Exposition of the Apostles Creed — William Perkins

Exposition of the Apostles Creed · William Perkins

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREEDE.

I beleeue in God, &c.

NO man iustly can be offended at this, that I begin to treate of the doctrine of faith without a text; though some be of minde, that in Catechising the minister is to proceed as in the ordinarie course of preaching, only by handling a set portion of scripture: & therfore that the handling of the Creed being no scripture, is not convenient. Indeed I graunt, that other course to be commendable: yet I doubt not, but in Catechising the minister hath his libertie to follow or not to follow a certaine text of scripture, as we doe in the usuall course of preaching. My reason is taken from the practise of the Primitive Church; whose Catechisme (as the authour of the Epistle to the Hebrewes sheweth) was contained in sixe principles or grounds of religion, which were not taken out of any set text in the olde Testament: but rather was a forme of teaching gathered out of the most cleare places thereof. Hence I reason thus:Heb. 6.1, 2, 3. That which in this point was the use and maner of the Primitiue Church, is lawfull to be used of vsus now: but in the Primitiue Church it was the maner to Catechize without handling any set text of scripture: and therefore the ministers of the Gospell at this time may with like libertie doe the same: so be it they doe confirme the doctrine which they teach with places of scripture afterwarde.

Now to come to the Creed, let vsus begin with the name or title thereof. That which in English we call the Apostles Creed, in other tongues is called Symbolum, that is, a shot or a badge. It is called a shot, because as in a feast or banket eueryevery man payeth his part: which being all gathered, the whole (which we call the shot) amounteth: and so out of the seuerall writings of the Apostles ariseth this Creed or briefe cō fession of faith. It is a badge, because as a soldier in the field by his badge & livery is knowen of what band he is, & to what captain he doth belong: euē so by this beleefe a Christiā mā may be distinguished & known frō all Iewes, Turkes, Atheists, & all false professors: & for this cause it is called a badge.

Againe it is called the Creed of the Apostles, not because they were the penners of it, conferring to it besides the matter aRuffin. in expos. Symb. & Hierony. ad Pam.the very stile & frame of words, as we hauehave them now set downe. Reason. I. there are in this Creed certaine words and phrases which are not to be found in the writings of the Apostles, and namely these: He descended into hell; the Catholike Church. The latter wherof no doubt bPacianus epist. 1. ad Sympro.first began to be in use, when after the Apostles daies the Church was dispersed into all quarters of the earth. II. Secondly if both matter and wordes had bene from the Apostles, why is not the Creed Canonicall scripture, as well as any other of their writings? III. The Apostles had a summarie collection of the points of Christian religion which they taught, and also deliuered to others to teach by; consisting of two heades, faith and love: as may appeare by Pauls exhortation to Timothie,2. Tim. 1.13. wishing him to keepe the patterne of holesome words: which he had heard of him in faith and love, which is in Christ Iesus. Now the Creede consists not of two heads but of one, namely of faith only and not of louelove also. VVherefore I rather thinke, that it is called the Apostles Creede because it doth summarily conteine the chiefe and principall pointes of religion, handled and propounded in the doctrine of the Apostles: and because the pointes of the Creed are conformable and agreeable to their doctrine and writings.

And thus much of the Title. Now let vsus heare what the Creed is? It is a summe of things to be beleeued concerning God and concerning the Church, gathered foorth of the scriptures. For the opening of this description. First I say, it is, a summe of things to be beleeued, or an abridgement. It hath bene the practise of teachers both in the new and old Testament to abridge and contract summarily the religion of their time. This the Prophets used. For when they had made their Sermons to the people they did abridge them and penned them briefly: setting them in some open place, that all the people might reade the same. So the Lorde bad Habakuk to write the vision which he saw, and to make it plaine upon tables, that he may runne that readeth it. Hab. 2.2.And in the new Testament the Apostles did abridge those doctrines, which otherwise they did handle at large, as may appeare in the place of Timothy afore named.2. Tim. 1.13. Now the reason why both in the old & new Testament the doctrine of religion was abridged, is that the understanding of the simple, as also their memory might be hereby helped, & they better inabled to iudge of the truth, & to discerne the same frō falshood. And for this end the Apostles Creed being a summary collectiō of things to be beleeued, was gathered briefly out of the word of god bAug. serm. 119. de temp. Cassian. li. 6. de Incarnat. domini.for the helping of memory & understanding of men. I adde that this Creede is concerning God and the church. For in these two points consisteth the whole summe therof. Lastly, I say, that it is gathered forth of the scripture, to make a difference betweene it & other writings, and to shew the authoritie of it.

There be two kind of writings in which the doctrine of the church is handled, & they are either divine or Ecclesiasticall. Diuine, are the bookes of the old & new Testament penned either by Prophets or Apostles. And these are not only the pure word of God, but also the scripture of god, because not only the matter of them, but the whole disposition thereof with the stile & the phrase was set down by the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost. And the authoritie of these bookes is diuine, that is, absolute and soveraigne, & they are of sufficiēt credit in and by thēselves needing not the …estimony of any creature, not subiect to the cēsure either of mē or angels, binding the cōsciēces of all mē at all times, & being the only foūdatiō of faith, & the rule & canō of all truth.

Ecclesiasticall writings are all other ordinary writings of the church consenting with scriptures. These may be called the word or truth of God, so far forth as their matter or substance is consenting with the written worde of God: but they cannot be called the scripture of God because the stile and phrase of them was set downe according to the pleasure of man. And therfore they are in such sort the word of god, as that also they are the word of men. And their authoritie in defining of trueth & falshood in matters of religion is not soveraigne, but subordinate to the former: and it doth not stand in the authority & pleasures of men & councels, but in the consent which they hauehave with the scriptures.

Ecclesiasticall writings are either generall, particular, or proper. Generall, are the Creedes and confessions of the Church dispersed over the whole world, and among the rest the Creed of the Apostles, made either by the Apostles themselues, or by their hearers & disciples, apostolical men, delivered to the Church, & conveyed from hand to hand to our times. Particular writings are the confessions of particular Churches. Proper writings, are the books & confessions of private men. Now betweene these we must make difference. For the Generall Creede of the Apostles, (other universall Creeds in this case not excepted) though it be of lesse authoritie then Scripture; yet hath it more authoritie then the particular and priuate writings of Churches and men. For it hath bene received and approved by universall consent of the Catholike Church in all ages, and so were neuer these: in it the meaning and doctrine can not be changed by the authoritie of the whole Catholicke Church: and if either the order of the doctrine or the wordes whereby it is expressed, should upon some occasion be changed, a particular Church of any cuntry can not doe it, without Catholike consent of the whole Church: yet particular writings & cōfessions made by some speciall Churches may be altered in the words & in the points of doctrine by the same Churches without offence to the Catholicke Church. Lastly it is receiued as a rule of faith amōg all churches to try doctrines & interpretations of scriptures by, not because it is a rule of it selfe, for that the scripture is alone; but because it boroweth his authority from scripture with which it agreeth. And this honour no other writings of men can hauehave.

Here some may demaund the number of Creeds. Answ. I say but one Creede, as there is but one faith: and if it be alledged that we have many Creedes, as besides this of the Apostles, the Nicene Creede, and Athanasius Creede, &c. I answer, the severall Creedes and confessions of Churches containe not seuerall faithes and religions, but one and the same; and this called the Apostles Creed is most ancient, & principall: all the rest are not new Creedes in substance, but in some points penned more largely for the exposition of it, that men might better avoid the heresies of their times.

Futther, it may be demaunded, in what forme this Creed was penned? Answ. In the forme of an answer to a question. The reason is this. In the Primitiue Church, when any man was turned from Gentilisme to the faith of Christ, and was to be baptised, this aCyril. Catec. 1. Mystag. Tertull. de resurrect. Origē. bō. 5. in Nū.question was asked him, What beleeuest thou? then he answered according to the forme of the Creede, I beleeve in God, &c. And this manner of questioning was used euen from the time of the Apostles. When the Eunuch was converted, by Philip, he said, What doth let me to be baptised? Philip said, If thou doest beleeve with all thine heart, thou maiest. Then he answered,Act. ….38. I beleeve that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God. By this it appeares, that although all men, for the most part, amongst vsus can say this Creede, yet not one of a thousand can tell the ancient and first use of it: for commonly at this day of the simpler sort it is said for a prayer, being indeede no prayer: and when it is used so, men make it no better then a charme.

Before vve come to handle the particular pointes of the Creed, it is very requisite that we should make an entrance thereto by describing the nature, properties, and kindes of faith, the confession and ground whereof is set foorth in the Creede. Faith therefore is a gift of God, whereby we giuegive assent or credence to Gods word. For there is a necessarie relatiō between faith & gods word. The cōmon property of faith is noted by the authour of the Hebrews, when he saith, Faith is the ground of things hoped for: and,Hebr. 11.1. the demonstration of things that are not seene. For all this may be understoode, not onelyonly of iustifying faith, but also of temporarie faith, and the faith of miracles. Where faith is said to be a ground, the meaning is, that though there are many things promised by God, which men do not presently enioy, but only hope for; because as yet they are not: yet faith doeth after a sort giuegive subsisting or being vntounto them. Secondly it is an euidence or demonstration &c. that is, by beleeuing a mā doth make a thing as it were visible, being otherwise invisible & absēt.

Faith is of two sorts: either common faith, or the faith of the elect: as Paul saith, he is an Apostle according to the faith of Gods elect: which also is called faith without hypocrisie. The common faith is that,Tit. 1.5. which both elect and reprobate hauehave, and it is threefold. I. is historicall faith, which is, when a man doth beleeve the outward letter and historie of the word. It hath two partes; knowledge of Gods worde, and an assent to the same knowledge: & it is to be found in the deuill and his angels.Iam. 2.19. So S. Iames saith, the devils beleeve and tremble. Some will say, what a faith hauehave they? Answ. Such as thereby they understand both the Law and the Gospell: besides they giuegive an assent to it to be true: and they do more yet, in that they tremble and feare. And many a man hath not so much. For amongst vsus, there is many a one, which hath no knowledge of God at all, more then he hath learned by the common talke of the world: as namely, that there is a God, and that he is mercifull, &c. and yet this man will say, that he beleeueth with all his heart: but without knowledge it can not be that any should truly beleeue & therfore he deceiveth himselfe. Quest. But whence hauehave the devils historicall faith? were they illuminated by the light of the spirit? Answ. No: but when the Gospell was preached, they did acknowledge it, and beleeued it to be true, & that by vertue of the reliques of Gods image, which remained in them since their fall. And therefore this their faith doeth not arise from any speciall illumination by his spirit, but they attaine to it by the light of nature, which was left in them from the beginning.

