An exposition of the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenor…An exposition of the Symbole or Creed of the Apostles according to the tenour…

This is a hard lesson for men to learn; but we must endeavour our selves to practise it, if we will be followers of Christ, and overcome evil with good.

This is a hard lesson for men to learne; but we must endeauour our selues to practise it, if we will be followers of Christ, and ouercome euill with good.

The third thing that fell out in the time of Christs crucifying, was the pitiful complaint, in which he cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli, lamasabact hani, that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?¹ In the opening of this complaint many points must be scanned. The first is, what was the cause that moved Christ to complain? Answer. It was not any impatience or discontentation of mind, or any despair, or any dissembling, as some would have it: but it was an apprehension and a feeling of the whole wrath of God, which seized upon him both in body and soul. The second, what was the thing whereof he doth complain. Answer. That he is forsaken of God the father. And from this point ariseth an other question. Howe Christ being God can be forsaken of God? for the father, the Son, and the holy Ghost are all three but one and the same God. Answer. By God we must understand God the Father the first ⟨p. 244⟩person. According to the common rule, when God is compared with the Son or holy Ghost, then the father is meant by the this title God, as in this place: not that the father is more God then the Son, for in dignity all the three persons are equal: but they are distinguished in order only, & the father is first. And again whereas Christ complaineth that he was forsaken, it must be understood in regard of his humane nature, not of his Godhead. And Christs manhood was forsaken, not that his Godhead and manhood were severed, for they were ever joined together from the first moment of the incarnation: but the Godhead of Christ, and so the Godhead of the father did not show forth his power in the manhood, but did as it were lie asleep for a time, that the manhood might suffer: when a man sleepeth the soul is not severed from the body, but lieth as it were dead, and exerciseth not it self: even so the Godhead lay still, and did not manifest his power in the manhood, and thus the manhood seemed to be forsaken. The third point is, the manner of this complaint; My God, my God, saith he: these words are words of faith, I say not of justifying faith, whereof Christ stood not in need: but he had such a faith or hope, whereby he did put his confidence in God. The last words, why hast thou forsaken me? seem at the first to be words of distrust. How then (will some say) can these words stand with the former: for faith & distrust are flat contraries? Answ.