excluded yea peradventure to see them that they have hated and disdained and refused to give any honour unto as when the Rich man shall see Lazarus received by God into the Kingdom of Heaven whom he vouchsafed not to set among his Servants and that which is more to see themselves separated hated and tugged by an innumerable sort of ugly Devils out of the presence not only of God but their Fathers Mothers Wives Husbands Children Friends Lovers and Acquaintance who shall deride and laugh at them forgetting all bonds and obligations of Nature and rejoycing at the execution of God's Justice in their Condemnation so that no eye either of God or Man shall pity them nor no tears prayers suits cryes yellings or mourning can be heard or prevail with him who is their Judge nor one to mediate or speak for them to reverse or stay Judgment but needs without mercy without stay without any farewel they shall presently be cast even to the endless easeless and remediless torments of Hell Never was there poor wretch that was condemned at the Tribunal of mortal Judgment to be compared to this estate for there the conclusion of the Judges Sentence is Lord have mercy upon thy Soul but here the Lord himself shall not only not shew any token of Mercy and loving Countenance but also with a Voyce surpassing any Thunder-clap to be heard in all Heaven Earth and Hell Curse them Body and Soul to the Pit of Hell for evermore And if this were all the present woe yet were not the case so heavy for besides this what guilt of Conscience what biting envy what horrour of mind what distraction what murmuring against the Lord what cursing of themselves their day of birth and Father and Mother what remembrance of their former lives mispent and to conclude what doth not the fear of Hell work upon them surely my heart dreadeth my mind faileth to think upon to hear to see to consider their wringing of hands their knocking of breasts their cryes as it were filling of Heaven and Earth and Hell and my Tongue and Pen cannot express it but must rest with that saying There is no peace to the wicked saith the Lord Isa 57.21 Now Beloved a few words by way of Comfort and so I shall conclude First What can be more comfortable to good men than to consider and remember that the Lord hath appointed a day to Judge the World in Righteousness by the Man Christ Jesus which was dead and buried and raised and ascended and sitteth at the right hand of God which also is ordained Judge of quick and dead against whom and for whose sake the Wicked rage and the Godly indure and therefore it is said He shall come viz. in the Clouds which was interred in the Earth the sorrows of the Grave cannot hold him no nor the Heavens when the latter day cometh but he maketh his Clouds his Charriots his Messengers flames of fire burning up the World and rideth upon the wings of the Wind and cometh with the voices of Archangels Trumpets Arise O you dead and let all men come to Judgment O how happy shall it be that day with them which have served and kissed the Son and that can say For thy sake we have been killed all the day long How shall he recompence them that have fed him How shall he pay them that by Almes-deeds and holy Works have lent unto him How shall he honour them that have honoured him How shall he revive and comfort them that have died or mourned for him * See Mr. Perkins upon the Creed And to conclude Shall he not give them ten thousand times more than all their evils amounted unto in this present World Well! O Christ we believe that thou shalt come to be our Judge we therefore pray thee help thy Servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood Come Lord Jesus come quickly and make them to be numbred with thy Saints in glory everlasting Now beloved I shall speak one word to the Place of Glory and so I shall conclude this matter Luke 12.32 Fear not little Flock it s your Fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father receive the Kingdom prepared for you from before the Foundation of the World Joh. 3.4 Except a man be born of Water and of the Holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant Mercy who hath begotten us again to a lively Hope by the Resurrection of Christ from the dead vers 4 To an Inheritance immortal and undefiled which fadeth not away reserved in the Heavens for us Joh. 17.24 Father I will that those that thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me By all which it is manifest that the Place is Heaven where God and Christ is where is fulness of Joy and at his right hand are Pleasures for evermore As it is written Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither hath it entered into the Heart of Man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him He that overcometh shall inherit all things and I will be his God and he shall be my Son And because I cannot speak of the Excellency of this Place and the Glory that is therein but I shall darken it through my ignorance thereof therefore I will conclude with these words Rev. 22.14 Blessed are they which do his Commandment that they may have right to the Tree of Life and may enter in through the Gates into the City Vers 17. And the Spirit and the Bride say Come and let him that heareth say Come and let him that is athirst Come and whosoever will let him take of the Water of Life freely Amen even so come Lord Jesus The Authors APOLOGY to his Friends giving them some Reasons why he did not Print the other part of the Manuscript with this sith it was once intended and so much desired by many Friends which consisteth chiefly of these particulars viz. 1. HOw many wayes a man may be guilty in partaking of other mens sins from 2 Tim. 5.22 where is shewed Eight wayes 2. Of ten Capital Sins which many men be I fear guilty of if not some Churches also which for brevity sake are all reduced to two Heads viz. Heresie and Hypocrisie as also the remedies for the Cure of the Cankering Nature of these two great Sins which is true Faith in Christ and sincere Love to him 3. An Essay for a right stating of the question Whether Christ died for all men or for the Elect only Which when I have shewed you my meaning about it by God's help it may be a means towards an Union which I hope is unfeignedly desired by some of both Parties For doubtless it would be very much to God's honour and the Churches peace And that I may attain to the end by me propounded as aforesaid I intend God willing if ever it be published to the view of the World to proceed after this manner As First To shew the End of Christ's Death and the Application of his Death Secondly The Salvation wrought on Earth by Christ in his own Body with God for Men And the Salvation in the Application thereof he worketh from Heaven by his Spirit in Men to God Thirdly God's Love of Compassion and his Love of Delight Fourthly The Portion of Spirit sent forth before Christ's Coming in the Flesh and since his Coming and Ascension All which the Scriptures make distinct But they are usually confounded by the inconsiderate as I hope by God's Grace I shall be inabled to make it plainly appear Now the reason why I did not Print it with this was because it would make it too voluminous or big so that the poorer sort of Christians for whose sake it was chiefly intended could not be able to but it I could shew many more Reasons but shall forbear to declare them here FINIS
of the blessed Trinity is such a great Mystery that no earthly similitude will set it out plainly to our capacities But I pray consider the Vision of the three Men that appeared to Abraham Gen. 18. and the two that went to Lot Gen. 19. And there you may see although they be three Persons yet but one Lord and so called and worshipped of Abraham see chap. 18. and of the two that went to Lot after that they had told him their Message then he never called them Lords but Lord see Chap. 19.18 Which two were the Son and Holy Ghost which were sent by the Father Chap. 18.21 22. for the Father is said to send the Son and Spirit but he is never sent of them And thus you may see how Abraham saw Christ and was glad Gen. 18. compared with John 8.56 58 c. Quest How is God said to be present in all places at once Psal 95.2 6. 139.7 And also to fill Heaven and Earth Jer. 23.24 Answ There is a four-fold Presence of God mentioned in the Scriptures the first is his Presence with all his Creatures which we may call his general Providence whereby he preserveth all his Creatures substances and giveth unto them to live move and have a being and this extendeth it self to all his Creatures both good and bad Acts 17.28 The second degree is the Presence of Grace whereby he doth not only preserve the substance of all his Creatures but also giveth grace onto them this is to the Church of God on Earth The third degree is the Presence of Glory peculiar to the Saints and Angels in Heaven where they shall see God face to face The fourth degree is the Presence of the Godhead of the Son with the Manhood of Christ for in him dwelleth the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.9 Now for the better understanding of this Mystery we must know that the Scriptures are to be taken four wayes at least some of them viz. first Historically secondly Analogically thirdly Allegorically and fourthly Morally As to instance in one of them for brevity sake Numb 21.9 And Moses made a Serpent and put it upon a Pole c. It hath these four significations the first is Historical it was a Serpent made 2dly Analogically it was lifted up so must Christ Joh. 3.15 3dly Allegorically that is another thing was meant by it as appeareth by Hezekiah's taking of it away and calling of it Nehushtan that is a piece of Brass 2 King 18.4 4thly Morally for they were to look upon it for their cure Even so must we look upon Christ by Faith as saith the Prophet Isaiah Look upon me and be ye saved all the ends of the Earth Now that he is present with all his Creatures to preserve their substances as I said before appeareth from Isa 40.12 Who hath measured the Waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out Heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the Earth in a measure and weighed the Mountains in scales the Hills in a ballance behold the Nations are as the drop of a bucket and are counted as the small dust of the ballance behold he taketh up the Isles as a very little thing vers 15. By which phrases is meant that he governeth and disposeth of them at his pleasure for neither the Sun could give his light to us nor the Fire heat all these will perish if he withdraw his Presence but a moment from them as also the Beasts of the Field for if he take away their breath they die Psal 104.28 29. Even as the body of a Man when the Soul is gone as St. James saith The body without the Spirit is dead For as St. Paul In him we live and move and have our being Acts 17.28 As also certain of your own Poets have said For we are all his off-spring 1 Cor. 8.6 Obj. But sin maketh a separation betwixt us and God for what communion hath light with darkness and Christ with Belial Therefore he is not present with them c. A. This is not to be understood in the first degree viz. to preserve their substances as in Acts 17. but is meant in the second degree viz. his Grace with his Church on the Earth Joh. 14.23 If any man love me saith Christ he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him which is meant of his Grace and Love and his dwelling with them is by his Holy Spirit as appeareth by his answer to Judas which asked How is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the World he had told him before vers 15. 17. If you love me keep my Commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that he may abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth whom the World cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Thus you see how sin separateth us from God's Favour Grace and Spirit but not from his Presence as David saith Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Or Whither shall I flye from thy Presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there If I make my bed in Hell thou art there If I take the wings of the Morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand hold me And as Amos saith speaking of sinners Amos 9.2 Though they dig into Hell thence shall my hand take them though they climb up to Heaven thence will I bring them down and though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel I will search and take them out thence c. For we must not imagine him to be contained in any one place saith the Prophet Jer. 23.24 Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord For as Solomon saith The Heaven and the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain thee how much less this House which I have built 1 King 8.27 And St. Stephen saith He dwelleth not in Tabernacles made with hands Acts 7. and yet he dwelt saith David betwixt the Cherubims And the Lord saith of Zion This is my rest for ever here will I dwell therefore saith the Prophet Blessed be the Lord out of Zion that dwelleth at Jerusalem Psal 135.21 Now this must be meant of his Grace or gracious Presence there and not his personal Presence for if so then he was not in Heaven at that time which I think no wise man will believe therefore when St. Paul saith Whilst we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord he means the beatifical Vision or face of God in glory which cannot be seen with these mortal eyes therefore he saith When we are absent from the body we are present with the Lord 2 Cor. 5.6 8. he meaneth in
