Admonition Unto Congregations, Treatise · Part 1
Of Chriſts Fleſh.
The Firſt matter wee will ſpeake to you is, (wherein your iniquitie doth greatly abound) that you have amongſt you, that deny Chriſt to have taken Fleſh of Mary: ſome holding that he brought it from heaven, and ſome not knowing from whence hee brought it, both w…ich deſtroy the Faith of Chriſt, who are ſuch as Thapoſtle 2. Pet. 2, 1. Speaketh of, which privily bring in damnable heriſies, even denying the Lord that hath bought them.
To ſay ſomethinge to the Firſt that hold that he brought it from heaven, that the groſſnes of their black error may appeare. The ground of ſcriptures teſtifie that that which is from heaven is heavenly, therefore if Chriſt brought his Fleſh from heaven, thē he muſt have had a heavenly body, in that there can come nothinge from heaven, but that which is heavē ly, and Thapoſtle 1. Cor. 15. ſaith of heavenly bodyes: They are glorious, they are not weake but of power, they are ſpirituall, they are …mortall. Now in that Chriſts bodie was mortall and died, it was not a heavenly, glorious, ſpi…ituall, powerfull bodie: but was an earthly, naturall weake body, and had the ſame infirmities that our bodies have (ſinne excepted, as is ſhewed Heb. 4.15. For wee have not an high Prieſt that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmeties, but was in all thinges tempted in like ſort, yet without ſinne as alſo Chap. 5.2. which is able ſufficiently to have compaſſion on them that are ignorant, a…d that are out of the way, becauſe that he alſo is compaſſed with infirmitie. And his infirmities appeare in that he was hungrie Mat. 4 2. He was weary Ioh. 4.6. He was trobled, and his ſoule was in great heavin… Mat. 14.33.34. And he confeſteth his Fleſh is weake. Mat. 26.41. All theſe infirmieties, nor anie, infirmitie could not come from heaven, for in heaven there is no imperfection not imperfect thinge. And wee demaunde can heavenly bodies be weary? can they be hungrie? can they be trobled, and their ſoules be in heavines? or are they weake and mortall? then is there miſerie in heaven, which cannot be. Therefore it is to be concluded, never to be denyed, by anie that have Grace, that Chriſt brought not his Fleſh from heaven, in that there was infirmitie and weakenes (which is imperfection) in his Fleſh. And heere) haveing ſo fitt occaſion) let us pe…e a word by the way, to them, in whoſe ſinne death & hell hath conſented, which ſay that God was turned into, or made Fleſh. How could God be made weake Fleſh? whch was full of infirmities, as hath bene ſhewed by the ſcriptures Chriſts Fleſh was. And whereas ſome of theſe ſay, that all that Chriſt ſuffered and did in the Fleſh was but in ſhewe, it ſhalbe unto them according to their faith, if they repent not, for they ſhall have a Saviour but in ſhewe and though the wilfull perverſe ſtiffnes of theſe mē promi…ſe littile hope, yet let us ſay, what by the Grace of God wee are anie way able, if wee might by our beſt endeavours ſtopp men from runing ſo violently to condem…ion in this accurſed iudgment that they hold, which ſay, all that Chriſt ſuffered and did heare upon earth, was but in ſhewe.
