this must passe our best capacities and therefore si hoc comprehendere non possumus quod videmus quomodo deum comprehendere valemus quem non videmus if wee cannot apprehend that which we do see how how can wee comprehend him whom we cannot see What the knowledge of God from a naturall light Rom. 1.19.30 As for the Knowledge of God which is from the light of nature that doth take its rise from sence and can ascend no higher then it is supported nor go any further then it is led by sensible objects which give us no clearer knowledge of God then the effects do of their cause namely that he is and that Hee is not such as they are but far excelling them in Essence and in Attributes as not being compounded not depending not finite not mutable and the like but now the knowledge of God which is from a supernaturall light What from a supernaturall light Joh 1.18 Exod. 33. â—3 that is meerly by divine Revelation as that God is the Father of Christ and the Holy Ghost the ineffable bond of both Yea such is our Knowledge of God through the apprehension of faith in the glorious mystery of the Blessed Trinity whereby wee beleeve the same God which is One in nature or being Deut 6.4 Isa 45.5 1 Cor. 8.4 6 Gen. 11.7 Isa 63.7 9.10 1 Joh. 5.8 Gen. 1.26 3.22 is also Three in persons or manner of subsisting Father Son and Holy Ghost for so the scriptures plainly teach us as Let us make man in our image and behold the man is become like one of us saith the Lord himself to shew that in this unity of Essence there is a plurality of Persons Mat. 3.16 28.19 Gen. 19.24 and againe The Lord raigned upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah from the Lord out of Heaven that is the Son rained from the Father as Justin Martyr Tertullian Epiphanus Cyprian Ironaeus Eusebius Cyrill and many others do so expouud that place And so the three men that appeared unto Abraham Gen. 18.1 2 3. and that heavenly Harmony of Cherubims saying Holy Holy Holy Isa 6.3 Lord God of sabboth do sufficiently declare the Trinity of Persons in the unity of Gods Essence Now a Person is a distinct subsisting of the whole God-head What a person is Joh. 1.1 5.31 Chap. 14.5.16 and an individuall understanding and incommunicable subsistence living of it selfe and not sustained by another So that the three persons in the Trinity are not three severall substances but three distinct subsistences Col. 2.9 or three diverse manner of being of one and the same substance and divine Essence And here wee must consider that the Essence doth not beget an Essence Psal 2.7 Heb. 1.5 Joh. 15.26 but the Person of the Father begetteth the Person of the Son and the Person of the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son by an Eternall and incomprehensible spiration Athanas 2. Dialog de Trinit as if it be lawfull to compare great things with small in the reasonable faculty of mans soule when the understanding considereth it self it begetteth an image of it selfe Thom p. 1. q. 27 ar 1. and 3. Mornaeus de verit Châ—ist Relig. c 5. Keckerm Sâ—stâ—m Theol. l 2. c. 2. it being in that reflected action the proper object of it selfe from the desire or appetite of which image so produced there ariseth a mutuall love and delight betwixt the understanding and his image so in the eternall essence of the God-head the Father looking upon himselfe begetteth the image of himselfe which is his son and from the mutuall love and delight of both these persons one to another the holy Ghost proceedeth as the common beam of these two incomprehensible lights And as in one sun there are the body of the sun the sun beames and the heat the beames are begotten of the sun and the heate doth proceed from both Aug. de Trinit but the sun it selfe proceeds from none Even so in the one Essence of God there are the Father the Son and the holy Ghost the son is begotten of the Father the Holy Ghost proceeds from both but the Father is of himselfe alone and as the son doth alwaies beget his beams and both sun and beames do send forth the heat so the Father from all eternity ever did now doth and ever will beget his son and both Father and Son do spire and breathe forth the Holy Ghost and therefore Origen saith excellent well Origen hom 6. in Jerem. Salvator noster splendor est gloriae splendor autem non semel nascitur deinceps desinit nasci c. Our blessed Saviour is the brightnesse of Gods glory but the brightnesse of Glory Sed quotiescunque ortum fuerit lumen ex quo splendor oritur toties oritur splendor gloriae The Father doth ever beget the son is not once begotten and then afterwards ceasing to be begotten but as often as the light riseth from whence the brightnesse springeth so often doth the brightnesse of glory arise And our Saviour saith hee is the wisdome of God but the wisdome of God is the brightnesse of that eternall light Et ideo salvator semper nascitur and therefore as the scripture saith Ante colles generat me Before the mountains were layd he begetteth me and not as some do erroniously read it Generavit me He hath begotten me so the truth is that the son of God is ever begotten Aug. de verbis Domini and the Holy Ghost ever proceeding Also as the Fountain begets a brook and both the Fountaine and brooke do make the poole and yet all three is the same water so the Father is the Fountaine which begets the Sonne and from the Father and the Son proceeds the holy Ghost and yet is the Deity of all three the same That there are certain similitudes of the Trinity to be seen in the creatures In like manner the fire hath Motion Light and Heate and yet but one fire and in all other creatures wee may behold certaine glimps and similitudes that do after a sort adumbrate Why Power is ascribed to the Father wisdome to the Son and goodnesse to the Holy Ghost seeing all and each of the three persons have the same power wisdome and goodnesse and shadow out this ineffable and expressible mystery for by their greatnesse wee may consider the Power of the Father by their beauty we may see the wisdome of the Son and by their utility we may note the goodnesse of the holy Ghost Now amongst the creatures it is wont to be observed as Saint Augustine saith that in a Father is found a defect of Power by reason of his Antiquity in a Son is seen ignorance by reason of his youth and in experience of things and in the name of a spirit there seemeth to be a kind of fearfull vehemency as Quiescite ab homine cujus spiritus in
properties also must needs remain entire to either nature and as a man hath his soule and body both united and inconfused Ita multo magis Christus habens divinitatem cum corpore habet utraque permanentia non confusa so much more Christ having his divinity united with our flesh hath them both remaining intire and inconfused for that rule can never be disproved Confundens proprietates essentiales confundit naturas confound the naturall or essentiall properties of any things and you take away the nature of the things And therefore in that one and selfe-same subsistence of Christ there must needs be a divine and a Joâ— 10.17 humane nature a divine and a humane wisdome a divine and a humane will and so of all other properties of each nature they must be as well inconfused as indivisible Fourthly inseparable 4. Inseparable because the natures are so inseparably united that the humane nature can never be separated from the divine person that assumed it and therefore when Christ dyed subtraxit visionem sed non solvit unionem the soule parted from the body Psal 16.10 When Christ dyed and body and soul were parted the Godhead parted from neither but the Deity was separated from neither as Leo saith but as a tree cut in twaine the sun cannot be cut but that it may still shine on either part so the body and soule of Christ being parted the Deity was still united unto them both and could never be separated from the manhood after hee had once assumed the same into the unity of his person Fifthly substantiall 5. Substantiall because he is a true and perfect man whose being is no accident but a substance Sixthly It is ineffable 6. Ineffable so absolutely perfect and so exceedingly mysticall that it can never be perfectly declared by any man for though the Fathers sought by many examples and similitudes That the mannet of the uniting of the two natures is ineffable to expresse and to illustrate the same as by the union of the body and soule of a Branch ingrafted into a tree of a fiery iron and such like yet all come too short for the full expressing of this inexplicable mystery And therefore Saint Bernard compareth this ineffable mystery of the uniting of these two natures unto that incomprehensible mystery of the Trinity and so indeed that of the Trinity is the greatest and this of the incarnation is like unto it far exceeding mans capacity rather most faithfully to be beleeved Psal 77.19 then too curiously to be searched into because God hath overshadowed this mistery with his own vaile that wee might not presume 1 Sam. 6.19 with the men of Bethshemesh to look into this Ark of his least for our curiosity we be smitten as they were Or least whilst we make too strict a scrutiny to finde out the depth of this mystery we forfeit that small and weak knowledge which by divine bounty is bestowed upon us and therefore what we cannot comprehend by reason we should apprehend by faith because as Heinsius saith Omnia in Deo supra rationem nihil supra fidem The mysteries of our religion are to be beleived by faith rather then to be searched out by reason though many things may be above the reach of reason yet nothing beyond faith Nam quicquid solus Deus potest facere sola fides potest credere For whatsoever God alone can do faith alone can beleeve the same and faith is the compendium of our salvation and humane wisdome the cheifest obstacle of the same