A08483:203
A08483:203
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.
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 ⟨p. 144⟩God would declare his infinite loue. And this is the meaning of that, So God loued the worlde (so I say) that he gaue his only begotten sonne, &c. The second cause is next vnder this: because he had receaued a commandement of the father, that required an almightie worker (to wit a commandement, by his merite and vertue to saue the elect.) Nowe there is but one Almightie, euen God. Ioh. 10. vers. 18. Out of this same second cause, which properly belongeth to Christ, these endes are deriued: The first concerning desarte. For therefore must the Mediator be verie God, that, that same obedience of Christ, whereby so great a person, which is equal to the father, humbling himselfe in the nature of man, that the curse might be made in it, might be from the beginning of the world for al eternitie to come a matchable price, or rather a price of redemption for the sinnes of all the elect of the whole worlde, euen that the price might wey downe our sinnes. Therefore in the 20. of the Actes it is saide, That God redeemed his Church with his bloud. And in the 9 to the Hebrues, Also, grace hath abounded aboue the fault. This obedience of the Sonne when it is made a sacrifice for vs, it surmounteth all obedience of Angels, and al other creatures.
The second end is, that seeing he must be a Saviour, no less in virtue then in merit: he must first in himself overcome our sin, the wrath of God and death▪ Now that the weight of the infinite wrath of God in the manhood might stand & overcome, and moreover that ⟨p. 145⟩he might raise himself from death, it was necessary that he that should suffer, should be very man in such sort, that he might together be infinite, that is the true and everlasting God: that is, that his manhood should be personally & inseparably united to his godhead, of which it should upholden, that our salvation might not by any mean be in danger, seeing it is impossible that that union should be dissolved. For God alone could not die (as one of the ancient fathers have wittily said) neither could man alone overcome death. Therefore to the Romans Ca. 1. he saith that he is declared to be the Son of God by the power of his resurrection. Moreover by his power, it behoved him also to overcome sin and death in us (Joh. 5.) to wit by giving faith, whereby that merit might be applied unto us, and the holy Ghost through, whom he might restore in us the image of God, and quicken us everlastingly, and also maintain that salvation so gotten: Now forasmuch as all these things are of nature belonging to him who is almighty, it was necessary that he by nature should be God almighty. For who could have performed that, but he through whom man in the beginning was made after the image of God? Coloss. 1.3. who could have given the holy Ghost which is God, but he which is God himself? who could have restored everlasting life, but that same word, the Son of God, in whom life is from the beginning? Jo. 1. Finally forasmuch as God hath said, I am the Lord, & besides me there is no saviour it ⟨p. 146⟩was necessary that our saviour Christ, which by the decree of God was appointed, to obtain and bestow salvation, should be very God, with all the properties of the Godhead, omnipotency, eternity, infinite majesty and glory, without which he could neither be a Saviour, nor abide for ever.
The second end is, that seeing he must be a Sauiour, no lesse in vertue then in merite: he must first in himselfe ouercome our sinne, the wrath of God and death Nowe that the waight of the infinite wrath of God in the manhoode might stand & ouercome, and moreouer that
That the foundation of that same covenant of grace, or rather of that conjunction betwixt God and us might be firm, GOD would have these two natures in Christ to be knit together after a wonderful manner, to wit, by the union of persons. Now when we say that the divine and human nature of Christ are personally knit together, we understand that the Son who is God, hath taken mans nature into the unity of his person, and so God is manifested in the flesh, and made man, but in the person of the Son, and so as the proprieties of both natures remain safe, aswell that the salvation of men might be obtained by that mean, that he had appointed: as also that it might be maintained and continued for ever. For salvation could not have ben obtained, unless mans nature, and the nature of God had been knit together in a personal union: First, because it had not been the blood of the Son of God, that was to be shed: and so it had not ⟨p. 147⟩been a sacrifice worthy enough, for the sins of the whole world. Moreover, the humanity could not have been able to sustain the wrath of God, neither have abolished the sins that were laid upon it, unless the divinity had ben coupled unto it, into the unity of the person, by a most firm and altogether unlooseable knot: both which, that same man Christ by the power of his divinity, being personally knit unto him, hath performed. Acts 20. Philip. 2. Hebr. 19.14. Coloss. 1. vers. 14.15. And much less also might salvation now obtained be maintained, unless they were knit together, and might so remain for ever. For even like as it was required for the entry to that priesthood, and for the providing of full satisfaction, that there should be the body and soul of the Son of God, in which there might be satisfaction: so also that the priesthood might be everlasting, and an everlasting intercession be made for us, it must be, that that same humane nature be properly belonging to the Son of God, which he must show before the face of the father in heaven, in which, as our sins are once cleansed, so it might be the pledge of our reconciliation for ever. Psal. 110.1. and the 4.
