And after Prorsus eadem idololatria and Imò grauius peccant Papistae quà m Ethnici pag. 230. pag. 152. 153. c. Inter idololatriam gentium cultum sanctorum apud Pontisicios nihil interest and he concludeth Nec ouum ouo neque lac lacti similius quà m cultus sanctorum apud Pontisicios idolorum apud Ethnicos And Master White in his booke forenamed sect 5. parag 7. 8. prooueth that the Papists worship stocks and stones as the Gentiles did III. Master Perkins in a book of his owne setting forth not in few places hath the very words Refor Cath. 9. point Papists vnder new termes maintaine the idolatrie of the Heathen Popish idolatrie is a grosse as euer any was among the Heathen In the practice of a reformed Catholike Popish idolatrie exceeds the idolatrie of the Heathen In his Aduertisement to Romane Catholikes And the Popish Host is as abominable an idoll as euer was To whom Bucer in Psal. 115. accordeth saying thus of the Popish Church in worshipping of the Virgin Mary and the Saints En omnia facit quae olim idolis suis insana gentilitas IV. Adde one thing out of the Scriptures If Rome be called Egypt Sodom and Babylon then the idolatry of all these Heathenish places runs into it But the first is true therefore also the second Againe If it be a cage of vncleane birds and an habitation of diuels if any worse can be said of any Heathens Romish idolatrie shall not be the worst 3. Note that God the Father vttering so audible a voyce concerning his Sonne he will be knowne of vs not so much in his owne substance as in his Sonne nor by curious prying into the excellencie of his Maiestie as by sober attending to his voyce and Word And the many manners of Gods speaking vnto men all confirme the same sometimes hee is said to speake out of fire that none dare approach sometimes out of a darke cloud a cloud because out of mans reach and darke because if it were not so none might satisfie their curiositie in seeing any thing sometimes out of a whirlewinde a fierce creature which men are afraid of and sometimes out of the light but such as is inaccessible And good reason that such high and diuine knowledge should bee thus deliuered because being matters of faith they must be insensible and hee that commeth to God must beleeue not see neither is the eye of the body of such capacitie and piercing brightnes as to behold things of infinite and inuisible nature God in giuing the Law made a law against pryers and gazers and seuerely punished those that pryed into the Arke Those that despise the still voyce of God in the ministery shall neuer see God in Christ see him and feele him they shall in his power and iustice neuer in his fauour and loue who refuse the tender of his loue and gracious calling Againe no maruell if ignorance and Egyptiacall darknesse raigne in Popish countreyes where the voyce and Word of God must not be heard read or knowne Satan and his lims know where their strength lyeth and that the strength of his kingdome of darknesse standeth in ignorance and darknesse This is that my Sonne Sect. 9. THe first thing in the substance of the Fathers testimony is that relation which the Father acknowledgeth between himselfe and his Sonne And first whereas there seemes to be some difference in the Euangelists for Marke and Luke chap. 3. 22. reade it in the second person Thou art my Sonne to omit other answeres for reconciliation it is most probable that this voice was twice vttered first for Christs confirmation to his office in the second person which Marke and Luke record and after for the confirmation of Iohn and the faith of beleeuers in the third person This is he Take notice of him And this answere not onely satisfies the Text but the prophesies formerly wherein this voice was foretold which runne in both persons Psal. 2. 7. Thou art my Sonne and Isa. 42. 1. Hee is my Elect in whom my soule delighteth By the Sonne of God is meant 1. Sonnes by Creation framed made after Gods Image in perfect holinesse and righteousnesse Thus Adam was the sonne of God Luk. 3. vlt. and the Angels Iob 1. and Psal. 89. 6. 2. Sons by Profession only who outwardly worship y e true God but not in truth as Gen. 6. 1. The sons of God saw the daughters of mē c. 3. Sons by Adoptiō who being the children of wrath by nature are by grace fauour takē in to be the sons of God thus euery true beleeuer led by the spirit is the Son of God Ro. 8. 14. As many as beleeue to them hee gaue power to be y e sons of God Christ is none of these waies the son of God for although Christ as the fountaine and head of our adoption is called the chiefe among many brethren yet is hee not adopted as we be But he is the Son of God two wayes 1. By nature as God begotten from all eternity of the substance of God by an vnspeakable generation for who can tel his generation Isa. 53. 8. whereby God the Father communicated his whole Essence vnto him thus hee alone is the Son of God the onely begotten Son Ioh. 1. 