Vicegerents I have said ye are gods Psa 82. 6. Thou shalt not revile the gods Exod. 22. 28. But truly and properly so called there is but one God I am God and there is none else Isa 45. 22. Thou shalt have none other gods before me Exod. 20. 3. We know that an Idol is nothing in the world that is no such thing as an Idolater takes it to be and that there is none other God but one For though there be that are called gods c. yet unto us there is but one God c. 1 Cor. 8. 4 5 6. That God is a Spirit infinite eternall God truly and properly so called is a Spirit Iohn 4. 24. And not onely a Spirit for so the souls of men and Angels also are spirits Hebr. 12. 23. 1. 14. but he is an immense and infinite Spirit which none else is Do not I the Lord fill heaven and earth Ier. 23. 24. Yea the heaven even the heaven of heavens cannot contain him 1 King 8. 27. God also is an eternall Spirit which neither the soul of man nor an Angel is He is the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity Isa 57. 15. The name of Father how attributed unto God The Father Sometimes the name of Father being attributed unto God is taken essentially and is common to the whole Trinitie Have we not all one Father hath not one God created us Mal. 2. 10. I will be a Father unto you and you shall be my sonnes and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 2 Cor. 6. 18. Sometimes it is taken personally and belongs onely to the first Person of the Trinity who is called the Father in respect of the second Person called the Sonne Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ 1 Iohn 1. 3. Thus is the word Father here taken as appears by that which follows And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne c. The whole Trinity is our Father but onely the first person of the Trinitie is Christs Father When it is here said I beleeve in God the Father it is not meant that the first Person onely the Father is God as if the Sonne were not God and the Holy Ghost God also The Father how the first Person of the Trinity but onely the Father is first mentioned as being the first Person of the three the first Person I say not in time nor in dignity for they are all co-eternall and co-equall but in order and proceeding For the Father is of himself not proceeding from any other but the Sonn proceedeth from the Father and the Holy Ghost both from the Father and from the Sonne I proceeded forth and came from God saith Christ Iohn 8. 42. The Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father Iohn 15. 26. And so the Spirit also proceedeth from the Sonne and is therefore called the Spirit of the Sonne Galath 4. 6. and is said to be sent by the Sonne Whom I will send saith Christ speaking of the Spirit or Holy Ghost Iohn 15. 26. which argues that the Holy Ghost doth proceed from the Sonne hath the Divine Nature communicated unto him by the Sonne as well as by the Father even as the Sonne is said to be sent by the Father Iohn 3. 16. and in other places because hee doth proceed from the Father and hath the Divine Nature communicated to him by the Father But the Father is never said to be sent either by the Sonne or by the Holy Ghost as not proceeding either from the one or frō the other Thus then the Father is God and so is the Son and so the Holy Ghost all one and the same God though severall and distinct Persons These three are one 1 Ioh. 5. 7. They are three and yet one three Persons yet one God As Persons they differ each from other as God they are the same one with another This is a great Mysterie which though we cannot comprehend as being above reason yet we must beleeve as being revealed in the Scripture As the Father is Almighty so is the Son and the Holy Ghost also Almighty This attribute Almighty is not peculiar to the first Person the Father but is common to all the three Persons As the Father is Almighty so is the Sonne and so the Holy Ghost also For God as God is Almighty and therefore each Person of the Trinitie being God is Almighty Yet as Athanasius saith there are not three Almighties but one Almighty For the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost are one and the same God and so one and the same Almighty That God is Almighty and how he is Almighty Now that God is Almighty is clear by Scripture I am God Almighty saith he Gen. 17. 1. God Almighty blesse thee said Isaac to Iacob Gen. 28. 3. God is stiled The Almighty Ruth 1. 20. 21. The Almighty hath dealt very bitterly with me said Naomi And again The Almighty hath testified against me God is Almighty in that he can do all things whatsoever he pleaseth With God nothing shall bee unpossible Luke 1. 37. True it is God cannot lie Tit. 1. 2. He cannot deny himself 2 Tim. 2. 13. But this doth not derogate from his Almightinesse because these things to lie to deny himself and the like note imperfection and to doe them argues weaknesse and not Power How weak is thine heart saith the Lord seeing thou dost all these things Ezek. 16. 30. God being Almightie 1 Let us fear to offend him Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger then he 1 Corinth 10. 