Therefore indeed it should be our cheifest care to keep our selves within the limits of Faith because I find the Creed of blessed Athanasius concerning the Incarnation of the son of God to be pure and clear from all Errour and heresie whatsoever I shall here insert the same 1 It is necessary saith he unto eternall salvation Joh 3.36.6.40 1 Joh. 4.3 Heb. 2.16 that whosoever will be saved do beleive rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 This then is the right faith Joh. 1.1 Luke 24.39 that wee beleeve and confesse that our Lord Jesus Christ the son of God is God and man 3 He is God Joh. 1.14.18 Prou. 8.22.23.25.30 Luk. 1 35. Gal 4.4 1 Joh. 5.20 of the substance of his Father begotten before the world man of the substance of his mother Born in the world Perfect God Perfect man of a reasonable soul human flesh subsisting Luke 24.39 Mat. 26.38 Joh. 5.17.14.18 Equall to the Father according to his Divinity Inferiour to the Father according to his Humanity 4. Who though he be God and man yet he is not two but one Christ One not by converting of the divinity into flesh Hebr. 2.14.16 Damasc l. 3. Orthod fidei c. 3. Concil Chalc. Act. 20. but by assuming of the humanity into God One altogether not by conversion of the substance but by unity of the person For as the reasonable soul and flesh are one man so God and man is one Christ 5. Who suffered for our Salvation Went down to Hell The third day rose again from the dead Rom. 4 25. Phil 2.8 Psal 16.10.116.3 1 Cor. 15.17 Acts. 1.11 Psal 110.1 2 Tim. 4.1 Ascended into Heaven He sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty From thence he shall come to judge the quick and dead 6. At whose coming all men shall rise with their bodyes and shall give an account of their own deeds 1 Thes 4.16 1 Cor. 15.52.53 Mat. 12.36 Rev. 20.12 Dan. 12.2 Joh. 5.28.29 Mar. 16.16 Heb. 11.6 2 Thes 1.8.9 And who have done good shall go into life eternall but who have done evill into everlasting fire 7. This is the Catholike Faith which except every one do faithfully and firmely beleeve hee cannot be saved Many other points of great moment I might here shew unto you as the effects and benefits of the hypostaticall or personall union of the two natures Oftentimes it comes to pass that by reason of the personall union of the two natures each one of them doth interchangeably take the concrete or compounded names each of other in predication Acts 20.38 the communicating of the properties which is nothing else but a form of speech whereby those things are spoken sometimes of the whole person of Christ which indeed are proper to either one nature and not to the other yet by reason of the strictness of this personall union whatsoever may be verified of either of those natures the same may be truly spoken of the whole person from whethersoever of the natures it be denominated but that to write or speak all that I might of this point would inlarge this Treatise into a great volume Joh. 3.13 1 Cor. 2.8 That it is impossible for any one man to expresse all the particulars of Christ his incarnation and that indeed the wit and learning of any one man
the Ancients they shall surely finde that as the Gentiles did understand many things concerning God and Jesus Christ his only son so some of them have delivered some things although but darkly concerning this holy spirit For Hermes Trismegistus hath these words All kind of things in this world saith he are quickned by a spirit one spirit filleth all things the world nourisheth the bodies and the spirit the soules and this spirit as an instrument Mercuâ—ie in his Esculapius c. 3. 7. is subject to the will of God And further he saith That all things have need of this spirit it beareth them up it nourisheth them it quickneth them according to every of their capacities it proceedeth from a holy Fountaine and is the maintainer of all living things and of all spirits Here wee see the reason why we call him the holy Ghost namely because he proceedeth from the fountain which is the very holinesse it selfe And least we should think him to be a creature Mercurie in his Sermon in his Poemander c 3 there was saith hee an infinite shadow in the deep whereon was the water and a fine understanding spirit was in that confused mass through the power of God From thence there flourished a certain holy brightnesse which out of the sand and the moyst nature brought forth the Elements and all things else Also the Gods themselves which dwell among the stars tooke their place by the direction and appointment of this spirit of God In the writings of Plotinus Plotin Enn. 5. lib. 2. lib. 3. cap. 35. there be found very significant speeches of the holy Ghost whom hee calleth Vniversi animam Plotin Ennead 3. lib. 9. cap. ult Eâ—n 6. lib. 8 cap. 13. 15. 27. Enn. 3. lib 8. c. 10. lib 9. cap. 1. the soule or life of this whole universe This soule saith hee hath breathed life into all living things in the Air in the Sea and on the land it ruleth the Sun the stars and the Heaven it hath quickned the matter which once was nothing and utterly full of darkness and all this hath it done by the only will of it selfe It is all throughout all like to the father as well in that it is but one as in that it extendeth it self into all places All which doth most apparently prove that the Gentiles themselves were not ignorant of this holy spirit whom they clearly shew to be the true and eternall God And therefore how may this serve to shame the wretched Atheists of this world which notwithstanding such a cloud of witnesses will still continue ignorant and hardned in unbeleife Why the holy Ghost is called a spirit Moreover This third person of the true and only God-head is called a spirit not only because hee is a spirituall that is an immateriall and pure essence for so likewise is the Father a spirit and the son as well as he but first in regard of his person because he is spired and as it were breathed both from the Father and the son Secondly In regard of the creatures Psal 33.6 Joâ—h 20 22. because the Father and the son do work by the spirit who is as it were the breath of Grace which the Father and the son breatheth out upon the saints blowing freely where it listeth Joh 3.8 1 Cor. 2.12.13 Act. 2. â— 3.4 and working spiritually for manneâ—â— meanes and matter where it pleaseth Thirdly In regard of his Property because the property of him is to move to set forward to perswade to comfort to enlighten the spirits hearts of men and at length to worke in them such things as pertain to our sanctification And indeed the saints have such tryall of the marvellous effects thereof as neither reason nor mans wisdome is able to comprehend those things neither can they be discerned by the eyes of men So that as Peter Martyr saith wee beleive in the holy Ghost as in a thing that far exceedeth the capacity of our nature and yet is distinctly set forth unto us in the holy scripture Job 14 26. 1.33 Joh. 16.13.14.15 Mat. 28.19 That the holy Ghost is distinct from the Father and the son for the Apostles are commanded in the Gospell that they should baptize in the name of the Father of the son and of the holy Ghost Which place doth most plainly expresse the distinction of the three persons and do signifie nothing else but that we be delivered from our sins by the name authority and power of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost And in the baptisme of Christ Luke 3 21 22 Mat. 3 16 17 as Luke rehearseth the Voice of the Father was heard and the holy Ghost appeared under the forme of a Dove whereby is signified that the holy Ghost doth so differ from the Father and the son as he is derived from them both In John it is sayd I will pray the Father Joh. 14 16 and hee shall give you another Comforter Here the son prayeth the Father heareth and the Comforter is sent Now if the Father shall give such a Comforter then the Father himselfe cannot be that Comforter neither can Christ that prayeth be the same So that very significantly the three persons herein are plainly set forth unto us For even as the Father and the sonne are two distinct and severall though not sundred persons even so the holy Ghost is another distinct person from the Father and the Son Joh. 15 26 Luke 1 35 That the holy Ghost is a person proved Luke 3 22 And further that the holy Ghost is a person is proved 1. By his apparitions because he hath appeared visibly for seeing he descended in bodily shape upon Christ and sate upon the Apostles Acts 2 3 it followeth that hee is subsisting 2 Hee is proved to be a person 1 Cor. 3 16 Acts 5 3 4 Isa 40 7 30 Ephes 4.4.30 Acts 28.25 1 Cor. 12 11 Luke 12 12 Joh. 16.13 Luke 2 26 Mat. 10 20 because he is called God 3 Because the properties of a person are attributed unto him as that hee distributeth gifts even as he will that hee teacheth comforteth confirmeth ruleth raigneth Likewise that hee sendeth Apostles and speaketh in them So also hee declareth the things to come Acts 16 10 39 20 24 1 Tim. 4 1 He giveth prophesies of Simeons death of Judas the Traitor of Peters journy to Cornelius of Pauls bands and afflictions which should betide himselfe at Jerusalem of a falling away and of the deceiver in the last times Heb 9 8 10 15 of the meaning of the high preists entrance into the holiest of all of the first Tabernacle of the new Covenant 1 Pet. 1 11 of Christs sufferings and his glory which should follow after them and such like He maketh request for us with sighes which cannot be uttered Rom. 8.29 he cryeth in our hearts Abba Father he is
