Mediator to every effect as Postellus holds it necessary For the whole creature by the power of that blessing which it received at the creation is able to worke according to the end appointed And if it were necessary to put any common agent in the Creature by which every inferiour Agent were to bee moved which wee cannot doe except we hold that Gods decree the law of nature is too weake or may be broken yet I thinke that the dominion of the heavens set in the earth Iob. 38.33 or that same anima mundi here below mentioned may better stand with the Scripture than the perpetuall imployment of this supposed mediator That I say nothing of those particular intelligences which some Philosophers Postel himselfe pag. 63. have appropriated to every thing beside the specificall vertue of the seed Neither is it cleare that this spirit which moved upon the waters Gen. 1.2 was any such being as Postellus supposes a created divinity or the mediator betweene God and his creature but rather that vigor life or heat concreated with the Chaos that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nephesh anima mundi or spirit whereby every thing is enlivened or made able to worke to the destinate end which ever dwels in the watry part of the compound as the soule in the bloud or if this interpretation be not admitted yet that of Saint Ambrose may stand Hexam lib. 2. that Moses in these words In the beginning God created heaven and earth having made mention of the Father and the Sonne doth rightly adde that clause And the spirit of God moved upon the waters that he might shew that the creation of the world was the worke of the whole Trinity yet may you not hereby suppose that that Spirit of God which fils the whole world sap 1. was carried upon the waters by any locall position but rather as an artificer whose will and understanding is busied in his worke so the holy Spirit disposed the whole creature to naturall action according to his will and power Rab. Maur. Enar. in Gen. If you love to conferre opinions you may read Ioh. Pici Heptaplum D. Willet and other expositors 4. To these reasons of Postellus you may adde a fourth every action is limited by the object so the eternall and infinite action of God the Father understanding himselfe doth thereby produce the eternal Sonne as hath beene further said chap. 11. But because the Father doth also view all the possibilities of being in the creature and that the creature must needes stand in cleare distinction from the Creator therefore as the eternall Sonne is the image of the Father so that idea or image of the creature must needes bee a different being from that image of the Father which wee call the eternall Sonne and so of necessity must come into the reckoning of the creature For the true image of every thing must be like to that whose image it is Answer If the image of the things created were represented to the divine understanding from any thing which is without himselfe the reason were of force But seeing that God knowes all things only in and by his owne being by which being of his only as the cause of all things all things have their possibilitie of being so that his being is the foundation of all beings it followes that the representation of the divine being which wee call the Sonne is also the similitude or representation of all those possibilities of being which are in him so that the creature is in God the Father as the first cause of all equivalently sith his being is equivalent to all being and the possibilities thereof In the Sonne the idea of all being it is as represented or characterized eminently or visibly to the divine understanding and by Him all naturall causes and possibilities are ordered to the bringing of all things into their actuall being And therefore as Christ our Lord Heb. 1.3 is called the expresse image of the Person of the Father so likewise Col. 1.15 is hee the first begotten of every creature For seeing the understanding of God is not by discourse nor habituall as gotten by experience but that it is His owne very being unto the perfection whereof all the termes of Action must of necessity concurre that is both of Him that understands and of the obiect understood and of the action of understanding as was shewed chapter 11. Rea. 8. it is not possible but that seeing they are all infinite they must also bee coessentiall and one and if one then the action of understanding whereby God vieweth himselfe must also bee that whereby hee vieweth the creature for otherwise it were not infinite if it comprehended not all beings at once So then in this action of Gods understanding there cannot bee a prioritie of an infinite being understood that is God the Sonne and a posterioritie of a finite that is the creature By this meanes you say I make the Creature to be coessentiall with God in which inconvenience the strength of the former objection doth stand Answ If you meane the Creature according to the actuall being I put it naturally in the precedent causes and possibilities of nature but as concerning the first and prime cause it is so farre from any inconvenience that it is most necessarie that God and the first cause of all being beside Himselfe be termes convertible essentially And thus the Creature is in God as in the cause But seeing nothing can be in another but according to the manner of that being wherein it is and seeing the being of God is his most Pure understanding the Creature is no otherwise in him but as understood or foreseene and willed eternally And if you will stay to see you may in the Persons of the holy Trinity view a wonderfull presentation of the perfections of the Creature The Father is the foundation that sustaines all The Sonne or Mediator that power or efficacie which perfecteth all The Holy Ghost that infinite activity in the strength of which every thing doth worke The number three supposes two and because neither to worke outwardly nor to will within can bee where there is not a power thereto therefore our Lord saith Iohn 15.5 Without mee yee can doe nothing And secondly supposes first so that power cannot bee without a being wherein it dwels And thus you see the Father the foundation of all being is more inward to every thing than the matier thereof the Sonne more essentiall than the forme and the holy Ghost more proper than any working for of his activitie it is that we will or doe Philip. 2.13 and thus is that Scripture verefied which is in Acts 17. In him first we are secondly live thirdly move 5. A fifth reason of Postellus which I set over of purpose is pag. 74. and this it is Seeing that God in his infinitie is utterly incomprehensible of the creature if such a created Mediator were not in whom the infinite Majestie dwelling might
in denying of himselfe in all his ungodlie and sinnefull lusts that he may become a holy and a meet Temple for God to dwell in And so hee may assure himselfe that God will give him experience of himselfe as hee hath promised Ioh. 14.23 That hee will come and make his abode with him This is that wise merchant who for this pretious pearle sels all that hee hath to buy it This is hee that eates of the hidden Manna Ioh. 6.50.51 Rev. 2.17 that receives that white stone and a new name written which none knowes saving hee that receiveth it This is hee that in the face of Iesus Christ as in a mirrour beholds the glory of the Lord so that hee is changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory as by the spirit of the Lord. Notes a GOd is not matier Anaximenes said the aire was God that he was therfore unmeasureable but had a beginning was always in motion Diagoras of Apollonia for he of Melos was the Atheist consented unto him as concerning the matier The opinion of Cleanthes I told you before which one while held God to bee matier in this sensible world in the uppermost ayre and in the Statres Parmenides imagined a mighty wide circle which encompast the world like a Crowne or garland therefore called by him Stephane to be God Xenophon and with him Plato where hee speakes in iest saith the word was God which we call Mammon and yeelds there were more such but where he speakes in earnest as in his Epistles hee speakes of one God the Author of all things as we doe Aristotle could not tell how to gaine-say his master with his owne credit and so followed his judgement Heraclides of Pontus somewhiles said the Starres were Gods then heaven and earth So Theophrastus and sometime Zeno was for the Starres Chrisippus that was accounted most subtile amongst the schollers of Zeno was most wavering in his opinions sometime he thought the world was God sometime the uttermost or burning aire then water now earth after this ayre below and by and by the Sunne and the Moone and the Starres at last all together was but one God yet men canonized for their vertues must needs bee Gods apart and then much more the vertues for which they were immortall And thus they that would seeme wise while they cared to know more than the truth of God became idle in their imaginations and there foolish heart was full of darkenesse The parts which were before separate 2.1 b All parts are understood apart as things differing And therefore although divers formes are brought out of the power of the matier or propagate with the matier yet that affords no objection to weaken this argument But is destinate unto another totall 2.2 c If you looke on the question you shall finde it onely to be about such formes as these For it is not said that God is utterly no forme For forme is the most simple or pure being which wee can conceive but he is none of those formes which are allyed to matier The Angels are accounted formes but separate But I runne not with that opinion The Ideas are conceived to bee formes altogether separate not destinate unto matier much lesse is that most simple forme of formes the originall of all formes God is not the forme of any other Being 2.2 d The opinion of Democritus is contrary to this conclusion in that he makes mans soule to be God Straton thought that God was only a certaine divine power in Nature so said Chrisippus otherwhile and so Cleanthes where hee affirmed that God was the life of the world His opinion that reason was God was an errour against this conclusion also if by reason hee meant that reasonable soule the former of mans body Heraclides supposed God to change his shape at his pleasure Zeno said that reason in every thing was God or that he was that living law that gave life to everything Wavering Chrisippus sometime held the life of the world to be God somewhile he cal'd him destinie Therefore God is no compound 3.1 e Among the matiers reckoned up before note a. some you see are compounded and they belong properly to this place as earth water and our ayre below of which none are simple elements but mixt one with another for generation sake and fitted to the inhabitants that dwell therein of which none could live in elements that are pure being themselves compounded Therefore God is not a body 4.1 f The schoole of Epicurus taught that God was in shape like a man and that he was also bodily For they thought that if hee were without a body as Plato taught he could neither have sence nor wisdome and so could no way be partaker of any pleasure or happines But concerning the pleasure which God enjoyes Plato teaches Epist ad Dionys that it is not in outward or bodily things which hinder the happinesse of the minde The weaknes of Epicurus argument is shewed by Cotta a follower of Plato Cic. de Nat. D. l. 1 the opinion it selfe confuted by the arguments here brought especially against the Audean hereticks that were called Anthropomorphites whoupheld the opinion of the Epicurean Philosophers because the holy Scripture teaching men by their senses speakes of Gods powerfull right hand and treading down his enemies that hee was sorry in heart and specially where it is said Gen. 1. Let us make man in our owne likenesse They here understood the likenesse of the body not of the minde in holinesse and knowledge which we have lost must endeavour our selves to recover as we are exhorted Eph. 4.24 Put on the new man which is created according to God in righteousnesse and holinesse of the truth and againe Put on the new man which is renued in you unto knowledge according to the Image of Him that created him Therefore in God is no accident 5.1 Zeno g sometime affirmed that the yeare and the seasons thereof the spring the harvest the moneths also were God Chrisippus said the truth of things was God And if you account truth an accident you may referre his opinion hither You have now heard the difference of opinions among the Philosophers But how much wiser was Simonides that learned Poet who being demanded by Hiero king of Siracuse what God was He desired a day to thinke of his answer being the next day asked againe he desired two dayes And thus being often asked still doubled his time Being demaunded the reason he answered that the longer he thought thereon the more hard and darke the thing seemed unto him What thanks therefore can we give unto God who by his holy word hath so fully revealed himselfe unto us that the holy Angels themselues with wonder desire to pry into those mysteries which hee hath made manifest unto his Church by Christ 1 Pet. 1.12 1. Therefore his being is most simple 6.1 Against this conclusion a doubt or two may be raised 1. being without addition is
propagation and preservation of kinde in the like which it cannot uphold in it selfe by reason of corruption neither is the generation of natural things but with imperfection and their multiplication by decision of naturall things but with imperfection and their multiplication by decision of the seed into divers parts Neither doth any father communicate his whole being to that which is begotten by him neither can the species or common nature so farre forth as it is multiplicable even by one alone be saved whole and entire any one individuall But nothing of all this is in the most glorious spirituall and divine generation for that power of generation is not received but essentiall so that which is begotten is eternall and incorruptible The generation also is in the uttermost perfection because the whole infinite being is communicate thereby but that not for any abasement in the principle but because of the infinite perfection thereof Neither is matier for multiplication either possible or needfull here because all the fulnesse of Fatherhood Sonneship and procession are herein perfectly substantially infinitely and eternally because the procession is not such as tends to any thing without for so that which proceedeth should not bee coequall to the principle from whence it doth proceed But this procession is in the Divine being onely in every Person according to his peculiar subsistence answerable whereto no generation can be found in all the creatures 2. Another objection there is to the like purpose out of Heb. 1.3 where it is said of the second Person that hee susteineth all things by the Word of his power So that if hee being the Word of his Father have also a Word whereby he susteineth all things which therefore is another Word and not the things that are susteined thereby it may seeme that there is a multiplication of Persons and that the former objection is not fully answered I have said Log. Chap. 29. n. 5. That the appointment of all naturall causes to the bringing forth of their effects is the rule or law of Nature Now this law is that necessitie fate or destinie which is ordained by his eternall decree that made Nature and all things therein and blessed all the living creature with power to bring forth according to kinde as it appeares Gen. 1. And this is that Word of which S. Paul speakes No other divine Person but that Word whereby he melteth the yce and Snow Psal 147.18 that ordinance which the creature cannot passe Psal 148.6 Of which you may reade every where in the Holy text and especially in that admirable booke of naturall and Divine Philosophie the booke of Iob in comparison of which all Aristotles naturalls are not worth the while For seeing all naturall causes have their strength from him hath not hee bound nature within those limits beyond which hee gave it no further power to worke And within which hee is trulie said to worke by his word or by his power in the strength of which alone Nature her selfe doth worke Maker of Heaven and Earth CHAP. XIII That the World is not Eternall Section I. THe puritie or uttermost simplicitie of the Divine being is the fountaine from whence all the perfections which are therein doe flowe for neither can any thing be living powerfull wise continuall glorious c. except it bee neither can any thing be such infinitely if it have not an infinite being but an infinite of being cannot be but with the uttermost simplicitie of being For whatsoever is put to being takes away the simplicitie thereof and must needs be a limitation thereto and so take away the infinitie also The manifold perfections therefore in the Divine being are not additions of other beings to make composition therein or to take away the simplicitie thereof seeing they all signifie one and the same being but because the most simple being must needs bee the first of beings as being altogether in act or perfection and no way in possibilitie of being for then were it not a most simple being if it were both in act of being that which it is and in possibilitie of being that which it is not therefore must all other beings depend hereon nay bee herein because all things are virtually contained in their principles And this is that eternitie of the creature which it had in the infinite wisdome and power of God before it was Gen. 2.5 For seeing that in God is infinite perfection and that nothing can bee wanting to that which is perfect neither yet can any thing be perfect but in him therefore the first and highest being of all things must bee in his perfection But because absolute perfection must needs bee with the uttermost simplicitie without othernesse or change therefore must all things in God bee one and he though one alone yet virtually all things But because all things were in him eternally one that they might in time bee different in themselves for otherwise they could never at all either have beene or have beene different It is necessarie to grant that in that one absolute being which the creature had in God there must be first a possibilitie for it to be in it selfe for as things utterlie impossible can never be so can there bee no possibilitie of being but by him Secondly a possibilitie for the things being to be different among themselves and that not onely in their severall kindes but also in their particular existences and this for the manifestation of that manifold wisdome of the Maker And from hence thirdly succeeds that actuall being which things that are being have by that Holy pleasure or will by which they are and continue in their severall beings which Will must needs bee partaker both of the infinite power and infinite wisdome that it might effect that which was possible and foreseene And thus is there in the Unitie of the creature a Trinitie also in possibilitie in difference and actuall being that wee should never forget to adore the eternall Trinitie in the Unitie But the question of the worlds eternitie is onely about this last manner of actuall being for it is not denyed that it is eternall in respect of that being which it had in God as the cause or in it selfe as possible to bee because that while it was not being it had not any power to resist that Almightinesse which called it out of not being into being though to speake more properlie that eternity which it had in pure possibilitie was not in it selfe because it was not and seeing that which any thing hath of it selfe is first therein and more proper thereto than that which it hath of another therefore the world of it selfe having not being it could not possible bee eternall but onely in his eternall purpose which had appointed it unto this being The World therefore in God the principle is not begun but eternall and one but whatsoever is severed from this Principle can neither bee one nor yet eternall but comes
that word was made flesh that is tooke on him the whole nature of man body and soule and dwelt among us and we saw on the holy mount Mat. 17.2 c. 2 Pet. 1.18 the glory thereof that is of that flesh or man as the glory of the only begotten Sonne of the Father And againe Col. 1.16 By him that is the Sonne were all things created which are in heaven and which are in earth things visible and invisible all things were created by him and for him and in him all things consist 1 Cor. 8.6 There is one God the Father of whom were all things and we by him Eph. 3.9 God hath created all things by Iesus Christ And Heb. 1. v. 1.2 God hath spoken unto us in these last dayes by his Sonne whom He hath made heire of all things by whom also he made the worlds By all which texts it is cleere which S. Paul hath Rom. 11.36 of him through him and for Him are all things That is that God the deliverer which should come out of Sion vers 26. And thus have these Apostles explained that which is written Gen. 1.1 In the beginning Elohim created heaven and earth which word in the whole body of the old Testament as wisemen have observed is almost never spoken but of the Person of the Mediator onely I suppose then that it is plaine enough which is spoken by our Lord Iohn 5. v. 19. The Sonne can doe nothing of Himselfe save what he seeth the Father doe for whatsoever things He doth the same things doth the Sonne in like manner That is whatsoever the eternall Godhead ordeined in his everlasting Counsell and decree to bee done that same doth the Sonne execute and performe in the creature answerably and brings forth every thing in time according to the possibilities and opportunities of the creature For as the wiseman saith Ecclus. 18.1 He that liveth for ever made all things together or at once So the Psalmist as also the other Scriptures tels us by whom and in whom Psal 104.24 In wisdome hast thou made them all that is in our Creator and Saviour So then it being cleered by the text of the holy Scripture that the creation of the world was of God the Father in Christ by Christ and for Christ it will easily follow how necessary it was that He our creator by His eternall Spirit should offer himselfe to God for the sin of his creature as it will further appeare when I come to that article Notes a EVery tenne thousand yeares You may reade the position in Aug. de Haer. cap. 43. and the refutation thereof in his 20.21.22 bookes de civit Dei But the Cabalists for the renewing of this lower world put seven thousand yeares and no more for the restoring of the whole creature both heavenly and earthly they put fifty thousand yeares You may read the opinion and partly see their reasons in Leo Hebr. de Amore. pag. 500. c. b The world is not eternall The most famoused opinions that have beene concerning the worlds eternity are these One that which the Christian faith doth hold according to the truth of the holy oracles of God and the voice of Reason as you have heard and to this truth the Stoicks are said to haue consented The second opinion is that of Plato and his followers who held that the world had a beginning in time but of an eternall matier and that the continuance thereof should bee eternall For seeing generation and corruption is onely by the change of formes the matier still remaining one therefore they thought that as that forme which is purely without matier was incorruptible and eternall So likewise must matier bee which of it owne nature is utterly without forme And because matier is greedy of all formes how differing or contrary soever Therefore it is ever subject to change Neither is the heaven it selfe utterly freed from all power of Change because of that matier whereof it is in which the power of Change is ever hidde Therefore the world is not eternall in respect of any power in it selfe either to the production of formes or the continuance of it selfe under the same formes but first in respect of the vnformed matier and most of all in respect of that Spirit or life whereby it is guided and ordered as by the internall causes and in respect of the divine will and goodnesse as the outward principle and the end which will as it cannot repent to have done good in giving being unto the world and the things therein contained so can it not will contrary to it selfe and cease to doe good in the continuance of the creature in that being which it hath You may reade more to his purpose in Plot. Ennead 2. lib. 1. and his commentator Marsilius Ficinus The third opinion is that of Aristotle that the world was eternall and from God as an eternall effect of an eternall cause For because it seemed to him impossible and if you looke no higher than nature alone it is indeed impossible that any thing being can come out of nothing therefore matier must needs be eternall and therewith generation and corruption without which nothing is brought forth And because these two could not be thought to be without the moving of the heavens as the cause thereof therefore both the heavenly bodies and motion especially circular must be also eternall and herewith time which is measured by the motion of the heavens But what this eternall matier should bee the Philosophers went into divers opinions Heraclitus thought it to be fire Archelaus ayre Empedocles all the elements and among the rest one one thing and another another as you may reade in Aristotle where hee refutes them in Tull. Acad. q. lib. 4. and especially in Plutarch de placitis Philosophorum and from him in many other Aristotle himselfe from Hesiod and they that had beene before him cals it Chaos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In theogonia First was the Chaos then the earth which word if they borrowed not of Moses his Tohu which signifies empty of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sometimes meanes to bring to nought nor of that which seemes to come from thence Chohus whereby as Festus saith the old Latines called the world yet of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they meant by it confusion and no way of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a countrie or an appointed place Sometime this matier is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mud For so the conclusion of earth and water is best understood and fittest for generation of earthly things as Ovid delivers the opinon and cleeres it by comparison of the overflowing Nilus Metam lib. 1. All other Creatures tooke their different birth And figures from the voluntary Earth When her cold moisture with the Sunne did sweat And Slimy Marishes grew big with heat So when seven-mouthed Nyle forsakes the plaine Anantient channel doth his streames containe And late
lost and perish being tainted with the sinne of Adam or the infinite justice against which the sinne was done must for ever stand violated and broken or else a Mediator must bee found who was able to satisfie the infinite justice that was offended The first is against the wisdome goodnesse and love of God to his creature either to make mankinde in vaine that is to destroy it againe or to make it unto eternall punishment The second is impossible that an infinite justice infinitely able to avenge it selfe should endure it selfe for ever to to remaine violate and offended for so should it prize a thing finite and wicked before it selfe infinite in justice therefore there behoves to be a Mediatour who should fully satisfie the justice offended and utterly blot out the guilt of sinne Now an infinite justice offended must be satisfied by a punishment answerable that is infinite but no finite creature could any way be or be accounted infinite Therefore when none was found worthy either in heaven or in earth or under the earth the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world tooke upon him our flesh to satisfie for the sinne of his creature and so by his infinite obedience for by His eternall spirit Hee offered himselfe to God Heb. 9.14 and by the infinite merit of his suffering for by that spirit the manhood both soule and flesh was enabled to endure those pangs and that punishment which neither all mankinde nor any other creature could endure was the infinite justice satisfied And thus Hee became mighty to save Esay 63.1 and having Himselfe in his owne body borne our sinnes vpon the tree did utterly abolish the whole body of sinne and found for us eternall redemption 2. The divine goodnesse hath created all things exceeding good Gen. 1. so much doth it delight it selfe in that concordance or agreement which is betweene the inward and the outward good But that agreement is the greatest which is in the unity of one person Therefore it is expedient that there be an incarnation that so in one person the goodnesse may bee most eminent and the concord most lovely 3. Otherwise you may propose it thus The excellency of the effect appeares by that conformity or agreement which it hath with the cause so then the inward worke of the infinite Goodnesse and the outward being accorded in the unity of one person the multiplication of the agreement is so great that it cannot possibly bee greater Therefore it followes that the Godhead bee incarnate for otherwise the concord in the inward and outward worke of the deity might bee greater than it is but that is impossible 4. The divine will concerning his workes without doth will and love that especially wherein the excellency of all his inward dignities doth most appeare But the excellency of all his dignities appeares most in this that God bee manifest in the flesh For thereby we are made partakers of the Divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 of his glory vertue everlasting life and happinesse So that now there is but one end of God and his creature that is the glory of God of which and unto which God rejoyces over his dreature to bring it and make it partaker And the Creature likewise reioyces to be made partaker And thus the end or perfection of the creature hath rest or accomplishment in the inward perfections of God and his inward perfections are manifest in his outword workes Therefore God would bee incarnate 5. And seeing that God infinitely blessed and happy in himselfe needed not the Creature but made it therefore that it might be blessed in him and that of his fullnesse the creature might receive that fulnesse of happinesse which it can possibly injoy therefore it is requisite that that fulnesse of his bee imparted unto that creature wherein all the rest of the creature hath interest which we have already proved to bee man chap. 17. § 4. ob 5. Therefore God would dwell in man that by man the whole creature might be blessed in Him 6. If God were not incarnate then the divine dignities should be lesse Infinite one than another For the infinite goodnesse by the infinite wisdome seeing that uttermost and perfect happinesse that might come unto man by the incarnation if his power his will and love of the creature did not answer thereto so that he would bee pleased to dwell in his creature then should they be defective and of lesse extent than his infinite wisdome But that is impossible Therefore it followes that God would be incarnate See the answer to the objection that may be made from hence § 1. on the 39 chapter n. 4. 7. If there were not an incarnation then the infinite wisdome should not have the view of that highest excellencie which is possible to be in the creature neither should the infinite power magnifie it selfe by the multiplication of it selfe in an outward subject so these dignities should not be glorious by all those meanes whereby it is possible that they might glorifie themselves But all these things are inconvenient Therefore it is reasonable to beleeve the incarnation lest ignorance weakenesse and defect of glory should bee found in the first principle which must of necessity take away His infinity proved chapter 3. understand the reason well For your more ease I will propose it affirmatively thus 8. If there bee an Incarnation then the divine understanding may have an outward object wherein it may be infinite both in the inward and outward working For whereas all created obiects are absolutely finite yet if the Divine being understood which heretofore we called the Sonne chap. 11. take on him our being our nature by that assumption is deified and so made infinite with that uttermost infinitie whereof the Creature can any way bee capable seeing the deity is neither without the humanity nor the humanity without the deity And so the divine understanding may be an outward obiect infinite as much as it is possible that a creature can be infinite And so the wisdome also may bee infinite in all possibility of infinity both in the inward and outward working And what I have said of the infinite wisdome of God must also be understood of all his other perfections of goodnesse of power of eternity of life of glory c. But if there bee no incarnation this infinite outward obiect is taken away and so the understanding and all the other dignities of God as concerning their outward working must be in littlenesse and lower than that possibility whereto they may come But this is not to be affirmed Therefore the incarnation followeth reasonably 9. Every efficient the more noble and excellent it is the greater and more excellent are the effects which it doth bring forth But the greatest effects are not brought to passe but by the greatest meanes Now there is no efficient more noble or excellent than God no effect better or greater to the Creature nor more honourable to the
second Temple built by a small band of poore captives in all but fortie two thousand three hundred sixtie beside their servants a wretched number of seven thousand three hundred thirtie seven and that in a desolate countrey amidst so many enemies that hindred their building was like to bee in comparison of Salomons every man may easily conjecture And therefore this Prophet saith Chap. 2 3. That this new built house in comparison of the former was nothing as you may further see Ez. 2.12 13. Was this house then more excellent in respect of the ornament or priviledges God promises by his prophet Chap. 1. v. 8. that he would take pleasure in it and that hee would be glorified Where the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ecabd by the want of the letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in number signifieth five and in sence would be translated I will glorifie it is supposed by the Rabins to intend the want of five things in this latter Temple which were in the former First the Ark with the covering and Cherubims secondly the fire from heaven thirdly Shecinah or the Divine presence manifested in the oracle Levit. 16.2 Numb 7.89 1. King 6.5 Fourthly the holy Ghost which spake not by any Prophet after this Darius in whose dayes the Temple was built fifthly the Vrim and Thummim And this many of our learned doe embrace as you may reade every where but Pet. Galat. lib. 4. Chap. 9. cites the booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yoma or of dayes interpreting the five things to be First the Arke as before secondly the pot of Manna thirdly the oyle of anointing fourthly the rod of Aaron fiftly the box with the offering of the Phlistines by the side of the Arke But the author of that booke was too carelesse as it is apparent 1 King 8.9 2 Chron. 5.10 where it is directly affirmed that nothing was in the Arke but onely the two tables of the Law And is it likely that the offering of the heathen should bee brought into the most holy place before Christ had entred thereinto But howsoever seeing by all confession it appeareth that this house was not to bee compared with that of Salomon either in outward beautie or in riches or in outward holinesse being so often and grievously profaned by Heliodorus the agent of Seleucus then by his brother Epiphanes who set the image of Iupiter in the Temple of God and enforced the Iewes to forsake their Religion after by Pompey by Crassus and others or in the other high and heavenly ornaments and priveleges the glory thereof must needs consist in this that the Lord of glory the Messiah and Saviour of the world would glorifie that Temple with his presence and in that Temple preach peace with God by his owne satisfaction for the sinnes of the world You may reade hereto Ioh. 8.12 to the end and chap. 10.23 to 40. and 18.20 And thus the substance being more excellent than the shadowes and Christ by his suffering having finished the ceremoniall Law in the time while this house did stand according to this prophecie it is necessarie that this Iesus be the promised Messiah seeing this house stood but fourtie yeeres the time of repentance and no more after the death of our Lord. e Haggai 2.7.8 Yet one little while and I will shake the heavens and the earth the Sea and the dry land And I will move all nations and the desire of all nations shall come and I will fill this house with glory saith the Lord of hosts Marsilius Ficinus de Rel. Christ cap. 27. interprets this place too slackly according to the letter onely understanding by the shaking of the heavens that Starre which conducted the wisemen at the birth of Christ and a supposed Ecclips at his death The Evangelists tell us of a darkenesse over all that land but no author of sufficient credit avowes any Ecclipse of the Sunne in the full Moone when * See praef Iac. Christ in Cat. Palaest pag. 21. the Passeover was kept by the shaking of the earth he understands that earthquake at the suffering of Christ and another mentioned by Iosephus Hitherto also he brings the taxing of all the Roman provinces by Augustus Luke 2. and the rebellion of Iudas of Galilee mentioned Acts 5.37 By the moving of the Sea hee meanes the miracle spoken of Mar. 4.35 and Iohn 6.16 to 22. when by his word our Lord commanded the winds and seas and they obeyed him And if this interpretation had rested with Ficinus by profession a Physician by sect a Platonick I had said nothing but seeing other profest Divines and they not of the least account doe follow him herein as Crocius aforesaid I thought it fit to cleare this text rather by that interpretation which the Apostle makes hereof Heb. 12.26 27. which is directly to this purpose for which I cite it where by the shaking is signified the removing of those things that are shaken that they which are not shaken may remaine Now the whole drift of that Epistle is to prove that the Law had but the shadowes of things to come but the body was Christ Therefore by the heaven understand the Ecclesiasticall estate of the Iewes as it was ordered under the Law and at Christs suffering utterly finished for the Law made nothing perfect but was onely the bringing in of a better hope Heb. 7.19 and Chap 8. all By the earth understand the civill policie which was likewise so shaken by the Romans that they had not power to put any man to death Iohn 18.31 And after by Adrian were they utterly scattered from being a people These things then being thus shaken and by the shaking removed the sacrifice of Christ and his kingdome must remaine that he may be yesterday and to day and the same for ever Heb. 13.8 that is before the Law and under the Law and after the Law the onely Mediatour betweene God and man And as it was with the Iewes so likewise the inhabitants of the Islands of the Sea and of the maine land were to bee shaken that they might forsake their service of dumbe idoles to serve the living God Acts 14.15 1. Cor. 12.2 that so our Lord might bee the desire and joy of all nations and the Scripture fulfilled which saith Rejoyce thou barren that bearest not breake forth in joy thou that travellest not for the desolate Church of the Gentiles hath many moe children than shee the Synagogue of the Iewes that had the husband Esay 54.1 For he came unto his owne but his owne received him not Iohn 1.11 And therefore was hee made a light unto the Gentiles unto the uttermost ends of the earth Esay 49.6 Acts 13.46.47 that is to us even to us of this Island utterly removed from all the world beside Glory be to thee O Lord most high f Gen. 49.5 6. Simeon and Levi brethren their swords are the instruments of violence Into their secret let not my soule enter Let