22. Who ever hardened himself against him and prospered Iob 9. 4. 2. Let us with boldnesse flie unto him and trust in him O Lord God of our Fathers said Iehoshaphat Art not thou God in heaven and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen and in thine hand is there not power and might so that none is able to withstand thee 2 Chron. 20. 6. And verse 12. O our God wilt thou not judge them for wee have no might against this great Company that commeth against us neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee So Paul I know said he whom I have beleeved and that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day 2 Tim. 1. 12. How God made heaven earth Maker of heaven and earth Creatour of heaven and earth In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth Gen. 1. 1. To create is as much as to make of nothing so God made heaven and earth By faith we understand that the world was framed by the Word of God the Word of his power his most powerfull Will Pleasure so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appeare Heb. 11. 3. What is meant by heaven and earth Heaven and Earth These two being the principall parts of the world are put for the whole
the reason there follows Verse 27. And hath given â—im that is The Father hath given the Sonne Authority to execute judgement also because he is the Sonne of man That is because he is man and so fit to execute judgement in an outward and visible manner For being man he shall be seen of men when he commeth to judgement Behold he commeth with Clouds and every eye shall see him even they that pierced him Revel 1. 7. Wherefore beloved seeing you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2 Pet. 3. 14. Of the Holy Ghost I beleeve in the Holy Ghost After the Articles concerning the two other Persons of the Trinitie the Father and the Sonne followes this Article concerning the third Person the Holy Ghost This Person in Scripture is called The Spirit 1 John 5. 6. Ephes 5. 18. The Spirit of God and The Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. The Holy Spirit or The * The word Ghost imports as much as Spirit Ghostly Father and ghostly Counsell is as much as spirituall Father and spirituall Counsell Holy Ghost Luke 11. 13. Rom. 5. 5. and 1 John 5. 7. God as God is a Spirit John 4. 24. And so also holy Isai 6. 3. And therefore God the Father is a Holy Spirit and so God the Sonne yet the name is appropriated to the third Person that Person is peculiarly called The Spirit and The Holy Spirit or The Holy Ghost Why the third Person of the Trinitie is peculiarly called the Spirit and the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost The third Person of the Trinity is peculiarly called The Spirit either as being after an ineffable manner breathed forth as it were from the Father and the Sonne or as inspiring the Prophets and Apostles Those holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. And this Person also is peculiarly called Holy as working sanctification and making holy The Father doth sanctifie and so the Sonne but by the Holy Ghost I will put my Spirit within you c. Ezek 36. 27. Whence sanctification is called sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thess 2. 13 because it is wrought by the Spirit And they that are regenerated or borne againe are said to be born of the Spirit Iohn 3. 5 6 8. That the Ghost is God The Holy Ghost is God one and the same God with the Father and the Sonne and therefore as we beleeve in the Father and in the Son so also in the Holy Ghost These three are one 1 John 5. 7. They are three that is three Persons yet one that is one God And that the Holy Ghost is God is evident by that Act. 5. 3 4. Peter said to Ananias Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost Thou hast not lyed unto men but unto God And that we are baptized in the name of the holy Ghost as well as in the name of the Father and of the Sonne according to Christs injunction Matth. 28. 19. This unanswerably proves that as the Father is God and the Sonne God so is the Holy Ghost God also For we may not be Baptized in the name of any meere Creature Were ye baptized in the Name of Paul said Paul 1 Cor. 1. 13. That the holy Ghost is a Person Again the Holy Ghost is a Person not an Attribute as Wisdome Mercy Power and the like but as the Father is a Person hath proper and peculiar subsistence and as the Sonne is a Person so is the Holy Ghost a Person likewise This is clear as by other places of Scripture so by that Matth. 3. 16. where it is said that the Holy Ghost came downe in the likenesse of a Dove For no meere Attribute nothing but a Person can assume a bodily shape wherein to appeare and shew it self Sometimes indeed the Holy Ghost is put for the gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost As Act. 19. 2. when Paul asked some if they had received the Holy Ghost they answered We have not so much as heard whether there be any holy Ghost that is any such extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost which in those Primitive times were bestowed upon Beleevers But the Holy Ghost properly taken is a Person That the holy Ghost is a Person distinct froÌ„ the Father and the Sonne and proceedeth from them both Again the Holy Ghost is a Person distinct from the Father and the Sonne They are three 1 John 5. 