{"number":2,"title":null,"part":null,"questions":[],"paragraphs":[],"clauses":[2],"items":[],"text":"Thus much of the permission of the fall of man: Nowe we come to the Couenant of grace. Which is nothing else but a compact made betweene God and man touching reconciliation and life euerlasting by Christ. This couenant was first of all reuealed and deliuered to our first parents in the garden of Eden, immediately after their fall by God himselfe, in these words, *The seede of the woman shall bruise the serpents head:*[^1] and afterward it was continued and renewed with a part of Adams posteritie, as with Abraham, Isaac, Iacob, Dauid, &c. but it was most fully reuealed and accomplished at the comming of Christ.\n\nIn the Couenant I will consider two things, the parties reconciled betweene whome the couenant is made, & the foundation thereof. The parties are God and man. God is the principall, & he promiseth righteousnes and life eternall in Christ: Man againe binds himselfe by Gods grace to beleeue & to rest vpon the promise. Here it may be demanded why man is more in the couenant then angels. *Answ.* The will of God in this point, is not reuealed vnlesse it be because angels fel of themselues, not mooued by any other: but man did fall by them. Againe it may be asked, whether all mankind were euer in the couenant or no? *Ans.* We cannot say that all & euery man hath bin & now is in the couenant, but onely that little part of mankind which in all ages hath bin in the Church of God; & hath by faith imbraced the couenant. as Paul plainly auoucheth, *The scripture* (saith he) *hath concluded all vnder sinne,*[^2] *that the promise of the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen* [not vnto all men] *but to thē that beleeue.* Without faith no man can please God:[^3] and therfore God makes no couenāt of recōciliation without faith. Again since the beginning of the world there hath bin alwaies a distinctiō between mā & man. This appeares in the very tenor of the words of the couenāt made with our first parents, where God saith he wil put *differēce between the seed of the womā & the seed of the serpēt:* meaning by the seed of the womā, Christ with all the elect whō the father hath giuen vnto him, who shall bruise the serpents head, and tread Satan vnder their feete.[^4] And by the seed of the serpent he meaneth wicked mē that liue and die in their sinnes, as Saint Iohn saith, *he that committeth sinne is of the deuill.*[^5] And according to this distinction in times following was Abel receiued into the couenant, and Cain reiected:[^6] some were the sonnes of God in the daies of Noe, some the sonnes of men: In Abrahams familie, Ismael is cast out,[^7] and the couenant established in Isaac: Iacob is loued, Esau is hated. And this distinction in the families of Abraham, Isaac, and Iacob, Paul approoueth,[^8] when he maketh some to be the children of the flesh, and some other the childrē of the promise. And again, the Iewes a people of God in the couenant, the Gentiles no people. For Paul makes it a priuiledge of the Iewes to haue the adoption, and couenants, & the seruice of God, & the promises belonging vnto them:[^9] where as he saith of the Ephesians that they were alients from the common-wealth of Israel, and were *strangers from the couenants of promise, & had no hope, & were without Christ and without God in the worlde.*[^10] And the same may be said of the whole bodie of the Gentiles excepting here & there a man, who were conuerted and became Proselites. And this is manifest in that they wāted the word & the sacraments, and teachers. And this saying of the Prophet Ose, *I will call them my people which were not my people:*[^11] *and hir beloued which was not beloued,* is alledged by Paul to prooue the calling of the Gentiles. Some doe alledge to the cōtrary, that whē the couenāt was made with our first parēts, it was also in thē made with all mankinde, not one man excepted: & that the distinction & difference between mā and man ariseth of their vnbeleefe & contēpt of the couenāt afterward. *Answ.* Indeed in the estate of innocency Adam by creation receiued grace for himselfe & his posteritie: & in his fal he transgressed not only for himself but for all his posteritie: but in receiuing of the couenant of grace it can not be prooued that he receiued it for himselfe & for all mankinde: nay the distinction betweene the seed of the woman & the seed of the serpent, mentioned in the very first giuing of the couenant, shews the contrarie: for if after the fall all & euery part of mankinde were receiued into the couenant, then all men without restraint should be the seede of the woman, bruising the serpents head, and the serpent should haue no seede at all. And againe, all men cannot be charged with vnbeleefe and contempt in respect of the couenant, but onely such persons as haue knowne it, or at the least heard of it. And therefore sundrie heads of the nations may be charged with vnbeleefe, as Cain, Cham, Iaphet, Ammon, Moab, Ismael, Esau, Madian; for they beeing neere to the fathers heard the promises concerning Christ, offered sacrifices, and obserued externall rites of the Church, but afterward fell away from the syncere worship of the true God to idolatrie and all manner of wickednes, and became enemies of God & his people. But we plainly denie, that there was or could be the like vnbeleefe and contempt of Gods grace in their posteritie, which for the most part neuer so much as heard of any couenant; their ancetors indeauouring alwaies to burie and extinguish the memorie of that which they hated. It is obiected againe, that the couenant was made with Abraham and with all mankinde after him, *Because* (saith the Lord) *thou hast obeied my voice, in thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.*[^12] *Answ.* Paul giues a double answer, first that the place must be vnderstood of many nations: secondly that it must be vnderstood not of all nations in all ages, but of all nations of the last age of the worlde. For, saith he, *the scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the gentiles through faith preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham,*[^13] *saying, in thee shall all the nations be blessed.* Well, to conclude this point, in the making of the couenant there must be a mutuall consent of the parties on both sides, and beside the promise on Gods part, there must be also a restipulation on mans part; otherwise the couenant is not made. Now then, it must needs follow that all vnbeleeuers cōtemning grace offered in Christ are out of the couenant, as also such as neuer heard of it; for where there is no knowledge, there is no consent: and before the comming of Christ the greatest part of the world neuer knewe the Messias, nor heard of the couenant; as Paul saith to the learned Athenians, the *time of this ignorance God regarded not: but now he admonisheth all men euery where to repent.*[^14]\n\nThe foundation and groundworke of the Couenant is Christ Iesus the Mediator, in whom all the promises of God are yea and a men, & therfore he is called the *angel of the couenant,*[^15] and the *couenant of the people* to be made with all nations in the last age. Nowe then that we may proceede at large to open the substance of the couenant, we are in the next place to come to that part of the Creed which cōcerns the second person in trinitie, set down in these words, *And in Iesus Christ his onely Sonne, &c.* from which words to the very end of the Creede, such points onely are laid down as doe notably vnfold the benefits & the matter of the couenant. Now the second person is described to vs by three things, 1. his titles, 2. his incarnatiō, 3. his twofold estate. his titles are in nūber foure. I. *Iesus.* II. *Christ.* III. *his only sonne.* IV. *our Lord.* His incarnatiō & his twofold estate are set down afterward.\n\nTo come to his titles, the first is *Jesus,* to which if we adde the clause *I beleeue,* on this maner, *I beleeue in Iesus, &c.* the article which we now haue in hand will appeare to be most excellent; because it hath most notable promises annexed to it. When Peter cōfessed Christ to be the sonne of the liuing God, he answered, *vpon this rocke will I build my Church,*[^16] *and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it.* And again, *He that confesseth that Christ is the sonne of God, God dwelleth in him,*[^17] *& he in God.* And again,[^18] *To him giue all the Prophets witnes that through his name all that beleeue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes.* Paul saith,[^19] *Beleeue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt be saued and all thy houshold.* Thus then the confession in which we acknowledge that we beleeue in Iesus Christ, hath a promise of fellowship with God & of life euerlasting. But it may be obiected, that euery spirit (as S. Iohn saith) *which confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God.