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
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
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
with flesh vnto a iust proportion So is it in the soule for first there is wrought a small degree of sauing knowledge and spirituall desire after God in Christ and then flowes from thence the veines and sinewes that take hold of the promises of grace and lastly by degrees as our knowledge and experience increaseth the whole body of Faith growes after a compleate manner formed in vs when our hearts are filled with increase of sound and solid knowledges but because this point toucheth the spirituall free-hold of many godly Christians I would therefore beate it out more distinctly And so foure things are to be considered 1. How it may be knowne that Faith is weake 2. How weake Faith may be knowne to be a right Faith 3. How the beleeuer may be comforted that findes hee hath but a weake Faith 4. Admonition to him that is weake in the Faith not to rest in that condition for diuers reasons For the first a weake Faith is easily discerned by these signes and the like to them 1. By daily doubts of Gods fauour and feares least their estate be not right 2. By ignorance not onely in many ordinary truthes but in many of the promises of the Gospel Matthew 8. 26. 16. 8. 3. By the hastie and violent vnquietnesse of the heart in aduersitie euen in the daily and lesser crosses of life and by those sudden feares in time of danger notwithstanding Gods promise and the experience of Gods assistance and deliuerance and by the vnrest of the heart if there be not present helpe Iames 1. 5. 6. Mat. 14. 30. 31. Luke 18. 8. 4. By the daily cares of life about foode and rayment Mat. 6. 31. 5. Aptnesse to stagger and be carried about with the winde of contrary doctrine Ephes 4. 13. 6. Feare of death For the second a weake Faith may be discerned to be a true Faith by these signes 1. By the constant and earnest desire of Gods fauour in Christ Psal 10. 17. Mat. 5. 6. Reuel 21. 6. 2. By their griefe for their vnbeliefe and frequent complaint of it Marke 9. 24. 3. By their constant desire after the sincere milke of the Word 1. Pet. 2. 2. 4. By their feare to offend God in the least euill they know to be a sinne For the third the beleeuer may be comforted many waies though his Faith be but weake for 1. Christ hath promised that he will not breake the bâ—uised reede nor quench the smoaking flaxe Mat. 12. 20. 2. Weake Faith doth apply the mercy of God and the benefits of Christs death aswell as a strong Faith as a weake or paraliticke hand will receiue a gift aswell as a sound and sted die hand he that hath a weake sight though he see not so well as he that hath a persect sight yet he sees so much of the light of the Sunne as may serue his turne to walke safely Though an Infant cannot eate so much as a strong man yet he eates so much as preserues life and makes him grow 3. God hath receiued him that is weake in Faith Rom. 14. 13 4. The power of God is manifested in their weakenesse 2. Cor. 12. 9. Lastly the weake in Faith must be admonished to looke to their Faith and to labour for growth Though God accepts their weake Faith in the beginning of their conuersion yet he likes not the neglecting of Faith and continuing in ignorance and vnbeliefe Heb. 5. 12. Besides so long as they continue in weakenesse of Faith they keepe themselues without many and singular comforts Though weake Faith bee sufficient to Saluation yet it is not sufficient to consolation Hitherto of the Nature of Faith The ground of Faith were worthy to be considered for it is not inough to know that we must beleeue or what things are to be beleeued but vpon what ground or warrant wee doe beleeue it And so heere I might consider of the Word of God as the ground of Faith or originall of Faith for he that will euer prosper in beleeuing these Articles must be resolued of these things 1. That the things he beleeueth are warranted to him by the testimonie of God himselfe for no humane testimony of particular men or of the whole Church can be the ground of a mans Faith 2. That the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles are the very word of himselfe and so infallible 3. That the writings of the Prophets and Apostles are euery way perfect and doe containe all things necessary to be beleeued in the matter of his Religion 4. That he can see how each Article of his Faith is grounded vpon the Word of God 5. That he will cleaue vnto this Word of God all the daies of his life as the principall meanes of his direction and comfort and of his further increase in Faith and knowledge for his knowledge and Faith comes in but by degrees and in part and the truth is opposed by his owne reason corrupted and by the suggestions of the diuell and by almost infinite varieties of opinions against all which he resolues to cleaue to the Word of God as his perpetuall warrant But because this principle concerning the Word of God is not expressed in the Creed I will therefore forbeare the proofe and explication and illustration of these things which concerne the Word of God And I conceiue that this Head of the Word of God was left out in the Creed in the first Age of the Church for two reasons The one was because as then it was not questioned so much as the rest of the Articles But the other Reason is the most important and that is that these doctrines of the Creed though they be principles yet are of another sort then these doctrines that concerne the Original perfection or authority of the Scriptures for these principles are conclusions framed out of those principles concerning the Word and so containe a frame of doctrins which are built vpon the granting of the former or thus they are distinguished from them These are parts of Theologie whereas the Word of God is not a part but principiuÌ„ cognoscendi the foundation of Theologie The doctrines concerning the Scriptures are not properly Articles of Faith but grounds or the foundation of Faith Not things to bee beleeued so much as things by which we beleeue I Beleeue in God Psal 11. 1. HItherto of our duty in the first word I beleeue The doctrine to be beleeued followes and it concernes either God or the Church The doctrine that concernes God lookes vpon him either as Father or Sonne or holy Ghost In the first Person of the Trinity Faith sees and wonders at his Nature his Relation his Power and his Workes His Nature in the Word God his Relation in the word Father his Power in the word Almighty and his Workes in the words Creator of heauen and earth The first thing we are to studie to know and beleeue is God This is the first doctrine of the Creed
