be taken awaie the effect likewise is taken awaie The wages of sinne is death Further if he hath abolished death and that by a sufficient satisfaction for our sinnes which satisfaction hee hath shewed and declared by his resurrection to bee sufficient it is certaine that his resurrection is a most certaine testimonie of our resurrection for he hauing perfourmed a sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of his members the members cannot remaine in death But the resurrection of Christ the Heade is an argument of the perfect satisfaction for the sinnes of his members Therefore Christes resurrection is also an argument of the perfect resurrection of his members 3. As the first Adam receiued blessinge◠for himselfe and all his posteritie and lost the same from all So Christ the second Adam receiued life and al other giftes for himselfe and others and therefore also will communicate eternall life with vs. 4. Seeing the same spirite dwelleth in vs which did in Christ hee shall woorke also the same in vs which in our Head he did For the spirit is alwaies like neither dooth he woorke in the Head and sleepe in the members Therefore seeing Christ hath raised himselfe vp by his spirite for the dead he wil verilie also raise vs vp For if hee raised himselfe vp beeing dead much more shal he bee able beeing aliue to raise vs vp 5. Because Christ is man for execept hee were man we shoulde haue no hope of the resurretion of our flesh For by man came resurrection 1. Cor. 15.21 Obiection 1. Then the wicked shall not rise againe because christes resurrection is neither an argument nor the cause of the resurrection of the wicked but of the godlie onelie Aunswere There be other causes for which the wicked shal rise again euē for the iust iudgement of God whereby he hath appointed them to eternall paines For the same thing maie haue moe effectes and diuerse causes Obiection 2 These are the benefites of his death therefore not of his resurrection Aunswere They are of his death as by it he deserued them of his resurrection in respect of the application of his benefites Hee beeing rich was made poore and beeing poore was made rich againe that he might enrich vs. Obiection 3. The effect is not before the cause The cause of these benefites which is his resurrection was not before the first resurrection therefore neither the effect that is the benefites themselues Aunswere The resurrection was not as touching the accomplishment thereof but in the counsell of God and in efficacie and vertue it was in the olde Testament For then also were men receiued into fauour they were endued with the holie Ghost and receiued the other benefits but for and by the Mediator which was in time appointed to be humbled and glorified The last though not the least fruite of christes resurrection is The consummation and perfecting of all his benefites and the glorifieng of his church For christ did therefore die and is therefore risen and hath therefore perfectlie deliuered vs from sinne that wee may bee ioint-heires with him of his kingdome Coloss 1.18 Hee is the first borne of the dead Rom. 8.17 Wee are the heires of God and heires annexed with Christ He shal conforme vs and make vs like vnto himselfe because we liue by the same spirit whereby he dooth And this spirite is not vnlike himselfe Rom. 8.11 Jf the spirite of him that raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the deade shall also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirit dwelleth in you Ioh. 14.3 I wil come againe and receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there maie yee bee also Now in this we obserue That the whole humiliation of the Mediatour doth not dure for euer For it was enough that hee suffered once but the efficacie and power thereof in preseruing and maintaining the blessings thereby comming endureth for euer Christ therefore rose that is by his owne proper vertue and power brought againe and returned his soule vnto his bodie that both soule and bodie might bee deliuered from al ignominie and infirmitie and be adorned with immortalitie and perfect glorie That is 1. Hee recalled his soule vnto his bodie 2. But both yet beeing now glorified and freed from infirmities 3. By his owne proper power he receiued his soule I beleeue then that Christ is raised from the dead that is that he therefore rose againe from the dead that hee might make vs partakers of his righteousnesse sanctification glorification which hee purchased for vs by his merite Seeing therefore Christ is risen it is manifest that hee is declared to bee the Sonne of God and as touching his humanitie is endowed with that glory which becommeth the nature of the Sonne of God and further that he endueth vs also with his spirite regenerateth vs by the vertue of his spirite and wil at length consummate and perfect the new life begun in vs and make vs compartners of the same his glory felicity and euerlasting life HE ASCENDED INTO HEAVEN CHRISTS Ascension into heauen is a locall true and visible translation and remoouing of Christs bodie into that heauen which is about all visible heauens to that light which is not to be come vnto to the right hand of God where he now is and remaineth and whence he shall returne to iudgement The chiefe Questions of Christs Ascension into heauen 1 Whither or to what place christ ascended 2 How he ascended 3 Wherefore he ascended 4 What is the difference betweene christs Ascension ours 5 What are the fruites of christs Ascension 1 WHITHER CHRIST ASCENDED IESVS Christ man when he was together with his Disciples in Bethania fourty daies after his resurrection after he had often prooued and confirmed his resurrection his true fleshe and humanity vnto his Apostles ascended in their sight into heauen Heauen in Scripture signifieth 1 The aire 2 The Skieye region and celestiall Spheres 3 The place of the blessed which is that space immense most lightsome glorious without and aboue the whole world and the visible heauen where God sheweth himselfe to the blessed Angels and men where is prepared the seat of our blisse with Christ and the Angels God is said to dwel there because there dooth his glorie especially appeare vnto the blessed Angels men It is called the new world paradise the bosome of Abraham This heauen is not euerie where Luk. 16.26 Betweene you and vs there is a great gulfe set so that they which would go from hence to you can not neither can they come from thence to vs. In this third signification is heauen here taken Christ then ascended into Heauen that is was caried vp into the place of the blessed Act. 2.2 The Holie Ghost came from Heauen in the day of Pentecost 2. King 2.11 Elias was taken vp into Heauen 2. Cor. 12.2 Paul maketh mention of the third Heauen Coloss 3.1 Seeke those thinges which are aboue
crie with a loude voice vnder the aultar saying How long Lord holy and true doost not thou iudge and auenge our bloode on them that dwell on the earth Wherefore the soules liue 8. Luk. 16.22 Lazarus is said to bee carried into Abrahams bosome and out of the same place also it is apparent concerning the souls of the wicked For the rich glutton is also saide of the contrarie to bee caried downe to hell These testimonies therefore of Scripture teach and confirme most euidently that not onely in the bodie before death and after the resurrection of the bodie but also in the whole space and time comming betweene the soules are liue feele vnderstand out of the bodie though the manner of their operations bee to vs vnknowen Wherefore also this gift of immortalitie hath some similitude with God who alone as the onely fountaine and author of life hath immortalitie 1. Timot. 6. Man should haue liued immortallie if hee had not sinned But furdermore that man should haue lead a blessed life immortallie and for euer not in soule onely but also in bodie if hee had not purchased death and mortalitie vnto himselfe by sinne is first hereby proued because by sin death entered into the worlde as the wages of sinne Rom. 5. 6. Next because wee being freeed from sinne by christ are also freed from death And lastly because God him-selfe did withdraw from man being made by sinne subiect vnto death the signe or sacrament of immortalitie which was the fruite of the tree of life Gen. 3. Wherefore their obiections are nought worth who imagine the soules after death to sleepe or vanish away For Gen. 1. and 1. Cor. 15. Adam is saide to haue beene made a liuing soule not simplie as these will haue it like as other liuing creatures are termed in the same place liuing soules but as being made to the image and similitude of God which hee hath not in common with other creatures Gen. 2. When God saieth Jn the day that thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and euill thou shalt die the death hee doth not threaten vnto man the destruction or extinguishing of his soule but eternal death that is Sundrie places of scripture alleaged against the immortality of the soule interpreted according to their right sense and meaning the horrible feeling and terrour of Gods wrath and iudgement and to liue forsaken and cast from God subiect to all miseries and tormentes an adioint of which death is the separation of the soule and body which at that time through the mercy of God that mankind might be saued was differred For so was Adam dead while yet hee liued in Paradise according to Gods denouncement euen assoone as he had eaten of the forbidden fruite So in eternal death liue all the damned and reprobate Whose fire shall not bee put out and their worme not dy So Ephes 2. they are said to be dead through sinne who liue in sinne without repentaunce And Ephes 5. Hee is willed to rise from the dead who is reclaimed from sinne to God And Rom. 7 5. Paul saith that he was dead through the knowledge of his sinne and the wrath of God Iob. 11. Act. 7. 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thess 4. The deade are saide to sleepe but this is by a * Synecdochâ— figure of speech translating that which is proper vnto the bodie to the whole man For that this belongeth to the bodie which is to bee recalled from death to life as it were from sleepe to wake againe manie places declare as Iob 7. Beholde now I sleepe in the dust For not the soule but the bodie onely sleepeth in the dust and graue The Preacher saith The condition of the children of men Eccle. 3 1â— and the condition of beastes are euen as one condition vnto them Therefore there is no immortality of the soul Ans It is a fallacie concluding that which is in some respect so to bee simplie so 1. Men die as beastes in that men must needes once die and depart out of this life because men are not here to continue for euer nor haue heere a setled place 2. Men die as beastes that is in the sense and iudgement of the wicked Blessednesse and the kingdome promised to the Godly is saide then first to fall vnto them at the last daie Mat. 24.25 Mar. 13. Dan. 12. But these places shewe not that the soules of the godly doe not presentlie when they depart from their bodies enioie celestial blessednesse and ioy but that at the last daie when their bodies are raised againe their felicitie and glorie shall bee consummated and made absolute For so we praie thy kingdome come when yet God now also raigneth in vs. Of that which is saide 1. Corint 15. If in this life onelie wee haue hope we are of all men most miserable they thus reason He that is blessed and happie before the resurrection is not without the resurrection most miserable But we without the resurrection should be of al men most miserable Therefore we are not before the resurrection blessed and happie But the Maior wee aunswere Hee is not miserable without the resurrection who cannot onely before it but without it also bee blessed But wee are in such wise blessed before it that notwithstanding without it following and ensuing wee cannot enioie that former blessednesse because God hath ioyned with so vnseparable a knot the beginning and proceeding and finishing or perfection of the Electes blessednesse that none can haue the beginning who must not come to the ende consummation thereof Wherefore either we must rise again or wee must want also that celestiall blessednesse before the resurrection Rom. 8.11 Jf the spirit of him that raised vp Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised vp Christ from the dead shal also quicken your mortal bodies Heb. 11.39 These all through faith are deade and receiued not the promise Therefore they receiued not their countrie We aunswere first Although they dying had not found their countrie yet would it not follow of these woordes that they are not at al or haue no sense after death For he that is not or hath no sense seeketh not his countrie Secondly The author of that Epistle doth not speak of the life after death which is lead in the celestial countrie 2. Cor. 5. but of this life in which the faithful walking their pilgrimage sought for the celestiall countrie not finding their countrie on earth Psalm 78.39 They are flesh a winde that passeth awaie and commeth not againe By these and the like speeches the breuitie of mans life and the frailtie and perishing of all humane affaires without God is described and bewailed For as here they are compared to a wind eftsoones vanishing awaie so Psalm 103. they are compared to dust grasse and flowers of the field Likewise Job 14. Hee shooteth forth as a flower and is cut downe and vanisheth as a shadowe Isaie 40.6 All flesh
death is The euerlasting death of the wicked and is so called not because the reprobate by once dyeng shall fulfill it but because they shall die perpetuallie and shall feele perpetuall tormentes 2 Who giueth euerlasting life Euerlasting life the worke of all three Persons GOD alone giueth eternall life the Father giueth it by the son the holy ghost Of the Father it is said Ioh. 5.21 As the Father raiseth vp the dead and quickneth them so the son quickneth whom he will In which place the same is affirmed of the son also as in like maner in these folowing Ioh. 14. In him was life Isai 9.6 The Father of eternitie Iohn 10.28 I giue vnto them eternall life that is not by merit onely but also by power and working Of the Holy Ghost likewise it is saide Iohn 3.5 Except a man bee borne of water and the spirit hee can not enter into the kingdome of God Rom. 8.11 Hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit dwelling in you And this testimonie is to bee obserued for the confirmation of the Godhead of both Obiection But the ministers also giue life according to that of Paul 1. Cor. 4.15 In Christ Iesus J haue begotten you through the Gospel Aunswere Christ and the holy Ghost giue life by their owne power the ministers are onely instruments by whom Christ worketh through thâ— vertue of his spirite Replie But Christ giueth life by a communicated power Therefore not by his proper power Answere He giueth it by a power communicated but communicated from euerlasting as he was begotten from euerlasting Ioh. 5.26 As the Father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath he giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe 3 To whom euerlasting life is giuen EVerlasting life is giuen to all the Elect All the Elect they alone are partakers of euerlasting life and to them onely Joh. 10.28 I giue vnto them eternal life that is to my sheepe who are his elect and chosen Iohn 17.9 I pray for them I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast giuen me for they are thine and verse 12. Those that thou gauest me haue I kept and none of them is lost but the childe of perdition Againe faith and repentaunce are proper vnto the Elect only but these are part of eternal life Therefore eternal life belongeth to the Elect onely Rom. 11.7 The Elect haue obtained it and the rest haue beene hardened Wee must obserue in this place whereas the question is To whom euerlasting life is giuen that it is better to answere That eternal life is giuen to the Elect than to say it is giuen vnto the conuerted * As they are elected so theâ— are but chosen to eternall life as they are conuerted so they are in part admitted vnto it and begin to bâ— put in possession of it For conuersion and faith are the beginning of eternal life And to say Eternal life is giuen to the conuerted were all one as if you woulde say life is giuen to the liuing 4 For what cause euerlasting life is giuen THE impellent or motiue cause of euerlasting life giuen vnto vs is the alone free mercy of God For a good thing doth communicate it selfe and make others partakers of it and his loue towardes mankinde God of his â—ree mercy giueth vs for Christs sake euerlasting life that wee might praise and magnifie the same his mercy for euer And he will that euerlasting life bee giuen vs and himselfe giueth the same vnto vs for the alone intercession and merit of Christ imputed vnto vs by the comming and interposing whereof gods mercy is more illustrated and manifested than without it But no work of man either foreseene in vs or present is the cause of this eternall life whereunto notwithstanding wee are brought by many meanes Before the beginning of eternal life our woorkes merit eternall death after the beginning thereof all our woorkes are effectes thereof and nothing is cause of it selfe The final cause or end for which eternal life is giuen vs is that the mercy of God might be acknowledged and magnified of vs. Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glorie of his grace wherewith hee hath made vs accepted in his beloued For the same cause God giueth vs eternall life for which hee chose vs. 5 When euerlasting life is giuen Euerlasting life is beguâ— here by conuersion IN this life is giuen the beginning of eternal life and that necessarily For vnto whom life euerlasting is not begunne to be giuen here that is who beginneth not here to feele a part of eternal life to wit faith and conuersion vnto him life euerlasting shal neuer be giuen after this life 2. Corinth 5.2 Therefore we sigh desiring to be clothed with our house which is from heauen Because that if we be clothed we shal not bee found naked It is consuÌ„mated in the worlde to come by glorification The consummation of euerlasting life is after this life for vnto whom euerlasting life is begunne to bee giuen here to them shal it be giuen finished compleate and consummated And of this consuÌ„mation ther are two degrees one when the soule is presently carried into heauen because by the death of the bodie we are freed from all infirmitie the other degree is greater higher and more glorious when in the resurrection of the bodies the soules shall againe be vnited to their bodies because after the resurrection we shal be made glorious and shall see God euen as hee is Iohn 5.24 He that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent mee hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but hath passed from death to life 1. Iohn 3.2 Nowe are wee the Sonnes of GOD but yet it dooth not appeare what wee shall bee and wee knowe that when hee shal appeare we shal bee like him for we shal see him as he is 6 How euerlasting life is giuen vnto vs. EVerlasting life is giuen vnto vs by the holy Ghost God giueth vâ— euerlasting â—iâ—â— by the outwâ— ministerie 〈◊〉 thâ—â—warde miâ— of the spirit and the holy Ghost giueth it vs in this life by the ministerie of the word by the worde he worketh in vs the knowledge of God and his wil This knowledge hath following it a study and desire more and more to know God and to liue according to the prescript of his will It is giuen heere vnto infants so that they haue an inclination to repentaunce and faith But the consummation and accomplishment of euerlasting life shal be giuen vs after this life immediately Now that it is heere giuen vs mediately by the woorde is prooued by plaine testimonies of Scripture John 6.68 Whither shall wee goe say the Disciples Thou hast the words of life 1. Corint 4.15 Jn Christ Jesus J haue begotten you through the gospel Rom. 116. The gospell is the power of
that they in the old Testament were destitute of this grace For vnto them also was the same grace effectually applied by Christ and for Christ but beeing as yet to be manifested in the flesh and therefore more sparingly Whatsoeuer grace and true knowledge of God was euer in any men they had it by Christ Iohn 1.18 No man hath seene God at any time the only begotten son which is in the bosom of the father he hath declared him Reply But hee saith The Law by Moses therefore not the gospel Answere The consequence is of no force which is inferred from the manner of handling a thing to the thing it selfe As Moses doth comprise and deliuer the gospell in dark and sparing maner Therefore he doth not at al meddle with it This consequence is not of force For the Law is said to be giuen by Moses because this was chiefly belōging to his office that he should publish the law though withall hee taught the gospel albeit more obscurely sparingly For the promises of grace are intermingled with the law and al the rites of the old testamēt haue a significatiō a testificatiō of the grace of the gospell which grace was bestowed on beleeuers for christ who shal hereafter be manifested But it was christs chiefe functiō to publish the Gospel albeit he also taught the law For he purged the moral Law from corruptions by rightly interpreting it and did write it by the woorking of his holy spirit in the harts of men abrogating the Law ceremonial and iudicial 3 How the Gospel differeth from the Law ALthough in the doctrine both of the Lawe and of the Gospell is entreated of the nature of God and of his wil and workes yet is there very great difference between both The law knowen by the light of nature They differ 1. In their reuealings or in the maner of their reueiling The Law is knowen by nature that is knowledge of the Law was graffed and ingendered in the mindes of men in the very creation and therefore knowen to al although there were no other reueiling of it Rom. 2.15 They haue the effect of the Law written in their harts The Gospel knowen by the light of grace onelie The gospel is not knowen by nature but is peculiarly reuealed to the Church alone by the Sonne our Mediatour For no creature could haue seene or hoped for that mitigation of the Law and the way howe to recouer out of punishment except the sonne had reueiled it Matth. 11.27 No man knoweth the father but the Sonne and hee to whome the Sonne wil reueile him Matth. 16.17 Flesh and blood hath not reueiled it vnto thee Iohn 1.18 The sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him Secondly they differ in the verie kind of doctrine or in the subiectes or matters which they deliuer For the Law teacheth what we ought to bee to wit perfectly conformed vnto God The law teacheth what wee ought to bee but not how we may bee as wee ought but yet it dooth not make vs to be such But the gospell sheweth the meanes whereby wee maie bee such euen by the imputation of anothers righteousnesse and the inchoation or beginning of newe obedience whereby we are conformed to God in Christ The Lawe saith Restore that thou owest doe this and liue The Gospell saieth The Gospel teacheth how wee may bee beleeue CHRIST thy debt is payed the grace of the holy Ghost is purchased whereby hee that is regenerated may perfourme the Lawe 3. They differ in the promises The Lawe promiseth euerlasting life but with a condition of perfect righteousnesse or obedience to bee perfourmed of vs. Hee that dooth them shall liue in them If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements c. The gospel promiseth euerlasting life with a condition also of perfect righteousnesse but which is perfourmed by another though yet imputed vnto vs by faith The Law promiseth life to those who yeelde obedience or are righteous in themselues The gospell promiseth vnto sinners remission of sinnes and life euerlasting freely to be giuen for the satisfaction of Christ apprehended of them by a true faith that they be penitent or begin new obedience The gospel therefore requireth of vs only a true faith whereby we may embrace Christs perfect righteousnesse freely imputed to beleeuers yea Christ himselfe together with all his benefits bestowed of mere grace vpon vs. Neither for these respects are the Law and the gospell at ods one with the other For albeit the Lawe will that thou keepe the commaundementes if thou wilt enter into life yet dooth it not shutte thee from euerlasting life if another fulfill the Lawe for thee For by setting downe the one way of satisfieng for sinnes it doth not exclude the other to wit of satisfieng by another which way the gospel declareth vnto vs. Now we cannot make satisfaction by another that is by Christ except by faith wee cloth our selues with his perfect righteousnesse The gospell therefore commaundeth vs to haue faith and with-all to repent from our hearte for faith cannot stande without true repentance 4 They differ in effectes The Lawe is the ministerie of death The law the ministery of death and killeth Because by it selfe without the Gospell it is only the letter that is the outwarde preaching and bare knowledge of those thinges which we ought to doe For it teacheth indeede our duety and that righteousnesse which God requireth at our handes but it dooth not make vs able to perfourme that righteousnesse neither dooth it shewe vs any hope to attaine thereunto by another but rather accuseth and condemneth our vnrighteousnesse Fleshe hardely bearing this is angrie and rageth against GOD himselfe and is in despaire The Gospell the ministery of life The gospell is the ministerie of life and of the spirit that is it hath the forcible operation of the holy Ghost adioined and doth quicken For this is the instrument of the holy Ghost which hee properly vseth to kindle faith in vs whereby wee who before were dead are againe quickned and receiue strength to perfourme the Lawe For thorough faith in Christ our Mediatour the Lawe ceaseth to bee vnto vs the ministery of Death and is become spirituall that is the instrument of the holie GHOST whereby hee forcibly mooueth our heartes to serue God The Gospel is the preaching of repentance It was said in the definition of the Gospell and in the third difference betweene the Law and the Gospell that the Gospell requireth both faith and repentaunce or newe obedience and so is the preaching both of remission of sinnes and of repentaunce Against this Flacius Sectaries keepe a sturre and reason after this sort There is no precept or commaundement belonging to the Gospell The preaching of repentaunce is a precept or commaundement Therefore the preaching of repentaunce belongeth not to the Gospell but to the Lawe Aunswere We deny the Maior if it bee
19. By the obedience of one manie shall bee made righteous Isay 53.5 Hee was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee are healed All wee like sheepe haue gone astraie we haue turned euerie one to his owne waie and The Lord hath laide vpon him the iniquitie of vs all 2. Cor. 5.21 Hee hath made him to be sinne for vs which knewe no sinne that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in him Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the lawe when he was made a curse for vs that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Iesus that wee might receiue the promise of the spirite through faith Gal. 4 4. God sent forth his sonne made of a woman and made vnder the lawe that is made an execration or curse Gal. 3.13 For we are deliuered not from the obedience but from the curse of the lawe that hee might redeeme them which were vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of the sonnes Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the bloud of christ which through the eternall spirite offered himselfe without spot to god purge your conscience from dead woorkes to serue the liuing god Heb. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified euen by the offering of the bodie of Iesus christ once offered By these and verie many the like places of Scripture it is manifest that for Christes merite wee are not onely freed from punishment the remission of our sinnes being obtained but are also reputed righteous before GOD adopted of him to bee his sonnes blessed endewed with the holy GHOST sanctified and made heires of euerlasting life Nowe this so great force and power fully and perfectly to deliuer vs Why Christs death was of such force as fully and perfectly to saue vs. and further to bestowe most perfectly saluation on vs the death and punishment of Christ which is a most perfect merite hath first by the worthinesse of the person because hee that suffered it is God Acts. 20.28 God hath purchased the church with his owne bloud Hebrewes 9.14 which through the eternall spirite offered himselfe Hereof therefore is it that the obedience of the Sonne in punishment or satisfaction surpasseth the righteousnes and punishment or satisfaction of all the Angels and is a sufficient price and merite for so many and so great blessinges Againe it hath this force by the greetiousnesse of the punishment because hee susteined the torments and feeling of GODS wrath for all the sinnes of the whole woorlde Hee descended into hell For hee suffered so great torments thâ—t euen those who are euerlastingly damned cannot sustaine so great and so sufficient afflictions and tormentes and therefore cannot satisfie the wrath and iustice of God Obiection The sufficient punishment for sinne must needes bee eternall But the punishment of CHRIST for our sinnes was not eternall Therefore was it not sufficient neither dooth it merite Aunswere The Maior hath not a sufficient enumeration either it must bee eternall as the reprobates punishment or equiualent to eternall as was the punishment of Christ for the causes euen now specified Secondly Christ saueth vs by his efficacie power 2 Christ saueth vs by his efficacie and powerful working operation whereby hee effectually applieth vnto vs his merited deserued benefits that is 1. He iustifieth vs by imputing vnto vs that satisfaction which he performed vnto the law for our sins 2. He giueth vs by the ministerie of his word the holy ghost by whom he worketh in vs both faith whereby we appling Christs merite vnto our selues maie be assured of our iustification in the sight of god through the force thereof also conuersion or the desire loue of new obedieÌ„ce and so by his word spirit he gathereth his Church 3. He confirmeth this his collected gathered Church defendeth and preserueth it in this life against the force of Diuels and the world and against all the corporal and spiritual assaultes of all enimies euen to the end so that not one of those which are conuerted perisheth 4. And at length their bodies being raised from the dead he fullie deliuereth his church aduanced vnto euerlasting life and glorie from all sinne and euill The efficacie therefore whereby the sonne saueth vs compriseth the whole benefit of our redemption which hee bestowed on vs by faith through the vertue and woorking of his spirite For what benefites he merited by his death hee dooth not retaine them vnto him-selfe but beestoweth them on vs. For saluation and life euerlasting which him selfe had before hee purchased not for him-selfe but for vs as beeing our Mediatour The gift of the holy Ghost is part of our saluation Hereby wee may vnderstand that the giuing of the holie Ghost is a part of our saluation or deliuerie by Christ Iesus our Mediatour For the holy Ghost is hee by whom Christ effectually performeth this which hee beeing our intercessour with his Father hath promised his Father in our behalfe that is hee teacheth vs by illuminating our mindes with the knowledge of GOD and his diuine will and regenerateth or sanctifieth and guideth and establisheth vs that we may begin the studie of holines persist and profit therein vntil sinne be fully abolished in vs and sinne being abolished death must also needs be abolished which that hee might together with death destroy Christ was sent of his Father into the woorlde Of this efficacie or effectuall operation speake these places Colos 1.14 In the Sonne wee haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes Isai 53.11 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruaunt iustifie manie Iohn 1.9 That was the true light which lighteth euerie man that commeth into the world that is hee is the author and fountaine of all light both naturall in all Angels and men and spirituall in his elect and chosen Iohn 5.21 As the Father raiseth vp the dead and quickeneth them so the Sonne quickeneth whom hee will Iohn 15.26 I will send vnto you from the Father the spirite of truth Matthew 3.11 Hee that commeth after me will baptize you with the holie Ghost and with fire Ephes 4.8 When hee ascended vp on high hee gaue giftes vnto men Hee ascended that hee might fill all thinges Luc. 10.22 No man knoweth who the Father is saue the Sonne and hee to whom the Sonne will reueile him Iohn 1.18 No man hath seene GOD at anie time the onelie begotten Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father hee hath declared him Matthew 28 2. I am with you alway vntill the ende of the woorld Iohn 14.18 I will not leaue you comfortles Iohn 10.28 My sheepe shall neuer perish neither shall anie plucke them out of mine hand 1. Iohn 3.8 For this purpose appâ—â—â—ed the Sonne of God that hee might loose the woorkes of the Diuel Iohn 16.54 I will raise him vp at the last
might power and at length to thrust them downe beeing falselie ouercome and conquered into eternall torments We are in this place to obserue the difference of the Prophetical Priestlie and roiall office both of them who were in the olde Testament and of Christ and of our selues In the olde Testament they were types or typicall Prophetes Priestes and Kings Christ is indeede the true Prophet King and Priest which they prefigured we are Prophetes Kinges and Priestes by participation as hauing Christs dignities communicated with vs. Now then let vs see what is our propheticall Priestly and roial office OF THE COMMVNION OF THE FAITHFVL OR CHRISTIANS WITH CHRIST IN the 32. Question wee are instructed concerning the inunction or annointing of the faithfull namely when they are called Christians or annointed and what is the dutie of Christians and what their comfort whereof this name doth aduertise thē Heere then is discoursed the common place concerning the communion of Christ the head with the faithfull his members and of the functions of these his members Hereof fowre things come to be considered 1 What is the annointing of Christians or whence beleeuers haue the name of Christians or Annointed 2 What is the Propheticall function of Christians 3 What their Priesthood 4 What their kingdome 1 WHAT IS THE ANNOINTING OF CHRISTIANS LVKE Act. 11.26 testifieth that the name of Christians first began to bee vsed in Antioche in the Apostles time whenas before time they had bin termed by the names of breethren Disciples Who is called a christian The name Christian is deriued from Christ in general he is called a Christian who is a Disciple of Christ followeth his doctrine or life who being inserted into Christ hath communion and fellowshippe with him whether he be such indeed or onelie carrieth a face or shewe before him of beeing such For there are two sortes of Christians some seeming or counterfeit Seeming false harted christiās and outward but not true that is hypocrits others seeming and true For not euery seeming christian that is who is in outward conuersation a Christian is an hypocrit though euery hypocrit is a seeming Christian They are called seeming but not true Christians who beeing baptized professe in woord life or outward conuersation the Doctrin and faith of christ and are in the company of those which are called but are not partakers of Christes benefites beeing destitute of true faith and conuersion Therefore they are not the true liuely members of the Church Mat. 20.16 Many are called but few chosen Seeming true harted christiās They are both seeming and true christians who being receiued by baptisme into the Church acknoweledge and professe Christs doctrine and being engraffed into Christ by a true faith are made partakers of all his benefites and beeing regenerated by the holie ghost led a life woorthie of true Christians Furthermore of hypocrites we are not here to speake but of those who are both without and within that is are truelie Christians and annointed of Christ by the holie ghost The annointing of these therefore The anointing of christians 1 Is an ordaining of them to an office 2 A bestowing of giftes on them whereof they take the appellation of Christians and Annointed is that being through a true faith engraffed by Baptisme into christ as members into their head they are made true partakers of his annointing For first he communicateth with them his Prophetical Priestly roial function that is he ordaineth maketh them Prophetes Priestes and Kinges Secondly he annointeth them with the true oile that is hee powreth into them the giftes of the holie ghost wherewith they beeing furnished maie easilie and rightlie discharge that their function For the holie Ghost is not idle in vs but woorketh the same in vs which hee doth in Christ albeit those graces and giftes in Christ are farre more excellent both in number and degree These thinges are expresselie shewed by these places of Scripture 1. Corin. 6 15. Knowe yee not that your bodies are the members of christ 1. Iohn 2.20 Yee haue an ointment from him that is Holie and yee haue knowen all thinges Actes 2.33 This Iesus by the right hande of God hath beene exalted and hath receiued of his Father the promise of the holie ghost and hath shed foorth this which yee nowe see and heare 1 Pet 2.9 Ye are a chosen generation a roiall Priesthoode Reuel 1.6 and 5.9 Thou wast killed and hast redeemed vs to God by thy blood out of euerie kinred and tongue and people and nation And hast made vs vnto our God Kings and Priestes and we shal raign on the earth By these places are these two thinges manifest What is to bee Christs member one is that our annointing is bestowed of Christ the other that it is bestowed onlie vpon those who are the members of Christ And to be the member of Christ is nothing else than to bee conioyned and vnited to Christ by the same spirite dwelling both in him and vs and by this spirite to be enriched with such righteousnesse and life as is in CHRIST to bee conformed vnto CHRIST and seeing this righteousnesse so long as wee remaine in this mortall bodie is vnperfect to bee acceptable vnto GOD for the righteousnesse of Christ which is imputed vnto vs. Rom. 8 11. 1. Corinth 6.7 Eph. 4.15.16 1. Corint 12.13 Rom 8.1 c. The similitude of mans bodie to declare our vnion with Christ Now the similitude of the head and members of the same bodie is most fitte and appliable to declare that most streit and indissoluble coniunction of vs with Christ For first As all the members of the bodie are knit to one and the same head and consequentlie to one another by sinews and fleshlie ligamentes and drawe their life sense and all their motion by the ministerie of the spirites from that one heade so long as they remaine vnited to their head and among themselues so Christ is that one and quickening head to whome al the elect who are the liuing members the church beeing vnited by the holie Ghost receiued thorough faith are quickened and are knit also among themselues by the meanes of mutuall charitie Which charitie and dilection must needs be there if we be ioined vnto the head For the connexion of the members with the heade is the originall and cause of the coniunction of the members among themselues For the quickning spirit of christ doth not flowe out of one member into another but out of one Christ as the head into all the members of the Church Ioh. 15.26 J wil send vnto you from the father the comforter the spirit of truth Secondly As in mans bodie are diuerse giftes and functions of the members and yet but one life and soule quickening and mouing all the members So in the bodie of the church are diuerse giftes and functions and yet but one spirite by the benefit whereof each