*[^20] Now the deuil & al his angels & vnbeleeuers do thus much: therfore why may not they also haue the benefit of this cōfessiō. *Ans.* By spirit in that place is neither mēt angels nor mē, nor any creature, but the doctrine which teacheth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh; & it is of God, because it is holy & diuine & hath God to be the autor of it. As for the deuil & his angels they can indeed confesse that Christ the sonne of God was made man, and a wicked man may teach the same; but vnto the confession whereunto is annexed a promise of eternall life, is required true faith, whereby we doe not onely know and acknowledge this or that to be true in Christ, but also rest vpon him: which neither Satan nor wicked men can doe. And therefore by this confession the Church of God is distinguished from all other companies of men in the worlde which beleeue not as Panyms, heretikes, Atheists, Turkes, Iewes, and all other infidells.\n\nThis name *Iesus,* was giuen to the sonne of God by the Father,[^21] and brought from heauen by an angell vnto Ioseph and Marie: and on the day when he was to be circumcised, as the manner was, this name was giuen vnto him by his parents, as they were commanded from the Lord by the angell Gabriel. And therefore the name was not giuen by chance, or by the alone will of the parents, but by the most wise appointment of God himselfe.\n\nThe name in Hebrue is *Iehoschua,* and it is changed by the Grecians into *Iesus* which signifieth a *Sauiour.* And it may be called the proper name of Christ, signifying his office and both his natures, because he is both a perfect and absolute Sauiour, as also the alone Sauiour of man, because the worke of saluation is wholly and onely wrought by him, and no part thereof is reserued to any creature in heauen or in earth. As Peter saith, *For among men there is no other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we may be saued but by the name of Iesus.*[^22] And the author to the Hebrues saith, *That he is able perfectly to saue them that come vnto God by him,*[^23] *seeing he euer liueth to make intercession for them.* If any shall obiect, that the promises of saluation are made to them which keepe the commaundements: the answere is, that the law of God doth exact most absolute and perfect obedience, which can be found in no man but in Christ, who neuer sinned: and therefore it is not giuen vnto vs nowe that we might by our selues fulfill it, and worke out our own saluation, but that beeing condemned by it, we might wholly depend on Christ for eternall life. If any further alledge,[^24] that such as walke according to the commandemēts of God, though their obedience be imperfect, yet they haue the promises of this life and of the life to come. The answer is, that they haue so indeed, yet not for their works, but according to their workes which are the fruits of their faith, whereby they are ioyned to Christ, for whose merites onely they stand righteous and are acceptable before god; And whereas it is saide by Peter, *that baptisme saveth vs.*[^25] his meaning is not to signifie that there is any vertue in the water to wash away our sinnes and to sanctifie us, but that it serues visibly to represent and confirme unto us the inward washing of our soules by the blood of Christ. It may further be said, that others haue bene Sauiours beside Christ as Iosuah the sonne of Nun, who for that cause is called by the same name with Christ. *Answ.*[^26] Iosua after the death of Moses was appointed by God to be a guide to the children of Israel which might defend them from their enemies and bring them to the land of *Canaan*: but this deliverance was onely temporall, and that onely of one people. Now the sonne of God is called Iesus, not because he deliuereth the people of the Iewes onely, or because he saueth the bodies of men only, but because he saueth both body and soule, not onely of the Iewes but also of the gentiles, from hell, death, and damnation. And whereas Prophets and ministers of the worde are called *Saviours*; it is because they are the instruments of God to publish the doctrine of saluation which is powerfull in mens hearts,[^27] not by any vertue of theirs, but onely by the operation of the spirit of Christ. Lastly, it may be obiected that the father and the holy ghost are Sauiours, and therefore not onely the Sonne. *Answer.* True it is, that in the worke of saluation all the three persons must be ioyned together, & in no wise severed: the Father saveth, the Sonne saueth, the holy ghost saueth: yet must we distinguish them in the maner of sauing: the Father saveth by the Sonne; the Sonne saueth by paying the ransome and price of our saluation; the holy ghost saueth by a particular applying of the ransome unto men. Nowe therefore whereas the sonne paies the price of our redemption and not the father or the holy ghost, therefore in this speciall respect he is called in Scriptures and intituled by the name of Iesus and none but he.\n\nBy this which hath beene said, the Papistes are faultie two wayes. First, that they giue too much to the verie name of Iesus: for they write in plaine tearmes, that the bare name it self being used hath great power & doth driue away deuils,[^28] though the parties that use it be void of good affection: whereas indeede it hath no more vertue then other titles of God or Christ. Secondly, they are faultie that they giue too little to the thing signified. For Christ must either be our alone and whole Sauiour or no Saviour. Now they make him but halfe a Sauiour, & they ioyne others with him as partners in the work of saluatiō, whē they teach, that with Christs merits must be ioyned our works of grace in the matter of iustification, and with Christes satisfaction for the wrath of God, our satisfaction for the temporall punishment; and when they adde to Christes intercession the intercession and patronage of saints, especially of the virgin Mary, whome they call the queene of heauen, the mother of mercie, withall requesting her, that by the authoritie of a mother shee would commaund her sonne.[^29] If this doctrine of theirs may stand, Christ can not be the onely Sauiour of mankinde, but euerie man in parte shalbe Iesus to himselfe.\n\nBut let us goe on yet further to search the speciall reason of the name, which is notably set downe by the Angell. *Thou shalt* (saith hee) *call his name Iesus, for he shall save his people from their sinnes.*[^30] In which words we may consider 3. pointes. I. Whome the sonne of God shall saue. II. By what? III. From what? For the first, he shall saue his people, that is, the elect of Iewes & Gentiles: and therefore he is called the *Saviour of his bodie.*[^31] We must not here imagine that Christ is a Sauiour of all and euerie man. For if that were true, then Christ shoulde make satisfaction to Gods iustice for all and every mans sinnes: and gods iustice being fully satisfied he could not in iustice condemne any man: nay, all men should be blessed because satisfactiō for sin & the pardon of sin depend one upō another inseparably. Againe, if Christ be an effectuall Sauiour of all and euerie particular man, why is any man condemned? It will be said, because they will not beleeue; belike then mans will must over rule Gods will,[^32] whereas the common rule of divines is, that the first cause ordereth the second.\n\nThe meanes of saluation by Christ are two: his merite, and his efficacie. His merit, in that by his obedience to the law and by his passion, he made a satisfaction for our sinnes, freed us from death, and reconciled us unto God. Some may obiect, that the obedience and the passion of Christ being long agoe ended, can not be able to saue us now: because that which he did 1500. yeres agoe may seeme to be vanished and come to nothing at this day. *Answere.* If Christs obedience be considered as an action, & his passion as a bare suffering, they are both ended long agoe: yet the value and price of them before God is euerlasting: as in Adams fall the action of eating the forbidden fruit is ended, but the *guilt* of his transgression goes ouerall mankind, and continues still euen to this houre, and shall doe to the ende of the world in those which shall be borne hereafter. The efficacie of Christ is, in that hee giues his spirite to mortifie the corruption of our natures, that we may die unto sinne and liue to righteousnesse, and haue true comfort in terrors of conscience and in the pangs of death.\n\nThe euils from which we are saued are our owne sinnes, in that Christ freeth us from the guilt and the punishment and fault of them all, when we beleeue.