nor the Holy Ghost were incarnate we answer that it is true that all the Three Persons equally govern and we further acknowledg that neither the Person of the Father nor the Person of the Holy Ghost are incarnate but only the Person of the Son yet we beleeve that the whole God-head and essence of the Father and of the Holy Ghost is incarnate in the Person of the Son This was affirmed by Christ when he said The Father is in me and I in him Ioh. 10. 38. and John Baptist had said before That God hath given him the Spirit not by measure Ioh. 3. 34. and St. Luke saith that Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost and St. Paul saith Col. 2. 9. In him Lu. 4. 1. dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily whereby it appeareth that the Dominion of Christ doth not in any wise exclude the Dominion of the other Divine persons although St. Jude calls Christ the only Lord God yet this word only doth not barr the Lordship or God-head of the Father and Holy Ghost because as our good rule in Logick teacheth us That Propositio exclusiva non excludit inclusa Next concerning the Priesthood of Christ he is said to be a Priest for ever after the order of Heb. 7. 17. Melchisedech if for ever then he must be a Priest in Heaven but if so then the Socinians tell us that Christ can not be the supream God because the supream God can not be a Priest This cavil I have met with before and answered a Lib. 2. c. 15. out of Arstin That Christ is a Priest only as he is the Son of man as incarnate and Emanuel but not as he is the Son of God or God the Word and so Prosper also resolved this doubt upon those words Thou art a Priest b Prosper in Psal 109. Non quatenus ex patre sed quantenus ex Matre natus est Sacerdos i. e. Christ is a Priest not as he is the Son of his Father but as he is the Son of his Mother But we are further told by the Socinians That Heb. 7. 1. p. â— 16. c. Christ was not a Priest till he was dead and that then his Priesthood began that the expiatory or satisfactory offering of Christ was not performed on the cross or on earth but in Heaven This they affirm because they will not beleeve that our Redemption was wrought by the death of Christ so blasphemously do they vilipend the blood of Christ whereas indeed the ultimate expiation or satisfaction consisteth in the death of Christ answering to the very words of the Covenant viz In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye and therefore the Apostle Gen. 2. 17. Rom. 6. 23. saith The wages of sin is death now if Christ dyed for us on the Cross he there also performed the expiation and paid the ransom for if the expiatory sacrifice were to be performed in Heaven then must Christ have suffered death in Heaven but the Apostle tells us that after his resurrection he dyeth no more This foul blasphemy Rom. 6. 9. is near a kin to that of Origen which St. Jerom reports a Hier. Epist 59. c. 4. That Christ was to suffer in the Air for the salvation of Divels and to suffer in Heaven also because we read of Spirituall wickedness in Heavenly places that so the inhabitants Eph. 6. 12. of al regions might be saved through Christs passions Thus he It being granted that Christ is now a Priest in Heaven it would be inquired of what order or kind his Priesthood is there in this we are certified that it is a Priesthood for ever and that it is after or according to the Priesthood of Melchisedech that is Christ is such a Priest in Heaven as Melchisedech was on Earth and therefore Christ in Heaven doth such Priestly acts as Melchisedech did on earth For Christ whilest he was on earth was a Priest but here his Priesthood was Aaronical i. e. like unto Aarons Priesthood because Christ did offer a bloody sacrifice even his own body and blood on the Altar of the Cross which he gave for a ransom for us Mat. 20. 28. For a propitiation Ro. 3. 25. for our Justification Ro. 5. 9. for our Redemption Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. to bear our sins in his own body 1 Pet. 2. 24. that is to undergo the punishment for our sins paying the ransom of his own self for us 1 Tim. 2. 6. This bloody sacrifice of Christ was typified and only signified by Aaron offering the bodies and blood of Beasts But the sacrifice of Christ on earth was also unlike Aarons because Aaron offered beasts but Christ offered himself Aaron might not offer human blood nor might Christ offer the blood of Beasts whereupon it is said Heb. 8. 4. That Christ on earth could not be a Priest because he could not offer gifts according to the Law that is he could not offer Levitical Sacrifices of Beasts as the Legal Priests did because he was not a Son of Aaron or of the Tribe of Levi. But he might and did offer his own humane blood which was the Substance whereas the blood of Beasts offered by Aaron was but only the shadow Therefore they that tell us that Christ may not be called an Aaronicall Priest because he was not a Son of Aaron may as well tell us that he may not be called The Lamb because he was not literally a Lamb taken out of the Sheep-fold The truth is this As the Lamb was Ex. 12. 