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
will not take his mercy from vs. 2. Sam. 7. 14. 3. We haue right to Gods house we may with great incouragement resort to all Gods ordinances because it is our fathers house and if hard times befall vs in respect of the meanes of Religion and that the enemies of the Church do inuade the Sanctuarie we must then go to God and pleade our right seeing his house belongs to vs and not to them thus did the godly Esay 63. 16. 18. 19. 4. Wee may cast all our care vpon God for hee careth for vs Iam. 4 9. Pro. 14. 26. 5. Wee shall bee deliuered from this present euill world for if God be our father he will prouide for vs in a better place then this Gal. 1. 4. 6. Our title to the creatures is restored which was lost in Adam But these consolations will appeare to be much the greater if we consider not onely that God is a Father but such a Father 1. He is a father in heauen not an earthly father 2. He is a father almighty he can doe more for vs then all the fathers in the world 3. He is an euerlasting father Esay 9. 6. our naturall fathers dye but our spirituall father liues for euer and makes vs liue for euer too for naturall fathers can giue but a temporall being to their children but God giues vs an eternall being and therefore are we called the children of the Resurrection because our very bodies must not perish but be made to liue for euer also The sonne he alwaies abides in the house Luke 20. 36. Iohn 8. 35. Rom. 8. 19. 21. 4. That he is such a father as makes his sons all heires Rom. 8. 16. all are as if they were first borne Ier. 31. 9. 5. That he is such a father as giues the highest kinde of inheritance therefore they are all heires of a kingdome Luk. 12. 32. Mat. 13. 43. And such a kingdome as is immortall and vndefiled and lieth in heauen 1 Pet. 1. 3. 4. in regard whereof they haue fellowship with his naturall son Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 1. 9. Rom. 8. 16. 17. In respect of all which we haue not onely good hope but euerlasting consolation and the more if we consider that we hold all this by no Naturall propagation but by the meere grace and mercy of God our father being in our selues the children of corruption Iob 17. 14. and of wrath Eph. 2. 3. And therefore vnto all the former Instructions from hence this must be added that we take heede of that vile ingratitude and impatiency at any time to repent vs of our repentance or to thinke the case of wicked men better then the case of godly men for so we shall sinne fearefully against God our father and against our owne right and against the whole generation of his children Psal 73. 15. Our life and the glory of it may by affliction be hid in God and it doth not fully appeare what we shall be but it is enough for vs that we are the sonnes of God for when Christ appeares in glory then shall we appeare also as he is aboue the glory of all the Potentates and Kings of the earth 1 Iohn 3. 2 Col. 3. 3. 4. Almightie Reuel 4. 8. COncerning the omnipotency of God Fiue things are to be considered 1. The Proofes that he is Almighty 2. The Sense in what respect he is said to be Almighty 3. Why Omnipotency is attributed to the father here only 4. Whether there be any things God cannot doe 5. That God onely is Almighty 1. That God is Almighty these places of Scripture euidently and expresly proue Gen. 17. 1. 28. 3. Luk. 1. 37. Reuel 4. 8. 19. 6. 2. God may be said to be Almighty in diuers respects 1. Because he hath power and authoritie ouer all things Omnipotent quia omnium teneat potestatem Ruffin 2. Because all the might and power in the creatures was from him all might from him they haue no power but what they receiued of him 3. Because he can performe whatsoeuer he saith promiseth or threatneth nothing is too hard for him to do Ier. 32. 17. 27. Luke 1. 37. Gen. 18. 14. 4. His Almightinesse is magnified in Scripture because he is able to giue to all the men in the world recompence according to their workes so as none can resist his power nor deliuer out of his hands Ier. 32. 19. Isay 14. 25. 27. Deut. 32. 39. 5. Because he can doe whatsoeuer he will Psal 115. 3. 6. Because he can doe more then hee will as he could send Christ many legions of Angels to deliuer him but would not He could raise vp children to Abraham of those very stones but he would not And this Omnipotency is called the absolute Omnipotence of God by which he is able to create 1000. worlds if he would The power to doe what he wils is called his actuall power 7. Because he can doe wonderfull things without helpe or Meanes as he made the World of nothing and can effect what he will in heauen and earth without labour onely by his becke or word Esay 40. 28. Psa 33. 8. Because he can do all things there is simply nothing that can be but God can doe it he is omnipotent because all things are possible to him euen things that are impossible to men and Angels Mat. 19. Kings may doe many great things but not all some things they cannot doe They can make many liuing men dye but cannot make one dead man liue which God can doe 9. Because he is mighty by his Essence by nature of himselfe His Almightinesse is his Essence and his whole Essence is almighty and therefore all in God is Mightie and therefore his Mightinesse must needes be infinite He is not mighty in respect of some part or faculty as the Creature is 10. Because he is alwaies Mighty great Princes may be wonderfull powerfull but they may dye or their power be diminished but God is almighty yesterday to day and foreuer Reuel 4. 8. For the third point Almightinesse is attributed in the Creed to the Father not to import that the Sonne and holy Ghost were not almighty but because when the father is said to be almighty it must needs follow that they are almighty also because the father being the fountaine and originall of the person of the Sonne and holy Ghost doth communicate to them his whole Nature and all the Attributes of the Diuinitie And the Father being first in the order of working fitly is the power of working giuen to him in the first place For the fourth point The things which God cannot doe may be referred to fiue Heads for first he cannot doe things that be false or sinfull Hee cannot lye or denie himselfe or doe vniustly as diuers Scriptures shew Secondly he cannot doe things that be contrary to his Nature he cannot dye or be finite or be ignorant of any thing or be corporeall or the like Thirdly he cannot