\n\nThus much for the meaning of this title Iesus. Now followe the uses which arise of it. First of all, whereas wee are taught to make confession that the sonne of God is Iesus, that is, a Sauiour: hence it must needs follow, that wee are all lost in our selues. And indeede before we can truly acknowledge that Christ is our Sauiour, this confession must needes goe before, that we are in truth, & therewithal do feel our selues to be miserable sinners under the wrath of God, utterly lost in regarde of our selues: for *Christ came to save that which was lost.*[^33] And when he talked with the woman of Canaan, he checked her & said, he was not sent, but *to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel.* Christ Iesus came to poure oyle into our woundes:[^34] Christ came to set them at libertie which are in prison: and to place them in freedome that are in bondage. Now a man cannot poure oyle into a wound, before there be a wounde, or before it be opened, and wee feele the smart of it. And how can we be set at libertie by Christ, except we feele us in our selues to be in bondage, under Hell, death, and damnation? When the disciples of Christ were vpon the sea in a great tempest,[^35] they cried, *Master, saue vs, we perish.* So no man can heartily say, I beleeue Iesus Christ to be my Sauiour, before hee feele, that in himselfe he is utterly lost and cast away without his helpe. But after that wee perceiue our selues to be in danger & to be ouerwhelmed in the Sea of the wrath of God, then we crie out with the disciples, Lorde Iesus saue vs wee perish. Many protestants in these daies hold Christ to be their Sauiour, but it is onely formably from the teeth outward, and no further: for they were neuer touched with the sense of their spirituall miserie that they might say with Daniel, *Shame and confusion belongeth unto us:* and with the Publican, *I am a sinner, Lorde be mercifull to me.* And therefore the conclusion is this, that if we will haue Christ to be our Saviour, we must first beleeue that in our selues we are utterly lost: and so must that place be understood where Christ saith, he is not sent, but to the lost sheepe of the house of Israel, that is, to those which in their owne sense and feeling are lost in themselues.\n\nSecondly, if Christ be a Sauiour, then we must acknowledge him to be so. But how shall wee doe this? *I answer,* Thus: A man is taken to be a skillfull Phisition by this, that many patients come unto him, and seeke for helpe at his hands. And so should it be with Christ. But alas, the case is otherwise. Every man can talke of Christ, but few acknowledge him to be a Sauiour, by seeking to him for their saluation, because they iudge themselues righteous, and feele not themselues to stand in need of the helpe of Christ. Nay which is more, if a man be knowne that can cure straunge diseases, men will seeke to him by sea and lande, and sell both goods and landes to get helpe at his handes. Euen so, if men were perswaded that Christ were a perfect Sauiour, and that they were sicke and utterly unable to be saued without him, they woulde neuer rest nor be quiet but seeke unto him for his helpe, and crie with Dauid, *O Lorde, say unto my soule that thou art my salvation,*[^36] The woman that was diseased with an issue of bloode, came behinde our Sauiour Christ,[^37] and when shee had but touched him, shee was healed. In the same maner, if wee shall seeke to come to Christ, and do but touch his pretious body & blood by the hand of faith, the issues and the bleeding woundes of our soules shalbe dried up. When a man that had bene sicke 38. yeres was come to the poole of Bethesda, hee was faine to lie there vncured; because when the angell troubled the water euermore some stept before him: but if we will seeke to Christ for the saluation of our soules, no man shall preuent us or step before us.[^38] And if wee finde our selues to be so laden with the burden of our sinnes that we can not come to him, let us then doe as the palsie man did: he got 4. men to carry him on their shoulders to the place where Christ was: and when they coulde not by reason of the prease of people enter into the house, they opened the roofe and let him downe in his bedde by cordes to Christ that he might be healed.[^39] And so let vs vse the helpe of such as be godly, that by their instructions and consolations they may as it were put too their shoulders, & by their prayers as with cordes bring us to Christ, that wee may receiue eternall saluation, being otherwise deade in sinne and subiect to damnation.\n\nLastly, whereas Ioseph and Mary gaue this name not at their owne pleasure, but at the appointment of God himselfe: this ministers a good instruction to all parents touching the naming of their children when they are baptised, that they are with care and deliberation to giue convenient names vnto them which may put them in mind of duties either to God or men. This is worthy of our obseruation, for many care not how they name their children, yea it is at this day & euer hath bene, that some▪ giue such names to them as that at the verie rehearsing thereof laughter ensueth. But this ought not to be so; for the name is giuen unto children at the time of their baptisme in the presence of God, of his Church, and angels, euen then when they are to be entred into the Church of God and that in the name of the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost: therefore though we do not place religion in titles, or names, yet neuerthelesse a wise and godly choise in this matter is to be had, that the names imposed may be in stead of instructions and admonitions to the parties named: and for this cause in the old testament names were giuen either by propheticall instinct, or according to the euent of things which came to passe about the time of the birth of children, or they were borowed from the holy auncetours,[^40] to put the posteritie in mind to follow their steppes.\n\nAnd thus much of the duties: Now follow the consolations that Gods Church and people reape from this that the sonne of God is our Saviour. When as all mankind was included under sinne & condemnation, then the Lord had mercy upon us and gaue unto man the couenant of grace in which he promised that his owne sonne should be our redeemer. This is a great and unspeakable comfort, as may appeare in that the angels so greatly reioyced herein when Christ was borne, *Behold,* say they, *I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the people,* that is, *that unto you is borne in the citie of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.*[^41] Now if they reioyce thus exceedingly at Christs birth, who was not their Sauiour, because they stand not in neede to be redeemed: then much more ought the Church of God to reioyce herein whome it doeth principally concerne: and no marvell; for if this sauiour had not beene, it had bene better to haue beene a bruite beast or any other creature then a man; for the death of a beast is the end of his woe, but the death of a man without a Sauiour is the beginning of endelesse miserie. Satan and his angels are fallen and haue no Sauiour, but when man was fallen, God of his mercie dealt not so with him, but gaue his owne sonne to restore him to better estate, whereas he might as iustly haue damned all men for the fall of our first parents, as hee did the wicked angels for theirs; for God is not bound to any creature; beholde then a matter of unspeakeable ioy: let us therefore receiue and embrace Christ our Saviour, flie to him for the pardon of all sinnes.\n\nNowe wee come to the second title of the Sonne of God, whereby hee is tearmed *Christ:* which title is as it were the surname of the seconde person as some doe thinke: yet according to the opinion of some others it is no name at all, but onely a meere appellation,[^42] as when in the like case a particular man is called a Duke or a King. It is all one with *Messiah* in Hebrewe wherwith the redeemer was named in the olde Testament,[^43] and both signifie *annointed.*\n\nAmong the Iewes before the comming of Christ three estates or orders of men were annointed with oile; First of all kings, as Saul, Dauid, and the rest of the kings of Iuda. Secondly the priestes that serued in the tabernacle and temple before rhe Lorde when they were ordained, and as it were, installed into the priesthoode, were annointed with oyle, as first of all Aaron and his sonnes, but afterward the high priests alone. Thirdly prophets were thus annointed, as Elisha.\n\nNow this legall annointing was a tipe and figure of the annointing of Christ: which was not with bodily oile, but by the spirite, and it was more excellent then all other annointings were. For David saieth,[^44] hee was annointed with the oile of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes, signifying, that neither king, priest, nor prophet, was euer annointed in the same manner as he was.\n\nChristes annointing is according to both his natures; for in what nature hee is a Mediatour, in the same hee is annointed: but according to both his natures ioyntly hee is a mediatour: the godheade is no mediatour without the manhoode, nor the manhoode without the godhead: and therefore his annointing extendes it selfe both to his godhead and to his manhood.