at the things which were reported by them And verse 20. it is further testified concerning the Shepheards themselues that they returned glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seene as it was spoken vnto them And concerning the blessed Virgine Marie it is said verse 19. That she kept and pondered all in her heart Moreouer concerning the wise men we read Matth cha 2. And not onely of their reuerend estimation of our Sauiour as the whole history sheweth but also of their great trauell as we read in the latter end of the first verse Of their boldnes verse 2. Of their ioyfulnes without all offence at the externall basenes of our Sauiours birth and of their homage and worship done vnto him verses 10.11 And last of all of their circumspection and care to performe their faithfull allegiance verse 12. Concerning in the example of Simeon wee read Luke ch 2. verses 28.29.30.31.32 Hee tooke our Sauiour vp in his armes and praised God and said Lord nowe thou doest let thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seen thy saluation c. Read also verses 34.35 Behold this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel Finallie concerning the Prophetisse Anna we read as it foloweth in the same chapter verse 36. Ther was a Prophetisse one Anna c. And verse 38. She comming at the same instant vppon them confessed likewise the Lord and spake of him to all that looked for redemption in Ierusalem All which examples no doubt are recorded The daÌ„ger of not beleeuing this Article not onelie for the discourse and explanation of the holie Storie but also for our instruction and like imitation vpon the same considerations which moued them both to thinke speake and doe as they did THe duties therfore of faith concerning this Article beeing such as haue bene described now in the last place of our inquirie what is the danger of not beleeuing in our Sauiour Christ the eternall Sonne of God borne in due time Question verie true man of the Virgine Marie The holie Apostle S. Iohn teacheth and verie earnestlie affirmeth that euerie Spirit which confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh Answere is not of God but that this is the Spirit of Antichrist Hee doth so indeede as we reade in the 3. verse of the fourth chapter of his 1. ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe Epistle And there is verie good and necessarie reason why he should teach so For he that denieth the truth of the humane nature of Christ denieth the comming of Christ yea and all the fruites and benefits both of his birth and also of his whole life and death And therin he is an open aduersarie to God and his Christ as the word Antichrist it selfe giuen for the title of such plainly sheweth according to the Greeke language And beside that insomuch as it is a grace of the Spirit of God to teach Christians to confesse that according to this Article of the Christian faith Iesus Christ is come in the flesh as the Apostle saith in the former verse it must needes be that all such as denie it are of the Spirit of Antichrist and be therein open aduersaries to God who hath sent his Sonne in the flesh trulie Conceiued by the holie Ghost Such Antichristes and aduersaries both to God and his Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ were the Simonianites Valentinians Marcionites Apollinaristes and many other sortes of heretikes as they haue bene rehearsed before in the Article of his Conception by the holie Ghost with their seuerall heresies against the humane nature of our Sauiour The beliefe of all which heretikes was no doubte nothing better then an aierie and vanishing beliefe euen a shadow and spectrum of faith and no true faith in deede euen answerable to that which they held that our Sauiour had no true bodie but onely an outward appearance of a bodie and which as the Diuell bewitched them to thinke was but a spirituall or aierie thing of some strange coÌ„position not like vnto ours c. And thus by the goodnes of God wee are come to an ende of our inquirie concerning the Article of the birth of our Sauiour Christ according to the propounded order of our course NEuerthelesse vpon some good consideration wee will yet more particularlie inquire as in way of an appendix why the name of the Virgin Marie is mentioned in this Article of our beliefe For it is verie vnskilfullie yea most wickedlie and blasphemouslie misconstrued by manie as though Marie herselfe had bene such a one as had bene conceiued without sinne to the ende that in respect of her owne puritie of nature our Sauiour might be borne and brought forth of her without all spot of sinne Whervpon also haue followed these hereticall conclusions that she is to be esteemed for our Ladie here on earth and a Queene in heauen therfore to be pictured with a crowne vpon her head so painted in Church windowes c with an opinion that shee hath power and autoritie to command her Sonne and therfore is to be praied vnto c. But all these are false causes coined in the deceiuable shop of mans superstitious and idolatrous braine to be vtterlie condemned and abhorred of all true Christians as intollerable blasphemies against God and most hainous iniuries done to the blessed virgin Question I aske therefore what be the true causes or reasons which may be beleeued to be such indeed Answer First for the more full certaintie or perspicuitie plainenes of the holy history it selfe Secondlie that our beliefe might be so much the more eâ—â—aâ—e and vnfoulded concerning the truth of the humane nature of our Sauiour Thirdlie that as hath bene said alreadie shee might be had in memorial for a notable example to vs of beleeuing in Christ and of obeying his Gospel and of blessing praising and magnifying the name of God for our saluation which is brought to light by the incarnation and manifestation of him ExplicatioÌ„ proofe These are the true causes indeed as may be discerned by that which hath ben set downe before For how can God be sufficientlie praised for this most gracious worke of his And what place is ther left for any doubting seeing not onely according to the prophecie of Isaiah it is testified that the Mother of our Lord was a Virgine notwithstanding the conception and birth of this childe but also seeing it is particularlie described vnto vs who that holie Virgine was by her name by the place of her dwelling by her parentage in that shee was the daughter of Elie by her husband to whom she was first betrothed and afterward married by her kindred in that Elizabeth the mother of Iohn Baptist was her Cosine c. Luke chap 1.26 c. and ch 3.23 We cannot denie but the Papists are ready to alledge other causes namelie because as they teach the blessed Virgin is to be honoured
Explication proofe This is a necessarie addition to make vp the former answer In the opening whereof that also shall by the grace of God be yet more fullie opened and confirmed And first touching the ioint-work of the holy Ghost in the purposing and effecting of the works of Creation as being one God together with the Father and the Sonne we finde it euidentlie confirmed in the verie beginning of the holie Bible the 2. verse of the first chapter and verses 26. 27. Likewise ch 2.7 The Lord God breathed the breath of life into man to wit by the power and vertue of his eternall Spirit creating the soule without anie earthlie matter or corruptible element According to that saying of Elihu in the book of Iob ch 33.4 The Spirit of God hath made me the breath of the Almightie hath giuen me life Read also Ps 33.6 104 29 30.31 Mal 2.15 For God is the Father of Spirites and the creator of all other things by his eternall word through that almighty Spirit of his which is the holy Ghost in whom we doe beleeue This being true that the holy Ghost hath his ioint-worke in the purposing effecting of the works of Creation together with the Father the Sonne there can be no cause to doubte of his ioint-work in the vpholding and ordering of the same seeing hee is a Spirit of as infinite and euerlasting wisedome prouidence and gouernement as he is of almightie power and vertue But I hast to that which this Article of our faith doth principallie intende that is to see how the holy Ghost hath his most holy and diuine ioint-worke together with the Father and the Sonne in the newe creation and continuall gouernement of his Church in this world euen to the full glorification of it in the world to come And wher may we better beginne to lay forth this excellent high mysterie then by taking a viewe of the ioint-worke of the holie Ghost in bringing our Lord Iesus Christ the Sauiour of this his Church into the world in preseruing and guiding him in the world and in strengthening and confirming of him to performe all things necessarie to the perfiting of the same his Churches saluation euen till he left the world For this may be in steed of spectacles and as it were a cleare glasse to help the weaknes of our dimme eye-sight to discerne the better of all the rest First therefore by whom was our Sauiour Christ conceiued in the wombe of the blessed virgin but by the holy Ghost And wherfore by the holy Ghost but because he could not otherwise haue taken mans nature without the originall blot and staine of sinne that so he might be meete to be that vnspotted or vndefiled Lambe of God which was to be made the onely propitiatorie sacrifice for the sinnes of men By the same holie Ghost it was that our Sauiour grewe as in stature of bodie so also in wisedome of minde and spirit vntill that at the time of his baptisme when hee was to enter vppon the publike and open discharge of his mediatorship he receiued from the same holy Ghost all holy gifts and graces not by measure but most aboundantly to the most full perfect furnishing of him to the absolute discharge of euery part of that most high office which was commiteed vnto him A publike testimonie whereof was that his descending and lighting vpon our Sauiour which was mentioned before By the same holy Ghost hee was forthwith led into the wildernes to make his first encounter as it were in combate hand to hand against our arch-enemy the Diuell on our behalfe that so he might be knowne to the Church to be a farre other manner of person then was Adam For though he were more often and therewithall more vehemently assalted then he was before his fall yet was hee not ouercome but he did vanquish ouercome the Diuel for euer By the same holy Ghost he did preach the Doctrine of eternall life and saluation according as it is saide to the same purpose that the spirit of the Lord was vpon him and that he was in a principall yea in a pierles māner anointed with the holy Ghost Isai 61.1 c Heb 1.9 Iohn 3 34. By the same holy Ghost and not of meere humane power hee did worke all his miracles For so he hath saide of himselfe as we reade in the holy Gospell that he wrought them by the finger and spirit of God Mat 12 28. Luke 11.20 And Act 10.38 He was saith the Apostle Peter ancinted with the holy Ghost and with power and he was mightie in word and deed By the same holy Ghost who was the author and orderer of his whole life did he also offer vp himselfe vnto God at his death as wee reade Heb 9.14 Through the eternal spirit saith the Apos offered he himselfe vnto God without spot By the same holy Ghost hee was after his death raised vp from the dead Rom 8 11. The spirit of God saith Paul raised vp Iesus from the dead And 1 of Pet 3 18 He was put to death saith Peter concerning the flesh but was quickened by the spirit that is by his diuine power which he in that he was man receiued from the holy Ghost And likewise after his resurrection hee did through the holy Ghost giue commandemēts euen his diuine and soueraigne commandements to his holy Apostles Act 1.2 And being iustified in the spirit hee was at the last raised vp to glory 1. Tim 3.16 Behold therefore in this principall part of the more immediate worke of the holy Ghost in the beginning and ordering of the whole mysterie of our redemption in the mediation of our Sauiour we haue a representation of that which he doth in the whole manifesting and applying of Iesus Christ and of all that he did and suffered and thereby atchieued to the euerlasting benefit of his Church To the which end and purpose let vs proceede and further obserue how that like as after the ascension of our Sauiour Christ his Disciples were according to his promise replenished with the gifts and graces of the holy Ghost for the publishing of his Gospel as we read Luke 24.49 Act 1 4 5 8. and chap 2. v. 4 17 18 33 and Ephes 3.5 so in former times all prophesie reuelation of the truth from time to time was immediately giuen to the Church by no other then by the same holie Ghost 1. Pet 1.10.11.12 and 2. Pet 1.19.20.21 and 2. Tim 3.16.17 And now yet further let vs likewise obserue that as the holie Ghost both is and hath bene alwayes next and immediately to the Church from God the Father through the onely begotten Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ the author of all reuelation of the truth and of the bestowing of euery good gift grace so is he hath alwaies in like manner bene the immediate sender commander gouernour of all holie instruments both ordinary and
into heauen so that he died not after the common manner of men The burnt-offerings of the lawe ascending by fire from the altar vp to heauenward from whence they were called in the holy language gnoioth of gnala ascendere to ascend they represented to the faithfull that their sinnes are so done away by the sacrifice of Christ and their persons so accepted that the way to heauen is by his sufferings prepared for them The scape-goate also in the law may not vnfitly be a representation hereof To speake all in a word the promise of euerlasting life to the Church and people of God was as we may say the life of the couenant of God made at the first and often renued to his people and namely to Abraham Isaak and Iacob according to that interpretation which our Sauiour himselfe gaue of it against the contrary errour of the Sadduces as we haue seen before Whence also he saith expresly Ioh. 17.3 This is eternall life that they know thee the onely true God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ And the Apostle of our Sauiour 2. Tim 2.9.10 certifieth vs that our saluation was giuen vs through Iesus Christ before the world was But as hee saith further is now made manifest by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel That is to say it is now more clearely more generally made manifest in the Church then it was before Thus then we seeing that this Article hath sufficient ground and warrant in the holy Scriptures let vs in the next place come to the sense and meaning of it Question WHat therefore is the meaning of these words The meaning of the article I beleeue the euerlasting life Answer It teacheth me and all Christians to beleeue that after this natural life ended there is another life and another world which God hath prepared and will certainely giue to his elect wherein the whole catholike Church of Christ shall glorifie and praise God and be partakers of his heauenly glory for euer through the worthines and efficacie of the death and resurrection of our Sauiour Christ who to the same end and purpose liueth and raigneth for euer and euer with him It teacheth me also to beleeue that I my selfe being a member of this Church of God The meaning of the Article shall haue my part and portion in this euerlasting life and in the happines and glory thereof in soule first after my bodily death immediately and at the appearance of our Sauiour Christ to iudge the world both in body and soule together world without ende Yea I beleeue acccrding to this Article that through faith I haue alreadie an entrance into euerlasting life euen while I remaine yet in this transitorie world and in that mortall body which I carrie about with me here It is true according to that of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 5. â—4 Verily verily I say vnto you he that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life ExplicatioÌ„ proofe and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death vnto life Likewise according to that of the Apostle Paule alledged before Romanes 8.6 The wisedome of the Spirit is life and peace And verse 10. If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the Spirit is life for righteousnes sake Read also Gal 2.20 Thus I liue not I now but Christ liueth in me And Colos 3 4. When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shal yee also appeare with him in glory And 1. Pet 1 3 4. We are now begotteÌ„ to a liuely hope to an inheritaÌ„ce immortal c. And ver 23. Being borne anew not of mortall seed but of immortall c. And 1 Ioh 3.14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren To the better and more distinct vnderstanding of this Article it is necessarie that we doe first of all presuppose three things The first is the spirituall death of the soule in a seperation from the fauour and loue of God The second is the naturall death of the body which is caused by the seperation of the soule from it both of them being fruites of sinne though to the godly by the mercies of god through our L Ie Ch the bodily death is but the way to a better life that is to this most endles happy life whereof we speak The third is the revniting of the soule to the body at the resurrection thereof Of the which things we haue heard before And the Apostle comprehendeth them all in one sentence where he sheweth what is the issue of all Gods mercies toward vs through our Sauiour Christ saying thus Rom chap 5 21. That as sinne had reigned vnto death so might grace also reigne by righteousnes vnto eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And ch 6.23 The wages of sinne is death but the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. It is further also necessarie to the vnderstanding of this Article that we doe consider what manner of life this euerlasting life is namely such a life as for the excellencie and glory of it is incomprehensible yea so as the most sharpe sighted of the seruants of God could not comprehend and discerne the hidden excellency of it as we may read 1. Cor 13.9.10.11.12 2. Ep 12.1 2.3 We know in part saith Saint Paule c. And Colos 3 ver 4 Our life is hidden with Christ in God Likewise saith the Apostle Iohn 2. Ep 3.1 2. We know not what we shall be Reuel ch 21 cha 22. We may easily perceiue that the Spirit giueth vs to vnderstand that no creature no nor al creatures either vnder heaueÌ„ or in the visible heauens are sufficient fully to expresse the perfect glory of it For as there we read the light of the Sun is accouÌ„ted too base a light for it c. It is such an eternal life saith the same Apostle as hath immortall glory ioined with it 2. Tim 2.10 And 2. Cor 4.17 a most excellent glory of full weight yea aboue all weighing by any humane balance c. Neuertheles it is meete yea rather so much the more necessarie that wee should succour and relieue the weakenes of our vnderstanding by such similitudes whereby it pleaseth God to shadowe it forth vnto vs. And namely in that hee compareth it to the enioying of an inheritance Act 20.32 Rom 8.17 And Ephes 1 18 of a rich and glorious inheritance And Colos 1.12 of an inheritance of the Saints in light And 1 Pet 1 4 as was alledged before of an inheritance immortall and vndefiled that neuer fadeth c. In that also he compareth it to a iewell which is better worth The Promise then all whatsoeuer beside as Matt 13. in the parable of the precious pearle and also of the treasure hidden in the
of any faith of righteousnesse and saluation by it without the parties owne personal inherent and perfect obedience to the same So that then to be vnder the law or as the Apostle Paul speaketh of the law or in the same sense of the works of the Law that is for a man to be of this mind to seeke and challenge righteousnes euerlasting life thereby and to be vnder grace that is to be such a one as waiteth for iustification saluation from the free grace fauour of God through the faith of the Gospell it is to be in a cleane contrary state and condition For the which read Rom. 3 28 4 14 6 14 7 6 chap. 11 vers 11. Col. 2 15 c. and chap. 3 â—0 11 12 18 23 25 chap. 4 21 c. and chap. 5 verels 4 5 according also to that which the same Apostle writeth 2. Cor. ch 3. where he calleth the old Testament the letter that is of no validitie to saluation and the newe Testament the Spirit that is the mightie instrument or as it were the wagon of the Spirit for the plentiful conuoy of al grace saluation Where likewise he teacheth that the Law is the ministration of death damnation and ascribeth righteousnes life and glory onely to the Ministery of the Gospell Neuertheles we may not be ignorant of this that the law in a generall acceptation of the word comprehendeth the whole gratious doctrine of the couenant of life saluation that is to say it comprehendeth both the doctâ—ine of workes as the fruits of faith and also the doctrine of the true iustifâ—ing faith it selfe Ps 1 ver 2 Ps 105 8 9 10 Ps 119 Likewise Isay 51.4.5 7 Mâ—l ch 2 6 7 8 9 ch 4. vers 4. Remember the law of Moses my seruant which I saith the Lord commanded vnto him in Horeb c. as though the Lord would giue to vnderstand that it was a sufficient full direction vnto them vntil the Sun-shine of righteousnes should afterward more brightly shine forth by the Ministery of Iohn Baptist and by the manifestation of Christ himselfe Like as the Apostle Peter also writeth to the Iewes of his time 2. Ep. 1 19. We haue also a most sure word of the prophets to the which ye do wel that ye take heed as vnto a light that shineth in a dark place vntil the day dawn the day star arise in your harts And besides the morall Lawe and the Gospell are so accorded in Christ who is the perfect righteousnes of the Lawe to euery true beleeuer who also concerning such hath taken away al the sting and strength which the Law had to death destruction that as by the appointment of God the Lawe is to all his elect children as a School-maister to leade vnto Christ so christ himselfe againe euen from the holy Law of God schooleth all those whom God by his holy Spirit hath once guided vnto him For he calleth all his schollers to all diligent and industrious care of vnfeined obedience vnto it as vnto the onely true rule of all good workes So do his holy Apostles also And so doe all godly learned Ministers of the holy word of God euen to this day as is plentifully to be seene in their Catechismes all other their godly wriâ—ings Yet so as neither the one nor any of the other doe thus teach as though iustification and saluation could possibly be obtained by the workes of the Law but because as was touched euen now the doctrine thereof humbling sinners before Goâ— dâ—iuing vnto Christ doth also teach them as by a most briefe excelleÌ„t rule all duties of true thankfulnes to God in a godly course of life in such manner as was described in the second third branches of the answere For verily â—he duties of the Law the duties of the Gospell they are one the same in matter substance both toward God toward man All the difference lieth in the manner or measure of the performance of them And therefore we say that the Gospell boroweth all morall instructions which it giueth euen from the morall law of God How the law accordeth with the Gospell onely fitting them to the grace and tenure of the couenant of the Gospell †EuaÌ„gelium vtitur ministerio legis addens es suaÌ„ epieiceian vt scitè Chemnitius Harmon pag. 310. Adding as one saith very well a kinde of holie Indulgence or milde moderation vnto it Neither may it without impietie bee thought that the lawe is absolutelie contrary to the promise of the Gospell according to that Galath 3.21 Is the Lawe then against the promise of God God forbid c. Nay as the same Apostle teacheth Rom 3.21 Christ hath witnesse of the Lawe and the Prophetes And hee saith of him selfe that hee being as one without the lawe was notwithstanding in the law through Christ 1. Cor. 9.21 Likewise our Sauiour Christ and the Apostle Iohn as he learned of him they make no scruple to call the Gospell not onely a newe commandement but also the same which was of olde Iohn ch 13.34 and 1. ep 2. 7. 8. And so Dauid likewise profeâ—â—ed of olde that hee beleeued Gods commandements as containing matter of faith and an vndoubted path-way to life after that it hath humbled the children of God to the faith of Christ Ps 119.66 And how friendlie both the law and the Gospell were accorded in his beleeuing heart wee may vnderstand by that which he professeth further in the same Psalme vers 166. Lord saith hee I haue trusted in thy saluation and haue done thy commandement And verse 174 I haue longed for thy saluation ô Lord thy law is my delight Read also Isay ch 42.4 Matt. 12.21 The Ilands shall wayte for the law of Christ And Gal 6 2. Beare ye one anothers burthen so fulfill the law of Christ 2. Pet. 1.21 Whervpon also wee may yet furthermore truely hold affirme that both the old Testament the new or the law as it is generally taken the Gospel the doctrine of Moses and the doctrine of Christ they doe containe but one the same coueaÌ„nt of Gods free fauour mercy euer since the fall of mankind toward all his elect whither Iew or Gentile One I meane in substance as might be proued by many testimonies reasons out of the holy Scriptures according as M. Caluin that excelleÌ„t minister of the Gospel of God hath notably gathered and set them downe to our hand in the 9. 10. chapters of the second book of his Institutions the which M. Piscator also And M. Caluin againe vpon the 20 verse of the 24. Psal It is the Deuils crafte to dazell our eyes c. as though the certainty of the grace of God were to be learned any other where then in the law and the Gospell Diaboliartis ficium est mentes
Sed consule Trem Iun interpret As on the contrarie a holie remembrance of God noteth care of Repentance according to that Lament Ier 3.20 My soule hath them that is my afflictions in remembrance and it is humbled in me Read also Isai 46.8.9.10 Remember this saith the Lord by his holy Prophet and be ye ashamed bring it againe to minde ô ye transgressors Remember the former things of olde c. Hetherto of the wordes of the olde Testament from the which Repentance is signified NOw to these Hebrew words of the old Testament there be Greek words answering in the new the which we shall not without some good vse as we hope make like rehearsall of And first that which answereth to Chacam is Metanoeo which signifieth vpon good consideration to change a mans minde as the latine word resipisco whereby it is well translated giueth to vnderstand the which according to the nature of verbes inchoatiue or inceptiue as Gramarians call them signifieth as the learned knowe to begin to waxe wise to wit after some folly committed before For according to the true verdite of the holy Scriptures the minde of man is of it selfe vaine erroneous and full of folly for want of the true knowledge and feare of GOD. There is no foreknowledge in vs to vnderstand what is good and godly vntill God himselfe doe reueale the same and therefore wee haue neede of a better after-wit then our fore-wit was as the common prouerbe goeth The wisedome of the flesh saith the Apostle Paul is band Ye were once darkenes c. Yea it is enmitie to God Eph. 5 8. Rom. 8 7. And set on euill workes Colos 1 21. In which respect wicked and vnbeleeuing men are in the newe Testament as well as in the olde called by the name of fooles as Rom. 1.21 22. Because when they knewe God they glorified him not as God neither were thankfull but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish heart was full of darkenesse When they professed themselues to bee wise they became fooles And 1. Cor. 1.20 God hath made that is hee hath euicted the wisedome of the worlde to bee foolishnesse And Chap. 3 18. Let no man deceiue himselfe If any man among you seeme to bee wise in this worlde let him bee a foole that hee may bee wise For the wisedome of this worlde is foolishnesse with God c. And Chap. 15 36. O foole that which thou sowest is not quickened before it dye And Gala. 3 1. O yee foolish Galatians ô Anoetoi who hath bewitched you that yee should not obey the truth And Chap. 6 3 4. If any man seeme to himselfe that hee is somewhat hee being indeede nothing he deceiueth himselfe in his imagination But let euery man proue his owne worke c. Hence it is that the exhortation to Repentance runneth so often vpon this word Metanoeite as Matth. Chap. 3 2. and Chap. 4 17. Act. 2 38 and Chap. 8 12. Where the Apostle Peter mightily reprouing Simon the Magitian Repent saith he of this thy wickednesse and pray thou God that the thought of thy heart may bee forgiuen thee The wicked thought of Simon is called Epinoia the godly change of minde which Peter exhorteth him vnto is called Metanoia The same word is likewise vsed Reuel 3.19 Bee zealous and amend And all very aptly according to that which was obserued concerning the Hebrewe word wherevnto this answereth For the change of the affection and euen of the actions of the whole life dependeth vpon the change and reformation of the minde of man according to the minde and will of God made in his holy word as 2. Tim 2 25. Where the Apostle Paul giueth vs to vnderstand that repētance which is the gift of God must be according to the knowledge of the truth And Ephes 4 23. Be ye renewed in the spirit of your minde And chap. 5 15. Not as fooles but as wise men c. According also to that Luk 1 17. Where repentance is described to be a conuersion of the heart vnto God according to the wisedome of iust men that is to say of such as God himselfe hath made wise by his holy spirit Likewise according to that in the same Euangelist Chap. 15 verse 17. Where our Sauiour Christ saith of the Prodigall and vnthriftie sonne repenting that hee came to himselfe that is to say that hee now be thought himselfe of a more wise course then he had taken before Thus to bee wise vnto saluation is to bee in the state of true faith and repentance 2 Tim. 3.15 Hetherto of the first Greeke word Metanoeo answering to the first of the Hebrewe wordes Chacam Secondly wee haue the Greeke word Metamelomai which answereth to the Hebrew Nacham and signifieth the change of a mans care to the bettering of his affection as the other word Metanoeo signified the correcting or bettering of the iudgement and discretion of the minde and vnderstanding That this is so it may be perceiued by that which we read Matth chap 21.29 Hee saith our Sauiour Christ that said at the first to his Father I will not work in the vineyard yet afterward repented himselfe and went But on the contrarie as it followeth in the same chapter verse 32 The Pharisies as saith our Sauiour Christ were not mooued to repentance that is they remained still careles of their duetie yea they hardened their hearts with an obstinate rebellion For hardnes of heart groweth fast vpon securite or a continued neglect of good dutie and is altogether contrarie to this Metamelomai which wee nowe speake of Yea it peruerteth the vnderstanding also and therfore they are both ioyned togither Rom chapt 2.5 Reade also chapt 11.25 and 2. Cor 3.14 and 1. Tim. 4.2 In the which places hardnes of heart is noted as an euill fruit following vpon secure and careles neglect of duety Moreouer 2. Cor 7.10 Wher the Apostle teacheth that repentance to saluation the which godlie sorow causeth is not to be repented off hee vseth the word Ametameleton and so giueth to vnderstand that no after-sorrowe blongeth to this that a man hath repented to saluation Onely want of repentance is as we may say metameleton that is a matter iustlie to bee sorrowed for and to bee repented off c. And thus wee may perceiue how the word Metamelomai respecteth the change of the affection as the former word Metanoeo doth more properlie belong to the change of the minde Thirdly to the Hebrewe word Shobh the which as hath beene declared noteth a reformation of the disordered actions of life and conuersation the Greeke word Epistrepho answereth both in signification and vse as may be obserued in the newe Testament and namely Mark 4.12 Luk 1.16 Iohn 12.14 and Act 28.27 Read also Act 9.35 All that dwelt at Lidda and Saron saith the Euangelist Luke turned to the Lorde And chapt 11.21 A great number beleeued and turned to the Lord. Likewise chap 14. verse 15. The Apostles Barnabas
that God doth by faith purifie the heart And chap 26.18 Wee are sanctified by faith in Christ And Galat 5.6 Faith worketh by loue And 1. Iohn 3.3 He that hath hope in God purgeth himselfe This hope is the next and immediate supporter of faith And verily if there were not hope of mercie through faith in God the Father that it is his good pleasure to forgiue sinnes and to receiue sinners to fauour for his Sonne Iesus Christes sake who would yea rather who could haue power comfort to repent theÌ„ of their sins and to turne to God with their whole heartes and mindes c. And yet againe so do we affirme faith to go in order before repentaÌ„ce speaking generally that though the knowledge of the Gospell is one particular grace of repentance yet it is neuertheles the fore-runner of faith like as faith taking his originall from the knowledge of God in Christ passeth into the heart and taking vp seate residence there doth more more purifie both minde and heart yea tongue hand and foote and life and all For as the Apostle Paul teacheth vs With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes Rom ch 10. verse 10. And all true wisedome is euerie where in the holy Scriptures called the wisdome of the heart euen of that heart which is sanctified by faith the which faith as was said euen now hath his seate and as it were his fining refining shoppe or furnace there Read Pro 2.10 8.5 ch 14.33 16.21 ch 22.17.18.19 ch 23.12.15.19.26 and Dan 10.12 Finally Prou 17. v. 16. Wherefore saith the most wise king is there a price in the hand of a foole to get wisedome and he hath no heart As though he shuld say All meanes are in vaine to him that wanteth a hearty affection towards that which is to be sought after c. Surely no grace is any grace of sanctification vntill it descend to the heart and there be allowed and sealed as it were for lawfull and currant by the stamp of faith Now thirdlie that repentance noteth the changing altering of the minde memory will affection froÌ„ that which they are by naturall birth euen erroneous vaine corrupt euery way altogether sinfull to the renewed image and likenes of God in inward puritie soundnes integrity with daylie increase of holy wisdome vnderstanding c it may be proued from that which we read Ephes 4.17.18.19.20.21.22.23.24 Col 3.10 2. cor 3.18 And wheras two things are requisite to this spirituall change first a dying to sin secondlie a quickening or rising vp to newnesse of life wee haue both of them from our Sauiour Christ by the hand of faith the first from the grace and power of his death the other froÌ„ the vertue of his resurrection as the Apo Paul doth most notably declare in the 6. chap of the epist to the Rom. From the beginning wherof he entreth to treate of our sanctification by the Spirit of Christ as a fruit of that our iustification by faith in Christ which hee handled before Finallie that repentance comprehendeth the altering and changing of the outward speaches and actions of life answerable to the inward changing of the minde and affections of the heart from the common course of the children of this wicked world Read Rom chapt 12.1.2 And 1. Corin 6.20 Iames 4 4. and 1. Iohn 2.15.16.17 1. Thessalon 5.3 where the holy Apostle prayeth for the sanctification of the bodie together with the soule the Spirit of the children of God The Practise of Repentance Read also Act 8.22 2. Cor 12.21 Reuel 2.21.22 Luk 3.9.10 and Matth 21.32 In the which places the doctrine of repentance is extended to the reformation of the outward works of the flesh and to the contrarie practise of good outward duties And so Repentance which is principallie inward breaketh forth in the outward fruites thereof that it becommeth a visible thing to the viewe of all men according to the speach of our Sauiour Christ touching Repentance in sack-cloth and ashes Matth 11.21 The Practise of Repentance THis therfore to speak generallie is the nature of true Christian Repentance according to the former description of it The which because it may be made the more cleare and familiar vnto vs from the practise of the people of God in whom God hath wrought this excellent worke of his holy Spirit let vs now proceede to take a viewe therof that so wee may the better informe our selues how wee are to beginne and proceed in a right course after the examples of those who by the grace of God haue gone before vs therin Tâ—e practise is answerable to the doctrine Yet so as it is not alwaies after one vsuall course but sometimes more speciall vpon more speciall occasions namely in respect of some more grieuous and predominant sinne at the first conuersion whether of one or of many and by reason of some particular relapse of such as haue formerly repented them For in such cases the inferiour helping causes or as one would say the common affections of repentance whether going before as preparatiues or following after and accompanying the seuerall partes therof eyther touching mortification of sinne or quickening to newenesse of life they ought to be so much the more vehement and intentiue The profession also of repentance is either more publike or more priuate Ordinarie by meanes of Gods word and Gospell preached and the execution of the prescribed censurâ—s and discipline of the Church of God or extraordinarie as it pleaseth God to worke either by the same meanes or any other way in a more then ordinarie course Examples hereof wee haue in the holy Scriptures both of the olde and of the newe Testament Of the more publike and extraordinarie practise and profession of repentance by many we read Exod. 32 verse 19 c. to the ende of the Chap. And Chap. 33 5 6. Where we read that Moses and the Leuites did by the sword take vengeance of the chiefe of them that were most forward in the sinne of making and worshipping the Idoll-calfe And that Moses praied to God for the people And that all the people humbled and abased themselues in the sight of God A declaration whereof was their sorrowing and laying aside of their costly raiment they thereby acknowledging themselues vnworthy of the common mercies of God and much more vnworthy to be accepted for a peculiar and holy people vnto him And Iudges Chap. 2 4 5. At the fearefull threatening of God that because of the great sinne of his people in sparing the heatheÌ„ Idolaters he would not cast them out before theÌ„ but that they should remaine among them as thorns in their sides c. They mourned and wept so aboundantly that the place where they did so doth beare the name of weeping And 1. Sam 7.6 The people of Israel in their fast did as it were poure out riuers of teares in great