Moreover that same man Christ, could not by his virtue and power be a saviour, unless also he had the divine nature joined unto him, into the unity of person, from which, together as also from the father proceedeth the holy ghost, who bringeth us into the possession of Christ, engrafteth ⟨p. 148⟩us into Christ, and begetteth us again into everlasting life. 1. Cor. 15. verse 21.45. Rom. 8. verse 8.9. And surely as they can not any more fall from everlasting life, which are truly once engrafted into Christ by the holy Ghost: so that very word, the everlasting Son of God, of the substance of the Father, to wit, that same very fountain of life, in which life was from the beginning,1 John 1. taken in the nature of man to endure everlastingly, must dwell bodily, that is to say, personally. For seeing that same high majesty of God, was most far separated from our wretched condition, and yet notwithstanding, he had appointed for his infinite love toward us most wretched castaways, through grace to join his divinity, which is the fountain of all happiness, to the end it might endure for ever, it was needful, that he should also join our humane nature taken out of the lump of mankind unto his divinity by a personal union. Col. 1. verse 9.10. Otherwise we should not have had nearness enough, nor sufficient steadfast kindred (as it were) with God, which might assure our faith, that God doth truly dwell with us, & that Christ is, and everlastingly should be, Immanuel, that is, God with us. Isai. 7. Mat. 1.
Moreouer that same man Christ, could not by his vertue and power be a sauiour, vnlesse also he had the diuine nature ioyned vnto him, into the vnitie of person, from which, together as also from the father proceedeth the holy ghoste, who bringeth vs into the possession of Christ, engraffeth
The personal union, is the knitting together of two natures in Christ, to wit, of the divine and humane: in which, admit that the one be and remain the maker, and without beginning: and the other be and remain created, and therefore have a beginning: one be of the same substance together with the Father; the other be of the same substance with us: one be almighty, because it is God; the other be not almighty because the creature is not the creator, neither are there two almighty ones, but one almighty one: one be and remain infinite, but the other be not infinite but finite, having a finite head, arms, feet, &c. Admit (I say) that these natures are most diverse, and remain everlastingly distinguished in their properties (for as much as the creator will everlastingly remain distinct from all creatures, yea from that same lump which it hath taken) yet notwithstanding, they are so coupled together, that they make one Individuum, to wit, Christ. All this may be seen by the conception, in which that same personal union was once perfectly made, neither was it ever afterwards otherwise made. Joh. 1.3. cap. 14. Hebr. 2.16. Seeing therefore that the covenant of salvation, between God and men, is everlasting, it must needs be concluded that in the person of Christ as in the foundation, these two natures are so everlastingly united together, that in mean season the trueth of either nature, remain for ever with their properties, and that neither be swallowed ⟨p. 150⟩up of the other, unless we would have the covenant to be weakened and plucked up from the very foundations. For even like as for the entering into the covenant and reconciliation with God, that both those natures in the mediator, must be true and sound, keeping their properties: so also forasmuch as the covenant & conjunction must endure in all everlastingness, that this same our true and very flesh and bones may enjoy the same happiness, & that after our resurrection, Philip. 3. it behoveth also that in the foundation, to wit in the mediator, upon whom the office of saving us, is everlastingly laid, there remain for ever the same whole human nature both soul and body, flesh and bones. For the nature of any one being overthrown, or the properties thereof denied, the covenant it self falleth, that is, it can neither be entered into, nor be preserved, as before is showed
1HE was reckoned amongest the wicked. Therefore, be must not perish by tumult, but must be judged or reputed amongest the wicked. Whereto also that belongeth: He was wounded for our iniquities, & smitten for our wickednesses. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and in his stripes we were healed. And in the same place, He was taken away by judgement: Therefore he must come into judgement. With these Prophetical ⟨p. 151⟩sayings, agreeth truly that Prophetical explication of Christ, which is extant in the 18. of Luke. Behold we go up to Jerusalem, and all things shall be fulfilled that are written by the Prophets concerning the Son of man. He shall be delivered up to the nations, and shall be mocked, and evil entreated of them. And after they shall have whipped him, they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise again. And Luke the 24. To those that went to Emmaus, he saith, O fools and slow of heart to believe all things, which the Prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning from Moses and all the Prophets; he interpreted in all the scripture, those things which were concerning him. Acts 4. They gathered themselves truly together against thy holy Son Jesus whom thou anointedst. Herod also and Pontius Pilate with the nations & people of Israel, to do whatsoever thy hand and Counsel had first determined should be done. Now that he must suffer, when a strange magistrate executed judgement (the which thing the very mention of Pontius Pilate showeth) these Prophesies witness: Genes. 49. The Prophecy of the Patriarch Jacob. The sceptre shall not depart from Judah till Shiloh come, is throughly fulfilled when the sceptre was translated from Judah, and when Pilate in the name of Caesar executed judgement. And the Prophecy of Zechariah in the 6. cap. that a branch shall build a Temple, the glory whereof should become greater, then the glory of the first Temple. And then must altogether be fulfilled, as Ezekiel also in the 21. Cap. & the 26. ver. hath plainly prophesied, when the golden crowns should be taken from the heads of the Kings of Judah. But when Pilate was president, the Jews acknowledge that they have no other king but ⟨p. 152⟩
therefore now the time was come, that they should destroy the temple of the body of Christ, and that that same branch should reedify it again, or that he should raise it up the 3. day. The glory of which temple (namely of the body of Christ raised up from the dead, in which the Deity dwelleth bodily) doth surpass at this day, and shall do everlastingly, the glory of the first temple, according to the prophecy of Haggai in the second Chap.