The truth is this That good and bad shall rise again yet there is a great difference in the rising of the one and the other for the Godly shall rise by vertue of Christ's Resurrection and that to Eternal Glory But the Ungodly rise by the Power of Christ as he is a terrible Judge and to execute Justice on them Now to the Faithful Christ is said to be the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Cor. 15.16 Because as in the first Fruits of Corn being offered unto God the owner had an assurance of God's blessing on the rest So here by Christ's Resurrection the Believers have a Pledge of their own resurrection Now of his Ascention into Heaven Luke saith Acts 1.9 That he was taken up the meaning is this was done principally by the mighty Power of his Godhead and partly by the supernatural property of a glorified Body which is to move as well upward as downward without constraint or violence And thus Christ ascended into Heaven really and actually and not in appearance only And he went also locally by changing his place and going from Earth to Heaven so as he is no more on Earth bodily as we are now on Earth And whereas it may be doubted If he be so departed from us at touching hit bodily Presence how that may be true that he said he would be with us unto the end of the World Matth. 28.20 The Answer is He said also That he would leave the Word to go to the Father Joh. 16.28 wherefore he must be understood to speak by a distinction True it is he was before Abraham Joh. 8.85 and so is he with the Church to the Worlds end according to his Divine Nature in Majesty Grace Vertue Power and Effectual working of his Holy Spirit Joh. 17.11 14.16 17. 16.13 But his bodily Presence is in Heaven Secondly If any doubt further Whether the Natures be not thus severed if where the one it the other is not alwayes I Answer No For the Divinity which cannot be comprehended must of necessity out-reach and yet comprehend the Humanity and thereunto be personally united It is not alwayes that of two things conjoyned where the one is there must be the other also For the Sun and his beams are both joyned together yet they are not both in all places together for the body of the Sun is seated and carried only in his Celestial Orbe in the Heavens but his beames are here beneath on the Earth In those Holy Phrases then we must remember that as Learned Men speak the Properties of both Natures must be distinguished in Christ for in such places properties belonging to one Nature are ascribed unto the other because of the Hypostatical Union of both Natures in one Person And thus far for the sense of the words of this Article where we see briefly that Christ's Ascention is an Exaltation or a receiving up of his Humanity to fit in the highest Heavens till the glorious day of his Appearance in Judgment Heb. 1.3 Now I come to the use of this Faith First When I do thus believe the Ascension of Christ I do believe also all the Effects thereof and all the Holy Adjuncts appertaining thereunto namely these two principal which the Apostle specially mentioneth Eph. 4.8 12. First that when he ascended up on high he led captivity captive By Captivity I understand a multitude of Captives as the Psalmist doth Psal 68.19 By Captives here are meant the World the Flesh Sin Satan and Death it self and whatsoever Engins and Confederates these had against Christ in his Humiliation and his Members all their dayes on Earth He so triumphed over them all on his Cross Col. 1.12 but especially in his Ascension that howsoever they may fear us otherwhile and scar us to waken us from Security yet they shall never hurt us for Christ hath taken away their sting 1 Cor. 15.55 and hath pinioned their hands behind them as Captives and set us Free if we will come unto him when he calls us by his Gospel Wherefore if we refuse now his Call our state is the more dangerous See Mr Perkins upon the Creed pag. 285. A man lies bound hand and foot in a dark Dungeon and the Keeper sets open the Prison door takes off his Irons and bids him come forth If he refuse and say he is well may it not be said he is mad and who will pity him in that case This is the state of all impenitents and contemners of the Gospel Secondly It is said also That then he gave gifts to his Church as Kings do in their triumph and his gifts were those Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers for the planting of the Church and the Propagation of the same and for the gathering of his Elect to the Worlds end If these were Christ's principal blessings which Christ gave his Church in his Ascension and so richly and highly to be accounted as being destinate and sent for so great a Work as the building of the Body of Christ which is his Church on Earth Eph. 4.12 Then they do not believe rightly and truly the Ascension of Christ that so basely and vilely esteem the sacred Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel of Christ and the Administration of his Sacraments as Atheists and Papists and all carnal Gospellers do Thirdly Like as our Justification is ascribed unto his Resurrection and Merit of the same So our proceeding in Grace and Perseverance may truly be attributed to his Ascension to Heaven and Intercession there for us Joh. 17. And like as he could never have risen in that Body wherein he was accursed for us unless he had been acquitted and justified from all our sins so much less could he have Ascended into the highest Heavens if he had not been pure from all our spots imputed unto him His Ascension is a clear evidence of his Righteousness Joh. 16.9 10. and consequently of our Righteousness in him and by him for which these Articles are sweetly knit together for the confirmation of our Faith touching our free Justification by Christ Rom. 8.33 34. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect Is God that justifieth who shall condemn It is Christ which died yea or rather which is risen again who is also at the right-hand of God and maketh request for us Wherefore ever remember to reject the Doctrine of Antichrist who teacheth that Christ by his Death did merit our Justification but we once Justified do further merit our Salvation Whereas thou feest here not only the beginning but also the continuance yea the accomplishment of the whole Work of our Salvation in our Vocation Justification Sanctification and Glorification is wholly and only to be ascribed to the merit of Christ Fourthly We receive also by his Ascension a confirmation touching our Ascension into Heaven for in believing the one we believe the other for the Head and Members must go together We be not now coldly to
A Cure for the Cankering Error OF THE New Eutychians Who concerning the Truth have erred SAYING That our blessed Mediator did not take his Flesh of the Virgin Mary neither was he made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh and thereby have overthrown the Faith of some By Thomas Monck Joh. 17.3 This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent 2 Pet. 3.17 Beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness c. London Printed for the Author Anno 1673. The Author to the Reader Christian Reader THE matters contended for in this Treatise are on all hands confessed to be very weighty and necessary to our Salvation which in short are these viz. The true knowledge of God and his Son Jesus Christ our Lord which to know is life Eternal Now these new Eutychians which here in this Treatise I oppose say That the Divine Nature of Christ which was in the beginning with God and was God Joh. 1.1 2. compared with the 14 verse was made flesh viz. by turning his Divine Nature or Godhead into flesh even at the Water was turned into Wine at Cana Joh. 2.9 which ceased to be Water and became Wine so the Eternal Word viz. God the Creator of Heaven and Earth ceased from being a Creator to become a Creature viz. Man and died for our sins as these men say as you may see in this insuing Discourse Nov this Opinion I call Erronious and Heretical and indeavour to prove it so as also impossible sith God is Immortal and Immutable yea Perfection it self and therefore cannot die nor yet be changed as I have proved in this Treatise Secondly They say in plain words That our blessed Mediator did not take his flesh of the Virgin Mary nor of David and so by Consequence he was not the true Son of David and if so how can we be saved sith all the Promises are Yea and Amen in him that was the true Son of David as the Reader may see in the insuing Discourse which is a consequence of the former Opinion Now albeit some of them that be more subtile begin to bogle and will not speak plainly to this question What the Word was before it was flesh but say they cannot tell We say he was either a Creator or a Creature sith we know no other thing that could die for us and as was said before God the Creator of all things could not die as we believe Therefore if they deny him to be a Creator then we think they must be Arrians or Socinians which two Opinions they say they abhor as false and erroneous but the other part of them say still as they all use to say heretofore That he was of the uncreated substance of his Father their Essence being one but yet they all agree in this That he that was the Eternal Word did not take his Flesh of the blessed Virgin Mary as we say he did Now I can assure thee Christian Reader I have had no mind to Dispute much less to Write about these great Mysteries which I humbly believe and adore but the Opposition that these men of late have made against the Truth the great danger that I know some poor Souls have been yet are in concerning these things about God Christ as also the exhortation of the Apostle Jude which bids us earnestly contend for that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints hath ingaged me in this great Work which I confess I am not sufficient for but hope by this to open a door to some abler Pen to inlarge upon and further explain these great Mysteries that so the little children that John bids keep themselves from Idols may know them better than yet I doubt they do Now the principal things I treat of in this Book are these Four First Of the Essence of God Secondly Of the Holy Trinity Thirdly About the Person of Christ Fourthly Of the union of Natures in that one sacred Person As you may see if the Lord open your eyes as he did the two Disciples that were a going to Emmaus and that he may so do is and shall be the Prayer of the Author of this Book to God for thee And because I would be an instrument in the hand of God to keep thee from Heresie or pluck thee out if thou art in it I have thought good to open to thee in some measure the nature of that dâ—â—â—nable sin of Heresie from the words of the Apostle Peter which I will use as a Preface to this Book to the which I refer thee as also to the Book it self for thy satisfaction and shall pray that God would be pleased to make it effectual for the end intended which is Gods Glory and the Salvation of poor Souls and remain Thine To serve in what I may for the Truths sake T. M. October 19. 1672 The Preface 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. But there were false Prophets amongst the People even as there shall be false Teachers among you who privily shall bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction And many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of And through covetousness shall they with fained words make merchandize of you 1. IN these words the holy Apostle shews us That as the Church and People of God in old time had their enemies the false Prophets so the Church of Christ in these last dayes shall have their Adversaries the false Teachers 2. That the work of the false Teachers will be privily to bring in damnable Heresies 3. That the Heresies will be of so destructive and damnable a nature that they which adhere to them will even in so doing deny the Lord that bought them 4. That the false Teachers in bringing in the said damnable Heresies will bring upon themselves swift destruction 5. Such shall be the success of false Teachers That many shall follow their pernicious wayes by reason of whom the way of Truth shall be evil spoken of 6. That which shall be the moving Cause to set false Teachers a work shall be Covetousness 7. The Engine or Instrument which they shall use to carry on their work shall be feigned words 8. And lastly The condition that those will be brought into which follow them is no better than slavery they shall make Merchandize of you that you shall as it were be bought and sold into slavery I hope through the good assistance of Jesus Christ to treat of these Eight Particulars briefly as an Introduction to this Treatise First It being the main design of Satan to subvert the Kingdom of God he hath in all Ages used his utmost endeavour so to do He assaulted our first Parents even when they were in innocency and having prevailed so far that the first Covenant hath been
