dissemble that the adversaries of the Doctrine concerning the Trinity do except against this place as not written by S. John nor any part of the Scripture and they have some colour for this exception For it is confessed that in some Greek copies these words are not extant nor in the Syriack Translation which is ancient and of good account as likewise that Chrysostome and some other ancient writers in their Commentaries upon the Epistle make no mention of these words which argues that they did not find them in those books which they perused But to this I answer 1. That this Text for the matter contained in it fully agrees with other places of Scripture so that although this Text were not yet the truth which it containeth may otherwise sufficiently be proved 2. Those words in the Verse following in earth shew that these words in the seventh Verse are genuine and not to be omitted for those words in that Verse in earth answer to these in this Verse in heaven 3. Most of the Greek copies have this Text in them and so hath the vulgar Latine Translation Hierome also as ancient as Chrysostome reads it as part of the Epistle and so doth Cyprian Cyprian de vint Eccles one more ancient then them both neither doth it appear that these words were ever questioned untill after such time as the Arrian Heresie impugning the Divinity of Christ was growne up so that it is most probable that as Hierome and others conceive these words were scraped out by the Arrians as making sore against them and so came to be wanting in some copies and to be omitted by some Commentators The Heresie of the Arrians for a while prevailed Ingemuit orbis se miratus est factum esse Arrianum Hieron much and bore great sway in the world especially in the Eastern parts of it And it hath been the wicked policy and practice of Heretikes to expunge such places of Scripture as were most pregnant against them which they might do in some copies though not in all Tertullian chargeth Marcion an Arch-heretike with this crime and thereupon calls him the Mouse of Pontus the Countrey of which Marcion was because like a Mouse he gnawed the Scriptures and cut away some part of them so farre as he was able Gods prooidence and goodnesse towards his Church is to be admired in preserving the Scripture notwithstanding all the machinations and devices of heretiques and other professed adversaries to abolish it And thus much for the vindication of the Text. I will not stand about the coherence of the words but something must be said for the explication of them There are three viz. three Persons which are presently after expressed that beare witnesse in heaven viz. to the truth spoken of v. 6. namely that Christ came both by water and blood both to sanctifie and to justifie and to be a perfect Saviour of his people from their sins by taking away both the staine and the guilt of them The Father the first person of the Trinity so called in reference to the second Person commonly called the Son The Word that is the Son the second Person of the Trinity for that is here meant by the Word Thus also the second Person is termed Joh. 1. 1. 14. and Revel 19. 13. For there by the Word of God is not meant the Word of God either written or spoken but the substantiall Word Christ the Son of God the second Person of the sacred Trinity as is evident there by the context why the second Person is called the Word is not so clear by the Scripture divers reasons are alledged and some such as seem over-Philosophicall and too remote from the simplicity of the Scriptures That which seems to have most ground in the Scripture is this that the second Person the Son taking upon him the nature of man became the Interpreter of the Father and as his Word making knowne his will unto men No man hath seen God at any time the onely begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1. 18. These words follow but a little after those wherein this only begotten Son is called the Word so Heb. 1. 2. It 's said that in these last times God hath spoken unto us by his Son In this respect may the Son be called the Word or because he is the Word or * In the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word is also put for thing and so in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 20. 3 Acts 8. 21 5. 6. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk ◠thing so much spoken of by the Prophets To him give all the Prophets witnesse Act. 10. 43. Howsoever this is clear and this may suffice that by the Word both in the Text and elsewhere in the Scripture the Son is meant And the Holy Ghost The third Person of the Trinity called the Spirit the holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost God as God is a Spirit Joh. 4. 24. and so is holy and therefore this appellation of Spirit and holy Spirit or Holy Ghost belongs also to the Father and to the Son yet it is more peculiarly attributed and in a manner appropriated to the third Person why it is so I will not now stand to inquire And these three are one Some most Orthodox expound it thus agree in one as it is expressed of those other three that beare witnesse in earth v. 8. And this is true yet the phrase used here differing from that which is used v. 8. I see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 v. 8. not that they are to be taken as equivalent and importing both one and the same thing some one or two copies indeed are said here to have the same phrase as v. 8. but generally it is otherwise Unum sunt not in unum and so Cyprian read it are one not agree in one and he was before the time of Arrius by whom or by some of whose sect probably this place was either razed out or corrupted This therefore is the meaning of the words and so much the phrase imports that these are essentially and substantially one that they are one essence and one substance one God This Exposition is agreeable to other places of Scripture to the words themselves and is generally imbraced From the words thus explicated there ariseth Doct. this Doctrine That the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons yet but one and the same God First they are three dictinct Persons differing each from other so that the Father is not the Son nor the Holy Ghost neither is the Son the Holy Ghost they are clearly distinguished Mat. 3. 16 17. And Jesus when he was baptized went up straitway out of the water and loe the heavens were opened unto him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a Dove and lighting upon him And loe a voyce from heaven
said v. 39. Therefore they sought againe to take him but he escaped out of their hands And this may suffice for the clearing and vindicating of the words and so I may justly inferre from them this doctrinall conclusion That Christ is God truly and properly so called Doct. even one and the same God with the Father For further proof hereof we have many testimonies Esa 9. 6. Christ is called the mighty God though the faithlesse Iewes seek to wrest that Scripture another way See before Serm. 7. of Scripture as that Joh. 1. 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God By the Word is here meant Christ as is clear by v. 14. and by Revel 19. 13. Christ I say is so called in respect of his divine nature for the Word here denotes the Son the second Person of the Trinity as is evident by 1 Joh. 5. 7. Here therefore it is expresly affirmed that Christ as the Son of God was before his Incarnation before he was Man and that he was God The same also is confirmed by that confession that Thomas made of him My Lord and my God Joh. 20. 28. Thomas did not mean to flatter Christ as the Poet did Augustus calling him his Namque erit ille mihi Deus c. Virgil. God although he knew him to be but a man no he believed what he spake and he knew what he believed Christ approved him for believing as he did only blamed him for being so slow to believe as he was v. 29. Whereas it had been no lesse then Idolatry in Thomas to have called Christ his God if Christ had not been God indeed The Prophet Isaiah taxeth Idolaters for saying to an Idol Deliver me for thou art my God Esa 44. 