man seuerally as he will Loe he had saide before There are diuersitie of administrations but God is the same that worketh all in all afterwards shewing that the same holy spirit is God himselfe he saith All these things worketh one and the same spirit distributing to euery man seuerally as he will That he is true and that as God looking into the heartes and trying the thoughts it is taught in the 5. of the Acts. Peter said Ananias why hath Sathan filled thy heart that thou shouldest lie vnto the holy Ghost and by and by he addeth Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto God And that he proceedeth from the father and the sonne not as a created motion or mouing but as a person existing vnderstanding and of the same essence with the father the sonne Christ teacheth in Ioh. Cap. 14. vers 26. Now that same holy spirit the comforter whom the father shall sende in my name he shall teach you all things and shall put all these things into your minde which I haue said vnto you But this belongeth onely to God 1. Cor. 2. vers 10.11.12 He iustifieth and sanctifieth the Church aswell as the sonne 1. Cor. 1.6 1. Pet. 1. and renueth it to euerlasting life Ioh. 3. baptiseth into the same body 1. Cor. 12. He dwelleth in the beleeuers and raiseth them vp from the deade Rom. 8. If his spirit who hath raised vp Iesus from the dead dwell in you he will also quicken your mortall bodies by his spirit dwelling in you And verily he dwelleth in vs as in his owne temple Therefore the holy Ghost must necessarily be the true God 1. Cor. 3. vers 16. Doe you not knowe that you are the temple of God and that the sptrite of God doth dwell in you c. Now in the 2. Cor. cap. 6. he saith Ye are the temple of the liuing God as God hath saide I will dwell in them and walke there c. Out of all which it is vnderstoode that the holy ghost is the true and euerlasting God What daunger there is if we beleeue not in the holy ghost IF any beleeue not in the holy Ghost he neither beleeueth in the father nor in the sonne and so manifestly beleeueth not in God forasmuch as the father and the sonne cannot be knowen and be beleeued of vs vnlesse the holy ghost reueale it who proceedeth from the father and the sonne and is of the same essence with both 1. Io. 4. ver 14. So therefore we must determine that if any man haue not the spirite of Christ the same is not his Rom. 8. But if any knowe not the holy Ghost neither also hath he it Iohn 14. The worlde can not receaue the holy Ghost because it seeth it not neither knoweth it Therefore he that knoweth not the holy ghost he is not of Christ But you knowe him saith Christ because he abideth with you and shal be in you That the father the sonne and the holy ghost are three distinct persons and yet that they are one and the same substance THerefore those former being dispatched to witt that the father the sonne and the holy ghost are thinges subsisting of themselues vnderstāding c. it foloweth also that we teach that they are incōmunicable or rather distinct Gene. 1. In the beginning God created the heauen and the earth and the spirite of God moued it selfe vpon the face of the waters And God said Let there be a light and the light was made Mat. 3. The trinitie of the persons is plainly described to witt the sonne clad in mans nature and baptised then the holighost in a bodily forme as it were a doue descending downe from heauen abiding vpon the sonne Lastly the father pronoūcing with a cleare voyce out of heauen This is my beloued sonne in whō I am wel pleased Also Mat. 28. ver 19. Ioh. 8. vers 16 17 18. Also cap. 14 Now I will aske the father and he will giue you another comforter that hee maie remaine with you for euer And 15.26 But when that comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you from the father that spirite of truth who proceedeth from the father he shall witnesse of me Also cap. 16. vers 7. Further that these three persons are one diuine essence these places witnes Deut 6. Heare Israel Thy Lord thy God is one God And 32. See I am one and there is no other God besides me Psal 18. Who is God besides the the Lord And who is God besides our God 2. King 5. I know for a suertie saith Naaman Syrus that there is no other God in all the earth but onely in Israel Isai 42.43.45 and 48. Iohn 10. I and the father are one And the 14. Beleeue me that I am in the father and the father in me Esai 6. Seraphin cried Holy Holy Holy the Lord of Hoastes The voyce Holy thrise repeated setteth foorth the Trinitie of persons and the word Iehouah the vnitie of the essence Matt. 28. Going foorth Teach ye all nations baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost It is verie certaine that we are baptised into the faith and worship of one God But that there is mention made of three to witte of the father of the sonne and of the holy ghost in the selfesame is noted the Trinitie of persons in the vnitie of substance 1. Cor. 7. vers 11. 1. Iohn 5. There are three which beare witnesse in heauen the father the word and the holy ghost and these three are one Now whatsoeuer thinges haue beene spoken before of the Godhead of the sonne and of the holy ghost they doe also proue the same thing to witte that these three persons are one euerlasting God For neither the father were an euerlasting father vnlesse he had a sonne from euerlasting and coessentiall or of the same substance with him neither were the Sonne the onely begotten sonne of the Father vnlesse he were of the same substance with him neither were the holy ghost the spirite of the father and sonne proceeding from both vnlesse it were coessentiall with the father and the sonne What fruite we receiue by this that we know and beleeue the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne and the holy ghost to be the onely true and eternall God and that there is no other God FIrst of all forasmuch as this is the true felicitie that we should know the true God because God doth communicate himselfe vnto vs through the knowledge of himselfe and forasmuch as our bodies and soules were created and redeemed with a great price to this purpose that they might be the temples of the liuing God in which he might be praysed we know that this is truly and indeede fulfilled in vs through the knowledg of the true God of the father the sonne and the holy ghost as Christ promiseth Iohn 14.16 I will aske the father and he shall giue vnto you another
into thy house And in Ioh. 13. he saith Vnlesse I wash thee thou shalt haue no part with me The resurrection of the flesh The resurrectiō also of the flesh is a worke of Christ as also the inward renuing to euerlasting life Iohn 5. vers 2. and 28. As my father raiseth vp the dead and giueth them life so also the sonne giueth life vnto whom he will And the howre shall come that all that are in their graues shall heare his voyce c. Also Iohn 6. vers 39.40 and in the 11. chap. I am the resurrection and the life he that beleeueth in me though that hee were dead hee shal liue whosoeuer liueth and beleeueth in me he shall not die for euer By Christ shal be fulfilled that of Hoseas Death is swallowed vp in victorie O death where is thy victorie c. 1. Cor. 15. vers 55.57 and in the same Chapiter verses 45.48 And Christ himselfe giueth euerlasting life And life euerlasting Ioh. 1. Life was in him Ioh. 10. I giue eternall life vnto my sheepe neither shall they perish for euer neither shall any man take them out of my hande I and the father are one All these thinges which we haue rehearsed according to the order of the description of God and the articles of the faith seeing they are of that sorte as can agree to none but onely to God they plainly conuince Christ to be God by nature What daunger there is to be feared if we beleeue not in the sonne as in the true euerlasting God of the same substance with the father THe truth it selfe sheweth a most present daunger Ioh. 3. He that beleeueth in the sonne is not iudged or condemned but he that beleeueth not is iudged already because he beleeueth not in the name of the onely begotten sonne of God And in the 8. Chapiter You are from hell I am from aboue You are of this worlde I am not of this worlde therefore I haue said vnto you that you shall dye in your sinnes Moreouer it is said in the 1. Ioh. 2. vers 23. Whosoeuer denieth the sonne hath not the father Also in the 2. Ioh. vers 9.10.11 And in Ioh. 16 vers 3. Therefore the holy Ghost hath forewarned vs by the Apostle Peter that we should take heede of these deceauers 2. Epist Cap. 2. There were also false Prophets amongest the people as also there shal be false teachers among you who shall bring in deadly heresies denying the Lorde who hath bought them hasting vnto themselues a swift damnation and many shall followe their condemnation Nowe the Lorde who hath bought vs is Iesus Christ very God and man as the scripture witnesseth Acts. 20. God hath redeemed his Church through his blood Nowe therefore if so be that any do not beleeue that he is the true God that hath in mans nature shed forth his blood he denyeth the Lord who hath bought him Testimonies prouing the Godheade of the holy Ghost that he is a person and the true euerlasting God and not any motion or thought or any other thing that is created 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THat the holy Ghost is subsisting and God by nature first of all it is shewed by the creation Genes 1. And the spirit of God moued it selfe vpon the face of the waters In which words it is attributed to the holy Ghost that he wrought together in the creation of all with the father and the sonne The creation is most clearely attributed vnto him Psal 104. Sende forth thy spirit and they shal be created and thou shalt renue the face of the earth Therefore the scripture affirmeth that the holy Ghost is Iehouah which is most plaine out of the 6. of Isay and the 28. of Acts vers 25. Isay 6. And he said Iehouah of whom before in the same Chapiter Seraphim had cried Holy Holy Holy Iehouah Lord of hoasts Goe and say vnto this people in hearing heare you and vnderstand not and in seeing see you and knowe not These same wordes which the Lorde spake Paule Acts. 28. saith that the holy Ghost spake Very well saith he spake the holy Ghost by Isaias the Prophet vnto our fathers c. Therefore the holy Ghost is Iehouah The same is also plaine by other places Ierem. 31. This is the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel After these daies saith Iehouah I will giue my lawe into their hearte c. Nowe the Epistle to the Hebrews Cap. 10. vers 15. affirmeth that these same wordes of the lord proceeded from the holy ghost The holy ghost also himselfe witnesseth vnto vs. For after he had foreshewed This is my couenant that I will make with them c. The which also Ioel affirmeth Cap. 2. whom Peter also citeth and expoundeth that he may shewe them as plaine effectes of the holy Ghost which are altogether belonging to the power of the godhead I wil saith Iehouah powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie And these thinges which are alledged now to shew that the holy Ghost is God the creator by them also is shewed that he is an vnderstanding essence euerlasting good righteous mercifull most free of an infinite power and most constant truth neuerthelesse let vs yet see also certaine testimonies seuerally concerning those thinges that are attributed vnto him which as they onely agree vnto God so they plainly proue the holy Ghost to be very God That the holy Ghost is an vnderstanding essence euerlasting and which giueth vnderstanding it plainly appeareth out of the 61. of Esai The spirit of the Lord Iehouah is vpō me for that Iehouah hath anointed me to preach vnto the milde he hath sent me Luk. 4. Christ teacheth that he is he vpon whō is the spirit of Iehouah for that he anointed him But to anoint inwardly as Christ properly is anointed and by his owne power to send to preach glad tidinges and to giue power to preach glad tidinges aright is a work of a person truely subsisting vnderstanding and of the euerlasting God Also it appeareth by his effectes which are rekoned vp in the 5. to the Galathians that he is also good iust pure mercifull most free and in deede as God communicating his giftes vnto other The fruites of the spirit is loue ioy peace gentlenesse benignitie goodnesse faith softnesse of spirit and temperance And surely the same Apostle teacheth that the holy Ghost is the worker of these and therefore God 1. Cor. 12. There are diuersitie of giftes but the same spirite And there are diuersitie of administrations but God is the same that worketh all in all But the manifestation of the spirit is giuen to euery man to profitte withall For to one is giuen by the spirite the worde of wisedome and to another the worde of knowledge by the same spirite And a little after But all these thinges worketh one and the same spirite distributing to euery