The second kind of faith is Temporary faith: so called because it lasteth but for a time and season, and commonly not to the end of a mans life. This kind of faith is noted unto us in the parable of the seede, that fell in the stony ground. And there be two differences or kinds of this faith. The first kinde of temporary faith hath in it three degrees. The first is, to know the word of God and particularly the Gospell. The second, to giuegive an assent unto it. The third, to professe it, but to goe no further: and all this may be done without any louelove to the word. This faith hath one degree more then historicall faith. Examples of it we hauehave in Simon Magus, Acts. 8.13. who is said to beleeue, because he held the doctrine of the Apostle to be true▪ and withall he professed it: and in the devils also, who in some sort professed, that Christ was the sonne of the most highest, & yet looked for no saluation by him, Mark. 5.7. Act. 19.14. And this is the common faith that abounds in this land. Men say they beleeue as the prince beleeueth, and if religion chāge, they will change. For by reason of the authoritie of princes lawes, they are made to learne some litle knowledge of the word: they beleeue it to be good, & they professe it: & thus for the space of thirtie or fourtie yeres they will heare the word preached, and receiue the sacraments, and yet be as void of grace as euer they were at the first day: & the reason is, because men doe barely professe it, without either liking or louelove of the same. The second kinde of temporarie faith hath in it fiue degrees. For by it first a man knows the word. Secondly, he assenteth unto it. III. he professeth it. IIII. he reioyceth inwardly in it. V. he bringeth forth some kind of fruit: and yet for all this hath no more in him, but a faith that will faile in the end; because he wanteth the effectuall applicatiō of the promise of the gospel, & is without all maner of sound conversiō. This faith is like corne in the house top, which groweth for a while, but when heate of sommer cōmeth, it withereth. And this is also set forth vntounto vsus in the parable of the seede, which fell in a stony ground,Luk. 8.13. which is hastie in springing up: but because of the stones, which will not suffer it to take deepe roote, it withereth. And this is a very common faith in the Church of God: by which many reioyce in the preaching of the worde, and for a time bring forth some fruits accordingly with shewe of great forwardnesse, yet afterward shake of religion and all. But (some will say) howe can this be a temporary faith, seeing it hath such fruits? Answ. Such a kind of faith is temporary, because it is grounded on temporarie causes vvhichwhich are three. I. A desire to get knovvledge of some straunge pointes of religion. For many a man doth labour for the fiue former degrees of temporarie faith, onelyonly because he desires to get more knovvledge in scripture, then other men hauehave. The second cause is a desire of praise among men, which is of that force that it will make a man put on a shevve of all the graces, vvhichwhich God bestoweth on all his children, though otherwise he want them: and to go very farre in religion; vvhichwhich appeareth thus. Some can very bitterly weepe for the sinnes of other men, and yet hauehave neither sorrowe nor griefe for their owne: and the cause hereof is nothing else but pride. For he that sheddes teares for another mans sinnes, should much more vveepe for his owne, if he had grace. Yet thus are many men disposed euen of pride and nothing else. Againe, a man for his owne sinnes vvill pray very slackly and dully, when he prayeth priuately: and yet when he is in the company of others will pray very fervently and earnestly. From vvhence is this difference? surely often it springeth from the pride of heart and from a desire of praise among men. The third cause of temporarie faith is profit, commodity, the getting of wealth and riches. These make man to receive religion, and if other religion come, they vvill receiue it asvvell as this. But such studies not the gospell, because it is the gospell, but because it brings wealth, peace, and riches with it. And these are the three causes of temporarie faith.

The third kind of faith is the faith of Miracles: vvhen a man grounding himselfe on some speciall promise or revelation from God, doeth beleeve, that some straunge & extraordinarie thing, vvhichwhich he hath desired or foretold, shall come to passe by the vvork of God. This must be distinguished from historicall & temporarie faith. For Simon Magus had both these kindes of faith,Acts. 8.19. but yet wanted this faith of miracles, & therfore would hauehave bought the same of the Apostles for mony. Yet this faith of miracles may be in hypocrites, as it vvas in Iudas, & at the last iudgement it shall be found to hauehave bin in the wicked & reprobate; which shal say to Christ, Lorde, in thy name we hauehave prophesied, Mat. 7.22. 1. Cor. 13.2.and cast out deuils, and done many great miracles.

And thus much for the three sorts of common faith: Now we must come to the true faith, which is the faith of the elect. It is thus defined: Faith is a supernaturall gift of God in the mind, apprehending the sauing promise with al the promises that depend on it. First, I say, it is a gift of God, Phil. 1.29. to confute the blind opiniō of our people, that think that the faith wherby they are to be saued, is bred & borne with thē. I adde that it is a gift supernaturall; not onelyonly because it is aboue that corrupt nature in which we are borne, but also because it is aboue that pure nature, in which our first parents were created. For in the state of innocencie they wanted this faith, neither had they then any neede of faith in the same God as he is Messias: but this faith is a new grace of God added to regeneration after the fal, & first required in the couenant of grace. And by this, faith differeth from the rest of the gifts of God, as the feare of God, the louelove of God, the louelove of our brethren, &c. for these were in mans nature before the fall, and after it they are but renewed: but iustifying faith admits no renewing. For the first in grafting of it into the heart, is in the conuersion of a sinner after his fall.

The place and seat of faith (as I thinke) is the minde of man, not the will: for it stands in a kinde of particular knowledge or perswasion, and there is no perswasion but in the minde. Paul saith indeede, that we beleeue with the heart, Rom. 10. but by the heart he vnderstands the whole soule without any limitation. Some doe place faith partly in the minde, and partly in the will, because it hath two parts; knowledge, and affiance: but it doth not stand greatly with reason, that one particular and single grace should be seated into diuerse parts of the soule.

The forme of faith is, to apprehend the promises, Gal. 3.14. that we might receiue the promise of the spirite through faith. and Iohn 1.12. to receiue Christ, and to beleeue, are put one for another; and to beleeue, is to eate and drinke the bodie and bloud of Christ. To apprehend properly, is an action of the hand, which laies hold of a thing, and puls it to it: and by resemblance it agrees to faith, which is the hand of the soule, receiuing and applying the sauing promise.

This apprehension of faith, is not performed by any affection of the will, but by a sound and particular perswasion, whereby a man is resolued that the promise of saluation belongs vntounto him. Which perswasion is wrought in the mind by the holy Ghost, 1. Corint. 2.12. And by this, the promise which is generall is applied particularly to one subiect.

By this, sauing faith differeth from all other kinds of faith. From historicall; for it wanteth all apprehension, & standeth onelyonly in a generall assent. From temporarie faith, which though it make a man to professe the Gospel and to reioyce in it, yet doth it not throughly applie Christ with his benefits. For it neuer brings with it any thorough touch of conscience or liuely sense of Gods grace in the heart. And the same may be said of the rest.

The principal and maine obiect of this faith is, the sauing promise, God so loued the world, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten sonne, that whosoeuer beleeues in him, shall not perish, but hauehave euerlasting life. But some will say, Christ is commonly said to be the obiect of faith. Answ. In effect it is all one to say the sauing promise, and Christ promised, who is the substance of the couenant. Christ then as he is set forth vntounto vsus in the word and sacraments, is the obiect of faith. And here certaine questions offer themselues to be skanned.

The first, What is that particular thing which faith apprehendeth? Answ. Faith apprehendeth whole Christ God and man. For his Godhead without his manhoode, and his manhood without his Godhead doth not reconcile vsus to God. Yet this which I say must be conceiued with some distinction according to the difference of his two natures. His Godhead is apprehended not in respect of his essence or nature, but in respect of his efficacie manifested in the mā hoode: his manhood both in respect of the substance it selfe, and also in respect of the efficacie and benefits thereof.

The second, In what order faith apprehēds Christ? Ans. First of all it apprehends the very body & blood of Christ: & secondly the vertue & benefits of his bodie and blood: as a man that would feele in his bodie the vertue of meate and drinke, must first of all receiue the substance thereof.

To go forward. Besides the mayn promise, which cōcernes righteousnes & life in Christ, there be other particular promises touching strēgth in temptatiōs, cōfort in afflictiōs, & such like, which depēd on the former: & they also are the obiect of iustifying faith: & with the very same faith we beleue thē, wherwith we beleeue our saluatiō. Thus Abrahā by the same faith wherwith he was iustified, beleued that he shold hauehave a son in his old age. Rō. 4.19.22. And Noe by that faith wherby he was made heire of righteousnes, beleeued that he & his family should be preserued in the flood. And hereupō it comes to passe that in our praiers, besides the desire of things promised, we must bring faith whereby we must be perswaded, that God will graunt vsus such things as he hath promised: and this faith is not a new kinde or distinct faith from iustifying faith. Thus we see what sauing faith is.

Whereas some are of opiniō, that faith is an affiāce or cō fidence, that seems to be otherwise: for it is a fruit of faith,Eph. 3.12. & indeede no man can put any confidence in God, till he be first of all perswaded of Gods mercy in Christ towards him.

