Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Creed — Sir Richard Baker

Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Creed · Sir Richard Baker

And is there not in this a Myſtery? May we not ſay, that Chriſt would not riſe, but with the riſing of the Sunne, becauſe the Sunne could not riſe, but with the riſing of Chriſt. For, as when Chriſt left his life, the Sunne left his light, and was covered with darkeneſſe: ſo now, that Chriſt riſeth from the Dead; the Sunne riſeth from the darke, and makes the day ſpring from on high againe with his light. Was it ever heard before, that two Suns did riſe, both together? And why was it ſo now, but to ſhew, that he is the true light, that lighteth every one that commeth into the world: and that in his light, we ſhall ſee light. O bleſſed Sunne of Righteouſneſſe, as thou didſt then riſe and appeare to thy Apoſtles, with beames of comfort, to remove from them all darknes of ſorrow; ſo vouchſafe now to riſe in my heart, with beames of grace, to diſpell from mee all clouds of errour; that I may not take thee for a Cardiner, as Mary Magdalen did; but that calling me by my name; I may anſwer thee with Rabboni, as Mary Magdalen did; who though ſhee came too late, to annoint thee with her Spices, dead: yet ſhe came time enough, to be the firſt meſſenger of thy riſing from the dead; and to have the honour to bee Apoſtola Apoſtolis, the Apoſtle to thy Apoſtles; who, but for her inceſſant diligence, might have languiſhed longer in the ignorance of thy riſing.

But is it true indeed, that Chriſt did riſe from the dead, and that it is not a tricke put upon us? Seeing he appeared not to all the people, but onelyonly to ſome few men, and are a few men ſufficient witneſſes, to make ſo incredible a thing to be credited? But though he appeared not to all the people, yet he appeared to all the Apoſtles, that their holineſſe might well ſupply their number; and to all the Apoſtles at diverſe times, that the frequencie might well cleare them from miſtaking: and if incredulity, notwithſtanding all this, will ſtill bee excepting againſt their witneſſe; have we not then, more then five hundred brethren at once, that ſaw him being riſen from the dead; that if we beleeve it not now, having ſo many witneſſes, and ſuch witneſſes to confirme it; neither would wee beleeve it though an Angel ſhould come and tell it us, from Heaven; and indeede, an Angell did come from heaven, and tell it to Mary Magdalen; He is riſen, he is not here.

But why would not Chriſt being riſen from the dead; ſuffer himſelfe to be ſeene of the Jewes: was he affraid, they would Crucifie him againe, as they had done before? but there needed bee no ſuch feare, ſeeing his body was now impaſſible, and not ſubject any more to ſuch indignities. But indeede to what ende ſhould the Jewes have ſeene him? For, it would but have moved them to more blaſphemy; they would but have ſaid, as they had ſaid before, that he was a Magcian, and had a devill; and though they had beeue allowed the favour of Saint Thomas, to put their hands into his ſides: yet they would never have beleeved him to bee the ſame man, whom they had put to death; but rather ſome Devil that appeared in his likeneſſe: And were theſe fit men to have the favour to ſee Chriſt? The penitent Mary Magdalen could not be allowed to touch him: and ſhould ſuch reprobate Jewes be allowed to doe it? even to the Diſciples themſelves, he appeared but at times, and in ſhort fits; rather to confirme their beliefe of his reſurrection; then to keep them company with his converſation. So as there was cauſe enough why he was not ſeene of the Jewes; but why, after he was riſen, he ſtayed forty daies upon the earth, before he Aſcended; and in thoſe forty daies, appeared nine times, and but nine times to his Diſciples. This indeed is a Myſtery; whereof, without divine Revelation, wee ſhall never come to underſtand the reaſon.

But though Chriſts body might riſe from the dead, yet how could it come forth of the Sepulchre; ſeeing a great ſtone was rowled againſt it, to keep him in? Was it, that the Angel came from heaven, of purpole to let him out? In this indeed, the Doctors of the Church are much divided; ſome of them holding that the Angel came directly for that purpoſe; as amongſt others of the Authors, Pope Leo, (I thinke) the ſecond: and of the later amongſt us, Maſter Perkins. Some againe holding, that the Angel rowled away the ſtone indeed, but not to any ſuch purpoſe, as amongſt others; of the Ancients, Saint Hierome; and of the latter, Biſhop Andrewes, who in his ſeventeenth Printed Sermon, ſaith thus: The Angel indeed rowled away the ſtone, but Chriſt was riſen firſt: and the ſtone rowled away after. But ſeeing Mary Magdalen asked not this queſtion, why ſhould we? Was it not more, that Chriſts body ſhould riſe at all; then that riſing, it ſhould make its way through any obſtacle? And why more, to come out of the Sepulchre, while the ſtone lay there: then to come in, amongſt his Apoſtles, when the doores were ſhut? For indeed, who knowes, or is able to define: what the abilities and priviledges of a glorified body are?

But how are we ſure, that it was the true body of Chriſt that appeared; and not rather a phantaſme or ghoſt; ſeeing a phantaſme ſeems alſo to be a body: as the Samuel, which the Witch of Endor raiſed up to Saul? Indeed for this, we are beholding to Saint Thomas; for, his doubting, hath made this out of doubt: For, putting his hand into his ſide, without which he would not beleeve, hee found it to bee fleſh and bone, of which, a phantaſme or ghoſt hath none; and therefore, though it may deceive the ſeeing: yet it cannot deceive the touching.

And here, beſides the litterall ſenſe, there may not unfitly bee drawne a good Morall obſervation: that as Chriſt did not riſe from the dead; till he had firſt deſcended into Hell; ſo the beſt meanes, to riſe from the death of ſinne, is to deſcend into the Hell and torment of Conſcience, by penitent contrition; and indeed, he that truely feeles the compunction of ſoule for his ſinne; may juſtly be ſaid, to be in hell for the time, ſeeing no hell can miniſter greater torment, but yet with this difference: that where in the torment of Hell, there is utter deſpaire; in this torment of Compunction, there is aſſured hope. O gracious God, ſo frame mee to deſcend into this Hell of Compunction, by penitent contrition; that I may never come to feele the torments of that Hell; where there is nothing but weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.

But by what power was it, that Chriſt roſe from the dead? For there is great difference betweene riſing, and being rayſed: to riſe, is properly by ones owne power: to be raiſed, is properly by the power of another; and they cannot bee both true: and why then are they both ſaid? For as it is ſaid here, that he roſe; ſo in another place, it is ſaid, that he was raiſed. Is it not that his riſing was as his dying; voluntary and yet impoſed; he dyed, becauſe he would dye: and he dyed, becauſe his Father decreed him to dye; and in this, there is no inconguitie; ſeeing all, Opera ad extra; all exteriour workes; and all are exteriour works that are not perſonall: as they be common to all the perſons in the Deitie, ſo they may be affirmed of the whole Deity.

After the Article of beliefe, He aſcended into Heaven.that Chriſt roſe from the dead: our next Beliefe is, that he aſcended into Heaven; and indeed it followes well: For, as when he came downe from heaven, he never left deſcending, till hee deſcended into hell; ſo now that he is riſen, he never leaves riſing, till he aſcend up to Heaven. And ſo my ſoule, ſhouldſt thou doe, not thinke it enough to riſe up from ſinne, and there ſtay; but never leave riſing, till thou aſcend up to Heaven as Chriſt did.

But what? Aſcend as ſoone as he was riſen? What time was there then, for Thomas to put his hand into his ſide? What time for Peter to take charge of his Sheepe? Hee therefore aſcended not preſently after his up-riſing; but ſtayed forty dayes upon earth before he aſcended; in which time, hee appeared nine times to his Apoſtles and Diſciples. But what needed he to have ſtayed fortie dayes, if hee appeared but nine times? Or why appeared hee but nine times, if hee ſtayed fortie dayes? Indeed, to give the reaſon of the number of his times of appearing; and why at other times hee concealed himſelfe: is perhaps a ſecret beyond our capacitie: OnelyOnly in generall, wee may conceive, that hee appeared ſometimes, to make his Diſciples aſſured of his Reſurrection; and he forbore appearing ſometimes, to weane them from their carnall deſire of his preſence. He appeared ſometimes, to inſtruct them in many things which they knew not before; and he forbore appearing ſometimes, to prepare their mindes for his aſcending.

But howſoever, by theſe his appearings, hee manifeſted foure faculties of a glorified body; that it can vaniſh away at pleaſure; that it can eate or faſt at pleaſure; that it can alter ſhape at pleaſure; that it can enter, where the doores are ſhut: For all theſe Chriſt did after his riſing, by vertue of his glorified body: But that his Body, though glorified, was at any time in more places then one at once, is no where to be found in the holy Scriptures, and can never bee proved by the Word of God.

But to what Heaven was it that Chriſt aſcended? Not as ſome fooliſhly interpret thoſe words of David; In Sole poſuit tabernaculum ſuum, as though hee placed his Tabernacle in the Sunne, and went no higher: For, if this were ſo, how could he come to ſit at the right hand of his Father, whoſe throne is in the higheſt heavens.

This aſcending of Chriſt into heaven, makes juſtly a high Feſtivall among us, which wee call Aſcenſion day; but ſhould we not rather call it Aſcenſion yeare, or ſome longer time then a yeare; at leaſt, if wee meane it as long as the time hee ſpent in aſcending. For if it were leſſe then yeares, it may be written for a Wonder: ſeeing Alpharabius, a great Aſtrologer amongſt the Arabians, affirmes for certaine, the Starry-Heaven to be ſo high above the Earth, that a man with reaſonable journeyes, could hardly goe it in eight thouſand yeares: and other Aſtronomers affirme, the diſtance from the Earth to the nethermoſt Heaven, to bee no leſſe then foureſcore Millions of miles: And another expreſſeth the diſtance thus, that if a Mill-ſtone were falling downe from Heaven, it would be neere a hundred yeares in falling, before it came to the Earth. And if wee wonder at theſe things (as indeed they are moſt wonderfull) wee may conſider what juſt cauſe there is, to have this Attribute given to God, to be the Maker of heaven and earth. But though the diſtance of place be ſo great, and the motion of a naturall body bee ſo ſlow; yet what is this to a glorified body, that makes no reckoning of diſtance of place; but inſtar fulguris, like Lightning, is able to move from any part of the world to another in an inſtant; that if we meaſure the length of the Feſtivall, by the length of the time which Chriſt ſpent in Aſcending; we need not call it Aſcenſion day, but Aſcenſion minute: ſeeing his glorified body was able in a minute, to paſſe from the Earth to the higheſt Heavens. And though, when hee began his Aſcent from Mount Olivet, hee ſet out at firſt ſo ſlowly, that if he went no faſter, he was not like to get to Heaven in many yeares: yet that was done, but ad paſcendos Diſcipulorum oculos; as it were to feed his Diſciples eyes: to the end, they might the better obſerve his Aſcending, and be the more ſenſible of it; and perhaps, to ſhew how unwilling hee was to leave them. For afterward, no doubt, hee mended his pace, and made uſe of the agility of his glorified Body; and perhaps, was arrived in Heaven, while the Angel ſtood blaming the Apoſtles, for gazing up after him.