vs al other thinges it is true For the substance or essence of the God-head onely not of the manhood to is immense exceeding all measure alwaies existing and beeing the same and whole in all thinges But it is false if it be vnderstood of the presence of his vertue or efficacie For according to this not onely whole Christ but also the whole of Christ is present with his Church only that is not onely his diuinitie but his humanity also but so as the difference notwithstanding is kept of both natures operations The humanitie therefore of Christ is present with all the elect in whatsoeuer places they be dispersed through the whole worlde not by any presence substantiall of the flesh in the bread and within their bodies but 1 By the efficacie and perpetuall valewe of his merite For God the Father dooth euen nowe behold the Sacrifice of his Sonne once accomplished on the Crosse and receiueth vs for that as a sufficient ransome and merit into his fauor 1. Joh. 1.7 The bloud of Jesus Christ his Sonne purgeth vs from all sinne that is both by his merite the efficacie or vertue of his merit 2 By the efficacie also of his humane will because Christ according to his humanity also earnestly both would wil that we be of god receiued into fauor quickned glorified through that his one only Sacrifice Psal 110.4 Heb. 5.6 Thou art a Priest for euer and also whatsoeuer he will yea with his humane will that hee powerfully effecteth and worketh not by the power of his fleshe but of his God-head or spirite omnipotent whome not the flesh but the God-head of Christ onely sendeth into the heartes of the elect and chosen Joh. 6.63 It is the spirit that quickneth the flesh profiteth nothing Rom. 8.11 God shall quicken your mortall bodies by his spirite dwelling in you 3 Hee is present with vs by coniunction and vnion Because all those that are to bee saued must needes be engraffed and knit together euen into christs humane nature that being engraffed into his humane masse they may bee quickned as branches liue fastned to the vine members coupled and ioyned to the head which ioyning yet of vs with the fleshe of Christ is not made by any naturall connexion of Christ and our fleshe or by any existence of Christs fleshe within our substance or of ours within his but by faith and the holy ghost in Christ our head dwelling in vs his meÌ„bers Ephes 3.17 That Christ may dwell in your harts by faith Rom 8.9 If any man hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Ephes 5.30 We are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones and they twaine shal be one flesh This is a great secret so forth 2 Obiection Whatsoeuer is to be worshipped and adored is omniscient omnipotent and euerie where present that is hath the essential properties of the Godhead reallie communicated with it Christs flesh is to be adored or is adorable because whole Christ is adored Therefore Christs flesh is reallie omniscient omnipotent and present eueriewhere Aunswere This verie same reason is among the principal argumentes whereby the Schwenfieldeans endeuour to frame after Eutyches manner a Maiestie and Deifying of the flesh of Christ But both these the Vbiquetaries are deceiued deceiue by the ambiguitie and diuers taking of the worde adored That is omnipotent omniscient which is adored that is which is adored in respect of it selfe or for it selfe The humane nature is adored not for it selfe or according to the proper nature of it selfe for that were idolatrous but it is adored for the Godhead vnited therewith personally Wherefore of the adoration of whole Christ is but ill inferred the omnipotence also of his flesh For the reason doth not follow from the honour of the person to the properties of the natures Replie That which is adored by reason of another is also really omnipotent omniscient by reason of another Christes fleshe is adored by reason of the God-heade in whose person his flesh subsisteth Therefore Christs flesh is also really ommniscient omnipotent by reason of the God-head Answere The Maior is false as is this That which is made base and humiliated by reason of another thing is also by reason of another thing obnoxious subiect to alteration For the Woorde was made base or humiliated by reason of the flesh and in the fleshe neither yet the Worde it selfe or the God-head felt any change or alteration but is humiliated and so saide to be after another maner because the Woorde doth not shew his Godhead in the flesh which we tooke in the forme of a seruant So then albeit the adoration of Christ God and man doth presuppose in him omnipotencie omnisciencie presence euerie where and the searching of hearts and â—eines yet is it not of necessity that the humane nature also which by reason of the God-head vnited to it in the same person is adored should be really omnipotent omniscient euerie-where For the adoration of christ is the honor worship which agreeth is yeelded one the same to whole christmaÌ„ god keeping notwithstaÌ„ding the differences in natures of the properties operations whereon Christs office honor doth depend For to adore worship christ is by the agnising knowledge of his person office to craue of him with a tru trust coÌ„fidence that those blessings which he hath promerited promised he wil as our mediator performe giue to vs according to the proper wil operation of each nature This adoratioÌ„ coÌ„sisteth of diuerse parts compriseth both natures keepeth their properties operations though vnited yet stil distinct craueth that whole Christ in performing his promised benefits wil worke those things by his God-head which are proper to his God-head by his flesh those things which are proper to his flesh For his benefits are no otherwise to bee craued asked of him than as himselfe wil doth performe theÌ„ to vs he performeth theÌ„ stil keeping the difference of both natures Wherfore they who craue of christ the Mediator the benefits promised in the Word do necessarily acknowledge him omniscieÌ„t the searcher of hearts omnipoteÌ„t present euery where of himself beholding hearing our necessities coÌ„plaints This agnising this honor is proper to God and agreeth is yeelded to Christ man in respect of his God-head only not of his humanity For in one act or view vnchaÌ„geable to behold know vnderstand from euerlasting of himselfe al thinges past preseÌ„t to come but chiefly the needs wants necessities desires of his whole church again to send the holy ghost into the harts of al the elect chosen who haue bin eueÌ„ since the beginning of the world by this spirit to teach theÌ„ with in to iustifie regenerate coÌ„fort theÌ„ to giue to theÌ„ eternal life these I say are not
3 The same diuine woorkes which are attributed to the Father and the Sonne are also attributed to the holy ghost and in those both the general and vniuersal workes and also those miraculous workes which consist in instituting and informing the Church So in Iob. 33.4 creatiō is attributed vnto him The spirit of god hath made me the breath of the Almighty hath giuen me life Other woorkes are attributed to him also in other places especially that he quickneth regenerateth illuminateth and worketh miracles 4 Equall the same honor is giuen to the holie ghost which is giuen both to the Father and the Sonne To no creature but to God alone is to be giuen diuine honour that is honour proper to God onely But this is giuen to the holy Ghost Therefore he is god equal with the Father and the Son 1. John 5.7 There are three which beare witnesse in Heauen The Father the Woord and the holie Ghost and these three are one The holy Ghost therefore is the same true God with the father and the Sonne Mat. 28.19 Go and teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Sonne the holy ghost By this testimony we are taught First That we are baptised also into the name faith woorship and religion of the holy ghost Secondly That the holy Ghost is author also of baptisme and the ministerie In like sott also wee beleeue in him That sinne which is committed against him is not remitted We are his temple 5 Those things which are spoken in the old testament of God or Jehouah are applied in the newe testament to the holie ghost Obiection Hee that is sent is not equall with him that sendeth The holy Ghost is sent and the Father and the Sonne send him Therefore the holy Ghost is not equall with the Father and the Sonne Answere We deny the maior For hee that is sent may bee equall with him that sendeth For Christ also being sent of the Father yet is hee equall with the Father This sending dooth not betoken any seruile subiection Obiection 2. Hee that receiueth of another is not equall with him who giueth The holie ghost receiueth of the Father and the Sonne Therefore he is not equall with both Answere The Maior is true of one that receiueth of another but a part and not the whole but the holy Ghost receiueth the same and whole essence of the father and the Sonne Againe it is true of him that receiueth in time or successiuely but the holy Ghost receiued before all time Thirdly to the Minor we say That he receiued as touching the ordeining and sending of him to vs to teach vs immediatly But this sending establisheth and confirmeth his equalitie because it is a diuine woork and the ordeining of him to teach vs immediately doth not lessen but strengthen his equality Fourthly and lastly That the holy ghost is one and the same true god with the Father and the Sonne is prooued by these reasons 1 Because he is the Fathers and the Sonnes spirit But the diuine essence cannot be multiplied as neither can an other bee created nor the same diuided Therefore the selfesame and that whole must needes bee communicated to the holy Ghost which is the essence of the Father and the Sonne From both which the holy ghost proceedeth as the spirit of God in God and of God 2 There is but one true God The holy ghost is true God Therefore the holy ghost is that one and the same true God with the Father and the Sonne consubstantiall with both 3 There is but one Iehouah that is one diuine Essence or Being one essentially who alone is of none but himselfe communicateth his beeing to al thinges and preserueth it in them The holy Ghost is Iehouah Therefore he is the same with the Father the Son God consubstantial with both Obiect He that is of another is not consubstantiall with him or is not the same with him of or from whom he is The holy Ghost is of the Father and the Sonne Therefore hee is not the same with them or consubstantiall Answere 1 The Maior is true in creatures but not in God 2 There is an ambiguity in this terme To be of another Hee that is of another and hath not the same or whole essence is not consubstantiall But the holy ghost hath the same and whole essence and therefore it followeth only that he is not the same person Therefore by inuerting the argument we aunswere That hee who is of the Father and from the Father is consubstantial with him as likewise with the Son of and from whom he also is 3 What is the office of the holie Ghost THE office of the holy ghost is sanctification Jn this one name of sanctification are comprehended all his benefites Whereof wee may put these as the generall heads 1 To teach and illuminate Hereof he is called the teacher of trueth Likewise the spirit of wisedom gladnesse faith feare boldnesse Ioh. 14.26 The holy ghost whom the Father wil send in my name he shall teach you al things bring al things to your remēbrance which I haue told you Ioh. 16.13 The spirit of trueth will lead you into all trueth And hee taught the Apostles at Whitsontide when they were rawe before of Christs death and his kingdome Hee powred into them the miraculous knowledge of tongues and fulfilled the testimonie and record of Ioel. 2 To regenerate that is to worke faith conuersion in the hearts of the chosen Ioh. 3.5 Except a man bee borne of water of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Matth. 3.11 J baptise you with water to amendment of life but he that commeth after me he wil baptise you with the holy ghost and with fire This Baptisme which is wrought of Christ by the holy Ghost is the very regeneration or renewing it selfe the same which was signified by the outward baptisme of Iohn and of other ministers 3 To conioin vs with Christ and God to make vs partakers of all Christs benefits 1. Cor. 6.11 But yee are washed but yee are sanctified but yee are iustified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 1. Cor. 12.3.4 No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit And verse 13. By one spirite are wee all baptised into one spirit 1. Cor. 6.19 Know yee not that your bodie is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you whom yee haue of god So then the spirit of Christ is in vs. Therefore wee are vnited to him by his spirit 4. To rule and gouerne Rom. 8.14 As many as are led by the spirit of god they are the sonnes of god Act. 2.4 And they began to speake with other tongs as the spirit gaue them vtterance To bee ruled and guided by the Holy ghost is to bee instructed with wisedome and counsell
in the actions of our life and vocation to be inclined to follow those thinges which are right and good and to perfourme the duties of loue and charity towardes god and our neighbour 5. To comfort Hee comforteth the Apostles amidst their afflictions The Apostles who were first flying awaie for feare of the Iewes now beeing erected by the comfort and solace of the holy ghost come forth into open place and reioyce when they are to suffer for the confession of the gospell Iohn 14.16 He wil giue you another comforter 6. To confirme He maketh the Apostles couragious and bold who were before timerous and wrapped and entangled with manie doubtes These thinges wee maie plainely see if wee compare that Sermon which Peter made at Whitsontide with their speech who went to Emaus who saie Luk 24.21 Wee trusted that it had beene he that should haue deliuered Israel The holy ghost then is the spirit of comfort and ioy Iohn 16.22 Your ioie shal no man take from you These are the chiefe and principall partes of the holy ghostes office vnto which maie bee referred all the giftes of the holie ghost as well those which are properlie bestowed on the godlie as also those which are common to them with the reprobate All those giftes we may briefly comprise in this diuision The giftes of the holie ghost either are common to the godly and vngodly or proper to the godly onely Those which are common to the godly and vngodly are giuen either to certaine men and at certain times or at al times and to all the members of the Church Those which are giuen at certaine times and to certaine men are these The gift of miracles of tongues prophecies the faith of miracles and these were necessarie for the Apostles the primitiue Church when the gospell was first to bee dispersed Those which are giuen at all times and to all the members of the church are these the giftes of tongues and of knoweledge and the gift of interpretation These are alwaies necessarie for the church and belong to the maintainaunce and preseruation of the Ministerie and are now also giuen to euery member of the church according to the measure of Christes gift as the calling and vocation of euery member needeth The giftes of the holy ghost proper vnto the godlie are iustifieng faith praier loue and other giftes profitable to saluation Obiection Many out of the church haue hadde tongues and sciences the tongues therefore and sciences are not the giftes of the holy ghost Aunswere The tongues and sciences out of the church are also the giftes of the holy ghost but by a general working of god which is without the true knowledge of him But in the church the tongues and sciences are the giftes of the holy ghost ioined with the true knowledge of god Moreouer al those giftes as wee saide are fitlie referred to those sixe principal partes before numbered of the holie ghosts office as the knowledge of tongues and of sciences to his function of teaching and that miraculous and extraordinarie gift of tongues partly to his function of ruling for the holy ghost did rule and gouerne their tongues partly to his function of teaching and confirming So also the gift of Prophecie and interpretation belongeth to his office of teaching For hee teacheth both by illightening the mindes within by his vertue and by instructing them without by the word The institution ordinance of the Sacramentes appertaineth to his office of teaching but chiefly to his office of confirming Faith and conuersion belong to his office of regenerating and conioyning vs with Christ That hee is the spirite of praier instructing vs how to praie belongeth to his office of ruling gouerning In like sort the rest of the gifts maie bee referred to certaine partes of the Holy Ghostes office Furthermore the holy ghost in respect of this his office hath diuerse titles of commendation in the Scripture For hereof hee is called 1. The spirite of adoption because hee assureth vs of the fatherly good wil of god towards vs and is a witnesse vnto vs of that free goodnesse mercy wherewith the father embraceth vs in his onely begotten sonne Therefore Rom. 8.15 By this spirit we crie Abba Father 2. He is called the earnest and seale of our inheritance because hee assureth vs our saluation 2. Cor. 1.21 It is god which stablisheth vs with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who hath also sealed vs hath giuē the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Eph. 1.13.14 In which gospell also after that yee beleeued yee were sealed with the holy spirite of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance 3. Hee is called Life because he quickneth vs or as the Apostle saith The spirite of Life who mortifieth the oulde man and quickneth the new Rom. 8.2 The Law of the spirite of life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed mee from the Lawe of sin and of death 4. He is called Water whereby he refresheth vs being almost dead in sinne and maketh vs fruitful that we may bring foorth fruit 5. Hee is called Fire because hee dooth daily burne vp and consume concupiscences and vices in vs and kindleth our heartes with the loue of God and our neighbour 6. He is called the Fountaine because all celestiall riches doe flow vnto vs from him 7. Hee is called the Spirite of praier 8. The Oile of gladnesse Heb. 1.9 Wherefore god euen thy God hath annointed thee with the Oile of gladnesse 9. He is called the Comforter because he worketh faith in vs and purifieth our consciences and so comforteth vs that we exult and reioice in afflictions 10. He is called Intercessour because Roman 8.26 The spirite maketh request or Intercession for vs with sighes which cannot bee expressed 11. Hee is called lastly the Spirite of truth of wisedom of ioie of gladnes of the fear of God of boldnesse and the like Obiection It was said before that the holy ghost is the earnest of our inheritance But Saul Judas had the holy ghost neither yet obteined they the inheritance but were reprobate Therefore the holy ghost is not the earnest of our inheritance Answere Saul and Iudas had the holy ghost as concerning some gifts of the holie ghost But they had not the spirit of adoption Reply But it is the same spirit It is the same spirit indeed but doth not worke the same thinges in all For he woorketh adoption and conuersion in the Elect only Obiect 2. Those parts of the spirits office before specified are not proper to the holie ghost but belong also to the Father and the sonne Therefore they are not well assigned to the Holy ghost as proper Aunsw They belong also to the father and the sonne but mediatlie by the holie ghost But vnto the holy ghost they belong immediately Reply But after the same maner also it seemeth that the preseruation of thinges the inuention of arts and sciences and the like
7. Christ is a perfect Sauiour because he hath saued and reconciled to god whole man Therefore our corrupt bodie also shall be raised by Christ and rise againe 8. Christ is not of lesse force to saue than Adam to leese Nay Christ hath restored vnto vs al that which Adam lost destroied by sinning yea and far more and greater things by his merit Adam had lost from vs among other gifts the eternall life also of our bodies Therefore Christ hath restored it vnto vs and consequently we shall certainely rise againe 9. God is the God of whole man This reason Christ also vseth against the Sadduces Mat. 22.31 Haue yee not read what is spoken vnto you of God saying I am the God of Abraham and the God of Jsaac and the god of Jacob God is not the god of the dead but of the liuing And so God is the God of whole man not of a part onely For if he were God of a part that is of the soule onely he were not perfectly and fullie our God 10. He published his lawe vnto man after the fall Therefore hee will haue man once keepe it But that is not done in this life Therefore it shall be done in the life to come and therefore men shall rise againe 11. The wages of sinne is death Therefore sinne being abolished death shal be abolished and so death being abolished we shall rise againe vnto euerlasting life To this end also our bodies were made that in them as temples the holy Ghost might dwell for euer 4 For what end the Resurrection shall be THE last end of the Resurrection is gods glorie The endes of the resurrection 1 Gods glorie For to this end shall the Resurrection be that God may manifest and together fullie and perfectly exercise both his mercy towards the faithful and his iustice toward the reprobate and so may declare the vnutterable certainty of his promises The next and subordinate end to the former is the saluation and the glorie of the Elect and of the contrarie 2 The saluation and glorie of the elect and the damnation of the reprobate the damnation and punishment of the reprobate For the Elect or Saints of god shall rise to euerlasting life Reuel 3.21 To him will J graunt to sit with me in my throne Reuel 7.13 They shall be araied in long white robes Dan. 12.3 They shall shine as the Sunne But the wicked shall rise to be drawen to euerlasting paines and torments Mat. 25.41 Depart from me yee cursed into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuel and his Angels and a little after And these shall goe into euerlasting paine and the righteous into life eternall Obiection Christs Resurrection is the cause of our Resurrection and also the benefite of Christs Resurrection is our Resurrection But this cause and this benefite belongeth not to vnbeleeuers and Jnfidels Therefore they shall not rise Aunswere This whole reason is graunted namely that the wicked shall not rise because of Christs Resurrection but hence it foloweth not that they shall not rise because they shal rise in respect of another cause which is that they may be punished There is but one end indeede of our Resurrection in respect of God which is his glorie but the manner of comming to this end is diuers 5 By whom the Resurrection shall be The Resurrectiō by Christ THE Resurrection shall be by Christ for by the force and vertue of Christ our Sauiour we shall rise Joh. 6.44 J will raise him vp in the last day Which speech of Christ is to bee vnderstood of the bodie For hee doth not raise vp the souls because they die not Now Christ man shall raise vs though by the vertue of his Godhead Joh. 5.28 The houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare the voice of the Sonne of man Act. 17.31 God hath appointed a day in the which he will iudge the world in righteousnes by that man whom he hath appointed whereof he hath giuen assurance vnto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead And hence ariseth vnto vs great consolation and comfort Because he is true man who shall raise vs he will not neglect his owne flesh and members but wil raise them euen vs will he raise to eternal life for which cause he tooke our flesh and redeemed vs. Obiection But the father is saide to raise vs yea to raise Christ himselfe Rom. 8.11 Hee that raised vp Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies because that his spirite dwelleth in you Therefore wee shall not bee raised by Christ nor by the power of Christ Answere The Father shall raise vs by his Sonne mediately But the Sonne shall immediately raise vs with his spirit as being our only Redeemer Phil. 3.20 We looke for our Sauiour from heauen euen the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious bodie according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue all thinges vnto himselfe But the spirite shall immediately raise vs by himselfe 6 How the Resurrection shall be At the resurrection 1. The dead shall bee raised 1 THE dead shall bee raised with a shoute and with the voice of the Archangell with the trumpet of god and shal be presented before the high and most iust iudge Iesus Christ The resurrection therefore shall bee in glorious manner and openlie not fearefullie nor in secret and shall bee far other than that which was wrought in some men at the resurrection of Christ For it shall bee done all beholding it yea with the exceeding ioy of al the godly with the exceeding feare and trembling of the wicked 2. They who then shall remaine aliue 2 The liuing shall bee changed shall bee in a moment of time changed and bee made of mortall immortall Read Cap. 15 of the former to the Corinthians and Cap. 4. of the former to the Thessalonians 7 When the Resurrection shall be THE Resurrection shall be in the end of the world In the last day Joh. 6.40 J will raise him vp at the last day This question is to bee helde and proposed of vs that our faith bee not troubled while wee are forced to expect and tarry or that we may not imagine to our selues any certain time when we thinke these things wil happen and so beginne to doubt and thinke our selues to be deluded when those thinges fall not so out nor come to passe at the time appointed by vs. This question maketh for the increase of hope and faith in vs. 8 What bodies shall rise THese selfe same bodies shall rise The same bodies shall rise Iob. 19 26. Eph. 6.8 2. Cor. 5.10 and not others created of christ as the Anabaptists will haue it For Iob saith Jn this flesh shall J see my Lord. And the Apostle saith Euery man shall receiue in his bodie according to
by necessity excluded from it But such a communion of saints with Christ is spirituall as the Apostle doth shew 1. Cor. 6.17 Hee that is ioined vnto the Lorde is one spirit 1. Ioh. 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwel in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirit Iohn 15.5 He is the vine we are the branches Ephes 1.22 4.15 5.30.31 He is the Bridegroome and we with the whole Church are his spouse 2 Such is our eating of Christ as is his abiding in vs but this is spirituall For that Christs abiding in vs is spirituall is sufficientlie perceiued by this in that such is his abiding in vs as is his Fathers Jf anie man loue me he will keepe my woord and my Father will loue him and we will come vnto him and will dwell with him But how doth the Father dwell in vs or abide with vs Truely by his spirite Therefore Christ also so abideth with vs or dwelleth in vs. 3 Christ abideth in vs perpetually Therefore that abiding or presence is not corporall because as touching his humane nature he saith Me yee shall not haue alwaies Therefore hee is not eaten of vs corporallie nay hee cannot be eaten of vs corporallie except he be in vs corporally and that also perpetuallie 3 Vnto the former mâ—y be adioined also argumentes taken from the sacrifice and adoration Wheresoeuer Christ is present corporallie whether it be after a visible or inuisible manner there he is to be adored to wit by our mindes and the motions of our bodies coÌ„uerted turned thither But he is not to be adored in the supper Therefore he is not present in the supper corporally That he is not to be adored in the supper is easilie proued For it is neuer granted in the new testament to tie bind inuocation to anie certain place Ioh. 4.21 The houre commeth when yee shal neither in this mountain nor at Ierusalem worship the father Againe Jf christ be so be adored worshipped in the supper by our mindes and motions of bodie conuerted vnto the bread that whole oblation sacrifice should consist in the hands of sacrificing masse-Priests because they offer the Son vnto the Father to obtain remission of sins and so were his crucifieng to be reiterated The third sort of argumentes which are drawen from like places of scripture where namelie the same thing is deliuered in words whereof there is no controuersie 1 COrporall eating is in expresse termes condemned by the holie Ghost Jt is the spirite saith Christ that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing By these woordes Christ expressely condemneth the corporal eating of his flesh whether visible or inuisible 2 The bread which we break saith the Apostle is the coÌ„munion of the body of christ But this coÌ„munioÌ„ is spiritual because when the same Apostle opposeth it to the communion of diuels ye caÌ„not saith he drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of diuels yee cannot be partakers of the lords table and of the table of Diuels by these words the Apostle denieth that the wicked can be partakers of the bodie and blood of christ in the supper And therefore there is no corporall eating of the body and bloude of christ in his supper 3 Christ saith that the bread is his bodie Therefore they tie not themselues to the verie woorde who say that christs body is in the bread vnder the bread with the bread 4 The cup is the new testament that is the cup is a signe of the new testament for it cannot bee otherwise meant or taken For the new testament is the seale of the promise or the promise it self but not the thing promised Likewise The cup is the communion of the bloud of christ The bread is the communion of the body of christ But this communion is a spirituall eating and drinking of the body and bloud of christ as is apparaunt by the wordes of the Apostle and the signes of that spiritual eating and drinking are bread and wine 5 In the Euangelist To eat christ which is the liuing bread which descended from heauen Likewise To eat Christs flesh and to drinke his bloud signifieth to beleeue in Christ Therefore in the words of the institutioÌ„ it signifieth the same also because christ doth not here otherwise expound them 6 There are also the like places of scripture vttered sacramentally of other sacramentes which confirme also the truth and meaning of this as Circumcision is the couenant The lamb is the Passeouer The leuitical sacrifices are said to be an expiation or doing away of sinne The bloud of sacrifices is called the bloud of the couenant Baptisme is the washing of the new birth Therefore these woords also This is my bodie are in like sort sacramentally spoken 7 Christ commaundeth his supper to bee celebrated and the bread wine to be eaten drunken in remembrance of him but this remeÌ„brance is chiefly performed by faith not corporally Moreouer that in memorial wherof we doe any thing is not it selfe present because we are not said to remember things that are present 8 By one spirite are we al baptized into one bodie whether we be Iewes or Grecians whether we be bond or free and haue been al made to drinke into one spirite Wherefore after the same maner doe we al eate the same bread Which Paul also manifestly sheweth affirming That al the Fathers did eate the same spirituall foode That eating therefore is not corporall whereby we are made partakers of the body and bloud of christ otherwise before the comming of christ the fathers should not haue beene at al made partakers of christ as hauing not as yet taken flesh Vnto these argumentes drawen out of the sacred Scripture and the ground of our faith may be added testimonies of the fathers and the purer church of al which we will at this present bring only that one notable saying of Macharius the Monke Bread and wine are a correspondent type of his flesh and they who receiue the bread which is shewed eate the flesh of Christ spirituallie AGAINST THE TRANSVBSTANTIATION OF THE PAPISTES NOW it is easy to see what we are to thinke of Transubstantiation euen that it is an impious inuention deuise of the Papists which also we wil shew and proue briefly by diuers reasons 1 Paul calleth expressely that which is taken bread both before after the eating Therefore that which is taken in the supper is not really the body 2 Christ brake bread but hee did not then breake his body Therefore the bread is not really his body 3 The Bread was not giuen for vs But the body of christ was giuen for vs Therefore the bread is not really Christs body 4 Christ willeth vs to take this sacrament and to take bread and wine in remembraunce of him Therefore the bread is called the body of Christ not reallie but in that it is a memorial of his body that is the bread is a remembrauncer
meaning is to bee receiued which these rules of examining and iudging which haue bin now declared doe not suffer Then must wee consider what times and whose writinges are purest what pointes of doctrine haue bin and in what ages either rightlie expounded or depraued with errors lastly whose interpretation either is of the autor or may bee of vs confirmed by the testimonie of the Scripture And to this deciding of all controuersies about the meaning of the Scripture drawen out of the Scripture it selfe do all the godlie and louers of the truth agree euen as it is said Iohn 8.47 Hee that is of God heareth the wordes of God now the testimonie of the auncient and catholicke Church so farre as they see it to accord with the Scripture they doe with glad and thankful minds embrace and are so much the more assured of the known truth But if any quarrelling men doe not yeelde vnto the Testimonies of the Scripture we must not seek because of them a iudge higher then the word of God but must leaue them vnto the iudgement of God as the Apostle counsaileth vs to Titus 3. Reiect him that is an heretik after once or twise admonition knowing that hee that is such is peruerted and sinneth being damned of his own selfe And 1. Cor. 14. If anie man be ignorant let him be ignorant And in the last of the Apocalyps Hee that is filthie let him bee more filthie Neither verilie doth hee whom the woord of God doth not satisfy rest on the autoritie of men as the truth it selfe doth shew But as these thinges are sufficient to shutte the mouthes of them who gainsay the truth 6. Prayers or at least-wise to manifest their impudencie so is there further required for the fencing of the consciences of all the godlie in debate of religion besides a care of learning the doctrine of the woord of God an ardent and daily inuocating of God by which wee may desire that wee may be taught and guided by his holy spirite This if we shal doe hee will not suffer vs to make stay in error Mat. 11.28 Esaie 57.15 which may pul vs from him but will open vnto vs the true and certaine meaning of his woord concerning all thinges necessarie to our saluation that our faith may depend not on humane but diuine autoritie euen as it is promised in the seuenth Chapter of Matthewe Aske and it shall bee giuen you seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you For whosoeuer asketh receiueth and hee that seeketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shall bee opened And in the eleuenth of Luke How much more shall your heauenlie Father giue the holie Ghost to them that desire him Also in the first of Iames If anie of you doe lacke wisedome let him aske of God which giueth to all men liberallie and reprocheth no man and it shall bee giuen him but let him aske in faith and wauer not To their former arguments our aduersaries adde that it Obiection 11 is a shame that the holie Ghost speaking in the Church should bee subiect to the examinatioÌ„ and iudgement of another It is vnmeet that the holy Ghost should be subiect vnto another and therefore we must not examine him by the rule of the Scripture But seeing that the same spirite speaketh in the Church and in the Scripture when wee doe examine the voice of the Church by the Scripture we doe not subiect the holy Ghost to another but we compare him with himselfe And by this means first we giue vnto him the praise of trueth and constancie while we doe acknowledge and testifie that hee is alwaies like himselfe and doth neuer square from himselfe then also we confesse that the supreme authoritie of pronouncing the wil of God belongeth vnto him while we doe not seeke whether those things be true and certaine which hee hath spoken but whether those be his words which men ascribe vnto him and this we doe euen after the selfesame manner which he hath prescribed vs and after that we finde out by the rule of the written word that any thing hath proceeded from him to that without making any controuersie we submit our minds wils Contrariwise it is easie to see that our aduersaries themselues are guiltie of that contumelie against the holie Ghost of which they accuse vs. For while they wil haue the authoritie of giuing iudgement concerning the meaning of the Scripture and of deciding controuersies not to belong vnto the Scriptures but vnto themselues by this verie thing both they imagine that the holy Ghost may dissent from himselfe and do make themselues iudges higher then the holy ghost and the word of God Obiection 12 The letter killeth the spirit quickneth Lastly whereas Paul saith 2. Cor. 3. That he is the minister of the newe Testament not of the letter but of the spirit for the letter doth kil the spirit doth quicken some men do thence gather that wee are to heare not what the written word of God soundeth but what the spirite speaketh by the Church or in our hearts Yea there hath growen an opinion heretofore that the graÌ„matical and literal meaning of the Scripture is pernâ—â—â—cus except all be transformed into allegories But a manifold paralogisme in this argument doth easily appeare if it bee considered what the letter and the spirit signifieth in Paul For that all the doctrine and knowledge touching God as also the outwarde obseruation of the Lawe in those that are not regenerate is called the letter by the Apostle and the spirit first the holy Ghost himselfe Secondly the true doctrine concerning God when the holie Ghost is of force and efficacy by it Thirdly faith and conuersion and motions pleasing God being kindled of the holy Ghost through the word it appeareth by the words going before For for that which here he saith that he was made of God a minister not of the letter but of the spirit he said before that the Epistle of Christ was ministred by him and written not with incke but with the spirit of the liuing God in tables of the hart that is that his preaching was not in vaine but of force and efficacy in the harts of men the holy Ghost woorking by it And in like manner Rom. cap. 2. hee calleth the ceremonie without conuersion circumcision in the letter but conuersion it selfe circumcision of the hart in the spirit And Rom 7. He willeth vs to walke in newnesse of spirit and not in the oldnes of the letter that is in true holines such as is begun by the spirit in the regenerate not in the sinne and hypocrisie of them who know verilie the wil of God and make practise also of outward discipline and behauiour but remaine without faith and conuersion Wherefore first as the doctrine by the fault of men 1 The letter killeth not of it selfe but by an accident and not of it remaineth only the letter so also