Some again are of mind, that louelove is the very nature and forme of faith: but it is otherwise. For as cōfidence in God, so also louelove is an effect which proceeds frō faith. 1. Tim. 1.5. The end of the law is louelove frō a pure heart and good conscience & faith vnfained. And in nature they differ greatly. Christ is the fountain of the waters of life. Faith in the heart is as the pipes & ledds that receiue in & hold the water: & louelove in some part is as the cocke of the cōduit, that lets out the water to eueryevery cōmer. The property of the hād is to hold; & of it self it cānot cut: yet by a knife or other instrumēt put into the hād, it cuts: the hād of the soule is faith; & his property is to apprehend Christ with al his benefits, & by it self it cā do nothing els: yet ioyn louelove to it, & by louelove it wilbe effectual in al good duties.Gal. 5.6.

Now to proceed further: first we are to cōsider, how faith is wrought: 2. what be the differēces of it. For the first, faith is wrought in & by the outward ministery of the gospel accōpanied by the inward operatiō of the spirit, & that not suddēly, but by certē steps & degrees: as nature frameth the body of the infant in the mothers wombe, 1. by making the brain and heart, 2. by making veines, sinewes, arteries, bones. 3. by adding flesh to them al. And the whole operation of the spirit stands in two principall actions. First, the enlightening of the minde: the second, the moouing of the will. For the first, the holy Ghost enlightens mens mindes with a further knowledge of the lawe then nature can afoard; and thereby makes them to see the sinnes of their hearts and liues with the ouglines thereof, and withall to tremble at the curse of the lawe. Afterward the same spirit opens the eye to vnderstand and consider seriously of righteousnes & life eternal promised in Christ. This done, then comes the second worke of the holy Ghost, which is the inflaming of the will, that a man hauing considered his fearefull estate by reason of sinne, and the benefits of Christes death, might hunger after Christ; and hauehave a desire not so much to hauehave the punishmēts of sinne taken away, as Gods displeasure: & also might enioy the benefits of Christ. And whē he hath stirred vp a man to desire reconciliation with God in Christ, then withall he giues him grace to pray not onelyonly for life eternall; but especially for the free remission and pardon of all his sinnes: and then the Lordes promise is, Knocke and it shall be opened, Matth. 7.7.seeke and ye shall finde. After which he further sends his spirit into the same heart that desireth reconciliation with God, and remission of sinnes in Christ, and doth seale vp in his heart the liuely and plentifull assurance thereof.

The differences and degrees of faith are two: I. a weake faith: II. a strong faith. Concerning the first, this weake faith shewes it selfe by this grace of God, namely an vnfained desire, not onelyonly of saluation (for that the wicked and gracelesse man may hauehave) but of reconciliation with God in Christ. This is a sure signe of faith in eueryevery touched and humbled heart, and it is peculiar to the elect: and they which hauehave this, hauehave in them also the substance of true sauing faith: which afterwards will grow vp to a strong faith. Reasons, I. Promise of life euerlasting, is made to the desire of reconciliation, Psal. 10.17. Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the poore. Psal. 143.6. My soule desireth after thee, as the thirstie land. Psal. 145.19. He will fulfill the desire of them that feare him. Matth. 5.6. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnes, for they shalbe satisfied. Revel. 22.6. J will giuegive vntounto him which is a thirst of the well of the water of life freely. II. The hungring desire after grace is a sanctified affection: vvhere one affection is sanctified, all are sanctified: where all are sanctified, the whole man is sanctified: and he that is sanctified, is iustified and beleeues. III. God accepts the will and desire to repent and beleeue, for repenting and beleeuing indeede: wherefore this desire of reconciliation (if it be soundly wrought in the heart) is accepted euen as faith before God. But carnall men will say, If faith, yea true faith shew it selfe by a desire of reconciliation with God in Christ for all our sinnes, then we are well ynough, though we liue in our sinnes: for we hauehave very good desires. J answer, That there be in many men sundrie fleeting motions and desires to do good things which grow to no issue or head, but in time vanish as they come. Now such passions hauehave no soundnes in them, & must be distinguished from the desire of reconciliatiō with God, which comes from a bruised heart, which brings alwaies with it reformation of life: therefore such as liue after the couse of this world, and thinke notwithstanding that they hauehave desires that are good, deceiue themselues.

Nowe faith is saide to be weake, when a man either failes in the knowledge of the Gospell; or else hauing knowledge, is weake in grace to applie vntounto himselfe the sweete promises thereof. As for example, we know that the Apostles had all true sauing faith (except Iudas) and when our Sauiour Christ asked them,Matt. 16.16. whome they thought that he was; Peter in the person of the rest, answered for them all, and said: Thou art Christ, the Sonne of the liuing God: for which our Sauiour commended him, and in him, them all, saying: Thou art Peter, & vponupon this rocke, (that is, vponupon Christ, which Peter did professe in the name of them all) will I builde my Church. And yet after we shall finde in the Gospell, that they are called men of litle faith. Mat. 8.26. & 16.8.Now they failed in knowledge of the death of Christ, and of his passion, and resurrection; and were caried away with a vaine hope of an earthly kingdome. And therefore when our Sauiour shewed them of his going downe to Ierusalem and of his sufferings there, Peter a little after his notable confession began to rebuke Christ, & said, Master, hauehave pitie on thy selfe, this shall not be vntounto thee. And vntil he had appeared to them after his death, they did not beleeue his resurrection.

Again, weake faith though it be ioyned with knowledge, yet it may faile in the applying or in the apprehension and appropriating of Christs benefits to a mans owne selfe. This is to be seene in ordinary experience. For many a man there is of humble and contrite heart, that serueth God in spirite and truth, yet is not able to say without great doubtings and wauerings; I know and am fully assured that my sinnes are pardoned. Now shall we say, that all such are without faith? God forbid. Nay, we may resolue our selues, that the true child of God may hauehave a hungring desire in his heart after reconciliation with God in Christ for all his sinnes with care to keepe a good conscience, and yet be weake some time in the apprehension of Gods merciemercy and the assurance of the remission of his owne sinnes.

But if faith faile either in the true knowledge, or in the apprehension of Gods mercies, how can a man be saued by it? Answ. We must knowe that this weake faith will as truly apprehend Gods mercifull promises for the pardon of sinne, as strong faith, though not so soundly. Euen as a man with a palsie hand can stretch it out as well to receiue a gift at the hand of a king, as he that is more sound, though it be not so firmely and steadfastly.

The Church of Rome beares men in hand, that they are good Catholicks, if they beleeue as the Church beleeues; though in the meane season they can not tell what the Church beleeues. And some Papists commend this faith by the example of an old devout father, who beeing tempted of the deuill, was asked how he beleeued, he answered that he beleeued as the Church beleeued: beeing againe asked how the Church beleeued, he answered, as I beleeue: whereupon the deuill (as they say) was faint to depart. VVell, this fond and ridiculous kind of faith we renounce, as being a means to nozle men in blindnes, superstition, & perpetuall ignorance: yet withall we doe not denie but that there is an implicite or foulded faith; which is, when a man as yet hauing but some little portion of knowledge in the doctrine of the Gospell, doth truely performe obedience according to the measure thereof; and withall hath care to get more knowledge, and shewes good affection to all good meanes whereby it may be increased. In this respect a certain ruler, who by a miracle wrought vponupon his childe, was mooued to acknowledge Christ for the Messias, and further to submit him selfe to his doctrine,Ioh. 4.53. & 42. is commended for a beleeuer, and in the like case the Samaritanes.

And thus much of weake faith: which must be vnderstood to be in a man not all the daies of his life, but while he is a yong babe in Christ. For as it is in the state of the body, first we are babes & grow to greater strength as we growe in yeres; so it is with a Christian man. First he is a babe in Christ, hauing weake faith, but after growes from grace to grace, till he come to hauehave a strong faith: example whereof we hauehave in Abraham, who was strong and perfect both in knowledge and apprehension. This strong faith is, when a man is endued with the knowledge of the Gospel & grace to apprehend and applie the righteousnes of Christ vntounto himselfe for the remission of his own sinnes: so as he can say distinctly of himselfe and truly, that he is fully resolued in his own conscience, that he is recōciled vntounto God in Christ for all his sinnes, & accepted in him to life euerlasting. This degree of faith is proper to him that begins to be a tall man and of ripe yeares in Christ. And it commeth not at the first calling of a man vntounto grace. And if any shall thinke that he can hauehave it at the first, he deceiueth him selfe. For as it is no nature: first wee are babes, and then as we encrease in yeares, so wee growe in strength: so it is in the life of a Christian; first ordinarily hee hath a weake faith, and after growes from grace to grace, till he come to stronger faith: and at the last he be able to say, he is fully assured in his heart & conscience of the pardon of his sinnes & of reconciliation to God in Christ. And this assurance ariseth from many experiences of Gods fauour and louelove in his life and preseruation, which brings a man to this, that he is fully perswaded, that God is his God, and God the father his father, and Iesus Christ his redeemer, and the holy Ghost his sanctifier.

Now howsoeuer this faith be strong, yet is it alwaies imperfect, as also our knowledge is; and shall so long as we liue in this world be mingled with contrarie vnbeliefe and sundrie doubtings more or lesse. A great part of men amōgst vsus, blinded with grosse ignorance, say they hauehave faith, & yet indeed hauehave not. For aske them what faith they hauehave, they will answer, they beleeue that God is their father, & the Son their redeemer, &c. aske them how long they hauehave had this faith, they will answer, euer since they could remember: aske them whether they euer doubt of Gods fauour? they will say, they would not once doubt for all the worlde. But the case of these men is to be pitied: for howsoeuer they may perswade themselues, yet true it is, that they hauehave no sound faith at all: for euen strong faith is assaulted with temptations and doubtings: and God will not hauehave men perfect in this life, that they may alwaies goe out of themselues, and depend wholly on the merit of Christ.

And thus much of these two degrees of faith. Nowe in whom so euer it is, whether it be a weake faith, or a strōg, it bringeth forth some fruit, as a tree doth in the time of sommer. And a speciall fruit of faith, is this confession of faith, I beleeue in God, &c. so Paul saith, With the heart a man may beleeue vntounto righteousnes, Rom. 10.10.and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation. Confession of faith is, when a man in speach and outwarde profession doth make manifest his faith for these two causes. I. That with his mouth outwardly he may glorifie God both in bodie and soule. II. That by the confession of his faith, he may seuer himselfe from all false Christians, from Atheists, hypocrites, and all false seducers whatsoeuer. And as this is the dutie of a Christian man, to make profession of his faith; so here in this Creede of the Apostles, we hauehave the right order and forme of making it set downe, as we shal see in hādling the parts therof.

The Creede therefore sets downe two things concerning faith, namely the action of faith and his obiect, which also are the parts of the Creede. The action in these words, I beleeue: the obiect in all the words following, in God the Father almightie, maker &c. And first let vsus begin with the action.

I beleeue in God.) We are taught to say, I beleeue, not we beleeue, for two causes. First (because as we touched before) in the Primitiue Church this Creede was made to be an answer made vntounto a question, which was demanded of eueryevery particular man that was baptized: for they asked him thus; What dost thou beleeue? then he answered, I beleeue in God the Father, &c. and thus did eueryevery one of yeares make profession of his faith: and it is likely that Peter alluded hereunto, saying,1. Pet. 3.21. the stipulation or answer of a good conscience maketh request to God. The secōd cause is, howsoeuer we are to pray one for another, by saying, O our father, &c. yet when wee come to yeres, we must hauehave a particular faith of our own: no mā can be saued by anothers mans faith, but by his own, so it is said: The iust shall liue by his faith. But some will say, this is not true.Habac. 2.4. For children must be saued by their parents faith: the answer is this; the faith of the parents doth bring the child to hauehave a title or interest to the couenant of grace and to all the benefits of Christ: but yet it doth not applie the benefits of Christs death, his obedience, his merits, and righteousnes vntounto the infant: for this the beleeuer doth only vntounto himselfe & to no other. Againe some may say, if they doe not apprehend Christs benefits by their parents faith, how then is Christs righteousnes made theirs? Answ. By the inward working of the holy Ghost, who is the principall applier of all graces, whereas faith is but the instrumēt. And this is true, men of yeares are iustified by their own faith; & the infāt by some other special working of Gods holy spirit.

Furthermore, to beleeue signifieth two things; to conceiue or vnderstand any thing, and withall to giuegive assent vntounto it to be true: and therefore in this place, to beleeue signifieth to know and acknowledge that all the points of religion which followe, are the truth of God. Here therefore we must remember, that this clause (I beleeue) placed in the beginning of the Creede, must be particularly applied to eueryevery article following. For so the case stands, that if faith faile in one maine point, it faileth a man in all: and therefore faith is said to be wholly copulatiue. Fides est tota copulativa.It is not sufficient to hold one article, but he that will hold any of them for his good, must hold them all: and he which holdes them all in shewe of words, if he ouerturne but one of them in deede, he ouerturnes them all.

Againe, to beleeue is one thing, & to beleeue in this or that is another thing: and it conteineth in it 3. points or actions of a beleeuer. 1. to know a thing: 2. to acknowledge the same: 3. to put trust and confidence in it. And in this order must these three actions of faith be applied to eueryevery article following which concerneth God. And herein is contained a speciall matter. For alwaies by adding them to the words following, we doe applie the article vntounto our selues in a very comfortable manner. As I beleeue in the father, and doe beleeue that he is my father; and therefore I put my whole trust in him, and so of the rest.

Now we come to the obiect of generall faith, which is either God or the Church; in handling of both which, I wil obserue this order. I. I will speake of the meaning of eueryevery article. II. Of the duties which we ought to learn thereby. III. And lastly, of the consolations which may be gathered thence. Concerning God, three things are to be considered. And first by reason of manifold doubtings that rise in our minds, it may be demanded, whether there be a God? many reasons might be vsed to resolue those that hauehave scruple of conscience: otherwaies we are bound to beleeue that there is a God without al doubting. As for those Atheists which confidently auouch there is no God, by Gods lawe they ought to die the death: nay, the earth is too good for such to dwell on. Malefactours, as theeues and rebells, for their offences hauehave their rewarde of death: but the offence of those, which denie that there is a God, is greater; and therefore deserues the most cruell death.

The second point followeth, namely what God is? Answer. Moses desiring to see Gods face, was not permitted but to see his hinder parts:Exod. 32. and therefore no man can be able to describe God by his nature, but by his effects & properties; on this or such like maner: God is an essence spirituall, simple, infinite, most holy. I say first of all, that God is an essence, to shew that he is a thing absolutely subsisting in himselfe & by himselfe, not receiuing his being from any other. And herein he differeth frō all creatures whatsoeuer, which hauehave subsisting & beeing from him alone. Againe I say that he is an essence spirituall, because hee is not a kinde of body, neither hath he the parts of the bodies of mē or other creatures, but is in nature a spirit inuisible, not subiect to any of mans senses. I adde also, that he is a simple essence, because his nature admits no maner of composition of matter or forme or parts. The creatures are compounded of diuers parts, & of varietie of nature, but there is no such thing in God: for whatsoeuer thing he is, he is the same by one & the same singular and indiuisible essence. Furthermore he is infinite; and that diuers waies: infinite in time, without any beginning and without end: infinite in place; because he is eueryevery where and excluded no where, within all places, and foorth of all places. Lastly he is most holy, that is, of infinite wisdome, merciemercy, louelove, grace, goodnes, &c. and he alone is rightly tearmed most holy, because holinesse is of the very nature of God himselfe; wheras among the most excellent creatures it is otherwise. As for example, a man is one thing, and the holines of man is another. Thus we see what God is: and to this effect god describes himself to be Iehova Elohim;Exod 3.6, 14. 1. Tim. 1.17. & Paul describes him to be a King euerlasting, immorall, inuisible, & onelyonly wise, to whom is due all honour & glorie for euer.

The thirde point is, touching the number of Gods, namely whether there be more Gods then one or no. Ans. There is not, neither can there be any more Gods then one. VVhichWhich point the Creede auoucheth, in saying, I beleeue in God, not gods: and yet more plainly the Nicene Creede and the Creede of Athanasius, both of them explaning the words of the Apostles Creede on this maner, I beleeue in one God. Howsoeuer some in former times hauehave erroneously held, that two Gods were the begining of all things, one of good things, the other of euill things: others, that there was one God in the old testament, an other in the new: others againe, namely the Valintinians, that there were 30. couple of gods: and the heathen people (as Augustine recordeth) worshipped 30. thousand gods: yet we that are members of Gods Church, must hold and beleeue one God alone, & no more, Deut. 4.39. Vnderstand this day and consider in thine heart, that Iehovah he is God in heauen aboue and vponupon the earth beneath: there is none other. Eph. 4.8. One God, one faith, one baptisme. If it be alleadged that the Scripture mentioneth many gods, because aPsal. 82.6.Magistrates are called gods, bExo. 4.16.Moses is called Aarons god, c2. cor. 4.4.the deuill and all idols are called gods. The answer is this: They are not properly or by nature gods, for in that respect there is onelyonly one God: but they are so tearmed in other respects. Magistrates are gods, because they be Vicegerents placed in the roome of the true God, to gouerne their subiects: Moses is Aarons god, because he was in the roome of god to reueale his will to Aaron: the deuill is a god, because the hearts of the wicked would giuegive the honour vntounto him, which is peculiar to the euerliuing God: idols are called gods, because they are such in mens conceits and opinions, who esteeme of them as of gods. Therefore Paul faith, an idole is nothing in the worlde, 1. Cor. 8.4.that is, nothing in nature subsisting, or nothing in respect of the diuinitie ascribed vntounto it.

To proceede forwarde, to beleeue in this one God, is in effect thus much. 1. to knowe and acknowledge him as he hath reuealed himselfe in his worde: 2. to beleeue him to be my God: 3. from mine heart to put all mine affiance in him. To this purpose Christ saith, This is eternall life to knowe thee the onelyonly God, and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Ioh. 17.2.Nowe the knowledge here meant, is not a bare or generall knowledge, for that the deuills hauehave, but a more speciall knowledge whereby I know God not onelyonly to be God, but also to be my God, and thereupon doe put my confidence in him.

And thus much of the meaning of the first wordes, I beleeue in God, &c. Nowe followe the duties which may be gathered hence. First of all, if wee are bound to beleeue in God, then wee are also bound to take notice of our naturall vnbeliefe, to checke our selues for it, and to striue against it. Thus dealt the father of the childe that had a dumme spirite, Lord, (saith he) J beleeue, Lorde helpe myne vnbeleefe. And David,Marc. 9.2, 4. Why art thou cast dovvne my soule? and why art thou so disquieted in me? wayt on God. Psal. 42.12.And that which our Sauiour Christ said once to Peter should a man say eueryevery day to himselfe: O thou of little faith, why hast thou doubted? But some may say, wherein standes our vnbeleefe? Answer. It standes in two thinges I. In distrusting the goodnesse of God, that is, in giuing to little or no affiance to him; or in putting affiance in the creature. For the first, fewe men will abide to be told of there distrust in God: but in deede it is a common and rife corruption: and though they soothe themselues neuer so, yet their vsuall dealings proclaime their vnbeleefe. Goe thorough all places, it shall be founde that scarce one of a thousand in his dealings makes conscience of a lie: a great part of men gets their wealth by fraud and oppression and all kinde of vniust and vnmercifull dealing. VVhat is the cause that they can doe so? Alas, alas, if there be any faith, it is pinned vp in some by-corner of the heart, and vnbeleefe beares sway as the lorde of the house. Againe, if a man had as much wealth as the world comes to, he could finde in his heart to wish for an other, and if he had two worldes, he would be casting for the thirde, if it might be compassed: the cause hereof is, men hauehave not learned to make God their portion, and to stay their affections on him: which if they could doe, a meane portion in temporall blessings would be enough. Such men will not yeilde that they doe indeede distrust the Lord, vnlesse at some time they be touched in conscience vvith a sense of their sinnes, and be thoroughly humbled for the same: but indeede distrust of Gods goodnesse is a generall and a mother sinne, the ground of all other sinnes, and the very first and principall sinne in Adams fall. And for the second part of vnbeleefe, which is an affiance in the creature, reade the whole booke of God, and we shall finde it a common sinne in all sorts of men, some putting their trust in riches, some in strength, some in pleasures, some placing their felicitie in one sinne, some in an other. VVhen King Asa was sicke,2. chron. 16.12. he put his trust in the Phisitians, and not in the Lorde. And in our daies the common practise is, when crosses and calamities fall, then there is trotting out to that wise man, to this cunning woman, to this sorcerer, to that wisard, that is, from God to the deuill, and their counsell is receiued and practised without any bones making. And this shewes the bitter roote of vnbeleefe, and confidence in vaine creatures; let men smoothe it ouer with goodly tearmes as long as they will. In a worde, there is no man in the worlde, be hee called or not called, if he looke narrowly vntounto himselfe, hee shall finde his heart almost filled with manifolde doubtings and distrustings, whereby hee shall feele him selfe euen carried away from beleeuing in God. Therefore the duetie of eueryevery man is, that vvill truely say that hee beleeues in God, to labour to see his owne vnbeleefe and the fruits thereof in his life. As for such as say they hauehave no vnbeleefe, nor feele none; more pitifull is their case. For so much the greater is their vnbeleefe.

