A Golden Chain — William Perkins

A Golden Chain · William Perkins

Lastly, whereas Ioseph and Marie 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 giuegive conuenient names vntounto them, which may put them in minde of duties either to God or men. This is worthie of our obseruation, for many care not howe they name their children, yea it is at this day and euer hath beene, that some giuegive such names to them, as that at the very rehearsing thereof laughter ensueth. But this ought not to be so; for the name is giuen vntounto 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 doe not place religion in titles, or names, yet neuerthelesse a wise & godly choice in this matter is to be had, that the names imposed may be in steade of instructions and admonitions to the parties named: and for this cause in the olde 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,Luk. 1.5.9. or they were borrowed from the holy ancetours, to put the posteritie in mind to follow their steps.

And thus much of the duties: Now followe the consolations that Gods Church & people r…ape from this, that the sonne of god is our Sauiour. Whē as all mankind was included vnderunder sin and condemnation, then the Lord had mercy vponupon vsus and gaue vntounto man the couenant of grace in which he promised that his owne sonne should be our redeemer. This is a great and vnspeakable comfort, as may appeare in that the angels so greatly reioiced herein whē Christ was born, Behold, say they, I bring you tidings of great ioy that shall be to all the people, Luk. 2.10.11.that is, that vntounto you is borne in the citie of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the lord. Now if they reioice thus exceedingly at Christs birth, who was not their Sauiour, because they stood not in need to be redeemed: then much more ought the Church of God to reioyce herein whome it doth principally concerne: and no maruel: for if we had wanted this blessed Sauiour, it had bin better to hauehave bin a bruit beast or any other cre…ture then a man; for the death of a beast is the ende of his woe, but the death of a man without a Sauiour is the beginning of endlesse miserie. Satan and his angels are fallen and hauehave no Sauiour, but when man was fallen, God of his merciemercy dealt not so with him, but gaue his owne sonne to restore him to a better estate, whereas he might as iustly hauehave damned all men for the fall of our first parents, as he did the wicked angels for theirs; for God is not bound to any creature: behold then a matter of vnspeakeable ioy: let vsus therefore receiue and embrace Christ our Sauiour, flie to him for the pardon of all sinnes, and praise his name therefore.

Now we come to the second title of the sonne of God, whereby he is tearmed Christ: which title is as it were the surname of the second person as some doe thinke: yet according to the opinion of some others it is no name at all, but onelyonly a meere appellation, as when in the like case a particular man is called a Duke or a King.Tertul. contra …ra…eam. Dan. 9.25. It is all one with Messiah in Hebrewe wherewith the redeemer was named in the old Testament, and both signifie annointed.

Among 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 priests that serued in the Tabernacle and Temple before the Lord when they were ordained, and as it were, installed into the priesthood, 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.

Nowe this legall annointing was a type and figure of the annointing of Christ: which was not with bodily oile, but by the spirit, and it was more excellent then all other annointings were. For Dauid saith, he was annointed with the oyle of gladnesse aboue all his fellowes,…sal. …5.7. signifying, that neither king, priest, nor prophet, was euer annointed in the same manner as he was.

Christs annointing is according to both his natures; for in what nature …e is a Mediatour, in the same he is annointed: but according to both his natures ioyntly he is a Mediatour: the godhead is no mediatour without the manhood, nor the manhood without the godhead: and therefore his annointing extends it selfe both to his godhead and to his manhood.

Christs annointing hath two parts, both of them figured by the annointing of the Iewes. The first is his consecration whereby he was set apart to do the office of a Mediatour betweene God and man: and therfore 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 reueale and teach his people the will of God his father. And though it be true that Christ is set apart to the work of mediation as he is mediatour or as he is man: 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 three persons, the father, the sonne… and the holy ghost: and yet considering the father is first in order, and th…refore hath the beginning of the action; for this cause he is said especially to designe, as when S. Iohn saith; Him hath God the father sealed.Ioh. 6.17.

The second part of Christs annointing is the powring out of the fulnesse of the spirit or grace into the manhood of Christ:Isai 61.1. and it was particularly figured by the holy oile. For first, that oile had no man but God alone to bee the author of it: so the most excellent and vnspeakeable graces of the manhood of Christ hauehave their beginning from the godhead of Christ. Againe, though the same oile was most precious,Exod. 30. yet was it compounded of earthly substances, as myrrhe, calamus, and Casia, and such like, 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 humaine nature: otherwise we should not hauehave any participation of them. Thirdly, the sweete sauour of the holy oile figured, that the riches of all grace with the effect thereof in the obedience of Christ, doth take away the noisome sent of our loathsome sinnes from the nosthrilles of God, and withal doth make our persons and al our actiōs acceptable vntounto him as a sweete perfume, as Paul saith,2. Cor. 2.16, we are vntounto God the sweete sauour of Christ, &c. And Christs death is for this cause tearmed a sacrifice of sweete smelling sauour.

And we must further vnderstand that the…e gifts of Christs manhood are not conferred in a small scantling or measure; for Iohn saith,Ioh. 3.34. God giueth the spirit not by measure; because the graces which are in Christ are farre more both in number and degree, then all men or angels hauehave or shall hauehave: though the good angels and the saints of God in heauen are very excellent creatures stored with manifold graces and gifts of God. For this cause Christ is called the head of man;1 Cor. 11.4. because he is eueryevery way the most principal and glorious man that euer was. Yet for all this are not the gifts of Christs manhood infinite any way; because it is a creature and finite in nature, and therefore not capable of that which is infinite.

By Christs annointing the people of God reape great benefit &comfort, because they are to be partakers thereof. For this cause the oile wherewith he was annointed is called the oyle of gladnes, Psal. 45…7.because the sweete sauour of it gladdeth the hearts of all his members, and brings the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding.Psal. 133.…. The holy oyle poured vponupon Aarons head came downe to his beard, and to the very skirts of his garments: and it signified that the spirituall oyle of grace was first of all poured vponupon our head Christ Iesus, & from thence consequently deriued to al his members, that by that meanes he might be not onelyonly annointed himselfe, but also our annointer.

Nowe the benefits 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,Apoc. …6. He hath made vsus kings and priests vntounto his father. And S. Peter out of Ioel,Act. 2.17…. I will poure (saith the Lord) my spirit vponupon all flesh, and your sonnes and daughters shall prophesie.

The second benefit it, that all the faithfull receiue the same oile, that is, the same spirit of God in some little &conuenient measure which he receiued aboue measure, as Saint Iohn saith… 1. Ioh. ….27. Psal. 10….15….The annointing which ye hauehave receiued of him dwelleth in you and teacheth you all things: where by annointing is meant the holy Ghost. And hence it is, that men are called Christians of the name of Christ, that is, annointed with the same oyle wherewith Christ was annointed. And the holy oyle might not be giuen to a straunger, to signifie, that to hauehave the spirit of Christ, and to be guided by it, is peculiar to them that are Christs.Exod. 30.33. Now then let vsus all lay these things to our hearts, and extoll the vnspeakable goodnesse of God that hath aduanced vsus to the dignitie of kings, priests, prophets, before him, and hath giuen vsus his spirit vntounto vsus to inable vsus to be so indeede.

Now follow the duties which are to be learned hence. And first, whereas all Christians receiue annointing from the holy one Christ Iesus,1. Ioh. 2.20. Dan. 9.24. to become prophets in a sort, we must doe our endeauours, that the word of God may dwell plentifully in vsus,Ioh. 5.39. foreign. and for that cause we must search the Scriptures, euen as hunters seeke for the game, and as men seeke for gold in the very mines of the earth. There is nothing more vnbeseeming a man, then grosse ignorance a Christian.Hebr. 5.12. Therefore the author of the epistle to the Hebrewes reprooues them, that whereas for the time they ought to hauehave bin teachers, they had need againe to be taught the first principles of the word of God.

Againe, that portion of knowledge which we hauehave receiued of God is further to be applied to the benefit and good of others: this is that most pretious baulme that on our parts should neuer be wanting to the heads of men.Psal. 141.5. And here eueryevery man that is set ouer others must remember within the compasse of his calling and charge to instruct those that be vnderunder him so far forth as possibly he can. Gouernours of families must teach their children and seruants and their whole houshold the doctrine of true religion, that they may know the true God and walke in all his waies in doing righteousnes & iudgement. If housholders would make conscience of this their dutie, and in some sort and measure prepare their families against they come to the publike congregation, the ministers of the Gospel with greater comfort and farre mor… ease should performe their dutie: and see farre more fruit of their ministerie then now they doe. But whereas they neglect their dutie, falsly perswading themselues that it doth 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,Is…. ….3. saying among our selues (as it was foretolde of these times) Come, let vsus goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vsus his waies, and we will walke in his paths: and withall, wee should confirme each others, as Christ saith to Peter,1. Pet. 2.5. When thou art conuerted confirme thy brethren; and be readie at all times to render an account of our faith and religion euen before our enemies when we are iustly called so to do.