not of it owne nature but because of the corruption of men it killeth that is it terrifieth mens mindes with the iudgement of God and doth stir vp a murmuring and hatred against God as wee are plainly taught by the Apostle Rom. cap. 7. The Law is holie and the commaundement is holy and iust and good Was that then which is good made death vnto me God forbid But sinne that it might appeare sinne wrought death in me by that which is good that sinne might be out of measure sinful by the commaundement For we know that the Law is spiritual but I am carnal sold vnder sinne But the proper effect of the Scripture is to quicken men that is to lighten them with the true knowledge of God and to mooue them to the loue of God As it is said 2. Cor. 2. We are vnto God the sweete sauour of Christ in them that are saued and in them which perish c. Secondly albeit the letter that is 2 It killeth as it is without the Spirit the doctrine without that spiritual motion killeth yet the operation of the holy ghost accompaning it when now it is not the letter but the spirite and power of God to saluation vnto euery one that beleeueth it doth not kil but quicken as it is said Psal 119. Thy word quickneth me Wherefore that the letter kil vs not we must not cast awaie the Scripture but the stubburnes of our harts and desire of God that he would let his doctrine bee in vs and others not the letter but the spirit that is that he would forcibly moue our harts by it turn them to him The spirit quickneth agreeing with the word Thirdly that it is added that the spirit quickneth that calleth vs not awaie from the Scripture to other opinions or reuelations For that spirit quickneth which dissenteth not from the Scripture but teacheth and mindeth the same which he hath vttered in the scripture But that spirit which leadeth men awaie from the Scripture it quickneth not but may bee said much more truely to kill then the letter that is not by an accident or external cause but of it owne nature For the spirit of Antichrist is a liar and a murderer and therefore be it accursed vnto vs. 4 The Apostle misconstrued by them Fourthlie they who by the letter vnderstand either the characters of letters or the proper and literall sense whether it be of the whole Scripture or of those speeches which are allegorically and figuratiuely spoken and by the spirite the interpretation of those speeches it is manifest that they swarue farre from the minde of Paul both by those thinges which haue beene spoken concerning the meaning of Paul and also because not onely euerie sentence of Scripture whether it be proper or figuratiue but also euerie interpretation of it is and remaineth the killing letter except the quickning force of the holie Ghost come vnto it Wherefore since that neither for interpretation nor reuelation nor authoritie nor any other pretence it is lawful leauing the Scripture of the Prophets and Apostles to depart to whatsoeuer decrees of religion which are not confirmed by the Testimonie of the Scripture let vs hear it as an oracle sounding from heauen bringing to the reading thereof not minds forestalled neither with opinions conceiued either of our owne brains or elswhere neither with affections neither with preiudices but the loue of God a desire of knowing the truth So shall it come to passe that both wee shall know the true meaning of the Scripture and by it godlines and sure and sound comfort shall bee kindled in vs and get increase OF THE TRVE COMFORT of the Godlie THE scope and ende of this doctrine is that wee may haue sure comfort both in our life at our death And that wee may haue this wee are especiallie to learne the doctrine of Christianitie Now the summe of this comfort doth consist in this that wee are the members of Christ that is that we are engraffed into Christ by faith that he is carefull of vs and that by him wee are loued of God reconciled to God and conioyned with him This comfort the diuel goeth about to take from vs after this maner 1. Thou art a sinner therefore thou art not acceptable in the sight of God Answere But Christ hath made satisfaction for me with his precious blood 2. But thou must die the death Answere But Christ hath deliuered me from the power of death and I know that by Christ I shall scape out of the hands of death 3. But how if thou leese the grace of Christ For thou maist fall and perish because it is a long way to heauen Answere Christ hath not onely merited his benefites for mee but also bestoweth them on me and preserueth them in mee and giueth mee perseuerance that I may not fall from grace 4. But what if these thinges appertaine not vnto thee and how knowest thou that thou art Christes Answere 1. Because I haue the testimonie of the holie Ghost within me 2. Because the generall promise appertaineth to all the faithful If I haue faith therefore that promise appertaineth vnto me But I know I haue faith by the effectes of faith 1. Because I haue a will to obey and beleeue God albeit I am but weake 2. Because I haue good woorkes which are signes of true faith Therefore I haue true faith and by a consequent Christ and his benefites appertaine vnto mee This comfort is necessarie 1. For our saluation that we despaire not 2. For the woorshipping of God For that wee may woorship God wee must come out of sinne and death not rush into desperation but bee susteined with a sure comfort vnto the ende This comfort though other sectes promise yet can they not make performance thereof because their conscience and experience oftentimes goeth against them The doctrine of the Church alone maketh performance of it so that mens consciences are at rest because this alone sheweth the fountaine of all miseries vnto which mankind is subiect and this also alone prescribeth the waie of escaping them The partet of this comfort are 1. Our reconcilement to God by Christ to which Christ alone we belong and therefore wee are not at our own libertie so that wee may freelie sin neither lieth our saluation in our handes or power For if it were so we should leese it euery moment 2. The maner of our reconcilement euen by the blood of Christ 3. Our deliuerie from miseries 4. The preseruation and maintenance of our reconcilement and deliuerie Mat. 10.30 so that not so much as an haire may fal from our head without the will of our heauenly father Obiection But the godly are daily slaine Aunswere These things do not hurt but helpe forward our saluation Rom. 8.28 All thinges worke together for the best vnto them that loue God 5. The testimonie of the holie Ghost woorking true comfort in our hartes
as much as al mē haue sinned cap. 7. We know that the law is spiritual but I am carnal sold vnder sinne Eph. 2. We were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others Last of al seeing infantes also are subiect to sinne whereupon also they die and are to be baptised as before time they were circumcised and they cannot as yet sinne by imitation it must needs be that sinne is bred in them as it is said Genes 8. The cogitation of mans heart is euill euen from his youth And Isaie 48. I called thee transgressor euen from thy womb Against this doctrine it is obiected first Obiect Of the deriuation of the soule from the soul of the parents If sinne bee propagated from the Parents vnto their posterity either the soul stained with originall sinne is deriued by deduction out of the soule of the Parents or is created by God of nothing infected with sinne and is infused into the bodie or els being created pure by God it draweth corruption and naughtines of the body vnto which it is vnited But since that a spiritual substance may not be cut into parts soules are not propagated by deduction out of the soule of the Parentes neither are they created corrupt of God because God by this meanes should be made autor of sinne contrarie to that which hath beene said God saw al which he had made they were verie good neither are the soules depraued by the bodies partly for that it would be against both the end vnto which man was created euen to life euerlasting and also against the goodnes of god for a pure and innocent soul to be ioined with a bodie of which it should be depraued partlie for that sinne can not be propagated by the bodie which ◠senseles neither exerciseth any action on the soule but by the soul Wherefore the children are not borne corrupt of corrupt parentes 1 Answere The souls are corrupted by the bodies To this the answeare is double First they can not proue that which in the third place in their Minor they affirme That the soules can not draw naughtines corruptiō from the bodies For our first Parentes also were created to eternall life and yet were depraued falling from god Wherefore as the creation of our first parentes and their triall by temptation and in temptation their falling away which being put their corruption was certainly to followe so also the vniting of the soules with their bodies in which certainlie they shall be corrupted is not contrarie to the goodnes of God partly because God is so good as also he will shew foorth his anger against sinne and his iustice togither with his mercie in his woorkes partly because he hath appointed a remedie in his sonne vnto the which who flie are deliuered from this hereditarie and necessarie corruption and from the danger of damnation neither is it disagreeing from his goodnes rather to saue men freed from sinne and death by the death of his onele begotten Son then if they had neuer fallen into these miseries Neither is it absurd that the nature or temperature of the bodie though it bee senseles yet should be prone to euill and no fit instrument for the good actions of the soule and that the soule not being established in that puritie in which it was made should follow the inclinations and corrupt temperature of the bodie and should fal from that integritie in which it was as soone as it is vnited vnto the bodie and seeing that the bodie proceeding from sinful and guiltie parentes is one part of a man that God should be offended with the whole man for that part of his which is guiltie and should withdraw the grace of his spirite that the other part also that is the soule being depriued of spiritual giftes may fall into wickednes and malediction But be it that they were able to prooue that Minor proposition 2 Answere The souls are togither created and vnited to their bodies yet there is another sufficient answere to the Maior so that wee haue no neede to enter into any doubtfull dispute about the deducting of the soule from the soule of the parentes by generation neither of the maner how Originall sinne is propagated For although wee graunt that the soules of all men as soone as they begin to liue are created of god yet it is not to be imagined that the soules haue a beeing some time before they are vnited to the bodies For at one and the same time they are both created and vnited to their bodies as it is said The soule of man is at the same time both created and vnited to the bodie Hee breathed in his face breath of life But as the substance also of bodies though it be taken out of the substance of the parentes yet is rightly said to be created of God that is framed by him and the substances both of men and diuels who both are sinfull are preserued of God neither is yet God the autor or maintainer of their sinne or malice so also the substance of the soules and their naturall faculties God togither both createth and bereaueth of his giftes which giftes hee gaue of that condition to Adam that hee would also giue them to his posteritie if himselfe did keepe them but would not giue them if hee by his vnthankfulnes should cast them away Now the soule being destitute of the spirite and spirituall light although it bee inclined to desires and operations yet is it blinde not inclined to such desires and actions as the law of God requireth And by this meanes the inclinations being despoiled of their rightnes are become of their owne accord euill and are repugnant to the lawe of God And those defectes in the minde and will and heart of our first parentes are the iust punishmentes of sin committed by our first parentes and by their seed in them as they are inflicted by God but the inclinations corrupted by these defectes and the defectes themselues because they are a cause that man neither is nor can bee conformable to the law of God they are sinnes as they are drawen by men sinning vpon themselues and their seede and as they haue from them and their seede their being 2 Obiection That which the Parents themselues haue not they cannot deriue vnto their posteritie Original sin is taken awaie from the godly Therefore at the leastwise these doe not deriue it to their posteritie Aunswere Original sinne is taken away from the godlie and saints of god as concerning the guilt of it that is so as it is remitted them for Christs sake But as it is a sinne repugnant to the Lawe so it abideth in them For although they be withal regenerated by the holie ghost vnto whomsoeuer their sinne is forgiuen yet that renewing is not perfected in this life Wherefore the godlie also doe deriue such a nature to their posteritie as themselues haue that is a corrupt one
that the whole nature of of man that is his mind wil and hart and all his faculties are so depraued that without renewing they can bring foorth none but vitious actions and such as displease God according to those sayinges Rom. 7. For wee know that the law is spirituall but I am carnal sold vnder sinne Again For I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing And Rom. 8. So then they that are in the flesh can not please God Matt. 7. A corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit And truly the reason why it must needs be so is not obscure For whatsoeuer is not exactlie agreeable to the rule of the Lawe that cannot please God but deserueth malediction the wrath of God euerlasting as it is said Accursed be euery one that abideth not in all which are writtē in the book of the Law And S. Iam. ca. 2. Whosoeuer shall keep the whole Law yet faileth in one point he is guiltie of al. But no action of men since the fal hath beene wholy agreeable vnto the Lawe wherefore no action of theirs can please God The minor is hereof manifest because the Law in euerie action requireth the knowledge of the true God agreeing with his wil reuealed in the Scripture this end as principal that the true God by that obediēce of the reasonable creature may be honored and furthermore requireth such a desire of obeying god such a loue of god as for a man rather to leese al then to depart euen in the least matter from the wil of god and that there be none no not the least affection or desire or inclination that may cal him from that exceeding and most ardent loue of god and from obedience towards his Law 1. Cor. 10. Doe al things to the glorie of God Deut 6. Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with al thy hart and with al thy minde and with al thy strength But they who are not regenerat in all their actions they doe not so much as acknowledge the true god much lesse doe they refer al to his honor or loue him aboue al things but are turned away from him and are his enemie◠Rom. 5. When wee were enemies wee were reconciled to god And cap. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against god Wherefore no action of theirs whatsoeuer it appeareth to the shewe agreeth with the rule of the Law of God As it is said Rom. 14. Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The doctrine of Original sin profitable to be held in the Church This doctrine concerning Original sinne is to bee held in the Church 1. That the knowledge of sinne be perfect 2. Because god will haue our corruption to bee knowen to bee so great as wee can not so much as begin our obedience by our selues without his grace and his holie spirit 3. That wee may know what sinnes are in the godlie and what be the differences of the sinnes which are in the regenerat and in the reprobate What Actual sinne is Actuall sinne is euery inward and outward Action which is repugnant to the Law of god as well in the minde as in outward actions and the omitting of those thinges which the law commaundeth as to will to thinke to follow to doe euil not to will to flie to omitte to doe good Likewise motions and passions contrarie to the Law Hither belongeth that diuision into sinnes of fact and sins of omission The second diuision of Sinne. Raigning sin THere is Raigning sinne and sinne Not-raigning This diuision is taken out of the Apostle Rom. 6. Let not sin raigne in your mortall bodie Sinne Raigning is all sinne which is not repented of and which is not resisted by the grace of the holie Spirit and for which not onely according to the order of gods iustice but also for the thing it selfe hee is guiltie of eternal punishmentes who hath it And it is called Raigning 1. Because it is pampered 2. Because it hath rule ouer a man and maketh him guiltie of eternal dānation Al sins in the wicked are raigning sins Such are all sinnes in the wicked who beleeue not the Sonne and are without faith and repentance That is also in the elect before their conuersion although it be remitted according to the secret purpose of God yet they do not as yet know it In the elect also before their conuersion 1 Iohn 3.8 But after they are conuerted they striue against it that it may not beare rule ouer them It is called also Mortal in which who perseuereth dieth in it perisheth He that committeth sin that is he that of purpose with delite sinneth is of the diuel Where he speaketh of Raigning sin Sin raigning is all sin in the regenerate before their conuersion in the not regenerat continually whether they be defectes o◠inclinations or errors or Actuall sinne Sinne not Raigning is that which is repented of which is resisted by the grace of the holy Spirit Sinne not Raigning and whereof we obtaine remission And this sin is in the godly If wee say we haue no sin we deceaue our selues and there is no truth in vs. This saith Iohn Of sinne Not-raigning It is no more I that doe it Rom. 7. but the sinne that dwelleth in mee Sinne Not-raigning is called also Veniall Why not raigning sin is called venial not for that it deserueth remission or that it is not woorthie of punishment but because remission followeth such sinne Neuerthelesse I had rather vse the names of Raigning and Not-raigning sinne 1. Because the names of Mortall and Veniall sinne are obscure and doubtful For all sinnes are mortal And Iohn also calleth Mortal sinne or sin to death the sinne against the holie ghost 2. Because of the errors of the Papists who saie that they are called venial sinnes which are light and deserue not aeternal paines whereas yet it is said Accursed be euery one who abideth not in all 3. Because the Scripture vseth not these terms especially the name of Venial sinne 1 Obiection But the elect fal not from grace Answere Finally they doe not But they who sinne mortallie and doe not repent perish This falleth not to the elect that they should fal finally but before the end they fall easily and often 2 Obiection The wil of God is vnchangeable But he will the saluation of the elect and remission of their sinnes Aunswere I grant that it is true concerning the purpose and counsaile of God but not concerning our affiance which we haue of the remission of sinnes For our comfort standeth not togither with errors which are contrarie to the foundation and with sinnes committed against our consciences For then are we said to haue remission of our sins when we apply these benefits to our selues Eph. 2.13 Now in Christ Iesus yee which once were farre off are made neere by the blood of Christ And Osc 2.23 I wil saie to
Maior For the promise euen in those who receiue it not hath this vse that it may bee made manifest that God doth not reioice at the destruction of any and that hee is iust in punishing when as he doth so inuite thē vnto him who through their ingratitude contemne and refuse gods promises Secondly we distinguish that vnto them indeed the promise is vnprofitable to whom the condition adioined is neuer made possible through faith and grace of iustification by Christ and of regeneration by the holy Ghost But so it is made possible vnto the elect Wherefore God deludeth nether but earnestly declareth to both of them what they ought to be vnto whom he giueth euerlasting life and how vnwoorthy they are of Gods benefites and shall neuer bee partakers of them vnlesse by the free mercy of God they be exempted from destructiō further also he allureth more and more and confirmeth the faithful to yeeld obedience Lastly they cite also other sayings which seeme to place conuersion and good-woorks in the will of men Psal 119. I haue applied my heart to fulfil thy statutes 1. Ioh. 5. verse 18. He that is begotten of god keepeth himselfe These the like sayings attribute the woorke of god vnto men first because they are not only the obiect but the instrumēt also of gods woorking which the holy spirite exerciseth in them Then because they are such an instrument which being renewed and moued by the holy spirit doth also it selfe woorke together and mooue it selfe For there is not one effect ascribed vnto the holie ghost and another to mans will but the same to both vnto the holie ghost as the principal cause vnto mans will as a secondarie and instrumentall cause The third degree of libertie in man regenerated The third degree of libertie belongeth to man in this life as he is regenerated but not yet glorified or in whom regeneration is begun but not accomplished or perfected In this state the will vseth her libertie not onely to worke euill as in the second degree but partly to doe ill and partly to do well And this is to be vnderstood two waies First that some works of the regenerate are good and pleasing to God which are done of them according to Gods commandement but some euil displeasing to god which they do contrary to the commaundement of God which is manifest by the infinit fallings of holy men Secondly that euen those good works which the conuerted doe in this life albeit they please God by reason of Christes satisfaction imputed vnto them yet are they not perfectly good that is agreeable to Gods law but vnperfect stained with many sins therefore they cannot if they be beheld without Christ stand in iudgement escape damnation The cause of the renewing and beginning of this liberty in man to good is the spirit working by the wil. The cause for which the wil beginneth to work well is this because by the singular grace or benefite of the holy spirit mans nature is renewed by the word of God there is kindled in the mind a new light knowlege of god in the hart new affections in the wil new inclinations agreeing with the Lawe of God and the will is forcibly and effectually mooued to doe according to these notions and inclinations and so it recouereth both the power of willing that which God approueth and the vse of that power and beginneth to bee conformed and agreeable to God and to obey him Deut. 30.6 The Lord thy God wil circumcise thy hart the hart of thy seed that thou maiest loue the lord thy god with al thine heart Ezec. 36.26 A new hart wil I giue you and a newe spirit wil I put within you and I wil take away the stony hart out of your body and I wil giue you an heart of flesh and I wil put my spirit within you and cause you to walke in my statutes Act. 16. The Lord opened the hart of Lidia that she should attend to those things which were spoke of Paul 2. Cor. 3. Where the spirit of the Lord is there is libertie Why the will in the regenerate vseth liberty not onely to good but to euil also The causes for which the will vseth her libertie not onely to the choosing of good but of euill also are in number two The first for that in this life the renewing of our nature is not perfect neither as concerning the knowledge of GOD neither as concerning our inclinations to obey GOD and therefore in the best men while they liue here remaine stil many and great sinnes both originall and others The Second for that the regenerate bee not alwaies ruled by the holy spirite but are sometimes for a time forsaken of GOD eyther for to try or to chastise or humble them but yet are recalled to repentaunce that they perish not Of the first cause it is said Rom. 7. I knowe that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing for to wil is present with mee but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good Marc. 9. I beeleue Lord but help thou my vnbeliefe Of the second cause it is said Psa 51. Take not away thy holy spirit from mee Isaiah 63.17 O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardned our heart from thy fear Returne for thy seruaunts sake 1. Kings 8.57 The Lorde our God bee with vs that hee forsake vs not neither leaue vs. Therefore the regenerate man in this life doth alwaies goe either forwarde or backewarde neuer continueth in the same state Hence are deduced these 2. conclusions first as man corrupted before he be regenerated can not begin new obedience pleasing acceptable vnto God So he that is regenerated in this life although he beginne to obey God that is hath some inclination and purpose to obey God according to all his commaundementes and that vnfained though yet weak and strugling with euil inclinationes affectiones and desires and therefore there shine in his life and manners a desire of pietie towardes God and his neighbour yet can hee not yeeld whole and perfect obedience to God because neither his knowledge nor his loue of God is so great and so syncere as the law of God requireth and therefore is not such righteousnes as may stande before God according to that saying Psal 143.2 Enter not into iudgement with thy seruaunt for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified The second They who are ōcuerted can no farder retein good inclinations neither thoughts and affections and a good purpose to perseuere and go forwarde therein than as the holy spirit worketh and preserueth these in them for if he guide and rule them they iudge and doe aright but if he forsake them they are blinde they wander slip and fall away yet so that they perish not but repent and are saued if so bee they were euer truely conuerted 1. Cor. 4. What hast
that is a Sauiour Because he saueth vs from al our Å¿ Mat. 1.21 Heb. 7.25 sinnes Neither ought any safety to bee sought for from any other nor t Act. 4.12 can elsewhere be found 30 Doe they then beleeue in the only Sauiour Iesus who seeke for happinesse and safety of the Saintes or of themselues or elsewhere No. For although in worde they boast themselues of him as their sauiour yet indeed they deny the onlie Sauiour a 1. Cor. 1.13 30. c. Ga. 5.4 Iesus For it must needes be that either Iesus is not a perfect Sauior or that they who embrace him as their Sauiour with a true faith possesse all thinges in him which b Heb. 12.2 Isa 9.6 Col. 1.19.20 2.10 Isa 43.11 25. Ioh. 1.16 are required vnto saluation 31 Why is he called Christ that is annointed Because hee was ordained of the Father and annointed of the holy Ghost the c Ps 45.8 Heb. 1.9 Deut. 18.15 Acts. 3.22 chiefe Prophet and d Ioh. 1.18 15 15. Mat. 11.27 Ps 110.4 Heb. 7.21 10.21 Doctour who hath e opened vnto vs the secret counsaill and all the will of his father concerning our Redemption And the high-Priest who with that one onely Sacrifice of his bodie hath f Rom 8.34 5.9.10 redeemed vs and doth continuallie g Ps 2.6 Luk. 1.33 make intercession to his father for vs. And a king who ruleth vs by his word and spirit and defendeth and h Mat. 28.18 Ioh. 10.28 maintaineth that saluation which hee hath purchased for vs. 32 But why art thou called a Christian Because through faith I am a member of Iesus i Acts. 11.26 1 Cor. 6.15 christ and k 1. Ioh. 2.27 Is 59.21 Ioe 2.28 partaker of his annointing that both I may l Mat. 10.33 confesse his name present my selfe vnto him a liuely m Rom. 12.1 Apo. 5.8.10.1 Pet. 2.9.2 Tim. 2.12 Rom. 6.12.13 Apo. 1.6 sacrifice of thankfulnes and also may in this life fight against sin and satan with a free good coÌ„science afterward n 1. Tim. 1.18.19 enioy an euerlasting kingdom with christ ouer al creatures 33 For what cause is Christ called the only begotten sonne of God when we also are the sonnes of God Because christ alone is the coeternal natural son of the eternall o Ioh. 1.14 Heb. 1.2 Ioh. 3.16 4.9 father we p Rom. 8.5 Eph. 1.6 Ioh. 1.12 1. Ioh. 1.3 are but sonnes adopted of the father by grace for his sake 34 Wherefore callest thou him our Lord Because he redeeming ransoming both our body and soul from sins not with gold nor siluer but with his precious blood deliuering vs froÌ„ al the power of the diuel hath set vs a 1. Pet. 1.18 10.1 Cor. 6.20 7.23 Ep. 1.7 1. Tim. 2.5.6 free to serue him 35 What beleeuest thou when thou saist He was conceiued by the holy ghost borne of the Virgine Mary That the sonne of God who b Ioh. 1.1 17.5 Rom. 1.4 Col. 1.15 c. Ps 2.7 Mat. 3.17 16.16 is and continueth true and euerlasting c Rom. 9.5 Is 7.14 9.6 1. Io. 5.20 Io. 20.28 God d Ioh. 1.14 Gal. 4.4 tooke the verie nature of man of the flesh and bloode of the Virgine Mary by the woorking of the holy Ghost f Ps 132.11 Act. 2.30 c. Rom. 1 3. that withal he might be the true seed of Dauid like vnto his brethren in al things sin excepted a Mat. 1.18.20 Luc. 1.35 36 What profit takest thou by Christs holy conception and natiuity That hee is our i Heb. 2.16.17 Mediatour and dooth couer with his innocency and perfect holines my sins g Phil 2 7. in which I was conceiued h Heb. 4.15 7.26 that they may not come in the sight of k Psal 32.1.1 Cor. 1.30 Ro. 8.3.4 Gal. 4.4.5 God 37 What beleeuest thou when thou saist He suffered That hee all the time of his life which hee lead in the earth but especially at the end therof l 1. Pet. 2.24 3.18 Is 53.12 susteined the wrath of God both in body and soule against the sin of al mankind that he might by his passion as the onely m 1. Ioh. 2.2 4.10 Rom. 3.25 propitiatory sacrifice deliuer our body and soule from euerlasting damnation and purchase vnto vs the fauour of God righteousnes and euerlasting life 38 For what cause should hee suffer vnder Pilate as being his iudge That he being innocent and n Luk. 23.14 Ioh. 19.4 condemned before a ciuil iudge might o Psal 69.4 Is 53.4.5 2. Cor. 5.21 Gal. 3.13 deliuer vs froÌ„ the seuere iudgement of God which remained for al men 39 But is there any thing more in it that hee was fastned to the crosse than if hee had suffered any other kind of death There is more For by this I am assured that he took vpoÌ„ himself the curse which did lie on me For the death of the crosse was p Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3.13 accursed of god 40 Why was it necessary for Christ to humble himselfe vnto death Because the iustice and truth of God could by no a Gen. 2.71 other meanes be satisfied for our sins but by the very death of the b Heb. 2.9.14.15 Phil. 2.8 Sonne of God 41 To what end was he buried also That thereby he might make manifest that he was c Acts. 13.29 Mat. 27.60 Luk 23.53 Io. 19.38 c. dead indeede 42 But since that Christ died for vs why must we also die Our death is not a satisfaction for our sinnes but the abolishing of sinne and our passage into d Ioh. 5.24 Phi. 1.23 Rom. 7.24 euerlasting life 43 What other commodity receiue wee by the sacrifice and death of Christ That by the vertu of his death our old man is crucified slaine and e Ro. 6.6.7 c. buried together with him that hencefoorth euill lustes and desires may not f Rom. 6.12 raigne in vs but wee may g Rom. 12.1 offer our selues vnto him a sacrifice of thankesgiuing 44 Why is there added He descended into hel That in my greatest paines and most grieuous tentations I may support my selfe with this comfort that my Lorde Iesus Christ hath h Isay 53.10 Matth. 27.46 deliuered me by the vnspeakable distresses torments and terrors of his soul into which he was pluÌ„ged both before and then especially when hee hanged on the crosse from the straits and tormentes of hel 45 What doth the resurrection of Christ profit vs First by his resurrection he vanquished death that hee might i 1. Cor. 15.16 54.55 Rom. â—4 25 1. Pe. 1.3 c. 21. make vs partakers of that righteousnes which hee had gotten vs by his death Again we are now also k Rom. 6.4 Col. â— 1. c. Ep. 2.5 stirred vp by his
of god and haue not a Rom. 3 9. c. kept one of them and further am as yet b Rom. 7.23 prone to all euill yet notwithstanding if I c Rom. 3 42. Ioh. 3.18 embrace these benefits of christ with a true confidence persuasion of mind the ful d Tit. 3.5 Ep. 2.8.9 perfect satisfaction righteousnes holines of Christ without any e 1 Ioh. 2.2 merit of mine of the meere f Rom. 3.24 Deut. 9.6 Ezec. 36.22 mercy of God g 1. Ioh. 2.1 c. imputed and h Rom. 4.4 2. Cor. 5.19 giuen vnto me that so as if neither I had committed any sin neither any corruptiō did stick vnto me yea as I my selfe had perfectly i 1. Cor. 5.21 accomplished that obedience which Christ accomplished for me 61 Why affirmest thou that thou art made righteous by faith only Not for that I please god through the worthines of meere faith but because onely the satisfaction righteousnes and holinesse of Christ is my righteousnesse before k 1. Cor. 1.30 c. 1. Cor. 2.2 God and I l 1. Ioh. 5.10 cannot take hold of it or apply it vnto my self anie other way than by faith 62 Why cannot our good works bee righteousnesse or some part of righteousnes before God Because that righteousnesse which must stand fast before the iudgement of God must bee in al points perfect m Gal. 3.10 Deut. 27.26 agreeable to the Law of God Now our works euen the best of them are imperfect in this life and n Isa 64.6 defiled with sinne 63 How is it that our good works merit nothing seeing God promiseth that he wil giue a reward for thē both in this life and in the life to come That rewarde is not giuen of merite but of o Luk. 17.10 grace 64 But doth not this doctrine make men carelesse and profane No. For neither can it bee but they which are incorporated into Christ through faith shoulde bring forth the fruits of p Mat. 7.18 Ioh. 15.5 thankefulnes OF THE SACRAMENTES 65 Seeing then that onely faith maketh vs partakers of Christ and his benefites whence doth it proceede From the holy Ghost who a Ep. 2.8 6.23 Ioh. 3.5 Phil. 1.29 kindleth it in our harts by the preaching of the gospel b Mat. 28.19.20 1. Pet. 1.22.23 confirmeth it by the vse of the sacraments 66 What are the Sacraments They are sacred signes and seals set before our eies and ordained of God for this cause that hee may declare and seal by them the promise of his gospel vnto vs to wit that he giueth freely remission of sinnes and life c Gen. 17.11 Rom. 4.11 Deu. 30.6 Leu. 6.25 Heb. 9.8.9 Eze. 20.12.1 Sam. 17.36 Isa 6.6.7 54.9 euerlasting not only to al in general but to euery one in particular that beleeueth for that onely sacrifice of Christ which hee accomplished vpon the crosse 67 Doe not then both the woorde and Sacramentes tend to that ende as to leade our faith vnto the Sacrifice of Christ finished on the crosse as to the onely ground of our saluation It is euen so For the holy Ghost teacheth vs by the Gospell and assureth vs by the Sacramentes that the saluation of al of vs standeth in the onlie sacrifice of Christ d Rom. 6.3 Gal. 3.27 offered for vs vpon the crosse 68 How many sacramentes hath Christ ordained in the new Testament Two Baptisme and the holy Supper OF BAPTISME 69 Howe art thou admonished and assured in Baptisme that thou art partaker of the only sacrifice of Christ Because Christ e Mat. 28.19 Act. 2.38 commaunded the outwarde washing of water adioining this f Mar. 16.16 Mat. 3.11 Rom. 6.3 promise thereunto that I am no lesse assuredly washed by his bloode and spirite from the vncleannesse of my soule that is from all my sinnes than I am a Mar. 1.4 Luc. 3.3 washed outwardelie with water whereby al the filthinesse of the bodie vseth to bee purged 70 What is it to be washed with the blood and spirit of Christ It is to receiue of God forgiuenesse of sinnes freelie for the bloode of CHRIST which hee b Heb. 12.24.1 Pet. 1.2 Apoc. 1.5 22.14 Zac. 13.1 Eze. 36.25 c. shedde for vs in his Sacrifice on the Crosse And also to bee renewed by the holie Ghost and thorough his sanctifying of vs to become members of Christ that wee maie more and more die to sinne and c Ioh. 1.33 3.5 1. Cor. 6.11 12.13 Rom. 6.4 Col. 2.12 liue holily and without blame 71 Where dooth Christ promise vs that hee will as certainlie wash vs with his bloode and spirite as wee are washed with the water of baptisme In the institution of Baptisme the wordes whereof are these d Mat. 28.19 Goe and teach all Nations Baptising them in the name of the father the sonne and the holy Ghost e Mar. 16.16 He that shall beleeue and be baptised shall bee saued but he that will not beleeue shal bee damned This promise is repeated againe whereas the Scripture calleth Baptisme the f Tit. 3.5 washing of the new birth and g Act. 22.16 forgiuenesse of sinnes 72 Is then the outwarde Baptisme of water the washing away of sinnes It is not For the h Mat. 3.11 1. Pet. 3.21 Eph 5.26 bloud of Christ alone cleanseth vs from all i 1. Ioh. 1.7 1. Cor. 6.11 sinne 73 Why then doth the holie Ghost call Baptisme the washing of the newe birth and forgiuenes of sinnes God speaketh so not without great cause to wit not onely to teache vs that as the filth of our bodie is purged by water so our sinnes also are k Apoc. 1.5 7.14.1 1. Cor. 6.11 purged by the bloud and spirite of Christ but much more to assure vs by this diuine token and pledge that wee are as verily washed from our sinnes with the inwarde washing as we are l Mar. 16.16 Gal. 3.17 washed by the outward and visible water 74 Are infantes to be baptised also What else for seeing they a Gen. 17.7 belong as well vnto the couenaunt Church of God as they who are of a full age and seeing also vnto them is promised b Mat. 19.14 remission of sinnes by the bloude of Christ and the c Luc. 1.14.15 Psal 22.11 Isa 24.1.2.3 Act. 2.39 holy Ghost the worker of faith as well as vnto those of full growth They are by Baptisme to bee ingrafted into the Church of God and to be d Act. 10.47 discerned from the children of infidels in like sort as in the olde Testament was done by e Gen. 17.14 circumcision in place whereof is f Col. 2.11.12.13 Baptisme succeeded in the new Testament OF THE LORDS SVPPER 75 How art thou in the Lords Supper admonished and warranted that thou art partaker of that onely sacrifice of Christ offered on the