hated iniquitie therefore hath God euen thy God anointed thee with the oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes Dan. 9. The holy of holy shal be anointed Afterwardes he saith The Messias shall be cut of and then the people shall destroye the Citie and the Sanctuary with that Captaine that shall come The Angel witnessed the fulfilling of this anointing Hierusalem yet standing Luke 2. Behold I bring you glad tidinges of great ioye that shal be to al the people that a Sauiour is this day borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lord. The whole multitude of the heauenlie hostes witnesseth the same thing praising God and saying glorie to God in the highest heauens and in earth peace and towardes men a good will Mat. 2. The starre and the wise men witnesse Christ or the anointed of the Lorde to be sent and in the second of Luke Symeon and Anna the prophetesse from the 25. verse to the 41. where also the prophesie of Esaias is sene fulfilled Ca. 8. ver 14. A notable prophesie of Isaias in the 61. Cap. is fulfilled Luke 4. Iesus came to Nazareth where he had ben brought vp and entred as he was wont vpon the sabboth day into the synagogue and rose vp that he might reade Then was giuen vnto him the Booke of the Prophet Esaie and when he had opened the booke he found a place in whiche it was written The spirite of the Lorde is vpon me because that he annointed me that I should preach gladde tidinges he sent me to heale the broken in heart that I should preach deliuerance to captiues and recouerie of sight to the blinde that I should seâ— them at libertie that are distressed And that I should preach the acceptable yeare of the Lorde And when he had restored the booke closed vnto the minister he sate downe and the eies of all that were in the synagogue were fastened on him Then he began to say vnto them This day is the scripture fulfilled in your eares Also Acts the 10 vers 38. The vniforme praier of the Apostles witnesseth the prophesie in the 2. Psalme to be fulfilled in our Lorde Iesus For so also Luke writeth in the 4. of the Actes The man was aboue fortie yeare olde on whom this miracle of healing was shewed Nowe being let goe they came to their companie and shewed what the cheefe of the priestes and the Elders had saide vnto them And when they heard it they lift vp their voices with one accorde to God and saide O Lord thou art the God which hast made heauen and earth the sea and all thinges that are in them Who hast saide by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid Whie did the Gentiles rage and the people imagine vaine thinges The kinges of the earth stoode vp and the princes were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ For they were gathered together in deede against thy holie sonne Jesus whom thou hast annointed both Herode Pontius Pilate with the nations and peoples of Israel that they might do whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsel had determined before to be done These are the testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles that Iesus is the Christ or the annointed Messias What we are taught by the name of Christ or anointed BY the terme of Christ or anointed is taught that this person came with the commandement of the father and that the same was ordained of him that he shold erect that Priestly kingdom by the scepter of his word power of his spirite in this life and should finishe it in the life euerlasting For like as anointing wherby at Gods commandement Kinges Priestes and prophets were appointed amongst his people with an outwarde and visible oyle was a publike testimonie that God would gouerne efend his people by this person also kepe vpholde his diuine worshippe and likewise teach his people and this person had commandement of this thing that they might suffer themselues to be gouerned clensed and taught so the sonne of God manifested in the fleshe concerning his manhoode is anointed with the holy Ghoste without measure which is the truth of that outward anointing and so is ordained and giuen of the father to be the king priest and prophet of his Church First of all therefore the name Messias or Christ serueth for a notable confirmation of our faith to witte whilest we vnderstand by anointing that the sonne of God hath commandement in the very same that he is Christ or anointed by his kinglie power to keepe vs by his euerlasting sacrifice to reconcile vs to the Father and to open vnto vs al the will of the father to be short not to rest vntil he haue beautified his Church with glorie and euerlasting life Ioh. 6. verse 27. cap. 10.18 Psalme 43.6.7 to the Heb. 2. ver 8.9 Also cap. 5. ver 4.5 Heb. 1. ver 9. And forasmuch as the sonne of God that same annointed of the Lord hath his solemne commandement it is certaine that he wil execute it most faithfully Of the frute or consolation which the faithful receaue thereby THe first fruite is that our faith hath a certaine obiect or matter to respecte to wit this same certaine person sent and appointed from the Father with commandement which now beginneth in vs that same spiritual and euerlasting kingdome which is righteousnes peace and ioie in the holie Ghost in the sted of sinne euerlasting heauines and death and shal finish it afterwardes and seeing that he holdeth vnder his gouernement and iron scepter al thinges created both his and our enemies that is both wicked men and diuels that they hurt not either his glorie or our saluation but rather that euen against their willes they aduance both Hence peace and ioye arise in the heartes of beleeuers who are citizens of this kingdome For as it must needes bee that al they be made sadde that doubt vnder what Lorde they are in this life whether vnder Christe or Satan so on the contrarie it can not be but all they must be filled with ioye who by the inwarde testimonie of the anointing of faith and by the outwarde of holie baptisme are assured that they are vnder Christe the King of righteousnes and are translated out of the kingdome of darkenesse into the kingdome of Christ Coloss 1. and haue the kingdome of the sonne of GOD euen begone in them as Christ saith the kingdome of God is in you or amongst you The Angel exhorteth vs to this ioye in the verie manifestation of this king Luk. 2. verse 10.11 Be not afraide For beholde I bring you glad tydinges of great ioye that shal be to all the people to wit that this daie a Sauiour is borne vnto you in the citie of Dauid which is Christ the Lorde Hence is the same peace and good will in the heartes of beleeuers of which afterwardes that same multitude of heauenly hostes doe mention in their songe Glorie in the highest heauens
which he sware vnto Abraham our father that he woulde giue vnto vs c. to the end of the Chapter Therefore I vnderstand that by the title of Christe or annointed the office of the mediator of the couenaunt is expressed to wit by what way and meanes the heauenly father leadeth vs to saluation promised and sworne in the couenaunt by the hande of the mediator that is to say by his merite and vertue Nowe the meane is because the father hath annointed this Iesus to be the prophet or teacher who can informe vs of this free couenaunt of God to be the Priest who confirmeth and ratifieth this couenaunt by his intercession and sacrifice and to be a king who maintaineth his couenaunt made and enricheth and defendeth his faithful confederate ones so that in the whole businesse of saluation wee flie by faith vnto Christ as to him whom the father hath signed as Christ himselfe speaketh of him selfe Ioh. 6. And first for that which concerneth the Propheticall office of Christ I thinke that to pertaine to the couenaunt in such sort to wit that firste of all men bee instructed of the free couenaunt of saluation and therefore When in times past God spake after sundrie sortes and wayes by the Prophetes nowe at length hee woulde speake vnto vs by his sonne Heb. 1. to wit clothed with mans nature For otherwise the sonne also spake by the Prophetes 1. Pet. 1. Wee must therefore fullie resolue that the euerlasting Sonne of God who is in the bosome of the father was sent a legate vnto vs and taking our fleshe vppon him was annointed with the spirit of wisedome and power that he might cleerely and fully laie open vnto vs that same euerlasting Counsel of entring into league and couenaunt with vs might declare that same good and vnchangeable will of God towards vs whereby he hath freely chosen vs to himself in the sonne and might frame vs to true amēdement to beleue the Gospel yea might also confirme his doctrine by miracles as by healing the blind by raising vp the dead c which neither the diuel nor anie creature can followe That he might also adioyne the sacramentes as holy signes to the renewed couenaunt to wit baptisme and the Lords supper Moreouer concerning the priestlie officie I thinke it so to belong to the couenant that euen like as the Propheticall office of Christ instructeth vs of the couenaunt and of a full reconciliation with God in Christ so the priestly office goeth further and offereth vp the verie price of this reconciliation to wit a perfect sacrifice with intercession wherby the mediator of Gods righteousnes doeth perfectly satisfie for our sinnes which did let and keepe of the couenaunt and without the clensing whereof that same prophetical ambassadge frō heauen had beene taken in vaine to intreate of the couenaunt seeing neither wee can satisfie for our sinnes our selues neither would God denie his owne righteousnes Last of all concerning that kingly office forsomuch as it was not enough for a mediator to haue taught vs of the couenaunt and to haue sanctified it by the offering vp of his body and bloode vnlesse hee likewise should defend maintain the couenant against the assaults of the enemie should throgh his might build vp a people in himself day by daie more and more repaire frame the same being endewed with spiritual giftes to euerlasting life therefore the heauenlie father would that the same mediator should be the head and giuer both of the conseruation of grace gotten and of an effectual communicating and mainteining the same Ephes 1.23.24 His onelie begotten Sonne Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles FOr he receaued of God the Father honour 2 Pet. 1. and glorie when there came such a voice vnto him from the excellent glorie This is my beloued sonne in whom I am wel pleased And this voice we heard when it came from heauen when we were together with him in the holie mountaine and we haue a most sure worde of the Prophets to the which ye do wel that you take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place vntil the day dawne and the daie starre arise in your heartes so that ye first know this that no prophesie of the scripture is of any priuate interpretation For the prophesie came not in olde time by the will of man but holie men of God spake as they were moued by the holie Ghost Psalm 2. I wil shewe out of the decree The Lorde of hoastes hath saide vnto me Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Aske of me and I wil giue the nations for thy possession the endes of the earth I say for the right of thy possession And a little after Kisse the sonne that he be not angrie And in the ende Blessed are al which trust in him Al these thinges agree not to Dauid but to the sonne who is appointed heire of all things And to the Heb. 1. Hee hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne by whome also hee hath made the worlde who being the brightnes of the glorie and the engraued forme of his person and bearing vp all thinges by his mightie worde c. And a little after Vnto which of the Angels said he at any time Thou arte my sonne This day haue I begotten thee c. And in the same place And againe when he bringeth his first begotten sonne into the worlde he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him Psa 97. ver 7. Io. 1. We haue seene his glorie as the glorie of the only son of God ver 10. He was in the world the world was made by him but the world knew him not He came vnto his owne his owne receaued him not But as manie as receaued him to them he gaue power that they should bee made the sonnes of God euen to them that beleeue in his name What the meaning of these wordes is His onely begotten sonne THe ende of these wordes is that our faith shoulde be stable first that we beleeue in the true God when wee beleeue in his onlie begotten sonne who is begotten of the substaunce of the father and therefore by nature is verie God as before is shewed Then also that we be no lesse vndoubtedly persuaded of the wonderfull loue of God towardes vs surmounting the loue of all creatures who hath so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Io. 3. And so God not only dealeth with vs by promises and by oath but also by giuing his son in whom all the promises are yea and Amen To be short that all thinges which he hath suffered for our saluation and whatsoeuer thinges followe in the other articles of faith be esteemed of the worthinesse of this person which is the onely begotten sonne of God Galat. 4. vers 4.5 Mat. 3. vers
of the Diuel both which the Apostle plainly ioyneth together 2. Cor. 5.15 and Rom. 5.18.21 and Rom. 6.7.8 2 Tim. 1.10 Of the fruites whereof we are made partakers by the death of Christ THE first fruite is that the obedience of Christ is our righteousnes before God For in the death of Christ faith specially looketh vpon that same voluntarie and speciall obedience of the sonne whereby he was made obediente to the father euen to the death and to the death of the crosse Philip. 2.8 Hebr. 5.8 And therefore euen as by the disobedience of one man manie were made sinners so by the obedience of one righteous many are made righteous Rom. 5. And because by his death he iustifieth vs from our sinnes through which the diuell gotte the power of death the scripture saith that the sonne of God through death abolished him that had the power of death that is the diuel set free as manie as through the feare of death through all their life were subiect to bondage Heb. 2. Therefore in this article there is contayned this promise which I take by faith that Christ died for my sinnes the iust for the vniust that I clothed through faith with this obedience might be esteemed righteous before God And surely when Isay in the 53. chap. had largely set forth that same willing obedience of the death of Christ as a lambe not opening his mouth after wardes he expressely setteth foorth in the same being laid hold on by faith our iustification in these wordes My righteous seruaunt by his knowledge shall iustifie manie because he shall beare their sinnes Certainly it must needes be that the voluntarie passion and death of the son of God be an excellent thing seeing that there are not so many so euident prophesies of any thing as of that so that there was no day passed but the same in a figure as in a visible prophesie to wit in that continuall sacrifice morning and euening was set before the eyes and seeing without the shedding of bloode there coulde be no remission it must of necessitie be a most precious thing and seeing S. Peter saith that the Prophets haue enquired and searched when or what time that same forewitnes which was that same spirit of Christ in them should declare the sufferinges that should come vnto Christ and the glorie that shoulde followe 1. Pet. 1.11.19.20 Nowe the worthines of this obedience euen to the death hangeth vppon the worthines of the person for that so great a person to wit as the sonne of God who was in the forme of God was made so far foorth obedient in his humaine nature that hee refused not to vndergoe that same curssed death vpon the crosse By these it is plaine that this is the first fruit of the death of Christ that hee might be our righteousnes before God and vnlesse that thing be vndoubtedly determined of vs wee doe not worthily enough esteeme the precious death of the sonne of God Of the second fruite of the death of Christ THe seconde fruite is the mortifying or killing of sinne For he hath not only through his death satisfied the iudgement of God for sinne but also hath broken the power of the infection of it which by the iust iudgement of God it had ouer vs. This I open thus in that Christ died he died once and that for sin And that he died for sinne I vnderstand thus that he not onely satisfied for it by his death but also so brake the power of sinne