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
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
the holinesse of his conception in which hee was qualified with all the habits of virtue or piety might constitute perfect holinesse of nature All his righteous actions which he did in obedience to the law flow from these habits of virtue infused in his conception and therefore I call it the first and chiefe part of the righteousnesse imputed to vs as that which couereth the vnrighteousnes of our natures yea after a sort it pacifies and satisfied for our offence and so beginnes his passiue obedience to God as the Apostle saith Heb. 10. 5 c. wherefore when he entered into the world he said sacrifice and burnt offerings thou wouldest not but a bodie thou had prepared me c. The second effect is our spirituall life and conception for therefore was he conceiued by the holy Ghost and quickned in the wombe of the Virgin that from his life the power of our spirituall forming and regeneration might proceede as from him that tooke life himselfe amongst vs that he might become Lord of life and the true originall of spirituall and eternall life of God for the saine spirit that formed Christ in the wombe doth beget vs againe that we might liue with him Ioh. 1. 12 13. The ninth thing is that question whether it may be safely said that Mary was the Mother of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I answer if wee vnderstand it so grossely as to thinke shee was the Mother of the God-head of Christ it were not only erronious but blasphemous and yet it is true that shee was the Mother of God because shee was not onely Mother of him that was God as well as Man but also God was incarnate in her wombe God did not take flesh in heauen or in any other place but in her wombe onely Lastly 't is not vnprofitable to consider how the being of the body of Christ differs from other respects of the being of the same body The body of Christ is in Heauen Locally it is in the Word substantially it is in the Sacrament mystically It is in the hearts of euery beleeuer spiritually and was in the wombe of the Virgin by a naturall and circumscriptible manner of presence The vses follow and so 1 They are confuted that say He tooke not his Body of the Virgin but brought it from Heauen They obiect that in Iohn 3. 13. it is said that Christ descended from Heauen and that verse 23. and 31. He said he was from aboue and that 1 Cor. 15. 47. He is said to be the Lord from Heauen Answ None of these places say That he brought his body from Heauen The words are true of the person of Christ that he descended from Heauen when he abased himselfe to take vpon him the forme of a seruant and if they were true of his humane nature yet could signifie no more but that he was conceiued after a heauenly manner and not by carnall generation by the working of the Holy Ghost who came downe from Heauen vpon the Virgin If they reply it must needs be true that he descended in the same nature he ascended as the Apostle saith Ephes 4. 9 10. Answ The Apostle onely shewes that he was abased to shew himselfe in the forme of a seruant and to suffer extreme things and therefore was exalted to bee Lord of al. And besides these hereticks they are hence cōfuted that said Christ had not a true body but onely a body in appearance These obiect that Christ appeared in the old Testament in a fantasticall body and not in a body indeed Answ That is false too for it was a true substantiall body hee assumed and created for the time but were that granted yet the body he shewed in the New Testament hath abundant testimonie thas it was a true naturall body Ioh. 1. 14. 1. Ioh. 1. 1. 2. Againe they say out of the Philip. 2. 7. and Rom. 8.3 and Dan. 7. 13. that he was onely in the likenesse of a man I answer these places are not all of one sense for in Daniel he was said to be like the Son of Man because he was not yet incarnate and Rom. 8. He is not said to be in the likenesse of flesh but of sinfull flesh being reckoned amongst sinners being made a sacrifice for sinne and in the Philippians hee doth not shew what the substance of his Nature was but what his abasement was that he did not onely take our Nature but made himselfe in that nature like to the most abiect of men euen to the poorest seruant when he was heire of all things and so this likenesse of his is expounded Heb. 2. 14. 17 4. 15. Secondly hence we may informe our selues of the wonder of this Creation of God heere is the beginning of a new Creation heere is a Sonne that had no Mother as he was God and no Father as he was Man If it be obiected that he is called the Sonne of Man and so had an earthly Father I answer that he is called the Sonne of Man because he tooke our nature of the substance of the Virgin I meane it of her flesh and if it be on the contrary obiected that he is in this Text called the Sonne of the most High and so had God or the holy Ghost to be his Father I answer he is called the Sonne of the most High as the second person in Trinity which Title of Sonne is giuen to the Nature he receiued from the Virgin because it had no substance but in the person of him that was the naturall Sonne of God There are other vses for instruction for 1. The ouershadowing shewes that we must not curiously prie into the glorious manner of his conception wee must beleeue it was so but not search how it was so 2. The knowledge of this Article may prepare vs to beleeue the next viz. that Christ was borne of a Virgin for seeing hee was conceiued by the Holy Ghost it cannot bee hard that hee should bee borne of a Virgin for hee that wrought this conception is hee that worketh all things and nothing is impossible to him There is also comfort in this Doctrine 1 In particular to women that conceiue and beare children especially if they be true Christians The very remembrance of this that the Sauiour of the world was conceiued and borne of a woman should sweeten their feares and sorrowes about or after their conceptions or in the birth 2 In generall it may comfort all the godly to see in this conception a medicine for their originall sinne and all the euils that cleaue to their Nature for as it was shewed before to this end he was conceiued without sinne and sanctified in his Nature that thereby he might iustifie vs before God from the euils cleaue to our natures And thus of the first part of his Incarnation viz. his conception of the holy Ghost his birth of the Virgin Mary followes In which words of the Creed the thing affirmed is the birth of