variableness nor shadow of changing Mal. 3.6 I am the Lord and am not changed Where it is said Gen. 6.6 That God repenteth c. the meaning is That God changeth the action as men do that repent therefore repentance it signifieth not any mutation in God but in his actions and such things as are made and changed by him God's Nature is Spiritual in that it is incorporeal and therefore invisible Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit 1 Tim. 1.17 To the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the only Wise God be glory and honour for ever and ever Col. 1.15 Who is the image of the invisible God The infiniteness of God is twofold his Eternity and exceeding Greatness God's Eternity is that by which he is without beginning and ending Psal 90.2 Before the Mountains were made and before thou hadst formed the Earth and the World even from everlasting to everlasting thou art our God Rev. 1.8 I am Alpha and Omega that is The beginning and ending saith thé Lord which is which was and which is to come God's exceeding Greatness is that by which his incomprehensible Nature is every where present both within and without the World Psal 145.3 Great is the Lord and worthy to be praised and his greatness is incomprehensible 1 King 8.27 Is it true indeed that God will dwell on the Earth Behold the Heavens and the Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain thee how much less is this House that I have built Jer. 23.24 Do not I fill the Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Hence it is plain First That He is only One and that indivisible not many Eph. 4.5 One Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all Deut. 4.35 Vnto thee it was shewed that thou mightest know that the Lord he is God and that there is none but He alone 1 Cor. 8.4 We know that an Idol is nothing in the World and that there is none other God but Oxe And there can be but one thing infinite in Nature Secondly That God is the knower of the Heart For nothing is hidden from that Nature which is within all things and without all things which is included in nothing nor excluded from any thing Because 1 King 8.39 the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth every work of the mind Psal 139.1 2. Thou knowest my sitting down and my rising up thou understandest my cogitation afar off All the Attributes in God are one and the same perfection It is better said of God that he is his Attributes than that he hath Attributes the Attributes are not distinguished in God but in our manner of understanding who being unable to comprehend that meer act at once do conceive thereof after the manner of many acts The Sun when he is perpendicular had it an Eye would behold all that at once which we by reason of the inadequateness and and unproportionableness of our sight are necessiated to view by parts In God all things are one and the same according to the nature of God though out of God many and divers according to their own proper and created nature The same heat in the Sun produceth divers effects according to the various disposition of the objects hardness in Clay softness in Wax c. The Divine Attributes though they can neither exactly be numbred or distributed yet for our better understanding we may consider of them as Negative Relative Positive Negative Attributes are such as remove from God all imperfection Negative by these we help our understanding in our meditation of God by way of Negation The more principal of them are in number five viz. Simplicity Eternity Immensity Immutability Infiniteness to which or some of which any other of like nature may conveniently be referred Simplicity is God's one meer and perfect act without all compositions God calleth his Name I am Exod. 3.14 as I said before c. that is his meer Essence wherein these five Properties or Attributes as aforesaid are eminently included called by some Incommunicable properties The more principal Relative Attributes are in number Relative seven 1. Creation 2. Providence 3 Lordship 4. Benignity 5. Mercy 6. Redemption 7. Justice To which or some of which the rest of like nature may conveniently be referred But of these I shall say more hereafter Positive Attributes Positive are such which so ascribe some perfection to God as not inferring any respect unto the Creatures existing or in present being by these our understanding is helped in our meditation of God by way of eminency the more principal of them are in number six 1. Holiness 2. Wisdom 3. Will 4. Liberty 5. Omnipotency 6. Perfection To which or some of which the rest of like nature may conveniently be referred But I shall speak but to one of these in this place viz. Perfection which I think comprehendeth all the rest c. Perfection is God all-sufficient and all-excellent not having need of any thing giving sufficient unto and having in him the perfection of all things Gen. 17.1 2. Exod. 6.3 This Attribute renders God as that infinite Sea of all Happiness Perfection is increated Glory that is all the Attributes in one word as happiness is the sum of man's good so glory is the sum of all God's Attributes The Perfection of God is essential independent unlimited without increase or decrease as the power of subordinate causes is contained in the first cause virtually And as the Authority of under Officers is in the Prince after a more excellent manner so the virtue of all second causes is contained in the first cause eminently The word eminently taken in its strict and proper sense seemeth to intend the effect to be in the cause not only in a more excellent manner than in it self but also in a super created manner Things are in God agreeable to the nature of God in themselves according to their proper natures Eminential continency and virtual continency that is for one thing to be contained in another eminently as the excellency of the Creature is in the Creator or virtually as all things saleable are in money Eccles 10.9 are not the same the first is proper to the Creator the second is found in the Creature The Essential perfection of God is increated Glory Eternal alwayes the same from which nothing can be taken to which nothing can be added The acknowledgment of the manifested perfections of God is Glorification viz. The act of the Creature done in time admitting more or less according as God is known or acknowledged Secondly If God in his Nature or Essence be simply absolutely and infinitely perfect then must he needs be a most pure and simple act without any Potentiality at all i. e. he must needs be actually and so have been from Eternity whatsoever he is capable of being or whatsoever it is possible for him ever to be The reason of this is because all Potentiality of Possibility of being any thing more
when your thoughts are come to the highest stay there and be content to wonder in silence and if you cannot reach to conceive of him as he is yet take heed you conceive not of him as he is not Neither will it suffice your Christian mind to have this awful and confused apprehension of the Deity without a more special and inward conceit of three in this one Three Persons in this one Essence not divided but distinguished and not more mingled than divided There is nothing wherein the want of words can wrong and grieve us but in this Here alone as we can adore and not conceive so we can conceive and not utter yea utter your selves and not be conceived yet as we may think here of one substance in three subsistences one Essence in three Relations one Jehovah begetting begotten proceeding Father Son Spirit yet so as the Son is no other thing from the Father but another Person or the Spirit from the Son Let your thoughts here walk warily the path is narrow the conceit either of three substances or but one subsistence is damnable Let me lead you yet higher and further in this intricate way towards the Throne of Grace All this will not avail you if you take not your Mediator with you if you apprehend not a true Manhood gloriously united to the Godhead without change of either Nature without mixture of both whose Presence whose Merits must give passage acceptance vigour to your Prayers Here must be therefore as you see thoughts holily mixed of a Godhead and Humanity one Person in two Natures of the same Deity in divers Persons and one Nature wherein if ever Heavenly Wisdom must bestir it self in directing us so to sever these apprehensions that none be neglected so to conjoyn them that they be not confounded O the depth of Divine Mysteries more than can be wondered at O the necessity of this high Knowledge which who attains not may babble but prayeth not Still you doubt and ask if you may not direct your Prayers to one Person of three Why not safely and with comfort What need we fear while we have our Saviour for our pattern O my Father if possible let this Cup pass and Paul everywhere both in thanks and requests but with due care in Worshipping all in one Exclude the other while you fix your heart upon one your Prayer is sin retain all and mention one you offend not None of them doth ought for us without all It is a true rule of Divines All their external works are common To sollicite one therefore and not all were injurious And if you stay your thoughts upon the sacred Humanity of Christ with inseparable adoration of the Godhead united and thence climbe up to the holy conceit of that blessed and dreadful Trinity I dare not censure I dare not but commend your divine method Thus should Christians ascend from Earth to Heaven from one Heaven to another If I have given your Devotions any light it is well the least glimpse of this knowledge is worth all the full gleames of Humane and Earthly skill But I mistake if your own heart wrought upon with serious Meditations under that Spirit of Illumination will not prove your best master After this weak direction study to conceive aright that you may pray aright and pray that you may conceive and meditate that you may do both and the God of Heaven direct you inable you that you may do all CHAP. III. Concerning Christ our Mediator I Will now by God's help prove by the holy Scriptures that the Eternal Word viz. the second Person in the Trinity took flesh of the Virgin Mary and so was made like unto his brethren in all things sin only excepted Heb. 2.17 4.15 For neither the Father nor holy Spirit took our nature upon them but Christ only For as by the first Adam came sin and death by sin even so comes grace and life by Jesus Christ Rom. 5. But here we must note how Christ took Man's Nature upon him Not by turning his Godhead into his Manhood but by assuming of his Manhood into his Godhead not by confusion or mixture of substance but by unity of Personâ— For as the reasonable Soul and fleshly body is one Man even so the Deity and Humanity is one Christ When I say Christ took our Nature upon him I mean not that he took our flesh only as some Hereticks have thought but the Soul of man also Forasmuch as he is no half-Saviour but a Redeemer both of Body and Soul for St. John saith The Word was made Flesh viz. by taking Man's flesh or Nature in union with the Word which is Christ And why he is called the Word I have already shewed and shall God willing do it again in the Questions and Answers about Christ in a place set for it therefore I pass it over here Quest But the Eutychians ask us Of what matter the flesh of Christ was made Or Did he not bring it out of Heaven Answ No truly for as the first Adams flesh was made of the Earth as it is written Gen. 2.7 Even so it is written Christ was made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 for he did not pass through her as Water through a Pipe but took part of her substance therefore the Prophet Isaiah saith There shall come forth a Rod out of the Stem of Jesse and a branch or blossome shall grow out of his roots Isa 9. Acts 13.23 And Solomon calleth him a Lilly and Rose Cant. 2.1 Now you know the Flower and the Rose taketh its nature of the root For as St. Paul saith As is the root such are the branches Rom. 11.16 17. Besides it was the Will of God that the same flesh that sinned should be punished as we may see an instance in Davids Child although David sinned in killing of Vriah yet it pleased God to spare Davids person from death and punish him in his flesh viz. his Child with death See 2 Sam. 12.14 Howbeit because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme the Child also that it born unto thee shall surely die Even so it was Adam that sinned but it pleased God to spare his person and punish him in his flesh viz. Christ For as St. Paul saith He was made a Curse for us Gal. 3.13 And as St. Peter saith The just suffered for the unjust 1 Pet. 1.18 3.18 See the comparison also betwixt the two Adams in Rom. 5.18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men to justification of life For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous And thus as St. Paul saith He is flesh of our flesh Forasmuch as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself took part of the same Heb. 2.14