\n\nChristes annointing hath two partes, both of them figured by the annointing of the Iewes. The first is his consecration whereby hee was set apart to doe the office of a Mediatour betweene God and man: and therefore to be a king, a priest, a prophet: a king to gather and withall to gouerne his Church and people: a priest, to make satisfaction and intercession for the sinnes of the elect: a prophet, to reveale and teach his people the will of God his father. And though it be true that Christ is set a part to the worke of mediation as he is mediator or as he is mā: yet as he is God he doth designe and set himselfe apart to the same worke. For to designe the mediatour is a common action of the 3. persons, the father, the sonne and the holy ghost: and yet cōsidering the father is first in order, and therfore hath the beginning of the action; for this cause he is saide especially to designe, as when S. Iohn saith, *Him hath God the father sealed.*\n\n[^45]The second part of Christes annointing is the pouring out of the fulnesse of the spirit or grace into the manhood of Christ:[^46] and it was particularly figured by the holy oile. For first, that oile had no man but God alone to be the authour of it: so the most excellent and unspeakeable graces of the manhood of Christ haue their beginning from the godhead of Christ.[^47] Againe, though the same oyle was most pretious. yet was it compounded of myrrhe, calamus, and Casia, and such like earthie matters: to signifie, that the spirituall oile of grace whereof the manhood of Christ was as it were, a vessell or storehouse, did not consist of the essentiall properties of the godhead, as Eutiches and his followers in these daies imagine, but in certaine created gifts and qualities placed in his humane nature: otherwise we should not haue any participation of them. Thirdly, the sweete sauour of the holy oyle figured, that the riches of all grace with the effect thereof in the obedience of Christ, doeth take away the noisome sent of our loathsome sinnes from the nosthrilles of God, and withall doth make our persons and all our actions acceptable unto him as a sweete perfume,[^48] as Paul saith, *We are unto God the sweete savour of Christ, &c.* And Christes death is for this cause tearmed a sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour.\n\nAnd wee must further understand that these giftes of Christes manhood are not conferred in a small scantling or measure; for Iohn saith,[^49] *God giveth him the spirite not by measure*; because the graces which are in Christ are farre more both in number and degree, then all men or angels haue or shall haue: though the good angels and the saints of God in heauen are verie excellent creatures stored with graces and giftes of God. For this cause Christ is called the head of man,[^50] because he is euerie way the most principall and glorious man that ever was. Yet for all this are not the gifts of Christs manhood infinite any way; because it is finite, being a creature, and therfore not capable of that which is infinite.\n\nBy Christes annointing the people of God reape great benefite and comfort, because they are partakers thereof. For this cause the oile where with he was annointed is called the *oyle of gladnesse,* because the sweet sauour of it gladdeth the heartes of all his members,[^51] and brings the peace of God which passeth all understanding.[^52] The holy oyle powred vpon Aarons head came downe to his beard, and to the verie skirtes of his garments: and it signified that the spirituall oile of grace was first of all powred upon our head Christ Iesus, and from thence consequently derived to all his members, that by that meanes hee might be not onely annointed himselfe, but also our annointer.\n\nNow the benefites which we receiue by his annointing are two. The first is, that all the elect when they are called to the profession of the gospell of Christ, are in and by him set apart and made spirituall kings, priests, and prophets, as S. Iohn saith, *He hath made vs kings and priests vnto God his Father.* And S. Peter out of Ioel,[^53] *I will powre (saith the Lord) my spirit vpon all flesh,*[^54] *and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie.*\n\nThe second benefite is, that all the faithfull receiue the same oile, that is, the same spirite of God in some measure which he receiued aboue measure, as S. Iohn saieth, *The annointing which ye have received of him dwelleth in you and teacheth you all things.*[^55] where by anointing is ment the holy Ghost.[^56] And hence it is, that men are called *Christians* of the name of Christ, that is, annointed with the same oile wherwith Christ was annointed. And the holy oile might not be giuen to a stranger, to signifie, that to haue the spirite of Christ, and to be guided by it, is peculiar to them that are Christes.[^57] Now then let vs all lay these things to our hearts, and extoll the unspeakeable goodnesse of God that hath advaunced vs to the dignitie of kings, priests, prophets, before him, and hath giuen his spirit unto vs to inable us to be so indeed.\n\nNowe follow the duties which are to be learned hence. And first, whereas all Christians receive annointing from the holy one Christ Iesus,[^58] to become prophets in a sort, wee must doe our endeavours, that the word of God may dwell plentifully in vs,[^59] and for that cause we must search the scriptures, euen as hunters seeke for the game, and as men seeke for golde euen in the mines of the earth. There is nothing that is more unbeseeming a man, then grosse ignorance a Christian. Therfore the authour of the epistle to the Hebrues reprooues them,[^60] that whereas for the time they ought to haue beene teachers, they had need againe to be taught the first principles of the word of God.\n\nAgaine, that portion of knowledge which we haue received of God is further to be applied to the benefit & good of others: this is that most precious baulme that on our partes should neuer be wanting to the heads of men. And here euery man that is set ouer others must remember within the compasse of his calling and charge to instruct those that be under him so farre forth as possibly he can.[^61] Gouernours of families must teach their children and servants and their whole housholde the doctrine of the true religion, that they may know the true God and walke in all his waies in doing righteousnesse & iudgement. If housholders woulde make conscience of this their dutie, and in some sorte and measure prepare their families against they come to the publike congregation, the ministers of the Gospell with greater comfort and farre more ease should performe their dutie; and see farre more fruit of their ministerie then now they doe. But whereas they neglect their dutie, falsely perswading themselues that it doeth not belong to them at all to instruct others; it is the cause of ignorance both in townes and families, in masters themselues, in seruants and children and all. Lastly, by this we are admonished to take all occasions that possibly can be offered, mutually to edifie each other in knowledge, saying among our selues (as it was foretold of these times) *Come, let vs goe up to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob,*[^62] *and he will teach vs his waies, and we will walke in his pathes:* and withall, we shoulde confirme each others, as Christ saith to Peter, *when thou art converted confirme thy brethren*; and be readie at all times to render an account of our faith and religion euen before our enemies when wee are iustly called so to doe.\n\nSecondly, because we are set apart in Christ, to become spirituall priests vnto God,[^63] we must therefore offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable unto him: and they be in number seven. The first is an affiance whereby we rest upon God, as Dauid saith, *Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and trust in the Lord.*[^64] The second is wholly to subiect our selues to the ministerie of the gospell, that wee may be changed and converted by it, as Paul saith,[^65] *That hee ministred the Gospell to the Gentiles, that the offering vp of them might be acceptable, beeing sanctified by the holy Ghost.* The thirde is, all manner of prayers and supplications made unto God. *Let my prayer,* saieth David, *be directed in thy sight as incense,*[^66] *and the lifting vp of mine handes as an evening sacrifice.* The fourth is praising and thankesgiving unto God. *Let vs by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God, that is the fruite of the lippes which confesse his name.