17. Again the Godhead of Christ is likewise manifest by that Acts 20. 28. Take heed to your selves c. to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own blood It is Christ who with his blood did purchase the Church yet here it is said that God did it therefore it necessarily followes that Christ is God and so is he plainly called Rom. 9. 5. of whom viz. the Jewes as concerning concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Some would not have this clause referred unto Christ and therefore not to be read thus who is over all c. but to be added as a Doxologie or praising of God and to be read thus God who is over all be blessed for ever Amen But neither will the words so easily bear this sense neither were this so fit a place for such a Doxologie And besides those words as concerning the flesh being spoken by way of limitation and restriction to shew how Christ came of the Jewes viz. not simply and absolutely but only in some respect in respect of the flesh his humane nature as man those words I say sufficiently evince that Christ hath another nature a divine nature and is God and to make that more clear in reference unto him it followes who is over all God blessed for ever Amen And yet further consider that the Apostle is speaking of the Prerogatives of the Jewes and mentions this in the last place as the greatest that of them â—ame Christ and to shew what an honor this was unto them he shewes what an honourable Person Christ is even over all God blessed for ever Amen So Col. 2. 9. it is said of Christ that in him doth dwell all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen ad loc really and substantially And 1 Tim. 3. 16. God was manifested in the flesh that is Christ being God and as God invisible assumed flesh was made man and so in the flesh as man was made visible and manifest See Joh. 1. 14. So Heb. 1. 8. Vnto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever What can be more plain then this that Christ the Son of God is here stiled God even that God whose Throne is for ever and ever And thus also 1 Joh. 5. 20. of Christ is it said This is the true God and eternall life immediately before these words is Jesus Christ mentioned neither can they without violent perverting of them be referred to any other Thus are there many places of Scripture where Christ is expresly termed God the name of God even the only true God is given unto him There are also many other arguments which the Scripture affords whereby to prove Christs Godhead 1. This is proved by those places where Christ is called the Son of God his begotten his only begotten Son The unbelieving Iewes did acknowledge the validity of this consequence that if Christ be the Son of God viz. properly so called as begotten of God then also he is God onely they denied the antecedent that Christ is thus the Son of God They sought to kill him because he had said that God was his Father making himself equall with God Ioh. 5. 18. They well perceived that Christ did so call God his Father as to make himself God even the same God with the Father For otherwise they themselves did call God their Father Joh. 8. 41. And so Christ hath taught all believers to call God saying Our Father but they knew that Christ did call God his Father in another sense and so he did For God is our Father and we his children onely by adoption God hath predestinated us to the adoption of children c. Eph. 1. 5. But God is the Father of Christ and Christ is the Son of God by generation To him God speaks saying Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Psal 2. 5. To be thus the Son of God is peculiar unto Christ neither Man nor Angell is capable of this honor To which of the Angels said God at any time Thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Heb. 1. 5. Therefore is Christ in Scripture called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the only begotten Son of God Ioh. 3. 16. 1 Ioh. 4. 9 10. because none but he is the Son of God in that manner Indeed in some sense believers are said to be begotten of God Of his owne will begate he us c. Iam. 1. 18. But this is onely in respect of that renovation which God doth worke in us by his Spirit in which respect we are said also to be partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. But Christ is so begotten of God as to have the same essence nature and substance with God even as he that is begotten of man is man so Christ being properly Intelligentiae istud humanae sensus excludit ut aliquid à naturâ originis suae nascendo diversum sit Quis rogo furor est nativitatem unigeniti Dei ad degenerem ex Deo referre naturam cum nativitas non nisi ex proprietate naturae sit
11 12 13. And that of Peter Wherefore beloved seeing that you look for such things be diligent that you may be found of him in peace without spot and blamelesse 2 Pet. 3. 14. In a word let 's have a care so to assure our selves of interest in Christ by faith and so to shew forth our faith in Christ by our love and obedience unto him that as he saith Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man as his work shall be Rev. 22. 12. Surely I come quickly v. 20. So we may have courage and confidence to say as there immediately it followeth Amen even so come Lord Jesus The six and twentieth SERMON 2 COR. 13. 14. And the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all THese words are a part of the conclusion of this Epistle The Apostle usually begins and ends with prayer in the behalf of those to whom he writes So in other Epistles and so in this Grace be to you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ Chap. 1. v. 2. And here in like manner The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the love of God and the Communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen I am to treat only of that part of the verse which concerns the Holy Ghost and before I come to the doctrine which the words afford I must insist a little upon the name nature person and operation of the Holy Ghost 1. For the name Holy Ghost Ghost is as much as Of the name Holy Ghost spirit and ghostly as much as spirituall In the Scripture where this Person called the Holy Ghost is spoken of our Translators sometimes use the word Ghost and sometimes the word Spirit Yet as I observe they do not altogether use the words promiscuously but with this difference Where the word Holy is not prefixed they alwaies The word Ghost explained use the word Spirit and not the word Ghost And so also when this Person is spoken of in relation to God or to Christ although the word Holy be prefixed As the Spirit not the Ghost the Spirit of God or of Christ not the Ghost of God or of Christ his holy Spirit not his Holy Ghost Otherwise when this Person is spoken of without any such relation and with the Epithite Holy prefixed they use the word Ghost rather then Spirit But however the word in the Originall is the same and these words Ghost and Spirit differ in sound rather then in sense and signification Now the word in the Hebrew and in the Greek and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spiritus in the Latin the three learned Languages which is rendred sometimes Ghost but more frequently Spirit this word I say is attributed to divers things 1. Sometimes it is taken for breath I will cause breath to enter into you and you shall live Ezek. 37. 5. In the Originall the word rendred breath is that which usually is rendred Spirit So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Jam. 2. 26. Where it is said the body without the Spirit is dead in the margent for spirit is breath 2. The word sometimes is used for the wind as Joh. 3. 