7. The Holy Ghost is called another to wit besides the Father and the Sonne John 14. 16 17. Lastly the Holy Ghost is a Person proceeding from the Father from the Son This is proved before pag. 14 Our care must be that we have the communion of the Holy Ghost 2 Corinth 13. 14. That the Holy Ghost be shed abroad in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. That we be filled with the Spirit Ephes 5. 18. that is with the sanctifying graces of the Spirit Grow in grace 2 Pet. 3. 18. Of the holy Catholike Church The Holy Catholike Church That is I beleeve the holy Catholike Church not in the Holy Catholike Church as in the Holy Ghost wee must beleeve onely in God that is trust onely in him as before noted But we must beleeve that there is a Holy Catholike Church And what is that What is meant by the holy Catholike Church What is meant by Church First by Church here in the Creed and so in the Scripture is not meant that which we commonly call the Church to wit the place where the people of God assemble and meet together to worship God but the people of God themselves are meant by the Church Great fear came upon all the Church Act. 5. 11. There was a great persecution against the Church Act. 8. 1. The Church is the company of such as God doth call out of the estate of sinne and misery into the estate of grace and salvation The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Acts 2. 47. The Church militant the Church triumphant The Church is partly upon earth and partly in heaven That part of the Church which is upon earth is called The Church militant that is in warfare warring against the world the flesh and the Devill Fight the good fight of Faith saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 12. It concerns every member of the Church here upon earth That part of the Church which is in Heaven is called the Church triumphant because it consists of those who have overcome their spirituall adversaries which here they had to encounter and now triumph over them I have fought a good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me the Crown of righteousnesse c. said the Apostle when his departure out of this world was at hand 2 Tim. 4. 6 7 8. The Church visible and the
world and all things in it Sometimes the Sea being a vast body is also expressed The God of heaven which hath made the Sea and the drie Land Ionah 1. 9. Sometimes heaven earth and Sea and all that is in them as Nehemiah 9. 6. Exod. 20. 12. Heaven how taken By Heaven is meant first The Air which in Scripture is called Heaven The fowls of heaven that is of the Air Psal 79. 2. and so in other places Secondly that higher Heaven wherein are the Sunne Moon and Starres which are therefore called The host of heaven Deuteron 4. 19. And thirdly above these Heavens there is a third Heaven as it is called 2 Corinth 12. 2. which is the place of Blisse and happinesse and therefore is called Paradise 2 Cor. 12. 4. This seems to be it also which is called The Heaven of Heavens 1 King 8. 27. Nehemiah 9. 6. That is the highest and most excellent heaven as Song of Songs that is a most rare and excellent Song To be the Maker of Heaven Earth belongs as to the Father so also to the Sonne and to the H. Ghost Now as the Attribute Almighty belongs to all the three Persons so also doth this Maker of Heaven and Earth It belongs to the Father There is but one God the Father of whom are all things 1 Corinth 8. 6. yet not to the Father onely but to the Sonne also One Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things 1 Corinth 8. 6. All things were made by him and without him was nothing made that was made John 1. 2. So Col. 1. 16. And so likewise to the holy Ghost The Spirit of God hath made me said Elihu Job 33. 4. And he that made him made all As God made all things so in and for all things is he to be glorified The Lord hath made all things for himself saith Salomon that is for his own glory Prov. 16. 4. For of him and through him and to him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen Rom. 11. 36. See Nehem. 9. 5 6. Rev. 4 10 11. As God made all so he preserves and governs all Furthermore as God is the Maker so he is also the Preserver and Governour of all things In this respect Christ said My Father worketh hitherto and I worke John 5. 17. On the seventh day hee ceased from working so as not to Create any more kindes of Creatures but in respect of Preserving and Governing his Creatures he ceased not neither doth cease Thou preservest them all Nehem. 9. 6. His Kingdome ruleth over all Psal 103. 19. In this respect also is God to be glorified O blesse our God people and make the voice of his praise to be heard which holdeth our soul in life and suffereth not our feet to be moved Psalm 66. 8 9. Necessary to beleeve in Iesus Christ And in Jesus Christ As it is necessary to beleeve in God so is it to beleeve in Jesus Christ Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me saith Christ John 14. 