yet they of later times For concerning the end of His going to hell some thought that He delivered all that He found there both good and bad indifferently 2. Others because they thought that the whole punishment for mans sinne could not otherwise be discharged said that He went to hell that He might there suffer for the soules of men as on His Crosse He had suffered for their bodies Nay as Postel de nat Med. relates the Abissine Church holds that He went thither for His owne soule This last is hereticall the other against the direct authority of the Scripture For our Lord Himselfe when He gave up the Ghost professed That whatsoever was necessary for His suffering and our redemption was then finished And therefore both Saint Peter 1 Epist 2.24 saith That He bare our sinnes in His body on the tree and Saint Paul Colos 1.20 That Hee wrought our peace through the blood of His Crosse And Chapter 2.15 Hee spoyled the principalities and powers triumphed over them openly in His Crosse Beside His promise to the thiefe This day to bee with Him in paradise doth directly crosse this opinion 3. Others upon that text of 1 Pet. 3.19 He went and preached unto the Spirits in prison which were disobedient in the dayes of Noah thinke that He went to hell to upbraid to them their infidelity But this was not according to the end of His comming which was to seeke and to save that which was lost Luke 19.10 Therefore others and with them Martinus Cellarius de operibus Dei thinke that He preached repentance unto them and that such as beleeved Him to be God were redeemed from hell and saved by Him But because our Church hath rejected this opinion compare the Synod Edw. 6. with the Synod Eliz. therefore I refuse it And that text of Peter may be interpreted of the preaching of Noah while the Arke was preparing 5. Some againe on better ground then the former thinke that that descent of His into Hell was for manifestation or investing of Himselfe in that Lordship which He as the Sonne of man had over all the creature and consequently over the powers of hell That at His Name every knee should bow both of things in Heaven and of things in earth and of things under the earth Phil. 2.10 Thus He that liveth and was dead is alive for evermore and hath the keyes of hell and of death Thus He that descended first into the lower parts of the earth did ascend farre above all heavens that Hee might fulfill all things Ephes 4.9 10. That fluttering distinction That He as God dwelt in the man-hood on the earth the lower part of the world and then He as man ascended will not helpe For first euery globe of the Moone the Sun or any star as it hath a centre to which every thing thereon inclines for otherwise it could not hold together in one body so is it a centre to the universe that is about it And so is likewise the lowest in comparison of those globes that have different centres Beside He which descended is even the same that ascended But God and man are not the same Thirdly He descended and ascended that He might fill all things which God did for ever neither ascending nor descending And therefore Augustine said well Totus Filius fuit apud Patrem c. The Sonne was whole with the Father whole in the Virgins wombe whole in Heauen whole in Earth whole on the Crosse whole in Hell 6. But howsoever private opinions might fall in by the way yet by that which was said before it is manifest that the ancient Church did beleeve that Christ did therefore descend into hell that the faithfull by Him might be brought into Paradise which if it were the meaning of them that did compose and of them that did generally receive the Creed then cannot that Article of Christs descent into hell be interpreted according to their meaning which say That it must signifie no other thing but that He suffered the paines of hell in His soule Concerning them that received the Creed and interpreted it you have heard § 3.4 and shall further heare their meaning The Authors meaning you shall heare anone Obiect 2. But the same Fathers are cited on both sides Obiect 2 Answ Every man that writes or speakes may be taken short and his words wrong to a sence contrary to his meaning But in this question it is not much stood upon even by favourers of this new opinion but that the current of the Fathers beares all the other away insomuch that the learned Bucanus Instit. Theol Loc. 25. though he seeme to allow this later exposition better yet he professes that he dares not condemne the judgement of the Fathers seeing it is neither contrary to the Scripture nor hath any inconvenience in it So others yeelding that the opinion of the Fathers is for the most part for the locall descent of Christ into hell would yet be excused to follow it See Synops Pap Contr. 9. qu. 1. edit 4. pag. 403. which demand truely may seeme to be very just that being put which Augustine said a little before that it is not by the expresse authority of the Canonicall Scriptures which ought to be the ground and rule of our Faith But that clause of Augustine concerning the want of the authority of the Canonicall Scripture is ill referred to Christs descent into Hell which belongs onely to the freeing of Adam there But if their mistaking were indeed Augustines meaning That the descent of Christ into hell had no authority of the Canonicall Scripture yet remembring that it may not be thought that the Church yea the whole Church beleeved it without cause seeing it hath no inconvenience in it seeing it is not contrary to the Scripture and that the holy Scriptures by Anselmes judgement cited in the Preface confirmes all that which it doeth no way contradict being lawfully gathered from manifest reason Let us be bold to looke upon the Reasons which may seeme to have drawne the ancient Church unto this opinion And because it is necessary first to agree vpon some principles let it be put Sect. 5 that these words He descended into Hell are not spoken either of the God-head of Christ of which it is confessed that it is every where nor yet of His dead body of which it is said in the Article before that it was buryed but that the enquiry is heere what became of the soule of our Saviour after it was departed from His body Secondly That seeing the soule neither came to nothing nor was an infinite being to bee every where it must of necessitie be in some definite ubi some place where while it was it was not in another Thirdly Seeing the soule of Christ was a true humane soule as one of ours and that it became Him in all things to bee like His brethren except their sinne His soule also being separate from the body went
every side should be onely an idle loade of earth and water Moreover the generation of all the Mineralls which is onely from water steamed up in vapour and congealed by the spirits of sulphur in the metalls of salts in all manner of stones or of the earth it selfe as vitriols and such like argue both emptinesse and heat neither of which can be in a massie lumpe of earth and water See to this purpose Novum lumen Chemicum 3. Beside this the huge quantity of vapour sent out of the earth and waters for raine and snow in the winter time argues not onely that there is a hollownesse of the earth but likewise that there is some powerfull principle for sending up such waters which naturally doe flee from heat as this macrocosmicall Sun is for drawing of them upward For in the Summertime when our Sun hath most strength to exhale those vapours from the earth and sea wee have least raine and that because that centrall Principle hath then his greatest declination to the South whereas in the Winter when his declination is to us in the North then is it most powerfull to send out those vapours on this side of the earth and to cause so much raine except some violent frost doe close up the face of the earth that they cannot get out which thing is yet further manifest by those boysterous stormes of raine and winde which happen in those Countreys that are neere to that girdle of the earth which they call the Equinoctiall line where the influences doe meete in direct opposition 4. If no such centrall Principle bee by whose heate and warme vapours the earth is opened it were impossible that any trees or rootes could continue in life especially in Countreys that are removed above 20. degrees from the Tropicks toward the Poles For as those vegetables doe live with a meete temper of cold and heate So where the cold exceeds there is no possibility of their growth as it appeares in the places of our Whale-fishing and others within 20. degrees of the Pole Now what heate hath the Sun here with us in a hard frost continuing 3. or 4. moneths yet is not our winter so cold as the Continent of the same Latitude for enliving our trees who are not 52. degrees from the very Equinoctiall but that they are still kept in life by the warmth and moisture which is sent to them from below Object 1. Obiect 1 But is not every heavy thing carried naturally to the centre which if it be then cannot that centre be in a place of emptinesse as this opinion would make it I Answere The centre is either of magnitude as the imagined centre of this globe of the earth or else of waight The centre of magnitude suffers nothing to stay in it but drives it to the centre of waight as the South pole of the Load-stone drives away that end of the needle which is touched for the North So that if the firmament of this globe of earth and water be 50.100 or 200. miles thicke which seemes a great deale too much not onely because such a thicknesse were to no use but rather an utter impediment to the passage of the Sunnes heate for the generation of the mineralls winds and vapours as I spake before Yet there is left an hollownesse whose diameter is about 7000. miles wherein if such a principle of heat be as I shewed I see no reason why that opinion of the Poets and Philosophers concerning their Elizium or of the Fathers concerning their lower Paradise should be so slighted as it is This then being either prooved or supposed that centre of waight which I speake of cannot be the same with the centre of this globe of the earth but rather an imagined surface in the midst of the firmament of this globe in proportion of the convex and concave surfaces somewhat further from this convex surface then from that hollow which is within 2. Obiect 2 But you object that of 4. Esdras 5.44 That the world cannot hold them at once that should bee created in it And if this outward surface cannot much lesse that hollow one which is within which must needs be lesse then it And yet if all that die goe thither it must containe at least 20. times as many since Christ as are now alive in this world Answer Doe you thinke that if any man had in him the spirit of lust of wrath of pride and all those seven devills which were in Mary Magdalene that his heart would be any bigger then any other mans or was that man bigger then all the sonnes of Adam in whom the Legion was Mark 5.9 For a full Legion or regiment was 6000. Foot and 726. Horsemen Veg de remil lib. 2. cap. 6. Now the state of the soule separate because it is a spirituall being must bee such as that of Spirits is which doe not occupy a place bodily though they bee in a place definitively So that feare of thronging which is such a blocke in the way of those new interpreters is like that feare of the Satyre that winded his horne and ranne away from the sound Sect. 8. 3. Sect. 8 The third way of locall descent is best understood by that supposition of Almicantrahs and Azimuths from the Zenith For every man in what position of the earth or sea soever he is supposes himselfe to be in the highest part of his hemisphere and so is So that if circles of any sensible distance suppose of 60. Italian or 55. English miles which answere on earth to one degree in heaven were drawen about him then they that are in that circle should be one degree or step lower then hee and so to the horizon and so to the Nadie or point directly opposite unto him on the other side of the earth But you will say If the dead before Christ did thus descend and our Lord likewise to them then must it follow that the whole surface of the earth is Paradise and that there is no difference betweene the state of the godly and the wicked which is directly against the word of Christ himselfe in that parable of Lazarus and the rich glutton in Luke 16. I Answere That before the earth was cursed for mans sinne there was no cause why it might not be wholly Paradise The desoription of the foure rivers of Paradise Genes 2. doe not obscurely shew it howsoever Beroaldus would bring them all within the compasse of * See Gen. 2.13 14. Dan. 10.4 Canaan other by as strange Geography to the springs and falls of Tigris and Euphrates But I hold That that Paradise of Eden wherein Adam was put after his creation was not in the Moone nor in the Aire as some have thought but some speciall place of the earth of plenty and pleasure above the rest as we see there are great differences unto this day And though many places are growne barren and fruitlesse for want of husbandry and especially to proove
deserts I find enemies yet will I pray for them Psal 109.4 For seeing we know that if we suffer with Christ we shall also reigne with Him shall we not pray for them that seale unto us the assurance of this hope Therefore shall this be among my chrefest joyes That the drunkards make songs upon me 5. It may further be objected from Iohn 3.17 That God sent not His Son into the world to condemne the world but that the world by Him might be saved And if He came to save the world how shall He judge and condemne the wicked to Hell fire seeing this is contrary to the end of His comming Answer First that is spoken of His first comming onely Secondly it is manifest by the verse before verse 16. that the world in this place signifies onely the faithfull in the world for whose sake the world is and continues For to these only God gave His only Son that they should not perish but have everlasting life And as Christ was once offered for these at His first comming so for these shall He appeare the second time to salvation Heb. 9.28 For the last judgment being but the confirmation of the sentence of their justification by the death of Christ and the putting of them in the actuall possession of those promises that depend thereon their sinnes are so covered as that b there shall not be any remembrance of them in the judgement For the worshippers that are once purged have no more conscience of sinne to their condemnation Hebr. 10.2 seeing the gifts and calling of God are without repentance And therefore as a countrey-man of ours saith well Ames Med Theol Cap. 41 This judgement in respect of the faithfull is essentiall unto Christ as He is the Mediator but in respect of the unfaithfull it is of power onely given Him by the Father not essentiall to His mediation but some way belonging to the perfection thereof because the Father hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Yet let me adde thus much that although the judgement of condemnation be not essentiall to Christ as the Mediator of reconciliation yet He being the great Steward of the house of God it is essentiall to Him as the Son of God to take vengeance without mercy on them that dishonour His Father and despight the Holy Spirit of grace which by the light of their consciences proclaimes their sin unto them which they will in no wise forsake §. 4 Sect. 4 6. The last question is with those mockers that say either in words or by their continuance in their wicked deedes where is the promise of His comming For since the dayes of Henoch who threatned that Iudgement Iud. 14. above 4500. yeeres are passed and yet the world continues and that which hath beene is even that which shall be neither is any thing new under the Sun Eccles 1.9 Moreover though for your reasons against the eternitie of the world Chap. 13. it may seeme the world is not eternall à parte antè but that it had a beginning yet is it not cleare but that it may be eternall à parte pòst and continue for ever in as much as the Creator cannot repent Himselfe to bee the work-master of so glorious a frame So not to continue it in that being which it hath and to doe good unto it as the Psalmist confesseth Psal 104. verse 31. The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever the Lord shall rejoyce in His workes And if all the creature being made was exceeding good Gen. 1. the destroying of so great a good cannot bee but a very great ill which is farre from that goodnesse by which it was created I answere That the Text of Eccles prooves not but that the judgement shall sit at last and the bookes of every mans conscience shall be open that the judgement may be acknowledged to be according to their workes And although the time seems to us to bee prolonged that the number of the elect may bee fulfilled that the patience and long-suffering of God towards the wicked may be manifest for their repentance that the desire of the godly and their longing for His comming may be inflamed Yet to Him the time is determined and can neither be longer nor shorter than He hath appointed onely that comming to judgement hath been proclaimed so long before that in all ages men remembring the judgement might avoid those things for which they should bee condemned So for those reasons wherby you would enforce the continuance of the world for ever it hath beene answered that it is for the greater good to man and the creature which was made for his use that this world should have an end that the creature might be freed from that corruption to which it is subject by reason of his sinne then that it should still continue Neither doth that text of the 104. Psalme prove any thing to the contrary For as the glory of God had endured in eternity before the world so shall it continue when neither the heaven nor the earth nor yet their places shall be found any more Reu. 20.11 And as for that glory of His which is manifest in the creature it shall bee more wonderfull and excellent in that worke of His recreation which the Cabalists call de Mercava when the creature in the world to come shall be brought to glory and be able to consider the super-excellency of His mercy and goodnesse than it is in this worke de Bereshith or state of creation in this present world And if the deprivation of this present being seeme to be ill because the being of the creature was good in the state of creation then the taking away of all this ill and misery which is since come upon the creature by reason of sinne and the restoring of it into an estate of happinesse without comparison better and surer than that wherein it was created must in both respects be a far greater good than either to have created it such as it was or to continue it in the present being Bring hither what you finde in the 18. Chapter § 2. But because it seemes not fully proved unto you that this race and stare of man-kind and the world with him must come to an end take with you a reason or two and thinke on them 1. It hath already beene shewed Chap. 13. that no kind of infinitie either of continuance of power of number c. can belong unto the world or to the creatures therein contained from whence the present doubt is easily assoyled 2. Also it hath beene proved before Chap. 15. that man was created innocent and our miserable experience shewes that wee are now subject to sinne and the punishment thereof death It hath likewise appeared that there is a restoring of man-kind to a better life than that in which man was created which cannot be but in the perfection of the whole man both in body and soule as it will appeare further in
their lives given as a prey Ezechiel Daniel and they that were signified by the basket of good figges Iere. 24.5 were carryed away for their good The Christians likewise were safe at Pella in the destruction of Ierusalem Euseb Ecclesiast hist lib. 3 Cap. 5. So He delivereth from the noy some pestilence Psalm 91.3 c. and in the dayes of famine those that wait on Him shall have enough Psal 37.19 So these things are testimonies unto us both that there shall be a judgement and that the godly shall be saved and the wicked condemned 12 And as if nature if selfe had imprinted the acknowledgment of this judgement in every mans mind so there was never any man c that confessed the resurrection but did withall confesse this generall judgement And therefore though every other Article of our Creed have been impugned by some hereticke or other yet never any gainesayd this I meane since those errours were stilled in the Apostles time See 2 Thess 2.1 2 3. But whether it be that every man acknowledging the justice of God as no man can confesse him to be God whom he doth not beleeve to be just and a rewarder of them that diligently seeke Him Hebr. 11.6 or whether it be that the testimonies of the holy Scripture are so cleare in this point as that they have stopped the mouthes of all heretickes the thing it selfe is most certaine to be as it may appeare by the texts of Scripture already cited and by these also that follow Psalm 9. vers 8. The Lord hath prepared His Throne for judgment He shall judge the world in righteousnesse He shall minister judgment unto the people in uprightnesse And Psalm 50. vers 3 4 5 6. God shall come A fire shall devoure before Him Hee shall call to the heavens from above and to the earth that Hee may judge His people c. Psalm 96.13 The Lord commeth to judge the earth Hee shall judge the world with righteousnesse and the people with His trueth As it is also Psalm 98.9 Eccles. 11.9 Rejoyce ô young man in thy youth c. but know that for all these things God will bring thee unto judgement And Eccles. 12.14 God shall bring every worke into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it bee ill Reade hereto 2 Pet. 3. Chap. from vers 7. to 15. and Reu. 20. Chap. from vers 11. to the end § 6. Sect. 6 Thus it being manifest that the judgement shall be it must also appeare that our Lord Iesus must bee that judge Whereto though I have said that which may be sufficient at the beginning of the Chapter yet because it is our speciall hope and comfort that He shall be our judge that was our Creator that hath so dearely bought us that hath been our Mediator that doth evermore preserue us from the power of the enemy let us both begin and end with this lest the conscience of our owne sinnes and the remembrance of that fearefull time should cause us not to long for that comming For if God be very terrible in the assembly of His Saints Psalm 89.7 how much more in that gloomy day when He comes to render vengeance with devouring fire before Him and to repay His aduersaries to their face and to passe on them that fearefull sentence that shall d never be reversed and from which there is no appeale But lift up your heads you that are little in your owne eyes and tremble at His words for that is the day of your redemption and God Himselfe will come and save you And because He is God He knowes the secrets of your hearts and sees your reverence and your feare before Him and your acknowledgment of your owne unworthinesse And because He is man and hath had experience of sorrowes and passed under the burden of unjust and cruell judgement and hath for us endured the Crosse and shame that we might be delivered from the wrath to come therefore lift up your heads and receive the reward of your faith and patience and the end of your hopes the eternall saluation of your soules and bodies 1. For if our Lord having suffered such things for us and having overcome in all His sufferings having ascended into heaven to be our continuall intercessor for us should not then give unto us that everlasting life which He hath purchased for us His sufferings and intercession should be altogether in vaine and our faith in Him which He hath wrought in us by His holy Spirit should be utterly void and those promises which Hee hath giuen us in His holy Word should faile of their trueth and performance But all these things are impossible And therefore our Lord Iesus shall come to give reward unto His seruants both small and great Revel 11.18 and to cast out the unbeleevers out of His kingdome 2. In things that are orderly disposed for an end nothing may be omitted of those things that are necessary for the attainement of that end The end of our Lords incarnation and sufferings concernes either God or man Concerning mankind euerlasting life in all happinesse and joy is that great end for which our Saviour was incarnate died and rose againe and shall raise us up at the last day And by His judgement of mercy and compassion on us shall deliver unto us the seisure and possession of that eternall happinesse Therefore our Lord Iesus shall be judge of the quicke and the dead Concerning God it is necessary that in His love to His Father and zeale to His honour Hee take vengeance on them that have offended the infinite justice and despised that mercy and pardon which hath beene offered unto them and still have continued in their sin and followed it with greedinesse Therefore in this respect also our Lord Iesus Christ shall be the Iudge of the quicke and the dead 3. And seeing our Lord Iesus hath undertaken that honourable enterprise viterly to destroy the workes of the devill it is necessary that He leave nothing unperformed which doth belong to the accomplishment thereof Therefore Hee shall judge those Angels which are reserved in chaines of darknesse unto that day and bring upon them that destruction which they sought to bring upon all man-kind And shall also reward those servants of His which have continued faithfull in His service whether they be Angels or men 4. None is so fit to judge betweene two as hee that hath interest in both parties and knowes the worthinesse of them both and that not onely in his understanding but also by his experience of them both But man-kind is to be judged for that which hee hath done contrary or according to the will of God Therefore seeing our Lord Iesus is very God and very man as it hath beene prooved Hee shall be the judge of the quicke and the dead 5. In every orderly and just judgement both the Iudge and the sentence ought to be manifest and knowne to all them that
should bee incarnate when there is not one word in the Holy Scripture whereupon they may ground any such Article of their faith 2. Beside this that which they affirme is utterly impossible For nothing is possible to be in the Trinitie which brings in any confusion or disorder But if the Holy-Ghost should be incarnate then should there not be one Sonne of God incarnate but two sonnes but that were confusion and no way necessary and therefore not possible Compare herewith Chap. 12. Reason 1. and the Reasons of the Chap. 23. 3. Moreover the workes of the Holy-Ghost are the workes of a most pure Spirit whereto a humane body can no way give any furtherance as to renew the mind by Repentance to give faith to teach and comfort the soule to make it love that which is good to hate that which is ill and the like All which and whatsoever else the Holy Spirit doth worke it worketh onely spiritually Therefore it is necessary or meet that the Holy-Ghost should take on Him the body of man 4. That argument which Epiphanius Haer. 66. used against Manes in particular may serve in generall against all the rest If Manues saith he were that Holy-Ghost whom the Lord promised to His disciples then that promise had beene in vaine seeing that this heresie of Manes was not heard of till 247. after the suffering of Christ who also performed that gift of the Holy-Ghost within tenne dayes after His ascension Neither was that heresie of Montanus heard of till about 140. yeeres after Christs ascension And whereas the disciples were commanded not to depart from Ierusalem but to waite there for the promise that was to be fulfilled not many dayes after This heresie of Simon was not broached will after the disciples were scattered from Ierusalem by reason of the persecution that arose about Stephen as some write in the sixt yeere after the suffering of Christ Concerning Melchizedek it is manifest that he was a Priest of the most high God so was not the Holy-Ghost For He onely beares witnesse unto the faithfull soule of Christs eternall Priest-hood The madnesse of Mahumed you shall finde Chap. 34. § 5. N. 8. § 2. Sect. 2 Thus the doubt concerning those persons who were pretended to be the Holy-Ghost being answered it followes next to examine those errours that have been about His being Among these the chiefe was that of Arius who taught that the Son was the first and chiefe creature made by the Father of that which was not And that the Holy-Ghost was a creature of this creature But because the great question with Arius was about the Sonne this heresie is imputed to Macedonius a light fellow fit for his trade which they call the Feathermakers From that he became a Priest and after the Bishop of Constantinople Of him some write that he held the heresie of Arius whole othersome that he held the true faith concerning the Father and the Sonne but erred concerning the Holy-Ghost For some write that he held that the Holy-Ghost was not a Person subsisting in Himselfe but that the Deity of the Father and the Sonne was that which we call the Holy-Ghost Other write that his heresie was this That the Holy-Ghost was the minister of God in the creature or a certaine power created of God in every creature because it is said in Amos 4.13 That God createth the Spirit where although it be manifest by that which goeth before Hee hath formed the mountaines that it is spoken of the mind Yet that adulterate Synod at Lampsacus from thence justified that errour of Macedonius that the Holy-Ghost was a creature For this heresie his followers were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or fighters against the Holy Spirit And although others were before him in this heresie as the Originists the Arians and Semiarians yet because he was a savage and a fierce man to them that thought not with him therefore this opinion became as it were his peculiar His arguments were onely such as Arius used and therefore answered as they that were brought by him against the Deity of the Sonne as 1. from that in Iohn 17.3 The Father is acknowledged the onely true God Answere 1. I have heretofore said that by the name of Father all the Persons of the Trinitie are understood and to this Father that onely Mediator betweene God and man the Man Iesus Christ confesseth in this place of Saint Iohn See 1. Tim. 2 3 4 5. and Eph. 4.6 Answere 2. Moreover Saint Paul saith Ephe. 3.14 15. That of the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ the whole familie in heaven and earth is named So our Saviour heere to take away the opinion of moe gods than one acknowledgeth that God His Father is that eternall Fountaine from which both the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost doth proceede as I have said before but yet seeing the being of the Father is most simple and one that which doth proceede essentially from that simple and pure being of His must necessarily be all one and the same with Him And therefore both the Sonne and the Holy-Ghost must needes bee God 2. Objection All things were made by Him Iohn 1.3 Therefore the Holy-Ghost also was made by Christ and so as the Arians speake Hee is a creature of a creature Answere Those words All things are interpreted by that which followes without Him was not any thing made which was made For if those words All things should be taken in that sence as the Hereticks urge them it should follow that both the Father also and the Sonne Himselfe were made by Himselfe which are things impossible 3. Objection He that receives of another is inferior to Him of whom he doth receive But the Holy-Ghost doth receive of Christ to shew unto His Church Therefore He is inferiour unto Christ and consequently a creature Answere The proposition is false For great Princes receive Presents of their subjects Lords of their Tenants Masters of their Scholars who account it a favour and an honour done unto them that their offers are accepted Moreover that taking of the Holy-Ghost from the Father and the Sonne spoken of in that text of Iohn 16.14 is not of grace but by nature neither is it any other thing than this That as the Father from all eternity had decreed to reconcile the world unto Himselfe by the death of His Sonne and that the Sonne accordingly performed this in due time by His death upon the Crosse So the Father and the Sonne by that Holy Spirit which proceedeth from them both doth sauctifie the hearts of the elect and assure them that this reconciliation with all the fruits and effects thereof was for their eternall comfort and salvation For that peculiar manner of subsistence in the Divine nature which He taketh from the Father and the Sonne whereby it is most necessarily concluded that He is God is not heere spoken of 4. Objection The Holy-Ghost is no where called God in the Scripture