8. The wind bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is born of the spirit In the Originall it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one and the same word which is rendred in the beginning of the verse Wind and in the end of the Spiritus ubi vult spirat verse Spirit the vulgar Latin there hath not Ventus which properly signifieth wind but Spiritus whence we have the word Spirit 3. This word Spirit is used to signifie an incorporeall and immaterial substance A spirit hath not flesh and bones Luk. 24. 39. And thus by spirit sometimes is meant the soul of man VVhen a man dies then shall the dust that is the body made of dust return to the earth as it was and the spirit shall return to God that gave it Eccles 22. 7. Where by spirit is meant the soul of man which is a spirituall substance Thus also the Angels whether good or bad are called spirits The good Angels Are they not all ministring spirits c. Heb. 1. 14. The bad Angells when some said unto Christ Lord even the devils are subiect unto us thorough thy name Luk. 10. 17. Christ answered them Notwithstanding in this rejoyce not that the spirits are subject unto you but rather reioyce because your names are written in heaven v. 20. And in this sense is the word Spirit attributed unto God Ioh. 4. 24. God is a Spirit And so 1 Pet. 3. 18. By spirit is signified Christs divine nature which is the Son in all the three Persons Being put to death by the flesh that is the humane nature but quickned in the spirit that is the divine nature And peculiarly the third Person of the sacred Trinity hath the name of Spirit appropriated to him Sometimes this Person is called the Spirit Rom. 8. 16. Sometimes the Spirit of God 1 Joh. 4. 2. Sometimes the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8. 9. Sometimes the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost as in the Text and other places VVhy the third Person is peculiarly called the Spirit though the Father be a spirit and the Son a spirit as well as the Holy Ghost the Scripture doth not expresse neither is it much material for us to inquire Some give Secundum quod spiritus dicitur à spiritualitate sic convenit toti Trinitati Secundum autem quod dicitur à spiratione sic convenit illi soli Personae quae procedit ut amor c. Bonavent in Sent. l. 1. dist 10. quest 3. this reason that this Person proceeds from the Father and the Son by spiration or breathing which must be understood after a spirituall and ineffable manner It may be said that this divine Person is therefore called the Spirit because he was inspired or breathed into and did breath in the Prophets and Apostles This inward and spiritual inspiration was signified and confirmed by Cum arcanâ inspiratione possâ—t Christus gratiam conferre Apostolis visibilem flatum ad dere voluit ad cos melius confirmandos Calvin in Ioh. 20. 22. that outward and corporall breathing which is mentioned Ioh. 20. 22. Where it is said that when Christ gave the Holy Ghost unto his Apostles he breathed on them and said unto them Receive ye the Holy Ghost Ioh. 20. 22. This Person is called Holy Now there is a holinesse which is only externall and adherent which doth not constitute a thing holy in it self but only in its use and relation Thus Ierusalem is called the Holy City Mat. 4. 5. to wit because The word Holy expounded it had speciall relation unto God it was the City of the great King that is of God Mat. 5. 35. Thus also the Temple and the things of the Temple were holy And thus the water in Baptism and the
as he did to that Leper v. 3. I will be thou clean For he is not lesse willing to save those that come unto him then he is able He invites all to come and offers his grace unto all if they do come Ho every one that thirsteth come unto the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price Esa 55. 1. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11. 28. Therefore whatever thou art if thou beest sensible of sin if burthened with it if thine iniquities be gone over thine head and be as a heavy burthen too heavy for thee to bear as David complained of his iniquities Psal 38. 4. Come and cast thy burthen upon the Lord as he exhorts Psal 55. 22. Cast it upon the Lord Christ who is both able and also willing to beare it If thou beest as perplexed as the soul smitten Iaylor was who cryed out What must I do that I may be saved I say unto thee as Paul said unto him Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16. 30 31. So are we troubled for want of sanctification because grace is so weak and corruption so strong in us let us come unto Christ who is full of grace Ioh. 1. 14. And of his fulnesse we all receive grace for grace V. 16. He is made of God unto us sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. His grace is sufficient for us 2 Cor. 12. 9. Though in us there be nothing but want and weaknesse yet in Christ is all fulnesse and all power I can do all things thorough Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 4. 13. As the conies being in themselves weak yet provide for their safety by this that they make their houses in the rocks Prov. 30. 26. So let us get into the rock Christ and then how weak soever otherwise we be we are safe though the Devill our adversary be a lion a roaring lion and go about seeking whom he may devoure 1 Pet. 5. 8. yet Christ is a lion as well as he Rev. 5. 5. yea a lion stronger then he more potent to save then he is to destroy He will bruise Satan under our feet Rom. 16. 20. Therefore be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ephes 6. 10. Ioab fled to the horns of the Altar and yet was never the better 1 King 2. but let us flie to Christ the horn of salvation and whatsoever the danger be that doth pursue us it shall not overtake us we shall either escape the thing it self or at least the evill of it we shall not be the worse but the better for it All things shall work together for our good Rom. 8. 28. Even death it self shall be gain unto us Phil. 1. 21. Vse 3. But as there is this consolation for us so is there also admonition to take heed least we fail or come short of the grace of God Heb. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 15. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. 3. And they neglect this so great salvation 1. Who expect salvation from any thing but Christ only And so do not only the Papists but also many simple and superstitious ones among our selves who build upon themselves their own righteousnesse their good prayers good meanings and the like whereas though all were indeed good as without a true faith in Christ nothing is good yet are they not so good as that it is safe to rest in them and to build upon them Paul was as good in every respect I dare say as any of these yet did he renounce all his own righteousnesse as not sufficient if God should contend with him and flie unto Christ and his righteousnesse as that which alone is sufficient unto justification and salvation Phil. 3. 9. 2. They who pretend to Christ and presume of salvation by Christ and yet indeed are aliens from Christ and have no interest in him they say that they believe in Christ and hope to be saved by Christ and yet live in their sins which Christ came to destroy For the Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the Devill 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Therefore though Christ be never so able to save yet such as remain impenitent and disobedient shall have no salvation by him they have neither part nor portion in this matter Christ commanded that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his Name Luk. 24. 47. No remission of sins thorough him without repentance Paul testified both to the Iews and also to the Greeks repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Iesus Christ Acts 20. 21. As many as walk according to this rule peace shall be upon them and mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. THE TENTH SERMON JOH 10. 