being used personally because the Person sending is opposed to the Person sent Exod. 22.28 Psal 82.6 Improperly when it is attributed to Angels or Men and truly either in regard of their Office or else in respect of the revealing of the Will of God and of their Reverence Falsly either by Error or else by Usurpation and Custom as 1 Cor. 8.5 Or else by worshipping them 2 Cor. 4.4 Phil. 3.19 Exod. 7.20 Q. Be there any parts or kinds of God A. None at all because he is a most simple Essence which doth admit no composition or division and simply and in every respect of unity one and in act most infinite Q. Are there any Causes of God A. Not any for he is the Cause of all Causes Q. Is there any accident in God A. No in regard of God himself for whatsoever is in God is his Essence Q. Seeing the Essence of God is most simple in what respect doth Power Goodness Justice Wisdom and Mercy differ in God A. Not in Essence for all these Attributes in Essence are but one very thing indeed but in our weak capacity and manner of knowing in regard of us and by the effects in respect of the Creatures Q. How many sorts are there of God's Attributes A. Two the first whereof is incommunicable so that there appeareth not the least impression thereof in any of his Creatures This kind we may call absolute such is his Simplicity and which depend upon it his Immutability Eternity and Immensity The second sort is some way communicable which you may call fitly a Relative Property in that it hath relation to the Creatures such are his Power Wisdom Will Goodness Justice and Mercy Q. Be there any effects of God A. There be infinite effects of his Grace Justice Power and Mercy Q. How are the Gentiles said to be without God Eph. 2.12 seeing they adore so many Gods A. Because none of their Gods was the true God Q. But yet they acknowledged God the Creator of Heaven and Earth Answ Nor the Name of God but even God himself was altogether unknown unto them because no man knoweth God but such as confess the Father and the Son 1 Joh. 2.23 Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father but he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also Q. What use make you of the knowledge of God A. Surely this that he alone may be rightly worshipped to which purpose man was created and that we being guided by this knowledge may pray to him and acknowledge that from him we have every good thing Q. What things are repugnant to the Doctrine concerning God A. Atheism Epicurism the mad worshipping of Idols the Gentiles making of many Gods the Heresie of Manicheus making two beginnings one good another evil blasphemies against God false Opinions concerning God as that of the Anthropomorphites who make God like unto a man all doubting of God c. CHAP. V. Questions and Answers about the Trinity Quest HOw many Persons be there in that one Essence of God A. Three and those both in number and in very deed distinguished the Father Son and holy Ghost which have their subsisting in one Divine Essence whereupon it comes to pass that there be not many Gods but one God and the same Eternal Infinite and Omnipotent who is named JEHOVAH in the Scriptures and said to be most simple by reason of Essence and three by reason of Persons Q. By what testimonies of the Scripture do you prove the Trinity A. Gen. 1.1 God or Elohim created the Heavens and the Earth In which place the Learned say the Verb being of the singular Number doth signifie the most simple Essence of God and the substantive Elohim being the plural Number doth note out the three Persons Also in the creation of Man God as it were taking counsel with his Eternal Wisdom that is the Son and the Holy Ghost saith thus vers 26. Let us make Man after our Image Where he saith Let us make because of the number of the Persons and after our Image because of the unity of the Essence Gen. 19.24 The Lord rained from the Lord brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrha in which place the Person sending the rain and the Person from whom it was sent that is the Son is distinguished from the Father Q. Have you any more pregnant proofs out of the New Testament Answ 1. In the Baptism of Christ Matth. 3.16 and Joh. 1.32 the voice of the Father is heard from heaven This is my beloved Son In the same place there stands the Son by the River Jordan the holy Ghost descends in the form of a Dove and sits on Christ 2. Again in the Transfiguration there is the Son and the voice of God the Father is heard from Heaven and Christ is shadowed with a Cloud which doth signifie the Holy Ghost And further Matth. 28.19 Baptize all Nations in the Name of the Father of the Son and of the Holy Ghost He saith not Names but in the Name to shew the unity of the three Persons 2 Cor. 13.13 The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you all Q. Seeing the Scripture doth not use the Name of the Trinity doth the Church well to retain the same A. Yea no doubt for the thing it self is found in Scripture two manner of wayes first according to the letter secondly according to the sense Now fith that the sense of it and the very thing it self is found in the Scriptures the Church hath liberty to use such words as may familiarly express the thing it self Moreover we call the three Persons in God the Trinity from this word Three whereof the word Trinity is derived and is expresly set down 1 Joh. 5.7 There be three that bear Witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. Whence we argue That as from One comes Unity so from Three comes Trinity Q. How doth this word Essence differ from the word Person in God A. Essence is the Nature which is not more belonging to one and less to another of the three Persons but common to them all yea one and the same and cannot be divided and is all in each one of them not without them subsisting by it self to wit the very Deity it self And therefore the Essential Properties which be in them are one in Number and of one Nature Now a Person is the subsisting in the Divine Nature or the Nature of God which having relation to others is distinguished by some incommunicatable Property for indeed the Persons are only distinguished and not servered as three men are indeed separated though they be but one in kind The reason is because the Essence of God is infinite and impartible and therefore it is all in every Person which are not severed each from other but only distinguished amongst themselves But as for the Essence
quickned by the Spirit which we call his Divine Nature for as he did bear our sins so also our punishment for sin which was death but by his Divine Nature he overcame it as aforesaid 1 Pet. 3.18 Obj. 2. Peradventure some will object against these things as I have before laid down saying He may be the Son of David although he did not take of the flesh of the Virgin Mary and so by consequence the flesh of David inasmuch as he was born of the Daughter of David for it may be read Born of a Woman as well as made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 as also Rom. 1.3 born of the Seed of David A. We say with you He was born of the Seed of David and so of the Virgin Mary But yet so as he was also made of the Seed of David and of a Woman Which thing you deny viz. that he was made of the Seed of David and if so then he was not properly the Son of David although born of a Daughter of David no more than Bethsheba's Child was Vriah's which was begotten of her by David which you know was David's and not Vriah's Child although she was his Wife for no man is properly the Son of such a man except he partake of the substance nature or flesh of that man But you say Christ did not do so therefore he was not by your Opinion the Son of David Obj. 3. But no Child say they doth take any thing from his Mother but only nourishment therefore Christ did not A. Who told you so not God's Word and do you know by experience how bones do grow in the womb but if your Opinion be true why then doth God forbid his Children to marry their Sister by the Mothers side how is she kin to him if she was begotten by another father But God saith your Opinion is false as you may see Levit. 18.9 c. Some Queries to the Eutychians Query 1. Whether doth not the Eutychian Opinion in denying the two Natures in Christ viz. the Divine and Humane by consequence deny the Lamb the Priest and the Altar mentioned in the Law to be types of Christ contrary to the Analogy of Faith Answ They do for Christ as Man is the Lamb as God the Altar and as God-Man the Priest Q. 2. Whether doth the Holy Ghost apply these three to Christ in the New Testament yea or nay A. Yes he doth apply them for he is the Lamb or Sacrifice for sin Joh. 1.29 Heb. 9.26 10.10 and the Altar Heb. 13.10 and the Priest Heb. 5.6 For as the typical Lamb was without blemish even so was Christ saith St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.18 2.24 Secondly The Priest was sanctified or set apart to offer a Sacrifice acceptable to God even so was Christ Joh. 17.17 Thirdly As the Altar did sanctifie the Sacrifice even so did the Godhead of Christ the Humane Nature Heb. 9.14 Query 3. Whether doth not the Eutychian Opinion make the threefold Offices of Christ of none effect or deny them all A. Yes for the Divine Nature cannot be anointed to be Priest Prophet and King Query 4. Whether can any man come to the Father but through Faith in these threefold Offices of Christ A. No for what the Tabernacle or Temple was to them under the Law that is Christ to us under the Gospel And as God manifested to them in the Temple was the proper object of worship to them even so God manifested to us in Christ is the proper object of worship to us for the Flesh or Humane Nature of Christ is the medium or mean by which we have access to God in all our Worship This is proved Heb. 10.19 20 c. Some Arguments to prove the Opinion of the Eutychians heretical and dangerous Argum. 1. That Doctrine or Opinion that saith Christ was not the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 which was promised of God to break the Serpents head is a dangerous Arg. 2. That Opinion that maketh the Tabernacle or Temple Lamb Priest and Altar ordained of God for Divine Worship till Christ came in the flesh no true types of him is a dangerous Opinion But such is their Opinion Therefore dangerous Arg. 3. That Opinion which in it self or the natural consequences depending thereon maketh void all the promises of God concerning man's Salvation by Christ must needs be a very dangerous Opinion But such is their Opinion therefore dangerous The Reasons appear plain to every impartial Reader in all these three Arguments But here I will add That either the Seed of the Woman Gen. 3.15 was God which was justly offended with Adam for his sin Or else it was the Man Christ which was made of a Woman Gal. 4. But it was not God that was made of a Woman therefore Man And now for you to say that God the Creator of all things in Heaven and in Earth Col. 1.16 made himself a Creature or was made so is false as I said before and also impossible sith God is Perfection it self And to say that he passed through the Virgins womb as Water through a Conduit as some Hereticks have said is also false And to say he had an imaginary body and not a real body as some Hereticks have said is also very false as appeareth by his death and resurrection As to the proof of the second Argument That the Lamb the Priest and the Altar were types of Christ see what is already said in the Questions and Answers as also the Scriptures thereunto annexed Which cannot be applyed to him viz. Christ except you with us grant the two Natures to be in one Person If you can shew us how you do it As to the proof of the third Argument That your Opinion doth deny all the Promises of God I prove it thus That Opinion that denyeth Christ to be the true Son of David denyeth all the Promises of God concerning mans Salvation But such is your Opinion Therefore c. 2ly That Opinion that denieth the proper signification of the Sacraments viz. Baptism the Lords Supper must needs be a dangerous Opinion but such is your Opinion therefore dangerous The reason of the minor Proposition is because it denyeth the two Natures in Christ which are lively set forth by the Sign and the thing signified by these Sacraments 1. For as all the Ordinances of God's instituted Worship as Sacrifices under the Law c. so all the Sacraments under the Gospel seem to have immediate relation to Christ as God manifested in the flesh For you may observe they consist of two parts the one Natural the other Spiritual the one External the other Internal the one as it were the Body the other the Soul of it the one representing the Humanity the other the Divinity of Christ so that every Ordinance of Worship is as it were a representation of Christ incarnate 2. The Divine Essence or Godhead in Christ seemeth to be the proper object of all Worship for Christ saith
12. If the Father Son and Spirit be all Creators of Heaven and Earth then are they God by Nature but they are all Creators of Heaven and Earth therefore God by Nature Gen. 1.16 2dly If they all know the thoughts and search the heart of man then are they God by Nature but they all do so therefore 3dly If they may all be ultimately sinned against then are they God by Nature but they may be so therefore 4thly If we may worship them with Divine Worship then are they God by Nature but we may worship them with Divine Worship therefore 5thly If we may be baptized in their Name then are they God by Nature but we may yea ought to be baptized in their Name therefore God by Nature Matth. 