Secondly, because we are set apart in Christ, to become spirituall priests vntounto God, we must therefore offer spirituall sacrifices acceptable vntounto him: and they be in number seuen. The first is an affiance whereby we rest vponupon God, as Dauid saith,…sa…. 4.5. Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and trust in the Lord. The second is wholly to subiect our selues to the ministerie of the Gospel, that we may be changed and conuerted by it, as Paul saith,Rom. 15.16. That he ministreth the Gospel to the Gentiles, that the offering vp of them might be acceptable, beeing sanctified by the holy Ghost. The third is, all manner of praiers and supplications made vntounto God. Let my prayer, saith Dauid,Psal. 141.2. be directed in thy sight as incense, and the lifting vp of mine hands as an euening sacrifice. The fourth is praising and thanksgiuing vntounto God.Heb. 13.15. Let vsus by him offer the sacrifice of praise alwaies to God, that is, the fruit of the lippes which confesse his name. And in the Reuelation the golden vials full of odours are the praiers of the Saints.Rev. 5.8. The fifth is the reliefe of our poore brethren according to our abilitie, as Paul saith,…hil. 4.18. I was euen filled after that I had receiued of Epaphroditus that which came from you, an odour that smelleth sweete, a sacrifice pleasant and acceptable to God. The sixth is the deniall of our selues with a contrite and broken heart. The seuenth is,Psal. 51.19. to resigne our selues, bodies, and soules wholly to the seruice of God:Rom. 6.13. Set your selues (saith Paul) to God, as they that are aliue from the dead: and your members as weapons of righteousnesse vntounto God. In which wordes he alludes to the manner of the olde Testament: when a man offred any sacrifice for himselfe, he brought the beast into the temple or tabernacle and set it before the altar, in token that he did resigne it vntounto God: and so we for our parts must not giuegive our bodies & soules to become the instruments of sinne and satan, but we must hauehave them alwaies in read…nesse, freely presenting them vntounto God that he may hauehave 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 wee must giuegive our selues not in part but wholly to the seruice of God, euen to death if neede be. If this be so, miserable is the practise of such that giuegive vp their bodies and soules to liue in licentious wantonnesse, in the pleasures of their beastly sinnes, in idlenes. For they offer themselues a sacrifice, not to God but to the deuill.

Thirdly, considering we are annointed to be spirituall kings euen in this life, we must walke worthie so great a calling. That this may be so, first of all such as are gouernours set ouer others, must rule not according to their wills and pleasures, but in the Lord: withall, doing homage to their head and king Christ Iesus himselfe. Secondly, we must eueryevery one of vsus rule and beare sway euen as kings ouer our owne thoughts, wills, affections, ouer-mastering them as much as we possibly can by Gods word and spirit: withall, maintaining and proclaiming continuall warre against our corrupt natures, the deuill, and the world. And truly he 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 euer with Christ in the life to come. As for such as are carried away with the swinge of their corruptions, hauing blindnes and ignorance to raigne in their minds, rebellion in their wils and affections, loosenes in their whole liues, they may carrie the outward forme and shew of Christians as long as they will, but indeede they are no spirituall kings but very bondmen: the strong man Satan keepes as yet the hold of their hearts, and as Lord and king holds vp his scepter there.

Lastly, seeing Christ is annointed with the most pretious baulme that euer was, and that for our sakes, he must be sweete and sauourie vntounto vsus, and all other things must be as vnsauorie drosse and dung in regard of him. We must in this case indeauour to say as the spouse of Christ doth:Cant. 1.2. Because of the sauour of the good oyntments, thy name is an oyntment poured out: therefore the virgins louelove thee. Isai 11.3.O that we could sauour in the feare of God, that we might feele how all his garments smell of myrrhe, aloes, and cassia, comming forth of his iuorie pallaces vntounto vsus. Psal. 45.8.And because the holy oyntment of Christ is poured forth vponupon all his members to make them sauorie and sweete in the presence of God, let vsus make conscience of all manner of sinne, least by the poison and stinke thereof we infect not onelyonly our selues, but all the creatures of God which we vse, yea heauen and earth it selfe. It stands not with equitie that after we hauehave beene embaulmed and sweetened by the pretious merits of Christ that we should make our selues two-footed swine, to returne to the mire of our old sinnes.

The coupling and combining of these two former titles together, contains the principall question of the whole Bible, which is, whether Iesus the sonne of Marie be Christ or no; as S. Iohn saith, These things are written, that ye might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God, and that in beleeuing ye might hauehave life euerlasting. Ioh. 20.31.This conclusion was denied by the Iewes, but auouched and confirmed both by Christ and by his Apostles; and their principall argumēt was framed thus.A…t. 18.5. He which hath the true notes of Christ is the Messias or Christ indeede: but Iesus the Sonne of Marie hath the true notes of Christ: therefore 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: and the principall reasons of the confirmation are couched in the articles which concerne the second person. The conclusion follows, and is set down as I hauehave said, in the knitting together of the titles, Iesus and Christ.

Thus much of the second title: now follows the third, his onelyonly Sonne: that is, the onelyonly Sonne of the first person the Father. In this title we must consider two things: the first, that he is the Sonne of God: the second, that he is the onelyonly Son of God. Touching the first, Christ is called the Sonne of God, because he was begottē of the Father. Now for the opening of this eternall generation, we must consider three points: the thing begotten, the manner of begetting, & the time. For the thing it selfe, it is Christ; who must be cōsidered two waies, as he is a sonne, & as he is God.Non foreign tamē foreign. As he is a son, he is not of himselfe, but the sonne of the father begotten of him: neuerthelesse as he is God, 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: because by what Godhead the father is God, by the same and no other the sonne is God: therefore the sonne, as he is God, he is God of himselfe without beginning euen 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.

The manner 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 vnspeakable 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 Councill of Nicene hath saide well, that the sonne is of the father as light of light not proceeding but begotten.

The time of this generation hath neither beginning, middle, or ende: and therefore it is eternall before all worlds: and it is a thing to be wondered at, that the father begetting and the sonne begotten are coeternall, and therefore equall in time.Prov. 8.24. Wisdome in the Prouerbs (which with one consent of all Diuines is said to be Christ) affirmeth that she was before the world was created, that is, from eternitie: for before the world was made there was nothing but eternitie. But it may be alleadged to the contrarie, that the saying of the father, This day hauehave I begotten thee, Isal 2.7. Act. 13.30,33.is expounded by Paul of the time of Christs resurrection. Ans. We must distinguish betweene generation it selfe, and the manifestation of it: and of the second must the place be vnderstood, which was indeed accomplished at the time of Christs resurrection in which he was mightily declared to be the sonne of God,Rom: 1.4. and though this be so, yet the generation it selfe may be eternall. If any man alleadge further that the person which begetteth must needs goe before the person begotten, the answer is, that there is a double prioritie; one of order, the other of time: now in the generation of creatures there is prioritie both of order and time; but in the generation of the second person in trinitie there is prioritie of order alone: the father beeing 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.

Hence it followeth necessarily, that Iesus Christ is true God: and the whole tenour of the Scriptures confirme it sufficiently: I. He is made equall to God the father,Phil. 2 6. Iob. 16 15. Num. 14 2…,27 1. …or. 10.9. Psal. 102.15. with Ioh. 1.3. who beeing in the forme of God thought it no robberie to be equall with God: againe, All things that the father hath are mine. The children of Israel are saide to hauehave tempted Iehouah: and Paul saith, that he whome they tempted was Christ. Iehouah 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 and life eternall. 1. …ob. 5.20.III. The properties of the godhead are ascribed vntounto him. He is eternall, because he was then when there was no creature.Ioh 1.1. and 8.58. In the beginning was the Word: and, before Abraham was I am. He is omnipresent, Where two or three are gathered together in my name, …here am I in the middest amongst them. Math. 18.20. & 26Lastly he is omnipotent,Ioh. 5.17. What soeuer things the father doth, the same doth the sonne also. IV. The works 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 vp all things by his mightie power: and miracles, which are works either aboue or against the order of nature peculiar to God, were done by Christ. V. Diuine worship is giuen to him: for he is adored, invocated, and beleeued in, as God the father.Phil. 2.10. To him is giuen a name, at which eueryevery knee doth bow, of things in heauen, and things in earth, and things vnderunder the earth.

As for the reasons which be alleadged to the contrarie, they are of no moment. I. Obiect. The word of God can not be God: the sonne is the word of the father: therefore he is not God. Answ. The word is taken two waies: first for a sounding word standing of letters and syllables vttered either by God or by the creatures: now on this manner Christ is not the word of God. Secondly there is a substantiall word, which is of the substance of him whose word it is. And thus Christ is the word of God the father. And he is so tearmed, I. in respect of the father: for as reason and speach hath his beginning from the mind without any passion in the minde, so hath he beginning from the father. And as the speach is in the minde and the minde in the speach, so the father is in the sonne, and the sonne in the father. II. In respect of all creatures. The father doth all things by the sonne;Ioh. 1.1. He…. 1.3. Iob. 5.25. 2. …or. 13.3. Ioh. 17. by whose powerfull word the world was made, is now preserued and shall be abolished. III. In respect of the Church. For the father by him speakes vntounto vsus both in the outward ministerie of the word, and by the inward operation of the spirit: and againe we by him speake to the father.