But if he had been Aſcended into Heaven ſooner, why did he not ſend the Holy Ghoſt downe upon his Apoſtles; till after fifty daies, that he began his Aſcending: that ſo hee might have kept his promiſe: And loe, I am with you alwayes to the ende of the world: meaning, either by himſelfe, or by the Holy Ghoſt: where now there were fifty dayes; in which, they neither had Chriſt, nor the Holy Ghoſt amongſt them? O my ſoule, what preſumption is this: to inquire into Myſteries that are hidden from us, and will be ſtill, till wee come our ſelves to heaven, from whence the Holy Ghoſt was ſent.

But what ground have wee for it, that Chriſt indeed aſcended into Heaven? Seeing Saint Mathew and Saint John, who were likely to have ſeene it, ſpeake nothing at all of it; onelyonly Saint Marke and Saint Luke, who ſaw it not, and had it but at the ſecond hand; record it to us; and is it reaſon, to beleeve them that ſpeake but by heare-ſay; when eye witneſſes, if any ſuch thing were, are ſilent; eſpecially, in a matter of ſo great conſequence as his Aſcenſion is? It is true indeed, Saint Mathew, for what cauſe I know not, breaks off his Goſpel before Chriſts Aſcending; but Saint John, though hee ſpeake not of it, in the place, where the other doe; yet hee had delivered it, at leaſt, intimated it, before in his Goſpel, where hee mentions Chriſt to ſay, What, and if yee ſhall ſee the Sonne of man aſcend up, where he was before? And Saint Paul a Witneſſe without exception, affirmes plainely, That more then five hundred brethren at once ſaw him Aſcending; and himſelfe alſo, though he ſaw him not Aſcend, yet he ſaw him being Aſcended: that nothing can have a more ſure ground of Beleeving: nothing bee more certaine, then Chriſts Aſcending into Heaven.

And of his Aſcention, wee may eaſily conceive, two ſpeciall effects: One, which we are ſure off; the other, which wee hope: the firſt, his owne glory; that having received indignities on earth, hee might receive the reward of them in Heaven: the other, our comfort; that where he is, we may be alſo. O bleſſed Saviour, I know not whether more to grieve, for thy Deſcending into Hell; or more to joy, for thy Aſcending up to Heaven: yet I muſt confeſſe, there is advantage on the joyes part: For, though one of them was to thee moſt prejudiciall: yet both of them are to mee moſt beneficiall.

There are many that aſcend: (for we are all of a climbing nature) but not into Heaven: They aſcend but with Symon Magus, up into the Ayre; the popular ayre of Ambition, and glory of the World: and alas, they preſently fall downe againe, becauſe the thin Ayre is not able to beare them up; and the end of theſe men is worſe then the beginning. There is no Aſcending good, but into Heaven: For, once come thither, there will be no falling down againe; For though Lucifer did ſo once; yet it is never like, to bee done ſo any more.

It was never heard, that any Aſcended up to Heaven till now, but onelyonly Elias the Prophet: a type perhaps of Chriſts Aſcending, who aſcended up in a fiery Chariot; and wee may marvell, how hee could ever get to Heaven, and not bee burnt by the way; but indeed, the fire of his Chariot, was perhaps, the ardour and burning love of Seraphins: which like the fire that appeared in the Buſh to Moſes, though it burnes, it never conſumes. And thou my ſoule, if with this ardour and burning love of God, thou couldſt enflame thy heart; thou alſo might'ſt Aſcend up to Heaven in a fiery Chariot, as Elias did.

But though Elias went up into Heaven; yet it cannot properly be ſaid; that he Aſcended into heaven: For he was taken up in a Fiery Chariot, and to bee taken up, is by the power of another; to Aſcend, is by his owne power; and this, Elias did not, nor ever any, but onelyonly Chriſt.

But though Chriſt aſcended into Heaven; yet he aſcended not as the ſoules of the Saints doe: He fitteth at the right hand of God.to lye under the Altar, when they come there: but he Aſcended, to ſit at the right hand of God the Father Almighty: For, who indeed, is fit to ſit at the right hand of the Father, but his onelyonly Sonne? And now, by his Aſcending, a great alteration is made, in the order of taking place in Heaven. For where before, the Cherubins, or Seraphins; or what other Order, is the higheſt, in the Hierarchy of Angels, tooke their places next to God. Now the humane Nature of Chriſt, takes place before them all: that if Lucifer were now in Heaven, he might have juſter cauſe, to murmur at Gods partiality, as he would call it, then ever he bad, when he firſt revolted.

But we muſt not here bee ledde with the weake conceit of fleſh, or with the vaine conceit of errour; as though God were a body, and had a right hand and a left hand, like to us; who is purus Spiritus, a pure and ſimple Spirit; but as we make account, that to fit at our right hand, is to have the higheſt place, next our ſelves, ſo when Chriſt is ſaid to ſit at the Right hand of his Father; it is meant, that all power is given him both in Heaven and Earth; at leaſt, a power far ſupreme then any creature; a ſoveraigne power over all creatures. And this, my ſoule, makes well for thee, and for us all; for we may bee ſure, hee ſits not there for his owne glory onelyonly, but as well alſo for the good of his Church; that by ſitting there, he may bee the readier to make continuall Interceſſion for us: for alas if it were not by this benefit, how were it poſſible, his little Flocke ſhould have been able to withſtand ſo many Aſſaults, as have moſt violently beene made upon it in all Ages.

O Bleſſed Jeſus; thou well deſervedſt to ſit at the right hand of the Father, who didſt offer up thy ſelfe, a perfect ſacrifice of obedience to thy Father; Thou well deſerveſt to have the higheſt place in Heaven, who didſt humble, thy ſelfe to the loweſt place in Hell: Thou art worthy to have all knees bow to thee both in Heaven and Earth; who didſt drinke the bitter Cup of thy Fathers wrath; to reconcile all things unto him, both in Earth and Heaven. And though in the time of thy Pilgrimage upon Earth, thou wert faine to flee out of Judea into Egypt; and faine to ſtand as a Priſoner at the Barre of Pilate, and faine to hang nailed on the accurſed Tree; and faine after all, to lie buried in a Grave: (all Poſtures of miſery) yet now at laſt, thou art come to a Poſture of reſt; For thou ſitteſt: and to a ſeat of glory; For thou ſitteſt at the right hand of thy Father: and there ſhalt ſit in reſt and glory, till the time come, that thou come to give juſt ſentence upon them, who gave unjuſt ſentence upon thee, and to bee avenged of all thine enemies. For as we beleeve that Chriſt ſitteth at the right hand of his Father; So we beleeve hee ſhall come from thence, to judge both the quicke and the dead.

But how can wee beleeve that Chriſt ſhall come to judge the quicke and the dead, From thence he ſhall come to judge, &c.when he profeſſeth himſelfe that hee Judgeth no man. It is true indeed, he judged no man while he was here upon earth, to be judged himſelfe: but now that all power is given him both in heaven and earth; wee beleeve, it is a part of that power; that he ſhall come to jduge both the quicke and the dead.

But when will the time of his comming bee? O my ſoule, thou maiſt well reſt ſatisfied, with that anſwer of Chriſt to his Apoſtles; It is not for you to know the times and ſeaſons, which God hath lockt up in his owne breaſt. Yet ſee the vaine inquiſitiveneſſe of mans nature, that would know that, which is hidden from the Angels; and more then this, from the Sonne of man himſelfe; although it may ſeem ſtrange, that he ſhould not know the day of Judgement: who is himſelfe, to be the Judge? and yet not ſtrange, ſeeing to appoint the day of judgement, belongs to him that appoints the Judge; and is perhaps one of the things, which makes God ſay; Secretum meum mihi, My ſecret to my ſelfe: but moſt of all, my ſoule, it may be enough for thee, that thou art ſure to heare newes of thy own judgement ſoone enough; even as ſoone as thou leaveſt this ſinnefull body: and as for the generall Judgment, thou needeſt not trouble thy ſelfe, when, or how long, it ſhall be a comming: ſeeing, though it may perhaps encreaſe thy particular judgement, yet it ſhall not alter it.

And as wee are uncertaine of the time; ſo wee are no leſſe uncertaine of the place: For though we beleeve from whence he ſhall come; yet wee have no beliefe, whither he ſhall come. It hath bene a received opinion by ſome, that he ſhall come into the Valley of Jehoſophat, and keepe his Seſſions there: but alas, what is the Valley of Jehoſophat, to receive the innumerable number of perſons, that muſt make their appearance there; ſcarſe the whole earth, would be roome enough to make a Seſſions-houſe for ſuch a company: unleſſe perhaps, by the like miracle, as is ſaid to have beene uſuall in the Jewiſh Synagogue; that when the people kneeled downe, there was roome enough in the Temple to hold them all; but when they ſtood up, they were fain, many of them to goe out of the Temple, for want of roome; when yet kneeling downe muſt needs take up more roome, then ſtanding up.

But though we know not, either at what time, or to what place hee ſhall come; yet we beleeve to what purpoſe hee ſhall come; For; hee ſhall come to judge the quicke and the dead: The quick, thoſe whom hee ſhall finde alive at his comming; and the dead, thoſe who dyed before his comming: Or the quicke, thoſe that are alive in grace: and the dead, them that are dead in ſin. But not to judge the dead, while they are dead; for ſo, they ſhould not bee able to anſwer for themſelves; which cannot ſtand with the juſtice of ſo righteous a Judge; but at his comming, at the ſound of a Trumpet; The Sea and the Earth ſhall give up their dead, and they ſhall all ariſe, and ſtand at his Tribunall, to receive their ſentence, of pardon or condemnation, according to their works. And oh! how terrible will that day be? For if the day were terrible in which the Law was given; ſo terrible, that Mount Sinai was all of a ſmoake; how terrible will that day bee, in which the tranſgreſſors of the Law, ſhall all be brought to receiue their Triall? If the day were terrible which was a day of grace; how terrible will the day be, which ſhall be a day of puniſhment? O my ſoule, let the remembrance of this Article be never out of thy minde; and if at any time thou find in thy ſelfe, either ſuggeſtions of Satan, or motions to ſinne; then thinke upon this Article; and when thou thinkeſt upon it, beleeve it; and be moſt aſſured, that there ſhall moſt certainly bee a day of judgement; in which all thoughts of the heart, though never brought forth in words, ſhall bee diſcovered; all actions of life, though never ſo ſecretly done, ſhall all be laid open; and judgement ſhall be given upon them all, without favour, or partialitie. And let us not flatter our ſelves in ſecurity, becauſe he who is now our Advocate, ſhall be then our Judge; but rather conſider, that though hee be now a Lambe, he will then be found to be a Lyon; Demonſtravit potentiam, qui demonſtravit patientiam; and let us prepare our ſelves againſt that day in feare and trembling; and let us ſend up ſtrong cries to him; that as the good Thiefe, obtained to be remembred of him, when he came into his kingdome: ſo wee may obtaine of him, to be remembred in mercy, when he comes to judgement.