of the ordinary means which in the Church is the Word read and preached and the Sacraments by which all men are called to repentance and faith in Christ which if they refuse their condemnation is just Also out of the visible Church nature calls in a softer voyce upon all nations and people of the world and upon every one in particular to feare God and to give Him glory which made the heaven and the earth and all therein And moreover the light of every mans conscience accusing or excusing him for those things which he doth contrary or according thereto is the witnesse of God in every mans heart to excuse or condemne him And in respect of these meanes God may be said to will that all men should be saved in that he doth offer his mercy to all and call upon them to turne unto Him that they might be saved if they want not grace to accept it Object 4. The want of that is not imputed to any man which is onely in the power of another to give and seeing that without repentance faith hope and perseverance in vertue no man can attaine to happinesse which vertues of repentance c. are onely in God to give as the Prophet saith Lam. 3.21 Turne Thou us unto thee ô Lord and so shall wee bee turned it may seeme that the want of these things ought not to be imputed to any man Answere If any man refuse a good thing when it is offered the want of that shall be imputed to himselfe as to the wicked that saith to God Depart from us for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Iob 21.14 and these are they whom God is said to harden because they have hardened their owne hearts through the custome of sinne that they cannot repent Therefore though the predestinate that the mercy of God may appeare are conuerted by the inward and effectuall calling their hearts being renewed by repentance to follow him that calleth yet that the order of Iustice may be observed they that forsake their owne mercy are still left to the punishment of their sinne both originall and actuall because they neglect the outward calling and wilfully shut their eyes against the light of their naturall knowledge and conscience See Rom. 9.21 c. And according to this sence is it that in Scripture the hardning of man in sinne and the preseruing man from sinne seemes to be attributed to God both wayes as where he is said to harden Pharaohs heart and to Abimelech a Gen. 20.6 I have kept thee from sinning against me § 2. Sect. 2 And thus it being manifest what this holy Church is and of what persons it doth consist it followes first to proove that there is such a Catholike Church as wee say wee doe beleeve to bee then to see the differences which are betweene this Catholike Church and other particular Churches and Congregations 1 If there were not a number of holy people which God hath chosen unto eternall life then the end of Christs sufferings for us were all in vaine and the whole race of mankind should have beene created onely to destruction So the mercy of God toward His creature that had sinned should be without effect Neither should His glory be magnified in saving that which was lost So the devill the enemy of mankind might magnifie himselfe against God in that he had destroyed His creature irrecoverably But all these things are impossible Therefore there is a holy Church chosen of God unto eternall life And if this holy Church in the parts or members thereof had not continued in all ages since God made His promise of a Savior to Adam then faith had fail'd from among men and the promises of God being either not beleeved or forgotten the sons of God begotten by the immortall seed had failed So the throne of Christ when there was no faithfull heart wherein He reigned should not have beene established for ever contrary to the promise Psalm 89. ver 4 29 36. and Luke 1. ver 33. So the seed of the enemy onely had flourished in the earth contrary to the disposition of that wise husbandman Matth 13.30 Let both grow together untill the haruest But these things are impossible Therefore the holy Church is also Catholike or continuing from the beginning to the end of the world For your better understanding you may take these arguments apart 2. If the goodnesse of God being essentially one with His infinity were not diffusive or spreading it selfe upon the creature for the succour and aid thereof in the greatest misery then should it be exceeded by the malice and wickednes of the devill which though it be the greatest that may be yet must it needs be finite as having the originall from a finite creature But it is impossible that God should be exceeded by the malice of the devill therefore there is a restoring of man to that blessednesse and glory from which he fell by his sinne as you have seene it prooved before in the 18. Chapter and from all the reasons there brought to that conclusion you may bring reasons for the proofe of this Article 3. If man were created according to the will of God innocent and without sinne then that present estate of sinne and death the punishment thereof wherein he now is must needs have beene brought upon him since his creation contrary to the revealed will of God wherein though for the declaration of the justice of God against sinne some be suffered to continue yet because sinne is contrary to the will of God and death contrary to the end of His creation of mankind it is necessary that there be a redemption or freeing of some appointed thereunto from the thraldome both of sin and death But it hath beene prooved Chap. 15. that man was created innocent Therefore there is a Church or a number knowne unto God of them that are so redeemed 4. There is a God who hath made His promises of everlasting life There is faith hope and repentance and other vertues both Christian and morall whereby the promises of God are apprehended and obedience performed to His Commandements Therefore there is a holy Catholike Church For it is impossible either that the promises of God should faile of their performance or that faith and other vertues should be without their reward For so the Spirit of grace which wrought these vertues in man should worke in vaine But this is impossible 5. This holy Catholike Church is declared in sundry places of the holy Scripture and in special according to all the causes thereof in the Epistle to the Ephes 4. chap. 1. from vers 2. to 15. And although Saint Paul in that place write to a particular Church yet is the Catholike Church no other than such as is there described no more then the Brittish or Spanish Seas are different from the great Ocean either in substance or qualities For there is but one body and one Spirit one Lord one faith
one hope one baptisme one God and Father of all Ephe. 4.4 5 6. And as there is but one God so is there but one Mediator betweene God and man the Man Iesus Christ 1. Tim. 2.5 6. And this one Mediator is that one onely mysticall head of His mysticall body For there is no name given under heaven whereby wee must be saved but onely the name of Iesus Christ Act. 4.12 And as there is but one head so is there one onely body as it is said Cant. 6.9 My Dove my undefiled is but one and Iohn 10.16 There shall be one fold and one shepherd by which texts of the Holy Writ it is manifest that there is one holy Catholike Church as wee doe beleeve § 3. And by this which hath beene said it may easily appeare what those differences are betweene this Catholike Church and other particular congregations whether in private houses or in Cities Countreys Kingdomes or Peoples which in Cant. 6. cited even now are signified by the Queenes Concubines and the innumerable Virgins which consent to the same points of faith and doctrine 1. The first and most common is this that in the Visible Churches Hypocrites and Atheists are found among the chosen and these are the tares among the wheate the bad fish among the good Matth. 13.48 But in this holy Catholike Church no vile or prophane person can bee as it is said Rev. 21.8 and 22.15 That without the holy Citie shall be doggs the fearfull and abominable the unbeleeving murderers whoremongers sorcerers idolaters and every one that loveth and maketh the lie 2. A second difference is in this that every particular Church is visible so that every member thereof may be fully informed of all things whatsoever is taught therein for trueth either concerning doctrine or discipline but the Catholike Church in the sence we here take it neither is nor ever was nor can bee visible but to the eye of faith alone as here we confesse in our Creed for faith is the proofe or argument of things not seene Hebr. 11.1 If then the Catholike Church be a thing to be seene then is it not to be beleeved if it be to be beleeved then must it needs be invisible 2. Beside this the universall or Catholike Church as Saint Paul describes it Ephes 13.15 is of the Saints in heaven as well as of them that are in earth yea and of them that are not yet borne as of either of these And although all the members of this Church during the time of their pilgrimage upon earth be visible or in a visible Church yet while they are here on earth we doe not beleeve them to be of that Catholike Church with that assurance of knowledge which a saving faith requires such a faith I meane as is due to an Article of our Creed but onely with that hope or credulity which Christian charity and their holy conuersation doth bind us to have of them 3. For as God only knoweth the heart so He only knoweth who are His and if He only know then cannot we and though we see them in a true particular Church yet doe we not thereby know that they are true members of the Catholike Church Object 1. If the true Church be not alwayes visible why doth our Lord send us to the Church Mat. 18.17 Answer That commandement of Christ shewes what is to bee done in particular visible Churches not in the invisible Catholike Church and this is to be obserued in such texts as are like to this which the Papists bring to proove the perpetuall visibility of the Catholike Church For if they could make that good they would hope thereby to proove the Church of Rome to be the Catholike Church But if the first were given the second would not follow For was there no Catholike Church before Romulus murthered his brother or where was the Catholike Church when Rome was yet the mother of all the abominations and filthinesse of the earth First in their worship of devills and after when their lives were answerable to their Religion as you reade in Saint Paul Rom. 1. and in their owne prophets Iuvenal Arbiter c. and againe since they have forsaken their faith once praised Rom. 1.8 and borne the former reward of their idolatry And if that Church be the Catholike Church out of which none can bee saved as they say what shall become of all those Christians in the whole world which detest the Church of Rome and all their idolatries and false doctrines as the Greekes and all that follow them the Nestorians Iacobites Ethiopians the reformed Churches in the West c. which for the number may seeme to be at the least five to one to the Papists notwithstanding their false pretended universality To the former differences betweene the Catholike Church and particular congregations you may adde a third that any particular Church may erre wholly both in manners and doctrine as I shewed in the Chap. before § 7. N. 2. but the Catholike Church cannot erre 4. Any particular Church may faile or cease to be but of the kingdome of Christ there shall be no end Therefore the Catholike Church cannot faile from whence it followeth 5. That the Catholike Church is of the greatest antiquity as having the beginning thereof in Adam and Eve for I enquire onely of the Church of the redeemed not of the Angels but particular Churches had their beginning afterward some at one time some at another as that of the Iewes in Abraham and his family that of the Ethiopians in the Eunuch c. 6. Concerning the succession of the Catholike Church there is none such as they account of Kings or Bishops in this or that See but because Christs kingdome cannot faile therefore there is this succession That before these Saints that now live shall die others shall be borne that are the true members of the Church and thus is there still but one Catholike Church which unity containes all and every member thereof in one mysticall body whereof our Lord Christ is the Head Notes a I Withheld thee from sinning against Mee Against this and many such texts of Scripture the Hereticke Pelagius taught that man of himselfe without any speciall grace of God might fulfill the divine Commandements and if the grace of God were at all needfull it was onely that a man might more easily through grace doe those things which he was commanded to doe of his owne free will But this grace said he is onely in our free will which our nature hath received of God without any * See what Pelagius meant by this in answ to the Iesuits challen in Ireland pag. 478. 179. 480 481. c. merit of ours foregoing In this onely God doth helpe us that by the law and the doctrine wee may know what we ought both to doe and to hope for Aug. Haer. Cap. 88. By occasion of which heresie divers unnecessary questions have beene mooved about free
the first of Sabbath importeth rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. the beginning of the ineffable Name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not there onely but even of it selfe it imports the Deitie For wee consider of things not obuious to our sences and understanding as if they were not and therefore this least of all the letters neerest unto nothing doth signifie God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 th the first of Ta. or Thom. is construed a Closet or a Depth Which construction if you put together according to the rules of that excellent Grammar of Divinitie with reference to that which followes may import thus much The Word the Spirit and the Father resting eternally in the Closet or unconceiveable abysse or as Paul calls it the inaccessible light of the infinite Deitie manifested their almighty power in creating the heaven and the earth Neither is it without a great mysterie that the Sonne is here put in the first place for In the beginning was the Word because the chiefe honour both of the Creation and restauration of the world is given unto Christ as the Apostle doth comment upon this text Coloss 1. And in another place In Him is all the treasure both of the wisedome and knowledge of God As Psal 104. v. 24. In Wisedome hast thou made them all For in Christ were all things together one infinite wisedome till in the Creation he made them severall according to their distinct Idea's Therefore saith the Apostle He sustaineth every thing by His powerfull Word that is the Son and elsewhere In Him Christ wee live and move after the Creation and have our Being before the Creation And for this cause doth Iohn begin the law of mercie and grace in the very same words wherewith Moses began the law of Iustice and condemnation In the beginning For wee know nothing of God neither of Iustice nor of Mercie c. but onely by Christ as he saith No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Sonne will reveile Him And in another place No man cometh to the Father but by mee Now the Holy-Ghost is put in the second place because He is the mutuall love of the Father and the Sonne and as I may say the instrument of their actions both immanent and transient Goe forward now if you will to the next word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bara you see it affords the same argument for the Tri-Vnitie by the three letters before explained and the number which is the singular Thinke not this a fancie neither reproach the divine Cabala as the ignorant Sophisters use to doe not knowing how above all other knowledges it doth aduance a mans meditation on high And to the present purpose they which know any thing in the holy language know that this sentence can no way agree in Grammaticall construction unlesse the singular verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 barà be thus made plural that it may have concordance with the plural 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elohim And that these three persons are in the unity of their Being one may appeare by that which is Chap. 2. v. 4. where the name of their essence Iehovah is joyned to Elohim as if you would say the Gods Iehovah made the earth and the heavens You will aske why these letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b.r.a. are twice put seeing in this precisenesse no such superfluitie should have needed I tell you that it is not done but to intimate unto us a most high mysterie For in the first place it imports that Eternall and Infinite Being of the Father the Son and the Holy-Ghost which they had before the worlds in their endlesse glory and felicity in that silence of the Deitie in that super-supreame Entity which is unto the Godhead perfect above perfection without any respect unto the creature It imports that Infinity that Eternity that Power that Wisedome which is above all things and gives unto it selfe to be such as it is that Nothing as the divine Areopagite seemes to speake which is before and aboue all things that may be spoken or thought without any respect of any emanation or effluence whatsoever And therefore followes that letter of rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that of unity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that of perfection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now in the second place it signifies the Deitie as exercised in the creature and therefore followes that Epithete Elohim which shewes that emanation of Power or Strength and is sometimes given unto the creatures Angels and men It were an endlesse thing to speake that of these mysteries which may be spokeÌ„ neither can I For the Law of the Lord is perfect and man is full of weaknes I have said so much as I thinke meete concerning the Tri-unitie Now a word to that point that Christ is God which although it appeare sufficiently in the Tri-unity before prooved by this anagogical doctrine yet to that second person in â—â—rticular is that which followeth Esay 7.14 it is said of Christ that His Name should be called Immanuel but in the history of the Gospel in Matthew and Luke both before His Conception and at His Circumcision He is called Iesus It is therefore meete that you know how Iesus is Immanuel or God with us The writing of the Name of IESVS is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ihsuh though according to the rules of the pronunciation of that tongue Iesu and according to the ancient abbreviation following the Hebrew orthography IHS In which Name you see are all the letters of the greatest ineffable Name of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah with the interposition of that letter of rest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 s. for then was God reconciled to the world then was everlasting righteousnesse brought in when the Word became flesh This is that glorious Name of which God spake by the Prophet Behold I will make my Name new in the earth For you see how of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is IESVS This is that Name which is meet for the Sonne of God alone and cannot be given to any creature because it is a Name of the Deitie as it is Heb. 1. It is that Name which is above all names in which the Angels and the righteous soules triumph at which the powers of Hell are agast and tremble to which the whole creature yieldeth meeke obedience This is that Name of which our Lord spake Father I have manifested thy Name unto men the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sonne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For so long as the mystery of the Incarnation of God was hid so long that Name remained unsoundable but when the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst men so that the mysterie was reveiled then the Name which was before not to be pronounced was lawfully pronounceable That as the Word of life was to be seene with eyes and handled with hands so that glorious Name might
so different kinds it must follow that there is not onely an infinite subordination of causes but also that there be infinite subordinations of causes of kinds infinitely different according to the different effects brought forth But this is impossible for the causes being ordained for the effect and the effect being the end of those causes that which is finite should be more noble and excellent than that which is infinite Thirdly if there be a subordination of causes infinitely of which one is moved orderly by another it must needs follow that there is no moving and consequently no causing at all for every cause being moued by that which is before or above it if there be no first cause given there can be no moving But it is apparent that in infinitie of causes there can be no first nor last and so there should be no moving nor no immediate cause of the effect Therefore there is one cause of all whith is infinite and eternall 3 If God be not eternall then either the world was a beginning unto it selfe or else it was eternally and so shall continue eternally But neither was the world a beginning unto it selfe as is proved Cap. 1 Re. 1. neither is the world eternall as shall be proved Cap. 13. Therefore God is eternall 4. And this truth of Gods everlasting being the holy Scripture teacheth every where as Gen. 21.33 And Abraham called on the name of the everlasting God Exod. 15.18 The Lord shall reigne for ever and ever Deut. 32.40 I live for ever Psal 90.2 Before the mountaines were brought forth or ever the earth and the world were made thou art God from everlasting to everlasting So Psal 41.13 106.48 and Rev. 11.17 We give thee thanks Lord God Almighty which art which wast and which art to come Psal 145.13 Thy kingdome is of all eternity and thy dominion in every generation Notes a HAth power to continue infinitely the Schoolemen say Thom. contra Gentes lib. 1. cap 16. and often elsewhere Quod potest esse potest etiam non esse which you may construe That which hath power to be hath also power not to be or that which may be may also not be which seemes directly to crosse this argument But you must understand the Doctor there to speake of a thing which is in the power of being whereto it hath not yet attayned as a kernell is in power to become a tree in which the power of being is passive importing a privation of the being to come But in this place power to be meanes an actuall power not privative but positive whereby the thing which hath the power shewes by the actions the power which it hath as of the understanding to applie it selfe to this or that The passive power can no way be in God The second is a power of absolute perfection without which he could not be God b Impossible necessarily See the rule of this consequence Logono Cap. 18. n. 7. Cap. 26. n. 1. c Infinite causes Re. 2. That which is infinite in power may worke in a time finite not that which is infinite in number onely which is here meant That God is Infinite CHAP. III. INfinitie cannot here be meant of multitude for the more that multitude is increased in any kind the more the dignities of one are abated Neither yet can this infinitie be of quantitie for infinity cannot be in quantity no more than eternity can be in time a Neither is God a body which onely is capable of quantity yet is not infinity of extension denyed in as much as he fils all places infinitely beyond all place as the Prophet Esay speaks Chap. 40.12 That he measures the waters in his fist and the heavens in his span Neither is God infinite privatively in regard of any defect or want of being because he hath the complement of all perfections in himselfe But he is infinite negatively because there is no limit or bound to be set to his being to his perfection or superabundance in goodnesse wisdome power truth and glorie The reasons are these 1. Whatsoever is supersupreme or highest in all degrees of perfection must needs be infinite because there is nothing above it which may limit or restraine it But such is the being of God above which it is confessed that nothing can be thought more excellent Therefore God is infinite 2. Being taken absolutely that is simply by it selfe without any limitation must needs be infinite because infinite things by infinite meanes may be partakers thereof But such is the being of God that is absolute and simple for neither is his being from another as the cause thereof seeing he is eternall neither yet in another as a forme in the matter for so something should be more excellent than he as every totall is more excellent than any part thereof or as the accident in the subject for so something should be before him and also be more worthy than he as every subject in regard of the accidents Neither yet is he for any other as the end thereof for as all things are from him and by him as the first cause so are they for him as for their first and chiefest end and secondly for themselves to finde themselves happy in him as farre as they are capable as the Apostle concludes Rom. 11.36 Of him through him and for him are all things to him be glory for ever Amen Therefore God is infinite 3. If the being of God be not actually infinite then should it be inferiour to the possibilities of the creature for mans understanding though actually finite yet admits the possibility of an infinite actuall being as was shewed in space and in numbers Chap. 1. Re. 6. But it is impossible that the being of God should be inferiour to those possibilities which the creature can reasonably give unto him for so the activitie of the understanding should be created in vaine if there were no being actually infinite to be apprehended thereby So also the effect that is the understanding should be extended beyond the being of the cause that is God if it could conceiue any excellency of being goodnesse wisdome c. greater than his Therefore it is necessarie that God be infinite You may see more Reasons Chap. 10. and there also the ground of this discourse 4. The authorities of Scripture are these Psal 143.3 Great is the Lord and most worthy to be praised and his greatnesse is incomprehensible Psal 93.3 The Lord is a great God a great king above all Gods Psal 104.1 O Lord my God thou art exceeding great thou art clothed with majestie and honour Note a God is not a body pref The proofe of this see in the ninth chapter That God is infinitely good CHAP. IIII. THings in their being are the object of our understanding that we may know the truth of their being and therein is the understanding perfected But things as farre as they are good are the object of our
perfection in them called meane or vile though not truly and indeed such For there is nothing so meane or base but as it is being it is a proofe and image of His being who created it and so though not of it selfe yet in it selfe is exceeding good Gen. 1.31 And if the order of Nature be well marked as we know that the whole Creature was brought out of not being into the meanest and first degree of being which was water Gen. 1.2 2 Pet. 3.5 so all the excellency that is in the creature is but by addition of one degree of perfection unto another which perfections taken together with their cause and originall are in their many differences first being then life after sence fourthly Reason as in a man Fifthly understanding by the onely sight of the being as in the Angels the sixth is of the received power of the Mediatour Ioh. 17.2 Eph. 1.20.21.22 Heb. 1.2 that runnes into infinity the seventh is Infinity it selfe in the simplicity of selfe being beyond which is nothing But whether these perfections of the creature come into it by addition as I have spoken or that it be so raised from nothing immediately into those perfections which it hath it is necessary that these differences of degrees be therein that that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 3.10 that manifold wisdome of God may be manifest in the Creature In which creature how perfect soever in it selfe no degree can bee found so excellent but that it must differ infinitely on the one side from the perfection of the Creator not none so meane but that on the other side it must differ infinitely from not being I meane that not being which it had of it selfe and in it selfe for in him it had an eternall being being eternally foreseene and appointed in him § 3. But in things that are ill you thinke this answer will not serve For though you can bee content to thinke that the glory of the divine wisdome is nothing abated in the beholding of things no not in their present being how differing soever in their degrees of perfection as it is said Psal 113.5 Who is like unto Iehova our God that lifteth up Himselfe high to sit that abaseth Himselfe low to see in the heavens and in the earth no more then the lustre and shine of the Sunne is more or lesse cleere whether it light upon the beautifull hill of Libanus or Carmell or the dirty land of Cabul yet if he know also things that are ill and that his knowledge be a causing or creating knowledge it cannot bee avoyded but that he must also be the cause of ill I answer Ill is of three kindes one naturall whereby every thing is subjected to some other thing contrary thereto whereby it may be corrupted for the destruction of that particular being that some other thing may be raised thereout according to the possibilitie of the matter and the manner of the corrupting Hitherto we may bring poysons and all those things that we call hurtfull and ill because if they be not rightly used they are harmefull to our kind which are not simply ill but onely accidentally seeing that if they be rightly used they may be helpefull to our nature as it appeares in the trocisks of the vipers flesh and other medicines as Physicke teaches So these things of themselves naturally good may be ill that is good causes of ill effects as riches and authority things civilly indifferent may bee ill if abused to pride idlenesse and the oppression of others The second kinde of ill is that of punishment which cannot justly be termed ill if you consider the use and benefit thereof as S. Paul hath taught Heb. 12. from ver 5. to ver 12. For neither can wisdome be in things civill or morall but with the judgement of good and bad neither is that judgement in the discerning of good and ill ought worth if the good be not praised and rewarded and the ill punished So that without justice and mercie in reward and punishment neither wisdome nor goodnesse can be either perfect or praised Therefore this kinde of ill because it is just that the ill-doer should beare the burden of his owne desert is no way ill but onely in the smart of the guilty sufferer deserving it So these two kindes of ill onely so called for some respects though in themselves necessary and therefore good will easily bee acknowledged to be from God The maine question therefore is onely about that ill of ills which is sinne for sinne both in regard of the effect which is punishment and in it selfe the deserving cause thereof and much more taking occasion by the Law holy and good to worke death in the sinner must needs be exceedingly sinfull as it is concluded Rom. 7.11.13 And because it is as certainely and necessarily true that finne is finne and ill is ill as it is that good is good and that the knowledge of the truth in every thing is in the perfection of the understanding it cannot bee but that all ill and finne is perfectly knowne unto the infinite wisedome Moreover whether ill be onely a privation or taking away of that good which ought to bee in the creature or whether it bee any thing of very being therein it is necessarie that the infinite wisdome know all manner of beings both according to their perfections and all their possibilities and defects But concerning the manner of this knowledge the Doctors say That because the very being of ill you remember what ill I speake of is nothing else but the privation of that goodnesse which ought to be in the creature it is knowne of God onely by the contrary goodnesse as by the definition that is to say to be a defect or privation of goodnesse Neither is it any defect in the divine knowledge to know that which is onely a defect by the contrarie perfection seeing nothing can be knowne further then according to that being which it hath And therefore they say further See Thom. Aquin. and his Comment lib. 1. Cap. 71. and lib. 3. Cap. 4 5 6 c. contra Gentes That ill inasmuch as it is such is in the number of things not being and that of things not being there can be no cause efficient but deficient and privative onely For every agent workes as farre forth as it is in actuall being to bring forth something into acte or perfection and that to a good end so that ill comes into effect by accident beside the purpose and intent of the doer Ah blessed Origen hath thy too much charity been blamed so long who art said though unjustly see the defence of Pamphilus for Origen and Ioh. Picus Mirandula de Salute Origenis to have taught that all sinners yea even the devill himselfe shall be saved at the last now thou art justified Sinne is not being it hath no cause of being but comes in by chance beside the good intent of the worker he answeres
is also the voice of heaven Revel 4.8 Holy holy Lord God Almighty Revel 15.3 Great and marvellous are thy workes Lord God Almighty Notes a IN respect of the Creature Rea 1. The first argument is the effect of those which Tho. Aquin. hath brought to this question in his second booke Cont. Gent. cap. 22. And although this infinite power bee one of the inward perfections of the being of God no lesse than His goodnesse eternity infinity c. which the Doctor saw well enough yet because hee could manifest it best by the effects in the Creation therefore hee deferred it to that place Yet by this meanes He left the question proved but in the smallest part because the infinity of Gods power though manifested in the Creation of a Million of worlds of which every one should be greater and better than this yet could they not way be an object answerable to his power to which nothing can bee equall but only Himselfe Wherefore the Doctor was compelled to adde hereto two chapters 23. 24. as certaine supplies That God wrought not the Creature by any necessity but according to the purpose of his owne will and wisdome yet would I not be thought to blame these or the like arguments though in effect only inductive For the Holy Scripture in infinite places uses the like And to this purpose principally as concerning the literall interpretation are all those reasons and instances which are brought in Iob from the beginning of the 37. chap. to the end of the 41. b If God be not Almighty then either that which is or that which is not R. 2. Many questions have beene moved and still are by idle and presuming Wits concerning the knowledge will and power of God In the will and foreknowledge of God is that great doubt which is about predestination and reprobation wherein I have said so much note a in the 5. chap. as may direct the honest minded who enquires thereinto not for controversies and disputations wherein the practice of godlinesse doth not at all consist Concerning the power of God some questions are moved meerely captious and idle some though unnecessarily yet more pardonablie but because that in every thing which wee know truely of God there is exceeding comfort it is not unfit to heare some of them and to give an answer First it is demanded If God be Almightie and all knowing whether he bee able to doe that which he knowes to be impossible to be done I answer That onely such things are utterlie impossible to be done whereof there is neither power nor knowledge neither doe they come into the account of things But possibilitie and impossibilitie are not to be measured by us for thought to man many things seeme impossible yet to God all things are possible Mar. 10.17 And this difference we our selves either out of our owne wits or in our best wits acknowledge when in suddaine or great dangers out of which we see no possible avoydance wee call upon God as acknowledging our escape possible to him 2. Whether God can call backe or undoe the things that have beene Salomon Eccles 1.9 10. saith That which hath beene is that which shall bee and there is no new thing under the Sunne Is there any thing new it hath beene already in the time that was before us But whereas Salomon speakes by way of comparison or likenesse or that things past may bee figures and prophecies of things to come I thinke you meane the same in number and that in respect of their being onely then I answer No. For that which hath beene is as necessarie to have beene as it is necessarie for that to be which is Now to be and not to be implies a contradiction or a saying and gainesaying of the same thing And that any thing be infolds necessarily the will and power of God thereto so that any thing should have beene and not have beene it must of necessitie enforce that God should both will and not will the same thing but to will and not to will proceeds from extreme weakenesse of foresight and want of judgement in the difference of things that are good and bad But nothing of weakenesse can belong to God as to be lesse then hee is in any of his dignities to cease to be or will that which is ill to be inglorious to forget to suffer violence to be weary sorrie angrie to denie himselfe 2. Tim. 2.13 as it is said Heb. 6.18 That by two immutable things a promise and an oath wherein it is impossible that God should lie we may have strong consolation which lay holde on the hope which is set before us Neither yet can that belong to God which is against the necessitie of being as because the being of God must of necessitie be independent therefore God cannot make another God besides himselfe which shall bee equall to himselfe and independent Neither yet in things being because all his works are done in truth and judgement Psal 111.7 is it possible to change them as that 2. and 3. should not bee 5. that a tryangle should not have three corners and therefore thirdly if it be questioned 3. Whether the same things which God hath wrought were possible to be done otherwise than they are done I answer The power of God in the creature is conformable to his will his will to his goodnesse his goodnesse to his wisdome So as God in his wisdome seeing what was good in the creature according to the pleasure of His will so framed the creature as it is said Psal 134.6 Whatsoever pleased the Lord that did he in heaven and in earth in the sea and in all deepe places Therefore supposing that it was His will so to worke in the creature as he hath framed it it was not possible to be done otherwise than it is For so his will should not be absolute and unchangeable nor yet his will and power should be convertible But yet seeing the creature is no way a proportionable object to his wisdome and his power if it had seemed good unto him Hee might have done the same things otherwise then hee hath in respect of any limitation which he found in the creature And may create other worlds and beings different from this according as it shall seeme good to His infinite wisdome Therefore all the possibilities mentioned before are in respect of the creature only not in respect of the infinite power of the Creator who by that which Hee hath wrought in the creature hath put an impossibility to change or undoe that which He hath done CHAP. VII 1. That the Will 2. the Truth 3. the Glory 4. And all the other dignities of God are Infinite 1. WHatsoever is equall to an infinite being must of necessity be infinite But the Will the truth the Glory of God and all his other dignities are equall to his infinite being Therefore they are infinite Concerning his Will it is apparent for every thing