30. I and my Father are one I Have * Serm. 7. p. 63. before shewed that the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are three distinct Persons yet but one and the same God Now I shall treat more particularly and more fully of the second Person the Son our Lord Iesus Christ and shall prove his Divinity which hath been much impugned both of old and of late yea is still at this day Christ himself here speaking of himself and of his Father affirmes that they are one that is as I shall indeavour to demonstrate one in essence and nature one and the same God And thus they to whom he spake these words did understand them as appeares by the Verses immediately following where it is said that the Iewes presently upon these words took up stones to stone him charging him with blasphemy for that he being a man did make himself God Indeed Calvin upon Abusi sunt hoc loco veteres ut probarent Christum esse Patr◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neque n◠Christus de Vnitate substantiae disputat sed de consensu quem cum Patre habet quicquid scilicet geritur à Christo Patris virtute confirmatum iri Calv. in loc the place likes not that these words should be made use of to prove the Godhead of Christ as the Ancients have done for he supposeth that Christ here speaketh not of the unity of substance but onely of the consent and agreement that he hath with the Father so that whatsoever is done by him is authorized and ratified by the Father But first Calvin himself for the thing viz. Christs Divinity and consubstantiality with the Father is expresse and full 2. So is the Scripture it self as shall be shewed in many places 3. Not only the ancient Writers have thus Hilar. de Trinit l. 8. interpreted it amongst whom Hilarie doth tax and confute the Arrians who expounded it of unity of will and consent but the later also Beza Zanchius c. 4. Christ having immediately before spoken of the power of his
Father brings in these words as Calvin also notes to prevent the objection that his adversaries might have made viz. that although the power of God whom he called his Father were never so great what was that to him What was it to prove that he could give eternall life unto his sheep and that none should pluck them out of his hand as he spake of himself V. 28. To meet with this objection Christ affirmes that he and his Father are one and consequently his Fathers power is also his power and none can therefore pluck his sheep out of his hand because none can pluck them out of his Fathers hand v. 29. The argument that Christ useth in these words is more firm and strong the words being understood of his being one with his Father in respect of substance then if they be understood of his unity with the Father in respect of will It is well observed by Junius against Sâ—cinus that In praecedentibus ad quorum confirmationem hoc afferâ—ur non agit Christus de suo Patris erga oves suas affectu sed de sua Patris ad salvandas oves potenâ—ia ut illa verba Neque rapiet cas quisquam è manu meâ neque quisquam potest eas eripere è manu Patris mei demonstrant clarissimè Jo. Jun. adversus Socinum p. 169. in the words before Christ speaks not meerly of his own and his Fathers affection towards his sheep but of his own and his Fathers power to save his sheep as is most clearly demonstrated by those words Neither shall any pluck them out of my Quocunque ergo modo exponantur illa Joannis verba sive primò de potentiae voluntatis unitate ut à nonnullis per illationem de unitate essentiae sive primò de unitate essentiae illativè de potentiae voluntatis ut ab aliis illud fixum manere debet essentiae unitatem hinc concludendam c. Ibid. p. 167. hand and no man is able to pluck them out of my Fathers hand And therefere whether the words be expounded as they are by some first of the unity of power and vvill and by consequence of the unity of essence or as by others first of the unity of essence and by consequence of the Hanc essentiae unitatem non autem solummodò voluntatis consensum significare voluisse Christum cum dixit Joan. 10. unity of povver and vvill yet still the unity of essence in Christ and the Father must be concluded from hence In like manner Zanchie urgeth Ego Pater unum sumus non solum Patrum omnium fermè doctissimorum hominum consensus verùm etiam contextus ipse evincit Conclusio enim Christi fuit oves meas è manu meâ eripere nemo potest eóque non possunt perire Raâ—io ab aquali imò eadempotentiâ suâ cum potentiâ Patris quae significatur nomine manus ducitur Nemo potest rapere de manu Patris quia major id est potentior omnibus est Ergò neque de manu meâ Ego enim Pater unum sumus Quid hîc aliud significat unum quà m unum non solùm consensu sed etiam omnipotentiá cóque naturá essentiâ Zanch. Respons ad Arrian Antith 37. this place against an Arrian saying that besides the consent of the Fathers and almost all the learned the very context it self doth evince so much that here not only the consent of will but the unity of essence is meant For that this was Christs conclusion None can pluck my sheep out of my hand and therefore they cannot perish And the reason is drawn from hence that he hath the same power that the Father hath None can pluck them out of my Fathers hand for he is greater that is more powerfull then all And therefore not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact. in loc out of my hand for I and my Father are one What can here be meant by one but one not only in consent but also in omnipotency and so in nature and essence After this manner also Theophylact in his Commentary upon the place Why saith he doth Christ say they shall never perish because none can pluck them out of my hand for that my Father that gave them me is greater then all neither can any pluck them out of his hand and therefore not out of my hand for my hand and the hand of my Father is one and the same for I and my Father are one in nature and essence and power Ob. But it may be objected that whenas the Jewes by these words conceived that Christ did make himself God and therefore would stone him as a blasphemer Christ intimated unto them that they did mistake his meaning which was not so to make himself God as they supposed but only in such sense as the Scripture doth sometimes attribute the name of God unto men V. 34 35 36. Ans I answer Christ might think this enough to shew how absurd and unjust their quarrell against him was by alledging that meer men are somtimes called Gods in the Scripture yet doth it not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Joan. 10. See also Zanch. de tribus Elohim l. 4. c. 5 follow that therefore he should acknowledg himself a meer man yea his own words do shew as Theophylact observeth that he makes a great difference betwixt himself others to whom the name of God is attributed He denies not himself to be God truly properly so called but rather confirms it For thus he argueth If they who have received their Divinity by grace are yet Gods and not traduced because so called what reason is there for you to tax me who am God by nature being he whom the Father hath sanctified that is set apart to be slaine for the world For tâ—ings set apart for God are said to be sanctified or to be holy It is manifest therefore that seeing the Father hath sanctified and separated me for the saving of the world I am not meerly like others that are called Gods but am God indeed For to save belongs unto him who is indeed God and not unto Man who is onely made a God by grace And further Christ having confuted the calumny of the Jewes by an Argument drawne from Scripture he goes on and fetcheth an argument from his works for the confutation of it If I do not the works of my Father believe me not but if I do though ye believe not me believe the works that ye may know and believe that the Father is in me and I in him v. 37 38. The Jewes themselves did plainly perceive that Christ here did confirme that which he had spoken before of his being one with the Father and that his meaning was that he is one and the same God with the Father for hereupon they were still more inraged against him as it is