21.19 20. The reason is plain because we expect the remission of our sins in his Name into which we were baptized as also promise to worship him in Spirit and in Truth for God is a Spirit and therefore will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Now albeit St. John saith speaking of Christ I and my Father are one Joh. 10.30 He doth not by this saying deny the three Persons for in that he saith we are he teacheth us that he and his Father be not one Person forasmuch as ARE cannot be spoken of one Person properly and in that he saith ONE he declared that he is of the self-same substance with his Father Oh the exceeding deepness and power of God's Word which is as a two-edged Sword for with these two syllables Are and One it confoundeth two Heresies viz. the Arrians and Patripâ—ssions and Sabellians which wrest that saying of Christ He that seeth me seeth the Father also Joh. 14. which must be understood of their Essence and not of their Persons as appeareth by these words I go to prepare a place for you saith Christ and if I go I will come again which plainly proves a distinction of the Person vers 2 3. If we may not believe St. John that there be three that bear record in heaven viz. the Father the Word and the Holy Ghosh and these three are one 1 Joh. 5.7 to be a Unity and Trinity as aforesaid then these absurdities will unavoidably follow That if the Father be both the Son and the Holy Ghost as he is if their Persons be one as well as their Essence is one which is indivisible Isa 44.6 I am and there is none besides me Then the Father was he which took our Nature upon him Heb. 2.16 the Father was tempted of the Devil he suffered hunger and thirst he was buffeted and and scourged of the Jews and put to death by wicked hands he also came down in the likeness of a Dove and also of fiery Tongues he begat himself he is greater than himself he sent himself into the World he gave himself a Seat at his own right hand he is the express Image of himself he is greater than himself But if our English Eutychians cannot see these things as aforesaid to be blasphemy against God the Father yet I hope you will see them to be great absurdities for they are the natural consequences of your Opinion for you say it was God that died in the likeness of Man and to prove this you wrest as you do other Scriptures Phil. 2.6 8. for you say He that was in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal to God and you say He put himself in the likeness of Men and being found in fashion as a man he 〈◊〉 himself and became obedient to death even the death of the Cross wherefore God also hath highly exalted him c. Now if the Godhead was turned into flesh as Water was turned into Wine as you say it was and there can be but one God by Nature both you and we say and I hope believe then if the Father be that one God For to us there is but one God the Father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him 1 Cor. 8.6 Then I pray consider of your Opinion as also the bad consequences that depend upon it For if you shall still be obstinate and deny that the Eternal Word did ever take any flesh of the Virgin Mary into Personal Union with it self as we say it did but will still say and believe that the Eternal Word viz. God the Creator of Heaven and Earth did make himself a Creature viz. Man and so died for our sins Then how you can acquit your selves from being rightly called blasphemers of the Eternal God which is only Immortal and Immutable as I said before I cannot yet tell because of the reasons aforesaid c. Now forasmuch as I understand by some late Conferences I have had with our English Eutychians that they deny or at least doubt of God's Omnipresence and with the Anthropomorphites think of God as if he were some old Man sitting in some one place on a Throne as Kings use to do and so with the Papists and Socinians think that one may see from his right hand to his left as Dr. Owen saith in his Answer to Mr. John Biddles Catechism Now you may see by this how one Error begetteth another For first they deny the Divine Essence of the Eternal God to be Infinite Immense and as the Prophet Jeremiah saith To fill Heaven and Earth Jer. 23.24 And as Solomon saith The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him how much less this House which I have built 2 Chron. 6.18 But they not minding such Scriptures as these or else not understanding of them but reading some other Scriptures which speak of his coming down from Heaven to see Sodom c. Gen. 18 19 chap. As also because man was made in his Image and that he hath hands and feet c. Therefore they cannot tell how he should properly be a Spirit or Spiritual substance Joh. 4.24 and therefore cannot understand the blessed Trinity as I said before And indeed without this be granted the Trinity cannot be proved to be three Persons and yet but one God as we say and believe as aforesaid for although we distinguish the Persons in the Godhead yet we do not separate them because the Essence is Infinite and Omnipresent Psal 139.7 Whither shall I fly from thy Presence If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bed in Hell behold thou art there Amos 9.2 3 4. And to give you one instance what we mean when we say they are distinct and not separated from the Essence of God we mean after this manner as when we-say there are three Faculties in the Soul of Man viz. Understanding Will and Memory now these three Faculties are distinct yet not separated from the Soul for the Soul acts wholly in these three yet not three Souls but one Soul even so is the Eternal Godhead in the Father Son and Spirit and yet but one God but this
the third degree viz. the glorious Presence of God in Heaven with the Church Triumphant Heb. 12.22 Q. 2. If God be a Spirit Joh. 14.24 how then doth the Scriptures ascribe to him hands and feet and almost all the parts of a man sith Christ saith A Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have c. A. This is to be understood Metaphorically as also by way of Analogy For like as men use to hold water in the hollow of their hand and also span with it even so the Lord albeit he is a Spirit or spiritual substance yet to help our infirmity speaketh to us as it were in our own language and saith he measureth Heaven with a span and holdeth the water in the hollow of his hand Isa 40.12 And as men see with their eyes and hear with their eares even so the Lord is said to do Psal 34.15 The eyes of the Lord are over the Righteous and his ears are open unto their Prayers The hand of the Lord hath driven out the Heathen Now a Spirit hath not hands eyes and ears c. Therefore when the Scriptures attribute these to God viz. hands eyes lips tongue nose heart head face and back-parts c. it is not to be understood litterally but in the second or third sense viz. Analogically or Allegorically that is another thing is meant as Gal. 4.24 As for Example his right hand signifieth his Power for David saith The right hand of the Lord doth valiantly the right hand of the Lord is exalted Psal 118.15 16. And his finger is compared to the Holy Ghost Luk. 11.20 But if I with the finger of God cast out Devils no doubt the Kingdom of God is come unto you compared with Matth. 12.28 But if cast out Devils by the Spirit of God then the Kingdom of God is come unto you And thus I might shew how the rest might be applyed but for brevity sake I forbear Q. 3. How is God said to repent Gen. 6.6 sith other Scriptures say he is not as Man that he should repent or as the Son of Man that he should change his mind For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance Rom. 11.29 A. Albeit God is said sometimes to be angry with us and sometimes pleased this doth not prove any change in God but when we break his Commandments and set light by his Promises and follow our corrupt wayes we are changed and not he We be mutable he is immutable for in him there is no variableness nor shadow of turning Jam. 1.17 He is said to be pacified pleased when we turn from our evil ways so turn to him by true repentance See for this Jonah 3.9 Joel 2.12 Jer. 18.18 For when God is said to laugh at mens calamities and mock when their fear cometh Prov. 1.26 We are not by these and such-like sayings to think that God hath such Affections and Passions as be in Man for God hateth such as mock at his Messengers and despiseth his Word yea God abhoreth the scornful man but as those men that laugh at our calamities are the furthest off from helping of us out of it even so is God when he laugheth at our calamity See Prov. 1.26 27 28. So he is said Psal 44.23 to sleep Arise wherefore dost thou sleep O Lord Arise for our help and redeem us for thy mercy sake vers 26. Now the Lord keepeth his Vineyard lest any hurt it I will keep it night and day Isa 27.3 David saith He neither slumbereth nor sleepeth Psal 121.4 But this is to be understood Metaphorically as I said before as when he is said to awake it is meant his speedy coming to help us opposite to sleeping which is his delaying to come to help us And so when Moses is desirous to see his face and to speak with him face to face it must be meant of some high degree of his manifestation of Grace but not of Glory for so no mortal man can see his face and live No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him Joh. 1.18 for he is invisible 1 Tim. 1.17 who only hath immortality dwelling in that light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see for he sitteth upon the Circle of the Earth and the inhabitants thereof are as grashoppers That stretcheth out the Heavens as a curtain and spreadeth them out as a Tent to dwell in That bringeth the Princes to nothing he maketh the Judges of the Earth as vanity To whom then will you liken me or shall I be equal saith the Holy One Isa 40.22 to the 26. For as St. Paul saith By these things we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery even the hidden Wisdom which God ordained before the World unto our glory which none of the Princes of this World knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Now we have not received the Spirit of the World but the Spirit that is of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God which things also we speak not in the words that man's wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. c. Now I have according to my measure given you my understanding of these great Mysteries of God and the Father and of Christ and of the Holy Ghost Col. 2.2 in as short and plain a method as I could for your information c. Now of that which hath been spoken as concerning God by me in this Treatise this is the summe That God is a Spirit Joh. 4.4 or spiritual substance or pure nature immutable invisible unsearchable filling Heaven and Earth Full of understanding of truth and righteousness of mercy and wisdom and all manner of goodness without beginning and without ending not created nor made and Maker of all things subject to nothing and governing all things knowing all things yea even the inward thoughts and intents of the hearts of men forgiving sins only to be honoured and called upon only hearing our prayers justifying and saving us of an almighty arm and majesty the Father unbegotten the Son begotten the Holy Ghost proceeding from them both as I have proved by the Word of God which cannot lye Now all these things as aforesaid be rightly applyed to the Father Son and Holy Spirit so that it plainly appeareth that to whomsoever these things may rightly be applyed he is God by Nature and not by Name only as they are Psal 82.6 I have said ye are Gods but ye shall die like men
Long-suffering 14. His Holiness 15. His Justice 16. His Faithfulness 17. His Truth 18. His Omnisciency 19. His Omnipresence 20. His Providence over all his Creatures All these twenty Properties and Attributes belong to God only But all these belong to Christ as he is Davids Lord therefore Christ as he is Davids Lord is God by Nature who is God over all blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.5 c. And now I will briefly shew you how he is Davids Son according to the flesh as I have said before First He had the substance of a true Body and reasonable Soul 2. The Properties of Body and Soul in the body length breadth and thickness and circumscription And in the Soul the faculties of understanding both simple and compound as Will Affection Love Hatred Desire Joy Fear c. The Powers also of Hearing Feeling Seeing Smelling Tasting Moving Growing Eating Sleeping c. 3dly He took unto himself the blameless infirmities of mans Nature which are certain natural defects in man as Passions of Body and Mind as to be Hungry Thirsty Weary Sad Sorrowful and Ignorant of some things and Angry also to increase in Stature Wisdom Knowledge c. So that as the holy Ghost saith We see by these things that he was made like unto his brethren in all things yea in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Heb. 2.17 4.15 Now sith the Scriptures do affirm all these things to belong properly and truly to Christ as he is Davids Son and Off-spring then must he needs be Man by Nature For unto no Creature neither in Heaven nor in Earth doth the Holy Ghost apply all these things properly and literally but to man only c. If he do shew me an instance for as yet I know none and therefore why you should so much as once doubt whether he took our Nature viz. the flesh of Mary sith the Scripture affirms it so plainly again and again I cannot imagine But when I do not only hear you say you doubt but confidently deny that ever he took any flesh of the Virgin Mary This makes me to stand and admire and with St. Paul say Who hath bewitched you that you should deny so many plain and evident proofs can any Article of the Christian Faith be more plainly proved than this is surely no. Now if I did not think that the Devil had bewitched many and that Pride false Opinions and Self-love had blinded mens understandings See Mr. Greenham about the Family of Love pag. 803. I could not believe any judicious man that believes the Scriptures to be true if he will but now sit down in humility and seriously consider what hath here been said from them to prove that Christ is God by Nature and also Man by Nature can still remain doubting and unbelieving But if he be one that was once inlightned into this Truth and also professed it with us and was baptized into this Faith and yet did not receive it in the love of it and after all this advice which now and at other times hath been used by my self and others to them I say if they shall still oppose this Truth then what can I think but that if they do not speedily repent of this their dangerous Opinion of denying the Lord that bought them 2. Pet. 2.2 then that which is written in 2 Thess 2.11 will come upon them But that it may never be so is and shall be the Prayer of your very good friend which loves your Persons but not your Principles though haply not so esteemed of you that God would give you Repentance to the acknowledging of the Truth that you may recover your selves out of the snare of the Devil who hath taken some of you captive at his will CHAP IX Containing an Answer to several Objections Object CHrist as Man was flesh and bones and not a Ghost as you seem to say we by our Opinion make him and this shews your Ignorance of our Opinion and therefore you sentence it as you do But doth not Paul say Rom. 8.3 he came in the likeness of sinful flesh therefore he took not our Flesh as you say he did Answ St. Paul doth not say he took upon him the likeness of flesh simply as it is flesh but of the flesh of sin or sinful flesh for he had said before Chap. 1.3 That he was made of the Seed of David according to the flesh And also again in Chap. 9.5 Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came c. And I pray you tell me what St Paul meaneth by these words vers 3. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh And then you may tell your selves what he means by these words vers 5. Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came The word flesh being the same in the 3d and 5th verse and of the same signification Object 2. From Joh. 1.14 But the Eutychians say That the Divine Nature of Christ was turned into flesh and so was made like to his brethren in all things excepting two viz. sin and earthy matter Answ 1. The Holy Ghost doth except but one thing viz. Sin if it be proper to call sin a thing Heb. 2.17 4.15 And how dare you say two Have you no fear of the curse of God coming upon you sith he saith Cursed is he that addeth or diminisheth See Deut. 4.2 Rev. 22.18 Add thou not unto his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a lyar Prov. 30.6 Bur Secondly I answer to that of Joh. 1.14 it having the most shew of any of the Texts that I know for your Opinion therefore I will endeavour by God's help to shew you that it was never written to that end to justifie your Opinion and therefore I pray consider what St. John saith vers 1. The Word which was in the beginning was with God and was God by whom all things were made and without whom was nothing made that was made In whom was Life and the Life was the light of men for he lighteth every man that cometh into the World by whom the World was made Was in the fulness of time made a Man in a Humane Body having his Divine Majesty dwelling in him full of Grace and Truth so that we beheld his Glory saith St. John in his Miracles in his Grace and Truth in his Holy and wise Doctrine such as manifested him to be the only begotten of the Father vers 14 16. which is in the bosom of the Father mark that word is in the bosom of the Father he doth not say which was but is which must be understood of his Generation before the World was made of the substance of his Father for the term notes Generation and subsistence from his substance not Creation or making that which was the Creator into flesh that so he might be a
Creature and so die this was impossible sith God cannot die nor yet be changed as I have oft said and proved in this Treatise from 1 Tim. 1.17 Jam. 1.17 and many other places of the Holy Scriptures Thirdly John doth not say he was begotten flesh of the Virgin Mary but made flesh for saith he The Word was made Flesh even as St. Paul saith Rom. 1.9 made of the Seed of David and came of the Fathers according to the flesh Chap. 9.5 and made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 And so as St. Peter saith He came out of the loins of David according to the flesh Acts 2.30 for so God had sworn to David Psal 132.11 For Solomon was but a Type which came out of his loins 1 King 8.19 All these Texts do expresly teach us that Christ had a Humane Nature which is termed the flesh as it is frequent by the word flesh to understand a man or Humane Nature See Rom. 3.20 No flesh can be justified in his sight which must be understood of men also Chap. 11.14 Isa 57.7 Gal. 2.16 Joh. 17.2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him c. Fourthly Consider this word raised up according to the flesh out of the loins of Divid which plainly sheweth that there was another Nature which was Davids Lord Matth. 22.44 which was not raised up out of his loins which was God over all blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 Else why was it not said of him without this distinction as of Solomon Thou shalt not build the House but thy Son that shall come forth out of thy loins 1 King 8.19 He doth not say according to the flesh neither is this distinction made concerning any man but only Christ which was Emmanuel God and Man in one Person or God with us Matth. 1.23 From whence I infer That He who is so David's Son according to the flesh raised out of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh made of the Seed of David according to the flesh and of the Father's according to the flesh As that he also is Davids Lord and the Son of God God over all blessed for ever is consubstantial with his Father as touching his Godhead and consubstantial with us as touching his Manhood but such is Jesus Christ therefore God by Nature and Man also And now I hope I have Answered your great Objection and also told you how he is truly called the Son of God as being in the bosom of his Father and also how he is truly called the Son of Man and so the Son of David as being made of a Daughter of David which Mary was See for proof of this Luke the 3d Chap. And now what hath been said in Answer to this Objection if heeded by you will Answer all your Objections from Joh. 3.15 and Joh. 6. from the 50 verse to the 64. For John saith No man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of Man which is in Heaven which proveth the union of Natures in one Person otherwise he could not be in Heaven and Earth at one time Now I hope you will not say with the Socinians your Adversaries that after his Baptism he ascended immediately up into Heaven and there received his Commission from his Father to preach the Gospel as Moses did his in Mount Horeb concerning the Law Exod. 20. And yet if Christ hath but one Nature as you say with them he had not then I pray tell me if you can Whether the Eternal Word was ever called Man or the Son of Man properly before the Holy Ghost overshadowed the Virgin Mary and so he was born of her or made of her according to the flesh for it is the Person viz. the Word that is said to come down from Heaven as appeareth Joh. 6.62 What if ye shall saith Christ see the Son of Man viz. Christ's Humane Nature ascend up where he viz. his Divine Nature was before For as he is the second Adam he was not there before as appeareth by what St. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15.46 The first Adam was made a living Soul the last Adam was made a quickning Spirit Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual but that which is natural and afterward that which is spiritual The first Man is of the Earth Earthy the second Man is the Lord from Heaven As is the Earthy such are they also that are Earthy and as is the Heavenly such are they which are Heavenly And as we have born the Image of the Earthy we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly So that by this comparison the natural Man was before the spiritual which cannot be meant of the Eternal Word which St. Paul calleth the Lord the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.17 For so considered as he is the Eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 1 Pet. 3.18 he was before Adam or else he could not have Created him and all other things which he did Joh. 1.3 Col. 1.16 So then as the natural Adam was the first Man that God Created so the second Adam viz. the Humane Nature of Christ was the first Spiritual Man that was raised from the dead and so ascended up into Heaven and was glorified and so is the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3.14 And the first-born from the dead for as St. Paul saith He was the first fruits of them that sleep and so because of the Personal Union is called the first and the last even he that was dead and is alive and behold saith he I live for evermore and have the keyes of Hell and Death Rev. 1.18 Now the Name Almighty which is applyed to Christ Rev. 1.8 must needs be meant as he was Davids Lord Psal 110.1 And as St. John calleth him Davids Root But when St. Paul calleth him the second Adam it must be as he is his Son or off-spring for the true Adam is never properly in all the Scripture applied to God viz. the Divine Nature for you know Adam signifieth Earth viz. the Matter which Man was made of And as for the term Heavenly it is as truly applyed to the Saints as to the Humane Nature of Christ for vers 48. As is the Earthy such are they also that are Earthy and as is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly Which St. Paul applyes to the Saints after their Resurrection vers 44. It is sown a natural body it is raised a spiritual body So that Paul doth not run the Parallel betwixt the Natural body and the Spirit viz. the Creator as aforesaid For if you observe him he calleth the second Adam Spiritual also vers 46. and calleth the Saints Heavenly vers 49. Now will you say because the bodies of the Saints after their Resurrection are Spiritual bodies therefore their bodies are Spirits Surely no. Even so albeit the second Adam after his Resurrection is called Spiritual that therefore his body
is a Spirit as the Papists think even so albeit the Saints bodies are called Heavenly doth that prove that the original Matter they were made of came from Heaven You will surely say No. Even so say I of the body of Christ For the main design of the Apostle in all this Chapter was to prove the Resurrection of the dead as appears by vers 13. But if there be no Resurrection of the Dead then is not Christ risen And vers 17. If Christ be not raised your Faith is vain you are yet in your sins then they also which are faln asleep in Christ are perished And vers 22. For as in Adam all die even so in Christ shall all be made alive c. Now where there are divers Opinions they may be all false there can be but one true and that one Truth oft-times must be fetched by piece-meal out of divers branches of contrary Opinions c. For although the Lord hath made all Nations of one blood and commanded them to seek the Lord Acts 17.30 yet if you divide them into thirty parts saith Mr. Perkins nineteen of them be Heathens and Pagans then there remains but eleven and of these five be Turks and Mahometans then there remains but a sixth-part of the thirty and of these six How few do believe in God aright God knows they be very few as for the twenty four parts of the thirty they do not own Christ to be their Saviour no not so much as in Profession as to the other six-parts it is true they all confess him to be the Son of God and in some sense their Saviour also Yet so as by some of their Opinions they by just consequence deny him either in his Divine Nature or in his Humane or else in the Union of Natures and so by consequence deny the true Christ and of them that do profess him to be both Davids Lord and Davids Son also yet of them how few do love him and keep his Commandments Luk. 6.46 Why call ye me Lord Lord and do not the things that I say The Lord grant for his Sons sake that I and you may be of those Sheep that will hear the Voice of the true Shepherd and so follow him and will not follow a stranger Joh. 10. Where shall I begin to wonder at thee O thou Divine and Eternal Peace-maker the Saviour of Men the Anointed of God the Mediator between God and Man in whom there is nothing which doth not exceed not only the conceit but the very wonder of Angels who saw thee in thy Humiliation with silence and Adore thee in thy Glory with perpetual Prayers and Rejoycings Thou wast for ever of thy self as God of the Father as the Son the Eternal Son of an Eternal Father not later in Beginning not less in Dignity not other in Substance begotten without diminution of him that begat thee while he communicated wholly to thee which he retained wholly in himself because both were Infinite without inequality of Nature without division of Essence when being in this estate thine infinite Love and Mercy to desperate Mankind caused thee O Saviour to empty thy self of thy Glory that thou mightest put on our shame and misery Wherefore not ceasing to be God as thou wert thou beganst to be what thou wast not viz. Man to the end thou mightest be a perfect Mediator betwixt God and Man which were both in one Person God that thou mightest satisfie and Man that thou mightest suffer that since Man had sinned and God was offended thou which wert God and Man mightst satisfie God for Man None but thy self which art the Eternal Word can express to us this great Mystery how God should be manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles believed on in the World and received up into Glory and we in him c. CHAP. X. Containing the use of the whole Treatise NOw as aforesaid I will further add to that that I have said something by way of Vse and Application and so leave the whole to the blessing of God and your serious Consideration Vse 1. Concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God 1 Tim. 3.16 we must know that it is a great Mystery and therefore here observe First Who is Incarnate The second Person in Trinity First for that God by him created Man and therefore by him must we be recreated and redeemed Secondly for that he is the Essential Image of God to restore the Image of God lost in Adam So this I believe the whole Godhead is not incarnate Joh. 1.14 Luk. 1.35 nor any Person but the Son the Person of the Son I say subsisting in the Godhead Secondly This I must say and believe that he was a perfect Man in every respect like to Adam sin only excepted subject to all unblameable and general infirmities which appertain to the whole Nature of Man as Passions of Body and Mind Thirdly This I must believe and avouch that it was necessary that he should become Man first to satisfie God in that Nature we offend Secondly for that not one else could fulfil Righteousness which the Law required of us but he Thirdly for that our Redeemer must die for our sins Fourthly He must be a Mediator and make Requests and speak to God and Man for Reconciliation Man before the Fall could speak to God face to face but now he cannot nor may not come neer but in the face and favour of Christ whose face is to be found in the Gospel Duties which follow this Faith First Draw near to Christ and cleave unto him for we see he is come near us and become our Emmanuel Isa 7. Secondly Here is a Patern and President for us of unspeakable Humility Psal 22. Isa 53. Phil. 2.6 7. There is a secret Pride in all the Sons of Adam till God change their hearts and this Pride the less we discern it the more it is and the more we discern it the less it is This I observe touching this Incarnation of Christ That his Conception by the work of the Holy Ghost was wonderful for it was done in the Womb of the Virgin that albeit he took of her very flesh which came of sinful Adam yet was the flesh of Christ I mean his Humane Nature Body and Soul without sin To prevent that original corruption which comes to Mankind by natural Propagation the great Wisdom of God provided That his Incarnation should be by the immediate work of the Holy Ghost without any natural Generation or Means of Man on Earth or Angels in Heaven or Earth Heb. 2.14 I proceed on to speak of the Birth of Christ He was born of the Virgin Mary and of the Union of Natures Divine and Humane in this one Person This I believe indeed for so did the Patriarchs and Prophets of old because of the Divine Oracles which God gave them concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God Gen. 3.18