tempted by them who lye unto him hee is a witnesse in Heaven with the Father and the son Acts 5 9 hee commandeth and willeth that the Apostles be separated Act. 13.2 Acts 20.28 And lastly He appointeth teachers in the Church All these things are proper unto a person existing intelligent indued with a will working and living That the holy Ghost is God co-eternall with the Father and the son proved Col. 2.9 Joh. 10.30 1 Joh. 5.7 Jer. 23.24 Joh. 1.18 Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 6.19 Rom. 8.11 Gen. 1.2 Joh. 15.26 Aug. lib. de Trinitate 15. cap. 26. That he proceedeth from the Father the Son Gal. 4.6 Joh 15.26 20.22 Joh. 16.14.15 Now that the holy Ghost is God co-eternall with the Father and with the son it may be proved by the unity of the divine Essence because there is but one God-head and by the incomprehensiblenesse of the three persons the same is also proved by the essentiall union of them that is because he is often called the spirit of the Father and of the Son but the Father and the son were never without their spirit therefore hee is God co-eternall with both Also that which saint John saith that the spirit proceedeth from the Father The ancient Fathers holding the right faith do understand cheifly to be spoken of the everlasting proceeding of the spirit from the Father And he proceedeth from the son first because he is called the sons spirit Secondly Because the son together with the Father giveth him Thirdly Because the holy Ghost receiveth the Wisdome of the son which he revealeth unto us wherefore he proceedeth of the substance of the son because he receiveth that of him which is the sons By this it appeareth what is the proceeding of the holy Ghost namely the communicating of the divine essence whereby the third person of the God-head alone receiveth the same and whole or intire essence from the Father and the son as from him whose spirit hee is for there is nothing in God which is not his essence and seeing that is indivisible it must needs be whole and the same communicated unto him which is in the Father and the son That the Holy Ghost is consubstantiall with the Father and the Son proved Rom. 8.9 Lev. 16.1.34 Heb. 9.7.8.9.10 Psal 95.7 Heb. 3.7 Isa 6 8.9 Acts 28.25.26 As the spirit of man which is in man is of the Essence of man so the spirit of God which is in God is of the Essence of God which divine essence is but one that is but one Jehovah or eternall being one essentially who alone is of none but himself communicateth his being to all things and preserveth it in them Now the Holy Ghost is Jehovah and therefore he is the same with the Father and the son not only God co-eternall but also con-substantiall or God co-essentiall with both That he is co-equall with the father and the Son proved Gen. 1.2 And further That he is co-equall with the Father and the son is proved by those divine Attributes and properties which are attributed and communicated to the holy Ghost As first eternity because he created heaven and earth and because God was never without his spirit Secondly Immensity or unmeasurablenesse as who dwelleth whole and intirely in all the elect Thirdly Omnipotency because he Psal 33.6 1 Cor 12.11 1 Cor. 2.10 together with the Father and the son created and preserveth all things Fourthly Omnisciency that is the knowledge of all things Fifthly Acts 1.16 Psal 143.10 unchangeableness Sixthly Infinite goodnesse and holinesse and the causing of goodnesse and sanctity in the creatures 1 Cor. 6.11 Joh. 15.26 1 Joh. 5.6 Rom. 5 5. 8.26 Isa 63.10 Mat. 12.31 Acts 5.9 Ephes 4.30 Seventhly truth not to be doubted of the fountain of truth Eightly Vnspeakable mercy Ninthly Indignation even against hidden sins All which do sufficiently prove that the holy Ghost is God coequall with the Father and the son Besides the same divine works which are attributed to the Father and the son Mat. 12.28 1 Cor. 12 4. are also attributed to the holy Gâ—ost as the generall creation preservation and government of the whole world Likewise those works which properly belong to the salvation of his Church Job â—â— 13.33 4. Joh. 3.5 2 Cor. 3.18 Joh 14.26 Acts 9.31 Isa 48.16 Acts 20.18 Luke 12.12 1 Cor. 12.7 2 Pet. 1 21. Mat. 28 19. Heb. 9.8 Joh. 16 13. Acts 11 28 Ephes 2 22 1 Cor. 12 13 Joh. 14 26 Ephes 1 17 Rom. 8.14 Acts 16 6 Isa 11 2 Joh. 14 16 Rom 8 15 1 Cor 6 11 Joh. 6 63 Rom. 8 11 as the calling and sending of Prophets The bestowing of competent and fit graces for the Ministry on Ministers The publishing of the Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles The instituting of sacraments The foretelling and prophesying of things to come The gathering of the Church The enlightning of mens mindes The governing of the Actions and whole life of the Godly The strengthning and preserving of the regenerate against the force of temptation even unto the end The pardoning of sins and adopting the sons of God The bestowing of salvation and life everlasting All these divine workes being attributed to the holy Ghost do likewise clearly prove his co-equality with the Father and the son Moreover Diverse titles of the holy Ghost Wee finde in the sacred scriptures many Titles and Appellations answerable to the manifold effects of his Power Office and Divinity For example The Holy Ghost is called Jehovah Isa 6 9 Act. 28 25 The earnest of our inheritance Ephes 1 14 The power of the most high Luke 1 35 The Teacher of the Faithfull Joh. 14 26 The earnest of the spirit 2 Cor. 1 22 The Oyle of Gladnesse Psal 45 7 The seven spirits of God Rev. 4 5 The spirit of Interpretation Sanctification Supplication Consolation Revelation The grace of God Knowledge Adoption Counsell Eternity Wisdome Prophesie Holinesse 1 Cor. 12 10 Rom. 1 4 Zach. 12 10 2 Thes 2 16 Ephes 1 17 Acts 14 26 Isa 11 2 Rom 8 15 Isa 11 2 Heb. 9 14 Isa 11 2 1 Cor. 12 10 Rom. 1 4 The Holy Ghost is called The spirit of the Father Joh. 15 26 The spirit of the Son Gal. 4 6 The spirit of the Lord. Isa 1 12 The earnest of Gods spirit 2 Cor. 5 5 The teacher of Truth Joh. 14 46 The mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2 16 And he is called An Eternall spirit Heb. 9 14 A Comforter Joh. 14 16 A heavenly gift Heb. 6 4 The holy spirit Ephes 4 30 The spirit of Christ God Right working miracles Power Life Truth Promise Grace Love Rom. 8.9 Gen. 1 2 Joh. 16 8 9 10 11 13 1 Cor. 12.10 2 Tim. 1 7 Rom. 8 2 Rev. 11 11 Joh. 14 17 Ephes 1 13 Heb. 10 29 Zech. 12 10 2 Tim. 17 The hand of God Job 26 13 Luke 1 66 A free spirit Psal
it is dazled with the Glory of the Trinity when it would conceive the mistery of the trinity it is overcome with the glory of the unity Not to be illustrated by any instances And to illustrate this mistery with instances is to shadow out the light with colours though the instances are that of the same sun in its body beams light the same water in its fountaine spring river yea the same soule in its understanding memory and will And therefore in this mystery of the Trinity how in that most simple and single Essence of God there be certain Persons truly subsisting Three in One and One in three differing but not divided severall but not sundred many and yet the same all one for their Nature all distinct for their persons is a secret of all secrets passing all reach and understanding of man rather reverently to be adored then too curiously to be searched into Deut. 29 29. for that secret things belong unto the Lord and things revealed unto us Let us not therefore I say be too curious to enquire how these things can be but let us faithfully beleeve them to be a Trinity of Persons in the Vnity of the Divine Essence and each person to have the whole divine Essence so communicated unto it as that all the three persons must needs be co eternall co essentiall co-equall Yea finally because it must be our cheifest care to keep our selves within the limits of Faith We must keep within the limits of faith I will hereunto add the Creed of Blessed Athanasius concerning this most sacred and ineffable mystery Mar. 16.16 Mat. 28.16 1 VVhosoever would be saved before all things it is needfull that he hold the Catholick Faith which except every man keep whole and inviolate Heb. 11.6 2 Thes 1.8 hee shall doubtlesse perish everlastingly Deut. 6 4. 1 Cor. 8 4. 1 Joh. 5.7 Isa 6 3. 2 And this is the Catholick Faith That wee worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity neither confounding the persons nor dividing the Essence Joh. 5 32. 14 16. 14. 26 chap. 1â—1 5 31. Joh. 10.30 5.7.18 3 For there is one person of the Father another of the Son another of the Holy Ghost But the Divinity of the Father Son and Holy Ghost is one the glory equall the Majesty co-eternall Joh. 1.1.3 Heb. 1.2 Jâ—â— 14.23 Ephes 3.17 4 Such as the Father is such is the Son and such is the Holy Ghost the Father uncreate the Son uncreate and the Holy Ghost uncreate Mat. 28.20 Prov. 8 25. Rev. 1.8 21 6. Gen 1.2 Job 33.4 Rom. 8.9 the Father immense the son immense and the Holy Ghost immense the Father eternall the son eternall and the Holy Ghost eternall and yet not three eternalls but one eternall as there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible but one uncreated and one incomprehensible 5 Likewise the Father is almighty Joh. 16.15 Rev. 1.8.4.8 1 Joh. 5.20 Rom. 9.5 1 Cor 12.11 Acts 5.3.4 Luke 2.11 Acts 4.24 1 Cor. 8.6 the son almighty and the Holy Ghost almighty yet there are not three Almighties but one Almighty even so the Father is God the son is God and the Holy Ghost is God and yet there are not three Gods but one God so the Father is Lord the son is Lord and the Holy Ghost is Lord yet not three Lords but one Lord. 6 For As we are compelled by the Christian verity to confesse severally each person to be God or Lord so we are forbid by the Catholick faith to say there be three Gods or three Lords 7. The Father is made of none Joh. 1.14 Prov. 8.25 Psal 2.7 Heb 1 5. Joh 15. â—6 Rom. 8.9 Gal. 4.6 nor created nor begotten the son is from the Father alone not made nor created but begotten the Holy Ghost is from the father and the son neither made nor