Crosse and of all his benefites Because Christ hath commaunded me and all the faithfull to eate of this breade broken and to to drinke of the cup distributed in remembrance of him with this promise g Mat. 26.27.28 Mar. 14.22.23.24 Luc. 22.16.20 1. Cor. 10.16.17 11.23.24.25 12.13 adioined First that his bodie was as certainly broken and offred for me on the Crosse and his bloud shed for me as I behold with my eies the bread of the Lord broken vnto me and the cup communicated to me and further that my soul is no lesse assuredly fed to euerlasting life with his bodie which was crucified for vs and his bloud which was shedde for vs than I receiue and tast by the mouth of my bodie the bread and wine the signes of the bodie and bloud of our Lord receiued at the hand of the Minister 76 What is it to eate the bodie of Christ crucified and to drinke his bloud that was shed It is not onely to imbrace by an assured confidence of minde the whole passion and death of Christ and thereby to h Ioh. 6.35.40.47.48.50.51.53.54 obtain forgiuenes of sins and euerlasting life but also by the holy Ghost who dwelleth both in Christ and vs so more and more to bee a Ioh. 6.56 vnited to his sacred bodie that though he be in b Act. 3.21 Act. 1.9 c. 1. Cor. 11.26 heauen and we in earth yet neuerthelesse are wee flesh of his flesh and bone of his c Eph. 5.29.30.32 1. Cor. 6.15.17.19 1. Ioh. 3.24 4.13 Ioh. 14 23. bones and as all the members of the bodie are by one soule so are wee also quickened and d Io. 6.56.57.58 Io. 15.1.2.3.4.5.6 Eph. 4.15.16 guided by one and the same spirite 77 Where hath Christ promised that he will as certainely giue his bodie and bloude so to bee eaten and dronken as they eate this breade broken and drinke this cup In the institution of his supper the wordes whereof are these e 1. Cor. 11.23 c. Mat. 26.26 c. Mar. 14.22 c. Luc. 22.19 c. Our Lord Iesus Christ in the night that he was betraied tooke bread And when he had giuen thankes he brake it and said Take eate this is my bodie which is broken for you this doe you in remembrance of me Likewise also he tooke the cup when he had supped and saide f Exod. 24.8 Heb. 9.20 This cup is the Newe Testament in my bloud g Exod. 13.9 this doe as often as yee shall drinke it in remembrance of me For as often as ye shal eat this bread and drinke this cup ye shewe the Lordes death till he come This promise is repeated by Saint Paul when he saith The cup of thankesgiuing wherewith we giue thankes is it not the Communion of the bloud of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ h 1. Cor. 10.16.17 For wee that are manie are one bread and one bodie because wee all are partakers of one bread 78 Are then the bread and wine made the verie bodie and bloud of Christ No verily But as the water of baptisme is i Math. 26.29 Mar. 14.24 not turned into the bloud of Christ but is only a sign and pledge of those thinges that are sealed to vs in Baptisme So neither is the bread of the Lords Supper the verie bodie of k 1. Cor. 10.16 c. 11.26 c Christ Although according to the manner of Sacramentes and that i Gen. 17.10 c. Exod. 26.27.43.48 13 9. Act. 7.8 Exo. 24.8 Le. 16.10 17.11 Isa 6.6.7 Tit. 3.5 Act. 22.16 1. Pet. 3.21 1. Cor. 10.1 forme of speaking of them which is vsuall vnto the holy Ghost the bread is called the body of Christ 79 Why then doth Christ call breade his bodie and the cup his bloud or the new Testament in his bloud and Paul also calleth bread and wine the Communion of the bodie and bloude of Christ Christ not without great consideration speaketh so to wit not onely for to teach vs that as the bread and wine sustaine the life of the body so also his crucified body and bloudshed are indeed the meat drinke of our soul whereby it is a Iohn 6.51.55.56 nourished to eternall life but much more that by this visible signe and pledge he may assure vs that wee are as verily partakers of his bodie and bloud through the working of the holy ghost as wee doe b 1. Cor. 10.16.17 perceiue by the mouth of our bodie these holie signes in remembraunce of him and further also that his suffering and obedience is so certainely ours as though we our selues had suffered punishments for our sinnes and had satisfied God 80 What difference is there betweene the Supper of the Lord and the Popish Masse The Supper of the Lord testifieth to vs that we haue perfect forgiuenesse of all our sinnes for that only Sacrifice of Christ which himself once fully c Heb. 7.27 9 12.26.28 10.10.12.14 Iohn 19.30 Mat. 26.28 Luc. 22.19.20 wrought on the Crosse Then also that we by the holie Ghost are graffed into d 1. Cor. 6.17 10.16 12.13 Christ who now according to his humane nature is onely in heauen at the right hand of his e Heb. 1.3 8.1 c. Father and there will be f Ioan. 4.21.22.23 20.17 Luc. 24.52 Act. 7.55.56 Col. 3.1 Phil. 3.10 1. Thes 1.9.10 worshipped of vs. But in the Masse it is denied that the quicke and the dead haue remission of sins for the onely passion of Christ except also Christ bee daily offered for them by their Sacrificers Further also it is taught that Christ is bodilie vnder the formes of breade and wine and therefore is to bee a In canone Missae item de consecrat distin 2. worshipped in them And so the verie foundation of the Masse is nothing else than an vtter denyall of that onelie Sacrifice and passion of Christ Iesus and an accursed Idolatrie 81 Who are to come vnto the Table of the Lord They onely who are trulie sorrowfull that they haue offended GOD by their sinnes and yet trust that those sinnes are pardoned them for Christes sake and what other infirmities they haue that those are couered by his passion and death who also desire more and more to go forward in faith and integritie of life But hypocrites and they who doe not truely repent do eate and b 1. Cor. 10.21 11.28 c. drinke damnation to themselues 82 Are they also to be admitted to this supper who in confession and life declare them-selues to bee Infidels and vngodlie No. For by that meanes the couenaunt of GOD is profaned and the wrath of GOD is c 1. Cor. 11.20.34 Is 1.11 c. 66.3 Ier. 7.21 c. Ps 50.16 c. stirred vp against the whole assemblie Wherefore the Church by the
but now they are different and diuers in vs. For Iustification now is the imputatiō of Christs righteousnes whereby we are accounted righteous before God Sanctification is the working of a conformity with god in vs which conformitie is here vnperfect but shal be perfected in the life to come where holines righteousnes shal be againe one the same euen in vs. The sūme is In the person of the mediatour three things are to be considered which all the scripture ascribeth to Christ alone First that hee is God which many places of the scripture do confirme As Ioh. 1.2.3 The word was God All thinges were made by him Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church with his bloud Rom. 1.4 Who was declared mightilie to be the Sonne of God touching the spirit of Sanctification Rom. 10.11 Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed 1. Iohn 5.7 There are three which bear record in heauen the father the word and the holie Ghost these three are one To these also are to bee added those places in which is attributed to Christ diuine worship inuocation hearing of our praiers workes proper to God alone In like manner those which attribute vnto Christ the name Iehoua Hierem. 23. Zach. 2. Math. 3. Likewise those in which those thinges which are spoken of Iehoua are applied to Christ as Isai 6.9 and Ioh. 12.40 c. Secondly that he is true man Hither belong those places which call Christ man the son of man as when Math. 1.1 he is called the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham Luc. 1.31 The fruite of the wombe And when Romans 1.3 9.5 he is said to be made of the seede of Dauid according to the flesh As also to haue a bodie of flesh not to be an imaginarie but a true bodie 1. Iohn 4.2 Euerie spirite that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God Hither belong also those places which attribute vnto Christ things proper vnto man as to grow to eat to drink to be ignorant of some thing to rest to be wearie to be baptised to bee circumcised to lament reioice c. Thirdly that two natures in Christ make one person Hither are referred the places which by communicating of the properties of each nature attribute those to his diuine nature which are proper to his humane nature and so contrariwise As Ioh. 1.14 The word was made flesh Heb. 2.14 He was made partaker of flesh and bloud Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church with his bloud Ioh. 8.58 Before Abraham was I am Mat. 28.20 I am with you alway vntil the end of the world Heb. 12. Hee spake vnto vs by his sonne by whom he made the world 1. Ioh. 4.3 Iesus Christ is come in the fleshe Roman 9.5 Christ is God ouer all blessed for euer Amen 6 That there is but one Mediatour There can bee but one mediatour because there is but one natural Sonne of God THere is but one mediatour 1. Tim. 2.6 The reason is because the Sonne onely is mediatour and can performe the office of the mediatour And there is but one onely naturall Sonne of God 1 Obiect The Saintes also make intercession for vs. Therefore they also are mediatours Answ There is a difference betweene the intercession of Christ and of the Saintes who liue in the world and pray for others yea for their persecutours and for vnbeleeuers For the Saints depend vpon the merit of Christ Christ offered himselfe a suertie and a satisfier he sanctifieth himselfe for vs that is presenteth himself in our steed 2 Obiect Where are manie meanes there is not one mediatour But there are manie meanes of our saluation Therefore there is not one onely mediatour Answ The Maior proposition wee denie For it is one thing to be a meanes another thing to be the mediatour of our saluation OF THE COVENAVNT IT was said The couenant is that reconciliation which Christ the mediatour hath wrought between God and man that the mediatour is a person reconciling parties which are at variance Nowe this reconciliation in the scriptures is termed the Couenaunt and Testament which is the correlatiue that is hath a mutuall respect to the mediatour Wherefore the Doctrine which treateth of the Couenaunt is linked with the place concerning the mediatour because euerie mediatour is the mediatour of some Couenaunt and a reconciler of parties who are at enmitie The chiefe questions are 1 What a Couenaunt is 2 Whether it can be made without a mediatour 3 Whether there be but one and the same Couenaunt or more 4 In what the old and new Couenaunt agree and in what they differ 1 WHAT A COVENAVNT IS A Couenaunt in generall signifieth a mutuall promise or agreement betweene the parties who are ioined in that Couenaunt whereby is made a bond or obligation for the performance of certaine thinges on both parts solemne ceremonies and tokens beeing added thereto to testifie and confirme that promise and agreement For the making therefore declaring confirming of a Couenaunt serue mutual promises and outward signes and tokens of the Couenaunt A Testament is called the last will of a Testator whereby he at his death disposeth of his thinges what he woulde haue done concerning them this is ratified by the death of the Testator In speciall the Couenaunt betweene God and men is a mutual promise and agreement made by our Mediatour confirmed by othes and solemne tokens which we call Sacraments whereby God bindeth himselfe to remit their sins vnto them that beleeue and to giue them euerlasting life for by his son our Mediator men bind themselues to receiue this so great a benefite with faith and to yeeld true obedience vnto God which is to liue according to his will that so they may declare their thankefulnes vnto god The summe is This Couenaunt is gods bond to yeelde vs his grace and fauour and of the otherside our bond to receiue this grace by faith and to yeelde new obedience Why the reconciliation between God and vs is called a couenaunt Furthermore the name of Couenaunt and Testament shew the same thing to wit our reconcilement with God or the mutuall agreement betweene God and men This reconcilement is called a Couenaunt because as it hath been said both God vnto vs we vnto god haue promised certain things to be performed of both parts adding certaine signes and pledges of this our mutuall agreement Why also it is called a Testament It is called a Testament because this reconciliation was made by the death of the Testator Christ comming between that so it might be firme and ratified It could not haue bin a Testament except Christ the Testator had died For while the Testator liueth he retaineth a right to change detract or adde any thing This reason is alleadged in the epistle to the Hebrews cap. 9.16.17 The Testament saith the Apostle is confirmed when men are dead For it is yet of no force
and vnworthie his diuine Maiestie neither shoulde deeme that hee can bee perceiued by our bodilie senses or in thought imagined but shoulde consider his nature by his worde and woorkes that wee shoulde not dare to represent him by any bodilie shape and in a worde that wee shoulde remember that hee is to bee worshipped not with the gestures or other thinges of the bodie but with the minde and spirituall motion of the heart Lastly Seeing hee alone inspireth into vs temporall and euerlasting life wee shoulde acknowledge the gift of both to come from him Out of this fountaine onely wee should seeke it and indeuour to referre it wholy to his glorie Intelligent 1. Why God is saied to bee intilligent and against whom wee are to holde it Because hee is the cause both of the minde of man and of the notions shining in it and also of that order which it in the nature of thinges and common weales 2. Because all intelligence or vnderstanding of the creature commeth from him both in respect of the facultie as also in respect of the operation For neither can the efficient and preseruing cause of intelligent natures and of the vnderstanding it selfe and order in nature bee but intelligent and vnderstanding And therefore the holy Scripture also reasoneth on this wise Psalme 94.9 He that planted the eare shall hee not heare or hee that made the eie shall he not see Nowe this wee are to holde first against those who setting nature in the place of God imagine the world and the varietie and order of thinges in it to arise from the matter and the inclination thereof to this forme when as notwithstanding these thinges coulde not haue their beeing from a cause not intelligent Wee are to holde it also thereby to acknowledge not onely true knowledge it selfe but also all abilitie of vnderstanding and the sagacitie and perceueraunce of the senses and minde to be the gift of God Eternall That such an eternitie which can haue neither beginning nor any end of beeing agreeth to God alone both nature sheweth The eternitie of god without beginning or end for so much as hee is the first cause of all things and of infinite perfection power and the scripture also recounteth as Psal 90.2 Before the mountains were brought forth or euer the earth and world were made thou art God from euerlasting and world without end But we are to obserue that not therefore onely the eternitie of God is so often inculcated in the scriptures that in regard hereof hee may bee discerned from thinges created but also because hee will impart eternitie vnto vs that is hee hath purposed and promised that he will giue vs of his eternall goodnes and prouidence eternal blessings and will haue continuall care of vs through al eternitie and wil haue a kingdome in Angels men whereof shal be no end Therefore are wee giuen to vnderstand that God is eternal to vs God eternal vnto vs. that we may oppose the certain hope of eternall blessednes grounded vpon his eternitie against the shortnes of mortall life and against the frailtie of mans condition For seeing hee is eternal he can and seeing hee promiseth he will for euer preserue vs with his protection Psal 48.13 For this God is our GOD for euer and euer And Psalm 111.9 Hee hath commaunded his Couenant for euer Wherefore being vphelde by this consolation let vs neither refuse to suffer the short miserie of this life neither preferre the short felicitie thereof before eternal blessings and seeing God wil be not only bountifull towards the godly but iudge also of the vngodlie eternally let the cogitation of the eternal wrath of god keep and hold vs in the feare of god that we may not desire to buie the fading shewe of whatsoeuer good with eternal miserie That god is other from all his creatures we must hold first against Philosophers God other and diuerse from all creatures who wil haue the world or nature it selfe to bee god that is either a generall matter or a power or a minde and intelligence or some forme to be infused mingled tied to the bodies of the world them to informe quicken sustein and moue as the soule susteineth and moueth mans bodie Which Virgil calleth the spirit of the world others the soule of the world Secondly against those who imagine the creatures either all as Seruetus or some according to the doctrine of the Manichees to spring from the verie essēce or nature of god deriuing it selfe as they speake into others by propagation Thirdly that al prophane vnworthie idolatrous cogitation of god whereby god may be made like to anie creature may be excluded For that the essence of god is far other than the essēce of al the creatures both nature the word of god sheweth whē as it teacheth that god is wise Creator of the world now the world hath manie parts vnreasonable and it self cannot be Creator to it selfe it sheweth also that things are not deriued out of the substance of god that beeing vnchangeable and indiuisible And lastly that the Deitie is most vnlike different from all things created because there can neither be nor be imagined anie similitude of a finite nature and an infinite First therefore whereas the scripture saith How all thinges are saide to bee of God that al things are of god Rom. 11.1 Cor. 8. it doth not mean that al things are god or the essence of god or propagated from it For al other things are of god not as begotten of him or proceeding from him as the word and eternal spirite of god but as created that is made of nothing Rom. 4.17 Who calleth those things that are not as if they were Secondly when as the soule of man is called celestiall and diuine Likewise when it is said we are the generation of god Act. 17.29 This is not meant of the cōmunicating of the diuine substance as if the soul were deriued from the essence of god but of the similitude of properties of the creation The soule therefore is said to bee celestiall and diuine that is adorned with celestiall diuine powers gifts which although they be a certain shadowe of the diuine nature yet are they created qualities Thirdly whereas the elect and saints are said to bee of god to bee borne of god and his spirite and the sonnes of god and spirituall Iohn 1.13 8.47 3.6 Neither is this vnderstood of the propagation of the essence but of the similitude of the properties or of the image of God to the which they are refashioned by Gods spirite And fourthly when Paul also saith 1. Cor. 6.17 That he which is ioined vnto the Lord is one spirit and Peter 2. Pet. 1.4 That we are made partakers of the diuine nature we are taught both that the spirite of God dwelleth in vs by grace and is ioined vnto vs as also that there is begun
earth rule ouer the fish of the sea ouer the foul of the heauen ouer euerie beast that moueth vpon the earth Psal 8.6 Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thine hands thou hast put al things vnder his feete Only man he created for himself the rest for man that by man they might serue god Wherefore when we place creatures in the roome of god we cast our selues out of that degree in which we were placed by god Why god would haue this doctrine of the creation to be deliuered and held in the Church This doctrine of the creation of the world god would for these causes especiallie haue remaine extant in the Church 1. That the glorie of the creation might bee giuen wholy to god and his wisedome power and goodnes therein acknowledged 2. That neither the Sonne nor the holie ghost should be excluded but each should haue their owne parts yeelded them therein according as it is said that all might honor the sonne as they honor the father 3. That as the world was created by the sonne and the holie ghost so also we might knowe that by them mankinde is restored Colossians 1. For by him were all thinges made And hee is the heade of the bodie of the Church for it pleased the father that in him should al fulnes dwell 4. That seeing god created all thinges of nothing we may thinke that he is able to restore them being corrupted and ruinated into their first state againe 2. Cor. 4.6 For god that commanded the light to shine out of darkenes is he which hath shined in our harts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of god in the face of Iesus Christ 5. That we may not referre the original of corruption to god but knowe that it was purchased by the fault of Diuels and men Iohn 8. The Diuel is a lyer and a murtherer from the beginning whē he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own Rom. 5.12 By one man sin entred into the world death by sin 6. That knowing god as in the creating so also in the maintaining and gouerning of all things not to be tied to second causes and to the order by him setled in nature but that hee may either keepe or alter it wee shoulde with confidence and full persuasion looke for and craue those things which he hath promised yea those things which in respect of second causes seeme vnpossible Rom. 4. He calleth those thinges which are not as if they were 7. That wee should celebrate for euer the knowē goodnes of god wherby he hath created all thinges not for his owne profit or happines for he wanteth nothing but for ours and seeing all other things were created for mans vse we aboue other creatures especiallie being restored from sinne and death to righteousnes and life shoulde acknowledge that we owe thankfulnes vnto god therfore Psal 8.4 What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Thou hast made him to haue dominion in the works of thine hands 8. That wee knowing god in as much as of nothing and through his meere goodnes hee created all thinges to owe nothing to anie but all his creatures to owe themselues all that they haue to him their creator should confesse that to be most iust whatsoeuer hee shall doe concerning vs and all his creatures Ierem. 45.4 Beholde that which I haue built will I destroie and that which I haue planted will I plucke vp euen this whole land And seekest thou great things for thy selfe seeke them not 9 That we should refer the vse of all thinges to the glorie of God since that we haue receiued al good things from him Rom. 11. Of him and through him and for him are al things 10 That seeing the works of god were therefore created and placed before our eies euen for vs to beholde them we doe not idlie but earnestlie and as much as euerie mans abilitie occasion and vocation permitteth him contemplate and consider them and learning out of them the wisedome power and goodnesse of the Artificer celebrate it both in this life and in the world to come Acts. 17.26 He hath made of one bloud all mankinde to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath assigned the times which were ordeined before the bounds of their habitation that they shoulde seeke the Lord if so be they might haue groaped after him and found him though doubtles he be not far off from euerie one of vs. OF ANGELS AMongst thinges created by GOD the chiefe and principal are those natures which are indued with reasō Angels men For in these hee imprinted the markes and image of his Diuinitie and woulde haue all other thinges to be the matter of his praise but of these he woulde bee knowen and praised and vnto them was his will to impart and communicate his blessednesse and ioy The questions concerning Angels are two the first whereof is what description is set downe in the Scripture of good Angels the other what description is deliuered of bad Angels 1 WHAT GOOD ANGELS ARE. ANgels both good and bad as holie Scripture recordeth 1 Angels spirites or incorporeal substances are spirites by which name here a spirituall person is vnderstood that is a substaunce incorporeall inuisible indiuiduall liuing vnderstanding incommunicable not susteined in another neither the part of an other as Luc. 24. it is taken A spirite hath not fleshe and bones Colos 1.16 All which are in heauen and in earth thinges visible and inuisible Heb. 1.14 They are all ministring spirits 1. King 22.21 There came forth a spirit and stood before the Lord. The Angels themselues are not seene but the bodies or shapes which they take That therefore both in times past there appeared oftentimes good Angels when as the gathering and establishing of the Church the doctrine of god beeing not as yet plainelie deliuered and the prophecies not fulfilled needed more extraordinarie and miraculous reuelations than now and now a daies also not seldome appeare bad Angels this first doth not proue their nature to be visible or corporall For those visible shapes or bodies which may be seene or felt are diuers substances from the incorporeall Essence of spirits being formed either of nothing or of some matter and carried and moued by a spirite for a time for the woorking and performing of certaine actions For both they put them off and lay them away againe and also they take formes of diuers sortes and kinds as the Serpent by whom the Diuel communed with Eue Mens bodies whose feete Abraham washed Gen. 17. A flame in the bush appearing to Moses Exod. 3. A piller of cloude and fier in the desert Horses and Chariots of fier 2. King 2. and 6. The error of the Sadduces And further this verie thing refuteth the opinion of the Sadduces Who Actes 23. said there was neither Angel
is called Abaddon and Apollyon that is destroieng He is also called the God of this woorld blinding the eies of vnbeleeuers 2. Cor. 4. and the Prince of the woorlde Iohn 12.14.16 both for his power and forcible woorking which hee sheweth on the wicked and for that tyrrannie which he exerciseth against the godly also by gods permission as withal for that obsequie homage and obedience which is done him by the wicked euen those who professe the woorshippe of the true God Ephes 6. 1. Pet. 5. 1. King 22. 1. Cor. 10. Ioh. 8. The refutation of the Manichees who held two first causes By these places is made manifest the impiety of the Manichees who fained two causes or two Gods coeternall the one good whom they called the light and minde the other euill whom they termed the darknesse and matter the former whereof had created good natures the latter bad abusing those testimonies of Scripture where the Diuel is called the god and prince of the world the father of the wicked autor of sinne and death the power of darkenesse And standing most of al on this argument that a good God should not make the cause of euill For neither hath the Diuell any more power either ouer the godly or ouer the wicked or ouer other creatures for which he is called the prince god of the world than is granted him of God as appeareth by the first and second chapter of the story of Iob and by the inuasion of the swine Mat. 8. Neither is the creation of the wicked but the corrupting and enforcing of them to euill attributed to the Diuell Neither is there any neede least God should be made autor of sinne to make another God of the Diuell seeing the Scripture teacheth of Diuels and men that both were created good and holy by God but the Diuel reuoulting from god and seducing men corrupted both himselfe and men And although of their owne proper and free will they rush and bend themselues against God The euill spirits are vnchangeablely euil and damned yet by the iust iudegement of God they are so for saken and abiected of him that they are without all chaunge or alteration vnrecalabite euill and subiect to euerlasting tormentes Wherefore Iude saith that they are reserued by GOD in euerlasting chaines vnder darekenesse And Christ Matth. 25. Goe yee cursed from mee into euerlasting fire which is prepared for the Diuell and his Angels For though doubtlesse these euil spirits were euen from their fall dispoiled of the celestiall habitation and blessednesse yet notwithstanding both they and reprobate men shall bee at the last iudgement adiudged to more greeuous punishment as contrariwise the felicity and glory of the Godlie shall then at length after the resurrection of their bodies bee in all respectes consummated and made perfect Therefore 2. Pet. 2. and in Iude these spirites are saide to bee reserued vnto damnation and the iudgement of the great day And Mat. 8. They complain that Christ came to trouble them before their time Furthermore GOD permitted them to fall into this wickednesse The causes why God permitted them to fall not onelie thereby to shew his wrath against sinne in their euerlasting paines but also to punish by them in this life the wicked and also to chastice or trie and exercise with temptations the elect For fire is saide to bee prepared for them from euerlasting Matth. 25. And 1. Sam. 16. vers 18. The euill spirite of GOD came vpon Saul and vexed him Psalm 78.49 Hee cast vpon the Aegyptians the fiercenesse of his anger indignation and wrath and vexation by the sending out of euill Angels But Iob cap. 1. vers 2. is deliuered to bee afflicted of Satan for the trial of his constancie Luc. 22.31 Satan hath desired you to winnowe you as wheat 1. Thessal 2. Wee woulde haue come vnto you but Satan hindered vs. 2. Corint 12.7 Least I shoulde bee exalted aboue measure thorough the aboundaunce of reuelations there was giuen vnto mee a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Satan to buffet mee because I should not bee exalted out of measure 1. Thessal 3. Least the tempter hadde tempted you in anie sort and that our labour had beene in vaine And Matth. 4. Christ himselfe is tempted of Satan and therefore verily is hee called the tempter for that hee solliciteth and inicteth men to sinne and to reuoult from God both by offering outwarde occasions of sinnes as also by stirring vp the cogitations and inward motions of the wil and hart OF GODS PROVIDENCE The creation and preseruation of things are the same in the thing itselfe but diuerse in consideration THE Doctrine which entreateth of gods prouidence is ioyned with the place which entreateth of the creation Because the prouidence that is the preseruation and gouernement of thinges dooth not differ from creation in the thing it selfe for that there is but one and the same wil or power or action of God whereby things both beginne to be and continue but they differ in consideration onelie For the omnipotent will of GOD is called creation in respect of the beginning when thinges by the force and power of his will tooke their beeing it is called prouidence as by the selfe-same power thinges are preserued Wherefore prouidence is the continuaunce and accomplishment of creation or creation it selfe continued and perpetuated For as no thinges would euer haue bin except GOD hadde created them so neither woulde they retaine and keepe their beeing neither their force of woorking neither the verie operation it selfe or motion if GOD did not preserue and mooue them effectuallie And therefore the Scripture it selfe often ioyneth the preseruation and continuall administration of thinges with their creation and from hence reasoneth for Gods prouidence And GOD is called Iehoua not onelie because hee once gaue to euerie thing both small and great their beeing but also because hee maintaineth it in all ruleth and mooueth them so as that hee not onelie seeth what is doone in all things but also causeth and inclineth them to doe this which he from euerlasting would euery of them to doe And by this his prouidence hee gouerneth administreth ruleth and preserueth all thinges that they be not brought to confusion But albeit there be more in number and more euident arguments in nature of Gods prouidence than of the creation of all things out of nothing and therefore the Philosophers doe more acknowledge that than this yet by reason of the pride of mans heart which hardly suffereth all good to be ascribed vnto God by reason of the iudgement of our sense vnto which most things seeme to go by fortune especially the wils of men by reason of the knowledge of Gods prouidence darkened by the fall of man by reasâ—n of our desire of auoiding and declining by anie meanes gods fight and Iudgement by reason of the small compasse of mans minde and vnderstanding whereby when men measure God they cannot
the true God and eternal life Rom. 9.5 Who is God ouer al blessed for euer Amen Actes 20.28 God hath purchased his Church with his owne bloode Hebr. 1.8 The Scepter of thy kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse and verse 10. Thou Lorde in the beginning hast established the earth and the heauens are the workes of thine handes And cap. 3.3 Christ is counted woorthy of more glorie than Moses in asmuch as hee which hath builded the house hath more honor than the house and hee that hath built all thinges is God 10. He is said to haue come downe from heauen yet so that hee remaineth in heauen to come vnto his together with his Father to bee with them vnto the end of the world Therefore he is of an infinite essence euerie where present and working both in heauen and earth But his humane nature is finit Therefore he is God in respect of another nature The Godhead is after another sort communicated vnto Christ than vnto Creatures Now to that which hath bin obiected concerning the communicating of the Deitie vnto others whereby they are called gods we aunswere by distinguishing the diuersitie thereof For vnto others it is communicated by a created similitude of the Deitie either of nature that is by diuine properties created which are not equall with the creatour so are the Angels or of office So Moses is called God and all Magistrates But vnto the Sonne Christ it is communicated by the nature or essence it selfe so that the verie Deity is his substaunce Which wee thus prooue 1. Hee is the only begotten and proper Sonne of God the Sonne of the most High who also is himselfe the most High Luk. 1.32 But hee is the proper Sonne to whome the substaunce of the father is communicated 2. Iohn 5.26 As the father hath life in himselfe so likewise hath he giuen to the Sonne to haue life in himselfe Therefore the Son also is GOD of himselfe liuing and the fountaine of life Wherefore this communicating of the Deitie maketh him equall with God and THE SAME God with the Father so far off is it from prouing the contrarie Reply 1. Power was giuen to him beeing man Iohn 5.27 Therefore it was not giuen him by eternall generation Aunswere It was giuen to the Woorde by generation to man by vnion of the Woorde Replie 2. It was giuen him after his resurrection Aunswere Then was giuen him the full authority and liberty of vsing that power which he had alwaies All thinges were made by it Al thinges made by the Word and without it was made nothing Wee interprete That all creatures were made by him in the beginning and that also by him is gathered out of mankinde and regenerated thorough the woorking of the holie Ghost an euerlasting Church They conster it That by AL things are meant those thinges which are wrought in the newe creation that is in the collection and regeneration of the Church by the gospel which is called the second creation Vnto which our aunswere is 1. by granting this point by graunting I meane not the whole interpretation but onely this point of the creation And if this were the sense yet heereof woulde it also followe that Christ were verie God and by nature God The second creation also which is regeneration proueth Christ God The first reason which wee yeelde heereof is Because to worke the first and second creation by his owne vertue power and operation is the proper work of one the same verie God 1. Cor. 3.6 GOD gaue the encrease So then is neither hee that planteth anie thing neither hee that watereth but god that giueth the increase And in the same Chapter v. 9. Yee are Gods husbandrie and gods building Heb. 3.4 Hee that hath built all things is god And Christ woorketh this new creation not as an instrument but by his owne proper vertue Heb. 3.6 Eph. 1.23 which is his bodie euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all thinges Eph. 4.8 Hee ascended vp on high hee gaue giftes vnto men hee ascended farre aboue al heauens that hee might fill all thinges Hee gaue some Apostles and some Prophetes and vers 16. By whom al the bodie receiueth encrease Iohn 10.28 I giue vnto them eternall life Ephes 5.29 Hee sanctifieth the Church and clenseth it by the washing of water through the word The second reason is Because no man can giue the holie ghost but he that is verie god whose proper spirite it is But the second creatioÌ„ is not wrought but by the holy ghost whoÌ„ Christ the worker effectour of this creation sendeth Therefore he is verie god and Lorde The third reason Because the newe creation is the regeneration of the elect to eternall life This beganne euen from Adam albeit it was wrought in regard of the Mediator which was to come And it was wrought by the same Mediatour the Sonne in regarde of whome or for whose sake it was wrought euer since the beginning For CHRIST as by his merit so by his efficacie and vertue is Sauiour not onelie of a part but also of his whole Church and bodie which consisteth of al the elect and sanctified euen from ADAMS time Ephes 4.16 By whome all the bodie receiueth increase Isay 9.6 The euerlasting Father author preseruer propagatour and amplifier of his Church through all ages of the world Mich. 5.2 The ruler that should come forth out of Bethelem was giuen from euerlasting to bee the head and sauiour of the Church Hee shall bee peace euen before hee came out of Bethelem and the sauiour of his Church against the Assyrians and all her enimies Gen. 3.15 The seede of the woman shall bruise the Serpentes head This victorie and conquest ouer the Diuell beganne euen from the beginning of the world Psalm 110. Dauid acknowledgeth the Messias also to bee his LORDE a Priest and a King not onelie that was to come in the flesh but euen nowe present to whome nowe long before GOD had saide Thou art a Priest that is whome he had alreadie ordained to this office liuing woorcking and preseruing the elect 1. Timoth. 2.5 There is one GOD and one Mediatour betweene GOD and Man which is the man Christ I sâ—s Therefore this man is the Mediatour of all from the very beginning he is the Mediator obteining giuing the blessinges which he hath obtained vnto all I giue vnto them eternall life Ephes 1.22 He hath appointed him ouer all things to be the head to the church 1. Pet. 1.11 The spirit of Christ in the Prophetes 1. Pet. 3.19 By the spirite hee went and preached vnto the spirites that nowe are in prison which were in time passed disobedient Ephes 2.20 Yee are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets IESVS CHRIST himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Which place is diligentlie to bee obserued For then either Christ is the heade foundation sanctifier and Sauiour of a part of the Church only which