5. but the shadow of Christs Passion so the Priesthood of Aaron was but the shadow of Christs Sacrificing Priesthood This Sacrificing Priesthood of Christ ended at his death so that he is not any more to be sacrificed but his Melchisedechical Priesthood and only that order of his Priesthood must continue for ever St. Austin saith of the Iews a Aug. in Psa 109. Iudaei vident jam periisse sacerdotium secundum Ordinem Aaron non agnoscunt Sacerdetium secundum ordinem Melchisedech This reproof toucheth not only Jews but Romanists and Socinians The Iews expect a restitution of their Temple and Aaronical or Levitical Sacrifices Romanists say Christ is daily Sacrificed on their Altars Socinians say that Christ Offereth Sacrificeth himself Com. on Heb. 9. v. 12. p. 168. in Heaven not considering that his Priesthood is only like Melchisedech's now which was not a Sacrificing Priesthood for we find not that any Sacrifice was offered by Melchisedech on earth neither may Christ our Melchisedech be thought in any wise to offer Sacrifice in Heaven But of this more anon If Christ being in Heaven doth there Sacrifice for us it must also be granted that he there prayeth for us because no Sacrifice can be rightly performed without prayer but no good Christian may imagine that the mediation of Christ in Heaven is by way of prayer neither can we find in
plura quam scio and Non me pudet ut fatear nescire quae nescio i. e. Those things which we understand not in holy Scripture are far more then what we do understand Neither are we ashamed to acknowledg our ignorance Neither should any Christian be abashed to acknowledg his ignorance in these profound Mysteries lest by falsly boasting of knowledge they may truly discern blindness as some who because they would not be thought to be pur-blind pretend to see what they do not S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 14. 38. If any be ignorant let him be ignorant This he said not to discourage ignorant people from acquiring knowledge but to restrain the ignorant from boasting of more knowledg then they have So Beza very pertinently expoundeth those words Ignarus suam ignorantiam Bâ—za in loc agnoscat nos imperiti locum peritorum occupent i. e. That ignorant and unlearned men should hold and esteem themselves to be so and not usurp the places and Offices of the skilful This is good Counsel for some in these times I wish our gifted-Donatist-Sermon-makers would consider it Now what particular Doctrines the Christian Doctors confessed to be too hard for them and incomprehensible by their learning is next to be shewed CHAP. 3. More concerning our ignorance in Points Theological Of Predestination and of the Trinity The presumption of some men in their over-much boldness in handling those Mysteries SAint Peter tells us that in S. Pauls Epistles some things are hard to be understood 2 Pet. 3. 16. Rom. 11. 16. and so S. Paul himself acknowledged when he cryed O the aepths of the riches and wisedom of God that his judgments are unsearchable and his ways past finding out it is evident also that the Apostles themselves were both ignorant and unbeleeving for a long time concerning the Mystery of the Death and of the Resurrection and of the Kingdom of Christ until the Holy Ghost descended on them at the Feast of Pentecost No marvel then if the greatest Theologs in the world are yet to seek in many matters of our Religion Who knows in what state place or condition souls departed are although some confidently talk of Lymbus and Purgatory who can tell when Christ will return from Heaven unto earth except our new Millenarians will teach us What man living understandeth the Apocalyps Bodinus tells that when Calvin was asked his opinion of it he answered that he knew not what so obscure a Writer meant for though Bod. Method c. 7. it be called a Revelation as having been made known to the holy Writer thereof yet by others it is accounted Obvelatio a veiling of Mysteries Some are confident that there shall be a general conversion of the Jews and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some indeavours are now in hand in order to it because the Apostle saith All Israel shall Rom. 11. 