created nor begotten but proceeding There is then one Father not three Fathers one son not three sons one Holy Ghost not three Holy Ghosts 8 And in this Trinity none is before or after other none lesser or greater then other Joh. 5.18 10.30 16.15 Gen 1.2.26 but all the three persons are co-eternall among themselves and co-equall so that in all things as is sayd the Unity in Trinity 1 Joh. 2.23 Rom. 8.9 1 Cor. 12.3 and Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped He then that will be saved must thus thinke of the Trinity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 FINIS A Catalogue of some Bookes printed for and sold by Edw. Dod. at the Gun in Ivy-lane AN entire Commentary upon the whole Old Testament in 4 Vol. in fol. wherein the divers Translations Expositions literal and mysticall of all the most famous Commentators both Ancient and Moderne are propounded examined and judged of for the more full satisfaction of the studious Reader in all things which compleateth the Authors Comment on the whole Bible a work the like to which hath never yet been published in English by any man written by John Mayer Doctor in Divinity The Expiation of a sinner in a Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrewes Fol. by T L. DD. a learned and reverend Divine The justification of a sinner being the main Argument of saint Paules Epistle to the Galathians fol. written by the Author of the Expiation of a sinner Thomae Leshintonii Logica analytica de princîpiis Regulis usu Rationis Rectae 8. The Angel-Guardian proved by the Light of Nature beams of scripture and consent of many ancient and Modern writers untainted with Popery By Robert Dingley Master of Arts late Fellow of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford 8. America or an exact description of the West-Indies especially of those Provinces under the dominion of Spain in which not only the nature and climate of the place with the Commodities it affordeth is fully described but also plain full directions given for the right ordring of the same so as to fit them for the use of the Inhabitants and also for transportation the like never yet published in English faithfully related by N N Gent. in 8. Natures Paradox or the innocent Impostor a pleasant Polonian History translated out of French into English by Major John Wright 4 Poems Songs and Sonnets written by Richard Lovelace Esq 8. The life and death of Mr. Carter with other Tracts written by his son Mr John Carter Minister of Gods word in the City of Norwich 8. Directions for writing true English by Richard Hodges in 8. The Breviat of saving Knowledge by 5 Brinsley of great Yarmouth the second Edition corrected and much enlarged by the Author in 8. Heavens Alarum to all Jurors especially false swearers in 12 by Tim Woodroffe The surfeit to A B C in 12 being a very ingenious thing The Reign of King Charls faithfully and impartially delivered and disposed into Annalls by A L Esq Fol And newly Enlarged and Corrected by the Author Judgement and Mercy or the Plague of Frogs inflicted removed delivered in nine sermons by that late Reverend and learned Divine Mr. Josias Shute 4. The safe way to Glory in severall exercises of generall use by William Smith Mr of Arts R. of Cotton in Suffolk The Triumphes of Rome over dispised Protestancy in 4 by a person of eminency in the Church of England
reason that he cannot be defined or comprehended as very learnedly the Philosopher Symonides answered for hee being demanded concerning the Essence of God and having many dayes given him to resolve the question at last he said The more I strive to consider what God is the more difficult I find the matter to be therefore we ought to take great heed that we wade not too far into this depth but let us learne Chrysost hom 2. in heb Potius glorificare eum qui est quam investigare quid est Rather most faithfully to serve him which is then too curiously to search what he is for as S. Chrysostome saith Chrysost quo supra hom 2. in Heb. Neque ad loquendum dignè de Deo lingua sufficit neque ad percipiendum intellectus praevalet our tongues are not able to speake worthily enough of God and our understandings are not sufficient to conceive of him as we ought to do therefore we should never think upon God without great reverence saith Musculus Thirdly By way of supereminency transcendent excellency as when we ascribe to God whatsoever excellencies that are or may be spoken of him far above all the excellencies of all creatures whatsoever as when we say not only in the Concrete that God is just mercifull wise strong good and such like but also in the Abstract By way of supereminency That the abstract names all excellencies are only proper to God that hee is Justice Mercy Wisedome Strength and Goodnesse it selfe which cannot be said of any of all the creatures for that all the best excellencies of the cheifest creatures are but as little sparkes in respect of a huge infinite fire or as a few drops of rain in comparison of the whole Ocean Sea if we should compare them to the excellency of God Nay we should finde their wisdomes Folly their strength Weaknesse their beauty Baldnesse and all their goodnesse to be nothing in respect of the goodness of God Job 4.18 for He chargeth his Angells with folly and the Heavens are not cleer in his sight Now according to these three waies God is described to be an Immortall A description of God by way of 1. Negation 2. Affirmation 3. Supereminency invisible incomprehensible spiritual infinite Eternall Essence the cause of all causes the author of all excellencies So here you see a boundlesse Ocean and a very large Description of God and I may sooner loose my selfe in the prosecuting of the same then find him fully as he is in any place which is fully truly in every place In a sober sence Bernard saith true Nusquam est ubique est God is every where by his Essence repletively no where inclusively he is no where because no place whether reall or imaginary can comprehend or contain him he is everywhere because no body no space or spirituall substance can exclude his presence or avoid the penetration if I may so speak of his essence He is in Christ spiritually in himself Alpha Omega In the world a Governour in Angels as Beauty in his Church as an Housholder in his Family in the Soul as a Bridegroom in his Marriage-chamber in the Righteous as an Helper in the Reprobate as fear and horror in the Godly to defend them and in the wicked to punish them There are indeed foure degrees of Gods presence Jer 23 24. Psal 19.1.6 1. An Vniversall 2. A Speciall 3. A more speciall 4. A most speciall Psal 130 7. 1. The Lord is present by his Essence in all places 1 Cor. 3.16 2. Hee is present by his Glory in Heaven Joh. 15.26 3. He is present by his Grace in his Saints 1 Pet. 3.18 4. Hee is present by his Spirit in Christ Heb. 9.14 He is every where replenishing the place with his being no where by Circumscription and locall definition So that Curiosity in this highest point of Divinity is very dangerous for God is one Deut. 6.4 Isa 44 5â— 1 Cor. 8.4 Iam 2.19 Deut. 4 15 16 1 Sam. 15.29 Act. 14.15 Matt. 5 48 single pure and perfect Being single without parts pure without passions and perfect without infirmities being in measure unmeasurable in Majesty inscrutable in Nature incomprehensible in Power irresistible in Will unchangeable in Place not circumscript in Time indefinite in Love immutable 1 Joh 1.5 August Med. cap. 12. in favour unspeakable and in Promise inviolable Good without quality Great without quantity Creatour without want in Act without motion every where present without sight the First and the last without time making all things mutable without any passive mutability in himselfe So that here we must needs acknowledge it impossible that a Finite understanding should comprehend an infinite eternall spirituall Essence and therefote I desire to remember that excellent rule of Saint Augustine Aug. de Trinitate l. 5. c. 1. Cavendum est ne dum de Deo cogitamus non possumus invenire quid sit aliquid de eo sentiamus quod non sit we must take great heed least in seeking to know what God is we think him to be what he is not And in another place Quid est Deus August lib. 1. de Quaest nov vet Testam est id quod nulla attingit opinio What is God Hee is that which no opinion can reach unto That it is not safe to enquire too far into the being of God To search then too far is perverse curiosity to beleeve the word is infallible security and to see him as he is is most absolute felicity Climbe not too high â—or falling Dive not too deep for drowning and soare not too high for dazeling labour to know so much as is revealed in the scriptures in which we are to search for all points much more for this and therefore that I may not err in this point I will say no more but with himselfe which knowes himselfe best that he is Jehovah whose Knowledge is infallible Rom. 11.33 Psal 107. Job 10 7. Heb. 6.17 Rom. 1.18 1 John 4.10 Rom. 15.16 Prov. 2 10. Psal 83.18 Isa 28.29 Providence inexplicable Judgements inevitable Decree immutable Wrath terrible and Love unspeakable whose Spirit doth sanctifie us Wisdome teach us Counsell guide us Favour compasse us and Power govern us the most High over all the earth wonderfull and great in Counsell mighty and excellent in works Eph. 2.4 Exod. 15.11 Ezeck 36.26 Tit. 3.5 rich in mercy glorious in Holinesse fearfull in Praises The Regeneratour of our Nature our Defence in Adversity Perseverance in the faith Eph. 1.4 the Life of them that beleeve and in the end is Eternall life it is he that elected us to salvation promising remission of sins by beleiving in Christ Joh. 3 15.16 Acts 8.37 being the first person named in order not in power nor time existing of himselfe and of no other is callâ—d Father Isa 63 16.