Before wee leave this Article; there is one obſervation which may not be omitted; that this Article is of a different making from all the reſt: all the other might bee made by Apoſtles; but this ſeemes rather to bee made by a Prophet: For our beliefe in it is Propheticall, and tells what Chriſt will doe in time to come. Indeed, none of the Articles concerning Chriſt; are in the Future tenſe but onelyonly this; as none of them is in the Preſent tenſe, but onelyonly the next before, He fitteth at the right hand of his Father: all the other Articles are in the Preter perfect tenſe, and ſpeake of the time paſt: even from his conception, to his aſcending into Heaven, in the Preterperfect tenſe, all: but once aſcended into Heaven, where all time is Preſent; no more Preterperfect tenſe then, no more mention of time paſt, and therefore our Article turnes Preſent too, He ſitteth at the right hand of his Father; and there ſhould ſit and enjoy his Preſent tenſe, and time for ever, if it were not for us: but as once before, for our ſakes hee left Heaven and came downe to redeeme us: ſo once againe, for our ſakes hee will leave Heaven, and come downe to judge us. For without judging, he could not come to rewarding. No comming to Venite benedicti Patris, Come yee bleſſed of my Father; untill hee have judged firſt: and without comming to this Venite, all that went before, would come to nothing. And therefore all the benefit of theſe Preterperfect tenſes, conſiſts in this Future; all the harveſt I may ſay, of the other Articles, is reaped in this laſt; that Chriſt ſhall come to judge the quick and the dead; O therefore my ſoule, be carefull to lead thy life ſo in this preſent world, that thou maiſt not bee afraid of his comming to judgement; becauſe of Ite maledicti in ignem aeternum, Goe yee curſed into everlaſting fire; but maiſt rather rejoyce at his comming, becauſe of Venite benedicti Patris, Come yee bleſſed of my Father: For, as that Ite, will pay them home for all the pleaſures of a wicked life; So this Venite, will make amends for all the preſſures of a wretched life: and indeed without the benefit of this Venite, all the delights and pleaſures, the world can afford; will prove but as Naboths Vineyard to Ahab, Coroſives in the end.

And now having beleeved in the firſt and ſecond Perſon of the Trinity, I beleeve in the Holy Ghoſt.the Father and the Son: if wee ſhould not beleeve in the third Perſon, the Holy Ghoſt; wee ſhould doe him great wrong, and our ſelves more: ſeeing it hath been through him, and by his aſſiſtance, that we have beleeved in thē. For, as it is true, that the Holy Ghoſt proceeds from the Father and the Son: ſo it is true, that beleeving in the Father & the Son, proceeds from the Holy Ghoſt. For beleeving being a work of Faith; and Faith a worke of Sanctification, and Sanctification a worke of onelyonly the Holy Ghoſt; how ſhould wee come to beleeving, but by the Holy Ghoſt? And it is indeed for this, that he hath his Name to be called the Holy Ghoſt, or Spirit. Not but that the Father and the Sonne, are both Holy and Spirits, as well as he; but becauſe it is properly Hee, that inſpires our mindes with all good thoughts, and holy deſires. And now, my ſoule, while I beleeve in the Father, as the author of my Creation; and in the Sonne, as the author of my Redemption; and in the Holy Ghoſt, as the author of my Regeneration; that all the Perſons in the Deity, may have their ſeverall operations in me, and beſtow their ſeverall gifts upon me; will there not be cauſe of my thankefulneſſe to every one of them; and of returning to every one of them, all praiſe and glory, who are all of them but one.

But why is there ſo much ſpoken of Chriſt, and ſo little of the Holy Ghoſt; being a Perſon in the Trinity, as well as hee? Is it not, that there is more ſpoken of the Sonne then of the Holy Ghoſt, in regard of the Sonnes being Incarnate, and taking our nature upon him: For, this indeed, brings in many points to bee beleeved; whereof, conſidered onelyonly as the ſecond perſon in the Trinity, there ſhould be no need. So as the two Natures in Chriſt muſt needs give cauſe to have more ſpoken of him, then of the holy Ghoſt, that hath but one nature.

The Doctrine concerning the Holy Ghoſt, hath in all Ages beene moſt obſcure; ſo much, that in ſome Churches it was ſome time before it was beleeved at all; or ſo much as knowne, whether there were a Holy Ghoſt, or no: even in theſe preſent times, the Greeke Church, a Church of great extent, differs thus from us; that where we beleeve the Holy Ghoſt, to proceede from the Father and the Son; that Church beleeves the Holy Ghoſt to proceed from the Father by the Sonne; a nice difference in ſo Incomprehenſible a Myſtery, that there ſeemes no juſt cauſe to lay ſuch Anathemaes, as ſome doe: upon that Church for ſo beleeving.

If wee ſhould beleeve in the Father, and in the Sonne, and not beleeve in the Holy Ghoſt, this beliefe would never be ſanctified, ſeeing the Holy Ghoſt onelyonly is the Sanctifier; and ſanctifies none, that beleeve not in him: and the beliefe not being ſanctified, would never bee acceptable to the Father himſelfe, notwithſtanding our beliefe in him. And this perhaps, was the cauſe, why the Offering of Cain was not accepted: becauſe, though a Sacrifice, yet it wanted a devotion ſanctified by the Holy Ghoſt.

There is a ſinne which is properly called, The ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, and for them that commit this ſinne, we are forbidden to pray: a grievous ſinne, no doubt; which ſtops the current of Charity, whoſe nature is wont to overflow al banks: but what the ſinne is, and by what marks it may certainly be known; though a Queſtion much agitated, is not yet ſo fully explicated, but that it leaves ſcruples: but whatſoever it is, or may be; we may be ſure, that the Not-beleeving in the Holy Ghoſt, is one principall ingredient in it; Or rather, where a true beleeving in the Holy Ghoſt is, this ſinne properly can never bee committed. And therefore in making profeſſion of our Faith, there is none of all the Articles in the whole Creed, that ſeemes more neceſſary to be ſaid then this: For by ſaying this Article, we make it appeare there can bee no danger in praying for us; as not being likely to commit the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, who beleeve in the Holy Ghoſt.

But why is it, that ſinnes committed againſt the Father, or the Sonne, ſhall bee forgiven: but a ſinne committed againſt the Holy Ghoſt, ſhall never bee forgiven; neither in this world, nor in the world to come? Is it not, that if a ſinne bee committed againſt the Father, or the Sonne; the Holy Ghoſt being the Sanctifier, can ſanctifie that ſinne, and make it pardonable; but if a ſinne bee committed againſt the Holy Ghoſt, there is none to ſanctifie it; and not being ſanctified, it juſtly exceeds all bounds of Remiſſion. O therefore thou bleſſed God the Holy Ghoſt: Vouchſafe to endue me with a Spirit of ſanctification, that what other ſinnes ſoever I may happily unhappily commit; yet I may never be ſo unhappy to commit this dreadfull ſinne, of ſinning againſt thee.

When we read the order of the Perſons in the Trinitie; the Father placed firſt; the Sonne, ſecond; the Holy Ghoſt laſt: wee muſt not conceive it, as though there were any Priority betweene them in time; who are all Go-eternall: or any diſparity betweene them in dignitie, who are all Conſubſtantiall; but that it is an expreſſing of Order onelyonly to our capacities; ſeeing although they be Three Perſons, yet they are all but One God: All but One in Subſtance, though Three in Subſiſtence. The Incomprehenſibleneſſe of which Myſterie, though it exceed our capacities; yet not our Beliefe; Or therefore the fitter for beliefe, becauſe it exceeds our capacities.

And now having profeſſed our Beliefe, in God the Father, God the Sonne, and God the Holy Ghoſt; wee may juſtly conclude, and ſay, O Holy, Bleſſed, and glorious Trinity; Three Perſons, and One God, have mercy upon us miſerable ſinners.

And thus is finiſhed the firſt part of our Creed, In whom it is we Beleeve: the other part remaines, containing What it is we Beleeve: For to know In whom to beleeve, and not know what to beleeve, were to ſtand at a gaze, and bee to ſeeke, when wee come to our leſſon. Indeede, the things wee beleeve, have dependance upon the Perſons in whom we beleeve; and ſuch dependance, as without beleeving in thoſe, wee cannot truely beleeve theſe. If wee did not beleeve in the Holy Ghoſt, we could not beleeve the Holy Catholike Church, nor the Communion of Saints; for theſe are benefits, that come by the Holy Ghoſt; And if we did not beleeve in the Son of God, Chriſt Jeſus, we could not beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, nor the Reſurrection of the body, for theſe are benefits that accrue unto us, by the Sonne of God Chriſt Jeſus: And if we did not beleeve in God the Father, we could not beleeve the life Everlaſting; ſeeing by him onelyonly it is, that we live, and have our preſent being, and ſhall have our eternall being.

And the firſt Article of this kinde is this: I beleeve the holy Catholike Church.I beleeve the Holy Catholike Church. I beleeve it in deed, but not in it, as I doe in God: For this is a Priviledge due onelyonly to him; and beſides, if I ſhould beleeve in it, I ſhould beleeve partly in my ſelfe, as being a Member of it: but I beleeve, there is a Holy Catholike Church. Holy, as in which are the Elect of God, and Catholike, as in which are of all Nations under heaven: and this is not the Church of the Jewes, for that Church, though at ſome time, it were Holy, yet it was never Catholike, as being bounded within Canaan: but now as the Holy Ghoſt hath made the Church Holy, by ſanctifying it; ſo Chriſt hath made it Catholike, by enlarging it: for at his comming, at leaſt, at his going away, he broke downe the Partition wall, by his laſt Warrant to the Apoſtles: Goe teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoſt.

But though Chriſt ſet his Church at large, yet not long after his time, a Sect of Hereticks would needs reſtraine it againe: For Donatus and his followers, would perſwade the world, that as before the true Church was onelyonly in Canaan: ſo now, the true Church was onelyonly in Africa: but by beleeving the Holy Catholike Church: I now diſclaime both theſe Churches, the Church of the Jewes, as not being Catholike, and the Church of the Donatiſts, as being neither Catholike nor Holy.

But what uſe is there of this Article? May not a Chriſtian man doe well enough, and yet leave this Article out of his Creed? Indeed, there is not onelyonly great uſe of it, but even neceſſitie. For ſeeing there is no ſalvation out of the Catholike Church; what aſſurance could I have of my ſalvation, if I did not beleeve, that there is a Catholike Church? How can I beleeve my ſelfe to be a member of that Body, which I doe not beleeve to bee? For this Holy Catholike Church, is the number of all thoſe, whō God hath Predeſtinated and Elected: and though the Catholike Church may have in it errours, and perhaps Hereſies: yet the Holy Catholike Church can have none in it, but Orthodoxe and true beleevers. For it is as the Arke of Noah, to ſave all that beleeve the comming of the Flood: but unbeleevers are all excluded from entring into it; It is as the Corporation of the Citizens of the New Hieruſalem, in which, whoſe names are not Enrolled: (and none are Enrolled, that beleeve not,) they can bee no partakers of the Heavenly Priviledges; of which, Salvation is the chiefeſt. If there were not a Holy Cathotholike Church; then Chriſt ſhould be a Shepherd without a Flocke; then God the Father, ſhould bee a King without a People; then the Holy Ghoſt ſhould bee a guide, and have none to lead: but the Two firſt of theſe, are aſſured us by Chriſt, where he ſaith, Feare not little Flock, For it is your Fathers pleaſure to give you a kingdome: and the laſt, where hee ſaith, Hee will ſend the Holy Spirit to lead them into all truth. Therefore there is an Holy Catholike Church; which, he that beleeves not is not of it; and not being of it, can have no hope of ſalvation by it.