made Ioh. 1. 3. That by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 16 17. It is God also that doth preserve all things Neh. 9. 6. Yet this likewise is ascribed unto Christ He upholdeth all things by the word of his power Heb. 1. 3. Only God can raise the dead 2 Cor. 1. 9. Rom. 4. 17. Yet this Christ did as the History of the Gospell sheweth and that not instrumentally and ministerially but authoritatively and by his owne power Young man I say unto thee arise Luk 7. 14. Maid arise Luk. 8. 54. Lazarus come forth Ioh. 11. 43. None can forgive sins but onely God Esa 43. 25. yet this Christ did Mar. 2. 5. 12. The Scribes were right in this that none but God can forgive sins viz. authoritatively as Christ did onely in this they were wrong that from a true principle they inferred a false conclusion viz. that therefore Christ taking upon him so to forgive sins was a blasphemer Christ by the miracle which immediately he wrought before their eyes shewed that he was another manner of person then they took him to be and that he had power to forgive sins as he did To redeem and to save are acts properly belonging unto God Esa 49. 26. I the Lord am thy Redeemer and thy Saviour Yet Christ also is our Redeemer and Saviour as the writings of the Evangelists and Apostles every where do shew 5. Divine worship is given unto Christ such as may not be given to any but to God onely When he was a young Infant the Wisemen fell downe and worshipped him Mat. 2. 11. His Disciples seeing him ascend up into heaven they worshipped him Luk. 24. 52. Of him it was said Let all the Angels of God worship him Heb. 1. 6. All these places as the circumstances of them do evince speak of religious worship which is peculiar unto God and may not be given to any meer creature Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serve Mat. 4. 10. The Angell would not be worshipped by John but bad him give that honor to God and worship him Rev. 19. 10. 22. 9. More particularly Faith and Hope are onely to be in God 1 Pet. 1. 21. yet they are and ought to be in Christ Ye believe in God believe also in me Ioh. 14. 1. Whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed Rom. 10. 11. In him shall the Gentiles trust Rom. 15. 12. Prayer is to be made only unto God Call upon me saith God Psal 50. 15. yet Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost gave this honour unto Christ he prayed unto him saying Lord Jesus receive my spirit Acts 7. 55. 59. Thus both testimonies of Scripture and arguments drawn from Scripture make it most evident that Christ is God truly and properly so called even one and the same God with the Father But divers places there are which may be objected as seeming to make against this truth which therefore are to be cleared that it may appeare that beeing rightly understood they do not make against it Object 1. Mark 13. 32. Christ speaking of the day of Judgement saith Of that day and houre knoweth no man no not the Angells that are in heaven nor the Son but the Father If the Son be ignorant of that which the Father doth know how then is he God consubstantiall and coequall with the Father Answ Some interpret that so as that the Son is said not to have knowne the day of Iudgement because he did not know it so as to make it knowne unto others In which sense the Apostle said I determined to know nothing among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified 1 Cor. 2. 2. But this Exposition cannot be admitted for so neither doth the Father know that day viz. so as make others also know it Therefore the true meaning of the words is that Christ there spake of himself as Man not denying but that in some other respect he did know that which in respect of his humane nature was not known unto him Object 2. But againe when one came unto Christ saying Good Master what shall I do that I may inherit eternall life Christ said unto him Why callest thou me good There is none good but one that is God Luke 18. 18 19. Here Christ seemes to deny himselfe to be God Answ Not so Christ spake onely in respect of that opinion which he to whom he spake had of him who looked on him as a man and no more neither was it Christs meaning that no meer man may be called good for it is said of Barnabas that he was a good man Acts 11. 24. But his meaning was to teach that when any goodnesse is found in man the praise and glory must be given unto God who alone is essentially good if any besides him be good it is onely by participation from him and therefore the honour is due unto him For of him and through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Rom. 11. 36. Object 3. But may some say Doth not Christ himself confesse himself inferiour to the Father saying My Father is greater then I Ioh. 14. 28. Answ Yes but how not simply and absolutely but only in some sort viz. in respect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophylact ad loc of his humane nature whereby he took upon him the forme of a Servant Phil. 2. 7. but otherwise he was in the forme of God and thought it not robbery to be-equall with God v. 6. That Christ there spake of himself as Man may appear by the words immediately going before I go unto the Father this Christ did as Man for otherwise as God he was then with the Father yea in the Father and the Father in him Joh. 14. 11. 10. 38. Object 4. Againe it may be objected that Christ John 17. 3. speaking to the Father saith thus This is life eternall to know thee the only true God and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ where Christ seems to make his Father only the true God Answ Nay he makes his Father the onely It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true God but there is great difference betwixt these two Propositions The Father is the only true God and Only the Father is the true God The one imports that there is but only one true God and that the Father is this God the other imports that none but the Father is this God which is false for the Son also is this only true God this true God which is only one and so also is the Holy Ghost The same Answer serveth for that 1 Cor. 8. 6. To us there is but one God the Father The Apostle there
woman was Mary before mentioned he was not only made in her but also made of her so Luk. 1. 42. Christ is called the fruit of her womb which shews that he was as well conceived of her as in her Vse 1. This then confutes that heresie which some of old maintained viz. that Christ did not take a body of the substance of his Mother but brought a body down from heaven and onely passed thorough the womb of his Mother as water passeth thorough a channell This is a most erroneous conceit and flatly repugnant to the Scriptures before alledged and though there be some places which may seem to favour it yet indeed they do not as that 1 Cor. 15. 47. The second man is the Lord from heaven And that Ioh. 3. 13. No man hath ascended up to heaven but he that came downe from heaven c. And that Ioh 6. 38. I came down from heaven These places do not import any such thing as that Christ brought a body downe with him from heaven but onely he is said to be from heaven and to come from heaven because as God being in heaven which is called Gods dwelling place 1 King 8. 39. and his throne Esa 66. 1. by his Incarnation being made man he was upon earth and so after a sort came down from heaven Christ as man did not come down from heaven for he was not as man in heaven untill his Ascension That Ioh. 3. 