first in respect of his naturall Son Christ begotten from eternity Secondly in respect of the Elect his Adopted Sons Gal. 4.5 who being not sons by Nature are made sons by Grace Eph. 2.5 CHAP. II. OF JESUS CHRIST God hath fixed many impressions of hi goodnesse in the creatures WHosoever will religiously and seriously observe those manifold impressions of the Divine goodnesse which the Lord God hath planted in the nature of all living creatures he shall surely finde so much matter of reverence love and admiration that he shall never be able sufficiently to comprehend the excellency of so huge an ocean of goodnesse within the strait and narrow compasse of his understanding For the Kingly Prophet David being as it were ravished or wrapt in an extasie at the inexplicable expression and unconceivable consideration of the plentifull and far-spread goodnesse of God he breaketh forth into these heavenly acclamations saying O Jehovah Psal 36.5.6.7 In coelis est benignitas tua O Lord our Governour How excellent is thy Name in all the world thou that hast set thy Glory above the Heavens thy Faithfullnesse reacheth unto the Cloudes thy Righteousnesse is like the strong Mountaines thy Judgments are like the great deep thou savest O Lord both man and beast But I will not at this time enter into that infinite Ocean of Gods Goodnesse whereby he giveth Food unto all flesh Psal 147. Gods infinite Goodnesse and adorneth the feilds with all kind of fruitfull trees and pleasant flowers neither will I enter into any part or parcell of his excellent Providence whereby hee governeth the whole world by his Wisdome sustaineth all things by his Power and releiveth all things by his Goodnesse But I will rather bathe my selfe in those cheifest Fountaines of Gods admirable Love whereby he imbraced Mankinde the Epitome of the whole Universe For God so loved the World Joh 3.16 that hee gave his onely begotten sonne That whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Indeed there is no comfort in the Father without the Son neither can any beleeve in him and through beleeving come to him but by the Sonne for hee dwelleth in light inaccessible whom none can know till the Sonne who is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the brightnesse of his glory Heb. 1 3. and ingraved forme of his person reveale him Yea without the Sonne he is a consuming fire but in him hath proclaimed himselfe to be well pleased So that the knowledge of Jesus Christ is the onely thing that makes us happy Nam omnia habemus in Christo omnia in nobis Christus because we have all things in Christ and Christ is all things unto us He is α Legis ω Evangelij the beginning of the Law Quicquid est veteris Testamenti Christum sonat and the end of the Gospell Velatus in veteri revelatus in novo Testamento vailed and shadowed in the Old revealed and exhibited in the New Testament promised in that preached in this there shewed unto the Fathers in Types here manifested unto us in Truths All the men of note and all the names of Dignity were but types of Iesus Christ for the Tree of Life the Arke of Noah the Ladder of Jacob the Mercy Seat the Brazen Serpent and all such Mysticall Types and Typicall figures that we read of what were they else but Christ obscurely shadowed before he was fully revealed And so all the men of note Noah Isaac Joseph Moses Aaron Joshuah Sampson David Salomon Kings Preists Prophets titles of Dignities names of Honour or whatsoever else was any ways ascribed to any of them to expresse their soveraignty were onely used to expresse those transcendent excellencies which these personall Types did adumbrate and shew most properly to belong unto this King of Kings Isa 9.6 this mighty Counsellor and this Prince of peace Now if we well consider how all those things which the Prophets of old prophesied were to be done by the promised Messiah are all accomplished in the person of Christ wee shall find the Word like a light shining in darknesse clearly declaring unto us that Jesus the son of Mary is the true Messiah For the Scriptures foretell every particular act accident and circumstance that should fall out of importance at his comming incarnation birth life death resurrection and assention Matth. 1 As for example at what particular time hee should appear Matth. 1 18. Matth. 2 1 Gen. 49 10. that he should be born of a Virgin Isa 7.14 That the place of his Birth should be the town of Bethlem Matth. 2 16. Mic. 5 2 That at his Birth all the Infants round about should be slaine for his sake Jer. 31 15. that the Kings of the East should come and adore him Mat. 2 11 and offer Gold and other gifts unto him Luke 2 22. Psal 72. that he should be presented by his Mother in the Temple of Jerusalem Mat. 2 13 14 Mal. 3.1 that hee should flye into Egypt and be recalled thence again Mat. 2 21 Luke 1 17. 3.3 Isa 19.1 Hos 11.1 that John Baptist should go before him and cry in the Desart Isa 40.3 Mal. 3. Mat. 4.12 c. Mat. 5. 1. After this that he should begin his own Preaching in Galilee Isa 9.1 and that with all Humility Quietnesse Mat. 4 23. and Clemency of spirit Isa 42 2. that hee should do strange Miracles Mat. 8 Mark 8 and heal all diseases Isa 35.5 6. that he should dye for our sins Isa 53 That he should be betrayed by his own Disciple Mat. 26. Mat. 26 27. Psal 41 9. that hee should be sold for thirty peeces of silver Zach. 11 12. that with those thirty peeces there should be bought afterward a Potters feild Zach. 11 13. Math 21.7 Matth. 26. 27. that he should ride into Jerusalem upon an Asse before his Passion Zach 9.9 that the Jewes should beat and buffet his Face Mat. 27. and defile the same with spitting upon him Isa 50 6. that they should whip rent and tear his Body before they put him to death Luke 23 33 Isa 53 5 that they should peirce his Hands and his Feet Psalme 22 16. Mat. 27.38 that they should put him to death among Theives and Malefactors Isa 53 12. that they should scorn him and nod their heads at him Mat. 27 39 40 41 42 43. saying He trusted in the Lord let him deliver him c. Psal 22.7 Mat. 27.34 8 that they should give him gall in his meat and in his thirst Vinegar to drinke Psal 69.21 Mat. 27.35 Mat. 27 57 c. that they should cast lots about his Vesture and part his Garments among them Psal 22 18. That he should lye in the Grave of a rich man Isa 53 9. Luke 29 that he should rise again from death the third day as was shadowed in his
Ruffin cap. 6. and Ruffinus testifie Moreover Dionysius the Areopagite Saint Bernard and others report a famous saying of Saint Ignatius which he uttered with sighes and is extant in his Epistle to the Romans and it is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amor meus crucifixus est that is My Love is crucified Indeed this holy and pious Bishop Mirandula de motre Christi l. 1. c. 10. did so continually meditate upon those great things which Christ had done and suffered for him that he was thereby brought so intirely to love him as when he was demanded why hee would not forsake and forget Christ rather then suffer himself to be torne and devoured of wilde and savage Beasts He answered The story of Ignatius at his Death that hee could not forget him because the sufferings of Christ were not only words transient in his mouth or removeable objects before his eyes but they were indeleble characters so engraven in his heart that all the Torments of the Earth could never rase them out And therefore being commanded by that bloudy Tyrant Trajane to be ript and unbowelled they found Jesus Christ written upon his Heart in Characters of Gold He is stiled Divinus Ignatius Biblioth Patrum Tom. 1. pag. 76. Inclytissimus ferventissimus Martyr Divine Ignatius a most famous and fervent Martyr Nay Nicephorus goes beyond that title and calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that saw God and one that was carried of God for when hee was a child Niceph. Hist li. 2. cap. 35. Nicephorus reports that our Saviour would take him up in his arms and shew him to his Disciples And it may be that this was one of those little children that were brought to Christ to touch them or that little child whom Jesus took and set in the midst of them to learn them humility Aug. de vera religione Indeed as Saint Augustine saith Tota vita Christi in terris per hominem quem gessit disciplina morum fuit The whole life of Christ which he spent here on earth was and is a pattern for all Christians Christ despised all worldly vanities Nam omnia bona mundi contempsit for he despised all the pompe and vanity of this world to teach us In his mundanis faelicitatem uon reponere that we should not greedily seek nor childishly place our delight in these vain and worldly toyes hee suffered all the sorrowes of this world Christ suffered all miseries hunger thirst cold nakedness lyings slanders spittings mockings whippings death it selfe to teach us ut nec in illis quaereretur faelicitas ita nec in istis infaelicitas timeretur