II. It may be obiected thus, God hath no beginning from any other; Christ hath beginning from the father: therefore he is not God. Answ. Christ must be considered both in regard of his godhead and in regard of his person: in regard of his godhead he came not of any but is of himselfe, as well as the father is: yet in regard of his person he is from the father, who is a beginning to the rest of the persons,… 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 of 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. Ob. None is greater then God: but the father is greater then Christ, for so he saith,Ioh. 14. the father is greater then I. 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. Obiect. He that is made of God, this or that, is not God: but Christ is made God, as Paul saith,…. Cor. 1.30. Christ is made vntounto vsus wisdome, righteousnes, &c. Answ. Christ is said to be made, not because there was any beginning of his godhead, or any change or alteration in his person: but because in the eternall counsell of the father, he was set apart before all times to execute 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. Obiect. God hath no head, Christ hath an head, as Paul saith,1. Cor. 11.3. God is Christs head. Answ. God, that is, the father, 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. Obiect. He which giues vp his kingdome is not God, Christ giues vp his kingdome. Then, saith Paul,…. Cor. 15.24. shall be the ende, when he hath deliuered vp the kingdome to God euen the father. Answ. 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 world when all the companie of the Elect are gathered, his kingdome shall cease not simply but in respect of the outward manner of administration: for the execution of ciuill and ecclesiasticall functions shall cease. And whereas in the same place,vers. 28. it is saide that Christ shall be subiect vntounto God eternally after the ende, it must be vnderstoode partly in regard of the assumed manhoode, partly in respect of his mysticall bodie the Church most neerely ioyned vntounto him in heauen.Rom 8.29. Col. 1.1…. VII. Obiect. The first borne of eueryevery creature, and of many brethren, is a creature and not God: but Christ is the first borne of eueryevery creature, and of many brethren. Answ. He is called the first borne by resemblance or allusion to the first borne in the old testament:Gen. 49.3. Deut. 2….17. for as they were principall heires hauing double portions allowed them; and the chiefe or gouernours of the familie: so Christ is made heire of the world, and the head of Gods familie which is his church elected and adopted in him. And againe he is called the first borne of eueryevery creature, because he was begotten of the substance of his father before any creature was made, and therefore it is not here saide that he was first created, but first begotten.

By the reasons which hauehave 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 mouths of all Atheists, and to satisfie all wauering and doubting minds, I will adde one reason further. The Gospel of Saint Iohn was chiefly penned for this end, to prooue the deitie of Christ: & among other arguments alleadged; this is one, that Christ gaue a resolute and a constant testimonie of himselfe, that he was the sonne of God, and very God. Now if any man shall say, that sundrie persons since the beginning of the world hauehave taken vponupon them and that falsly, to be gods: I answer, that neuer any creature tooke this title and honour vponupon him to be called God, but the fearefull iudgements of God were vponupon him for it. In the estate of mans innocencie the deuill told our first parents that by eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and euill, they should be as gods knowing good and euill: now, they beleeued him, and affected diuine honour, but what came of it? surely Adam with all his posteritie is shut vp for this very cause vnderunder eternall damnation. Herod likewise araied in royall apparell, and sitting on the iudgement seat, made an oration to the men of Tyre and Sidon, who gaue a shout, saying, the voyce of God, and not of man. Now because he tooke the glorie of God to himselfe, and did not returne it to him to whome it was due, immediately the angel of the Lord smote him. And so, if Christ had bin but a meere man, and not very god, as he auouched, vndoubtedly the hand of God would hauehave bin vponupon him likewise for his confusion: but when he suffred for vsus, and bare the punishment due for our sinnes, he most triumphed. And the iudgements of God were vponupon Herod, Pontius Pilate, Caiphas, and vponupon all those that were enemies to him, and to his Church afterward, and that partly in life and partly in death. Wherefore considering God cannot abide that his glorie should be giuen to any creature, and seeing for that cause he takes reuenge on all those that exalt themselues to be gods, it remaines that the testimony which Christ gaue of himselfe that he was God, is vnfallibly true, and without all question to be beleeued of vsus. And to conclude, I would hauehave all the deuills in hell with the cursed order of Lucians, Porphyrians, and Atheists whatsoeuer to answer …his one point, how it could come to passe, that Christ by publishing the doctrine of the Gospel, 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 giuegive their liues for him, vnlesse he were God indeede, as he professed himselfe to be.

There be sundrie speciall reasons wherefore it was necessarie that Christ should be God. I. There is none which can be a Sauiour of bodie and soule but God.Isa. 4….11. I euen I am the Lord, and besides me there is no Sauiour. And, I am the Lord the God from the land of Egipt, and thou shalt know no God but me: for there is no Sauiour beside me. Os… 13.4.II. There must be a proportion betweene the sinne of man and the punishment 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 for the breach of his law: 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 sufficient satisfaction. III. He that must be a Sauiour, must be able first to deliuer men from the bondage of their spirituall enemies, namely sinne and Satan: secondly to restore the image of God lost by the fall of Adam, and to conferre righteousnes and life euerlasting: thirdly, to defend them from hel, death, damnation, the flesh, the deuill, the world: fourthly, to giuegive 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 shew his incomprehensible goodnes in this, that his grace should not onelyonly be equal 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 and 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.

Hitherto we hauehave shewed how Christ is the sonne of God: now let vsus come to the second point, namely that he is the onelyonly sonne of God. And he is so tearmed because he is the sonne of the father, in a speciall manner, so as nothing can be the sonne of God as he is. Angels indeede are tearmed the sonnes of God, but that is onelyonly in respect of their creation:Iob 1. & all that beleeue in Christ are sonnes of God by adoption, beeing 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 personal vnion, and not by nature or adoption. Lastly Christ as he is the second person in trinitie, th… eternall word of the father, coeternall and consubstantiall 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 world: and therefore he is called the proper and onelyonly begotten sonne of God.Ioh. ….18. …om 8.32. It may be obiected on this manner. If the father beget the sonne, he doth it either willingly, or against his will: if willingly, thē the son is begotten by the free will of the father, and no sonne by nature. Ans. The father did communicate to the sonne his whole godhead willingly without cō straint, yet not by his will; and therfore 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, and by personall vnion as he is man, then is hee not one but two sonnes. Ans. 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 thinges, whereas one and the same thing not altered but still remaining one may admitte sundrie respects.

Thus much of the meaning of the third title: nowe followe 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 S. Iohn testifieth.Ioh. 1.11. Nowe what a benefit is this to be the childe of God, no tongue can expresse. Christ saith, Blessed are the peacemakers: but why are they blessed? for, saith he,Ma… 5.9. they shall be called the sonnes of God. Whereby he testifieth that the right of adoption is a most excellent priuiledge; & not without cause. For he which is the child of God, is spiritually allied to Christ, and to all the Saints and seruants of God both in heauen and earth, hauing his owne redeemer 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.Rom. 8.17. Well, how great soeuer this prerogatiue is, yet few there be that rightly way it &consider of it. Children of noble mē & Princes heires are had in account and reputation of all men, they are the verie speach and wonder of the worlde. But it is a matter of no account to be the sonne of God and fellow-heire with Christ. The dearest seruants of God hauehave beene esteemed but as the offscouring of the worlde. And no maruaile, for they which are after the flesh, sauour the thinges of the flesh. Fewe men hauehave their vnderstandings inlightened to discerne of such spirituall things as these are, & therefore are they little or nothing regarded. A blinde man neuer seeing the sunne, is not brought to wonder at it: and earthly minded men neither seeing nor feeling what an excellent thing it is to bee the childe of God, cannot bee brought to seeke after it. But let all such as feare God enter into a serious consideration of the vnspeakeable goodnesse of God, comforting themselues in this, that God the father hath vouchsafed by his owne sonne to make them of the vassals of satan, to be his owne deere children.

Nowe followe the duties which are two. First, we beleeue that Iesus Christ who was to be the Sauiour of mankinde, must needs be God: what is the reason hereof? surely because no creature, no not all the creatures in heauen and earth were able to saue one man: so vile, 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 vponupon him our nature, was also faine to take vponupon him our case and condition, and suffer death for our sinnes, which otherwise eueryevery one of vsus should hauehave suffered both in bodie and soule world without ende. To make this more plaine, let vsus suppose that some one hath committed an offence against a prince; and the trespasse to be so grieuous, that no man can appease the kings wrath, saue only the kings onelyonly sonne; and which is more, the kings sonne himselfe cannot release him, vnlesse hee suffer the punishment for him in his owne person, which is due vntounto the malefactour. Nowe 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 eueryevery one of vsus by nature, whatsoeuer we are. No man could saue our soules, no not all the angels in heauen, vnlesse the king of heauen and earth the onelyonly sonne of God had come down from heauen and suffered for vsus, bearing our punishment. Nowe the consideration of this must humble vsus and make vsus to cast downe our selues vnderunder the hand of God for our sinnes, and pray continually that the Lord would send some Moses or other which might smite the rockes of our hearts, that some teares of sorrowe and repentance might gush out for this our wofull miserie.

