Suffered under condemned under Pontius * John vii. 11, Pontius Pilate, 12. was crucified. Pilate, then President of Matt. xii; Jewry, and most slanderously hanged xxvii. Luke xxiii. Isa. liii. and nailed on the cross betwixt two thieves, as a notorious trespasser: where, taking upon him the punishment of our sins, Gal. iii. he delivered us from the curse of the Law. And forasmuch as he, being only God, could not feel death; neither, being only man, could overcome death; being both God and man, he suffered in his humanity most cruel death, feeling in himself the anger and severe judgment of God, even the Dead and bu- a extreme torments of hell, ried, he descen ded into hell. and therefore cried with a b Acts ii. 1 Pet. ii. Isa. liii. loud voice, b My God, my God, why Psa. xxii. hast thou forsaken me? Matt. xxvii. Heb. ix; x. Gal. i. 1 John i. Thus of his free mercy, without e Isa. liii. compulsion, he offered up himself as the only sacrifice to purge the sins of all the world so that all other sacrifices for sin are blasphemous, and derogate from the sufficiency thereof. The which death albeit it did sufficiently reconcile us to God, yet d the Scriptures commonly do attribute our regeneration to his resurrection. d Col i. e Rom. x. 1 Pet. i. Matt. xxviii. For, as by frising again from the grave Acts x. 1 Cor. xv. Hos. xi. g 1 Cor. xv. 2 Cor. xiii. tion the third day, he conquered, The third day he rose again death, even so the victory from death. of our faith standeth in his resurrecand therefore without the one, we cannot feel the benefit of the other. For h as by death sin was taken away, so he rose again for our righteousness. Rom. iv. i Ephes. iv. John xiv. Ephes. ii. * Mark xvi. 19. Luke xxiv. 51. 1 Cor. xv. 1 Luke xxiv. John xiv. m Rom. viii. Heb. ix. Col. iii. Rom. viii. Ephes, i. Phil. ii. Col. ii. i And because he would accomplish all things, and take possession for us in his kingdom, he k ascended He ascended into heaven, to enlarge his into heaven. 1 kingdom by the abundant gifts and power of his Spirit: by whom we are most assured of his continual intercession to God the Father for us. And although he be n in heaven, as touching his corporal presence, where the Father hath now set him at his And sitteth at the right hand of Heb. i; x. 12 right hand, committing unto God, the Father him the administration of Almighty. Pall things, as well in heaven above, Matt. xxviii. as in the earth beneath; yet is he present with us his members, even to the end of the world, in preserving and governing us with his q From thence effectual power and grace. shall he come to all things are judge the quick and the dead. Who (when fulfilled, Acts iii. which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his prophets since the world began) will come S in the same visible form, in the which t he ascended, with an unspeakable ma s Acts i. t Matt. xxv. Phil. iii. jesty, power, and company, to separate ▾ Matt. xxiv. V the lambs from the goats, the elect from the reprobate so that none, whether he be alive then, or dead before, shall escape his judgment. X W Acts x. 1 Cor. xv. 2 Thes. i. 2 Tim. iv. confess the Matt. iii. 1 John v. 1 Pet. i. 1 Cor. vi. Acts xvii. Rom. viii, I believe in the MOREOVER, I believe and Holy Ghost. Holy Ghost, w God equal with the Father and the Son, who regenerateth and sanctifieth us, ruleth and guideth us into all truth, persuading most assuredly in our consciences that we be the children of God, Gal. iv. brethren to Jesus Christ, and fellow-heirs with him of life everlasting. Notwithstanding, it is not sufficient to believe that God is omnipotent and merciful, that Christ hath made satisfaction, or that the Holy Ghost hath his power and effect, except y Hab. ii. we do y apply the same benefits to ourselves, which are God's elect. Rom. i; x. 1 John iii. z John xvii. a Matt. xvi. b Ephes. i. 1 Cor. xii. c Ephes. iv. a Ephes. iv. Phil. iii. Col. ii. • Acts ii; 4. Rom. xii. 1 Cor. xii. Eph. iv. I BELIEVE therefore and The holy Catholic Church, the Communion confess one holy universal b C of Jesus Christ, the only head thereof, d consenteth in faith, hope, and charity, using the gifts of God, g whether they be temporal or spiritual, to the profit and furtherance of the same. Which Church is not seen to man's eye, but only known to God: who hath ordained some as vessels of wrath to damnation, to the praise of his justice; and hath chosen others, as h vessels of honour, to be saved, to the praise of the glory of his grace the which also in due time he calleth to faith, to integrity of life and godly conversation, to make them a glorious f Rom. xi. $ Rom. ix. h Ephes. i. 6. i Rom. viii. Ephes. v. Church to himself. k Matt. xviii. But that Church which is visible in 1 Cor, xv. the several congregations, and seen to the eye, hath three tokens or marks, whereby it may be known. 'Matt. xxviii. Rom, x. 2 Cor. iii; iv. Ephes. ii. First, the word of God contained in the Old and New Testament: which as it is above the authority of the n m John x. 2 Tim. iii. 2 Pet. i. same Church, and only sufficient to instruct us in all things concerning salvation; so is it left for all degrees Ephes. ii. of men to read and understand: for without this word, P neither Church, Council, or Decree, can establish any point touching salvation. Matt. xvii. " John v. 26. John v. The second is the holy, Sacraments, Matt. xxvi; to wit, of Baptism and the Lord's Supper which Sacraments Christ hath r xxviii. Rom. iv. Ephes. v. Rom. v. Tit. iii. Gal. iii. Rom. vii, $ Rom. iv. left unto us, as holy signs and seals of God's promises in him. For as by Baptism, once received, is signified that we, as well infants as others of age and discretion, being strangers from God by original sin, are received into his family and congregation, with full assurance that although this root of sin lie hid in us, yet to the elect it shall not be imputed; so the Supper declareth 1 Cor. xi. that God, as a most provident Father, doth not only feed our bodies, but also spiritually nourish our souls, making us partakers of his Son, John vi. and all good things in him, by faith: which the Scripture calleth eating of his flesh, and drinking Ps. xxxi. |