that as we should place no felitity in the vanities of this life so we should not fear all the miseries of this world Judg. 6.12.14 but to say with Deborah March valiantly O my Soul with the Angell unto Gideon Go on thou mighty man of War and passe through all the ranks of miseries To be breife if we do but seriously look into the life of Jesus Christ we shall easily find that as St. Bernard saith True Wisdome is found in his doctrin Bernard Ser. 2. super Cantic Prudâ—ntia vera in ejus doctrina justitia in ejus misericordia temperantiae in vita fortitudo in ejusdem passione reperiuntur Righteousness in his mercy Mercy in his Justice temperance in his life truth in his words fortitude in his sufferings all vertues in all his actions all the Ethicks of Aristotle all the morality of Seneca and all the wisdome of Greece can no ways describe vertue so perfectly as we see it expresly pourtraied in the lively example of our Saviours life yea such was the piety of Jesus Christ that even his greatest enemies were forced to acknowledge confess it Suidas upon the word Iesus for the talk of one Theodosius a Jew with a christian merchant man named Philip in the time of the Emperour Justinian is here worthy to be noted In the Temple of Hierusalem sayd the Jew there were two and twenty ordinary Preists and as soone as any of them dyed the residue chose another in his place Christs Piety is acknowledged and confessed by a Jew Now it hapned that Jesus for his singular Piety and Doctrine was chosen by them And to the intent they might know the name of his Father and Mother and inregister it according to their custome they sent for them and Mary came thither alone Joseph dyed before the Virgin Mary because Joseph was then dead She being asked the name of the Father of Jesus answered upon her Oath that she had conceived him by the holy Ghost and reported to them the words of the Angell Moreover shee told them the names of the women that came to her labour unlooked for upon due inquisition whereof when all things were found to fall out true they registred his Name in the Register of the Preists in these words Jesus the Son of the living God and of the Virgin Mary A proof of Christs Divinity And this Register sayd Theodosius was saved at the sacking of Hierusalem and afterward kept in the City of Tyberias where it is preserved in secret and I have seen it as one of the cheif among the Jews and as one from whom in respect of my degree nothing was restrained And I beleeve thereby that it is not ignorance that holdeth me in the Jewish Religion Why Theodosius the Jew would not imbrace Chrâ—st but the honour which I have among my countrymen the like whereof I could not have elsewhere Thus we see that the Jews themselves were forced to acknowledge and declare the Piety and Deity of Jesus Christ And as for the family from whence he descended it remaineth registred in the Jews Thalmud that Jesus of Nazereth Crucified Thal. Tact. San. ca. Nigmar had was of the Blood Royall from Zorobabell of the house of David Thus much by way of digression But now to return to the foregoing Subject of our discourse namely the Resurrection of Jesus Christ although the Testimony of Josephus and Saint Ignatius might suffice to prove the truth and certainty hereof against all the Atheists of the World yet hereunto I will add some other testimonies and circumstantiall proofes that do infallibly prove the Resurrection of Christ and so consequently that Jesus is the Son of God the true and promised Messias 1. atth 28.1 The Angells testifie the resurrection of Christ Luke 24.4 First the Angell said unto the women why seeke yee the living among the dead hee is not here but he is risen Et si non credideritis Oraculo credite oculo and if you will not beleive us beleeve your own eyes for you may see the place where he lay 2. That Christ appeared twelve severall times after his resurrection 2. Truth it self confirms this truth unto us by those manyfold apparitions that he made after his resurrection
the time of his Resurrection He alledgeth also the appearing of two Angells among all the people for testimony whereof Likelyhoods of truth Hee nameth the day and place when and where it happened He recounteth the very words that Jesus spake at his Ascention He telleth the manner how hee ascended and how a Cloud came down and received him out of their sight He declareth what the Multitude did whither they went and in what place they remained after their departure thence And finally hee setteth downe so many particulars as if it had beene the easiest matter in the world for his enemies to have refuted his narration if all had not been true Wherefore to conclude this Discourse of the Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascention of Jesus seeing nothing hath happened in the same which was not foretold both to Jew Gentile nor any thing fore-shewed concerning the Messias which was not fulfilled most exactly in the person of Christ as have been proved by the foregoing testimonies we may most certainly assure our selves and confidently affirm against all the unbeleiving Jewes and wretched Atheists of the world that Jesus is the son of God the true and promised Messiah Moreover Touching the excellency of this Person I shall yet further prove first That for time he is God co-eternall with his Father and this both apparent scriptures That Christ is a true God is proved and unanswerable reasons drawne from thence do make plain For First First from the Scriptures The scriptures call him the true Jehovah as wee may see by the collation and comparing of these places viz. Exodus 3.2.13.4.14.24 20.2 And Acts 7.30.32 1 Cor. 10.4.9 c. And so the scriptures call him God as Gen. 32.28 Psal 45.7 Isa 7.14 Matth. 3.3 Heb. 1.8 1 Tim. 3.16 Joh. 1.1 Acts 20.78 And therefore saint John saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the word was God Also Thomas saith unto Christ My Lord and my God 1 Joh. 3.16 1 Joh. 5.20 And so we finde the same truth expressed in many other places of the Scripture Secondly by unanswerable reasons drawn from scripture Secondly Wee may shew the same by infallible and unanswerable reasons drawn from scripture As First From those incommunicable properties of the Deity which are properly ascribed unto him as 1. To be omnipotent Joh. 3.31 Heb. 1.3 Phil. 3.21 Apo. 1.18 Mat. 16.11 Mat. 28.20 Joh. 16.15 2. To remit sins Matth 9.6 Mar. 2.5.7.9 Luke 5.20 Joh. 20.23 3. To be in many places at the same instant Matth. 18.20 4. To have the same equall power with the Father Joh. 5.17 5. To raise himself from the grave Rom. 1.4 Joh. 10.18 6. To send forth and to give the Holy Ghost Zach. 12.10 Joh. 16.7 2. From those Epithites which are ascribed unto him and are only agreeable to the divine nature as Joh. 13.18 Joh. 1.9 Mat 9 4.5 Joh. 14 14. To be the Author of our Election To illuminate us To know the secrets of our hearts To hear the prayers of them that call upon him To judge the quick and the dead To give unto his servants everlasting life To be truly rich and so able to do Joh 5.22.24 2 Cor 8.9 Psal 50.12 and to bestow these great rewards upon his servants Joh. 16.15 Thirdly From those relations that he hath with God as to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 J h. 1.18 Heb. 1.3 the only begotten son of God the brightness of his glory and as the Poet saith If God had once no son then once must he Without the brightness of his glory be Also to be the arme of God Isa 53 1. Joh. 14.7.8 9. Phil. 2.6 which the Fathers do expound of Christ to be the Image of the Father 2 Cor. 4.4 Col. 1.5 and to be the very form of God which is most simple and essentiall not compounded or accidentall for that in God there is no composition no accidents Et nihil est in Deo quod non sit ipse Deus nor any other thing which is not God because the Divine Essence Identificat sibi omnia que sunt in Divinis doth identifie Gabriel â—iel super 1. sentent dist 1. q. 5. or deifie all things that are in the Deity 4. From the universall effects Gen. 1.1 Pal 45.6 Psal 102.25 Joh. 1 2.3 Col 16 17. Heb. 1 2 3. Joh. 5.17 and proper works of God for he that created preserveth and governeth all the things that are created is the true and everlasting God but Christ created all things doth still sustaine and govern all things and therefore hee must needs be the true and eternall God To be breif He is the Son of the Father the Wisdome and the Power of God A Proof of the co-eternity of the Son with his father and therefore either the Father was without a Son and then he could be no Father and God was without his Wisdome and without his strength or else hee was never without his Son but to say that God was without his wisdome or without his strength is most absurd Ergo non ex tempore genitus est qui cuncta tempora condidit therefore hee was not begotten in time which created all times Aug. Ep. 6.6 saith Saint Augustine That Christ is co-essential with God is proved Secondly