iustly conceiueth against himselfe for sinne because by a sad looke the heart is made better And againe in the same respect verse 7. It is better saith he to heare the rebuke of a wise man then that a man should heare the songe of fooles This sorrowe is very fitly to bee put before the death of sinne and as a meanes tending to the mortification of it For there is no sorrowe at all to bee taken for the death and dying of sinne but ioy and comfort yea a triumph of spirit We are onely to sorrowe that sinne hath liued and borne the sway so long in vs and that we haue takē so great pleasure in it already c. This kind of godly sorrow breedeth the death of sinne for sinne cannot prosper where it is not delighted in Sinne must be made a wanton or else it will haue no ioy to stay It will take no liking of colde and grimme entertainment This godly sorrowe whereby the soule mourneth for nothing so much as because God our most kind Father is thereby displeased with vs Gualan super hoc Trem Inn in gen neut paulo post in cadem sententia gualan de co it is a gracious gift of the holy Ghost according to that we reade Zech. 12.10 c. In that day that is in the time of the Gospell saith the Lord I will power vpon the house of Dauid and vppon the inhabitants of Ierusalem that is vpon all true Christians both Iewes and Gentiles the spirit of grace and supplication and they shall looke vppon mee whom they haue pierced and they shall lament * for this as one mourneth for an onely sonne and bee sorie * for it as one shoulde mourne for his first borne Teares are oftentimes ioyned with this mourning as Iudges 2.4.5 as we haue seene before Ezra chap 10.1 Luke 7 38. Psal 56 8. Ioel. 2.17 Mat. 26 75. and in many other places of holy Scripture Not that godly sorrowe cannot be in some measure without teares or not in great measure but there must of necessitie bee aboundance of teares For some are lesse apt to weepe then other euen by constitution of nature but not the lesse apt to sorrowe by that but subiect rather to more deepe and pensiue sorrow euen because they cannot so easily feele their hearts to melt For the easiest melting of the heart and the breaking forth of teares is a dissoluing and loosening of sorrow the which without teares is both to body and soule of a constringent and binding nature The heart being contrite and broken with this godly sorrowe insomuch as hereby as it were with a hammer all vaine confidence is battered downe and the soule made fit to bee suppliant to God for his tender mercy and grace it is more accounted of before God then all outward and legall sacrifices were euer vnto him For as we reade Psal 51 17. The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart ô God thou wilt not despise And as we read Ps 34 18. The Lord is neare vnto them that are of a contrite hart and he will saue such as be afflicted in spirit Reade also Isay Chap. 57.15 Thus saith hee that is high and excellent hee that inhabiteth the eternitie whose name is the holy one I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit to reuiue the spirit of the humble and to giue light to them that are of a contrite heart For I will not contend for euer neither will I bee alwaies wroth for the spirit should faile before mee and the soules which I haue made And againe Chap. 66.2 To him will I looke euen to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my wordes Come vnto me all yee that are wearie and laden and I will ease you saith our Sauiour Christ Mat. 11.28 The same in sence though in other wordes Where note with singular thankfulnes to God our Sauiour this his sweet promise whereby he releeueth the poore oppressed soule assuring all such that hee will ease them And Isay 61.1 and Luke 4.18 he will binde vp and heale the broken hearted And the rather consider of it with exceeding thankfulnesse to God because all that will not mourne and breake their hearts in a blessed practise of repentance now shall one day howle when it will be too late and wishe that the high mountaines might fall vppon them to crush them to peeces that they might not appeare before the iudgemēt seate of the Son of God whom now they despise Neither is the holy prouerbe vnfit to be considered of vs to the same purpose chap. 29.1 in that it is said He that hardeneth his necke hauing beene often rebuked shall suddenly be destroied so that he cannot be cured And for the same cause also let vs willingly practise that which was answered in the fift place concerning the induring of all Gods fatherly chastisemēts to the breaking of our stout and sturdy hearts and to the weakening of that sin which is so strongly setled in our nature That is let vs harken to the admonitorie precept of the Apostle Iames. chap. 4.9.10 Cleanse your hands ye sinners and purge your hearts ye wauering minded Suffer ye affliction and sorrowe and weepe Let your laughter be turned into mourning and your ioy into heauinesse Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift yee vp For this is one blessed vse and benefit of afflictions that they doe humble and meeken the heart as we may remember from the example of Manasses And as we read Iob 33.17 18 c. That God may cause man to turne away from his enterprise and that hee might hide the pride of man c. For to this end as it followeth hee is stricken with sorrowe vpon his bed and the griefe of his bones is sore c. And Leuit. 26 41. Their vncircumcised hearts shall be humbled and then they shall willingly beare the punishment of their iniquitie Let vs therefore in all times of our afflictions lay our hand vpon our mouth and beare them patiently according to that of the 39. Psal verse 9. I should haue beene dumbe and not haue opened my mouth because thou didest it Let vs say as wee read Psal 119 15. I knowe Lord that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly Read also 1. Sam. 3 18 and 2 Sam. 15 26 c. chap. 16 10 11 12. And Eccles 7.16 Yea we ought to intreat the Lord to correct vs that wee might not continue in our sinnes as the holy Prophet praieth Correct vs ô Lord but yet in mercy Yea and to desire that the righteous may smite vs with their wholesome rebukes the propertie whereof is to supple and heale like precious oyle and not violently to crush and breake Psal 141.5 But aboue all as it is answered in the last branch the application of the death of our Sauiour
And then the Euangelist Philip baptized him The same was the ordinarie manner of the Ministers of the Gospell in the primitiue Church to require a particular profession of the faith of such as were from time to time conuerted from Paganisme and admitted to be Baptized for members of the Church of Christ Yea it was the verie cause why this forme of profession was collected and set downe in this particular manner Touching the second pointe reade 1. Pet. 3.15.16 Be yee readie alwaies to giue an answere to euerie man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you And that with meekenes and reuerence hauing a good conscience c. And Reuelat Chapt 2.17 Where the assurance of euerlasting life and the care of newnes and godlines of life here either of them springing from faith they are fitlie compared to the Manna that is hidden and to a white Stone wherein a newe Nâ—me is written which no man knoweth sauing hee that receiueth it Wee may indeed yea wee ought charitablie and that with good hope and trust towâ—rd God conceiue of suâ—h as are fruitfull in good workes that they are the true elect of God speciallie if they are in speciall manner fruitfull as the Apostle Paul was verie well perswaded of the Thessalonians 1. Epi 1.3.4 2. Epâ— 1.3.4 And of the Philipp chapt 1.6.7 But the certaine yea the onely vndoubted certaintie is principallie to be found of euery man in the perswasion of his owne heart confirmed vnto him by the testimonie of the Spirite of Gâ—d Thirdly that euery man liueth by his owne faith and not by the faith of an other Reade Hab Chapt 2.4 The iust shall liue by his Faith Yea by that faith whereby hee is assured that Christ liueth in him according to thâ—t of the Apostle Paul Galat 2.20 I liue saith hee yet not I nowe but CHRIST liueth in mee and in that I nowe liue in the fleshe I liue by Faith in the Sonne of GOD who hath loued mee and giuen himselfe for mee And Rom 8 3â— â—â— 39 Hee teacheth that euery Christian ought to bee so perswaded that hee may comfort himselfe that neither death nor life nor any thing else sâ—all bee able to separate him from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lorde For the last pointe reade 1. Cor 11.28 and 2. Cor 13.5 Prooue your selues whether you are in the faith examine your selues knowe yee not your owne selues how that Iesus Christ is in you except yee be reprobates That is no better then such as for the present haue no grounde to thinke better of themselues then of such as bee counterfetted Christians and no true members of Christ c. So then by all these reasons it is manifest that the articles of our faith and the faith and beleefe of them doth belong to euery true Christian that none may put them off from himselfe as that the common sort of Christians should say these thinges containe such high mysteries that they belong onely to learned men or that any of the learned should say these are so coÌ„mon matters that they are rather for children then for vs. No no they are both for children which be of yeeres of discretion and for growne men too they are for the learned to studie a more exact and full knowledge of them and also for the most simple Christian to labour to vnderstand and beleeue them in some measure whosoeuer doe minde vnfainedly the way of their eternall saluation It is not enough for any to say I beleeue as the Church beleeueth vnlesse he do know that the Church beleeueth as it ought to do Nay rather it is the duty of euery Christian to seeke after such a measure of knowledge that he may be able to discerne betwixt the true Church of Christ and euerie false or Antichristian Church betwixt the true faith of the one and the erroneous faith of the other c. according to that we reade 1. Iohn 4.1 Dearely beloued saith the Apostle beleeue not euery Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God c. And Math 7 15. Beware saith our Sauiour Christ of false Prophets that is of such as teach false doctrine c. Otherwise wee shall indanger our selues to the wrath of God and to be partakers of those plagues which GOD will cast vpon them Reuelation chapter 14.9 10.11 12. Let euery true Christian therefore not onely say I beleeue but let vs euerie one be carefull to vnderstand and beleeue those high mysteries which we doe commonly professe euery day better then other For this wee may be sure of that none can beleeue them in any measure but such as doe vnderstand them in some measure Question But that wee stay not too long in one thing Why doth euerie one of vs say I beleeue in God and doe not content our selues to say I beleeue God Answere In the vse of our language when wee say I beleeue in God it is a more significant phrase of speach to expresse that particular apprehension and application of Gods mercie and goodnes as belonging particularly to euery one then if euery one should onely say I beleeue God ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is so in deede For a man may be saide to beleeue God to wit that hee is true though hee be interressed in no part of the benefit of the iustification and saluation of God And besides this phrase of speech is very fit and commodious to put a difference betwixt our faith toward GOD and that which wee beleeue concerning the Church of GOD. For albeit we doe beleeue that God hath his catholike Church consisting of Iewes and Gentiles that thereis a communion of Saints c yet we may not say without great caution that wee beleeue in the Church no not in the true Church of God It sufficeth that wee beleeue that God hath his catholike and inuisible Church in the which there is certainely a sweete communion of Saints and that to the true members thereof forgiuenes of sinnes belongeth and also the resurrection of the bodie and euerlasting life though wee doe not beleeue in it The most that wee may beleeue concerning the true Church of God is that it is a faithfull witnesse of Gods holy truth to vphold it against all Infidels and Athiests that denie it and against all heretikes which seeke to depraue it to the end it may remaine inuiolable to the posteritie and ages to come according to that of the Apostle Paul 1 Timoth. 3 15. The house of God which is the Church of God it is the pillar and ground of truth But of this more afterward There is a like good vse also of the difference which learned Interpreters put betwixt the diuerse phrases of the Latine speach * To beleeue that God is 2 To giue some crediâ— to God as true 3 To repose suâ—e trust in God as most gratious and mercifull to a maâ—s selfe truly beleeuing in him
thing which is verilie and in truth to be distinguished from euerie other but also that whereby the same thing may be most liuely so distinguished and discerned of them ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is most certainlie true For the word Person doth in the vulgar construction and conceite not onely signifie a man himselfe alone as when wee say there were about you Persons at the Sermon c. But also it signifieth that whereby euery man may be most certainely discerned from other That is to saye his fauour or countenance and his stature The GrouÌ„d and meaning of it but chieflie his fauour or countenance as we vse to say of such or such that they are beautifull persons comely persones goodly persons of flesh and blood c. The same is the vse of the Greek word Prosopon which we in this mysterie and otherwise doe often english by the word Person For 2. Cor 1.11 the Apostle Paul requireth that many persons that is many Christians both men and women should giue thanks to God for the deliuerance of himselfe and Timotheus from a very imminent death Ther might other such like places be alledged But most vsuallie and properly it signifieth the face of a man wherby as was said euery one is most apparantly discerned from other as Matth 6.17 Wash thy face And cha 17.2 the face of our Sauiour Christ did shine as the Sunne And Act 6.15 the face of Saint Stephen was before the Councill as the face of an Angell that is hauing a most comely grace full of all reuerend grauite c. Read also Iames 1. â—3 and often in the new Testament Hence also and that more neare to our present purpose it doth metaphorically or in way of a speach borowed to an other purpose then it is properlie applied signifie a more cleare manifestation of that which is in it selfe more secret and hidden As for example the face of God noteth the brightnes and glorie of God so farre as it pleaseth his diuine Maiestie to reueale himselfe according to that Matth 18.10 wher our Sau Christ saith that in heauen the Angells see the face of his Father which is in heauen And as wee read 2. Cor 4.6 God that commanded the light to shine out of darknes is hee that hath shined in our heartes to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face that is in the reuelation of Iesus Christ to wit by the preaching of the Gospell the which doth manifest vnto vs the glorie of Gods grace and mercie represented as it were in the sweete face and countenance of our Lord IESVS CHRIST And as we read 1. Cor 13.12 the same Apostle affirmeth that we shall see face to face that is we shall haue more cleare knowledge of God there then now we haue or can possiblie haue here The same is the signification of the Hebrewe word Panim according to that Genes ch 32.30 I haue seene GOD saith Iaakob face to face that is to say appearing most gratiouslie and familiarly vnto him And Psal 27.8.9 And psal 1â—â— 4 By the face of God is meant God himselfe in respect of his man festation of himselfe among his people in the holie Temple c. And in this respect our Sauiour Christ is called the Angell of the face of God Isai 63.9 And the Angell in whom is the Name of God Ezod 23.21 But more properlie the same word signifieth the face of a man and Synecdochicallie the whole man or Person as Genes cha 32.20 the face of Esau and the face of Iaakob doe note Esau and Iaakob themselues And chap 46.30 The face of Ioseph is mentioned to expresse the person of Ioseph And 2. Kings chapt 3.14 The face of King Iehoshaphat is put for the person of Iehoshaphat Whence also it is not lesse fitting as wee may perceiue that the Hebrew writers treating of the distinction of persons in the Diuine nature should as they doe call and expresse them by this word Phanim then wee doe by our word Person Mâ—â—nâ—â—s 〈◊〉 verit Eâ— â—â— cap â— So then according to the vse of this worde Persone both in our owne language and also in the Latine Greeke and Hebrewe tongues our one onely true God is called of the Church of God three Persones euen because God himselfe hath according to this maÌ„ner of his Beeing or Subsistence made him selfe more clearely and comfortablie knowne to his Church then otherwise they could euer haue conceiued of him And verilie the doctrine of the holie Trinitie of Persons in the vnitie of the most sacred Godhead or Deitie it is the onely liuely vnvailing as it were and discouering of the glorious face of God vnto vs. Yea so as no doubt hee is not truelie knowne and beleeued in of anie to whom this mysterie is not in some good measure truelie vnderstoode and beleeued Neuerthelesse euen heerein according to the most reuerend greatnes and glorie of so high a mysterie it becommeth euerie one of vs to humble the verie Spirit of our mindes with most humble and lowe humiliation before the footestoole of the Throne of Grace and to take diligent heede that we doe not carnallie conceiue or fancie in our thoughts any thing vnworthie the most glorious and incomprehensible Maiestie of God For all be it the diuine Persones in God are truelie and in verie deede so perfectly distinct that the one neither is nor can bee the other that is to say neither can the Father bee the Sonne nor the Sonne the Father nor the holie Ghost either of them both no more then of any three men one of them can be personallie the other Yet we must in no wise thinke the Persones in the Godhead to be seuered as diuerse persons are seperated in one and the same nature of man For as the Diuine nature is infinite so are also the Persones and therefore there cannot bee any partition or diuision and separation betwixt them Neither maye wee suffer our selues once to thinke that the Diuine nature hath a naturall and visible face like to the face of Man for God is a Spirit that is hee is a spirituall and inuisible Nature as hath bene declared before Vultus inacâ—canimi The countenance is a representation of the minde Onelie thus much are wee to apprehend and conceiue in our mindes by comparison that like as the face of a man is that wherby hee may be discerned from other yea and further that as the excellent countenance of a man is a resemblance of that excellent Spirit which is in him aboue any other earthlie creature so the Doctrine and Reuelation of the Trinitie of Persones in one and the same Diuine nature of God doth make God most clearely and comfortablie knowne to his people as one infinitelie vnlike to all false Gods or Idolles c. For hee is that God who beeing Eternall and Allmightie c is not onelie the Father Sonne and holy Ghost but also a Father to vs for
the Sonnes sake according as the holie Ghost both from the Father and the Sonne beareth a most effectuall witnesse to our soules and spirites And this is vnto vs as the face of God most comfortablie shining vpon vs. To this ende also let vs diligently obserue that God is not called a Father only in way of comparison to signifie his loue toward vs as tender and deare as the loue of a naturall Father here on earth toward his naturall childe But hee is a heauenlie Father in respect of his eternall Sonne most naturallie and in all perfection of truth And accordingly the Sonne of God is the naturall and onely Sonne of the Father And the holy Ghost likewise is naturallie and in all perfection of truth and substance the Spirit of them both farre aboue and beyond all that wee or any Angell of heauen can throughlie conceiue So then whatsoeuer similitude wee doe alledge one way or other to expresse this singular and pierelesse Mysterie wee must of necessitie acknowledge that there is in the things themselues an infinite dissimilitude also so that the similitude can but onely in some respecte shadowe out that which the holie Ghost alone must cause vs to vnderstand so farre as it is meet for vs to vnderstand euen farre aboue that which any similitude of it selfe can teach vs. If wee might beholde in any outward representation the nature of God whether should we rather cast our eyes then vpon the sweet face of the Sonne of God INCARNATE in whom GOD hath reuealed his glorie as it were with open face as wee read 2. Cor 3.18 And yet as experience hath shewed the naturall face or outward Person of our Sauiour Christ if we may so speake could not suffice to the manifesting heereof no not to those who were daylie conuersant with him For manie looked vpon him bodilie while hee was here on earth who by that outward viewe knewe God neuer the more spirituallie It was his holie Doctrine and his most gratious and Diuine workes and his excellent vertues which caused the face glorie of God to shine forth from him vnto those onelie who had the eyes of their mindes opened so to behold him And this was that which mooued the Apostle Paul to say Hence forth know wee no man after the fleshe yea though wee had knowen Christ after the flesh yet now hence forth know we him no more And much rather would the Apostle refuse to knowe Christ and the holie Trinitie by anie bodilie and deade pictures or images of them by Crucifixe or any other way And as for similitudes borowed from any spirituall thing the soule of man made in the image of God may seeme of all other things that wee haue occasion to be best acquainted withall to be most like in that it beeing a spirituall substance is onely one though it haue diuerse distinct properties vnderstanding and reason memorie will and affection yet how infinite oddes there is it is easie to vnderstand For the soule of man though it be spirituall and immortall yet it is a created substance And the qualities thereof are created qualities in the soule and not the soule it selfe either anie one or all of them together What then Wee must of necessitie content our selues and our soules so to knowe both the nature of God and the Persons of the Godhead perfitlie distinct in the same that wee may as the truth it selfe requireth acknowledge that in the full perfection of it the Diuine nature is infinitelie aboue the weake capacitie or vnderstanding eyther of vs or of anie other creature Wherefore wee most humblie and thankfullie acknowledging the vnspeakable mercie of God for that measure of the reuelation of this most high incōprehensible Mysterie which it hath pleased him to reueale vnto vs in his holie Scriptures and holding our selues fast and Religiouslie to them Let vs in like humble manner beseeche our most good and gratious God to vouchsafe to giue vs of his grace that wee soberlie captiuating all similitudes yea and reason it selfe to the obedience of Faith whose nature is to beleeue that which is aboue all naturall sense and reason whatsoeuer hath witnesse and warrant from the word of God let vs I say as on the one hand cast away all ignorance and neglect of due search after the due knowledge hereof so on the other hande let vs in like manner beware of all presumptuous and vaine curiositie lest preassing too farre wee be confounded and ouerwhelmed of the brightnesse and glorie of it For like as our bodilie eyes are not able to looke directlie vpon the seate or as it were centre of brightnesse which is in the Sunne no more nay much lesse are wee able with the eyes of our mindes to behold the infinite brightnesse and most glorious Maiestie of the Lorde God the Father of all Light as hee is in himselfe whether wee looke to the vnitie of his Diuine nature or to the distinction of the Persons in the same According as it is said No man can so see God and liue Exod◠33.20 1. Timoth 6.16 Read also Genes 16.23 Trem interpret And Iudges chap 13.22 where it is recorded that the Parents of Samson were afraide they should die as if they had seene God aboue that had bene meete for sinfull creatures to see him God who set bownds for the people which they might not passe toward the mountaine at the giuing of the law Exod 19.12.13 Neither would haue the arke of the Testimonie commonlie looked vpon vncouered Numb 4. verse 5. c. 20. and 1. Sam 6.19 The same our God no doubt cannot like that anie should vnreuerendlie prye into this most holie secreat concerning his owne Maiestie and Diuine nature with a minde to see further into it then it hath pleased himselfe to reueale the same Wee may most iustlie saye of this knowledge of the Diuine nature of God and of the manner or order of the Beeing thereof as touching the Existence of them internallie or ad intra as the learned speake to witte how the Father is of himselfe and of no other eternally without all beginng the Sonne eternallie begotten of the Father before all time and the holie Ghost proceeding from them both and yet neuerthelesse beeing alwaies Essentiallie present in and with them both wee may I say iustlie determine of this knowledge according to that wee read Psal 139.6 It is too wonderfull for vs it is so high that wee cannot attaine vnto it Wee knowe not the way of the winde or as some translate of the Spirit to witte how it commeth into man nor howe the bones doe growe in the wombe of her that is with childe Eccles 11.5 nor how the soule of man dead through sinne is againe regenerated and renewed within him Iohn 3.7 much lesse can wee vnderstand what the eternall generation of the Sonne of God or the eternall proceeding of the holy Ghost do meane Neuerthelesse as touching the manner of the working
of God externallie or ad extra as they say the Father by the Sonne and both the Father and the Sonne by the holy Ghost and the holy Ghost from them both whether in the workes of the common creation and gouernement of them all or more speciallie in the speciall worke of the redemption of the elect children of God this knowledge from outward effectes declared from the holy Scriptures and testified by the holy Ghost inlightening and certifying our mindes and consciences thereof it is through the grace of God so familiar and so full of comfort that the more wee vnderstand and taste it the which no doubt wee may doe with dailie increase so long as wee liue the more may wee with holie reuerence and boldenesse euen to the same ende looke into it accordâ—ng to that Ephes 2.18 By him that is by the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ we haue an entraÌ„ce vnto the Father by one Spirit And chapt 3.12 c. By faith in him wee haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence Read all that followeth to the ende of the Chapter But of the comforts more afterward Question In the meane season that we may proceed and make all as plaine as we can What meane you by a Persone of the blessed TRINITIE in the one onely most holie and Diuine nature of God Answere A Persone in the Diuine nature is an eternall Subsistence the which hauing the whole Deitie or Godhead as it were in common or rather in a most holie Communion the one equallie as well as the other it is neuerthelesse distinct from either of the other in way of a supernaturall relation and according to the Diuine manner or order of their Beeing and working onely by one proprietie which it hath incommunicable to either of the other Question Howe is that Answere The FATHER who is the first Person in the holie Trinitie though not the first in time or dignitie but onely in the order and manner of Beeing as was answered euen now hee hath eternallie and without all beginning begotten the Sonne and so hath both taken to himselfe and also communicated to the Sonne the whole nature or Essence of the Deitie The SONNE of GOD is the second Persone of the same most holie and blessed TRINITIE eternallie and without all beginning begotten of the Father and so hath eternallie receiued the whole Deitie or Essence of the Godhead from the Father The HOLY GHOST is the third Person eternallie proceeding both from the Father and also from the Sonne and so hath the whole essence of one and the same DEITIE eternallie and coequallie communicated to him from them both ExplicatioÌ„ proofe This is indeed the true and onely distinction of the Persones in the one onely and vndeuided Nature or essence of God For as touching the Deitie or Godhead it selfe it neither begetteth nor is begotten neither yet proceedeth The distinction therefore by the proprieties rehearsed it doth onely concerne the Persons of the Diuine Nature And although the Diuine nature belongeth equallie as hath bene obserued to euery one of the Persones For the Father is God the Sonne is God and the holy Ghost is God not three Gods but one onely God one in nature one in wisedome one in power one in will one in glorie for the Father is the Father of glorie Ephes 1.17 the Sonne the Lord of glorie 1. Cor 2.8 Iohn 1 14. and ch 12 41. and ch 17.5 and Heb 1. â— Iam 2.1 and 2. Pet. 1.17 Matt 16.27 cha 25.31 the holie Ghost the Spirit of glorie 1. Pet 4.14 and 2. Cor 3.17.18 so that the Father who is the God of glorie Act 7.2 and giueth his glorie to no other Isaia 48.11 Yet hee doth after a sorte giue it to the Sonne and to the holy Ghost that is he is well pleased that they should haue it because they are one with him howesoeuer no one Person can be any of the other The Father cannot be the Sonne or the holy Ghost the Sonne cannot be the holy Ghost or the Father neither can the holy Ghost be either the Father or the Sonne as was said before But of this that the Father is verie true God and consequently eternall and euerliuing infinite in wisdome power mercie iustice c and that the Sonne is so also and likewise the holy Ghost wee shall by the grace of God make it plaine in the handeling of the seuerall Articles of our beliefe the which doe concerne euery one of them In the meane while let vs make some further search after those grounds of holie Scripture which God of his infinit goodnes and mercie hath vouchsafed vs for our assured direction and warrant touching the things allreadie affirmed by vs. Question ANd first what ground and warrant can you alledge to prooue that our God in whom wee beleeue beeing one onely in Nature is neuerthelesse three distinct Persons Answere In the 5. chap of the first epist of the Apostle Iohn verse 7. There are three saith the holie Apostle which beare recorde in heauen the Father the Worde and the holy Ghost and these three are one And in the Gospell according to the same Apostle chapt 10.30 I and my Father saith our Sauiour himselfe are one ExplicatioÌ„ proofe Read also cha 17.21.22 wher our Sauiour Christ prayeth for all true beleeuers that they may be one as hee and the Father is one the Father in him and he in the Father c. And as the Father the Sonne is one so is the holy Ghost one with and in them both according to the first testimonie alledged in the answere out of the 3. epi. of Iohn For there it is said that all three are one not onely consenting in one as it is said in the next verse that the three which beare witnes on earth to wit the Spirit and the water the blood are Eis to en that is agreeing in one but the Father and the Worde that is the Sonne as he is called in the Gospell ch 1.1 c. and the holy Ghost are one En eifi that is they are naturallie and Essentiallie one and consequentlie also most perfectly consenting in one It is euident therefore by the testimonie of the holie Apostle that God beeing but one in Nature is neuerthelesse three Persones This distinction of Persons in one God may also be prooued from the holie Scriptures of the old Testament partly by such testimonies wherin God is spoken of in the plurall number as Genes ch 1.1 Bara Elohim The Godes hee created the heauens c. And likewise verse 26. ch 3.5 ch 20.13 ch 35.7 Iob 35.10 and Ps 149.2 Laetetur Israel in facientibus ipsum Let Israell reioyce in them that made him Deut 4. â— Ioshua 24.19 Elohim quedoshim hu The Goddes hee is the holie ones Eccl 5.7 Gebohim he is the high ones And Ier 10.10 Iehouah Elohim hu Elohim chaijm that is the Lord Godes he is the liuing Godes And
2. Sam 7.23 Read also Isai 6.8 and chapt 54.5 Thus the distinction of Persons may be proued partly by the vsuall phrase or form of speach in the holy language And partly it may be prooued by such testimonies as doe in our owne translation make more expresse mention of the Persons as Psalm 33.6 By the worde of the Lorde were the heauens made and all the hoste of them by the breath of his mouth That is as Iunius interpreteth Pater in filio per spiritum The father in the sonne by the spirit And Isai 63.9.10 In all their troubles hee was troubled and the Angell of his presence saued them in his loue and in his mercie he redeemed them and hee did beare and carie them alwaies continually But they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit c. Haec tota narratio vt idem Interpres est in primis euidens si qua in vetere Testamento ad confirmandum doctrinam Christianam de vno Deo tribus Personis This whole narration as saith the same Interpreter is as euident as any in the olde Testament to proue the Christian doctrine concerning one GOD and three Persons Likewise Hagg 2.5.6 Yet nowe be of good courag◠ô Zerubbabel c. for I am with you saith the Lord of Hostes. According to the word that I couenanted with you when ye came out of Egipt so my spirit shall remaine among you feare ye not Est hic locus de sancta Trinitate euidentissimus This place say Trem and Iunius is a most euident place concerning the holy Trinitie But it will peraduenture be obiected of some that in none of these places no nor in that of the Apostle Iohn where hee saieth There are three which beare witnesse in heauen there is any mention of the word Person Question What other testimonie or ground of holy Scripture haue you that wee may safely and boldly assure our selues to beleeue that these three are and may be called by the name of three Persons Answere In the first Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrues verse 3 the Apostle saith of our Sauiour Christ the Sonne of God that he is the brightnes of the glory and the ingrauen forme of the Person of the Father Wherefore seeing the Father is a person in a respect or relation to the Sonne so is the Sonne in a like respect or relation to the Father and consequently also the holy Ghost is a person in a like respect and relation to them both Explicatiō proofe There is in deede the same reason of all three persons mutually which is of any one to either of the other And touching the Sonne of whom it is said that he is the ingrauen forme of the person of the Father the Sonne himselfe our Lord Iesus Christ saith in this respect that he which knoweth the Sonne knoweth also the Father Iohn ch 14.7 c. If ye had knowne me saith our Sauiour Christ ye should haue knowne the Father also c. I am in the Father and the Father is in me c. Read also chap. 8.19 Onely it must be confessed that the Apostle in the place of the Epistle to the Hebrues vseth the word Hypostasis the which word for word is a Subsistence but assuredly hee vseth it altogether in the same sence as wee commonly vse the word person as it is rightly translated according to the vse of all true Christian Churches For these words Hyphistamenon Hypostasis Prosopon with the Christian Grecians are the same in common interpretation with our English word Person as it is vsed of vs from the Latine word Persona in such sence as it is applied of all Latine Diuines to the opening of this mysterie Of this therefore for this present enough Shew now likewise what ground you haue that the Persons in the Deitie are to be distinguished not onely in the relation of words but also really as we may say and in respect of the order of the Beeing of the diuine nature it selfe Answere What proofe haue you for this Question At the baptisme of the Sonne of God our Lord Iesus Christ Math. chap. 3. verses 16.17 God the Father did actually make it most cleare in that by audible voice from heauen he pronounceth of the Sonne then vpon earth in the nature of man This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased And the holy Ghost in the likenes of a Doue descended and lighted vpon our Sauiour Christ the sonne of God at the very same time This is a liuely proofe and declaration of it in very deede Question But what ground haue you that the Persons are to be distinguished in such manner as was before affirmed by generation and by beeing begotten and by proceeding In the 14. verse of the first Chapter of the Gospell according to Iohn our Sauiour Christ the Sonne of God Answere is called the onely begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and truth And chap. 3. verse 16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten Sonne c. And Heb. chap. 1 verse 5 6. Vnto which of the Angels said he that is God the Father at any time Thou art my Sonne this day begat I thee And againe I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne And againe When hee bringeth his first begotten Sonne into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Explication and proofe Heere it is plaine that the Father hath begot and that the Sonne is the onely begotten of the Father The which generating or begetting that it was eternall and before all beginning we read Prou. 8 22. c. The Lord saith wisedome euen the eternall wisedome of God the euerliuing Sonne of the Father he hath possessed me in the beginning of his way I was before his works of old I was set vp from euerlasting from the beginning and before the earth When there were no depthes was I begotten c. And must it not needes be that the Sonne of God is begotten in speciall manner that is after a most diuine manner seeing it cannot agree to the Angels of God though they be the chiefe of all his creatures Neither is it against the eternitie of this generating and begetting of the Sonne of God that he saith This day begat I thee For these words concerne onely the manifestation of the Sonne of God in the nature of man either typicallie in King Dauid who was a figure of him or properly by his owne appearance in the flesh in the due time and season thereof But the former words Thou art my Sonne as they are referred to our Sauiour Christ they are spoken of the eternitie of the Sonne of God before all worlds according to the witnesse of the Sonne of God himselfe Iohn 17.24 Father thou louedst me before the foundation of the world No◠shew likewise some testimonie for proofe of the eternall proceeding of the holy Ghost Question Where may that