therefore now the time was come, that they should destroy the temple of the bodie of Christ, and that that same branch should reedifie it againe, or that he should raise it vp the 3. day. The glorie of which temple (namely of the body of Christ raised vp from the dead, in which the Deitie dwelleth bodily) doth surpasse at this day, and shal doe euerlastingly, the glorie of the first temple, according to the prophesie of Haggai in the second Chap.
Thou must look upon God him self the Judge exercising judgement by the mouth of Pilate. Christ is set before the tribunal seat of GOD here in earth, laden with thine and mine wickednesses ready to receive the sentence of the judgement of GOD, and to bear the pain of condemnation. For seeing that we must have been set before the tribunal seat of the heavenly judge, and there be condemned▪ it behoved Christ for as much as he translated all our guiltiness from us to him self, to be set in our person, as a wicked person, before the tribunal seat, and to be condemned by God, exercising judgement by Pilate, thinking nothing less. Now the end of this is, that all our sins being condemned at once of God himself, exercising a righteous ⟨p. 153⟩judgement, and being punished in his Son, with the greatest rigour of righteousness: we might not be farther called into judgement for them, before Gods judgement seat, and much less be condemned for them. The scripture teacheth us that our minds are to be lifted up to God himself the president or Judge of this most heavy sentence, that we might have sure consolation, that we (if we believe in Christ) are fully exempt from the judgement of GOD. And that thing doeth that horror of Christ declare, when he crieth: Let this cup pass from me, &c. because he knew that he must appear before the judgement seat of God, & must drink of that cup of condemnation for us. Isay 5.3. God would by weakening him bruise him, and tread him under. To the Romans 8. For that which was impossible to the law, inasmuch as it was weak because of the flesh, this did God, sending his Son, in the similitude of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh. And again in the same place. God spared not his own Son, but gave him for us all. And 2. Cor. 5. Him who knew no sin, God and made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. God made Christ sin, that is to say a sacrifice for sin: Lo, God made him: And Act. 4 28.
THou must looke vpon God him selfe the Iudge exercising iudgement by the mouth of Pilate. Christe is set before the tribunal seate of GOD here in earth, laden with thine and mine wickednesses ready to receaue the sentence of the iudgement of GOD, and to beare the paine of condemnation. For seeing that we must haue beene set before the tribunall seate of the heauenlie iudge, and there be condemned it behoued Christe for as much as he translated all our guiltinesse from vs to him selfe, to be set in our person, as a wicked person, before the tribunall seate, and to be condemned by God, exercising iudgement by Pilate, thinking nothing lesse. Now the end of this is, that all our sinnes being condemned at once of God himselfe, exercising a righteous
THat the foundation of that same couenant of grace, or rather of that coniunction betwixt God and vs might be firme, GOD would haue these two natures in Christ to be knit together after a wonderful manner, to wit, by the vnion of persons. Now when we say yt the diuine and humaine nature of Christe are personallie knit together, we vnderstand yt the sonne who is God, hath taken mans nature into the vnitie of his person, and so God is manifested in the flesh, and made man, but in the person of the sonne, and so as the proprieties of both natures remaine safe, aswel that the saluation of men might be obtained by that meane, that he had appointed: as also that it might be maintained and continued for euer. For saluation could not haue ben obtained, vnlesse mans nature, and the nature of God had bene knit together in a personall vnion: First, because it had not beene the bloude of the Sonne of God, that was to be shed: and so it had not ⟨p. 147⟩bene a sacrifice worthie enough, for the sinnes of the whole worlde. Moreouer, the humanitie could not haue beene able to sustaine the wrath of God, neither haue abolished the sinnes that were laide vpon it, vnlesse the diuinitie had ben coupled vnto it, into the vnitie of the person, by a most firme and altogether vnlooseable knotte: both which, that same man Christ by the power of his diuinitie, being personally knitte vnto him, hath perfourmed. Acts 20. Philip. 2. Hebr. 19.14. Coloss. 1. vers. 14.15. And much lesse also might saluation nowe obtained be maintained, vnlesse they were knit together, and might so remaine for euer. For euen like as it was required for the entry to that priesthoode, and for the prouiding of full satisfaction, that there should be the body and soule of the sonne of God, in which there might be satisfaction: so also that the priesthoode might be euerlasting, and an euerlasting intercession be made for vs, it must be, that that same humane nature be properly belonging to the sonne of God, which he must shewe before the face of the father in heauen, in which, as our sinnes are once cleansed, so it might be the pledge of our reconciliation for euer. Psal. 110.1. and the 4. Matth. 22. vers 44.