13. The Son of man which is in heaven was spoken of Christ the Son of Man but not as the Son of Man for so he was then when it was spoken upon earth and not in heaven There is in those words that which Divines call a communication of properties that which is proper to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one nature of Christ is attributed unto him being denominated by the other nature Christ as God was then in heaven when he was upon earth for God filleth heaven and earth Ier. 23. 24. And the same Person being both God and Man Christ denominated by his humane nature is said then to have been in heaven though this did agree to him only in respect of his divine nature Christ therefore I say as man did not come downe from heaven neither properly did he come down from heaven as God but only in a Metaphoricall sense in that the divine nature was united to the humane nature The Word was made flesh God was made man and dwelt among us Joh. 1. 14. otherwise properly the divine nature can neither ascend nor descend cannot remove from one place to another because it is immense and infinite Vse 2. But again if Mary were the Mother of our Saviour then surely we have cause to honour her so that we consider and have a care how we honour her those whom God doth honour we also ought to honour Now God did highly honour her whom he vouchsafed to make his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deipara Mother For in that she was the Mother of Christ who is God she was the Mother of God though not as God but as Man We ought therefore to honour her so as to think and speak honourably of her to acknowledge Gods singular favour towards her and to account her blessed Haile thou that art highly favoured said the Angell unto her the Lord is with thee blessed art thou among women Luk. 1. 28. So Elizabeth being filled with the Holy Ghost said unto her Blessed art thou among women * Or for blessed c. the particle there is rather causall then copulative as the Hebrew ◠is Isa 64. 5. and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Luk. 1. 41 42. And Mary her self magnifying God for his mercy and goodnesse towards her Behold from henceforth all Generations shall call me blessed For he that is mighty hath done to me great things Luk. 1. 48 49. But here we must take heed least we exceed and go beyond our bounds as the Papists do who will needs give unto Mary the honour which is no way due nor may be given unto her For first they hold that she was conceived without originall sin of which more anon 2. That for her merits she became the Mother of our Saviour whereas besides that none can properly merit any thing at the hands of God every one being lesse then all Gods mercies as Iacob confessed he was Gen. 32. 10. Besides this I say those very places which they build upon are directly against them As that Luk. 1. 28. which they read thus Haile thou that art full of grace and thence they inferre that for the fulnesse of grace that was in her she merited that honour to be Christs Mother But the word in the Originall there used doth not signifie full of grace but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 highly favoured graciously accepted or much graced as it is explained v. 30. Thou hast found favour with God So that although she had no doubt a great measure of grace in her yet that was not it but Gods grace and favour towards her which was the cause why such honour was conferred upon her Iansenius a learned Jansen Concord c. 3. Papist grants that this is the sense and signification of the word used in the Originall He addeth indeed that this doth imply the other viz. that she was full of grace But first there is no necessary connexion of these two together Iudas was much graced and highly favoured to be made one of Christs Apostles and so Saul to be made King of Israel yet were they not therefore full of grace 2. We deny not but that the Mother of our Lord both was much graced and also had much grace onely we say it was the grace and favour which was shewed her not the grace and goodnesse which was in her which was meant by the Angell as the true and proper cause why she was chosen to be our Lords Mother So that Luk. 1. Vulg. Respexit humilitatem c. 48. He hath regarded the humility of his handmaiden according as the Rhemists after the vulgar Latine Translator render it or as some of our English Translations the lowlinesse of his handmaid this the Papists for most part so understand as that for the grace and vertue of humility and lowlinesse of mind which was in her God did shew such respect unto her Thus in the Ladies Psalter B. Mar. Psal 33. Quia Domina humillima fuisti increatum verbnm ex te carnem assumere coëgesti Psalter as they call it they say unto her Because thou O Lady wert most humble thou didst cause the uncreated Word the Son of God to assume flesh of thee But the word which is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Originall doth not signifie humility or lowlinesse of mind but humility or lowlinesse or rather lownesse of estate and condition It is the same word which the Apostle useth Phil. 3. 21. to set forth the vilenesse of the
nature is not of God 1 Thes 4. 3. This particle as is not alwaies a meer note of similitude but sometimes is used to set forth the truth of a thing as Joh. 1. 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God c. That as the glory c. imports that the glory of Christ which S. John speaks of was indeed the very glory of the only begotten Son of God So Philem. v. 9. being such a one as Paul the aged saies Paul of himself it is therefore as much as if he had said being Paul the aged So likewise Mat. 14. 5. They counted him as a Prophet it is spoken concerning John Baptist and the meaning is they counted him indeed a Prophet as his Father Zacharias prophecied of him when he was newly born saying And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the highest c. Luk. 1. 76. So here it being said that Christ was found in fashion as a man the meaning is that he was very man indeed like other men sin only excepted Heb. 4. 15. The scope of the Apostle is to shew how low Christ did humble himselfe 1. Unto death 2. Such a kind of death even the death of the Crosse First therefore observe from hence That Christ Doct. was obedient unto death where three things are to be shewed viz. 1. That Christ did suffer death And 2. That it was the will of God that Christ should suffer death And 3. That Christ in obedience to the will of God did suffer death 1. Christ did suffer death So all the Evangelists record and so S. Paul preached 1 Cor. 15. 3. So the Prophets fore-shewed Saying none other things then those which the Prophers and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer viz. death as appears by the words following and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead Acts 26. 22 23. Daniel fore-told Christs death saying After threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off Dan. 9. 26. So Isaiah prophecied of him saying He was cut off out of the Land of the living Esa 53. 8. And v. 12. He hath powred out his soul unto death Christs death also was prefigured in the Law which was given by the Ministery of Moses all the sacrifices were figures of Christs death therefore he is called the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world Joh. 1. 29. All the Lambs and so other beasts that were sacrificed in the time of the Law did typifie and prefigure Christ who as a Lamb was to be slaine and sacrificed for us The Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes shews Christ in this among other things to have differed from the Priests that vvere in the Law that whereas they offered often Christ offered but once and that because he offered himself his offering was his suffering so that if he should have offered often he must also have died often whereas men use to die but once and so was Christ to die but not oft'ner See Heb. 9. 25 26 27 28. Ob. But it may be objected that some places of the Old Testament speaking of Christ seem to import that he should not die Thou art a Priest for ever c. Psal 110. 