doe enter into couenant with God in all holy care and conscience of walking in all good dutie before him as Abraham and all the faithfull of his posteritie did For as our Sauiour Christ saith The duties the children of Abraham will doe the workes of Abraham c. And verily all the dutie that we yea that all the Church of God can yeeld is too shallowe a fruite of obedience and thankfulnes to God for the reuelation and comfort of this most deepe and high mysterie For insomuch as the Lord God our onely Lord of his infinite mercie wholly consenteth both in vnitie of nature and according to the eternall distinctioÌ„ of the persons to the endles perfitting of our redemption saluation what dutie of ours though we were able to yeelde him all the seruice both of vnderstanding and reason of will and affection yea both of spirit soule and body could be answerable to this his infinite goodnes and mercy But to speak something more particularly it is the duty of the whole church of God and of euery true beleeuer to hold maintaine and defend this most holy doctrine against all Anti-trinitarians Atheiests or Profane persons whosoeuer shall shewe themselues to be despisers gainesayers and blasphemers thereof In which respect the holy and diligent labours of Athanasius Nazianzene and many other in former times as also of Caluin Beza Vrsinus Zanchius c. they are in these our daies very excellent The aduersaries of this most high point of doctrine haue beene from time to time many and great in the church of God the lesse to be maruelled at because it is the doctrine of a most secret and high mystery infinitely exceeding all comprehension of corrupt naturall reason The lesse also is it to be maruelled at because the Diuel who in all things enuieth the glory of God and euery way maliceth the saluation of his people taketh all the occasions he can to hinder yea to corrupt and vtterly to peruert the true knowledge faith of this most glorious and healthfull mysterie The former and more ancient of these wicked aduersaries as learned Danaeus hath gathered and sorted them together in his booke of heresies they were first the Apellites Messaâ—ians Deïtes and Monarchites who denying the distinct Persons held that God is onely as it were a sole and solitarie Monarch of the world Secondly the Simonians Ptolemies Colarbasies Montanistes Noâ—tians Praxcans Sabellians Apolanaristes who affirmed that there is but one person in the Trinitie onely called by these three sundry names Father Sonne and holy Ghost Thirdly the Marcellians who taught that the Trinitie is but an extension or dâ—lating of â—ne and the same thing as it were waxe Fourâ—hly the Hieracites who said that the Persons in the Trinitie are but as it were two lights of one candle Fâ—f ly the Metangismonites who imagined the Persons to be like to diuerse vessels the one contained within the other and as a scroule of diuers skinnes Sixtly the Tritheïtes and Triformians who contended that the three Persons are three diuerse and sundry Gods Seauenthly the Marcites and Tetratheïtes who make a quaternitie of Persons The which hereticall blasphemie when Anastasius the Emperour attempted to establish by his Edict about the yeare of our Lord 485. he was by the hand of God stricken with lightening and died miserably Danaeus chap. 47. in his booke of Heresies The last of thâ— more ancient aduersaries which the same writer rehearseth were the Actians who made no more account of the three Persons then of three qualities All these were worthily resisted and refuted by the excellent Mâ—nisters of Gods word in former times Now in these latter daies rose vp one Seruetus and other who went about to reuiue the former heresie of the Simonians and such like heretikes of their rancke Wherefore by how much the Diuel raiseth vp more hostile warre against this sacred ground of our Christian faith to the dishonour of our God The Danger of not beleeuing this Article and to the endangering of our soules to euerlasting perdition as also to the opening of the mouthes of the profane and vngodly to blaspheme that most holy and sacred mysterie which they knowe not neither haue learned to reuerence and adore by so much ought all the seruants of God at this day and from time to time according to the example of those that haue beene befâ—re vs to be the more studious and carefull both to settle our owne vnderstanding and faith more firmely and also more wisely soundly and faithfully euery one according to his place and calling to teach and strengthen one another and all of vs with one consent to pray the more feruently to God that it would please his diuine maiestie still to vphold this his blessed truth of doctrine which teacheth the truth of his most blessed nature the maÌ„ner of his glorious Essence against all aduersaries thereof as euer heretofore he hath done Amen THat which now remaineth concerning this article is the danger of not beleeuing in the blessed Trinitie Question What is that Answere It is vnpossible that any which beleeue not in the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost three Persons one onely true God should either know rightly the fountaine from whence or the meanes by whom or the manner how life and saluation is brought to light much lesse can they feele the comfort of it here and least of all shall they be partakers of the happines and glory of it in the kingdome of heauen ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is vnpossible in very deed For all is contained within the reuelation and faith of this most blessed mysterie as wee may clearly perceiue by calling to minde that which wee reade in the places of holy Scripture before alledged Ro 5.1.2.3.4.5 Eph. 2.18 1. Pet. chap. 1. v. 2. 2. Cor. ch 13. v. 13. which is the last of the whole chapter Yea so is all contained and treasured vp in this mystery that whosoeuer doe not rightly beleeue it * Vnderstand it of those that be willingly ignorant or heretically minded against this holy Mysterie they shal most assuredly wofully perish for euer froÌ„ the most glorious presence of God haue their portion among the most hellish and diuellish aduersaries of his glorie According as it hath beene long since well acknowledged and determined and so is stil in the true churches of Christ that whosoeuer desire to be saued must necessarily and before all things hold the true Christian and Catholike faith And that whosoeuer doe not keepe it holy and vndefiled shal without doubt perish euerlastingly The which Catholike faith that is to say the common faith of all true beleeuâ—rs is this that we doe acknowledge and worship one God in Trinitie and the Trinitie in vnitie Neither confounding the Persons nor diuiding the substance c. Whosoeuer doe not beleeue thus it is most certaine that they doe not beleeue in the true God rightly Nay it is
gouernment it may hence appeare in that hee is called the father of the fatherlesse Psal 68. ◠And againe as was alledged before in that our Sauiour Christ saith Call no man your Father vpon earth for there is but one your Father who is in heauen Neuerthelesse as was also alledged God doth not refuse to impart this his name not onely to natural Parents but also to ciuil Magistrates in regard of that dignitie authoritie which they haue receiued of him as Ps 82 6. Iohn 10.34 Fourthly that God is a father in respect of the adoption of his holy Church and elect people both Iewes and Gentiles euen so many as shall truly beleeue in him as in their heauenly Father and likewise that he is a Father in respect of his most gracious prouidence and gouernment ouer it this may bee made plaine and confirmed by that which wee reade Deut. 14.1 Where Moses saith to the Iewes Yee are the children of the Lord your God And Chap. 32.6 Doe yee so reward the Lord ô yee foolish people and vnwise Is not he thy Father that hath bought thee he hath made thee and proportioned thee Likewise Elihu of olde called God his father as Iob. Chap. 34. v. 36. My Father saith he as Trem and Iunius doe well translate that word let Iob be tryed c. And thus also Isaiah Chap 43.8 the Israelites are called the Sonnes and daughters of the Lord And Chap. 63.16 Doubtlesse thou art our Father c. This dignitie and preheminence of the Filiation or Son-ship as one may say of the Church is fitly expressed by this that God calleth it his first borne to wit in comparison of all the worlde beside As Exod 4.22 23. the Lord saith to Moses Thou shalt say to Pharaoh Thus saith the Lord Israel is my Sonne euen my first borne Wherefore I say vnto thee let my Sonne goe that he may serue me c. And Ierem 31.9 I am a Father to Israel and Ephraim is my first borne And thus King Dauid and King Salomon speciall tipes and figures of our Sauiour Christ the onely naturall Sonne of God they are by special grace and fauour called the Sonnes of God as Psal 2. Thou art my Sonne and 2. Sam 7 14. I will be his Father and hee shall bee my Sonne And Psal 89 26 27. Hee shall cry vnto mee thou art my Father c. But more generally concerning both Iewe and Gentile the Apostle Paul saith Ephes 3 15 16. Of the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ is named the whole family in heauen and in earth And in this respect doth the Euangelist Iohn teach vs that the children of God are borne not of blood nor of the will of flesh nor of the will of man but of God To the which purpose also serueth that which we read Rom. 8 14.15.16 Gal. 4. verses 5.6 and 1. Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God the Father who according to his aboundant mercy hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead To an inheritance immortall c. It is true indeed that in respect of this worke of our spirituall regeneration and sanctification and of our preseruation in the same the Sonne of God hath the name of an euerlasting Father giuen vnto him Isay ch 9.6 And ch 8.18 mention is made of his children And ch 53.10 the promise is made by God that he should see his seed The accomplishment whereof is testified He◠2.10.11.12.13 He brought many children to glory And therefore is he brought in speaking thus Behold here am I the children which God hath giuen me In which respect also he said while he was yet with his Disciples I will not leaue you as orphanes that is fatherles or comfortles Iohn ch 14.18 Likewise the holy Ghost whom our Sauiour Christ thus promised to send for the cōfort of his church is in the same worke of our spirituall regeneration and sanctification as a father to vs and to the whole church together with God the father and the Son according to that we read Ioh. ch 3 5 6. Except a man be borne againe by the holy Ghost c. and Rom. 8 14. As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God The Meaning Yet this ioint work of the whole Trinity in this whole spiritual work of grace must so be vnderstod to wit in a certain metaphorical or borrowed sense when it is attributed to the Son the H.G. as it may in no wise preiudice the distinctiō of Persons nor impeach the proprietie of this name Father as properly attributed to the first Person of the holy Trinitie of the which we treat IT is therefore to very good purpose that you doe in the next place expresse what you meane when you say I beleeue in the Father almightie maker of heauen and earth Question What doe you meane by these wordes Answere My meaning is to professe that according to the two former acceptions of the word Father I doe vndoubtedly beleeue that God the Father the first Person in the most holy and blessed Trinitie euen the naturall Father of his eternall and onely begotten Sonne hath by the same his Sonne together with the holy Ghost in infinite wisedome and by his almightie power made the heauen and the earth the Sea and all that in them is of very nothing at the first Here in your meaning is agreeable to the truth it selfe according to that we read Ioh. ch v. 1 2.3.4 Col 1 15 16.17 Heb 1 v. 2. Read also Gen ch 1. verse 2.26 And Iob 26.13 Question But hath God the Father by his Sonne together with the holy Ghost the spirit of them both onely created and made all thinges at the beginning and thenceforth left them to themselues to be as we vse to say at vncertaine Answer Nothing lesse And therefore according to the third acception of the word Father I doe beleeue that God in his most souereigne and fatherly prouidence hath from the beginning of his creation doth stil and will likewise by the same his Sonne together with the holy Ghost continually euen to the end of the world vniuersally rule gouerne and preserue all his creatures in all wisedome and righteousnes according to the most holy and determinate pleasure of his owne most gracious and diuine will Explication and proofe This also is very true and agreeable to the holy Scriptures as we may read further Iohn ch 1. verses 5 9.10 ch 3.17 Col 1.17 In the Sonne all things consist from the Father And Heb ch 1.3 The Father by the Sonne beareth vp all things Read also Psal 104.30 If thou send forth thy Spirit they are created and thou renewest the face of the earth And in the 24. v. of the same Ps O Lord how wonderfull are thy workes In wisedome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches So is this Sea great and wide
nation yea but of one kind in one litle countrey yea but as they are now in the decayed withering estate of the world who is able and who hath the wisedome throughly to obserue the wonder of Gods creation in these things And finally who duelie considering the power and goodnes of God in this part of his creation can otherwise choose but he must needs acknowledge it to be an easie thing with the Lord to turne the greatest dearth that can be into the greatest plentie c were it not that our sinnes doe as it were strengthen Gods iustice to the weakening of his mercie towards vs although in it selfe ther is no weakenes Read Psal 107.33.34.35 Mal chapt 3.10 WHerfore setting it downe with our selues to indeuor more and more to ponder the goodnes of God in this third fruitefull dayes worke of the Lord Let vs proceede to the consideration of the fourth day the which was that which wee call the Wedensday Question In what wordes doth the Prophet Moses commende the workes thereof vnto vs Answere It foloweth from the beginning of the 14. verse to the end of the 19. In these words 14 Afterward God said Let there be lights in the Firmament of the heauen to wit aboue the clowdes to seperate the daye from the night and let them bee for signes both for the seasons to wit of the yeare and also for dayes and yeares themselues 15 Yea let them be for lights in the firmament of the heauen to giue light vpon the earth and it was so 16 Thus as Moses saith God made two great lights the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night and he made also the Starres 17 And God set them in the firmament of the heauen to shine vpon the earth 18 And to rule the Day and the Night and to seperate betwixte the Light and the Darkenes and God saw that it was good 19 So the euening and the morning were the fourth day Explication and prooâ—e The fourth dayes worke is likewise a gratious and glorious work of God For notwithstanding God had shewed before that hee stood in neede of no instruments to giue light and to make the distinction betwixt the day and the night for he had done this alreadie before ther was any Sunne or Moone or any one Starre yet for the beautifying of his work and for a further help and comfort to man for such singular good vses as Moses rehearseth both naturall and ciuill to wit that they might be as it were a generall clocke or dyall of time to determine the yeares and passages thereof and euery season of the yeare Sommer and Winter seede time and haruest yea and the dayes and nights of the yeare eyther shorter or longer as the Sunne should come nearer or goe further from the Equinoctiall point c and for the historicall memoriall of things in respect both of ciuill pollicie and also of Religion therefore it pleased the Lord to create thiâ— his excellent creature of the Sunne The like vse is of the Moone for the nights of the moneths The Starres also are both for singular ornament and for light in the night and for assistance to that gouernmenâ— which God hath honoured the Sunne and the Moone withall Read Iob chap 9 verse 9. God maketh the Starres Arcturus Orion and Pleiades and those also of the Climate of the South And chapt 38. verses 31.32.33 Canst thou restraine the pleasures of the Pleiades that is the pleasant spring which cometh with them Or canst thou loosen the bandes of Orion a starre which vseth to come with colde and tempest Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth in their time that is the starres of the South Canst thou guide Arâ—turus with his sonnes that is the Northerne starres Knowest thou the course of the heauens c And Amos chapt 5. verse 8. God maketh Pleâ—ades and Orion that is hee oâ—dereth them acccording as at the first hee made them and appointed them their courses And Psalme 147.4 God alone counteth the number of the starres and calleth them all by their names They are vnto vs innumerable Genes 15. â— God hath placed them all in their seates and hee continueth them as his seruants therein according to the most holie and Diuine pleasure of his owne will Psalm 119. verses 89.90.91 The Sunne and the Moone are iustly called the greater lights because they are so vnto vs both to sight and also to vse And therfore let Astronomers curiouslie dispute of the greatnes of any starre aboue these wee will rest in this holie Philosophie which Moses teacheth vs as most fit both to expresse vnto vs the great goodnes and mercie of God and also to stirre vs vp to be thankfull vnto him for the same Thus then this fourth dayes worke is very glorious and therefore iustly is the Lord to be glorified and praised of vs therin according to the profession and practise of the Church of God Psalme 8.3.4 and Psalm 19.1.2 3.4.5.6 LEt vs nowe proceede to the workes of the fifte daye as the Lord created them Question Which are they Answere The Prophet Moses sheweth which they were from the beginning of the 20. verse to the ende of the 23. as it followeth in our Text thus 20 Afterward God said Let the waters bring forth in aboundance euery creeping thing that hath life or as we may reade euery liuing creature that creepeth and let the fowles flie aboue the earth toward the face of the firmament of heauen To wit that parte of the firmament of heauen which is vnder the clowdes next to vs. 21 Thus saith Moses God created the great Whales all liuing creatures that creepe Heb Fowles that haue wings the which the waters brought forth in aboundance according to their kindes and all feathered fowles according to their kindes and God saw that it was good 22 And God blessed them saying Bring forth fruite and multiplie and fill yea the waters in the Seas and let the fowles multiplie in the earth 23 So the euening and the morning were the fifte day ExplicatioÌ„ proofe This fifte daye was that which according to the custome among vs is called Thursday In it as the Prophet Moses by the Spirit of God reporteth were twoo verie mightie and gratious workes of Gods Creation perfected The first was the creation of the Fishes of the Sea in their great and vnknowen varietie from the huge Whale to the little minnome that is from the greatest to the least of them in their seuerall kindes Of the which it is thus written to the celebration of the gift of God in this respect Psalm 104.24.25.26 O Lord howe manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all the earth is full of thy riches or as the Hebrew worde Quinianécha signifieth of that which is thy possession So is the Sea great and wine for therein are thinges creeping innumerable both small beasts and great There goe the Shippes yea
not seldome giue vnto the wicked whose portion is in this life onelie more speedie and also longer continued outward prosperitie then hee doth to his owne children as in this point euen Caine and his posteritie may from the beginning be examples or instances in that they flourished and ruffled in the worlde while Adam and Eue were without posteritie from any other childe and no doubt grieued to behold the wickednes of Caine vnto the hundred and thirtith yeere of their age before God gaue them Sheth to succeede in stead of godly Abell And the same is euident from the examples of Ishmael and Esau who had eyther of them a long starte before Iaakob as touching the wealth and glorie of this present euill world Gen chapt 36.31 And herewithall also for expeditions sake let vs take the same for examples how God giueth this outward prosperitie and aduancement not onely to particular persones in their priuate estate but also to whole publike states and kingdomes though they be wicked and vngodly as it is further euident by the rising of all the chiefest Monarchies of the worlde among the Assyrians Babilonians Medes and Persians and among the Romans Yet so as their falling and dissolution is likewise determined and ordered by the Sacred prouidence of God as well as their rising according as the holy Prophesies giuen forth therof by holie inspiration from God doe plainly euict Of the which read a speciall instance Dan chap 5.25 God hath numbred thy kingdome and hath finished it saith the Prophet to king Belshazzar And generally it is most certainly determined by the Lord that not onely particular persons but also that whole Families States and Kingdoms that will not serue the Lord shall perish at the last through the iust displeasure and iudgement of God when once their day is come and the measure of their sinne is at the full As Prou 2.22 And 3.33 and 14.11 Isai 54.15 c. Ier 25.15 Zech 14.17 c. Psalme 75.4.5.6 c. God manifesteth his prouidence by his iudgements vpon the wicked from day to day in all places as we might see if we would diligently mark them He bringeth secrete sinnes many times to light verie strangelie euen before men and how much more then may wee iustlie perswade our selues that all things are naked and manifest before himselfe Thus the prouidence of God ruleth all the wicked of the earth as touching their persons and outward estate both particularlie and generallie and also priuatelie and publikelie Question But may the same also be truely affirmed concerning their soules wherein is seated the fountaine of their wickednes that they are likewise gouerned by the holie prouidence of the Lord Yea there is no doubt but it may be truly affirmed and accordingly The grouÌ„d and meaning of it it ought to be so acknowledged and beleeued of euery true beleeuer Question In what sense may it be truly affirmed and ought also to be beleeued that it is so Answere Whereas the wicked through selfe-loue and pride in themselues and of wilfull malice and despite against others they following therein the suggestion of the diuell doe endeuour by all meanes to abuse that wit and strength which they haue naturally howsoeuer God doth not vsually take away from them their wit and strength neither doth bereaue them of all meanes in such sort that they cannot neither deuise nor practise great and mischieuous enterprises yet by his ouer-reaching wisedome together with his most holie and euer-ruling power he turneth their deepest deuises and mightiest designements whatsoeuer to serue his owne most soueraigne counsell and purpose to the glorie of his owne name and the finall benefit and comfort of his Church and people ExplicatioÌ„ proofe This is notably to be seene in the violent practise of the Sabeans and Caldeans against Iob if wee compare the first and the last chapters of that booke together Likewise in the subtile practise of the wicked Iewes against our Sauiour Christ according to that Act 2.23 And in the practise of the brethren of Ioseph against him Gene. 37.27 c. For as Ioseph saith vpon comfortable experience chap 45.5 God sent me before ye for your preseruation And chapter 50.21 When yee thought euill against me God disposed it to good c. Reade also Isai chap 10 5 6 7 c. O Ashur the rod of my wrath c. But hee thinketh not so neither doth his heart esteeme it so but he imagineth to destroy and cut off not a few nations c. But when the Lord hath accomplished all his worke vppon Mount Sion and Ierusalem I will visite the fruit of the prowd heart of the King of Ashur and his glorious and prowd lookes And chap. 37. â—8 29. Because thou ragest against me saith the Lord and thy tumult is come vp into mine eares therefore will I put my hooke into thy nostrills and my bridle in thy lippes c. And verses 36 37 38. The Angell of the Lord went out and smote in the Campe of Ashur an hundred fourescore and fiue thousand c. Yea so doth the Lord ouer-rule the counsells purposes and enterprises of the wicked that whereas they in their wilfulnesse say in themselues and of themselues that they will doe this or that euill and mischiefe God also saith in his iustice euen so often as he seeth it meete to permit and leaue them to their owne will that they shall doe it Yea God himselfe doth it by them we meane the action or thing that is done as it is a iust punishment any way eyther vpon themselues or vpon any other by them but not in respect of the euill quality nor according to the euill ends which the wicked propound to themselues in their vngodly enterprises And thus God aboue that which the wicked intend seruing his one holy counsell by them he doth neuerthelesse by that light of nature which is in them and by the rebukes of his owne spirit in such sort conuince their consciences of their wickednesse euen before they doe commit it that they stand iustly condemned in themselues for euery wicked thing which at any time they eyther minde or doe This is manifest by the examples before alledged as also by that which the Lord saith concerning the hardening of Pharaohs heart Ex. 7.3 and ch 9.12 16. and ch 10.1 20. and ch 14.4 And likewise concerning the open defiling of King Dauids wiues 2. Sa. 12.10 11 12. And according to that which the same King saith of railing Shimei that the Lord had bidden him curse Dauid ch 16.10 According also as the Lord is said to put a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahabs false Prophets to the end he might by their euill counsell bring euill vpon the wicked King as the Prophet Michaiah told him as we reade 1. King 22.23 Neuerthelesse GOD doth many times as pleaseth him take the wise and snarle them so in their owne crafts that he doth not onely ouerthrow their
weighty in respect of God to whom alone doth iustlie belong the souereigne free bestowing and disposing of all his creatures and blessings both spirituall and also belonging to this life aboue all demande of euery why or wherfore hee should doe so or so It is proper and pertaining to God alone to saye May I not doe with my owne as I will Let vs therfore cast away all enuying at the prosperitie of other speciallie of other our fellow brethren and conuert all murmuring into a thankfull admiration at the goodnes of God which he exerciseth continuallie towards the poorest and basest of those that doe truely beleeue in him Whose outward afflictions hee doth recompence alwaies with inward and spirituall comforts and blessings as was said a little before GOD our heauenlie Father in this his vnequall vneuen course as fleshe and blood is readie to thinke of it may as one saith well be likened to a most skilfull Phisition in that hee ordereth his Phisicke according to the differing estate and condi ion of his Patients For hee knoweth that one dramme will doe as much with some as a greater quantitie of the same Drugge in another mans bodie c. So likewise the Lord he knoweth that a little headache will preuaile as much to humble one whom hee hath alreadie broken as an extreame collicke or gowte with an other that is yet of a sturdie and stoute stomacke The diuerse dealing of the Lorde therefore sheweth plainelie that hee doth not rule as a Father ouercarried with an inordinate or partiall pittie but as a most wise holie and righteous Father But admit this it may bee some will say that God as a most wise holie and discrete Father vseth the afflictions and humiliations of his children like as a Phisition vseth his bitter potions to cure the euils and sinnes which they are subiect vnto here in this life Yet how can death which to the viewe of the caâ—nall eye doth not seldome fall cruellie vppon them be counted for good phisicke and to be a healing medicine For this destroyeth euen nature it se fe And death as we may say is after a sorte the shame of all phisicke Question Howe therefore may it agree to the Fatherlie hand of God and that his Diuine skill should haue any stroke herein Most of all seeing he hath in his most gracious prouidence appointed and preordained Answere death to be vnto all his children a counter-poison against death the most speedie and immediate passage vnto euerlasting life and therein to the possession and fruition of all perfect health wealth and honour for euer and euer ExplicatioÌ„ proofe A notable proofe hereof wee read Philip 1 21 22 23 24. Likewise 2. Timot 4.8 and 1. Pet 1.3.4 c. Moreouer Psalm 116.15 Precious saith the holy Prophet in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints And the same againe Psalm 72.14 Deare shall their bloud be in his sight And beside this it is to be further considered that it is the good pleasure of God to take away his righteous seruants from greater euils that are after to fall vpon the wicked that remaine Isai chap 57 1. And that to this gratious ende and purpose that they should not be peruerted in their mindes to fall into errors of iudgement ouerswaied by the corruptions of the time nor carried away after common sinnes and disorders increasing ouer-strongly in the dayes wherin they liue Neuerthelesse it is not seldome seene that the Lorde maketh his seruants euen herein this world glorious by his wonderfull deliuerances and that hee crowneth them with age as with a crowne of glorie in that they are found constant in the righteous waies of God euen as it pleaseth him though death had seemed sundrie times to haue grappeled vpon them Yea and euen generallie if wee shall wisely consider wee shall finde that in common calamities God sheweth himselfe oftentimes more fauourable to his people then to their aduersaries though manie and great be their sinnes whereby they doe dailie prouoke him According to that we read Isai chapt 27.7 Hath he smitten him as hee smote those that did smite him Or is hee slaine according to the slaughter of them that were slaine by him Thou contendest with him that is with thy people as saith the holie Prophet in measure c. But hee taketh their enemies away as with a rough Spirit or blast in the daye of the Eastwinde But for all this it will peradventure be further obiected and vrged in waye of amplification that not onely particular persons but also euen whole Citties Countries and Nations professing the true religion of God doe sometimes fall before their enemies who are wicked and professed idolaters c. Question What is to be further answered to this Answere They that haue the better cause may neuertheles be guiltie of some grieuous sinnes wherin they lie without repentance for the which God in his iustice seeth meete to punish them Yea and by circumstance the sinnes of the professors of the Gospel may easilie bee greater then the sinnes of some ignorant idolaters who haue not the light of the word of God shining among them ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe It is true according to that manner of aggrieuing the sinnes of Bethsaida and Capernaum aboue the sinnes of the Sodomites c the which our Sauiour Christ vseth Matth 11.20 c. And againe he affirmeth generallie that whosoeuer he be that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shal be beaten with the more stripes But be it that their sinnes be not more heinous yet what letteth why God may not correct them in that measure whervnto they are growne that so hee may preuent the extremitie wherevnto they would shortly come And besides it may be that in the present action of defence or reuenge vpon the enemies of Gods truth or violaters of common honestie and iustice they who haue the better cause doe not prepare themselues to deale in it with holie mindes Or it may bee they doe trust in their owne strength and doe not staye themselues vprightly vpon the Lord. The which seemeth to be the sinne of the other tribes of Israel against the tribe of Beniamin before whom they fell twice Iudges chapt 20. For this verilie wee are verie apte vnto euen to presume ouer-much in a good cause as if our owne sinnes could not hinder the successe of it in our hands But therin we may easilie deceiue our selues and therfore it standeth vs in hand to walke humblie before the Lord our God and to seeke peace with him that so he may be intreated to prosper vs euen in the best seruice which wee may possiblie be imployed in But the cauilling wittes of men will be yet still maligning and oppugning the Fatherlie prouidence of our God For by an vnreuerend prying into it they snatch at this among the rest of their quarrells that manie notoriouslie wicked both particular persons also whole Cities
world an earnest longing after the Kingdome of heauen c. Verily we could neither knowe God so well in his mercy nor in his righteousnes nor in his power nor in his wisedome nor in his faithfulnes nor in any of his diuine vertues neither yet our selues so well either in our frailtie and miserie or in our peace and prosperitie as by experience of afflictions through the grace of our gracious good God and mercifull Father we learne to doe Thus aboundant that wee doe not say infinite is the commoditie of the fatherly afflictions of God laid vpon his owne deare children But that which hath beene deliuered shall for the present suffice vntill it may please God to inrich vs with a more full supply Hitherto therefore of the commodities and fruites of afflictions LEt vs now henceforth proceed for a while to inquire after the comfortes which are to be found in them at the least after the chiefe and principall of them It is true indeed that the former vses being profitable they are also to all those that feele the fruit of them euen in the same respect very comfortable also as we may euidently perceiue by the testimonie of the holy Ghost Heb 12.5 c. Where both the comfort also the profit of afflictions are lincked together Of the which place more is to be said afterward And beside insomuch as touching earthly profit it is found true that the sent of gaine is pleasant Suauis odor lucri infinitely much more ought that heauenly and spirituall gaine which groweth from the fatherly corrections of God duly pondered and weighed to be delightfull pleasant and comfortable vnto vs. But seeing there are some vses of afflictions which doe more properly and entirely belong to comfort let vs come to them as comming yet something more properly vnder the name of comfort Question Which may they be Answere First it is very comfortable to consider that no affliction commeth without the most wise louing and fatherly prouidence of God Secondly in that God is neuer nearer nor more tenderly affected yea euen as it were with bowelicke compassion toward his children then when they are in greatest distresse and trouble Thirdly if we doe willingly suffer affliction for wel-doing and while we walke in the holy waies of God we haue our communion with our Sauiour Christ in whose afflictions all ours are sanctified and made both comfortable and profitable vnto vs. For they are so many witnesses of our adoption to be the children of God and that we are liuely members of the mysticall body of Christ Fourthly the holy Ghost our most inward and sweete comforter euen the spirit of the highest glory proceeding from God the Father and the Sonne resteth vpâ—n vs and doth most immediately communicate the perfit comfort of the whole blessed Trinitie vnto vs. Sixtly we haue in our afflictions a holy communion and fellowship with all the faithfull as brethren fellow-members with them in Christ insomuch as it is the very coÌ„mon beaten high way which God himselfe hath laid out for all his children to trauell through the same vnto his heauenly kingdome Moreouer the holy afflictions wherewith God doth exercise vs doe priuiledge and respite vs from infinite worldly cares and troubles the which no doubt would for our sins haue fallen vpon vs if we had continued in them and if we had not beene taken vp and had as it were receiued our presse mony to be otherwise imploied in the speciall seruice and as it were warfare of the Lord. And yet further the more sharpe and fierie hote our afflictions are so much the more speâ—dy and swift forerunners or as it were harbengers are they to make way for speciall comfortes so much the more shortly to followe after But be it that most hote and vehement afflictions for the Lords cause and his Gospel are continue a long while as we count length of time yet the longest and the same also the sharpest that may be if they bee truly measured and weighed they are but momentanie and light in comparison of that which otherwise and in more terrible and fearefull manner our sinnes haue deserued Or much rather in respect of that most excellent and eternal weight of glory whereunto through the infinite mercie of God our heauenly Father they doe as secondarie and helping causes preferre and aduance vs. Finally infinite almost in number and varietie as wel as endles in continuance are the manifold comforts belonging to the sundrie and manifold afflictions and trials of the deare children of God for righteousnes and the Gospels sake aboue that any not throughly exercised therewith shal euer know or feele what they doe meane Explication and proofe So great and so many yea euen almost about number indeede are the sundry and often renewed comforts of the afflicted seruants of God the which the children of this world cannot possibly be acquainted withall For they doe not belong vnto them neither can they receiue them because they cannot rereiue him who is the onely immediate giuer and worker of al comfort According to that of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 14. ver 16.17.18 I will pray the Father and he will giue you an other comforter that hee may abide with you for euer Euen the spirit of truth whom the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye knowe him for he dwelleth with you and shal be in you I wil not leaue you as orphanes or comfortles but I wil come vnto you And againe verse 27. Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you not as the world giueth doe I giue vnto you Let not your heart be troubled Or timerous and fearefull c. It is the part or rather the blot and iust reproach of an vnfaithfull friend to faile his friend in time of neede Our Sauiour Christ therefore being a most faithfull friend yea euen the fountaine as it were of all true friendship and fidelitie he promiseth assuredly and will most certainely performe himselfe to be a most trustie and infallible friend yea more then a friend vnto all that doe approue their faithfulnesse to him in the holy profession and obedience of his Gospell And verily if our Sauiour Christ had not alwaies hetherto performed his promise of sending his holy spirit that perfect Comforter to his seruants with his aboundant and manifold consolation according to the manifold and exquisite molestations and torments of their persecutors they could neuer haue indured those sharpe and cruell though more speedy torments executed by thâ— heathen Much lesse the late more lingering cruelties of the false-beleeuing and hereticall brood of Antichrist by their long tedious and most vncomfortable imprisoning and dungeoning of the true seruants of God And therewithall by their famishing of them by their often railing examinations and siftings by their base and craftie false glozings and flatteries to seduce them by their bitter scoffings not onely at themselues which they could