THe personall vnion, is the knitting together of two natures in Christ, to wit, of the diuine and humane: in which, admitte that the one be and remaine the maker, and without beginning: and the other be and remaine created, and therefore haue a beginning: one be of the same substance together with the Father; the other be of the same substance with vs: one be almightie, because it is God; the other be not almightie because the creature is not the creator, neither are there two almightie ones, but one almightie one: one be and remaine infinite, but the other be not infinite but finite, hauing a finite head, armes, feete, &c. Admitte (I say) that these natures are most diuerse, and remaine euerlastingly distinguished in their properties (for as much as the creator will euerlastingly remaine distinct from all creatures, yea from that same lumpe which it hath taken) yet notwithstanding, they are so coupled together, that they make one Indiuiduum, to wit, Christe. All this may be seene by the conception, in which that same personall vnion was once perfectly made, neither was it euer afterwardes otherwise made. Ioh. 1.3. cap. 14. Hebr. 2.16. Seeing therfore that the couenant of saluation, betweene God and men, is euerlasting, it must needes be concluded that in the person of Christ as in the foundation, these two natures are so euerlastingly vnited together, that in meane season the trueth of either nature, remaine for euer with their properties, and that neither be swallowed ⟨p. 150⟩vp of the other, vnlesse we would haue the couenant to be weakened and plucked vp from the very foundations. For euen like as for ye entring into the couenant and reconciliation with God, that both those natures in the mediatour, must be true and sound, keeping their properties: so also forasmuch as the couenant & conjunction must endure in all euerlastingnes, that this same our true and very flesh and bones may enioye the same happines, & yt after our resurrection, Philip. 3. it behoueth also that in the foundation, to wit in the mediator, vpon whome the office of sauing vs, is euerlastingly laide, there remaine for euer the same whole humaine nature both soule and body, flesh and bones. For the nature of any one beeing ouerthrowen, or the properties thereof denied, the couenant it self falleth, that is, it can neither be entred into, nor be preserued, as before is shewed
1HE was reckoned amongest the wicked. Therfore, be must not perish by tumult, but must be iudged or reputed amongest the wicked. Wherto also that belongeth: He was woūded for our iniquities, & smitten for our wickednesses. The chastisemēt of our peace was vpon him, and in his stripes we were healed. And in the same place, He was taken away by iudgement: Therefore he must come into iudgement. With these Propheticall ⟨p. 151⟩sayinges, agreeth truely that Propheticall explication of Christ, which is extant in the 18. of Luke. Beholde we goe vppe to Hierusalem, and all thinges shalbe fulfilled that are written by the Prophetes concerning the sonne of man. He shalbe deliuered vp to the nations, and shalbe mocked, and euill entreated of them. And after they shall haue whipped him, they shall kill him, and the third day he shall rise againe. And Luke the 24. To those that went to Emaus, he saith, O fooles and slowe of hearte to beleeue all things, which the Prophets haue spoken. Ought not Christ to haue suffered these thinges, and to enter into his glorie? And beginning from Moses and all the Prophets; he interpreted in all the scripture, those thinges which were concerning him. Acts 4. They gathered themselues truely together against thy holy sonne Iesus whom thou anointedst. Herode also and Pontius Pilate with the nations & people of Israel, to doe whatsoeuer thy hand and Counsel had first determined should be done. Now that he must suffer, when a straunge magistrate executed iudgement (the which thing the very mention of Pontius Pilate sheweth) these Prophesies witnesse: Genes. 49. The Prophesie of the Patriarch Iacob. The scepter shall not depart from Iudah till Schiloh come, is throughly fulfilled when the scepter was translated from Iudah, and when Pilate in the name of Caesar executed iudgement. And the Prophesie of Zachary in the 6. cap. that a braunch shall builde a Temple, the glory wherof should become greater, then the glorie of the first Tēple. And then must altogether be fulfilled, as Ezechiel also in the 21. Cap. & the 26. ver. hath plainly prophesied, when the golden crownes should be taken from the heades of the Kings of Iudah. But when Pilate was president, the Iewes acknowledge that they haue no other king but ⟨p. 152⟩Caesar: and so they professe that the crowne was taken from the heades of the Kinges of Iudah: