vs fiue things page 321 Christ dwels not in Temples made with hands page 243 Thiefe conuerted page 404 Abuse not his example to procrastination page 405 Three fruits of his conuersion page 406 Thiefes confession page 408 Thiefes prayer hath in it three things obseruable page 409 Christs answer to the Thiefe page 411 How the Thiefe vnderstood what was meant by Paradise Ibid. Profitable to teach the people the whole body of Theology page 2 Thomas his vnbeleefe page 464 Thomas his confession page 465 Christ crowned with Thornes page 381 Thankefulnesse to God for the blessings of Heauen page 176 Thunder and lightning page 170 Times and seasons left to God page 427 Worldfull of Treachery page 334 Christs apparition to his Disciples the doores being shut no proofe for Transubstantiation page 462 Truth of God See God Christ beares witnesse to the Truth page 365 Truth will preuaile Ibid. Constancy for the Truth page 366 Christs subiects are of the Truth Ibid. Christ fastened to a Tree for three reasons page 390 Doctrine of the Trinity page 115 Proofes of the Trinity page 116 In handling the Trinity wee must bee wise to sobriety page 117 Trinity Essence Persons all brought in in the Primitiue Church page 123 Eleuen obiections against the Trinity answered page 124 Doctrine of the Trinity vsefull page 126 We must speake of the Trinity in vnity page 127 Vnsound speeches of the Trinity Ibid. What Heretikes haue assaulted it Ib. V. ORiginall of vegetable creatures page 185 Their variety and vse page 186 Vaile of the Temple rent page 413 What it was Ibid. What it signified page 414 Vbiquitaries confuted page 502 They gaue Christ Vinegar to drinke for three reasons page 398 Virgin Mary not conceiued without sinne page 265 Virgin ouer-shadowed page 265 Christ tooke his Body of a Virgin page 267 Wofull estate of vnbeleeuers page 35 240. Christ vpbraided his Disciples for vnbeliefe why page 470 Vnity of God See God W. GOds dearest seruants exposed to outward Wants page 466 Great Wants fore-runne extraordinary supplies Ibid. Christ speakes to Women page 285 Comfort for Women in Child-bearing page 269 Women chiefe witnesses of Christs death page 419 What wholsome words are page 3 Wicked men incorrigible page 348 Wicked desire Christs miracles not his Word page 369 Wicked men of more account then godly page 371 Wicked men within the Church may be as vile as they are without page 376 Wicked men are impatient vnder Gods hand page 386 Wicked men are like a dry Tree Ibid. Wicked men in a wofull case page 397 Wicked men how condemned already page 509 Wicked men are Goats page 418 Wicked men are cursed creatures page 527 Wicked men forget their sins page 528 Wicked men taste the Word of God without digestion page 540 Difference betweene godly and wicked men in their desire after Christ page 369 Great World a little Garden page 161 It is like a Booke Ibid. Like a faire House Ibid. Fiue things wonderfull in the making of the world page 162 Workes of God of two sorts page 144 Externall Workes of foure sorts page 145 When the world was made page 148 Giue God the Glory of his Workes page 149 Meditate on Gods Workes not delight in idle shewes Ibid. World fiered at the last day how page 531 Word doth not euer presently worke page 354 God Workes sometimes by vnlikely meanes Ibid. How the Word was made flesh page 251 Vnion of the Word and flesh differ from other vnions Ibid. Gods Wisdome moderates betweene his Iustice and mercy â—8 Three beare Witnesse of Christ in Heauen three on earth page 430 LONDON Printed by G. M. for R. R. P. Stephens and C. Meredith and are to be sold at their shop at the golden Lyon in Pauls Church-yard 1626. Pro. 335. * So much as now is published comes vnto thy hands as it was left fully perfected by the Author in his life time 2. Waies of Preaching 1. By Text. 2. Without Text. And both expedient The Apostles Patterne The method intended What the Creed is What wholesome words are Vnwholesome doctrines of two sorts 1. Corrupt doctrine Diuers sorts of corrupt doctrine How many waies true doctrine may be vnwholsome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How the Creed is a Patterne Note What great respect we should haue of the doctrines
holy Ghost Phil. 2. 6. 7. Among the creatures the father and Sonne are two things in number but in this diuine generation it is not so for the Father and Sonne and so the holy Ghost are but one God 1. Iohn 5. 7. The Vse may bee either for information or instruction or consolation or terror first since GOD is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ by such an vnconceiueable generation wee may thence learne 1. The glory of our Sauiours condition He was before the world was he was with the father brought vp with him as his eternall delight more deere to the father then any created nature can conceiue of the Sonne of his Loue neuer father loued his son so as God the father loues Christ yea hee was God with the father Consubstantiall Coequall Coeternall Pro. 8. 22. c. 30. Iohn 17. 25. Philippians 2. 6 Rom. 9. 5. 2. The Originall of all father-hood The father of Iesus Christ was the first father euer was yea the Creed giues the Title of father to God onely as if there were no father but he and so Christ saith Mat. 23. 