*[^67] And in the Revelation the golden vials full of odors are the praiers of the saints. The fift is the reliefe of our poore breethren according to our ability, as Paul saieth, *I was even filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you,*[^68] *an odour that smelleth sweete, a sacrifice pleasant and acceptable to God.* The sixt is the deniall of our selues with a contrite and broken heart. The seuenth is, to resigne our selues bodies and soules wholly to the seruice of God: *Set your selues* (saith Paul) *to God, as they that are aliue from the dead:*[^69] *and your members as weapons of righteousnesse unto God.* In which wordes he alludes to the manner of the old Testament: when a man offered any sacrifice for himselfe, hee brought the beast into the temple or tabernacle and set it before the altar, in token that hee did resigne it vnto God: and so wee for our partes must not giue our bodies and soules to become the instruments of sinne & satan, but we must haue them alwaies in readinesse, freely presenting them vnto him that he may haue the whole disposition of them according to his good pleasure, to the honour and glorie of his name. Againe, in the whole burnt offering all was consumed and turned to smoke, no man hauing benefite of it, to signifie, that we must give our selues not in part but wholly to the service of God, euen to death if need be. If this be so, miserable is the practise of such that giue up their bodies and soules to liue in licentious wantonnesse, in the pleasures of their beastly sinnes, in idlenesse. For they offer themselues a sacrifice, not to God but to the devill.\n\nThirdly, considering wee are annointed to be spirituall kinges euen in this life, wee must walke worthie so great a calling. That this may be so, first of all such as are governours set ouer others, must rule not according to their willes and pleasures, but in the Lorde: withall, doeing homage to their heade and king Christ Iesus him-selfe. Secondly, wee must euerie one of vs rule and beare sway euen as kings ouer our owne thoughtes, willes, affections, over-mastering them as much as wee can by Gods worde and spirite: withall, maintaining and proclaiming continuall warre against our corrupt natures, the deuill, and the worlde. And truely hee which can beare rule ouer his owne heart, is a right king indeede: and hauing receiued some measure of grace to raigne ouer himselfe in this life, he shall raigne for ever with Christ in the life to come. As for such as are carried away with the swinge of their corruptions, hauing blindnesse and ignorance to raigne in their mindes, rebellion in their willes and affections, loosenesse in their whole liues, they may carrie the forme of Christians as long as they will, but indeede they are no spirituall kings but bondemen: the strong man satan keepes as yet the hold of their hearts, & as Lord and king holds up his scepter there.\n\nLastly, seeing Christ is annointed with the most pretious baulme that ever was, and that for our sakes, he must be sweete and savourie unto us, and all other things must be as vnsavorie drosse and dung in regarde of him. Wee must in this case indeauour to say as the spouse of Christ doth: *Because of the savour of the good oyntments,*[^70] *thy name is an ointment powred out: therefore the virgins love thee.* O that we could *savour in the feare of God,*[^71] that wee might perceive *how all his garments smell of myrrhe, aloes, and cassia, comming forth of his ivory pallaces vnto vs.*[^72] And because the holy ointment of Christ is powred forth upon all his members to make them favourie and sweete in the presence of God, let us make conscience of all maner of sinne, lest by the poison and stincke thereof, wee infect not onely our selues, but all the creatures of God which wee vse, yea heaven and earth itselfe. It standes not with equitie that after we haue beene embaulmed and sweetned by the pretious merites of Christ that we should make our selues as two footed swine, to returne to the mire of our old sinnes.\n\nThe coupling and combining of these two former titles togither, containes the principali question of the whole bible, which is, whether Iesus the sonne of Mary be Christ or no; as S. Iohn saith. *These things are written,*[^73] *that yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God, and that in beleeving yee might have life everlasting.* This conclusion was denied by the Iewes, but avouched and confirmed both by Christ and by his Apostles; and their principall argument was framed thus.[^74] He which hath the true notes of Christ is the Messias or Christ indeed: but Iesus the Sonne of Mary hath the true notes of Christ: therfore Iesus is Christ. The proposition is opened at large in the prophesies of the old testament: the assumption is confirmed in the writings of the new testament: & the principall reasons of the confirmation are couched in the articles which cōcern the second person. The conclusion followes, & is set down as I haue said, in the knitting togither of the titles, Iesus and Christ.\n\nThus much of the second title: now followeth the third, *his only Sonne*: that is, the only sonne of the first person the father. In this title we must consider 2. things: the first, that he is the sonne of God: the second, that he is the only Sonne of God. Touching the first, Christ is called the Sōne of God, because he was begottē of the father. Now for the opening of this eternall generation, we must consider three pointes: the thing begotten, the maner of begetting, & the time. For the thing it selfe, it is Christ; who must be cōsidered 2. waies, as he is a sonne, & as he is God: As he is a sonne, he is not of himselfe, but the sonne of the father begotten of him: neuerthelesse as he is God,[^75] he is of himselfe neither begotten nor proceeding; for the essence or godhead of the father is of it selfe without all beginning: but the godhead of the sonne is one and the same with the godhead of the father: for by what godhead the father is God, by the same and no other the sonne is God: therefore the sonne as he is God, hee is God of himselfe without beginning as the Father. Whereupon it followes, that the sonne is begotten of the father as he is a sonne, but not as he is God.\n\nThe maner of this generation is this. The sonne is begotten of the substance of the father not by any fluxe, as when water is deriued from the head of the spring to the chanell: nor by decision as when a thing is cut in pieces: nor by propagation, as when a grift is transplanted into a new stocke: but by an unspeakeable communication of the whole essence or Godhead from the father to the sonne; in receiuing whereof the sonne doth no more diminish the maiestie or Godhead of the father, then the light of one candle doth the light of the other from which it is taken. Whereupon the Councell of Nicene hath said well, that the sonne is of the Father as light of light not proceeding but begotten.\n\nThe time of this generation hath neither beginning, middle, or ende: and therefore it is eternall before all worlds: and that is a thing to be wondered at, that the father begetting & the sonne begottē are coeternall, & therfore equall in time. Wisdom in the prouerbs (which with one consent of all divines is said to be Christ) affirmeth that she was before the world was created, that is, from eternity:[^76] for before the world was made there was nothing but eternitie. But it may be alledged to the contrarie, that the saying of the father, *This day haue I begotten thee,* is expounded by Paul of the time of Christs resurrection. *Answ.*[^77] We must distinguish betweene generation it selfe & the manifestation of it: & of the second must the place be understood, which may be brought to passe at the time of Christs resurrection in which he was mightily declared to be the sonne of God, though in the meane season the generation it selfe be eternall.[^78] If any man alledge further that the person which begetteth must needs goe before the person begotten, the answer is, that there is a double priority; one of order, the other of time: now in the generation of creatures there is priority both of order & time: but in the generation of the second person in trinity there is prioritie of order alone: the father being first, the sonne second, without prioritie of time: because they both in that respect are equall, and neither is before or after other: because the beeing or subsisting of the persons is not measured by time.\n\nHence it followeth necessarily, that Iesus Christ is true God: & the whole tenor of the scriptures confirme it sufficiently. I. he is made equall to God the father, who *being in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God:* &,[^79] *All things that the father hath are mine.* The children of Israell are said to haue tempted Iehova: and Paul saith, that he whome they tempted was Christ. Iehoua founded the earth, and the same is saide of Christ. II. Christ the sonne of God is by name called God: *Iesus Christ is very God & life eternall.