To be Holy and Catholike, are indeed the proper Caracters of a Chriſtian Church; the firſt repreſentation whereof, was then, when at Pentecoſt, there met at Hieruſalem, of all Nations under heaven: Parthyans, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Meſopotamia and Judea, in Cappadocia, Pontus, and Aſia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Aegypt, and in the parts of Lybia; and ſirangers of Rome, Jewes and Proſelites, Creetes and Arabians: For here was no bounding within Canaan, no bounding within Africa, but the Church was made apparent by plurality of Nations, to bee Catholike, and by viſible graces to be Holy.

This Church therefore, I beleeve to be holy, yet not holy in perfection, but tending to perfection; and juſtly called holy, for its Inchoation; and I beleeve it to bee Catholike, but Catholike in doctrine, not in diſcipline; and therefore the rule of it as concerning doctrine is this, Quod ab omnibus, Quod ubique, Quod ſemper: For if it be not ab Omnibus, It is not Catholike in Perſons: if not Vbique, not Catholike in place; if not Semper, not Catholike in time; and all theſe muſt concurre, to make the Church be Catholik in Doctrin: In Diſcipline, not ſo; for there, neither ab omnibus, nor ubique, nor ſemper is required: but it may be various, and diverſe, according to the diverſity of Time and Place; and yet in doctrine bee the Catholike Church: For Diſcipline is but onelyonly Eccleſiaſticall, where Doctrine is divine.

This Article bindes my beliefe to no particular Church, as it is a particular, but as it is a Member of the Catholike: For take it by it ſelfe, without conſidering it, as a Member of the Catholike Church: and it is not ſo properly a Church, as a Conventicle; which though I cannot deny, but it may be Holy, at leaſt in a Morall holineſſe: yet I can deny, that I am bound to beleeve it to be holy, becauſe I am bound to beleeve no true holineſſe to bee out of the Catholike Church.

This Catholike Church is a Schoole of inſtruction, to teach us as much as we are bound to know, and a Rule of direction, to informe us as much as wee are bound to beleeve: if it were but onelyonly what Saint Thomas ſaith: this might make us doubt of Chriſts reſurrection: or if it were but onelyonly, what Saint Peter ſaith, this might make us incline, to comply with the Jewes: but when it is that, which all the Apoſtles with one conſent ſay, this is the voice of the Catholike Church, and can never make us to goe aſtray. And therfore to this Church, I ſubmit all my faculties, both my underſtanding to her decrees; and my will to her counſels; and make account, that if I know any thing, and not of her inſtruction, it will prove but falſehood; if doe any thing, and not by her direction, it will prove but folly: For, this that Spouſe of Chriſt, of which it is ſaid, Thou art all faire, and there is no ſpot in thee. Oh then, let not me beginne to make any ſpot in the face of thy Spouſe, O Lord, but ſo purge me with Hyſope, that though I be not pure, yet I may bee cleane; at leaſt not ſo foule, to defile others; nor deſerve with Miriam to be put out of the campe of thy Militant Church, but may come to thy Triumphant. As therefore this Article is the firſt of all we have to beleeve, ſo let it have the honor that is due to the firſt, and have the higheſt place in our beliefe; For indeed, all the Articles that follow, are but as flowres that grow in the garden of this Catholike Church: The Communion of Saints, as the flowre of Charitie. The forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, as the flowre of Faith: The reſurrection of the body, as the flowre of Hope; and the life everlaſting, as the flowre of reward: if I may not rather ſay, as the whole noſegay of all the other flowres together; ſeeing in this, they have all their ſmels united into one fragrant odour; Charity raiſed to perfection, Faith turned into love, and Hope into enjoying.

But what ſhould be the cauſe, why amongſt theſe Articles that are to be beleeved, there is no mention at all made of the Scriptures? For, ſeeing we are commanded to ſearch the Scriptures; No doubt, it is required wee ſhould beleeve the Scriptures; and if we ſhould beleeve them, why are they left out in the Article of our beliefe? Is it not that theſe were Articles of Beliefe for a Chriſtian man, before any Goſpell of Chriſt was written? and how then could they have any place in the Creed; when they had not as yet any being in the world? For the life and doctrine of Chriſt, was publiſhed by word, before it was recorded by writing; and the Apoſtles preached it, before the Evangeliſts writ it: and this Creede being a Breviate and ſumme of that which was preached; who can tell but it may bee more antient then that which is written? at leaſt being the ſubſtance of them both: what more is it to beleeve the Scripture, then the Creed? And then what neede is there to have them named, when they are expreſt? And as for the words of Chriſt, Scrutamini Scripturas, Search the Scriptures: or, yee ſearch the Scriptures; if we extend them no further, then Chriſt ſpake them, we may be farre enough off from beleeving the Goſpel. For Chriſt ſpake then but of the Olde Teſtament, and not of the New, which at that time was none. For the firſt Goſpell that was written of Chriſt, was that of Saint Matthew, which was not writtē, til eight years after Chriſts death; the other, much later; eſpecially that of Saint John, which was not written till thirty yeares after, and therefore the Creede, no doubt, was delivered, if not in forme, as now it is; at leaſt in ſubſtance, as now it is; long before any Goſpell was written.

And may it not bee further ſaid, that this Creed ſeemes to have been penned, when Religion was firſt tranſlated from Judaiſme to Chriſtianitie: and therefore that there are no other Articles in it, then ſuch as are in oppoſition to the doctrine of the Jewes; by introducing in their place, the Chriſtian beliefe: For by the Article of beleeving in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt, we utterly renounce the doctrine of the Jewes, who acknowledge no Trinity of Perſons in the Deity. By beleeving the Incarnation of the Sonne of God, Chriſt Jeſus, and his paſſion under Pontius Pilate, we renounce the doctrine of the Jewes, who teach, that the true Meſſias is not yet come. By beleeving the Holy Catholike Church, wee renounce the opinion of the Jewes, who thought that the Church of God was bounded onelyonly within Canaan, and that no Church could be holy, but that of Iſrael. By beleeving the Communion of Saints, we renounce the doctrine of the Jewes, by which, a Jew indeed would take no uſury for money of a Jew; but to any of another Nation, they would uſe oppreſſion, to the very grinding of their faces. By beleeving the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, we renounce the Phariſees Juſtification by workes; and ſticke onelyonly to the Publicanes Juſtification by Faith, O God be mercifull to me a ſinner. By beleeving the Reſurrection of the Body, we renounce the errour of the Sadduces, whom Chriſt confuted by this argument, Have ye not read that which was ſpoken to you by God, ſaying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaak, and the God of Jakob: God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. By beleeving the life everlaſting, we renounce the opinion of the Jewes, who depended onelyonly upon temporall benefits, and the bleſſings of this life; and as for the life to come, were as careleſſe of it, as ignorant. And now, ſeeing all the Articles of this Creed, are in oppoſition to the doctrin of the Jewes; what marveile, that in it there is no Article for beleeving the Scriptures; whē, as concerning the Scriptures that were then, there was no oppoſition beweene the Chriſtians and them.

It may with more reaſon bee demanded, why in theſe Articles of beliefe; there is no mention made of the Sacraments: ſeeing Baptiſm and the Lords Supper were ordained by Chriſt himſelf, and are things ſo neceſſary to be beleeved? But is it not, that of Baptiſme Chriſt ſaid; Goe teach all Nations, Baptizing them in the name of the Father, of the Sonne and of the holy Ghoſt: and of the Euchariſt he ſaid, Doe this in remembrance of me; and ſo both theſe are things of Action, which wee muſt not onelyonly beleeve, but doe; and therefore fitter placed, Inter agenda, amongſt the records of things to be done; then Inter credenda, amongſt the Articles of things to be beleeved.

The Catholike Church is no ſooner founded, The Communion of Saints.but the Communion of Saints followes preſently upon it; as was ſeene at the Pentecoſt, after Ch…iſts Aſcending, when the Holy Ghoſt deſcended upon the Apoſtles in cloven Tongues; for then were preſent of all Nations under Heaven, who it ſeemes, made the repreſentative body of the Catholike Church: and then being all of one accord, and having all things in common and diſtributing to every one as they had need, they acted the Article we here beleeve.

If there were not a Communion of S^ts, the wicked ſhould be more charitable then the godly: for among the wicked there are leagues and confederacies, and they hold together for the common good; and oftentimes their lives are engaged for one another: and if the wicked doe this, the godly certainely, will doe it much more; and this makes me to beleeve aſſuredly, The Communion of Saints.

But are there Saints then on earth? Are not all men living, ſinners? and can ſinners be Saints? Indeed, not Saints by Canonization of men, but by the Canonization of the Holy Spirit: Not Saints in perfection, but in Inchoation; called Saints, as Saint Paul ſaith; becauſe called to be Saints, as having their Names written in the Booke of God in Heaven.

But we muſt here take heed of the Anabaptiſts Communion of Saints: For by their Communion, no man ſhould have any thing in private; but all ſhould be in common; and ſo, none ſhould be richer or poorer then another: which would make Chriſts Praediction directly falſe; where hee ſaith, The poore yee ſhall have alwaies with you: and would make all theſe exhortations voide: Let your light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven. Charge them which are rich in this world, that they be ready to give, and glad to deſtribute. Give Alme, of thy goods, and never turne thy face from any poore man. But indeed, this Communion is in part expreſt by Saint Paul, where he ſaith, Doe good to all men, but eſpecially to thoſe of the houſhold of Faith. For the being of one houſhold, implies plainely a common proviſion for al the houſe, but implies withall, a diſparity of eſtates.

Indeede, the firſt flowre that growes in the Garden of the Catholike Church, is the Communion of Saints; which as it begins in the Militant, ſo it continues in the Triumphant Church: Continues there when the other flowres are withered and gone: For when Faith and Hope ſhall be no more, yet Charity ſhall continue; and not onelyonly continue, but be then moſt flouriſhing: and if we did not beleeve the Communion of Saints, wee could not truely ſay, Our Father in the Lords Prayer: for in ſaying Our Father, wee profeſſe this Communion.

But for the better underſtanding of this Article; It may bee conceived, that there are Saints on Earth, and Saints in Heaven; and this Article containes the Communion of them both; both of the Saints on earth between themſelves, and of the Saints in Earth and Heaven with one another. What though they bee farre diſtant and aſunder? Are not the feet ſo from the head: are not the hands ſo from the heart? Yet if there were not a relation and correſpondencie betweene them: neither the feet would bee able to move, nor the hands to ſtirre, and perhaps not the head in many things to doe his Office.

And this Communion conſiſts, either in Aſſiſtance, or in Love; but in Aſſiſtance, for a time; in Love, for ever. For as the Saints in Heaven aſſiſt us, by praying, that wee may ſo leade our lives in this life, that we may come to bee admitted into their Societie in the next: So we aſſiſt the Saints in Heaven, by praying, that the ſuite which they make, lying under the Altar, may be heard and accompliſhed. They pray for us, that we may be partakers of the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes; and wee pray for them, that they may be partakers of the Reſurrection of the body. But as this Communion of Aſſiſtance is but for a time; ſo the Communion of Love will be for ever: For we ſhall love one another, and bee loved of one another, as Members of one Body, as Inhabitants of one Citie, and as Fellow-labourers in the worke of exalting Gods glory; a work, which becauſe it ſhall never end, there ſhall therefore, never be end of this Communion.

If the Communion bee of the Saints on earth betweene themſelves, this is viſible charity; as it is ſaid, If yee love not your brother, whom yee ſee; how can yee love God, whom yee doe not ſee. And it conſiſts in ſupplying what wants ſoever we ſee in a brother, as farre as wee are able; and in doing to others, as we would be done unto our ſelves. If the Communion bee of the Saints in Heaven between themſelves, this is Intellectuall Charitie; and it conſiſts in a reciprocall love they beare one to another, in regard of the love they beare all to God. If the Communion be of the Saints in Heaven, towards the Saints on Earth; this is condoling charity, and it conſiſts in a griefe they take at any ſinnes, we commit; leaſt wee ſhould not be found blameleſſe, at the great day of the Lords appearing. If the Communion be of the Saints on Earth, towards them in Heaven; this is a congratulating charity, and it conſiſts in a pious rejoycing, at the happineſſe wee conceive they enjoy, in the fruition of God, and of his bleſſed Angels.

This Communion of Saints, is a Gazophylacium, or Treaſurie, where there is receiving indeed, but not without contributing: we muſt do our parts to it, or never looke for any part in it; and it is to be doubted, there are many Hereticks amongſt us, concerning this Article, that either underſtand it not; or at leaſt, beleeve it not: For if they did truely beleeve the Communion of Saints, were it poſſible, they ſhould paſſe by the man lying wounded in the way, and not doe as much as the Samaritan did; take care of his curing? It is, no doubt, good to obſerve the Rule, that Charitie begins at home: but it is good alſo to underſtand the Rule; and to know what is meant by home; for the Home of Charitie, is included in the Communion of Saints; and extends as farre, as the releeving of a needy brother. But alas, becauſe Charity ſeekes not her owne, therefore ſhe her ſelfe is not much ſought after; and while Charity is neglected: this Article ſtands in our Creed, but as a Cypher; and as well we may forbeare to fay we Beleeve it; as forbeare to ſhew by our actions that we Beleeve it: Or rather, better indeed to leave it out of our Profeſſion, then not to take it into our Practiſe. And this Communion is therefore neceſſary to be beleeved, becauſe it is the flowre of Charitie, and muſt be ſet in our hearts betimes: that it may take the deeper root, as that which ſhall continue, when the flowres of Faith and Hope ſhall be faded and gone.

And now having ſpoken of the two Articles, The forgiveneſſe of ſinnes.that properly relate to the Holy Ghoſt. It followes to ſpeake of the two next Articles, which properly relate to the Sonne of God, Chriſt Jeſus; whereof this is the firſt, I beleeve the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes. And indeed, after the Communion of Saints; this Article followes very fitly, ſeeing there is ſeldome any mention made of Forgiving of ſinnes; but that there is mention made of Charity alſo; as in the Prayer taught us by Chriſt, we ſay not, Forgive us our treſpaſſes, but ſay withall, as we forgive them that treſpas againſt us: For, Love covers the multitude of ſinnes; and the ſinnes being covered, they are the more eaſily forgiven afterward.

But whether the connexion of this Article to the former, bee for this reaſon, or no; there are certainly of this Article many great reaſons: For, if there were not Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, the whole world ſhould bee damned. For, all the World being guilty of ſins, and the Wages of ſinne being death: if that wages be not forgiven, how ſhall any man be ſaved? But ſeeing there are which are Elect, and ordained to ſalvation; this makes me aſſuredly to beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes.

If we ſhould not beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes; Why have wee Beleeved, that Chriſt was Crucified? For, why was hee Crucified but to pay the penalty of our ſins? And the penalty being paid, how can the ſinnes but bee forgiven? To what end was all the ſuffering of Chriſt, but to ſatisfie his Fathers juſtice; That laying the ſeverity of his juſtice upon him, hee might conferre the benefit of his mercy upon us; and how is his mercy conferr'd, but by Forgiving of ſins? If we ſhould not Beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes; how could wee beleeve that God were merciful? ſeeing the chiefeſt act of Mercy, conſiſts in Forgiving? And to deny God to be mercifull; what were it, but to deny him the moſt glorious, and the moſt eminent of all his Attributes? ſeeing his mercy is above all his workes. Alas, if we did not beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes; in what miſerable affliction ſhould our mindes be? For knowing firſt, that we cannot but commit ſinnes dayly; and then knowing, how grievouſly our ſinnes provoke the wrath of God againſt us: and laſtly knowing, how fearefull a thing it is, to fall into the hands of the living God; in what a miſerable condition ſhould we be, if we did not beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes? If I ſhould not beleeve the Forgivenes of ſinnes; what hope could I have they ſhould ever be forgiven? ſeeing all the meanes I have in my ſelfe, to procure their forgiving, is onelyonly my beliefe, that they ſhall be Forgiven.

O how comfortable an Article is this; which makes it be truly ſaid of Chriſt: In odore vnguentorum tuorum curremus poſt te; In the ſavour of thy ſweet Ointments wee will run after thee. For with this Oyntment hee healeth all our ſores, he makes us whole in all our diſeaſes; he makes us ſtrong in all our Infirmities. O my ſoule, if at any time, thou either by infirmity, fall; or by allurements, be entiſed to commit ſinne; then have recourſe to this Article: I beleeve the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and thou ſhalt certainly find in it, both reſt and refreſhing to thy fainting ſpirits.

And of what ſins is it then, that I beleeve the forgiveneſſe? Indeede of all ſinnes, how great or many ſoever they bee; for ſeeing there are no limits of Gods mercy, neither is there any bound of his forgiving. And therefore, though m… ſinnes be more then the haires of my head, though a burden farre greater then I can beare; yet I beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of them all.

But if I beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of all ſinnes, doe I not then beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of a ſinne which ſhall never be forgiven? For is there not a ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt, which ſhall never bee forgiven either in this world, or in the world to come: and ſo my Beleeving will prove a falſe Beliefe, and deceive mee in the end. It is true indeed, that ſuch a Sinne there is; but is it not that the chiefeſt Ingredient of that ſinne, is the not-beleeving the Forgivenes of ſinnes? And therefore hee that truely beleeves this Article, is never likely to commit that ſinne; ſeeing the beleeving being from the Holy Ghoſt, the ſinne againſt the Holy Ghoſt can never be committed.

But is this the uttermoſt of our beliefe, to Beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes? Is there no place for beleeving the Merit of Workes? If there be, why hath it not here a place in our Creed? Indeede, in the Phariſees Creed, it might perhaps have a place: but in the Penitent Publicanes Creed, ſuch as wee profeſſe our ſelves to be, what place can it have? ſeeing all his beliefe is terminated in this, O God be mercifull to me a ſinner. Indeed, as Solon, amongſt all his Lawes, made no Law againſt Parricides; not, that hee did not thinke them worthy of Puniſhment; but becauſe he thought, there would never bee any ſo unnaturall, and therefore thought it not needfull to make a Law againſt a Non futurum, againſt a fault that was never like to be committed: So in our Creede, there is no Article, of the Merit of good works: Not that good works may not Merit; but becauſe ſuch Meritorious works are never like to be done by any; and therefore not fit to make an Article of a Non futurum, of a thing, though poſſible, yet not likely: or rather, ſo farre from being likely, as not being poſſible. And indeed, which of the Apoſtles can we thinke, ſhould have been the Author of ſuch an Article? Saint John, we may be ſure would not; For he ſaith plainely; If we ſay wee have no ſinne, there is no truth in us; and where there is ſinne, there can be no Merit. Saint Peter, we may be ſure, would not: for, though there was a time, when hee thought hee could doe wonders of good works, and even dye with Chriſt; yet when it cam to the point, he was glad to bewaile his infirmitie with teares: and to ſay to Chriſt, when time was, Depart from me, for I am a ſinfull man. And Saint Paul, wee may well thinke, would not; For hee profeſſeth directly, To glory and rejoyce in nothing, but in the Croſſe of Chriſt crucified: And for what ſerves the Croſſe of Chriſt, but for the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes? And by the judgement of theſe Apoſtles, wee may judge of the reſt; and therefore no defect of our Creed in this, but the uttermoſt bounds of our Beliefe in this point; beyond which there is no Plus ultra, goes no farther then this, to Beleeve the Remiſſion and forgiveneſſe of ſins. We may indeed labour, & we muſt labour to do good works, the beſt we can; but all the Merit of it, is but this, and it is a great Merit too; that we cannot rightly beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of our ſinnes; if wee doe not labour, not to ſinne, and doe our endeavour, to doe good works. O my ſoule, all we have to truſt too, all we have to hold by, is the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes: For, theſe are they that make God angry with us: and theſe forgiven, will reconcile him. Theſe are the cauſes why he turnes away his bleſſed face from us: and theſe, forgiven, will make his couutenance to ſhine upon us: all Merit muſt be aſcribed to him onelyonly, in whom they are forgiven: between whoſe Merit, and his Fathers mercy; I know not how to diſtinguiſh; and therefore take them both but as one motive, to make me Beleeve the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes: All of us, have onelyonly ſinne, Chriſt onelyonly hath Merit, his Father onelyonly hath Forgiveneſſe; For with him there is mercy, and plentious redemption.

But may not a ſinne be forgiven; and yet the Penalty be ſtill in arere? Was not the ſinne of David with Bathſheba forgiven, and yet puniſhed afterward by the death of the child, that was begotten of her? It is true indeed, the life of the Child was taken away indeed, but this was not properly a puniſhment for the ſinne, but a caſtigation of the ſinner, to make him the better to reſent his ſin, and to bee the more wary afterward of committing the like. Beſides, it may be thought rather a favour, then a puniſhment to David; for in taking away the life of the Childe, there was that taken from him, which upon his repentance, would have beene a perpetuall eye-ſore to him, if it had lived; according to that of S^t. Paul, What fruit have yee of thoſe things, whereof yee are now aſhamed? Withall, it was not perhaps without Myſtery; to ſhew, that the pleaſures of ſinne never beare but blaſted fruits, which fall off the tree, before they come to ripeneſſe.