it followeth that I should prove and shew how for Nature he is co-essentiall with his Father touching which point Athanasius saith Non res quaepiam extrinsecus ad inventa est filij substantia neque ex nihilo inducta est sed ex Patris essentia nata est The substance of the son is no outward thing either found or created but begotten of the very Essence of his Eather even as you see the brightness springing from the Light or the Vapour from the Water Neque enim splendor neque vapor est ipsa aqua aut ipse sol neque res aliena For neither the light is the Sun it self nor the vapour the water it selfe and yet they are none other things of another kind then be the Substances from whence they spring even so the Son issueth from the substance of his Father Et tamen Patris substantia non perpessa est partitionem And yet the substance of the Father admits no partion for as the Son remaineth still the same and is no way lessened or diminished Athanas in Ep. Cont Eusebium in respect of those beams that flow from him so the Father suffereth no mutation by having and begetting Suam ipsius imaginem filium this his Son and eternall image but remaining still the same he begetteth his Son of the same Essence and wee find not only all the Orthodox Fathers but also the scriptures are plain enough to confirm the same truth for our saviour saith Joh. 10.30 I and my Father are one and so saint John having spoken of the Father the Word and the spirit saith That these three are one 1
Joh. 5.7 and reason it selfe must needs confirme the same thing for seeing the Divine Essence is most simple impartible and indivisible and that the Father is God as none denyeth and that the Son is God as I have already proved and that the Holy Ghost is God as all the holy Fathers have sufficiently confirmed and yet there are not three Gods Athan. in Sym. but one God as Athanasius sheweth therefore it must needs follow that all three have but one and the selfe same Essence and consequently that the son is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patri consubstantiall or co-essentiall with his Father And therefore hence also it must needs follow that our Saviour Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A God of himselfe independent as absolute as the Father is And yet for the better understanding of this point how Christ may be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himself we must consider Them p. 1. q. 33 that Aliud est habere essentiam Divinam a seipso aliud habere essentiam Divinam a seipsa existentem How Christ is God of himselfe It is one thing to have his divine Essence from himselfe and another thing to have his Divine Essence existing of it self to say that the person of the son hath his divine Essence that is his personall being from himself we cannot because it is from the Father the Father communicating his whole Essence unto the son and therefore we say that the son Ratione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in respect of his personall being is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God of himselfe but God of God and Light of Light as the Nicen Councill hath it because the person of the son existeth from the person of the Father but to say that the son hath his divine essence existing of it selfe is most cerrain Idem ibid. Quia remota relatione ad Patrem sola restat essentia que est a seipsa for taking away the relation of the Son unto the Father there remaineth but the Essence which is of it selfe And therefore we may say that the Son Quoad essentiam absolutam in respect of his absolute Essence is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A God of himself because the Essence of the son is the very same that the Essence of the Father is and so to this truth set down by Calvin Bellar. de Chrâ—sto Bellarmine himselfe subscribeth Thirdly It remaineth that I shew how for Dignity hee is Co-equall with his Father That Christ is co-equall to the Father is proved And this point is as cleare as the former because in an Essence most simple there cannot be so much as imagined more or lesse and therefore Fulgentius saith most excellently that seeing Christ is from everlasting because hee is the eternall Wisdome and Power of God Baruch 3.25 seeing he is immeasurable because he is great and hath no end and seeing he is most high as Zacharias sheweth in his speech of John the Baptist Luke 1.76 That he should be called the Prophet of the most high that is of Christ he must needs be in all respects equall unto his Father Nam quid anterius sempiterno quid majus immenso quid superius altissimo for what can be before him that hath been before all things what can be greater then that which is immeasurable or what can be higher then that which is highest and so saint John saith That the Jewes sought the rather to kill him because he did not only break the Sabboth but sayd also that God was his Father Joh. 5.18 making himselfe equall with God How maliciously Hereticke have dâ—nyed the God-head of Christ Many Objections are made by Hereticks against the Co-eternity Co-essentiallity and Co-equalâ—ty of the son with his Father but they are all so triviall that they deserve no answer and they are all deduced from those places that are spoken of Christ as he is a man and misapplyed by them to deny his Excellency as he is a God Yea such is the Perversenesse of Hereticks and Atheists that they wil be wicked 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the higstest degree by searching so far into the Nature of Christ that at last they will deny him to be a God And therefore that we may be the better able to withstand their Heresies and discover their falacies let us observe the words of Gregory Nazianzene and Fulgentius who doth most excellently shew how the properties of both his Natures concurred together and might be easily discerned in him from the very beginning of his dayes to the last end of his being here on Earth For Hee is borne of his Mother Luke 2.7 and wrapped in swadling clouts as being a man but a Star doth manifest him and the wise men adore him Matth. 2.11 as being a God He is laid in a Cratch as he is a man but he doth wonderfully work in Heaven as he is a God he suffereth himself to be carried in their armes Ful. Ser. de Epiphan Iste puer in praesept quidem parvulus collocatur sed magnus in coelo mirabiliter operatur permittit se manibus in terra portari sed praecipit sibi caelestia familiari as he is a man but he supporteth all things and Commandeth all the Hoast of Heaven to do him service as he is a God he is * Mat. 3.16 Mar. 1.12 Joh. 4.6 Mat. 8.24.25 baptized in Jordan as being a man but the Holy Ghost descends upon him from heaven as being a God he is tempted of the Devill as he is a man but he overcomes and expells the Devills as he is a God he travels and is thirsty he is hungry and is weary as hee is a man but he refresheth the weary he seedeth the hungry and hee giveth drink unto the thirsty as he is a God He sleeps in the ship Mat. 8.26 and his Disciples awake him as he is a man but he rebukes the windes and stilleth the rage of the Seas as he is a God he is poor and needy Mat. 8.20 and hath not an house to put his head in as he is a man but hee is rich and mighty and cannot be contained in the heavens as hee is a God He is sorrowfull and sad Mat. 36.38.39 hee weepes and he prayes as he is a man but he heareth our Prayers Joh. 14. Isa 53. and comforteth the sorrowfull as he is a God hee is subject to infirmities as hee is a man but hee healeth all our infirmities Math. 27.51.45 as hee is a God he is whipped and crucified as hee is a man but hee renteth the vaile of the Temple and causeth the sun to hide his face for shame to see him crucified as he is a God he saith Eloi Eloi Math. 27.46 Luke 23.43 Lamasabachthani My God my God why hast thou forsaken me as hee is a man but hee saith unto the Theefe This day shalt thou be with me