26. be saved yet how many Millions of Jews have departed this life in their infidelity since St. Paul wrot As for the meaning of those words learned Origen thus writeth a Orig. in Ro. lib. 8. cap. 1â— Quis ille Israel sit Deus solus novit unigenitus ejus si qui amici ejus sunt ad quos dicat i. e. None knoweth but God and those to whom he telleth it Concerning the grievous passions of Martyrs and the Pressures of other holy men Salvinus saith b Salv. de â—ub lib. 1. Quare Deus talia patiatur non est humane imb cilitatis cognoscâ—re i. e. Why God permiteth such oppression man cannot finde out How have those words of Christ Joh. 6. and Mat. 26. Except ye eat the flesh of Son of the man c. And Take eat this is my body how have they exercised and posed the Christian world both of reformed and unreformed Catholicks and so have even the words and form of Consecration of the Eucharistical Elements Finally how hath the Doctrine of the Sabbath in the fourth Commandment tortur'd both our own and other Theologues which Epiphanius and Austia expounded so as to be understood of Christ and verily except Christians do so apprehend it we cannot render a sufficient reason of our rejecting the Jewish Sabbath but if therein we understand Christ to be the Sabbath Then we may boldly say with Austin c Aug. cont Adimant c. 3. Sabbatum non est repudiatum a Christianis sed intellectum i. e. That Christians do not reject the Sabbath but do more truly understand it then the Jews do or did which I wonder that our Reforming Teachers do not hint now especially when we are become so strict Sabbatizers on the eighth day Touching the difficulties in the Doctrine of the holy Trinity and of Predestination and other Misteries Let us see what the ancient and most learned Divines thought Austin saith d Aug. confes l. 13. De Tem. Ser. 189. Soliloq c. 31. De verb. Apost Ser. 20. Trinitatem quis non loquitur quis intelligit Angeli in caelo Trinitatem scire non possunt diunt Quis est Rex gloriae And Trinitas tua tibi soli integre nota est quis cognovit te nisi tu te and so he concludeth Tu ratiotinare ego mirer tu disputa Ego credam i. e. Many talk of the Trinity but who understands it The Angels in Heaven do not comprehend it for they said Who is the King of glory The Trinity is known only to God for who hath known him but himself therefore Psal 24. 8 whilst others argue and dispute I will only admire and beleeve Thus he As concerning the Mystery of Gods Predestination and Election Origen inquiring why Jacob was loved and Esau hated before they Ro. 9. 13. were born thus answereth e Orig. in Gen. Homil. 12. Supra linguam nostram est dicere supra auditum vestrum i. e. That it was above his Eloquence to declare and his Auditors knowledg to understand Thus this Learned man acknowledged his insufficiency in these high Mysteries although at another time he tells us f Rapit nos desiderium ad ea quae magis obscura sunt disserenda Orig. in Num. ho. 13. That he had a more earnest desire to study and handle the greater difficulties in Scripture then the easier parts So we finde in Austin and Prosper many such passages whereby they acknowledg their nescience in such high matters As 1. Why an Infant at the very birth of it was found to be possessed with a Devil 2. Why one obtaineth the grace of Christianity and Baptism and another not 3. Why God punisheth one and forbeareth another when both are in the same fault 4. Why God granteth not the grace of Perseverance to some unto whom he hath given the grace of Christian Charity 5. Why he suffereth the children of some holy men to depart out of this life without Baptism or any knowledg of Christianity and yet so disposeth that the children of his very enemies and
profaned Psal 89. 38. 39. 40. 42. 43. his Crown by casting it to the ground Thou hast broken down all his hedges and brought his strong holds to ruin Thou hast set up the right hand of his adversaries Thou hast turned the Edg of his Sword Thou hast made his glorie to cease c. Therefore this prophesied Kingdom can not be meant of the old David or any of his posterity but only of Christ in whom only this Davidical Kingdom still resteth and shall last on earth as long as the Sun endureth Of this Kingdom of Christ as he is the Son of David are those prophecies to be understood Ps 72. He shall come down like rain upon Psal 72. 6. the mowen grass or fleece of wool This is said of the secret birth of Christ of a Virgin without noyse or clamor He shall have dominion unto 8. the ends of the earth So had not any other of Davids posterity All Kings shall fall before 11. him and all Nations shall serve him This is not verified of any King but only Christ Prayer 15. shall be made ever to him or for him by his institution and dayly shall he be praised his name shall endure for ever as long as the Sun and men shall be blessed in him all Nations shall call him blessed any man that is but of meane progress in Religion may easily apprehend that these speeches can fit none other but Christ even Balaam an Heathen and a Magician Num. 24. 