which also wee haue neâ—de to thinke often vpon to draw our mindes away from the inordinate loue of this life and that we may by faith incourage our selues against the feare of death the which is naturally exceeding sensible and full of discomfort It is true indeede that both King Dauid and also King Hezekiah and so the rest of the faithfull died comfortably when the time was come and that they had serued the counsell of God in doing his holy will Neuertheles vntill they were thus prepared and were by faith and the comforts thereof made ripe as it were vnto death the thought and feare of death was very vncomfortable vnto them as we may see Psalm 6. and Isaiah chapter â—8 verses 2 3. and from the tenth to the end of the eighteenth verse The diligence of those is very commendable who haue earnestly bent their mindes to meditate and finde out comforts against all naturall feare of death from that ground of comfort which wee haue in our Lorde Iesus Christ and his Gospell Let vs here call such meditations to minde Namely that death is to the true Christian but as a Serpent which hath lost both poison and sting yea or rather aâ— a dead Serpent or bare signe of a Serpent hanged vp before the gate of a goodlie Inne That death is as a safe arriuing or landing at the hauen after a long tedious and dangerous voyage yea like to that safe landing which setteth a man in his owne long desired and natiue Country That it is as the Lords Mid-wife to remooue vs out of the straines of this world to the large possession of his heauenly kingdome or as the mothers taking home of her childe from an vnkinde and chuâ—lish nource That it is as the new casting of a precious vessell of gold to make it pure from all drosse that it may be beautifull to the finer That it is to the soule as the breaking of the egge-shell when the chicken is readie to be hatched That it is to the bodie as the sowing of the corne as it were in the Lords field that so it might take roote and spring vp against the time of the resurrection which shall be as the Lords most ioyfull haruest Finally that death as the Scriptures teach vs is a sweete sleepe till the morning of our a waking and refreshing to eternall life And thus our incounter against death vnder the bâ—nner of oâ—r Sauiour Christ here in this fraile life of oâ—rs it is a comfortable fight seeing we know before hand that our enemy is very weak what brags soeuer he maketh He therefore that is not willing to die when God calleth for him out of this world to come to his heauenly kingdom he dealeth as foolishly as one being dangerously tossed in the Seas The Duties should refuse to take the benefite of a most commodious and comfortable landing or as one that being shut vp in prison should not accept of libertie and inlargement offered vnto him c. Now touching the last branch of the answer to wit the honourable conueiance of your soules to heauen by the ministerie of the holy Angells immediately after that they be loosened from the bodie it may be proued from that which was a while since alledged concerning the soule of Lazarus which was so conueied For there is the same reason why the soules of all other the seruants of God should be so conueied as well as the soule of Lazarus seeing the one is as pretious vnto God as the other and none is of it selfe more able to ascend and breake the heauens that it may goe to God then any other or then the soule of Lazarus was And beside in so much as it is manifest that God committeth the gathering together of the bodies of his seruants at the last day to the ministerie of the holy Angells Matth. 24.31 it neede not be doubted but that he vseth their ministerie for the gathering of their soules before hand seeing they are the more excellent and precious part of the persons of his seruants And further also seeing as hath beene alreadie declared the Angells are Gods ministers for the comfort of his children in this life how can we doubt but that they are likewise imployed for the furthering of their happines and felicitie at the time of their death And thus by the gratious goodnes and assistance of our good God and most gratious heauenly Father wee haue gathered together the chiefe profites and comforts of all afflictions in generall and of death it selfe more specially And all this principally indeede that it might be manifest vnto vs how the fatherly prouidence of God may be iustified toward all his children against all malignant obiections that are made to the obscuring and darkening of the same But not onely to this end but that therewith also wee might be animated incouraged to the willing induring and ioyfull passing through all affliction and triall whatsoeuer it shall please the same our good God and heauenly Father to trie vs withall yea euen to death it selfe according to his owne most holy and blessed will Remembring alwaies what he by his owne good Spirit assureth vnto vs by the ministerie of his Apostle Iames chap. 1.12 in that hee pronounceth the man blessed that indureth tentation and that when he is tried he shall receiue the crown of life the which as the Apostle writeth the Lord hath promised to them that loue him Neuertheles this we must vnderstand that though the comforts arising from faith in Gods fatherly prouidence be many and the same also verie great yet they cannot bee obtained without earnest and victorious strife against all contrarie discomforts whatsoeuer biddeth battell against the same our faith ANd now let vs according to the course and order of our inquirie from the comfortes proceede to consider what the duties be such as follow vpon that manifold and most beneficiall comfort which ariseth to the faithfull from this Article of beliefe in God the Father in respect of his fatherly prouidence towards vs and toward all things else for our benefit and comfort But to preuent all questioning this will wee first say that as all our comfort lieth grounded and as it were lapped vp in the fatherly prouidence of GOD so the opening and inlarging of our hearts to all good dutie whatsoeuer to the glorifying of the most gratious and glorious name of GOD our heauenlie Father doth most boundenly belong thereunto This obserued wee will for the present stand onely to inquire of those duties some of them at the least which doe most properly and principally belong to this Article so neare as it shall please God to giue vs grace to discerne Which are they that doe so First and fore-most it is our dutie from the comfort of faith in the Fatherlie Prouidence of God our heauenly Father Question euen at once vtterly to renounce and cast away as well wandering opinion and conceit of blinde Fortune and chance
Deitie of our Sauiour Christ by reason that the attributes proper to the Godhead are equally ascribed to him as well as to God the Father In the next place we are likewise to inquire how the same may be warranted by s ch proofe as ascribe the workes proper to the Deitie vnâ—o him as being his workemanship Question Haue you any proofe for this Answere Yea both for the workes of creation and also of prouidence and gouernment In eyther of them as I haue beene taught the holie Scriptures are verie plentifull ExplicatioÌ„ proofe They are so indeede Let vs therefore call some of those proofes to minde for the confirming of our faith in this so excellent a point Question And first concerning the works of Creation What proofe haue you that these are ascribed to our Sauiour Christ in that he both is and was before all beginnings verie true eternall and almightie the most wise righteous and holy God Answere Prouerbs 8 271 and so forth When God prepared the heauens saith he I was there when he set the compasse vpon the deepe When hee established the crowdes aboue when he confirmed the fountaines of the deepe When he gaue his decree to the Seâ— that the waters should not passe his commandement when he appointed the foundations of the earth Then was I with him as a nourisher and I was daily his delight reioycing alway before him ExplicatioÌ„ proofe Vnto this place of the holy Prouerbs out of the old Testament agree many other both of the new and also of the old Namely Psalm 102 25. as wee reade those words to be applied Heb. 1. verse 10. Likewise Psal 104. verse 4 c. as they are interpreted Heb. 1.7 And in the same chap. verse 2. God hath made the worldes by his Sonne Moreouer Iohn chap. 1. verse 3. All things were made by him and without him was made nothing that was made And verse 10. The world was made by him Likewise 1. Cor. 8.6 There is but one God which is the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whom are all things we by him And Ephes 3.9 God hath created all things by Iesus Christ And Coloss 1.16 By him were all things created which are in heauen and which are in earth thinges visible and inuisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Thus wee see that our Sauiour is intituled to the workes of Creation whereby also his almightie power is manifestly argued as was touched before Now likewise for a further declaration of his infinite wisedome let vs inquire whether we haue like warrant that the diuine gouernment of the creatures doth likewise belong vnto him And first more generally * Question What proofe haue you for it “ Answere Hitherto saith our Sauiour himselfe my Father workeh and I worke Iohn 5.17 And verse 19. Whatsoeuer things the Father doth the same things doth the Sonne also ExplicatioÌ„ proofe Of this sort of proofes are these that follow Prou. 8.31 I take my solace saith the Sonne of God the wisedome of the Father in the compasse of his earth And Colos 1.17 In him all things doe consist And Heb. 1.3 Hee beareth vp all things by his mightie word Thus much for the gouernment of our Sauiour generally Now let vs come to the particulars And first concerning the holy Angells What proofe haue you that our Sauiour Christ the Sonne of God our Lord Question hath the gouernment of them Answere The place before alledged Heb. 1.7 doeth plainely proue it to be so For of the Angells he saith that is God saith by his holy prophet Psal 104.4 Hee maketh the Spirites his messengers and his ministers a flame of fire That is God the Sonne together with the Father hath created the Angells and giuen them a kinde of commodious kinde of nature ExplicatioÌ„ proofe subtile and piercing quicke and mightie most like of all creatures to the nature of the windes and flaming fire and accordingly vseth them as his ministers to diuerse great and worthy seruices According to this right which our Sauiour hath to command them it is said further Psalm 67.7 and so it is repeated againe Heb. 1. verse 6. Let all the Angells of God worship him And in the last verse of this chapter Are they not all ministering Spirites saith the holy Apostle sent forth to wit by the Sonne of God for their sakes which shall be heires of saluation As though the Apostle should say It is out of doubt both that they are such and also that our Sauiour vseth them in that their holie seruice Yea not onely doth he gouerne the holy Angells which are willing to obey him but he also ruleth yea ouer-ruleth the wicked Angells we meane the Diuell and all vncleane Spirits According to that which we reade Zech. 3.1 2. The Lord said to Satan that is the Sonne of God said The Lord he meaneth God the Father reprooue thee O Sathan euen the Lord that hath chosen Ierusalem reproue thee c. Read aâ—so Matth. 8.29 â—0 31. Mark 1.27 and Luk. 4.41 Likewise he ruleth yea ouer-ruleth all wicked men restraining the extreamitie of their wickednes at his pleasure and iudgeth their rebellions in due season According to that Iohn 5.22 The Father hath committed all iudgement to the Sonne And for the execution of this iudgement in time to come see the prophesie of it Psalm 2.9 And Psal 110.1 2. and verses 5 6 7. And Isai chap. 11.4 â—nd chap 4â— 3 He shall bring forth iudgement in truth Or vnto victorie as Mat. 12.20 Thus also hath he gouerned in former times according to that we read in the holy storie Exod. 23.21 Read also 1. Cor. 10.9 Let vs not tempt Christ as some of them also tempted him and were destroyed of Serpents The continuance of the same his gouernment to this day is to be seene in his restraining and punishing of the wicked It shall be most fully accomplished at the end of the world Act. chap. 10. verse 4â— and chap. 17. verse 31. And Reuel â— 18 I haue the keyes of hell and of death But let vs come to his gratious gouernment ouer his Church to the benefit of all such as doe submitte themselues vnder the same †Question What proofes haue you for this * Answere The proofes are manie and diuerse according to the manifolde and sondrie benefites of his most gracious and Diuine gouernment Tâ—ey are so indeed For as he doth together with the Father and the holie Ghost call gather together and sanctifie his church institute a holie ministerie deliuer a diuine Doctrine worke mightie and miraculous workes ordaine Sacraments send forth ministers of the Gospell giue spirituall gifts and graces make them effectuall to inlighten to regenerate to guide to comfort and to strengthen and as he doth reueale things to come heare
beare witnesse to the truth And the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. chap. 1. verse 10. Our holy calling to saluation The Duties is made manifest by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ who hath abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel And here note also that it is no small comfort to vs the Gentiles that as it is euident in the Genealogie of our Sauiour hee descended on the mothers side from some of the Gentiles as from Rahab and Ruth and not altogether from the Iewes Neither is it to be neglected that our Sauiour did not onely descend of the godly but also of some wicked progenitours that it might the more clearely appeare that no sinne of ours could either staine him or hinder the sanctification either of Iew or Gentile beleeuing in him Touching the third branch of the answer adde vnto that parcell of the speech of the holy Angells alledged before In earth peace the saying of the Apostle Paul Rom. 8.17 If we be children we are also heires of God and heires annexed with Christ c. To conclude in all these respects worthily doth the same Apostle determine it to be a most great and gratious mystery of godlines that God is manifested in the flesh and thereby hath declared the light of his countenance most clearely toward his people It is a ioyous and comfortable thing as we know for any people to see the face of their earthly Prince to looke chearefully vpon them But all the comfort arising from the chearefull face of earthly Princes is a small comfort in comparison of that which the christian heart may take from the light of Gods countenance shining vpon vs in the most sweete and amiable face of our Sauiour Christ in whom he hath adopted vs to be children to himselfe and heires with our Sauiour as was said euen now Wee may likewise conclude this point from the practise of the Prophet Isaiah who chap. 7 14. and chap. 9.6 7. and chap. 11.1 repeateth this as a speciall comfort to the Church of God against all discouragements that may befall it Behold saith he a Virgin shall conceiue and beare a Sonne c. And againe For vnto vs a childe is borne c. And yet againe But there shall come a rod forth of the stocke of Ishai c. These comforts haue indeede a further respect or rather prospect as we may say to our Sauiour Christ not onely borne but also dead buried and risen againe c. Neuertheles we cannot but deriue them from his birth seeing they haue as it were their birth together with him ANd thus froÌ„ the Comforts let vs come to the Duties of faith which ought to grow from the seedes of the same sowen in our hearts by the preaching of the Gospell Question Which may or rather which ought these duties to be Answere They may be considered of vs as I haue beene taught either more generally Or else somewhat more particularly Be it so How therfore in the first place may they be more generally coÌ„siderd First we may yea we ought to learne from the example of the Virgin Mary to keepe in faithfull memorie and diligently to ponder and weigh in our hearts the natiuitie it selfe with all those things that are spoken and done for the manifestation confirmation and iâ—lustration of the same Secondly according to the nature of the mystery of the birth and Person of him that is borne and according to the blessed ends of his comming into the world which are altogether most holy spirituall graue and reuerend such also must be the nature and quality of all our ioy and reioycing concerning the same that is to say nothing carnall wanton or licentious but altogether spirituall holy sober and heauenly And answerable to this kind and nature of our ioy must be all the fruits and effects of the same continually ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe It is very reasonable and meet indeed that they should be so And out of all doubt vpon the due meditation and weighing of the birth together with the most worthy things belonging therevnto very excellent and holy effects will follow through the blessing of God euen according to the working of his holy Spirit in the hearts of those whom he hath made and propounded to be patterns and examples vnto vs herein both Angells from heauen and also men and women on earth such as we haue heard of before It is our bounden duty therefore euen to the same ends so to meditate as we must neuer cease pondering weighing of this part of the mysterie of faith vntil we haue preuailed with our harts to draw theÌ„ to reuereÌ„ce admire at the most high holy wisedom mercy goodnes of the lord our God herein And in this respect as was said in the first part of the answer the example of the Virgin Marie is notable as well for meditation as for the holy heauenly fruits therof Luk 2.19 Mary kept al those sayings pondered theÌ„ in her heart c. But as touching the popish that is to say the superstitious manner or the profane and carnall manner which alwaies accompanieth superstition in the remembrance solemnization of the natiuitie of our Sauiour by keeping of a good Chrismas vnto him in inordinate and gluttonous belly cheare with greater dispensation and licence to all kinde or reuell and disorder then at any other time of the yeare in dicing and carding in masking and mumming in setting vp Lords of mis-rule as they are rightly tearmed it will vpon due examinatioÌ„ be found to be a most absurd abhominable kind of solemnizing euen as farre remoued froÌ„ the due celebratioÌ„ of the memoriall of the holy birth of our Sauior as it draweth more neare to the profane superstitious festiuities vsed at the birth daies of the heatheÌ„ such as was the more priuate solemnitie of Herods birth day when Iohn Baptist lost his head the publike feasts of Bacchus in the which the reines were laid loose to drunkennes and all other filthines of the flesh The right way of celebrating the remembrance of the birth of our Sauiour is cleane contrary to this The feast of the Lord are al of them called holy conuocations by his owne holy ordinance Leuit. 23.1 2 3 4. c. That is to say It is not onely for a few daies at one time or season of the yeare but on euery day throughout the whole yeare and all the yeares of our liues to be more and more carefull to deny all worldly lusts and euery practise of vngodlines and to set our hearts to lead our liues as righteously soberly and godly as we may by all good meanes and helps sanctified of God attaine vnto According to the notable instruction of the holy Apostle Tit. 2.11 12 c. yea according to the teaching of the appearaÌ„ce of the grace mercy of God it selfe being duly weighed thought vpoÌ„ Read also Eph. 5
of the Angel containing a description of the singular office and ministerie wherevnto it was the will of God to sanctifie this Sonne of Zacharie and Elizabeth euen from the wombe And furthermore Saint Luke reporteth that the Angel foretold what rare and mightie effects should followe vpon the ministerie of this child and also how he directed Zachariâ— after what manner God would haue the child brought vp and nourished to wit after the manner of an holy Nazarite The Euangelist sheweth also that in this respect the Angel prescribeth Zacharie by the commandement of God to call this his Sonne by the name of Iohn to signifie thereby the great grace and mercie of God not onely toward Zacharie and Elizabeth but also to all Israel in giuing him such a childe These things indeed doth the holy Euangelist notably lay forth in the former part of the chapter beginning at the 5. verse and so forth to the 18. ExplicatioÌ„ proofe Neither is it to be neglected that moreouer and beside all the excellent things already mentioned he declareth further that in so much as Zacharie did not giue credite to the gracious message of the Angel but after a sort reasoned against the possibilitie of it in that incredulously he demanded a signe for the proofe and confirmation of it vnto him he was therefore iustly stricken with dumbnes vntill the time that the child was borne as we read from the 18. verse to the 26. Hetherto of the report which the Euangelist maketh concerning the conception of Iohn in the former part of that chapter Question Now what are those other things which he recordeth in the latter part of the same chapter euen from the 57 verse to the end thereof concerning the birth of Iohn whereby it may yet further appeare that hee was appointed of God to be a singular Person for the execution of a most rare office and Ministerie Answere They are these that followe First the singular and vnwonted ioy of many at his birth according to the word of the Angel to Zacharie Likewise the ioy of Zacharie himselfe not onely at his birth because a child of so gracious a promise was giuen him but also because at the circumcision of the same child his speech was restored vnto him and as it seemeth his hearing likewise in so much as it is said that in the time of his dumbnes they made signes to knowe his minde concerning the name of the child Thirdly the Euangelist Luke recordeth the excellent prophecie and thankesgiuing of Zacharias whereby immediately after the restoring of his speech hee praiseth God and foretelleth the neare approaching of our Sauiour Christ then shortly to followe and the speciall office of his newe borne childe in that hee was assured by the holy Ghost against his former doubting that according to the word of the Angel hee should be the Prophet of the most high to goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his waies And to giue the knowledge of saluation vnto his people by the remission of their sinnes and so forth as it followeth to the last verse of the chapter Fourthly the Euangelist reporteth the extraordinarie education of the childe by his parents and his religious obedience to them according to the commandement of God both for diete and apparel auoiding all delicacie and nicenes in them both according also as the Euangelist Matt testifieth chap 3. verse 4. And the Euangelist Marke chapter 1 6. And our Sauiour Christ Matthewe chapter 11. verse 8. Finally Saint Luke reporteth the extraordinarie grouth of the childe in all spirituall graces meete for the furnishing of him to the execution of his great office against the time thereof as we read in the last verse of the first chapter All these things doe euidently declare that the sending of Iohn the Baptist before our Sauiour Christ was a very great and memorable worke of God ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It must needes be acknowledged to be so indeed vnlesse we will shut our eyes against the light of the cleare spring of the day The same also may be yet further manifest by the speciall calling whereby it pleased God to call him forth so soone as the appointed time was come Let vs therefore come to that Question Where is this speciall callinge foorth of Iohn recorded vnto vs In the first two verses of the third chapter of the Euangelist Lâ—ke It is so indeede And it is very carefully set down as a matter of worthy moment For the time and season thereof is expressed by a manifold description of the date and as it were the period or full point of it Namely in the 15. yeere of Tiberiâ—s the Emperour of Rome and then when Pontius Pilate was vnder him gouernour of Iudea c. Rehearse the words of the text Question How doe you read them Answere 1. Now saith the Euangelist in the fifteenth yeere of the reigne of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being Gouernour of Iudea and Herod being Tetrarch of Galile and his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea and of the countrie of Traconitis and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene 2. When Annas and Caiaphas were the high Priests the word of God came vnto Iohn the Sonne of Zacharias in the wildernes ExplicatioÌ„ proofe The word of God that is the commandement of God came vnto Iohn to wit to his hearing and knowledge commanding and authorizing him from heauen to Preach and Baptize in the name of Iesus Christ shortly to come after him For that this was the word of God which came to Iohn it is euident by that faithfull obedience which hee yeelded to this word in such an execution of his office as not onely Saint Luke but also all other of the Euangelists haue diligently recorded the same for the instruction of vs and the whole Church of Christ in this behalfe whereunto also our Sauiour himselfe giueth witnes Mat 11.7 c. chap 21.25 and Iohn 5.33.34.35 THus much obserued concerning the calling let vs proceed to the execution of his office whereunto he was thus called forth In the which because Iohn according to the most wise direction of the Spirit of God proceeded by certaine degrees let vs accordingly follow him in his footesteps as we shall find him to haue gone before vs. First therefore we finde that he began his ministerie by conuincing the people of their owne most sinfull and damnable estate in themselues that so hee might bring them to earnest and speedie repentance and cause them to see the necessitie of Gods mercie to their saluation the which was now shortly in and by our Sauiour to be more openly and plainly reuealed then yet it had beene And herein did Iohn insist vntill the time that our Sauiour was manifested at his Baptisme Secondly he giueth a more direct and often repeated witnes of him euen to the very time that Herod beheaded him And this did Iohn partly when our Sauiour was Baptised but much more after his Baptisme
Priesthood according to that which our Sauiour neare the time of his death said to Pilate Iohn 18.37 For this cause am I borne and for this cause came I into the world that I should beare witnes vnto the truth Now in this part of our inquitie containing many things we must proceed as it were by certaine degrees or steps in as plaine an order as God shall giue vs grace to attaine vnto And that also to the further establishing of our faith while we doe throughly behold that faithfull record which is set before vs concerning his owne most gracious manifesting of himselfe by his owne preaching and working of miraculous workes and by his familiar and daily conueâ—sation among his people from Passe-ouer to Passe-ouer and through the whole course of the yeares one after another euen from his baptisme to the time of his chiefe passion and death a few daies onely excepted by reason of his speciall tentation in the wildernes immediately after his Baptisme This Baptisme of our Sauiour and those daies of his Tentation doe ministeâ— vnâ—o vs two things necessarily to be considered before wee come to the preaching of ouâ— Sauiour Question c. What may these two things be Answer The first is the most high and honourable externall calling of our Sauiour Christ to the execution of his most high and excellent office The second thing is his most difficult and hard entrance therevnto Question It is true that you say But where are these things testified and recorded vnto vs Answer The first is set downe in the end of the 3. ch of the Euangelist Matthew verses 16 17. The second is written in the 4. ch of the same Euangelist from the beginning of the chapter to the 12. verse of the same ExplicatioÌ„ and proofe The same things are likewise recorded by the Euangelist Luke The first in the 3. ch verses 21 22. And the 2. in the 4. ch from the beginning to the 14. verse And more briefly by the Euangelist Marke chapter 1 verses 9 10 11 12 13. Rehearse now the words of the Euangelist Matthew concerning the first thing to wit the honourable externall calling of our Sauiour Christ to the execution of his most holy high office Question What are the words of the Euangelist Answer 10 Iesus saith he when he was baptized came strait out of the water And lo the heauens were opened vnto him and he that is Iohn saw the Spirit of God descending like a Doue and lighting vpon him 17 And lo a voyce came from heauen saying This is my beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased ExplicatioÌ„ proofe The Euangelist Luke as was alledged before ch 3.21 expresseth further that our Sauiour Christ after he was baptized did pray and that then the heauens were opened the Lord thereby giueth plainely to vnderstand that his prayer was effectuall with him euen to the opening of heauen for the benefit of sinfull men And the Euangelist Iohn for a further interpretation of the words of Saint Mathew witnesseth expresly that Iohn the Baptist saw the Spirit come downe from heauen which the prayer of our Sauiour had opened Thus then our Sauiour Christ being appointed a most high office aboue all that might agree to any creature whether man or Angel answerable to the most high excellency of his Person he hath likewise a most honourable and high calling by a most high and heauenly testimonie giuen of him For to whom or of whom did God euer speake thus from heauen This is my beloued Sonne c. Neither can these words possibly agree to any creature but onely to our Sauiour Christ in such sense as God speaketh them of him as being his onely begotten and naturall Sonne and as one in whom he is well pleased not by grace and fauour onely but euen for perfect worthines Yeâ— so pleased as for his sake he was willing to be reconciled to most vnworthy sinners The l ke may be said concerning the descending of the holy Ghost in a bodily shape visibly vpon him For neuer did he nor neuer will he descend so vpon any Neither euer was or shall be any so repleat with all grace without measure as our Sauiour was whereof this discension of the holy Ghost was a visible and publike testimony and confirmation according to that of Iohn Baptist in the Gospel of Iohn the Euangelist ch 3.34 God giueth him not the Spirit by meaâ—ure Now the end why our Sauiour was thus proclaimed to be the Sonne of God and declared to be thus replenished with all heauenly grace is for that all may know that they stand bound to heare him as it was said likewise from heauen at his transfiguration Matth. 17.5 though not so publikely as it was at his baptisme But this hearing of the Sonne of God is not onely to yeelde him audience while hee speaketh but also with attention of the care to yeelde all obedience of the heart and life to his most holy and heauenly doctrine Thus much therefore concerning his externall calling IT followeth next that you doe likewise rehearse that which is recorded concerning that most difficult and hard entrance which as was said in the second place our Sauiour had vnto the execution of the offices and duties of his calling Question Where find you any record of this Answere This as was alledged is that which is written by the Euangelist Matthew in the former part of his fourth chapter from the first verse to the 12. concerning the leading of our Sauiour aside into the wildernes yea concerning his driuing thither as the Euangelist Marke writeth to wit by the mighty motion and earnest instigation of that Spirit which was immediately descended vpon him to the end he might in that solitarie and most vncomfortable place among the wilde Beasts encounter with the tentations of the Diuel who had full leaue and libertie permitted vnto him so to doe ExplicatioÌ„ proofe So indeed doth the Euangelist Marke in these points make the matter more plaine then the other Euangelists doe ch 1. verses 12.13 And this verily was a very hard and vncomfortable entrance if any thing might be hard and vncomfortable at the first on-set that he should be driuen from all societie of men to be without all foode and without commodious lodging and that among wilde sauage beasts and most of all that the most vnwelcome Diuel should haue free accesse to molest his holy minde with wicked suggeâ—tions and tentations and to haue power ouer his bodie to carry it fâ—â—m place to place to the troubling of his senses and peruerting of his mind if by any meanes he might possibly haue preuailed against him We would haue thought that our Sauiour being so solemnly proclaimed to be the Sonne of God and the great Prophet of the Church should forthwith haue gone forth to declare his mighty grace and power both in word and deede aboue Moses and all that euer were But behold the matter is