14. We may adore this Son-ship wee cannot search it out 2. By grace of personall Vnion and thus the man-hood of Christ or Christ as man is after a speciall manner the Sonne of God because his man-hood was inseparably vnited to the Person of the Sonne of God Luk. 1. 32. That holy thing which is borne of thee shall bee called the Sonne of God Neither had Christ as man any man to his Father but the humane nature being framed of the holy Ghost subsifted in the Deity and so makes but one Person And thus Christ both in respect of both his natures and the Vnion of them is the Sonne of God How is he begotten of the Father After an vnspeakable manner much differing from humane generation wee may conceiue no humane thing in it 1. It was without any alteration of the Father or passion in the Sonne 2. Without any propagatiō of any part of the God-head but by communication of the whole God-head of the Father to the Sonne No naturall father communicates his whole Essence 3. The Father begets the Sonne in himselfe not forth of himselfe as earthly Parents doe 4. Naturall fathers are before their children in time but the Father so begets the Sonne as hee is not before in time but in order both being eternall Obiect Psalm 2. 7. This day begot I thee therefore in time Answ. In the Sonnes begetting are two things to be considered 1. The generation it selfe which is eternall 2. The manifestation of it and this is in time at his Incarnation and Resurrection Of this the place is to be vnderstood not of the former But Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
in the former verse where Christ is called the head of all things being the head of his body hee hath made a passage both for himselfe and his members How doth Christ open heauen for vs oh that we could see such a sight Christ openeth heauen 1. by the merit of his obedience vnto the death so saith S Paul Col. 1. 20. By the bloud of his crosse he hath set at peace all things Meditate on his death 2. By the donation of his Spirit who worketh faith in the heart of Gods child which is as an hand wherby Christ with all his benefits is receiued and a mouth whereby he is eaten so is it an eye cleered to see thorow the clouds God sitting in his glory vpon the Propitiatorie and Mercy-seate and sometimes vpon the throne of his iustice Heb. 11. 27. By faith Moses departed Egypt and feared not the fiercenesse of the King but endured as one that sawe him that was inuisible By faith Henoch walked with God hee had him euer in his eye heauen was euer open and vndrawne vnto him Ioseâ—h saw on the throne of his iustice and said Can I sinne and doe this great wickednesse against God Thus the godly in this life haue heauen after a sort opened so as they haue God euer present with them Steuen being full of the holy Ghost saw heauen open get faith and thou shalt see it open too 3. By the benefit of his intercession Ioh. 17. Father I will that where I am they also be to behold my glory Now he was heard in all that he prayed for so as by vertue of the merit of his intercession all the elect shall be gathered in soule and body into heauen after this life This same key openeth heauen to our prayers and persons Heere is the comfort of the godly that whereas the first Adam hath shut heauen on them and set hell wide open and armed all the creatures against them this second Adam hath opened heauen againe and reconciled all things there is now passage from man to God from earth to heauen by the prayer of faith and betweene God and man while hee heareth prayer and bestowes heauenly blessings a passage for the Spirit and for Gods helping hand in trouble there is a beaten way betweene heauen earth in which Gods Angels are continually mouing as diligeÌ„t ministers to the heires of saluation Here ye may see Iacobs ladder which reacheth from earth to heauen on which the Angels are continually ascending and descending this ladder is Christ himselfe who by his humanity toucheth earth and by his diuinity reacheth vp to the heauens and so hath made heauen earth meete together And as this comforteth vs through our whole life so especially in the houre of our death it is of exceeding vse then happie is he that can see the heauens opened by Christ for him as Steuen did he shall lay himselfe downe in rest and assurance that though his body shall be inclosed in the earth for a time yet his soule shall ascend to God and both soule and body in the Iudgement day shall partake of the glory vnto which Christ the Head is already ascended and the same power which made the heauens themselues now at his baptisme set themselues open to strengthen encrease the grace of his Saints shall then set them wide open to confirme them for euer in glory And Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him Sect. 7. THis is the second diuine testimony whereby God the Father would make euident to all the world that Christ the Sonne was the Messiah anointed with the gifts of the holy Ghost for this purpose Where for the meaning of the words must be knowne 1. What is heere meant by the Spirit of God 2. How the Spirit could descend or be seene so to doe 3. The manner of his descending like a Doue 4. Why hee lighted vpon Christ. 