which was altogether wholy comprehēded in the iust iudgemēt of God by making a perfect satisfaction that nowe it cannot any longer as before creepe rage in the bodie of Christ which is the church but must by little and little decay Heb. 9.14 2. Tim. 1. ver 10. For euen as when the hearte of a man hath receaued a deadly wounde he is as one for dead because he cannot escape death euen so sinne hath receaued a deadly wounde in Christ so as we are saide to be dead in Christ Rom 6. And so the Lord speaketh in Hosee the Prophet cap. 13. I will redeeme them from the power of hell o death I will be thy death saith he euen I Iehouah will be thy death O death Therfore Christ who is God or Iehouah manifest in the flesh by hearing ouercōming death was the death of death sin that is to say by satisfying for sinne that it shoulde not be laide to our charge and by breaking the force of sinne which is the sting of death that is the power of infection which the iust wrath of God had gotten ouer vs to wit the wrath of God being appeased 1. Corinthians 15. Therefore Iohn saith The sonne of God was manifested to this end to dissolue the workes of the diuel Therefore the sonne of God which is the true Iehouah Iere. 23. dyed not onely that he might satisfie for sinne but also that by satissatisfying he might destroy sinne as the worke of the diuel For in satisfying hee both tooke away the cursse and also that might strength of growing further from sinne all which was conteyned in the iust iudgement of God to which he fully satisfied and this fauour he also obtayned for vs that hee by his spirite might kill sinne in vs who grewe vp together by one spirite into one bodie together with him 1. Corinthians 12. And was buried Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles ISay 53. And he gaue his buriall with the wicked and with the rich in his death albeit he had committed no iniquity neither was there deceipt in his mouth This prophesie was fulfilled Ioh. 19. verses 38.39.40 where the Lord is buried by Ioseph of Arimathea The figure of Ionas is applyed also to this by the Lord himselfe Mat. 12. vers 39.40 And in the 13. of Marke when Iesus was at Bethania in the house of Symon the leper when he was set downe a woman came hauinge an alabaster boxe of Spikenard very costly and breakinge the boxe shee powred it on his heade Nowe many disdained and were offended amongst them selues saying to what end is this wast of the ointment For this might haue beene solde for more then three hundred pence and giuen to the poore and they raged against her But Iesus saide let her alone why trouble you her shee hath wrought a good worke on mee For the poore you shall haue alwaies with you when you will you may do them good but mee you shall not haue Shee hath done that shee could For shee came afore hand to anoint my body to the burying These thinges hath Marke Where we see that the holy ghost by a secret instinct through that woman hath in that same visible ointment set before the eies of all as it were a visible prophesie of the death and buriall of Christ. To what ende the buriall of Christe tendeth and which are the fruites of it BVrial is a part of the humiliation
Ioel And it shall be in the last day saith God I will powre out of my spirite vppon all fleshe and your sonnes and your daughters shall prophecie c. Esay 59.20 21. And the redeemer shall come to Syon and vnto them that turne from iniquitie in Iacob saith Iehouah and I will make this my couenant with them my spirit that is vpon thee my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed saith the Lord frō hence forth euen for euer Ioh. 14. verses 16.17.18.19 c. I will pray the father and he shall giue you an other comforter that hee may abide with you for euer euen the spirite of trueth whome the worlde can not receiue because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but yee knowe him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leaue you fatherles but I will come to you yet a little while and the worlde shall see me no more but ye shall see mee because I liue ye shall liue also At that day shall yee know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you Manie moe testimonies were aledged when wee entreated of the trinitie The meaning of this article I Beleeue that the holy Ghost is verie true euerlasting God and of the same substance together with the father and the son and yet notwithstanding a person distinct from both as proceeding from them both And therefore forasmuch as he is verie God I place my confidence and trust in him as in the father and in the sonne and I trust in him that he will worke al that in me being emptie of all good that hee himself hath promised in his word for which cause he is sent of the father the sonne Now his effectes they are many and diuerse For first of all he is giuen that he may witnes the loue of the father in our hearts Gal. 4. that he may lighten the eyes of our minde with the knowledge of Christ that through faith he may so engraft me into Christ as a brāch into the vine may make me a partaker of Christ al his benefits Ioh. 15. This coniunction with Christ his benefits which the holy ghost doeth worke in vs the scripture doth expresse with great force when he saith that the holy ghost doeth sprinkle vs with the blood of Christ 1. Pet 1. doth make vs members of Christ 1. Cor. 6. doth feede vs with Christ Ioh. 6. doth make vs drinke of Christ 1. Cor. 10. the 12. and doth build vs vpon Christ Eph. 2. In which the office and end of the holy ghost giuen vnto vs is shewed that through faith it may most neerely knit vs vnto Christ and may work the like things both in the mēbers head seing it is the same spirit that is to say the very same life glory Rom. 8. I beleeue that the holy ghost as the true very God wil worke these thinges in me which he hath promised vnto me that beleue euē as these his peculiar epithetons names do declare that he is the water flowing vnto euerlasting life Iohn 4.7 A water which shal cleanse me Ezek. 36. 1. Corinthians 6. An annoynting which shal remaine in vs 1. Iohn 2. the seale and earnest of inheritance in all which it is promised vnto vs that he is giuen vnto vs to comforte vs in all aduersities to helpe vs in our infirmities to make intercession for vs with sighes and grones that can not be expressed forasmuch as we knowe not to pray as we ought and so that he be our true comforte or aduocate who suffereth not vs to be destitute of his counsaile and helpe but handleth our cause himselfe to the ende he may be in vs and remaine with vs for euer Iohn 16. To him I trust to him I wholy deliuer my selfe to be gouerned comforted and quickened in the father and in Iesus Christe his sonne who through the holie Ghost make their abiding with vs. The applying of this doctrine to the couenant of grace THat same euerlasting couenant that God hath stricken with Abraham the Sonne of God in mans nature taken of the seede of Abrahā hath confirmed by satisfying the righteousnes of God perfectly in manner as I haue confessed in the former articles of faith Nowe it resteth that the holie Ghost engraffe vs into Christ through faith the true seed of Abraham and so powre out that blessing promised to Abraham and his seede vpon vs and by the earnest of an euerlasting inheritance Paule saith in the third to the Galathians that in the Gentiles the blessing of Abraham is extant in Christ Iesus that we might receaue the promise of the spirit through faith And a little after Now to Abraham and to his seede were the promises made he saith not to the seedes as speaking of many but and to thy seede as of one which is Christ Also And if yee be Christs then are yee Abrahams seede heires by promise And Rom. 9.8.2 Cor. 1.21.22 How the holy Ghost is giuen and howe we know whether we haue it or no. THe holy Ghost is giuen by the ministery of the Gospel as by an ordinary meane Gal. 3. This onely would I learne of you receiued ye the spirit by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith preached Also Ephesi 1. verse 13. and 1. Cor. 12. verse 13. Now thou shalt knowe by the working of the holy Ghost that thou art a partaker of the holy Ghost For euen like as thou seest not the winde but dost feele his operation so the holy Ghost is knowen by his working as Christ teacheth Iohn 3. These are the principall and chiefe workes of the holy ghost in vs faith inuocation grones 1. Cor. 12. No man can say Lord Iesus but by the holy Ghost and the 2. Cor. 4. because we haue the same spirit of faith according to that which is written I beleeue and therfore I speake so we also beleeue and for that cause we also speake Ro. 8. Because we are sonnes therefore God hath giuen the spirit of the sonne into our heartes by which we crie Abba Father And in the same place The spirit maketh intercession for vs with grones that cannot be vttered Besides these the being displeased with our selues and the hatred of sinne or rather the battell against sinne is a sure and vndoubted token that we haue the holie Ghost that we are ingraffed into Christ For the flesh fighteth not against it selfe Rom. 8. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus which walke not after flesh but after the spirite THE FOVRTH PARTE OF the Creede I beleeue the holie Catholike Church the communion of Saintes Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles GEnesis 9. God enlarge Iapheth that he may dwell in the
dead and buried he descended into hell the third day he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God the father almighty from thence he shall come to iudge the quick and the dead I beleeue in the holy Ghost the holy Catholique Church the Communion of Saintes the forgiuenes of sinnes the resurrection of the body and the life euerlasting What faith is SEing therefore Christ the king himselfe in the articles of the Christian faith which containe the summe of the Gospell offreth that same kingdome of his vnto vs and through faith by the vertue of his spirit doth effectually confederate himselfe vnto vs to the end he may raigne in vs goe to let vs briefly shewe what faith is Faith is to assent vnto God his will being knowen in euery worde of his as to the onely true omnipotent God and so to giue glory to God and not to consider any thing either in our selues or in any other of his creatures that seemeth to be against him and in this worde to behold as the speciall marke the promise of the Gospel for that the father truely offreth himselfe vnto vs in Christ and through his holy spirit freely iustifieth vs that are engrafted in Christ and more and more sanctifieth vs and preserueth vs by the same power through which Christ was raised from the dead whereby he hath all things subiect to himselfe that the hope of euerlasting life being founded in this truth and power it may be most certaine This description of faith first comprehendeth the whole life of man whose singular actions and moments must needes leane and rest vpon faith For surely that which is said to the Hebrues Without faith it is impossible to please God is most true in all and singular matters that are to be taken in hand Rom. 14. ver 23. Then after that it setteth forth that peculiar grace of iustification offred in Christ and that restoring to euerlasting life as the foundation of all beleeuers Now this same description of faith is specially taken out of the fourth Chap. to the Romanes from the sixtenth verse and out of the first Chapiter of the Ephesians from the 17. verse to the ende of both the Chapiters That which is put in the description of the will of God knowen is therefore done because Sathan is oftentimes woont to faigne another meaning of the worde of God besides the will of God Least therefore that faith should stray from the will of God we must indeuer that as the Apostle commandeth in the 12. to the Romanes all prophesying or interpretation of the scripture be according to the analogie or rule of faith least the interpretation fight with the foundation or with any article of faith We will shewe it also more familiarly after this manner this is faith to acknowledge that this is the vnchangeable will of God and to rest in it that freely he will giue vs that promised saluation by the Prophets and that through Christ the same is giuen in deede as the Articles of our faith witnesse that is to acknowledge that these things which are contained in them are freely giuen vnto vs of God according to the testimony of all the Prophets which were from the beginning of the worlde yea and of Christ himselfe and to rest in this constant will of God and giue this glory to God that hath now already shewed his omnipotent power in performing these promises fulfilling in deede the most part of the Articles of our faith and also as yet doth still exercise the same in the applying of those benefites and will certainly shewe it in those that remaine yet to be fulfilled in the Articles neither to consider any thing either in vs or yet without vs in any creature that seemeth contrary to that same grace and diuine truth promised vnto vs and already offred in Christ and at length fully to be accomplished The partition or diuision of the Creede THere are foure principall parts of the Creede The first containeth what we beleeue of God the father who as he hath chosen vs of his meere mercy in Christ before the foundations of the worlde were laide Ephe. 1. so there is set forth in the first part of the Creede the first fountaine of the couenant or reconciliation and therewithall is also taught what we must beleeue of the creation of all things The second what we must beleeue of Iesus Christ the sonne of God in which part is comprehended the whole summe of the couenant of our reconciliatiō The third what of the holy Ghost who by engrafting vs through faith in Christ maketh vs confederates with God applying vnto vs the mercy of the father and the redemption of the sonne The fourth part is concerning the people or of the Church with whom God had stricken his couenant which part containeth the effectes of all the former and the fruite of our faith aswell which we enioye in this life as also which we shall enioy euerlastingly being fully knitte both body and soule with Iesus Christ our heade Rules which shall helpe both our vnderstanding and faith in euery article of faith THe rules which we ought alwayes to haue before our eies aswel in the expoūding as also in the meditating of the Creede are these First that a mans minde knowe in euery of the articles not only the history which knowledge alone is not to saluation forasmuch as the deuills haue that and doe tremble Iames. 2. but also that the heart it selfe embrace through true faith the promise of God and the performance of the promise in Christ and for Christ which lyeth hidde in euery of the articles Acts. 13. vers 32. and the 39. Resolue therefore all the articles into the promises or into the performance of them so thou shalt haue in the articles of faith all the kindes of that wonderfull vnion that we haue with the father with the sonne Iesus Christ and with the holy Ghost which throughout all the Gospell is promised and giuen to the beleeuer 1. Iohn 14. and the 15. The second rule In the applying of the promise looke vpon the counsell of God to witte that to the sonne of God a body soule was so fashioned and fitted that those thinges that were done in them were done in the name of all beleeuers so done in deede that the obedience which was offred vp to the father in his person by the counsell and gift of the father are as truely thine as if they had bene offred vp in thy soule body and that by the same efficacie wherethrough that euerlasting word quickened from death that whole masse and glorified it shall also quicken and glorifie thee For this is the counsell of God this is his vnchangeable will wherevpon we may safely leane now it is made manifest in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles to the Hebr Cap. 10. out of the 40. Psalme Wherefore entring into