of God is in the ordering of this matter and all other most holy and reuerend And namely in this diuiding of the former sort of the garments by these souldiers and in their casting of lots vpon the seameâ—esse coate he vsed their couetous wanton affection practise to the fulfilling of that holy prophesie which was giuen forth by Dauid concerning this matter well neare 1000. years before it came to passe The which prophesie beside other things foretold coÌ„cerning the sufferings of our Sauiour as we haue seene is plainly extant in the 22. Ps verse 18. They part my garments among them and cast lots vpoÌ„ my vesture And all to this most graue comfortable end that euerie one that waited for the Messiah promised and all Christians also to this day might be confirmed from the euident fulfilling of this and all other prophesies giuen forth by the Spirit of God that this is the verie true Messiah without all lingering after any other THese things obserued concerning the first point which was the deuiding of the garments of our Sauiour before his face we come to the second that is to say the most louing and carefull remembrance which our Sauiour had of his Mother in this time of his bitter suffering vpon the Crosse as it followeth in the Euangelist Iohn vers 25.26.27 Question What is that which he writeth concerning so notable memorable a pointe Answere 25 His words are these Then stood by the Crosse of Iesus his Mother his Mothers sister Marie of Cleophas and Marie Magdalene 26 And when Iesus saw his Mother and the Disciple standing by whom hee loued hee said vnto his Mother Woman beholde thy Sonne 17 Then he said to the Disciple Behold thy Mother and from that houre the Disciple tooke her home vnto him ExplicatioÌ„ Here we haue a most excellent testimony of the perfect righteousnes of our Sauiour Christ aboue all exception in that together with the most patieÌ„t induring of the bitter griefe dolour of the Crosse vnder the burthen of our sinnes layd vpon his holy soule by the hand of his heauenly Father hee vpon the sight of his naturall Mother sheweth himselfe most kindlie naturally affected toward her to the breaking off of the extremitie of her sorrow wherewith her soule no doubt was pierced as with a sword in the beholding of this calamitie fallen vpon her most deare onely Sonne according to that which Simeon had told her by the Spirit of Prophesie 33. yeares before And in this declaration of his most kinde naturall affection he sheweth himselfe to haue a most tender care that shee should be comfortablie maintained in this latter parte of her life wherin she was now growing to be of good yeares therefore sheweth her whom he had appointed to be a speciall stay comfort vnto her as a most dutifull Sonne in stead of him directing her to Iohn for he is the Disciple described to be he whom Christ loued for so Iohn describeth himselfe of singular thankfulnes to Christ for the same his speciall affection toward him And theÌ„ he coÌ„mandeth Iohn to haue a dutifull care of her for his sake eueÌ„ as if she were his natural Mother Thus our Sauiour is vpoÌ„ the Crosse an eminent famous mirrour of all holy obedieÌ„ce to the first table also to the 2. of the righteous law of God by these two notable instances of Patience vnder the hand of his heauenly Father of loue to his natural Mother here on earth And thus also he sheweth himselfe to be a meete Person to offer vphimselfe to God a meete Sacrifice of Propitiation for our sinnes both against God and Man And herewithall likewise the singular wisedome of our Sauiour is to be diligently obserued of vs in the maner of his speaking to her in the whole order which he taketh in coÌ„mitting her to the care of his beloued Disciple For in that he calleth her Woman not Mother substituting Iohn as a Sonne in his stead vnto her and accordingly willeth her to transfer her Motherly affection toward him he giueth her to vnderstand that she is to bend her minde to conceiue of him far otherwise in these his sufferings then of her naturall Sonne that is that hereby he doth the office of an high Priest vnto God of a Sauiour of her all other of his elect that he was by these his ignominious sufferings to enter into his diuine glory to pÌ„oare a heaueÌ„ly maÌ„sion place for her togither with him These things no doubt would our Sauiour giue Marie to vnderstand now according to that she had learned professed of him long before euen while he was yet in her womb Lu 1.31 38. ver 46. c. that thus he might moderate rectifie all disorder or confusion of natural affection that might assaile her by occasion of his so rufull a spectacle as his hanging continuance vpon the Crosse must needs be in her naturall view This manner of the speach and order which our Sauiour tooke and vttered to his Mother on her behalfe at this time as also all other the like moderate mention made of her in the holie Scriptures as Iohn 2.4 Matth 12.48.49.50 Luke 11.27.28 Acts 1.14 is the rather to be well pondered and weighed of vs to the ende we may see the difference yea the contrarietie of the minde and will of our Sauiour Christ concerning his Mother and the doting of our superstitious and Idolatrous Papists in that against all order they ordaine the Mother of our Sauiour to be the coÌ„mander of her Sonne so pray to her c knowing no measure of estimation or honour no nor abstaining from any blasphemous derogation against our Sauiour to the ende they may fulfill their owne deluded fancie to the aduancing of her Neuerthelesse the most excellent vertues of the Virgine Marie the Mother of our Lord are not to be neglected of vs touching that measure of grace wherwith she was by the gift of God indued though not in all full perfection or without all sinne as they dreame And namely herein appeareth an excellent Spirit to be in her in that no discomfort of the outward calamitie of her Sonne could daunt her so that shee should not let him haue the comfort of her presence nor that shee should not declare her loue toward him yea and in that there was in her a seede of Hope concerning a blessed issue against all outward discomfort The like is to be obserued concerning the other two Maries the one the Sister or Kinswoman of the Virgin-Marie the other beeing Marie Magdalene who could not forget the great mercie of our Sauiour in that he cast seuen Diuells out of her So here are three Maries notable patternes for the imitation of all Christian women of what name soeuer they be to learne from them not to be ashamed of Christ no not of Christ crucified and so much the rather
because Christ that was at this time hanging on the Crosse is long since glorified and triumphant in heauen from whence he shall come in glorie to iudge all the worlde Moreouer the obedience of Iohn is to be marked of vs not onely for his commendation but much rather for our imitation touching the willing care ouer anie worthie person or thing which for the Lordes sake shall be in his name committed vnto vs. Likewise the loue of Iohn and his constancie in abiding by our Sauiour is to be preferred before the rest of the Disciples who hid themselues from him Yet so as both Iohn and euery Marie is altogether silent and feele their great weakenesse no doubt in the beholding of this great worke which was to be wrought and was indeede performed by our Sauiour alone hee bearing the whole burthen of it entirely in himselfe and therfore is to haue from vs and all his redeemed the whole glorie and praise thereof These are brieflie the excellent things to be obserued in this text concerning the care which our Sauiour had of his Mother while he did hang still vpon the Crosse THe third thing is now to be considered of vs to wit the rayling scornfull reproches of all sortes of the beholders against our Sauiour Of the which there were fiue sortes 1. First the rulers that is to say the high Priestes with the Scribes and Elders and Pharisies 2. The people of the Iewes 3. Thirdlie the Souldiers that attended the execution not onely those fowre that fastned him to the Crosse but the rest also that were there with the Centurion that is with the Captaine of an hundreth souldiers mentioned in this Storie after the death of our Sauiour 4. Fourthlie the Passengers who passing by came and stayed at their pleasure to see what the matter was 5. Fiftlie the Thieues that were crucified with our Sauiour speciallie one of them and as it seemeth both of them at the beginning though one of them was afterward conuerted as we are to obserue hereafter Of these seuerall sortes of railers and scoffers against our Lord and Sauiour let vs heare what the holy Euangelists doe report vnto vs. The grouÌ„d and history of his leading to be crucified And first of the three former that is of the rulers coÌ„mon people and Souldiers And insomuch as S. Luke doth most orderly rehearse them let vs heare what he writeth of them What are his words Question In the 23. chap. verses 35.36 37. thus he writeth Answere 35. And the people stood and beheld and the Rulers mocked him with them saying He saued others let him saue himselfe if he be the Christ the chosen of God 36. The Souldiers also mocked him and came and offered him vineger 37. And said if thou be the King of the Iewes saue thy selfe Who the Rulers were who mocked our Sauiour S. Matthew doth most fully expresse chap. 27.41 to wit The high Priests with the Scribes and Elders and Pharisies ExplicatioÌ„ as was rehearsed before And he doth rehearse their scoffing words morefully then S. Luke as it followeth verses 42.43 He saued others but he cannot saue himselfe if hee be the King of Israel let him come downe from the crosse and we will beleeue him He trusted in God let him deliuer him now if he will haue him for he saide I am the Sonne of God Likewise also doth S. Marke report their words chap. 15.31.32 He saued other men himselfe he cannot saue Let Christ the King of Israel now come downe from the Crosse that we may see and beleeue Moreouer as touching the fourth sort of scorners onely the same Euangelists Matthew and Marke doe tell vs of them though as it may seeme in respect of time something out of order in that they begin with them but not without good reason in some other respect insomuch as very likely they comming as strangers and being possessed freshly with the matter and willing to gratifie those that were readie to make the most odious report that they could vnto them were the most clamorous mockers among the rest as their words personally cast out against our Sauiour doe declare Whereas the Rulers did not so directly vtter their taunts to our Sauiour but spake them among themselues as the Euangelist Marke testifieth though like enough so as he might heare them to the increase of his griefe The words and also the gesture of these fresh mockers are set downe both by S. Matthew also by S. Marke Question How doth S. Matthew first report them Answere In the 27. chap. verses 39.40 thus we read 39. And they that passed by reuiled him wagging their heads 40. And saying Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three dayes saue thy selfe if thou be the sonne of God come downe from the Crosse 29. And the words of the Euangelist Mark are like to these Cha. 15. verses 29 30. And they that went by saith he railed on him wagging their heads and saying Hey thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three dayes 30. Saue thy selfe and come downe from the Crosse ExplicatioÌ„ These are then the fourth sort of mockers and such as haue beene now rehearsed were their mâ—â—king words And touching the thieues crucified with our Sauiour who were numbred for the fift sort the same Euangelists testifie likewise that they also reuiled him As we read Marke 15.32 And Matthew 27.44 The same also saith hee to wit the same mocking words which the Rulers vsed the thieues which were crucified with him cast in his teeth But as it appeareth by S. Luke one of them was soone wearie of his part and therefore doth not stand to note him for a railer seeing his notable repentance did as it were blot out the beginnings of his vnaduised misdemeanour And therfore he writeth thus of one only chap. 23. â—9 And one of the euill doers which were hanged railed on him saying If thou be the Christ saue thy selfe and vs. Of these seuerall sorts of mockers and scorners let vs stand a while to consider for our instruction and warning and comfort And first to speake generally let vs well obserue that all of them did sinne verie hainouslie in that they doe thus sport themselues and take their pleasure in the beholding of a man in outwarde distresse according as the Spirite of of Prophesie giueth vs to vnderstand Psal 22.17 The grouÌ„d history of his crucifying They pierced my handes and my â—eete I may tell all my bones yet they behold and looke vpon mee If our Sauiour Christ had bene anie other then hee was yea a malefactor which God forbid wee should once thinke it had bene an inhumane practise at the least But seeing he was vniustlie on their parts crucified their sinne was the greater according to that of the Prophet Obadiah verses 11.12 For many of them in whose afflictions the Edomites reioyced were more righteous then they But in so much as our
least of those that be the Lords which he taketh in like ill part as if hee were neglected or molested himselfe Matth. 25. verses 45. It ought to suffice yea to be ouer much in our iudgement that the Lord hath once drunke vinegre and euery way the most bitter potion of Gods wrath for our cause though we doe neuer make him nor any of his any vnkinde offer of it againe Thus much concerning this short speech I thirst for declaration of that duty which ought to be yeelded from the comfort of it NOw we are come to the next like short speech of our Sauiour which was his Question It is finished What duty ought to arise from the comfort of faith herein Answere It is most cleare and manifest from hence that we ought not in any wise to looke to any other sacrifices or satisfactions or merits either in the whole or in part for our redâ—mption and iustification in the sight of God but to this of our Sauiour alone neither that wee are to feare the popish dreame of any other purgatory then the blood of our Sauiour Christ to the washing away and remouing of all sinnes out of the sight of God Explication and proofe This is very cleare and manifest indeed For seeing we haue our warrant from our Sauiour himselfe that all was finished yea euen to the very point of death when he spake these words and that immediately after this he tooke his death which was the sealing vp of all therefore we may yea we ought iustly to be out of doubt that all doctrines of any further addition for satisfaction or merit before God are false and Antichristian And for thâ— same cause to be vtterly reiected of all true christians who cannot buâ— looke onely to Christ for their perfit redemption and saluation according to the expresse doctrine of the holy Scriptures THe duties which doe belong to that comfort of faith which ariseth from the consideration of the last words of our Sâ—uiour vpon the Crosse they are yet behinde Answer Which ought those duties to be Question We ought from the example of our Sauiour Christ who at his death commended his spirit intâ— the hand of his Father to esteeme alwaies of our soules as of a chiefe treasure and to be carefull ouer them aboue all earthly things Yea more then of our corruptible boâ—ies against the time of our death whensoeuer it shall come Secondly it is our dutie to make choise of God as of the onely worthy feoffie of trust as one wou d say to whose custody wee may safely commend them from day to day And thirdly it is likewise our bounden dutie comfortably to beleeue that if we shall faithfully commit our soules vnto him hee will for our Sauiours sake keepe them most charity and tenderly in his owne hands alwaies and at the end of our liues receiue them and reserue them in a blessed estate vntill the resurrection of our bodies and then also wilâ— ioyne them againe to our bodies like as our Sauiour returned to his bodie the third day and thenceforth will blesse vs with glorie and happinesse in them both for euermore Explication proofe Vnto these duties no doubt doe the wordes of our Sauiour Christ leade all true beleeuers according to that notable imitation of Stephen Act. 7.59 Lord Iesus receiue my Spirit And according to the practise of S. Paul 2. Tim. 1.12 saying I know whom I haue beleeued and I am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I haue committed to him against that day Yea and hee beleeued likewise no doubt that God was as willing to doe it as he was able according to that in the 8. verse of the 4. chap. of the same Epistle in that he saith Henceforth is laide vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge will giue me at that day and not to mee onely but vnto all them also which loue his appearing The same thing therefore ought we to beleeue at this day which they did then according to the practise of our most blessed Sauiour And the rather because as we may perceiue both by the words of Stephen and also of the Apostle Paul that our Sauiour hath the ioint care of our soules together with the Father according to that he saith None shall take them out of my hand Iohn 10. verses 27.28 29 30. My sheepe heare my voice and I know them and they follow me And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of my hand My Father who gaue them to me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand I and my Father am one So that well saith M. Beza The hands of our Sauiour are not now held fastened to the Crosse after the manner as our painters doe paint him for then hee could not embrace vs but he hath them at full libertie euen from heauen to embrace the soules of those that dye in hâ—m the which hee cherisheth in his bosome vnto the time that they shall be restored to their bodies to the enioying of an euerlasting spirituall life and vntill that hee doe come in the cloudes of heauen to meete vs and that wee for our parts be taken vp into the aire to meete the Lord to enioy together with him that blessed estate which is prepared for vs for euer 1. Thes 4.14 Goe to therefore as saith that comfortable and faithfull Preacher Let vs be of good cheare and lay these things to heart euen these so great and notable comforts for our necessary reliefe specially against the last combate God as we knowe doth earnestly require trustie fidelitie in one man toward another euen concerning the least thinges that are committed to anie mans trust that they should be forth-comming and therfore inioineth a penaltie to be laide by the Magistrate vpon all such as shall be found to deale vntrustily as we reade Exod. chap. 22. verses 7.8 c. to the 13. How therefore can we thinke but that the Lord who requireth fidelitie in men as a principall point of his lawe as our Sauiour also declareth Matth. chap. 23. verse 23. will assuredly approue himselfe most faithfull aboue all men to euerie one that accounting him faithfull shall commit themselues to his trust Thus much of the comfortable duties of faith concerning the comfortable manner of our Sauiour Christes dying Question NOw what may our duty be in regard of the death it selfe which the same our Sauiour died Answer First of all as his death was in the manner of it farre differing from the death of all other so are we to know that the endes and fruites of his death are most singular aboue the death of any or all other creatures ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is very true as the endes and fruites themselues rehearsed in the Comforts doe euidently declare So that as K. Dauid was not affected after a
God for euer and euer And therefore that knowing our selues to be once deliuered by our Sauiour wee doe thenceforth generally renounce all vngodlines and wicked lusts that is to say all our sinne and wickednes which our Sauiour suffered for on our behalfe This generall doctrine may profitably be illustrated by some particular sins which the sufferings and death of our Sauiour ought in speciall manner to moue vs to forsake Question Which therefore may some of them be Answer To speake more particularly the due meditation of the sufferings and death of our Sauiour must needes be as a most strong engine to make a notable battery yea to worke the ouerthrow of all pride and vaine glory and of the inordinate loue of the profits pleasures and honours of this world the which doe naturally and through the suggestions of the Diuel mightily rule and reigne in our wicked hearts ExplicatioÌ„ proofe They do soe indeed Yet the power and death of our Sauiour is more mighty in the hearts of true beleeuers to suppresse and destroy them then our own naturall corruption and the tentations of the diuell are to continue and vphold them in the strength of their dominion For who can be prowd of himselfe if hee doe duly bethinke himselfe after what manner it was necessary for the Sonne of God to abase himselfe for vs or else vile and wretched sinners that we are we must haue perished in the most base filth of our sinnes for euer And who louing Christ that died for him can immoderately affect the world and the things thereof when he seeth by daily experience that the world and all things therein are vnkindly aduersly bent against him Loue not the world therefore saith St. Iohn nor the things that are in the world c. 1. ep 2.15.16 Thus much for a taste of those euills which the meditation of the sufferings and death of our Sauiour doe call vs from Question NOw which are the good things which they moue vs vnto and call for at our hands Answer The due meditatioÌ„ of the sufferings death of our Sauiour teacheth requireth of vs not onely to denie vngodlines and worldly lustes as hath beene alreadie answered but also that we liue soberly and iustly and godly in this present world So in deede we reade Tit. 2. verses 11.12.13.14.15 For saith the Apostle the grace of God which bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared What grace Explication and proofe Euen the most free fauour mercie of God in giuing his onely Sonne our Lord Iesus Christ to the death for vs. This grace as the Apostle addeth teacheth vs not onely to denie vngodlines and worldly lustes but also that we should liue first soberly that is with good moderation touching the vse of those worldly blessings which God hath blessed vs withall secondly righteously that is in yeelding to all and euery one that which of right belongeth vnto them for the comfort of their life thirdly that wee should liue godlily that is with a religious and holy regard to obey and please God in all things specially in the duties of his diuine worship and spirituall seruice Looking as the Apostle addeth yet further for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of the mighty God and of our Lord Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe for vs that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people vnto himselfe zealous of good works These things saith the Apostle teach and exhort and rebuke with all authoritie And that by good reason euen from this most weightie consideration of the death of the Sonne of God our Sauiour to redeeme vs. A learned Interpreter speaking of these three words of the Apostle Soberly iustly godly he moueth to the carefull regard of them in these two verses following in Latine Haec tria perpetuó meditare aduerbia Pauli Haec tria sint vitae regula sancta tuae The which we may english thus Three words of Saint Paul in minde see thou beare Sober iust godly lifes good rule they are For the proofe of the same duties belonging to the consideration of the sufferings death and blood-shed of our Sauiour vpon the crosse reade that notable exhortation of the Apostle Peter 1. Ep. chap. 1. ver 13. c. Wherefore gird vp the loines of your mindes and be sober c. As obedient children not fashioning your selues to the former lustes of your ignorance But as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of conuersation c. Knowing that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as siluer and gold from your vaine conuersation receiued by the traditions of the Fathers But with the pretious blood of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot c. And ver 2. of the same chapter as we should haue saide before thâ— faithfull are said to be elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father vnto sanctification of the Spirit through the obedience aâ—d sprinkling of the blood of Iesus Christ. And chap. 2. verses 24.25 Christ his owne selfe did beare our sinnes in his body on the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue in rightâ—ousnes c. And afterward againe chap. 4.1.2 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for vs in the flesh arme your selues likewise with the same minde which is that he which hath suffered iâ— the flesh hath ceased from sinne That he henceforth should liue as much time as remaineth in tâ—e flesh not after the lustes of men but after the will of God This care of pleasing God in leading a righteous and holy life is saide to be the end of our redemption Luke chap. 1. verses 74.75 And so wee reade also 1. Cor. 6.19.20 Know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy Ghost who is in you whom ye haue of God and ye are not your owne For ye aâ—e bought for a price therefore glorifie ye God in your body and in your Spirit for they are Gods But how shall we glorifie God if we lâ—ue in sinne Read also Ephes chap. 4.32 Be ye curteous one to another and tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you And chap. 5.1.2 Be ye therefore followers of God as deare children and walke in loue euen as Christ hath loued vs and hath giuen himselfe for vs to be an offering and a sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour to God Likewise Colos 3.12.13.14 And Phil. 2.1 c. Moreouer for our chearefull reuerend and zealous worshipping of God froÌ„ the force of this argument read Reuel ch 5.9 c. And Ps 22. from the 23. verse c. after a prophesie of the sufferings of our Sauiour Whereunto also may be referred all those propheticall exhortations in many Psalmes following one another from the 95. to the. 101. For all reioycing is grounded vpon this that our Lord Iesus Christ hath dyed for vs and by his death
vnspeakable glorious Receiuing the end of your faith euen the saluatioÌ„ of your soules For this we must wel vnderstaÌ„d consider that albeit the purchase of our redemption saluation hath bin perfectly made obtained for vs by the merit worthines of the humiliation sufferings of our Sa in a limited finit time yet the coÌ„municating of them vnto vs our attaining inioying of theÌ„ to the coÌ„fort of our faith here in this life to the glorifying of vs for euer in the kingdome of heauen dependeth vpon the aduancement eternal glorification of â—ur Sauiour So then it was necessary that our Sa Ch should not onely humble himselfe suffer for the sins of vs most vile base sinners whose sins reproch he of his infinit loue pitie toward vs took vpon him but also that he should be lifted vp aduaÌ„ced in the highest degree of glory because of the excelleÌ„cy of his diuine persoÌ„ because of the dignitie of his most high office of eternal meditation for the glory of God the father according to his own most holy and gracious counsel according to the reuelation of the good pleasure of his diuine will herein by the spirit of prophecie from the beginning of the world Now furthermore as the comfort hereof is exceeding great to our faith The ground and meaning of his glorification in generall And our dutie in respect therof so ought the duty to be both in the affection of our heart and also in the externall actions and obedience of our liues as wee may perceiue by that which hath beene alledged concerning the comfort Philip. 2.5 Let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus c. And as we read from the beginning of the chapter If there be therefore any consolation in Christ that is any Christian consolation to wit either from his humiliation or from his exaltation if any comfort of loue if any fellowship of the Spirit if any compassion and mercie Fulfill my ioy saith the holy Apostle that ye be like minded hauing the same loue being of one accord and of one iudgement That nothing be done through contention or vaine glory but that in meekenes of minde euery man esteeme other better then himselfe Looke not euery man on his owne things but euery man also on the things of other men And then it followeth as was alledged a little before Let the same minde be in you that was euen in Christ Iesus c. And so the Apostle laieth open the ground of the former duties from that which is the ground of all both former and present and also of all perpetuall and future comfort Likewise in the former Epistle of Peter chap. 1. ver 8. alledged before that concerning the comfort Where from the comfort and ioy that we haue by the suffrings first and then from the glory of our Sauiour he exhorteth all Christians more and more to reioice in him and to loue him yea euen to reioice in him in the midst of the tentations and trialls of faith the which as the Apostle teacheth is more pretious then gold which perisheth though it be tried with fire that it may be found to their praise honour and glory at the appearing of Iesus Christ. And afterward verse 13. Wherfore gird vp the loines of your mindes be sober and trust perfectly on the grace which is brought vnto you by the reuelation of Iesus Christ As obedient children c. To the which end also let vs remember alwaies that vpon condition wee suffer with our Sauiour Christ we shall also be glorified with him For by humility is the way vnto glory according to that 2. Tim. 2.11.12 It is a true saying for if we be dead with him we shall also liue with him If we suffer we shall also raigne with him Read also Rom 8.28.29.30 c. to the end of the chapter and likewise that notable exhortation Heb. 12.1.3 c. But that we be not ouerlong in the generall consideration of the most high glory and exaltation of our Sauiour Christ let vs knowe that as all comfort is warranted vnto vs by it so all duty is iustly made tributarie vnto it Yea euen to the yeelding of all diuine honour and glory to this our Lord and Sauiour simply vnto him as he is God yea as hee is in one Person both God and man for the Godheads sake like as we yeeld ciuill honour to the Crowne Scepter and chaire of Estate of the King for the honour we beare to the King himselfe Yea much rather to the humanity for the Deâ—ties sake because it is neuer separated from the Deitie as the Throne Scepter and Crowne are oftentimes from the person of the King c. Homil. 1. in Hist. Pass So that as learned Beza saith very well Toti personae Christi debetur adoratio religiosa quem vna implet gloria Deitatis nimirum respectu dâ—recté quatenus verus est Deus humanitatis veró obliqué quatenus nimirum haec humanitas est Dei filij humanitas c. That is Religious worship is due to the whole person of Christ whoÌ„ one glory filleth to his Deitie directly insomuch as he is very God but to his humanity indirectly and onely in this respect that humanity is the humanity or manhood of the Sonne of God Onely now let vs obserue generally concerning the glory and exaltation of our Sauiour Christ that as before his resurrection he did more specially execute his Prophecie and at his death his Priesthood though his kingly authority was not in the meane while idle and without operation so although by his Resurrection and his whole exaltation following the same hee doth more principally exercise his spirituall kingdome yet he doth not lay aside his Prophecie and Priesthood For they must all continue for euer insomuch as by the grace of his euerlasting kingdome hee continueth for euer the effect of all that which was once onely done touching the act in a limited space of time according to that Acts. 5.31 The particular degrees of his Glorificatâ—on Him hath God lifted vp with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and remission of sinnes And for the continuance of the Prophecie of our Sauiour reade Act. 3.22 and so forth to the end of the chapter yea and that not onely after his Resurrection Act 1.3 but also after his Ascension vp into heauen Ioh. 16.5.7 c. 12.15.25 Act. cha 2. and Eph. 4.7.8 c. So that we may truly say Iesus Christ yesterday and to day the same is also for euer Heb. 13.8 Hetherto more generally of that glory which followed the sufferings of our Sauiour Christ WE come now to the particular degrees thereof as they are set downe in the Articles of our Beliefe Question How is that Answer The articles of our beliefe teach both me and euery Christian to beleeue in Iesus
plucke them out of my hand My father which gaue them me is greater then all and none is able to take them out of my fathers hand I and my father are one Herevnto agreeth the doctrine of the Apostle Peter as hee had learned from this charge of our Sauiour in that hee saith to the Iewes no other thing but that which agreeth to vs all Yee were as sheepe going astray but yee are now returned vnto the sheepheard and Bishop of your soules 1. Epistle chap. 2. verse 25. O therefore most blessed is the estate of all such as be in the fold of our Lord Iesus Christ and haue good and faithfull sheepheards that they may be continually fed and guided and gouerned by them in his name None of them neede to be in feare of being in the habite of the sheepe because of the wolfe It is the onely safety of the people of God to be first inwardly and in truth and then to shew themselues outwardly and in open profession to be of the sheepfold of Christ yea though they should be in the middest of woolues according as our Sauiour tolde his Disciples that hee sent them forth as it were in the middest of woolues And therefore in this case it is worthily to be reiected as a wicked prouerbe Hee that sheweth himselfe a sheepe maketh himselfe a prey for the woolfe For our Sauiour himselfe will watch ouer them and feede and defend them continually And seeing all doe stand in neede of continuall feeding and guiding yea euen by such as be like to themselues though indewed with more especiall grace to that end beholde our Sauiour hath appointed some to be Pastors and Teachers to the end of the world Wherefore also hence it appeareth that all that be of the flocke of Christ ought to shew themselues teachable and tractable in respect of that submission which they owe to their sheepheards and peaceable and harmelesse among themselues yea and to bring forth much fruit of godlinesse to the honour and praise of God according to the nature of the sheepe of the field which being well tended and guided are verie profitable to the Master of the flocke as they that bee humbled and meekened by the Spirit of God according to that Isai chap. 11. verses 6 c. The woolfe shall dwell with the lambe c. And verse 9. None shall hurt nor destroy in all the mountaine of my holinesse for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters that couer the sea that is the deepe gulfe of the Sea Let vs therefore accordingly dispose our selues or rather seeke to God for his grace that wee may with comfort professe our selues the flocke of the Sheepheard of Israell Psalme 79. verse 13. and Psal 80. verse 1. and 100.3 And that the Lord may say vnto vs yee my sheepe the sheepe of my pasture are men and I am your God saith the Lord God Ezech. chap. 34. verse 31. And thus our Sauiour Christ describing the duties of all Pastours and Sheepeheards the Ministers of his holie worde whether Apostles Prophets and Euangelists in their more large fields and flockes or ordinarie Pastors in their more limited walkes hee doth therewithall giue all the sheepe of his flockes to vnderstand as well one as other what belongeth to their duties both toward himselfe first and then also toward those whom he setteth ouer them and likewise euen among themselues one to another Question But why doeth our Sauiour not onely make mention of sheepe but also of lambs in this his charge feede my lambs feede my sheepe Answer To shew that as there will be alwaies in his flocke some more weake and tender then the rest yea and euen the very strongest also to haue their infirmities though more then other of the which he himselfe hath a most discreete and tender care so he requireth that all his Ministers haue a like tender and discreete regard putting difference betwixt lambe and sheepe yea betwixt lambe and lambe and sheepe and sheepe that all may be preserued and cherished to the vse of their Maister and Lord. This no doubt was the meaning and purpose of our Sauiour in putting this distinction Neither is it to be neglected that he maketh mention of the Lambs first Explicatiō who haue neede to be most tendered specially the new caned c. according to the description of the duties of good Shepheards rehearsed before In which respect the Apostle Paul as hee was taught by our Sauiour frameth his instructions and exhortations both to Pastors ouer their flockes and also to all Christians among themselues that this difference be very wisely and religiously obserued And namely 1. Thessa 5.13.14 Be at peace among your selues Wee desire you brethren admonish them that are vnruly comfort the feeble minded beare with the weake be patient toward all men c. And Rom. 14.1 Him that is weake in faith receiue vnto you but not for controuersies of disputations c. And verse 15. If thy brother be greeued for the meate now walkest thou not charitably destroy not him with thy meate for whom Christ died c. And chap. 15. verse 1. c. Wee which are strong ought to beare the infirmities of the weake and not to please our selues Let euery man please his neighbour in that which is good to edification For Christ also would not please himselfe c. And Iude in his Epistle verse 22.23 Haue compassion of some putting difference And other saue with feare pulling them out of the fire and hate euen the garment spotted by the flesh To speake in a word such care ioyned with all holy wisedome is on all hands to be vsed that as our Sauiour is not minded to cast away any that come vnto him so none be caused to stumble by any indiscreete or vnkinde and vnbrotherly dealing against them remembring alwaies and carefully auoiding the fearefull menace and woe which our Sauiour denounceth Matth. 18.6.7 saying Whosoeuer shall offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his necke and that he were drowned in the depth of the Sea Woe be to the world because of offences for it must needes be that offences shall come but woe be to that man by whom the offence commeth And to this end it is most safe and much better in regard of the manifold and great infirmities of men and of the infinite mercie and compassion of our Sauiour ouer poore sinners rather to offend in a little too much mildnesse and gentlenes so farre as the word and ordinances of the Lord be not prophaned and despised then to vse ouer rough seuerity though it must needes be confessed that the best moderation must be laboured after euen that which may least decline either on the right hand or on the left and be furthest remoued both from all bitternes and also from all flatterie Read Leuit 19.17 Thou