12.3 4. 21. Isa 7.14 and therefore much more ought we seeing we have in the Gospel the Complement of all those Prophesies Luk. 2.7 Matth. 1.25 to believe in Jesus Christ born of the Virgin but also in time and according to the course of Nature born of the said Virgin and brought forth into the World by her First a Duty following this Faith is this Thanksgiving for the Incarnation of the Son of God as we see by the Examples of the Angels praising God for this benefit Luk. 2.14 The Virgin praising God for this benefit Luk. 1.46 And the holy Priest Zachary praising God for this benefit Luk. 1.68 Secondly A Consolation following this Faith is Preached unto us by the Angels Luk. 2.10 when he saith Behold I bring you tydings of great joy that shall be to all People Hence comes First Peace with God Secondly Peace with our own Conscience Thirdly with the Holy Angels Fourthly with all the Creatures of God in the frame of Heaven and Earth The proper Name of Christ's Mother was Mary this is testified often in the New Testament Luk. 2.5 c. This Name is added for a more certain and special description of his Mother that my Faith may be the better certified of the truth of all Divine Oracles and Prophesies concerning him for this holy Woman being as Matthew and Luke testifie of the noble Race of the Kings of Judah it is clear that our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ came of the Seed of David and so of Abraham according to the Promise Gen. 12. 49. Luk. 2. Again she is called A Virgin both to let us see the accomplishment of the Prophesie Isa 7.14 21. and to assure us of that as aforesaid that is That he is the only begotten Son of God conceived by the Holy Ghost and not by the ordinary course of Nature And this blessed Mother of Christ a holy Prophetess Luk. 1.48 We do willingly honour her three wayes First by thanksgiving to God for her Secondly by a reverent estimation of her Thirdly by imitation of her excellent Vertues And thus having seen by clear evidence from the Word of the Lord that our blessed Lord and Saviour as touching his Natures is very God and very Man it resteth only that we learn also by Divine demonstration that these two Natures are united in one Person Vse 2. First here then we must be advertised that there be two kinds of Unions Union in Nature and Union in Person Union in Nature is when two or more things are joyned or united into one Nature as the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost being and remaining three distinct Persons are one and the same in Nature or Godhead Union in Person is when two things are in that manner united that they make but one Person or Substance as the Body and Soul of Man meeting together make one Man Secondly This Union of Natures then here is this The second Person in the Trinity or the Son of God doth assume to it a Manhood in such order that the same being void of all Personal being in it self doth wholly and only subsist in the second Person in the Trinity or depends wholly on the Person of the Son So that now it is a Nature only and not a Person because it doth not subsist alone as in other men Thirdly This then I understand and believe here that the everlasting Son of God without any putting off of his Divine Nature without any commixtion or conversion was made that which before his Incarnation he was not to wit very Man By taking flesh by the Power of the Holy Ghost from the Virgin and an Humane Soul created of nothing both which Natures being united together in a most admirable Personal union make one most blessed Person even the most sacred Person of our only Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Fourthly And our Lord Jesus Christ hath in his Humanity so assumed all the Properties of Man's Nature that he became in all things like unto us Heb. 2.17 sin only excepted for he hath so Personally united unto himself our Nature that we cannot say properly of his Passion that only the bare Humanity suffered which yet is only passible but this we are to say that the Person which is very God hath suffered in our Nature Fifthly and lastly We must not believe that the Lord Christ assumed our Nature as he did sometimes under the Law before his Incarnation take to him the form of Man and Angel for a time but retains still and for ever the very body and Soul of Man howbeit now glorified For the Apostle saith Our Mediator hot only was but also is the Man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2.5 living for ever to make intercession for us Heb. 7.25 Rom. 8.34 Consolations following this Faith concerning Christ's pure Conception Incarnation and this unspeakable union of Natures in this one sacred Person are these First I understand and conceive he is a most fit Advocate to his Father being very God and a most comfortable Mediator for me being very Man well-acquainted with all my grievances and one I may boldly draw near unto Heb. 2.16 17 18. 4.16 Secondly I conceive also that he hath been so acquainted in our flesh with our temptations that he hath a special experience of our infirmities in his own sacred Person not that the Son of God hath need of our Afflictions and Temptations to make him Merciful unto us but for that we can best perswade our selves of his Mercy when we learn that he hath been acquainted with our Passions And now I will tell you briefly what I mean by the Properties of the Humane and Divine Nature And by the Communication or Conjunction of Properties as I said before When I say and believe that Christ did assume all the Essential Properties of Man's Nature I mean he took not only the Soul and Body of Man but also every quality and adjunct thereunto appertaining excepting sin for he had the Understanding the Reason the Will and all the Affections of Man without sin being made like his brethren in all things Heb. 2.17 Again when I believe and say That Christ did retain in his Personal Union of both Natures all the Properties of his Divine Nature I mean these and the like that he was this very Person now God and Man Eternal Almighty Incomprehensible Immutable most Perfect for these and the like be the Properties of the Divine Nature Thirdly The Communication of these Properties as the learned speak for the better understanding of some Scriptures uttered concerning this sacred Person is this when we ascribe that which is proper unto one Nature unto the other because of the aforesaid Personal Union of both Natures as when the Apostle saith God hath purchased the Church with his own blood Acts. 20.28 This manner of speaking is with respect to this Union and herein that which is proper to the Humane Nature is ascribed unto the Divine for
look for Heaven but by lively Hope to possess it for that we possess it in our Head already For this cause it is written Eph. 2.6 That God hath made us to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ He hath there a Pledge for us even our flesh and we again by his Ascension have received from him an heavenly Pledge even his Spirit Joh. 6.7 I tell you the truth it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you 2 Cor. 1.22 He hath sealed us and given us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts DVTIES First That our Conversation be in Heaven where Christ is Our Hearts our Thoughts our Words our Works our whole Conversation must be such as if we conversed already with the Angels in the highest Heavens Secondly If we believe we be possest of Heaven in Christ we must strive to enter into him with holy Contention of Spirit using the means he hath appointed that we may come unto him with all the good-speed we can If we be assured of his Purchase made for us by his Blood we must pass through all dangers to come unto him and unto it and not only contend to get in our selves but also endeavour to bring with us all we can specially all such as God by near bands of Love hath knit unto us as our Wives and Children c. providing as much as in us lyeth that they may be with us Heirs together of the same Grace of life 1 Pet. 3.7 Thirdly In all grievances of Body and Mind seek to no means for ease but only to the Comforter and the means he hath appointed and ordained in the Word If thou believest the Ascension of Christ remember this was one end of his Ascension to send down the Holy Ghost to work more effectually and comfortably in the hearts of his Children And therefore endeavour in and by the Word and Sacraments to be comforted by him in all affliction of this life I believe that Christ sitteth at the right hand of God c. Here two things must be understood First Note That this blessed Person of the Son hath the same equality of Majesty and Glory with the Father Secondly By this phrase is also understood that the Humane Nature of Christ is exalted to a most high excellency of Glory even to execute Judgment as he is the Son of Man Joh. 5.27 And it may not be here said is in the Resurrection That like as Christ rose only in respect of his Humane Nature so also he sits at Gods right hand in respect of the same Nature for the session an God's right hand is not a property of Nature but signifieth the state of the Person of Christ resting now in the execution of his Offices as being King Priest and Mediator between God and his People The Benefits which follow this Exaltation and Session of Christ at the right hand of God are either in respect of his Priesthood or of his Kingdom The Believer gains these benefits by his Priesthood First He is now and may be truly perswaded that as the Covenant of Grace and Priesthood of Christ have no end Heb. 8.6 1 Tim. 2.5 1 Joh 2.1 Joh. 17. so his Intercession for him and for all and every Believer shall never cease to the end of the World for all Rom. 8.34 Christ is risen again and sitttth at the right hand of God and maketh request for us and for every one I have prayed for thee Peter that they Faith fail not The manner of this is thus He appears in Heaven as a publick Person in our stead He appears in the sight of God for us Heb. 9.24 and makes the same Requests he made on Earth Joh. 17. The difference between Christ's Passion and Intercession is this The Passion is a satisfaction to God's Justice for us c. and as it were the tempering of a Plaister but Intercession applyes it to the very sore So then the Believer is hereby sweetly comforted in heart being perswaded that Christ Jesus God and Man now sitting in great Majesty and Glory in Heaven First hears his Prayers in Heaven And Secondly accepts and sanctifies all his Sacrifice and Service which the Believer offers to the Father by his hand Heb. 13.15 Psal 119.106 for all our Service is imperfect yet for his Intercession sake it is accepted as perfect A second Consolation here arises to the believing heart he may now with boldness go to the Throne of Grace Heb. 4.16 because we have there an High Priest that sitteth at the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens Heb. 8.1 And for this cause the same Apostle in the same Epistle Chap. 10.19 20. biddeth us draw near with a true heart and with an undoubted perswasion of Faith And again most sweetly Phil 4.6 Be careful for nothing but in all things let your requests be shewed unto God in Prayer A third Consolation is this His Intercession preserves every Repenting Sinner in the state of Grace that being once Justified and Sanctified they may so continue unto the end Fourthly A most sweet Consolation in this The Intercession of Christ in Heaven casteth down such beams of Grace into the Believers heart on Earth that it causeth another Intercession of the Spirit in him or causeth the Spirit of Prayer to be effectual and working in him Zach. 12.10 11. Rom. 8.26 He giveth us his Spirit which helpeth our infirmities and maketh Request for us with sighs and groans that cannot be expressed but he which searcheth the heart knoweth what is the meaning of the Spirit for he maketh Request for the Saints according to the Will of God The Holy Ghost makes Request by stirring every repenting heart to pray with groans and sighs which the mouth cannot express and this is a special fruit of the Intercession of Christ in Heaven So that a Man may soon know by the Spirit of Prayer in his own heart how Christ prayeth for him in Heaven A Man may soon find it by his own coldness or fervency in Prayer or by the inward groans of his heart when he cannot so well express his grief in words before God Here I renounce the Opinion of Papists touching Intercession as being Heretical uncomfortable and condemned of God First For that the Saints departed who be their Mediators with Angels know not our particular wants and griefs Secondly For that he that makes this Intercession must bring something of his own of price and value unto God to procure the grant of his Request Thirdly It is a Prerogative belonging only to Christ to make Request in his own Name and for his own Merits Fourthly Scriptures never mention any other but contrarily Fifthly We must Pray to him in whom we believe Rom. 10.14 We believe only in one God c. therefore we pray only to one God Furthermore As touching his Kingdom we are well to consider what Kingdom he hath next