Secondly, whereas God the Father of Christ gaue his onley sonne to be our Sauiour, as we must be thankefull to God for all things, so especially for this great and vnspeakable benefit. Common blessings of God, as meat, drinke, health, wealth, and libertie, must at all times mooue vsus to be thankeful; but this, that Christ Iesus the onelyonly sonne of God, redeemed vsus beeing vtterly lost, this I say, must be the maine point of all our thankfulnes: but alas, mens hearts are so frozen in the dreggs of their sinnes, that this dutie comes little in practise nowe adaies. When our Sauiour Christ clensed ten lepers, there was but one of them that returned to giuegive him thankes: and this is as true in the leprosie of the soule, for though saluation by Christ be offered vntounto vsus daily by Gods ministers, yet not one of tenne, nay scarse one of a thousand giues praise and thankes to God for it, because men take no delight in things which concerne the kingdome of heauen, they thinke not that they hauehave neede of saluation, neither do they feele any want of a Sauiour. But we for our parts must learne to say with Dauid,Psal. 116.12. What shall I render vntounto the Lord for all his benefits? yea we are to practise that which Salomon saith,Prov. 23.…6. My sonne giuegive me thy heart: for we should giuegive vntounto God both bodie and soule in token of our thankefulnesse for this wonderful blessing that he hath giuen his onelyonly sonne to bee our Sauiour; and we are to hold this for trueth, that they which are not thankfull for it, let them say what they will, they hauehave no soundnes of grace or power of religion at the heart.

And thus much of the third title. The fourth and last title is in these wordes, our Lord. Christ Iesus the onelyonly sonne of God is our Lord three waies: first by creation in that he made vsus of nothing, when we were not: secondly he is our Lord in the right of redemption. In former times the custome hath bin when one is taken prisoner in the field, he that paies his raunsome shall becom alwaies after his Lord: so Christ when we were bondslaues vnderunder hell, death, and condemnation, paide the ransome of our redemption, and freed vsus from the bondage of sinne and satan, and therfore in that respect he is our Lord. Thirdly he is the head of the Church (as the husband 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.

And thus much for the meaning. Nowe followe the duties. And first of al, if Christ be our Soueraigne Lord, we must performe absolute obedience vntounto him, that is, whatsoeuer he commandes vsus, that must we doe. And I say, absolute obedience, because Magistrates, Masters, Rulers, and fathers may command, and must bee obeyed, yet not simply, but so farre foorth as that which they command doth agree with the word and commandement of God: but Christs will and word is righteousnesse it selfe, and therfore it is a 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 lawe: but why? because he is the Lord our god. Exod. 20.And in Malachie he saith, If I be your Lord where is my feare? Mal. 1.6.And againe, we must resigne both bodie and soule, heart, mind, wil, affections, and the course of our whole liues to be ruled by the will of Christ. He is Lord not onelyonly of the bodie, but of the spirit and soule of man: he must therefore hauehave homage of both. As wee adore him by the knee of the bodie, so must the thoughts and the affections of our hearts hauehave their knees also to worship him, and to shewe their subiection to his commandements. As for such as doe hold him for their Lord in word, but in the meane season will not indeauour to shewe their loyaltie in all manner of obedience, they are indeede no better then starke rebels. Secondly, when by the hande of Christ straunge iudgements shall come to passe, as it is vsuall in all places continually; we must stay ourselues without murmuring or finding fault, because he is an absolute Lorde ouer all his creatures; all things are in his handes, and hee may doe with his owne whatsoeuer he will; and therefore wee must rather feare and tremble whensoeuer we see or heare of them: so Dauid saith,Psal. 119.120. I was dumbe and opened not my mouth because thou didst it. And againe, My flesh trembleth for feare of thee, and I am afraid of thy iudgements. 1. Cor. 10.26…Thirdly before wee vse any of Gods creatures or ordinances, wee must sanctifie them by the direction of his word and by praier: the reason is this, because he is Lord ouer all, and therefore from his word we must fetch direction to teach vsus whether we may vse them or not, and when and how they are to be vsed: and secondly we must pray to him, that he would giuegive vsus libertie and grace to vse them aright in holy maner. Also we are so to vse the creatures and ordinances of God, as being alwaies readie to giuegive an account of our doings at the day of iudgement: for we vse that which is the Lords, not our owne; we are but stewards ouer them, and we must come to a reckoning for the stewardship. Hast thou learning? then imploy it to the glory of God, and 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, strength, riches, honour, fauour, or whatsoeuer, then looke thou vse it so, as thou maist be alwaies readie to make a good account thereof vntounto Christ. Lastly, eueryevery one must in such manner lead his life in this world, that at the day of death hee may with cheerefulnes surrender and giuegive vp his soule into the handes of his Lord, and say with Steuen,Act. 7. Lord Iesus receiue my soule. For consider this with thy selfe, that thy soule is none of thine owne, but his who hath bought it with a price, and therefore thou must so order and keepe it as that thou maiest in good manner restore it into the hands of god at the ende of thy life. If a man should borrowe a thing of his neighbour, and afterward hurt it and make a spoile of it, he would be ashamed to bring it againe to the owner in that manner, and if he doe, the owner himselfe will not receiue it. Vngodly men in this life doe so staine their soules with sinne, that they can neuer be able willingly to giuegive them vp into the handes of God at the day of death: and if they would, yet God accepts them not, but casts them 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 vntounto vsus. This is a harde thing to bee done and he that will doe it truely, must first be assured of the pardon of his owne sinnes, which a man can neuer hauehave without true & vnfained faith and repentance: wherefore while we hauehave time, let vsus purge and clense our soules and b…dies, that they may come home againe to God in good plight.

And here all gouernours must be put in mind that they hauehave an higher Lord, that they may not oppresse or deale hardly with their inferiours. This is Paul, reason,Eph. 6.9. Ye masters, saith he, doe the same things vntounto your seruants, putting away threatning: and knowe that euen your master is also in heauen, neither is there 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 vsus by our soueraigne Lord and king Christ Iesus: as Paul saith,Rom. 13.…. Let eueryevery soule be subiect to the higher powers. For there is no power but of God, and the powers that be ordained are of God. And againe,Eph. 6.5. Seruants be obedient to your Masters according to the flesh, with feare and trembling, in singlenes of your hearts, as vntounto Christ.

The comfort which Gods Church may reape hence, is very great: for if Christ be the Lord of lords, and our Lord especially whome he hath created and redeemed, we neede not to feare what the deuil or wicked men can doe vntounto vsus. If Christ be on our side, who can be against vsus? wee neede not feare them that can destroy the bodie and doe no more:Math. 10.28. but we must cast our feare on him that is Lord of body and soule, and can cast both to hell.

Thus much of the fourth title. Nowe followes Christs incarnation, in these wordes, Conceiued by the holy Ghost, borne of the Virgin Marie. And they containe in them one of the most principall points of the doctrine of godlines, as Paul saith,…. Tim. 3.16. Without controuersie great is the mysterie of godlinesse, which is, God is made manifest in the flesh, iustified in the spirit, &c. And that we may proceede in order, in handling them, I will first speake of the incarnation generally, and then after come to the parts thereof. In generall we are to propound fiue questions, the answering whereof will be very needefull to the better vnderstanding of the doctrine following.

The first question is, who was incarnate… or, made man? Answ. The second person in Trinitie, the sonne of God alone, as it is set downe in this article according to the Scripture. S. Iohn saith,Ioh. 1.14. The Word was made flesh: and the angel saith,Luk 1.35. The holy one which shall be borne of thee, shall be called the sonne of the most high. And Paul saith,Rom. 2.3. that Christ Iesus our Lord was made of the seede of Abraham according to the flesh. And there be sundrie reasons, why the second person should rather be incarnate then any other. I. By whom the father created all things, and man especially; by him man beeing fallen is to be redeemed, and as I may say recreated: now man was at the first created of the father by the sonne: and therefore to be redeemed by him. II. It was most conuenient, that he which is the essentiall image of the father, should take mans nature that he might restore the image of God lost and defaced in man,Heb. 1.3. Colo…. 1. but the second person is the essentiall image of the father, and therefore he alone must take mans nature. III. It was requisite that that person which was by nature the sonne of God, should be made the sonne of man, that we which are the sonnes of men, yea the sonnes of wrath, should againe by grace be made the sonnes of God: now the second person alone is the sonne of God by nature, not the Father, nor the holy Ghost.

As for the Father, he could not be incarnate. For to take flesh is to be sent of an other, but the Father can not be sent of any person, because he is from none. Againe, if the Father were incarnate, he should be father to him which is by nature God, and the sonne of a creature, namely the virgin Marie, which things can not well stand.

And the holy Ghost could not be incarnate… for then there should be more sonnes then one in the Trinitie, namely the second person the sonne of the father, and the third person the holy Ghost, the sonne of the virgin Marie.

It may be obiected to the contrarie on this manner: The whole diuine essence is incarnate, eueryevery person in Trinitie is the whole diuine essence, therefore eueryevery person is incarnate. Ans. The whole Godhead indeede is incarnate, yet not as it is absolutely considered, but so farre forth as it is restrained and limited to the person of the sonne; and to speake properly, the godhead it selfe is not incarnate, but the very person of the sonne subsisting in the Godhead. And though all the persons be one and the same essence, yet doe they really differ each from other in regard of the peculiar manner of subsisting: and therefore mans nature may be assumed of the second person, and be not assumed either of the father or of the holy Ghost; as in the like case the soule of man is wholly in the head and wholly in the feete, yea wholly in eueryevery part: and yet the soule can not be said to vse reason in the feete or in any other part, but onelyonly in the head.