But at what time is it, we beleeve that ſinnes may bee forgiven? Indeed at all times, as long as ſinnes may be committed; which is all the time, that wee are living in this world: but if once we be dead, as there will be then no more committing of ſinne; ſo neither will there be any more forgiving of ſinne: but where the tree falleth, there it will lye.

But is there not a ſinne, of which it is ſaid, It ſhall never bee forgiven, either in this world, or in the world to come? And why is this ſaid, but becauſe a ſinne may bee forgiven, in the world to come, though it be not forgiven in this world; and this perhaps, is a cauſe, why ſome have conceived, that in the world to come, even the Divels themſelves ſhall bee forgiven. But is it not that the Not-forgiving of ſins in the world to come, is therefore mentioned; becauſe in the world to come, ſhall be pronounced the ſentence of Not-forgiving: and ſo it is but as to ſay, it ſhall never be forgiven in this world, upon private conviction; nor in the world to come, upon publicke condemnation. For otherwiſe, it is moſt evident, if abſolutely a ſinne bee not forgiven in this world, neither ſhall it ever bee forgiven in the world to come.

It is no ſmall impediment to the beliefe of this Article, that there are few, who thinke they ſinne at all; but are of the Phariſees mind, and their Conſciences are as cleare as Chryſtall: and of thoſe againe, that thinke they ſinne, there are few that know the greatneſſe of their ſinne; but they judge of their ſin, as of the Moone: this little becauſe farre from their ſight; that little, becauſe farre from their thought. And of thoſe againe, that know the greatneſſe of their ſinne, there are few that ſay with David, I acknowledge my iniquity, and my ſinne is ever before me. For ſinne being an unpleaſing ſight, they love not to look upon it, more then needs they muſt, & while they looke not upon the diſcaſe, they looke not after the remedy; and ſo between the little knowing of ſinne, and the little acknowledging of ſinne: the beliefe of this Article is in no little danger to be very little; only Faith ſtands in the breach: and ſupplies all defects, and it is the worke of Faith; and indeed of a great Faith, that can truly ſay, I beleeve the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes.

There have been Hereticks of old, who held this opinion; that no fins ſhould be forgiven, that were committed after Baptiſme; and they grounded their opinion upon the ſaying of Saint Paul; If wee ſinne wilfully after we have received knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more Sacrifice for ſinnes; and grounding themſelves upon this Text, they would neither Baptiſe others, nor be Baptized themſelves, till in their old age; making account that Age having repulſed in them inordinate deſires; they might ſafely then bee Baptized, without feare of committing any wilfull ſinnes afterward. But would any man beleeve, that men of common ſenſe, could ever fall into ſo groſſe an errour; eſpecially, having heard it ſaid, At what time ſoever a ſinner repenteth him of his ſinnes, I will put all his wickedneſſe out of my remembrance, ſaith the Lord. That we may ſee, it is not time that prejudiceth Gods forgiveneſſe; whether before Baptiſme, or after; whether ſooner, or latter: but come at any time, and bring Repentance, and God at no time will be wanting to Forgiveneſſe. For as it is mercy in God, which is the motive to us, to Beleeve the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes; ſo it is Repentance in us, that is the motive to God, to Forgive us our ſinnes.

But why is the Forgivenes of ſins, put here inter Credenda, amongſt things to be Beleeved; and not rather, inter Agenda, amongſt things to be done: ſeeing to Remiſſion of ſinnes, there belongs Repentance, a thing to bee done; and without Repentance, no forgiveneſſe. Is it not that forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, is an effect of Faith; and therefore juſtly placed amongſt things to be Beleeved; and though Repentance be neceſſary to come in the Recre, yet Faith muſt lead the Vant-gaurd, and have the Preceedence: For if Faith goe not before, Repentance will not follow; indeed, cannot follow, ſeeing without Faith, It is impoſsible to pleaſe God.

And now my ſoule; obſerve the great extent of this Article, it keeps mee from ſinning againſt the Holy Ghoſt, whilſt I beleeve the forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, by his inſpiring; it appeaſeth the wrath of God the Father, whilſt I beleeve the forgiveneſſe, in onelyonly his mercy: It glorifies his Sonne Chriſt Jeſus, whilſt I beleeve Gods mercy, through onelyonly his Merits; that ſeeing this Article is reguardant to all the Perſons in the Trinity, I may hope that by beleeving it, all the Perſons in the Trinity, will be reguardant upon me; and ſpecially, the Sonne. For indeed, this Article, and the next that followes, are two flowres I may ſay, that grow upon the very Grave of Chriſt. For as there is no Forgivenes of ſinnes, but onelyonly by the vertue of his death: ſo there is no Reſurrection of the body, but onelyonly by the operation of his Riſing from the Dead.

And thus farre wee are brought by this flower of Faith: I beleeve the Forgivenes of ſinnes: The next is the flower of Hope, The Reſurrection of the Body.by which wee Beleeve the Reſurrection of the Body; and it followes indeed, very fitly; for ſeeing the body dyed not at firſt, but by reaſon of ſinne; what ſhould hinder, if ſinne bee forgiven, but that the bodie ſhould riſe againe, and returne to life? This indeed, is a flower ſomething hard of growing; but … growne, ſends forth a moſt … ſavour: and as, of all the Articles in the Creed, there is none more hard to be beleeved; ſo once beleeved, there is none that miniſters greater comfort. For, what need I care, though my body bee laid in the grave, and bee turned to duſt; ſo long as I am ſure, and undoubtedly beleeve, that hereafter it ſhall riſe againe, and bee in the ſame, but a better ſtate then now it is: In the ſame for ſubſtance, but in a better for quallities and endowments.

If there were no Reſurrection of the body; then neither the godly ſhould have Reward in their Bodies, nor the wicked, Puniſhed; but ſeeing both the godly ſhall bee Rewarded in their Bodies, and the wicked, Puniſhed; therefore there ſhall bee a Reſurrection of the Body.

This Article, no doubt is hard to be beleeved; For, who would beleeve, there ſhould be Regreſſus a corruptione ad generationem, a privatione ad habitum: a going backe from Corruption to Generation; from Privation to Habit; a thing impoſſible in Nature, and improbable in Reaſon; yet this impoſſibility in Nature, this improbality in Reaſon muſt be beleeved; before wee can beleeve the Reſurrection of the Body. Who would beleeve, that a Body conſumed to duſt, and that duſt ſcattered by the wind into a thouſand places, ſhould ever be brought together againe, to be the ſame body it was before? who would believe that a Body devoured, perhaps, by wild beaſts; perhaps, eaten by Fiſhes; and by digeſtion become a part of thoſe Beaſts or Fiſhes; ſhould ever returne to be the Body of a man againe; as it had beene before? Indeed, none would beleeve it, that looked only upon the power of Nature, as were ledde only with the light of Reaſon; but when we looke upon a Power that is ſtronger then Nature, and are led by a Light that is brighter then Reaſon: what ſhould hinder, why we ſhould not beleeve it? Shall we not beleeve the Reſurrection of the body, becauſe we know not by what wayes it ſhall bee rayſed? Is it not enough, that we know the power of Gods wayes; but that we muſt alſo know the waies of his Power? Doe we know, how the body at firſt is formed in the Mothers wombe; and would we looke to know, how it ſhall bee formed the ſecond time, in the wombe of the Earth? Have wee profeſſed by the firſt Article of our Creed, that God is Almighty; and will we not allow him to do the works of an Almighty? Doe we beleeve that nothing is impoſſible for God to doe, and yet thinke, there is this thing, which he cannot doe? Looke upon the Corne, when it is caſt into the earth; and after a few daies, you ſhall ſee it to bee nothing but as a kind of corruption; and yet of that corruption, doth God make the ſame Corne to ſpring up againe; and to bee as flouriſhing, as it had beene before: and if God doe this in the Corne, ſhall hee not as well doe it in our bodies?

But, it is not perhaps, that wee doubt of his Power, but of his Will; ſeeing his Will is not alwaies to doe all hee can. And can we doubt of his Will; his Will ſo often revealed to us in his Word: ſo firmely aſſured to us by his Word; This is the Fathers Will, which hath ſent me; that of all which he hath given mee, I ſhould looſe nothing; but ſhould raiſe it up againe at the laſt day. And in another place, This is the Will of him that ſent mee; that every one that ſeeth the Sonne, and beleeveth on him, may have everlaſting life; and I will raiſe him up at the laſt day.

And now if we be ſatisfied of his Will; ſhall we fall back againe into a relapſe of doubting his Power? But alas, is it any hard matter, for God to make the ſame body again, which hee had made once before? Or is it harder for him, to make a Body the ſame it was before; then it was to make it at firſt, when it was not at all? Is it not eaſier for God, to make a Body out of ſomething; then it was at firſt, to make it out of nothing? Is it any hard matter for God, to reduce all Bodies to their firſt Elements; and then to mixe and compound them againe, as he did at firſt? When our Bodies were firſt made, they were made but of duſt; and when they are dead, they ſhall but be turned into duſt; and cannot God take the ſame duſt, to make the ſame body againe, as well now, as hee did then? What though it bee ſcattered about in a thouſand places: is diſtance of place any thing to God, who is equally in all places at once? Is it hard for God to know, which is the proper duſt of every particular Body, and to give to every one their own duſt; whoſe knowledge extends to count the juſt number of the ſand, and to call all the ſtars of Heaven by their names? Is there any duſt upon the Earth, any mote in the Sun, which God hath not made? And if hee have made them all by his power, ſhall he not diſpoſe of them all at his pleaſure? If by onelyonly ſaying, Congregentur Aquae: God made the great Ocean, which we cannot look upon without wonder; Can he not as well, by onelyonly ſaying, Congregetur Pulvis, make the duſt of all Bodies come together again; that every Body may be the very ſame Bodie, it was before? Say a Body be devoured of Beaſts; be eaten of Fiſhes: ſo as by digeſtion, it become a part of their Bodies, ſay it ſuffer never ſo many alterations; yet all thoſe alterations ſhall be reſolved at laſt, into the ſame duſt it was at firſt: and cannot God of the ſame duſt, make the ſame Body againe; as well now as he did before? God of nothing made the duſt of the Earth; and of that duſt, the Body of man; and though the duſt which was made of nothing, ſhall returne againe to nothing; yet the Body of man, that was made of duſt, ſhall never returne to leſſe then duſt; and to ſo little, ſhould never have returned neither, if God for mans tranſgreſſion had not denounced againſt him, Pulvis es & in pulverem reverteris: If then Gods ſaying, Duſt thou art, and to duſt thou ſhalt returne; have been the cauſe of the Bodies returning to duſt: why ſhall not his ſaying, A Body thou art, and a Body thou ſhalt riſe againe; be as well a cauſe of the Reſurrection of the body?

And now, if we be ſatisfied of his power; ſhall wee fall back againe into a relapſe of doubting his Will? But why did God make the Body of man of duſt; where he made the bodies of Beaſts of nothing; but becauſe, the bodies of Beaſts, ſhall returne againe to nothing: where the Body of man ſhall never returne but into duſt, that out of that duſt; it may riſe againe, to be the ſame Body it was before? Why did God make the Body of man himſelfe; where he commanded the Earth to bring forth the Bodies of other Creatures; but becauſe he meant it a further preſervation, then hee meant other creatures; and what further preſervation, if the body did not riſe againe?