And for this purpoſe wee will commend the godly diſpoſed Reader unto the xv. th. Chap. of the firſt to the Corinths, where Thappoſtle declares unto them againe, the Goſpell which he had formerly preached, and which they had received, and whereby they were ſaved, except they had beleeued in vaine. And he ſheweth that firſt of all he had delivered unto them, that Chriſt died for their ſinnes, and that he was buried, & roſe again the third day. So wee preach, ad ſo have you beleved ſaith Thapoſtl not with ſtanding a…l this, ſome Corinthians were fallen to ſay that there was no reſurerection of the dead, with whome Thappoſtle (becauſe he knewe that they had recevid and beleeved that Chriſt died and was raiſed againe) reaſoneth thus: If there be no reſurrection of the dead then is Chrſt not riſen, and if Chriſt be not riſen then is our preaching vaine, and your faith is alſo vaine, and wee are found alſo falſe witneſſes of God, for wee have teſtified of God that he hath raiſed up Chriſt, whome he hath not raiſed up, if ſo be the dead be not raiſed. Ior if the dead be not raiſed then is Chriſt not raiſed, and if Chriſt be not raiſed your faith is vaine, ye are yet in your ſinnes: and they that are a ſleepe in Chriſt are periſhed; and if in this life onelyonly wee have hope in Chriſt, wee are of all men moſt miſerable. The Appoſtle by theſe undenyable arguments and reaſons proves Chriſts death and reſurrection: Firſt that Chriſt died ver. 3. And for profe of that, he takes the teſtimony of the ſcriptures, and by the ſame profe and warrant he proves that …e was buried and roſ againe and for further confirmation of his being raiſed from the dead, Thappoſtle produceth the witnes and teſtimony of Cephas ſaw him and of the twelve, and he was ſeene of more then fyve hundreth brethren at once; and after of Iames: Then of all the Appoſtles, and l…ſt of all of himſelf, and he addeth for further proofe hereof, their preaching, ſo wee preach ſaith Thappoſtle, and he appealeth unto their owne conſciences, for this truth of Chriſts death and reſurrection in ſaying unto them ſo have you beleeved.
Heare Thappoſtle, that they might be brought to the ſight of the depth of the iniquitie of this their error, declares unto them, what doth neceſſarily followe if there be no reſurrection, and ſo Ch…iſt be not raiſed from the dead. And firſt concerning us ſaith Thappoſtle, (you that ſay there is no reſurrection, and ſo that Chriſt is not riſen From the dead) this followeth, you make all our preaching vaine, and ſo are wee preachers of vanie thinges, And you make us alſo falſe witneſſes of God, for wee have teſtified of God, that he hath raſed up Chriſt from the dead and this reproach do you caſt upon us. And upon your ſelves this evill do you b…ing in ſaing there is no reſurrection, and ſo that Chriſt is not riſen From the dead, your owne faith is in vaine, you have a vaine faith and you are yet in your ſinnes, all your ſinnes reſt upon you: further more by his your ſaying, you bring this iudgment upon all that are dead in Chriſt: that they are all periſhed and all the faith full in Chriſt that are leveing, you make them of all men moſt miſerable. And haveing thus layde before them all the evill of this there ſaying there is no reſurrection, he concludes, but now is Chriſt riſen from the dead, and was made the Firſt fruits of them that ſleepe.
To turne all this evill that Thappoſtle hath Heere ſhewed unto the Corinthians (that ſaid there was no reſurrection where by it followed that Chriſt was not riſen) upon all thoſe that ſay Chriſt died but in ſhewe, and ſo died not at all in truth, it is moſt plaine that all this evill comes upon their heads, for in that they ſay Chriſt died but in ſhewe, they muſt needs ſay, he did riſe againe but in ſhewe, and ſo was there no reſurrection in truth. And here do they (moſt miſerable men that they are all) make Thappoſtles preaching moſt vaine, for then are they preachers of vanities and ſhadowes, if Chriſt be dead but in ſhewe: ſo do they make them falſe witneſſes of God, for they have teſtified of God that he raſied up Chriſt from the dead, whome he hath not raiſed up, if ſo it be he died not. Then is the faith of the faith full in vaine, and their ſinnes are yet them, if Chriſt be not dead and riſen againe, then are all that are a ſleepe in Chriſt periſhed and all the faithfull liveing are of all men moſt miſerable. But we conclude againſt them all that ſay Chriſt died but in ſhew with the ſame words that the Apoſtle concludes againſt the Corinthians. But now Chriſt died, and is riſen againe from the dead, and was made the firſt fruts of them that ſlept. And therefore Thappoſtles preachinges are not vaine, neither are they falſe witneſſes of God. And the faith of the faithfull is not in vaine, neither are any parte of there ſinnes abidinge or remayning yet vponupon them And the faithfull that are a ſleepe are not periſhed; neither are the faithfull in this life of all men moſt miſerable. But all this is their portion that ſay Chriſt died but in ſhewe (which is not at all) their preaching is vaine, and they are preachers of moſt vaine thinges. And they are falſe witneſſes of God, in that they teſtifie that Chriſt died not, and ſo that God raiſed him not vp from the dead, their faith is vaine, and they are yet in their ſinnes, and all that are dead in this their falſe faith are periſhed: and thus are their eſtates herein moſt miſerable.
VVhat were ſufficient to ſpeake againſt this wicked blaſphemous opinion of theirs, which ſay Chriſt, ſufferings and death were but in ſhewe, theſe are they that in the higheſt degree deny Chriſt to be come in the Fle…h: or if they did confeſ…e and beleeve that Chriſt were come in the Fleſh, then muſt they of force confeſſe that he died, for all Fleſh muſt needs dye and be changed as is ſhewed Iſa. 10.6. and 1. Pet 1.24 All Fleſh is graſſe, and all the glory thereof is as the Flower of the Feild. And all the glory of man is as the Flower of graſſe which withereth and Falleth away. All the diſciples of Ch…iſt never made queſtion of his death for they ſaw and were ſore he was dead, and therefore they began to doubt of his reſurrection through infidelitie, which there had bene no cullor for them to doubt of, if they had bene of theſe mens opinion, that he died but in ſhewe.
In that all that is ſpoken of the reſurrection from the dead, is ſpoken of Chriſt, it ſhall not be amiſſe yet further to conſider what the holy ghoſt by the Appoſtle ſheweth in this 1. Cor. 15. Chap. concerning the reſurrection from the dead, for by his reſurrection his death ſhall appeare. This is that then which Thapoſtl hath ſett downe heare concerninge Chriſts death and reſurrectiō and concerning his naturall and earthly bodie, and his ſpi…ituall and heavenly body, Thappoſtle doth ſhewe firſt of all in the 3. Verſ. That Chriſt died, and Verſ. 20. Now is Chriſt riſen from the dead, and Verſ. 35. there is a queſtion how the dead are raiſed up: to which queſtion the Appoſtle annſweres, ſpeaking of all dead bodies in generall, and of Chriſts dead bodie in particuler (whome he hath ſhewed in the 20. Verſ. to be the firſt friuts of them that ſleepe) That which thou ſoweſt (ſaith Thappoſtle) is not qu… ned except it dye, teaching hereby as he had ſhewed before that Chriſts body did dye, and all bodies muſt dye firſt, or els they cannot be quickned, that is, raiſed againe from the dead verſ. 36. Then it being moſt evidently in this ſcripture proved. That Chriſt was raiſed from the dead, it is as evidently heere proved that he muſt needs, and did firſt dye: for (ſaith Thappoſtl…) it could not be quickned except it firſt dye. And Thapoſtl haveing thus annſwered to that part of the queſtion, in ſheweing how the dead are raiſed, then he proceeds to the ſecond queſtion, whch is, with what bodies come they furth, to which queſtione hee anſwereth Verſ. 37.38. Thou ſoweſt not that body that ſhalbe, but God giveth it a body at his pleaſure, to every ſeed his owne body. Heere Thapoſtle ſheweth, that Chr. body, & all bodyes th…t are of Chr. (for of thoſe onelyonly doth he ſpeake as appeareth verſ. 23.) are not raiſed in the reſurrection with thoſe bare bodies that are ſowen, but God giveth a bodie at his pleaſure; even to every ſeed his owne body, that is to the ſeed of man, all one body (to them which are raiſed in Chriſt) for there is but one Fleſh of men. The Apoſtle haveing Heere Firſt ſhewed, that the ſame bare body that is ſowne ſhall not ſo be raiſed up againe, then he ſheweth what manner of body it ſhalbe in the reſurrection, and wherein it ſhall differ from that wch was ſowen and died. In the 40. verſ ſaith Thappoſtle, there are heavenly bodies, and earthly bodies, and in the 49. verſ. wee ſhall …eare the …mage of the heavenly. Heere is ſet … with what manner of bodies the dead are raſed and … being the … fruits of the dead, with ſuch a body was he rayſed: then followeth how the heavenly body and the earthly body do differ in glo… the earthly body is corrupt, diſh…norable, we…ke, naturall, and mortall. The heavenly body i… incorrupt glorious, ſtronge ſpirituall, immortall. The image of the earthly body wee have from the Firſt Adam, wch was made (ſaith Thappoſtle) a l…v…ing ſoule, that is, naturall and earthly. The ymage of the heavenly body all that are of Chriſt ſhall have from the laſt Adam a quic…ing ſpirit, that