1. Christ is the onely Mediator betwixt God and us 1 Tim. 2. 5. We cannot have accesse to God but by Christ John 14. 6. What the name Iesus doth import Iesus This name Jesus comes of a word in the Hebrew that signifies to save and it imports as much as a Saviour Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his people from their sinnes said the Angel to Joseph Mat. 1. 21. where the reason of the name is rendred And the Angel Gabriel had said before unto Mary Thou shalt conceive in thy Wombe and bring forth a Sonne and shalt call his Name Jesus Luke 1. 31. To which words not to the other related by S. Matthew though that place be noted in the Margent of our Bibles S. Luke hath reference afterward when he saith And when eight dayes were accomplished for the circumcising of tâ—e Childe his name was called Jesus which was so named of the Angel before he was conceived in the Wombe Luke 2. 21. Christ was conceived in the Womb before the Angel spake to Ioseph about naming him Iesus but not when he spake to Mary about it By Iosua Iesua and Iesus are all one name Compare Ios 1. 1. other places with Neh. 8. 17. Heb. 4. 8 the Name Iesus is sometimes meant Iosua who after Moses was Captain and Commander over the Israelites and brought them into Canaan See Acts 7. 45. and Hebr. 4. 8. Iosua in those places is the Iesus that is spoken of he had the same name with our Saviour and was a Type and Figure of him So also we read of others who were likewise called Iesus but all Iesusses besides the Lord Iesus Christ were either onely Saviours in name not in deed or but temporall and Typicall Saviours onely our Lord Jesus is the true and everlasting Saviour Iesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever Hebr. 13. 8. He is the Author of eternall salvation to all them that obey him Hebr. 5. 9. Neither is there salvation in any other c. Acts 4. 12. See Luke 2. 11. What the name Christ signifieth Christ Our Saviour in the Old Testament is called Messiah Dan. 9. 25 26. In the New Testament he is called Christ The words Messiah and Christ signifie both one thing onely the one is Hebrew the other Greek See Iohn 1. 41. and 4. 25. They signifie as much as Anointed Compare Acts 4. 25 26. with Psal 2. 1 2. The reason of the Name appears Psal 45. 7. God hath anointed thee with the oyl of gladnesse above thy fellows Christs threefold Office This name Christ imports the Office to which our Saviour was anointed which Office was threefold viz. the Office of a Priest the Office of a Prophet the Office of a King Kings were anointed 1 Sam. 10. 1. and so other places shew the same Priests also were anointed Exo. 29 7 And Eliah is commanded of God 1 King 19. 16. to anoint Elisha to be Prophet in his roome which seems to be meant of outward anointing as Kings and Priests were anointed But that outward and visible anointing with oyl did signifie inward invisible anointing with the Spirit and so onely was our Saviour anointed not any materiall Oyl but the Spirit was powred upon him See Ioh. 3. 34. Isa 61. 1. with Luke 4. 18. 21. Christ was anointed to be a Priest Thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedec Ps 110. 4 â—t was spoken to our Saviour as is shewed Hebr. 5. 6 10. and 6. 20. and 7. 15 17 21. Christ was a Priest to offer himself a Sacrifice unto God for our sins and to make atonement for us He appeared to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himself Hebr 9. 26. Therefore he is called The Lamb of God that taketh away the sinne of the world Iohn 1. 29. And as a Priest Christ doth still make intercession unto God for
nigh unto all that call upon him even to all that call upon him in truth Psa 145. 18. The Saints have communion with Christ 2. The Saints have communion with Christ he being their Head they his Members Christ is the Head of the Church Ephe. 5. 23. We are members of his bodie c. Ephes 5. 30. They have the communion of his body and of his blood 1 Corinth 10. 16. not onely a Sacramentall communion which the wicked may have by receiving the outward Sacrament but a reall although a spirituall communion by faith For Christ doth dwell in their hearts by faith Ephes 3. 17. By faith they eat the flesh of Christ and drink his blood Iohn 6. 53 54. with 57. By Christ thorow faith in him they have accesse unto God and acceptance with God Rom. 5. 1 2. By him they have confidence to make known their requests unto God and assurance to obtain of God whatsoever is requisite and needfull for them Ephes 3. 12. Iohn 16. 23. The Saints in heaven have more immediate and full communion with God and with Christ being more immediately and fully joyned unto them 2 Cor. 5. 6 7. Phil. 1. 23. The Saints have communion one with another 3. The Saints have communion one with another as having near relation one to another being Children of one and the same Father and Members of one and the same Bodie and having near conjunction one with another as being indued with one and the same Spirit Gal. 3. 26. and 1 Cor. 12. 27. Ephes 4. 4. and 1 Corinth 12. 