the world he said Sacrifice oblatiō thou wouldest not but a body hast thou framed vnto mee c Thē I said Loe I am present in the beginning of the booke it is writtē of me that I should do thy will O God And a little after Through which will we are sanctified through the oblation of the body of Iesus Christ once made Vpō this counsell of God also leaneth the reason of the Apostle in the 10. to the Romains whilest he saith the righteousnesse which is of faith so he saith Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heauen For this is to fetche Christ out of heauen or who shall goe downe into the deepe this is to bring Christ from the deade But what saith he The word is neare thee in thy mouth and in thy heart This is that worde of faith which we preache to witte if thou shalt confesse the Lord Iesus with thy mouth and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God hath raised him vp from the deade thou shalt be safe For we beleeue with the heart to righteousnesse but we confesse with the mouth to saluation See the 1. Corinth 1. vers 30. Luk. 1. vers 10. to the Hebr. 2. vers 14.15 to the Romans 5. vers 12.15.16 17.18 Also 1 Cor. 15. vers 20.21.23 1. Thess 4. vers 14. and Chapiter 5. vers 3. I beleeue in God the father almightie maker of heauen and earth Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles of the nature of God and of the creation of all thinges EXodus 34. The Lord of Hoastes The Lord of Hoastes a mightie mercifull and gratious God long suffering and much in goodnes and saith who shewest mercie to thowsandes pardoning iniquitie and defection and sinnes before whom the innocent is not innocent who recompencest the iniquitie of the fathers vppon the children and vppon the childrens children and vppon the kinsfolkes Gene. 1. In the beginning God created heauen and earth Nowe the earth was desolate and voyde and darkenes was vppon the vtmost face of the depth and the spirite of God mooued it selfe vppon the face of the waters Io. 1. In the beginning was the worde and the word was with God and that word was God All thinges were made by it and without it was nothing made that was made And to the Colossians the first and Psal 104. Thou shalt sende foorth thy spirite and they shal be created and thou shalt renue the face of the earth The description of God GOD is a spirituall substance euerlasting good pure aswell of an incomprehensible glorie as of an infinite wisedome and power of an vnchangeable righteousnes vnspeakable mercie and most constant trueth to be short the onely soueraigne happines and the father is euerlasting the sonne the euerlasting image of the father and the holie ghost proceeding from both The nature of God is shortly and diligently expressed in the description which is in Moses Exod. 34. The Lord of of Hoastes the Lord of Hoasts a mightie mercifull and gentle God long suffering and of great mercie and true c. The profite of this description of God THe vse of this description is that the nature of God being knowne we should embrace by true faith as our onely and most soueraigne God and should feare to offende him to the end that through true faith and feare or amendment of life he might be glorified of vs. For first when we heare that God who hath promised by an euerlasting couenant that he wil be a God vnto vs is an vnderstanding wise euerlasting good righteous and mercifull God we conclude verie rightly vppon it of the verie forme of that free couenant that he is not onely such a one by nature but also that he will shew himselfe to be such a one to vs beleeuers and that by an euerlasting couenant though all creatures should seeme to persuade vs to the contrarie He that knoweth this nature of God of whom he is receiued into couenant he hath large matter of trusting in him and of framing his life by faith according to the will of God Both of these to wit howe the knowledge of God maketh to faith and repentance and so to the establishing of the kingdome of God in vs we will make plaine out of some of his attributes So great and so constant is the truth of God that one word of the diuine truth passeth the truth of all Angels and men because the truth of all creatures dependeth vpon the truth of God and hath the originall from that and consisteth in that alone so that the truth of god is the cause and foundation of all truth both in Angels and men When therefore we wauer or doubt of any matter why do we not consult whether there be not some word of the Lorde concerning that matter whereof we doubt which being found we may giue our mindes to rest knowing assuredly that the least title of the truth is more firme then the whole frame of heauen and earth Ieremi 31. Matt. 5. vers 18. therefore it is saide in the second booke of the Kinges Cap. 10. vers 10. Knowe you nowe that there shall not fall anie thing of the word of the Lord to the ground Also his infinite power ought to incourage vs to trust in him in him I say that mightie God who calleth those thinges which are not as if they were Ro. 4. Like as also that same Apostle further speaketh of the faith of Abraham He doubted not of the promise of God through vnbeleife but was made strong in faith giuing glorie to God Being fully assured that he which had promised he also was able to performe it And surely how greatly distrust displeaseth God as which defraudeth him of his glory and how greatly the holiest men that are ought to beware of it the Lord teacheth Num. 20. And the Lord of Hoastes said vnto Moyses and Aaron Forasmuch as ye haue not beleeued me that you might sanctifie me before the sonnes of Israel therefore you shall not lead this congregation into the lande which I haue giuen them And in the 32. of Deut. 50.51.52 Now he is not onely able to do that which he wil as in verie deede he willeth that thing which he hath promised in his word but also in that which he willeth not he abideth no resistance which is as it were the other part of the omnipotencie of God Isai 43. There is none that can take out of my hand And if I do any thing who shall let it The first is therfore that in euerie thing we haue the wil of God knowne out of his word which being once knowne let vs not doubt but that Gods truth is most cōstant altogether vnchangable Moreouer let our mindes moūt vp to the almightie nature of God who mightily performeth in deede whatsoeuer he wil neither abideth any resistance Ioh. 10. I giue euerlastnig life to my sheepe neither shall they perish for euer neither shal any mā take them
vers 9 That same worde is the onely begottē sonne of the father and the co-eternal image of the father His onely begotten sonne Io. 1. We haue seene his glory as the glory of the onely begottē of God To the Hebr. 1. who being the brightnes of his glory the light from the light and very ingraued forme of his person of his substance and bearing vp all things by the worde of his power Our Lord. c. And he is the Lorde of all creatures but chiefly of the faithfull or of the Church Io. 1. He was in the worlde and the world was made by him but the worlde knew him not he came amongest his owne and his owne receiued him not Before he came into the world he was a subsisting person and Dauids Lord from which Christ maintaineth his diuinitie in the 22. of Mathew saying What thinke you of Christ whose sonne is he they say vnto him Dauides he saith vnto them how then doth Dauid in spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said vnto my Lord sit at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footestoole If therefore Dauid call him Lord how is he his sonne Also Luk. vers 1. verses 16.17.43 and vers 76.77 And thou childe Iohn Baptist shalt be called the Prophet of the most high For thou shalt goe before the face of the Lorde to prepare his waies thou shalt giue the knowledge of saluation to his people Malach. 4. vers 5. Io. 1. This is he that commeth after me that was before me c. Io. 20. vers 28. Thomas answereth him my Lord and my God Acts 16. vers 31. and Chap. 18. vers 10. Who was conceaued by the holy Ghost So Christ was conceaued by the holy Ghost that being before that substantiall worde and by himselfe subsisting he tooke our flesh Philip. 2. who being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to be equall with God but he made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruante Hebr. 2. He tooke not the natures of Angels vpon him but he tooke the seede of Abraham Io. 6. I am that bread of life which came down frō heauen Io. 16. I went out from the father came into the worlde c. and 1. Timot. 3. Great is the mysterie of godlines God is manifest in the flesh Borne of the virgine Mary The Prophetes foretolde that this man which is borne of the virgine should not be a man in such sort as should subsist of himselfe as Peter and Paule but the true God to witte the second person bearing and vpholding that humaine lumpe into the vnitie of the person knitte vnto him Isay 7. Beholde a virgine shal be with childe and shal bring forth a sonne thou shalt call his name Immanuell God with vs. And in the 9. A childe is borne vnto vs A sonne is giuen vnto vs and the principalitie was vpon his shoulders and thou shalt call his name wonderfull counseller the mightie God father of eternitie and prince of peace Ierem. 23. I will reare vp to Dauid a righteous braunch and he shall raigne king and shall prosper c. And this is his name whereby they shall call him Iehoua our righteousnesse Miche 5. And thou Bethlehem Euphrata although thou be amongest the thousands of Iehudah out of thee shall there come forth vnto me which shal be the gouernour of Israel and his generations shal be from olde and from the daies of euerlastingnes Coloss 2. vers 9. In him dwelleth all fulnes of the Godhead bodily He suffred vnder Pontius Pilate He confessed before Pontius Pilate vnder whom he suffered that his kingdome was euerlasting and that therefore he came into the worlde that he might giue testimony of the truth Io. 18. vers 36.37 and Acts 4. vers 25.26.27.30 When the same iudge iudged him there is fulfilled that prophecy in the 11. of Zachary Mat. 27. And they tooke thirty peeces of siluer the price of him that was valued whom they of the children of Israel valued And they gaue them for the potters fielde as the Lord appointed vnto mee That which the Lorde foretolde of the children of Israel prising him then when the couenant was to be taken away and the people to be forsaken which he signified by the breaking of the staffe which was called the staffe of meekenes or rather the staffe of ioye But in Christ God manifested in the flesh this full disanullance being at hande yea in all circumstances it was fulfilled by a wonderful prouidence Crucified Crucified Zach. 12. vers 10. They shal looke vnto him whō they haue pearced This Iehoua saith of himselfe and Iohn saith that this was fulfilled in Christ Cap. 19. vers 37. And the 1. Cor. 2. vers 8. If they had knowen they had not crucified the Lorde of glory Acts. 3 vers 15. Ye haue slaine the prince of life Dead Dead The Testament was to be confirmed by the death of the Testator Now the Testator was God Hebr. 9. vers 16.17 And Cap. 8. vers 8.9 Acts 20. God hath purchased the Church vnto himselfe hy his owne bloud Buried descended into hell Oze 13.14.15 Buried descended into hell God saith I will redeeme them from the power of hell I will redeeme them from death I will be thy death O death O hell I wil be thy destruction This was partly fulfilled by Christ and shall partly bee fulfilled hereafter as the Apostle teacheth 1. Cor. 15. vers 55.56.57 Therfore Christ is true God he rose also by his owne power He rose from death the third day Rom. 1. vers 4. Io. 2. vers 19. Destroy you this Temple and I will reare it vp againe in three daies And Cap. 10. vers 17. 18. I lay downe my life that I might take it againe No man taketh it from mee but I laye it downe of my selfe I haue power to lay it downe and power to take it againe That he is the true God that ascended into heauen The third day he rose againe from the dead the Apostle plainly teacheth in the fourth to the Ephesians verses 7.8 9. To euery one of vs is grace giuen according to the measure of the gifte of Christ wherefore he saith when he ascended vp on high He ascended into heauen he led captiuitie captiue Io. 3. vers 13. No man ascendeth vp to heauen that is to say by his owne power for others ascend being drawene but he that hath descended from heauen And Io 6. vers 36. and vers 62. Also in the 16. Cap. vers 28. He sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie He sitteth at the right hand of God and is worshipped of Angels and men Hebr. 1. To which of the Angels hath he euer saide sitte at my right hande In the same place all the Angels of God shall worshippe him And 1 Pet. 3. vers 22. to the Ephesians 1. verses 20.22.23 to the Philippians
