A08483:202
An exposition of the Symbol of the ApostlesAn exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles
An exposition of the Symbol of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith In which the chief points of the everlasting and free covenant between God and the faithful is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Trevir, and now translated out of the Latin tongue into the English for the benefit of Christ his Church. By John Field.An exposition of the Symbole of the Apostles, or rather of the articles of faith In which the chiefe points of the euerlasting and free couenant betweene God and the faithfull is briefly and plainly handled. Gathered out of the catechising sermons of Gasper Oleuvian Treuir, and now translated out of the Latine tongue into the English for the benefite of Christ his Church. By Iohn Fielde.
London: printed by H. Middleton for Thomas Man, 1581
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Causes, for which it must needs be, that the mediator of the covenant, be very God, with all the properties of God.
Causes, for which it must needes be, that the mediator of the couenant, be very God, with all the properties of God.
The causes for which it is necessary that the mediator be not only very man, but also very God, be these. The chief cause is, because ⟨p. 144⟩God would declare his infinite love. And this is the meaning of that, So God loved the world (so I say) that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. The second cause is next under this: because he had received a commandment of the father, that required an almighty worker (to wit a commandment, by his merit and virtue to save the elect.) Now there is but one Almighty, even God. Joh. 10. vers. 18. Out of this same second cause, which properly belongeth to Christ, these ends are derived: The first concerning desert. For therefore must the Mediator be very God, that, that same obedience of Christ, whereby so great a person, which is equal to the father, humbling himself in the nature of man, that the curse might be made in it, might be from the beginning of the world for all eternity to come a matchable price, or rather a price of redemption for the sins of all the elect of the whole world, even that the price might weigh down our sins. Therefore in the 20. of the Acts it is said, That God redeemed his Church with his blood. And in the 9 to the Hebrews, Also, grace hath abounded above the fault. This obedience of the Son when it is made a sacrifice for us, it surmounteth all obedience of Angels, and all other creatures.
THe causes for which it is necessarie that the mediator be not onely very mā, but also very God, be these. The chiefe cause is, because