Secondly, considering that wee professe our selues to beleeue in God,2. Dutie. wee must eueryevery one of vsus learne to knowe God. As Paul saith, Hovv can they beleeue in him, of vvhome they have not heard? Rom. 10.14.and hovve can they heare vvithout a preacher? therefore none can beleeue in God but hee must first of all heare and be taught by the ministerie of the word to know God aright. Let this be remembred of young and olde. It is not the pattering ouer of the beleefe for a prayer, that will make a man a good beleeuer, but God must be knowne of vsus and acknowledged as hee hath reuealed him selfe partly in his worde and partly in his creatures. Blinde ignorance and the right vse of the Apostles Creede will neuer stande together. Therefore it stands men in hande to labour and takes paines to get knowledge in religion, that knowing God aright, they may come steadfastly to beleeue in him.

Thirdly, because wee beleeue in God, therefore another duetie is to denie our selues vtterly,3. Dutie. and to become nothing in our selues. Our Sauiour Christ requires of vsus to become as little children, if wee would beleeue. The begger dependes not on the releefe of others till he finde nothing at home: and till our hearts be purged of selfe-louelove and pride, wee can not depende on the fauour and goodnes of God. Therefore he that would trust in God, must first of all be abased and confounded in him selfe, and in regard of him selfe be out of all hope of attaining to the least sparke of the grace of God.

Fourthly, in that we beleeue in God, and therefore put our whole trust and assurance in him: wee are taught,4. Dutie. that eueryevery man must commit his bodie, his soule, goods, life, yea all that hee hath into the handes of God, and to his custodie. So Paul saith, I am not ashamed of my sufferings, for I knowe whome I hauehave beleeued, 2. Tim. 1.12.and am perswaded that he is able to keepe that which I hauehave committed vntounto him against that day. A worthie saying: for what is the thing which Paul committed vntounto the Lorde? surely his owne soule and the eternall saluation thereof. But what mooues him to trust God? surely his perswasion whereby hee knowes that God will keepe it. And Peter saith:1. Pet. 4.19. Let them that suffer according to the vvill of God, commit their soules to him in well doing as vntounto a faithfull creatour. Looke as one friende layeth dovvne a thing to be kept of another: so must a man giuegive all that hee hath to the custodie of God. Fevve or none can practise this, and therefore vvhen any euill befalls them eyther in bodie or in goods, or any other vvay, then they shewe them selues rather beastes then men in impatience. For in prosperitie they vvoulde not trust in God, and therefore in aduersitie vvhen crosses come, they are voyde of comfort. But when a man hath grace to beleeue and trust in God, then hee commits all into Gods handes: and though all the worlde should perish, yet hee would not be dismaide. And vndoubtedly if a man will be thankefull for the preseruation of his goods, or of his life, hee must shewe the same by committing all he hath into Gods handes, and suffer him selfe to be ruled by him.

Comforts.Nowe followes the consolations and comforts which Gods Church and children reape hereby. First, he that beleeues in God, and takes God for his God, may assure him selfe of saluation, and of a happie deliuerance in all daungers and necessities. When God threatned a plague vponupon Israel for their idolatrie,2. Chron. 34.27. 2. Chr. 32. good king Iosiah humbled him selfe before the Lorde: and he was safe all his daies. And so King Hezekiah, when Senacherib the king of Ashur offered to inuade Iudah, he trusted in the Lorde, and praied vntounto him, and was deliuered. VVhereby we see, if a man trust in God, he shall hauehave securitie and quietnesse,2. chron. 20.20. as Iehosaphat saide to the men of Iudah. And our Sauiour Christ when he was vponupon the crosse, and felt the whole burden of the wrath of God vponupon him, cryed, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. And it appeareth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, that Christ was heard in that he feared:Heb. 5.7. whereby we are giuen to vnderstand, that they shall neuer be vtterly forsaken that take God for their God.Psal. 22. And King Dauid hauing experience of this, vseth most excellent speaches for this ende, to shewe that the ground of his comfort was, that God was his God. And it is said that Daniel had no manner of hurte in the Lyons denne;Dan. 6.23. because hee trusted in the Lorde his God. And contrariwise, such as distrust God are subiect to all miseries and iudgements. The Israelites in the wildernesse beleeved not God, and trusted not in his helpe, therefore God vvas angry, Psalm. 78.21, 22.and his fire vvas kindled in Iacob, and vvrath came vponupon Israel.

God, the Father Almightie.

Some hauehave thought that these wordes are to be coupled with the former without distinction, as if the title of God had bene proper to the first person the Father, and not common to the rest: and thus hauehave some heretikes thought. But indeed there must a pause or distinction be made, that the name or title of God may be set in the fore-front, as common to all the three persons following. For that is the very intent of the order of this Creed, to teach vsus to beleeue in one God, who is distinct into three subsistances or persons called the Father, the Sonne, the Holy Ghost. And here offers it selfe to be considered euen one of the greatest mysteries of our religion: namely, that God is the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost: and againe, that the Father, the Sonne, and the Holy Ghost are one and the same God. Some at the first may possibly say, that this cannot stande because it is against all reason that one should be three, or three one. The answere is, that indeed if one and the same respect be kept, it is not possible, but in divers considerations and respectes it may. And thus the Father, the Sonne, & the Holy Ghost are three, namely in person; and againe, they three are one, not in person, but in nature. By nature is meant, a thing subsisting by it selfe, that is common to many: as the substance of man consisting of body and soule common to all men, which we call the humanity of a man, is the nature of man. By person is meant, a thing or essence subsisting by it selfe, not common to many, but incommunicable: as among men, these particulars, Peter, Iohn, Paul, are called persons. And so in the mysterie of the Trinity the diuine nature is the godhead it selfe simply and absolutely considered; and a person is that which subsisteth in this godhead, as the Father, the Sonne, the Holy Ghost. Or againe, a person is one and the same godhead not absolutely considered, but in relation, and as it were, restrained by personall or caracteristicall proprieties: as the Godhead or God begetting is the father, God againe considered not simply but so farre foorth as he is begotten is the Sonne; and God proceeding of the Father and the Sonne, the Holy ghost. And if any man would conceiue in mind rightly the divine nature, he must conceiue God or the Godhead absolutely: if any of the persons, then he must conceiue the same godhead relatiuely with personal proprieties. Thus the godhead considered with the propriety of fatherhood or begetting is the father: & cōceiuing the same godhead with the proprietie of generation, we conceiue the sonne, & the godhead with the proprietie of proceeding, & we conceiue the Holy Ghost. Neither must it seeme strange to any that we use the names of nature and person to set forth this misterie by: for they hauehave bene taken up by common consent in the primitive Church, & that upon weighty consideration to manifest the truth, & to stop the mouthes of heretikes: & they are not used against the proper sense of the scriptures, nay they are therein aHeb. 1.3. Gal. 4.8.contained. Thus wee see how it comes to passe that the three things signified by these names, Father, Sōne, holy Ghost, are ech of them one & the same God. And this mistery may well be conceived by a cōparison borowed frō light. The light of the sunne, the light of the moone, & the light of the aire for nature and substance are one & the same light: & yet they are 3. distinct lights. The light of the sunne being of it selfe & from none, the light of the moone from the sunne, & the light of the aire frō them both. So the divine nature is one, and the persons are three, subsisting after a divers maner in one and the same nature.

And for the further clearing of the point, we must yet further marke & remember two things: namely, the vnion & the distinction of the persons. The vnion is, whereby three persons are one not simply, but one in nature, that is, coessentiall or consubstantiall; having all one godhead. For the father is God, the sonne is God, & the holy ghost is God: now there are not 3. distinct Gods, but one God, because there is one God & no more in nature; considering that the thing which is infinite is but one & is not subiect to multiplicatiō: & the Father is this one God, as also the Sonne and the holy ghost. And as these three persons are one in nature, so whatsoeuer agrees to God simply considered, agrees to them all three. They are all coequall and coeternall: all most wise, iust, mercifull, omnipotent by one & the same wisdome, iustice, merciemercy, power. And because they hauehave all one godhead, therfore they are not only one with another, but also ech in other, the father in the sonne, & and the sonne in the father, and the holy ghost in them both. And we must not imagine that these three are one god, as though the father had one part of the godhead, the sonne an other part, & the holy ghost a third. For that is most false, because the infinite and the most simple godhead is not subiect to composition or division: but eueryevery person is whole god, subsisting not in a part, but in the whole godhead: & the whole entire godhead is communicated from the father to the sonne, & from both father & sonne to the holy ghost. But some may yet say, that this doctrine seemes to be impossible; because three creatures, as for example, Peter, Paul, Timothy being three persons, & so remaining, cannot hauehave one and the same nature, that is, the same body & the same soule. Ans. Three or moe mē may hauehave the same nature aSpecie.in kind, but the truth is, they cannot possibly hauehave a nature which shalbe one & the same bNumero.in number, in them all three. For a man is a substance created & finite, & the bodies of men are quantities, & therfore divisible & separable one from another. Hereupon it comes that the persons of men are not only distinguished by proprieties, but also divided & sundred one from another. And though Peter, Paul, Timothy, hauehave all one common & universall forme, yet they three are not one man, but 3. men. Now it is otherwise with the divine nature or godhead which is uncreated and infinite, and therefore admittes neither composition nor division, but a distinction without any separation: so as the three persons subsisting in it, shall not be three gods, but one and the same god.

