contemners of so great long suffering patience and so shal drowne sathan as Pharaoh with all his armie in euerlasting destructiō but he shal bring in his confiderats fully deliuered from al tyrannie of the wicked into that same true heauenly inheritance as into the lande of promise to which Paul would haue vs to loke whē he saith as often as ye shall eat of this bread drinke of this cup ye shal shew forth the Lords death vntil his comming againe Why the comming of Christ is not so feareful vnto the faithful FIrst the cause doth cōfort the faithful for which he shal come to iudge Now the chiefe end of the cōming againe of Christ to iudgement is the glorifying of the Church that is to say that sinne and death being fully ouercome and the enemies of the kingdome being adiudged by the iust iudgemēt of Christ to euerlasting paine and so all offences and impediments remoued which did let the glory of the sons of God God might appeare without any let fully perfectly glorious in his saints Eph. 5.1 Cor. 15. Christ setteth this same cause or rather ende scope before our eyes whilest he calleth that day the day of redemption Secondly the very person of the iudge doth take frō vs al feare For euen for this cause the father hath deliuered al iudgmēt to the son as he is the sonne of man that he might make our consciences quiet take from vs all terror of condemnation Ioh. 5.22.27 Both because that now we beleeue that he shall be iudge and also because we shal behold him with our eyes in whose body our sinnes are cleansed and all the curse taken away Heb. 9.28 Tit. 2.13.14 Last of al the commandement promise of Christ doth free deliuer vs frō al feare The cōmandement is plaine in Luk. 21. Whē ye shal see these thinges come to passe be of good comfort lift vp your heades Math. 24. It shall come to passe that yee shall heare of wars and rumors of warre but see that yee he not troubled for these things must be The promise is plaine in third of Ioh. He that beleeueth in the son is not iudged or cōdēned And cap. 5.24 1. Thes 4.14.17 cap. 5 ver 9.10 Ioh. 17. ver 22.24 yea let that promise be cōsidered which is in 1. Cor. 6. doe yee not knowe that the sainctes shall iudge the worlde And a little after bee yee ignorant that it shall come to passe that wee shall iudge the Angels And surely seeing all the Articles of the faithe are deliuered for our consolation it must needes be that this article also of iudgement is deliuered not to shake but to confirme and establishe our faith Howe we ought to make our selues readie to iudgement WE must prepare our selues to the iudgement of Christ by faith and a good conscience that is to say by a faith which leaneth vppon a fast and sure foundation and by the fruites of faith which doe beare witnesse of it and with which it is exercised Nowe the foundation of faith is not our merite neither in whole nor in part but of Christ alone who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come 1. Thess 1. For no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laide alreadie to wit Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3. The which also is manifestly vnderstood by the wordes of the iudge himselfe For first he saith Come ye blessed of my heauenly father Nowe wee are not blessed by or in our selues but by Christ by whome we are both deliuered from the cursse and also adopted to be sonnes of the meere good will and free purpose of God Galat. 3. Ephesi 1.2 The iudge further addeth Possesse for an inheritance the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde If an inheritance then no merite If prepared from the beginning of the worlde then not gotten by vs which yet were not And these things concerning the foundation wherevppon our faith leaneth Nowe after that I am assured through faith that I am one of the sheepe of Christ which he hath redeemed not with golde and siluer but with his owne blood I must endeuour that I may haue those same markes where with by his spirite hee is wont to marke his sheepe to wit fruits worthie repentance which are that I feede Christ being hungrie and giue drinke vnto him being thirstie in his mēbers that I receiue Christ by hospitalitie in strangers c. But the faithfull rest not vppon these workes of thankefulnesse like as also they shall say in the iudgement Lord when saw we thee hungrie and thirstie and gaue meate drinke vnto thee But they shall onely reste vppon Christ who is made vnto them of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1. To these fruites and exercises of faith belong sobrietie calling vpon the name of God and watchfulnesse For it is a precious deceit of sathan whilest he persuadeth men that that same iudgement is yet farre off or that there is no neede euerie houre or moment to looke for it when as notwithstanding the comaundement of Christe and the doctrine of the Apostles require speciall watchfulnesse Luke 21. Matth. 