The knowledg of Christ Jesus. Or The seventh book of commentaries vpon the Apostles Creed: containing the first and general principles of Christian theologie: with the more immediate principles concerning the true knowledge of Christ. Divided into foure sections. Continued by Thomas Jackson Dr. in Divinitie, chaplaine to his Majestie in ordinarie, and president of Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford

CHAP. 1.

Of the principall points that Christians are bound to beleeve.

THat all wee which beare the name of Christians did take the name originally from Christ, the* 1.1 heathen historian did ac∣knowledge. He did beleeve that Christ (the author and finisher of our faith) did suffer under Pontius Pilate, yet this beleefe was farre from making him a Chri∣stian. That which wee Christians are in the first place to beleeve is, that the man Christ Iesus, whom the Iewes by the helpe of Pontius Pilate did crucify, was truely the Sonne of God, his one∣ly Sonne; so truly and indissolubly the Sonne of God, as well as of man, that whilest this man was conceived by the holy Ghost, the Sonne of God was likewise conceived by the holy Ghost; whilest this man was borne of a pure Virgin, the true and onely Sonne of God was borne of the same Virgin; whilest this man was put to death, crucified, dead and buried, the Sonne of God was likewise crucified, dead & buried; whilst this man Christ was raised againe from the dead, the true and onely Sonne of God was so raysed; whilest this man ascended into Heaven, the Sonne of God ascended into Heaven; whilest this man sitteth at the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for us, the Sonne of God there sits and makes the same intercession; that when wee expect the same

Iesus,* 1.2 whom the Iews did crucifie, shall come in visible manner to judge the quick and the dead, wee beleeve and expect that the Sonne of God shall come to judge the quick and the dead. Of the first points wee ought to have, at the least, a true historicall beleefe. Our beleefe of that article concerning Christs comming to judgement, and of our resurrection from the dead, is more pro∣pheticall, than historicall.

2. Is then an historicall beleefe of Christs con∣ception, birth, death, and resurrection sufficient for us? Sure it is not, unlesse withall it be salvifi∣call. No faith can save, unlesse it be a saving faith: but no faith can be salvificall, vnlesse it be histori∣call. For hee that doth not beleeve the history of Christs death and passion, can have no Christian faith at all. Now the utmost effect whereunto the endeavours of Gods Seedsmen are immediate∣ly terminated, is to plant in the hearts of their hearers a firme perswasion of the divine truth of the sacred Histories or Prophecies concerning Christ. In respect of this perswasion they are said to plant and water, and to be Coworkers with Gods Spirit. But to make this perswasion to bee salvificall, this is the worke of God alone. For unlesse hee give this increase to what wee plant and water, all our labours are lost, our best endea∣vours are to no purpose. Yet as we are to beleeve, that without God wee can doe nothing, so are wee bound to hope that in him and by him, wee may doe all things, or have all things done in us and for us, which can be needfull or conducent to

our Salvation. No if such as are bound to teach,* 1.3 and such as are bound to learne, would daily season their endeavours, (their prayers especial∣ly) with serious consideration of this twofold truth, wee could have no just occasion either of doubt or feare, but that if our beleefe of the re∣hearsed Articles of Christ were once truly histo∣rical, it would certainely become rightly salvifical. For to be historicall & to be salvifical are not mē∣bra opposita, no such opposite members as divide beleefe into two parts or kindes: they are as sub∣ordinate one to the other, as naturall wit, and artificiall improvement of it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ergo abo∣lendo rumo∣ri Nero sub∣didit reos, et quaesi∣tissimis poe∣nis affecit, quos per flae∣gitia invi∣sos, vulgus Christianos appellabat. Auctor no∣minis ejus CHRI∣STVS, qui Tiberio imperitante, per Procu∣rator 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Pontium Pilatum supplicio affectus est. Tacit. An∣nal. Lib. 15. Pag. 255.
• * 1.2

  Sect. 1.
• * 1.3

  Cap. 2.