4. His dominion is an everlasting dominion c. Dan. 7. 14. Ans Indeed some from those and the like places did inferre that Christ should not die For when they heard Christ speak of his death they objected against it saying We have heard out of the Law that Christ abideth for ever Joh. 12. 34. As if because he should abide for ever as was signified in the * The Law is sometimes put for any part of the Old Testament as Joh. 15. 25. and 1 Cor. 14. 21. Law that is in the writings of the Old Testament therfore he should not die but they erred not rightly understanding the Scriptures which speak of Christs abiding for ever For the meaning of them is not that Christ should not die but that although he did die yet he should soon rise again and so abide for ever Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion over him Rom. 6. 9. 2. It was the will of God that Christ should suffer death There is nothing whatsoever comes to passe but by the will of God Who hath said Nihil fit nisi omnipotens fieri velit vel ipse faciendo vel permittendo ut fiat ab aliis Aug. and it cometh to passe and the Lord commandeth it not Lam. 3. 37. otherwise then by the will and pleasure of God not so much as a sparrow doth fall to the ground Mat. 10. 29. much lesse could so great a thing as Christs death have been had it not been the will and pleasure of God that it should be Pilate condemned Christ to die and others did execute the sentence which Pilate had pronounced but neither Pilate nor others did any thing to Christ but as God had before determined to be done Acts 4. 27 28. 3. It being the will of God that Christ should suffer death Christ in obedience to the will of God did suffer it This Commandement have I received of my Father said Christ Joh. 10. 18. viz. that he should lay down his life and therefore he would and did lay it down And Joh. 18. 11. The cup which my Father hath given me to drinke shall I not drink it As if he should say Shall I not suffer death seeing he will have me suffer it True it is Christ considering death in it self would have avoided it but considering it as that which his Father would have him to suffer so he was willing to suffer it Mat. 26. 39 42. Q. But why would God have Christ to suffer death A. 1. For the satisfying of his Justice God had determined declared death to be the punishment that should be inflicted for sin Gen. 2. 17. 3. 19. Rō 6. 33. Christ was to satisfie for sin and therefore he was to suffer death His soul was made an offering for sin Esa 53. 10. Without shedding of blood is no remission Heb. 9. 22. And v. 26. He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself Thus Christ died for our sins 1 Cor. 15. 3. 2. God would have Christ to suffer death for the magnifying of his mercy God commendeth his love towards us sets it out in this that whiles we were yet sinners Christ died for us Ro. 5. 8. By Christs death first we are reconciled unto God When we were enemies we were reconciled unto God by the death of his Son Rom. 5. 10. In whom we have redemption thorough his blood even the forgiveness of our sins Col. 1. 14. And v. 21 22. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind thorough wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death 2. VVe
The Apostle saith that Christ humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Crosse Phil. 2. 8. And it is unquestionable that Christs death was a part and a chief part of his humiliation Therefore so long as he remained dead that is untill his Resurrection he was in the estate of humiliation 6. It appears by Scripture that when Christ died his soul went to heaven and therefore not to hell as taken for the place of torment which is most opposite and contrary unto heaven This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise said Christ to the penitent malefactour Therefore Christs soul being separated from his body went to Paradise which is all one with the third that is the highest heaven as was before shewed Some answer that Christ meant of himself in respect of his divine nature which is in all places and in Paradise or heaven in a more especiall manner in that respect they say Christ did promise the repentant thief that he should be with him that day in Paradise But first Bellarmine doth well refell this Bellar. de Beatitud Sanct. l. 1. c. 3. answer for that Christ promised that the thiefe should be where he was but in respect of his divine nature Christ was with the thief here in this world even then when he played the thief so that in this sense Christ in those words with me had promised no new thing unto him 2. The word of Christ cannot without doing violence unto them be otherwise taken then to import this that as the thief was then in respect of the body partner with Christ in pain and torment so that same day both their souls should be together where they should injoy blisse and happinesse Some therefore yeelding that those words with me have reference to Christ in respect of his soul say that Christs soul betwixt his death and his Resurrection might be both in heaven and in hell the place of torment one while in the one another while in the other But this is a groundlesse conjecture the Scripture Act. 2. clearly Videtur quòd usque ad horam resurrectionis manserit in inferno Aquinas part 3. qu. 5. art 4. enough sheweth that Christs soul from the time of his death was in the hell that it speaks of untill the time of his Resurrection Again some of the ancients do not without cause infer from those words of Christ which he spake when he gave up the Ghost Father into thy hands I commend my spirit For though Christs soul even in the hell of the damned might yet be said to be in the hands of the Father yet much Eusebius Emisenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juenricus Tunc clamor Domini magno conamine missus Aetheriis animam comitem commiscuit auris rather might it be said to be in his hands being in heaven Some arguments used in defence of this opinion are to be answered Ob. As first that drawn from Mat. 12. 40. As Jonas was three daies and three nights in the belly of the whale so shall the son of man be three daies and three nights in the heart of the earth Here by the heart of the earth they understand hell the hell of the damned which they suppose to be in the heart or midst of the earth The Papists also make use of this place for their Limbus before spoken of but it makes for neither opinion For 1. The Scripture doth not declare where hell the place Qui ignis gehennae cujusmodi in quâ mundi vel regionum parte futurus sit hominem arbitror scire neminem nisi fortè cui Spiritus divinus ostendit Aug. de Civ Dei lib. 20. cap. 16. of torment to which the Papists make their Limbus to be contiguous is seated Austin speaking of the fire of hell saith that he supposed no man could tell of what kind it is or in what part of the world except perhaps Gods spirit did reveal it 2. In those words of Christ which are objected by the heart of the earth is meant the grave For Christs abiding so long in the heart of the earth was to be a sign to the Jews as the context sheweth therefore it was to be a thing apparent unto them which his abiding so long in the grave was but not his abiding so long either in Limb or in the hell of the damned For if ever Christ were there yet it was more then the Jews could see but they might see that at such a time he was laid in the grave and that he continued there untill such a time after Ob. Against this it is objected That the heart is put for the midst of a thing and therefore the grave being not the midst of the earth cannot be the heart of it Answ But in the Scripture that part of a thing which is betwixt the extremes though it be not equally distant from the extremes is called the midst or the heart Ezek. 14. 14. 16. 18. 