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
9. That when he doth come it will be so suddenly as thou shalt not haue time to make thy selfe ready or to mend thy course Matth. 25. 6 10 11 12. 1 Thess 5. 2 3. Matth. 24. 39. 10. That God will be Iudge himselfe 11. That it will be a finall sentence there can be no reuocation or appeale 12. That Gods proceedings in his iustice will be then all cleared they shall haue nothing to obiect and his iustice will the more appeare both by the equity of his dealing They haue had their dayes of sinning and therefore reason he should haue his day of Iudging and by the consideration of his patience that hath deferred this last iudgement for such a wonderfull while and besides God will then discouer a world of offences in euery wicked man that are not now knowne to others and finally God will then open the secrets of his counsell and bring forth exquisite reasons for his decrees and prouidence and iudgement which are now like a great deepe to vs. Lastly it must needs be most terrible to them if their hearts can apprehend now the horror of their summons by the sound of the last Trumpe and their publike shame before all the world and especially their eternall separation from God and all good things and that infinite torment they must for euer be in with the Deuill and his angels But yet vnto them this doctrine hath another vse that is more comfortable and that is that God yet giues them warning to repent and if the Terror of this day can now make them to repent their soules shall be saued in that day Act. 17. 31. else they are most wofully vndone for euer And on the other side it may be a doctrine of wonderf u confort to all the godly and the rather if they consider 1. That they haue iudged themselues already and therefore haue Gods promise they shall not be condemned at that day 1 Cor. 11. 31 32. 2. That God hath iudged them already they haue indured their paine already in this world God will account the afflictions of this life sufficient vnto them 1 Pet. 4 17. 3. That they are alreadie perfectly iustified and absolued from all their sins Rom. 3. 24 25. and 8. 33. 4. That they haue Christ to be their Iudge for there are many comforts in that point They need not be afraid of his sentence because hee hath beene their aduocate all this while and hath pleaded for them at the barre of Iustice 1 Ioh. 2. 1 2. and he is their brother their husband their head and all things else in relation which imports dearenesse Reade but the Booke of Canticles and consider whether he that giues such wonderfull louing and familiar termes of affection to his Church can euer be brought to pronounce a terrible sentence vpon her And besides hath he not in Scripture left many promises that assure vs of our happinesse at that day And further who can reade the story of the Passion of Christ and thinke that he will euer speake terrible things to them for whom he suffered so grieuous things on earth Was he not himselfe iudged for them on earth that they might be absolued from heauen Lastly he hath left vs the seale of the Spirit of promise euen his owne Spirit in our hearts as an earnest of our most glorious and finall Redemption at that day and besides that priuie seale of his Spirit how often hath hee set to his broad seale in the Sacraments from time to time And therefore they may be all assured that there Christ will be made maruellous in that day in all them that beleeue to their euerlasting honour and praise and glory Thirdly the doctrine of the last Iudgement should serue also for instruction and so 1. It should strike a constant feare of God into our hearts and of his dreadfull iustice and maiestie Reuel 14. 7. 2. It should make vs very patient vnder any wrongs or oppressions of the wicked men of the world especially when men suffer trouble for Christs sake and the Gospels for we shall be sure to see a perfect recompence vpon our aduersaries at that day if they repent not 2 Thess 1. 5 6 7. Iam. 5. 6 7. Phil. 4. 5. 3. It should teach euery Christian to be temperate and reserued in the case of censure and iudging of others 1 Cor. 4. 5. and 5. 12. Rom. 14. 10 11 12. But especially it should maruellously fire the hearts of Gods children to all possible care and conscience to expresse all manner of holinesse and good works in all parts of their conuersation and to auoid all things that may offend Tit. 2. 12 13. 2 Pet. 3. 11 14. 1 Cor. 15. 5 8. The eighth Article I beleeue in the Holy Ghost 1 IOHN 5. 7. For there are three which beare record in heauen the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one HItherto of the Articles of the Creed that concerne the Father and the Son Now followeth the Article that concernes the third Person in the Trinity in those words I beleeue in the Holy Ghost Ghost is an old English word and signifieth Spirit and this Title of the Holy Spirit is giuen to the third Person in Trinity in a speciall manner The word Spirit by way of cause and the word Holy by way of effect He is a spirit not only in nature so the Father and Son are a Spirit but because hee proceeds from the Father and the Son by way of spiration or breathing on the other side he is called holy not only in respect of Nature for so Father and some are holy but by effect because hee makes the Church holy Now to beleeue in the holy Ghost is not only to beleeue that there is a holy Ghost but to relie vpon him for sanctification and saluation and all happinesse to beleeue the holy Ghost to say true when he speaketh or to beleeue what is written of him will not serue turne vnlesse wee beleeue in him The reason why there is but one Article about the Holy Ghost is because the doctrine concerning him hath not beene so much opposed as the doctrine concerning Christ or the Father vnlesse wee take in the Articles that follow and place them vnder this head of the Holy Ghost which may be done thus The third part of the Creed concernes the Holy Ghost and his speciall operation which is sanctification which is declared partly by the obiect which is the Church and partly by the effect which is communion of Saints which communion is enioyed in three things viz. Forgiuenesse of sinnes Resurrection of the body and life euerlasting Before I come to open the full meaning of the words of this Article I obserue from the generall consideration of them with the coherence these things 1. That the Holy Ghost is God as well as the Father and the Sonne because we must beleeue in him as well as in the Father and the Sonne which