Iehoua is one in number of essence not of persons 12 Where are three and one there are foure But in God are three one to wit three persons and one essence Therefore there are foure in God Answere The Maior is to be distinguished Where are three and one reallie distinct there are foure But these three in God are not another thing distinct in the thing it selfe from the essence but each is that one essence the same and whole and they differ from their essence onely in their manner of subsisting or being The manner of existing is not a diuers substance from the existence being or essence 13 Christ according to that nature according to which in scripture he is called Son is the Son of god But according to his humane nature onely hee is called Sonne Therefore according to that onely and not according to his diuine also hee is the sonne of god and so by a consequent the sonne is not verie god Aunswere The minor is false For Christ is called the onely begotten and proper sonne of the Father and equal with the Father Iohn 3.16 Iohn 5.18 Rom. 8.32 The father hath created all thinges by the sonne The sonne from the verie beginning worketh all things likewise which the Father doth Iohn 5.17.19 The sonne reueiled the Fathers wil of receiuing mankinde into fauour vnto the Church before his flesh was borne Iohn 1.18 The sonne was sent into the worlde descended from heauen and tooke flesh Heb. 2.16 Iohn 3.13.17 But the Word which is God is the onely begotten and proper sonne of God and tooke flesh Iohn 1.14 And not the humane but the diuine nature of Christ is creatres and worketh with equal autoritie and power with the Father and descended from heauen Therefore God or the Godhead or diuine nature of Christ is both called in the scripture and is the sonne and by a consequent the sonne is that one true and verie God I BELEEVE IN CHRIST OVR LORD THree diuerse speeches are heere to bee obserued 1. To beleeue that Christ is Lord. To beleeue this is not sufficient for we beleeue also that the diuel is Lord but not of al nor ours as wee doe beleeue Christ to bee Lorde of vs all 2. To beleeue that Christ is Lord and that of al and also ours Neither is it enough to beleeue this For the Diuels beleeue also that Christ is their Lord as he hath ful right and autority not only ouer all other thinges but ouer them also to determin of them whatsoeuer pleaseth him 3. To beleeue in Christ our Lorde that is so to beleeue Christ to bee our Lorde that in him wee place our trust and confidence and bee thoroughly perswaded that by him wee are wholy freed and deliuered from all euill and are defended and safegarded against all our enemies and this is it which we especiallie ought to beleeue Whenas therefore we saie that wee beleeue in our Lorde we beleeue 1. That the Sonne of GOD Christ is Lorde of all creatures 2. But especiallie of his Church which beeing purchased with his owne bloode hee guideth defendeth and preserueth by his spirit 3. And that I am also one of his subiectes whom beeing redeemed from the power of the Diuell he mightilie preserueth ruleth maketh obedient vnto him and at length enricheth with eternal glorie that is I beleeue that hitherto I haue bin by and for Christ preserued and shal hereafter be preserued of him thorough al eternitie lastly that he vseth wil vse his dominion power which hee hath as ouer all other creatures so ouer me vnto my saluation and his owne glory But for the better vnderstanding of this that hath bin spoken wee are to obserue these two things 1 In what sense Christ is called Lord. 2 For what causes he is our Lord. 1 IN WHAT SENSE HE IS CALLED LORD TO bee a Lord is to haue right and power granted by Lawe either diuine or humane ouer some thing or person as to vse and enioie it and to dispose thereof at thy owne will and pleasure Christ therefore is our Lord First because he hath care of vs that is ruleth preserueth and keepeth vs as his owne to eternall life and glorie as beeing bought with his precious bloode Iohn 17.12 None of them is lost whom thou gauest me Ioh. 10.28 None shal plucke them out of my hand Secondlie because wee are bound to serue him both in bodie and soule that hee maie bee glorified by vs. 1. Cor. 6 20. Yee are bought with a price therefore glorifie God in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods Hereof also wee maie vnderstande that the woorde Lorde in the Creede is not a name of the diuine essence but of his office and is referred to both natures of Christ like as the names of Priest King and Prophet Christ then is our Lorde not onely in respect of his Diuinitie which created vs but also in respect of his humanity which redeemed vs. For the humane nature of Christ is the price of our redemption his diuine nature dooth giue and offer that price vnto the Father and dooth by the vertue of his spirite effectuallie applie it vnto vs sanctifie rule saue and defend vs against our enemies and dooth al these thinges the humane nature beeing priuie thereunto and most earnestlie willing it Yea further as hee is man also hee hath power not only ouer men but also ouer all creatures and therfore ouer the Angels themselues For the names of the office benefits dignity of christ are affirmed of his whole person to speak simply properly by communicating but not by confounding the properties of both natures 2 For what causes he is our Lord. CHRIST is Lord. 1. By right of creation gouernment Christ our Lord 1 By right of creation Of this rule and dominion it is said Al things that the father hath are mine Ioh. 16.15 For by him in him are al things created and by his mighty word that is by his forcible pleasure and wil or prouidence they are susteined and gouerned and whatsoeuer good is in al the creatures that wholy proceedeth from him And this is a most generall dominiō which extendeth it self vnto al creatures euen vnto diuels wicked men albeit not altogether after the same maner to vs to al the wicked diuels For. 1. he created vs to eternal life but them to destruction 2. The dominiō which christ hath ouer the wicked diuels cōsisteth in the right of requiring cōmanding of exercising his power bridling his enimies that is hee hath right power ouer the diuels and the wicked to doe with them what him listeth so that without his wil and pleasure they cannot so much as moue themselues And he permitteth them by bereauing and destituting them of the grace of his spirit to run headlong into sin and eternal destruction Hee hath also ouer vs right and power to do with vs what him listeth
Heb. 2.16 made of the seede of Dauid Rom. 1.3 Borne of the Iewes concerning the flesh Rom. 9.5 euery where the son of Abraham of Dauid and the son of man And also Luk. 3. his petigree stock concerning the fleshe is deduced vnto Adam Therefore hee was begotten of the substance of his mother Mary and issued from the same seede of Adam from which we did Luk. 24.39 Christ prooueth himselfe to be a true man and not a spirite by this that a spirite hath not fleshe and bones as hee hath and reteineth euen after his resurrection Apollinaris the hereticke saide that Christes bodie indeede was a true bodie but insteede of a soule he had the Woorde onlie But this man is easilie refuted because Christ should not then haue bin like vnto his brethren in al thinges except sinne And Christ himselfe doth plainly confesse My soule is verie heauy euen vnto the death Mat. 26.38 And Luk 2.52 he is said to haue encreased in wisedome and stature and in fauour with God and men And Iohn 10.18 To laie downe his soule and to take it againe But to encrease in wisedome and to bee heauy and sad doe neither agree vnto a bodie which is reasonlesse neither vnto the god-head which is not obnoxious to changes and passions Hither belongeth also that Luk. 23.46 Father into thine handes I commend my spirit And when hee thus had said He gaue vp the Ghost This cannot bee saide of christs godhead For that being immense infinit is euery where nether doth a remouing from one place to another agree vnto it it is not laid downe and taken vp again that is it neuer departed or was seuered from the body but remaineth alwaies vnited vnto it Wherefore there must needs be in Christ besides his body his Godhead a true humane soule which did truely suffer and abide in Christ these chaunges and the like Secondly it is confirmed by diuine promises and prophecies For the Messias in the old Testament was promised to be such a one as should be the seede of the woman of Abraham Isaac Iacob c. But this Iesus the Sonne of the Virgine Mary is that promised Messias Therefore he must needs bee true man issuing of the bloode and posterity of the woman and the Fathers and therefore to haue been indeede begotten of the substance of Marie and to haue taken true flesh Thirdly The office of the Mediatour confirmeth the same The sinne of men in respect of gods truth and iustice could not bee punished in any other nature than in a humane nature which shoulde bee of the same kind with ours But in the Mediatour which is Jesus Christ alone our sinnes were to bee punished Therefore he must needes bee true man who hath humane flesh not created of nothing or borne else-whence but sprong from the bloud of Adam as well as ours Moreouer Jt was necessarie for Christ not onelie to take but also to retaine our nature for euer Because GOD hath decreed to bestowe and dooth bestowe the benefites which Christ by his death hath purchased for vs by this man CHRIST vpon them onely who are and remain engraffed into his masse and flesh as members into their head or braunches into their vine 1. Cor. 15.21 For since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead Iohn 15.6 Jf a man abide not in me he is cast forth as a braunch and withereth Lastly Jt behoued Christ to be made and to continue our brother for euer that as he is flesh of our flesh so we also of the otherside might be flesh bones of his flesh and bones by the same spirite dwelling in vs. Eph. 5.30 We are members of his bodie of his flesh and of his bones Iohn 5.56 Eph. 4.12.16 Rom. 8.11 c. Wherefore except Christ had indeede taken our nature without which hee cannot be our brother we shoulde loose that comfort euer needefull and necessarie for vs which consisteth in the Brotherhood onely of Christ with vs I am of his flesh and of his bones 1 Obiection The flesh of Adam that is humane flesh issuing from Adam by generation vnto his posteritie is sinnefull The flesh of Christ is not sinnefull therefore the flesh of Christ is not the flesh of Adam Aunswere The Maior proposition hath a fallacie of the accident For it is not necessarie that of whatsoeuer the accident of a thing is denied of the same the thing also or subiect of the accident shoulde bee denied because an accident dooth so cleaue to the thing wherein it is as it may bee separated from it Sinne is not of the essence and nature of humane flesh for that was created pure of God but sinne came otherwise by the defection falling of our first parents from god Seeing then the flesh of Adam is sinfull only by an accident it foloweth that the flesh of Christ is onely in respect of that accident not the flesh of Adam but is as touching the substaunce the same flesh with the flesh of Adam Wherefore they deale like Sophisters who denie the flesh of CHRIST for that it is voide of sinne to bee the same in substaunce or Essence or kinde with the flesh of Adam For hee that coulde in the beginning create humane flesh pure of nothing is able also by his omnipotent power and speciall working so to forme it of the substaunce of the Virgin being a sinner as withall to let and stop any issuing of sinne thereunto that is to make it pure and holy There is no new or strange thing therefore if the omnipotent Lord hath tooke humane substance without the accident sinne into the vnity of his person Wherefore this their Argument shal be rather thus inuerted The flesh of Adam is true flesh Christs flesh is the flesh of Adam therefore Christs flesh is true flesh and by a consequent Christ is true man as also the office of the Mediatour did require that he should both bee and continue true man For seeing true men had sinned he was to be true man that shoulde make satisfaction Because it must bee one and the same Mediatour who must alwaies make intercession vnto the father for vs and hee must euer continue such that is true and very man 2 Obiection That which is conceiued and begotten of another is of the same substance with him The flesh of Christ was conceiued of the holie Ghost Therefore the flesh of Christ is no creature but came downe from heauen issuing from the substaunce of God Aunswere There is a fallacie in the diuers vnderstanding of the particle OF For that in the Maior signifieth the matter or material cause in the Minor the efficient cause onely that is That which is conceiued or begotten of another transfusing or passing his substance or part of his substaunce into the thing begotten this is of the same essence with him who begot it CHRISTS fleshe was conceiued by the Holy GHOST not that hee transfused or
passed his substaunce into the flesh begotten but because in miraculous sort hee formed in the Virgins wombe of her substance the body of Christ so that it should not be contaminated or polluted with original sinne For neither could Christ bee in that sort conceiued by the holy Ghost as that his fleshe shoulde issue from the spirits substance and that for these causes 1. Because if this were graunted then were he not borne man of the Virgin or propagated of the Virgins substance 2. Because God is not changed into flesh 3. Because the Word tooke the flesh but was not changed into it 3 Obiection Jn God are not two natures Christ is God Therefore there are not two natures in him Aunswere Meere particulars doe enforce nothing For if the Maior bee taken vniuersallie it is false whosoeuer is God in him are not two natures this generall proposition is false The Maior therefore is true as touching God the father and God the holy Ghost but not as touching God the sonne incarnate Replie 1. But nothing can bee added vnto God by reason of the great perfection and simplicitie of his nature Christ is God therefore the humanitie could not be added vnto his diuine nature Aunswere Nothing can be added to God whereby his essence may bee changed and perfected But in that God the Word ioined the humane nature vnto him personallie there came no chaunge or great perfection thereby to the Word which tooke it but to the nature which was taken Replie 2. Humane nature cannot come vnto him who dwelleth in the light that none can come vnto 1. Tim. 6.16 Aunswere This is true if so God doth not assume and take it vnto him Replie 3. But it is ignominious for God to be a creature Christ man is God Aunswere The chaunging of the Godhead into a creature woulde haue beene ignominious and reprochful vnto the Word but that the godhead shoulde bee vnited vnto a creature is is most glorious vnto god as who by that meanes hath demonstrated and made knowen his infinite both goodnesse and wisedome and iustice and power to the whole world 2 Whether Christ be one person or mo IN Christ are two perfect natures whole and distinct and double properties also and operations naturall but one person which subsisting in both these natures diuine and humane is truely designed by the concrete termes or voices of both natures For it was requisit that one the same should be Mediator both by merit by power But they who make two persons make also two Christs with Nestorius the one a man passiue and crucified the other God not crucified and onelie assisting the man Christ by his grace 1 Obiection Jn whom are two things which in themselues make two whole persons in him also are two persons But in Christ are two things which make two whole persons namely the Word which is by it selfe a person subsisting from all eternitie and the bodie and soule which beeing vnited make likewise a person Therefore in Christ are two persons Aunswere We denie that part of the Maior to wit That the bodie and humane soule doe as in other men so also in Christ concurre to make a created person of the humane nature and diuers from the person increate and eternall of the Woordc For albeit the humane nature in Christ compounded of a bodie and a reasonable soule is an indiuidual and particular or singular substance as being from other indiuiduals of the same nature distinguished by certaine properties and accidents yet neither was it or is it a person or subsistence For first A person is that which is not onelie a particular or singular thing but also it selfe consisteth and subsisteth in it selfe and by it selfe not susteined in or of anie other But CHRISTS humane nature now from the verie first beginning thereof dependeth and is susteined by the person of the Word For it was at once both formed and assumed of the Word into vnitie of person and made proper vnto the Word before and without which assumption or personal Vnion it neither was nor had beene nor shoulde be so that this Vnion being dissolued and loosed it must needes follow that that this flesh and this soule should be brought to nothing Therfore Christs humane nature hath not any subsistence or person proper vnto it selfe Secondly Jt belongeth to the nature or definition of a person that it be an indiuidual incommunicable and also no part of another But the nature which the Word took and assumed belongeth to the substance of one Christ a part also of whom it is after a sort Therefore in it selfe and by it selfe it is no person Reply That which appertaineth to the substance of a person and is a part thereof cannot be a person The word appertaineth and belongeth to the substaunce of Christ and is after a sort a part of him as well as the humanitie Therefore neither shall the word be by this reason a person Ans The Maior proposition if it bee vnderstood simplie or vniuersally is false For a reasonable soule existing in the bodie is not a person but a part of an humane person which the soule together with the bodie doth make yet notwithstanding the same soule being loosed from the bodie is a person by it selfe not that compound and mortall person whereof it was a part that is an humane person but a person most simple and immortall such as are the Angels because it subsisteth out of the bodie by it self neither is part of another So may it be said of the Word if it be constred aright with indifferencie that the Word in it selfe and by it selfe is not the whole person of Christ or the Mediatour as he is Christ and Mediatour that is is not that whole thing which is Christ who is not onely God but also man and yet is in it selfe and by it selfe the perfect and whole person of the Godhead truelie subsisting before the flesh was that is the onelie begotten sonne of God For this selfe same person existing in it selfe from euerlasting and remaining for euer most simple and vncompound is by the assuming of humane nature made in time after a sort compound that is the Word incarnate Wherefore in respect of the person considered in Vnion or incarnate the Word is rather considered as a nature and both it selfe and the humane nature may be called as it were the parts of whole Christ are so called also of many of the auncient Fathers which were sound in faith not that the flesh assumpted did adde any part to the subsistence of the Word or as if of the Persons of the Word and the humane nature as being vnperfect parts was made another perfect person of a certaine third Essence consubstantiall with neither of those natures of which it is compounded but because the person of the Word altogether one and the same which before the flesh was taken consisted in the diuine nature onely doth now after the taking
For the natures doe not communicate each to other their essentiall properties as neither doe these impart their essence that is one nature doth not receiue the properties of both natures Wherefore these kindes of speaches are false The Godhead is the manhoode or man was conceiued borne did suffer was dead and againe these The Man-hoode is the God-head or God is eternal immense vncircumscribed in place omnipotent giueth the holie Ghost dooth regenerate For al these are no more true and to be admitted than those A soule is a bodie or corporeal mortal visible and a body is a soul or a spirit inuisible immortal 1 Obiection The whole person of Christ is really omnipotent euerie where eternal c. The humanitie and the God-head are the whole person of Christ. Therefore both are reallie omnipotent euerie where eternal c. Aunswere This argument the Vbiquetaries who most of all ground vpon it and often vse it haue borowed from Schwenkefieldeans who commonly in their bookes reason thus Whole Christ is the natural onelie begotten Sonne of God is the true and the same GOD of the same infinite power and maiestie with the eternall Father conceiued borne of the Virgine suffered was dead rose againe ascended into heauen sendeth the Holie Ghost But both natures belong to the whole person of Christ Therefore Christ according to his humanitie also is the natural Sonne of god begotten of the substance of the Father from euerlasting and con-substantiall with the Father and the same GOD with the Father who is Creatour of all If then the Vbiquetaries collection bee lawfull and sound this doubtlesse of the Swenkefieldeans is lawfull also and sound but if the Swenkefieldeans collection bee corrupt and smelling of Eutyches heresie then that of the Vbiquetaries cannot bee at all good and sound But indeede both collections are Eutychian and Sophisticall they are Eutychian because two natures which are made equall in properties essentiall or which get and haue the same or equall essential properties are indeede made one nature and substance or are two substaunces of one nature Both opinions take cleane away the nature of the humanitie transform it into the God-head but the latter dooth further make two persons in Christ of the same nature It is also Sophisticall because whether the person of Christ be considered in it selfe as it was a person being but one and perfect that before the incarnation subsisting in one nature onely or whether it bee considered as it is incarnate and now subsisting in two natures yet stil the transition and passing from the person to the natures is faultie and Sophistical For neither is it necessary that what is truly in and attributed vnto a person the same also should bee reallie in al things concurring in that person and bee affirmed of all The reason is because the parts or natures though vnited in the same person yet retain their properties operations vnconfounded Wherefore that which is proper vnto the godhead cannot agree vnto the person in respect of the flesh also but only in respect of the godhead Whole man vnderstandeth discourseth and hath motion of wil ye◠he doth not this by his finger or body but by his mind only whole man is mortal and doth go eat and drink yet none but a mad man or an epicure will therefore say that the soule also is mortal or doth goe eat and drink So not halfe but the whole person of Christ was before Abraham and from euerlasting did create and dooth preserue all thinges and tooke flesh But the fleshe neither was from euerlasting neither did create nor dooth preserue all thinges nor tooke flesh but was created and being assumpted and taken is susteined of the Word and in it So whole christ was wounded dead yet not his Godhead nor his soul This is wel learnedly declared explicated by Damascene lib. 3. ca. 7. in these words Whole christ is perfect GOD but not THE WHOLE of Christ that is not both natures are God For he is not god only but also man And WHOLE christ is perfect mā but not THE WHOLE of christ is man For he is not man only but god too For THE WHOLE signifieth the nature WHOLE the person Wherefore if the Vbiquetaries wil at al haue the illation enforcing of their conclusiō on these premisses to be necessary The Maior propositiō must be expoūded after this sort The person is god creator omnipotent eueriwhere whole that is as concerning all that which it is or in which it dooth subsist or which doth belong vnto it But the Maior taken in this sense is false most absurd as was shewed a litle before For the true sense thereof is this The person is euery where whole that is without diuision or sundering of natures or subsisting vndiuidably in two natures But the humanity is not that whole subsisting in two natures Not euery thing then that agreeth really to the person agreeth also really to the flesh And albeit the person doth subsist in the humanitie the God-head mutually vnited one to the other yet as it hath beene said it is not hereof enforced that because the person is euery where therefore the humanity should be in proper substance present euery where For this is proper to the godhead neither is it really communicated to any creature or is in any Reply The diuinity is one present in al pleces but especially with the church The diuinity is but halfe christ Therefore only halfe christ is present with the church Answere 1. ther is an ambiguity doubtfulnes in the words halfe christ For if by halfe christ they vnderstād one nature which is vnited to the other in the same person the whole reasō may be granted namely that not both but one nature onely of christ though vnited to th' other that is his godhead is present with vs al things in his proper substance in al places at al times But they by halfe christ vnderstand craftily sophistically the one nature separated from the other as if the godhead were made to be with vs bare naked not incarnat But in this sense the Minor is false the Vbiquetaries own inuētiō For the same Word by reasō of the immēsnes infinitie of his essēce is whole euerywhere without his manhood yet so that he withall is abideth whole in his manhood personally vnited thereūto Wherefore the Word nether is nor worketh any where not vnited to the flesh albeit the flesh because it hath not an infinit essence but reteineth it circūscribed in place is not made to be present substātially in al those places in which the word incarnat or the word mā is 2. There is an ambiguity also double significatiō in the word present For the presēce wherby christ is presēt with his church is not of one kind Wherefore if the Maior be vnderstood of the presence of his substance in al places of his being amongest
the verie essence it selfe of the God-head c. Therefore if Gods omnipotencie bee really communicated to Christs humanitie so that this also is by reason of the omnipotency communicated vnto it reallie omnipotent of necessity then by reason of the same omnipotency really communicated Christes humanitie shall bee indeed an essence subsisting of it selfe and by it selfe incorporeall eternall immense creatres of all thinges that is God himselfe blessed for euer and so by consequent the diuine person For an essence intelligent subsisting by it selfe which also is God must needs be the person And these are the fruits of reall communicating of properties in natures The participation of the God-head exaltation and maiestie of the flesh and such like is not a real communicating of the essentiall properties of the God-heade made into the humane nature or an omnipresence omniscience omnipotency that is a God-head of the man-hood For such a communicating should not perfect but destroy the man-hoode and conuert it into the God-head and dissolue the personal vnion of distinct natures but it is First the verie vnion of the humanitie with the Word in such sort as it being created finite doth together with al the essential properties therof subsist not in a created person of the same humane nature but in the increate and eternal person of God the Word by reason of which vnion God the Word but not the God-head is is called trulie man and contrarie man but not the manhood is and is called truly eternall God No dignitie eminence can be imagined greater than this neither doth it agree to anie but to the flesh of Christ onely Secondly Jt is the excellencie of gifts For these christs humanitie receiued without measure that is all whatsoeuer and most great and most perfect that maie fall into a created and finite nature Thirdly The office of the mediator to the perfourming whereof the vnited but yet distinct properties and operations of both natures doe necessarily concur Fourthly The honor and worship which by reason of the Mediatorship agreeth is giueÌ„ to whole christ according to bâ—th natures keeping still as was before saide the difference of properties and operations in natures Now whatsoeuer testimonies some bring either out of the Scriptures or out of the Fathers which were sound in faith thereby to proue that their Eutychian transmutation and a third kind of communicating forged by themselues that is exequation or equalling of natures all those testimonies indeed belong either to the grace of vnion of the natures which is signified by the communicating of properties or to the grace of Christes Headship which compriseth the office and honour of the Mediatour which are affirmed of whole Christ by waie of communicating or to the habituall grace that is the created giftes which Christ receiued without measure which are properly affirmed of the flesh or humanitie These giftes which are also called graces are not properlie effectes of the personal vnion as are the attributes or properties of the natures and office First because they are communicated to the manhoode as well of the Father and the Holie Ghost as of the Word or Sonne For he is said to haue receiued of the Father the spirite without measure that is aboundauntlie likewise to be annointed with the Holy Ghost And if the giftes were effects of the vnion it would follow of necessity that the flesh was vnited not to the Son only but to the Father also and the holy Ghost Secondlie The vnion of the flesh with the Woord was from the verie moment of the conception alwaies most perfect But the consummation and perfection of giftes was not vntil the accomplished time of his resurrection ascension For hee was indeede humble weake and contemned he was indeede ignorant of some things he did indeede encrease in wisedome stature and in fauour not with men onely but also with God himselfe Thirdly The flesh when it was in the state of humility had not immortality or a nature not subiect to sufferings or the like and yet remained it alwaies vnited with the Woorde Wherefore the habitual giftes or graces of the humanitie for which it is also in it selfe reallie wise mighty iust holie follow not the personal vnion in respect of dependency as the effect followeth and dependeth of this cause but onely in respect of order Because namely the humane nature was first to subsist and bee before it were enriched with giftes and it subsisteth vnited to the Woord in the very first moment of the conception But after what maner the humanitie is vnited vnto the Sonne of God hath beene said before For by the special and miraculous working of the holy Ghost in the womb of the virgine of her blood was the flesh of christ formed sanctified and vnited according to subsistence or personally vnto the Wâ—ord 4 Why it was necessarie that the two natures should bee vnited in the person or subsistence of the sonne of God FOR what cause Christ our Mediatour was to bee together both a true and perfect iust man and true that is by nature GOD hath beene declared of vs before in the common place of the Mediatour in the 4 question pag. 237. For the woorke of our redemption could not haue bin compassed and finished by the Mediator without the concurrence of diuers natures operations in the same person For albeit he suffred died in the flesh yet his passion and suffering would not haue that force and efficacy to redeeme iustifie sanctifie vs neither could christ haue applied those benefites vnto vs except he had bin withal true and natural God Of the Incarnation of the Word the confession made by the Fathers of Antioch against Paulus Samosatenus TAKEN OVT OF THE ACTES OF THE FIRST EPHESINE COVNCEL VVEE confesse our Lord Iesus Christ begotten before all worlds of his Father but in the last times borne according to the flesh of the Virgine by the holy Ghost subsisting in one person onely made of the celestiall God-head and humane flesh Whole God and whole man Whole God also with his bodie but not according to his body god Whole man also with his God head but not according to his God head man Againe whole adorable also with his bodie but not according to his bodie adorable Whole adoring also with his Godhead but not according to his godhead adoring Whole increat also with his body but not according to his body increated Whole formed also with his Godhead but not according to his godhead formed Whole consubstantial with god also with his body but not according to his body consubstantiall as neither also according to his Godhead he is coessentiall with men but hee is according to the flesh consubstantiall vnto vs existing also in his Godhead For when wee say hee is according to the spirit consubstantiall with God wee doe not say hee is according to the spirit coessentiall with men And contrarily when wee affirme him to bee according to the
death of the onely begotten Sonne of God 2 That it might be an exasperating of the punishment and so wee so much the more confirmed in a true faith when wee consider Christ by this kinde of punishment to haue taken vpon him our gilt euen our punishment also and curse according to that Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on tree Deut. 21.23 Gal. 3.13 3 That the trueth might answere according to the types and figures so we might know the types to be fulfilled in Christ For 1 The sacrifices which shadowed the sacrifice of Christ were hung vpon trees thereby to signifie that Christ should be fastned on a tree and accomplishing his sacrifice offer a holy sacrifice vnto his Father 2 The sacrifices being lifted vp on high before they were burned did signifie the exalting and listing vp of Christ on the Altar of the Crosse 3 The same was shadowed in Isaack who being laid on wood was to haue beene sacrificed of his Father 4 The brasen Serpent which Moses set vp vpon a pole in the wildernesse depainteth this kind of punishment Christ himselfe interpreted of himselfe this type of the brasen Serpent Joh. 3.14 DEAD I Beleeue in Christ dead that is I beleeue Christ not onely to haue suffered extreame torments for my sake but also death it selfe hath by his death obtained for me remission of sinnes and reconciliation with God consequently also the holy Ghost who beginneth in me a new life that I may againe bee made the Temple of God and at length attaine vnto euerlasting life wherein I shall woorship and magnifie God for euer OF CHRISTS DEATH THE chiefe Questions hereof are 1 How Christ is said to haue bin dead 2 Whether it was requisite and necessarie that Christ should die 3 What are the fruits of Christs death 1 HOW CHRIST IS SAID TO HAVE BEENE DEAD IT is needful to moue this question because of the heretikes who haue depraued the sense of this article Marcion denied that hee died indeed as also hee affirmed the whole ordinarie dispensation and ministerie of the humane nature in Christ and all those thinges which hee did vndergoe for vs to haue bin but imaginarie and that hee onely seemed to bee as a man Nestorius separated the two natures in Christ neither would haue the sonne of God but man onely to haue died Doe not boast thou Jewe saieth Nestorius thou hast not crucified God The Vbiquitaries beleeue that the humanitie of Christ from the moment of his incarnation was so indowed with all the properties of the Godhead as that only in this the humanitie differeth from the Godhead that the humanitie hath by an accident whatsoeuer the Godhead hath by and of it selfe Hereof it commeth that they imagin that Christ was in the time of his death yea when hee was inclosed in the Virgins wombe in heauen and eueriewhere not onely as touching his Godhead but with his bodie too This is it which they call the forme of God Wherefore against all these wee affirme that Christ died truely and corporallie euen by a true diuulsion separation of his soule from his bodie so that not onely his soule and body were not together euerie where but were not together in one place Mat. 27.50 Thē Iesus cried again with a loud voice yeelded vp the Ghost Mar. 15.37 Iesus cried with a loude voice and gaue vp the Ghost Luk 23.46 Father into thy hands I commend my spirit And when hee had saide these words hee gaue vp the Ghost Iohn 19.30 Hee bowed his head and gaue vp the Ghost But yet this is further to be added that although his soule was separated from his bodie yet the Word notwithstanding did not forsake neither bodie nor soule but remained neuerthelesse ioyned both to bodie and soule and therefore the two natures in Christ were not diuelled or sundered by that diuulsion of the soule and bodie Obiection Why then cried hee Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Aunswere Because of his delay and differring of help and succour For the two natures in Christ ought not to haue beene diuelled or sundered because it is written God hath purchased the Church with his owne bloude And hee was to be the sonne of God who shoulde die for our sinnes that hee might bee a sufficient price for them Hereby also it doth clearely appeare that The vnion of both natures in Christ is no Vbiquitie For the soul being separated from the bodie was not in the graue with the bodie and by a consequent not eueriewhere because that which is euerie where can neuer bee separated Obiection But as vertue that is his diuinitie is saide to haue gone out of him so also hee gaue vp the Ghost Aunswere There is a dissimilitude in these Because the diuinity remaining vnited with the humane nature yet did worke abroade without it The soule did depart from the bodie The reason of this dissimilitude is because the act of his diuinitie is increate and infinite but the act and power of his soul finite and created 2 Whether it was requisite and necessary that Christ should die IT was requisite and necessarie that Christ should die 1. In respect of the iustice of God that so his iustice might be satisfied which required the death of men by whom it was violated For the hurting offending of the greatest good is to bee expiated with the greatest punishment or with the vtmost destruction of nature that is with the death of the giltie condemned for sinne according to that Rom. 6.23 The wages of sinne is death Now it was requisite that the sonne of God should die that hee might bee a sufficient ransome for our sinnes For no creature coulde haue sustained such a punishment as should haue beene equiualent to eternall punishment and yet withall should haue beene temporal Obiection They haue deserued eternall punishment whosoeuer are not reconciled to God by Christ. Therefore the soules ought not to be separated from their bodies that they might suffer eternal damnation Aunswere It dooth not followe but this rather That therefore both bodie and soule must bee together that they maie suffer it which at length shall so come to passe 2 Jn respect of gods truth that the truth of GOD maie bee satisfied For GOD threatned and denounced death when euer wee sinned which denouncing was to bee fulfilled after sin was once committed And this is that commination or threatning pronounced by God himselfe Gen. 2.17 In the daie that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death Obiection But Adam did not presently die Aunswere Truely he died spirituallie eternal death and now was dead I hard saith he Gen. 3.10 thy voice There was a terrour in him and a feeling of Gods wrath a strife with death the losse of al the giftes both of body and mind But there followed the equity moderation and lenitie of the Gospell For God had not expressely saide that hee shoulde certainelie die wholy and that