20. where its said if Noah Daniel and Job were in it c. in the originall it is word for word in the midst of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it where by the midst of the Land is not meant precisely the middle part of the Land but any place within it S◠Ezek. 27. 4. Tyrus is said to be in the midst of the sea in the originall as the margent notes it is in the heart of the sea Yet this heart or midst of the sea was not exactly the middle of it for Tyrus as it is said there v. 3. was situate at the entry of the sea Ob. But Bellarmine yet further objects that Christs sepulcher seems to have been above the earth and not at all within it because it was hewn out of a rock as the Scripture telleth us Answ But this hindreth not why it might not be within the earth and that it was so the Scripture sheweth relating how a great stone was rolled to the mouth of the sepulcher Mat. 27. 60. and that John stooped down to look into the sepulcher Ioh. 20. 5. These circumstances argue that the sepulcher was beneath in the earth and therefore might well be called the heart of the earth Ob. Again they argue from Ephes 4. 9. where it is said That Christ descended into the lower parts of the earth which some will have to signifie hell the place of torment and the Papists will have Limbus Patrum to be meant Answ But 1. why the lower parts of the earth should denote the hell of the damned or Limbus Patrum if there had been any such place at all I do not see it being unknown to us as I said before where that hell is seated 2. Therefore Cajetans exposition is much better that by the lower parts of the earth Ad inferiores partes terrae i. e. ad inferiorem partem mundi terram Cajet ad loc Comparatur non una pars terrae cum altera sed tota terra cum caelo
And secondly there must also be order a due order and disposition of the parts some to teach and govern some to be taught and governed Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers 1 Cor. 12. 29. Not all but some He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4. 11. Take heed to your selves and to the flock over which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers c. Acts 20. 28. And we beseech you brethren to know them which labour among you and are over you in the Lord c. 1 Thes 5. 12. Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls c. Heb. 13. 1. Some may take in Discipline as a note of the Church but I thinke it not properly a note of it because it is not of the being but only of the well-being of the Church As a hedge or wall is to a garden so is Discipline to the Church requisite and needfull is it for the preservation of the Church in purity both of Doctrine and Manners and where it is long wanting the Church will be apt to grow very corrupt yet it is not of such necessity but that the Church may subsist without it neither may we for want of Discipline conclude that it is no Church or not such as wherin we may continue but must needs separate from it For in our Saviours time what Discipline was in the Jewish Church whenas they that confessed him were cast out of the Synagogue Joh. 9. 22. 34. The one and thirtieth SERMON HAving treated sufficiently of the name and nature the distinctions and notes of the Church I come to the point which these words Vpon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it afford unto us and that is this That the Church is so strongly built that Doct. no adverse power whatsoever can prevaile against it This our Saviour plainly and expresly testifies here in the Text so David speaking of the Church saith God will establish it for ever Psal 48. 8. The strength and stability of the Church may yet further appear 1. By Gods promises made unto it I the Lord do keep it I will water it every moment lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Esa 27. 3. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment shalt thou condemn Esa 54. 17. For I saith the Lord will be a wall of fire round about her and will be the glory in the midst of her Zach. 2. 5. In such places of Scripture as wherein God doth threaten to afflict and punish his Church yet still he mitigates the sharpnesse of his threatnings with sweet promises that he will not utterly destroy it Esa 10. 6. God saith that he would send the Assyrian against an hypocriticall Nation and against the people of his wrath so he called the Jewish Nation and people which was then his Church and would give him a charge to take the spoile and to take the prey and to tread them downe like the mire of the streets But lest any should think that the Church should quite be destroyed it follovves v. 20. 21. And it shall come to passe in that day that the remnant of Israel and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob shall no more again stay upon him that smote them but shall stay upon the Lord the holy one of Israel in truth The remnant shall return even the remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God And againe v. 24. 25. Therefore thus saith the Lord God of Hosts O my people that dwellest in Sion be not afraid of the Assyrian he shall smite thee with the rod and shall lift up his staffe against thee after the manner of Aegypt For yet a very little while and the indignation shall cease and mine anger in their destruction Though God be provoked against his Church and smite it sore yet his anger shall cease in the destruction not of his Church but of the adversaries of it So Esa 17. 4. the Lord threatneth saying And in that day it shall come to passe that the glory of Jacob shall be made thin and the fatnesse of his flesh shall wax lean but v. 6. he addes Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it as the shaking of an olive tree two or three berries in the top of the uttermost bough four or five in the out most fruitfull branches thereof saith the Lord God of Israel And Isai 24. 13. Having said that there should be desolation and destruction to shew that yet this should not be utter desolation and utter destruction the like promise is annexed When thus it shall be in the midst of the Land among the people there shall be as the shaking of an Olivetree and as the gleaning grapes when the vintage is done So Jer. 3. 14. Turn O back-sliding children saith the Lord for I am married unto you and I wil take you one of a City and two of a Family and I wil bring you to Sion Jer. 46. 28. Fear not thou ô Iacob my servant saith the Lord for I am with thee for I wil make a ful end of all the Nations whither I have driven thee but See the margent and De Dieu upon Exod. 34. 6. 7. wil not make a full end of thee but correct thee in measure yet will I not leave thee wholly unpunished Ezek. 6. 8. The Lord having before threatned to inflict sore plagues and punishments adds Yet wil I leave a remnant that you may have some that shall escape the sword among the Nations when ye shall be scattered thorough the Countries And Ezek. 14. 22. Although he threatned to send his four sore judgments upon Jerusalem the sword and the famin and the noisom beast and the pestilence to cut off from it man and beast Yet behold saith he therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth c. Thus Gods promises to his Church shew that no adverse power shall prevail against it viz. so as utterly to overthrow it 2. The same also may appear by Gods providence towards it as he hath promised so he hath performed as the story of the Church in all ages doth make manifest He hath remembred his Covenant for ever the word which he commanded to a thousand generations Which Covenant he made with Abraham and his Oath unto Isaac And confirmed the same unto Jacob for a Law and to Israel for an everlasting Covenant saying unto thee will I give the Land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance When they were but few men in number yea very few and strangers in it When they went from one Nation to another from one Kingdome to another people He suffered no man to do them wrong but reproved Kings for their sakes saying Touch not mine anointed do