Clause 2

Testimonies out of the Prophets and Apostles

Esay 9. A childe is borne vnto vs, A sonne is giuen vnto vs, whose gouernment shalbe vppon his shoulder, & his name shal be called Wonderful, Counsailor, the mightie God, father of eternitie, Prince of peace. Matt. 1. She shal bring forth a sonne, & thou shalt call his name Iesus: For he shall saue his people from their sinnes. Furthermore all this is done, that, that might be fulfilled, which the Lord hath spoken by his Prophet saying: Beholde a virgine shall be with childe, & shal bring foorth a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Emanuell, which is if thou interprete it, God with vs. Luk. 1. The Angel saith vnto Marie, thou shalt call his name Iesus. This man shall be great, and shall be called the sonne of the highest. And the Lorde God shall giue him the seat of Dauid his father, & he shal raigne ouer the house of Iacob for euer, and of his kingdome there shall be no ende.

Why we beleeue in Iesus Christ, the only begotten sonne of God

We beleeue also in Iesus Christ the onelie begotten sonne of God: First because the sonne of God is of one substance & glorie together with the Father. Io. 1. We sawe his glorie as of the onely begotten sonne of the father, Therfore in the first Chapter to the Hebrues he is called the brightnes of his glorie, and engrauen forme of his person. Ioh. 10. I and the Father are one. Further because the Father hath commanded, that we beleeue in the sonne: Psalm. 2. Kisse ye the sonne. And in the end of the same Psalme, Blessed are al they which trust in him. Also, This is my beloued sonne, in whome I rest, heare him. Nowe we so heare the sonne, expounding the commandement and promise of the father. Io. 6. This is the wil of that my father who hath sent me, that whosoeuer seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him, should haue euerlasting life: And I wil raise him vp in that last daie. And in the 14. of Ioh. he saith: Ye beleeue in God, beleeue also in me. And this is so seuerely commanded, that a most greeuous punishment is denounced against such as refuse the benefite offered in Christ: He that beleeueth not the sonne, shal not see life, but the wrath of God abideth vpon him. Io. 3. Also the 8. Vnlesse you beleeue that I am he ye shal die in your sinnes. And the 1. Io. 2. Therefore I confesse that I beleeue in the sonne of God, verie God, begotten of very God before all worldes. To the Hebrues 3. Prouerb. 8. And that from my hearte, I submitte my will to this commandement and promise of the father, that I am throughly persuaded, although I be a wretch, that yet for this eternal sonne of God, I am indeede receiued, neither would he I should adde this the greatest sinne to my great and manifolde sinnes, that I should reiecte the sonne of God freely offered, but that his desire is that with all my soule I should resist all vnbeliefe, and should deliuer my selfe altogether deuoide of saluation, to be saued to this sonne, forasmuch as our heauenlie father hath so commanded.

Why the sonne of God is named Iesus

The sonne of God manifested in the flesh is named Iesus, because he hath saued vs, through his desert, and yet still saueth vs by his power from all our sinnes. Mat. 1. Acts 4. Hebr. 7 Nowe the fruite that comes vnto me by this knowledge, is this: Seeing God, that can not lie, Tit. 1. hath giuen this name Iesus from heauē, to his sonne manifested in the flesh, that is to saye, of a sauiour, I knowe and vndoubtedly assure my selfe, that he fully and perfectly saueth me, wholy both in soule and body, and in this faith I call vpon him. As often as I heare therefore the name of Iesus, I ought to remember the promise of the Gospell that lyeth hidde in it: that he through his merite, hath saued me from my sinnes, and by his power, mortifieth the remnants of sinne in me, vntill he fully deliuer me from them: that he also quickeneth me through his holy spirite, and that he euerlastingly keepeth for me that same saluation purchased with so great a price, 1. Pet. 1. and so he beareth that worthy name for my sake, which was giuen vnto him by the father from heauen, that he might shewe the truth of his name, in truth and effectually aswel in my saluation, as in the saluation of al beleeuers. He is faithful that beareth that notable name of sauiour, and he that hath promised, shall doe it.