what the administration of his Kingdom is and how comfortable to the Believers First That he is Lord and King over all in respect of Creation as also of Preservation and Providence it is manifest Col. 1.16 17. For by him were all things created in Heaven and Earthy c. and in him all things consist He is the same also much more by right of Redemption And his Kingdom is Eternal and Spiritual respecting the very Conscience having that only absolute Power to Command and Forbid to Condemn and to Absolve the Soul and Conscience This is testified Acts 2.36 Let all Israel know for a surety that God hath made him both Lord and Christ this Jesus I say whom ye have crucified And to testifie this his Excellency when Christ went up to sit on his Throne for the Government of his Church it is said He gave great gifts to his Church far excelling the gifts of Earthly Princes in their Coronations for it is said He gave his Church Aposties Prophets Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 12. Now the End and Use of these Gifts and Benefits given by this Great King is comfortable for there it is said That these were given for the Collecting of his Church and the Building of it Luk. 11.13 Acts 16.6 9. Isa 11.2 3 4 5. Acts 2.32 33. This Collection is a separation of the Precious from the Vile Jer. 15.19 and a translation of Men from the kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light 1 Pet. 2.9 10,11 Eph. 2.2 3. by the Ministry and Dispensation of the Word of Reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.18 outwardly and the working of the Holy Ghost inwardly And this is the first part of Christ's Office in his Kingdom Secondly Christ leads his precious People as a great General doth his Army through the Wilderness of this World into his everlasting Canaan And this he doth also by the same means whereby he called them by his Word and Sacraments outwardly the mighty operation of his Spirit inwardly And in this Travel he doth Exercise them as in Canaan with manifold Afflictions and Temptations in this life Psal 23. and yet defends them against the rage of all Enemies First giving them in their life-time strength to suffer and to fight against all his Enemies most mightily Phil. 1.24 Unto you it is given for Christ that not only ye should believe in him but also suffer for his sake Chap. 4.13 I am able to do all things through him which strengthneth me Rom. 8.36 37. For thy sake we are killed all the day long we are counted at Sheep for the slaughter Nevertheless in all these things we are more than Conquerors through him that loved us And in death it self he never forsakes them Rom. 8.38 39. but then makes an everlasting Separation between them and all their Enemies Zech. 13. Luk. 16. Now I shall speak something to the last Article concerning Christ which is this From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead First I say this Article follows fitly after the former for confirmation of it For the excellency of his Kingdom shall mightily and wonderfully appear in the execution of Justice in the great day of the general Judgment which shall be in the last day of the World First to Judge or to give Judgment is the proper Action and Function of a Judge in Condemning or Justifying of any Man In Condemning by pronouncing him guilty of Sin and therefore adjudging him to some punishment for his Sin In Justifying by pronouncing him just or acquitting him of Sin and so freeing him from the punishment of Sin I say then the meaning of this Article is this I believe that Jesus Christ doth not only now exercise his Kingly Office in Heaven as is afore-shewed but shall also triumphantly descend from the right-hand of his Father in a visible form and corporal Presence to judge all men that shall be found at his coming alive or dead Now to proceed in order to speak of this great Judgment these Points must be considered First By what Arguments it may appear that there shall be a general Judgement Secondly What the form and manner thereof shall be Thirdly How this Argument serves to comfort us and to humble us First That there shall be an Universal Judgement may appear thus against cavillers that deny it First Luk. 8.17 Joh. 12.48 Jud. 14.15 2 Tim. 4.1 7 8. Joh. 5.22 27. The Scriptures are most evident for this Psal 50.1 The God of Gods hath spoken and called all the Earth from the rising of the Sun to the setting of the same our God shall come and shall not keep silence Heb. 9.27 It is appointed unto Men that they shall once die and after that cometh the Judgement Secondly Christ promiseth his coming to Judgment by himself Matth. 25.31 and by his Apostles 1 Thess 4.16 Thirdly For that he hath charged us to wait for his Coming Rom. 8.23 Eph. 1.14 Luk. 21.28 and for the Redemption of our bodies Luke 21.28 Fourthly For that the Justice and Mercy of God requires this to punish the Wicked and to crown the Godly which we see is not in this present life therefore there is a special day and time appointed with God for it Fifthly For that the Lord hath often forewarned the World of this First By pronouncing the sentence of death against sin even before the Fall Gen. 2.17 Secondly By repeating the same sentence in his Law Deut. 27.26 Thirdly By the evidence of Conscience citing as it were Men to appear at a time appointed before the great Judge Rom. 2.15 16. Fourthly By his Judgments particularly on Sodom and Gomorah on Egypt on Jerusalem and all the Jews and generally on the World in the deluge First The preparation unto Judgement First Before his Coming preparation shall be made by fire Psal 50.3 A fire shall devour before him as we heard before out of St. Peter 2 Pet. 3.7 10 11 12. for Heaven and Earth must pass through a fire not to consume them to nothing for then where should Christ appear in Judgment and Sinners must be Judged on the Earth and in the place where they have sinned but to consume their Leprosie and Corruption wherewith the sin of Man hath infected Heaven and Earth and so being as Gold purified in fire they may shine bright and glorious and may be fit to entertain the Majesty of this great King at his glorious Coming to Judgement for as the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 7.31 It is the figure or form not the Nature or Substance of the World that passeth away The same is testified Rom. 8.21 The Creature also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the of the Sons of God So Acts 1. and Psal 102.27 28. The Heavens shall wax old c. and shall be changed meaning into a better state as other Scriptures also testifie Rev. 21.1 Isa 65.17 66.22 Tit. 2.14 Secondly Then shall be the
appearing of the Glory of the Mighty God and of our Saviour Jesus Christ who shall come from the highest Heavens accompanied with an exceeding great Host of mighty Angels and Souls of righteous men Heb. 12.22 1 Cor. 6.1 2. Thirdly Then shall be heard the sound of a Trumpet a wonderful piercing and long continuing sound summoning all Men and Angels unto Judgment Fourthly The good Angels shall gather all Nations and bring all unto the place of Judgement all I say the living and the dead for the very dead shall first be called out of their Graves and they shall come cloathed with their own bodies 1 Thess 4.16 2 Thess 4.16 2 Tim. 4.10 And with them shall appear all that be alive changed in a moment in the twinckling of an eye and corruptible bodies shall become incorruptible natural shall be turned into spiritual living immediately by the vertue and Power of God And the bodies of the Saints shall be like the glorious Body of Christ shining as the Sun Matth. 13.43 And the Wicked shall be full of shame and dishonour Dan. 12.2 The evil Angels also they are reserved for the Judgement of the great day Jude 6. And then Antichrist the Son of Perdition shall appear in his colours who shall be consumed and wasted continually by the Spirit of Christ preaching in the Gospel but his final abolishing and perdition shall be at the glorious Coming of Christ 2 Thess 7.8 Fifthly Then shall Christ sit in his Throne of Judgement Note as the Evangelists speak Then shall he sit upon the Throne of his Glory Matth. 25.31 and this Throne shall be like a flame of fire Dan. 7.9 So that the Wicked shall desire the Mountains to cover them from the sight of it Sixthly This done the Lord wall make separation between the Elect and the Reprobate as he doth here on Earth in the Church make separation between the Precious and the Vile by the fame of his Gospel preached Confer Mat. 3. Jer. 15. So will he by his own immediate Voice and Ministry of his Angels make a final separation in that day between the one and the other The Sheep which heard his Voice and testified their Faith by their innocency like Lambs they shall stand on his right hand They which contrarily testifie their Unbelief by their lasciviousness and lusts like Goates Ezek. 34.18 shall be set on his left hand Seventhly Every man's particular cause shall be tryed before this Judge by the Evidence which his Works shall give with him or against him 2 Cor. 5.10 We must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ that every man may receive the things which are done in his body according to that he hath done whether it be good or evil Here the better to assure us of the truth and certainty of the Lord 's proceeding and of his particularizing of all things in this action the Holy Ghost tells us that the Lord hath as it were Books of Record to manifest all and every Work of Man and his Books be Three in Number First His Book of Providence which is the knowledge of all particular things past present and to come Psal 136.16 Secondly His Book of Judgement which is divided as it were into two parts First His Prescience or knowing every thing far more evidently than we know any thing recorded ii a Book before our eyes Secondly The second part of the Book of Judgement is the Conscience of every man standing before him which shall then be so qualified by the great Power of God that it shall be able to record and testifie so much of all his particulars as shall serve to testifie his Faith and Justification by Christ or his most just Condemnation without Christ The third Book is The Book of Life which is the Eternal Decree of God concerning the Salvation of all Believers by Christ whose Names be written in this Book that they being as God's precious Pearls of this Book Isa 4.3 Exod. 32.32 and of this distinction of Books Rev. 20.12 And I saw the dead both great and small stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the dead were judged of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works And after that men's Works are made manifest by these Books then must they be tryed whether they be good or evil the Gentiles and Jews that never heard of Christ by the Law of Nature which shall prove them inexcuseable Rom. 2.12 16. The rest that have heard shall be tryed by the Law and Gospel vers 16. The Word of God shall serve as a Bill of Indictment for the just Condemnation of all such as have contemned the Law and Gospel of Jesus Christ Joh. 12.48 For the Sentence of the Judge in the last day of general Judgment shall be nothing else but a manifestation and declaration of the Sentence pronounced and published before by the Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel touching the Justification and Condemnation of every particular Person Now after the manifestation of all things and that every particular Conscience sees his blessed Justification by Christ or his just Condemnation by Unbelief and for his Works then the Judge shall proceed to his definitive Sentence and this is two-fold The first is pronounced to the Elect in these words Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the World This Sentence is full of affection and love most sweet and most comfortable recommending the free Grace of God their Election their Adoption and Blessedness in Christ and not their Works for the cause of their Salvation and then he addeth the Evidence of their Faith by the works of Mercy which they have done to his Members here on Earth I was hungery and you gave me to eat c. The Answer of the Saints saying When saw we thee an hungry c. argues that they are far from vain glory in their Works or seeking any Justification by them and Christ's last words to them Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these my Brethren c. gives us an infailable Argument of God's Child which is not to love because we arc loved again but to love for Christ's sake and the living Members of Christ because we see his Picture and Image in them renewed this is a special Grace of God and of this love speaks David Psal 16. All my delight is in his Saints which are in the Earth 1 Joh 3. The second Sentence pronounced against the Reprobates is Go ye Cursed into Hell fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels for I was hungry and you gave me no meat c. In which Sentence are contained a heap of woes present and to come for the present what can be more woful than to see so many admitted into the Kingdom of God and yet themselves shut out and