2 when the Spirit of God came upon him prophecied of a Star to come out of Jacob and a Scepter 17. out of Israel The Star signifieth the Heavenly or Divine part of Christ which should condescend to take flesh from Jacob. The Scepter signifieth the Kingdom of this Heavenly Star or Son of God so incarnate or as he is the Son of Jacob or Israel and so it must signifie the Kingdom of Christ Neither is the Gospel silent concerning the universal Kingdom of Christ in this world The Angel said He shall reigne over the house of Jacob Lu. 1. 33. for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be Regi Deâ— Mcrituro Naz. Ambr. no end This was said of Jesus as he is the Son of Mary therefore of the Man Christ The Wise men of the East call him King and they offer Gold Frankincense and Myrrhe as to a King and to a God and to a Mortall as the Fathers generally agree The news of this Kingdom came to Rome in the days of Nero and is reported by a Suet. in Vospat c. 4. Ioseph de Bel. Iud. l. 7. Suetonius That by an old Prophecie it was foretold That about those times there should come out of Judaea some who should have dominion over the whole world This by flatterers was applied to Vespasian though he thought it to be meant of another and not of himself and therefore caused inquisition to be made among the Jews for the posterity of David to be put to death so did his Son Domitian and when two of them were brought before him of mean condition he asked them what estates they had they answered they had but b Iugera Euseb Hist l. 3. c. 20. Paul Oros l. 7. c. 7. 39 Acres of Land then he looked on their hands and perceived them to be hard and brawny with labour and so dismissed them as contemptible Herod beleeved the Prophecy of Christs Kingdom but mistook the manner of it and therefore slew the infants to prevent it What else can be the meaning of those sayings in St. Johns Gospel The word was made Ioh. 1. 14. flesh He came into the world and the world was made by him He came unto his own therefore 10. 11. Ioh. 3. 35. the world was his The Father hath given all things into his hand This is said of the Son now incarnate Thou hast given him power over all flesh This was said before his passion and that also Mat. 11. 27. All things are delivered unto me of my Father This power was given to him as man for by his God-head all was his before there is also mention of a Kingly prerogative annexed to his manhood wheÌ„ it is said The Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive Mat. 9. 6 sins and this is so high that in the Apocalyps he is called The Prince of the Kings of the earth Rec. 1. 5 so the greatest Potentates on earth are but his subjects Neither did his Kingdom cease whilest he was dead and buried there was no Interstitium no Inter regnum or Interval of his Dominion for neither was the union of the God-head and man hood in him dissolved by death indeed the body and soul were parted each from the other but yet so that they did convene in Vno Tertio for they were both held in the hands of the Father or God head as when one draweth a sword out of the scabbard and holdeth the sword in one hand and the scabbard in the other Christ said at the point of his death Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Lu. 23. 46. therefore neither could his soul be detained in Hell or wheresoever it was as it is said Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hâ—ll nor Act. 2. 24. 27. could the grave retain his body so as to hinder its reuniting with the soul as it is said It was impossible that he should be holden of death we find also both in his life time and in the very lowest degree of his humiliation and death all Creatures acknowledging his Soveraignity He commanded the winds of the air He walked on the Sea the Fishes brought him tribute the Earth did quake The Sun was darkned in Heaven Angels ministred unto him Divels were dispossessed by him Graves gave up their dead bodies and Paradise it self as it seems sent back the souls of sleeping Saints The Kingdom of Christ in this world is acknowledged both by Romanists and also by those Protestants that are of the Presbyterian persuasion although I conceive they both err in the circumstance and manner thereof for the Romanists place the Throne of Christ in their Roman Consistâ—rie and in the Infallible Chayr but that Throne will not agree with the words of the Psalmist because all Kings and Nations have not fain before it and many who heretofore acknowledged it have since utterly rejected it so that the Roman Catholick or universal Throne hath not increased of late nor the universality thereof doth-last as long as the Sun or days of Heaven Neither will the Presbyterian Vestry be suteable with the Universal Throne of Christ although some have said that the Presbytery is his Throne and that it is to be set up by the sword but so is not the Sion of Christ the Prophet reproves the Jews for building up Sion in blood it may be reasonably suspected that all the former Mich. 3. 10. and present indeavours and