24. verse 44.45 1. Thessa 4. vers 15.17 and chapter 5. verse 1.2 1. Pet. 3. Besides these the looking for iudgement doeth admonish the faithful that aboue all thinges they take heede vnto themselues least they defile their bodies or their soules with the idolatrie of Antichrist or with the like that they vnderprop their mindes with patience concerning which matter there are extant graue admonitions Mat. 24. ver 24.25 Apo. 14. ver 7.7.11.12 chap. 18. ver 4. To conclude wee must keepe a good conscience in al things euen vntil the Lord shal come who shall make manifest the secretes of darkenes shal lay open the coūsels of the hart 1. Cor. 4.5 So Paul saith Act. 24. In this therefore I exercise my selfe that alwayes I may haue a conscience without offence before God and men THE THIRDE part of the Creede I beleeue in the holy Ghost Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles Ioel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterward I will power out my spirit vpon all flesh your sonnes your daughters shal prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shal see visions yea and vppon the seruants and maidens in those days I will powre out my spirit and I will shewe wonders in the heauen in the earth blood fire pillers of smoke the sonne it selfe shal be turned into darkenes the moone into blood before the great terrible day of the Lord come And further it shal come to passe that whosoeuer shall cal vpon the name of Iehovah shall be saued for in Mount Syon and Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lorde hath saide and in the remnant whome the Lorde shall call Actes 2.16.17 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet
2. verses 9.10 wherefore God lifted him vp on high hath giuen him a name which is aboue euery name That at the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth and things vnder the earth And that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde to the glory of God the father See the first to the Corinth From thence he shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead 1. vers 2. Acts 9. vers 14. He hath power to iudge both the quicke and the deade and so he is priuie to all the thoughts sayings and doings of men and not onely that but also he is most iust and mightie to execute sentence 1. Cor. 4.5 Iudge nothing before the time vntill the Lorde come who will lighten thinges that are in darkenes and make manifest the counsells of the heartes Io. 5. He hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne that all may honour the sonne euen as they honour the father Mat. 3. His fanne shal be in his hande and he shall purge his floore and gather his wheate into his garner but will burne vp the chaffe with vnquenchable fire To discerne hypocrites from the faithfull is the onely worke of God and to gather these into heauen and to thrust downe the other into euerlasting fire is also the onely worke of God The holy ghost also in whom we beleeue I beleeue in the holy Ghost Christ himselfe giueth which is a notable testimonie of his euerlasting godhead Ioh. 1. vers 23. This is he that baptiseth with the holy ghost Acte 2. compare the 17. verse I will powre out saith God of my spirite c with the. 33. vers He hath shed foorth this which you now behold and see Iohn 16. verse 7. and cap. 20. vers 22. He hath chosen vnto himselfe a catholique or an vniuersall Church The holy Catholique Church from among all mankinde Iohn 13.16 I know whom I haue chosen and in the 15. chapter You haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you that ye goe and bring forth fruite and that your fruite remaine Also in the 10. Chap. vers 16. and Chap. 11 vers 52. He was present with this Church euen from the beginning as the euerlasting king and priest thereof Heb. 13. vers 8. Christ yesterday to day for euer Also the 1.3 vers 19.20 and the 1. Cor. 10. Thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck and Heb. 7. ver 3. To this church from the beginning he reuealeth the father himselfe Mat. 11. No mā knoweth the father but the sonne and to whom soeuer the sonne will reueale him Also 1. Pet. 1. vers 11. He quickeneth this Church from euerlasting death Io. 5. vers 25. He will haue his Church holy vnto him and separated from idolaters and from those which professe not faith and repentance and therefore he directly opposeth the worshippe of himselfe in the Church against the worshippe of false Gods 1. Cor. 10 14. My beloued fly from idolatry that I may speake more wisely Iudge you what I say The cuppe of thankesgiuing whereby we giue thankes is it not the communion of the bloode of Christ And a little after Vers 19 20. What therfore do I say that the Idol is any thing or that which is sacrificed to Idols is any thing yea this I say that that which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to diuels not to God and I would not that you should haue felowship with diuels Ye cānot drinke the cup of the Lord the cup of diuels ye cānot be partakers of the Lords table of the table of diuels Do we prouoke the Lord to anger Are we strōger then he The communion of Sainctes He communicateth himselfe with the Sainctes that is with all the elect and he dwelleth in them howsoeuer they are throwne out of the world Iohn 14 vers 23. I and the father will come and make our abiding with him And in the 15 chap. vers 1.4 Also 1. Cor. 12. ver 12. For as the body is one and hath