beene brought to beleeve if S. Augustine himselfe who had been among them and proves it by witnesses had not recorded it de Haeres Cap. 46. The filthines of the Gnosticks was yet more abhominable if it be possible to be true which they write will you account them Christians The Philosopher Plotinus no Christian Ennead 2. lib 9. intituled against the Gnosticks shewes the falshood of their opinions concerning the creating of the world and proves that in the government thereof their opinion was more wicked than that of Epicurus and though Simon the Sorcerer was baptised Acts. 8. yet when his gall of bitternesse had made him a professed enemie and father of all those heresies that followed will you count him a Christian Therefore you may with the Apostle say of these of Cerinthus of Carpocrates and of many of the rest They went out from us but they were not of us But because I am busied in things of more importance than this and yet the honour of the Christian name is no small matier I will most brieflie recount the contrarie opinions whether they be of the elder Philosophers or the later Hereticks as they have beene gathered by the most ancient among the Fathers Irenaus Epiphanius S. Augustine and others I say most briefly and onely for a taste that you may love the truth the better and adore that mercy which hath manifested it unto us And therefore I will not tell you of Varros thousands of gods nor trouble you needleslie with remembrance of those gods of the Heathen which you may reade in the holy Scripture and know better by Master Seldens just Commentarie de Djs Syris if you understand Latin § 2. Above fortle disagreeing opinions among the Philosophers concerning the gods are reckoned up by Cic. de natura Deorum lib. 1. of which some directly gainsay this conclusion of the Vnitie of the Godhead for although Antisthenes confessed there was but one God the God of all nature yet he added that there were divers Gods for divers peoples and countries Xenocrates said there were eight gods in the seven planets and one that ruled over all the Starres Anaximander held many gods and so many gods so many worlds but said that these gods were brought forth in time and after many ages dyed againe Alomeon seemed to acknowledge three gods inasmuch as he gives divinitie to the Sunne to the Moone and to the soule of man Xenophanes would have all that is infinite to be god whether in being or in working as he held the understanding Democritus would have all the Ideas or representations of things being and that understanding whence they proceed and mans understanding also to be gods The inconstancle of the Philosophers in their owne opinions brought us in yet more gods Cleanthes one while said the world was god sometime the soule whereby it was quickned and governed then againe the pure and uppermost ayre that compasseth the whole Globe of heaven and earth sometime the Starres other while reason as so the rest as you may heare hereafter And if the Philosophers the guides were blind it is no marvell though the blockish rout ran into all Idolatrie as they are described Wisd Chap. 14. But to suppose it reasonable to give honour to the memorie of the dead who where founders of cities or procurers of some great and publike good because they though dead were thought to favour and maintaine their owne endeavours or to be so unreasonable as to thinke with the Aegyptians that there was something divine in all those things by which they received any kinde of good and so to worship men horses birds serpents wolves dogs and cats See Iuvenall Sat. 15. Cic. de natura Deorum lib. 3. yet what could so mad the old Romanes not onely to allow all the hee gods and the shee gods of others but to consecrate imaginations as Victory Concord Peace yea and among these their owne plagues and punishments as the Ague Mildew and blasting ill fortune c Cic. loc cit § 3. But there was no opinion among all these more foolish than that which went out in the name of the Hereticks Cerdon first of all August cont advers leg Proph. l. 2. c. 12. said there were two gods one good whom they called Oeomazes and another stark naught whom they named Areimanius This opinion his scholer Marcion upheld but added * Tertullian who disputes against him in sive books hath it not nor Irenaeus and Augustine brings it doubtfully out of Epiphanius a third whom he called the Iust After that the Gnosticks reeal'd the opinion of the two gods with many additions The Manichees also followed this madnesse and added their fiction that the good God set upon the wicked god to have supprest him but in that conflict the powers of darkenesse tooke many parts of the good god prisoners and tyed them unto earthly matiers for the ransoming of which this good but verie weake god takes great thought but as these parts of his come to be eaten in the matiers wherein they are tyed by their Catharists or Puritanes they are parted from the impure matiers and so restored to the God againe Are these Hereticks are these Christians found you any thing like to this among the pure naturallists of the heathen Phil. Mornay de verit Christ Relig. Cap. 2. drawes this opinion of two gods by the autoritie of Plutarch de Iside Osiride First from Zoroaster and so among the Persians thence to the Manichees It is true that Manes their father was a Persian but it is manifest that Plutarch was most grosly deceived first in the circumstance of the time wherein hee mistakes about some foure thousand two hundred yeeres a great fault in an Historian for if Zoroaster lived in the reigne of Ninus as the best Records doe make him See Fra. Patr. in Zor about three hundred yeeres after the floud it will not be above eight hundred ninetie or nine hundred yeeres before the destruction of Troy which is put about the yeare of the world two thousand eight hundred fortie so that Plutarch who makes him to have lived five thousand yeares before the destruction of Troy makes him above two thousand yeeres elder than Adam Then in the substance of the matier the mistaking is nothing lesse for by the diligence of worthy men divers of those magicall oracles of Zoroaster who was the Sonne of Oromazes Plato Alcib 1. are come to light and printed at Paris in the yeare one thousand sixe hundred and seven and before that many more of them gathered out of the old autors by Fra. Patricius and printed at Venice 1593. and since that elsewhere By which it is apparent that Zoroaster held the mysterie of the Trinitie in Unitie of the Deitie and one Godabove all the Creator of all things who according to his owne goodnesse made every thing perfect and good as his words witnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For from the Fathers workmanship
nought runneth wast Or yet imperfect as though it were made in haste But that every thing according to that order of being which it hath hath all the perfections that belong thereto Neither can the learned Mornay be excused that having seen and citing Zoroaster would beleeve Plutarch in that wherein he knew the Oracle of Zoroaster was quite contrary He cites his consent to the Christian positions concerning originall sin Cap. 7. for the immortalitie of the soule and resurrection of the body Cap. 15. yea and for this very point of the Trinitie of Persons in the Vnity of the Deitie de ver Christ Rel. Cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Father having made all things to th' Second wisedome gave Whom all mankind account the first all honour due to have But how could Plutarch so grave a Writer be so mistaken Hee flourished in the Reigne of Trajan before which time Simon Magus had taught that God did not make the world but certaine Angels which opinion his Scholler Menander upheld and over and above the filthinesse with women and things offered to Idols the Nicholaitans also Cernthus yet added that the God which made the world was but a lower power who did not so much as know the true God Iren. lib. 1. Ca. 25. From these and especially from Menander and the Nicholaitans proceeded the Gnosticks though not under that name til afterward These vaunted of all knowledge held Plato as one that knew little or nothing of Philosophie And this their high knowledge they boasted to have out of the Oracles of Zoroaster which they pretended to have thence falsly gave out what they list to bring the holy Scripture into contempt By the falshood and impudency of these it seems that Plutarch was deceived which yet is further manifest in this that in the same place de Is os hee mentions the opinion of the Chialists as the doctrine of Zoroaster wherein by his glosse Cerinthus had corrupted the holy Text Apoc. 20. as the Turks at this day understand their Paradise Now this doctrine of heaven upon earth for ought that ever I read was never mentioned in any prophane Writer before the time of S. Iohn but it was no new matier for Plutarch to be deceived in matiers of Religion as well that of the Chaldees further from his knowledge as in the Swine and Asse of the Iewes which he might have knowne better if by the Iewes themselves he would have beene informed See I.S. de Diis Syris synt 2. Ca. 16. But to returne to our Hereticks for all these follies and contrary opinions afore mentioned if you compare with the reasons and authorities aforesaid will vanish into nothing Of all the heresies about this point there is none so wicked as that which Augustine writes somewhere to Basilides Contr. Adver leg supra who first durst affirme that the God which the Nation of the Iewes honoured was not the true God Then he writes that Carpocrates denyed that God gave the Law to Moses elswhere that Cerdon affirmed that ther God of the Law and the Prophets was not the Father of Christ de haer Cap. 21. this last the Iewes like well of but to us all these are one heresie who hold according to that which is Heb. 1. That God which at sundry times and after sundry manners had spoken of old to the Fathers spake to us in these last dayes by his sonne For evidence of which because it is the ground of all our hopes you shall have a reason or two and if you desire more read the bookes of Tertullian against Marcion especially the third fourth and fift 1. § 4. If that God which was honoured by the Nation of the Iewes whom the Christians acknowledge the Father of Christ be not the true God then it will follow either that the true God hath hitherto beene utterly unknowne to the world or else that some of those false gods as we terme them whom the heathens worshipped as Jupiter Iuno Neptune c. must be the true God But both these things are false Therefore the God which the nation of the Iewes adored was the true God Now that none of the gods of the heathens could be the true God is manifest by this that although they were lyars yet durst never any of them take this to himselfe that he was God as may appeare by the answer of that Apollo of Claros where after a long description of God by which yet hee would uphold devill-worship he concludes with a lye of him and his fellowes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is God but wee Angels are a little portion of God where you see to save his credit and uphold his sacrifices he gave himselfe out as a part of God s if the being of God were divisible into parts Moreover whereas the true God in regard of his Lordship and power over the creature might challenge the service and obedience thereof and give rules how he would be worshipped thereby as he did to Abraham Moses c. yet none of these devills ever taught their worshippers any other service to themselves but as enemies of mankinde to * Reade further to this purpose the second booke of S. August de Civit. Dei and see what Religion they taught their worshippers murder one another as is manifest by the sacrifices of Molech and other Idoles of the Canaanites Psal 106.37.38 And in prophane writers who knowes not the altar of the she-devill among the Tauri which had no sacrifices but of mands blood strangers and enemies overcome in warre Such was the altar of Saturne among the Cretians and Carthaginians and such a Priest for Iupiter Chamon was Busiris in Aegypt And Marius upon a dream which the devill shewed him became the butcher of his owne daughter Calphurnia Beside this if any of these gods of the heathens had beene the true God as their will so their wisdome goodnesse and justice should have beene knowne unto men Their will you see was murder their wisdome such that their chiefe fortune-teller Apollo of Delphi was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his crooked and doubtfull answers which hee made concerning such things to come as he did not know or knowing would yet deceive therein as a devill Compare herewith the answers of God to Gedeon to David c. As their wisdome such was their goodnesse for what can bee remembred wherein any of these devils did ever any good to any nation countrie citie or private man wherein the providence and wisdome of man was not chiefe as you may account the safetie of the Athenians in their wooden wals at Salantis to the wisdome of Themistocles And although Castor and Pollux saved Simonides for his song yet they slew his hoste and all his friends And for their power it easilie appeares how weake it was in that they could not defend their owne right in man which doubtlesse they had if any among them
which have from time to time maintained this truth against all heresies And although it cannot bee denied but that even among the Heathens some of their wisest both Poets and Philosophers knew this mysterie by heare-say as they had received it from the Hebrewes as you may reade in Thom. Aquin. in lib. 1. dist 3. q. 2. and more at large in Struchus de peren Philos lib. 1. 2. and from them in Philip Mornay of the truenesse of Christian Religion Chap. 6. yet among the Hebrewes themselves except the Prophets and schooles of the Prophets this secret was not knowne or taught and that as it may seem lest the misunderstanding multitude might fall into the Idolatrie of many Gods therefore is this thing so taught in the holy text of the Old Testament that the wise onely might understand it for although the Prophets knew well enough that in the dayes of the king Messiah this mysterie should be knowne even to the Gentiles for of him it is written in the 40. Psalme vers 9.10 I will not refraine my lips O Lord thou knowest but I have declared thy truth and thy salvation I have not concealed thy mercy and thy truth from the great Congregation Yet because they knew they ministred those things of which they spake not to themselves nor to the people of their owne times but for us unto whom the treasuries of the riches of God in Christ were more fullie to bee opened therefore they taught according to the dispensation of the Holy Ghost who hath so from time to time opened the fountaines of knowledge unto his Church and hereafter will as the holy Church shall be able to receive it This glorious truth then being plainely discovered to us in the New Testament let us see with what diligence and faithfulnesse reason that servant of God doth wait on the authoritie of his Lord and how thereby a wee are summoned to hearken unto this truth for although reason could never have found it out yet being taught what the truth of God is herein it joyes to see the necessitie of that truth which it is bound to beleeve But because I have written somewhat to this Argument already which that you misse not I have caused to bee printed at the end of this booke I may be somewhat more briefe herein Onely the reasons I take up here together and adde such other supplies as seeme to be wanting in that treatise § 2. The word Father is taken either personally as it signifies the first Person of the blessed Trinitie with the relation to the Eternall Sonne or else it is spoken essentially of all the three Persons in the Godhead with respect of the creature which is created susteined and governed thereby Of this through his helpe we shall speake hereafter Chap. 13. but first of the first person of the holie Trinitie The Greeke Churches by the authoritie of the Apostle Heb. 1.3 for the severall distinctions of the Persons in the Godhead hold the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hypostasis which wee from the Latin call a Subsistence or severall substantiall being by it selfe But the Latin Church turned it Persona from an old word Persola because it meanes one onely being intire of it selfe for Solus is of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is whole in it selfe and entire with all the parts but yet is Persona a title of honour given unto men alone for they define it to be Rationalis naturae individua substantia that is an individeable substance of a reasonable nature and from thence it is translated to God and Angels A Person then of the holy Trinitie is an incommunicable subsistence in the Divine nature These words have their ground in the holy Scripture to which in this great Article of our faith wee must ever have recourse by reason of the many and strong heresies that have beene thereabout Trinitie Triunitie or a threefold being in one hath ground in that Text which is in Matthew 28.19 Goe teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost But certaine it is that in our Baptisme wee bind our faith and allegiance unto God alone So 1. Iohn 5.7 There are three that beare witnesse in heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing or one being By subsistence understand a substantiall or essentiall being not comming to or being in the Deitie by chance It answers to the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is different from substance nature being or the like termes that signifie any common or universall being for an Hypostasis meanes a peculiar being wherein the common nature is wholly and entyre as I said before and will say untill you understand mee For example the whole nature or being of man is understood in that word Man and so the Angelicall nature in that word Angell but Peter or Gabriel meane that particular person in which the common being is whole and entyre I meane so as that there is nothing essentiall in the being a man or Angell whereof Peter and Gabriel are not partakers essentially so wee understand the difference The being or essence of the Godhead is one individuall most simplie absolutelie and substantiallie one which infinite and undivideable being of the Godhead is yet neverthelesse in everie Person entyre and wholly so that nothing of the essentiall being of the Godhead is in one which is not in the other And therefore Iustin the Martyr and from him Damascen Dialect Cap. 66. and after them our sound Doctors of all sides agree that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a subsistence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that manner of being proprietie or reall relation which belongs to every one Person in the Holy Trinitie You may here not unfitly note the difference of these words Being Substance and Subsistence Being is that which is common to all things that are The word Substance properlie doth not so much import the verie inward being as that respect which it hath to the accidents that are therein Subsistence signifies that speciall manner of being which belongs to substances that are actually being If you will enquire further you may see what Thom. Aquin. hath writ hereto in Sent. lib. 1. Dist 23. qu. 4. or if you will the Introduct to log Sect. 4. Incommunicable that is peculiar proper or belonging to one alone so that one cannot be another The divine Nature is used 2. Pet. 1.4 and here meanes that being or substance wherein all the three Persons are essentially one and the same One God One I say not compounded or made of the three Persons but One most simple and perfect being in all the three Persons of the Godhead Now the name of a Father is most poperly given unto God the first Person of the Trinitie for of him is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all fatherhood of the families both in heaven and earth Ephes 3.15 because
booke beside Neh. 9.6 confesses to God Thou art Lord alone thou hast made heaven and the heaven of heavens with all their hoste the earth and all things that are therein the Seas and all that are in them and thou preservest them all and the host of heaven worshippeth Thee Psal 95.5 The Sea is His and He made it and his hands prepared the dryland Psal 96.5 All the gods of the people are Idols But the Lord made the heavens whose armies in Psal 136. are more particularly reckoned up And therefore doth God by his owne right challenge the heavens for his seat and the earth for his footstoole because his hand hath made all these things Esay 66.1.2 To this purpose you may road other Texts cited by S. Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 3. cap. 5. The continuall preservation also of the Creature as it is manifest in reason by the arguments afore going So it is taught Psal 36.6.7 Psal 147.8.9 Psal 145.15 And Psal 104. is wholly in this Argument And that all this frame shall come to nought at last you may read Psal 102.25.26 which is also cited by S. Paul Heb. 1. v. 10.11.12 Read moreover to this purpose 2 Pet. 3.10 Reu. 20.11 And that because it was made of nought Heb. 11.3 Sap. 11.14 § 4. These things then being thus manifest we are now by the way 1. First to consider what necessary conclusions follow hereupon 2. And then to see whether the creation of the world doe belong to every Person of the Trinity alike or to any one more particularly than another First it is certaine that not being cannot be the beginning of Being And therefore it is necessarie that Being bee eternall And that which is the first of beings must needs be the cause of al therest So that all other beings must acknowledge their originall from thence And because all things that are were in time created by that first of Beings not according to any necessity of naturall working as the fire according to the necessitie thereof doth burne any matier that is fit to be burnt but only according to the pleasure of his owne will therefore first of all it must necessarily ensue hereof that the continuance of all things must have the same cause which was also of their Being So that for his holy wills sake alone they also continue If he then withdraw his supportance either from all or from any particular creature it must of necessity come to nought in an instant Secondly because every agent workes for some end and the greatest and best of work-masters must needs work for the greatest and chiefest good and seeing there neither is nor can be any thing greater or better than God himselfe Therefore it is necessary that this world was created for Him But because Hee infinitely blessed in Himselfe needed not the world nor any thing of the world as though he could be better thereby Psal 16.2 Act. 17.25 it must follow that the creature was for this end that as by his Being it was made partaker of being so by his infinite goodnesse it might also bee partaker of glory and happinesse For because his goodnesse and life and happinesse and all his glories are answerable to his owne being therefore are they infinitely sufficient for every thing that in any sort can possibly be partaker of being So then the goodnesse of God was not encreased in the creation but manifested onely that the creature according to the measure thereof might bee blessed in him Thus then is God the end of all the creature Because hee is that supersupreme perfection of goodnesse and happinesse whereof the whole creature desires to be partaker but that not out of any choice or purpose of the creature but of him alone that hath created it to be partaker of that image of his goodnesse From the first conclusion we are taught with what reverence and feare we ought to live before him to whose onely pleasure we owe our being and continuance Next with what great respect and care we ought to behave our selves toward the creature not onely men which have the same pretious hopes of immortality which wee have but likewise toward every other creature even the least of Beings For although we know that all the more bodily creature was made for the use of that which hath understanding and that not onely for the exercise of the minde in his wisdome and power that created it but for thankefullnesse also to that goodnesse which hath subjected it to our use in food in clothing and other such services for our ease or conveniences that being destitute of no good thing wee might give ourselves to his service and praise him alone And lastly that the whole creature might bee blessed in man in whom it is to possesse an eternall being yet when wee remember that there is nothing so meane or seeming so base in the Creature but that it was eternally foreseene to that infinite wisdome even as we that it was created by the same power appointed by the same foreknowledge to this or that very use with what reverence and feare should we carry ourselves lest we abuse it and so offer dishonour unto the Lord and owner both of it and us alike especially seeing that when we were not hee had determined so to blesse us From the second conclusion wee may learne with what patience wee ought to endure all the troubles and afflictions of this life because wee know those pretious promises whereto wee are created if we acknowledge Him faithfull and hold our hopes unto the end see Tit. 1.2 The question moved to which Person the Creation belongs is full of perplexity and of any other most hard and darke if it bee well thought on And therefore in the solution thereof it is most safe for us to hearken to the oracles of God alone It is commonly and truely said that the workes of the Holy Trinitie which are without are undivided yet so as that they receive a certaine determination or order from that manner of Being which is in the Persons And therefore because the Father is the fountaine of Being they commonly ascribe the creation or bringing of things into being unto Him So because all perfection of Sonship is in the second Person and that there can be no moe Sonnes than one therefore the redemption of mankinde by the in-dwelling of God in Man is given unto the Sonne and so the sanctifying of the church to the Holy Ghost But if wee looke diligently unto the text of the Holy Scripture we shall finde how necessary it was that the Mediator should satisfie for the sinne of the creature because the whole creature was made by Him For so wee may reade Ioh. 1.2.3 All things were made by that word which in the beginning was with God And without it was nothing made which was made And vers 10. He was in the world and the world was made by him And vers 14. And
left slime the heavenly warmth doth feele Men sundry shapes beneath the sod reveile Some new begun and some to halfe doe grow That halfe alive the rest but earth below But Moses Gen. 1. delivers it unto us in the parts active and passive heaven and earth which yet before their division were both of water as it is manifest in that place and 2. Pet. 3.5 According hereunto Homer Iliad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and after him Thales affirmes the first matier of all things to be water But the opinions of the lesse reckoning are those that are found amongst the heretickes of the Christians For all the Philosophers and Poets of the heathen which held not the eternity of the world acknowledged God the authour of the world under one name or other but Simon Magus and with him Menander said that the Angels were the makers of the world Saturnius gives the honour unto seven Angels alone whom he makes the Creators of the world without the consent or knowledge of God Carpocrates and the Priscillianists affirmed that the world was made by certaine inferiour Angels among whom the devill was chiefe workemaster Valentinus gave it out that a devil which was begotten of the thirtieth Aion begot other devils and these Sonnes of Aveugles made the world and mischiefe and sinne are in the world not through the wickednesse and free will of man but even by the very creation of the world it selfe The Nicholaitanes tel us of Angels the makers of the world and that Barbelo who was ruler of the eight Sphere was overseer of the works His mothers name was Yaldaboth But I have not read so farre in heraldry as to tell you who was his Dad nor of what house his mother came nor yet whether his follow workemen were good or bad Angels The Gnosticks of the two Gods which they make as you have heard before make the ill God the creator of the world which though it appeare not either by Irenaeus Clement Tertullian Epiphanius or by S. Augustine yet it is plaine by Plotinus Aenead 2. lib. 9. who writes against their opinions and this in particular Marcion made three creators one good another bad and another betweene them whom they called Iust So you see how all these hereticks had madded themselves and their followers in their opinions concerning the Creator of all things Others erred concerning some parts of the creature onely as the Seleucians and Hermians or Hermogenians beside their errour of the worlds matier coeternall with God denyed that God created the soules of men but would have them created by the Angels of fyer and Spirit contrary to that which is In Gen. 2.7 Esay 57.16 1 Pet. 4.9 That God is the faithfull Creator of the soule The Priscillianists said that the soules of men were of the same substance and nature with God and being by him sent downe from heaven the devill met with them by the way and sowed them as seed in the flesh whereupon it must follow either that the being of God is divisible into infinite partes or that there is but one onely soule of all men and both wayes unavoydably that God at least in part of Himselfe must be subject to Sinne and so that either He must need a Saviour or by His owne law bee subject to eternall death This is the fruite of heresie The Patricians denyed God to be the Creator of the body of man and gave that honour to the devill contrary to that which is in Gen. 2. v. 7. and v. 21.22 yea and so detested the flesh as that to be out of the body some of them killed themselves The Paternians said that the lower parts of the body it seemes onely those that are affixed thereto for generations sake that flesh which the law so often commands to be washed were made by the devil and thereupon tooke occasion to live in filthinesse and Iust contrary to the Commandement of God The Marcionites and Manichees said that wickednesse and ill was partly from God and partly from the matier of the world Florinus and his followers said that things were created ill according to their substances contrary to the Scripture Gen. 1.31 But contrarily the Coluthians would not have God the Author of ill no not that of punishment which neverthelesse the Scripture teaches Esay 45.7 and 54.16 Amos. 3.6 Some also of the heretickes followed the opinions of the ancient Philosophers as they that were called Aquei that of Thales and said that water was the matier of the would but yet eternall and not created The Audian and Manichean hereticks instead of Aristotles eternals brought in darkenesse fire and water you might bring hither their foolish thoughts concerning the transplantation of soules and such like questions but there will bee fitter place thereto in the article of everlasting life And because these upstart weenings are so witlesse as they are false I will not vouchsafe to inquire into their reasons the onely authority of the holy Scripture is sufficient to grinde them all to dust and to bring that dust to nought at all But least any man contrary to the truth of God be overswayed with the reasons of the Philosophers it will not be unfit to examine and answer them 1. And first concerning the reasons of the Platonicks that the matier of the world should therefore be eternall because it is simple and uncompounded I answer That it is but petitio principii or a taking of that which is not granted for it is utterlie denied that there was ever such matier as they suppose utterly informed I say according to the Sacred Philosophie that when water the first matier of all things was created darknesse or confusion was upon the face of the deepe but yet with that water under that confusion was concreated all manner of formes which afterward were all brought forth out of the possibilitie of the matier so that matier was impregnate or great with all kinde of formes which afterward were made to appeare for otherwise could not the effect bee answerable to the cause if hee being in himselfe the Jdeas or formes of all beings had not brought forth the first matier full fraught with all materiall formes by which afterwards according to the disposition of their naturall causes the different kindes of things were informed And therefore here also are all things said by him to have beene made at once And although in the workes of the fifth day the whales with other things which had a life with the power of moving are said to bee created yet is that spoken onely in regard of that more manifest life than the vegetable had in the workes of the third day but that life neverthelesse was brought out of the power of the matier by more powerfull causes his blessing comming thereto even as it was afterward upon them to bring forth after their kinde Onely in the sixth day because it was not in the power of all nature to bring forth a
reasonable and an immortall soule hee breathed into man a Spirit of new life and man became a living soule the epitome or modell of all the creature earthly and heavenly bodily and spirituall This truth is so plaine that Ovid the prince of all the heathen Poets for wit judgement and manifold learning read it in the booke of nature Metam lib. 1. Before the Sea the earth and heaven all hiding There was one face on all the world abiding Which men name Chaos an unordered load Wherein the seeds of things contrarie aboade But though it be granted that the first matier was meerely and purely simple yet can it not follow that therefore it was eternall except it may withall appeare that it had power to bee of it selfe without the power of the Creator But that would utterlie take away the infinite power of God if beside his power any power could bee supposed to another thing which could uphold an eternall being And seeing in all corruption everie thing returnes to those principles of which it was as in man his body to the earth and his Spirit unto God that gave it and that nothing materiall returnes to a simple and pure being but that it is still found under some forme or other it is manifest first that that first matier was not created simple but by his decree ever subject to composition and therefore secondly impossible to be eternall Concerning that eternall Spirit or life of the world in respect of which they thought it should bee eternall both before and after you shall understand more in the 24. Chap. note g § 10. yet in the meane time I answer that if that Spirit whereby the world both is and is ordered worke according to that paterne which hee sees in another it cannot follow that the world shall thereby bee for ever except it appeare to stand with that will according to which hee workes Now what that will is we understand better by his owne Revelation in his owne word than Plato and all his followers could see in all the subtilty of their understanding By which word also wee know that the last end and hope of the creature is more excellent and glorious by the change than by the continuance of the world for ever in that state wherein it is And thus the speciall reasons of that Sect are answered See more to this question if you will in Tertullian against Hermogenes 2. But it is further objected that whatsoever begins to worke which did not worke before must be moved thereto either by it selfe or by another But God is not moved that is changed from that which he was before either by himselfe nor by any other for neither can his action bee new or begun seeing his action is his being neither can hee be affected otherwise than hee was before And therefore is hee an eternall cause of the world an eternall effect as Aristotle affirmed I answer That no new motion or purpose can come unto God concerning the creature for all his workes are knowne to him from eternitie Acts 15.18 But seeing that these workes of which we speake are of his will alone they must be according to the limitation or appointment of that will so that although hee had eternally willed to create the world yet had he eternally willed when by whom and after what fashion the world and all the things therein should be created And this by one onely will and one onely action of the same will eternally The newnesse then of the world is in the actuall being of the world not in the will or power whereby it was wrought But for the better understanding of this thing you may observe a difference of actions of which some are immanent or in-dwelling in the doer and are accompted among the perfections of the thing such are the workes of the will or understanding some againe are transeunt or passing from the doer upon that which is done as the worke of the Smith upon the steele in making a sword The workes of God in himselfe are immanent neither doe these of necessitie put the outward object into actuall being as a man may conceive of a house which is not yet built or the Smith by his art or skill hath power to make a locke which hee hath not yet made So God though hee foresaw and willed eternally that the world should bee yet the effect followed not but according to the determination of that will when by whom and how the world should receive an actuall being 3. But it may againe bee said that God is an Eternall and an Almighty agent and that not in possibilitie onely but in act also for whatsoever is brought from the possibilitie of doing unto the act of doing must bee enforced thereto by a former and more powerfull agent and that actually which in God is utterlie impossible and if hee be an eternall and a powerfull agent and that actually the effect must necessarily follow and that actually for otherwise neither could the effect be answerable to the cause nor yet the cause bee said to bee sufficient and Almightie if the cause were in act and the effect in possibilitie onely therefore it seemes the world must of necessitie be eternall Answer Although God bee actually and eternally whatsoever hee may bee in himselfe yet seeing hee workes in outward things not according to any necessitie but onely according to the pleasure of his owne will the outward effect of his power must bee limited according to the circumstances of his will which I declared before Therefore this reason doth no more enforce the eternitie of the world than it doth that all the possibilities of the creature should be actually at once and that every thing created should bee eternall because the cause is eternall actuall and allsufficient But these things as they can no way stand with the possibilitie of the creature so would they utterly take away the working of all naturall causes by which the glory of his manifold wisdome is declared neither doth the all-sufficiencie of the cause bring any sufficiencie to the reason to prove the world eternall For although the creature bee an effect of the infinite power of God yet because it is not an adequate or proportionable object thereto that is wherein that power may bee wholly and onely exercised therefore is it but a forrein effect wherein that power workes onely according to the will of the worker Therefore observe here secondly a difference of agents of which some worke naturally and these worke alwayes necessarily according to their uttermost power in the diversity of things whereon they worke as the Sunne by his heat melts that which hath thin parts as butter or waxe and hardens that which hath parts more stiffe as clay Some agents againe are voluntarie and these worke not necessarily but according to the choice and freedome of their owne will as the Physician gives not to his patient all that hee can give but