dead corps A dead body is indeed void of sense and feeling but yet notwithstanding ignominious is it for the bodie to be committed vnto the earth as it is said To dust shalt thou returne And as Christes resurrection from the dead and death is a part of his glore so his burial that is the debasing of his bodie to bee in the same state with other dead carcases is a part of his humiliation 3 A certaine type was to be fulfilled It was foretolde by the type of Ionas remaining 3. daies in the Whale That the Messias should be buried Therefore for the fulfilling of this type he ought also to be buried and to remaine vntill the third day in the graue 4 He would be buried that he might not be afraid of the graue but might knowe that our head Christ Iesus had laid open the waie vnto vs by the graue and death to celestiall glorie and therefore shall wee bee raised out of the graue albeit we die giue vp the Ghost 5 That we might knowe how we are indeed deliuered from death For in his death a testimonie and record whereof is his buriall consisteth our saluation 6 That it might be apparent and manifest as concerning his resurrection euen that hee was able indeede to rise againe and to shew that hee hath ouercome death and that his resurrection was not imaginarie but the resurrectiō of a reuiuing corps 7 That we beeing spirituallie dead that is to sin might rest from sinne Rom. 6.4 Wee are buried with Christ by Baptisme into his death that like as Christ was raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so we also should walke in newnesse of life HE DESCENDED INTO HEL I Beleeue in Christ who descended into Hel that is I beleeue that Christ for me sustained in his soule infernall hellish pains tormentes that exceeding ignominie which is due vnto the wicked in Hell that thereby I might not descend into hell and that I might neuer bee forced to suffer them all which otherwise I should suffer in hell eternallie but that of the contrarie rather I might ascend with Christ into heauen and there enioie with him exceeding happinesse and glory for euer and euer This is the vse and profite of this Article of Christes descension into hel Now wee are a little more at large to declare what is the meaning of that Article or what is properlie that Descension of Christ into hell Hell in Scripture is taken three waies For it signifieth 1. The graue Genesis 42.38 Then yee shall bring my graie heade with sorrowe vnto hell Psalm 16.10 Thou wilt not leaue my soule in Hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption 2. The place of the damned As in the storie of the rich man and Lazarus 3. The paines of hell that is the terrours and tormentes of the soule and conscience Psal 116.3 The griefes of hel caught me 1. Sam. 2.6 The Lord bringeth downe to hel and raiseth vp that is into exceeding pains and torments out of which afterwards he again deliuereth In this third sense is it taken in this Article for it cannot be vnderstoode of the graue because there goeth before He was buried If anie say that this latter Article is an exposition of the former hee saith nothing For as often as two speeches expressing the same thing are ioyned together so that the one is an exposition of the other it is meete that the latter bee more cleare and open than the former againe it is not likely in this so briefe succinct a confession that the same thing should be twise spokē in other words Neither cā this place be vnderstood of the place of the damned For Christ said Into thy hands I commend my spirit to the Theef This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise as if he should saie This day shalt thou be with me as touching my soule in Paradise that is in the place of euerlasting saluation or happinesse where thou shalt being deliuered from al tormentes enioie most pleasaunt quiet and repose This is not to bee vnderstoode of the Godheade of Christ as if that shoulde bee the same daie together with the soule of the Theefe in Paradise For the God-head is and shall bee euery where But thou shalt be in Paradise with me euen whom thou seest hanging on the crosse The descension of Christ therefore into Hell signifieth 1 those extreme torments and griefes which christ suffered in his soule namely the wrath of God against sinnes and that such as the damned feele partly in this life partlie in the life to come 2. The Exceeding and extreme ignomine and reproche which christ suffered That Christ suffered these thinges is prooued by the Testimonie of Dauid before alleaged The griefes of Hell caught mee which is sayde of Christ in the person of Dauid There are other the like sayings whereby the same is prooued Isa 53.10 The Lord would breake him and make him subiect to infirmities Mat. 26.38 My soule is verie heauie euen vnto the death The same doo those his vexations also shewe in the garden when he swet blood Isai 53.6 The Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Therefore hee crieth out Mat. 27.49 My God my god why hast thou forsaken mee The same is proued also by this reason euen because hee ought to suffer not onlie in body but in soule to for vs that hee might also redeeme our soules Obiection 1. The articles of faith ought to be vnderstood properlie Aunswere True except an article beeing taken according to the proper signification be disagreeing from other places of scripture But this Article of Christs descension into Hell beeing taken properlie is much repugnant to that saying of Christ Iohn 19.30 It is finished For if Christ fulfilled and finished all the parts of our redemption on the Crosse there was no cause why hee should descend into Hell that is vnto the place of the damned Obiection 2. Hee descended into Hell and that by a locall descension as the papists affirm to deliuer the Fathers thence Answere 1. Wee denie that christ descended locallie into Hell and that for this reason Jf christ did locallie descend into Hell hee descended either as touching his Godhead or as touching his soule or as touching his body Not as touching his Godhead For that is euerie where Not as touching his soule because he saith Father into thy handes I commend my spirite Replie But hee might also bee in the hand of his Father that is in his Fathers protection euen in Hell According to that Psalm 139.8 If I lie downe in Hell thou art there that is there also will god haue care ouer mee and there also will hee keepe me that I perish not Answere One place enterpreteth another for he had said before vnto the Theefe This daie shalt thou be with mee in Paradise that is in the place and state of the blessed where both
not adorned with diuine properties it followeth that there is no difference betweene christ and other saints For no other difference can bee found but the equalling of his manhood with his god-head For the difference betweene christ and the Saints either is in substance essence or in properties But not in substance Therefore in properties Answer We deny that there is any difference between Christ and the Saints either in substance or in properties or giftes for this enumeration or reckoning is not perfect complete There is wanting a third difference whereby Christ is distinguished from all the Saintes namely the secret personall vnion of both natures Reply Phil. 2.9 It is said God hath giuen him a name aboue euerie name Aunswere 1 God hath giuen him such a name that is together with his godhead For as the godhead so the properties of the godhead were giuen him of the Father 2. God gaue such a name to him that is to christ man by personal vnion not by anie exequation or equalling of both natures By these three obiections it appeareth that the Vbiquetaries of whome these thinges are brought fall into foule errors First into the errour of Nestorius because they sunder the vnited natures in christ Secondly into the error of Eutyches because they confound the same natures Thirdlie They disarme vs of those weapons wherewith we shoulde fight against Arrians and Sabellians For they doe fouly eneruate and weaken all those places which prooue Christes diuinity by drawing them to the equalling of his humane nature with his diuine But wee are to obserue in how many respectes Christ is said to be present with vs. First he is present with vs by his spirite and God-head Secondly he is present as touching our faith and confidence wherewith we behold him Thirdlie he is present in mutual dilection and loue because he loueth vs and we him so that he doth not forget vs. Fourthly he is present with vs in respect of his vnion with humane nature that is in the coniunction of the soule with the body For the same spirit is in vs and in him who ioyneth and knitteth vs vnto him Fiftlie hee is said to bee present with vs in respect of that hope which wee haue of our consummatiō that is that certain hope which we haue of comming vnto him 3 Wherefore christ ascended into Heauen CHRIST ascended first for his owne and his Fathers glorie For 1. He was to haue a celestiall kingdome therefore hee might not abide in earth Eph. 4.10 He that descended is euen the same that ascended farre aboue al heauens that hee might fill all thinges 2. It was meete that the Head should be glorified with excellencie of giftes aboue all the blessed as being the members of that Head which could not haue bin done in earth Secondly Hee ascended in respect of vs and that for foure causes 1. That hee might gloriously make intercession for vs namely by his vertue efficacie and wil. For it is the will of the Father and the Son that his oblation and sacrifice shoulde bee for euer of force for vs and so by making intercession for vs he should apply his benefites and the merites of his death vnto vs vnto which application was required his whole glorification the partes whereof are his Resurrection Ascension and Session at the right hand of the Father Obiection He made intercession for vs also on earth Aunswere This intercession was made in respect of the intercession to come For of that cōdition he made intercession before that hauing accomplished his sacrifice on earth he should present himselfe for euer a Mediatour in the celestial Sanctuarie 2. That we might also ascend and might be assured of our ascension Ioh. 14.2 I wil prepare you a place In my fathers house are manie dwelling places that is places to abide for euer for hee speaketh of continuing 3. That hee might send the holy Ghost and by him gather comfort and defend his church from the Diuel vnto the worldes end Iohn 16.7 If I goe not awaie the comforter will not come vnto you Obiection Hee gaue the holie Ghost both before and after his resurrection Wherefore hee went not for that cause awaie as to send the holie ghost Aunswere Hee had giuen him indeede before but not in such plentifull manner as in the daie of Pentecost Againe that sending of the holy ghost which was from the beginning of the world in the church was done in respect of christ to come who shoulde at length raigne in humane nature and giue largelie and in aboundaunt manner the holie Ghost Before his Ascension hee gaue him not in such plentie because of the decree of God who purposed to do both by man glorified And the sending of the holy Ghost was the chiefe part of Christes glorie Therefore it is said As yet was not the holie ghost that is the woonderfull and plentifull sending of the holy Ghost because Christ was not as yet glorified 4. That he might promise for vs in the sight of God that he would bring to passe that we should no more offend 4 What is the difference between christs Ascension ours CHrists ascension and ours agree Both in that it is to the same place and in that also it is to be glorified But they differ 1. Because christ ascended by his owne power and vertue wee not by our own but by his Ioh. 3.13 No man hath ascended into heauen that is by his owne proper vertue but the Sonne of man We shal ascend by and for him Iohn 14.2 J goe to prepare you a place And Iohn 17.24 I wil that they which thou hast giuen me be with mee euen where I am 2. He ascended to be Head We to be his members Hee to glory agreeable for the Head and we shall ascend to glory fit for members He ascended to sit at the right hand of the Father we to sit indeede in his and his Fathers throne but that onely by participation not in the same degree and dignity with him Reuelat. 3.21 To him that ouercommeth will I graunt to sit with me in my throne euen as J ouercame and sit with my Father in his throne Christ therefore ascended as Heade of the Church wee shal ascend as members of this Head that we maie be partakers of his glory 3. Christs ascension was the cause of our ascēsion but it is not so of the contrarie 4. Whole christ ascended but not the whole of christ Because hee ascended as touching his humane nature onely and not as touching his diuine which also is on earth But the whole of vs shall ascend because wee haue onely a finite nature and that but one 5 What are the fruits of christs ascension THE chiefe fruites of christes ascension are First His Intercession which signifieth 1. The perpetual vertue and strength of christes Sacrifice 2. Both wils in christ both humane and diuine propitious and fauourable vnto vs whereby he will that for his Sacrifice
shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Reu. 22.17 The spirit the Bride say Come Lord Jesu which they say not who are not ready to receiue the Lorde For the wicked tremble and shake at the mention of that iudgement THE THIRD PART OF THE CREED Of the holy Ghost the sanctifier IN this last part of the Apostolike confession are cōteined six articles whereof the first speaketh of the person of the holie Ghost the next of the Church which is gathered confirmed and preserued by the holy Ghost the foure articles following are of the benefites bestowed by the Holy Ghost on the Church and first of the communion of Saints Secondly of remission of sinnes Thirdly of the resurrection of the flesh Lastly of euerlasting life The chiefe Questions of the holy Ghost or holy spirite 1 What the name spirit signifieth 2 Who and what the Holie Ghost or spirite is 3 What is the holy Ghosts office 4 Of whom the holy Ghost is giuen and wherefore 5 To whom he is giuen 6 How he is giuen and receiued 7 How he is reteined and kept 8 Whether he maie be lost and how 9 Wherefore he is necessarie 10 How we may know that he dwelleth in vs. 1 * It is here to be noted that this Questiō serueth more properlie for the latine which vseth this name Spiritus only when as we in English vse as much or more rather the word Ghost than Spirit when wee speake of the third Person WHAT THE NAME SPIRIT SIGNIFIETH THE name spirite is taken sometimes for the cause sometimes for the effect When it is taken for the cause it signifieth a nature incorporeall and liuing of a spirituall essence wielding moouing and stirring some thing So first God essentiallie and personallie is a spirit that is incorporeal without any bodilie dimensions or quantitie inuisible Secondly The Angels also whether good or bad are in this sense spirites Thirdly after the same manner the soules of men are called spirits Gen. 2.7 Hee breathed in his face breath of life that is he sent in a spirit or soule into him When the woorde spirit is taken for an effect it signifieth 1. The aire moued 2. The mouing it selfe and motion of the aire 3. The wind and moouing vapours 4. Spirituall effects or motions good or bad So is it said The spirit of fear And contrary The spirit of Princes that is courage likewise The spirit of fornication 5. New spirit signifieth the giftes of the holy spirit In this doctrine which we haue in hand Spirit signifieth the cause stirring and moouing namely the third person of the God-head which is forcible in the mindes and wils of men And this third person of the God-heade is called a spirit 1. Because he is a spiritual essence or substaunce incorporeall and inuisible 2. Because he is inspired of the Father and the son that is because is the immediate stirrer and moouer of diuine works The Father and the Sonne mooue but by this spirit 3. Because himselfe inspireth and immediatly worketh motions in the harts of the Elect whence he is called Luk. 1.35 The power of the most high 4. Because hee is God equall and the same with the Father and the Son And god is a spirite This third person of the God-head is called Holie 1. Because he in himselfe by himselfe and of his owne nature is Holie 1. Because he is the hallower or sanctifier that is he immediatly halloweth or sanctifieth and maketh holie others The father and the sonne sanctifie by him and therefore mediatelie 2 Who and what the holy ghost is THE holie ghost is the third person of the true and onelie god-head proceeding from the Father and the Sonne and coeternall coequal and consubstantial with the Father and the Son and is sent from both into the harts of the Elect to sanctifie them vnto eternal life Here are we to say the same thinges of the Godhead of the holy Ghost which haue bin spoken before of the Godhead of the son For this definition is also to be prooued and confirmed by the proofes of the same foure partes 1 That the holy Ghost is a person 2 That he is the third person or that he is other distinct from the father and the Sonne 3 That he is true God with the Father and the Sonne or that he is equall to the Father and the Sonne 4 That he is of the same God-head with the Father the Sonne or that he is consubstantiall vnto both FIrst therefore that the holy ghost is a person is prooued 1 By his apparitions Because he hath appeared visible Luk. 3.22 The holy ghost came downe in a bodilie shape like a Doue Act. 2.3 And there appeared vnto them clouen toungs like fire and it that is the fire or the holie ghost sate vpon each of them Seeing then the holy Ghost descended in bodilie shape vpon Christ and sate vpon the Apostles it followeth that he is subsisting For no qualitie or created motion of minds or hearts is able to doe in like manner For an accident doth not only not take vpō it any shape but standeth in neede of some thing else in which it selfe should consist and bee Neither is the aire the place or subiect of holinesse godlinesse loue of God and other spiritual motions but the mindes of men 2. He is proued to be a person because he is called god 1. Cor. 3.16 Know yee not that yee are the temple of god and that the spirite of god dwelleth in you Acts 5.3 Why hath satan filled thine hart that thou shouldest lie vnto the holie Ghost And in the next verse he saith Thou hast not lied vnto men but vnto god See also Isai 40.7.13 Actes 28.25 Ephes 4.4.30 Howesoeuer then the aduersaries of this doctrine gtaunt the holy Ghost to be God yet this cannot bee but he must be a subsistent or person seing God is a being but our godlinesse goodnesse Godly motions and other diuine affections cannot be called God 3. He is a person because he is the author of our Baptisme and we are baptized in his name that is by his commaundement and wil. But wee are not baptized by the commaundement and wil of a deade thing or of a thing not existing neither are wee baptized in the name of the graces or giftes of God 4. Because the properties of a person are attributed vnto him as that hee teacheth that he distributeth giftes euen as he wil that he comforteth confirmeth ruleth raigneth likewise that hee sendeth Apostles that hee speaketh in the Apostles Luke 12.12 The holie Ghost shall teach you in the same houre what yee ought to saie So also he declareth the thinges to come Ioh. 16.13 The spirite of truth wil shewe you the thinges to come Hee giueth prophecies he commaundeth and willeth that the Apostles be separated and lastlie he appointeth teachers in the church All these are thinges proper vnto a person existing intelligent endued with a wil working
are not al alwaies estrâ—iâ—ged from the church but are sometimes made members of the visible Church though sometimes they depart from it 1. Ioâ— 2.19 They went our â—ro vs. Act 2â— 29 Grieuous wolues shall enter in among you Obiect These terms are mutuallie affirmed one of the other To be saued Elected To Beleeue For al beleeuers are Elected and to be saued And al who are to be sâ—uâ—d and are Elected do beleeue Aunswere These termes indeed are mutually one affirmed of another but yet with a certaine limitation All true beleeuers and al that are to be saued are Elected and that alwaies and at all times But all that are Elected are both beleeuers and to bee saued but yet not alwaies The Elect are to be saued alwaies but are not both beleeuers and to be saued alwaies For at one time they maie bee saide that they are to bee saued and at another that they are beleeuers at another that they are saued Thus faire then are these terms mutually affirmed each of other as that al the Elect doe beleeue or shal beleeue before the ende of their life For now is the time of grace then shall be the time of iudgement Obiection Christ notwithstanding calleth those which were not as yet câ—nuerted of the Gentiles his sheepe J haue saith he other sheepe which are not of this fold that is of this part of the Church which is to be gathered out of the Jewes Wherefore those other sheepe seeme to bee of the general flock Aunswere They were then sheepe according to the prouidence and counsel of God but they were not sheep as concerning the fulfilling of his decree that is they were predestinated sheep In sum The Elect are not alwaies members of the church but yet it is required of necessity that in this life they bee brought vnto the Church though it be sometimes euen at the very point of death This is it which is said That all the Elect must in this life beginne eternal life The Reprobate are indeed sometimes members of the church neither are they alwaies estranged from it but their comming is no true comming to the Church neither are they euer members of the inuisible Church that is of the Church and companie of Saintes For from this they are euer aliens 8 Whether the Elect may fall from the Church and the Reprobate abide alwaies in the Church THIS question is cleared laid open by those things which are spoken of the vnchangeablenes of election and of the perseuerance of the Saints The Elect cannot 〈◊〉 holy and 〈◊〉 â—om the Church and godly The Elect when they are once indeede come vnto the Church of the Saints they may sometime fall from it but wholy and finally forsake it they neuer can Not wholy because they neuer so defect or fall that they become enimies of God and the Church Not finally because they persist not in this Apostasie but at length returne to repentance 1. Jâ—h 2.19 They went out from vs but they were not of vs for if they had beene of vs they would haue continued with vs. Isai 42.3 A bruse breede shall hee not breake and the smoking flaxe shall he not quench Ioh. 10.28 No man shall plucke my sheepe out of mine hand The reprobate at the length fall finally from it All the reprobate hypocrites do at length finally depart from the Church and together with those giftes which they had they leese also those gifts which they seemed to haue Obiect The Godlie also oftentimes fal away as Dauid and Peter Ans They fall but neither wholy nor finally which also befel vnto Peter For he retained still in his minde the loue of Christ although for fear of danger he denied him He acknowledged also afterwards his offence and did truly repent him thereof Dauid also did not wholy fall away but beeing rebuked of the Lord by the Prophet hee truely repented and shewed that his faith was not quite dead but in a slumber rather for a season But hypocrites and the reprobate doe at length wholy and finally reuolt and fall away For they doe so at last fall away that they neuer returne to repentance And because the true loue of God was neuer in theÌ„ so neither themselues euer were of the number of gods elect Saints therfore at length they wholy and altogether depart and fall away from the Church 9 What is the vse of this doctrine THE vse of this doctrine is 1. That the glorie of our saluation be in whole ascribed and giuen to God What hast thou that thou hast not receiued 2. That we may haue sure and certain comfort This we shall haue when as wee shall not doubt of those things which are here taught and that especially if euerie of vs be certainely perswaded that the decree of God of sauing his elect is altogether vnchangeable and further that himself also is of the number of the elect euen a member of the inuisible Church and therefore shâ—ll neuer depart from the Church and communion of Saints because it is sanctified of God and therefore is holy and conformed vnto God not in perfection but is holy first by imputation by reason of the holines of Christ imputed vnto it next by inchoation because the holy Ghost dooth by little and little renew it and repuâ—ge it from the filth of sinne and lastly it is holy because it is dedicated to a holy sacred and diuine vse and seuered from the wicked which are without the church To beleeue therefore the holy Church is to beleeue that in this visible companie and society are some true repentants and truely conuerted and my selfe to be a liuely member of the inuisible and visible Church OF THE COMMVNION OF SAINTS THE Articles following are concerning the benefits of Christ bestowed on the Church by the holy ghost The Communion of Saints signifieth 1. The communion of Christes members with him and among themselues The Vnion of the Church with Christ and of his members among themselues 2. The communion or participation of all Christs benefites For all the Saints haue the same reconciliation redemption righteousnes saluation sanctification by and for Christ All the Saints haue the same benefits common which are necessarie to saluation Eph. 4.4 There is one bodie and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your vocation one Lord one Faith one Baptisme 3. Jt signifieth the distribution of speciall giftes These particular giftes also are common to the whole Church as which are bestowed on some members of the Church for the saluation of the whole bodie euen For the gathering together of the Saints Eph 4.12 for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ But they are so distributed vnto euerie member as that some excell and goe before othersome in gifts and graces in the Church For the gifts of the holy Ghost are diuers and to euerie one of vs is giuen grace
according to the measure of the gift of Christ Eph. 4.7 4. It signifieth an obliging or binding of al the members to imploy refer al their gifts to the glory of christ their head to the saluation of the whole body of euery member mutually Why the faithfull are called Saintes The faithfull are called Saints in three respects 1. Jmputatiuelie that is in respect that Christs sanctitie and nolines is imputed vnto them 2. Inchoatiuely that is in respect that conformitie and agreeablenes with the law is incliâ—ated or begun in them 3. In respect of their separation because they are selected and separated for all other men By this then which hath beene spoken it appeareth what is to beleeue the communion of Saints namely to beleeue that the Saints of which number I must needes certainly be assured my selfe to bee one are vnited by the spirite vnto Christ their head and that from the head gifts are poured downe vnto them both those which are the same in all necessarie to saluation as also those which being diuers and diuersly bestowed vpon euerie one are requisite for the edification and building of the Church Now must we a litle more at large expound the fiâ—st and chiefe part of the communion of Saintes That is the vnion or coherence of al the Saintes that is of the whole bodie of the church with Christ the heade and of his members among themselues which is wrought by the Holy Ghost euen by the same spirite who dwelleth in christ the heade and in all his members And by this vnion christ conformeth his Saints maketh them like vnto himselfe by the same spirit which is common to both worketh the like in both reseruing stil a difference in working for in the heade he worketh al gifts graces those most perfectly in the members he worketh those gifts which are conuenient for euerie one so much as is for euery one requisite and necessarie This vnion of Christ with his members and of his members mutually among themselues is confirmed and declared by these places of Scripture John 15.5 J am the vine yee are the braunches He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruite 1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirite are wee all baptised into one bodie 1. Cor. 6.17 Hee that is ioined vnto the Lord is one spirit 1. Iohn 4.13 Hereby know we that we dwel in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirite Hence it is cleare how absurde their fancy is who contend that this communion is a subsistence or personal beeing of Christes body among our bodies or of our bodies blended and mingled with his The same is refuted by that often alleadged comparison of the head and members For those are coherent and grow together but are not in a mixture nor mingled one with another Whence also wee maie easily iudge of that communion which is in the Sacramentes For the Sacramentes seale nothing else but that which the word promiseth But to let this passe the same is also hereby refuted that this communion must be continued for euer For to this ende dooth Christ communicate himselfe to vs that he may dwel in vs Wherefore such as is his abiding and dwelling such is his communion But christs abiding and dwelling is perpetual Therefore his communion also is perpetuall This argument is most strong and firme and therefore for the assoyling it they haue beene faine to deuise their Vbiquite For to obtaine that other communion which they woulde haue they must needes affirme that Christ dwelleth alwaies bodily in al his Saints OF REMISSION OF SINNES THE chiefe Questions 1 What remission of sinnes is 2 Who giueth it 3 For What. 4 Whether it agreeth with Gods iustice 5 Whether it be freely giuen 6 To whom it is giuen 7 How it is giuen 1 WHAT REMISSION OF SINNES IS REmission of sinnes is the purpose of God not to punish the sins of the faithful euen as if they had neuer sinned Remission of sinne is Gods will not imputing vnto vs our sinne and imputing Christs righteousnesse which purpose of not punishing their sinnes God dooth withall declare vnto vs. Roman 5.5 For the loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holie Ghost which is giuen vnto vs. It may be also defined thus Remission of sinnes is the pardoning of deserued punishment and the giuing or imputing of anotherâ— righteousnes to wit the righâ—eousnes of Christ But more fullie it is defined on this wise Remission of sinnes is the will of God which to the faithfull and Elect imputeth not anie sinne and therefore doth in like sort loue them as if they had neuer sinned and deliuereth them from al punishment of sin and giueth them eternal life freely for the intercession and merit of Iesus Christ the sonne of God our Mediator Now albeit God â—or the merit of his son remitteth our sins to vs yet he afflicteth vs as yet in this life not therby to punish vs but fatherly to chastise vs. Neither yet because god doth not punish vs for our sins must we therfore think that he is not displeased with them For he is highly displeased offended with the sins also of his Saints chosen 2 Who giueth remission of sinnes REmission of sinnes is giuen of God onelie who as the Prophet Isaiah saith cap 43. 25. putteth away our iniquities And this is done both of the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost For we are baptized in the name of all three Now Baptisme Remission of sinnes is the worke of all three persons as also it is saide of Iohns Baptisme is wrought for remission of sinnes and of the Sonne the Scripture affirmeth plainly That the sonne of man hath power to remit sinnes Likewise it is saide of the holy Ghost that hee was tempted that he is offended and grieued Wherefore he also hath power to remit sins For none can remit sins but hee against whom sinne is committed and who is offended by sinne And Christ also in plaine woordes in the Euangelists speaketh of the sinne against the holy Ghost Now the cause that God onelie that is the father the son the holy ghost only remit sins is this because none but the partie offended can remit sins but only god the father the son the holy ghost is offended by our sins Therfore god only can remit them and consequently no creature is able to graunt ought of this right of god Whereupon also Dauid saith Psal 51.4 Against thee onelie haue I sinned and done euil in thy sight How the ministers and the Church are saide to remit sinnes Obiection But the Apostles also and the Church remit sins because it is saide Matth 18.18 Whatsoeuer yee binde on earth shall bee bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen and Ioh. 20.23 Whose soeuer sins yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose
that hee hath done If then the bodies which haue sinned shall receiue accordingly not other bodies but the same shall rise And the very word it selfe of rising enforceth as much for nothing can rise but that which is fallen Wherefore seeing our bodies shall rise no other bodies shall rise or bee quickened than those which haue fallen and are dead or no other than those which doe fall and die How flesh and bloud i◠denied the heauenly inheritance Obiection But saint Paul saith that flesh and bloud cannot inherite the kingdome of god Therefore our bodies cannot possesse the kingdome of god because they are flesh and bloud Answere The flesh oftentimes signifieth some qualitie or the substaunce in respect of some certaine qualitie So flesh that is being sinfull and corruptible shall not possesse the kingdome of God but our flesh then shall no more be able to sinne neither shall it bee corruptible Obiection 2. Our bodies shall be spirituall 1. Cor. 15.44 Jt is sowen a naturall bodie and is raised a spirituall bodie Therefore our bodies shall not then haue the properties of our flesh Aunswere In what sense our bodies shall bee spirituall They shall bee indeede spirituall but shall not haue all the properties of a spirite but some onely because they shall bee agile and quicke mightie and vncorrupt and indeede are therefore chieflie called spirituall because they shall be guided by the spirite neither shall any more the naturall life remaine in them That this is true is apparent by these reasons 1. The Apostle himselfe addeth This corruptible must put on incorruption 2. Hee calleth it a spirituall bodie but a spirite is no bodie 3. Jf anie bodie after the resurrection should be so spirituall as not retaining at all anie bodilie properties then surelie Christs bodie should haue beene so but now he saith to the Apostles Luk. 24.39 Handle me and see for a spirite hath not flesh and bones as ye see mee haue Obiection 3. How are wee saide to beleeue the resurrection when as yet wee are saide to hope for the resurrection to come Answere We are saide to hope for the resurrection as it is an effect of Gods counsell wee are saide to beleeue it as it is the counsell it selfe and purpose of God 9 Whether the soule be immortal The causes for which this Question is to bee moued Mat. 22.23 2. Tim. 2.17 BEsides that this question belongeth to the Article of the Resurrection the explication also thereof in it selfe shal not be altogether vnprofitable or fruitlesse For not now onely doe they beginne to dispute against the immortalitie of the soule but the Sadduces also denied it as they likewise that said the Resurrection was past alreadie vnto him that beleeued neither made anie other resurrection besides that spirituall resurrection of the regenerate Likewise also some Anabaptists denie the immortalitie of the soule Moreouer Paul the third Pope of Rome when he was breathing out his soule and readie to dy said that now at length he should trie know three things whereof in his whole time he had much doubted 1. Whether there were a god 2. Whether soules were immortall 3. Whether there were any hel Wherefore it ought not to seeme straunge if this question be moued neither shal it bee altogether vaine and needelesse both because it serueth for the controuling and refuting especially of Epicures and also because it maketh for the better vnderstanding of some places of holy Scripture But because there haue beene and euen nowe are who haue taught that the soule of man like as of bruite beastes is nothing else but life or the vitall power arising of the temperature and perfection of the bodie and therefore dieth and is extinguished together with the bodie and as some of them speake who wil seeme to beleeue the resurrection of the dead doth sleepe when the bodie dieth that is is without motion or sense vntil the raising of the bodie which indeede is nothing else than that the soule is mortal that is a meere qualitie onlie in the bodie and when the bodie is dissolued becommeth nothing because if it were an incorporeal substance it could not be without sense and motion against these we are to holde the recordes of Gods woorde and writ concerning the spiritual and immortal substaunce of mans soul The soule an in corporeall substance That the soule of man is not onely a forme or perfection or temperament or force and power or an agitation arising out of the temperature of the bodie but a substaunce incorporeall liuing vnderstanding dwelling in the bodie and susteining and moouing it these places following of holy Scripture doe shewe Psalm 48. His soule shal be blessed in life Heb. 12. God is called the Father of spirites And it is saide of the faithfull Yee are come to the celestial Ierusalem and to the companie of innumerable Angels and to the spirites of iust and perfect men 1 Cor. 2.11 No man knoweth the thinges of a man saue the spirite of a man which is in him In these and the like places of Scripture both the soule of man is called a spirite and the properties of a liuing vnderstanding substance are attributed vnto it Wherefore to no purpose doe the aduersaries of this doctrine oppose those places in which the name of the soul is taken for the the life and wil of man as Matth. cap. 6. The soul is more woorth than meate Iob. 13.14 J put my soule in my hand For by the fore-alledged places it is manifest thnt this is not general but is vsed by a * Metalepsis figure of speech whereby we cal the effect by the name of his cause Now the immortalitie of the soule is prooued by manifest places of holie Scripture 1. Luk 23.43 The soule immortall Christ hanging on the crosse said to the theefe this daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise But he could not be there in bodie because that was dead and buried Therefore his soule was gathered with Christs into Paradise and so consequentlie the soul liueth 2. Paul saith Phil. 1.23 I desire to be loosed and to be with christ he speaketh of the rest ioie which he should enioie with christ But they who feele nothing what can their ioie or happinesse bee Wherefore they also are refuted in this place who saie mens souls sleep so withall denie the immortality of the soul 3. Wised 3.1 The souls of the iust are said to be in the hands of god 4. Matt. 22.32 God is not the god of the dead but of the liuing Therefore the soules liue 5. Luk. 23.46 Into thy hands I commend my spirit 6. 2 Corinth 5.8 When we remoue out of the body we may goe vnto the Lord. Wherefore the soules sleep not as some Anabaptistes wil haue thē but enioie immortall life and celestiall glorie with the Lorde 7. In the Reuelation cap. 6.10 The soules of the godly that were killed are said to