many members and all the members of the body which is one though they be many yet are but one body so is Christ Ephe. 3. That Christ may dwell in your hartes through faith Gala. 2. vers 20. Now I liue no more but Christ liueth in me Also Iohn 17. vers 23. and 26. He entreth into league and fellowship with the Church by the ministerie of the word and sacramentes he is present with it euen from the beginning of the world and remaineth present vnto the end 1. Cor. 10. Let vs not tempte Christ as some of them tempted and were destroyed of Serpentes Also 1. Pet. 1. vers 11. Matt. 28. Loe I am with you alwaies to the ende of the world He instituted baptisme the seale of the couenant and would haue vs no lesse baptised in his name then in the name of the father of the holy ghost making promise of saluation to them that beleeue and are baptised Matt. 28. vers 19. Mar. 16. vers 16. Collo 2. verse 9 10 11. Acte 8. vers 16. and chap. 19 vers 5. Now it is both blasphemie to be baptised in the name of any creature and it is onely proper vnto God to make promises of saluation and to fulfill them Wherefore also Christ is he which baptiseth with the holy ghost Mat. 3 verse 11. Act. 2. vers 18 32. He instituted the sacrament of thankesgiuing for the diuine worship of himselfe in the place of the Paschall as he saith Do this in remembrance of me Wherefore also Paule calleth it the cuppe of thankesgiuing whereby we giue thankes And concerning the seale of the newe Testament he speaketh thus This is the newe Testament in my blood Now it is the same Lord or Hoastes that had promised a newe Testament who confirmeth the selfsame by his death Ierem 31. vers 33. and Hebrewes 9. vers 17. The forgiuenes of sinnes which he not onely deserueth by his death but also giueth by his owne power is also a notable testimonie of the Godhead of Christ I beleeue the forgiuenes of sins For he iustifieth all his elect from the beginning of the world Act. 15. vers 10.11 Whie tempte ye God laying a yoake vpon the Disciples neckes that neither our fathers nor we were able to beare but by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ we beleeue to be saued euen as they doe Iohn 8. vers 56. Psal 110. The Lord hath sworne and will not repent him Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedeck By and for this Priest were sinnes alwaies forgiuen to the beleeuers Now that he doth forgiue sins by his owne power he confirmeth by a miracle Matt. 9. But that you may know that the sonne of man hath auctoritie in earth to forgiue sinnes then he saith to the man sicke of the palsey Arise take vp thy bed and go
vanquished so that nowe we are deliuered and iustified through Christ from it which also maketh entreatie for vs whilst he saieth for vs which also sheweth that there is farther a newe confirmation of our faith to be added to the nexte of the free iustification thorough Christe to wit that hee also is at the right hande of God whether he could not haue come vnlesse he had beene iustified from our sinnes and that he entreateth also for vs to wit whilest by the power of that onely one sacrifice he appeareth euerlastingly righteous for vs. 1. Iohn 2 1. And so that same abiding at the right hande of God and shewing him selfe before the Father is a continuing of that euerlasting iustification of ours to the end that there should be no place left for any accusation against beleeuers so full euerie manner of waie is our iustification in Christ so euerlasting and so vnderpropped vpon most sure foundations to the knowledge whereof Paule in the place nowe alledged would leade vs by those argumentes as it were by certaine steppes and degrees Of the second fruite of the ascension THe second fruite is that by his ascension into heauen he hath made vs to sit with him in heauenlie places Ephes 2.6 So that we do not onely in a naked hope looke for heauen but we possesse it in the head and in Christ our brother aswell because that same earthly and bodily pledge which he hath taken of vs full expiation cleansing being made of our sins doth possesse the heauens nowe in our name as also because we our selues doe possesse a spiritual and heauenly pledge receaued againe frō him to wit the spirite of Christ dwelling in vs so by the power of the holie Ghost through faith in the promise of the Gospell we are ingraffed into him And therfore Ro. 10.6.8 The righteousnes which is of faith saith thus Say not in thy heart who shal ascend into heauen That is to bring Christ from aboue c. But what saith it The worde is neare thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart that is that same worde of Faith whiche wee preache Surely the spirituall first fruites of this doctrine are most sweete For it bringeth to passe by the power of Christ his spirite that now in a certain and vndouted hope in our head Christ we possesse heauen Therefore let vs confirme our mindes in this most profitable doctrine by some most euident oracles of the scripture Christ himselfe nowe about to goe into that heauenly possession in our name speaketh on this sort Iohn 14. In my fathers house there are many abyding places if it had bene otherwise