of the infinitie of the power goodnesse and will of God would build up the infinite of the world at lest concerning the extension or space thereof And although the answers heretofore made to the arguments above may seeme to answer his reasons sufficiently yet I suppose you may better understand whatsoever is to bee said hereto if you have well perused that which is said in the second and eighth Chapter In the meane time you may doe well to remember who measured the water in the hollow of his hand and meted out heaven with his span Esay 40.12 And if all these things were made in number weight and measure Sap. 11.17 It may well follow that the world cannot be infinite in any of these 7. But the infinitie or uncertaintie of number hath most doubt because it is said Heb. 1.2 11.3 That God hath appointed Christ to bee heire of all things because that by him he made the Worlds But the word World answers to two words in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The first signifies oftentimes the frame of the whole creature as in Matth. 25.34 but not alwayes for sometimes it signifies the world of the wicked onely as Iohn 14.17 sometimes of the elect onely as Iohn 3.17 sometime an age or time of the world and the people of that age as S. Peter 2. Epist 2.5 saith that God spared not the old world and againe 2. Pet. 3.6 The world that then was perished by waters to which meaning the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used in that text of Heb. 1.2 doth most directly answer So that the ages there spoken of may well receive interpretation by the dayes of the creation by which God foretold what should afterward come to passe as it is said Esay 46.10 and elsewhere * See Brocard◠Mystica in Gen. So then the first day of nature when darkenesse was upon the deepe signified that time when the wickednesse of man was great on the earth and the thoughts of his heart were onely evill continually And although they had the light of reason in them yet because they did not walke according to that light therefore God brought the floud upon the world of the ungodly The second day wherein was the division of the waters by the firmament of heaven meant that time when God separated his Church from the people of the world and parted them by the firmament of his Covenants first of circumcision given to Abraham afterward of the ceremoniall Law by Moses which worke of the second day is therefore not praised as good because the Law workes wrath Rom. 4.15 And because these ceremonies were not able to give life to the doers of the same for Moses might not bring Israel into the land of promise Deut. 34.4 Esay 66.3 Gal. 2.16 19. 30.10 The third day signifies the third age or state of the Church when the earth that is these worldly rites by the lively interpretation of the Prophets who unfolded their meaning and taught the people of their times to have hope in him that was to come brought forth the herbe and fruit tree yeelding seed unto everlasting life The fourth age of the Church was that time wherein the Sun or righteousnesse did shine and brought in that new light that true light which lightens every man that come into the world of his Church that Sun which gave shine unto the Moone the Apostolike Church and to the Stars those Doctors whose knowledge zeale and constancie gave light in that darke night of persecutions and heresie which did ensue And these and such other are the ages even untill the great Iubile of which the Apostle speakes in that place Heb. 1.2 which is brought for the proofe of many worlds So this Democritan fancie may vanish 8. Concerning the infinitie of multitude in the different species or kindes of things the Cabalists have an opinion that although they rise to an excessive number yet they must needs be definite and that according to the difference of words in all the possible change and joyning of the letters for if either the things were not different according to the signification of words or that the words had not their meaning according to the difference of things that wisdome who both made the things and gave words to expresse their differences should seeme disproportionable and wanting on one side or on the other neither could that word be verefied Gen. 2.19 which saith And whatsoever Adam called every living creature so was the name thereof The opinion is delivered in the booke which they call Iezirah the author of the tradition they make Abraham the Patriarch the description of Iuda an ancient Rabbine the collection of the number is of Fr. Georgius in his 244 Probl. tit 67. and this * You may see also the comment of Postellus on that booke and Archangels apologie of the Cabala pag. 548 c. is the number 1124002590827719680000. that is one thousand one hundred twentie foure millions of great millions two thousand five hundred and ninetie great millions eight hundred twenty seven thousand seven hundred and nineteene millions fixe hundred and fourescore thousand But although the possible combination of letters be so different as they make it yet the reason holds not for the actions and passions as well as the proprieties of things must be expressible with all the differences of times past present and to come and that either alone or with others Besides wordes expresse the defects of things the vices also and imaginations of the minde which are neither created beings nor alwayes true Moreover although Adam had power over all words yet it appeares not that hee had knowledge also of the nature and differences of the heavenly and spirituall creatures so that the words may perhaps fall short of the number of different beings But because they will not be out bidden they six this number to the combination of consonants it seemes for the different species to which if you adde the different vowels above or below as the manner of that writing is you shall have a number so great as may equall all the individuals of all the specialls that ever have beene or shall bee hereafter which by Patricius must needs be infinite for thus he reasons Panarch lib. 19. from three infinities essentiall potentiall and actuall a fourth infinite must needs proceed at least of number for otherwise the effect should not bee answerable to the cause The infinite essence hee supposes the Father the infinite power the Sonne and the infinite worker the Holy Ghost And by these three are three Trinities brought out of spirituall creatures or Angels as he by Psellus understands the Chaldaean wisdome whether well or ill it skils not much For we are taught Ioh. 1.3 That By the word all things were made and without him was nothing made that was made But to his reason Can an infinite Being bring forth an effect without
likewise that man as farre as he had any being from God was also good and upright in his being and so without sinne 2. The ability and excellency of the end is more then the worthinesse of all those things which are ordained for the end But it is manifest that all the visible creature of this world was created for mans use that he was prince and Lord of all For by the Law of nature and iustice that ought to bee chiefe which hath most excellency above other Now to set aside the abilities of the minde in the knowledge of things eternall and divine whereof no other bodily creature hath any feeling or understanding what creature under the whole heaven in the earth or Sea may set it selfe in comparison with man for those gifts which the Creator hath vouchsafe to him in the use of all things in the knowledge of their nature in memory and remembrance in the inventions of arts in the guiding and compelling of the creature to his service or utter destruction of the rebellious And the refore both in the creation Gen. 1.28 and againe after the floud the type of Regeneration 1 Pet. 3.21 were they all delivered into the power of man Now if all these things were for man and his use and they every one good in their kinde much more was man good and upright in his creation 3. Every thing is more excellent as it is for a more excellent and noble end But the end of man is more excellent than all the creature beside For they are for his use as their end but man for the service and glory of God as his end in the attainement of which alone hee can be happy And because that which is for any end must have conditions or fitnesse for that end it was necessary that man should bee created without sinne which above all other things the soule of his Creator did hate and for which alone he was put out of his service 4. Every corruption or marring of a thing must needs bee of that which was once good and the greater the perfection thereof was the worse is the corruption or wickednesse that is therein But it is too manifest that the nature of man is most corrupt therefore it was once very good and upright 5. If God had made man such as man now is rebellious and unthankefull towards Himselfe a plague and calamity to other men through injury pride and oppression a slaue to his owne sensuall desires in gluttony and filthie lust ignorant of the truth an enemy to all good following with greedinesse all manner of ill subject as to Sinne so to the due punishment thereof all manner of misery sicknesse and death both of body and soule then had Hee brought the greatest disorder into the creature even there where order was mosT necessary that is in the prince and Lord thereof yea such disorder as should be contrary to it selfe in respect of that hatred which men have one toward another then would he not in justice have brought those punishments on men which are due for their sinne in this life and damnation in that which is to come But all these things are against the wisdome goodnesse and justice of God Therefore man was created in a Contrary estate of innocency Iustice and holinesse 6. This truth the holy text doth shew For beside that which is said Gen. 1.31 That God saw every thing that he had made and behold it was very good it is said of man in particular that hee was created in the image of God Which because it is there three times repeated it is necessarie to consider what that threefold Image of God in man is that it may the better appeare what his excellency was and how great that losse was which hee indured by his sinne against so gracious a Creator Some among the most ancient Fathers as Irenaeus and Tertullian thought that the Mediator in that forme wherein he afterward appeared in our flesh and was seene and knowne to Adam Enoch Noah Abraham Moses and many of the Prophets for which they were called Seers 1 Sam. 9.9 formed man of the dust of the earth The word there used is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kidmuthenu according to our likenesse and signifies to be like by cutting or carving and so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used Gen. 2.7 8. which signifies to fashion out of clay like a Potter seemes to favour this interpretation you may see herewith Rom 9.21 and thinke on it Bucanus also Inst Theol. Loc. 8. q. 18. confesseth that there is nothing in his opinion but according to the Analogy of faith and brings his reason to justifie it Yet as if he had forgot himselfe he condemnes Osiander of madnes that followes it lib. cit loc 9. q. 15. And because other late Doctors though without reason disallow this judgement of the antient fathers see Med. Patr. Scult de nevis Iren. Tertull Reoberts Fund Rel cap. 17. I leave it in the middest till further proofe of the truth be made on the one side or the other Notwithstanding man is truely said to bee created in the image or according to the image of Elohim or Christ the Creator either naturally or else supernaturally naturally either according to the state of his body or of his soule or of the whole composition his body is an abridgment or compound of all bodily being because there is nothing in the bodily creature which is not in some sort in that little world of mans body as reason proves by his food and medicine out of all bodies here below and as the Physitians and all naturallists affirme and as Paracelsus more particularly every where shewes and proves So that as all things even bodily beings were created in Christ and therefore were in Him eminently by their formes and potentially as being by Him brought into act or effect So are they all in the body of man representatively and though by his sinne subject to the curse as he their Presbyter is yet shall they bee delivered from this bondage of corruption when the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God shall appeare Rom. 8.19.20 to 24. And concerning the soule if you looke into the faculties thereof beyond them that concerne the body alone in growth and sense if in the understanding you consider the powers of the imagination or thought of the discourse of memory of the will and the freedome thereof in civill and morall things you may truly say that all things are subject to their Lord and Creator so hath Hee made all things subiect to the possibilities of mans understanding in as much as the Spirit of man considers all things yea presumes to search even the deepe things of God Now one soule with all these properties argues the wonderfull excellency thereof and what a lively stampe of his wisdome He hath imprinted therein But because the whole of every thing is more excellent then the parts which are
hauing made mans peace through the bloud of his crosse hath reconciled all things both in heaven and earth unto God Col. 1.20 For certainely if the Angels be for man as it is said Heb. 1.14 then can they not possibly have the perfection of their blessednesse but by man Let us therefore with reverence and thankfulnesse come unto that great mysterie of our Religion That God was manifest in the flesh The incarnation of God is the dwelling of the Godhead in the manhood in one person wherein the being of the Godhead and manhood remaine together everlastingly without separation yet in cleere distinction of their severall beings and so without commixtion to cause a third being but that each continuing truly that which it is in it selfe the Godhead according to his eternall decree without any change of it selfe in time tooke to it selfe the manhood that by himselfe hee might reconcile all things to himselfe and bring them to that estate of happinesse and glorie to which they could never have come if God had not so manifested himselfe in the flesh The internall actions of the eternall Deity are all infinite eternall and necessary to be that which they are But whatsoever God doth worke without himselfe in the creature it is onely according to his owne holy pleasure and will But yet seeing his actions upon the creature are the expressions of those perfections which are in himselfe of goodnesse of wisdome of power of glorie c. and that to this end that the creature may bee blessed in him and by him according to that measure of happinesse which he of his goodnesse hath appointed thereto therefore those reasons which are drawne from the dignities of God are of no lesse force for the truth of God in the creature then they were for the manifestation of the truth in himselfe And therefore as by those dignities which by the authority of his word are due to him wee have approved that truth which the holy Scripture teacheth us to beleeve of him both concerning the unitie of his being and the Trinitie of the Persons so let us endeavour in the proofe of this great question And although the great masters in the schoole have given ouer these questions as utterly beyond all proofe or testimony of humane understanding See Thom. Aquin. praef in lib. 4. cont Gent. yet seeing this is that maine point in our most holy faith whereby it differs most from all infidelity and false worships seeing it is that one thing wherein the ground of all our future hope and comfort doth consist if ever the understanding of a Christian held it selfe bound to doe service unto his faith most of all it is bound to give attendance herein I may somtimes use the word of necessity in the conclusions following yet understand me not as if I laid any necessitie or constraint upon God to doe or to suffer but the necessitie that I meane is in the consequence of the reason when the conclusion doth follow necessarily upon the grounds that are laid downe before 1. For although happines be only in the enjoying of that which is good and the greater the good is the greater is the happines but if the good be not enjoyed and possessed it causes no happines at all yet an infinite good is no way to bee come unto or possessed by that which is finite except by the voluntarie motion and inclination of it selfe it doe apply and give it selfe unto that which is finite And because every good spreads it selfe acccording to the power of it selfe upon that which is capable of it the greatest goodnesse is ever with the greatest communication of it selfe therefore the infinite goodnes doth also extend it selfe according to the possibilitie of the creature to be possessed and enioyed thereby which cannot be till it have applied it selfe to something in the creature of which the rest of the creatures being partakers may also thereby be partakers of the infinite goodnesse Now if God who onely is infinite goodnesse had dwelt in the being of the Angels though that had beene made knowne to man yet because man doth not communicate with the Angels in nature or by any merit or service towards them he had had no benefit thereby whereas the Angels by the appointment of their ministerie to mankinde in their continuall presence and succour and that helpe which the soule hath by them in the delivery thereof out of this prison of the body and in the conducting of it unto the Divine presence have in iustice a reward for their service sake and a kinde of interest in all that good whereof man by their ministerie is made partaker 2. Moreover when man had sinned the law of justice required that the satisfaction should be made in that nature that had sinned so that if the Mediatour had taken on him the nature of Angels the satisfaction therein had not beene avayleable for the sinne of man 3. Thirdly the whole creature hath interest in man and man in the whole creature so that God by taking on him the nature of man hath blessed therby the whole creature as you may understand by the answer which is made Cha. 17. to the 5 Object § 4. But if he had the nature of Angels neither man nor the other elementall creatures had had hope of any restoring See Rom. 8.19 c. to 23. 4. Lastly if the deliverance of man had beene made in the nature of Angels the restoring had beene as unsufficient so also man had lost of his dignitie and honour thereby for man before his sinne was bound and subjected to God alone but then had hee beene subjected and bound to the nature of Angels And although man by his sinne nay even our Lord himselfe by his suffering for sinne was made somewhat lower then the Angels yet being raised from the dead the manly nature is exalted far above all principalitie and power and might and every name that is named in this world or in the world which is to come Ephes 1.20.21 Whence it will follow necessarily that God would dwell in the nature of man not in the Angels as you may understand by these Scriptures Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himselfe likewise tooke part of the same ver 16. Hee tooke not on him the nature of Angels but hee tooke on him the seed of Abraham And for their attendance is it not said Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring Spirits sent forth to minister for them who shall bee heires of salvation Compare herewith Psal 34.7 and 91.11 and conclude with Saint Paul 1. Cor. 3.23 All things are yours and yee are Christs and Christ is Gods The questions before are neere to this as all the Articles of our faith are necessarie consequents one of another therefore let us briefely see by that which is already proved what we can gather to this conclusion 1. Either the whole race of mankinde must be
Creator than the everlasting happinesse of his Creature no means greater or more effectuall than that he become one with his creature Therefore that the creature may bee happy in Him and his honour and praise perfected in the Creature it was expedient that God should dwell in His Creature even in Man 10. By how much any efficient is greater in power by so much more effectually doth it worke to magnifie the end of his worke and so to set it free from littlenesse contempt and unworthinesse of himselfe From which contempt and unworthinesse the creature is set furthest when it is deified and God himselfe is become one with man So the incarnation is the most glorious worke which can bee wrought in the creature To denie then the indwelling of God in his creature were to deny the most glorious worke of God to put an infinite emptinesse betweene God and his Creature wherein no meane should bee and so to exclude the Creature from all accesse unto the Creator which were to put the creature in everlasting contempt and unworthinesse of the Creator so infinite and glorious For the creature being set at an infinite distance from the happinesse which is in the Creator should have no meane whereby it might partake of the infinite glory For no perfection in the Creature being simply and absolutely finite can bee partaker of that which is infinite without the Mediator God and man as it is said Ioh. 14.6 No man commeth to the Father but by mee 11. It is to bee held that God the most wise workemaster of all things should in the creation of the world propose to Himselfe the most noble and excellent end which must bee concerning Himselfe the manifestation of His owne dignities and perfections in the Creature and towards the Creature the greatest perfection which was possible to be therein But if there bee no incarnation neither of these things could be performed Not the first because the divine goodnesse might have done a better worke in his Creature his infinitie a greater his glory a more excellent c. Not the second for seeing God is that superexcellent Goodnesse of which every thing according to the measure thereof desires to be partaker and by man may bee partaker in as much as man participates with every other thing and every other thing being with him if there bee no incarnation this desire of the Creature is vaine the end thereof frustrate and thereby it is subjected to eternall paine the hoped end being impossible to bee attained unto But all these things are inconvenient Therefore it is requisite that God bee incarnate 12. God is infinitely good chap. 4. and so the most lovely being without comparison And therefore are wee most justly charged to love Him with all our heart with all our soule with all our might Deut. 6.5 But God would not require to be wholly and perfectly loved by man except He himselfe did that for man by which Hee might most of all deserve mans love For otherwise he might seeme to require of man beyond that which were due and so the perfection of that love should bee founded in the goodnesse and kindenesse of man toward God not in the goodnesse and mercy of God toward man But this is not so For wee love God because Hee loved vs first and gave His Sonne to bee the propitiation for our sinnes 1 Ioh. 4.10 If then God have done that for us by which above all other things He might deserve our Loves and that nothing can so much deserve our Loves as if he would be pleased to become one with us it was expedient that God would be incarnate 13. That there is an eternall life both in soule and body will appeare hereafter in the meane time it shall be but a supposition Now in eternall life it is necessary that the manly being attaine to the uttermost perfection both of the soule and body that as his understanding so his outward senses be also most pure and perfect But if there were no incarnation seeing the divine glory in it selfe is utterly unapprehensible by our senses and by our understanding neither our understanding nor our sences could have any object wherein to rest and sabbatize and being created without the injoying of their uttermost felicity they would bee the originall of misery and sorrow when as they should bee fit to receive the perfection of all intellectuall and sensible formes from an agent naturall and supernaturall as the Mediator is and yet received it not So also the divine glory should not cause happinesse nor be inioyed by all possible meanes whereby it may cause happinesse and bee inioyed by a meane naturall and supernaturall But if there be an incarnation then the infinite glory dwelling in this mediator may be apprehended and inioyed and make the Creature happie by all meanes whereby it is possible to be happie Therefore God would dwell in his Creature And this argument I suppose may stand well with that scripture Exod. 33.18 and 20. verses where to that request of Moses That he might see the glory of God it was answered that no man can see it and live By which it followes that after death when man is utterly separate from sinne he may see and shall be partaker of that promise which is in Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God which blessing is more particularly described Psal 36.9.10 They that put their trust under the shadow of his wings shall be abundantly satisfied made drunke as some reade it others plenteously moistened with the fatnesse of thy house and thou shalt make them drinke of the river of thy pleasures c. all which the faithfull shall see and inioy to the full in the Mediator God and Man without whom there is no approaching unto God And as this argument is good for the soule and understanding so is it for the outward senses For if the bodily senses make for the increase of punishment in them that are damned so shall they also bee for the increase of happinesse in them that are saved If you desire moe arguments to this purpose you may consider them in the 21. chapter The authorities of the holy Scripture may bee seene in the end of the chapter following The objections against this doctrine of the incarnation you may see in Tho. Aquin. cont Gent. lib. 4. ch 40.49 53. 54. CHAP. XXIII That the Second Person of the Trinitie the Son of God only tooke on Himselfe our flesh IS it true that God will dwell with man Behold the heavens and the heavens of heavens cannot containe Him how much lesse a house of clay whose foundation was in the dust yet doth wisdome take her solace in the compasse of His earth and her delight is with the Sonnes of Men Prou. 8.31 So the Word was made flesh and dwelt in us Ioh. 1.14 And though he were in the forme of God and thought it no robbery to be
assumed the person of any man though therewith hee had taken also the common nature of mankinde yet that Person had had perculiar interest in the eternall and infinite love and wee had beene unequally subjected one to another but now the common nature onely being raken unto the deity every person hath equall interest as in the common nature so in the eternall love Now let us see the reasons of the proposition 1. It is necessary that all the actions of God be done according to the perfection of that order which is most fit and agreeable unto those actions But seeing it stood with the Love of God to dwell in mans being as it hath bin proved it was most convenient that the Sonne of God should take our nature on him For first the Son is the image of God increated man his created image and that all perfection of an image might bee in the increated image it was necessarie that hee should bee also the created image of his Father Secondly seeing that by the eternall nativitie hee is the eternall Sonne that the perfection of all Sonne-ship might bee in him it was necessarie that hee should bee that Sonne that should bee borne in time Thirdly and because it pleased the Father that all fulnesse should dwell in him Colossians 1. verse 19. Seeing hee was brought forth by an eternall nativitie hee must also perfect that nativitie which was in time Fourthly and because all things both which are in heaven and in earth were created by him it was necessarie that all things by him should bee restored Fifthly Mans nature is the daughter of God therefore being led away captive by sinne was to be rescued by his Sonne Sixthly Man fell from grace by the craft of the devill therefore by the wisdome of God was hee to be brought to favour againe Seventhly Mankinde is the peculiar possession of the Sonne by the speciall gift of the Father Psal 2.8 Iohn 17.2 therefore being lost it was to be recovered by his speciall purchase And if there bee any other personall proprietie of the Sonne of obedience or the like it sorts better with him to bee incarnate than either with the Father or the holie Ghost All the arguments which prove that it was necessarie that Christ should dye may bee brought hither See them in the 27. Chapter 2. Nothing can bee admitted in the actions of the Deitie which takes away the distinction of their personall proprieties seeing God is the author of order not of confusion But if either the Father or the holy Ghost had beene incarnate then their personall proprieties were thereby in utter confusion for if the Father had beene incarnate then should hee not be eternally a Father that had in time become a Sonne so also neither the perfection of fatherhood should be in the Father nor of Sonne-ship in the Sonne And concerning the holy Ghost seeing hee is that emanation breath of effluence of the power wisdome life c. whereby the worke of God is perfected if he should have beene incarnate the same being should be both the worker and the thing wrought See Luke 1.35 But all these things are impossible Therefore the Sonne of God onely tooke on him our flesh 3. The greatest excellencie which God can love in himselfe is the image of himselfe beheld in himselfe that is the Sonne of his eternall love The greatest excellencie which God can love without himselfe is the image of himselfe beheld in his creature Therfore it is necessarie that the Sonne of his eternall love be also incarnate that the love of God be most perfect toward his Sonne with all perfections of love which can bee either within or without himselfe 4. It was said before Chap. 11. that the goodnesse infinitie eternitie wisdome and power of God being viewed or objected to the infinite wisdome by the infinite action of his understanding was the Sonne Now if the Sonne be incarnate then the actions of all the divine dignities are perfected and may be infinite both in their internall and as much as may be in their externall object But if either the Father or holy Ghost had beene incarnate then the object of those dignities could not bee one and if the object were not one then could it not be beheld with one action of understanding But it is impossible either that there should be two infinite objects or two infinite actions Moreover if the holy Ghost had been incarnate then the infinite internall action should have become the externall object if the Father then the fountaine of the Deitie should become not the objectant or being which understandeth but onely the object understood But all these things are impossible for God is not the author of confusion therefore it was necessarie that the Sonne should be incarnate 5. The doctrine concerning the Mediatour conteined in these foure Chapters is as the substantiall ground of the Christian Religion so is it that foundation on which all the Prophets and Apostles have builded for as Saint Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.11 That which the Prophets by the spirit of Christ did search into was the time when the sufferings of Christ should be reveiled and the glories that should follow after The summe then of the whole Scripture being to shew the redemption of man by the death of our Saviour God and man the authorities are not farre to seeke Many of the texts of the old Testament you shall finde most excellently brought together and interpreted by Iustine Martyr against the Iewes in his dialogue of the truth of the Christian Religion which is intituled Tryphon Some most evident texts you shall have out of the new Testament and more hereafter as need is Iohn 3.16.17 God so loved the world that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life for God sent not his Sonne into the world to condemne the world but that the world by him might bee saved Gal. 4.4 But when the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Sonne made of a woman made under the Law that hee might redeeme them that were under the Law that wee might receive the adoption of sonnes Phil. 2.6.7 Christ Iesus being in the forme of God thought it no robbery to bee equall with God but tooke on him the forme of a servant and was made like unto man and was found in shape like a man Colos 1.13.14 God hath delivered us from the power of darkenesse and hath translated us into the kingdome of his deare Sonne in whom wee have redemption through his blood Col. 2.9 In Christ dwelleth the fulnesse of the God head bodily 1. Tim. 3.16 Great is the mysterie of Godlinesse God was manifest in the flesh justified in the Spirit seene of Angels preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world received up to glorie 1. Iohn 4.14 Whosoever shall confesse that Iesus is the Sonne of God God dwelleth in him and hee in God
in such a third being as had never sinned And if this foundation of the mixture of the two natures in Christ bee taken away all the Cage-worke of the Theodosians that the Mediatour is mortall and of the Armenians that hee could not suffer must needes bee rotten and unable to stand Therefore let us consent to that Antheme of the Church Mirabile mysterium Deus homo factus est id quod erat permansit id quod non erat assumpsit nec commixtionem passus neque confusionem O wonderfull mysterie God was made man Hee continued that which hee was Hee tooke to Himselfe that which Hee was not neither suffering commixtion to make a third being of them both nor confusion to change the one being into the other § 4. 5. 6. 7. Now it remaines to shew what were the holdfast of Ebion Cerinthus Photinus and the rest of that ging For you may perceive how that although they had their private differences in their opinions yet like theeves they all conspired in this to robbe the Lord of glory of the Robe of His Divinity The reasons of their opinions after the long and wearisome reading of the Fathers which recite and answer them sometimes heavily and with much adoe you shall finde most briefly laid downe by Saint Thomas contra gent. lib. 4. cap 4.9 28. which in effect stand only in the misinterpreting of certaine texts of the holy Scripture For the better understanding of which let me remember you of these two rules First to hold stedfastly that the termes or attributes which are given unto Christ in the Scripture concerning His divine being belong unto him essentially and properly whereas the same termes attributed to the Saints belong unto them only by grace and appropriatly And by this difference you shall answer their cavils when being urged with such texts as this Heb 1.5 Thou art my Sonne this day have I begotten thee they answer the angels are also called the Sonnes of God Iob. 1.6 2.1 and magistrates Psal 82.6 yea all the Saints are called the Sonnes of God Phil. 2.15 and 1 Ioh. 3.1 and this is only by a grace appropriate and imparted unto us whereas Christ is the Sonne of God according to his essence and true being as it is said Ioh. 10.30 I and the Father are one not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Person but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one thing one being as Saint Paul interprets it Phil. 2.6 That he was in the forme of God that is in the most in ward or essentiall being God for he hath no matier equall to God that every tongue may confesse that Iesus Christ is Iehova for so the word is there to be understood because the Greekes every where in the old Testament interpret Iehovah by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lord. The second rule is that the proprieties of one nature in Christ doe not destroy or denie the other nature as where it is said that He was hungrie that he wept that he slept that He was ignorant of the Iudgement day and of the grave of Lazarus that his soule was heavie c. which belonged properly unto Him as man and prove that hee was truly man in bodie and soule yet doe they not at all take away the being of his Godhead but that with his manly being wee ought to confesse that hee is God blessed above all for ever and ever Amen Rom. 9.5 And by this difference well observed you may give a true answer to those texts which they falsly urge to their conclusion as where it is said All power is given unto mee in heaven and in earth Matth. 28.18 And againe Philippians 2.9 That God hath exalted him So where Saint Peter saith Acts 2.36 That God hath made the same Iesus which was crucified both Lord and Christ By which texts and the like they would conclude that hee is not God by nature but for his merit and greater graces onely called God as it was said to Moses Exod. 7.1 Behold I have made thee a god to Pharaoh For say they Hee that receives of another to be exalted to bee made a Lord is not such of himselfe But this conclusion followes not but rather that which S. Paul affirmes Rom. 1.3 4. That Jesus Christ our Lord which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh was powerfully declared to be the Sonne of God by his resurrection from the dead when he in is humane beeing received all power and was exalted above every name and manifestly declared to be both Lord and Christ both God and man The power therfore and glory was in him being God essentiall and eternall and in him being made man manifested by his resurrection to dwell in that manhood eternally And as that which these heretikes clatter is directly against the authority of the holy Scripture so is it utterly against all sense and reason For if our Saviour were onely man then our comfort which wee should have by him as being able to save because hee is God were utterly destroyed as a Father saith I would not beleeve in him if he were not God And this according to the Word of God Ier. 17.5 Cursed bee the man that trusteth in man Moreover if Christ were onely man excelling others onely by his progresse in vertue so that for his greater grace above others he might be made a Mediatour for others then many mediatours might be possible to bee seeing Noah Daniel Ioh and Moses exceeded others in vertue and by speciall grace many others might exceed them but so our Lord should not be the onely Sonne the onely Mediatour contrary to that which the Scripture witnesseth as you heard in the end of the Chapter n. 10. Therefore concerning the Mediatour what he ought to bee let the followers of Ebion and Photinus heare Saint Paul Heb. 4.14 Seeing then that we have a great High Priest that is passed into the heavens Iosus the Sonne of God let us hold fast our profession And againe Verse 15. let the Eutychian heare and be ashamed for Wee have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted as we are yet without sinne Therfore Jesus our Mediatour is both God and Man Here you may remember if you will that which you read before Chap. 20 21 22. More you may reade to this purpose in Iust Martyr his Dialog Triphon in Irenaeus also lib. 3. Cap. from 21. to 31. Tertul. de Carne Christi Epiphan hares 28. 30. And especially in Tertul◠de Trinit if that booke be his Thus we have seene the falshood of the Monophysites now it remaines that we also take a view of their opinions that hold more natures than one in Christ and among them to see the heresies of Nestorius 1. and Arius 2. and then the late opinion of Postellus 3. § 8. Concerning the position of Nestorius it may seeme that all authors agreed