9. call no man father on earth for one is your father which is God and indeed properly none is a father but God other fathers that are called so haue the name only because there is in them a kind of Image or similitude of God the father and yet they beget so imperfectly in comparison of God the father that they resemble him rather in that generall that they doe beget then in the manner of begetting Thus for Information 2. Since God is the father of Iesus Christ wee should bee instructed 1. To acknowledge this Mystery and though wee haue cause to be abased for the defect of our vnderstanding heerein in that we cannot tell the fathers name nor what is the name of his Son Pro. 30 4. yet we should confidently beleeue as the very foundation of our Religion that Iesus Christ is the Son of the liuing God vpon the Rock of this confession is the Church built Mat. 16. 16 c. It is a glory Christ stands vpon to be acknowledged in the glory of the onely begotten Son of God Ioh. 1. 14. If we acknowledge the Son wee haue the father or else not 1. Ioh. 2. 23. Yea this is an honour God stands vpon to bee glorified with one heart and one mouth of all his seruants euen as the father of our Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 15. 6. 2. To be fully established in the perswasion of the sufficiency and efficacie of the obedience and passion of Iesus Christ for vs we may confidently call him the Lord our righteousnes seeing God is called his father for his obedience is more then the obedience of a man yea of more value then the obedience of worlds of men and besides hee is all in all with God the father who so loues him hee can denie him nothing c. 3. To rely vpon him for instruction The father loues him and shewes him all things that he doth or intends to doe and in him are all treasures of wisedome and knowledge therefore we should heare him alwaies in any thing hee will reueale to vs yea God the father chargeth vs with this duty as the very vse he would haue vs make of the knowledge of his eternal generation as appeares by the voice from heauen mentioned Mat 17. 5. While he yet spake behold a bright cloud shadowed them and behold there came a voice out of the cloud saying This is that my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased heare him But especially this doctrine serues for consolation and so is frequently vrged in Scripture for if God be the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ then these comforts will manifestly follow to the beleeuing Christian 1. That God is well pleased with the sacrifice of Iesus Christ for our sinnes Mat. 3. 17. 2. That Christ is able to raise vp the dead hearts of men with spirituall life for as the Father hath life in himselfe so hee hath giuen to the Son to haue life in himselfe Ioh. 5. 26. 3. That in Christ we may haue supply for all our wants wee may receiue of his fulnes all sorts of graces needfull for vs as is from this doctrine gathered Iohn 1. 14. 18. 4. That Christ is able to giue vs eternall life and will performe euen that great gift at the time appointed to all that beleeue Iohn 3. 16. 17. 2. no beleeuer shall perish 5. That whatsoeuer he askes the Father for vs hee shall haue it yea that our prayers prescribed by him shall be heard 6. That nothing that is good for vs shall bee withheld from vs for if God hath giuen vs his Son how shall he not with him giue vs all things also Rom. 8. 32. 7. That God beares a great affection euen to vs for Christ hath besought the Father that he would loue vs with the Loue he loued him and that the warmth and comfort of that loue may be euer with vs Iohn 17. 24. 25. Lastly if God be the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ then vaine are all the consultations and rebellious proiects of wicked men against Christ and the meanes of his kingdom then also woe will bee vnto them for God will make Christs enemies his footstoole hee will bruise them with an iron rod and breake them like a Potters vessell for vnto the Son hath the Father giuen the ends of the earth and whatsoeuer rebels against him shall not prosper as from this doctrine is inferred Psal 2. 110. 1. Thus God is the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ Secondly Faith lookes vpon God as our Father especially in Christ 2. Cor. 1. 2. Gal. 1. 4. 2. Thes 1. 1. 2. 1. Thes â— 11. 13. God is our Father foure waies first by Creation and so principally in respect of our soules which he creates of nothing and infuseth into our bodies and so he is called Father of Spirits Heb. 12. 9. secondly by Regeneration because by his Almighty power he renewes spirituall life into our soules that were dead in sin 1. Pet. 1. 3. thirdly by Adoption when of his meere grace hee acknowledgeth vs for children Gal. 4 5. 6. fourthly by Resurrection because he giues a glorious being to our bodies that were rotted and dissolued in the earth and so as hee was said to beget Christ in the day that he raised him from the dead Act. 13. so is he said to grant vs the Adoption of sonnes when he restores our bodies to life out of the graue Rom. 8. 19. 21. And this terme of Father is giuen to these workes of God not vnfitly for the resemblance they haue to the relation betweene a Father and Son in Nature for 1. God giues vs a spirituall being making vs a soule or spirituall substance for as we call them Fathers because we haue our bodies from them so God is more fitly called a Father because we haue our spirits