An exposition of the Symbol of the ApostlesAn exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles

That the Son of God must take the nature of man of the stock of Abraham.

That the sonne of God must take the nature of man of the stocke of Abraham.

That the stock was restrained to the tribe of Judah, and here somewhat concerning the time that the Messiah should be given.

That the stocke was restrained to the tribe of Iudah, and here somewhat concerning the time that the Messias should be giuen.

Genes. 49. The tribe shall not desist from Jehudah, nor the Lawgiver from the middest of his feet: until his Son come, and obedience of peoples be made unto him: fulfilled in the 2. of Luk. ver. 1. Where the whole world is taxed, and therefore now the sceptre was departed from Judah, when the tribe of Judah was taxed of Augustus, and therefore also Mary together with Joseph. And hereunto belong those prophesies, which are to be seen in the 6. of Zechariah, ver. 11. Take therefore silver and gold, that thou mayest make crowns, and put them upon the head of Jehoschuhh the Son of Jehosadac the high Priest: Thou shalt say unto him after this manner, so saith the Lord God of hosts, in saying: Behold a man whose name is a slip, who shall bud forth out of his place, and he shall build the Temple of the Lord of hosts: He I say, shall build a temple to the Lord of hosts, and the same shall bear away comeliness, and shall sit and bear rule upon his seat, and he shall be a priest upon his seat, and the counsel of peace shall be betwixt both. And let there be crowns for every one, for Helen, for Tobiah and Jedaiah, & to Hen, the son of Zephaniah for a memorial in the temple of the Lord of hosts: and they that are far of shall come and build in the Temple of the Lord, &c. And Ezekiel the 21. So hath the Lord God of Hosts said: Remove away the Diadem and the crown: This which is ⟨p. 134⟩now, shall not be that. I will advance the humble, & will throw drown the proud, I will overturn, overturn, overturn it, and it shall be no more until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him. Of the time of the coming of the Messiah, note both these diligently, that he must be borne, when the sceptre should be taken away from Jehudah, as hath been showed: and yet notwithstanding whilst the Temple and Priesthood should yet stand: as Daniel saith in the 9. Chapter. After 62. weeks Christ shall be cut off, and there shall be none to help him, and the people of that Captain to come, shall scatter that city and that sanctuary.

GEnes. 49. The tribe shall not desist from Iehudah, nor the Lawgiuer from the middest of his feete: vntill his sonne come, and obedience of peoples be made vnto him: fulfilled in the 2. of Luk. ver. 1. Where the whole worlde is taxed, and therefore nowe the scepter was departed from Iuda, when the tribe of Iudah was taxed of Augustus, and therefore also Marie together with Ioseph. And herevnto belong those prophesies, which are to be seene in the 6. of Zacharie, ver. 11. Take therefore siluer and gold, that thou maist make crownes, and put them vpon the heade of Iehoschuhh the sonne of Iehosadac the high Priest: Thou shalt say vnto him after this manner, so saith the Lord God of hoastes, in saying: Beholde a man whose name is a slippe, who shall bud foorth out of his place, and hee shall builde the Temple of the Lorde of hoastes: Hee I say, shall build a temple to the Lorde of hoastes, and the same shall beare away comelines, and shall sit and beare rule vppon his seat, and hee shall be a priest vpon his seat, and the counsell of peace shall be betwixt both. And let there be crownes for euerie one, for Helē, for Tobiah and Iedaiah, & to Hen, the son of Zephaniah for a memoriall in the temple of the Lorde of hoastes: and they that are farre of shall come and builde in the Temple of the Lorde, &c. And Ezechiel the 21. So hath the Lorde God of Hoastes saide: Remoue awaie the Diademe and the crowne: This which is ⟨p. 134⟩nowe, shall not be that. I will aduaunce the humble, & will throw drowne the proude, I will ouerturne, ouerturne, ouerturne it, and it shall be no more vntill hee come whose right it is, and I will giue it him. Of the time of the comming of the Messiah, note both these diligently, that hee must be borne, when the scepter shoulde be taken away from Iehudah, as hath beene shewed: and yet notwithstanding whilest the Temple and Priesthood should yet stande: as Daniel saith in the 9. Chapter. After 62. weekes Christ shall be cut off, and there shall be none to helpe him, and the people of that Capitaine to come, shall scatter that citie and that sanctuarie.

Of the place of his birth, touching the flesh; & also of his coming forth from the days of eternity in respect of his divine nature.

Of the place of his birth, touching the flesh; & also of his comming forth from the dayes of eternitie in respect of his diuine nature.

Michee 5. And thou Bethlehem Euphratah art little to be among the thousands of Judah: yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me, that shall be ruler in Israel Whose goings forth have been from the beginning and from everlasting. With what a wonderful providence of God was this prophecy fulfilled: Whilst Joseph and Mary by the edict of Augustus, are called into Bethlehem, where she brought forth Christ? See Luk. 2. in the beginning of the chapter, and with what a wonderful providence the wise men were lead unto the place, being holpen of Herod and of the Scribes. See the second of Matthew.