Againe it may be alleadged, that the incarnation beeing an outward action of God to the creature, is not proper to the sonne. For the rule is, that all outward actions of God are common to all the persons in Trinitie equally. Ans. aInchoativè communis, termina ivè no…: sic scholastici.The incarnation stands of two actions, the first is the framing and creating of that manhood which was to be assumed by the Sonne, or Word of the father: and this action is common to all the three persons equally: the second is the limiting or the receiuing of it into the vnitie of any person, & in respect of this action, the worke of incarnation is peculiar to the Sonne. To this purpose Augustine speaketh,Aug. in E…ch. as Laur. c. …8. That creature (saith he) which the Virgin conceiued and brought forth, though it appertaine to the person of the sonne alone, yet was it made by the whole Trinitie: as when three men weaue one and the same garment, and the second onelyonly weares it.

The second question is, what manner of man the sonne of God was made? Answ. He was made a proper or particular man, and a perfect or a very man. I say that he was a particular man, to shew that he tooke not vntounto him the generall forme or idea of mans nature conceiued onelyonly in minde, nor the common nature of man as it is existing in eueryevery man: but the whole nature of mā, that is, both a bodie and a resonable soule, existing in one aIn vno indi…iduo.particular subiect. I say further that he was and is a true and perfect man, beeing in euerie thing that concernes mans nature like to Adam, Abraham, Dauid, and all other men, sauing onelyonly in sinne. For first of all he had the substance of a true body and of a reasonable soule: secondly, the properties of body and soule: in the bodi…, length, breadth, thicknesse, circumscription, &c. in the soule, the faculties of vnderstanding both simply and compounde: will, affections, as louelove, hatred, desire, ioy, feare, &c. the powers also of hearing, feeling, seeing, smelling, tasting, moouing, growing, eating, digesting, sleeping, &c. Thirdly, hee tooke vntounto him the infirmities of mans nature, which are certaine naturall defects or passions in bodie or minde, as to be hungrie, thirstie, wearie, sadde and sorrowfull,bIgnorantia …e…ae priuationis non prauae dispositionis.ignorant of some things, angrie, to increase in stature, and wisdōe, and knowledge, &c. yet this which I say must be vnderstood with two caueats. The first is, that infirmities be either certaine vnblameable passions, or else such defects as are sinnes in themselues: nowe Christ takes the first onelyonly, and not the second. Secondly, infirmities be either generall, or personall; generall… which appertaine to the whole nature of man, and are to be founde in eueryevery man that comes of Adam: as to be borne vnlearned, and subiect to naturall affections, as sorrow, anger, &c, Personall, are such as appertaine to some particular men, and not to all, and arise of some priuate causes & particular iudgements of God, as to be borne a foole, to bee sicke of an ague, consumption, dropsie, plurisie, and such like diseases. Nowe the first sort bee in Christ, and not the second: for as he tooke not the person of any man… but onelyonly mans nature, so was it sufficient for him to take vntounto him the infirmities of mans nature, though he tooke not the priuate infirmities of any mans person. And the reason why Christ would put on not onelyonly the substance and faculties of a true man, but also his infirmities, was; that he might shewe himselfe to be very man indeede, also that he might suffer for vsus both in bodie and soule, and that he might giuegive vsus an example of patience in bearing all manner of euill for Gds glory and the good of our neighbour.

Nowe the things which may bee alleadged to the contrarie for the infringing of the trueth of Christs manhoode, are of no moment. As first, because Christ appeared in the forme of a man in the olde testament, beeing no man:Gen. …8.9.13. therfore he did so at his comming in the newe testament: but the reason is not like. For Christ in the olde testament as the angel of his father in some speciall affaires, tooke vntounto him the bodie of a man for some space of time; but he did not receiue it into the vnitie of his person; but laid it downe when the busines which he enterprised with men was ended. Nowe in the fulnesse of time he came from heauen, as the angel of the couenant, and for that cause he was to vnite into his owne person the nature of man, which thing was neuer done before. And when as Paul saith,Rom. 8.3. that Christ came in the similitude of sinnefull flesh, his meaning is not to signifie, that he was a man onelyonly in resemblance and shewe; but to testifie, that beeing a true man which was indeede void of sinne, he was content to abase himselfe to that condition in which he became like to a miserable sinner in bearng the punishment for our sinne. For Paul doth not say that hee tooke vponupon him the similitude of flesh simply as it is flesh, but of the flesh of sinne or sinnefull flesh.

The third question is, why the sonne of God must become man? Ans. There be sundrie reasons of this point, and the most principall are these. First of all it is a thing that greatly standes with the iustice of God, that in that nature in which God was offended, in the same should a satisfaction be made to God for sinne: nowe sinne was committed in mans nature: Adam sinned first and in him all his posteritie: therefore it is very necessarie that in mans nature there should bee a satisfaction made to Gods iustice, and for this cause the sonne of God must needes abase himselfe and become man for our sakes. Secondly, by the right of creation eueryevery man is bound in conscience to fulfill euen the very rigour and extremitie of the morall lawe. But considering man is nowe fallen from his first estate and condition, therfore it was requisite that the Sonne of God should become man, that in mans nature he might fulfill all righteousnesse which the lawe doth exact at our handes. Thirdly, hee that is our redeemer must die for our sinnes; for there is no remission of sinnes without shedding of blood: but Christ as he is God cannot die. For no passion can befall the Godhead. Therefore it was needefull that he should become man, that in mans nature he might die and fully satisfie Gods iustice for mans offence. Lastly he that must make reconciliation betweene God and man, must be such an one as may make request or speake both to God and man. For a Mediatour is as it were a middle person making intercession betweene two other persons, the one offended the other offending. Therefore it is necessarie that Christ should not onelyonly be God, to speake vntounto the father for vsus and to present our prayers vntounto him; but also man, that God might speake to vsus, and we to God by Christ. For howsoeuer before the fall, man could speak to God euen face to face, yet since the fall, such feare possesseth mans corrupt nature that he cannot abide the presence of God, but flyeth from it.

Nowe whereas I say that it was necessarie that the sonne of God for the causes before alleadged must become man; the necessitie must be vnderstood in respect of Gods will, and not in respect of his absolute power. For if it had so pleased God he was able to hauehave laid downe an other kind of way of mans redemption, then by the incarnation of the sonne of God:August. de Agone Christ. and he appointed no other way, because he would not.

Thus much of the Incarnation in generall. Nowe followe the duties which arise of it. And first we are taught hereby to come to Christ by faith, and with all our hearts to cleaue vntounto him. Great is the deadnesse and sluggishnesse of mans nature: for skarse one of a thousand care for him, or seeke vntounto him for righteousnesse and life euerlasting. But wee shoulde excite our selues eueryevery way to drawe neare to him as much as possibly we may: for when he was incarnate, he came neere vntounto vsus by taking our nature vponupon him, that wee againe whatsoeuer we are, might come neere vntounto him by taking vntounto vsus his diuine nature. 2. Pet. 1.4.Againe, when Christ was incarnate, he was made bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh; and therefore proportionally wee must labour to become bone of his bone, and flesh of his flesh: which we shall bee, when we are mystically vnited vntounto him by faith, and borne anewe by his spirit. Moreouer Christ by his incarnation came downe from heauen to vsus, that we being partakers of his grace might ascend vp to heauen by him. And thus we see how the meditation of Christs incarnation should be a spurre to prick vsus forward still more and more to come to Christ.

Secondly, Christs incarnation must be a patterne vntounto vsus of a most wonderfull and straunge humilitie. For as Paul saith,Phil. 2.6.7. Being in the forme of God and thinking it no robberie to bee equall with God, made himselfe of no reputation, and tooke on him forme of a seruant: and humbled himselfe and became obedient to death, euen to the death of the crosse. Yea so farre forth he abased himselfe, that (as Dauid saith) he was a worme and no man. Psal. 22.And this teacheth vsus to lay aside al selfe-louelove and pride of heart, and to practise the duties of humility, as the Apostle exhorts the Philippians in the same place: and that shall we doe when we beginne to cast off that high opinion which eueryevery man by nature conceiueth of himselfe, and become vile and base in our owne eies. Secure & drowsie protestants thinke themselues blessed, and say in their hearts as the Angel of the Church of Laodicea said,Rev. 3.17. I am rich & increased with goods, and hauehave need of nothing; whereas indeed they are most miserable and wretched, and poore, and naked, and blind. And the same fond opinion possesseth the mindes of our ignorant people, who chant it in the very same tune, saying, that God loues them, and that they louelove God with al their hearts, and their neighbours as themselues: that they hauehave perfect faith in Christ, and euer had, not once so much as doubting of their saluation: that all is well with them, and that they are past all danger whatsoeuer, in the matter of their saluation, and therefore neede not take so much care for it. Thus yee may see howe men are commonly carried away with vaine and fond conceits of their owne excellencie. And truely so long as this ouerweening of our owne righteousnesse raignes in our hearts, let preachers speake and say what they will, we can neuer become followers of Christ in the practise of humilitie. Some will say peraduenture, that they neuer had any such opinion of their owne righteousnes; but I answere againe; that there was neuer yet any man descending of Adam, saue Christ; but he had this proud phantasie ruling and raigning in him, till such time as God gaue grace to chāge & alter his heart: & this inward pride the lesse we discern it the more it is, and the more we discerne it the lesse it is. Therefore though as yet thou see it not in thy selfe, yet labour both to see it & to feele it, & to striue against it, casting down thy selfe for thy own miserie after Christs own example, who being God abased himselfe to the condition of a miserable man. For thou shalt neuer be filled with the good things of god, till thou be emptied of selfe-louelove and selfe-liking. For this cause let vsus purge and emptie our selues of all conceit of our own righteousnes that god may fil our hearts with his grace.