17. Why the scripture calleth him the onely begotten seeing all we which beleeue are the sonnes of God THerefore the Scripture calleth him the only begotten sonne of God that he may put a necessary difference betweene Christe and all the faithfull For Christ is called and indeede is the onely begotten sonne of God because he is the only euerlasting son of the euerlasting father begotten of the substance of the father before al worlds and therefore is very God in whō we ought to beleeue Pro. 8. Ioh. 1. Now we are called and are the sonnes of God not by nature but by adoption and grace through which God hath vouchsafed to adopt vs to be his children whilest he hath made vs through faith engrafted into his sonne his true and liuely members who otherwise were the mēbers of Sathan and by nature the sonnes of wrath Ioh. 8. Ephes 2. But in meane time that same adoption and name of the sonnes of God is not onely an emptie title but when we are in truth members of the sonne of God we haue by his grace a true communion and fellowship with him in respect of which he is called the first begotten amongest many brethren Rom. 8. And surelie if the Adoption made of men be not a vaine and an emptie title but such an acceptation of another mans childe to be a sonne whereby in truth all the right of sonnes is communicated vnto him as if he were a true and naturall sonne certainly by that same adoption of God whereby we are so engraffed into his sonne that we are gouerned quickened by his spirit we do not onely receaue the title but the full priuiledge and right of the sonnes of God Rom. 8. For he hath giuen this priuiledge dignitie right and power to all as many as haue receiued the Lorde Iesus that they should be made the sonnes of God Ioh. 1. And in the first Epistle of Iohn the first Chapiter That which we haue seene and hearde declare we vnto you that ye also may haue fellowshippe with vs and our fellowshippe or communion is with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christ And these things write I vnto you that your ioye may be full All the faithfull therefore haue not a meane and common couenant but a most excellent couenant with God whilest he will haue his confederates to be in the place of sonnes making thē members of his onely begotten Sonne from whom they are neuer plucked away and regenerating or rather renueing them through his spirit so excelent notable a couenāt I say in euery respect that we may freely say with the Apostle to the Rom. 8. that he that hath not spared his owne sonne but hath giuen him for vs all howe can it be that he should not together with him giue vs all thinges Yea but this same couenant grounded vpon so excellent loue of God towardes vs is so sure and vnmoueable that we may farther say with the same Apostle I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor Angells nor Principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shal be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Our Lorde Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles THe Lorde hath said to my Lorde c. Psalm 110. And Matthew 22. verse 42.43 Actes 2 verse 36. Therefore all the house of Israel knowe for a suretie that God hath made him both Lorde and Christe this Iesus I say whom ye haue crucified The end and drift of these words is that being entred into league with so faithful a Lord who hath redeemed them from the power of darkenesse neither with golde nor siluer but with his owne blood making thē his owne peculiar and not onely he so purchased them but he protecteth and preserueth them being so purchased with a speciall care they might safely and with assured confidence of minde committe themselues vnto him yea and yeelde vp themselues to be kept for euer Againe they are also admonished that they are not in their owne power but are bought with a price that both in bodie and soule which are Gods they may glorifie God 1. Corinthians 6. And to the ende all that are confederate and beleeue shoulde willingly suffer them selues to be gouerned of such a Lorde to wit by his worde and by his spirit who to the ende he might haue vs vnder his lordship gouernment was appointed of the father head of the Angels and of all beleuers Conceaued by the holy Ghost borne of the Virgin Marie Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles Genes 3. I will put enimitie betweene thee and the Woman and betweene thy seede and her seede It shall bruise thy heade and thou shalt bruise his heele To the Gala. 4. But when the fulnes of time was come God sent forth his sonne made of a woman c. That the sonne of God must take the nature of man of the stocke of Abraham GEnes 22. In thy name shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Gala. 3. Act 3. in the ende and Luke the 2. That the stocke was restrained to the tribe of Iudah and here somewhat concerning the time that the Messias should be giuen GEnes 49. The tribe shall not desist from Iehudah nor the Lawgiuer from the middest of his feete vntill his sonne come and obedience of peoples be made vnto him fulfilled in the 2. of Luk. ver 1. Where the whole worlde is taxed and therefore nowe the scepter was departed from Iuda when the tribe of Iudah was taxed of Augustus and therefore also Marie together with Ioseph And herevnto belong those prophesies which are to be seene in the 6. of Zacharie ver 11. Take therefore siluer and gold that thou maist make crownes and put them vpon the heade of Iehoschuhh the sonne of Iehosadac the high Priest Thou shalt say vnto him after this manner so saith the Lord God of hoastes in saying Beholde a man whose name is a slippe who shall bud foorth out of his place and hee shall builde the Temple of the Lorde of hoastes Hee I say shall build a temple to the Lorde of hoastes and the same shall beare away comelines and shall sit and beare rule vppon his seat and hee shall be a priest vpon his seat and the counsell of peace shall be betwixt both And let there be crownes for euerie one for Helē for Tobiah and Iedaiah to Hen the son of Zephaniah for a memoriall in the temple of the Lorde of hoastes and they that are farre of shall come and builde in the Temple of the Lorde c. And Ezechiel the 21. So hath the Lorde God of Hoastes saide Remoue awaie the Diademe and the crowne This which is nowe shall not be that I will aduaunce the humble will throw drowne the proude I will ouerturne ouerturne ouerturne it and it shall be no more vntill hee come whose
like as therefore there was a certaine person by whom sinne entred into the world and by sinne death and so became as it were the cause and foundation of falling away from God ending into league with the diuel so also must there be a certaine person appointed of God that might be the foundation and cause of reconciliation and of neuer breaking that same coniunction with God the fountaine of all happinesse Now this person is the euerlasting sonne of God with all the proprieties of the diuine nature and very man with all the proprieties of mans nature And euen like as there must both these natures true and sound the proprieties of either being kept in one person of Christ to reconcile man to God and to strike this couenant so also to kepe this couenant that according to the promise oath of God it may be euerlasting both natures must remaine for euer sound with their proprieties vnlesse we will haue the couenant in the verie piller and foundation to be shaken Therefore Satan hath alwaies gone about and yet doth by his instrumentes either altogether to denie one of the natures in the Mediator of the couenant or else vtterly to ouerthrow it For euen like as when the roote of a tree is hurt the braunches also wither and no fruite can be hoped for euen so the doctrine being corrupt concerning the person of Christ and the two natures in the same person together with their distinct proprieties the doctrine also of the Priestly and Kingly office of Christ remaineth corrupt which are as it were the fruits of the doctrine concerning the person The causes of this foundation and first why the mediator must remaine verie man and that euerlastinglie keping the proprieties of the humaine nature THe end of once taking neuer putting off againe mans nature was that God might declare his vnchangeable righteousnes and wrath against sinne and his mercie towardes vs. His iustice I say and his wrath whilest he will not so make his couenant that he be found vnrighteous and a lyer who had truely and righteously pronounced in what day soeuer you shall eate of that tree you shall die the death And Psal 5. Thou art not a God that wilt iniquitie Therefore he punished sinne in the flesh of man yea in the flesh of his onely begotten sonne that his high and vnchangeable righteousnesse truth and wrath against sinne might be manifest to the whole worlde His mercy whilest he punisheth not our sins in our selues which notwithstanding he might iustly do but deriueth his wrath vpon his onely begotten sonne that he might in very deede declare his infinite mercy towardes vs. Therefore wonderfully and with great wisedome the righteousnesse and mercy of God do meete and agree together or rather that same loue towards mankinde in Christ Iesu I will speake more largely that the matter may be more euident God going about to enter into couenant with man or willing to reconcile man euerlastingly vnto himself wold yet so shew his mercie that he denied not his righteousnes which is essētial vnto him which he can no more denie thē he can denie himself Now the seuere exact righteousnes of God required that forasmuch as corruption and transgression cleaued in mans nature that is to say both in our soule and bodie so also in the same that is in the nature of man taken of the sonne of God of the same substance and like in all thinges vnto vs sinne onely except which neither belongeth to the substance nor to the properties of man as he was created of God there should be a satisfaction and repaire For like as by one man sinne hath entred into the worlde as the Apostle saith to the Rom. cap. 5. and by sinne death and so death hath passed vpon all men in as much as al haue sinned and as by the disobedience of one man manie are made sinners so by the obedience of one many are made righteous Also If by the sinne of that one many are dead much more the grace of God and the gift through grace which is of one man Iesus Christ hath abounded towardes many Wherefore Christ must be very man both in soule bodie who by obedience euen to death and to the death of the crosse might satisfie the vnchangable righteousnes of God who would not punishe that in Angels because men had sinned but in the verie nature of man therefore the sonne of God tooke not Angels but the seede of Abrahā that is the very nature of man of the seede of Abraham Heb. 2. Secondly it behoued the mediator of the euerlasting couenant to bee brotherlie affected towardes vs and therefore he must be our verie brother in deede and abide so for euer with all the proprieties of a verie brother in deede as is plainely taught in the second chap. to the Hebrues He that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are al of one For which cause he was not ashamed to cal them brethren saying I will declare thy name vnto my brethren in the middest of the Church I will sing praises vnto thee And that we may knowe that like as the Sonne of God was not ashamed to become once our brother with brotherly affection other verie humaine properties so also that he is not now ashamed of vs neither that he hath put off nature or affectiō and other very properties of man and of a brotherly nature the Scripture saith in the end of the Chapter Wherfore in al things it behoued him to be made like vnto his brethren that he might be merciful a faithfull hie priest in thinges which were to be don with God that he might make reconciliation for the sinns of the people For in that he suffered whē he was tempted he is able to succour them which are tempted And least any man should cauil that Christ after his ascension into heauen begā to be ashamed of vs and to put off the nature of a brother that is that verie nature of man and the properties thereof Heare what the spirite of trueth saith farther in 4. cap. of the same Epistle Hauing therfore an high priest which hath entred into the heauens euen Iesus the sonnne of God let vs hold fast our profession For we haue not an high Priest which cānot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in al thinges tempted in like sort yet without sinne Let vs therfore go with confidence now he set the foundation of confidence to be in this that we haue an highe Bishop who not onely hath the nature of God but also of man a very brother in deed hauing not put of the properties of nature so that he can haue compassion vpon vs to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy and finde grace to helpe in the time of neede Thirdly God hath confirmed by oath that the fruite of the loines of Dauid should raigne for euer Psal 133. and the 89. It