13. The Saints have the communion of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13. 14. the fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. they must needs therefore have communion and fellowship one with another As for the Saints in heaven what communion they have one with another the Scripture speaking sparingly we must not be overbold to enquire onely thus much is unquestionable that they have some communion in that kinde rejoycing one in anothers happinesse and glorifying God one for another For Charity never faileth 1 Cor. 13. 8. yea in the Saints in heaven it is made perfect And it rejoyceth not in iniquity but in the truth 1 Cor. 13 6. There being such a distance betwixt the Saints in heaven and the Saints on earth there can be no such communion betwixt them as they of the Church of Rome pretend to wit that the Saints in heaven should pray particularly for the Saints on earth and procure those good things for them that they stand in need of and that the saints on earth should pray unto the Saints in heaven and make them Advocates and Mediatours whereby to prevaile with God For besides that this is most injurious as they practise it unto God and unto Christ we being onely to pray unto God in the name and mediation of Jesus Christ Psalm 50. 15. Matth. 6. 9. Iohn 16. 23. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Besides this I say the Saints in heaven are not acquainted with the particular estate of the Saints on earth Iob 14. 21. And therefore there can be no such communion betwixt them although in respect of that which was said before of charity we cannot but conceive that the Saints in heaven do in generall think on the Saints on earth and wish them the same happinesse which they have obtained And so the Saints on earth blesse God for the Saints in Heaven thinke and speak honourably of them and imitate the vertues that were in them Prov. 10. 7. Luke 1. 48. Heb. 6. 12. and 13. 7. As for the Saints on earth they have communion among themselves so as to consider one another and to provoke unto love and good works Hebr. 10. 24. to teach and admonish one another Col. 3. 16. to comfort one another 1 Thess 4. 18. to pray one for another Iames 5. 15. to succour and releeve one another as every one hath received the gift so to minister the same one to another c. 1 Pet. 4. 10. of forgivenesse of sinnes The forgivenesse of sinnes This benefit is peculiar to the Church The Prophet speaking of Sion saith The people that dwell therein shall have their sinnes forgiven Isai 32. 24. It is a part of the Covenant that God hath made with his people that he will forgive their iniquity c. Ier. 31. 33. The Saints themselves even the best upon earth have need of it If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities Lord who should stand But there is forgivenesse with thee c Psal 130. 34. See Psal 32. 1 2. What sin is and the severall kindes of it Sinne is a transgression of the Law 1 Iohn 3. 4. It is either originall or actuall Originall sin is that which every one brings with him into the world Adam by his fall losing that righteousnesse in which he was created and conveyng sinne and corruption into all that by naturall generation proceed from him Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean not one Iob 14. 4. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me Ps 51. 5. By one man to wit Adam sinne entred into the World that is into all mankinde Rom. 5. 12. Actuall sinne is that which every one makes himself guilty of in his life and conversation All like sheep have gone astray Isa 53 6. Actuall sinne is either a sinne of commission or of omission A sin of commission is when that which is forbidden is committed a sinne of omission is when that which is commanded is omitted There are many other distinctions of sin which it were too tedious and not necessary to rehearse What forgivenesse of sinne is how expressed in Scripture Forgivenesse of sinne is a not imputing of it God was in Christriconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them 2 Cor. 5. 19. It is called a covering of sin Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Psal 32. 1. And a blotting out of sinne According to the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions Psal 51. 1. Other such like expressions also there are whereby forgivenesse of sinnes is set forth in the Scripture To forgive sin belongs only unto God Onely God can forgive sinne As sinne is committed against man as it is an injury done unto him so he may and ought to forgive it Luke 17. 3 4. If thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him and if he repent forgive him And if be trespasse against thee seven times in a day and seven times in a day turne again to thee saying I repent thou shalt forgive him Ministers also may forgive sinnes declaratively so as to preach and publish forgivenesse of sinnes to such as repent and beleeve Whose soever sinnes ye remit they are remitted c. John 20. 23. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that through this man Christ is preached unto you forgivenesse of sinnes Act. 13. 38.