* III. The properties of the godhead are ascribed unto him. He is eternal, because he was then when there was no creature. *In the beginning was the word*: and, *before Abraham was I am.*[^80] He is omnipresent, *Where two or three are gathered togither in my name, there am I in the middest amongst them.* Lastly he is omnipotent, *Whatsoever things the father doth,*[^81] *the same doth the sonne also.* IIII. The workes of creation and preseruation are as well ascribed to the sonne as to the father. By him the father made the world, and he beareth up all things by his mightie power: and miracles, which are workes either aboue or against the order of nature peculiar to God, were done by Christ. V. Divine worship is given to him: for he is adored, invoted, and beleeued in, as God the father. To him is given a *name, at which every knee doth bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth,*[^82] *and things vnderneath the earth.*\n\nAs for the reasons which be alledged to the contrarie, they are of no moment. I. The worde of God can not be God; the sonne is the worde of the father: therefore hee is not God. *Answ.* The worde is taken two waies: first for a sounding worde standing of letters and syllables vttered either by God or by the creatures: nowe on this manner Christ is not the word of God. Secondly there is a substantiall worde, which is of the substance of him whose worde it is. And thus Christ is the worde of God the father. And he is so termed, I. in respect of the father, for as reason & speech hath his beginning from the mind without any passion in the mind, so hath he beginning frō the father. And as the speech is in the mind & the mind in the speech, so the father is in the sonne, & the sonne in the father. 2. In respect of all creatures. The father doth all things by the son▪ by whose powerfull worde the worlde was made,[^83] is now preserved & shalbe abolished. 3. In respect of the Church. For the father by him speakes unto us both in the outward ministerie of the worde, and by the inward operation of the spirit: and againe we by him speake to the father.\n\nII. It may be obiected thus, God hath no beginning from any other; Christ hath beginning frō the father: therfore he is not God. *Answer.* Christ must be considered both in regard of his godhead and in regard of his person: in regarde of his god heade hee came not of any but is of himselfe, as well as the father is: yet in regarde of his person hee is from the father, who is a beginning to the rest of the persons,[^84] both in respect of order (for the scripture saith not; the holy Ghost, the Sonne, the Father: but the Father, the Sonne, the holy Ghost) as also in respect of the communication of the Godhead. And whereas it is said that God is of himselfe, if the name God, be taken for the Godhead it selfe absolutely considered, it is true: but if it be taken for any particular person in the Godhead, it is false. III. None is greater then God: but the father is greater then Christ, for so he saith, *the father is greater then I.*[^85] *Ans.* Christ there speakes of himselfe as he was a man abased in the forme of a seruant: in which respect he is lesse then the father, who neuer was incarnate and abased in our nature. And though Christ in respect of his nature assumed be inferiour to the father, yet doth it not hinder but that he may be equall to him, as he is the second person in trinitie, or as he is God by one and the same Godhead with the father. IV. He that is made of God, to be this, or that, is not God: but Christ is made of God, as Paul saith,[^86] *Christ is made vnto vs wisdome, righteousnes, &c. Answer.* Christ is said to be made, not because there was any beginning of his Godhead, or any chaunge or alteration in his person: but because in the eternall counsell of the father, he was set apart before all times to exequute the office of a Mediatour, and was withall in time called, and as it were consecrated and ordained thereunto in his baptisme: he is made therefore in respect of his office, but not in respect of his person, or nature. V. God hath no head, Christ hath an head, as Paul saith, *God is Christs head. Answ.* God, that is, the father,[^87] is head of Christ, not as he is God simply, but as he is *God incarnate,* or made manifest in the flesh, and in respect of the office to which he willingly abased himselfe. VI. Hee which giues vp his kingdome is not God, Christ giues vp his kingdome. *Then,* saith Paul, *shall be the end,*[^88] *when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the father. Answer.* Christ is king two waies, as he is God, and as he is Mediatour: as he is God, he raignes eternally with the father and the holy Ghost: but as he is Mediatour, in the ende of the worlde when all the companie of the elect are gathered, his kingdome shall cease not simplie but in respect of the outward manner of administration: for the exequution of civill and ecclesiasticall functions shall cease. And whereas in the same place,[^89] it is said that Christ shalbe subiect vnto God eternally after the ende, it must be vnderstood partly in regard of the assumed manhood, partly in respect of his mysticall bodie the Church most neerely ioyned vnto him in heauen. VII. The first borne of euery creature, & of many brethren, is a creature & not God: but Christ is the first borne of euery creature, & of many brethren. *Ans.* He is called the first borne by allusion to the first borne in the old testament:[^90] for as they were principall heires hauing double portions allowed them; & the chiefe or gouernours of the familie. so Christ is made heire of the world,[^91] and the head of Gods familie which is his Church elected and adopted in him. And againe he is called the first borne of euery creature, because he was begotten of the substance of his father before any creature was made, and therfore it is not here said that he was first created, but first begotten.\n\nBy the reasons which haue bin alleadged, as also by the insufficiencie of the contrarie arguments, it is more then manifest against all heretikes that Christ is very God. Yet to stoppe the mouthes of all Atheists, & to satisfie all wauering & doubtings minds, I will adde one reason further. The gospel of S. Iohn was chiefly penned for this end, to prooue the dietie of Christ: & among other arguments alledged, this is one, that Christ gaue a resolute & a constant testimonie of himselfe, that he was the sonne of God, & very God: now if any man shall say, that sundrie persons since the beginning of the world haue taken vpon thē, & that falsely, to be gods: I answer, that neuer any creature tooke this title & honour vpon him to be called *God,* but the fearefull iudgements of God were vpon him for it. In the estate of mans innocencie the deuill tolde our first parents that by eating the fruite of the tree of knowledge of good and euill, they should be as gods knowing good & euill: now they beleeued him, & affected diuine honour, but what came of it? surely Adam with all his posteritie is shut vp for it vnder eternall damnation. Herod likewise araied in royall apparell, & sitting on the iudgement seate, made an oration to the men of Tyre & Sidon, who gaue a shout saying, the voice of God, & not of man. Now because he tooke the glorie of God to himselfe, & did not returne it to him to whō it was due, immediatly the angel of the Lord smote him. And so, if Christ had bin but a meere man, & not very God, as he auouched, vndoubtedly the hand of God would haue bin vpon him likewise for his confusion: but when he suffered for vs, and bare the punishment due for our sinnes, he most triumphed. And the iudgements of God were vpon Herod, Pontius Pilate, Caiphas, & vpon all those that were enemies to him, and to his church afterward, & that partly in life & partly in death. Wherefore seeing that God can not abide that his glorie should be giuen to any creature, & seeing for that cause he takes reuenge on all those that exalt themselues to be gods, it remains that the testimony which Christ gaue of himselfe that he was God, is vnfallibly true, & without all question to be beleeued of vs. And to conclude, I would haue all the deuils in hel with the cursed order of Lucians, Porphyrians, and Atheists whatsoeuer to answer this one point, howe it could come to passe, that Christ by publishing the doctrine of the Gospell that is as contrarie to mans reason, will, and affections, as water to fire, should winne almost the whole world to become his disciples, and to giue their liues for him, vnlesse he were God indeed, as he confessed himselfe to be.\n\nThere be sundrie speciall reasons wherefore it was necessarie that Christ should be God. I. There is none which can be a Sauiour of bodie & soule but God.[^92] *I euen I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Sauiour.* And,[^93] *I am the Lord the God from the land of Egipt, and thou shalt knowe no God but me: for there is no Sauiour beside me.