Furthermore, the incarnation of Christ is the ground and foundation of all our comfort, as the names of Christ seruing to expresse the same doe testifie.Ge…. 49.10. I…akob in his last Testament saith,P. Galatin de …culti …hol veritas. l. 4 c. …. that the scepter shall not depart from Iudah in Shilo, that is, the Messias come. Nowe the name Shilo signifieth the tunicle or skinne that lappeth the infant in the mothers wombe, called by the Phisitians the secundine: and by a kind of figure it is put for the Sonne of God in the wombe of the virgine, made man. And Iob to comfort himselfe in his affliction saith,Goel. I knowe that my redeemer liueth. Nowe the word which he vseth to signifie his redeemer by, is verie emphaticall, for it signifieth a kinsman neere allied vntounto him of his owne flesh that will restore him to life. And the Lord by the prophet Esay calleth Christ Immanuel, that is, God with vsus: which name importeth very much, namely, that whereas by nature we hauehave lost our fellowshippe with God, because our sinnes are a wall of partition seuering vsus from him:Isai 59.2. Colost 1.1…. yet neuerthelesse the fame is restored to all that beleeue by the Mediatour Christ Iesus: because his diuine nature is coupled to mans nature, and so the word is made flesh. And this strait coniunction of two natures into one person, ioynes God to men and men to God: yea by Christ we are brought to God and hauehave free accesse vntounto him, and againe in him we apprehend God and are made one with him.

And further whereas Christ beside our nature tooke our infirmities also, it is a wonderfull comfort vntounto Gods Church: for it shewes, that he is not only a Sauiour, but also a very compassionate and pitiful Sauiour. As the holy Ghost saith,Heb. 2.17. In all thinges it became Christ to be like vntounto his brethren, that hee might be mercifull and a faithfull high priest in things concerning God. Let a man be sicke of a grieuous disease, and let a friend come that hath beene troubled with the very same disease, he will presently shewe more compassion then twentie others: and so Christ hauing felt in his owne soule and bodie the anguish and the manifold perplexities that we feele in our temptations and afflictiōs, hath his bowels as it were yearning towards vsus, euermore being prest and readie to releeue vsus in all our miseries. In the daies of his flesh, he wept ouer Ierusalem when he sawe it a farre off, because shee continued in her olde sinnes, and did not knowe the time of her visitation: and no doubt, though now he be exalted in glorie in heauen, yet his compassion to his poore members vponupon earth is no whit diminished.

Now we come to speake of the Incarnation more particularly: & the creed yet further expresseth it by two parts; the first is the conception of Christ in these words, Conceiued by the holy ghost: the second is his birth, in the words following, Borne of the virgine Marie.

The conception of Christ is set downe with his efficient cause, the Holy Ghost, as the angel said to Ioseph,Mat. 1.20. Feare not to take Marie for thy wife, for that which is conceiued in her is of the holy ghost. Here it may be demanded why the conception of Christ should be ascribed to the Holy Ghost alone, which is common to all the persons in Trinitie, as all other such actions are. Ans. It is not done to exclude the Father or the Sonne himselfe from this worke: but to signifie that it comes of the free gift and grace of God (which commonly is tearmed by the holy ghost) that the manhood of Christ beeing but a creature,Augu…t. enci…. c. 37 39. should be aduanced to this dignitie, that it should become a part of the Sonne of God. And againe, the Holy Ghost is the author of this conception in a speciall manner: for the father and the sonne did cause it by the holy Ghost from them both immediately.

In the conception of Christ we must obserue and consider three thinges. The framing of the manhood, the sanctifying of it, and the personall vnion of the manhood with the Godhead. And howsoeuer I distinguish these three for orders sake, yet must we know and remember, that they are all wrought at one and the same instant of time. For when the holy Ghost frames and sanctifies the manhood in the wombe of the Virgin; at the very same moment it is receiued into the vnitie of the second person.

In the framing of Christs manhood two things must be considered, the matter and the maner. The matter of his bodie was the very flesh and blood of the virgin Marie; otherwise he could not hauehave beene the sonne of Dauid, of Abraham, and Adam according to the flesh. As for his soule, it was not deriued from the soule of the virgin Marie as a part thereof, but it was made as the soules of all other men be, that is, of nothing, by the very power of God, and placed in the bodie: both of them from the first moment of their beeing, hauing their subsistance in the person of the sonne. And here we must take heed of two opinions: the first is of the Anabaptists, which holde, that the flesh of Christ came downe from heauen, and passed through the virgin Marie as through a pipe, without taking any substance from her: the places which they alleadge for the purpose are manifestly abused. For whereas Christ saith of himselfe that he descended from heauen, Ioh. 3.13.his speech must be vnderstoode in respect of his Godhead, which may be said in some sort to descend, in that it was made manifest in the manhood here vponupon earth. And whereas Paul calleth him heauenly and the Lord from heauen, 1. Cor. 15.it is not in respect of the substance of his bodie, but in respect of the glorious qualities which he receiued after this resurrection. The other opinion is of the Papists, that hold the bread in the sacrament to be turned substantially into the bodie of Christ: which thing if it be true, then the bodie of Christ is made of bread kneaded and tempered by the hand of the baker, and not of the substance of the virgin Marie.

As for the manner of the making and framing of the humane nature of Christ, it was miraculous; not by generation according to the ordinarie course of nature, but by an extraordinary operation of the holy Ghost aboue nature: and for this cause, it is not within the compasse of mans reason either to conceiue or to expresse the manner and order of this conception. The Angel ascribes two actions to the holy Ghost in this great worke; the one to come vponupon the virgin Marie; the other, to ouershadow her: Luk. 1.35.by the first is signified the extraordinarie worke of the holy Ghost in fashioning the humane nature of Christ, for so much the phrase aIud. 14.6.elsewhere importeth. The second signifieth, that the holy Ghost did as it were bAct. 1.8. Luk. 24.49.cast a cloud ouer her, to teach vsus, that we should not search ouer much into the mysterie of the Incarnation.

It may be obiected against this which hath bin said, that if Christ be in this manner conceiued by the holy Ghost, then the holy Ghost shall be father to Christ, and Christ his sonne. Answ. The reason is not good. For he that is a father is not a bare efficient cause, but one which in the effecting of any thing conferres the matter vntounto it from himselfe, whereof it shall be made. Now the holy Ghost did not minister any matter vntounto Christ from his own substance, but did onelyonly as it were, take the masse and lumpe of mans nature from the bodie of the virgin Marie, and without ordinarie generation made it the bodie of Christ: as Basil saith,Serm. de S. nati…t. Christ was conceiued not of the substance, but of the power, not by any generation, but by the appointment and benediction of the holy Ghost.

The second point in the conception; is the sanctifying of that masse or lumpe which was to be the manhood of Christ. And that was done vponupon speciall cause: first, that it might be ioyned to the person of the Sonne, which could not hauehave beene if it had beene defiled with sinne. Secondly, Christ was a Sauiour as he is both God and man: now then beeing man, if he had beene sinnefull himselfe, he could not hauehave saued others, but should hauehave stoode in neede of a Sauiour for himselfe.

This sanctification hath two parts: the first is, the stay and stoppage of the propagation of originall sinne, and of the guilt of Adams sinne; which was on this manner. God in the beginning set downe this order touching man, that what euill or defect soeuer he brought vponupon himselfe, he should deriue the same to eueryevery one of his posteritie begotten of him: and hereupon when any father begets his childe, he is in the roome of Adam, and conueies vntounto it beside the nature of man the very guilt and corruption of nature. Now for the preuenting of this euill in Christ, God in great wisdome appointed that he should be conceiued by the holy Ghost without any manner of generation by man. And by this meanes he takes substance from the Virgin without the guilt and corruption of the substance. But it may further be obiected thus. All that be in Adam hauehave sinned in him: but Christ was in Adam as he is man: therefore he sinned in him. Ans. The proposition is false, vnlesse it be expounded on this manner: All that were in Adam hauehave sinned in him so be it they come of him by generation. Paul saith not, out of one man, but,Rom. 5.12. by one man sinne entred into the world, to shew, that man propagates his corruption to no more then he begets. Againe, Christ is in Adam not simply as other men are, but in some part: namely in respect of substance which he took from him, and not in respect of the propagation of the substance by ordinarie generation: other men are both from Adam and by Adam, but Christ is from him alone and not by him as a begetter or procreant cause. The second part of sanctification is the infusion of all purenesse and holinesse into the manhoode of Christ, so farre forth as was meete for the nature of a redeemer.