describeth by three adiunctes of a contrary nature to the former The first is that hee should reach forth his hands to wit as children doe when their girdell is put about them when they are dressed The second that another should gird him our Sauiour minding thereby another kinde of girding then before though he vse the same word that is such a girding whereby executioners doe binde the hands of those that are to be put to death whether by the lawfull and iust sentence or by some tyrannous commandement of the Magistrate The third that he should be led whether he would not to wit to the place of execution Thus I say the meaning of our Sauiour is plaine from his owne words duly and aduisedly considered And the manner of the speech of our Sauiour being very earnest sheweth that it was to singular good purpose that Peter should be thus certified and that he should earnestly consider of this matter If wee desire any further proofe concerning the meaning of our Sauiour we haue the Euangelist Iohn a most faithfull interpreter as it followeth in the very next words Question Which are they Answer 19. And this spake he saith S. Iohn signifying by what death he should glorifie God Explicatiō In these words the Euangelist maketh the matter very plaine First that our Sauiour spake concerning the death of Peter Secondly of his martyrdom For by that kinde of the death of his seruants God is especially glorified First in that hee maketh his inuisible power manifest by strengthening his weake seruants aboue all humane strength to the confusion of the aduersaries of his truth Secondly that thereby hee confirmeth the stable truth of his promises made to the animating of his seruants to the induring of afflictions yea euen of death it selfe for his truthes sake Thirdly in that the weake Christians are hereby greatly incouraged to perseuere in the profession of the Gospel Finallie in that many of the persecutors themselues are hereby conuerted vnto God while they behold the inuincible faith and patience and ioy of his seruants notwithstanding all the extremities of their sufferings And thus also Peter himselfe taught before he died that God is greatly glorified by this kinde of death 1. Ep 4 verses 14 15.16 On your part God is glorified saith he And againe If any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed but let him glorifie God in this behalfe But how could Peters sufferings glorifie God if so be as our Sauiour seemeth to tell him that he should be vnwilling to indure them For it is willingnes and cheerefulnes which maketh the vertue Question What is to be said to this Answer In that our Sauiour telleth Peter that hee should in his olde age be led whether hee would not it was not the meaning of our Sauiour to say he should suffer against his will but to giue him to vnderstand that he should die not a naturall but a violent death by the hand of the persecuting Tyrant the which kinde of death no man would willingly make choyse of were it not for that loue and zeale which by the grace of God they beare to the glory of God and that in such conscience of their bounden duty that they do most iustly prefer it ten thousand times before their owne lyues This no doubt was the meaning of our Sauiour And so doth the Euangelist Iohn interpret the same in that he saith that our Sauiour did by the comparison which he made signifie as we sawe before by what death hee should glorifie God For seeing Peter did glorifie God by his death as the Euangelist Iohn suruiuing Peter about 30. yeeres euen to the fourth yeere of Traian the Emperour which was 64. yeeres after the resurrection of our Sauiour as the Ecclesiasticall historie doth testifie hee liued to knowe and vnderstand it must be acknowledged that he died willingly for the Lords sake And so it appeareth plainely 2. Epist Peter chap. 1.13.14 And yet neuerthelesse easily may we admit that Peter hauing still the remnants of humane frailty did not without mighty striuings subdue all naturall vnwillingnes and whatsoeuer feare might cause the same In smaller tentations then such as belong to the enduring of cruell death the flesh is apt to draw backe as the Apostle Paul plainly teacheth hee euen making himselfe the example saying I doe not the good thing which I would but the euill which I would not that doe I. Rom. 7.19 And verse 21. c. I finde by the lawe that when I would doe good euill is present with me For I delight in the lawe of God concerning the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde and leading me captiue to the law of sinne which is in my members O wretched man that I am c. Now therefore if in smaller tentations the flesh is weake how should there not be sence of weakenes in the greatest according to that saying of our Sauiour The spirit in deede is readie but the flesh is weak Yea euen according to that which hee found in himselfe though infinitely differing from our weakenes seeing there was no home-dwelling sinne in his nature as is in ours or rather because his nature was perfectly holy and yet he hauing humane infirmitie though without sinne could not but for declaration of the truth of his humane nature shew himselfe vnwilling to die especially such a death as he was to die had hee not more regarded to doe the will of his heauenly Father more then his owne simply considered in that he was man as his most holy prayer sheweth Father not my will but thine be done No meruaile therefore though wee poore fraile creatures combred with the remnants of sinne should in the flesh finde vnwillingnes yea a contrary lust of the flesh against the spirit though through the predominant and ouer-ruling grace of the spirit we are strengthened to reioyce as Peter was with his companions Act. 5.40.41.42 And so no doubt did he in the spirit reioyce at his death in that he was counted worthy not onely to be scourged but also to suffer death for the name of Christ The consideration of this humane infirmity euen in the most holy Martyrs mixed with sinne is very profitable for vs in diuers respects First to take away all opinion of merit in their sufferings that this honour may remaine whole and entire onely to our Sauiour Christ whose alone it is Secondly to comfort our selues or any other whom God at any time calleth to Martyrdome though wee cannot but haue experience of great infirmities in the firie tentation seeing the dearest of Gods children haue bidden the assaults of vnwilling and timorous nature In the which respect worthy is the saying of M. Caluine in his Commentaries vpon this Scripture that They who imagine the Martyrs to haue had no touch of feare doe gather matter of despaire when they themselues doe begin to feare Qui Martyres
both for themselues and theirs with promise to bring them vp and to instruct them in the same faith Now let vs come to the more particular effects of the Apostolicall ministerie as they are set downe and recorded by the Euangelist Marke as they followe in the same 16. Chapter verse 17.18 There are fiue of them Question Which be they Answer The first was of casting of diuels out of the possessed The second the gift of speaking diuers languages The third the healing of venimous stingings by serpents or rather a preseruatiue power to preuent their stingings The fourth a preseruatiue power against euery venimous potion The fift healing of naturall sicknesses by imposition of hands ExplicatioÌ„ These tokens or rather signes Semeia saith our Sauiour Christ shall followe those that beleeue to wit not so much for signes or tokens that they doe truly beleeue the doctrine preached by the Apostles as for miraculous signes and confirmations that the doctrine it selfe which they beleeued by the preaching of the Apostles is the very true doctrine of GOD. And that the Apostles were sent immediatly from our Lord Iesus Christ to be his sanctified Ministers and instruments to publish his doctrine to the saluation of all true beleeuers And therefore it is also that our Sauiour saith further that all these miraculous works should be effected and wrought in his name that is through that faith which such true beleeuers should haue in his name that is in him his owne selfe in whom they should beleeue as being both able and also willing to worke such gratious and powerfull workes at their word and by the inuocation of his name for the confirmation of the doctrine of his Gospell Which that it is the meaning of our Sauiour it may be euident from that which wee reade Acts 3.16 His name that is the name of Iesus Christ whom God saith the Apostle Peter hath raised from the dead hath made this man sound whom ye see and knowe through faith in his name and the faith which is by him hath giuen to him this disposition of his whole body in the presence of you all And againe chapter 4.7 c. When Peter and the rest were examined by what power or by what name they had wrought the miracle Peter answered by the name of Iesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye haue crucified whom God raised againe from the dead c. Thus they ascribe all to the name and power of Christ through faith and nothing to their owne proper power or godlines For so they say expresly in the 12. verse of the 3. chapter before alledged And for inuocation or calling vpon the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to the effecting of these miraculous signes and for the dispensation of these gifts to others reade in the same booke of the Acts of the Apostles chapter 8.14.15.16.17 verse and chapter 9.17.18 and chapter 16.18 Read also Iames. chapter 5.14.15 But that this part of the speech of our Sauiour may be the better vnderstoode of vs wee are to consider that hee making this promise of the gift of working miracles to many of those that should beleeue by the preaching of his Apostles and at their praier and by the imposition of their hands in his name as the effect it selfe in the fulfilling of the same promise hath declared and may be discerned from the places euen now alledged out of the Acts of the Apostles wee are I say to consider that our Sauiour minded first of all and so also performed to bestowe these his gifts vpon the Apostles themselues according to his former promise Iohn 14.12.13.14 And also according as hee had in their temâ—orall and cursorie ministerie for a time indued them with the like power before as we reade Matthew chapter 10.1 Marke 6.12.13 They cast out many diuels and they anointed many that were sicke with oile and healed them Like also as hee had giuen like power to the other seuentie who acknowledged that the diuels were subdued vnto them through his name as wee reade Luke chapter 9.12 And chapter 10.1 and verse 17.18.19.20 Now therefore that the Apostles had this power renued vnto them afterward according to the present speech of our Sauiour wee haue it testified by diuers instances First for the casting out of the diuels Acts 16.18 as was alledged before Likewise chapter 5.16 Peter healed those that were vexed with vncleane spirits And chapter 8.7 Philip though not an Apostle but an Euangelist Hee casteth vncleane spirits out of those that were possessed And chap. 19.11.12 God wrought no small miracles by the hand of Paule So that from his body were brought vnto the sicke kerchiefes or handkerchiefes and the diseases departed from them and the euill spirits went out of them The which when other attempted to doe without any calling or appointment of our Sauiour thereunto they found to their owne perill and hurt that the euill spirits would not obey them no though they command them in the name of Christ as it followeth in the same chapter as wee may read verse 13 14.15 16. This gift of casting out diuels being bestowed vpon Paul the last of the Apostles was not wanting to the former as wee may well hold it out of all doubt and so was it acknowledged of Paul himselfe 2. Cor. 12.11.12 Secondly for the gift of speaking with newe tongues that is with diuers languages that it also was bestowed vpon the Apostles wee reade it testified Act. chap. 2. Reade also 1. Cor. 14.18 where we see Paul had likewise the same gift This gift of speaking strange languages is noted by this phrase of speaking with newe tongues in such sence as they are saide to haue newe hearts who are renewed in their mindes and affections by the Spirite of God Thirdlie for power and preseruation against the stinging of Serpents wee haue an instance for the confirmation of it in Paule Acts 28.3.4.5.6 The like preseruatiue power the rest no doubt had as their necessities might at anie time require though it may bee that our SAVIOVR vnder this taking away of Serpents and the other preseruatiue against poysonings by anie venemous drinke as neede should require would there-with-all metaphoricallie expresse that most prouident care which he had ouer those that wil faithfully imploy themselues in the seruice of his Gospell according vnto that which he saide to the seuentie Luke 10.19 Behold I giue vnto you power to tread on Serpents and Scorpions on al the power of the enemie nothing shal hurt you According also to that Psal 91.13 Thou shalt walke on the lion and on the aspe the yong lion and the dragon shalt thou tread vnder feet Neuertheles we are not to make question but the prouident care of our Sauiour extendeth to giue power against these very dangers mentioned euen in their proper and naturall kinds euen so often as necessitie by reason of the wicked indeuours of the instruments of Satan that olde Serpent required when
wide open for the preaching of the Gospell to euerie people and Nation vnder heauen 4 Fourthly by the power of the resurrection of our Sauiour wee are quickened to newnesse and holinesse of life 5 Moreouer by the vertue of the same we are strengthened and confirmed to all holy constancie in the faith and seruice of the Gospel vnder the blessed hope of immortalitie and heauenly glory 6 Furthermore we haue by it a setled cōfort against the vncertainty of our fraile transiterie life yea against all the troubles of it and against death it selfe and all the terrors and dismayings thereof seeing our Sauiour hath perfectly vanquished and ouercome them for vs. 7 And yet more then these the resurrection of our Sauiour is a reall confirmation that our bodies though they must die in corruption weakenesse and dishonour as naturall bodies for a finall conuiction and farewell of sinne yet they shall by the sauing power of the resurrection of our Sauiour Christ bee raised vp againe and made spirituall bodies incorrupt and glorious neuer to returne to corruption againe 8 The resurrection of our Sauiour is also an euidence that be is ordained of God to be the iudge of the world 9 Finally it is a most pregnant confirmation and application of all the fruits and benefits which he hath purchased for vs by his death and by all other his manifold sufferings going before the same Explication and proofe The resurrection of our Sauiour is indeede as the sealing vp of all these fruits and benefites vnto vs and therefore it may well be exceedingly comfortable vnto vs and his whole Church For as our Sauiour died not in the state of a priuate man but in the behalfe of the Church so also did hee not rise againe so much for himselfe as for the benefit of it But let vs see some proofes of holy Scriptures for these things For the proofe of the first part of this answer we may read Rom. 1.3 4. And 1. Pet. 1.21 where the resurrection of our Sauiour is alledged for a proofe that he who is our Sauiour is the Sonne of God And that it is furthermore a proofe that he is the promised Messias it is euident in that it is an accomplishment of the former prophesies which were giuen forth thereof as we saw before and may iustly here call to minde againe Psal 16. Isai 53.8 c. and chap. 55.3 Our Sauiour himselfe also before his death foretolde the same as a signe and confirmation thereof Matth. 12.39.40 Iohn 2.18.19 Reade also chap. 20.9 And in the Law the scape goate and the liue sparrow let loose may well be accounted figures of the resurrection and so the resurrection an accomplishing of the same as the slaine goate and killed sparrow were figures of his death Leuit. 14.4 5 6 7. And chap. 16.5 6 7 8 9 10. as was obserued once before For the proofe of the second part reade Rom. chap. 4. verses 22 23 24 25 26 where note that the Apostle affirming that our Sauiour being deliuered to death for our sinnes is risen againe for our instification hee maketh the imputation of his righteousnesse and our iustification one and the same thing So that to be iustified in the sight of God is to haue the righteousnesse of our Sauiour Christ imputed to vs who hath perfectly fulfilled it on our behalfe euen as he was perfectly sanctified of God himselfe to that end according as it is nearely lincked with it Rom. chap. 1. verses 3 4. alledged before Declared mightily to be the Sonne of God touching the spirit of sanctification by the resurrection from the dead And as we reade 1. Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh iustified in the the spirit Yea all the places alledged before to shew that our Sauiour was raised vp from the dead and exalted by the hand of God himselfe they are so many proofes that by his holy verdict his iustice is fully satisfied and that our Sauiour hath procured our perfect Quietus est from all our sinnes For if any one of our sinnes had not been fully satisfied for by him who was made sinne for vs or if any thing had beene wanting touching our Sauiour his owne holinesse and righteousnesse God would neuer haue raised him vp nor acknowledged vs to bee made the righteousnesse of God in him But now our Sauiour being declared to be perfect iust holy by the spirit of righteousnes sanctificatiō bearing witnes thervnto by his resurrectio on our behalfe as before wee are hereby assured that we haue our full discharge whenas otherwise wee should haue beene still in our sinnes 1. Cor. 15. verses 17 18. Reade also Act. 13.37 38 39. And Rom. 10.4 5 6 7 8 9. And 1. Pet. 21. A good conscience looketh to the resurrection of our Sauiour for the setling of the peace of it And Philip. 3 8 9 10. This is that vertue of our Sauiour which the Apostle Paul so highly valueth aduanceth that in comparison of it he counteth all things dung and meere losse Yea this is that life which he liued in Christ or rather which Christ liued in him according as it is said The iust shall liue by faith to wit in the apprehension of Christs righteousnesse thus manifested by his resurrection to be their owne through the most gratious imputation of God Gal. 2.19 20 21. Rom. 1.17 For the proofe of the third part of the answer reade Iohn 7.38 39. and chap. 20. verse 21. the ordination of the Apostleship and ministery of the Gospel Reade also Luke 24.47.48 49 Acts 2.17 18 32 33. And 2. Tim. 1.9 10 11. These things indeede were not performed till after the ascension neuerthelesse the resurrection made way and was as the first step vnto it For the proofe of the fourth part reade Rom 6.4 5. 2. Cor. 5.14 15. Eph. 1.19 c. and chap. 2.1 Acts 3.26 and chap. 5.31 Colos 2.12 13. and chap 3.1 c. This rising vp to newnesse of life is called the first resurrection Reuel 20.5 And it is the way to attaine vnto the second For let vs note well that albeit God doth fauourably behold vs in Christ onely for our perfect iustification before him yet this is no dispensation to vs that we should continue in sinne but it calleth for sanctification at our hands without the which no man shall see the Lord as we reade Heb. 12.14 And it is also necessary for vs to the end that from the fruits of our sanctification we may haue the comfortable perswasion of our iustification Rom. 6.1 c. And that we are elect and chosen to saluation 2. Pe 1 10. Yet so as we must in no part relie vpon our owne holinesse or works which will alwaies be failing and vnperfect but on our Sauiour alone by whom we are iustified For proofe of the first part reade 1. Pet. 1.3 4 5 c. Blessed be God euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ who according to
and in truth risen againe but also that hee was truly ascended vp into heauen and that from thence they should receiue the gifts of the holy Ghost which our Sauiour had promised to send downe vpon them Luke Acts 1.12 and in the Gospell 24.52 And much more ioyfull was it vnto them after the receiuing of the gifts of the holie Ghost as it followeth in the next verse For of that time chiefely the Euangelist seemeth to speake in that he affirmeth That they were continually in the Temple praising and lauding God The certaine truth whereof and of the whole Gospell hee assureth and concludeth with the word Amen like as wee haue seene before Matthew and Iohn to haue done The like ioy ought we to haue yea increasing more and more therein with all holy thankfulnes and the declaration thereof by all good fruites of dutie which may argue the same The which graces God of his infinite mercy grant vnto vs euen for Iesus Christes sake Amen ANd now hauing thus finished the comforts and found that the ascension of our Sauiour is a matter of ioy yea of singular ioy as his conception and birth was to the virgine Marie and to Elizabeth and to the Sheepheards and as his resurrection was to Marie Magdalen and to the Disciples let vs come to inquire out the duties belonging to that comfort and ioy which faith apprehendeth therein Question What duties may these be Answer To speake more generally It is our dutie as a fruite of our faith in our Sauiour ascended vp into heauen to endeuour so much the more cheerefully to goe forward with mightie increases both in the mortification of the remnants of all sinne abiding still in vs and in the minding and doing of all holy and heauenly duties of a godly life in all the dayes that we haue to liue heere vpon the earth Explicatiō It must needes be so in all proportion of good reason For the proofe whereof wee may take the example of the Apostle Paule and other faithfull Christians of whom hee writeth Philippians 3.20.21 saying Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee looke for our Sauiour c. Wee may likewise take for proofe of it the prayer of the saide Apostle Colos 1.9.10.11 And his exhortation chap. 3.1 c. And the precept of our Sauiour Matth. ◠19.20 21. Lay not vp treasures for your selues vpon earth c. But lay ye vp treasures for your selues in heauen c. For where your treasure is there will your heart be also To the which purpose it may profitable for vs to consider in what phrase of speech the holy Scriptures doe speake of the seruice of GOD and of all his holy waves namely in that is saide The way of life is on high to the prudent to auoide from Holi beneath Prou. 15.24 and in that the seruants of God are saide To haue lifted vp their hearts to seeke God and to haue lifted vp their prayers to God c As 2 King 1◠4 and 2. Chronicles 32.20 And Psalme 25.1.15 Reade also Psalm 123. Verily our Sauiour Christ truly beleeued in as being ascended vp into heauen cannot but be a most effectuall loadstone to drawe vp the mindes of those that be his vnto him how heauie and lumpish so euer they be in themselues Whosoeuer therefore doe not lift vp their mindes vnto heauen-ward but still like swine are groueling and rooting in the earth they shew plainly that they little know what the faith of this Article doth meane And thus much something more generally of the duties of faith belonging to the comfort of the ascension of our Sauiour Question Now more particularly how may wee consider of the duties belonging to the same Answer They may be gathered from the particular comforts aboue rehearsed Shew how First in that our Sauiour ascending vp into heauen left his blessing behinde him euerie one of vs ought to walke in the duties of our seuerall callings speciallie the Ministers of the word in sure trust of good successe we giuing as we are bound all diuine worship honour and praise to the Lord our Sauiour after the example of his holy Apostles when they saw him to ascend Secondly insomuch as our iustification in the sight of God is so clearely confirmed by the ascension of our Sauiour wee ought to rest more quietly and peaceably in it without any looking this way or that way to any thing else as the Apostle Paul teacheth Rom. 10 6.7.8 9.10.11 Thirdly seeing the ascension of our Sauiour maketh it most manifest vnto vs that he hath vanquished all our enemies wee ought so much the more cheerefully to serue God in holines and righteousnes without feare of them or giuing place to any doubt or feare arising in our owne consciences that might any way hinder the same our seruice vnto him Fourthly seeing hee hath by the same his ascension inlarged the bountie of his gifts and graces that they might flowe forth as a more full streame to the end of the world we are to account it so much the more vnworthy a thing that any professing the name of Christ should be ignorant and vnbeleeuing or to dam vp the passage of knowledge and faith against our selues or hauing gifts to be proud of them or not to imploy them wholy to the glory of God and edification of his Church and people Fiftly insomuch as our Sauiour hath ascended to shew vs that our mindes should be set vpon heauenly things and therefore hath promised to send the holy Ghost to be our comforter it were a shame for vs to lye still groueling in the sinfull lustes and pleasures of this world as if all our comfort lay in them and not rather to shewe our selues to be as pilgrimes and strangers in it and to rest and stay our selues vpon God alone for all our consolation according to the holy intreatie of the Apostle Peter 1. Epist chapter 2. 11.12 Finally seeing our Sauiour is ascended to prepare places for vs in heauen it is our bounden dutie to prepare our selues and all that belong vnto vs Pastors their flockes Parents their children c. that we may in Christ Iesus be found meete to be receiued vnto them and euen to long after the same according to the example of S. Paul and other ancient Christians of that time 2. Cor. 5.12 c. but not till we haue finished our course fought the spirituall battailes of God and kept the faith as wee are else where aduised by the spirit of God and by the ministerie of the same his holy Apostle Explication These are the good duties in deede which the comfort of faith in the ascension of our Sauiour into heauen calleth for at our hands and which we stand hound to yeeld in regard thereof And if we doe not prepare our selues and prouide the mariage garment how I pray you may we looke to be admitted for guests in his heauenly Kingdome wee should shew our selues vnworthie the
al the children of God as if the holy Apostle should haue spoken thus Maruel not at this that I say all the enemies of God shall be subdued vnto him for euen the Son of God himselfe in that he is man yea in that being both God and man and bearing the office of the Mediator he shall in regard of the same his office willingly submit himselfe vnder God as to his head 1. Cor 11 3. though he shall neuertheles for that but rather more gloriously rule and raigne ouer vs as our head to our infinite benefit Eph 1.22 and ch 4. 15. Colos 1.18 and ch 2 19. And thus may we perceiue that the cleare manifestation of the subiection of our Sauiour such as it shall be containeth a most sure ground of perfect comfort to vs insomuch as we shall at that time and thenceforth for euer continually behold and enioy the most blessed presence of our Mediatour by whom wee being once reconciled and vnited to God our heauenly Father shall by him and vnder him bee held in so sweete a bonde of subiection to ou◠God that we shall neuer haue any minde to lift vp ourselues against God or at any time to withdrawe our dutifull obedience and seruice as in Adam out first Father all of vs did and are still of our selues alwaies apt so to doe But yet one thing more remaineth concerning this great point of our faith Quest What doth Saint Paul meane when he saith that our Sauiour shall be subiect to the end God may be all in all Is it his meaning that then our Sauiour Christ shall cease to be any longer Christ and that hee shall lay aside his humane nature c. Answer Far be it from vs once to admit any such thought The meaning of the holy Apostle is that by the subiection of our Sauiour which he speaketh of the diuine Maiestie of the Godhead both Father Sonne and holy Ghost shall be so clearely manifested that the bright glory thereof shall not onely infinitely excell the glory of all other creatures but euen the humanitie of the Sonne of God himselfe So that though our Sauiour Christ shall retaine his eternall glory euen in that he is the head and mediator of the Church yet the perfection of all glory yea euen touching our redemption iustification sanctification and glorification shall be ascribed to the Deitie both Father Sonne and holy Ghost by whom we were with one most holy consent eternally elected and chosen and through whose grace toward vs and the whole Church the Father did send the Son in due time to take the nature of man by the holy Ghost and so to obtaine this high grace to be the Redeemer and Sauiour of men Explication This is indeede the holy meaning of the blessed Apostle so farre as wee in our weakenes could attaine to the glimse at the least of so high a mysterie The which doubtles neither wee nor any other shall be able fully to vnderstand vntill the time come that wee shall knowe as wee are knowne as the some Apostle speaketh and that we see it fulfilled before our eyes in the blessed season appointed of God Hitherto of the comforts of faith arising vnto vs from the sitting of our glorious Lord Iesus Christ at the right hand of God the Father almightie NOw let vs come to the vse of the same comforts touching those fruites of obedience and thankes which we stand bound to yeeld vnto God our Sauiour for the same Question Which are they Answer To speake more generally As all the fruites and benefites of our redemption are by this last and highest degree of our Sauiours exaltation most comfortably sealed vp and assured vnto vs and to the whole Church for euer so are wee in euery respect both of his princely prophesie and also of his royall Priesthood and k ngdome exceedingly to reioyce and comfort our selues in him as in an al sufficient Prince and Mediatour of our eternall redemption and saluation And accordingly with the greatest chearefulnesse of soule and spirit that may be to yeelde him all the duties of the greatest loue reuerence and obedience that we can possibly attaine vnto Explicatiō proofe It is indeede most reasonable and meete that it should be so as euery one must needes acknowledge in his heart though wee should say no more For seeing hee is a most high and holy Prophet wee are to reioyce in him more then euer the people of Israel did or might lawfully reioyce in Moses though he was the blessed instrument of God to deliuer them out of that heauie bondage of Egypt wherein they had beene a long time sore oppressed And more then any other of the same people might afterward reioyce in any other of the holy Prophets though God made them to bee as Fathers vnto them and as the horses and chariotes of Israel according to that which one of the Kinges acknowledge concerning the Prophet Elisha 2. King 13. verse 14. Seeing he is a royall high Priest it is our dutie to take more ioy in him spiritually then all the sweete perfume and all the glorious garments of Aaron or any other of the high Priests of the lawe could yeeld outwardly to those that beheld and sinelled to the same Exodus 28. Psal 133. Seeing he is the King of Kings The Duties and so crowned of God in the Lighest heauens we ought to reioice in him with ioy infinitely exceeding the ioy which the people tooke at the anointing and coronation of King Salomon heere vpon earth though at the blowing of the trumpet all of them said God saue King Salomon and piped with pipes and reioyced with great ioy so that the earth rang with the sound of them 1. Kings chap. 1. verses 39 4◠And hereunto we are in speciall manner exhorted by the Spirit of God in the Song of Songs in that sweet allegorie borrowed from the same anointing and crowning of King Salomon in that he was a type of our Sauiour Christ chapter 3.11 For Come forth ye daughters of Sion saith the Church and behold King Salomon that is our Salomon the great King of the whole Church both in heauen and in earth with the Crowne wherewith his mother crowned him in the day of his mariage and in the day of the gladnes of his heart But this beholding must be with the eye of faith for otherwise we cannot pierce so high as to see the glory of the coronation of this our Salomon whom we now speake of Thus I say more generally wee are to reioice with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious in respect both of his princely Prophetship and also of his kingly high Priesthood and Kingdome though with our naturall eyes as the Apostle Peter saieth we doe not see him And this is the next and most immediate duty which doth kindly follow vpon the former doctrine For insomuch as there is so great a ground or Sea full of comfort what may more aptly
gifts made them effectuall to the winning of thousands and tenne thousands of soules to the faith of his Gospell c. Onely the full perfiting of all things is reserued till his owne comming at the end of the world Nowe that the meaning of our Sauiour is not vtterly to relinquish the Church till that time of his comming it is euident by that which followeth in the parable For by the Lord or maister of the family his calling of his seruants and his distributing and deliuering vnto them his goods to some more and to some lesse in a diuerse measure and degree with a commandemēt that they should imploy the same to his aduantage till he should come againe to take account of them he giueth plainly to vnderstand that though he be bodily absent yet he ruleth and gouerneth in his Church continually by his most holy and soueraigne spirit giuing to euery one such an office and such a measure of gifts in his Church as hee thinketh meete Rom. 12.3 4.5.6.7 And 1. Cor 12 3 4 5. Touching the imploiment of which his gifts hee will call euery one to giue an account For that is the occupying which out Sauiour shadoweth out in the parable The gaine also which is intended by the parable is the winning of soules vnto God when by the preaching of the Gospell and by all other spirituall meanes both publike and priuate they are brought to faith and repentance and furthered therein by the same more and more from day to day The praise and reward which the maister giueth his good and profitable seruants representeth that eternall reward which our Sauiour will giue vnto euery one that shall be found faithfull in the imploying of their gifts to the glory of God and profit of his Church in their seuerall places and callings The maisters ioy that is the place of the maisters ioy whereinto the good and faithfull seruants are receiued is the kingdome of heauen euen the most ioyous place of heauen it selfe and all the blessed ioyes of the same The inequalitie or excellencie of the reward infinitely exceeding the seruice for a talent though it bee a good round summe to bee valued yet it is saide to be but a small thing in comparison of the ioy that followeth may well expresse vnto vs that the reward is of bounteous mercie from God and not of any merite or worthinesse in man For if God should enter into a a straite account with vs wee should be found but vnprofitable seruants and so we are alwaies to account our selues Luke 17.10 For wherein can wee be profitable to God as Elihu saith to Iob chap 35.7 to beate downe all conceite in mans owne righteousnes It is onely of mercy that God vouchsafeth to accept of any seruice from vs yea or of our selues to bee his seruants And therefore also when it is saide that to euery one is committed this and that measure of gifts or this or that calling according to his abilitie it is not meant of any naturall abilitie which any hath of himselfe but of that power and abilitie whereby they are fitted through the grace of God to performe such offices and duties as hee hath appointed them vnto As Iudg 6.34 The Spirit of God came vpon Gideon or as the word labshah signifieth clad or clothed him That is as Trem and Iunius well interprete Instruxit cum voluntate faculate ad hauc expeditionem pertinente tanquam armis conuenientissimis i. Hee furnished him with will and abilitie such as belonged to the dispatch of this seruice as it were with most conuenient weapons The same metaphore is vsed in the new Testament sondry times to the like purpose concerning the spiritual gifts and graces of the Gospel Luke 24.49 vntill ye be indued with power from on high heos hou endnsesthe and Rom cha 13. v. 14. Gal 3.17 Thus much of the faithfull seruants and of their reward On the contrarie the hiding of the talent noteth the not imploying of those spirituall gifts graces which God hath giuen to any nor themselues in their calling whether in magistracie for iustice or in the ministerie for the Preaching of the Gospell to such endes as God hath giuen and ordained the same And therefore herein is described the euill propertie of all ydle loiterours in the Lords vineyeard that is of all such as hauing knowledge and other gifts will not vse them to the glory of God nor to the prosit and edification of the Church the which the Lord doth account to him a great losse This no doubt is a grieuous sinne in them and therefore cannot but in the iustice of God bee seuerely punished as it is here described Cast that vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknes there shal be weeping gnashing of teeth Now if they that be vnprofitable in hiding their gifts are thus punished what may harmful hinderers destroiers such as peruert all whatsoeuer knowledge they haue and euery other gift to the dishonour of God and hurt of his Church what I say may they iustly looke for Neuertheles let vs well marke that vnprofitablenes goeth not alone in ydle and slouthfull persons but it is accompanied with other foule sinnes as our Sauiour noteth in that they carrie in their hearts an euill opinion of God as if it were in vaine to serue him like as the wicked are described to haue growne to that extremitie Mal 3.14 Which is cleane contrarie both to the nature of God described Exod. 34 6 7. and also to that faith which euery one ought to haue of him and in him Heb 11.6 For he that commeth to God must beleeue that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him But the euil seruant goeth further and according to his wicked misconceiuing of God or rather of meere slouthfulnes and for want of loue to God and his glory he goeth about to lay the blame vpon God and to blaspheme him to the iustifying of himselfe But what gaineth he in the end Hee is condemned and that iustly euen from his owne mouth For if I be like to a hard man saith the Lord thou oughtest to haue put my mony to the exchangers that I might haue receiued mine owne with aduantage It is therefore a vaine thing for any to goe about to make their plea against God But what Is vsurie lawfull yea verily this kind of vsurie is the onely lawfull vsurie to bring glory to God and profite to his Church by the vse of those gifts which he hath lent vnto his seruants It is such an vsurie as the borrower is sure to goe away with the gaine As touching all other byting and deuouring vsurie which eateth vp those that take it to loane there is no allowance of it in this place no more then there is of theft in the first of his parables because our Sauiour compareth himselfe in respect of his vncertaine comming to iudgement to the comming of a thiefe in the night
