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.

Howe far forth those things which are spo∣ken concerning the office of Christ, or of the priestly & prophetical kingdome of Christ, agree with the doctrine of the free coue∣naunt.

BVt same man will say, that same priestly kingdome, that thou hast said, to be establi∣shed by that same Messias or annointed of the Lord, by the scepter of the word and power of the spirite, is it not that same euerlasting co∣uenaunt or worke of saluation that standeth in the free forgiuenesse of sinnes and vndeser∣ued gift of the holy Ghost and euerlasting life? Yes verilie. For that same couenant of saluation made with Abraham, was renewed with Dauid and to him was promised, out of his seede an euer∣lasting king, who shoulde be the mediator of this couenaunt. Psalme 89. And in the first of Luke the Angel saith to Marie, This shall be great, and he shal he called the sonne of the most high, and the Lorde God shall giue vnto him the seate of Dauid his father, and he shall raigne ouer the house of Ia∣cob for euer, and there shall bee no end of his king∣dome. And a little after Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptiste, being full of the holy Ghost, prophecied saying, Blessed be the Lorde God of I∣srael, because he hath visited and redeemed his peo∣ple, and hath lifted vp an horne of saluation vnto vs, in the house of Dauid his seruaunt, as he hath spoken by the mouth of his holy Prophets, which were since the world began, that it should come to passe, that he would saue vs, from our enemies, and out of the hande of all that hate vs: that he shoulde shewe mercie towardes our fathers, and be mindfull of his holy couenaunt, of the oath which he sware vnto Abraham our father, that he woulde giue vnto vs, &c. to the end of the Chapter. Therefore I vnderstand, that by the title of Christe or annointed the office of the

mediator of the couenaunt is expressed, to wit by what way and meanes the heauenly father leadeth vs, to saluation, promised and sworne in the couenaunt by the hande of the mediator, that is to say, by his merite and vertue. Nowe the meane is, because the father hath annointed this Iesus to be the prophet or teacher, who can informe vs of this free couenaunt of God: to be the Priest, who confirmeth and ratifieth this couenaunt by his intercession and sacrifice: and to be a king, who maintaineth his couenaunt made, and enricheth and defendeth his faith∣ful & confederate ones: & so, that in the whole businesse of saluation, wee flie by faith vnto Christ, as to him whom the father hath signed, as Christ himselfe speaketh of him selfe. Ioh. 6. And first for that which concerneth the Prophe∣ticall office of Christ, I thinke, that to pertaine to the couenaunt in such sort: to wit, that firste of all, men bee instructed of the free coue∣naunt of saluation, and therefore When in times past God spake after sundrie sortes and wayes by the Prophetes, nowe at length hee woulde speake vnto vs by his sonne. Heb. 1. to wit, clothed with mans nature: For otherwise the sonne also spake by the Prophetes 1. Pet. 1. Wee must therefore fullie resolue, that the euerlasting Sonne of God, who is in the bosome of the father, was sent a legate vnto vs, and taking our fleshe vp∣pon him was annointed with the spirit of wise∣dome and power, that he might cleerely and fully laie open vnto vs, that same euerlasting Counsel of entring into league and couenaunt

with vs, & might declare y^t same good and vn∣changeable will of God towards vs, whereby he hath freely chosen vs to himself in y^e sonne, and might frame vs to true amēdement, & to beleue the Gospel: yea might also confirme his do∣ctrine by miracles, as by healing the blind, by raising vp the dead &c, which neither the diuel nor anie creature can followe. That he might also adioyne the sacramentes as holy signes to the renewed couenaunt, to wit baptisme, and the Lords supper. Moreouer, concerning the priestlie officie, I thinke it so to belong to the couenant: that euen like as the Propheticall office of Christ, instructeth vs of the couenaunt and of a full reconciliation with God in Christ; so the priestly office goeth further, and offereth vp the verie price of this reconciliation, to wit a perfect sacrifice with intercession, wherby the mediator of Gods righteousnes doeth perfectly satisfie for our sinnes, which did let and keepe of the couenaunt, and without the clensing whereof that same prophetical ambassadge frō heauen had beene taken in vaine to intreate of the couenaunt: seeing neither wee can satis∣fie for our sinnes our selues, neither would God denie his owne righteousnes. Last of all con∣cerning that kingly office, forsomuch as it was not enough for a mediator to haue taught vs of the couenaunt, and to haue sanctified it by the offering vp of his body and bloode, vnlesse hee likewise should defend & maintain y^e couenant against y^e assaults of y^e enemie, & should throgh his might build vp a people in himself day by

daie more and more repaire & frame the same, being endewed with spiritual giftes to euerla∣sting life: therefore the heauenlie father would that the same mediator should be the head and giuer, both of the conseruation of grace gotten, and of an effectual communicating, and main∣teining the same. Ephes. 1.23.24.