And if now againe we bee ſatiſfied of his Will; ſhall wee fall backe into another relapſe of doubting his power? Cannot God doe as much upon a ſudden, as Nature can doe with Time? Though Nature muſt have nine Moneths lying in the Mothers wombe, before it can make a mans Body perfit; yet God made Adam a perfect Body in an Inſtant; and could he tranſcend Nature then, and can he not now? Is he growne to bee as impotent as Nature: able to doe no more, then what naturally may be done? What though the world doubt it, and Sadducees deny it; ſhall we rather aſſent to them, then ſay with Job, Though wormes deſtroy this Body, yet I ſhall ſee God in my Fleſh: And if ſee God in his Fleſh, then muſt his Body riſe againe, that hee may have Eyes to ſee him.

And as theſe be ſome reaſons of many, to ſhew, that the Reſurrection of the body; may be. So there are other reaſons as ſtrong, to ſhew that it ſhall and muſt be. When Moſes met Chriſt on the Mount; how came hee by his Body againe, which had beene dead and buried many hundred yeares before? How came thoſe men by their bodies againe, who having beene dead and buried, aroſe at the time of Chriſts riſing; and appeared unto many in the Holy Citie? When Chriſt at the laſt day ſhall ſay, Venite Benedicti Patris, Come yee Bleſſed of my Father; hee ſhal not ſay it to the ſoule alone, nor to the body alone, but to the whole man; and if to the whole man, then muſt the body bee joyned to the ſoule againe, that it may be a whole man; but no ſuch conjunction, if no Reſurrection of the Body. Is not Chriſt our head, and we his members; and if hee Aſcended up to Heaven in body and ſoule, muſt not we that are his members doe the like? But no ſuch Aſcenſion, if no Reſurrection of the body. Hath not Chriſt promiſed, That wee ſhall ſit with him at his Table, and eate and drinke with him in his Fathers Kingdome? But no ſuch Eating and Drinking, if no Reſurrection of the Body.

When Chriſt in the Goſpel, meant to confute the Sadducees, denying the Reſurrection, hee uſed this Argument: Have ye not read, what God ſaid to Moſes in the Buſh: I am the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaak, and the God of Jakob: God is not the God of the dead, but of the living: and with this Argument he put them to ſilence. But how their Errour is confuted by this Argument: or how this Argument proves the Reſurrection of the Body, is not eaſie to bee perceived. It ſeemes, the Argument is not ſo much ad Rem, as ad Hominem; though it prove not directly the Reſurrection of the body, yet it proves it ſufficiently againſt the Sadduces, who therefore denyed the Reſurrection of the body, becauſe they beleeved not the immortality of the ſoule: and this Argument proving directly the immortality of the ſoule, proves ſufficiently againſt them, the Reſurrection of the body. Or is it, perhaps, meant thus; God is the God of Abraham; but Abraham is not the ſoule onelyonly, but the whole man: and therefore the Body of Abraham, though now dead, muſt of neceſſity bee raiſed to life againe; ſeeing, God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Indeed, all Morall reaſons, that can be brought to prove the Immortalitie of the ſoule, may ſerve as well, to prove the Reſurrection of the body: For if there bee reward for the godly in another life; certainely, that reward ſhall not bee to the ſoule onelyonly, but as well to the bodie; and if to the body, then muſt the body of neceſſity riſe againe, that it may be capable to receive the reward? But what capacitie, as long as it is lying in the duſt? And as this reaſon is of force, to prove the Reſurrection of the body, in the godly: ſo the puniſhment due to ſinne, makes it of no leſſe force, to prove it in the wicked.

All that hath been ſaid, and all that can be ſaid in this matter; are as ſo many links, that may be made into a chaine, and will neceſſarily draw us on, to this beliefe: For will you except againſt the body, that it is not worthy to bee raiſed from the dead? Or will yee except againſt God, that he is not able to raiſe it from the dead. Or will yee except againſt the cauſe, that it ought not to bee raiſed from the dead; and when all theſe Exceptions are proved unjuſt; what doubt can there bee, of its riſing from the dead? For firſt, is not the body worthy to riſe againe; which is, Vagina afflatus Divini, the receptacle and ſheath, as it were, of the Divine breath; and is not our Fleſh, as one cals it ſoror Chriſti, the ſiſter of Chriſt, that if, of it ſelf it be not; at leaſt, by this Conſanguinitie, it is moſt worthy. Is not God able to raiſe it againe out of duſt, who at firſt made it of duſt, and duſt of nothing? Is there not juſt cauſe, it ſhould be raiſed againe; indeed ſo juſt, that it is of neceſſitie, if God be juſt. For if the body be not raiſed again, how can it appeare in judgement? And if it appeare not in judgement, how can it receive the ſentence of Abſolution, or Condemnation; and if it receive not ſuch ſentence, how can it be Puniſhed, or Rewarded, and if it be not Puniſhed or Rewarded: how can God bee juſt, that neither puniſheth nor rewardeth, the good or evill it hath done in this life? And ſeeing God is moſt Juſt, even Juſtice it ſe fe. It followes of neceſſitie, that the Body ſhall be raiſed againe to life: which though it be here made an Article of our Beliefe, for the difficultie; yet it falls within the compaſſe of our knowledge, for the certainty.

To doubt of the Reſurrection of the Body, is to doubt, (as hath been ſaid) of either Gods Power, or of his Will: and to doubt of his Power, is to make him no God: and to doubt of his Will, is to make him not good; For how ſhould he be good, to deſtroy our Bodies, which are Temples of the Holy Ghoſt; if hee ſhould not raiſe them up againe, that they may bee Temples for his ſervice? O my ſoule, let this be thy joy for the reſurrection of thy Bodie; Not, that it ſhall riſe againe, to be ſinneful fleſh and bloud as now it is, but that it ſhall riſe to be a Temple for the Holy Ghoſt; fitted to bee taken into the Quire of Angels, to ſing the praiſes of God, and of his Chriſt for ever. And indeed, if I thought my Body ſhould riſe againe, to bee in the ſtate that now it is; though with enjoying as much happineſſe as the world can affoord: yet I would make it my humble ſuit to God, rather to let it lye in the duſt ſtill, then to raiſe it up to ſuch a life. For alas, O Lord, what do the pleaſures of the World, but diſtract mee from thee; and what is my hope, but to enjoy thy preſence? What is the World, but a barre to keepe thee from me: and what contentment can I have, while I am without thee? No my ſoule, thou ſhouldſt do moſt unkindly, to wiſh my Bodies riſing againe; if it were not to bee with God, and to ſerve him as a Temple of his glorie. For without this, no Reſurrection of the body ſhall be welcome to me; Alas, not ſo good as lying quickly in the duſt.

But if it were meant, that our Bodies indeed ſhould riſe againe, and be the ſame hereafter, as now they are; why would God ſuffer them to dye at all? and not rather continue them alive ſtill? For ſo hee might have ſaved himſelfe the trouble of new making them; and us the miſery, of ſo long miſſing them. But now, ſeeing the ſoule hath beene without its body, ſo many hundred yeares already, and is like to bee without it, God knowes, how many hundred yeares more; why may it not be contented, to be without it altogether, and never ſtand expecting this impoſſible Reſurrection? But, O my ſoule, how vaine are theſe thoughts? For what are we, that we ſhould enter into Gods ſecrets? as though wee could comprehend that which is Incomprehenſible; and ſearch out that, which is Unſearchable? As for Gods ſuffering the bodie to die, and not continuing it alive ſtill; who ſees not the reaſon, that knowes the ſentence, pronounced by God upon Adams tranſgreſſion? And as for the Soules wanting the Body ſo long, who can thinke it long, that conſiders Eternity?

If we did but know, or would but conſider, the admirable wonderfulneſſe of the frame of Mans body; we would much more wonder at the Formation of it, then at the Reſurrection of it: and David ſhewed himſelfe well ſeene in Anatomie, when he ſaid, I am wonderfully and fearefully made. Fearefully made indeed; For, hee that ſhould looke into the frame of Mans body, and ſee upon what wonderfull tickle points our life ſtands, might well be afraid; it were not poſſible, wee could live one minute. If then we ſee before our eyes, the great wonderfulneſſe of the formation of the body: why ſhould we doubt of the leſſe wonderfulneſſe, the Reſurrection of the body?

There is a place in one of Davids Pſalmes, where he ſaith, The Lord keepeth the bones of the juſt; one of them ſhall not bee conſumed; from which place, the Jewes conceive an opinion, that In Spina dorſi, in the ridge of a mans backe there is a little bone, which will never decay, how long ſoever it lye in the earth; and this little bone, to be as it were, Semen Reſurrecturi Corporis, the ſeed out of which the Body ſhall riſe againe: and as God made Eve of onelyonly a bone of Adam, yet of that bone, he made her bone of his bone, and fleſh of his fleſh: So of this little backe bone, God will raiſe the Body againe, to bee the ſame bones and fleſh it was before. But what need we looke after any ſuch bone; when the leaſt crumme of duſt, is Seed ſufficient for God, to raiſe it up the ſame body it was before. And indeed, we have ſurer ground for our beliefe, then Jewiſh Fables: For if wee Beleeve that Chriſt is riſen from the dead, we cannot doubt of our owne riſing; ſeeing hee therefore did riſe, that hee might be Primitiae reſurgentium, The firſt fruits of them that riſe; but the firſt Fruits he could not be, if others did not riſe as well as hee. And therefore having beleeved in an Article before, that Chriſt roſe from the dead; this Article of our own riſing, is but Ex Abundanti, more then needed; but that the difficulty of beleeving it, requires, as it were, a double Buttreſſe to ſtrengthen our Faith.

There are ſome perhaps, that look for Naturall reaſons to prove Demonſtratively, the Reſurrection of the body; but is not their expectation very unjuſt, to expect Naturall reaſons, to prove a thing that is not Naturall? If Naturall reaſons could be given of it, it ſhould be fitter for the Metaphyſicks, then a Creed; and as able to breed a Knowledge, as Beliefe: Our Reaſon onelyonly helps us thus farre, to make us know, there is ſomething left for Beliefe, which Reaſon cannot reach to, and of this nature is the Reſurrection of the body: our. Beliefe ſhall then be turned into knowledge, when we ſhall come to have experience of it; in the meane time, wee muſt content our ſelves with Beleeving it: And, O my Soule, doe thou beleeve it indeed; and be moſt aſſured, that though thy Body leave thee for a time, and bee laid in duſt, and bee turned to duſt: yet it will not bee long, ere it ſhall riſe, and bee joyned with thee againe, as now it is; but in a far happier condition then now it is: Not ſtubborne and reſtiffe then, but tractable and obſequious: not earthly and lumpiſh then, but Aery and light; and indeed, ſuch a body it ſhall be, as thou wouldſt wiſh it to be: Not ſubject to diſeaſes, Not weary with labours: Not itching with luſt: Not drowſie with ſleep: Not hungring after meat; and which is moſt of all, where now it takes upon it to be thy Maſter, It ſhall then be content to be thy ſervant; but ſuch a ſervant, as ſhall therefore ſerve thee, becauſe thou ſerveſt God: For it is ſowne a Naturall body, it ſhall bee raiſed up a ſpirituall Body: It is ſowne in corruption, it ſhall be rayſed in incorruption; the ſame body in ſubſtance that now it is, but endued with Spirituall and better qualities.