iudged condemne not ye shall not be condemned forgiue and ye shal be forgiuen As we are allwaies to beware of rashe vncharitable iudging censuring of our brethren so then especiallie when wee are in the passions of anger and displeasure conceiued against them For then as we are vsually most vnaduised so are we most ready to condemne them of hypocrisie of all to naught Euery man is partiall in his own cause But our Sauiour will iudge all our iudgemeÌ„ts yea euen the iudgements of all thrones he wil reuerse euery vniust iudgement Finally concerning the last branch of the answer that the meditation of the last iudgement hath great force to moue vs to the care of nourishing and holding fast the holy fellowship coÌ„munion of Saints it may appeare by the exhortation admonition of the Apostle to the Heb ch 10.24.25.26 Let vs consider one another to prouoke vnto loue to good works Not forsaking the fellowship which we haue among our selues as the manner of some is but let vs exhort one another that so much the more because ye see that the day draweth neere For if wee sinne willinglie after that wee haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a fearfull looking for of iudgement and violent fire which shall deuour the aduersaries And besides it is a true saying that out of the bosome or lappe of the true Church of Christ there is no saluation to wit for those that may enioy the communion of Saints and doe despise it Ioel 2.32 Here also may the prouerbiall speech haue speciall good vse Looke where the dead corps is thither will the Eagles flie Matth 24.28 God therefore of his infinite goodnes vouchsafe so to open our eyes and so to touâ—h our heartes that wee may make these holie and blessed vses from thereuerend meditation of the most glorious and fearfull appearance of our LORD IESVS CHRIST when he shall come to iudge the worlde Amen ANd nowe that wee may conclude the whole doctrine of this Article Question What is the danger of not beleeuing of not yeelding this obedience of faith in respect of this last iudgement which our Sauiour shall giue vpon the quicke and the dead Answer All such shal be taken at vnwares neither can it bee but they must needes perish most woefully euen for euer and euer from the most glorious presence of the Lord our God And moreouer we may affirme it of like certaintie that they who doe not beleeue the second comming of our Sauiour Christ according to the truth of the holie Storie as yet to be fulfilled haue no true faith to beleeue that hee is already come ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is very true For they haue either of them like warrant from the holy Scriptures of God And this is as plainely foretold that it shal be also the manner of it how as the other was before it was yet performed Yea our Sauiour himselfe in whom the former prophesies were fulfilled doth most plainely foretell assure his Church of this that it shal be as visiblie reallie performed in the externall view of the world as that was Yea more vniuersallie then that was For as the holy Scriptures affirme Euery eye shall see him Wherfore most false and presumptuous is the hereticall doctrine which H. N. teacheth his Familie of loue it beeing so directly contrarie to the doctrine of our Sauiour concerning the same that hee that runneth as they say may see it if wee compare them together For first of all as was said euen now The danger of not beleeuing this article the comming of our Sauiour to iudgement shal be visible to all the world the coÌ„ming which H N. telleth his sâ—hollers of is onely visible and apparant to those of his Familie or rather it is as he teacheth onely spiritually discerned and inwardly felt of them Secondly the comming of our Sauiour shal be from heauen in the clowdes according as he was taken vp into heauen by a clowde The comming which H. N. fancieth is reallie and in truth from the earth or rather a strong delusion from the lying spirit of the Diuell out of hell as we may say not from any of the clowdes of heauen but from the most darke and clowdie conceit of his carnall braine though with such a glorious shewe of words as if he were taught it by an Angell of light from the highest heauen Thirdlie the comming of our Sauiour shal be with an audible sound of the last trumpet by the ministerie of an Angell from heauen and with a showt as it were and sensible mouing of all creatures the comming of H. N. is by his base writings which contrarie to the truth of our Sauiour Christ seâ—keth to hide it selfe in darke corners Neither doth it willingly shew it selfe but to such as holde themselues in great secrecie and stillnesse as hee himselfe prescribeth vnto them The true comming of our Sauiour shal be to raise vp all bodilie out of their graues yea bodilie to restore to life all the dead whether buried in the earth or drowned in the waters or burnt in the fire or any other way destroyed and consumed from the beginning of the world to the ende thereof the counterfait comming of H.N. is according to the fantasticall Trumpet of his doctrine and by the hoarse sound therof onely to raise vp the mindes of his Familie spiritually while they doe remaine here vpon the earth in or with their bodies That is to say It is nothing else in truth but by a spirituall illusion from the false and blasphemous ground of his hereticall doctrine to raise vp by his gratious word as he calleth it wherof he pretendeth himselfe to be a speciall Minister of God and to that ende raised vp from the dead the godlie Nature and very true Beeing of God in all such as will imbrace the same his doctrine the which verie true Essence and Beeing as hee saith lay before dead in them as it were in the graue of sinne As touching the wicked that are deade in their sinnes and departed this life or the godlie departed in the faith H. N. by his comming hath no power to raise them vp at all either bodilie or spirituallie Neither is hee so voyd of subtiltie that he will professe anie thing in that behalfe lest his forgerie should thence be easilie espied euen of his simple and vnwarie Disciples Moreouer as touching the godlie both departed this life from the beginning of the world and also such as shal be found liuing at his comming our Sauiour shall come to take them bodilie vp into heauen the comming which H. N. boasteth of by his Ministerie is onely to make them spirituallie happie and to set them as it were in a Fooles paradice by a speculatiue fancie dreaming of an happie estate heere vpon this earth And so he sheweth himselfe to all those that haue grace to
extraordinarie for the communicating of his graces to the people of God as Isay 48.16 The Lord God saith the prophet and his Spirit hath sent me So Acts 13.2 The holie Ghost said Seperate me Barnabas Saul for the work whervnto I haue called them And on the other side Acts 16.6 7. it is written that the holy Ghost forbade them to preach the word in Asia and that he suffered them not to goe into Bithynia Reade also 1. Pet. 1.12 The Apostles and the rest preached the Gospel by the holy Ghost And 1. Cor. 2.9 c. to the end of the chapter and 2. Epist 3.6 they are therefore called Ministers of the Spirit and not of the letter And Reuel chapters first second and third St. Iohn being in the Spirit did by the direction of the holy Ghost euen the Spirit of Iesus Christ write to the seuen Churches in Asia as is euident by that often repeated and most graue admonition Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches And Act. 20.28 S. Paul directing his speech to the ordinary Pastors and Elders of the Churches chargeth them to take heede to themselues and to all the slocke whereof the holy Ghost had made them Ouerseers to feede the Church of God c. And yet more particularly to come to euerie of our selues As our first and naturall liuing mouing and being is from God by the holy Ghost as wee haue seene from the creation so and in more speciall manner is our new creation and our spiritual life mouing and beeing in the same For all whatsoeuer both enterance into the Church and kingdome of God here in this life and all increase of grace therein by the meanes either of word prayer and sacraments or any other holy way appointed of God euen to the full preparing and making of vs meete for the inheritance of the life and glory to come all is by the holy Ghost as wee haue the plaine testimonie of our Sauiour Christ himselfe Iohn 3. Except a man be borne of water and of the holy Ghost he can neither see nor enter into the kingdome of God For the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the Spirit of God c. 1. Cor. 2.14 According also as our Sauiour Christ said to Peter Matth 16.17 Flesh and blood hath not reuealed it vnto thee So necessary is it that the same Spirit which is a witnesse in heauen together with the Father and the Sonne should also be a witnesse on the earth with that water blood which flowed out of the side yea euen from the very heart of our Sauiour Christ 1. Iohn 5.7 8. And chap. 2. of the same Epistle it is the anointing of the holy Ghost saith saint Iohn which teacheth faithfull Christians and leadeth them into all truth as Christ had promised that he would send him to that end And chap. 4.4 Greater is he that is in you then he that is in the world Also saint Peter saith 1. Epist 1.2 We are elect according to the foreknowledge of God to the sanctification of the Spirit And verse 23. Our soules are purified in obeying the truth through the Spirit to loue brotherly without feining c. being borne a new not of mortall seede but of immortall by the word of God who liueth for euer And Colos 1.8 The loue of Christians is by the Spirit And verse 9. And Ephes 1.17 18. The knowledge of Christians is called spirituall knowledge And touching faith we reade Gal. 5.5 that through the Spirit we waite for the hope of righteousnesse through faith Yea generally the fruit of the Spirit is loue ioy and peace c as in the same chapter verses 22 23. And Ephes 5.9 The fruit of the Spirit is in all goodnesse and righteousnesse and truth Reade also Rom. 14 17. The kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but righteousnesse and peace and ioy in the holy Ghost And all this by the word of God For by it doth the Spirit giue the spiritual life 2. Cor. 3.6 and verses 17 18. Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie And we are changed into the image of the Lord from glory to glory by the Spirit of the Lord. And touching Prayer it is the praier of the Spirit only that is to say that which the Spirit teacheth sāctifieth inableth vs vnto which is acceptable to God And therfore it is said of the Spirit that he helpeth our infirmities teacheth vs to pray c. Rom. 8.26 27. Whence it is also that saint Iude exhorteth christians to pray in the holy Ghost to the edifying of themselues in their most holy faith as verse 20. of his Epistle And the Apostle Paul I wil pray in the spirit and sing in the spirit 1. Cor. 14. That is I will both pray and also praise God as the holy Ghost shall teach me And Ephes 6.18 Likewise cōcerning the sacraments first Baptisme the very form of the institutiō sheweth that it is the holy Ghost who must giue that effect which it signifieth according to that which is said to note the true circumcisiō Phi. 3.3 We are saith S. Paul the circūcisiō which worship God in spirit And Christ is said in this respect to baptize with the holy Ghost though he baptized none with the outward element of water And 1. Cor chap 12 verse 13. By one spirit we are all baptized into one body Secondly concerning the Lords Supper our Sauiour Christ noting in the vse of it the nature of faith which feedeth vpon the flesh of Christ and drinketh his blood both which are presented by the bread and wine of that Sacrament hee himselfe teacheth that it is the Spirit onely which quickeneth and that otherwise the flesh and therefore much rather the signe of the flesh profiteth nothing Iohn 6. And againe 1. Cor 12.13 we haue beene all made to drinke into one spirit Thus euery way it is the holy Ghost who is from God the Father that also by the mediation of our Lord Iesus Christ the onely immediate beginner and perfiter of all grace in vs. And it is the rather to be throughly weighed of vs because as the Apostle Paul saith Flesh and blood cannot inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 15.50 To him therefore both faith hope and loue inuocation and thankesgiuing feare and obedience is due as well as to the Father and the Sonne as we shall see when we come to the duties This is the true Christian faith of the Church of God of euery true member thereof touching the holy Ghost how many soeuer haue beleeued aright though the doctrine thereof hath not beene so fully clearly reuealed till the comming of Christ at the time of his most holy anointing to the taking of our nature vnto him God gaue his people of Israel his good spirit to instruct thē in former times as Neh 9.20 Isai 63.11.12 13.14 Read also Ezek ch 2. v. 2
c. ch 11. v. 1.5 ch 36.25 26 27. And Ier 31 33. conferred with Heb 10 15 16 17. And Isai 59 21. Ioel. 2 28. Hagg 2 6. And this Spirit so often spoken of is the holy Ghost The Spirit of the holy God is also after a sort acknowledged euen of the very heathen as Dan 4 5 6. As for that which we read Act 19.2 where the late conuerted Disciples at Ephesus say they had not heard whether there be an holy Ghost either they doe not meane to speake so concerning the third person of the holy Trinitie but coÌ„cerning the extraordinarie gifts of the holy Ghost which had bin giuen in other places by the laying on of the hands of the Apostles or if any thinke they did meane so the same must withall confesse that from their former ignorance this Article is for euer hereafter more certainly confirmed to the church of God by that better instruction which they receiued from the holy Apostle But you haue not yet shewed that the essential attributes or proprieties of the Godâ—eâ—d are attributed to the holy Ghost as well as to the Father the Son This must not in anywise be omitted of vs because the due coÌ„sideration hereof is of great weight to establish confirme our hearts to beleeue in him Question What proofes of holy Scripture haue ye therefore to warrant the truth of this part of your former answer Answer The proofes are so many as I am not able to make rehearsal of them without some helpe by your direction nor then neither but so as there will need some further supply by your addition ExplicatioÌ„ You may iustly say so indeed I will therefore helpe you what I can prouided that you will stirre vp your selfe to call to mind some one proofe or other for euery one of these diuine attributes as well as you may Question And first what proofe haue you that the holy Ghost is eternall I meane so eternal as no crature is eternal that is not onely without ending but also without beginning Answer In this sense the holy Ghost is called the eternall Spirit Heb 9.14 ExplicatioÌ„ proofe It is true Neither is any other Spirit either Angell or soule of man so called though they be immortall and endles by the decree of God And further touching the eternitie of the holy Ghost we may proue it by the same reason that the Euangelist Iohn proueth the eternitie of the Son For insomuch as the holy Ghost was in the beginning that is before any creature was as wel as the Son therefore wee may conclude that the one is eternall as well as the other Neither is it possible that the Father and the Sonne without this their eternall Spirit should euer haue giuen any being to any creature seeing the immediate producing of the creature and also the supporting of it from the first instant of the beginning of it is from and by the holy Ghost as we may perceiue by that which we read Gen chap 1. verse 2. Question Let vs now proceed What proofe haue you that the holy Ghost is of infinite and incomprehensible maiestie or greatnes Answer Whither shall I goe from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy presence saith the holy Psalmist Ps 139.7 Explication proofe This sheweth that the presence of the holy Ghost is as large that is euery where and filling all places as the God-head of the father and the Sonne This infinite and incomprehensible Maiestie of the holy Ghost may bee partly discerned of vs by that which is often testified that from the beginning of the world to the end thereof he hath beene and will be present with the children of God in speciall manner dwelling as it were in the hearts of thousands at one instant and so from time to time sanctifying guiding and coÌ„forting them all And for a most euident instance therof let vs consider it by the aboundaÌ„ce of the gifts of the holy Ghost poured forth vpon the church in these last times of the world since the ascension of our Sauiour Christ Iohn 7.38.39 Act 2.17 1. Cor 12. yea and in that it is expresly saide that our Sauiour himselfe in that he was man was indued with the gifts of the Spirit not in measure Thus may wee argue the infinite Maiestie and incomprehensible greatnes of the holy Ghost though not in any bodily dimentions which is contrarie to the nature of any Spirit and most of all of the holy Ghost but in a manner vnsearchable to vs according to his inuisible nature and most diuine and secret vertue Iohn 3.8 We will hast forward Question What proofe haue you that the holy Ghost is almightie Answer The workes of creation and gouernment made and continued by him together with the Father and the Sonne as hath beene declared before doe sufficiently prooue it to bee so Explication proofe It is very true And besides hee is expresly called the power of the most high Luke 1 35. Read also chap 24 29. and Act 1.8 where the gifts of the holy Ghost are called the power of God from on high And accordingly ch 6 10. the Euangelist testifieth that although many gaine said Stephen though he was no Apostle yet they were not able to resist the wisedome and the Spirit by the which hee spake Generally all the graces bestowed vpon the Church and euery member thereof they proceede from the power of the holy Ghost Our regeneration is called our Baptizing with the holy Ghost Iohn 1.33 and Act 11.16 And 2. Cor 3.18 We are changed into the image of the Lord from glory to glory by his Spirit as we heard before And Act 9.31 The Churches were multiplied by the coÌ„fort of the holy Ghost And Ephes 3.16 Christians are strengthened by the Spirit of God Moreouer 2. Thes 2.8 The Lord will consume the man of sinne euen wicked Antichrist by the Spirit of his mouth that is by the preaching of the Gospell through the mightie power of the holy Ghost Yea all that power which our Sauiour had in that he was man he receiued it from the holy Ghost whether we looke to the power of his doctrine or of his workes according to that Act 10.38 God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the holy Ghost and with power And Mat 12 28. compared with Luke 11 15. Our Sauiour himselfe professeth that hee did cast out diuels by the Spirit of God whom he calleth the finger that is the diuine power of God Like as when the Prophet Isaiah would note the perfect continuance of Gods power without all defect he saith The hand of the Lord is not shortened And the Prophet Micah ch 2.7 minding to signifie as much though to another end asketh the Israelites whether the Spirit of the Lord were shortened As though hee should say It is impossible hee is as able either to blesse and prosper or to curse and plague as euer he was Thus we
may see an almightie power ascribed to the holy Ghost yea euen the almightie power of God seeing none is almightie but he alone And next vnto this who can doubt of the infinite perfection and fulnes of his holines considering that he is in this respect in a speciall manner and in way of a most chiefe excellencie in himselfe aboue all Spirits called the holy Ghost as was obserued in the beginning And in respect of all the elect the Spirit of sanctificatton because all their holines is wrought by him Rom 1 4. And 1. Peter 1 2. And 2. Thes 2.13 Hee is also a most pure and cleane Spirit infinitely contrarie to all vncleane Spirits of men 1. Cor 6 11. and verses 17 18.19.20 And Gal 5 16. c and to the wicked Angels branded by the reprochfull name of vncleane or foule Spirits Marke 1.23 c c 27. And chap 5 2. c. Let vs now come to the rest Question What proofe haue you that the holy Ghost is infinite in all perfection of wisdome Answer In this respect saith the Prophet Isaiah who hath instructed the Spirit of the Lord and who was his counseller or taught him Explicatiō proofe So saith he indeed chap 40.13 And seeing he hath done all things in excellent wisedome without the aduise or counsell of any creature in any point it is plaine that he hath all perfection in and of himselfe The same also may appeare with like euidence and plainnes from the testimonie of Saint Paule 1. Cor 2.9.10 The things saith he which eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard c. God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deepe things of God c. Which things also saith the same Apostle as it followeth we speake not in wordes which mans wisedome teacheth but which the holy Ghost teacheth comparing spirituall things with spirituall things And againe chap 12. verse 4. c. after that he hath reckoned vp the manifold gifts and graces which God bestoweth vpon his Church wisedome knowledge discerning of spirits c. Hee concludeth that there are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit as was alledged before This spirit giueth our Sauiour gifts aboue measure as wee haue seene alreadie and the Church of Christ all aboundance from his fulnesse teaching them in all wisedome c. And therefore he must needes be in himselfe infinite in wisedome Now that we may proceed Question What proofe haue you that the holy Ghost is likewise infinite in all perfection and constancie or vnchangeablnes in truth Answer In this respect he is called the spirit of truth yea that spirit of truth which is incomparable and pierles euen the very truth it selfe Explicatiō proofe It is our Sauiours owne testimonie Iohn chap 14.17 and chap 16.13 And the testimonie of his faithfull Apostle Iohn 1. Epistle 5 6. The spirit is truth And therefore also is it affirmed that those things which the spirit hath foretold must needs be performed according to that saying of the Apostle Peter Act 1.16 This Scripture must needes haue beene fulfilled which the holy Ghost spake by the mouth of Dauid c. Moreouer Ephes 1 13.14 The faithfull are sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glory And ch 5.9 The fruit of the spirit is in all truth And 1. Ioh 5 7. he is a ioynt witnes of the truth together with the Father and the Sonne and of equall authoritie and credite therein with them Question And is he also of the same perfection of diuine goodnes and mercy with them He is so Answer and thorefore is called the Spirit of grace and compassion or as some translate of supplication and introatie Explicatiō proofe So we read Zech chap 12.10 and Heb 10.29 And the holy Ghost is so called because he both giueth grace and also certifieth vs of that grace and fauour and of that pitie and compassion which both the Father and the Sonne beare toward vs yea and stirreth vs vp and teacheth vs howe to intreate the same For as the Apostle saith Rom 5. verse 5. The loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. And chap 8.16 The Spirit beareth witnes with our Spirit that we are the children of God And in the same cha verse 26. The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we knowe not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for vs with fighes which cannot be expressed c. Moreouer Gal 5.22 Loue ioy long suffering gentlenes and goodnes are the fruites of the Spirit in vs. And Ephes 5 9. The fruite of the Spirit is in all goodnes And therefore the holy Ghost himself is in himselfe most good and gracious And so we read Nehem 9.20 and Psal 143.10 He is called the good Spirit of God And 2. Cor 3 6. The Spirit giueth life And verse 17 Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is libertie And therefore also hee is in himselfe most free working and distributing all things as it pleaseth him 1 Cor 12. verse 11. There is one special attribute of the diuine nature or Godhead yet behind namely righteousnes or iustice Question What proofe haue you therefore that the holy Ghost is infinite in al perfection of iustice together with the Father and the Sonne Answer In the 30. chap of Isaiah verse 1. Woe to the rebellious children saith the Lord who take counsell but not with me and couer with a couering but not by my Spirit that they may lay sinne vpon sinne c. Explication proofe Here it is plaine that the Spirit of God can abide no iniquitie no more then either of the other persons in the God-head And beside our Sauiour himself rehearseth it for a diuine propertie of the holy Ghost to rebuke the world of sinne which is vnrighteousnes and to shewe where true righteousnes is to be found namely in Christ through faith and not in mans own corrupt and sinfull nature or workes In which respect the Apostle Paul saith that our Sauiour was iustified in the Spirit 1. Tim 3 16. without whose righteousnes apprehended by faith through the Spirit none can be iustified in the sight of God 1 Cor 6 11. Neither can we without the sanctifying grace of the same Spirit through Christ performe any dutie of righteousnes For it is the fruite of the spirit alone which is in all righteousnes Ephes 5 9. And they onely Who are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Rom 8 14. And 1. Cor 12 3. No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost As touching the rest they prouoke the Spirit of God against themselues to their destruction Isai 63 10. They rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit therfore was God turned to
5.9 The fruite of the Spirit is in all goodnes and righteousnes and truth And Gal 5. verses 22 23 The same Apostle maketh mention of nine The fruite of the Spirit saith he is loue ioy peace long-suffering gentlenes goodnes faith meekenes temperance For the interpretation and distinction of which graces See Maister Perkins vpon this Article in his Exposition of the Creed The way both of entertaining and also of retaining this our best friend as it were in the chamber of our hearts is by giuing our selues to the exercises of praier of reading hearing and meditating of the word of God to the furthering of our knowledge faith and repentance and by carefull vsing of the present measure of grace which wee haue receiued to the honour and glory of God The way to loose this so honourable a guest and the comfort of his abode in our hearts is by the neglect of these holy duties wherewith onely he is delighted And therefore saith the holy Apostle counselling vs for our owne singular benefit Quench not the Spirit to the same end that we doe in no wise despise Prophesying but that we pray continually c. 1. Thes 5.17.18 19.20 And that we stirre vp the gift which is alreadie giuen vs by the Spirit 2. Tim 1.6.7 It is the conclusion of euery Epistle which our Sauiour sent by the ministerie of his Angell and the Apostle Iohn to the 7 Churches of Asia Let him that hath an eare heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches Reuel ch 2. and ch 3. To the which end according to the fourth point of the Answer let vs consider further that God requireth to be worshipped in Spirit and truth Iohn 4.24 and Philip. chap. 3. verse 3. And Rom. 8.1 where it is generally required that Christians doe in all things walke after the Spirit and not after the flesh And in the same chapter that they doe sauour the things of the Spirit And mortifie the deedes of the flesh by the spirit c. Likewise Gal. 5.25.26 If wee liue in the Spirit saith the same Apostle let vs also walke in the Spirit Let vs not be desirous of vaine glory prouoking one another enuying one another And chap. 6. verse 1 he calleth such as be more firmely setled in godlines spirituall men And verse 8. If we would haue it goe well with vs and that wee might be partakers of a good haruest we must sowe to the Spirit And Ephes 6.17 we must fight with the sword of the Spirit We must pray in the Spirit verse 18. And for the Spirit that it may be giuen and continued vnto vs. Psalm 51.10.11.12 And Psalme 143.10 Finally touching the duties of diuine worship and honour that they are to be yeelded to the holy Ghost as well as to the Father and the Sonne it may appeare First concerning faith insomuch as wee are baptized into his name together with theirs For we are to beleeue in him into whose name we are baptized And Math. 10.20 our Sauiour incourageth his Disciples to be without feare of their aduersaries and not to be distrustfully carefull what to answere vnto them Because the holy Ghost will be present with them And Luk. ch 12. ver 12. The holy Ghost will teach ye in the same houre what ye ought to say Secondly concerning the duty of loue it may be euident from that which hath beene alledged concerning our duty of not grieuing the Spirit c. For wee will neuer haue this care vnlesse we shal beare a dutifull loue and affection toward the holy Ghost We regard not to grieue them whom we loue not Thirdly concerning reuerence or feare it may easily be proued to be due The danger of not beleeuing this Article yeat that it standeth vs in hand so to doe left we prouoke his most fearefull wrath against vs as Ananias Sapphira did as Iudas did as all those shall do whosoeuer rise vp in contempt and rebellion against him Moreouer baptizing into the name of the holy Ghost is a kinde of inuocation and calling vpon his name And so is the desire of the Apostle that the communion of the holy Ghost might remaine with the Corinthians 2. Epist chap. 13. verse 13. And insomuch as ingratitude against the holy Ghost is worthily condemned for a most grieuous sinne Heb. 10.29 iustly is thankfulnesse to be esteemed a speciall duty belonging vnto him Neither is it to be neglected that the Apostle maketh diuine and honourable mention of the holy Ghost in taking a religious oath Rom. 9.1 I say the truth in Christ I lye not my conscience bearing me witnesse in the holy Ghost Thus the same duties of diuine worship and honour are due to the holy Ghost as well as to the Father and the Sonne insomuch as he is in the vnitie of the Godhead very true God together with them NOw therefore hauing hitherto seene so plentifull and sure a ground and warrant for this Article and also what the meaning of it is and what a gratious promise we haue for it and of how singular an vse it is both for comfort also to moue vnto all obedience now that we may at the last conclude the whole doctrine of it Question What is the danger of not beleeuing and so consequently of not yeelding that obedience which it requireth of all Christians Answer Whosoeuer doe not rightly beleeue in God the holy Ghost nor vnfeinedly obey him they haue no true knowledge nor faith which is according to godlinesse neither doe they neither can they possibly yeeld any true honour and obedience either to the Father or to the Sonne And therefore also it must needes be that all such shall abide in the corruption of their profane nature and perish for euer therein It must needes be so insomuch as the holy Ghost according as it hath bin truly affirmed sundry times before is of all the three Persons of the blessed Trinitie Explicatiō proofe the onely immediate worker of all grace from the Father and the Sonne in euery one that shall finde any fauour before the diuine Maiestie of God For without his illumination and sanctification we cannot but remaine in darkenesse and profanenesse according to the expresse testimonie of our Sauiour Christ as hath been also alledged before out of the 3. chapter of Iohn saying Except a man be borne againe of the holy Ghost hee cannot see nor enter into the kingdome of God And according to the testimonie of Paul the Apostle of our Lord Iesus Christ The natuarall man vnderstandeth not the things of the spirit of God c. 1. Cor. 2.14 And Rom. verse 9. If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his c. And Ephes 1.18 We can haue no enterance to the Father but by the spirit of our Sauiour Christ And as no entrance so no continuance but onely by continuance in that grace faith which the holy Ghost once giueth Whence it is that
doues which take their flight to the holes of the rockes c as being pursued persecuted of the wicked who are fallen away from the true worshippe of God to a false and superstitious religion Whence it is that we doe necessarily affirme that the Church which is visible in the parts thereof is either true or false chaste or adulterous c. And that in the true Church some are true and kindly children and that other be hypocrites or false brethren For they that are borne after the flesh as the Apostle teacheth will persecute them that are borne after the spirit as Ishmael did Isaak euen in Abrahams house Gal. 4.29 30. And many are called but few chosen as our Sauiour himselfe affirmeth Matth. 22.14 Of the true and elect Church of God our Sauiour Christ as was touched before is the onely and alone inuisible and mysticall head giuing the life and power of true faith and godlinesse to it through his Spirit And therefore the true Church considered in her members hath sometime her honourable denomination euen from the name of Christ himselfe according as in our present text 1. Cor. chap. 12. verse 12. St. Paul saith that the naturall body resembleth Christ that is to say Christ himselfe mystically considered with his Church which is therfore called the fulnesse of him that filleth all in al things as was said before Ephes 1.22 23. Read also Acts. 9.4 where our Sauiour Christ professeth himselfe to be persecuted when they are persecuted which doe truly professe his name As for the ciuill Magistrate yea euen the King though he be called the head of the people kingdom where he beareth dominion yet is he but a member though indeed a chiefe principall member of the Church of our Lord Iesus Christ So that when the name of head is attributed to the King as we reade 1. Sam. 15. verse 17. and 2. Chron. 20.27 and Psal 110.6 it is to be vnderstoode metaphorically and not mystically and spiritually For thus to be the head of the Church both generally and in the seuerall parts it is onely belonging to our Sauiour Christ who will not giue this his glorie to any other Neither in deede can any beside himselfe performe the office and vertue of a head to the soules of the people and Church of God as may further appeare by that subiection which is required of all Kings and Rulers in the Church and to the Church in respect of Christ Psal 2.10.11.12 and Isaiah chapt 49.23 Now of the false visible Church which falsely nameth it selfe the catholike Church Antichrist is the head so acknowledged of all those that receiue the marke of the Beast as the holie scriptures doe speake that is hee is the head of so many as doe willingly submit themselues to his Antichristian doctrine and gouernement seeking spirituall life and direction with all temporall peace and safetie from him Reuel 13.11 c. And ch 17 This Antichrist the great false head of of the false catholike Church is hee that presumptuously peruerteth the true doctrine of our Sauiour Christes most holie and high office through his erroneous and heretical tyrannous and hypocriticall assertions practises and deuises For he is idolatrous in his worship superstitious in his ceremonies and prowd and tyrannicall in all his gouernement imitating or rather exceeding here in the west Church with vs the princely state and pompe of the Romane Empire which at the first was verie cruell against the Church of Christ and therefore called the first beast Reuel 13.1 c. For wheras the Romane Empire was at the first breaking forth of the Gospell notorious for putting of our Sauiour Christ the Lord of life and glorie to death and afterward for murthering of many thousands of faithful Christians both in the East and West Church the Pope of Rome called the second beast hauing craftily gotten the power of the first beast hath himselfe bene more notorious for crueltie and pride here in the west then euer the other was either in the East or West Wherevpon most iustly haue wee with the true Churches of of our Sauiour Christ and with all true Christians withdrawne and seperated our selâ—es from his most hereticall and tyrannous vsurpation Hereticall I say again t our Sauiour Christ in respect of the truth of his doctrine and tyrannous also against the gracious equitie of his spirituall regencie and gouernment Yea and beside these presumptuous also and traiterous against the iust right and authoritie of ciuill Kings and Princes touching the soueraigntie of their ciuill policie and gouernment for Christ and his Gospell And therefore also according to our most boundeÌ„ dutie vnder our Sauiour Christ we froÌ„ the first shaking off of the popish yoke of bondage haue laboured with our onely soueriegne and supreme Gouernours next vnder our Lord Iesus Christ as other Churches haue done with theirs for the correction and restoring both of doctrine and discipline from all Popish corruption and abuse to the sinceritie and truth of the word and Gospel of God and according as the right ancient and apostolike Christians haue vniuersally acknowledged obeied it eueÌ„ froÌ„ the first publishing of the Gospell so farre as they could attaine and retaine it vntil this Antichrist as a great fals Prophet as a most ambitious high Priest and as a most vsurping king had subtilly deceiued and tyrannically oppressed the world Such is the doctrine of the true Church of God concerning the vniuersalitie of it or in that it is as we vse to speak catholike so neare as God vouchsafed vs grace to collect it from the ground proportion of our text of Scripture propounded to that purpose and therewithall also according to all other testimonies of holy Scripture which giue their further light to the same But as touching the other title of the same Church of God Question Why is it called holy Answer Because it is sanctified and set a part by the holy Ghost according to the will of God the Father and of our Lord Iesus Christ that all the members thereof being so sanctified vnto God both in their bodies soules and Spirits should carefully minde holines and indeuour to leade a holy life in obedience to all the holy lawes and commandements of God according to the faith of the Gospell all the daies of our liues contrary to that prophane and vngodly disposition and practise of the children of this world Explication and proofe This in deede is the nature of holy thinges that they should altogether differ in vse from thinges common and prophane yea and in inward truth from all thinges that haue onely an outward shewe of holines and religion This holines touching both the fountaine and also the full perfection of it is onely in our one onely Lord God the Father Iohn 17. verse 11. In the Sonne Act. 4.27 In the holy Ghost Iohn 14.26 According to that threefold acclamation of the Angels Isai 6.3 Holy holy holy