* II. There must be a proportion betweene the sinne of man and the punishmēt of sinne: now the sinne of man in respect of the offence of the maiestie of God is infinite, in that he is infinitely displeased with man at the breach of his lawe: therefore the punishment of sinne must be infinite: and hence it followeth that he which suffereth the punishment beeing man, must withall be God, that the manhood by the power of the Godhead may be supported, that in suffering it may vanquish death, and make a satisfaction. III. He that must be a Sauiour, must be able 1. to deliuer men from the bondage of their spirituall enemies, namely sinne and Satan: 2. to restore the image of God lost by the fall of Adam, and to conferre righteousnes and life euerlasting: 3. to defend them from hell, death, damnation, the flesh, the deuill, the world: 4. to giue them full redemption from all their miseries both in bodie and soule, and to place them in eternall happines: all which none can doe, but he which is very God. IV. It was the pleasure of God, to shewe his incomprehensible goodnes in this, that his grace should not onely be equall to our sinne, but also by many degrees goe beyond it. And therefore the first Adam beeing but a meere man, the second Adam must be both God & man: that as the second was more excellent then the first, so our comfort might be greater in our redemption by the second, then our miserie and discomfort was by the fall of the first.\n\nHitherto wee haue shewed howe Christ is the sonne of God: Now let vs come to the second point, namely that he is the *onely sonne of God.* And he is so tearmed because he is the sonne of the father, in that manner as nothing else can be but he. Angels indeede are tearmed the sonnes of God,[^94] but that is onely in respect of their creation: and all that beleeue in Christ are the sonnes of God by adoption, being receiued into the familie of God which is his Church by the merit of Christ, whereas by nature they were the children of wrath. Christ also as he is man (I say not his manhood which is a nature and no person) is the sonne of God by the grace of personall vnion, and not by nature or by adoption. Lastly Christ as he is the second person in trinitie, the eternall worde of the father, coeternall and consubstanciall with him, is also the sonne of God. But how? neither by creation, nor adoption, nor by the vertue of personall vnion, but by nature; as he was begotten of the very substance of the father before all worlds: and therefore he is called the *proper* and *onely begotten* sonne of God. It may be obiected on this manner. If the father beget the sonne,[^95] he doth it either willingly, or against his will: if willingly, then the sonne is begotten by the freewill of the father, and no sonne by nature. *Answer.* The father did communicate to the sonne his whole Godhead willingly without constraint, yet not by his will: and therefore he is the sonne of the father by nature, not by will. It may be further said, that if Christ be the sonne of God by nature, as he is the essentiall word of the father, & by personall vnion as he is mā, then is he not one but two sonnes. *Answ.* As he is but one person, so is he but one sonne: yet not in one but in two respects: two respects make not two things, whereas one and the same thing and so remaining may admit sundrie respects.\n\nThus much of the meaning of the third title: Now follow the comforts which may be gathered hence. Whereas Christ Iesus is the sonne of God, it serues as a meanes to make miserable and wretched sinners that are by nature the children of wrath and damnation, to be the sonnes of God by adoption▪ as Saint Iohn testifieth.[^96] Now what a benefit is this to be the child of God, no tongue can expresse. Christ saith, *Blessed are the peacemakers:*[^97] but why are they blessed? *for,* saith he, *they shalbe called the sonnes of God.* Whereby he testifieth that the right of adoption is a most excellent priuiledge; and not without cause. For he which is the childe of God, is spiritually allyed to Christ, and to all the saints and seruants of God both in heauen and earth, hauing him for his elder brother, and all his members as his brethren and sisters: yea if we be Gods adopted children, we are also heires, euen heires of God, and heires annexed with Christ. Well,[^98] how great soeuer this prerogatiue is, yet few there be that rightly waigh it and consider of it. Children of noble men and princes heires are had in account and reputation of all men, they are the very speach and wonder of the world. But it is a matter of no account to be the sonne of God and fellow-heire with Christ. The dearest seruants of God haue beene esteemed but as the offscouring of the world. And no meruaile, for they which are after the flesh, sauour the things of the flesh. Fewe men haue their vnderstandings inlightned to discerne of such spirituall things as these are, and therefore are they little or nothing regarded. A blinde man neuer seeing the sonne, is not brought to wonder at it: and earthly minded men neither seeing nor feeling what an excellent thing it is to be the child of God, cannot be brought to seeke after it. But let all such as feare God enter into a serious consideration of the vnspeakeable goodnes of God, comforting thēselues in this, that God the father hath vouchsafed by his own sōne to make thē of the vassals of Satā, to be his own deere childrē.\n\nNow follow the duties which are two. First, we beleeue that Iesus Christ who was to be the Sauiour of mākind, must needs be God: what is the reason hereof? surely because no creature, no not all creatures in heauen and earth were able to saue one man, so vyle, wretched, and miserable is our estate by Adams fall. And therefore the sonne of God himselfe pitied our estate, and beeing king of heauen and earth, was faine to come from heauen, and lay downe his crowne and become a seruant, and taking vpon him our nature, was also faine to take vpon him our case and condition, & suffer death for our sinnes, which otherwaies euery one of vs should haue suffered both in bodie and soule world without end. To make this more plaine, let vs suppose that some one hath cōmitted an offence against a prince; now the trespasse is so grieuous, that no man can appease the kings wrath, saue onely the kings onely sonne, and which is more, the kings sonne cannot release him, vnlesse he suffer the punishment for him in his owne person, which is due vnto the malefactour. Now what is to be thought of this mans estate? surely all men will say that he is in a most miserable taking, and that his trespasse is notorious: and so it is with euery one of vs by nature, whatsoeuer we are. No man could saue our soules, no not all the angels in heauen, vnlesse the king of heauen & earth the only sonne of God had come down from heauē & suffered for vs, bearing our punishment. Now the cōsideratiō of this must humble vs and make vs to cast down our selues vnder the hād of God for our sinnes, & pray continually that the Lord would send some Moses or other which might smite the rocks of our hearts, that some tears of sorow & repentāce might gush out for our woful miserie.\n\nSecondly, whereas God the father of Christ gaue his only sonne to be our sauiour, as we must be thankfull to God for all things, so especially for this great & vnspeakeable benefite. Cōmon blessings of God, as meat, drink, health, wealth, & liberty, must at all times mooue vs to be thankful, but this, that Christ Iesus the onely sonne of God, redeemed vs beeing vtterly lost, this I say, must be the mayne point of al our thankfulnes: but mens hearts are so frozen in the dregges of their sinnes, that this dutie comes litle in practise now adaies. Our Sauiour Christ clensed ten leapers, but there was but one of thē that returned to giue him thanks, & this is as true in the leprosie of the soule, for though saluation by Christ be offered vnto vs daily by Gods ministers, yet not one of ten, nay scarse one of a thousand giues praise and thanks to God for it, because men take no delite in things which cōcerne the kingdome of heauen, they thinke not that they haue need of saluation, neither doe they feele any want of a Sauiour. But we for our parts must learne to say with David, *What shall I render vnto the Lord for all his benefits*:[^99] yea we are to practise that which Salomon saith, *My sonne giue me thy heart*:[^100] for we should giue vnto God both bodie & soule in token of our thankfulnes for this wonderful blessing that he hath giuē his only son to be our sauiour; & let vs know this for truth, that they which are not thākfull for it, let them say what they wil, they haue no soundnes of grace at the heart.\n\nAnd thus much of the third title. The fourth & last title is in these words *our Lord.