is grasse But if they vrge the verie woorde in these speeches it will followe that not onely after death there is nothing remaining but that there is not any resurrection when hee saith a wind that passeth and commeth not againe as also flowers and shadowes whereunto man is compared doe so perish that they are not recouered Psalm 88.5 I am counted as the slain lying in the graue whom thou remembrest no more In these wordes the Prophet doth not signifie either himselfe or the dead to bee exempted from Gods prouidence but he complaineth that he is forsaken of God euen as the deade seeme to men not to bee cared for of him and therefore he speaketh not according to the sense of faith but of his owne opinion and weaknes miserie who iudgeth those to be forsaken and neglected of God whose deliuerie for a while he dooth differre But what faith in the meane season suggesteth and telleth the godly euen when they wrestle with temptation he sheweth Psalm 11.2 when hee saith The iust shall bee in euerlasting memorie Psal 146.4 His spirit departeth and he returneth to his earth thē his thoughts perish Here he saith not the spirit or soul of men perisheth or vanisheth or dieth or is bereaued of sense but that it departeth to wit from the bodie wherein it dwelleth and that not the spirit but the man returneth to his earth that is as concerning his bodie which was made of earth as is written Gen. 3 and Eccles 12. And lastly he saith that his thoughtes perish which is not that the soule is after this life bereaued of reason iudgement and sense of the mercy or wrath of God but that his purposes and counsels are made frustrate which man in this life had setled with him-selfe to bring to passe in which sense it is said Psalm 112.10 The desire of the wicked shal perish They gather also other sayings which take away all praising and worshipping of God from the dead As Psal 88.10 Wilt thou shew a miracle vnto the dead Or shall the dead rise and praise thee But in such speeches death and hell or the graue haue two significations They who are spiritually dead whether before or after the death of the bodie that is they who are depriued of gods grace forsaken and reiected of god and are in hell that is in the place torments of the damned or else in this life despairing and destitute of comfort shall not praise god at all neither in this life nor in the life to come But they who are dead not spiritually but corporally onely albeit they shall not praise god in this life while their bodies are in hell that is in the graue yet in soul they shal not cease to acknowledge and praise god in the other life vntill when receiuing their bodies againe they shall magnifie him in both in the celestial eternity But in the meane season because god will also be agnised and magnified of men in this life therefore both the whole Church and euerie one of the faithfull not only pray that they may not fall into that forsaking into that sense of gods wrath wherewith the wicked are oppressed but also desire that they may bee in this mortall life preserued and defended vntill the end thereof by god appointed be expired For the Saints doe not simply stand in feare of the bodily death and graue but that they may not be forsaken of god neither fall into desperation and destruction or their enimies insult against god when they are ouerthrowen this with daily and ardent praiers and petitions they beg and craue continually Nowe that which the aduersaries ad farther out of the Psal 146.2 I will praise the Lord during my life as long as J haue anie beeing I will sing vnto my God this maketh nothing with thē For he restraineth not the praising of God to the time of his mortal life but only he saith that he wil spēd all that time in Gods praises which notwithstanding in manie other places he extendeth to continue al eternity as Psal 34. I wil praise the Lord continually But oftentimes this particle vntill or as long as signifieth a continuance of the time going before some euent without any excluding of the time following as 1. Cor. 15.25 He must raign vntil he hath put al his enemies vnder his feete Iob. 10.20 Let him cease and leaue off from mee that I maie take a little comfort before I goe and shal not returne Hee denieth in these wordes that he shall returne into this mortall life and to conuerse among men in this woorlde but hee denieth not that hee in the meane season hath his beeing and doth liue vntil againe he see God in his flesh euen the same Iob who thē was afflicted As himself saith ca. 19.26 Iob 3.11 Why died I not when I came out of the womb Here also Iob dooth not denie the soules after death to bee liue feele and vnderstand but only he saith the miseries of this present life are not felt If they vrge that neither the euils of the life to come are felt because then Job shoulde wish for a bad chaunge we aunswere that Iob wisheth not for the death of the wicked but of the godly But if they ad furder That Job dooth make Kings and Princes also which gather gold vnto them smal and great that is al men good and bad partakers of this rest our aunswere is out of the processe and course of his whole speech that Iob dooth not teach here what is the state of men after this life but onely desireth to bee rid of his present miserie and therefore through humane infirmity and impatiency doth compare the sense and feeling of his present miseries with the death and state of the dead whatsoeuer it be as they who are grieuously tormented with present distresses and calamities prefer any thing whatsoeuer before that which they suffer So also chapter 7. hee speaketh as one despairing of deliuerie in this life Remember that my life is but a wind and that mine eie shal not returne to see pleasure For so hee expoundeth himselfe when he addeth He shal returne no more to his house neither shall his place knowe him anie more So likewise cap. 17. My breath is corrupt and the graue is readie for me They are woords of one despairing of life and saluation god being wrath and angry But chapter 34.14 when it is said If he set his hart vpon man and gather vnto him selfe his spirit and his breath Al flesh shal perish together it is not saide that the soule dooth sleepe or perish but that by the departure thereof the body dieth and is dissolued Further they adde Jf presently after death the godlie were blessed then iniurie was doone vnto them who were called againe into this mortall life But to this we aunswere That neither god can be iniurious to any man whereas he is in no mans debt neither can any thing happen better
or more acceptable vnto the godly than to serue for the manifesting of gods glory either by life or by death As Phil. 1. it is said As alwaies so now Christ shall be magnified in my body whether it bee by life or by death c. Last of all if they say that the soule hath neither sense nor action but by bodilie instruments and therefore being naked and destitute of these is destitute also of sense motion and operation To graunt vnto them this Antecedent of the soule being in the bodie yet notwithstanding of the soule freed from the bodie both learned Philosophers confesse the contrarie the word of god testifieth the contrarie as 1. Cor. 13.9 We know in part we prophecie in part but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shal be abolished OF EVERLASTING LIFE THIS Article is placed in the end 1. Because it is perfectlie fulfilled after the rest 2. Because it is an effect of all the other articles that is we beleeue all the other articles for this and all things that we beleeue were done that we might beleeue this article and so at length inioy euerlasting life This article is the end and roofe of our whole saluation and life The chiefe questions of euerlasting life 1 What euerlasting life is 2 Of whom it is giuen 3 To whom it is giuen 4 Wherefore it is giuen 5 When it is giuen 6 How it is giuen 7 Whether in this life wee may bee assured of euerlasting life 1 WHAT EVERLASTING LIFE IS What life is in generall LIFE is defined among Philosophers diuersly and it is indeede a word of diuers significations signifiyng diuers things In generall it is either the verie existence and being of the soul with the bodie or the operation of a liung thing that is it signifieth to be or to doe those things which are proper vnto a liuing nature for it is taken both for the first act and for the second Therefore death is the destruction of a liuing thing and of the power or facultie of woorking Or Life is an aptitude of a liuing thing to worke the operations proper vnto it and is also the operations themselues by reason of the Vnion of the bodie with the soule Generally both as touching god and Angels and men it is the existence or being of a liuing thing and the facultie or power wherewith euerie liuing thing beeing endewed dooth exercise the operations and actions of life Spirits also liue but they haue not that from life but from their very nature essence Now when we mention euerlasting life we restraine the word for then it speaketh of the euerlasting life of men Angels That is called Euerlasting 1. Which hath neither beginning nor ending Life euerlasting hath a beginning but no end 2 Which hath no beginning and hath an ending as the decrees of god 3. Which hath a beginning but shal haue no end as euerlasting life But this question seemeth vnexplicable because it is said thereof Jsai 64.4 and 1. Cor. 2.9 Neither eie hath seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart the things which god hath prepared for them that loue him Yet we will see what may be knowen concerning this question of the holy Scripture 1. Life in generall signifieth to liue or to be as wee restraine beeing to a thing liuing that is to bee endued with a soule which soule is that whereby we liue and the naturall life is the remaining or dwelling of the soule in a liuing bodie and the operation of the soule or the facultie of the soule working those actions which are proper to a liuing thing For the soule is the essential forme of life which who haue liue 2. Euerlasting life is nothing else but to be as we restrain being to a regenerate man which To be The full definition of euerlasting life is to haue the Jmage of god restored according to which we were at the first created But to explane expouÌ„d this we haue need of a more ful definitioÌ„ Wherefore euerlasting life is the habitation or dwelling of god in Angels and men by the holie ghost and the true knowledge of god his will and all his woorkes kindled by the same spirite in their hearts and true and perfect righteousnes and wisedome that is a perfect conformitie and correspondence of their will and powers and operations with the minde and will of god as also a ioy resting on god and a sufficiencie of all good thinges in god as touching both soule and bodie which shall neuer be interrupted hindered or haue an end Life euerlasting is 1 The knowâ—ege of God and wisedome The proofe and confirmation of the partes of this definition is easie 1. It is the knowlege of God and wisedome Iohn 17.3 This is life eternall that they know thee to bee the onelie verie God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ 2. 2 Righteousnes It is righteousnesse Luk. 20.36 They are equall vnto the Angels 3 Ioy. 4 Sufficiencie in God and are the sonnes of God since they are the children of the resurrection 3. It is ioy Ioh. 16.22 Your ioy shall no man take from you 4. It is sufficiencie in god Reuel 21.22 The Lord god almightie and the Lambe are the Temple of it And the Citie hath no neede of the Sunne neither of the Moone to shine in it for the glorie of god did light it and the Lambe is the light of it All those good things which we possesse here shall then be perfect 1. Cor. 13.10 When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be abolished 5 Without interruption 5. It shall not be interrupted Reuel 21.4 God shall wipe away all teares from their eies Luk. 1.33 Of his kingdome shall bee no end Dan. 7.27 And the kingdome and dominion and the greatnes of the kingdome vnder the whole heauen shall bee giuen to the holy people of the most high whose kingdome is an euerlasting kingdome that is which hath neither beginning nor ending 3 Euerlasting life is that which hath a beginning but is without end In this third sense also shall wee enioy euerlasting life Obiection Euerlasting life is to liue euerlastinglie But the wicked also shall be raised and be immortall because they shall liue eternally Therefore the wicked shall haue euerlasting life Answere By the name of euerlasting life is not meant the presence of the soule in the bodie that is the naturall life but this being presupposed there is furder meant a spirituall life which the holy Ghost woorketh by his proper function and office Now with the naturall life in the wicked shall bee ioyned 1. A reiection from God 2. A priuation and want of the knowledge and grace of God 3. A perpetuall and vnutterable torment and vexation Their worme shal neuer die There shall bee weeping and gnashing of teeth Here-by is vnderstoode that euerlasting
correlatiue As therefore the things cannot be without the signe so if you take away the signe from the thing it remaineth no more a signe because the relation consisteth in the ioining of things As the master is no more a master if he haue no seruaunt Wherefore the thinges and their signes are distinguished but not sundered and separated Briefer thus Jn euery sacrament are the signe and the thing signified The thing is christ himselfe and his benefits or the communion and participation of christ and his benefites The thing and the sacrament differ in this The thing is not properly the sacrament neither are the signes sacramentes The signe is not the thing but if you take away the signe the thing remaineth no longer neither the signe if you take away the thing Therefore they are to be discerned not to be sundered Wherefore these two must be together so that if one be takeÌ„ awaie the other remaineth no longer that which before it was said to be Of all this which hath been said we conclude that there is a sacramentall vnion and coÌ„iunction of the things signes in sacraments and it consisteth â— Jn a similitude whereby the thing is signified shadowed and reâ—â—â—sented For if the signes haue not a resemblaunce and similitude with the things they are nowe no longer signes 2 In the ioint-receiuing of the things and signes In these consisteth the coniunction of the things and signes 7 In what the things differ from the signes THE signes differ from the things signified 1. In substauncâ—â— The signes are corporeall visible earthly the thinâ—â—â—â—â—uenly inuisible spiritual Obiection But the body of 〈◊〉 is a corporeall thing Aunswere By spirtuall things are here meant those which are through the woorking of the holy ghost receiued by faith onely and not by any part of our body 2. They differ in the maner of receiuing the signes are receiued by the hand mouth and partes of the body and therefore also of vn◠〈…〉 are receiued by faith onely and the spirit and therefore of the faithful only 3 In the end or vse The things are giuen for the possessing of eternal life they are eternal life it selfe or some part thereof The signes are receiued for the sealing confirming of our faith concerning the things theÌ„selues promised 4. The things signified are necessary are necessarily receiued of all the members of the true church The signes are receiued of them only who are able to receiue them The signes are diuerse the rites and ceremonies variable the things are perpetual and the same in al sacramentes 8 What phrases and formes of speaking of the sacramentes are vsual vnto the Church and scripture THe forms of speaking of sacraments are partly proper Proper formes of speaking partly figuratiue The proper are 1. When the sacraments ar called tokens signs seals those sealing confirming vnto vs that God wil giue those things which he hath promised So CircuÌ„cision is a seal of the righteousnes of faith And it shal be a signe in thy flesh 2. When vnto the signes are expresly adioined promises namely that we shall receiue the things signified by theÌ„ as when it is said Mar. 16 16. He that shal beleeue be baptized shall bee saued A figuratiue or sacramentall kind of speaking is Figuratiue forms of speaking 1. When the names of the things are giuen vnto the signes as the Paschall Lambe called the Passeouer 2. Contrariwise when the names of the signes are attributed to the things 3. When the properties belonging to the things are attributed to the signs As the bread which we brake is it not the communion of the body of christ so baptism is said to wash away sins to saue to regenerate 4. When coÌ„trariwise the properties of the signs are attributed to the things themselues As The rocke was christ We are washed by the bloud of Christ Al these phrases of speech signifie the same thing which is the promise of god adioined to the ceremony this therefore 1. Because the signs represent and seale the things Baptism is the washing of regeneratioÌ„ 2. Because the things the signs are together receiued by the faithful in the right vse therof 9 What is the right and lawful vse of Sacraments THE right vse of Sacraments is In the right vse of sacraments is respected 1 The institution of Christ which must be pure 2 The persons receiuing who must be beleeuers 1. When the rites ordained by God are obserued and not corrupted The institution of Christ is to bee retained pure and vncorrupt the additions of Antichrist are to be taken away and those things which he tooke away are againe to be added 2. When those persons vse those rites for whom God hath ordained them Wherefore the houshold of Christ onely that is Christians who by profession of faith and repentance are the Citizens of the Church must vse these rites Act. 8 37. If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou maist bee baptized So also they are baptized of Iohn Matth. 3.6 who confesse their sinnes 3 The end for which they were instituted 3. When the rites and Sacraments are vsed to that end for which they were instituted For it is not lawfull to transforme the rites to any other ende or vse besides that whereunto they were ordained 1. Because that is not to obey Gods commandement 2. Because if the signs be changed or conuerted to another vse or the couenaunt not kept the consent of him that promiseth is lost without which the signe or earnest confirmeth nothing Wherefore the Sacraments without their right vse are no Sacraments but rather vain and fruitles spectacles neither haue they the nature of Sacramentes But the right and lawfull vse of them consisteth especiallie in faith and repentance They who haue not this vnto them the Sacraments are no Sacramentes Wherefore they are besides themselues who say that vnbeleeuers and infidâ—ls receiue together with the signes the things signified by the signes 10 What the wicked receiue in the vse and administration of the Sacraments The wicked receiue the bare signe without the things thereby signified THE wicked receiue the bare signes onelie and those to their iudgement and condemnation 1. Because the benefits of Christ are receiued onelie in the right vse of the Sacraments But they neglect the right vse of them who receiue them vnworthily Wherefore Paul also saith 1. Cor. 11.27 Whosoeuer shall eate this bread and drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthilie shall bee guiltie of the bodie and bloude of the Lorde But the wicked eate and drinke it vnworthily because they prophane the sacramentes and transforme God into the Diuel and the sonnes of God into the sonnes of the Diuel 2. Vnto whom nothing is promised in the Woorde to him the sacraments seale nothing For after what manner and vnto whom a Charter promiseth any thing after the same maner and to the same men doth the signe and seale annexed vnto
baptised into christ who shoulde suffer and rise againe and they into christ who had suffered and was risen againe 2 The first ende of baptisme instituted by God is that God might thereby signifie and testifie that hee cleanseth by bloud and the holy ghost them which are baptised from their sinnes and so engraffeth them into christes body and maketh them partakers of his benefites 2. That baptisme might be a solemne receiuing or matriculating and admitting of euery one into the visible church and a distinguishing mark of the church from all sectes 3. That it might be a publique and solemne profession of our faith in christ and our bond whereby wee are obliged to faith and obedience towardes him 4. That it might aduertise vs of our sinking into afflictions and of our rising out of them againe and deliueraunce fâ—m them 3. Baptisme hath this force and power to testifie and seale by the commandement of God through the promise of grace adioined by Christ vnto this rite rightly vsed For Christ baptiseth vs by the hand of his ministers as hee speaketh vnto vs by the mouth of his ministers 4 Wherefore there is in baptisme a double water An external visible water which is elementary and an internall inuisible celestial which is the bloud and spirite of christ So also there is a double washing An external visible signifieng washing namelie the sprinckling or powring of water which is corporall that is is perceiued by the partes and senses of the body And an internal inuisible and signified washing namely remission of sinnes for the bloud of christ shed for vs and our regeneration by the holie ghost and our engraffing into his bodie which is spiritual that is is perceiued and receiued by faith and the spirite Lastlie there is also a double administer of baptisme An external of the externall baptisme which is the minister of the church baptizing vs by his hand with water An internall of the internall baptisme which is christ himselfe baptizing vs by his bloud and spirit 5 Neither is the water changed into the bloud or spirite of Christ neither is the bloud of Christ present in the water or in the same place with the water Neither are their bodies who are baptised washed therewith visiblie neither is the holy ghost by his substance or vertue more in this water than elswhere but in the right vse of baptisme hee worketh in the hearts of them who are baptized and spirituallie sprinckleth and washeth them with the bloud of christ and he vseth this external Symbole or signe as an instrument and as a visible woord or promise to stay and stir vp the faith of them who are baptised 6 When as then Baptisme is said to bee the washing of the new birth or to saue vs or to wash away our sins it is meant that the externall Baptisme is a signe of the internall that is of regeneration or our new birth of saluation and spirituall washing this internall Baptisme is saide to bee ioined with that externall Baptisme in the right vse and administration thereof 7 But notwithstanding so is sinne in Baptism abolished that we are deliuered from beeing obnoxious to the wrath of God and from the condemnation of eternall punishment and furder newnesse of life is begun in vs by the holy Ghost but yet the remnants of sinne remaine in vs vntill the end of this life 8 Now all they and they alone receiue Baptisme according to the right vse who are renewed or renewing and are baptised to those ends whereto Baptisme was by Christ instituted 9 The Church doth rightly administer Baptisme to all them and to them alone whom she ought to repute in the number of the regenerate or members of Christ 10 Seeing also the infants of christians are of the church into which Christ wil haue al those receiued and enrolled by baptisme who belong vnto him and therefore baptisme was substituted in the place of circumcision whereby as well vnto the infantes as vnto the elder sort which did belong vnto the seede of Abraham iustification regeneration and receiuing into the church was sealed therefore no man can forbid water that they should not be baptised who haue receiued the holy ghost purifieng their hearts Those infantes then must necessarilie also be baptised who either are borne in the church or come together with their Parents to it 11 As the promise of the gospell so baptisme beeing receiued vnworthily that is before conuersion is ratified and profitable vnto saluation to them that are penitent and the vse thereof which was before amisse and vnlawfull is nowe become vnto them right and lawful 12 Neither doth the wickednes of the minister make baptisme voide or of no effect and force vnto them so that it be administred into the promise and faith of Christ and therefore also the true church dooth not baptize them who haue beene baptized of heretiques but only must enforme and enstruct them with true doctrin concerning Christ and baptisme 13 And as the couenant once made with god is also afterwards after sinnes committed perpetually firme and of force to the repentant so also Baptisme being once receiued confirmeth and assureth the repentant all their life time of remission of sinnes and therefore neither ought it to be reiterated neither to be differred vntill the end of our life as if it so onely cleansed men from sinnes if no sinnes be committed after it is once receiued 14 Neither yet are all those who are baptised with water whether they be of vnderstanding or Infants partakers of the grace of Christ For the euerlasting election of God his calling vnto the Kingdome of Christ is frree 15 Neither are all who are not baptised excluded from the gâ—ace of Christ For not the want but the contempt of the Baptisme shutteth men out of the couenant of God made with the faithfull and their children 16 And seeing the administration of the Sacraments is a part of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie they who are not called vnto this and especially weomen may not take vpon them the power and authoritie to baptise 17 Rites which are patched by men to Baptism as hallowing of the water tapers exorcisms chrisme salt crosses spetle such like are worthily reputed in the Christ as a corruption of the sacrament OF CIRCVMCISION THE latter two questions of Baptisme before expounded are also common vnto the doctrine of circumcision those thinges which may bee spoken of circumcision are not vnfitly annexed vnto the doctrine of baptisme It remaineth therefore that we briefly discusse those questions which are especiallie to be obserued concerning circumcision These are in number fower 1 What circumcision is 2 What are the ends of circumcision 3 Why it is abolished 4 Why christ was circumcised 1 WHAT CIRCVMCISION IS CIrcumcision is that rite whereby all the males of the Israelits were circumcised according to the commaundement of God that this right might bee a seale of the couenant made with Abrahams
cup is the new testament Or the couenant as both the * Berith greeke and * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebrue word admitteth Now it is called the new couenant that is renewed or to speake it in a woord fulfilled And this new couenant is our reconciliation with God the communion and participation of Christ and all his benefites by faith in the sacrifice of Christ now fulfilled finished without any obseruation of the ceremonies of the old Passeouer The supper is called the new couenaÌ„t because it is a signe and a seale of this couenant signing and sealing vnto vs our reconciliation with God and our coniunction with Christ which is wrought by faith Now in calling the supper the new couenant first he comprehendeth both the promise and the condition which is expressed in the promise namelie faith and repentance Whereof also it foloweth that the supper was for this cause also instituted that it might bee a bond to bind vs to lead a christian life Secondly hee maketh an opposition betweene the new couenant and that couenant which was the Passeouer together with the rites thereof For the supper signified Christ offered The Passeouer signified Christ who should bee offered There is notwithstanding no small similitude and agreeing of both For both signifie our reconciliation with God and coniunction with Christ Jâ— my bloud which is shed for you for remission of sinnes The shedding of Christs bloud is the merite for which beeing apprehended of vs by faith we receiue remission of sinnes For as often as yee shall eate The supper therefore is often to be iterated and celebrated 1. Because of the woordes of the institution 2. In respect of the ende and purpose of the institution because it must bee done in remembranuce of Christ Shewe the Lordes death That is beleeue that Christ died and that for you and then professe it also publiquely before all Till hee come Therefore it must bee obserued vnto the worlds end neither is any other externall forme to be looked for vntill the day of iudgement The words of the institution which haue beene hitherto expounded may be made more plaine and cleare by these wordes of the Apostle The cup of blessing which we blesse is it not the communion of the bloude of Christ The bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ The cup of blessing that is the cup of thankesgiuing which is receiued namely to this end that wee may yeeld thankes to Christ for his death and passion The communion of the bodie likewise the communion of the bloud is to be made through faith partaker of Christ and all his benefites the same spirit being in vs which is in Christ and woorking the same in vs which he worketh in Christ Bread and wine is the communion that is it is the signe of our communion with Christ Now our communion as the Apostle briefly declareth consisteth in this that wee who are manie are one bodie Whence it is most easie to collect that this communion is not a corporall eating For it is wrought onely by faith and the holy Ghost Christ is the heade and wee the members and all wee who are members haue also a communion of all Christs benefites Therefore the heade is common the benefites common and so the members also common among themselues wherefore their loue and dilection is common and mutual We vnderstand nowe what is the true meaning of the words of the institution especiallie of those about which is greatest coÌ„trouersy which are these This is my body that is to repeat in few wordes the true sense of them This bread broken of me and giuen to you is a signe of my bodie for your sakes rent and deliuered vnto death and a certaine seale of your coniunction with me so that he who beleeueth and eateth this bread doth truelie and reallie after a sort eat my bodie This our iudgement and interpretation or Christs rather is most true and vnto the truth of the Gospell most agreeable Here especially resistâ—unce is made and the greatest controuersie is about the word or vnderstanding of the word For our aduersaries vnderstand those wordes so as tâ—ey maintaine thereof to folow that Christes bodie is present and eaten corporallie But in the meane season they consider not that those wordes are sacramentallie to bee taken or that the speech is sacramental and therefore is not to be taken as proper and simple as it shoulde bee if thence were gathered that the bread is changed into Christs bodie Now to the signe here is attributed the name of the thing signified both for the coniunction which the thing signified hath in the right vse of the supper with the signe and also for the proportion which the signe hath with the thing signified Come wee now to those arguments whereby wee may confirme our interpretation and opinion to bee true The arguments which wee will vse are of three sorts such as are wont to bee also in like controuersies 1. Some are taken from the nature of the thing or subiect that is by vnderstanding the speech as the thing it selfe doth beare and suffer 2. Some are drawen from an analogie of the articles of our faith or from a conference of places or parts of christian doctrine for the holy spirite is the spirite of truth 3. Some are taken from other like places of scripture where the same thing is deliuered in such words as are manifest and whereof there is no controuersie The first sort of Arguments which are taken from the nature of the sacraments THE verie manner and forme of speaking yeeldeth vs a firme and strong argument Breade is the bodie of Christ but bread is not in it owne proper substance his bodie for by reason hereof haue they inuented consubstantiation therefore it is a figuratiue speeche euen such a one as is vsual vnto sacraments and is declared in the institution 2 Sacraments confirme exhibit promise seale no other thing than the woorde doth In the woorde is promised no corporal eating Therefore neither is anie such thing confirmed by the sacrament 3 In all sacraments when the names or properties of the things are attributed vnto the signes there is not signified the corporal presence of the thing but first a similitude of the things with their signes then a coniunction and vnion of the things with their signes in the right vse but in this sacrament Christ attributeth the name of the thing which is his bodie to the signe therefore there is not thereby signified a corporal presence of his bodie 4 The communion of Christ which is promised in his woorde and sacraments is not corporal but the communion of Christ which is giuen in the supper is the same with that which is giuen in the word and in all sacraments therefore the communion of Christ in the supper is spiritual 5 There is one and the same signification of all the Sacraments of the old and new testament
This is manifest because in all the promises the same benefits are promised vnto vs which are promised in the sacraments The sacraments are the visible woorde and the sacraments promise the same which doth the word But in the Gospell is deliuered a communion which is wrought by faith That there is the same signification of the sacramentes of both Testaments the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 12.13 By one spirite are wee all baptized into one bodie And 1. Cor. 10.2.3 All were baptized vnto Moses in the cloude and in the sea and did all eate the same spiritual meate Obiection There is not the same thing signified of all sacramentes For in baptisme the thing is the washing by the bloud of Christ in the supper the bodie and bloud of Christ Aunswere The thing is not diuers because it is the same to bee washed by the â—â—â—ud of Christ and to drink the bloud of christ But the manner of signifiyng one and the sme thing is diuers that is there is a diuers similitude of one and the same thing signified by the signes or one and the same thing hath a diuers similitude or proportion Therefore as in baptisme so in circumcision likewise and the Passeouer is promised a spiritual thing not a corporal and so also here in the Lords supper 6 The nature of all sacraments is that the signes bee vnderstood corporallie that the things signified must be taken spiritually and that the visible things be not the signified thinges but onelie signes and pledges of them 7 The conceit of a corporal presence of Christ vnder the bread is wholie different and diuers from the formal consideration of a sacrament Therefore it is to be rejected The antecedent is proued because it cannot bee accounted either for the signe or the thing signed It is not the signe or sacrament because it is not obiect vnto the senses And further it hath no proportion or similitude with the thing that is with the spiritual eating Neither can it be said to be the thing signed seeing the scripture no where preacheth of an essentiall transfusion and real commixtion of Christs flesh with our bodies neither can there be anie except wee entertaine the follies and dreames of Eutychians and Schuenkfeldians For the sacraments testifie of those blessings onelie and them onlie doe they seale vnto vs which are conteined in the promise of the Gospel Therefore no place is left for a substantial presence of the bodie in the bread as being altogether fruitles and vnprofitable 8 Sacramentes or signes ought to bee visible so that it deserueth not saith Erasmus to be called a sacrament which is not accomplished by an external signe For to this end and vse are they giuen of god that they may effectuallie shew as it were to our outward senses that which is promised in the word and performed by the holie Ghost in our hearts that they may be visible testimonies pledges of the promise of grace exhibited applied Whence is that saying of Austin A sacrament is a visible woord it is a visible forme of an inuisible grace Therefore no thing or action which is inuisible insensible and not natural can make the nature or appellation of a sacrament And consequentlie they who wil haue christs flesh to be in vnder or with the bread or wil haue the bread to be transubstantiated into his flesh let them shew vs a visible and sensible eating of it in the supper least they seeme to dissent from the auncient fathers 9 There must bee an analogie and proportion betweene the signe or sacrament and the thing signified or the thing of the sacrament fâ—r except the sacraments saith Austin had some similitude of those things whereof they are sacraments they were not verilie anie sacraments Nowe if christs flesh bee also a sacrament and the thing of these sacraments bee inuisible grace what proportion then and similitude shal there be between the two sacraments But seeing there can be none it foloweth that christs flesh may not be called a sacrament as being no lesse the thing it selfe of the sacrament than eternal saluation signified by way of proportion by visible breade as by a signe Wherefore the sacramentall eating which is done naturallie by the mouth dooth not belong vnto the bodie of Christ considered by it selfe in anie Physical or natural respect because vnto this sacramental eating the external signes onelie are obiect in their own nature Saint Austin demaunding how bread is the bodie of Christ and wine his bloud these saith he brethren are therefore called sacramentes because in them one thing is seene and an other thing vnderstood That which is seene hath a corporall forme that which is vnderstood hath a spiritual fruite If then thou wilt vnderstand the bodie of Christ heare the Apostle speaking to the faithful Ye are the bodie of Christ and his members Jf then yee bee the bodie of Christ and his members your mysterie is set on the table c. These are the Argumentes deduced out of the nature of the thing or subiect which is by vnderstanding the speech as the thing doth beare and permit The second sort of arguments which are deduced from the analogie of faith FIRME and strong reasons are drawen from the article which is concerning the truth of Christs humane nature 1 Christ tooke a true humane nature like vnto vs in all things except sinne This nature therefore cannot bee in moe places at one and the same time and therefore neither can it be together in heaueÌ„ in the bread because it is proper vnto the nature of God onely to be at once in diuerse places Christes body is finite as being a true body but it is now in heauen as is proued out of the article of his ascension into heauen Therefore Christs bodie is not in the bread Many abuse this argument omitting the first ground which is altogether true and necessarie For glorification doth not destroie or abolish the nature of his humane nature Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me haue While they beheld him he was taken vp 3. Jf the true and verie bodie of Christ be infinite it is also inuisible and insensible Therefore that which was seene suffered and wrought on earth was no true bodie but apparent phantastical because it can not agree no not to the Godhead it selfe to bee at one time finite and infinite sensible and insensible and so all those thinges which are spoken of christ in the articles of our Beleefe should not haue beene done indeede but onely should haue seemed and appeared to be done so we should remaine as yet in death 2 There are good arguments also deriued from the article which conteineth the communion of saints with christ 1. Such is the communioâ— of saintes with Christ now as it was of olde shall be hereafter and such also is the communion of those saints which vse the sacrament as of them who are