be except you will say that hee created himselfe and so was when He was nor or that hee had his creation from some other originall than God which must likewise bee infinite in being able to create so excellent a being and yet finite that hee might move or not move himselfe thereto when he would But first this progresse would be infinite and beside that impossible For if neither God could move because Hee is infinite nor much lesse the creature when it was not how was it possible that any thing at all should be created Secondly Moreover it would follow hereupon that that were possible to the second cause which was not possible to the first but it is manifest that all second causes worke onely by the activity of the first so that if the first cause cease to worke much more the second Thirdly beside this the power of God should not be infinite if it could not worke according to his pleasure in things without But you say as Himselfe so His action is infinite and it is impossible that a finite being should be the subject of an infinite action I say though Sampson were able to breake a Cable yet might he straine one haire of Dalilah to straightnes not to lengthen it to lengthen it not to breake it This is true say you because he was as every creature partaker of being and not being of act or perfection and of possibilities or imperfection whereby he might move or not move at his pleasure But God is not so but alwaies actually whatsoever Hee may be But say I it is one thing to speake of the infinite action of God in himselfe and another of his action in the creature limited according to his Wisdome and His Will in respect of the outward object as I have shewed at large in answer to the objections for the worlds eternity chap. 13. note b ob 2.3.4 Neither is the will of God without an infinite Wisedome to dispose of all things in their times nor yet without an infinite power to cause every thing to bee actually according to His Wisdome and His will and the application of his will wisdome and power is sufficient to move all inferiour causes to give all manner of beeing to the Creature 2. But seeing the matier and forme of all things are after a sort contrary and that the bodily composition likewise of things below is of elements contrary in their qualities it is impossible that these repugnances should be brought together into one nat Med. pag. 21. Answ The Philosophers tell us of a certaine quintessence in which the different qualities of all the elements are brought to agreement and give us reason to beleeve it by which quintessence dwelling in every thing the contrarieties of the elements are accorded in every compound Raim Lulli and Ioh. de Ruposc de 5. essentia lib. 1. cap. 2. But seeing they keepe the experiment with themselves neither their reason nor their authority shall bee of any force with us But this is without all doubt that hee that had power to create all things had likewise power out of that created masse fruitfull with the seed of all things to bring out every thing in due time according to the kindes that were by him foreseene and determined And because wee have hitherto maintayned that God alone by his eternall wisdome Our Lord Iesus Christ was the Creator it must follow of necessity that the creature was also ordered and guided by Him For that infinite power which could doe the more and cause that to bee which was not might also doe the lesse and order it at his will So that for this objection wee are not compelled to acknowledge any such created being the Creator and disposer of all the rest And concerning that supposed repugnancy betweene the matier and forme of every thing it is but the begging of the question for all formes are produced out of possibilities of their matier excepting onely the soule of man and the divine endowments thereof as I shewed at large chap. 17. § 4. n. 2. 3. The third argument of Postellus pag. 28. as not much unlike the former drawne from the perpetuall change of things subject to generation and corruption For nature brings out nothing violently or in an instant therefore as the things that are began by little and little to bee by the power of the Spirit of God which moved upon the waters so by the power of the same Spirit are they still preserved in their order of being and by it they are changed from state to state And this spirit of God is that first created being that Mediator betweene God and the creature the spirit of the Vniverse actually moveable and applying it selfe to every thing and working in every thing by the power of the Trinity which dwelleth in Him For nothing which proceedes from the power of the matier is able to move it selfe no more than the matier was no not the soule of man but onely by His strength and activity by whose power it is Answer Concerning the progresse of things naturall from the evening of their beginning to the morning of their perfection I have spoken before But for answer to this I say that it is not necessary to put any such spirit of the universe such an applyable divinity as the Platonicks call Animam Mundi because things are changed from one state of being to another seeing the Holy Scripture tels us Psal 148.5 that all the armies of the creature were made because God commanded And for their changes in corruption and generation it is plaine it must be according to that degree which they cannot passe vers 6. which is the law of nature And moreover concerning the providence of God on every particular thing our Lord hath taught us Math. 10.29 that not a Sparrow fals to the ground without the will of our heavenly Father except Postellus will here except that that heavenly Father must signifie that first begotten of the creature which he doth meane Which interpretation would directly crosse that text Act. 15.18 That all the workes of God were knowne to Him from everlasting And nothing can bee in the second cause which was not in the first Therefore seeing the infinite power of God is that by which every thing is powerfull to worke unto that end whereto it was destinate we must needs confesse that Hee by His power workes what He will both in Heaven and in earth and yet because all the orders of causes are appointed by him wee may safely say as our Lord hath taught us Mark 4.28 That the earth of her owne accord bringeth forth fruit and as the Prophet Hos 1.21.22 I will heare the heavens and the heavens shall heare the earth and the earth shall heare the corne and the wine and the corne and the wine shall heare Israel Which order of causes being put we shall not need to apply the immediate power of that applyable divinity of the
be manifest in the manhood that hee in that manly being might be glorified with the glorie which is infinitely sufficient to glorifie him the head and all the members of his mysticall body as it is manifest in that 17. chap. of Iohn vers 22 23 24. 8. Mal. 3.1 Christ is called the Angel or Messenger of the Covenant therefore he is a creature so united to the Divinity that God cannot worke without him for that reason which is the first before The reason is not of force to the authority I answer The first covenant or promise which God made to mankinde was that in Paradise Gen. 3. The seed of the woman shall bruise the head of the Serpent This seed of the woman is Christ our Lord which according to the Prophet should come in that Temple which was built by the Iewes after their returne from Babylon So the Sonne of God in our flesh is that Angel of the Covenant of our deliverance from the power of the Devill which came according to the time appointed So he hath the name of an Angel from his office not from his nature 9. The holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee Luk. 1 35. This holy Ghost is that created Spirit of the Trinity locally moving from place to place which actually performed all those things which hitherto have beene ignorantly attributed to the third Person of the Trinity who being infinite and filling all places cannot be moved from place to place no more than the Father or the Sonne But this created Spirit might take on him the shape of a Dove Luke 3.22 of a Voice Luke 9.35 and may also change places as he saith Iohn 3.13 No man ascended up into heaven but the Sonne of man which is in heaven pag 75.75 113 116 c. Answ I have given the meaning of that text Iohn 3.13 before in the 23. chapter And as the infinite wisdome of God foresaw what diversitie of opinions would come into mens minds for hee understands their thoughts long before Psal 139.2 so hath hee left us the rule of his holy word whereby to guide us in the truth Now the writings of Saint Iohn do so cleare this question as if they had beene written in opposition to these opinions of Arius Postellus and those that are like minded I cite some few texts out of his first Epistle chap. 4. v. 10. God hath loved us and sent his Sonne to bee a reconciliation But the question is whether a created Sonne or no Saint Iohn tels us no not a created Sonne but his onely begotten Sonne hath hee sent into the world that wee might be saved by him vers 9. That Sonne or Word who is one with the Father and the Holy Ghost chap. 5. vers 7. That Sonne to whom the Father Himselfe bare witnesse verse 9.10 11. See 2 Peter 1.16.17 That Son who is very God and eternall life vers 20. what can bee more plaine or particularly described or more fully proved If Hee bee begotten then coessentiall with the Father Ergo not created If begotten then eternall for the actions of God in Himselfe are infinite and eternall See chapter 10. Ergo not created If one with the Father then also infinite Ergo not created If very God Ergo not a Creature But this spirit of the Trinity which tooke flesh of the Virgin and so became our Mediatour moved from place to place which no Person of the Trinitie could doe because they are infinite and fill all places Had this eye of the Sorbon L. Dan in Haer. Aug. cap. 85. which knew so well that God is in all places repletivè as they speake never read that Moses saith Deut. 33.26 That God rides on the Heavens for the helpe of Israel and on the Clouds in his glory And although David knew that God did continually beset him round about and that there was no place either in Heaven or in hell in the earth or Sea where he was not Psal 139. from v. 5. to 11. yet as a stag embossed takes the soyle so did his heart in his flight from Saul thirst for God saying when shall I come and appeare before God Psal 42.2 Therefore although God fill heaven and earth yet is he said to be in any place more particularly where he gives more evident proofe of his presence as at Bethel Gen. 28.16 in the Tabernacle by the Oracle and those manifest signes which I remembred above note d Thus God descended on Mount Sinai when the Mountaine did smoke and tremble and thus the holy Ghost is said to have come upon the Virgin Mary when by that wonderful work of his in her body that seed of mankind was taken of her that it might become a tabernacle for the King of glory to dwel in eternally Thus also our Lord saith of himself Ioh. 6.38 I came downe from Heaven not to do mine own wil but c. not but that he was stil in heaven c. 3.13 but because his presence in earth was now manifest in the flesh as it had not bin before 10. And these reasons are if not all yet the most I am sure the best which Postellus brings for his position It may seeme fit moreover in this place to give answer to those texts which beside these already cited may be brought for this opinion And first to that which is Gen. 3.2 c. Yea hath God said yee shall not eat of every tree of the Garden c. yee shall not dye the death But God doth know that In the day ye eate thereof your Eyes shall be opened The word Elohim God here used is of the plurall number but God is one And beside it may bee thought that the devill durst not have spoken thus of Christ his creator if Hae had beene God blessed above all Answ The reason why Christ is every where in the Scripture called Elohim is because that being eternally the Sonne of God He also received of the Father power over all things and was appointed to bee that man by whom the world should be redeemed and judged So the word Elohim though sometimes given to Angels sometime to men yet it abates nothing of the excellency of his being To the reason I answer that the devill never perswades a man to sinne but first he corrupts his opinion concerning God For hee that hath true and beseeming thoughts of God is not easily drawne to a wilfull sinne Therefore the devill doth here first perswade the woman to distrust the truth and goodnesse of God as being an enemy to him and his creature man as was said before chap. 22. But if the devill had in so many words affirmed that which Postellus doth yet we know he is a lyar from the beginning and abode not in the truth 11. Gen 19.24 it is said that the Lord rayned upon Sodome fire and brimstone from the Lord by which place though it may appeare that the Sonne is coessentiall with
the Father for both are named by the name of Iehova yet the Father hath the excellency of honour before Him and that he executes no Iudgement in the creature but by his fathers beheast which is yet more evident by that which is Zach. 3.2 And the Lord said unto Satan The Lord rebuke thee O Satan whereby it may seeme either that there is not an equality of power in the Persons of the Trinity or else that there is a created Mediator in whom the second Person of the Trinity doth dwell Ans If the dignities of the deity be essential as was proved then if there be one nature of the Father and the Sonne it followes that their power and all other dignities are coequall Onely the Father hath the prerogative of originall in this that the Son is of the Father but the Father is not of the Sonne though he never were without the Sonne And therefore those professions of our Lord all power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth Math. 28 18. And the Father hath committed all judgement to the Sonne Ioh. 5.22 are first and above all to beare witnesse to the truth Ioh. 18.37 For if he received his being originally from the Father then of necessity that power also which is essentiall unto him Secondly that as a Sonne he might honour His Father in the dispensation of that power and execution of his Mediatorship And thus hee destroyed Sodome by the power of the Father and thus he prayes that Satan may bee rebuked and the faith of his disciples confirmed Luk. 22.32 Thirdly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as ioying in the glory and excellency of the Father as Ignatius speakes Epist ad Smyrâ—enses Fourthly that wee may know that we have one and the same gratious Mediator which did evermore save and defend his church both before and after his incarnation 12. But it is written Exod 23.20 c. Behold I send an Angel before thee beware of him and obey his voice provoke him not for bee will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him That this Speaker was Christ who had brought the Israelites out of Egypt it is manifest 1 Cor. 10.9 That this Angel may meane Moses it sorts not with some circumstances especially that He will not pardon your transgressions Therefore some Rabbines understand by this Angell Michael the Prince or Angel that standeth for the nation of the Iewes Dan. 10.13.21 but neither can an Angel forgive sinnes Therefore being compared with Exod. 33. v. 2.3 I will send an Angell before thee but I will not goe up with thee least I consume thee in the way it must follow of necessity that this Angell is not the second Person in the Trinity but that created Mediator the Son of man who had power in earth to forgive sinnes Math. 9.6 Answer That being granted which is Ioh. 10.38 Ioh. 14.10 That Christ is in the Father and the Father in Him these words being spoken in the Person of the Father wil prove that Christ is the worker of al deliverances for his Church both temporall and eternall and that he hath power to forgive sins and that the name or being of God is truely in Him So by this Angell no created Mediator can be understood for every sin is a breach of the law of God against an infinite Iustice which God alone and no creature can forgiue And therefore that sonne of man which had power on earth to forgive sinne must of necessity bee God and not a created Mediator And although Israel were here threatned that God would depart from them for their Calfe yet it is manifest vers 17. that God at the prayer of Moses pardoned their sinne and brought them into Canaan But to take the objection as it may make most for this opinion that God doth threaten to send a created Angel yet these words My name is in him cannot prove him to be this created Mediator but rather that the Angell to be sent should have a power delegate whereby to punish the rebellions of the people without sparing and that power was the power or name of God in him 13. I but Psal 45.6 after the Prophet had confessed unto Christ Thy throne O God is for ever and ever thou hast loved righteousnesse and hated iniquity hee addes verse 7. Therefore God even thy God hath annointed thee By which it may seeme that Christ though God yethath a God and is God by grace and a created mediator as Hermes Trismeg in Asclep cals the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Creator of this God Answer Christ though God eternall yet as man a created Mediator hath a God as he saith Ioh. 20.17 I ascend to my God and your God and in this sence God is his God which hath annointed Him with the oyle of gladnesse above all that are partakers with him of flesh and bloud For he received not the spirit by measure but of his fulnesse have we received grace 14. Esay saith Chap. 43. v. 10. Before mee was no God formed neither shall there bee after mee Therefore the Mediatour that spake there must bee a created Mediatour Answer It followes Esay 44.6 I am the first and I am the last and beside mee there is no God therefore he is not a created Mediatour but the Creator of all things But that text of 43.10 it seemes did somewhat trouble the Greeke interpreters who with one consent translated the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was formed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was to this sence there was no God before me though some of them left out the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God and some kept it according to the Hebrew but this text proves nothing to that purpose for which it is cited but rather as it followeth on the verse before thus much That if none of the Gods of the natione could bring forth their witnesses that they had promised and performed then the Iewes might witnesse with him and especially his chosen servant Iesus in whom all his promises are yea and Amen that hee was before all their formed Gods and should be after them So that if hee were before and after all their formed Gods whom yet they did confesse to bee immortall for no man takes him for a god that must dye Ioh. 12.34 therefore against themselves they must witnesse that he was the true God 15. It is said Rom. 8.26 That the Spirit maketh intercession for us with gronings that cannot be uttered which cannot be but with earnestnesse of desire and paine but neither of these can befall unto God yet is our Mediator one yesterday and to day and the same for ever Therefore the Mediator is a created being which continually hath made and doth make intercession for the Saints according to the will of God vers 27. Answer Though Christ be our eternall Mediatour as was said above Obiect 6. one as the Sonne of God eternall one Sonne of the Virgin
a new life in another must also die I know that some both of the Fathers and Schoole-men are cited of a contrary opinion but our learned King Damenob lib. 3. cap. 3. vpon reasons in nature unanswereable hath shewed the impossibilitie of this generation to which I will adde one reason out of the Holy Scripture Wee are commanded by God Exod. 20. Ephe. 6. to honour our Fathers and Mothers Now if Merlin for instance or the Nation of the Hungars were begotten by devills then by that commandement were they also charged to honour the devill which as no man under paine of Hell-fire may doe so were it a damnable sinne for any man to thinke that God hath commanded it And yet this fancy would take strength from Genes 6.2 4. where the sonnes of God which Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 70. will have to bee Angels accompanied with women and so by that transgression of kynds Gyants were bred See hereto Tertull de virg velandis But those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nephelim Gyants or man-quellers who prized themselves by their violence and cruelty were not so called in respect of their stature for they are after called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gibborim men of courage or strength as every valiant or strong man is titled But the sonnes of God or as our Lord calls them The sonnes of the kingdome that is which held the hope of Christ to come yet not living according to that hope but following their owne lust and joyning in marriage with Infidells and Atheists neglecting the bringing up of their children in obedience and vertue it must needs bee that they must become gracelesse and fierce and so for their crueltie brought the flood vpon themselves And this is that wretched and wicked state whereto the world especially this little world of ours is againe returned and cries to heaven for that second baptisme of the fire c Necessary that the conception should be by the Holy-Ghost You see by these two reasons one taken from the humanity of Christ the other from His Divinitie that it was necessary that our Mediator in both respects should bee conceived of the Holy-Ghost They that have little time to thinke on naturall Philosophies need some helpe to vnderstand the difference of generation and conception And let us not bee afraid to speake of the workes of God to His honour according to trueth and modestie Generation or begetting is actively in the Parents for the female is also an agent in respect of the feminine seed which shee affords generation passively is in that which is begotten Conception is an action or passion concurrent or necessary to generation For although the seed on both sides bee afforded yet if it bee weake and vnfit for generation as in lustfull persons or if it bee not retained and duely nourished in the wombe there can bee no conception Therefore in this wonderfull generation of our Saviour whereby he was made a naturall man by naturall causes as farre as they were incorrupted there was also a conception necessary The conception actively was in the Holy-Ghost who prepared and fitted first the minde of the Virgin for if her actions or sufferings herein had not beene voluntary they had no way beene availeable unto her selfe for eternall life then her body with all the powers and parts thereof that shee might conceive that is both afford retaine and nourish that blessed tabernacle of Him that would dwell in us The conception passively was either dispositive whereby the body of the Virgin was so fitted to conceive or finall whereby that which was conceived was perfected in every degree according to all the naturall causes necessary thereto And because the Goly-Ghost was the chiefe agent or worker in all this therefore is the conception properly attributed unto Him d The conception was not by man That poore and base conceit of Ebion Cerinthus and their followers unworthy of that soule which should presume to thinke on God or His glorious workes you reade before Chap. 24. § 4 5 6 7. where it is sufficiently refuted and their reasons answered and before that you might see it strangled by all the reasons of the 22. Chapter CHAP. XXVI Borne of the Virgin Mary SO the Infinite Wisedome and Love of God delighted in man that there is no kind of perfection possible to the creature which hee hath not either manifested or promised unto him To frame and fashion the body of Adam out of the earth with His owne hands to breath into him an immortall soule was a wonderfull work and one alone Out of that virgin man to take a rib and thereof to make a woman was a worke no lesse wonderfull and one alone The ordinary propagation of man-kind is the third way for increase because Hee that was the Lord of all kindes here below should not be inferiour unto them in the possibility of bringing foorth his like But that fourth and last way of mans generation was that which out of the side of the virgin woman brought out that man which should restore and give perfection to all the rest More excellent than the third which from corrupted and sinfull parents multiplies more corrupted and sinfull children more powerfull then the second which out of the more perfect sex brought out that which was lesse perfect more glorious and availeable to us then the first which raised Adam out of dust For by this God himselfe to become one of us tooke that which was ours that he might give unto us that which was His. And for the cleere proofe of this Article a That our Lord Christ was borne of a Virgin 1. Let this be one ground which the holy Virgin her selfe did stand upon Luke 1.34 That without the society of man it is a thing in nature utterly impossible that any generation of mankind can be Secondly That which is impossible to nature because the power whereby nature doth worke is a limited power and in the perfect kinds of things according to one rule is yet possible to God Luke 1.37 Thirdly That the workes of God Himselfe the author of Nature are more noble excellent and perfect then those of nature Whereupon it will follow reasonably that sith our Saviour could be borne of a virgin if He would it was covenient so to be but He could as it appeares by that which is said and also would for so He declared it by His Prophet Esay 7.14 Behold a Virgin shall conceive and beare a Sonne Therefore our Lord was borne of a virgin 2. All the fulnes of perfection ought to be in Him who was to restore man to that perfection which he had lost Therefore as Christ our Saviour had a Father in heaven without a mother being begotten of the substance of His father by an unconceiveable and most glorious generation So ought He in earth without a father to have a mother without any taint or spot a Virgin 3. And seeing the Incarnation or Conception and Birth of the GOD
He had not died a most shamefull death Therefore it was expedient that He should so die 8. Full and perfect obedience is due from man-kind unto the Creator and especially from that Man of men their Prince and Captaine who ought to be an example unto them of all those vertues whereby they ought to glorifie His Father Therefore that faithfull men might willingly die for the love and service of God it was necessary that our Lord should give the example See 1. Peter 2.21 4. and Buried 1. IT is said that death is the uttermost or last of evills And that wee might by all arguments bee assured of His death by whose suffering of death wee are ransomed from the power of death it was necessary that after His death our Lord should bee buried Seeing that by His buriall we are assured not only that He was truely dead but also that during the time of His buriall He was held under the power of death 2. The greatest triumph cannot bee ascribed but to the greatest victory manifest and knowne The greatest victory is over the greatest enemy Death and him that had the power of death the Devill And that Christ might be acknowledged to have risen againe and so to have triumphed over death it was necessary that after His death He should be buried Seeing many persons in Apoplexies Plagues Singer in his drunkennesse so after hanging drowning falls and other both inward sicknesses and outward violences have been supposed to have beene dead which yet have returned to life againe But after buriall for so long time no man ever returned to life but by a power that was divine Therefore that our Lord might truely be acknowledged to have risen from the dead and so to have triumphed over Death it was necessary first that Hee should be buried 3. That blessed Spirit which knew from the beginning what should come to passe at the last who fore-saw the malice of the Priests and Scribes and knew their hardnesse of heart to beleeve all that was spoken by the Prophets that the resurrection of Christ might be most manifest before-hand decreed and spake Esay 53.9 That Hee should make His grave with the rich in His death Therefore was He not onely buried in fine linnen and perfumes of Ioseph our Apostle and Nicodemus but also by the plot of the High-Priests was He made sure in His grave the great stone which shut it up being firmely fastened in the Rocke See Lamentations 3. verse 9.53 into which the Grave was hewed with c cramps of Iron sodered into Both and surely guarded with a strong watch that both His Death His Buriall and His Resurrection might bee witnessed even by His very enemies Matth. 28.11 Notes a 1. HEe was pleased to be borne man The errours of Simon Valentin and Apelles which you had before Note a on the 26. Chapter though directly they oppose the truth of the former article yet have I refer'd the refutation of them to this place because they also take away the merit of Christs passion from us wherein alone our hope consists But seeing that Simon in his Heresie sided with the Iewes against whom I haue disputed in the 24. Chapter and besides them had not many followers though after him it were recalled from hell by one Proclus an obscure fellow Aug. heres cap. 60. Seeing no reasons are or can be brought either by Simon or by the Iewes to prooue the assertion the onely authority of S. Iohn is able utterly to strangle this whelpe See then Chap. 1.4 The Word was made flesh And 1. Ep. Chap. 1. That which was from the beginning which we have heard and seene and lookedon and our hands have handled c. And againe Chap. 4. Every spirit that confesseth that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God 2. The doctrine of Valentin is refuted at large by Irenaus lib. 3. cap. 11. 32. And that by the manifest authority of S. Paul Gal. 4.4 where it is said That Christ was made of a woman So also by Tertullian in his Booke De carne Christi The Evangelists Matthew and Luke describe His humane generation Besides His manly Passions approove Him to have had the true holy of a man as to be Hungry Thirsty Weary to Sweat to Weepe c. Moreover if He had not suffered in the true and very Body of man His suffering for us had been of none effect for the ransome of our bodies Their Arguments you may see more at large in the Bookes cited But Epiphanius Haer. 1. layes not this Heresie to the charge of Valentin as the Authors forenamed And S. Aug. haer oap 12. but rather puts it to Marcion Haer. 42. who taught that the Incarnation of Christ was not in deed but onely in shew whom he refutes only by those Scriptures which Marcion allowed of as the Gospel of S. Luke which Marcion received except that which concernes the Genealogie of Christ and certaine Epistles of Saint Paul For all the Olde Testament and the rest of the New lie rejected But in these Scriptures Christ calleth Himselfe the Sonne of man Hee was thronged by the multitude He lift up His eyes He prayed on His knees His feet were anointed He slept on the sea He is made of the seed of David according to the flesh Rom. 1.3 So that if David had a true manly body then also the body of Christ was a true manly body He gave up the ghost His lifelesse body was taken from the Crosse wrapped in Linnen and Buried After His Resurrection also He said Handle me and see mee for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luke 24.39 And these Texts out of those Scriptures only are sufficient to reproove the falshood of these Hereticks And for full satisfaction heerein you may take the interpretation of Tho. Aqu. cont gent. l. 4. c. 30. to those Texts of Scripture whence Valentin might seeme to have taken occasion or his Heresie First it is said Iohn 3.13 No man hath ascended up to heaven but Hee that came downe from heaven the Sonne of man which is in heaven Answer This comming downe from heaven cannot bee meant of His body or of His soule because of that which followes The Sonne of man which is in heaven for it is proper onely to the Godhead to fill both heaven and earth Ier. 23.24 Therefore as God is said to have come downe from heaven not properly but in respect of His dwelling in the Manhood So is the Sonne of man also said to be in heaven not properly but in respect of the unity of His humanity with the Godhead According to this sence Hee said also Iohn 6.38 I came downe from heaven to doe the will of Him that sent me as you read before Note g § 10. ob 9. on Chap. 24. Another Text which may seeme to make for Valentin is 1. Cor. 15.47 The first man is of the earth earthly the second man is the Lord
