expresse image as noted before And this Person of the Son is a Person subsisting by himself and distinguished from God the Father and yet of one Essence with the Father and the holy Spirit blessed for ever But this great mystery is rather to be admired and glorified then by weak men to be searched into or comprehended And in like manner the procession of the holy Ghost the third Person in Trinity is admirable and unutterable by the Sons of men Quest 6. But if God the Son this second Person of the Trinity who took our nature upon him was begotten of the Father How can he be God from all Eternity equall with the Father was not God the Father before God the Son Ans In this Trinity none is afore or after another but all three Persons co-eternall together and co-equall as was noted before in the second Classis Question the twenty one Quest 7. But how may this in any measure be conceived Ans It is to be believed though our humane reason cannot comprehend it since the Scriptures hold forth sufficient grounds for it and certainly similitudes drawn from the creatures or things below cannot fully expresse it yet you may conceive some resemblance of a possibility of such a truth even from ordinary things daily in our sight As for Example when you light a Candle no sooner is the Candle lighted but at the same moment of time there is a glorious Candle there is light and there is heat or warmth and none of these is afore or after another but all equall in time together The like may be observed of the Sun in the Firmament and other things And so howsoever the Father in the priority of order of persons may be before the Son yet in order of time I believe they are co-eternall and co-equall for ever and before all time whatsoever Quest 8. What benefit or comfort is the knowledge of this to a poor believing soul Ans Great joy and cause of rejoycing that the Lord Christ who came down from heaven Isa 63.1 2. Heb. 7.25 was incarnate for us men and for our Salvation was and is God from all Eternity equall with the Father and so mighty to save all that come to God by him Quest 9. How and when was Christ our Lord and Saviour man Ans Although Christ was God equall with the Father from all Eternity yet for our sakes he humbled himself and took upon him our humane nature being conceived of the substance of the blessed virgin Mary by the power of the holy Ghost and born of her in fulnesse of time now about One thousand six hundred forty five years since Thus being that blessed seed of the woman promised and the Son of Man of a reasonable soul and humane flesh subsisting as well as the Son of God who did break the Serpents head and being made perfect he became the Author of Eternall salvation to all that obey him Phil. 2.6 c. Luke 1.31 32 c. Mat. 1.18 Luke 2.1 c. Gal. 4.4 c. Gen. 22.18 and 3.15 Psal 132.11 2 Sam. 23.5 Acts 2.30 c. Mat. 26 38. Luke 24.38 c. Iohn 19.34 Luke 23.46 Col. 2.14 15. Heb. 5.7 8 9. Quest 10. But was not Christ the Author of Salvation to all that believed in him and waited for Salvation by him before he was born as truly as he is now to believers since his birth and death and Resurrection and ascension to glory Luke 2.25 38. Iohn 8.56 Heb. 13.8 1 Cor. 10.3 4. Rev. 13.8 Ans Yes certainly Father Abraham rejoyced to see Christs day and he saw it by Faith and was glad and Iesus Christ was yesterday and to day and the same for ever in respect of his vertue and efficacy the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world Quest 11. Was it necessary that Christ our Redeemer should thus be God Ans Yes The Majesty of God required he should be God Iob 15.15 Mat. 17.5 Acts 20.28 Isa 6.1 2 c. First That in his perfect purity he might draw near to God and be a fit Mediator for us to his Father Secondly That his merit might be of such excellent worth that it might satisfie the infinite Iustice of God which was then offended no Creature being so pure and precious as was needfull for it Quest 12. Was it necessary also that Christ should be man Ans Yes First The Iustice of God required Heb. 2.14 c. Mat. 4.3 c. that in the same nature in which man had sinned satisfaction should be made for sin therefore Christ took not upon him the nature of Angels but of man Secondly And our necessity required that Christ being man like us though without sin he might be touched with a feeling of our infirmities Heb. 4.15 16. and having been tempted himself might readily succour his Children when they are tempted Quest 13. How must Christ be known in respect of his person Ans That he is God and Man in one Person Ioh. 1.14 1 Cor. 8.4 5 6. 