MIchee 5. And thou Bethlehem Euphratah art little to be among the thousands of Iudah: yet out of thee shall hee come foorth vnto me, that shall be ruler in Israel Whose goings foorth haue beene from the beginning and from euerlasting. With what a wonderfull prouidence of God was this prophesie fulfilled: Whilest Ioseph and Marie by the edict of Augustus, are called into Bethlehem, where shee brought foorth Christ? See Luk. 2. in the beginning of the chapter, and with what a wonderfull prouidence the wise men were lead vnto the place, being holpen of Herod and of the Scribes. See the seconde of Matthew.

Of the holiness of his conception.

Of the holinesse of his conception.

Jeremiah 23. Behold the days come, saith the Lord of hosts. And I will raise up a branch to my servant David, and this is his name whereby they shall call him. The Lord of hosts our righteousness. The prophecy is fulfilled. Luke 1. verses 31.22.33.35. Daniel in the 9. Chapter foretold that the holiness of holinesses must be anointed, whereby in very deed he showeth plainly and clearly, that his conception must be holy, and must be the second Temple yet standing. What, that the Prophet Isaiah, and Haggeus foreshowed that it should come to pass, that the glory of the second Temple should be much greater then the glory of the first, it should be everlasting: was it not truly fulfilled in this most pure conception of the Son of God,¹ in which by the power of the holy Ghost, that same everlasting word hath personally united the human nature, and hath begun to dwell in it, as in his own Temple? As also Christ himself nameth his body a Temple. Joh. 2. So both the prophesies are fulfilled, not as in a temple of stone, or a figure, whose glory was much less then the glory of Solomons Temple, neither did that Temple continue everlastingly, but after the Messiah was exalted, to wit, that same true Temple was taken away into the fathers glory, never after to be builded again. The prophecy of Isaiah is plain in ⟨p. 136⟩the 60. Chapter, vers 13. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the elm, and the box tree together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary: For I will glorify the place of my feet. And in the same place, I will make thee an eternal glory, &c. The Prophecy of Haggai in the second Chapter is more notable: So saith the Lord there. Speak now unto Zerubbabel, the Son of Shealtiel, Prince of Judah, and to Jehosua the Son of Jehozadak the high Priest, and to the residue of the people saying, who is left among you that saw this house in her fi•st glory, and how do you see it now? Is it not in your eyes in comparison of it, as nothing? Yet now saith the Lord of hosts, strengthen thy self Zerubbabel, &c. And a little after: Thus saith the Lord God of hosts, yet a little while, and I will move the heaven and earth, and the the sea, and the dry land: and I will move all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hosts.

Silver is mine, and gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this last house shall be greater then the first, saith the Lord of hosts.

Siluer is mine, and golde is mine, saith the Lorde of hoastes. The glory of this last house shalbe greater then the first, saith the Lorde of hoastes.

Of the virgins bringing forth a child.

Of the virgines bringing forth a childe.

Isay Chapter 7. The Lord shall give you a sign: Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, & thou shalt call his name Immanuel. Thou hast the fulfilling of it, in the 1. of Matthew verses 22.23. To which add the Prophecy of Isay. Chap. 9. A little child is borne unto us. ⟨p. 137⟩A son is given unto us, and the government was upon his shoulder, and he shall call his name wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, father of everlastingness, Prince of peace. Fulfilled in the 2. of Luke. ver. 11.14.

ISay Chapter 7. The Lorde shall giue you a signe: Beholde a virgine shall be with childe, and shall bring forth a sonne, & thou shalt call his name Immanuell. Thou hast the fulfilling of it, in the 1. of Mathew verses 22.23. To which adde the Prophesie of Isay. Chap. 9. A litle childe is borne vnto vs. ⟨p. 137⟩A sonne is giuen vnto vs, and the gouernement was vpon his shoulder, and he shal cal his name wonderful, Counsailour, the mightie God, father of euerlastingnes, Prince of peace. Fulfilled in the 2. of Luke. ver. 11.14.

The meaning of the words: which was conceived by the holy Ghost, borne of the virgin Mary.

The meaning of the wordes: which was conceaued by the holy Ghost, borne of the virgine Marie.

The meaning is, that the everlasting Son of God of the same substance with the Father, without any putting off, of his divine nature, without any conversion or commixtion, was made that which he first was not, to wit man, which the Scripture interpreteth. He took the seed of Abraham, that is our flesh of the virgin Mary, and his very humane soul, and that by the power of the holy Ghost, that he might be like unto his brethren in all things, sin only excepted, Joh. 1. And to the Hebr. 2. and the fourth: 1. Tim. 3. Rom. 1.

THe meaning is, that the euerlasting Sonne of God of the same substance with the Father, without any putting off, of his diuine nature, without any conuersion or commixtiō, was made that which he first was not, to wit man, which the Scripture enterpreteth. He tooke the seede of Abraham, that is our flesh of the virgine Marie, and his verie humane soule, and that by the power of the holy Ghoste, that he might be like vnto his brethren in al things, sinne onely excepted, Ioh. 1. And to the Hebr. 2. and the fourth: 1. Tim. 3. Rom. 1.

The consolation which a faithful man conceiveth by this pure conception.

The consolation which a faithful man conceaueth by this pure conception.