I had tolde you I go to prepare a place for you The same Iohn Chap. 20. I ascend to my father and to your father to my God to your God The Apostle also maketh vs so sure of the certaintie of the earnest and pledge which Christ hauing of vs hath aduanced into the heauens that he saith in the second of the Ephesians that God hath made vs to sitte with Christ in heauenly places Againe of sending that same earnest or comforter vnto vs Christe speaketh thus in Ioh. 16. I speake the truth vnto you it is profitable for you that I goe for if I go not that same comforter shal not come vnto you Peter also witnesseth of this same earnest already sent in Actes 2. also Paule in 2. Cor. 1. Who hath sealed vs and giuen the earnest of his spirite in our heartes And most plaine of all other places in the 2. Cor. 5. See also Tertullian in his booke of the resurrection of the flesh where amongest other thinges he writeth thus This Iesus called the Mediator of God men of the trust of either part committed vnto him doth keepe the pledge of the flesh in himselfe as the earnest of the whole summe For like as he hath left the earnest of his spirit with vs so also he hath taken of vs the earnest of the flesh and hath aduanced into heauen the pledge of the whole summe hereafter to be brought thither Be quiet therefore O flesh and bloud you haue vsurped both heauen the kingdome of God in Christ or if they denie you in Christ let them also denie Christ to be in heauen who haue denied heauen vnto you Of the thirde fruite THe third fruite is that Christ therefore sitteth in the highest heauens that through his power shed into our hearts from thence he may drawe vs from these earthly and carnal things present and may quicken them and lift them vp to desire and meditate vpon heauenly and spiritual thinges to come Philip. 3. Our cōuersation is in heauen from whence we looke for our Lorde Iesus Christ He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almightie Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles Psalme 110. Iehouah hath saide sitte at my right hand vntil I put thine enimies as a footestoole vnder thy feete Iehouah shal send out of Sion the rodde of thy strength rule in the middest of thine enemies Also the Lorde hath sworne and it shall not repent him thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech And Christ teacheth in Matth. 22. towardes the end that this prophecie is to be vnderstoode of him And Christ being adiured of the high priest confesseth himselfe to be both the sonne of God and that he will ouercome his enimies sitting at the right hand of God Matth. 26.63 64. And the high priest answering said vnto him I adiure thee by the liuing God that thou tell vs whether thou be Christ that sonne of God Iesus saith vnto him thou hast saide Neuerthelesse I say vnto you hereafter shal you see the sonne of man sitting at the right hand of the power of God comming in the cloudes of heauen The fulfilling of that prophesie of Dauid concerning the sitting at the right hand of God is extant in the 16. of Marke After the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receaued vp into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God and Act. 2. ver 33.36 5. ver 31. and so that same stone refused of the builders was made the head of the corner Act. 4. ver 10.11.12 Which stone cut from the mountaine without handes goeth to the right hand of God to breake al the rest of the kingdoms but his kingdome shal stand for euer Dan. 2. ve 44.45 And Paul in Ephes 1.18.19.20 That ye may know what the hope is of his calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritance is in the Saintes and what is the exceding greatnes of his power towards vs which beleue according to the working of his mightie power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him vp frō the dead and set him at his right hand in the heauens To what end sitting at the right hand of God the Father almightie is added to his ascension into heauen THe scope or principal end of Christe his ascension
Ioel And it shall be in the last day saith God I will powre out of my spirite vppon all fleshe and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie c. Esay 59.20 21. And the redeemer shall come to Syon and vnto them that turne from iniquitie in Iacob saith Iehouah and I will make this my couenant with them my spirit that is vpon thee my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed saith the Lord frō hence forth euen for euer Ioh. 14. verses 16.17.18.19 c. I will pray the father and he shall giue you an other comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the spirite of trueth whome the worlde can not receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee knowe him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leaue you fatherles but I will come to you yet a little while and the worlde shall see me no more but ye shall see mee because I liue ye shall liue also At that day shall yee know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you Manie moe testimonies were aledged when wee entreated of the trinitie The meaning of this article I Beleeue that the holy Ghost