for it doth not being receiued into vs quicken vs by working in vs new corporal qualities like as a medicine dooth but the bodie of christ nourisheth and quickeneth vs after a maner diuers from that natural nourishing and accordingly as this manner of nourishing and quickening requireth so receiue we christs bodie The maner whereby christs bodie and bloud nourisheth vs is 1. The respect of his merite For for vs christs bodie is giuen and his bloud shed for vs and for the bodie and bloud of christ wee haue eternal life giuen vnto vs. After this manner then the bodie and bloud of christ quickeneth vs as it is a merit deseruing for vs this blessing 2. His bodie and bloude quickeneth or nourisheth vs when wee receiue that merite of christs bodie and bloud that is when we beleeue with a true faith that for it wee shall haue eternall life This faith resteth and hangeth on christ hanging on the Crosse not corporallie dwelling in vs. 3. It nourisheth vs when the same spirite vniteth vs by faith vnto christ and worketh the like in vs which it doth in christ For except wee be graffed into christ wee doe not please God For hee will on that condition receiue vs and pardon vs our sinnes So that by faith through the working of the holy Ghost we bee ioined with christ and engraffed into him Seeing then this is the maner whereby the bodie and bloude of christ quicken and nourish vs there is no need of any descending of the bodie and bloud of christ into our bodies 4 Obiection The eating of bread is done by the mouth But the eating of the bodie is the eating of bread Therefore the eating of the bodie is done by the mouth and is corporall when it is saide Take and eate Aunswere This eating whereof mention is made heere is perfourmed by the mouth not simplie but as concerning the signe But it is not doone by the mouth but is spirituall as concerning the thing signified spirituall Reply This is my bodie that is the inuisible bodie which J haue in my handes Aunswere But the bodie is the thing signified and spirituall other-wise there will bee no proportion betweene the signe and the thing signified It followeth therefore that hee saieth The bread is my bodie So that the bread is that whereof the bodie is affirmed For in this speech the thing signified is affirmed of the signe 5 Obiection The Wordes are not to bee changed Christ vsed the woord Js Therefore there may not be put in place thereof the word Signifieth Aunswere The woords are not to bee changed into another sense than God wil haue But otherwise they are often to be changed As when it is said Pluck out thine eie For woords are to bee vnderstoode according to the nature of thinges Moreouer they themselues who accuse vs of change doe more make this chaunge and mutation than we Reply The bodie of christ was broken and crucified for vs not the signe of the bodie Therefore the bread is the substantiall bodie of christ Answ I grant for the bread signifieth that very bodie which was borne of Marie crucified Question Why then are the things signified attributed to the signes Two causes why the thinge signified are attributed to the signes and the signes called by their names if neither consubstantiation nor transubstantiation bee thereby signified Aunswere There are two causes alleadged heereof A similitude or likenesse and a certainty 1. The similitude or proportion of signes and the thing signified is first As the bread and wine nourish our body so the body and bloud of christ nourish vs vnto euerlasting life Secondly As the bread and wine are receiued by the mouth so the body and bloud are receiued by faith Thirdly As the bread is eaten being broken so the bodie of christ is receiued being sacrif ced and broken Fourthly As in corporall foode is required an appetite vnto it so also in this spiritual foode is required faith Fiftly As of many cornes is made one loafe so are we being many made one bodie Wherefore by reason of this similitude of the signe and the thing signified the thing signified is attributed vnto the signes 2. The certainty of the signes in the cause likewise why that is affâ—rmed of the signes which is proper vnto the thing signified For the sâ—gnes testifie that christes sacrifice is accomplished and for our behoofe and commodity because it is certainly and truly applied vnto vs. Here last of al is to be obserued that the eating of christs body dooth comprise and comprehend 1. Faith 2. That by faith we are made partakers of christ that is we are vnited vnto Christ and our communion is wrought by faith and the holy Ghost is the bond of this our vnion and coniunction with Christ 3. That wee are made partakers of Christs benefites iustification and remission of sinnes And this ensueth of that vnion of Christ with vs. 4. Jt comprehendeth also the benefite of our regeneration whereby we are made like and conformed vnto christ because the same spirit dwelling in vs and in christ worketh also the same things in vs. This eating is easily collected as out of many other places so also out of this saieng of christ I am the liuing bread which commeth downe from heauen if any man eate of this bread hee shall liue for euer And the bread that I will giue is my flesh which I wil giue for the life of the world 5 What is the difference betweene the Lords supper and the popish Masse THIS question is necessary by reason of errours which haue câ—ept into the church It is otherwise demanded Why the Masse is to be abolished â—ut here this questioÌ„ is also conteined and comprehended because these differences and contrarieties of the Lordes supper and the Masse are the causes why the Masse is to bee abolished First let vs speake a few woordes of the name of the Masse or Missa The word Missa seemeth to haue his name from an ancient custome of Ecclesiastical rites actions The originall of the woord Missa which we call the Masse in the end whereof leaue was giuen of departure to the Catechumenes the possessed with spirites and the excommunicated persons and so the woord Missa seemeth to be vsed as it were a mission or sending awaie because it was the last part of diuine seruice Others wil haue it to be so called from a dimission or from the manner of dimissing them because they were demised with these words â—te Missa est that is go you may depart or as others interprete it goe now is the collection or alms which they will haue to be called Missa of the sending it in as we may so speak or throwing or casting it in for the poore Some wil therefore haue it deriued from the Hebrue Masah that is tributes which was wont to be paied of euery one The word is found Deut. 16.10 Missach nidbath iâ—decha A free
gospel 5 There is then in the Lords supper a double meat and drink one externall visible terrene namely bread and wine and another internall There is also a double eating and receiuing an external and signifieng which is the corporall receiuing of the bread and wine that is which is perfourmed by the handes mouth and senses of the bodie and an internal inuisible and signified which is the fruition of Christes death and a spirituall engraffing into Christes bodie that is which is not perfourmed by the handes and mouth of the bodie but by the spirite and faith Lastly there is a double administer and dispenser of this meat and drinke an externall of the externall which is the minister of the church deliuering vs by his hand bread and wine and an internal of the internal meate which is Christ himselfe feeding vs by his body and bloud 6 Not the body and bloud of Christ but the bread and wine are the signes which serue for confirmation of our faith for the bodie and bloud of Christ are receiued that we may liue for euer But the bread and wine are receiued that wee maie bee confirmed and assured of that heauenlie foode and dailie more and more enioie it 7 Neither is the bread changed into the bodie of Christ nor the wine into the bloud of Christ neither doth the bodie and bloud of Christ succeed in their place they beeing abolished neither is Christs body substantially present in the bread or vnder the bread or where the bread is but in the right vse of the Lords supper the holy Ghost vseth this Symbole as an instrument to stirre vp faith in vs by which he more and more dwelleth in vs engraffeth vs into Christ and maketh vs thorough him to bee iust and righteous and to draw eternal life from him 8 Now when Christ saith This that is this bread is my body and This cup is my bloud the speech is sacramental or metonymical because the name of the thing signified is attributed to the sign it selfe that is it is meant that the bread is the sacrament or signe of his bodie and doth represent him and dooth testifie that Christes bodie is offered for vs on the crosse and is giuen vnto vs to be the foode of eternal life and therefore is the instrument of the holie Ghost to maintaine and encrease this food in vs as Saint Paul saith 1. Corinth 10. The bread is the communion of the bodie of Christ that is it is that thing by which wee are made partakers of christs bodie And elsewhere hee saith We haue been al made to drink into one spirit The same is the meaning also when it is said that the bread is called christes bodie for a similitude which the thing signified hath with the signe namely in that christes body nourisheth the spirituall life as breade dooth the corporall life and for that assured and certaine ioint receiuing of the thing and the signe in the right vse of the sacrament And this is the sacramental vnion of the bread which is shewed by a sacramental kinde of speaking but no such locall coniunction which is by some imagined 9 As therefore the body of christ signifieth both his proper and natural bodie and his sacramental bodie which is the bread of the Eucharist so the eating of Christes body is of two sorts one sacramental of the signe to wit the externall and corporall receiuing of the bread and wine the other reall or spirituall which is the receiuing of christs very body it selfe And to belâ—eue in christ dwelling in vs by faith is by the vertue operatioÌ„ of the holy ghost to be engraffed into his bodie as members to the head branches into the vine and so to bee made partakers of the frutie of the deâ—th and life of christ Whence it is apparant that they are falsly accused who thus teach as if they made either the bare signes onely to be in the Lords Supper or a partâ—cipation of christes death onelie or of his benefits or of the holy Ghost excluding the true reall spirituall communion of the very body of Christ it selfe 10 Now the right vse of the Supper is when the faithfull obserue this rite instituted by Christ in remembraunce of Christ that is to the stirring and raising vp of their faith and thankefulnesse 11 As in this right vse the bodie of Christ is sacramentallie eaten so also without this vse as by vnbeleeuers and hypocrites it is eaten sacramentally indeede but not reallie that is the sacramental Symboles or signes bread and wine are receiued but not the thinges themselues of the sacrament to wit the bodie and bloud of Christ 12 This doctrine of the supper of the Lord is grounded vpon verie manie and those most sound and firme reasons All those places of Scripture confirme it which speake of the Lords supper and Christ calling not anie inuisible thing in the bread but the verie visible and broken bread it selfe his bodie deliuered or broken for vs which whereas it cannot bee meant properlie himselfe addeth an exposition that that bread is truely receiued in remembraunce of him which is as if he had said That the bread is a sacrament of his bodie So likewise he saith the supper is the new testament which is spirituall one and euerlasting And Paul saith it is the communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ because al the faithful are one bodie in christ who cannot stand together with the communion of Diuels Likewise he maketh one and the same engraffing into christes bodie by one spirit to bee both in Baptisme and in the Lords Supper Moreouer the whole doctrine and nature of sacramentes confirme the same all which represent vnto the eies the same spirituall communion of christ to bee receiued by faith which the word or promise of the Gospel declareth vnto the eares Therefore they are called by the names of the thinges signified and in their right vse haue the receiuing of the thinges adioined vnto them The Articles also of our faith confirme it which teach that christs bodie is a true humane bodie not present at once in manie places as being now receiued into heauen and there to remain vntil the Lorde returne to iudgement and further that the communion of Saintes with christ is wrought by the holie Ghost not by anie entraunce of christs bodie into the bodies of men Wherefore this sentence and doctrine is of all the purer antiquitie of the church with most great and manifest consent held and professed 13 The Supper of the Lord differeth from Baptisme 1. Jn the Rite and manner of signifieng because the dipping into the water or washing signifieth a remission and purging out of sinne by the bloud and spirit of Christ and our societie fellowship with christ in his afflictions and glorification But the distributing of the bread and wine signifieth the death of Christ to bee imputed to vs vnto remission of sinnes and our selues engraffed into Christ
Paul saith That the bread is the communion of the bodie of Christ And albeit in this place hee speaketh not purposedly of the Supper yet hee stirreth vp and exhorteth vnto it Replie Jt is the same sense and meaning Aunswere The question is not now of the sense and meaning of the woordes but of the identitie of the wordes that is whether they bee the same wordes Replie Where there is no mention at all of anie figure there is no figure Answere This is false For foolish were it and men shoulde seeme to make shewe and ostentation of their skill and art if they should say that they vsed a trim figure And the scripture also often speaketh figuratiuely and yet doth it not ad withall that it speaketh figuratiuely Furthermore they make mention hereof when they shew that it consisteth of the nature of the subiect and the attribute The bodie was borne of the Virgin crucified and so forth The bread is made of meale Secondly Christ willeth this to bee done in remembraunce of him Therefore the breade is called his bodie as a memoriall of his bodie Thirdly Matthew and Marke say This is my bloud of the newe testament Paul and Luke say This is the newe testament in my bloud Now the newe testament is the bond whereby God hath bound himselfe to receiue the faithful and repentant into fauour and they binde themselues to yeelde faith and obedience vnto him Fourthly Paul saith That the bread is the communion of Christs bodie which is not any corporal eating 1. Because the faithful are thereby one bodie in christ 2. Because he compareth it with the Communion of the altar in the old testament which was not corporal 3. Because it can agree but to the faithful onely and not to the wicked 4. Iohn sheweth that communion If we walke in the light we haue fellowship one with another and the bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne cleanseth vs from all sinne And further this communion whereof saint Paul speaketh is our vnion with Christ and fruition of all his benefites by faith Hither belongeth the similitude of the bodie and the members the vine and the braunches which haue nothing to doe with any corporal eating This communion was and is common to all the faithful from the beginning vnto the worlds end But they could not eat the body of christ corporally by their mouth That wee might growe vp vnto him by whom all the bodie is coupled and knit together He that is ioined vnto the Lord is one spirite And by one spirite are we all baptized into one bodie Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his spirite This vnion therefore is that communion which is wrought by the holy Ghost Wherefore it is spiritual For bread cannot be this communion but by a figure as it is a signe of it Replie He that is guiltie of the bodie of Christ eateth it They who receiue vnworthilie are guiltie of the bodie of Christ Therefore they eate it corporallie for spirituallie they cannot because if they coulde so eate it they shoulde not be guiltie Aunswere The Maior is false For hee is guiltie of Christes bodie who by his sinnes hangeth it on the Crosse againe and despiseth Christs benefite For any real eating is not required to this guilt but hee that will not receiue Christ offered by faith is thereby made guiltie So the iniurie done vnto the Arke is said to be done vnto the Lord. Replie They that discerne not the Lords bodie eate it But the guiltie discerne it not Therefore they eate it Aunswere If the Maior bee taken sacramentally as of the breade which is called and is the bodie of Christ it is true but if properly it is false For not to discerne his body is not to giue due honor to it to contemne it yea not to receiue the thing signified So Heb. 10.29 They are said to treade vnder foote the sonne of God and to count the bloud of the testament as an vnholie thing who contemne him 5 They reason from the testimonies of the Fathers and the godlie of auncient times in the purer state of the church Aunswere The sayings of the Fathers are to be vnderstoode sacramentally or of our spiritual communion Replie Austin saith thou shalt receiue this in the bread which hung on the crosse and this in the cup which was shed out of christs side Answere In the bread as in the signe that is together with the signe thou shalt receiue the thing signified When wee receiue the bread wee are certaine that wee haue Christ 2. Replie Cyrill vpon Iohn saith By natural participation not onelie spirituallie but also corporallie not onelie according to the spirit but also according to the flesh corporally essentially Ans Cyril speaketh not of the maner of eating but of the thing which was to be eatē He sheweth that we are made partakers not only of christs spirit but also of his human nature Now he vnderstandeth a spiritual communion 1. Because he citeth those places cōcerning it Ioh. 6. 1. Cor. 10. where no mention is made of corporall eating 2. Hee speakeih of the presence of Christ not in the breade but in vs. 3. Hee prooueth the abiding of Christ in vs by the vse of the Supper not by any corporal eating 4. He so describeth it that hee saith It shall continue in the life to come 5. Hee speaketh of that communion which is proper vnto the Saintes Nowe this is spiritual for otherwise it should befall also to the wicked The shifts of Consubstantiaries whereby they go about to elude shift off certaine of our obiections not all for mo are obiected against them 1 WEe make not say they any Capernaiticall eating Ans We demaunde of them whether Christ be eaten by the bodily mouth be it after a grosse or after finer maner But how euer they aunswere in that opinion which they hold there is too too much idolatry For christ refuting the Capernaites doth not distinguish the eating of him into a grosse and a finer manner but saith simplie That his bodie can not be eaten with the bodily mouth for he saieth that hee must ascend And that the woordes which hee speaketh are spirit and life 2 Wee mainetaine not Vbiquitie for there is not a woorde thereof to bee found Aunswere Here is to bee obserued the dissension of the aduersaries about Vbiquitie But neither is a worde to be found hereof That the bodie of Christ is together in two places And further of this their opinion followeth Vbiquitie For he that is together at one time in moe places must needes be infinite therefore euerie-where 3 Wee ouerthrow not the article of Christs ascension Aunswere Yea but they doe ouerthrow it For while they holde that as often as the supper is celebrated Christ is corporallie eaten they must needes say that he remained and is inuisible on earth But he is said to haue left the world
are receiued of vs namelie earthly externall and visible signs as are bread and wine and besides these also heauenlie internall and inuisible gifts as are the true bodie of Iesus Christ together with al his gifts and benefits and heauenlie treasures Thirdly that in the supper we are made partakers not onlie of the spirit of Christ and his satisfaction iustice vertue and operation but also of the verie substaunce and essence of his true-bodie and bloud which was giuen for vs to death on the crosse and which was shed for vs and are trulie fed with the selfe-same vnto eternal life and that this verie thing christ should teach vs and make knowen vnto vs by this visible receiuing of this bread and wine in his supper Fourthly That the bread and wine are not changed into the flesh and bloud of Christ but remaine true and natural bread and wine that also the bodie and bloud of christ are not shut vp into the bread and wine and therefore the bread and wine are called of christ his bodie and bloud in this sense for that his bodie and bloud are not onlie signified by these and set before our eies but also because as often as we eat and drink this bread and wine in the true and right vse Christ himselfe giueth vs his body and bloud indeed to be the meat and drink of eternal life Fiftly That without the right vse this receiuing of bread and wine is no sacrament neither anie thing but an emptie and vaine ceremonie and spectacle and such as men abuse to their own damnation Sixtly That there is no other true and lawful vse of the supper besides that which Christ himselfe hath instituted and commaunded to be kept namelie this that this bread and this wine be eaten and drunken in remembrance of him and to shew forth his death Seuenthly that Christ in his supper dooth not commaund and require a dissembled and hypocritical remembraunce of him and publishing of his death but such as embraceth his passion and death and all his benefites obtained by these for vs by a true and liuelie faith and with earnest and ardent thankefulnesse and applieth them vnto those which eate and drink as proper vnto them Eightly that Christ will dwell in beleeuers onelie and in them who not through contempt but through necessitie cannot come to the Lords supper yea in al beleeuers eueÌ„ from the beginning of the woorld to all eternitie euen as well and after the same manner as hee will dwell in them who came vnto the Lords Supper They disagree in these pointes FIRST that one part contendeth that these woordes of Christ This is my bodie must be vnderstood as the words sound which yet that part it selfe doth not but the other part that those words must be vnderstoode sacramentallie according to the declaration of Christ and Paul according to the most certaine and vnfallible rule and leuil of the articles of our christian faith SecoÌ„dly that one part wil haue the bodie bloud of christ to be essentiallie Jn or With the bread wine so to be eaten as that together with the bread the wine out of the haÌ„d of the minister it entereth by the mouth of the receiuers into their bodies but the other part wil haue the body of christ which in the first supper sate at the table by the disciples now to be coÌ„tinue not here on earth but aboue in the heauens aboue and without this visible world and heauen vntill hee descend thence againe to iudgement and yet that we notwithstanding here on earth as oft as wee eate this bread with a true faith are so fed with his bodie and made to drink of his bloud that not onlie through his Passion and bloudshed we are cleansed from our sinnes but are also in such sort coupled knit and incorporated into his true essential humane bodie by his spirit dwelling both in him and vs as that we are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and are more neerly and firmlie knit and vnited with him than the members of our bodie are vnited with our head and so wee drawe and haue in him and from him euerlasting life Thirdly That one part will haue all whosoeuer come to the Lordes supper and eate and drinke that breade and wine whether they bee beleeuers or vnbeleeuers to eate and drinke corporallie and with their bodilie mouth the flesh and bloud of Christ beleeuers to life and saluation vnbeleeuers to damnation and death the other holdeth that vnbeleeuers abuse indeede the outwarde signs bread and wine to their own damnation but that the faithful onelie can eate and drinke by a true faith and the fore alleaged working of â—he holie Ghost the bodie and bloud of Christ vnto eternal life OF THE KEIES OF THE KINGDOME OF HEAVEN AND OF EXCOMMVNICATION SEEING it hath beene shewed in the treatise next going before who are to bee admitted by the church vnto the Lords Supper very commodiously and fitly shall this doctrine follow concerning the power of the keies wherein besides other things this chiefly is taught How they who are not to be admitted must bee restrained and excluded from the Sacraments least approching vnto them they prophane them The chiefe questions 1 What the power is of the keies giuen vnto the church 2 Vnto whom that power is committed 3 Why the power of the keies is necessarie 4 What that power of the keies committed vnto the church differeth from the ciuil power 5 What order ought to be obserued in exercising the power of the keies 1 WHAT THE POWER OF THE KEIES GIVEN VNTO THE CHVRCH IS THE power of the keies of the kingdome of heauen which CHRIST gaue vnto his church is the office or charge imposed on the church by Christ of denouncing by the preaching of the gospel and church-discipline Gods will and euen of declaring the grace of God and remission of sinnes vnto the penitent that is to them who liue in true faith and repentance but of denouncing vnto the wicked the wrath of God and exclusion or banishment from the kingdome of christ and of casting such out of the church as long as they shall shew themselues in doctrine and life estranged from christ and of receiuing them againe into the church when afterwardes they shall repent Hereby it appeareth that the chiefe and principall parts of this power of the keies giuen vnto the Saints are the preaching of the gospel or ministerie of the word and church-iudgement which is called also spirituall Discipline or iurisdiction And verily necessarilie is Ecclesiasticall Discipline ioined and linked with the ministerie of Gods word Of the ministerie of the word there is no doubt but all the Prophets Christ and the Apostles haue preached Of the iurisdiction of the church likewise it is not to be doubted in as much as Christ himselfe and the Apostle haue both by precepts and practise confirmed and established it Now in both is conteined that power
is vrged when obedience cannot possibly bee performed But here it is necessarie that we distinguish and discerne the nature of men corrupted from it selfe being vncorrupted For in nature beeing not as yet depraued or corrupted through sinne there were and shal be againe also in nature perfectly restored these two vses of gods lawe especially The first is the whole and entire conformity of man with god For there did shine and againe shall shine in the minde of man the perfect knowledge of god and his will and the same did woorke againe shal worke the correspondence and congruity of all our inclinations and motions with this diuine order that is perfect iustice and righteousnesse before god For the mind iudging aright doth rightlie also gouern guide the hart wil not being through stubburnesse peruerted depraued Nowe that both there was perfect knowledge of the law in mans nature not yet fallē and did woorke also in it perfect conformity with god the doctrine concerning the image of god doth testify whereunto man was created which is by Christ in vs restored The other vse of the Law in nature vncorrupted is a good conscience or a certaine perswasion of gods fauour and a certaine hope of eternall life For when as the Lawe both commandeth perfect obedience and promiseth eternall life to those that perfourme it Therfore it worketh in nature vncorrupted as perfect obedience so also certaine expectation of the reward according as it is saide Leuit. 18. Rom. 10. Gal. 3. He that doth them shall liue in them Mat. 19. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements But in nature now corrupted there are other effects or vses of the Law those partly accidental partly the remaines of those proper effectes which it hath in nature vncorrupted partly in the regenerate partly in the vnregenerate As therefore the whole Law is a Schoolemaster to Christ so likewise is the Morall whereof the first vse is both in the regenerate and vnregenerate the preseruing and mantaining of discipline both in the church and without also For the Lawe both being by god himselfe engrauen in the mindes of all men and speaking by the voice of teachers magistrats doth by binding of the conscience and by denouncing ordaining of punishments by shame bridle restraine the vnregenerate also so that they shunne open and manifest wickednesse and some order is thereby kept in the world amiddest the furies of Diuels and wicked men that mankinde may be preserued and the church thence collected and gathered 1. Tim. 1.9 The Law is giuen to the lawlesse and disobedient But albeit this vse of the law doth chiefely belong vnto the vnregenerate who are not bridled by the loue of god and righteousnesse but by the feare of punishment onely shame not to make open profession of wickednesse yet hath it place also in the godly For they indeede haue another bridle whereby they are guided euen the holy ghost illightening and inclining their harts vnto obedience but yet by reason of the weakenes and corruption of the flesh prone to sinne experience teacheth that this chaine and bonde also is profitable and necessary for them for the shunning and auoiding of transgressions Many places also of Scripture witnesse this which threaten euen vnto the saintes if they run into grieuous offences grieuous punishments As Ezech. 18. If the righteous turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquity hee shall die for it And the examples of punishmentes as of Eli of Dauid and many others For therefore both threatnings and examples are set before the godly to keepe them in good order The second vse is the acknowledgement and accusing of sinne in the regenerate and vnregenerate Rom. 3.20 By the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Rom. 7.7 J knew nothing but by the Lawe for neither had I knowen lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust This vse of the Law belongeth vnto all men because all haue so much knowledge of the Lawe as is sufficient to breede in them a pricke and remorse of conscience But there is a double effect hereof For in the vnregenerate the knowledge of sin of the iudgement of God against sin engendereth an hatred of god an increase of sinne For so much the more doth nature not yet regenerated desire to commit and excuse sinne and murmureth against gods iudgemēt how much the more the law vrgeth and presseth the prohibition and condemnation of sinne Rom. 4.15 The Law causeth wrath Rom. 7. Sinne took an occasion by the commandement and wrought in mee al manner of concupiscence Moreouer if those vnregenerate be also reprobate then woorketh it at length in them despaire and blasphemy Therefore 2. Cor. 3. it is called the ministery of death But in the elect the knowledge of sinne is a preparing of them vnto conuersion For it woorketh in them a desire of Gods fauour and of deliuerance from sinne enforceth them despairing of their own righteousnesse to seeke for righteousnesse and life in Christ their Mediatour And after they are once conuerted it continually instructeth them with due contrition truely to humble themselues in the sight of God and maketh them to profit and goe forwarde daily in true conuersion vnto God and in the dread fear of God Now although many wicked men beeing blinded with security doe not acknowledge their sinne for a time yet the Law accuseth all and the terrours and torments of conscience doe at length oppresse them Vnto the regenerate also although they neither are subiect to damnation neither liue without the acknowledgement and bewailing of their sinne yet necessary is the preaching meditation of the Law that thereby they more and more knowing the remnants of sinne which are in them may continue and go foreward in true repentance and amendment of life Moreouer concerning both these vses namely the maintenance of Discipline and acknowledgement of sinne it is said that the Lawe is a Schoolemaster vnto Christ For neither can men be instructed concerning god neither doth the holy ghost woorke faith and conuersion in their heartes except open and manifest transgressions be eschewed and they persist not in sinnes against their conscience Jsai 66. J will regard the poore and contrite in spirite Rom. 8.13 If yee mortifie the deedes of the bodie by the spirite ye shall liue but if yee liue after the fleshe ye shall die Neither do they indeede seeke for desire earnestly deliueraunce from sinne and death who doe not truely knowe and agnise the greatnesse of sinne Joh. 9.41 If yee were blind yee should not haue sinne but now yee say Wee see Therefore your sinne remaineth The third vse of the moral Law is proper vnto the regenerate to witte an instructing and informing of them concerning the true seruice and woorship of God This is done by the doctrine of the Lawe in teaching and exhorting For seeing there are yet remaining manifold ignorāces
inuocation of God who is the father of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. In regard of the tru knowledge of him that we may know him to be our father who through and for his Son the Mediatour hath adopted vs to be his Sons when otherwise we were his enemies I goe vnto my father and to your father and further also for his Sons sake he regenerateth vs by the holy Ghost and endoweth vs with all giftes and graces necessary 3. In regard of reuerence namely that in vs may bee stirred vp and raised true reuerence towardes him that seeing hee is our father wee therefore behaue our selues as becommeth Sons and be affected with such reuerence towards him as it becommeth children to be affected towards their father especially being adopted children and vnworthy of Gods blessinges and benefites 4. In regard of confidence that the same be raised in vs whereby we may be assured that we shal be heard For seeing god is our father euen so louing a father vnto vs that he hath giuen his onlie begotten Son for vs to death how then shal he not giue vs together with him all things necessary to our saluation 5. For a memorial of our creation Now God wil hear those only that so pray because in them he obtaineth the end of his blessings and benefites Obiection Jt is the part of a father to denie nothing vnto his children But God denieth many things to vs. Therefore he is not our father Aunswere It is the part of a father to deny nothing vnto his children that is which is necessary for them Christ willeth vs to call God our Father not my Father 1 Thereby to raise in vs a confidence and full perswasion that wee shall he heard For because the whole church doth with one consent pray vnto him he doth not reiect her but heareth her praiers according to this promise of our Lorde Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Obiection But oftentimes thou praiest at home the Church not beeing priuie thereunto Aunswere The Godly and the whole Church pray for themselues and all the members with an affection and desire Loue desire is an habitual qualitie of the soul remaining also when thou sleepest it is not a passion quickly fleeting or passing a way And this also maketh much for the engēdring of cōfidence in vs because as hath been saide God doth not reiect the whole Church 2 To admonish vs of mutual loue wherewith Christians being endued must pray one for another And therefore doth he by this worde in the very proeme entrance of the praier admonish vs of mutual loue wherwith we must be affected towards our neighbor 1 Because there is no true praying without the true loue of our neighbor neither can we be perswaded that God heareth vs. For if wee approch vnto God not accounting the sonnes of God for our breethren neither will hee then account vs for his sonnes 2 Because without the loue of our neighbour there is no true faith without faith there is no true praier For whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne The second part of the proeme is Which art in Heauen that is Heauenly Heauen heere signifieth the habitation of God and the holy Angels and blessed men And God is saide to dwell there because there God is more glorious than in this world doth also there immediatly shew and manifest himselfe Now the Lorde willeth vs to call him our Father which is in Heauen 1 Thereby to shewe the opposition and contrarietie of earthlie fathers and this Father that so we should thinke that God raigneth in Heauenly glory and Maiesty and is a Father not earthly but Heauenly euen he 1 Who sitteth in heauen 2 Who ruleth and gouerneth there by his prouidence the whole world by him created 3 Who is voide of all corruption and change 4 Who also doth there especiallie manifest himselfe before the Angels and doeth there shewe what a Father he is how good and how mightie and rich 2 To raise vp in vs a confidence that God heareth vs for if he be our Father and one that is endued with exceeding goodnesse which he especially manifesteth and declareth in Heauen Then will he also giue vs all thinges necessarie to saluation If this our Father be Lord in Heauen and so omnipotent whereby he is able to helpe vs then is hee able most easilie to giue vs those good things which we aske of him 3 To raise a reuerence of him in vs seeing this our father is so great a Lorde that is heauenly who raigneth euerie-where who is able to cast both bodie and soule into Hell fire let vs then reuerence such a Lorde and approch vnto him with exceeding submission both of minde and bodie 4 That we cal on him in feruencie of spirit 5 That the mind of him that worshippeth be lifted vp to heauenlie things 6 That heauenlie thinges bee desired 7 That the errour of Ethnikes might be met withall who thinke that they may adore and worship God in creatures 8 To admonish vs that wee are not to direct our praiers vnto a certaine place as in the olde Testament Let these things suffice for the first part of Christs praier Now followeth the second part of the praier namely the petition which compriseth six petitions THE FIRST PETITION HALLOWED be thy name This petition is set in the first place because it is the end and scope of all the other petitions or rather because the end of all thinges must be gods glorie Now the end is the first thing which is intended the last thing which is performed and exequuted like as also the end of the other petitions is first to be desired if we will desire the rest aright Mat 6.33 Seeke yee first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these thinges shall be ministred vnto you We are here to consider 1 What is called the name of God 2 What is Holie 3 What to hallowe or sanctifie 1 The name of God signifieth 1 God himselfe Ps 116.13 J will call vpon the name of the Lorde 2 Gods commandement charge his diuine will and authoritie Mat. 28.19 Baptise them in the name of the Father c. 3 The properties and woorkes of God in which signification the name of God is here taken to wit for his diuine woorkes and all those thinges which may be attributed vnto God 2 Holie signifieth 1 All the properties of God For al the vertues in God are Gods holinesse So the Angels call god Holie Isa 6 3. Holie Holie Holie Lord God of hosts 2 That holinesse which is in creatures that is their conformitie with God which is begunne in the godly and is perfect in the Angels 3 The ordeining or appointing of thinges to holie vses In this sense that is called holy which is destined to some holy vse as the Temple of Hierusalem The word of Hallowing is here taken in