doth despight the works of the power and grace of the Holy Ghost without remorse to the death 1. When I say the sin vnpardonable I exclude all the sins against the Holy Ghost named before 2. When I say a sin after illumination and sanctification I exclude all the sins of such people as neuer had the powerfull meanes of saluation or neuer so as to worke a manifest change in them The person that commits this sin must be such a one as was before inlightned Hebr. 6. and sanctified Heb. 10. 29. that is such a one as did attaine to diuers gifts which he had not before which were wrought in him by the Holy Ghost and had a taste of the doctrine he heard and of the powers of the life to come but yet he was not sanctified with any sauing grace or repentance from all sinne or effectuall relying vpon Iesus Christ for his owne saluation He had tastes of many things but did not soundly digest any thing 3. When I say he doth wilfully and wholly fall away I meane diuers things First that this sin cannot be committed by such as continue in the same manner they were in relation to Religion it must haue apostacie in it Secondly it must be a wilfull apostacie which is when a man falls into sin not only against his knowledge but without any temptation Heb. 10. 26. and this excludes the sins of Dauid and Peter Thirdly I say it must be a totall apostacie not a falling into some one or two grosse euils but a falling away from respect of all parts of truth that should master his nature or works though he shew not all this openly but in heart he is an Apostata from all grace He doth as it were depose or abrogate all the Law Heb. 10. 28. 4. When I say contemning the Gospell I meane two things The one that he doth loath that way of saluation by Christ and the other that he doth extremely scorne the meanes of publishing the Gospell that is effectuall to worke sanctification in men and that meanes which had before power to worke change in the partie himselfe both these I take it are imported Heb. 10. 29. He may brooke the generall vse of exercises of Religion still as the Pharisees did but not that meanes that hath power and life in it 5. I adde the word despight from Heb. 10. 29. to include the sins of persecuting and blaspheming and both out of desperate malice without any colour of cause or measure of dislike This person is alwaies a knowne aduersarie and withall doth reproch godly persons and godlinesse but it is of wilfull malice which excludes persecuting or blaspheming that is done of ignorance as in Paul 1 Tim. 1. 13. 6. When I adde the works of the Holy Ghost I difference this sin from the blasphemie that is against the nature or person of the Holy Ghost for so it is no greater sin than to blaspheme the nature or person of the Father or Sonne but it is the speciall operation of the Holy Ghost that is the obiect of this sin by which God comes more neere vnto man than he is in nature or person 7. I adde works of power or grace because as vsually this sin is committed by despighting the worke of grace in other true Christians so sometimes also it is committed by despighting the works of power as the miracles wrought by Christ were reproched by the Pharisees Matth. 12. 8. I adde without remorse because I thinke that he that commits this sin is so far from being capable of true repentance that it is impossible he should get but that remorse or repentance he had when he was first inlightned So I take that place Heb. 6. and so I thinke such as haue any remorse or despaire arising from the sense of the greatnesse of their sins cannot be guilty of this sin 9. I adde to the death only to note that this is that sin which the Apostle calls the sinne vnto death in a speciall sense Finall impenitencie in any sin is vnto death but then it hath not the description going before Nor doe I meane that it cannot be knowne till death but that it will last vnto death without returning from it Now this sin is said to be vnpardonable not because it is greater than Gods mercy or Christs merits but because God hath resolued to shew his iustice vpon this sin without mercy and because in that way of sauing of men which God hath now resolued vpon all meanes of salustion are disappointed to the vttermost else if they could repent God could forgiue and this iustice of God may not seeme strange since he declares himselfe willing to forgiue all sins and doth except but this one Now the explication of this sin should serue for a warning to such heareres as haue had remorses and illumination and finde themselues in many things changed I say they should be warned to looke to themselues since this sinne can be found in no other persons and to this end they should take counsell in two things 1. Now that they are neere the kingdome of God by these effects of the Holy Ghost in them they should be carefull to goe on and neuer rest till they attaine to sound conuersion and true sauing grace and that they will doe if they humble themselues before God for euery knowne sinne especially those sins that haue beene most loued of them or most rooted in nature and secondly if they will be at the paines to vse all good meanes to get the particular assurance of Gods loue to them for these two things were neuer found in any of those that so fall away 2. My next counsell is that they take heed of those speciall sins that were in such as at length grew faultie in this vnpardonable sin that when they feele any of them in themselues they make haste to get out lest they proue forerunners of the sin against the Holy Ghost such as were in the Pharisees and others these or the like the forsaking of that meanes by which that inlightning was wrought as the Pharisees did the ministerie of Iohn Baptist Secondly the constant affectation of the praise of men more â—â—an the praise of God Thirdly habituall alienation of 〈◊〉 heart from God and goodnesse Fourthly wilfull euill practises without temptations Fifthly constant enuie at the gifts and praises of the godly Sixthly wilfull misinterpretation of all that godly men doe euen their best works especially if they be gone so far as to feele themselues to bee tempted to fall into a course of open opposing and persecuting of good men and good causes if it bee possible let them breake off and by speedy repentance preuent the horrible mischiefes they may fall into lest from these oppositions and the custome in them they fall into malice and despighting of the worke of grace Thus of the Vse of Admonition The Vses for Instruction follow and so the consideration of this Article should
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