is verie true euerlasting God and of the same substance together with the father and the son and yet notwithstanding a person distinct from both as proceeding from them both And therefore forasmuch as he is verie God I place my confidence and trust in him as in the father and in the sonne and I trust in him that he will worke al that in me being emptie of all good that hee himself hath promised in his word for which cause he is sent of the father the sonne Now his effectes they are many and diuerse For first of all he is giuen that he may witnes the loue of the father in our hearts Gal. 4. that he may lighten the eyes of our minde with the knowledge of Christ that through faith he may so engraft me into Christ as a brāch into the vine may make me a partaker of Christ al his benefits Ioh. 15. This coniunction with Christ his benefits which the holy ghost doeth worke in vs the scripture doth expresse with great force when he saith that the holy ghost doeth sprinkle vs with the blood of Christ 1. Pet 1. doth make vs members of Christ 1. Cor. 6. doth feede vs with Christ Ioh. 6. doth make vs drinke of Christ 1. Cor. 10. the 12. and doth build vs vpon Christ Eph. 2. In which the office and end of the holy ghost giuen vnto vs is shewed that through faith it may most neerely knit vs vnto Christ and may work the like things both in the mēbers head seing it is the same spirit that is to say the very same life glory Rom. 8. I beleeue that the holy ghost as the true very God wil worke these thinges in me which he hath promised vnto me that beleue euē as these his peculiar epithetons names do declare that he is the water flowing vnto euerlasting life Iohn 4.7 A water which shal cleanse me Ezek. 36. 1. Corinthians 6. An annoynting which shal remaine in vs 1. Iohn 2. the seale and earnest of inheritance in all which it is promised vnto vs that he is giuen vnto vs to comforte vs in all aduersities to helpe vs in our infirmities to make intercession for vs with sighes and grones that can not be expressed forasmuch as we knowe not to pray as we ought and so that he be our true comforte or aduocate who suffereth not vs to be destitute of his counsaile and helpe but handleth our cause himselfe to the ende he may be in vs and remaine with vs for euer Iohn 16. To him I trust to him I wholy deliuer my selfe to be gouerned comforted and quickened in the father and in Iesus Christe his sonne who through the holie Ghost make their abiding with vs. The applying of this doctrine to the couenant of grace THat same euerlasting couenant that God hath stricken with Abraham the Sonne of God in mans nature taken of the seede of Abrahā hath confirmed by satisfying the righteousnes of God perfectly in manner as I haue confessed in the former articles of faith Nowe it resteth that the holie Ghost engraffe vs into Christ through faith the true seed of Abraham and so powre out that blessing promised to Abraham and his seede vpon vs and by the earnest of an euerlasting inheritance Paule saith in the third to the Galathians that in the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham is extant in Christ Iesus that we might receaue the promise of the spirit through faith And a little after Now to Abraham and to his seede were the promises made he saith not to the seedes as speaking of many but and to thy seede as of one which is Christ Also And if yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seede heires by promise And Rom. 9.8.2 Cor. 1.21.22 How the holy Ghost is giuen and howe we know whether we haue it or no. THe holy Ghost is giuen by the ministery of the Gospel as by an ordinary meane Gal. 3. This onely would I learne of you receiued ye the spirit by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith preached Also Ephesi 1. verse 13. and 1. Cor. 12. verse 13. Now thou shalt knowe by the working of the holy Ghost that thou art a partaker of the holy Ghost For euen like as thou seest not the winde but dost feele his operation so the holy Ghost is knowen by his working as Christ teacheth Iohn 3. These are the principall and chiefe workes of the holy ghost in vs faith inuocation grones 1. Cor. 12. No man can say Lord Iesus but by the holy Ghost and the 2. Cor. 4. because we haue the same spirit of faith according to that which is written I beleeue and therfore I speake so we also beleeue and for that cause we also speake Ro. 8. Because we are sonnes therefore God hath giuen the spirit of the sonne into our heartes by which we crie Abba Father And in the same place The spirit maketh intercession for vs with grones that cannot be vttered Besides these the being displeased with our selues and the hatred of sinne or rather the battell against sinne is a sure and vndoubted token that we haue the holie Ghost that we are ingraffed into Christ For the flesh fighteth not against it selfe Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus which walke not after flesh but after the spirite THE FOVRTH PARTE OF the Creede I beleeue the holie Catholike Church the communion of Saintes Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles GEnesis 9. God enlarge Iapheth that he may dwell in the