Many queſtions are here moved by the Schoolmen; as whether the bodies of Abortives, which were never borne, but dyed in their Mothers wombes, ſhall be partakers of the Reſurrection; ſeeing, though they never came to ſee the light, yet they had beene once alive and quicke? Then, whether bodies ſhall ariſe, of the ſame age and ſtature, at which they died: as Infants, at the ſtature and age of Infants: and others, at their ſeverall ſtatures and ages; Or elſe ſhall all riſe at a perfect age and ſtature; becauſe of the words of Saint Paul, in his Epiſtle to the Epheſians, Till we all come unto a perfect man, to the meaſure of the ſtature of the fulnes of Chriſt. Then, whether bodies ſhall ariſe, with the ſame deformities and defects, which they had living: as, Crooked, Lame, Blinde; or otherwiſe, mutilation of Members: ſeeing Chriſt aroſe, with the ſame wounds which he received, when his body was pierced with the Speare? And many ſuch queſtions moved more out of vaine curioſity, then tending to Edification: and which perhaps may probabably be argued, as having coulours on both ſides: but can never directly be defined, as having warrant on either ſide: Reaſon may make conjectures of it; but Faith will build no certainty on it. It may bee ſufficient for us to beleeve, that the bodies of all men, ſhall riſe at the laſt day, and ſtand at the Tribunall of Chriſt, who ſhall come from Heaven, to judge the Quick and the Dead.

And now having beleeved the two Articles, that properly relate to the Sonne of God, Chriſt Jeſus: [the Forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and the Reſurrection of the Bodie.] It followes fitly, to beleeve the Article, that properly relates to God the Father; [The life Everlaſting,] and it followes not onelyonly fitly, but very neceſſarily: For, if we ſhould not adde, the life Everlaſting, it might be thought, that our Reſurrection were but like theirs, who roſe at the time of Chriſts riſing: and appeared to many in the Holy City, who roſe indeede, but then died againe: at leaſt, who can tell what became of them, and ſo our Beliefe ſhould caſt Anchor in a very unſafe harbour: but now by adding the life Everlaſting, we make the Reſurrection of our Bodies, a perpetuity; and beleeve they ſhall riſe againe, never any more to dy. And indeed how can it be otherwiſe? ſeeing there never was but one ſentence of death denounced againſt man: and that ſentence once executed, by his dying once: there is no new ſentence of dying any more; and therefore the Body being beleeved, to be raiſed from the dead; the life Everlaſting will bee beleeved of courſe. Death indeede is a debt due to nature, and a debt that nature lookes to have payd; but yet nature is not ſo unjuſt, to looke that a debt ſhould be payd her more then once: and therefore the body having payd the debt once, by dying once: if it can get to riſe againe, and live; it will not be then in natures debt any more, and therefore cannot naturally dy any more, but ſhall live for ever.

But why is there no mention made in our Creed, of the Immortality of the ſoule? that of this poynt, there might be left no ſcruple; for as long as this is in ſufpence, wee ſhall neceſſarily fall into the errour of the Sadduces; and never beleeve the Reſurrection of the body. Is it not, that the Immortalitie of the ſoule, is therefore not made an Article of our Creed; becauſe it is not ſo properly credible, Per fidem, as demonſtrable per artem: there being ſo apparent reaſons for it, that even the Heathen themſelves have not denyed it; and one of their owne Poets could ſay: Parte tamen meliore mei, ſuper acta perennis Aſtra forar; meaning his ſoule. Beſides, what need is there of mentioning it, when it is ſufficiently intimated, or included rather, in theſe two laſt Articles. For if we beleeve the reſurrection of the body, we cannot doubt of the Immortality of the ſoule; ſeeing the body cannot riſe, without the ſoule: and if we beleeve the life Everlaſting, we cannot but beleeve the ſoule to bee Immortall; ſeeing without the ſoule, there can be no life at all.

And now wee are come to the laſt Article of our Creed, which may well bee the laſt; ſeeing it brings us to that which is Everlaſting. And here it may not be unfit, to examine a little the extent of this Everlaſting life: ſeeing it is not momentary, and fading, as our preſent life is; but continuing and laſting, without having any l…ſt: that if we ſay, it ſhall laſt a Thouſand years, if a million of thouſand years, if ſo many millions of thouſand yeares, as there are ſands in the ſea: although an infinite incomprehenſible extent of time; yet wee ſhall expreſſe but a very ſmall part, or rather indeed, no part at all of it; ſeeing, of thoſe, how many ſoever, yet they will have an end at laſt; Everlaſtingneſſe, never. It may beſt bee expreſt by number In abſtracto, of which, when never ſo many have bin preceding; yet never the fewer will bee left behind. O the wonderfulneſſe of everlaſtingneſſe! enough to amaze our apprehenſion: ſo wonderfull, that when wee have wondred as much as we can, wee may begin and wonder againe; and he that ſhall ſtand wondring all his life long: yet cannot be thought to have wondred enough. Iuſtly therefore is it made an Article of our Creede; ſeeing it exceeds our capacity, it paſſeth our underſtanding, it tranſcends our reaſon; onelyonly Faith is apprehenſive of it.

And where is it then, that this Everlaſting life ſhall bee led? Is it not, that of the firſt thouſand years, we may perhaps give ſome account: that it ſhall be led, where wee ſhall reigne with Chriſt; for ſo Saint John the Evangeliſt, in plaine termes delivers it: and Papias a Biſhop, and a Scholler of Saint Johns, who was likely to have learned the meaning of his words, affirmes more; that it ſhall be led heere upon earth, in all delights and pleaſures both of body and minde: and indeede, moſt of the ancient Fathers of that Primitive time, runne together by a line in this Expoſition; and yet by the later Fathers, is this Opinion cleane exploded: and the words of Saint John expounded in a farre differing ſenſe, and not without cauſe: for ſeeing it is truely ſaid, that fleſh and bloud ſhal not enter into the kingdom of heaven, there is no likelihood, that bodily or fleſhly pleaſures ſhall ever be allowed to have place in that kingdome.

Is it then, that there ſhall be a new heaven, and a new earth; and then this life Everlaſting ſhall be led? And it is indeed moſt likely, that as our bodies ſhall riſe, though in their old ſubſtance; yet endued with new qualities: So heaven and earth, where they are to abide, ſhall ſuffer the like alteration; that ſo there may bee a correſpondence between our bodies and them; which could not be, if the qualities of heaven and earth, were not aſwell altered, as of our bodies.

But when is it that this life Everlaſting ſhall beginne? Indeed as ſoone as this momentary life ſhall end; but yet, but in part: and therefore we beleeve the reſurrection of the body, firſt; and then the life everlaſting, after: becauſe, although the ſoule in its kind, be living ſtill; yet till the body riſe againe, there will be no perfect life; and it is not intended, that our life ſhould be everlaſting, in the imperfection of it, which is the ſeparation of the ſoule from the body; but that the body riſing againe, and joyning with the ſoule, it ſhall then bee everlaſting. And now my ſoule, conſider the difference of our future life, from this that is preſent; which ſhal be ſo much longer then this, as eternity, then a moment; and ſo much better then this, as happineſſe then miſery.

But wherein ſhall the happineſſe of our future life conſiſt? For if bodily pleaſures be reſtrained, there will want a great part of that, which wee now count happineſſe. Indeed bodily pleaſures will be reſtained, but not pleaſures of the body: but the body being raiſed up a ſpirituall body, the pleaſures alſo of the body, ſhal be ſpirituall pleaſures. And how much the ſoul is better then the body: how much the reaſon is better then the ſenſe; ſo much ſhall the pleaſures of our future life, bee better then the pleaſures of our preſent life; and if this doe not ſufficiently expreſſe the difference; Remember then how Chriſt hath expreſt it, that the pleaſures of our future life ſhall bee ſuch, as neither eye hath ſeene, nor eare heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man: and by this, certainely we may well conceive the infiniteneſs of the difference.

But what are theſe pleaſures, which eye hath not ſeene, nor eare hath heard? Indeed, if wee could tell, vvee ſhould make Chriſts vvords but vaine; yet in ſome ſort, perhaps, vvee may conceive them: For vvhat eye hath ſeene the faces of Cherubins in their brightneſſe? What eare hath heard the melody of Angels in their ſweetneſſe? But which is moſt of all, into what heart of man hath it entred, what the glory of the Almighty God is; and what joy it will be to us, to be admitted into his bleſſed preſence? O my ſoule, theſe are pleaſures, which if we could apprehend, would drive us into extaſie, at leaſt, would raiſe up our minds from groveling in the baſe pleaſures of this vaine world.

And who are they that ſhall bee partakers of this life Everlaſting? are they onelyonly the godly; or as well alſo the wicked? Indeed, as well the wicked, as the godly; but not the wicked, ſo well as the godly. For alas, the wicked ſhall live everlaſtingly indeed; if it may bee called life, which is infinitely worſe then any death, to bee in perpetuall torment, and paine inſufferable: OnelyOnly the godly ſhall live everlaſtingly; the life which is onelyonly worthy to bee called life; in perpetuall joy, and happineſſe unſpeakable.

Oh then, if our lives ſhall neceſſarily bee everlaſting, and that the happineſſe of the everlaſtingneſſe depends upon this moment we now live. Let us endeavour to ſpend our ſhort time ſo; that our everlaſtingneſſe, may be in joy, and not in miſery. O my ſoule, be alwaies thinking of this word Never: Never ſhall the torments of the wicked have an end; Never ſhall the joyes of the godly have an end: not after a thouſand yeares, not after a million of yeares, not after a million of millions of Ages; but Never, Never; which if wee could apprehend, or would but conſider; it would certainely be a Remora to us; and give a ſtop to all our vaine courſes.

And now having briefly run over theſe Articles of our Creed; we may doe well to conſider, how happy the Church of God ſhould be, if it would content it ſelfe with theſe Articles, as once it did: For then the little Barke of Chriſt ſhould not bee toſſed with ſo many tempeſts of Schiſmes; ſhould not be torn with ſo many rents of Diviſion as now it is: but ſhould enjoy the unity of faith in the bond of peace: where now, while new Articles are dayly obtruded upon our Conſciences, we ſeem to be in worſe caſe with Articles of faith, then the old Jewes were, with the Ceremonies of the Law: they overwhelmed with number, we with novelty, or rather indeed with both.

FINIS.

End of the text · Sir Richard Baker, Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Creed (1646)

Meditations and Disquisitions Upon the Creed, Text (2 of 2)