Sheol by the Septuagint translated Hades except by way of prophecy concerning Christ cannot signifie the place of the damned from whence there is no returning but onely extreame dangers griefe or hellish sorrowes of mind or such sicknesses as brought the body in danger of the grave To these words especially in the three last significations 2. Of the state of the Dead 3 Of the Place and 4. Paines of the damned the words Inferi and Infernus in Latin doe answere But hell with us is proper to the place of torment and doth not signifie any thing else but by a trope and is not of Heal as I thinke which sometime signifies to cover much lesse of Helle the Dutch word as much as bright or shining but of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hel a deepe ditch or trench as the word is used 2 Sam. 20.15 They cast up a banke against the City and it stood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bahel in the trench And hee that thinkes not that the Saxon our true language hath many things common with the Hebrew knowes neither the one nor the other as hee might § 2. Sect. 2 Now according to these takings of the words different interpretations have beene made of this Article of which because so much hath already beene written among our selues I may and purpose to be more briefe But because some formes of confession have left this Article out therefore it hath growne questionable whether it was alwayes in this Creed of the Apostles or not Of the Apostles I say or Apostolicall men their hearers gathered as the summe of the Apostles doctrine concerning the Faith And true it is that as it cannot be said by whom where or when this Creed was first composed as being the most ancient in this kind the rest being onely explications of some points herein made upon occasions of heresies or doubts thereabout So doe some men certainely affirme that all the other Articles were not put together at once Yet is it without doubt that this Article is as ancient as the rest that are found in the Creed seeing the most ancient among the Fathers Athanasius Origen Tertullian Irenaeus and others have so received and declared it And therefore that fancy of Eraesmus who suspected that Thomas Aquinas might foy'st it in was farre below both the one and the other seeing it is confest by Ruffinus who lived within the first 400. yeeres after Christ to have beene in the Creed used in the Church of Aquileia and so by him interpreted with the rest But although the Councell at Nice in Bithinia left it out of their Creed because their speciall businesse was against Arius concerning the Deitie of our Saviour and although the Arians in their Councell at Nice in Thracia put it in their Creed nay although Aquinas had first put it in were it therefore fit to leave it out or not to count it an Article of Faith as some would doe I thinke not seeing the holy Scripture gives authority to it Psalm 16.10 referred to Christ by the exposition of Saint Peter Actes 2.27 seeing all the Christian Churches have receiued it and seeing that according to the true and necessary meaning thereof there is no Article of the Creed which doth more clearely and directly overthrow the heresies of Arius and the Dimaeritae concerning the humane soule of Christ of which you read Chapter 26. Note a § 2. 1. Now concerning the different interpretations Some according to the first meaning of Sheol and Hades for the Grave thinke that Christ was truely buried and kept in the Grave three dayes and that this Article had no other meaning but a further declaration of Dead and Buried against the opinion of Marcion Valentin and such other heretickes as denyed the trueth of Christs being and His suffering as you heard before Note a on Chap. 27. 2. Others would that beyond the death and buriall it should impart a disposing of His body to corruption But if their meaning therein be this That the body of our Lord was laid in the grave where corruption doth seaze on the bodies of other men then this blind descent can looke no further then His buriall or if it must needs meane any thing more then would they force us by this Article to beleeve and confesse that which by the Scripture we know to be false For it was impossible that the holy One of God should either see corruption or be brought to any degree or disposition thereunto beyond the death and buriall of His body See Acts 2.24 27. 3. Some other by this descent of Christ will understand the uttermost degree of His humiliation that could come unto Him while His Soule was parted from the Body His honour laid in the dust the devill and his instruments triumphing over Him But the Creed was not framed to teach us the triumph and ioy of His enemies but His victory and their confusion And concerning our Lord Himselfe this goes no further then either of the former interpretations except in that sence which you shall heare anon Therefore none of these can be the meaning of this Article For in the abridgement or summe of our Faith interpretations are not fit especially such as are more darke than that to which they should give light Therefore this Article Hee descended into hell cannot in any of the former meanings be a declaration of that Hee was dead and buryed 4. A fourth interpretation is of them who thinke the descent of Christ meanes thus much onely That His soule being departed out of His body went unto the soules of the faithfull which were in Paradise which they interpret heaven But seeing heaven being taken not metaphorically for Ioy and happinesse but properly for a place must in all sence signifie that which is upward from the earth It must needes bee a very aukward interpretation of He descended into hell to say He ascended or went upward into heaven yet because this interpretation brings both reason and authoritie it shall bee examined by and by 5. A fift interpretation is of them who will have this descent to signifie nothing else but the endurance of those unspeakable sorrowes and torments which He suffered in soule being in His agony and on the crosse 6. A sixt sence is of them who hold that Hee did locally goe downe to hell so that according to the essence or being of His soule He was truely present there And as the former of these denie not but that Christ by His death did utterly spoile the powers of darknesse and so may be said virtually and by the effects of His suffering to have gone downe into hell because that by the eternall offering of Himselfe a ransome for the sinnes of the world and the performance thereof in the time appointed He did utterly free all His beleevers from Hell which was their due and setled them in the inheritance of eternall life so these latter for the most part denie not but that all this
another starre in glory So is the resurrection and so are the degrees in the blessednesse of the Saints And if every man that considers the disposition of God toward himselfe in this life doe looke thereon with a thankefull eye he may confesse with Saint Augustine That it hath been such as if God had neglected His other creatures to thinke in mercy on him alone Beside to say nothing of the merit of our Saviour confessed to be infinite and all-sufficient for us I say That the force of this reason stands on two false foundations One of the proposition for if the same faith must have the same effects in every quality and degree Why are not we that have the same faith translated hence as Henoch was The other of the supposition That in the kingdom of glory which we on both sides account to begin actually immediately after this life there is not a progresse from one degree of happinesse unto another which as it is contrary to reason so is it to the holy Scripture For is it not meet that as there hath beene a going forward in vertue and godlinesse in this life so there should be of the reward thereof in the next Shall not the ioy of the soule be increased when both body and soule doe joy together which cannot be till the resurrection till when we must endure that penalty of losse as you are pleased to call it Beside the holy Text is plaine 2 Cor. 3.18 That we beholding the glory of the Lord are changed into the same image from glory to glory And how farre or how long shall this be Euen till God be all in all 1 Corin. 15.28 You may read to this purpose Revel 6.10 4. Objection Enoch was taken unto God Object 4 and Elias was carried up to heaven in a whirle-wind 2. Reg. 12. Therefore the faithfull before Christ were in heaven Answere Elias was taken up into heaven that is the Ayre and translated into Paradise whither Enoch had beene translated that he should not see death but into the highest heavens they came not yet as it will appeare by Iohn 3.13 5. Objection But wee are come to the Citie of God Object 5 the heavenly Ierusalem to an innumerable companie of Angels to the spirits of Iust men c. Heb. 12.22 23 24. And the Angels are the Inhabitants of heaven not of any terrestriall or infernall Paradise Ergo. Answere Wherever the favourable acceptance of God and His holy comforts are there is heaven where not hell But to the place alleaged I say 1. Wee are come in faith and hope to heaven not to the actuall possession thereof 2. It is one thing to speake of the state of the soule since Christ For from His ascension it is not denied but that the soules of the faithfull goe immediately to heaven as Cyprian Ambrose and some few other of the Fathers doe thinke whom you shall find cited by Ioh. Vossius pag. 104.105 But the question is of them that died before who if they were in heaven already then the prayer of our Lord Iohn 17.24 had beene in vaine which were wicked blasphemy for any one to say or thinke 3. It is denied that heaven is so the proper place of the Angels but that they are every where whither they are sent And doe they not in every place pitch their tents about them that feare God to deliver them Psal 34.7 and 91.11 Are they not all ministring spirits sent forth for their sakes that shall bee heires of salvation Heb. 1.14 And this is and shall bee their imployment till God by their ministery have gathered all His children into one So this text of Hebr. 12. prooves not either that the Angels are perpetuall inhabitants of Heaven or that the faithfull soules went thither before Christ Obiect 6. Obiect 6 Christ dying commended His spirit into the hands of God Therefore that went into Heaven and therefore the soules of the faithfull were in Heaven Answ This is worse and worse The faithfull were in Heaven ergo Christ Christ ergo the faithfull ô Circle But to the text The hand of God shall find out them that hate Him Psal 21.8 Are they therefore in Heaven In His hands are all the corners of the earth Psalm 95.4 What is your conclusion But if the hand of God in this place must signifie that fulnesse of joy which is at His right hand for ever that doth alwayes accompany the faithfull soule and is not tyed either to time or place or whether it signifie the protection of God which might seeme to be most needfull in the horrours of death and passage unto that place which as man He knew not it doeth not follow thereupon that the soule of Christ ascended into Heaven much lesse that the soules of the faithfull were in Heaven before And that the trueth of this position may more plainely appeare that the soules of the faithfull before Christ had not ascended into Heaven and consequently that the soule of Christ who was free among the dead Psalm 88.5 Who was made in all things like to His brethren except their sinne did not ascend from the Crosse into Heaven you may if you please examine these Reasons 1. Sect. 6 The Lord is righteous and His Iudgements are upright Psalm 119. verse 137. And all His workes are done in trueth and equity Psalm 111.8 But it might seeme a breach of an infinite justice to give the full accomplishment of happinesse in Heaven to the soules for whose sinnes the satisfaction was not yet made And therefore although the Elect which were dead were justified from their sinnes By the blood of the everlasting Covenant Rom. 6.7 were freed from the punishment thereof and set in assured hope and expectation of those benefits whereof they should be made further partakers by the death of Christ and so rejoyced under the hope of the glory of God that should be revealed in them and in the meane time were filled with all the comforts of a present joy yet they received not the fulnesse of the promised joyes in Heaven God providing better for us that without us they should not bee perfected Hebr. 11.39 40. Neither doth this any way abate from the all-sufficiency of Christs merit no more then that we assoone as wee have received the full assurednesse of faith are not carried up to heavenly glory or that the Saints that are dead in Christ are not yet raised up to immortality For seeing the word is to be fulfilled betweene us and the reprobate Angels that the first shall bee last and the last shall be first that no creature may glory in it selfe it is necessary that wee passe by all the degrees of perfection from this low estate of mortality wherein wee are till such time as wee come to bee equall with the Angels Luke 20.36 For the law of Grace doth not take away the law of Nature That from one extremity to another there is no passage but by all
the meanes 2. Doth reason onely dictate this Doth not the Scripture say also the same For if Christ bee therefore the first-borne from the dead 1. Cor. 15.20 that Hee may bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 firsting or having the first place or preheminence in all things Col. 1.18 Is not the argument also good Christ is ascended that Hee in all things may have the preheminence And if the dead bee therefore raised againe by the vertue of Christs resurrection who was therefore raised up by the glory of the Father Rom. 6.4 Iohn 5.21 doe they not also ascend by the vertue of His ascension So that before the Ascension of Christ our head there was no ascension for any of the members It was the word of our Lord Himselfe Iohn 3.13 No man hath ascended up to heaven But I heare one whisper against this that the soule is not said to ascend without the body and therefore the soules might bee in heaven though they ascend not So the cavill is onely about the word Ascend But the reason For it is said Actes 2.34 David is not ascended up into heaven And this was spoken by Peter after Christs ascension So that although Davids soule was not in heaven before but went with Christ at his ascension yet David is then said not to have ascended Al. Hume Rej. to Doctor Hil. But had this man well considered the circumstances of this text in the 25. verse David speaketh concerning Christ and so as it followeth in the 29.30.31 he would have taken this text from David as S. Luke doth when he saith David is not ascended that is this Scripture doth not at all belong to David concerning any ascending or descending of his but to Him alone of whom David speaketh Psal 100. The Lord said unto my Lord sit at my right hand The like speech to this is that of our Lord Luke 22.42 Not my will but thy will be done And yet it is said of Him Psal 40.8 I delight to doe thy will O my God Thy law is written in my heart So the will of God was done as the first moving cause of our salvation the wil of Christ was done as subordinate not as the first cause See Heb. 10.9 So 1. Cor. 15.10 Not I laboured but the grace of God which was within mee And yet who knowes not the labours of Paul to have beene above all the rest of the Apostles 2. Cor. 11.23 ad finem yet he of his owne motion laboured not for the Church but persecuted it So David ascended not as the first fruits of them that slept but Christ ascended so by vertue of whose ascension David and all the rest of the faithfull shall ascend But not to fight with the shadow I take the word at the manifest meaning that David is not ascended and from thence conclude against themselues That if David had not ascended before Christ nor yet ascended with Him much lesse were the faithfull soules in heaven before Christ but that the soule of David dwells and must still dwell in Paradise with Daniel and the rest of the faithfull till the end bee Dan. 12.13 But if they will needes have the soule of David in heaven not formaliter as all the faithfull soules are in respect of the heavenly joyes which they have in Paradise but locally then I say it must needes have ascended For if the soule being in one place is not in another and if heaven be upward in respect of the earth then when Dauids soule went into heauen it must needes be said to ascend or goe upward as Luke 2.15 speakes of the Angels and Solomon Eccles 3.21 speaketh of the spirit or soule There ore this is but a poore shift such as they must needes bee driven unto that oppose the trueth Yet thus he holds it sufficient to mocke at the direct word of our Lord which is Iohn 20.17 I have not yet ascended to my Father For if He had then must there be two ascensions as they beleeve one of the soule alone and another of the body and soule together 3. Yet it is said Iohn 14.2 I goe to prepare a place for you And if I goe to prepare a place I will come againe and receive you to my selfe By which it is plaine that none could goe to heaven before Christ our Lord had gone and prepared a place for them which was not done before His death and ascension 4. Moreover it is said Heb. 9.8 the way into the holyest of all was not yet open while the first Tabernacle was yet standing Whereto if you take that which is verse 24. Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands which are figures of the true but into heaven it selfe it will bee manifest that there was no entrance as not into the holy of holies so much lesse into heaven before that Christ by His death had opened it as our Church confesseth in the hymne of Ambrose When thou haddest overcome the sharpenesse of death thou didst open the Kingdome of Heaven to all beleevers Whereupon it must necessarily follow that the soules of the faithfull were not in heaven properly so called before the death and resurrection of Christ 5. To this purpose you may also bring that which is Ephe. 4.8 When Hee ascended up on high He led Captivitie captive Now what was this captivitie or multitude of captives Were they reprobate You will not say it If the Elect then it followes necessarily that they were not in heaven before the ascension of Christ except you will bring them downe from thence to fetch up Christ in triumph but then had they not beene captives if already triumphing in heaven then had not the conquest of Christ over death and him that had the power of death beene so glorious if hee had had no captives to lead in triumph And therefore Esay 53.12 after the suffering of Christ describes His conquest thus I will divide Him a portion with the great and He shall divide the spoyle with the strong The faithfull soules therefore being held under the power of death though free from His tyranny and torment as it is said Sap. 3.1 The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God and no torments shall touch them whereby Christ having bought them of God and payd their ransome brought out of all power of their strong enemie out of the shadow of death into the everlasting light of Paradise in all the libertie and ioy of the understanding to view the Wisedome of God in His most glorious workes as you may read further a little below Sect. 8. Numb 3. Sect. 7. Sect. 7 Now having shewed the different interpretations of this Article and as I thinke fully proved that the soule of Christ went not to heaven properly so called before His resurrection but that it was glorious and blessed among His Saints in happinesse and so in heaven formaliter as they speake It is fit that wee draw toward a conclusion which
before wee can come unto it must first appeare what Abrahams bosome what Paradise is and where it was Then why the word of descending into hell is heere used with the solution of such doubts as fall in the way The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bosome sometime signifies a baye of the sea wherein harbour and safety is from waves and tempests and thus the word is used Act. 27.39 Thus Lazarus Luke 16. might be said to be in Abrahams bosome that is to have arived and cast anker in that safe and quiet haven of happinesse where Abraham the father of all the faithfull because he against hope beleeved in hope Rom. 4.18 was now in blisse or else it may signifie a bosome properly as it is used in Luke 6.38 and thus also Lazarus might bee said to bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in cheare and joy in Abrahams bosome as Saint Iohn Ioh. 13.23 lay leaning in the bosome of Iesus his uncle at supper as the manner of that countrey was sometime to eate their meate lying on the ground The word Paradise whether it be native greeke of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it is supposed to be plentifully watered or a Persian word as good Authors affirme and that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pardes used in Eccles 2.5 and Cant. 4.13 signifies a place of pleasure inclosed or a parke and so it is used in Xenophon Cyrop lib. 1. or a garden as the Greekes translated the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gan in Genes Chap. 2. and 3. or an orchard as in the texts of Solomon before And hither was our Lord first said to have come after His death because as Adam by his sin had lost his happy estate in the earthly paradise So Christ by His death did recover the hope of our returne into the heavenly For the gift is not as the offence Rom. 5.15 By these two words the blessed estate of the faithfull is signified though with some difference not of place but degree of happinesse as I shewed For although the children of the kingdome were all and at all times heires of the fame hopes yet they that were in Abrahams bosome before Christ had not that fulnesse of joy which they had after their redemption was fully wrought and He not now in Abrahams bosome with them but Abraham and all his faithfull children with him in Paradise To the same sence concerning the state of happinesse is the Kingdome of Heaven used Luke 13.28 29. though that word expresse also the joyes after the resurrection And because it was ever thought even among naturall men as the Heathen Philosophers that the soule was immortall and that after death it was better to them that had lived well then to the wicked therefore were they perswaded that their soules went to a place of rest and happinesse which they called as they pleased 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the house of Pluto by the common name and that of pleasure the Elysian fields of torment a place inclosed by Acheron a river without joy And sith the body went downe to the earth from whence it was and that they perswaded themselves that every creature might be abundantly happy in that region whereof it was an inhabitant as being the onely region that was fit for it therefore they thought that the place of the soules rest was not farre from the body and so went downe into the earth And because the ancient Church could not teach the heathen conuerted to God but by such words and language as they understood and differed not much in meaning from that which they themselues beleeued therefore were they content to use this manner of speech of descending to Hades the house of Pluto or hell which the vulgar had been taught by their guides the Philosophers and Poets In stead of all the rest see Plato in Phaedone and Virgil. Aeneidos lib. 6. yet they meant by this descent of Christ into hell no other thing but that His soule being separate from His body went into that place where the faithfull soules were then at rest and in assured hope of further joy But because our Church uses not the terme descending but teaches her owne children in their owne tongue to confesse that Christ went downe to hell Artic. 2. Let us not forsake the law of our mother Prouerb 6.20 but rather endeavour to know what this going downe to hell may meane And certainely it must needes bee thought a thing either of great obscurity or of little necessity wherein our Church as most other hath not held it fit to make any further declaration Therefore though I take liberty to enquire what the possible or most likely meaning of the words may be yet I presume not to affirme any thing but with submission to the Churches judgement when God shall vouchsafe further light thereto to determine according to the Scripture what is the certaine trueth in this or any other question of the like doubtfulnesse 1. To descend to goe or come downe is used diversly But that I may descend to every understanding I will make it of two kinds one of place and that is of three kinds The other of state or condition 1. Of place higher and lower as it is said Luke 9.37 They came downe from the hill and Act. 11.27 There came Prophets downe from Ierusalem to Antioch or from a place of more fame to a meaner as Act. 13.4 From Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they came downe to Seleucia Now if the earth and water made one flat surface which stretched from one side of heaven to the other as the old fancy was then could this descent of Christ meane no other going downe but under that surface And although some of the Fathers were no better Cosmographers then to thinke thus yet for the most part they were better thewed But because our faith suffers not to put any untrueth in nature therefore this going down must be refused 2. But if this globe of the earth bee hollow then this going downe may be meant as most of the Fathers tooke it into that hollownesse of the earth 1. And that the earth is hollow both reason and authority shew it Authority you have 4. Esdr 4.7 where to the question that might be made How many springs are in the beginning of the deepe the answere by the Angel is supposed to be I have not as yet gone downe into hell whereby you see that hell or the place of the dead was below this earth on which we tread and that they that died from hence did all goe thither This was the opinion of the ancients both Heathen and Christians which held the locall descent of Christ and knew the System of the world 2. Had they not reason For neither God nor Nature His seruant doe ought in vaine which yet must needs be heere if from the upper face of the earth to the centre a distance of some 3500. miles on
Mary Mat. 28.9 3. To Simon Peter Luke 24.34 1. Cor. 15.5 4. To Cleopas and his friend Luke 24.15.35 5. To all the Apostles except Thomas Iohn 20.24 to which if you put that time when He ascended on the 40. day from mount Olivet the five appearances remaining for I speake not of those extraordinary manifestations of Himselfe after His ascension to Steven Actes 7.56 and to Paul Actes 9.17 and 1. Cor. 15.8 will bee most likely to have beene on those five Sundayes as wee call them which were betweene as it may well be gathered from Iohn 20.26 because the Lord would fully finish the ceremoniall use of the Iewish Sabbath and sanctifie the day of His resurrection for the remembrance of those benefits which wee receive thereby This use the Primitive Church made of it Iust. Mart. Apol. ad Anton. and further against our Traskits because they would prevent their errours who under the profession of Christianity did still retaine their Iudaisme whose folly to avoid in stead of the Iewish Sabbath they celebrated the day of Christs resurrection Ign ep ad Mag These times of shewing himselfe were 1. To the Disciples and Thomas with them Iohn 20.26 2. At the Sea of Tiberias Iohn 21.1.3 3. On a mountaine of Galilee appointed to them Mat. 28.16 4. To above 500. brethren at once 1 Cor. 15.6 5. To Iames. ver 7. And for the times of His absence from them because it is said in the text to the Ephesians cited above That He did therefore descend into the lower parts of the earth and ascend farre above all heavens that He might fill or fulfill all things which were written of Him not onely those which were necessary for our saluation as His Suffering Resurrection Ascension c. but also whatsoever belonged unto man to doe in that state betweene His resurrection and ascension as you may in part understand by that which hath been said Chapter 28. N. I thinke that in those 33. dayes He in His manly being did view this earth and the fulnesse thereof and especially visit and blesse those places where He did purpose that His Church and trueth should most of all flourish and continue Sect. 2. Thus much for the questions by the way Now turne to that which is the maine To every degree of the abasement of our Redeemer there is a degree of exaltation and glory opposed So this of the Ascension of our Lord into Heaven is set against that of His descent into hell and that by the authority of Saint Paul He that descended is even the same that ascended And although it may very well be thought that after His Passion finished on the Crosse by His death His going to hell was the beginning of His victory to take to Himselfe that power whereby He as the Sonne of man is to reigne over all the powers of death and hell Yet because His body during those three dayes is by most supposed to have been held under the power of death and that all the parts of His victory are to belong unto Him as Hee is Lord both of the quicke and dead that is in His intire humanity soule and body together therefore that descent is rather held by many as the lowest estate of His humiliation as you might read a little before Chap. 28. § 2. N. 3. But that our Lord after that He had by many and infallible signes and arguments by the space of fourty dayes given abundant proofe of His resurrection did ascend into heaven these reasons doe make it manifest 1. Vnto every body is a place due according to the qualities and properties of that body as in all natures here below it appeares that the place is both conseruative and also generative of those things which are peculiar thereto as the lower parts of the earth of the mineralls the surface of the vegetables the water of fishes c. And againe it is manifest that all things under the Moone are subject to corruption and change no beauty strength or excellency is such as is not fading no pleasure such but that in the very using it growes loath some no bravery so costly but in three dayes wearing it waxes stale so that by the voice and consent of all men the Angels and blessed soules and all such beings as are free from corruption and in the state of glory are sent into heaven But it is manifest that our Lord by His resurrection and conquest of death purchased first to Himselfe and then to us a state of glory and immortality Romanes 6.9 Ephes 2.6 Therefore also that Hee ascended into heaven 2. The blessednesse of the creature is onely in this That it may behold the glory of God in whom alone is the excellency of all perfection And this glory is seene onely in the face of Iesus Christ the Mediator as was shewed Chapter 24. § 10. N. 5. unto which blessednesse onely the pure and blessed inhabitants of heaven as the holy Angels and soules of men are dignified And from hence it must follow that our Lord is ascended into heaven the place of Angels and happy soules For no man dwelling in his ruinous house of clay is able to behold that glory Exod. 30.20 3. Hell is the place of torments the earth of troubles changes and calamities therefore heaven is the place of happinesse or else no happinesse at all is to be found But that is impossible For so all things should be created to wretchednesse and misery onely which cannot stand with the loue of God to His creature and His infinite goodnesse And if any such place of happinesse be and He our Saviour not brought thereto then the greatest obedience performed to the Father for the manifestation of His glory should be without reward But this were unjust with God and therefore impossible And therefore it was necessary that our Lord after His resurrection should ascend into heaven 4. By the consent of Christians taught of God and of Heathens taught by nature heaven is the place of the greatest glory and happines as hell of sorrow and wretchednes For although the Heathen allotted a degree of eternall blisse to the soules which they sent to Elysium as you may read of Anchises and others Aeneid 6. yet they supposed that their false gods and such as were by them canonized went up to heaven as Hercules Castor and Pollux Romulus and he that was one of the chiefe masters of the devills slaughter-men Iulius Caesar From whence you may reason thus The place of the greatest glory is most due to Him that is both the Creator and Restorer of all things But such was our Lord Iesus as it hath appeared before Therefore He ascended into heaven 5. It is necessary that the blessed and damned doe differ by all those meanes whereby the paines of the one and the blessednesse of the other may be increased The paines of the damned are increased by the horrour of that place wherein they are tormented therefore
Theol loc 48. quesi 60. c. But in summe against these or any other heresies which may rise against the trueth of this Article take the authorities of the holy Scripture Psalm 24.7 c. Psal 47.5 and 68.18 The place and circumstances of His ascension are remembred Mark 16.18 Luke 24.50 Act. 1.9 Reade hereto Ephes 4.8 1 Tim. 3.16 Hebr. 4.14 and 9.24 And that the naturall property of Christs humane body being now glorified is not destroyed so that is may be every where as the God-head is take these authorities of the holy Seripture First it is said of Him after His resurrection Matth. Mark Luk. He is risen He is not here And Act. 1.10 While they looked up stedfastly as Hewent which must not be by disappearing but by leaving of one place and passage to another and againe vers 11. This IESVS which is taken from you into Heaven therefore not bodily with them still as He saith Iohn 16.7 It is expedient for you that I goe away for if I goe not away that Comforter will not come but if I depart I will send Him to you And therefore it is said Act. 3.21 That the Heavens must containe Him untill the time that all things bee restored And this is spoken of His body neither can it be true of His Deity and if His body be contained in heaven how can it become a piece of bread or in a piece of bread on earth You will say if Christ were last of all seene of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 15.8 how was Hee still contained in the heauens for His conversion was after the ascension I Answere Even as Saint Paul saw in a vision a man named Ananias comming unto Him whom otherwise he saw not till afterward Act. 9.12 and yet the sight by vision from God is a most certaine and true sight Or if it were so that He were indeed in His body taken up into the third heaven as he makes it questionable 2. Cor. 12.2 so might he see as he professeth of himselfe in your understanding CHAP. XXXI ⧠And sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty THe great antiquitie of this Creed appearing to be even from the time of the Apostles brought some writers into an opinion that the twelue Apostle before their departure from Ierusalem to preach unto the Gentiles gave out this forme of confession of the faith to bee acknowledged of every Convert before they might bee baptized and appointed that all interpretation of Scripture should be made according to the rule of it as they will understand that text in Rom. 12.16 And some will yet bee more particular herein that every Apostle brought in that Article which he thought fit to be beleeved Yea and for a need they will tell you which Article every Apostle made and so have of necessitie limitted the Articles to the number of twelve But the Scripture admits no other rule of Interpretation than it selfe And so I confesse that the Creed may be a rule in as much as it hath the foundation in the Holy Scripture As Saint Augustine saith lib. 3. de Symb. ad Catech. Chapter 1. Deus in ecclesia regulam c. God would have one perpetuall rule to be in the Church which should be simple briefe and such as every one might easily understand according to which the godly mighty examine all doctrine and interpretation of the Scripture to receive that which is agreeable thereunto and to refuse that which is contrary And although for your satisfaction therein I have followed the fashion for the number of Articles as you may see yet it cannot be denied but that if you take every several conclusion for an Article there are in all 17. or 18 at least fifteene severall Articles of which this of our Lords sitting at the right hand of God will be one although in that number of 12. it goe as a part of the Article before Hee ascended into heaven But this is not a thing of any great importance And therefore let us rather looke to the certainty thereof for that is necessary for us to know and beleeve But it may be demanded why in the Creed such a Metaphor should be used as might endanger younglings and novices to thinke with the Anthropomorphites that the invisible God is like to man with hands and bodily parts To which wee may answere that the Christians I speake not of wilfull hereticks were not so ill instructed but that they knew right well how to discerne betweene Christ and a Vine Iohn 15. betweene a figurative and a proper speech And therefore the Fathers in the Church the Author or Authors of this Creed having a jealous care of the trueth of God doubted not to propose it in the words of God Himselfe Therefore seeing this part of Christs glory is so prophesied to bee fulfilled Psal 110. cited Heb. 1.13 The Lord said unto my Lord sit at my right hand untill I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole it is so to be retained in the Article of our Creed And although it bee a borrowed speech yet seeing it is so taken into use by our Lord Himselfe and by the Pen-men of the New-Testament it is by all meanes most fit so to hold it For so our Lord speakes Matth. 26.64 and Luke 22.69 Hereafter shall you see the Sonne of man sit on the right hand of the Power of God So Col. 3.1 Christ sitteth above at the right hand of God So Hebr. 1.3 and 10.12 and 12.2 with many other Scriptures to the like purpose The word To sit signifies either to tarry or continue as in Luk. 22.49 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sit that is abide or stay in the Citie of Ierusalem or else it signifies to raigne as in Esay 16.5 The Throne shall be established and Hee shall sit upon it in trueth So the right hand of God signifies either power as Act. 2.33 Hee being by the right hand that is the power of God exalted or else it signifies happinesse and joy eternall as it is said Psal 16. and 11. verse At thy right hand are pleasures for evermore And although some Interpreters make the meaning of this Article that Christ as God hath equall glory and power with the Father yet all these Articles from the second to the eight shew what wee are to beleeve of our Mediatour concerning His man-hood And as our Saviour in the state of His humiliation was for the greater scorne and contempt crucified betweene the two malefactors one on the right hand the other on the left So in this glory of His opposed thereto He is set on the right hand of the Majestie on high the principalities and powers being subjected unto Him 1. Pet. 3.22 So then the meaning of this Article is not onely that Christ in our nature confide caro sits at the right hand of God in heaven but also as Hee speaketh Matth. 28.18 that All power is given unto Him both in Heauen and in earth Vnto