is already set foorth to wit that Christ ascended into heauen not onely that he might there enioy euerlasting felicitie as the Angels doe and all blessed men but that hee might sit at the right hand of God which farre exceedeth the dignitie of Angels and of men as he witnesseth in the Epistle to the Heb. Ca. 1.13 For vnto which of the Angels saide he at any time sit at my right hand til I make thine enimies thy footstole Nowe seeing God is not a bodily substance therefore hath neither right or left hande at which Christ should stand or sitte it is manifest that these wordes and manner of speeches are taken from men and worldly thinges by which holie thinges answering in some sorte our infirmitie might be liuely set before our eyes explaned For in verie deede men to whome they graunt or giue either equal honor or that which is nexte vnto themselues they are wont to place them at their right hand that in this verie thing they may testifie that honour 1. King 2. Psal 45. What the sitting at the right hand of God the Father is THat same sitting at the right hand of God the Father is the exaltation of Christe in his kingdome and priesthoode to wit that nowe he administreth his kingly and priestly office not as before in infirmitie and miserie but in a manifest heauenlie maiestie glory Therefore then thou doest truely beleeue in Christ his sitting at the right hand of God the father almightie when thou beleeuest that he doth entreate for thee in heauen in high glory and that he doth gouerne his kingdome with a mighty power so that he doth heare thee doth more effectually endue and defend thee with the spirite of consolation and wisedome then if he were yet in the earth and shoulde speake with thee Act. 5.31 Him hath God lifted vp with his right hand to be a Prince and a Sauiour to giue repentance to Israel and forgiuenes of sinnes And Ephe. 1. He hath raised him vp from the dead and sette him at his right hand in the heauens farre aboue all principalitie and power and might and domination and euerie name that is named not onely in this world but in that which is to come and hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feete and hath appointed him head to the Church it selfe ouer all thinges which is his bodie euen the fulnesse of him which filleth all in all thinges Also to the Hebrues 8. verse 4. 1. Peter 3. verse 22. By these places it is plaine that the Scripture nameth the sitting at the right hand of God not that same administration of the kingdome and priesthoode which for the voluntarie abasing of Christ was weaker and more obscure but that same perfect gouernement honour and glorie of Christ which was free from all infirmities openly manifested and declared into which then the first entrance was when he arose againe from death ascended into heauen and there in an vnspeakable glorie declared himself to be Lord of al creatures in the sight of all holie Angels and men What fruite the faithfull receiue by that same sitting of Christ at the right hande of God or rather by that exaltation of Christe in his kingdome and priesthood FIrst concerning that same exaltation of Christ in the priesthood those that are in league with God doe reape from thence this consolation that they knowe that this couenant of grace by the intercession of this mediator kept and maintained euerlastingly as it appeareth Hebr. 8. verses 6. and 12. the which intercession is the shewing of him selfe before the face of the father that the efficacie and strength of that sacrifice once offered vp for all might continually be in force and this same perpetuall will of keeping it in this Mediator is agreeable with the will of the Father accepting that same sacrifice once offred vp for an euerlasting reconciliation and approuing this endeuor in the mediator of maintaining it according to the oathe Psalme 110. The Lorde hath sworne and it shall not repent him thou art a priestâ— for euer after the order of Melchizedek or that I may speake a little more largely First all the confederates doe reape this fruite in the exaltation of Christ in the priesthode that they know that the Mediator of this euerlasting couenant is entred into that same sanctuarie not made with handes the verie heauen it selfe and is exalted to the right hand of God that continuallie and without any interruption and that euery moment he may appeare an intercessour before the father for vs and so may maintein that same couenant once established for euer and may confirme it by his intercession in the heauenly throne of his Maiestie I. The testimonies of the euerlasting conseruation of this free couenant appeare in the eight to the Hebrues verse 6. But now our high priest hath obteined a more excellent ministerie in asmuch as he is the intercessor of a more notable couenant which is ratified by more excellent promises c. Also in the 7. to the Hebrues And that not without an oath for these are made priestes without an oath but this is made wtth an oath by him that saide vnto him the Lorde hath sworne and it shal not repent him thou art a priest for euer after the order of Melchisedech By so muche is Iesus made a suretie of a better Testament for among these many were made priestes by reason that death suffred them not to endure but this man because that he endureth for euer hath a perpetuall priesthod By which he is able also perfectly to saue those which come to God through him euermore liuing to make intercessioÌ„ for vs. II. Concerning the appearing of Christe in â—he sight of God for vs and the perpetuall verâ—ue of the sacrifice of Christ once offered vp it is written Hebru 9. verse 24. Christe entered in â—nto a sanctuarie not made with handes which â—s a patterne aunswering vnto the true sanctuâ—rie but into heauen it selfe that he may apâ—eare nowe in the sight of God for vs. And Heb. 10. ver 22. This man after he had offered one â—acrifice for sinnes sitteth without any interruption that 〈◊〉 for euer at the right hand of the Father III. As touching the will in the sonne of mainteining it and of the Fathers will in accepting of it the oath doth witnesse whereof God will not repent him and consequently neither will it repent the sonne of receiuing the office of being an euerlasting Sauiour Psal 110. Rom. 8. Who shal laie any thing to the charge of God his chosen It is God that iustifieth who shal condemne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is risen againe who is also at the right hand of God who also maketh request for vs. Out of which wordes that same constant will in the sonne of keeping vs before the sight of the Father which Paul comprehendeth in intercession is vnderstoode and which answereth vnto the will of God
a most wise and mightie heade Christ and a defence against the enemies This kingdome when it was in this worlde beganne in humilitie as he saith repent amend for the kingdome of God is at hand The exaltation therefore in this kingdome is that same placing in highest degree of honour to the end the sonne may shew himself openly before the Angels blessed men in great light to be the king and heade of all the elect and by shedding his power euen vnto vs with a greater efficacie then when he was in his body in the earth he may restore and repare life and saluation by the worde and spirit in his electe and may defend thē against al enemies Eph. 1.21.22 The father hath placed Christ at his right hand in the heauens far aboue all power principality might and dominion euery name that is named not in this worlde onely but in that which is to come and he hath made all thinges subiect vnder his feet and hath appoynted him to be heade ouer all thinges to the Church which is his bodie and the fulnesse of him which fulfilleth al in al things Ioh. 16.7 I speak the truth vnto you it is expedient for you that I goe away for vnlesse I goe that comforter shall not come vnto you but if I depart I will sende him vnto you And this was because it was so appointed by God his decree that Christ being exalted in his kingdome should sende him What fruits we are partakers of by the exaltation of Christ in his kingdome LIke as Christ was borne and died for vs so also he sitteth at the right hande of God for vs. Nowe the first fruite is that onely Christians doe rightly knowe God call vppon him and praise him For therefore the father placed Christ at his right hande that hee might be acknowledged worshipped and praised both of Angels and men as their onely God and Lorde And contrariwise God doeth abhorre all other worshippes which are not directed vnto Christ in whome onely hee will bee acknowledged called vppon and praysed Peter inferreth Acts 2. of the sending of the holy Ghost out of the testimony of Dauid concerning the sitting of the Messias at the right hand of God Therefore let all the house of Israel knowe for a suretie that God hath made him both Lorde and Christ this Iesus I say whome ye haue crucified And Phil. 2.9.10.11 Wherefore God hath also highlie exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euerie name that at the name of Iesus shoulde euery knee bow both of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth and thinges vnder the earth and that euery tongue should confesse that Iesus Christ is the Lorde vnto the glorie of God the father And Psa 97. ver 7. Apo. 5. ver 7.9.12.13 1. Cor. 1. ver 2. Act. 7. ver 59. cap. 9. ver 14. The second and the third fruite THE other fruits are knowen by their ends For therefore Christ is exalted in his kingdome that inwardly hee maye enrich his Church and without he may defend it against enimies yea and also may bridle those that are deadly and inwarde enemies the seconde fruite therefore is that the father for and by this Christ doeth assuredly giue the holy ghost to them that aske it doeth gouerne and quicken the faithful by the ministerie of the Gospel both beautifieth the whole Church with diuerse gifts and also giueth to euery mēber so much giftes as are sufficient for the glorie of the head for the edificacion of the whole body and the saluation of that same member but hee leaueth none of them without necessarie gifts or letteth them to be emptie Actes 2.33 Christ exalted to the right hand of God and hauing obtained of his father the promise of the holy Ghost hath shed forth this which ye nowe see and heare And to the Eph. 4.7 To euery one of vs grace is giuen according to the measure of the gift of Christ. And a litle after He therefore gaue some to be Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some pastors and teachers for the repairing of the Saintes for the worke of the ministery and for the edification I say of the body of Christe till wee all meete together in the vnitie of faith and that acknoweledging of the Sonne of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Also Let vs altogether growe vp in him which is the heade to wit Christ by whome all the bodie fitly knitte and compact together by all the ioynts for the furniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of euerie part the whole receaueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue Christ therefore raigneth vnto vs at the right hande of the father that powring out the holy Ghost vpon vs he might be effectual by the ministerie and through the spirite might make vs his mēbers and might aduaunce his spirituall kingdome day by day in vs vntill he might fully ioyne vs vnto himselfe being perfectly regenerate and washed againe from sinne and corruption and so he might be God all in all 1. Corinthians 15. The thirde fruite THE thirde fruit is the defense of the Church against all our enemies sinne the flesh the worlde tyrantes diuels all which our heauenly father calleth the enemies of Christ and in verie deede he sheweth dayly examples of his power in ouerthrowing them Psal 110. The Lorde hath said to my Lord sit at my right hande vntill I make thine enimies a footestoole vnto thy feete Iehoua shall sende the scepter of thy strength out of Sion rule in the middest of thine enimies Surely a wonderful consolation that we are his brethrē yea his members to whome all power is giuen in heauen and in earth without whose will power neither the Turkes nor antichrist can deuise any thing against the Church no nor conclude or moue so much as a finger for the executing of their counsailes so that Christe raigneth in such sort in the middest of his enemies that he will not be shut out no not out of their most secrete counsailes Yea we are the brethren and members of that Christ by whose most present diuine power all men are gouerned and all creatures in heauen and in earth so that wee may saye with full securitie of minde with the Apostle Romanes 8. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation shall anguish shall persecution shall hunger shal nakednes shall danger shall the sword as it is written For thy sake are we killed all the day long we are counted as sheepe appointed to the slaughter yea but in al these thinges we are more then conquerours through him that hath loued vs. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor hight nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separat vs
contemners of so great long suffering patience and so shal drowne sathan as Pharaoh with all his armie in euerlasting destructiō but he shal bring in his confiderats fully deliuered from al tyrannie of the wicked into that same true heauenly inheritance as into the lande of promise to which Paul would haue vs to loke whē he saith as often as ye shall eat of this bread drinke of this cup ye shal shew forth the Lords death vntil his comming againe Why the comming of Christ is not so feareful vnto the faithful FIrst the cause doth cōfort the faithful for which he shal come to iudge Now the chiefe end of the cōming againe of Christ to iudgement is the glorifying of the Church that is to say that sinne and death being fully ouercome and the enemies of the kingdome being adiudged by the iust iudgemēt of Christ to euerlasting paine and so all offences and impediments remoued which did let the glory of the sons of God God might appeare without any let fully perfectly glorious in his saints Eph. 5.1 Cor. 15. Christ setteth this same cause or rather ende scope before our eyes whilest he calleth that day the day of redemption Secondly the very person of the iudge doth take frō vs al feare For euen for this cause the father hath deliuered al iudgmēt to the son as he is the sonne of man that he might make our consciences quiet take from vs all terror of condemnation Ioh. 5.22.27 Both because that now we beleeue that he shall be iudge and also because we shal behold him with our eyes in whose body our sinnes are cleansed and all the curse taken away Heb. 9.28 Tit. 2.13.14 Last of al the commandement promise of Christ doth free deliuer vs frō al feare The cōmandement is plaine in Luk. 21. Whē ye shal see these thinges come to passe be of good comfort lift vp your heades Math. 24. It shall come to passe that yee shall heare of wars and rumors of warre but see that yee he not troubled for these things must be The promise is plaine in third of Ioh. He that beleeueth in the son is not iudged or cōdēned And cap. 5.24 1. Thes 4.14.17 cap. 5 ver 9.10 Ioh. 17. ver 22.24 yea let that promise be cōsidered which is in 1. Cor. 6. doe yee not knowe that the sainctes shall iudge the worlde And a little after bee yee ignorant that it shall come to passe that wee shall iudge the Angels And surely seeing all the Articles of the faithe are deliuered for our consolation it must needes be that this article also of iudgement is deliuered not to shake but to confirme and establishe our faith Howe we ought to make our selues readie to iudgement WE must prepare our selues to the iudgement of Christ by faith and a good conscience that is to say by a faith which leaneth vppon a fast and sure foundation and by the fruites of faith which doe beare witnesse of it and with which it is exercised Nowe the foundation of faith is not our merite neither in whole nor in part but of Christ alone who deliuereth vs from the wrath to come 1. Thess 1. For no man can lay any other foundation then that which is laide alreadie to wit Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3. The which also is manifestly vnderstood by the wordes of the iudge himselfe For first he saith Come ye blessed of my heauenly father Nowe wee are not blessed by or in our selues but by Christ by whome we are both deliuered from the cursse and also adopted to be sonnes of the meere good will and free purpose of God Galat. 