The duties to be learned hence are these: First, whereas Christ was sanctified in the wombe of the virgin Marie, we likewise must labour to be sanctified in our selues, following the commandement of God, Be ye holy as I am holy. S. Iohn saith, that he which hath hope to be with Christ in glorie in heauen,1. Ioh. 3.3. purifieth himselfe euen as he is pure: no doubt setting before himselfe the example of Christ as a patterne to follow in all his waies. And because our hearts are as it were seas of corruptions, we must daily cleanse our selues of them by little & little, following the practise of the poore begger that is alwaies peecing and mending, and day by day pulls away some ragges and puts better cloath in the roome. And if we shall continually indeauour our selues to cast off the remnants of corruption that hang so fast on, and make a supplie thereof by some new portions of Gods heauenly grace; we shall be vessells of honour sanctified and meete for the Lord, and prepared vntounto eueryevery good worke. Christ could not hauehave beene a fit Sauiour for vsus vnlesse he had first of all bin sanctified: neither can we be fit members vntounto him, vnlesse we be purged of our sinnes and in some measure truly sanctified.

The comfort which Gods people may reape of the sanctification of Christs manhood is great. For why was he sanctified? Surely if we marke it well, we shall finde it was for the good and benefit of his Elect. For Adam and Christ be two rootes as hath beene shewed. Adam by creation, first receiued Gods image, and after lost the same for himselfe and his posteritie. Now Christ to remooue the sinne of man is made the second Adam, and the roote and very head of all the Elect. His manhood was filled with holinesse aboue measure: that from thence as from a storehouse it might be deriued to all his members. And therefore by his most holy conception, our sinnefull birth and conception is sanctified, and his holinesse serues as a couer to hide our manifolde corruptions from the eyes of God. Yea it serues as a buckler to award the temptations of the deuill: for when he shall say to our hearts on this manner; no vncleane thing can enter into the kingdome of heauen; but thou by reason of the remnants of originall sinne art vncleane: therefore thou canst not enter into the kingdome of heauen: we returne our answer, saying, that Christs righteousnesse is our righteousnesse, seruing to make vsus stand without blame or spot before God. And as Iacob put on Esaus garments that he might get his fathers blessing: so if by faith we doe put on the white garment of righteousnes of our elder brother Christ Iesus, and present our selues in it vntounto our heauenly father, we shall obtaine his blessing which is eternall happines.

Now remaines the third and last part of the conception, which is the Vnion of the godhead and the manhood: cōcerning which, many points are particularly to be handled. The first is, what kinde of Vnion this is? Ans. In the Trinitie there be two sorts of vnions: vnion in nature, and vnion in person. Vnion in nature is, when two or moe things are ioyned and vnited into one nature, as the Father, the Sonne, the holy Ghost beeing and remaining three distinct persons, are one and the same in nature or Godhead. Vnion in person is, when two things are in that maner vnited, that they make but one person or subsistance: as a bodie created by God and a reasonable soule ioyned both togither make one particular man, as Peter, Paul, Iohn, &c. And this second, is the vnion whereof we intreat in this place: by which the second person in Trinitie the sonne of God did vnite vntounto himselfe the humane nature, that is the bodie and soule of man: so as the Godhead of the Sonne and the manhood concurring togither made but one person.

The second point is, in what thing this vnion doth consist. Answ. It consists in this, that the second person the Sonne of God doth assume vntounto it a manhood in such order, that it beeing voide of all personall being in it selfe, doth wholly and onelyonly subsist in the same person. As the plant called Missell or Misselto hauing no roote of his owne,Visen. Matthiol. both growes and liues in the stocke or bodie of the Oke or some other tree: so the humane nature hauing no proper substance, is, as it were, ingrafted into the person of the sonne, and is wholly supported and sustained by it so as it should not be at all, if it were not sustained in that manner. And for the better vnderstanding of this point, we must consider, that there be foure degrees of the presence of God in his creatures. The first is his generall presence, and it may be called the presence of his prouidence, Act. 17 28.whereby he preserueth the substances of all creatures, and giueth vntounto them to liue, mooue, and hauehave beeing: and this extendeth it selfe to all creatures good and bad. The second degree is the presence of grace, wherby he doth not onelyonly preserue the substāces of all his creatures, but also giueth grace vntounto it: & this agreeth to the Church & people of God vponupon earth. The third degree is the presence of glorie peculiar to the Saints and angels in heauen: and this stands in three things, for God not onelyonly preserues their substances, and giues them plentie of his grace, but also admits them into his glorious presence, so as they may behold his maiestie face to face. The fourth and last is that, whereby the Godhead of the sonne is present and dwells with and in the manhood, giuing vntounto it in some part his owne subsistance. Wherby it comes to passe that this manhood assumed is proper to the sonne, and can not be the manhood of the Father, or of the holy Ghost, or of any creature whatsoeuer. And this is a thing so admirable and so vnspeakable, that among all the works of God there can not be found an other example hereof in all the world.

Hence it follows necessarily, that the manhood of Christ consisting of bodie and reasonable soule, is a nature onelyonly and not a person: because it doth not subsist alone as other men, Peter, Paul, Iohn doe; but wholly depends on the person of the word, into the vnitie whereof it is receiued.

The third point is, in what order the diuine and humane nature of Christ are vnited togither. Ans. The common consent of Diuines is,Damas. l. 3. c 6. Cypr in symb. that, albeit all the parts of the manhood and the godhead of Christ be vnited at one instant: yet in respect of order he vnites vntounto himselfe first and immediately the soule, and by the soule the bodie. And it seemes vnmeete that God beeing a most simple essence should immediately be ioyned to a compound bodie: and therefore it may well be saide that he is vnited vntounto it by the more simple part of man, which is the soule. Againe the manhood of Christ is first and immediately ioyned to the person of the sonne himselfe, and by the person to the godhead of the sonne.

The fourth point is, whether there remaine any difference or diuersitie of the two natures after that the vnion is made. Answ. The two natures concurring make not the person of the sonne to be compounded properly, but onelyonly by analogie: for as bodie and soule make one man, so God and man make one Christ: neither are they turned one into an other, the godhead into the manhood or the manhood into the godhead, as water was turned into wine at Cana in Galile: neither are they confused and mingled togither as meates in the stomacke: but they now are, and so remaine without composition, conuersion, or confusion, really distinct and that in three respects. First in regard of essence. For the godhead of Christ is the godhead and can not be the manhood: and againe, the manhood of Christ is the manhood and not the godhead. Secondly, they are distinguished in proprieties: the godhead is most wise, iust, mercifull, omnipotent: yea wisdom, iustice, merciemercy, and power it selfe: and so is not the manhood, neither can it be. Againe, Christ as he is God hath his will eternall and vncreated, which is all one with the will of the father and the holy Ghost. And as he is man he hath another will created in time, & placed in his reasonable soule: & this Christ signifieth when he saith, Not my will but thy will be done. Thirdly, they are distinct in their actions or operations; which though they goe togither inseparably in the worke of redemption: yet they must in no wise be confounded but distinguished as the natures themselues are. Christ saith of himselfe, I hauehave power to lay downe my life, and I hauehave power to take it vp againe: Ioh. 10.18.and hereby he shewes the distinction of operations in his two natures. For to lay downe his life is an action of the manhood, because the Godhead can not die: and to take it vp againe is the worke of the Godhead alone, which reunites the soule to the bodie after death.

The fifth and last point is, what ariseth of this vnion? Ans. By reason of this hypostatical vnion, though the godhead receiue nothing from the manhood, yet the manhood it selfe, which is assumed, is thereby perfected and enriched with vnspeakable dignitie. For first of all it is exalted aboue all creatures whatsoeuer, euen angels themselues, in that it hath subsistance in the second person in Trinitie. Secondly, togither with the godhead of the Sonne, it is adored and worshipped with diuine honour, as in like case the honour done to the King himselfe, redoundes to the crowne on his head. Thirdly by reason of this vnion, the godhead of Christ workes all things in the matter of our redemption, in and by the manhoode. And hereupon the flesh of Christ though it profit nothing of it selfe, yet by the vertue which it receiueth from that person to which it is ioyned, it is quickning flesh and the bread of life.

Againe from this vnion of two natures into one person, ariseth a kinde of speech or phrase peculiar to the Scriptures, called the communication of proprieties when the propertie of one nature is attributed to the whole person or to the other nature, as when Paul saith,Act. 20.28 … Cor. 2.8. Ioh. 3.13. that God shed his blood, that the Lord of glorie was crucified. And when Christ saith that he talking with Nichodemus was then in heauen.

The vse of the personall vnion is threefold. First it serues to shew the hainousnesse of our sinnes, and the greatnesse of our miserie. For it had not bene possible to make a satisfaction to Gods iustice in mans nature for the least offence, vnlesse the same nature had first of all beene neerely ioyned to the godhead of the sonne; that thereby it might be so farre forth supported and sustained that it might ouercome the wrath of God. Secondly it sets forth vntounto vsus the endlesse louelove of God to man. For whereas by reason of Adams fall we were become the vilest of all creatures, except the deuill and his angels: by his mysticall coniunction, our nature is exalted to such an estate and condition as is farre aboue all creatures euen the angels themselues. Thirdly it is as it were the keye of all our comfort: for all sound comfort stands in happines, all happines is in fellowship with God, all fellowship with God is by Christ, who for this cause beeing very God, became very man, that he might reconcile man to God, and God to man.