5. Why it is said Iohn saw all this 1. By the Spirit of God is meant sometimes the whole essence of the God-head as it is common to all the three Persons as Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit Somtimes the gifts and graces of the Spirit as Luk. 1. 15. Iohn was filled with the Spirit that is spirituall gifts by a Metonymie of the cause for the effect And Act. 6. 5. Steuen a man full of faith and the holy Ghost Somtimes the third Person in Trinity as 1. Ioh. 5. 6. and that Spirit is truth and thus is the word here vsed not the gifts and graces of the spirit nor taken essentially or commonly for the whole Trinity but personally for the third Person in Trinity who is distinct from the Father and the Sonne equall vnto the Father and the Sonne and the same God in Nature and Essence with the Father and the Sonne though not the same person And the third person is called a Spirit because he is that essentiall vertue proceeding and as it were spired or breathed from the Father and the Sonne or from his effect who bloweth where he listeth and inspireth holy motions and graces into the hearts of the elect 2. How can the holy Ghost be said to descend `who is God omnipresent and filling heauen and earth Psal. 139. 7. Whither shall I goe from thy Spirit Answer True it is that this descending of the Spirit was a locall motion from heauen where it was opened vnto earth to the very head of Christ and yet wee may not conceiue any locall motion in God or any of the persons but in one word The signe or siymbol wherein the holy Ghost pleased to testify a speciall presence or efficacy doth take the name of the thing signifiyed the Doue a signe of the Spirit is called by the thing signified the Spirit it selfe not that the blessed Spirit was changed into a Doue or any similitude whose nature were it not immutable he could not bee God but because it pleased him retaining his owne vnchangeable nature to appeare vnder this forme and likenes and thus Iohn also seeing this shape and appearance descend froÌ„ heauen is said to see the Spirit which is inuisible the Doue signifying called y e Spirit signified by a figuratiue kinde of speech common in the Scriptures The Ark was called The Glory of God because it was a speciall signe of it Three Angels came to Abraham one of them seeming to be more glorious then the other is called by the name Iehoua a name proper to God and not agreeable to any Angel further then he representeth the Sonne of God as that did The right interpretation and vnderstanding of such phrases would cut off infinite quarrels about the reall presence which is onely held vp because by this same figure the bread signifying is called the body signifyed which if it necessarily imply a change of the bread into the very Body of Christ then because the Spirit of God is called a Doue
curse of thy sin and though thou seest that all the good of his abasement came to thee thou wilt endure nothing for him Ah conforme henceforth thy loue to his Secondly heere is an excellent ground of comfort that we haue a most perfect and all-sufficient Sauiour not onely the son of man but the Son of God almighty Ioh. 3. 16. God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Son that whosoeuer should beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life All other sauiours were meere sonnes of men Ioshua the Iudges Iephte Samson c. And their deliuerances but temporall from the sonnes of men but heere is an eternall Sonne of God an heauenly Sauiour and Saluation from all spirituall enmities worthy the Sonne of God Hereupon namely the excellency and dignity of his Person ariseth the excellency price and merit of his obedience both actiue in fulfilling the law and passiue in satisfying the breach For being the naturall Sonne of God he cānot but be very God of the same substance and Godhead with the Father vnto which Diuine nature the humane being vnited it receiueth an excellency and dignity aboue all created natures of men and Angels for to which of the Angels did he at any time say Thou art my Sonne Heb. 1. 5 And hence all his obedience must needs bee of infinite merit the Person being so infinite else could he not haue sustained the infinite burden of mans sin nor appeased the wrath of his Father infinitly offended nor in so short time haue made so full and perfect satisfaction which must be of infinite worth and desert nor haue vanquished so infinite enemies as sin death hell and the deuill nor haue purchased for vs that infinite and eternall Crowne of righteousnes vnlesse he had been Immanuel God with vs and for vs blessed for euer Thirdly If Christ be that true Sonne of God so declared by the Prophets then wee are instructed 1. To beleeue in him for this is the Commaundement of GOD that we doe beleeue in the Name of his Sonne Ye beleeue in God beleeue also in me And the reason is because the Father and the Son are one Besides no creature can be the obiect of faith which fixeth it selfe vpon God as Mar. 11. 