Yet further some will obiect, that it is truly said of the father, that hee is god, but the same godhead is not in the sonne, nor in the holy ghost; for the sonne and the holy ghost hauehave their beginning from the father. Ansvver, The sonne and the holy ghost hauehave not a beginning of their nature or of their godhead from the Father, but of their person only: the person of the Sonne is from the Father; and the person of the Holy ghost, is both from the Father and from the Sonne: but the Godhead of all three persons is vncreate and vnbegotten, and proceeding from none. Yet some may say, both the Sonne and the Holy Ghost hauehave receiued from the Father all their attributes, as wisedome, knowledge, power, &c. Now he that receiueth any thing from another, is in that respect inferiour to him that giueth it: and therefore the sonne and the Holy ghost are not God as he is. Ans. We must know, that, which the Sōne receiueth of the Father, he receiueth it by nature, and not by grace; & he receiueth not a part but all that the Father hath, saving the personall proprietie. And the Holy Ghost receiueth from the Father and the Sonne by nature and not by grace: and therefore though both the Sonne and the Holy Ghost receiue from the Father, yet they are not inferiour to him but equall with him. And thus much is necessarie to be learned of the vnion betweene the three persons in Trinitie, whereby they being three hauehave all one and the same godheade.

The second point to be considered is, that though these three hauehave but one godhead, and all make but one God: yet they are distinguished one from another: for the Father is the Father, and not the Sonne, nor the Holy Ghost: the Sonne is the Sonne and not the Father nor the Holy ghost: and the Holy Ghost is the Holy ghost, not the Father nor the Sonne. This distinction of the persons is notably set forth vntounto vsus in the baptism of our Saviour Christ: where it is said,Matt. 3.16, 17. that vvhen Iesus was baptized, hee came out of the vvater: there is the second person: and the Holy ghost descended upon him in the forme of a dove: there is the thirde person: and the Father the first person pronounced from heauen, that hee was his beloved Sonne in whome hee was well pleased. And we must not conceiue this distinction in such manner as though these three, Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost were three names of one God. For the three persons doe not in name or word, but really in truth distinctly subsist in the same divine nature. Neither must we imagine that the three persons are three formes or differences of one god, as some heretikes hauehave dreamed, who taught that the father alone is God, and that he is called a Father in one respect, the Sonne in another, and the Holy ghost in a thirde. For this were nothing else but to make the personall proprieties to be nothing but imaginarie accidents, which indeede, or at the least, in mans conceit, might come and goe, and be either in the persons or foorth of them. For the personall relations though in aforeign.minde they may be distinguished from the divine essence, yet bforeign.indeede they are one with it. But some will say, if they make this distinction, there is rather a quaternitie then a trinitie: for the godhead is one, the father an other, the sonne a third, and the holy ghost a fourth. Thus some heretikes hauehave obiected against the distinction of the trinitie: but it is untrue which they say▪ for the godhead must not be severed from the father, nor frō the sonne, nor frō the holy Ghost: for the father is God or the whole godhead, so also is the sonne and the holy ghost: and the godhead likewise is in eueryevery one of these three persons, and eueryevery one of them subsisting in the godhead, and the godhead must be conceived to be in them all, and not as a fourth thing out of them. And therefore we must still maintaine, that these 3. persons are distinguished and not deuided, as three men are deuided in being and substance: for this division can not be in them, because all three hauehave one divine nature and one godhead. This is the misterie of all misteries to be receiued of us all, namely, the trinitie of the persons in the vnitie of the godhead. This doctrine must be reteined and holden for these causes. I. because by it we are able to distinguish this true God from all false Gods and Idols. II. Because among all other pointes of religion this is one of the chiefest, being the verie foundation thereof. For it is not sufficient for us to know God as we can conceiue of him in our owne imagination: but we must know him as he hath revealed him selfe in his worde. And it is not sufficient to saluation to beleeue in God confusedly, but we must beleeue in one god distinct into three persons, the Father, the Sonne, the holy Ghost: yea & more then this, we must hold & beleeue that God the father is our father, the sonne our redeemer, the holy ghost our sanctifier & comforter. Well then, if we must in this maner beleeue in god, then we must also know him: for vve can hauehave no faith in the thing which is utterly unknown. wherfore if we would beleeue in the father, son, or holy ghost, we must know them in part, Ioh. 17. This is life eternall to know thee the only God, and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ. Ioh. 14.17. The world can not receiue the spirite of truth because it hath neither seene him nor knowen him. 1. Ioh. 2.23. Whosoever denieth the sonne hath not the father. Thirdly, this doctrine directs us in worshipping God aright: for vnitie in trinitie, & trinitie in vnitie is to be worshipped: one God must be worshipped in the father, in the sonne, and in the holy ghost: & if we worship God the father without the sonne & the holy ghost: or if we worshippe the sonne without the father and the holy ghost: and the holy ghost without the father & the sonne, we worship nothing but an Idol. Againe, if we worship the 3. persons not as one God, but as three gods, then likewise we make three Idols.

Note further, that of all the three persons, the first person the father is set in the first place, and is described to us by three things. I. by his title that he is a father. II. by his attribute that hee is Almightie. III. by his effect, that hee is maker of heaven and earth: of these in order as they lye in the Creede. And first of the title (father.) It may seeme that he hath some prerogatiue over the sonne and the holy ghost, because he is set before them: but we must know he is set before them neither in regard of time, nor of dignitie, for therein all three are equall; but in regarde of order onelyonly. The father is the first, the sonne the second, and the holy ghost the third: as may appeare by this similitude. If three Emperours equall in dignity should meete all in one place, beeing equall also in power and maiestie, if all three should sit dovvne, though one be no better then an other; yet one of them must needes sit downe the first, and another in the seconde place, and then the thirde: but yet wee can not say, that he which sate downe first is the chiefest. And so it is in the Trinitie, though none be greater or above another; yet the Father is in the first place, not because he is before the sonne, or the holy ghost in dignitie or honour, but because he is the fountaine of the deitie, the sonne being from him, and the holy ghost from them both.

Nowe let us come to the title of the first person.The meaning. The name Father in Scriptures is ascribed either to God taken indefinitely, and so by consequente to all the three persons in Trinitie: or particularly to the first person alone. For the first, God is a Father properly and principally, according to the saying of Christ, Call no man father vponupon earth, for there is but one your father vvhichwhich is in heaven: that is,aMat. 23.9. principally: whereas earthly parentes, whome wee are commaunded to worship and honour are but certaine images or resemblances of our heavenly father, having this blessing that they are fathers from him. And hereupon this title agrees in men, not simply, but so farre forth as God honoureth them with fatherhoode in calling them to be fathers, whereas god himselfe receiues this honour from none. God is tearmed a father in respect both of nature and grace. Hee is a father in regard of nature, because hee created and gouerneth all things. In this regard hee is called the bHeb. 12.9.father of spirits, and cLuk. 3.38.Adam is called the Sonne of God. Hee is a father in respect of grace, because wee are regenerate by him, and accepted to be his sonnes by adoption thorough the merite of Christ. And in this respect the second person as well as the first is called dEsa. 9.6.a Father, and saide to hauehave an offspring eEsa 53.10.or seede and fEsa. 8.18.children. But when the name of Father is giuen to the first person, … is done upon a speciall consideration, because he is a father by nature to the seconde person begetting him of his owne substance before all worldes. By this it appeares, that out of the title of the first person, wee may fetch a description thereof on this maner. The Father is the first person in Trinitie, begetting the sonne. Nowe to beget is the personall proprietie whereby he is distinguished from the other two. If it be said that the creatures doe beget, & that therefore to beget is not proper to the father: the answere is, that in this point there are many differences betweene God the father & all creatures. First the father begets the sonne before all eternitie: and therefore God the Father begetting, and the sonne begotten are equall in time, whereas in earthly generation the father is before the sonne in time. Secondly, God the father begets his Sonne by communicating unto him his whole essence or godhead, which can not be in earthly parents, unlesse they should be abolished and come to nothing. VVhereas neuerthelesse, God the Father giuing his whole nature to his sonne, retaines the same still, because it is infinite. Thirdly, the father begetts the sonne in himselfe & not forth of himselfe: but in earthly generation the father begetting is forth of the child, and the child forth of the father. And that must not trouble vsus which heretikes alledge against this doctrine, namely, that if the father who is of one nature with the sonne, did beget the sonne, then hee did beget himselfe: for the godhead of the father doth not beget either the godhead or the person of the sonne: but the person of the father begets the person of the sonne, both which in one godhead are really distinct.

Thus we see what the father is. Nowe to beleeue in the father, is to be perswaded, that the first person in Trinity, is the father of Christ,…er. 3.4▪19. Matth. 6.4. and in him my father particularly, and that for this cause I entend & desire for euer to put my trust in him.