3. Ephesi 1.2 The iudge further addeth Possesse for an inheritance the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde If an inheritance then no merite If prepared from the beginning of the worlde then not gotten by vs which yet were not And these things concerning the foundation wherevppon our faith leaneth Nowe after that I am assured through faith that I am one of the sheepe of Christ which he hath redeemed not with golde and siluer but with his owne blood I must endeuour that I may haue those same markes where with by his spirite hee is wont to marke his sheepe to wit fruits worthie repentance which are that I feede Christ being hungrie and giue drinke vnto him being thirstie in his mēbers that I receiue Christ by hospitalitie in strangers c. But the faithfull rest not vppon these workes of thankefulnesse like as also they shall say in the iudgement Lord when saw we thee hungrie and thirstie and gaue meate drinke vnto thee But they shall onely reste vppon Christ who is made vnto them of God wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption 1. Cor. 1. To these fruites and exercises of faith belong sobrietie calling vpon the name of God and watchfulnesse For it is a precious deceit of sathan whilest he persuadeth men that that same iudgement is yet farre off or that there is no neede euerie houre or moment to looke for it when as notwithstanding the comaundement of Christe and the doctrine of the Apostles require speciall watchfulnesse Luke 21. Matth. 24. verse 44.45 1. Thessa 4. vers 15.17 and chapter 5. verse 1.2 1. Pet. 3. Besides these the looking for iudgement doeth admonish the faithful that aboue all thinges they take heede vnto themselues least they defile their bodies or their soules with the idolatrie of Antichrist or with the like that they vnderprop their mindes with patience concerning which matter there are extant graue admonitions Mat. 24. ver 24.25 Apo. 14. ver 7.7.11.12 chap. 18. ver 4. To conclude wee must keepe a good conscience in al things euen vntil the Lord shal come who shall make manifest the secretes of darkenes shal lay open the coūsels of the hart 1. Cor. 4.5 So Paul saith Act. 24. In this therefore I exercise my selfe that alwayes I may haue a conscience without offence before God and men THE THIRDE part of the Creede I beleeue in the holy Ghost Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles Ioel 2.28 And it shall come to passe afterward I will power out my spirit vpon all flesh your sonnes your daughters shal prophecie your olde men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shal see visions yea and vppon the seruants and maidens in those days I will powre out my spirit and I will shewe wonders in the heauen in the earth blood fire pillers of smoke the sonne it selfe shal be turned into darkenes the moone into blood before the great terrible day of the Lord come And further it shal come to passe that whosoeuer shall cal vpon the name of Iehovah shall be saued for in Mount Syon and Ierusalem shall be deliuerance as the Lorde hath saide and in the remnant whome the Lorde shall call Actes 2.16.17 But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet
vnto it and by no meanes separate them selues from that cōmunion The Church also is bound to receiue them and to the vttermost of her power with a cheerefull minde to communicate those meanes which are committed vnto her such as all bodily and spiritual helpes are to the common saluatiō And as touching that same inward vnion or fellowship it hath as it were these degrees First all the electe haue the same right of the children of God that is common to all and so the same Father in heauen Rom. 8. Secondly all the elect are endued with the same faith whereby euen from the beginning they were engraffed into the sonne of God and yet are engraffed which is a forcible and an effectuall calling Thirdly the same fauour of iustification in Christ is common to all vnder the olde newe Testament Fourthly glorification is also common to the whole bodie so that the inhabitation of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost was alwaies the same vnder either testament to which scope and end al the gifts of the holie Ghost tend bestowed for the common building vp of the whole bodie that at length the glorie of the king may fully shine in the whole bodie I beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes Testimonies out of the Prophetes and Apostles IEremie 31. I will haue mercie vpon their iniquities and I will not remember their sinnes any more Chapter 33. also Psal 103. O my soule blesse thou Iehouah and forget not all his benefites who forgiueth al thine iniquities who healeth all thine infirmities And a little after He hath not dealt with vs according to our sinnes neither hath he rewarded vs according to our iniquities For as the heauens are high aboue the earth so hath his mercie preuailed towardes those that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he put our offenses from vs. And 1. Iohn 1. The bloud of his Sonne Iesus Christ hath purged vs from all our sinne The benefites which Christ communicateth vnto his Church by the vertue of the holie Ghost are set out a little more fully in these last articles Nowe his benefites are to be considered two manner of waies First in respect of the possession which we haue in this life and in which we stande Moreouer in respect of the full enioying and perfection of them which vndoubtedly we shal be partakers of in the life to come I vnderstand the possession of the benefits of Christ which we nowe haue in this life thus that euen like as there is no saluation without the Church which is the bodie of Christ so also all they which are his true and liuely mēbers now haue do vndoutedly possesse true happines all which we comprehend in the Creed vnder the forgiuenesse of sinnes as the Apostle proueth Rom. 4 out of the 32. Psalme Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered The meaning of this Article I Beleeue that whatsoeuer is sinne and so called whether it be originall or by birth as transgression in the loines of Adam the corruption that folowed of it which I beare about in my flesh or whether it be actuall sinne as thoughtes wordes and wicked deedes which spring from thence I beleeue I say that all that through faith whereby I am engraffed and dwell in Christ in the free and vndeserued goodnesse of God is freely forgiuen me and so freely that all memorie aswell of the fault as of the punishment like as if I had neuer sinned or had no sinne is taken away from before God and therefore I trust that I am now already blessed Nowe for asmuch as nothing is more harde then to beleeue the forgiuenesse of sinnes goe to let vs see what are the causes of this certaintie concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes The chiefe and principall cause is because the couenant and oath of God which conteineth this article in it is confirmed by the death of the testator himselfe which is Iehouah that God will not be any longer mindefull of our sinnes of the testator I say euen of God himselfe which had made that couenant Nowe what can be a greater confirmation of this couenant and testament then when that personall worde who is the true and euerlasting God vouchsafeth to confirme by his death which he took vpon him in the flesh the same thing that he promised Now it is plaine out of the 31. Chapter of Ieremy that it is Iehouah himself that maketh that testament or couenant And in the eight Chapter of Hebrues verses 15.16 and againe in the 9. it is plainely taught that it is the same Iehouah which by his death hath confirmed the same testament Where there is a Testament saith he there must be the death of him that made the Testament In which place he also saith that the same Christ which died was the maker of that same Testament promised in Ieremie Also Act. 20. Now what may be said or thought greater in heauen or in earth then that this article I beleeue forgiuenesse of sinnes should be confirmed by the death of God himselfe That sinne is forgiuen not that it should not be but that it should not be laide to our charge BVt whether may we say that our sinnes are so forgiuen that no remnants therof remain in vs No in no case for although sinnes be in vs and shal be euen vntill our death yet notwithstanding we beleeue that they shall not bee laide to our charge but for the merite of Christ shal be forgiuen vs. And therefore Saint Paul with the Prophet pronounceth not them blessed in whome there are no sinnes but whose sinnes are couered The whole matter tendeth to this that we vndoubtedly beleeue that the Church which is the mysticall bodie of Christ and euerie member of it doth possesse in this life not an vncertaine and temporall but a firme and an euerlasting forgiuenesse not of one or another sinne but of all sinnes with which they must struggle which haue ioyned with it an incredible peace and quietnes of conscience and therefore happines it selfe For this is the meaning of the Prophet when he saith that nowe God doth crowne vs with mercie compassion And Iohn 5. He that beleeueth in me hath passed from death to life But God forbid that we should take occasion hereof to sinne because we beleeue that our sinne is forgiuē vs. For as many as are truly engraffed into Christ through true faith besides that benefite of forgiuenes with which the image of Sathan is couered we begin to possesse therwithal another to wit the restoring of the image of God which consisteth in the mortification of the old man and quickening of the spirit Rom. 6. Now both these benefites are freely giuen vs of the father for Christ into whom whilest he doth engraft vs by his holy spirit first he couereth our sinnes by the imputation of the perfect obedience and satisfaction of Christ then he doth further begin
comforter that he may dwell with you for euer to wit the spirite of truth which the world cannot receiue because it seeth him not neither hath knowne him But you knowe him because he abydeth with you shall be in you Also ver 23. The father and I will come make our abiding with him 1. Ioh. 1. ver 3. 1. Cor. 6. ver 19.20 Secōdly it is profitable necessarie that in our calling vpon God we should thinke vpon what god we cal to wit vpō that same true God with whom we haue stricken and entred into a couenant of faith and who hath witnessed in an euerlasting league that he wil be a God vnto vs and which he hath sealed vnto vs by the seale of baptisme that so we might separate our inuocation from the inuocation of Ethnickes Turkes and such like who call vpon those Gods that are no gods but are deuised of the father of all liuing For God cannot tollerate at any hand that there should be any felowship with his confederates in the inuocation and worship of false gods the which thing the holy ghost playnly pronounceth 2. Cor. 6. vers 14 15. Now the same Apostle yet further setteth before our eyes the greatnes of the daunger vnlesse through true obedience of faith wee cleaue vnto the true God whose confederates we are and altogether abstaine from al idolatrous worship or inuocation 1. Cor. 10. That which the gentiles offer they offer to diuels not to God Now I would not that ye should be partakers with diuels Ye cannot drinke of the cup of the Lord of the cup of diuels Ye cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord and of the table of diuels For there followeth after the fellowship with the diuels table fellowship also in euerlasting paines Apoca. 14. ver 9 10 11 12. Luk. 11. ver 49 50 51 52. In God the father BY the name of the father we are put in minde of that same most streight couenant confirmed betweene God and vs in Christ his onely sonne and of his vnchangable loue towards vs. Iohn 17. O holy father keepe them through thy name whom thou hast giuen me that they may bee one euen as wee are one Also That the world may know that I was sent from thee and that thou louest them euen as thou hast loued me For albeit he be named father in respect of his coeternall sonne yet we rightly gather thereof that he is also in a free vndeserued fauor our father because he hath promised in his sonne that hee will become such a one vnto vs and hath performed it in deede when he gaue his onely begotten sonne to be our brother and made vs in his sonne reconciled vnto him selfe his members and so adopted vs into his children Ephe. 1. vers 5. Iohn 1. ver 12 Which thing also hauing wrought that same full reconciliation Christ witnesseth Iohn 20. I ascend vnto my father and to your father to my God and to your God Wherefore the true Citizens of the kingdome of Christ haue God for their father imbracing them with the same loue wherewith he imbraceth his onely begotten sonne Ephes 1. vers 6. 1. Iohn vers 3 12. Almightie I Beleeue that I am entred into league with almightie God who also by his omnipotencie worketh what soeuer he wil in al the world whatsoeuer things he wil not or hath not decreed he hindereth cōfoundeth scatereth thē so as it is impossible that they should be done For euen like as he is almightie in bringing that to passe that he wil so in that that he wil not he abideth no resistance which is as it were the other part of his diuine power Ps 135. ver 6 7.14 Esai 43.13 8. ver 10. 46.10 19.3.11.12 14. Ioh 10. vers 29.30 Now let this omnipotency be alwaies in sight to the confederates or rather faithful citizens of the kingdome of God euen as the Lord from the verie beginning hath set the same before the eyes of Abraham the father of beleeuers in his couenant I am God almighty and before in the 15. Chapter Feare not Abraham I will be thy shielde Therefore I must not consider any thing whatsoeuer seemeth to be against the diuine promises either in my selfe or in all creatures but I must giue praise to the omnipotent power of God must chearefully followe God whither he calleth Rom. 4.17.18.19.20.21 Heb. 11.17.19 Creator of heauen and earth THese wordes make very much for the confirmation of our faith in God almighty For first whiles we haue a couenant with the creator who giueth substance and being to all things we beleeue that we haue a sure help in him against all creatures because it is as easy for the creator to destroy them and bring them to nothing as it was once easy for him to create them of nothing Genes 1. Psal 91. and 104. Secondly forasmuch as the creator with whom we are in league doth giue mouing all things else vnto his creatures so that they can doe nothing but as they are driuen of the creator we must constantly holde that whatsoeuer thinges are sent vpon vs by the creatures that they are sent of God yea and that for our good and further in respect of the constant and euerlasting league that we haue with the creator so consequently with all creatures which thing is contained in this article of our faith and is offred and described vnto vs by the Prophet Osee in his 2. Chapter euen to the ende of it Thirdly the consideration also of the workes of God doth make so for the confirmation of our faith whiles that we knowe that we haue league not with an vnknowen God but with him who daily offreth himselfe vnto vs to be felt of vs. Acts. 17. As also Dauid saith in the Psalmes Tast and see how good the Lord is Therfore all the creatures which we vse daily are so many testimonies vnto vs of Gods omnipotencie wisedome and goodnesse towards vs. Fiue chiefe points of the doctrine of Gods prouidence BEcause we haue said that that same omnipotencie of God is not an idle but a working and an effectuall omnipotencie which continually sheweth it selfe in the conseruation gouernance of the things which are created it followeth that we set out that same most profitable doctrine of Gods prouidence and of the fruites thereof Nowe there are fiue speciall points to be marked of euerie one that is in league with God for the obtaining of that same true knowledge of Gods prouidence and sure establishing of the confidence and faith of the heart The first point of doctrine concerning Gods prouidence FIrst of all let euery faithfull man that is in league with God vndoubtedly determine with himselfe that God by the selfe same omnipotencie whereby he hath created all things doth also preserue and continue the same and by his wonderfull prouidence doth gouerne them Heb. 1. verses 10.11.12 Coloss 1.16 And that