22. Haue faith in God which word God in the Creed is but once named to note the vnity of essence yet in vnderstanding is to be referred to all the three persons in whome we beleeue and in nothing else And because we must beleeue in him wee must pray not onely by him as a Mediator but vnto him as God equal with the Father into whose name we are baptized Thus the Apostles prayed to him Lord increase our faith and a Leper came and worshipped him saying Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane Math. 8. 2. And often it is made a marke or note whereby all Christians are described that they are such as call vpon the name of the Lord Iesus Christ Act. 9. 14. 1. Cor. 1. 2. In one word whatsoeuer diuine worship is due to the Father is due to this Sonne of God Rom. 15. 12. In him the Gentiles shall trust euery knee shall bowe vnto him and Ioh. 5. 23. That all men might honour the Son as they honour the Father 2. We must esteeme and affect him as the Sonne of God accounting him the chiefe of 10000. as the Church doth to loue and reuerence him aboue all other saying Thou art fayrer then the sonnes of men If any man loue not the Lord Iesus let him be accursed 1. Cor. 16. 22. Yea account all things as losse and dung in comparison of him hate father and mother if need so require in respect of him and be so farre from being ashamed of him and his profession as to acknowledge it the greatest honour to suffer in his cause 1. Pet. 4. 13. 3. If Christ be the onely naturall Sonne then kisse the Son of God Psal. 2. 12. 1. In token of subiection as a kisse is if it be of an inferiour to a superiour so Pharaoh said to Ioseph All my people shall kisse thee Gen. 41. namely in token of subiection so Idolaters are said to kisse their Idols that is to be subiect and deuoted vnto them 1. King 19. 18. 2. In token of loue good will if from a superiour or equal thus the Saints must kisse one another with an holy kisse And thus must euery Christian kisse the Sonne of God both in token of their homage and subiection as also as a sure pledge of their loue and faithfull affection towards him especially wee must take his yoke vpon vs stoope vnder his Scepter and obserue whatsoeuer hee hath commanded vs. Doe as the people promised Ioshua chap. 1. 16. All that thou commandest vs wee will doe whither thou sendest vs we will goe whosoeuer rebell and will not obey thy words let him die the death and as Mary his mother said to the seruants Whatsoeuer hee shall bid you doe that doe Beloued Sonne The English is too short for the Greeke where we finde two articles and it soundeth thus This is that my Sonne that my beloued and such a beloued one as on whom all a mans loue is cast for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly vsed of that which is but one as of Isaac Take now thy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thy onely Sonne thy beloued Sonne Christ is the proper obiect of Gods loue on whom all his loue is cast figured not onely in Isaac but in Salomon 2. Sam. 12. 25. The Lord also loued him and called his name Iedidiah that is the beloued of the Lord Christ is the true Iedidiah prophecied of Isa. 42. 1. Behold my Elect in whom my soule delighteth The Apostles expresse this loue in sundry phrases Ioh. 1. 18. The onely begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hath declared him that is who is intirely and inwardly loued with such affection as is due onely to her who is to be layd in the bosome who is thy best-beloued thy heart thy selfe And hee is called Gods deare Sonne Col. 1. 13. 1. God loues him as himself as being one with him The Father I are one saith Christ in nature in essence in will in operation looke with what loue he loues himselfe with the same he loues his Sonne the only begotten of the Father full of grace and trueth 2. Christ is capable of perfect and infinite loue as no creature is and therefore is perfectly and infinitely loued of his Father hence is it that the Father giueth him all that euer he hath Mat. 28. 18. All power in heauen and in earth hence he reuealeth and declareth his whole counsell to him who from eternity hath coexisted and layd in the bosome of his Father whereas all creatures are not capable of this knowledge 3. Christ as Mediator is most deare to his Father and
