These Words teach me, that Jesus Christ was born as a Man is, and that I
am oblig'd to honour the Virgin _Mary_ as the Mother of God, which I do
accordingly with the profoundest Respect, and with an intire Confidence,
because the Protection of the Holy Virgin is the best Protection that I
can chuse, next to Jesus Christ.
* * * * *
XVIII. I believe, _that suffer'd under_ Pontius Pilate, _that he was
crucified, that he died, and that he was buried_.
The Belief of this Article is of absolute Necessity; and a Person can
never think of it too much, because 'tis as the Basis which supports the
Catholic Faith and Religion; and really when this Article is established,
all the rest is prov'd easily. For this Reason I firmly believe, that
Jesus Christ was put upon the Cross for our Salvation: I believe also,
that in the inferior Part of the Soul he felt all the Torments which he
was made to suffer, because he was truly Man: I believe also that he
suffer'd great Pains of the Mind; such Pains as forc'd him to utter these
Words in _Matt._ Chap. xxvi. Ver. 38. _My Soul is exceeding sorrowful,
even unto Death._ As to the Death of Jesus Christ, I believe, that he
actually dy'd upon the Cross; because all the Evangelists say, he there
yielded up the Ghost: Tho' I am persuaded that his Soul was separated from
his Body, I believe also, that the Deity was still united to his Body in
the Sepulchre, and to his Soul in Hell. Jesus Christ died, to the end
that, as the Apostle says to the _Hebrews_, Chap. ii. Ver. 14, 15. _He
might destroy him that had the Power of Death, that is the Devil, and
deliver them, who, through Fear of Death, were all their Life-time subject
to Bondage._ But the Death of Jesus Christ was voluntary; he went himself
to meet Death, and he himself determin'd the Place and Time of his Death,
as is plainly prov'd by the Words of the Prophet _Isaiah_, _And the Lord
said the same Thing unto himself before he suffered_. He was offer'd up,
because he desir'd it, and our Lord says himself, speaking of his Passion,
in St. _John_, Chap. x. Ver. 17, 18. _I lay down my Life that I might take
it again: No Man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have
Power to lay it down, and I have Power to take it again._
* * * * *
XIX. When I say, that _Jesus Christ was buried_; I believe not only that
his Body was buried, but also that God himself was laid in the Sepulchre.
For since the Deity never abandon'd the Body of our Saviour, which was
laid in the Sepulchre, we are under a Necessity of owning, that God was
buried.
* * * * *