Thus much of the conception of Christ: now followes his birth: whereby in the ordinarie time of trauell according to the course of nature he was brought forth into the world by the virgin Marie.…. ….6. And it was the will of God, that Christ should not onelyonly be conceiued, but also borne, and that after the manner of men, that he might be knowne to be very man indeede. In the birth we may consider foure things; the time, the place, the manner, the manifestation of it.

The time was in the last daies, toward the end of the 70. weekes of Daniel,Isai 2.2. Dan. 9.24. which are to be accounted from the ende of the captiuitie of Babylon, and make in all 490 yeares: or more plainly 3900 yeares and more from the beginning of the world,Gal. 4.4. and as Paul saith in the fulnesse of time. And the Euangelists hauehave noted of purpose the time to hauehave beene when Augustus Caesar taxed the Iewes and all nations vnderunder his dominions;Luk. 2.1. to signifie that Christ was borne at the very time foretold by Iaacob, when the crowne and scepter was taken from Iuda: and withall, to shew that his kingdome was not of this world. And it was the good pleasure of God that Christ should not be borne either later or sooner, but so many ages from the beginning of the world. And this consideration of the very time it selfe serues greatly for the confirmation of our faith. For thus may we reason with our selues: If God who in the beginning made a promise to our first parents concerning the seede of the woman, deferred it almost 4000 yeares, and yet at length accomplished the same to the very full: then no doubt God hauing promised the resurrection of the dead and life euerlasting, will in his good time bring them to passe, though as yet we see them not. And thus by the accomplishment of all things past, should we confirme our hope concerning things to come.

The place was not at Ierusalem nor Nazareth, nor any other citie, but onelyonly a village of Iuda called Bethleem, that the prophesie of Micheas might be fulfilled, Thou Bethleem Ephrata art little to be among the thousands of Iuda, yet out of thee shall he come forth vntounto me, that shalbe the ruler in Israel. And here we may obserue a memorable example of Gods prouidence which ouerruleth the proceedings of cruell tyrants, to the accomplishing of his owne will, they themselues for their parts intending nothing lesse. Augustus not so much as dreaming of the birth of the Messias, gaue commandement that eueryevery man should goe to his owne citie to be taxed: and hereupon Ioseph and Marie take their iourney from Nazareth to Bethleem: which iourney God himselfe appointed and disposed to this ende, that the Messias might be borne in the place which he preordained and foretold by his Prophet.

The manner of Christs birth was very base and poore: for the place where he was borne was a stable, and the cradle where he lay was a cratch. And he willingly tooke vponupon him this pouertie for sundrie causes. I. That the Scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, that he should be the shame and contempt of the people: Psal. 22.6, Isa. 53.2.and that he shall grow vp as a roote out of a drie ground and hauehave neither forme nor beautie. II. That he might afterward from this base condition be exalted euen in his manhoode to that rich and glorious estate in which he should manifest himselfe to be Lord of heauen and earth. III. He was borne in exceeding pouertie that he might shame the wise men of this world, who exceedingly esteeme of their riches, power, and glorie, perswading themselues that without such meanes no good thing can be done. And yet for all this they can not so much as reconcile one man to God by all their might & wealth: wheras Christ himselfe hath done the same both in pouertie and weaknesse; and can enlarge and preserue his kingdome without earthly helps. When he hung vponupon the crosse the souldiers stript him of his garments: and beeing naked he brought that to passe which all the Monarchs of the earth in all their royalties could neuer hauehave performed. And whether Christ lie in the manger betweene the Oxe and the Asse, or in the pallace of the King, it matters not in regard of our saluation. IV. He came in this maner that there might be a difference betweene his first comming in the flesh and his last oomming to iudgement. In the first he came onelyonly for this ende, not to make any outward alterations in the world, but to chaunge the conscience and to put in execution the worke of our spirituall redemption: and therefore he hath reserued the ouerturning of all earthly estates with the manifestation of his owne glorie to the latter. V. Lastly he was borne in a poore estate that he might procure true riches for vsus in heauen: and withall, sanctifie vntounto vsus our pouertie vponupon earth. As Paul saith,…. Cor. 8.9. Ye know the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ, that he beeing rich for your sakes became poore, that ye thorough his pouertie might be made rich. He was content to lie in the manger that we might rest in heauen.

This serues to teach vsus to be content to beare any meane condition that the Lord shall send vponupon vsus: for this is the very estate of the sonne of God himselfe. And if for our cause he did not refuse the basest condition that euer was, why should we murmure at the same: for what is the best of vsus but miserable sinners, and therfore vtterly vnworthie either to go or lie vponupon the bare earth? and though we fare and lie better then our Lord himselfe, yet such is our daintinesse, we are not pleased therewith: whereas he for his part disdained not the manger of the Oxe. And if the Lord of heauen and earth comming into the world finde so little entertainment or fauour, we for our parts beeing his members, should willingly prepare our selues to take as hard measure at the hands of men.

Luk. 2.The last point is the manifestation of Christs birth that it might be known to the world. Where consider two circumstances, the first, to whome? namely to poore shepheards tending their flockes by night, and not to great or mightie men, louers of this world, nor to the priests at Ierusalem contemners of Gods grace; and that for two causes: one, because the shepheards were the fittest persons to publish the same at Bethlehem: the other, it was Gods pleasure to manifest that in the birth of Christ which Paul saith,…. Cor. 1.27. Not many wise men after the flesh, not many mightie, not many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. The second is, by whome? by the angels of the Lord appearing in great glorie vntounto the shepheards. For the priests of Ierusalem and the rulers of the Synagogues, to whome this o…fice did belong, held their peace: beeing blinded in their manifold errours & wicked waies.

The duties to be learned of the birth of Christ are these. First we are admonished hereby to magnifie and praise the name of God, saying with Mary, My soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit reioyceth in God my Sauiour. And with Zacharie, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people. And with the Angels of heauen, Glorie to God in the highest heauens. For in this birth is made manifest the wisdome, the truth, the iustice and mercy, and goodnesse of God towards vsus, more then euer it was before: yea as Christ God and man, is more excellent then the first Adam created according to Gods owne image: and as the spirituall life is better then the naturall life, and as the eternall and most holy marriage of Christ the husband and his spouse the Church arising as it were out of the bloode that trickled out of his side, is more wonderfull then the creation of Eve of the rib of Adam: lastly, as it is a farre greater matter by death to ouercome death, and to turne it into eternal life, then to commaunde that to exist and be which was not before: so is the worke of redemption begunne in the birth of Christ more vnspeakable and admirable then the first creation of man. Hereupon not 6. cherubims as in the vision of Isaiah, not 24. elders as in the Apocalyps, but a great multitude of Angels like armies were heard to praise God at the birth of Christ, and no doubt the like sight was not seene since the beginning of the worlde. And the Angels by their example put vsus in minde to consider aright of this benefit, and to praise God for it. But alas, this practise is very rare in this fruitlesse and barren age of the worlde; where sinne and iniquitie abounds, as may be seene by experience; for by an old custome we retaine still in the Church the feast of the natiuitie of Christ, so commonly called: which neuerthelesse is not spent in praising the name of God who hath sent his sonne from his owne bosome to be our redeemer, but contrariwise in rifling, dicing, carding, masking, mumming, and in all licentious libertie for the most part, as though it were some heathen feast of Ceres or Bacchus.

Secondly, Christ was conceiued and borne in bodily manner, that there might be a spirituall conception and birth of him in our hearts, as Paul saith,Gal. 4.19. My little children of whome I trauell till Christ he formed in you: and that is, when we are made newe creatures by Christ, and performe obedience to our creatour. When the people said to Christ that his mother and his brethren sought him, he answered,Mark. 13.35. He that doth the will of God is my brother, my sister, and mother. Therefore let vsus goe with the sheapheards to Bethlehem, and finding our blessed Sauiour swadled and lying in the cratch, let vsus bring him thence and make our owne hearts to be his cradle: that we may be able to say that we liue not, but Christ liues in vsus: and let vsus present vntounto him our selues, our bodies & soules as the best gold, mirrhe, and frankincense that may be: and thus conceiuing him by faith, he remaining without chaunge, wee shall be chaunged into him and made bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. The world, I know, neuer so much as dreameth of this kinde of conception and birth, for as Dauid saieth,Psal. 7.14. Men trauell with wickednesse, conceiue mischiefe, and bring forth a lie. And S. Iames saith,Iam. 1.14. Men are drawne away by their owne concupiscence, which when it hath conceiued bringeth forth sinne. And these are the ougly and monstrons birthes of these daies. But let vsus, I pray you, contrariwise waile and mourne for the barrennes of our hearts that doe so little conceiue the grace of Christ in heart, and bring it forth in action. The mother of Christ vndoubtedly was a blessed woman: but if shee had not as well conceiued Christ in her heart, as shee did in her wombe, shee had not bin saued; and no more can wee, vnlesse doe the same.

A Golden Chain, Text 1 (4 of 13)