his and thus it was meete that Christ should accept the seale of the Couenant that he might be bound in our name as our head to fulfill that which we had promised and God required at our hands by vertue of the Couenant I will be thy God and thou shalt be my people And hence al the significatiue actions of Baptisme applied to Christ imply nothing else but how hee was resigned vp wholly to his Father for vs and in our stead as for example 1. When Christ descended into the water was signified his descending from heauen and humbling of himselfe to take flesh suffer and dye in it chusing rather to lose his life than his Father should lose the obedience of his Law 2. The dipping sprinkling or his abode vnder the water signified his death and buriall by whose power and vertue our old man is dead and buried that is our corruption of nature is slaughtered and consumed 3. His ascending out from the water betokeneth his resurrection for our iustification by the power of which we are regenerated and rise to life eternall So as it appeares that what wee were bound to Christ hath first in himselfe performed and enableth vs also in some measure here below but at last by his grace shall perfectly performe it in our full holinesse aboue with himselfe But seeing Christ had been circumcised his baptisme seemed needlesse Indeed if hee had been a priuate man and his baptisme only personall this obiection might seeme the stronger although the Iewes conuerted by Peters sermon and already circumcised were baptized But Christ as a publike person and head of the Church in other respects was to vndertake both Sacraments 1. To shew himselfe the author of all Sacraments both of the old Testament and new 2. To manifest himselfe the Mediator of both peoples redeemer of both the destroyer of the wall of separation who being our peace hath ioyned Iew and Gentile and of two made one 3. To sanctifie both Sacramēts to both peoples in whom they both attained their right ends and efficacie and therefore hee that had sanctified Circumcision in his owne person to the Iewes would now also sanctifie Baptisme to y e Gentiles 4. That the law which himselfe gaue to both peoples himselfe might fulfill for seeing hee came to both peoples in the similitude of sinfull flesh he would not refuse but sanctifie the remedy of clensing the flesh to both hee would lastly approue and iustifie both Gods institutions to both peoples both of the old and new Circumcision and cleare the whole Law to be holy iust and good This is for our consolation here we haue Christ manifesting himselfe our flesh our brother our suretie here is the Word made flesh God with vs Immanuel God not come downe in the likenesse of man as they of Lystra thought of Paul and Barnabas but cloathed with the very nature of man who in his perfect age hauing growne out the seuerall ages of infancie child-hood and youth to shew himselfe true man now of thirty yeeres of age becomes as man our brother in the couenant and in the seale of it yea our surety as God and man our absolute Mediator he would by vndertaking both Sacraments shew himselfe not onely a member of both peoples but also the Sauiour head and chiefe corner-stone knitting both into one body and spirituall house which is his Church And all this is for vs that wee might haue sweete comfort Christ is among men among sinners that we might be among the sonnes and Saints of God he is washed as a sinner not to bee clensed but to clense vs he stands in Iordan that the waters of Gods wrath beeing staied on both sides both peoples might passe ouer to the heauenly Canaan In a word that he might euery way helpe vs he will bee euery way like vs and to this purpose is this tabernacle of God amongst men that we might haue way made to the tabernacle of God amongst Angels Therefore if Satan or the infidelitie of our owne hearts set vpon vs wee see whom wee haue beleeued our saluation is surer than the gates of hell shall euer be able to ouerthrow Againe this is for our instruction to note the excellencie and dignitie of this Sacrament and what esteeme wee ought to haue it in the Lord comes to the seruant a tedious iourney to seeke it yet many of vs when it is brought to vs turne our backes vpon it What price set they vpon it who flye foorth of the Church when this Sacrament is to be administred Shal Christ that needed it not come to it and shall we that neede it runne from it Shall he seek only the baptisme of water and shall we so vnder-value the baptisme of water and the Holie Ghost Shall he no sinner not refuse the signe of repentance for sinne and shall wee despise the broad Seale of remission of sinne Shall Christ himself seek to Iohns baptisme and darest thou runne from Christ This I will adde to what I haue elsewhere largely deliuered that whosoeuer doe not present themselues with due reuerence and meditations but runne out carelesly and profanely when Baptisme is administred they be farre from Christs example and little comfort can they haue of their baptisme but may well feare lest those mysteries