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
4. The parts of his Priest-hood are Sacrifice and Intercession by Sacrifice he prayes for the sinnes of the Elect to this end to reconcile them to God and to deliuer them from the power of the diuell and this Sacrifice of our Sauiour excells all the Ceremoniall Sacrifices for they were but Types this was the substance They prepared the bodies of beasts or other things he prepared his owne body yea his very soule was made a sacrifice for sinne as hee offered vp himselfe as a Sacrifice for many sinnes they needed many sacrifices but he by one sacrifice of himselfe makes Attonement for all the sinnes of the Elect and that Sacrifice but once offered whereas theirs were offered successiuely and their sacrifices could not cleanse the conscience from sinne properly nor pacifie God as many Scriptures testifie whereas Christs Sacrifice of his owne body and bloud doth fully pacifie God and doth effectually purge the conscience from dead workes Their sacrifices did not make the worshippers more holy Heb. 9. 13. 14. With the bloud of these sacrifices the very high Priest in the greatest solemnity could onely enter within the vaile of the Temple but Christ by his bloud opens heauen and that not onely once a yeare but keepes it alwaies open nor did Christ enter within the Vaile onely for himselfe but hath left the way for vs euen a liuing and lasting way for vs to get to heauen by vertue of his bloud Heb. 10. 19. The second worke of our high-Priest is Intercession or to offer prayers and so he made a threefold Intercession for vs. The one a little before his Atachment recorded Iohn 17. The other in the very time of the Sacrifice while it was hanged vp of which is mention made Luke 23. 34. The third in the heauenly Sanctuary as he sits at Gods right hand to make request for vs Heb. 9. 24. The Vse should be first for consolation and that in diuers respects 1. Because God hath giuen vs such an excellent high Priest 2. Because by his Priest-hood we obtaine such excellent benefits as the Scriptures shew viz. from his sacrifice Reconciliation with God 1. Pet. 3. 18. Rom. 8. 10. The opening of the very Fountaine of grace Zach. 13. 1. Forgiuenesse of all our sinnes Rom 3. 25. Iustification by his righteousnesse Dan. 9 24. The taking away of all malediction and condemnation and the merit of eternall life Heb. 10. 19. and from his intercession we receiue the obtaining of our prayers and suits at Gods hands Reuel 8. 3. 4. and the pouring out vpon vs the spirit of intercession teaching vs and helping vs to pray Zach. 12. 12. Rom. 8. 26. and the perfuming of all our workes making them acceptable to God the non-suiting of all the Accusations of Sathan or euil men brought against vs Romanes 8. 33. Iohn 17. 14. 15. 3. Because he hath made vs Priests also vnto God by pouring out vpon vs of the Oyle of his Grace Reuel 1. Secondly the consideration of the Sacrifice and intercession of Christ should teach vs 1. To take heed that wee dishonor not God through vnbeliefe and dispaire 2. That we liue as may become the glory of him that hath bought vs at such a price abhorring all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit 1. Cor. 6. 20. 3. Seeing we are Priests wee must offer those Sacrifices are inioyned vs which are 1. The Teares of contrition or a broken heart Psal 51. 19. 2. Prayers and Thankesgiuing vnto God Psal 141. 2. Reuel 5. 8. Heb. 13. 15. 3. Almes to the Poore or Contribution to the distressed Phil. 4. 18. 4. The giuing of our selues to our Teachers to be wholy ruled by them our soules so subiected are the sacrifice and they offer them vp to God when they pray and giue thanks for vs Rom. 15. 16. 5. Good workes for these are sacrifices of righteousnesse euery good worke is a Sacrifice Psal 4. 5. But especially to giue our selues soule and body to God to let him doe with vs whatsoeuer he will is the chiefe of Sacrifices euen a whole burnt offering when wee yeeld to obey God in all things without reseruing any thing to our selues Rom. 12. 1. Thus of his Anointing to the Priest hood His Anointing to the Kingdome followes where these things may bee distinctly obserued 1. That the Church of God is not without a King though he be not so visible to vs as the Kings of the Earth are Ier. 23. 5. Psal 2. 6. 2. That Iesus of Nazareth is that King Mat 28. 18. Acts 2. 30. â—3 36. 1. Cor. 15. 25. 3. Iâ— what things it may appeare that Christ is a King 1. He hath the â—â—â—es of a King Yea King of Kings Reuel 19. 16. 2. He liues in the Maiesty and Glory of a King he sits in the Throne of Glory Psal 45. He hath his Court in diuers places of the Earth where he is pleased to keepe house The Sanctuarie is his Court. Hee is attended on as a King hee hath thousands of Angels that waite about his Throne 3. He hath the power of a King All Power is giuen him in Heauen and Earth Mat. 28. 18. 4. He giues Lawes like a King He is the onely Lawgiuer of the Church Iames 4. 12. 5. He Conquers like a King who can recount the greatnes of his conquests in the conuersion of the Gentiles And so he conquers daily in gathering men by his Word and Spirit out of the kingdome of darkenesse into the kingdome of his grace here 6. He gouernes like a King prouiding for the welfare of the godly in all Ages ruling all things by his owne power and making them to worke together for the best to them that loue God 7. He hath power of life and death as a King and is appointed of God a Iudge both of quick and dead Act. 10. 42. 2 Tim. 4. 1. Ier. 23. 5. Fourthly the excellencie of Christ the King aboue all other Kings and so he excells 1. In the preheminence of his Person Other Kings are the sonnes of men hee is the Sonne of God Hee is better borne then any King Whether we respect his Generation as God or his Incarnation as man for he was conceiued of the holy Ghost and so had no sinne and borne of a Virgin not by the way of propagation as other Kings are borne Hee had neither Father nor Mother no Father as man no Mother as God Psal 2. Luke 1. Heb. 7. 2. In the excellence of his gifts for gouernement Neuer King so qualified he is fairer then the children of men and Anointed with the Oyle of grace and gifts aboue his fellowes Psal 45. He is the mighty God an euerlasting Father he is wonderfull for Wisedome and Counfell a Prince of Peace that knowes how to keepe the gouernment vpon his owne shoulders Esay 9. 6. and being now glorified in Heauen hath laid downe all humane infirmities and is glorified in his humane Nature with all degrees of heauenly gifts can
was his Father and the rather because in the Originall the proposition imports that this Conception was not onely by him but of him Answ The holy Ghost did worke this Conception not materially but effectually by causing it to be not by giuing matter out of himself to the Nature of Christ As Damascen said the holy Ghost begetteth not spermatically but operatiuely And Bernard saith that Christ was conceiued not of the substance but of the power not by any generation but by the appointment and benediction of the holy Ghost Rom. 11. vlt. all things are said to be of God Now it were senselesse therefore to conclude that God is the Father of all things for though he made all things yet hee did not make them out of his own substance for he is Father that makes a thing to be out of his owne substance so the holy Ghost did not make the humane Nature of Christ For the fourth there were two things done by the holy Ghost in this conception the first was the production of the humane Nature the other was the vniting of it to the second Person in the Trinity The first of these is most properly the worke of the holy Ghost the secoÌ„d but in som respects for the secoÌ„d Person in Trinity did assume the matter so prepared wrought by the holy Ghost The humane nature produced was both the body and soule of our Sauiour now in the production of the body of Christ there are two things to be considered first the preparation of the matter of his bodie secondly the sanctification of it The matter of the body of Christ prepared in the conception was the very substance of the flesh of the Virgin that is the seed or purest bloud of the Virgin separated by the holy Ghost and carried to the place of conception and therefore is Christ called the fruit of her wombe Luk. 1. 42 The sanctification of this matter containes in it two things first the washing of that substance from the staine of sin with which it was infected by nature so as now it should neuer more haue any spot or staine of sin in it and the stopping of the imputation of Adams sinne secondly the infusion of all purenesse and holinesse which belongs vnto the soule aswell as the body in that very moment it was ioyned to the body Now that Christ was conceiued without sinne of that there was no sin in that flesh when it became the flesh of Christ is manifest by these Scriptures he was made like vnto vs in all things sinne onely excepted Heb. 4. 15. and Rom. 8. 3. he was said to be made onely in the similitude of sinfull flesh Against this diuers things are obiected as Ob. 1. That the Scripture saith that Christ was made sinne for vs. Answ He was made sinne for vs as he was made a Sacrifice for sinne so the sinne offerings in the Old Testament were called sinne Againe he was made sinne for vs by imputation because our sinnes were charged vpon him but he had no sinne in his Nature 1. Pet. 2. 21. Ob. 2. Whosoeuer were in Adam sinned in Adam Rom 5. 12. But Christ was in Adam as appeareth by the Genealogie which is drawne vp euen to Adam Luke 3. Answ It is not true that all that were in Adam sinned in him for they onely sinned that were in him not onely in respect of the substance of the flesh but in respect of the carnal manner by which ordinarily man is begotten by man but Christ was in Adam in respect of the substance of his flesh but not in respect of the manner of propagation by him because he was conceiued without the seed of man and therefore sinned not in Adam or thus Originall sin is deriued vnto Adams Posterity by propagation only now Christ to preuent that came into the world by this wonderfull conception by the holy Ghost Paul saith not of one man but by one man sin entered into the world Christ is onely from Adam other men are from him in respect of substance and by him in respect of propagation Ob. 3. But the flesh of the Virgin Mary was sinfull and therefore his flesh must needs be so Answ That flesh of hers was first sanctified made cleane by the holy Ghost before it was the flesh of Christ Ob. 4. If it be granted corruption of nature was not in Christ yet there is another part of Originall sinne and that is guiltinesse of Adams sinne in Paradise for all his posterity being in him sinned in him as Leui paid Tythes in Abraham and therefore that flesh of Christ sinned in Adam and was guilty of Adams particular offence though it neuer was propagated for propagation caries downe onely corruption of nature or an euill disposition to sinne after conception Answ If Adams offence bee imputed to none but to such as come of him by propagation as the Apostle imports Rom. 5. 12. then this scruple is so auoided secondly doth not the sanctification of that flesh in the wombe of the Virgin clense it from Adams actuall offence aswell as from euill disposition thirdly what inconuenience will follow if we grant that Adams sin was imputed to Christ so as we vnderstand it in respect of the Malediction for Christ was a surety for all sinnes Adams sin and all the sin of his posterity Ob. 5. Vpon whomsoeuer death came he sinned but death came vpon Christ therefore it seemes he sinned Answ It is true that whomsoeuer death by his owne power doth preuaile against that party surely sinned because death is the wages of sinne But death did not exercise any power ouer Christ for hee was not compelled to die but laid downe his owne life voluntarily Iohn 10. 17. 18. besides death befell him not as a sinner but as a surety for sinne and so though death came vpon him for sinne yet it was not for his sinne but for other mens The Papists to auoid sinne in the flesh of Christ say that the Virgin Mary was conceiued without sinne and so it came to passe that Christ was without sinne But this is a senselesse doâ—age for first where doe they proue it by Scripture that shee was without sinne Secondly if shee were conceiued without sinne then her parents were so too and if her parents then theirs and so into an infinite thirdly then what needed Christ this conception by the holy Ghost Thus of the producing of the body of Christ His soule was produced as the soules of other men are that is It was immediately created by the holy Ghost and infused into his body onely there is difference amongst diuines about the time of the infusing of the soule of Christ for in the ordinarie course Nature proceeds in this manner first there is the masse of bloud or seed receiued in the wombe but there is no parts of a body framed at the first after a certaine number of weekes
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
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
religion and were circumcised and withall religious or deuoute men that were Gentiles conuerted to the Iewish religion but were not circumcised such as were Cornelius and diuers others The speciall nature of the Church in which it differs from all other companies of men is exprest in the other wordes of the definition and so they shew vs three things 1. The efficient cause of the Church viz. her calling by the voice of Gods Cryer 2. The tearmes from which and to which she is called in the middle words of the definition 3. The foâ—me of the Church which consists in her vnion with Christ and communion with her selfe among the members of that company For the first when I say she is called ordinarily by the voice of Gods Cryers I intimate diuers things thereby 1. That the Preachers of the Gospell are as publike Criers to call men to heare what God hath to say to them like those Cryers in Athens of whom I spake before Matth. 3. Esay 48. 1. 2. That I consider not of the Church as she is elect of God till shee be called because many of the Elect for a great part of their liues may lie scattered about and hidden in the heapes of the men of this world 3. That the preaching of the Gospell is the meanes to make men actually of the Church and members of Christ and so to haue right to saluation The Gospell is the power of God to saluation Rom. 1. 16. and 10. 14. 4. I adde effectually called to exclude Hypocrites and carnall men that enioy the meanes but obey it not and to include the worke of the Holy Ghost making the hearts of the Elect to answer to Gods call and obey his voice for by the Spirit God speakes also internally to their hearts 5. I adde the Word ordinarily to shew that though God is pleased to binde men to the vse of the meanes yet he himselfe is not tied but can worke without the meanes and so it may giue vs occasion to informe our selues in diuers cases as first in the case of such as liue in places where the meanes is not nor can be had It is possible that God extraordinarily may worke conuersion in some men in such places which was the case of Cornelius liuing in Caesarea Act. 10. Secondly in the case of Infants who do belong to the Church by vertue of Gods Couenant though they liue not to receiue conuersion by the preaching of the Gospell for Christ saith of Infants Theirs is the kingdome of God Thirdly in the case of such as liue in Paganish and idolatrous places as in the times of the darknesse of Popery or in the case where men are by violence carried away and brought vp in idolatrous places God may haue a remnant amongst them that belong to his election and are in time truly called as in the daies of Elias in the kingdome of the ten Tribes vnder the reigne of Ahab Fourthly in the case of such as are borne deafe or become so before they are capable of receiuing the Gospell they being borne of godly parents may belong to the Church as Infants do I say God that knowes his owne from eternitie may euen amongst them by the supply of the Spirit make members of the Church Besides seeing the Holy Ghost doth not need speciall instruments to worke withall sometimes he may worke that by the eyes of the deafe which he doth by the eares of others for by their eyes he may powre in an eternall light into their mindes Lastly the case of such as are destitute of vnderstanding by nature or disease is very hard because they want reason and so are incapable of faith and if we say that the Holy Ghost may infuse an inward light then it is cleare they cease to be fooles or mad-men In this case therefore we must religiously and charitably suspend and leaue Gods worke to himselfe The termes from which and to which the Church is called follow in these words from the prophanenesse of the world to enioy the supernaturall dignitie of the children of God The terme from which Terminus à quo is from the prophanenesse of the world in which words three things may be noted First that the true members of the Church were in their estate of Nature as prophane as the people of the world liuing in sin and being the children of wrath as well as others which shew the exceeding riches of Gods grace and Christs loue to them that could respect them being so vile and sinfull Secondly that our first parents before the fall could not properly be said to be the Church because they neither were called from an estate of corruption nor did they then need Christ nor had that faith in Christ being perfect by creation and so not wanting a Sauiour whereas the Church is properly the Spouse of Christ Thirdly by these words all men in visible Churches may trie themselues for only they that are conuerted from prophanenesse are true members of the Church and so Hypocrites are excluded and open prophane persons and such as are only changed in their opinions and not in their practise 2 Pet. 1. 4. Terminus ad quem or the terme to which they are called is to the supernaturall dignity of the sons of God which words expresse the grace of Adoption which comprehends the substance of all that felicity we haue from God in Christ after calling Eph. 1. 4. but of the priuiledges of the Church afterwards The last words of the definition describes the forme of the Church the essentiall inward forme which is that vnion with Christ by faith they are really members of the Church that are vnited to Christ as their head by faith without this faith it is impossible to please God and faith comprehends all that which essentially God requires of vs to iustification and adoption Ioh. 3. 16. I adde their vnion one with another by loue because brotherly loue is an inseparable fruit of faith for faith worketh by loue Gal. 5. 6. and is such a Characteristicall signe of a true member of the Church that the Apostle saith thereby we know we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren 1 Ioh. 3. 14. and the same Apostle seemes to make Loue a kinde of forme of the true Christian Eph. 1. 4. Thus of the definition of the Church The originall of the Church followes next to be considered and so I consider of the Church as she is the Church not as these men were in their estate of Nature for so her father was an Amorite and her mother an Hittite in as much as she was sinfully borne she was basely borne but that company that I call the Church were not the Church when they were in that estate of Nature The Church then as shee is the Spouse of Christ hath many things in her originall that are very glorious and much to be admired And that if we consider her originall in respect of decree