Him I say is all power given to raigne and to order the state of the world not onely as the sonne of God which He did and doth eternally with the Father and the Holy-Ghost Pro. 18.15 but as He is the Son of man Iohn 5.27 as Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 15.28 He that was raised from the dead must reigne till Hee hath put all His enemies under His feete This glory of Christ is thus declared Ephe. 1.20 c. God having raised Him from the dead hath set Him at His right hand in the heavenly places farre above all principalitie and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not onely in this world but also in that which is to come and hath put all things under his feete and hath given Him to bee the head over all things unto his Church The manifestation therefore of this glory in the humanitie and the exercise of this power is in the discharge and execution of those offices and dignities which He hath received of the Father to bee the King the Priest and Prophet unto His Church He then as King doth order the affaires of the world sometime restraining the power of Tyrants and Persecutors of His trueth sometimes suffering their rage to grow on high yet arming the hearts of His seruants and subjects with courage and constancy against their fury that it may appeare that He raignes in the hearts of men and turneth them whithersoever He will Otherwhile againe giving Kings and Queenes to bee nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto His Church that trueth may flourish in the earth as Righteousnesse hath looked downe from Heaven And concerning His Priesthood this is the summe that wee have such an High-Priest Who is set at the right hand of the throne of the Majestie of heaven to appeare in the sight of God for us to offer up our Prayers to pleade our cause before the infinite Iustice and thereunto to present what Himselfe hath done and suffered in our behalfe Heb. 8.1 and 9.24 and of these two that is His Kingdome and His Priest-hood Saint Peter speaketh Actes 2.36 Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made this Iesus both Lord and Christ. The office of His prophesie is in this that as before His appearance in the flesh Hee by His Holy Spirit instructed the Prophets so after that when Hee ascended on high He gave gifts unto men some to bee Apostles some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the worke of the ministery for the edifying of the body of Christ Ephe. 4.11.12 And hereunto belong all those meanes which he hath made subservient hereunto by His Holy Spirit stirring up the hearts of Kings and Princes and other noble benefactors for the establishment and maintenance of Vniversities or Schooles of the Prophets But as the great rivers are nothing else but the gathering together of waters from many smaller fountaines and gilz so the particular Schooles founded by charitable and well-minded men such as the most vertuous Iohn Colet Deane of Paules and founder of that Schoole was are the perpetuall supplies without which the Vniversities could not be furnished either with Prophets or with Prophets sonnes And therefore for these also doth our Lord now sitting at the right hand of the Father by His Holy Spirit furnish men with the gift of tongues and their interpretation And therefore you my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 knowing that an account must be made for whatsoever wee have received either of gifts or maintenance hereunto And although besides our endlesse paines wee endure the inconveniences of these ill and dissolute times the idlenesse and dulnesse of many untoward and grace-lesse children the folly of some more wicked and unthankfull parents though our imployment bee disesteemed yet seeing the hope of the time to come is in our paines let us for that duety which wee owe to Christ that love which wee beare to His Church and our Countrey endeavour the faithfull discharge of our trust and remember that our reward is laid up in heaven Now see the reasons of the conclusion 1. It is justice that the lowest degree of humility and abasement for obedience sake unto the will of God should bee rewarded with the greatest glory and honour that may be done unto the creature But it hath appeared heretofore that our Lord Christ for His obedience sake to the will of His Father became subject to poverty that we might be rich 2. Cor. 8.9 Hee endured stripes that we might bee healed 1. Pet. 2.24 That He suffered shame and death it selfe for our offence See hereto Chap. 27. Therefore Christ is set at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven This is the argument of Saint Paul himselfe Hebr. 12. vers 2. Christ for the joy that was set before Him endured the Crosse despised the shame and sate downe at the right hand of the throne of God This is that argument whereby our Lord strengthened Himselfe against death Iohn 13.32 If God be glorified in the Sonne of man God shall also glorifie Him in Himselfe 2. To the most noble and worthy person the most noble dignities and excellencies doe belong But the person of our Mediator according to His God-head hath equall glory and honour with the Father and the Holy-Ghost Therefore to Him it belongs also as man to sit at the right hand of the Father a because of His union with the God-head For although in His God-head He could not suffer nor die yet because His God-head was clouded in His humanity the whole Person was truely said to bee both humbled and exalted And as by that humiliation and offering of His body and blood Hee made a full satisfaction to the infinite justice for the sinne of His people So did Hee merit and purchase both to Himselfe and to His chosen all that honour and happinesse which either the one or the other can bee capeable of And therefore in His humanity to sit at the right hand of God 3. It is necessary that He sit at the right hand of power that is have the superexcellency of all power in Himselfe by whom the perfection and happinesse of the creature is to be wrought and by whom the greatest aduersary to God and to the happinesse of the creature must be subdued But it is manifest that our happinesse is to be perfected onely by Christ our Saviour and that the workes of the devill our aduersary are to be destroyed onely by Him 1. Iohn 3.8 Therefore it is necessary that He sit at the right hand of the power in heaven 4. It is beseeming and necessary that Hee should have b some preeminence above mankind by whom all joy and blessednesse was procured unto mankind in as much as that blessednesse belongs properly unto Him that purcha'ste it but to him for whom it was purcha'ste it belongs onely by grace and participation But the resurrection of the body and
therein O times Into what corruption of manners are wee fallen So when all charity is put only in the maintenance of idlenesse and begging Gangrels being otherwise dead and cold when the apostasie is fully revealed and the man of sinne detected which exalteth Himselfe above all that is called God Moreover when by the working of the false apostles of that apostasie there is a daylie falling from the faith 2. Thes chap. 2. When that ill servant hath said in his heart My Lord delayes his comming and hath begun and so continues to smite his fellow-servants Matth. 24.28 29. what wants but onely that the Tribes of Israel should be gathered to the Church that all the wicked should bee put away like drosse Psal 119. verse 119. For the ungodly shall not stand in the judgement nor the sinners in the congregation of the righteous Other signes you may reade in the Holy Text and consider of them But that signe of the Son of man spoken of Matth. 24.30 is doubtfull Some thinke it shall be a crosse some a great light Lactantius Lib. 7. Cap. 19. thinkes it shall bee a sword which shall fall from heaven like the ancyle Ovid. Fast lib. 3. But Sibyl orae lib. 2. saith it shall be a glorious Starre in the likenesse of a Crowne except by an Enallage of number shee meanes a Crowne of Starres as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sometime doth signifie a constellation Her Verses are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A shining Starre like to a Crowne most sheen In the bright heaven of all men shal be seen For many dayes Next after the signes of our Lords comming to Iudgement you may reade the manner of His comming as it is delivered in the Scripture so farre as our understanding can conceive to bee with power and glory Mat. 24.31 euen the glory of the Father Mat. 16.27 and all the holy Angels with Him Matt. 25.31 In flaming fire rendring vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ 2. Thess 1.8 § 3. But that we dwell not on these things which are either beyond our understanding as the enquiry of the time which is therefore hid that it may stint our curious search or else so plaine that wee need not doubt let us goe forward to those questions which seeme to offer some doubt unto us 1. And first if Christ our Lord shall judge the world in righteousnesse Psalm 9.8 how is it said Matth. 19.28 That the Apostles shall sit upon twelue Thrones and judge the twelue tribes of Israel And againe 1 Cor. 6.2 Doe ye not know that the Saints shall judge the world and vers 3. Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels To which the answere is returned That the Apostles by their faith and doctrine shall take away all excuse from the Israelites and so judge and condemne them For this is their condemnation That they beleeved not in the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God Iohn 3.18 So the Saints in generall shall judge the wicked by their faith and repentance whose example the wicked would not follow that they might be saved Moreover seeing the faithfull are the members of that mysticall body of which Christ is the head they in Him are said to judge the world that is the unbeleevers And seeing all the enemies of Christ are to bee brought before the Throne of Christ and His Church in as much as Christ shall judge the world and the wicked Angels in trueth and righteousnesse all the faithful shal subscribe to the judgement as most holy and just and so are rightly said to judge the Angels And as the holy Angels shall then rejoyce with joy unspeakable for that glory and mercy which God shall vouchsafe unto His Saints So the Saints likewise shall give glory and thankes to God for that encrease of glory and happinesse which He shall give unto the holy angels as the reward of their continuall watch and guard which they have held about us all the time of our pilgrimage upon earth and at the houre of death helping the soule out of the prison of the body and conducting it unto the place of joy But it is said Iohn 16.11 That the Prince of this world is judged already how they shall we judge the Angels Answer The devill is judged already 1. In the decree of God 2. By the word of God he is declared to be reserued in chaines of darknesse and that hell fire is prepared for him and his angels 3. By his owne knowledge of his owne estate 4. Because his torment is in part begun But in judgement there be two things First the enquiry of the fact then the award of the reward Neither the deeds of the good or bad angels shall bee enquired into at the judgement a as some have thought but the reward shall bee assigned unto them both and acknowledged to be most just by the Church as I said before and this is our judgement of them Neither yet shall the sencelesse creatures be exempted from this judgment in as much as The elements shall melt with heate and the earth with the workes thereof shall burne 2. Pet. 3.10 that they may be freed from that corruption to which they are subject for the sinne of man For when man sinned the whole bodily creature which was made for man was thereby subjected to vanity not of it owne will or any inclination which was therein in respect of any weakenesse of state wherein it was created For all was exceeding good Gen. 1.31 but that the justice of God against sinne might be manifest is it subjected to the curse Gen. 3.18 19. yet under hope that when man is freed from his sinne the creature also shall be restored unto that libertie from corruption wherein it was created Rom. 8.20 c. as it is said Rev. 21.1 and 5. Behold I create all things new See 1. Pet. 3.13 2. Another doubt may bee concerning the forme of the sentence whereby it may seeme that the merit of workes is justified For so is the sentence pronounced Come yee blessed receive the King-dome prepared for you for I was hungry and ye gave Mee meat c. and on the other side Depart ye cursed for I was hungry and ye gave Me no meat c. Mat. 25.35 to 46. Ans It cannot bedenied but that the sentence of condemnation upon the reprobate is according to their workes as the deseruing causes thereof For not tobeleeve in Christ is that great sin which is the cause of condemnation Ioh. 3.18 and 16.9 Neither is a dead faith ought worth but that faith onely is accepted which worketh by love Galat. 5.6 without which it is impossible to please God Hebr. 11.6 And if all things that are not of faith be sinne Rom. 14.23 Then the wicked works of Infidels and Hypocrites and much more their violent and wilfull rebellions
are to be judged And because man-kind is to bee sentenced to joy or paine eternall both in soule and body And that if either the Person of the Father or of the Holy-Ghost should judge otherwayes than by the Son as they are no way to bee apprehended by the bodily sences of the wicked so neither could the judge be seene nor the sentence heard Therefore it is necessary that our Lord Iesus doe execute the generall judgement as being the Mediator betweene God and His creature And that the performance of that judgement bee by Him in His manly being as it is said Iohn 5.27 1. For seeing the exaltation and glory of Christ is the reward of His humilitie Phil. 2.8.9 it is just with God that He that was most unjustly judged should be the Iudge of all the world 2. Moreover seeing He hath received power to raise the dead for that which He performed in His man-hood it is fit that the judgement should be by Him in His man-hood 3. And seeing in His manly being He taught the way to everlasting life it is fit that He in His manly being should require of us an account of the practise of His precepts 6. None is so fit to judge the world as He in whom the perfection of justice and compassion on man-kind are accorded Our Lord Iesus because He is God is infinite in His justice and because He is man and knowes mans weakenesse better than man himselfe therefore can none be so mercifull and compassionate on man as He especially having Himselfe beene oppressed by the most unjust judgements of the Priests and of Pilate Therefore our Lord Iesus shall judge the quicke and the dead For being pronounced innocent and yet condemned Iohn 18.38 and 19.6.16 Hee hath power to acquit them that are condemned in themselues and to give them His innocencie that it may bee availeable to them which was not availeable to Himselfe 7. This is that doctrine which He left unto His Church as it is said Actes 10.42 Iesus of Nazareth commanded us to preach unto the people and to testifie that it is Hee which was ordained of God to be the judge of the quicke and the dead So Saint Paul Rom. 14.10 11. saith from the Prophet Esay 45.23 Wee shall all stand before the judgement Seate of Christ For it is written as I live saith the Lord every knee shall how to mee and every tongue shall confesse to God 2. Tim. 4.1 The Lord Iesus shall judge the quicke and the dead at his appearing and his Kingdome And. Rev. 1.7 Behold Hee commeth with the cloudes and every eye shall see Him even they that pierced Him and all kindreds of the earth shall waile because of Him Even so Amen Notes § 1. a AS some have thought Sect. 1 Divers unnecessary questions have beene moved about this generall judgement Some concerning the fignes and circumstances that goe before it As whether that fire which goes before the face of the judge be it by which the Heaven and earth shall be purged Some concerning the adjuncts of the judgement as concerning the place whether it shall be in the valley of Iehoshaphat For which they bring Ioel 3. verse 2. and 12. And reason that He shall judge there where He was judged and despitefully entreated For this valley is betweene Ierusalem and Mount Olivet over which our Lord was led to Ierusalem after He was taken in the close of Gethsemane which valley some suppose to bee named of Iehoshaphat the King and that because he gave thankes there with his Armie after his spoile of the Ammonites 2. Chron. 20. But the circumstances of the history accord not well with this but rather that that valley of Barachah where the King gave thankes was in the Tribe of Iuda neere to the wildernesse of Ieruel as Adrichomius describes it from Ierom Brocard and others But this being put that the Lord shall descend from heaven to judge wheresoever He shall judge according to the interpretation of the Name lehova is Iudge there is the valley of Ichoshaphat which the Prophet therfore mentioneth because that valley was the usuall place where they buryed the Israelites that died at Ierusalem So they move question heere what causes and persons shall come into Iudgement And the consequents of the judgement they enquire what manner of fire the fire of hell is and supposing it to bee bodily to torment the bodies of the damned how the devills which they suppose to be purely Spirits can be tormented by a bodily fire And hereupon also they move doubt about the qualities of the bodies which according to the opinion of the Stoicks concerning the soules Lactant. lib. 7. cap. 20. to the damned they thinke shall be base and subject to passion to the blessed contrary with many such curious questions as you may see in Tho. Aqu. in Sent. lib. 4. Dist 44.5 6. c. of which perhaps you may find some answered heere as far as it stands with the clearing of this Article 1. And first because the ill angels were utterly given over for their sinne and they by their malice confirmed onely in ill their actions being ever unanswerable and they before-hand condemned therfore it may seeme that there shall be no enquirie of their actions but onely the sentence of condemnation is to passe upon them and accordingly the execution So the good Angels because they have beene kept from sinne and confirmed in goodnesse are exempted from enquiry of their actions being onely good so they shall have the sentence of approbation 2. Concerning Insants there is much more question For some will have all the Infants of infidels to bee damned others put to them the infants of beleevers also that were never baptized And this hard sentence is passed on them because their originall sinne was never washed away in baptisme But seeing originall guiltinesse in Infants is onely by the staine of nature that the whole world may be guilty before God and so be the subject of His mercie Rom. 3.19 may it not stand as well with the mercy of God that the faith of their Parents should bee imputed to them for their justification unto life although they were not baptized as it doth stand with His justice to condemne them because they are tainted by their Parents For the children of the faithfull see the judgement of Saint Paul 1. Cor. 7.14 For the Infants of infidels I say onely this What hast thou to doe to judge another mans servant Hierax and his followers are accounted hereticks because they condemned the Children that died before they had knowledge yet brought he a shew of authoritie for his opinion out of 2. Tim. 2.5 No man is crowned except he strive But I answere that Christ in His agony did strive for them and His merit apprehended by the faith of the Parents brings them within the compasse of the Covenant made to Abraham and to his seed as Saint Paul argues Rom. 4.16 Gal. 3.6 7
will follow easily enough if it be made manifest that the will and decree of God upon all man-kind is that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust Act. 24.17 I will first bring the holy Oracles thereto then the reasons that accord with them and lastly answere such objections as Atheists are wont to bring to the contrary That which is in Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall breake the head of the serpent in Iohn 3.8 is interpreted shall destroy the workes of the devill that is sinne and the punishment thereof death which cannot be except the dead be raised againe Iob 19.25 I know that my Redeemer liveth and that Hee shall stand at the later day upon the earth and though after my skinne wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my selfe and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my reines be consumed within me Which text though it be as plaine and direct for the resurrection as any other in the Scripture yet Iohn Mercerus rejects that sence because the Hebrew Commentators doe not so expound it Esay 26.19 21. Thy dead men shall live together with My dead body shall they rise awake and sing ye that dwell in the dust for the earth shall cast out her dead For behold the Lord commeth out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity the earth also shall disclose her blood and shall no more hide her slaine Reade to this purpose Ezech. 37. all And if you say that the calling of the Israelites is there prophesied in that Metaphor yet remember that no Metaphor is taken from things that are not Dan. 12.2 Of them that sleepe in the dust many shall awake to everlasting life some to shame and everlasting contempt Hosea 13.14 I will ransome them from the power of the grave I will redeeme them from death ô death I will bee thy plagues ô grave I will be thy destruction repentance is hid from mine eyes Iohn 5.28 29. The houre is comming in which all that are in the graves shall heare His voyce and shall come forth they that have done good to the resurrection of life and they that have done ill to the resurrection of damnation 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that which He hath done whether it be good or ill So by these texts among many other it being manifest that God hath decreed a resurrection for the bodies of men both good and bad it being also manifest that nothing is impossible unto Him but that He doth whatsoever it pleaseth Him in the heaven and earth in the seas and all deepe places Psal 135.6 it must follow of necessity that there shall be a resurrection which that ye may the better apprehend we will adde some reasons that accord hereto 1. And first of all that argument which our Lord Iesus brings to this purpose Matth. 22.32 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob but God is not the God of the dead but of the living Therefore Abraham Isaac and Iacob though they be now dead yet must they rise againe for all men live to Him that is are in His power to be brought againe unto life when Hee will To know the strength of this argument you must looke to that which is Gen. 17. I will establish My Covenant with thee and with thy seed for an everlasting Covenant But no covenant can bee everlasting if either of the parties die Therefore Abraham and his seed that is the faithfull cannot perish but evermore live unto God as it is said in Luk. 20.38 For to this end Christ both died and revived and rose againe that Hee might bee Lord both of the dead and living the dead He saith that they may live againe For if our Lord Iesus died to purchase eternall life for us it is impossible that we should not live eternally 2. The arguments of Saint Paul in 1. Cor. 15. fall as thicke as haile and that first argument in the first place stands thus 1. It is a Gospel which he received and preached unto them according to the Scriptures And seeing the doctrine of God for His owne authoritie being the God of Trueth is to be received for our reverence only which we owe to him we ought to beleeve it Hitherunto tend those words v. 3. and 4. For I delivered unto you that which I received that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that He was buryed and that He rose againe the third day according to the Scriptures 2. And from this ground of faith he doth conclude vers 12. that there is a resurrection to wit for them that die in the faith of Christ For Christ died not for Himselfe but for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification Rom. 4.25 3. Since by man came death by man also came the resurrection of the dead vers 21 22. For the well-being of the body cannot bee but by the head 4. vers 25. Hee must reigne untill He have put all His enemies under His feete Psal 110.1 Therefore death also shall be subdued Ergo. The bodies of men kept under His power shall rise againe 5. If the bodies of men rise not againe these absurdities and inconueniences must follow That they that are dead in Christ are perished and while they lived here were of all men most miserable Our preaching and your faith is vaine We are false witnesses of God ye are yet in your sin They that are baptized over the dead are baptized in vaine we are needlesly in danger every houre for the preaching and beleefe of this doctrine My contention at Ephesus hereabout was to no purpose The Epicure that lives to eate and drinke is the only happy man But these things are impossible and amongst Christians accounted incredible Therefore there is a resurrection His doctrine in other Epistles is to the same purpose as Rom. 8.11 6. If the Spirit of Him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies by His spirit that dwelleth in you This argument from the communitie of the Spirit you may understand by Chap. 17. § 4. n. 2. Phil. 3.21 7. Hee shall change our vile bodie that it may be fashioned like to His glorious body according to the working whereby Hee is able even to subdue all things to Himselfe 8. The hope of the resurrection as it is a comfort against all the trouble and afflictions of this life so especially against sorrow for them that depart from hence as you read 1. Thes Chap. 4. vers 13 14. c. 9. 2. Cor. 5.10 All must appeare before the judgement seat of Christ therefore the dead shall rise againe 10. For none of us liveth
in nature and yet three in evident and cleare distinction though in so base and imperfect order as that which is in all perfection is possible to be above it And further see you not in every thing a bodie a spirit and a life which is the knot betweene them Or rather see you not how the very bodily composition is both one and three one body which is united of three bodies that is earth water and ayre or oyle which yet againe in the roote of their nature are but one For oyle is but a due mixture of water and earth meanely fixt and meanely volatil and earth is but fixed water so that water which is but one is the roote of the three as it is manifest Gene. 1. and 2. Pet. 3.5 They which understand the rules of Pyronomie know what I say and if you understood mee well you would confesse that not onely this instance which I have brought of earth water and ayre but even the whole frame of Nature did proclaime the Trinitie in the Vnitie If I should here tell you how the Heaven the Earth and the Deepe Gene. 1. might bee understood mystically and the Analogie betweene the Creator and the creature therein and then tell you what Let the earth bring forth living soule might meane and compare it with that place That which was made in Him was life and then particularly for man The Lord God also made the man of the dust of the earth and tell you that it was so necessary because that Christ is Terra viventium and inforce an argument to prove the Tri-Vnitie by that treeble repetition of the man made in the image of God comparing it with that place 1. Cor. 11.3 and 7. If I should then tell you that it was necessary that the Sonne of God must become flesh as well that the infinite iustice of God might be actuated in Him which could not be actuated in Him being onely God as for many other reasons Both from the Iustice and Mercie and Wisedome of God though to a well-sighted understanding I might seeme to have laid a precious foundation of Philosophie divine and naturall yet to you I might rather seeme perhaps to have proposed Cabalisticall dreames then any sound argument to the thing in question Yet this will I tell you and hold it for good Divinity that the mayne drift and scope of the whole Scripture is to shew the creation of all things in Christ through Him and for Him and the restoring of the whole creature in man by Him That in all things He might have the preeminence Coloss 1. Neither doth this any whit derogate from the honour of the Father For first It hath pleased the Father that in Him should all fulnesse dwell and besides it is an honour above all honours unto the Father to be the Father of so glorious a Sonne Therefore is this world and all the things therein created to the Image of Christ to expresse His glory even as He is the expressed Image and glory of the Father And here is the worlds Eternity which had in Christ an eternall Being according to that His Name Esay 9.6 The Father of Eternity Here are those separate Ideas about which Plato and Aristotle could never agree and which neither both of them nor many of their followers did perfectly understand not that they might not by the frame of nature and the wisedome which God had given to man be understood For is not this world as a booke wherein we may read and understand by the created truths what is the Truth which is increated but all true knowledge is the gift of God Therefore wrest not that place Coloss 2.8 against the Christian search after the knowledge of nature whereby above all other humane knowledges a man is brought to know God and to honour Him as he ought but rather be sorry that your knowledge of Nature is no more For this will I tell you to teach you to know your selfe that there is nothing in the creature which may be knowne and all may be knowne that is in the creature but man ought to know it and to glorifie the Creator thereby And this great labour hath God given to men that knowing how short they are of that they ought to be they might be humbled thereby Psal 1.11 Eccles. 1.13 And why ought this to seeme strange doth not God require that perfection at mans hand wherein He did create Him and was he not created with perfect discourse to know the creature that he might therein behold the Creator and so glorifie His wondrous power and goodnesse But this question would draw me from the question in hand and therfore I will briefly adde one reason more and because my leisure is little I will be as short as I can but I pray you lend me your eare for it is hard in English an inartificiall language to expresse my mind but because you told me you could a little Latine I will be bold here and there to use a word my reason is thus The whole and perfect nature of a Principle or Beginning is in God who is alone the beginner of all things Now a Principle is of three sorts whereof every one is so clearely distinct from another as that one cannot possibly be that other therefore in the Vnitie of the Deitie there is also such cleare distinction into a Trinitie as that one distinct cannot possible be that other from which He is distinguished yet in the Vnitie of essence they are all one The differences of a beginning stand thus It is either Principium principians non principiatum that is a Beginning which is a Beginner unto another yet hath not His beginning from another lest there should be a processe into Infinitie à parte ante this is God the Father to whom it is peculiar to beget the Son yet is Himselfe neither made nor created nor begotten of any other Secondly there is Principium principiatum principians to wit a Beginning which hath his beginning of another and is also a beginning to another lest there should be any defect or imbecillitie in the Beginning and this is the Everlasting Sonne very God of very God begotten of the substance of His Father alone before the worlds neither made nor created Thirdly there is Principium principiatum non principians that is a Beginning which is also begun but is not a beginner unto another lest there should be a processe into Infinitie à parte pòst and this is the Holy-Ghost who proceedeth from the very substance and Being of the Father and the Sonne and is with them one GOD coëternall and coëquall But you will say Is not the Holy-Ghost a Beginner unto any other how is He then the Authour of our consolation and how is He said to lead us into all truth c Vnderstand what I meane He is not a beginner unto any other of the same Infinite Essence or Being with Himselfe For the beginnings
of Arius should not provide for your safety as he did He denied the authority of S. Iohns writings to be authenticall And why because this earth-bred Giant which would pull Christ out of the throne of His Deitie should with his lightning be suddenly burnt Beleeve you the Scripture Is Iohns authority sufficient then the case is plaine We are in Him that is true in His Son Iesus Christ who is very God and eternall life 1. Ioh. 5.20 Can you now confer this Scripture with that place I have said yee are Gods and not be ashamed I and the Father are one The Iewes understood that He herein professed Himselfe to be very God and are you His enemy more then they Reade Ioh. 10. ver 30. 33. 34. and you may understand the meaning of both places The devills acknowledged Him to be God of Infinite power I know Thee who Thou art even that Holy One of God And will not you confesse as much as the devills But this is more then I thought to say onely you may see hereby that we speake no other thing then Christ Himselfe even in His enemies understanding said Now if you could see a little the folly of your own opinion that were inough to cause you to put on a better mind I will touch it as lightening doth touch the ground for if you be willing to be reformed there is no doubt but you may propound it to the learned Divines and be fully satisfied You say Christ is onely man but yet indued with the infinite Power of God Here first you doe injurie to the Highest to make the Power of God to be accidentall unto Him whereas hee is purus actus absolute perfection and without shadow of change His Being is most simple and pure not capeable of accidents Then His Being is such as no addition can be made thereto to make it more then it is therefore it is necessary that He be ever actually whatsoever he may be Besides His Being is Infinitely distant from Not-Being therefore His Power is inseparable Againe if there come any thing to God as an accident it must come unto Him from Himselfe or else from another not from another for He is impassible or such as cānot suffer violence not from Himselfe for all such accidents doe proceed à potentiâ that is from the imbecillity or imperfection of the subject but His Being is most simple and infinitely perfect Againe all accidents do rise from the matier forme or composition of the subject In Him is neither matier forme nor cōposition Now al things we see in this world do consist ex actu potentiâ of perfection from God imperfection from thēselues for of themselues they are non entia absolutely nothing Yea even the very Angels and the soule it selfe are partakers of this composition for nothing is purus actus but God alone therefore are they subject to accidents yet they which come neerest to perfection are most free from accidents as that which is meere perfection hath no accidents at all Know then that all the dignities of God are in him essentially one God For the Goodnesse of God His Power His Wisedome His Glory c. Being all infinite do of necessitie concurre in the nature of Infinitie Whence it followeth that whatsoever is in Him is essentially Himselfe therefore the power of God is not accidental or such as may be imparted to a man The learned Hebrues according to this doe hold that Ensoph or Infinitie is not to be numbred among the other attributes of God because it is that abstract Vnity whereinto they all essentially concurre and from which they all essentially proceed and hence by the way take another strong argument to the former question for if God bee essentially a Father then the terme correlative a Sonne must be in the Godhead also and that essentially But now againe see another folly in your supposition The work of our Redemption is a work of infinite goodnesse mercie power wisedome and glory therefore it followeth that Christ the worker had infinite mercie power wisedome c. Now I demand had Christ this infinite goodnesse and power so given to Him of God that the Father Himselfe had in the meane time none This you dare not say for that were to say that God did cease to be God which cannot stand with His Eternity Now if God the Father had notwithstanding this absolute infinite power of Christ of which he spake All power is given unto Me both in heaven and in earth then it followeth that either there were two infinities of power or else that these two which had this infinite Power were all one Infinite The first is against the nature of Infinitie for that is absolutely infinite which so comprehendeth all things as that it leaveth nothing without it selfe and yet is not comprehended to any other Besides if you would say that the Father and the Sonne had each of them severall indiuisible infinite Powers it must follow that neither of their Powers were absolutely infinite because each of them had not the infinite Power of the other And besides that both these infinite Powers must be conjoyned with infinite weakenes because they must be mutually subjected to the infinite Power one of the other But both these things are impossible So you see that two Infinities can by no meanes stand together therefore it followeth that these two to wit the Father and the Son are in Being one and that of infinite Power and this is that which I strive for which as you see I have concluded by your own assertion The time would faile me to lay before your eyes the manifold untruths which would ensue of your position which savoureth neither of wit judgement nor learning And therefore I see how they which have once departed from the truth must of necessrity run into infinite absurdities Therefore looke back and be ashamed of such new-fangled toys as you do daily imagine which in truth do argue the great inconstancy and vanity of your mind withall such palpable blindnes of understanding as the darknes of Egypt For tel me without selfe-liking what sound judgement doth this argue to be driven about with every wind of doctrine a Protestant a Brownist an Anabaptist an Antichrist What bringing up what gift of learning and knowledge have you that you should presume to oppose your sentence against the faith doctrine of all the Christian Churches in the world Blush and learne with meeknes the truth of that Word which is able to save your soule You may see by your owne miserable experience what it is to forsake the Vnitie of Faith and the Communion of the Saints who imbrace the truth of Gods word and have manifest tokens that they are the true Church to wit The word of God truely taught and the Sacraments duely administred What if there want perfection The Church militant must ever confesse I am lovely yet black For it is impossible that any church should be without imperfection so long as the world standeth but at the end it shall be presented without spot or wrinkle Therefore remember from whence you are fallen and repent and doe the works of righteousnesse lest Christ whom you so despite come against you shortly The worke of Christianity is not in foolish questions and disputing about needles subtilties but in doing the works of truth and righteousnesse Pray and endeavour your selfe thereto And till such time as God for His Christs sake vouchsafe to have mercy on you the enemy of His Son and give you grace to repent of this great wickednes I am neither your friend nor yet your foe ALEX. GIL FINIS