is, ſpirituall, heavenly wch is the ymage of Chriſts glorious as body after his reſurrection. Thus wee ſee the whole d…ſt and intent of Thappoſtl in all this ſcripture is to prove the reſurrection from the dead, and how the dead riſe, and with what manner of bodies and all this by Chriſts death and reſurrection, becauſe as he died and riſſe againe, in the fair… order verſ 23. with the ſame bodies verſ. …9. ſhall all that are of Chriſt uſe againe, proveing hereby alſo that Chriſt …d a naturall earthly, and mortall body; ſowen in co…uption, in diſhonor, and in weakeraiſed in incorruption, in glory, in power, a ſpirituall body, Heavenly, immortall, what can be more plainely ſet downe, if men that have eies would ſee, and would not wincke with their eies; why will men pervert the ſcriptures to their owne diſtruction? takeing Heere a peece of a ſentence, and there a peece, and never lookeing to the ſcope and ſence. And thus much according to our ſmale talent to ſhewe the error of them that are fallen, to ſo deepe diſtruction, as to ſay, God was turned into fleſh, and ſo his death and all his ſufferings were but in ſhewe: and to ſay them (if by the grace of God it may be) that are not fallen ſo far.
And now to ſpeake to them that knowe not from whence Chriſt had his fleſh, they ſee it proved that from heaven he could not have it, for then there could not poſſibly have bene infirmitie in it. They ſee further, or through the grace of God might ſe, that Chriſt had a naturall, earthly, mortall body, and that there is but one Fleſh of men will they ſtill remaine ignorant and doubting whence Chriſt had his fleſh… then do they ſtill remaine in ſinne. Let them therefore leave their doubting (wch is through their ignorance) if they looke for ſalvation by Chriſt and let them knowe and beleeve from the ſcriptures of God. That Chriſt is of the ſeed of David, and of the Iſralites according to the Fleſh. Rom. 2.3. And 9.5. The Sonne of Mary the virgine, made of hi… ſubſtance. Gal. 4.4. And ſo doth this agree with the Firſt pr…miſ…e made concerning Chriſt Gen. 3.15. VVhere … is ſpoken by God: That the ſeed of the woman ſhall breake the ſerpents head, without wch knowledg and Faith, no man ſhall ever be ſaved: ffor there is no ſalvation, but by Chriſt the promiſſed ſeed of the woman. Thoſe the…fore am… you that will not knowe and beleeve that Chriſt is the ſeed of the woman, conceyued in hi… wombe, by the power of the moſt high overſhadowing hir, ſhall never be ſaved by Chriſt the promiſſed ſeed of the woman. This then is your great ſinne that you ſuffer manie amongſt you that mainteyne a falſe faith concerning where Chriſt had his Fleſh; and you approve and allowe of ſome, that hold and mainteyne no faith concerning where Chriſt had his Fleſh, and ſo do you approve and mainteyne them in their ſinne, for whatſoever anie holds or mainteynes not of ſaith is ſinne: and to be ignorant of anie part of that the ſcriptures hath manifeſted is ſinne, and to determyne to remaine ignorant, and ſo to continewe unto the end is death for without repentance anie one ſinne is death as Thappoſtle Iames ſheweth Iam. 2.10. VVho ſoever ſhall kepe the whole law and yet faileth in one point he is giltie of all. Deceyve not ſimple ſoules then by noriuſhing them in their ſinne, which you do, in ſaying it is not needfull to ſalvation to knowe whence Chriſt had his Fleſh, as though there were anie part of the law or goſpell, not needfull to ſalvation. And if there be anie part of the law not needfull then Chriſt need not to have come to fulfill the whole law, which he did as he ſaith Mat. 5.17. And if there be anie part of the goſpel of ſalvation (which Chriſt hath purchaſed with his blood Ephe. 1.13.14.) not needfull to ſalvation, then Chriſt hath purchaſed more then is needfull. In the feare of God walke not thus by your owne inventions, leading and ſuffering ſimple ſoules, to walke in the waies of death and condemnation.