Lord of Hostes And as God is verie often called the holy one of Israel And Exod. 28.36 Holines is ascribed to the Lord. As touching our selues it is onely perfect to vs by imputation in that our Sauiour Christ is made of God our sanctification 1. Cor. 1.30 and Colos 1.22 According also to that which our Sauiour himselfe saith Iohn 17. For their sakes doe I sanctifie my selfe All our inherent or infused sanctification through the inhabitation or dwelling of the Spirit of God and our Sauiour in vs it is at the best but inchoate onely and in part here in this life and therefore it hath neede of daily strengthening and encrease by all holy meanes of the word and praier c. according to that which we read 1. Cor. 7.1 and chap. 5.8.9 and 2. Epistle 2.13.14 and Reuel 22.11 He that is holy let him be holy yea more holy as the words may well be vnderstoode Yet so as wee must not dreame of anie full perfection to be in vs or in the Church of God till it be perfected in the heauens that is till that be fulfilled whereof the Apostle Paul speaketh Ephes 5.25.26.27 saying that our Sauiour Christ will make his Church glorious and without spot or wrinkle And Saint Iohn Reuel 14.4 5. These are they which are not defiled with women for they are virgins These followe the Lambe whethersoeuer he goeth these are bought from men being first fruites vnto God and to the Lambe And in their mouthes was found no guile for they are without spot before the throne of God Thus much for this time concerning the holines of the Church and why it is called so As for the word Church it selfe howsoeuer it is drawne to signifie the places or houses of Gods worship yet if we looke to the Hebrew word Kaal vsed for the same which signifieth a congregation or gathering together of people according to that we read Psal 22. verse 22. and verse 25. likewise Psa 26.12 and Psal 68.26 And againe if wee consider the vse of this other Hebrew word gnedha vsed to the same purpose comming of tagnad which signifieth to come together at appointed times and seasons as we read Exod. 12.3 and verses 6.19 and 47. of that chapter and in infinite places of the olde Testament And if herewithall we looke to the Greeke word ecclesia cōming of eccaléo which signifieth to call forth or to prouoke incite to assemble together as it is vsed 1. Cor. 1. verse 2 and euery where in the new Testament we may easily perceiue that our English word Church vsed in stead of them noteth properly that company of people which God calleth together by the outward sound of his Gospell and inward grace of his Spirit to the holy profession of his name and practise of his diuine worship to his glory and their owne saluation And thus hauing called to mind the whole doctrine for the interpretation of the Article of our beliefe concerning the holy Church of God somwhat largely as it was preached vnto you I desire now that you should in as few words as you can make it plaine what you haue learned to beleeue according to the true meaning of this Article Question What haue you learned concerning this point Answer This Article of my faith teacheth mee to beleeue that there is but one holy catholike or vniuersall Church that is to say one holy societie or fellowship of people elected and called of God through his free grace in Iesus Christ who also are through the same his free grace iustified and sanctified in the name of Christ by the holy Spirit of God and no otherwise to the end they may in due time be meete partakers of most blessed life and glory in his euerlasting and heauenly kingdome Of the which catholike Church it teacheth me as well as any other in particular that I ought to beleeue firmely in my heart and chearefully and boldly to professe and acknowledge with my mouth and also dutifully to expresse by the actions of my life that I am a true and liuely member of it Explicatiō and proofe It is true it teacheth so much in deede For that which is said of the Corinthians for their part 1. Ep. 1. verse 2. that they were a Church of God sanctified in Christ Iesus Saints by calling and such as called vpon the name of our Lord Iesus Christ it agreeth to euery other congregation yea to the whole Church of God vpon the face of the whole earth According as in the same place he ioineth them with the rest of that time liuing in these words Vnto the Church that is at Corinth c With all that call on the name of the Lord Iesus in euery place both their Lord and ours But this they could not doe vnlesse they had beene first Saints by calling c as well as the Corinthians as wil easily appeare by comparing together that which the same Apostle writeth in the 6. cha of the same Epistle verse 11. and chap. 12.3 No man can say that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost And furthermore for election and calling and iustification and glorification lincked as it were in one golden chaine read Rom. 8.29.30 Those which God knew before he also predestinated c. Moreouer them whom hee did predestinate them also he called and whom hee called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them he also glorified The particular apprehension of which calling iustification and glorie is by the hand of faith as it followeth chap. 10. verses 9.10.11.12.13 For if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and beleeue in thine heart that God raised him vp from the dead thou shalt be saued For with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation For the Scripture saith whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed For there is no difference betweene the Iew and the Grecian for he that is Lord ouer all is rich vnto all that call vpon him And touching the meanes of our externall calling to this holy societie of the Church to call vpon the name of the Lord as an effect of the election of God it is the preaching of the Gospell as it followeth in the same place verse 14. But how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued and howe shall they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and howe shall they heare without a Preacher For euen in this very respect the Church hath the name Ecclesia from the Greeke language giuen vnto it because it is a companie inuited and called by the preaching of the Gospell to beleeue in the name of the Lord and to call vpon his name c by an allusion to the ciuill calling together of the Burgesses and free men of a Citie by the voice or sommons of the Cryer So that vpon the premisses with the present obseruations laid together wee may easilie reduce all
regard of the stabilitie of the whole church and euery true member thereof according to that of the same Apostle 2. Tim 2.19 The foundation of God remaineth sure and hath this seale The Lord knoweth who are his And thus as it is written Heb 6.18.19 The stablenes of the counsell of God afordeth vs strong consolation vpon the which the ancre of our soules that is the hope which is set before vs may bee sure and steadfast in heauen against all the stormes and tempests which we shall meete withall while we sayle as it were in the discomfortable and dangerous Sea of this wicked troublesome world Read also Mat 16.18 The gates of hell shall not ouercome the Church There be likewise many comfortable testimonies in the holy Prophets As Psal 46.5 c. God is in the midest of it therfore shall it not be moued And Ps 125 1. They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion c. Isai 54.17 All the weapons that are made against thee shal not prosper c Ioel 2 32. In mount Sion and in Ierusalem shal be deliuerance And chap 3 20. Likewise Obad verse 17. And Micah 7.20 God will performe his truth to Iaakob and mercie to Abraham c. But to the end we may haue our part in this so singular a comfort How may we be assured Question that wee are in the number of the elect of God and consequently true members of the holy catholike Church of God Hereby may we knowe that we are the elect of God Answer if so be we haue receiued his Spirit of adoption and sanctification ExplicatioÌ„ proofe We may doe so indeede For so saith the Apostle Iohn 1 Ep ch 4 13. Hereby we knowe that we dwell in God and God in vs because hee hath giuen vs of his Spirit The which Spirit also as wee haue seene before is as the earnest or seale of our election to salution And therefore it beareth the name of the Spirit of adoption c. Question But that we faile not nor be deceiued in this our comfort how may we know that God hath giuen vs of his Spirit and that wee are sealed thereby vnto redemption and saluation Answer We may know it certainly by the inward effects which the holy Spirit of God worketh in vs and by the outward effects of holines which the same Spirit inableth vs to performe and causeth our Spirits to take delight and pleasure therein from a pure heart with a good conscience and through faith vnfeined ExplicatioÌ„ proofe You answer truly and well For so doth the Apostle Iohn mentioned euen now teach vs 1 Ep ch 2 v. 3. Hereby we are sure that we knowe him if we keepe his commandements And ch 3 23.24 This is his commandement that we beleeue in the name of his Sonne Iesus Christ and loue one another as he gaue commandement For he that keepeth his commandements dwelleth in him and he in him hereby we know that he abideth in vs euen by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs. Now this Spirit leadeth vs into the obedience of Gods commandements whereby also it is discerned to be in vs. Prouided alwaies that our obedience be as was answered out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith vnfained According to that of the Apostle Paul 1 Tim 1 5. Moreouer the fruits of the Spirit whereby his abiding in vs may be assured vnto vs are in many particulars reckoned vp by the Apostle Paule Gal 5 22 23 And Eph 5. v. 9 in many other places Wherein if we take delight with care to practise them in our liues we may assure our selues that God hath giuen vs his Spirit And namely The Duties if we shall be carefull to acquaint our selues with prayer and supplication to God for the increase of these his good gifts and graces For this is a speciall propertie of the Spirit of adoption and sanctification as the same Apostle teacheth vs Rom 8 15. Whereby and by the other fruites of sanctification before mentioned the Apostle doth in the same place verses 14 and 16.17 assure vs that we are such as belong to God and to whom the inheritance of the kingdome of God doth belong For saith he as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sonnes of God For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare againe but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The same spirit beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God If wee be children we are also heires euen heires annexed with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that â—ee may also be glorified with him And marke this well that among many other things the holy Apostle sheweth vs that our willing suffering with Christ that is while wee walke in the holy waies of God is a sure token that wee are in the number of the elect children of God For as he saith further verse 29. of the same chapter Those whom God knewe before he also predestinated to be made like to the image of his Sonne to wit euen in the induring of afflictions c. And to the same purpose of comforting and incouraging of all such that they are the vndoubted children of God tendeth all that which followeth euen to the end of that most comfortable chapter Whervnto also the testimonie of the Apostle Peter serueth notably in the first chapter of his 2. Epistle verses 5 6 7 8.9 10 11. Therefore giue all diligence therevnto ioyne moreouer vertue with your faith and with vertue knowledge And with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlines and with godlines brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue c. For as the Apostle saith hereby we shall make our calling and election sure And he assureth vs in the name of the Lord that if we doe these things we shall neuer fall but that an enterance shall bee ministred vnto vs aboundantly into the euerlasting kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ Read also Ps 15. where the Spirit of God by his holy Prophet maketh the same conclusion from a rehearsall of sundrie like vertues in the former part of the Psalme And thus we see that the comfort of faith coÌ„cerning the Article of the holy catholike Church of God is very great and manifold in respect both of the vniuersalitie and holines of it and chiefly in regard of the holy election of God Hetherto therefore of the vse of the doctrine of this Article for the comfort of faith WE are now to inquire likewise after the vse of it touching the fruites of obedience and that in the same order wherein we haue inquired of the Comforts Question First therefore what is the dutie belonging to the comfort of faith concerning the vniuersalitie of the Church Answer Insomuch as there is but one Church of God and that without it here
diuine which is alwaies euery where present by his Spirit we also are by the same Spirit of his firmely knit to his humane nature how far so euer distant in place and are made flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone as we read Ephe. 5.30 yea we are knit also to the diuine nature by meanes of the humane So that truly may it be affirmed of our Sauiour both God maÌ„ that he is the vine and we the branches he our head and we his members c. Not barely by a naked metaphore as one would say but according to a reall truth by an energeticall power or effectual operation working of the Spirit of our Sauiour as was said a litle before Yea and that euen in as neare a truth of coniunction as the most spiritual manner that may be wil endure or beare For as it is plainly auouched If any haue not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Rom. 8.9 And Know yee not your owne selues saith the same Apostle 2. Cor. 13.5 how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates Thirdly touching the efficacie of the same his Person through the death of the humane nature we read that our Sauiour both deliuereth vs froÌ„ the guiltines punishment of sin also froÌ„ the power tyranny of it of the diuel Likewise as by his obedience he hath for his part fulfilled on our part purchased all righteousnes for vs so doth he as a fruit of our perfect iustification by the imputation of his righteousnes to vs in the sight of God facioÌ„ frame vs like to himself in some measure of inhereÌ„t righteousnes by an infused grace of sanctification in that as the holy Scriptures doe plainly teach he baptizeth vs with the holy ghost that he wil at the last day raise vp our bodies make theÌ„ like to his glorious body giue vs both in bodies soules euerlasting life glory in the heaueÌ„s Mat. 3.11 Rom. 8.11 Phil. 3.20.21 Col. ch 3. v. 4. 1. Ioh. 3.2 But of the resurrection of the body and of euerlasting life more afterward For the last point of our coÌ„munion with our Sauiour Christ in some measure or degree of his most excellent dignity read Iohn 1.12 c. 1. Pet. 1. ver 2.5 c. Reu. 1.6 and ch 5.10 And againe 1. Pet. â— 9 Yee are a chosen generation c. But of this we haue spoken more at large in the title Christ and in the comfortable fruits and benefites of our Sauiours death Such therfore is our most blessed gratious communion with our Sauiour Christ wherevnto he hath vouchsafed of his infinite mercy to admit vs and accordingly to communicate and giue his very selfe vnto vs with all his most pretious and inestimable fruits and benefites Question Now in the second place What is the communion of Saints among themselues Answer The communion of Saints among themselues as I haue beene taught consisteth in these foure things Fist in that ioynt title and interest which euery one hath to the enioying of the same blessings both in this life and also in the life to come by one and the same purchase of redemption by the same free donation gift of God through our Lord Iesus Christ Secondly in a liuely and spiritual discerning and comfortable perceiuing of our neare coniunction with the rest of the body answerable in a certaine proportion to the knitting of the members of the naturall body vnder one and the same naturall head by many veines sinewes and strings Thirdly it consisteth in the louing and kinde imploying of all gifts which any of the particular members receiue of our Sauiour whether externall or internall to the mutuall benefit of the whole body for the furtherance both of the comfort and ioy of this life and also vnto the glorie of the life to come according to that power which is giuen to euery one Fourthly the communion of Saints consisteth in the fellowship and fellowfeeling of the like afflictions and sufferings so long as we remaine here in this troublesome and persâ—cuting world ExplicatioÌ„ proofe For the proofe of the first of these points call here againe to minde Ephes 4.4 Ye are called in one hope ofyour vocation Reade also how the same Apostle ioyneth all the faithfull in one like estate and condition of glory after this life 1. Cor. 15.51 52.53.1 Thes 4.13 c. Heb. 12.39 40. And Iude verse 3. The saluation of the Saints is called the common saluation And Rom. chap. 5.15 16 17. and chap. 6.23 The gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord. And touching the blessings of this life they who are the owners possessors of them by ciuill right are but Stewards and disposer of them for the reliefe of those that stand indeede by that law of loue and compassion which God hath made to his Church The necessities of the poore doe intitle them to be owners or Lords of rich mens liberalitie in the phrase of the holy language of the Scriptures of God Prou. 3.27 The aboundance of the one ought in dutie to supply the wants of the other according to that most notable Treatise of liberalitie penned by the holy Apostle 2. Cor. chap. 8. and chap. 9. And according to the will and commandement of God testified Gal. 6.16 and 1. Iohn 3.17 18 c. And in many other places of the holy Scripture as the Treatise of christian benificence printed a few yeares since doth aboundantly declare The second branch of the Answer is very euident in it selfe insomuch as otherwise none can rightly vnderstand how to imploy himselfe for the benefiting of other though he had a desire so to doe Euery one therefore is to know his place and calling whether he be as the eye or the hand or answerable to any other member of the body and accordingly he is to doe the proper duty of his office The third branch is notably confirmed and laid forth by the Apostle Paul Rom. 12.3 4 c. to the end of the chapter 3. For I say saith he through the grace that is giuen vnto me to euery one that is among you that no man presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meete to vnderstand but that he vnderstand and according to sobrietie as God hath dealt to euery man the measure of faith 4 For as wee haue many members in one body and all the members haue not one office 5 So wee being many are one bodie in Christ and euery one one anothers members 6 Seeing then that we haue gifts that are diuers according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether wee haue prophesie let vs prophesie according to the proportion of faith or an office let vs waite on the office or he that teacheth on teaching c. And the same Apostle Ephes 4.7 c. 17. Reade also 1. Pet. 4.10 11. Let euery man as hee hath receiued
either sort of these duties doe belong herevnto And first as touching the former sort it is euident that they doe so euen from that similitude of the body which S. Paul hath vsed as may well be obserued from the neare knitting of the members in the naturall body and from their mutuall tendernes each to other answerable to the same their neare connexion and according to that sweet law which God hath set in nature For seeing as hath beene declared alreadie all Christians are most nearely linked together in Christ Iesus euen by the bond of that Spirit of his which is the worker of all good and holy coniunction and likewise seeing that spirituall head to wit our Lord Iesus Christ from the which euery member of his bodie receiueth life is more liuely and mighty in operation by infinite degrees then is the naturall head of the naturall body therefore ought all Christians to be most hearty tender and faithfull in their mutuall loue to the cherishing and hearting on of one another in the way to the kingdome of heauen And for the very same cause doth our Apostle S. Paul in the 13. chap. immediatly after this doctrine of our most neare coniunction with our Sauiour Christ cōtained in our text treat of Christian loue as being in respet of some fifteene or sixteene properties which hee there rehearseth the way of all perfection And as else where hee termeth it the bond of perfection and that which wee ought to grow vp and encrease in continually Colos 3.14 and Ephes 4 15. As touching the Apostles owne example and practise what it was wee haue seene before Rom. 1.11.12.1 Cor. 9.19 c. Read also 2. Ep. 11.28.29 Now to the performance of this euery one according to that which hath likewise beene set downe before is to haue due regard what member hee for his part is in the body whether an eye to foresee or an eare to hearken after things as a good intelligencer concerning the affaires of the Church or a hand to help the poore or a foot to be commanded and imploied about any meaner seruice c. And accordingly euery one is to doe the proper office of such or such a member as he is To the which end purpose here call againe to mind Rom. ch 12. verses 3.4 ◠c. And Ephes ch 4. verses 4.11.12.13.14.15.16 and verse 25 Read also Iob ch 25.15 where we may see how hee for his part was an eye to the blind c. And 1. Iohn 1.6.7 If we say we haue fellowship with God saith the Apostle and walke in darknes we lie and doe not truly But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another and the blood of Iesus Christ his Sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne It ought to be in the Church of our Sauiour Christ in regard of spirituall graces as it was in the gathering of Manna All brought that which they gathered to one heape and all had their meet portion from the same heape again and so there was found sufficien◠for euery man So it ought also to be in the communicating of bodily reliefe and succour according to the excellent doctrine of the Apostle Paul in that behalfe 2. Cor 8.13.14.15 And hereof we haue the Church of Corinth and other of the primitiue Churches notable examples for the best ordered and most charitable communion Act. 4.32 c. As the Sea filleth all riuers and all riuers runne againe into the Sea so should it be among the people of God Euery one ought to loue and tender all and all againe euery one the Minister the people and the people their Ministers c. 1 Thess 2.7.8.11.19.20 and cha 5.12.13.14.15 Heb. 13. verses 17.18 Philip. 2.1 2.3.4 The loue of the Saints one toward another and toward the whole Church it must be a holy loue that is a more excellent loue their that which is naturall or ciuill Philosophical insomuch as the corporation wherof we are memebers in the Church is not a naturall or ciuill body but a sacred and holy body as we haue seene before For the precepts of which loue read Rom. 12.9.10 c. Gal. 6.1.2 Heb. 13.1.2.3 1. Pet. 1.23 whereof we haue Dauid for one notable example Psal 16.3 All my delight saith he is in the Saints c. Hetherto of the first sort of the duties more generally considered Now touching the second sort more particularly mentioned in the second part of the answer First for the preaching of the Gospel that it is to be vsed as a meanes to bring vs and to settle vs in this holy communion read 1. Ioh. 1.3 That which wee haue seene and heard declare wee vnto you that ye may haue also fellowship with vs and that our fellowship also may be with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ In which respect also it is that the Apostle Paul doth heartily praise God for that fellowship which the Philippians had in the Gospell by the preaching thereof as we read chap. 1. verses 3. and 5. of that Epistle which hee wrote vnto them That the holy Sacraments are to be vsed to the same end remember what the Apostle Paul hath written in our text By one Spirit saith he we are baptized into one body c. And likewise in the same place We are caused to drinke into one Sp rit Let vs consider also his earnest assertion in the same Epistle chap. 10.16.17 The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion that is a true signe and pledge of the communion of the blood of Christ The bread which wee breake is it not the communion that is a true signe c. as before of the bodie of Christ. That is to say Haue not we that truly beleeue in our Sauiour Christ and who doe by a true faith eate the bread and drinke the wine of the Sacrament haue we not I say our very true communion with the body blood though in a spirituall manner yea with the whole humane nature yea and thereby euen with whole Christ both God and man As though the Apostle should earnestly affirme that we haue our communion with him assuredly And as we haue it with our Sauiour so also wee haue it by him as certainly among our selues as it followeth in the words of the Apostle saying For we that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread And all through one and the same Spirit working in vs all Call also to minde here againe Act. 2.42 c. and ch 4.32 and Ephes 4.3.4.5.6 And for Praier read in the same Epistle to the Ephesians cha 6.18 Pray alwaies with all manner of Praier and supplication in the Spirit and watch therevnto with all perseuerance and supplication for all Saints And 2. Cor. 1.11 And Philip. 1.19 For I know saith the Apostle that this shal turne to my saluation through your praier and by
doubt the danger is very great For the soules of all such as doe not beleeue this blessed immortality or die in carelesse neglect of the meanes whereby they should attaine vnto it they shall certainely be condemned to extreme and immortall or endlesse miserie euen from the very instant departure of their soule from the body Explicatiō proofe It is very true as the parable of the voluptuous rich man of whom we reade in the holy Gospel plainely sheweth Luke 16. His soule as our Sauiour giueth there to vnderstand for forthwith in Hell torments And so remained in the same most wofull torments neither could thenceforth by any intreatie obtaine any release or ease And Heb. 2.3 How shall we escape saith the holy Apostle if we neglect so great saluation as is offered vs in the Gospel All such as harden their hearts in vnbeliefe are condemned alreadie Iohn 3.16 and therefore no doubt they shall not stay without all punishment till the day of the last iudgement but shall presently after this life indure some part of it Let vs therefore I beseech yee take heede that we be not carried away after the example of the secure multitude neither yet with any other sorts of the wicked and vngodly lest we fall with them into this great and fearefull damnation To the which end and purpose it is necessarie that we doe arme our selues against those hereticall or atheisticall and godlesse opinions which bee contrarie to this Article As well theirs who doe simply denie the immortalitie of the soule as the opinion of them that doe suspend as we may say the immortalitie of it till the time htat the bodies shall be raised againe and so thus farre ioyne with the rest that it is after a sort mortall and without all vnderstanding or affection for all that while They that doe simply denie the soules immortalitie are not onely the Sadduces mentioned in the holy Scriptures Acts 23.8 who were heretikes sprong vp among true worshippers of God and Christians but also the Epicures who were as it were heretikes dissenting from the sounder sort of the Philosophers among the heathen and all Atheists and godlesse persons who are iustly odious to all other sorts of people in the world So that it may seeme exceeding strange vnto vs if any impietie might be strange in the chaire of Rome that Pope Paulus the third should at his death make such a confession of his faith or rather of his infidelitie and atheisme as this that now he should shortly make triall whether the soules of men are immortall or no and likewise of two other things to wit whether there be a God or any Hell of the which as he confessed he had beene in doubt all the daies of his life before Such as deferre the immortality of the soule till the resurrection of the body are some among those that are called Anabaptists whose heresie is called Psychopanychie because they hold that the soule sleepeth that is hath no perceiuance of ioy c no more then the body hath after it is dead till it be raised vp againe And thus all of them seeme erroneously to consent in this that the soule of man is nothing else but a certaine vital power or faculty consisting in a perfit temperature of the body and therfore hath as they imagine no liuely Beeing longer then life abideth in the body But this consent of theirs is no better then a most wicked and vnfaithfull conspiracie against the truth of God as it is most euidently to be proued against them both from the originall of the soule together with the manner of the creation of it differing as farre from the originall and creation of the body as heauen is differing from the earth as hath been decared before in the doctrine of the Creation and also from that which is said of the soule that it beareth the image of God yea euen from the continuall testimonie of the holy Scriptures which speake of the soule as of a distinct existence or Beeing beside the body according as it is written that it commeth from God as from the Father of Spirits and returneth to him againe as to the Iudge of all mens soules and Spirits According also as it is said that the soule or Spirit being in man is knowne of none but of it selfe beside of God who is the searcher of the heart as we read 1. Cor. 2.10.11 So that to all who will vnderstand it is most plaine that the soule of man is not a bare faculty or power of life and motion arising from the body but euen that which doth as we may say essentially quicken sustaine and gouerne the body and all the members thereof so long as it abideth in it and that the seperation of it from the body is onely the death of the body and not of it selfe as hath beene alreadie declared in the interpretation and vse of the doctrine concerning the same Wherefore whatsoeuer either reasons from nature or testimonies from holy Scriptures any of the aboue named heretikes or heretical disputers do pretend to serue to the maintenance of their wicked hereticall and godlesse fancies they are nothing but so many sophistications against all soundnes of reason and so many ignorant and false allegations against the manifest truth of the holy Scriptures The refutation whereof being long Vrsinus in his Cōmentaries of Catechisme And in his Treatises of Diuinitie In the Article of the Creation And Mornaeus in the 1◠and 15. chapters of his booke of truenes of Religion and not so necessarie though profitable no doubt to the right vnderstanding of many places of holy Scriptures abused to that purpose I had rather it should be reade in the writings of those that haue learnedly discouered the vanity of them or to doe it at some other time then at this present to stand vpon them Onely this I will now add in a word that vpon the things already set down it is sufficiently cleared that though the wicked may easily cast away and damne their owne soules by following false principles and by transgressing of the holy rules of life and of that obedience which God hath set yet they can by no meanes extinguish them or destroy their Beeing But they must of necessitie come before God to receiue their iudgement and for euer and euer to endure their most wofull torment Wherevpon also it is in like manner verie plaine that all such are most lamentably deluded by the Diuell whosoeuer doe thinke to relieue themselues against any present troubles and distresses by murthering of themselues as many doe insomuch as they doe thereby hasten the increase of their owne most dreadfull misery Thus much as it were by the way concerning this first benefit which all true beleeuers enioy by the death of our Sauiour Christ so soone as this naturall and fraile life of ours is ended euen the blessed estate of the soule in heauen so soone as it leaueth this
vsuall manner but we shall all be changed Wherein first the Apostle compareth death to a sleepe to signifie that death is not an vtter destruction of the body as was touched before seeing that as the body though depriued of all sensible vse of the senses as one may say yet awaketh in the morning and findeth all after a sort renewed so the body after that it hath slept his full sleepe till the last day shall then rise againe in that morning to receiue life sense and motion according to that Psal 49.14 The righteous shall haue dominion in that morning Illo manè 1. quo resurgâ—nt pij quasi ex nocte sepulchri cum videlicet Sol iustitiae orietur Christus secundo aduentu suo Vt scité Iunius See more to this purpose in the 2. Booke page 609. where this sentence is englished Secondly the Apostle sheweth in these words We shall all he changed what shall be instead of a death and resurrection to all such as shall be found liuing at the comming of our Sauiour to iudge the world When as to speake properly they shall neither die nor rise againe but onely be after a wonderfull manner set in the same glorious estate with the other Thirdly in the words next following the holy Apostle giuing vs to vnderstand that this change of the faithfull who shall be found liuing at the comming of our Sauiour together with the change of all other creatures and the raising vp of all the dead being to be done with greater expedition then all things were made at the first it serueth notably to set forth the almighty power of God herein And therewithall mightily to strengthen our faith against all doubtings about the matter And yet not so that the moment which the Apostle speaketh of is precisely to be vrged further then to note singular expedition for so great magnificeÌ„t a work far aboue that any would think how it could be so soone wrought Like as Lament chap. 4.6 it is said by the holy Prophet that Sodome was destroyed as it were in a moment because it was done in a short time euen soone after that goodly sun-shine morning wherein Lot went out of it Reade also Numb 16. verses 21.45 Fourthly in the same verse the holy Apostle telleth vs yet further what shall be the instrumentall cause of this change and of the generall resurrection namely the sound of the trumpet of God euen that which 1. Thes 4. he telleth vs shall be sounded by the Archangel of God And the same no doubt in farre more glorious manner sounding to all the world then at the giuing of the law of God to the people of Israel This trumpet out of all question is not that which H. N. hath challenged to himselfe with a most shrill and lowd blasphemie as if he were appointed of God to be the man that should by his doctrine raise vp all the Lords dead as he saith Finally the holy Apostle St. Paul for the further strengthening of our faith concerning this change and the resurrection of all the faithfull to glorie hee assureth vs in the last verse that it is the very determined decree of GOD whose counsell and purpose nothing can possibly frustrate that it must be so For saith he this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortality Concerning which words of the holy Apostle note we diligently that for further euidence and confirmations sake hee doth as it were point with the finger to this very body which wee carry about with vs as though he should say euen this and no other then euery mans owne body shall certainely rise againe according as Iob guided by the same Spirit of faith saith in the 1â— chapter of his booke verses 25 c. O that my words were now written c. For I am sure that my Redeemer liueth and that the last man shall rise to stand vpon the earth And though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet shall I see God in my flesh Whom I my selfe shall see and mine eyes shal behold and no other for me after my reines are consumed with my bosome As though he should say though both barke and belly euen the thickest part of the body be wholly consumed to dust c yet shall I see the Lord my Redeemer For like as our Sauiour Christ at his first comming in all the cures which he did both to the bodies also to the soules of men he did not giue them other soules nor other members to their decaied lame or withered bodies but onely a new renewed qualitie and disposition to either of them as sight to the same eyes hearing to the same eares strength to the same legges which before were lame as for example concerning the eare of Malchus which Peter strooke off our Sauiour Christ did not make another eare to grow out of his head but caused the same eare to grow to his head againe for as the holy Euangelist writeth he touched that eare which was stricken off and healed the man Luke 22.51 so at his second comming our Sauiour will not giue men other bodies but he will by his mightie power raise vp the very same bodies though by his grace endued with far more excellent qualities and aduanced to a farre more excellent estate then they were in before I speake of the bodies of the faithfull Neuerthelesse euen concerning the wicked this also is very equall and iust that the very same should be raised vp againe insomuch as the same that haue sinned and died in sinne are to be punished in the iustice of God and no other for them as well as that the same bodies of the faithfull which haue beene redeemed and done faithfull seruice to God should of his mercy be rewarded and no other instead of them This is the rather to be diligently obserued and soundly digested in our mindes because some not considering the almighty power of God haue in their weakenesse beene carried away to thinke that though we shal rise againe yet it must be with other bodies Wherefore beloued let vs be the more carefull so to settle and resolue our selues in the beliefe of the almighty power of our God and Sauiour Iesus Christ with like assurance of the good pleasure of his diuine will in this behalfe that we may be throughly perswaded that no burning of our bodies in the fire no deuouring of them by wilde hearts or by the rauening foules of the ayre c can possibly hinder that God should not easily gather together the same substance and the smallest resolued dust of it euen the same very first matter whereof the body was composed and framed at the first But yet more carefull ought we to be against the heresie of H. N. who maketh no reckoning of the resurrection of the body at all And as a fruit thereof in the 6. chapter of his Documentall sentences feareth not to contradict the plain meaning of the Apostle