The duties which wee may learne hence are manifolde. And here we hauehave occasion offered first of all to consider who is our father by nature.Iob. 17.14. I shall say to corruption (saieth Iob) thou art my father▪ and to the worme, thou art my mother seeing god vouchsafeth this great prerogatiue to them that louelove him, that he vvill be their father: therefore Iob in consideration hereof would hauehave eueryevery man to hauehave recourse to his owne naturall condition, to see who is his father by nature. Iob saith, corruption is his father: but if we mark the condition of our nature, we shall further see eueryevery man is by nature the child of wrath, and that Sathan is his father: for so long as a man walkes in his sinnes (which eueryevery man doth by nature) so long doth he shew himselfe to be the liuely child of the deuill. And thus Christ reasoneth against the Scribes and Pharises. Yee are of your father the deuill, and the lustes of your father ye will doe. And true it is,Iohn. 8.44. that no childe is so like his father that begat him, as euerie man by nature is like the deuill: and the whole tenour and course of his naturall life without grace is a liuely resemblance of the disposition of Satan. Secondly, eueryevery one that beleeves God to be a Father, and in Christ his father,2. Dutie. must as a good child be obedient to his fathers will. So Salomon saith, A vvise sonne maketh a glad father. How?Prov. 10.1. by doing his will: and therefore when one tolde our Sauiour Christ that his mother and breethren stoode vvithout, desiring to speake with him, he saide,Mat. 12.50. VVhosoever shall doe my fathers vvill vvhichwhich is in heaven, the same is my father, my sister, and mother: where vvee may note, that hee that will hauehave God the Father to be his Father, and Christ Iesus his brother, must doe the will of God the father. And hence God saith, If I be a master, vvhere is my feare? If I be a father, vvhere is my honour? Mal. 1.6.VVhere is plainely taught this seconde duety; that if God be our father, then as good children vvee must shevve obedience unto him: but if vvee be disobedient vntounto him, then vve must knowe, that that former saying of Christ will be verefied vponupon vsus: that because men doe the lustes of the devill: therefore they are the children of the deuill. But least this fearefull sentence be verefied of vsus, it is the duety of euerie man that maketh this confession, that hee beleeues God to be his father, first to labour to knovve Gods will; and secondly, to perfourme continuall obedience unto the same. Like unto a good childe that would faine please his father, and therefore is alwaies ready to do the best he can. And without doubt that man which unfainedly takes God for his father, is then most grieued, when as by any sinne he displeaseth him, & no other crosse or calamity is so grieuous unto him. The greatest grief that the prodigall sonne had, was that he had offēded his father by sinning against heauē, & against him: the same also must be our griefe: and all our care set on this, how we may be obedient children to this our louing father. Thirdly, that mā that beleeues God to be his father,3. Dutie. must imitate and follow him: for it is the will of God that his children should be like vntounto himselfe. Now we follow God especially in 2. things. I. In doing good to them that persecute vsus: so saith our Sauiour Christ,Mat. 5.45. Pray for them that hurt you, that you may be the children of your father which is in heaven: for hee maketh the sunne to rise on the evill and on the good, and sendeth raine on the iust and uniust. II. Our heavenly father is mercifull: for he is a father of the fatherlesse:Psal. 68.5. and therefore he that will be a sonne of this father must be mercifull to his poore breethren, as Iob saith of himselfe, I vvas the eyes to the blind, & I vvas the feete unto the lame: Iob. 29.15, 16. 4. Dutie.I vvas a father unto the poore. Fourthly, seeing wee beleeue God to be our father, we are hereby taught onelyonly to vse moderate care for the things of this life: for if a man know himselfe to be the child of God, then he also knowes that God will provide for him, as wee know in a family the father provideth for all. Now God is a father, and his Church is his family; therefore if thou wilt be a mēber of Gods Church, & a child of God, thou must cast thy care on god, Mat. 6.26.& follow the counsell of Christ: Be not to carefull for your life what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink. And mark his reason drawen from the point which we hauehave in hand. The fowles of the heauen (saith he) they neither sow nor reape, nor carrie into barnes: and yet your heavenly father feedeth them: are not ye much better then they. But alas, the practise of the worlde is contrarie: for men hauehave no care for the knowledge of Gods worde, nor the meanes of their salvation: all their mindes are set on the things of this life: when as Christ saith, First seeke the kingdome of heaven, and the righteousnesse thereof, and all these things shall be ministred vntounto you. If you shoulde see a young man provide for himselfe, and no man else for him, wee woulde say, surely his father is deade: euen so, when a mans care is set wholly both day and night for the things of this life, it argues that God hath either cast him off, or else that he takes him for no father of his. Fiftly, if God he our father, then wee must learne to beare any crosse patiently that he shall lay upon us, either in bodie or in minde,5. Dutie. and alwaies looke for deliverance from him▪ for whome the Lorde loueth, them hee chastiseth: and if yee endure chastising (saith the Apostle) God offereth himselfe unto you as vntounto children: Heb. 12.7.which may appeare more plainly by this comparison. If two children shoulde fight, and a man comming by, shoulde parte them, and after beate the one, and let the other goe free: euerie man that seeth this will say, that that childe which hee beates is his owne sonne. Euen so, when God chastiseth vsus, he shevveth himselfe unto us as a father, if we submit our selues. Nowe if our earthly fathers corrected us, and we gaue them reverence, taking it patiently: should vve not much rather be in subiection to the father of spirits that wee may liue. Therefore the conclusion is this: if we displease God, be ye sure, he will correct us; & when his hand is upon us we must not murmure against him, but beare it with a milde spirite: and furthermore, when vvee are under the crosse, we must alwaies looke for deliverance from this our father onelyonly. If a sonne vvhen hee is beaten should flee to his fathers enemies for helpe and counsell; it woulde argue that hee were but a gracelesse childe. Sundry and divers calamities and crosses befall men in this life, which they can not brooke; and therefore it is a common practise of many among us in these dayes, vvhen Gods hande is upon them, to goe for helpe to the deuill; they seeke for counsell at witches and vvise men, (as I hauehave said) but let them looke unto it, for that is the right vvay to double their miserie, and to shewe themselues levvde children. Lastly, if wee confesse and beleeue god to be the father of Christ,6. Dutie. and in him our father also; then in regarde of our conuersation, wee must not frame our selves like unto the world: but the course of our liues must be in righteousnesse, and true holinesse. Paul exhorteth the Corinthians to separate themselues from Idolaters,2. Cor. 6.18. alledging the place out of the olde Testament, where the Lorde biddeth the Israelites to come out from Idolaters, Isa. 22.11.and to touch no vncleane thing: and the reason followeth out of Ieremie,Ier. 31.1. that if they doe so, then God vvill be their father, and they shall be his children, even his sonnes and daughters: which reason Paul vrgeth in the next chapter to this effect:2. Cor. 7.1. considering wee hauehave these promises, that therefore wee shoulde cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirite, and growe up unto holines in the feare of the Lorde: where, if wee marke the place diligently, wee shall finde this lesson, that euerie man who takes God for his father, must not onelyonly in this sinne of Idolatrie, but in all other sinnes separate himselfe, that men by his godly life may knowe whose childe he is. But some will say, this exhortation is needlesse amongst vsus; for wee hauehave no cause to separate our selues from others, because all amongst vsus are Christians, all beleeve in God and are baptised, and hope to be saved by Christ. Ansvver. In outvvard profession, I confesse, wee carrie the shewe of Christians, but in deede and trueth, by our lives and conversations, very many among vsus denie Christ: for in euerie place the common practise is, to spende the time in drunkennesse and surfetting, in chambering and wantonnesse; yea, great is the companie of those that make a trade of it: take this conversation from many men, and take away their liues. And on the Lordes day it may bee seene both publiquely and priuately, in houses and in the open streetes, there is such reuell, as though there were no God to serve. In the sixe dayes of the weeke, manie men vvalke verie painefully in their callings: but when the Lordes day commeth, then every man takes license to doe what hee will: and because of the princes lawes, men will come formally to the Church for fashions sake: but in the meane time, how many do nothing else but scorne, mocke, and deride, and as much as in them lieth, disgrace both the worde and the ministers thereof? so that the cōmon saying is this: oh he is a precise fellow, he goes to heare Sermons, he is too holy for our cōpanie. But it stands men in hand to take out a better lesson, which is, if we will hauehave God to be our father, wee must shewe our selues to be the children of God by repentance and newnesse of life: he can not be but a gracelesse child, that will lead a rebellious life flat against his fathers minde. Let us then so behaue our selves, that we may honour our father which is in heauen, and not dishonour him in our liues and callings: rather let us separate our selues from the filthinesse of the flesh, loathing those things which our father lotheth, and fleeing from those things which our father abhorreth.

And thus much for the duties. Now follow the consolations which arise from this point.Consolations. But first we are to know that there are three sortes of men in the world. The first are such as will neither heare nor obey the word of God. The second sort are those which will heare the word preached vntounto them but they will not obey: both these sortes of men are not to looke for any comfort hence. Now there is a third sort of men, which as they heare Gods worde; so they make conscience of obeying the same in their liues and callings: and these are they to whome the consolations that arise out of this place doe rightly belong, and must be applyed unto.

First therefore, seeing God the father of Christ, and in him the father of all that obey and doe his will, is our father, here note the dignitie and prerogative of all true beleeuers: for they are sonnes and daughters of God as saith S. Iohn, So many as received him to them he gaue a prerogatiue to be the sonnes of God: even to them that beleeve in his name. Ioh. 1.12.This priviledge will appeare the greater if we consider our first estate; for as Abraham saith, We are but dust and ashes, and in regard of the deprauation of our natures,Gen 18.27. we are the children of the deuill: therefore of such rebels to be made the sonnes of God, it is a wonderfull priviledge and prerogative, & no dignitie like unto it. And to enlarge it further, he that is the sonne of God, is the brother of Christ, & fellow heire with him; and so heire apparant to the kingdom of heauen: and in this respect, is not inferiour to the verie angels. This must be laid vp carefully in the hearts of Gods people, to confirme them in their conversation among the companie of vngodly men in this world.