viuification or quickening because as Christ is iustified from our sinnes by rising againe and therewithall is quickened so he that beleeueth in Christ is both iustified and quickened as the Apostle teacheth Ephes 2. vntill the 11. verse Therefore Paul Rom. 5. calleth the same iustification of life and opposeth it to the fault of condemnation and maketh an antithesis or matching of contraries betwene sinne that raigneth to death and the righteousnes of Christ which whosoeuer receiue they raigne in life verses 17.18.21 And in deede so as not onely Christ worketh in vs not onely that same newe life but also Christ is that life himselfe as him selfe saith I am the way the trueth and the life Iohn 14.6 And Gala. 2.20 Nowe I liue no more But Christ liueth in me Viuification therefore is the seconde fruit of the resurrection of Christ to wit for that Christ himselfe alwayes liuing is become our life through faith and because by the vertue which we drawe from our heade Christe through the spirite of faith we arise in this life into newnes of life that by liuing purely and holily wee might wholy consecrate our selues to the will of God This thing the Apostle teacheth Col. 3. If yee be risen with Christ seeke those thinges that are aboue where Christ is sitting at the right hande of God Care for heauenly thinges and not for earthly For this cause also the selfe same Apostle saith Rom. 6. that We are planted into the similitude of the death of Christ that being partakers of his resurrection we might walke in newnes of life In which wordes he not onely setteth out the resurrection of Christ as an example for vs to followe but also especially teacheth that this thing especially wrought in vs that by the vertue of the resurrection of Christ wee might rise agayne into a newe life Of the third fruit of the resurrection of Christ The thirde fruit which is ioyned with the second is the assurance of our perseuerance in faith and of full victorie against sinne and death For euen like as Christ dyeth no more but liueth the life which neuer can faile for in that he is dead he is once dead to sinne but in that he liueth he liueth to God death shal haue no further dominion ouer him Rom. 6. so they that are engraffed into Christ through faith do drawe out of him a spirituall life from which they can neuer fal and which no not in the verie separation of the body and of soule can bee extinguished as Christ saith If any man keepe my word he shall neuer see death Iohn 8.51 Therefore seeing the faithfull liue this life of Christ in an entrance or beginning the force and nature whereof shed into their minds from Christ is such as it can neuer altogether die they are also assured of the full consummation and perfecting of it The selfe same thing also Peter teacheth 1. Epist 1. Blessed be God and the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who of his great mercie hath begotten vs into a liuely hope through the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And verse 4. 6. he laieth the cause foundation of a liuely hope in the mercie of the father resurrectiō of Christ because as Christ after that hee arose in our name by the mercie of the father he alwaies liueth so hope also hath a permanent and indurable life in him partly regeneration being begone and partly it loketh for it in that same full consummation and finishing In the first to the Ephesians verses 19.20.23 there is a notable place most fit and agreeable vnto this doctrine to wit that God doeth shewe foorth that selfe same power in vs whiles he giueth vs faith which hee wrought and declared in his sonne when he raised him vp from the dead and that same substantiall word it selfe to be that which filleth all in all thinges The same also 1. Pet. 1. verse 3.5 2 Cor. 4.14.16 And from hence floweth that same certaintie concerning full victorie against sinne against the assaultes of sathan and death For like as that euerlasting worde in flesh which it tooke and which in it owne power it raised from the deade Iohn 10. ouercame our sinne imputed vnto him death so also that same euerlasting worde shall not cease dwelling by grace in the faithfull but vtterly to abolish in those also the remnauntes of sinne and death already ouercame by his vertue and power 1. Corinthians 15. vers 54.57.58 1. Iohn 5.4.5 For by no other vertue and power but by the verie same whereby that euerlasting worde in that receiued lumpe ouercame our sin and death we know also according to the promise the same worde also working in vs that wee shall vanquishe and ouercome Io. 4. Because he is mightier that is in vs then he that is in the worlde This certayntie of our perseueraunce in true faith and of a full victorie through faith bringeth to passe that we take all thinges from his hande whether they be thinges prosperous or full of aduersitie being fully persuaded that all those thinges doe hasten the fruition of that same victorie which now is gotten for vs by Christ 1. Cor. 15. Thankes be to God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Jesus Christ The same is in the 2. Cor. 4.15 Concerning the last fruite of the resurrection of Christ SEing that not only our soules but also our bodies are mēbers of our head Christ through the bonde of the spirit of faith 1. Cor. 6. ver 5. 15. Rom. 8.11 therefore in the resurrection of our heade Christ our bodies haue a certaine pledge and seale that they are not onely raysed vp from sinnes in this life as was shewed in the second fruit but also the selfe same bodies which are yet mortall haue both nowe the right of euerlasting life and through that same quickening spirit of Christ are repaired to the fruition of him and to true immortalitie in the end of the world and that in the selfe same state and condition with the glorious body of Christe Phil. 3. Who shall transforme our vile body that it may be fashioned like vnto his glorious body according to that effectuall working whereby hee is made able to subdue all things vnto himselfe 1. Cor. 15.49 As we haue borne the image of the earthly Adam so shall we heare the image of the heauenly The last fruit therefore of the resurrection of Christ is tha◠immortalitie is adiudged vnto vs from God himselfe made in the raysing vp of the Messiah and offered vnto vs by the Gospell and sealed by the spirite of Christe 2. Tim. 1.10 Who hath abolished death and hath brought life and immortalitie vnto light thorough the Gospell To the Ephesians chap. 1. In which Christ also you haue hoped hauing heard the worde of trueth euen the gospell of your saluation in which also after that ye beleeued ye were sealed with the holy spirite of promise whiche is the
earnest of our inheritaunce whiles we are redeemed into libertie to the praise of his glorie Although therefore wee die yet we shall rise againe into an immortall life because both the right of life is adiudged vnto vs in the raising vp againe of the sonne and wee are ingraffed into this Christ raysed vp as branches vnto the vine both by the outwarde testimonie of the Gospell and also by the inwarde witnesse of the holy Ghost 1. Corinth 15. If Christ bee risen againe we also shall rise againe Hitherto also belongeth it that he calleth him the firste fruits of them that rise againe because the whole haruest of all the faithfull from the beginning of the worlde was sanctified vnto God by the raysing vp of that lumpe which the sonne of God had taken of vs to a blessed resurrection Hitherto also it belongeth that he is called the first begotten from amongest the dead Colossians 1. as else where it shall bee declared more largely Seeing therefore that in raysing vppe of the sonne the right of life is brought to light vnto vs and that same quickening spirite of Christ is giuen vnto vs hauing heard the Gospell that same spirit I say of faith through which not onely our soules but also our bodies are members of our head Christe therefore wee haue an vndoubted pledge in the resurrection of our heade Christe that our bodies are to bee repayred and restored to immortalitie He ascended into heauen Testimones out of the Prophetes and Apostles THE Apostle in the fourth Chapter to the Ephesians citeth a prophecie out of the 68. Psalme concerning the ascension of Christ but vnto euerie one of vs grace is giuen according to the measure of the gift of Christ Wherefore he saith when hee ascended vp on high he led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men And the prophecie in the hundred and tenth Psalme of the sitting of the Messias at the right hand of God comprehendeth in it a prophecie of the ascension into the heauens as it were an entrie of that glorious exaltation at the right hande of God the which thing is confirmed by the testimonie of the holy Ghost himselfe by the mouth of Peter Actes 2.34 Since then that he by the right hande of God hath ben exalted and hath receaued of his father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shedde foorth this amongest you which you see and heare For Dauid is not ascended into heauen but hee saith The Lorde saide to my LORDE sitte at my right hande vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole So also Markâ— the Euangelist in the sixteenth Chapter ioyneth the entrie with the sitting it selfe at the right hand so after the Lord had spoken vnto them he was receiued into heauen and sitteth at the right hande of God And Christ Iohn 14. foresheweth his ascension into heauen let not your heart be troubled ye beleeue in God beleeue also in mee In my fathers house are many dwelling places otherwise I woulde haue tolde you I goe to prepare a place for you And seeing I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe and receiue you vnto my self that where I am there you may be also The Euangelists describe a sure manifest fulfilling of these foresayinges concerning the ascension of Christ Marke in the place nowe aledged and Luke in his Euangelicall historie chapter 24. Loe I doe sende the promise of my father vppon you but tarie ye in the citie of Ierusalem vntill yee bee indued with power from on high Now he ledde them out into Bethaniah and lifting vp his handes he blessed them And it came to passe that whiles he blessed them being separate from them heâ— was carried vp into heauen and they worshipping him returned to Ierusalem with great ioye and were continually in the temple lauding and praysing God And in the first of the Actes And when he had spoken these thinges while they behelde hee was taken vp and a cloude tooke him out of their sight and while they looked stedfastly towardes heauen beholde two men stoode by them in white apparell who saide Yee men of Galilie why stande yee gasing into heauen This Iesus which is taken from you into heauen shall so come as yee haue seene him goe into heauen And Peter Actes 3 And nowe brethren I knowe that through ignorance ye did these thinges as also did your gouernours but those thinges which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophetes that Christe shoulde suffer he hath thus fufilled Amend your liues therefore and turne that your sinnes may be put away when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord and when he shall send Iesus Christ which before was preached vnto you whom the heauen must containe vntill the time that all things bee restored which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began The meaning of these wordes He ascended into heauen THE meaning is I beleeue Christe who according to his diuine nature was alwayes in the heauens Iohn 1. and 3. after that he had fulfilled the office of ambassage and by the space of fourtie dayes had instructed his disciples concerning the trueth of his resurrection in that same true bodie of his that was taken out of the substance of Marie the virgine that it hanged vppon the crosse was deade and buried that being glorified rose againe that in the selfe same body I say together with a very humaine resonable soule he ascended into the heauens where the seat is of euerlasting felicitie The scripture in the first Chapter of the Actes doeth set out the matter most liuely before our eyes And in an other place he saith the same things that CHRIST departed from his disciples and was lifted vp into heauen Luke 24. that hee went from them Iohn 14. that hee left this worlde Iohn 16. that hee was taken awaye Actes 15. from vs Luke 24. into those same holy tabernacles not made with hands Hebrewes 9. into heauen it selfe Mark 16. that he is there continually and without any interruption Hebrewes 10. that heauen must holde him vntill the time of the restoring of all thinges Act. 2. Howe Christ being absent is yet present BVT if that Christ went from vs hath left this worlde howe is that promise of Christ fulfilled Beholde I am alwayes with you vnto the ende of the worlde Matthew 28. Surely it is so fulfilled euen like as that same other word of Christ was fulfilled Verilie I say vnto you that before Abraham was I am Iohn 8. For like as hee fulfilled that by the presence not of his fleshe but of his diuinitie and yet feared not to say I admit that he vnderstoode it onely of the presence of his diuinitie so also according to his maiestie according to his prouidence according to his vnspeakeable and inuisible grace that saying was fulfilled of him Beholde I am with you alwayes euen to the ende of the