THE SECOND PART OF THE CREED, OF THE SONNE THE REDEEMER

In the Second part of the Apostolique Creed, is intreated of the Mediatour. The doctrine concerning the Mediatour, consisteth of two partes: The first is, The person of the Mediatour: The second, Of his office. Of his person the two former Articles speake. And in Jesus CHRIST his onelie sonne our Lord; which was conceiued by the holie Ghost, borne of the Virgine Marie. His office is summarily expounded in the same two articles: but particularly in those which folow, euen vnto the third part of the Creed, wherein is entreated concerning the holy Ghost.

There are two parts of his office: humiliation, or merite: and glorification, or efficacie. Of his humiliation, whereby Christ hath promerited and deserued for vs his benefices, namely, remission of sinnes, and reconciliation and attonement with God, the holy Ghost, and life euerlasting, these articles speake; Hee suffered vnder Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, buried, descended into hell. Of his glorification, in respect whereof Christ is effectuall and worketh forcibly in vs,¹ in applying his merited blessinges and benefites vnto vs by his spirite, these articles speake; The third daie he rose againe from the dead; he ascended into heauen; Sitteth on the right hand of God the father almightie; From thence shall hee come to iudge the quicke and the dead. Hence it appeareth with how great wisedome the articles were written, and applied to the question of the Mediatour, For as it descendeth in order from the first to the last step and degree of Christs humiliation, which is signified by his descention into hell, and is the feeling of the horrible iudgement, and wrath of God against the sinnes of mankinde: so it ascendeth from the lesser glorie, which beganne from his resurrection, to the highest and greatest, which is betokened by his sitting at the right hand of GOD the Father. The same order and the same wisedome is seene in the first part of the Creede. It is also apparent in the third part, which is as it were the fruit of the articles going before, wherein are recited in most notable order the benefites which Christ promeriting by his passion, applieth to vs by his spirite. For the benefites of Christ are different from his office. His benefites are the thinges themselues, which Christ hath purchased for vs and bestoweth on vs, to wit, remission of sinnes, or our reconciliation with God, the giuing of his holy spirit, and life euerlasting. His office is, to promerit in those things for vs by his obedience, and to bestowe them on vs by his owne power and efficacie.

Moreouer the 29. 30. 31. Questions of the Catechisme, which are concerning the sonne, belong vnto the common place of the office of the Mediatour, in respect of which office, the sonne of God our Mediator, beareth the name both of Jesus, and of Christ. And he is called Jesus, that is, Our Sauiour, 1.² Because he deliuereth and saueth vs from both euils, both of crime, and paine. 2. He doth it alone. 3. He doth it fullie and perfectlie. 4. He doth it by his merite and efficacie.³ Where fore to beleeue in Jesus, is certainly to thinke and be perswaded, 1. That there is a Sauiour of mankinde. 2 That the sonne of God borne of the Virgine Marie is this Jesus the Sauiour, whom God will haue vs acknowledge, hearken vnto, and worship: Mat. 1.22. & 17.5. Iohn. 5.23. & 37.3. 3. That he alone doth fullie and perfectlie deliuer vs from the euils of pain and crime. 4. That he is not onelie the Sauiour of other the chosen of God, but mine also. 5. And that he is not our Sauiour by his merite onelie, but by his efficacie also and effectuall working, while by the imputation of his satisfaction hee iustifieth vs, and regenerateth vs by his holy spirite, and restoreth the righteousnes or image of God in vs, which restoring being here begun, he finisheth and accomplisheth in the life to come.