1 Tim. 2.5 3.16 by a Hypostalicall or Personall union of his two natures Divine and Humane for as the soul and body make but one man so God and Man make but one Christ Quest 14. In what manner is this union of the Divine and Humane nature so as there is not two but one Christ Ans Not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh Iohn 1.14 1 Tim. 3.16 1 Ioh. 5.7 Col. 1.26 c but by taking of the Manhood unto God not that the Divine nature which is common to all the three Persons did take our Humane person but the Person of the Son of God did assume our humanity and so God and Man became one Christ not by confusion of substance but by unity of Person in a great and wonderfull mystery Quest 15. Why was it needfull that Christ should be Theanthropos God and Man in one Person Heb. 5.1 Heb. 12.24 Iob 9.33 Col. 1.20 2 Cor. 5.19 c. Ans That being both God and Man he might be a fit Mediator between God and Man as a dayes-man to lay his hand upon us both to make up a reconciliation between us in and by himself Quest 16. What else followeth this near Personall union Ans Besides the excellency of the Person and Dignity of Christs merits there is a Communication of the Idiomes phrases or manner of speaking so that what is most agreeable to the Divine nature is attributed or spoken sometimes of the humane nature and what is agreeable to the humane is ascribed to the Divine by vertue of this personall union of both natures in one Person Quest 17. How prove you this Ans John 3.13 No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from heaven even the Son of Man which is in heaven where being in heaven which was proper at that time to Christ as God is ascribed to Christ the Son of Man And secondly Acts 20.28 where
Sacrament Ans First I am to joyn with the Minister of Christ 2 Cor. 2.14 Col. 1.12 13. and the congregation of Saints in solemn thanksgiving unto God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost for the inestimable gift of the Lord Iesus Christ for his taking our humane Nature upon him that he might be a fit Mediator betwixt God and my soul to reconcile me to God for his Passion Death Resurrection Ascention and Intercession and all his rich merits and benefits of my Redemption Vocation Iustification Sanctification and Glorification so gloriously set forth and sealed and so graciously communicated in this Sacrament to my soul and to all Saints with me at the Lords Table Secondly Humbly and faithfully to joyn in Petition for assurance that all failings and infirmities in my performances are pardoned in Christ my pardon sealed my person whole service accepted with the sweet merits and incense of Christs righteousness upon the golden Altar with a continual influence of power and vertue from Christ that all the congregation of Saints may keep covenant with the Lord and declare our thankfulnesse by our fruitfulnesse in all good works as becometh the people of God who have received so great ahd assuring plesges of the love of God to us in Christ and of our eternal salvation in and by the Lord Iesus Quest 21. What is the fourth and last thing to be acted or joyned in with the Congregation Ans Divers particulars 1. After the example of Christ to glorifie God in a holy Hymn or Psalm if it be thought fit praising the Lord for his goodnesse to his Church in Christ Iesus and to his congregation present in his Ordinance And secondly waiting for the blessing giving in and with which the congregation is dismissed according to the practise of Christ the Apostles and Churches of Christ as of old to leave the people of God with a blessing as Numb 6.22 c. 2 Sam. 6.17,18 1 Kings 8.55 c. Luke 22.50 51. And the blessing which the Apostle gave when they took leave of the Church in several Epistles as Rom 16.24 c. 2 Corinthians 3.15 And thirdly I should return home with rejoycing as the Eunuch did after he was baptized or the two Disciples who met with Christ as they went to Emmaus and take notice my self and tell others how my heart burned within me and how my souls was affected 1. With grief for my sins And 2. With joy in my Saviour while I heard Christ talking with me 1. Outwardly by the voyce of his Minister 2. Inwardly by the voyce of his spirit at his Table and how it was declared out of the Scriptures that Christ ought to suffer that his most bitter Passion and cursed Death for my sins and to rise again for my Iustification and so to enter into his glory And 3. How Christ was known to me in the breaking of the Bread in the powring out of the Wine and in Christs giving and my receiving of those soul-reviving and soul-cherishing refreshing which I enjoyed at his Table And 4. And lastly by the strength of Christ and this refreshing from Christ I am resolved with the assistance of the spirit of God the Father and God the Son and of God the holy Ghost daily to keep in memory that feast of the Lord with that sweet welcom I had at the Lords Table and in this or the like manner to bespeak my soul every morning O my soul thou hast this night received a sweet refreshing from the Lord for thy body praised be the Name of thy God and Father in Christ who is the keeper of Israel who never slumbreth not sleepeth who hath kept thee from the dangers of this night past and brought thee to the light of this day who hath awakened thee out of sleep and given thee a kinde of Resurrection from the dead Quest 22. How may I stir my soul to this Ans In this or the like manner Now O my soul be thou awakened and break thy fast with Christ and call to minde the sweet refreshing the Lord did give thee the last Sacrament at his Table and in what thou didst see and hear 1. His invitation to draw near and partake of the feast that he hath prepared 2. Didst thou not see Bread and Wine set upon the Table and with the eye of faith didst thou not behold Christ himself prepared for thy spiritual refreshing 3. Didst thou not hear the Minister of Christ consecrate those Elements to that holy use and with the ear of faith hear how God the Father had consecrated and sealed his beloved Son Iesus for thy Redemption 4. Didst thou not see the Bread broken and Wine powred out and by the eye of faith see Christs body broken with torments and his blood shed to the death for thy sins to Redeem thee from Hell and death eternal 5. Didst thou not hear Christ bidding thee welcom Take eat this is my body Drink this is my blood which is shed for thee and for many for remission of sins Mat. 26.26 27 c. 6. Didst thou not observe and believe those Sacramental promises assuring that Christ loved thee and gave himself for thee and as verily as Christs Minister having blessed and broken the Sacramental Bread and blessed and powred out the Sacramental Wine did present and give them unto thee to eat and to drink so verily hath Christ given and did Christ present and give and reach out himself for a spiritual and heavenly refreshing to thee to nourish thee to life eternal according the the Govenant of Grace 7. O my soul didst thou not take and eat the Bread and take and drink the Wine and so spiritually feed on the body and blood of Christ that in strenght thereof thou mightest walk thy great journey of this life not as Elijah fourty dayes and fourty nights to Horeb the Mount of God but to Heaven Gods Kingdom of glory 8. O my soul didst thou not actually renew thy Covenant with the Lord as God in giâ—ing and thou in actual receiving and partaking of these seals and pledges of his love consider thy self what hast thou now to do any more with sin and Satan with the World the Flesh or the Devil with any sin of omission or commission that may grieve the spirit of life Remember thy Covenant thy Promises thy Vow thy Protestations to thy God and be conscientious by the power of Christ to keep them all the dayes of thy life 9. O my soul was there not a soul-satisfying feast set before thee at that time never to let thee to return to the feast of sin again 10. And was it not the command of Christ to celebrate that Sacrament in remembrance of him Acts 8.39 Luk. 14.13 Phil. 4.11 c. 2 Tim. 4.7,8 and what he hath done for thee O then remember that holy feast every morning when thou awakest every evening when thou goest to bed Thus thou maist feed daily on
God is said to purchase the Church with his own blood which blood was ascribed to Christ-God not as God but as the Son of Man Thus you see the properties of both natures are ascribed each to other by this union Thirdly So in the 1 Tim. 2.5 there is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Iesus That office of Mediatorship is ascribed to the Manhood which is common to both natures God and Man The eleventh Classis or Company of Questions 1 Question YOu have Answered concerning the natures and Person of Christ Now what is to be known concerning Christs Offices that we may come with more comfort to the Lords Table Heb. 12.24 1 Tim. 2.5 Psal 110.1 2. Deut. 18.18 19. Psal 2.6 Luk. 1.32 33. Rev. 19.16 Ans That the Lord Christ is the Mediator of the new Covenant the eternall high Priest the eternall high Prophet and the eternall King of his Church Quest 2. What are the principle parts or acts of Christs Priestly office Ans Chiefly two First as a holy and perfect Mediator Advocate and High Priest of God not only Originally in his holy nature and Actually in his life to keep the whole Law and fulfill all righteousnesse but passively in his death and passion as our surety to satisfie the wrath of God and drink the bitter Cup for our Redemption Heb. 12.24 and 3.1 Luke 1.35 1 John 2.1 2. Mat. 5.17 and 3.15 Isa 53.5 6. 