Secondly if a man doe indeauour himselfe to walke according to Gods worde, then the Lord of his merciemercy will beare with his wants: for as a father spareth his owne son, so will God spare them that feare him.Mal. 3.17. Psal. 103.13. Now a father commaunds his child to write or to apply his booke: though all things herein be not done according to his mind, yet if he find a readinesse with a good indeavour, he is content, and falls to praise his childs writing or learning. So God giueth his commandement, and though his servants faile in obedience; yet if the Lord see their heartie indeavour, and their vnfeigned willingnesse to obey his will, though with sundry wants, hee hath made this promise and will performe it, that as a father spareth his sonne, so will he spare them. If a child be sicke, will the father cast him off? nay, if thorough the grievousnesse of his sicknesse he can not take the meat that is giuen him, or if he take it, & for faintnesse pick it up againe, will the father of the childe thrust him out of dores? no: but he will rather pitie him. And so when a man doth indeauour himselfe through the whole course of his life to keepe Gods commandements, God will not cast him away, though through weakenesse he faile in sundry things and displease God. This prerogatiue can none hauehave, but he that is the child of God: as for others when they sinne, they doe nothing else but draw downe Gods iudgements upon them, for their deeper condemnation.

Thirdly hence we learne, that the childe of God can not wholly fall away from Gods fauour, I doe not say, that hee can not fall at all: for he may fall away in part, but hee can not wholly: and so oft as he sinnes, he depriues himselfe in part of Gods fauour. David loued his sonne Absolon wonderfully, but Absolon like a wicked sonne played a lewde pranck, & would hauehave thrust his father out of his kingdom: And David although he was sore offended with Absolon, & shewed tokens of his wrath, yet in heart he loued him, and neuer purposed to cast him off. Hereupon when he went against him,2. Sam. 18.5. he commanded the Captaines to intreat the yong man Absolon gently for his sake. And when he was hanged by the haire of the head in pursuing his father, then David wept and cried. O my sonne Absolon, my sonne Absolon, would God I had dyed with thee, Absolon my sonne. And so it is with God our heauenly father, when his children sinne against him, and thereby loose his louelove and fauour, and fall from grace, he forsakes them: but how farre? Surely he shewes signes of anger for their wickednesse, & yet indeed his louelove remaines towards them still: and this is a true conclusion, the grace of god in the adoptiō of the elect is unchāgeable, & he that is the childe of God can neuer fall away wholly or finally. On the contrary, that is a bad and comfortlesse opinion of the Church of Rome;Torren. confess. Aug. which holdeth that a man may be iustified before God: and yet afterward by a mortall sinne, finally fall from grace and be condemned.

Fourthly, the child of God that takes god the father for his father, may freely come into the presence of god, & hauehave liberty to pray unto him. We know it is a great priviledge to come into the chamber of presence before an earthly prince: and fewe can alwaies hauehave this prerogatiue though they be great men: yet the kings owne sonne may hauehave free entrance, & speake freely vntounto the king himselfe, because he is his sonne. Now the children of God hauehave more prerogative then this: for they may come into the chamber of presence, not of an earthly king, but of Almightie God the king of kings, and as they are the sonnes of god in Christ, so in him they may freely speake unto God their father by prayer. And this ouerthrowes the doctrine of such as be of the Church of Rome, which teach and hold, that a man must come to speake to god by prayer through the intercession of saintes: for say they, the presence of god is so glorious, that we may not be so bolde, as of our selues to speake unto him; but needs must hauehave the intercession of others.

Lastly, God will provide for all his Church and children all things needfull both for their bodies and soules: so our Sauiour Christ bids his disciples take no thought what they should eate, or what they shold drinke, or wherewith they should be clothed, adding this reason, For your heavenly Father knovveth all your vvants. And if we take thought, it must be moderate, and not distrustfull: it is a part of the fathers dutie to provide for his family and children, and not the children for the father. Now shall an earthly father hauehave this care for his children: and shall not our heauenly father much more provide for those that feare and louelove him? Nay marke further, in Gods Church there be many hypocrites which receiue infinite benefites from God, by reason of his elect children with whome they liue: and we shall see this to be true, that the wicked man hath ever fared better for the godly mans cause. Sodome and Gommorrha receiued many benefites by reason of righteous Lot: and when the Lord was purposed to destroy Sodome, he was faine to pull Lot forth of the citie: for the text saith the angell of the Lorde,Gen. 19.22. coulde not doe any thing till he vvas come out of it. So also in Pauls daungerous voyage towardes Rome, all the men in it fared better for Pauls company: for the Lord told Paul by an angel, that there should be no losse of any mans life, for the Lord had given to him all that sailed with him. Act. 27.24.And undoubtedly if it were not for some few that feare God, hee would poure downe his vengeance upon many nations and kingdomes, there is such excesse of wickednesse in all sortes. Againe, if the Lord doe thus carefully provide for his children all kind of benefites; what a wonderfull wickednesse is this, for men to get their liuing by ungodly meanes: as vsurie, carding, dicing, and such like exercises. If a man were perswaded that God were his father, and would provide sufficiently both for his body and soule; so that using lawfull meanes he should euer hauehave enough: out of all doubt hee woulde neuer after the fashion of the world use unlawfull and profane meanes to get a liuing. But this prooveth, that howsoeuer such men say, God is their father, yet indeede they deny him.

And thus much of this title, father, the first thing whereby the first person is described. Now followeth the second point, namely his attribute of omnipotencie in this worde almightie. And whereas the father is saide to be almightie, it is not so to be vnderstood as though the Sonne were not almightie, or the holy Ghost not almightie: for eueryevery propertie and attribute (saue the personall properties) is cō mon to all the three persons. For as God the Father doth impart his Godhead vntounto the Sonne, and to the holy Ghost; so also he doeth communicate the proprieties thereof to them.

God is omnipotent two waies: I. Because he is able to doe whatsoeuer he will. II. Because he is able to doe more then he will doe. For the first, that God is able to doe whatsoeuer he will, Dauid saith: Our God is in heauen, and he doth whatsoeuer he will: for there is nothing that can hinder God; but as he willeth, so eueryevery thing is done. Secondly, that God can doe more then hee willeth to be done, it is plaine where Iohn Baptist saith:Matth. 3.9. God is able of these stones to raise vp children vntounto Abraham: though God can doe this thing, yet he will not doe it. So likewise when Christ was betraied, the Father could hauehave giuen him more then 12. legions of Angels to hauehave deliuered him out of their hands, but yet he would not: and the like may be said of many other things. The father is & was able to hauehave created another world, yea a thousand worlds; but he would not, nor will not. And likewise Christ beeing vponupon the crosse, was able at their bidding to hauehave come downe, and saued himselfe from death; but he would not: and therefore this is true, the Lord can doe any thing that he willeth to be done actually, yea and more then he will. But some will say; God can not doe some things which man can doe,Ti…. 1.2. 2. Tim. 2.13. as God can not lie, nor denie himselfe▪ and therefore he is not omnipotent. Answ. Although some hauehave thought God could doe these things; and that he did them not, because he would not: yet we must knowe and beleeue that God can neither lie, nor denie himselfe: indeede man can doe both, but these and many other such things, if he could doe them, he could not be God. God indeede can doe all things which shewe foorth his glorie and maiestie: but such things as are against his nature, he can not doe, as for example: God can not sinne, and therefore can not lie: and because he can not doe those things, therefore he is omnipotent: for these and such like, are workes of impotencie: which if God could doe, he were but an impotent God. Secondly, he can not doe that which implies contradiction: as when a thing is, to make it at the same time to be, and not to be: as when the sunne doth shine, to make it at the same instant to shine and not to shine. And therefore false is the doctrine of the Church, which in their transubstantiation make the body of Christ, (whose essētiall propertie is to be only in one place at once) to be circumscribed, and not to be circumscribed; to be in one place, and not to be in one place.

And thus much for the meaning. Now follow the dueties wherunto we are mooued by this doctrine, of Gods omnipotencie.Dueties.

First, whereas God the Father is said to be Almightie, we are taught true humiliation: Humble your selues vnderunder the mightie hand of God, 1. Pet. 5.7.saith Peter: where he giueth an exhortation to humilitie, & alledgeth the cause, because God is almightie. To make this more plaine: EueryEvery one of vsus was borne in sinne, and by nature we are most wretched in our selues: nowe what an one is God? Surely he is able to doe whatsoeuer he will, yea and more then he will, and is able to destroy such as rebell against him eueryevery moment. Therefore our duetie is, to cast downe our selues for our sinnes in his presence. This true humiliation was that, which our Sauiour Christ would hauehave brought the young man in the Gospell vntounto, when he bad him goe sell all that he had, and giuegive to the poore. Therfore whosoeuer thou art, take heede thou must: for if thou runne on in thy wickednes, and still rebell against God, it is a thousand to one at length he will destroy thee. For he is an almightie God, and able to doe whatsoeuer he will: his hand is mightie, it boots not a man to striue with him: for he was neuer yet ouermastered, and for this cause we must needes cast downe our selues vnderunder his hand. It is a fearefull thing (saith the holy Ghost) to fall into the hands of the liuing God:Heb. 10.31. therefore if we would escape his heauie & terrible displeasure, the best way for vsus is, to abase our selues, and be ashamed to follow our sinnes. Christ biddeth vsus not to feare him that is able to kill the bodie, and can goe no further: but we must feare him that is able to cast both bodie and soule into hell fire. Mat. 10.28.Example of this we hauehave in David, who when he was persecuted by his owne sonne Absalon, he said vntounto the Lord, If he thus say, 2. Sam. 15▪26.J hauehave no delite in thee, behold here I am, let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes. But some will say, I will liue a little longer in my sinnes, in lying▪ pride, Sabbath-breaking, in swearing, dicing, gaming, and wantonnes: for God is mercifull, and in my olde age I will repent. Answ. Well, soothe not thy selfe: but marke, vsually when God holds back his hand for a season, he doth, as it were, fetch a more mightie blow, for the greater confusion of a rebellious sinner; therefore humble, submit▪ and cast downe thy selfe before God, and doe not striue against him: his hand is mightie, and will ouerthrow thee. Though thou hadst all learning, wisdome, might, riches, &c. yet (as Christ said to the young man) one thing is wanting, that thou shouldest be humbled; & vntill thou be hūbled, nothing is to be looked for, but Gods iudgement for sinne.

Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Text (1 of 13)

p. 1AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREEDE.

AN EXPOSITION OF THE CREEDE.