and benefits offred and sealed to a member of the Congregation belong not to them for if they did they would owne them and not runne contemptuously from them as good neuer baptized as neuer meditate on it But were thy selfe to take no good by the Sacrament in calling to minde thine owne couenant made in baptisme with the fruite in thy selfe yet good order requires thy presence 1. Because the ordinance belongs not onely to the infants parents and sureties but to the whole Congregation as the entring of a free-man into a Corporatiō is by the whole 2. God lookes it should be graced and not scorned by turning thy back vpon it Were it not a most irreuerent contempt to runne out from the Word and is it not also to runne from the Seale especially the blessed Trinitie being met to such a purpose to seale such benefits to a member of that Congregation 3. Thy presence is requisite to helpe the infant by prayer to ioyne with the Congregation in prayer and in praise for the ingrafting of a member into Christs body Vers. 14. But Iohn put him backe saying I haue need to be baptized of thee and commest thou to mee Sect. 2. THis is a part of the dialogue betweene Christ and Iohn For Iohn seeing Christ come to him and his Baptisme would haue hindred him in his purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verbis vrgendo obnixè prohibebat forbad him that is instantly vrged him to forbeare and refused to admit him and that with some contention Why did he so First in respect of Christ. 1. Hee considered his Maiesty and greatnesse aboue
was any ceremony in all the world so honoured as this Baptisme of Christ was The ancient sacrifices of Gods institution were honoured by manifest signes of his gracious presence as by the fire which came from heauen continually to consume them the Arke was honoured with speciall signes of his glorious presence sitting betweene the Cherubims answering by Oracle and voice vnto cases propounded the Temple it selfe at Ierusalem at Salomons prayer and dedication was filled with the glory of God manifested in that cloud that filled the House of the Lord 1. Kin. 8. 10. and this cloud still watched ouer the Tabernacle Exod. 40. 34. But these were all but shadowes to this wherein the Lord did not cloud and vaile his presence or reueale his presence in some signe but the Diuine Maiesty manifested it selfe distinctly as we may say in person yea in the distinction of all the three Persons the Father testifying his delight in his deare Sonne the Sonne standing in Iordan and receiuing his Fathers testimony and the holy Ghost descending in the visible shape of a Doue From whence is notably grounded the doctrine of the blessed Trinity of persons in the Vnity of diuine essence because they be so really distinguished although they cannot bee separated But the word Trinity is not to be found in the Scriptures Yet the doctrine is if not according to the letter yet according to the sense Mat. 17. 5. In the transfiguration of Christ the Sonne standeth the Father by his voice witnesseth and the holy Ghost ouershadowes him in a cloud as heere by a Doue So Matth. 28. 19. Baptize them in the name not names to note the vnity of the Father Sonne and holy Ghost And 2. Cor. 13. 14. The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the loue of God and the communion of the holy Ghost bee with you all Besides there is expresly the word three frō whence Trinity comes 1. Ioh. 5. 7. There be three that beare witnesse in heauen the Father the Word and the holy Ghost and these three are one So also Gal. 4. 6. God sent the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts Which is worthy to be by the way obserued as against sundry other damnable Heretikes so especially against the Iewes at this day who hold an indistinct essence in the Deity without distinction of persons and secondly against the wicked Arrians who deny the Sonne of God to bee begotten of the essence of the Father and to bee coeternall and coequall with him they hold him to be meere man onely borne without sin and receiuing the Spirit beyond measure and in all those places where he is called God they vnderstand it God by office not by nature as the Magistrate is called God and by this equiuocation they can deceiue the Magistrate and professe namely in this their sense that they verily beleeue him to bee God and yet meere man But this place and many other assume him into equall dignitie with the Father and holie Ghost as wee shall further see in the Fathers testimonie of him In the opening of the heauens consider 1. how they were opened 2. why they were opened For the former not the whole heauens but a part and that part ouer the earth where Christ prayed in the banke of Iordan and not to all the people of the earth but to those onely that were present with Christ were the heauens opened and therefore it is said The heauen was opened vnto him not as some say to Iohn but to Christ for so the phrase is vsed Act. 2. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visae eis linguae i. supra eos The difficultie is in the manner Some think it was but an apparition in the aire because the densitie of the heauens as Philosophie teacheth cannot admit of any diuision in the same But this is vnlikely for in apparitions the eye is easily deceiued by thinnesse or thicknesse neerenes or remotenes light or darknesse of the parts of the heauens and clouds now God would not haue so notable a confirmation of Christs calling stand vpon the credit of a thing so liable to deceit as apparitions be Againe this was a miracle by which Christs office was exalted and therefore goes beyond nature and it is absurd to limit so transcendent a power within the rules and hedge of nature Others of the Fathers whom some Schoolemen follow think that there was no alteration in the heauēs to the bodily eye but it was a meer vision which none but Christ saw and that not with the eyes of his body but of his minde such a vision as Ezekiel and Steuen saw But this is not so for first to the eyes of Christs minde heauen was neuer shut Secondly Mark 1. 10. hee saw the heauens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clouen a word vsed in things really done and vsed of the rent garment Luk. 5. 36. and of the vaile of the Temple which was rent in twaine Thirdly the other signes were really and sensibly done the Spirits descending visible and the Fathers voyce audible and sensible which are things of greater difficultie to conceiue as wee shall see and visible and sensible were they not so much for Christs as for Iohns and the peoples confirmation that stood there It seemeth therefore to bee true that the heauen was sensibly diuided and rent in twaine euen as the earth was when Korah and his company were swallowed vp This is not vnreasonable to conceiue if wee consider that the Lord might well doe as much for his Sonne as he had formerly done for his seruants Henoch in his body as wel as in his soule was taken vp into heauen here either the heauens must diuide themselues or one body must pearce and penetrate another which euen glorified bodies cannot doe Eliah when Elisha prayed him that his spirit might be doubled on him answered thus Thou askest an hard thing yet if thou see me when I am taken from thee thou shalt haue it so 2. King 2. 11 12. and Elisha saw him when he was taken vp into heauen by a whirlewinde and consequently saw the heauens diuided to receiue his body now glorified in the act of translation When Christ had accomplished his whole ministery Act. 1. 9. while his Disciples beheld he was taken vp into heauen they did see the heauens opening themselues to receiue his glorious body and shall we think it absurd that according to the letter of the Scripture his Father should enter him into that ministery by a sensible opening of the heauens As easie it must bee for God to doe this as to make the Sunne stand still the Sea runne backe yea the Sea to diuide it selfe and stand like a wall for the defence of his people And that he thus did it is plaine because this serueth for the greater confirmation and glorie of the businesse in hand which aboue all other the Lord set himselfe to aduance commend to the world Now in the
fit for his priuate estate yet now entring vpon a publique office and a worke after a sort infinite he needeth more grace and receiueth according as his calling required Obiect But then Christ had imperfection in him if hee wanted some grace Answ. It implies a degree but not imperfection hee was perfectly graced so farre as his youth and priuate estate required yea as much as that was capable of it being with him as with the Saints in heauen among whom are degrees of glory but not want nor imperfectiō And 3. to shew that the Spirit did perpetually rest with Christ therefore Ioh. 1. 32. the Spirit abode vpon him This was prophecied Isa. 11. 2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest vpon him the Spirit of counsel and vnderstanding of wisedome and strength the Spirit of knowledge and the feare of the Lord. Obiect But the Spirit of God dwels in the Elect therefore this was no priuiledge An. Neuer did or can the spirit rest with Saint or Angel as hee did with Christ. 