1 Pet. 2.21 c. Mat. 26.38 39. Col. 1.23 Gal. 3.13 Rom. 5.10 Quest 3. But how could Christ dye and as a surety and by his death and passion make satisfaction to Gods Iustice for our sins since he was God and man in one Person and God cannot dye Rom. 13.4 4.25 Heb. 2 1 c. Ans As he was Man he dyed for our sins and by the power of his Godhead he rose again for our Justification Quest 4. But since Christs death and passion were temporall only and but for a short time How could that satisfie the Iustice of God due to our sins and free us from torments both of soul and body which should have been Eternall Ans The sufferings of Christ in his death ahd passion Isa 53.2 c. 63.2 3 Lam. 1.12 Gal. 3.13 14. 1 Pet. 2.23 24. Mat. 26.38 39. 26.48 42. 6.74 75. 27.20 c. Luk. 22.41 c. 23.46 Acts 20.28 Mat. 17.5 1 Thes 1.10 were not only great and bitter none like as in bearing the heavy burden of our sins both in his body and soul with the anguish of Spirit in sense of the wrath of God and curse due to our sins witnessed in his Agony his bloody sweat his desire that bitter Cup might passe from him and that dolefull cry of Gods forsaking him But above all the dignity of his Person being God and Man united by a Personall union this made his merit of so unmeasurable a vertue that it was price sufficient to satisfie for a world of sinners to please God the Father free them from wrath to come and procure for them Eternall life Quest 5. But is not Christ then inferior to the Father being thus united to our humane nature and subject to such a passion for us to be our Mediator Ans Though Christ be Gods fellow and one with the Father as he is God the second Person in Trinity yet as Man Zac. 13.7 Ioh. 10.30 and Mediator between God and Men thus humbling himself Ioh. 14.28 Phil. 3.6 and suffering for our sin he is inferior to his Father though he be Mediator as God and Man Quest 6. Are Christs sufferings so great and of such value that we need not further to satisfie Gods Iustice for our sins neither in this life nor after our death and departure hence Ans The whole sufferings and satisfaction for our sins was performed and endured and finished by Christ perfectly in his death and passion once for all so that there is no more for Gods Children to suffer to satisfie the Iustice of God either in this life or after God the Father being fully well pleased in Christ and his blood cleansing us from all our sins Heb. 10.7 c. Ioh. 19.28 c. Col. 2.13 Mat. 3.7 Rom. 8.12 1 Ioh. 5.8 9 10. and 1.7 Luke 16.23 and 23.43 Rev. 14.13 Quest 7. If Christ hath satisfied fully Wherefore then are Gods faithfull servants subject to so many sufferings and miseries both inward and outward in this life Acts 14 22. 1 Cor. 15.19 2 Cor. 6.4 5 6. 1 Cor. 4.9 c. 2 Cor. 11.24 c. Isa 53.10 11. Dan. 9.24 Eph. 2.8 Ans Of all the sufferings of the Saints not any for satisfaction of Gods Iustice for sin for that is satisfied fully already in Christ and God is well pleased Mat. 17.5 Heb. 10.4 c. Tit. 3.5 Rom. 3.24 25. 1 Pet. 2.24 Rom. 8.18 nor are all the sufferings of this life worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed But the Lord afflicts and suffers his Children to be afflicted for other ends Quest 8. For what ends or causes doth the Lord afflict or cause his Children to be afflicted or suffer them many times to lose their estates and lives by tyrants and wicked persecutors as Rom. 8.35 36 37 Ans First God doth this sometimes that his Children may be Martyrs and witnesses to testifie the truth of God and the Gospel for the greater condemnation of the wicked and the glory of the Saints which God freely giveth them whom he pleaseth to honour with the Crown of Martyrdome Thus Abel the first Martyr before Christ Gen. 4.8 Thus Steven that great Martyr after Christ Acts 7.55 c. and 5.41 and 22.17 c. Quest 9. What is the second end why God suffers his Chrildren to be oppressed Ans Sometimes God doth let wicked tyrants and ungodly men go on in oppression 1 Kings 21.29 Rom. 2.17 Mat. 23.34 c. Rev. 6.10 c. for the greater manifestation of his Iustice in requiring all the blood of his servants by some fearfull Iudgements upon such bloody men and women Quest 10. What is the third end why God afflicts or suffers his Children to be afflicted since their sins are satisfied for by Christ Micah 6.8 9 Deut. 1.23 Gen. 35.1 2 3. Iudg. 2.21 22. Iob. 1.42 Gen. 27.24 28. Psal 119.71 Heb. 12.11 2 Cor. 15.14.15 Rom. 8.28 8.17 1 Pet. 4.13 Ans Sometimes God doth it to teach his Children to walk more humbly with God or more carefully and circumspectly in his wayes or to renew our Covenant of Reformation or for exercise and tryall of Fair and Patience or other graces or to fit and prepare them better for other conditions of life for which he intends them or to make them more sensible of punishment which sin deserveth or which Christ hath suffered for their sins that they may prize and love Christ more but alwayes afflictions