* Christ Iesus the only sonne of God is our Lord three waies: 1. by creation, in that he made vs of nothing, when we were not: 2. he is our Lord in the right of redemption. In former times the custome hath bin that whē one is taken prisoner in the fields, he that paies his ransome shall become alwaies after his lord: so Christ when we were bondslaues vnder hell, death, & condemnation, paid the rāsome of our redemption, and freed vs from the bondage of sinne and satan, and therefore in that respect he is our Lord. 3. He is the heade of the Church (as the husbande is the wiues head,) to rule and gouerne the same by his word and spirit. And therefore in that respect also Christ is our Lord.\n\nAnd thus much for the meaning. Now follow the duties. 1. If Christ be our soueraigne Lord, we must performe absolute obedience vnto him, that is, whatsoeuer he commaunds vs, that wee must doe. And I say absolute obedience, because Magistrats, Masters, Rulers, and fathers may command, and must be obeyed, yet not simply, but so farfoorth as that which they command doth agree with the word and commaundement of God: but Christs will and word is righteousnes it selfe, and therefore the rule and direction of all our actions whatsoeuer, and for this cause he must be absolutely obeyed. Thus he requires the obedience of the morall law: but why? because *he is the Lord our God.* And in Malach. he saith,[^101] *If I be your Lord, where is my feare?* And againe, we must resigne both bodie and soule, heart, minde, will, affections, and the course of our whole liues to be ruled by the will of Christ. He is Lord not onely of the bodie, but of the spirite and soule of man: hee must therefore haue homage of both, as we adore him by the knee of the bodie, so must the thoughts and the affections of our hearts haue their knees also to worship him, and to shew their subiection to his commandements. As for such as doe hold him for their Lord in word, but will not indeauour to shew their loyaltie in all manner of obedience, they are indeede no better then starke rebels. Secondly, when by the hande of Christ strange iudgements shall come to passe, as it is vsuall in all places continually; we must stay our selues without murmuring or finding fault, because he is an absolute Lord ouer all his creatures: all things are in his hands, and he may doe with his owne whatsoeuer he will; and therefore wee must rather feare and tremble whensoeuer wee see or heare of them: so David saith, *I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it.*[^102] And againe, *My flesh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am afraid of thy iudgements.* Thirdly, before we vse any of Gods creatures or ordinances, we must sanctifie them by the direction of his word and by praier:[^103] the reason is this, because he is Lord ouer all, and therefore from his word we must fetch direction to teach vs whether we may vse them or not, and when and how we must vse them: and secondly wee must pray to him, that he would giue vs libertie and grace to vse them aright in holy maner. Also we are so to vse the creatures and ordinances of God, as beeing alwaies readie to giue an account for them at the day of iudgement, for wee vse that which is the Lords, not our owne; we are but stewards ouer them, & we must come to a reckoning for the stewardship. Hast thou learning? then imploy it to the glorie of God, & the good of the Church: boast not of it as though it were thine owne. Hast thou any other gift or blessing of God, be it wisdome, strēgth, riches, honour, fauour, or whatsoeuer; then looke thou vse it so, as thou maist be alwaies readie to make a good account thereof vnto Christ. Lastly, euery one must so lead his life in this world, as that at the day of death he may surrender and giue vp his soule into the hands of his Lord, and say with Steven, *Lord Iesus receiue my soule:* for thy soule is none of thine, but his who hath bought it with a price,[^104] & therfore thou must so order and keepe it as that thou maist in good manner restore it into the hands of God at the end of thy life. If a man should borrow a thing of his neighbour, and vse it so as he doth quite spoile it, he would be ashamed to bring it againe to the owner in that manner, and if he doe, the owner will not receiue it. Vngodly men in this life doe so staine their soules with sin, as that they can neuer be able to giue them vp into the hands of God at the day of death: & if they would, yet God accepts them not, but casts thē quite away. We must therefore labour so to liue in the world, that with a ioyfull heart at the day of death we may commend our soules into the handes of our Lord Christ Iesus, who gaue them vnto vs. This is a hard thing to be done, and he that will doe it truly, must first be assured of the pardon of his owne sinnes, which a man can neuer haue without true and vnfained faith and repentance: wherfore while we haue time, let vs purge and clense our soules & bodies, that they may come home againe to God in good plight.\n\nAnd here all gouernours must be put in mind that they an higher Lord, that they may not oppresse or deale hardly with their inferiours.[^105] And this is Pauls reason, *ye masters* (saith he) *doe the same things vnto your seruants, putting away threatning: and knowe that euen your master is also in heauen, neither is their respect of persons with him.* Inferiours againe must remember to submit themselues to the authoritie of their gouernours, especially of magistrates. For they are set ouer vs by our soueraigne Lord and king Christ Iesus: as Paul saith,[^106] *Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God, and the powers that be ordained are of God.*[^107] And againe, *Seruants be obedient to your masters according to the flesh, with feare and trembling, in singlenes of your hearts, as vnto Christ.*\n\nThe comfort which Gods Church may reap hence, is very great: for if Christ be the Lord of lords, & our Lord especially, we neede not to feare what the deuill or wicked men can do vnto vs. If Christ be on our side, who can be against vs? we neede not feare them that can destroy the bodie and doe no more, but we must cast our feare on him that is Lord of bodie and soule,[^108] and can cast both to hell.\n\n[^1]: Gen. 3.15.\n[^2]: Gal. 3.20.\n[^3]: Heb. 11.6.\n[^4]: Rom. 16.20\n[^5]: 1. Ioh. 3.8.\n[^6]: Gen. 6.3.\n[^7]: Gen. 17.21.\n[^8]: Rom. 9.\n[^9]: Rom. 9.3, 4.\n[^10]: Eph. 2 12▪\n[^11]: Rom. 9.24.\n[^12]: Gen. 18.22.\n[^13]: Gal. 3.8.\n[^14]: Act. 17.30.\n[^15]: Malac. 3.8. Isa. 49.8.\n[^16]: Mat. 16.16.\n[^17]: 1. Ioh. 4.15.\n[^18]: Act. 10.44.\n[^19]: Act. 16.31.\n[^20]: 1. Ioh. 4.2.\n[^21]: Matt. 1.21. Luk. 1.31.\n[^22]: Act. 4.12.\n[^23]: Heb. 7.12.\n[^24]: 2. Tim. 4.8.\n[^25]: 1. Pet. 3.21.\n[^26]: Heb. 4.8.\n[^27]: Obed. v. 21. 1. Tim. 4.16.\n[^28]: Thyrraeus. de daemon. thes. 567.569.\n[^29]: Officium B. Mariae reform. à Pio 5. Pontif.\n[^30]: Mat. 1.21.\n[^31]: Eph. 5.23.\n[^32]: Actus primae causae ordinat actum secundae causae.\n[^33]: Mat. 18.11.\n[^34]: Mat. 15.14.\n[^35]: Mat. 8.25.\n[^36]: Psal. 35.3.\n[^37]: Mat. 9.20.\n[^38]: Ioh. 5.7.\n[^39]: Mark. 2.4.\n[^40]: Luk. 1.59.\n[^41]: Luk. 2.10, 12.\n[^42]: Tertull. contra Praxeā.\n[^43]: Dan 9.24.\n[^44]: Psal. 45.7.\n[^45]: Ioh. 6.27.\n[^46]: Isa. 61.1.\n[^47]: Exod. 30.\n[^48]: 2. Cor. 2.17.\n[^49]: Iohn. 3.34.\n[^50]: 1. Cor. 11.\n[^51]: Psal. 45.7.\n[^52]: Psalm. 133.\n[^53]: Apoc. 1.6.\n[^54]: Act. 2.24.\n[^55]: 1. Ioh. 2.27.\n[^56]: Psa. 105.15.\n[^57]: Exo. 30.33.\n[^58]: 1. Ioh. 2.20. Dan 9.24.\n[^59]: Ioh. 5.39. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.\n[^60]: Heb. 4.12.\n[^61]: Psal. 141.5.\n[^62]: Isa. 2.3.\n[^63]: 1. Pet. 2.5.\n[^64]: Psal. 4.6.\n[^65]: Rom. 15.16.\n[^66]: Psal. 141.2.\n[^67]: Heb. 13.15. Rev. 5.8.\n[^68]: Phil. 4.18. Psal. 51.19.\n[^69]: Rom. 6.13.\n[^70]: Cant. 1.2.\n[^71]: Isai. 11.3.\n[^72]: Psal 45.8.\n[^73]: Ioh. 20.31.\n[^74]: Act. 18.5.\n[^75]: Non 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 tamē 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.\n[^76]: Prov. 8.24.\n[^77]: Psal. 2.7. Act. 13.30, 33.\n[^78]: Rom. 1.4.\n[^79]: Phil. 2.8. Ioh. 16.15. Num. 14.26, 27. 1. Cor. 10.9. Psal. 102.26. cū Ioh. 1.3. 1. Ioh. 5.20. Ioh. 1.1. & 8.56.\n[^80]: Mat. 18.20. & 26.\n[^81]: Ioh. 5.19.\n[^82]: Phil, 2.10.\n[^83]: Ioh. 1. v. 1. Heb. 1.3. Ioh. 5.25. 2. Cor. 13.3. Ioh. 17.\n[^84]: Matth. 28. Principium ordinis & originis.\n[^85]: Ioh. 14.\n[^86]: 1. Cor. 1.30.\n[^87]: 1. Cor. 11.3.\n[^88]: 1. 〈◊〉.15.24.\n[^89]: vers. 28.\n[^90]: Rom. 8.29. Col. 1.15.\n[^91]: Gen. 49.3. Deut. 21.17.\n[^92]: Isa. 43.11.\n[^93]: Ose. 13.4.\n[^94]: Iob. 1.\n[^95]: Ioh. 1 18. Rom. 8.32.\n[^96]: Ioh. 1.12.\n[^97]: Matth. 5.9.\n[^98]: Rom. 8.17.\n[^99]: Psal. 116.12.\n[^100]: Prov. 23.26.\n[^101]: Exod. 20. Mal. 1.6.\n[^102]: Psal. 119.120.\n[^103]: 1. Cor. 10.26.\n[^104]: Act. 7.\n[^105]: Eph. 6.9.\n[^106]: Rom. 13.1.\n[^107]: Eph. 6.5.\n[^108]: Mat. 10.28."}