1. In respect of his humanity the Spirit is euer with that working in y t nature all diuine vertues graces glory both in nūber degree perfect as fitting the Head wheras the members haue some not all and in some small degree not in all perfection of degrees as hee was being anointed with y e oyle of gladnes aboue al his fellowes 2. In respect of his Deity the spirit the third person is perpetually present with the Son as ioyned vnto him in the admirable vnity of one the same nature yea so ioyned as he proceedeth from the Son as frō the Father and hath his subsistence from the Son as frō the Father by the vnspeakable cōmunication of one and the selfe-same nature In which respects the Spirit neuer lighted nor did rest with any but with Iesus Christ alone 4. Some adde a fourth reason of the Spirits lighting on Christ not only to designe Christ but to distinguish him by an apparent signe from Iohn lest any should thinke that the voyce following This is my well-beloued Sonne was vttered of Iohn and not of Christ himselfe The fifth point is Why it is said that Iohn saw all this this was 1. that the Word of the Lord might be accomplished who had promised Iohn that he should certainely know Christ by this signe Ioh. 1. 33. 2. That Iohn might beare record of the trueth heereof not onely in his age but to all succeeding ages so it is said Ioh. 1. 32. Iohn bare record saying I saw the Spirit c. Hence was it that it did so openly appeare because it was not onely for Christ who as hee was man and had taken vpon him our infirmities had need of assistance but for Iohn also and the people of God see Iohn 12. 30. 1. Note that the Spirit of God is no quality or created motion in the minde of man for then hee should not exist without the mindes of men for the accident cannot be without the subiect to which it cleaueth and much lesse could the Spirit appeare in a visible and distinct forme as he did heere and in the feast of Pentecost 2. Hee is here a distinct person from the Father and the Sonne and yet ioyned with the Father and the Sonne 3. He is called God Act. 5. 3 4. To lye to the holy Ghost is to lye vnto God and 1. Cor. 12. 11. Hee giueth gifts to euery one according to his will as heere hee anointeth Christ the head consequently is the Author of all good gifts with the Father of lights and not the gifts themselues 2. Note as Christ was set apart both by the ministry of man and by the Spirit by the visible appearance of which God would manifest that hee was fitted thereunto so in all those that are set apart by man to the ministry must be an apparant descending of the Spirit though not in visible shape yet in euident gifts and graces The reason is sound if Christ himselfe must not take this honour vpon himself but the spirit of the Lord must be vpō him to preach much more must it be so with those that come in his name Adde hereunto these arguments 1. If God when hee had set down the frame parcels of the materiall Tabernacle did set apart a Bezaleel and fill him with the Spirit of God in wisedome vnderstanding in knowledge and all curious workmanship and ioyned an Aholiah vnto him into whom he put wisedome to make al after his draught Exod. 31. 3 6. And if when Salomon is to build the material Temple he must haue his Hiram sent for a man full of wisedom vnderstanding and knowledge to work all manner of worke in brasse 1. King 7. 14. much more the true Salomon in building his spiritual Temple makes choice of men filled with the spirit c. 2. If the Prophets Apostles performed euery thing by vertue of their extraordinary calling by God then must Pastors Teachers also by vertue of their ordinary calling by God They spake wrote as they were moued by the holy Ghost 2. Pet. 1. vlt. they reuealed and fore-told things by the Spirit 1. Pet. 1. 10 11. The Spirit of Christ in the Prophets searched and signified the time and passion glory of Christ the Spirit was promised to teach the Apostles what to speake and to leade them in all trueth Ioh. 14. Yea the Spirit shall teach you in that houre Luk. 12. so must we be furnished by the Spirit to our duties 1. Cor. 17. 7. The manifestation of the Spirit is giuen to euery one to profit withall to one a word of wisedome to another a word of knowledge Whence the Spirit is said to send Pastors Act. 20. 28. Pastors at Ephesus were made ouer-seers by the holy Ghost because he fitteth them to the Church and commendeth them by gracing them to the vse of it 3. This sitting of the Spirit giueth a mans selfe much comfort 1. That hee is lawfully called of God who sendeth not his message by the hand of a foole for this is as he that cutteth off the feet but he sendeth a learned tongue an Ezra an Apollos mighty in the Scriptures This was signified by the consecration of Aaron and his sonnes who must be 1. washed purged from whatsoeuer might blemish their calling 2. Arrayed with new garments signifying their furnishing and instructing with graces of wisedom knowledge c. 3. Perfumed with a sweet smell of the holy oyle noting the sweetnesse the sweet sauour by holy doctrine and life which they were to diffuse into the Church This when it was done then were they set apart by the Lord and not before Leu. 8. 3. 2. That God who hath graced him will protect him and carrie him thorow the troubles of his calling which Satan and the wicked of the world whom hee is to encounter with will raise against him which promise of speciall protection while the sonnes of Sceua wanted Satan