fire Idem A Hen Mat. 23 37 A Carcase Mat. 24 28 A bundle of myrrhe Cvn 1 13 A lambe with out spot 1 Pet 1 19 A lambe undefiled Idem An Army with Banners Cant. 6 4 And he may be called Our Eye Mouth Hand  Because by him we see speak to offer unto the Father John 14 6 True it is All the things of this world without Christ will availe us nothing that as the Bird cannot fly without her wings nor the body move without the Soule so no more can any man do any thing that is good and acceptable unto God without the helpe of Jesus Christ for all our Knowledge is but heathenish science able to make us proud not to make us happy if hee be not Objectum adaequatum the chiefest yea and the sole object of the same all our Faith in God is but ungrounded confidence if it be not grounded upon Jesus Christ all our righteousnesse is but as Pollutio Panni menstruous clouts 1 Joh. 1 2. if it be not washed in his blood and all our patience temperance chastity and all other vertues that either Nature planted or education effected in us are but splendida peccata glistering guilded sins unacceptable unto God and unprofitable unto our selves if they be not guided by the grace and directed to the glory of Jesus Christ who is indeed the most perfect pattern of all vertue And as there is no way for us to find true vertue but onely in him which is vertue it self The knowledge of Christ the only means to suppresse all vices so there is nothing in the world that is so availeable to suppresse all Vice as is the true knowledge of Jesus Christ Nam haec irae impetum cohibet superbia tumorem sedat For this will refrain the violence of anger when they consider how hee suffered all violence and villanies Isa 53.7 and yet as a sheepe before his shearer was dumbe so opened he not his mouth This will allay the swellings of Pride when they consider how he was the noblest of all creatures and the fairest among the sons of men and yet was hee meek and lowly in heart Psal 45 2. Matth. 11.29 this will heale the wounds of envy it will stoppe the streams of Luxury it will quench the flames of Lust it will temper the thirst of Coveteousnesse and it will keepe thee from the itching desire of all filthinesse when wee consider how much hee loathed these how free hee was from these and how earnestly he diswaded us from all vices whatsoever Ne spiritu mendacii erroâ—is seducaris lucescat tibi veritas christus ne adversitatibus fatigeris comfortet te virtus Dei christus And therefore Ne mundi gloria seu carnis voluptatibus abducaris dulcescat tibi pro his sapientia Christus least thou shouldest be withdrawn from God through the pompous vanities of this world or the lustfull and delightfull pleasures of thine own flesh let Christ the true wisdome of God waxe sweete unto thee least thou shouldest be seduced by the spirit of lyes and of errors let Christ the true light shine unto thee and least thou shouldest be wearied and waxe faint under the burthen of adversities let Christ the power of God refresh thee because whatsoever we do want he alone is alsufficient to supply our need For if thou art sick with sin and thy soul wounded or poysoned unto death and wouldst be healed Christ is thy best and alone Physitian only hee and no one but he can cure thee if thy soule doth hunger and thirst after Righteousnesse and wouldest be satisfied he is the bread of Life Joh. 6.35 Chap. 7.38 and the Fountain of living waters if thou art as naked of all goodnesse as thou wert of all cloathing when thou camest out of they Mothers wombe and wouldst be adorned with the best robes of vertue Christ is the Garment of Righteousnesse Rom. 13.14 or whatsoever thou wantest and wouldst have thou mayst fully and freely have the same from him yea if thou be simple he is thy wisdome if thou be sinfull 1 Cor. 1 30. hee is thy Righteousnesse if thou wouldest be holy hee is thy sanctification if thou beest the slave of hell and held captive by the Divell hee is thy redemption and thy redeemer that hath led captivity captive Ephes 4.8 and to comprehend all in a word This Jesus is All in All Vt qui omnia propter Christum dimittit unum inveniat pro omnibus Christum That he which forsaketh All for Christ his sake might find all in Christ and Christ instead of all far better then all unto his soul that so he might joyfully sing with the Psalmist The Lord is my portion Psal 23.1 and I have a goodly heritage the Lord is my shepheard and therefore I can want nothing yea as all the accessions and accumulations of all worldly things can adde nothing unto the felicity of a Christian so all the defects or wants of the same things can detract nothing from the happinesse of him that hath Jesus Christ Vita ab errore gratia a peccato mors a morte liberabit for his life will preserve thee from error if thou wilt follow it his grace will free thee from sin if thou wilt receive it and his death will deliver thee from eternall death if thou wilt beleeve in it So that he is truly called the way without wandring in our Peregrination whereby our pathes are directed Truth without shadowing in our deliberation whereby our Errors are corrected and Life without ending in our remuneration whereby our mortality is eternized In that he is Our Righteousnesse to justifie us Ephes 1.7 Rom. 3.24 Col. 1.20 1 Pet. 1.2 Heb. 10 9. Col 2.13 1 Thes 1.10 Our Wisdome to teach us Our Reconciliation to reconcile us Our Holinesse to sanctifie us Our Redemption to free us Our Reward to glorifie us So that by him our sins are discharged we cleered the debt payd the score is crossed the creditor satisfied and the debtor acquitted In that his condemnation is our Absolution and Passion our payment his death is our life blood our purgation his sacrifice is our satisfaction and curse our blessing his Grave is our mortification and Ascention our Glorification Thus much by way of digression therefore now to come back to the foregoing subject of our discourse namely the Deity of Jesus Christ If all the testimonies of the forenamed Jews Gentiles of all the Evangelists Apostles Fathers Martyrs and of all the holy men of God be not sufficient to prove Jesus the son of Mary That God himself testified Christ to be his son to be the Eternall Sonn of God We finde God himselfe the creator of Heaven and Earth testifying the same for though the testimony of John was sufficient to satisfie any man because hee was a burning and a shining Light Joh. 5.35 in whom the
other but the man Christ Jesus for hee himselfe sayd Gen. 32.28.30 That Jacob should be called Israel a wrestler and prevailer with God and Jacob called the name of the place Peniel because hee had seene God Face to face and so that man which appeared unto Joshuah Josh 5.14 and came as a Captain of the Hoast of the Lord was none other then Jesus Christ as Peter Martyr doth most excellently by many arguments confirme Whereby you see Christ did heretofore assume unto himselfe humane formes wherein he appeared unto the Fathers to be as a Praeludium of his incarnation which is the greatest benefit that ever man received from God Quia in Creatione dedit te tibi Deus Because in thy creation hee did but give thy being unto thee but in his incarnation he gave himselfe unto thee Now if it be demanded how these things can stand together that the Father of eternity should be borne in time that the Son of man speaking upon Earth should yet at the same instant be in Heaven and that the mighty God should become a child which is the weakest state of man himselfe wee must call to minde that the first letter of his great name Isa 9.6 is wonderfull When hee appeared of old to Manaoh his name was wonderfull and hee did wonderously Judg. 13.18.19 But that and all the wonders that ever were must give place to the great mystery of his incarnation Greatness of this mystery Nam mysterium singulariter mirabile mirabilitor singulare for it is a mystery singularly wonderfull and wonderfully singular So that neither the Creation of all things out of Nothing which was the beginning of the Workes of God those sixe working dayes putting as it were an end to that long Sabbath that never had beginning Wherein the Father Son and holy Ghost Joh. 17.5 Prov. 8.30 did infinitely glorifie themseves and rejoyce in the fruition one of another without communicating the notice thereof unto any creature nor the Resurrection from the dead and the Restauration of all things the last workes that shall go before that everlasting Sabbath which shall have a beginning but never shall have end neither that first I say nor these last though most admirable peeces of worke may be compared with this wherein the Lord was pleased to shew the highest pitch if any thing may be sayd to be highest in that which is infinite and exempt from all measure and dimensions of his Wisdome Power and Glory Gal 4.4 Joh 1 3. Col ◠16 Act◠3.21 1 Kings 8.22 A notable wonder indeed and great beyond all comparison That the Son of God should be made of a woman even made of that woman which was made by himself That her Wombe then and the Heavens now should containe him whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain That he who had both Father and Mother whose Pedegree is upon Record even up unto Adam who in the fullnesse of time was brought forth in Bethlehem Mic. 5.2 Isa 58.8 and and when he had finished his course was cut out of the land of the living at Jerusalem should yet notwithstanding be in truth that which his shadow Melchisedech was only in the conceit of the men of his time Without Father without Mother without Pedegree Heb. 7.3 having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life Joh. 14.28 That his Father should be greater then he and yet he his Fathers equall That he is before Abraham was and yet Abrahams birth preceded his well nigh the space of two thousand years And finally That he who was Davids son should yet be Davids Lord Joh. 5.18 Phil. 2.6 Joh. 8.58 Matth. 22 42.43 c. a case which plunged the greatest Rabbies among the Pharisees who had not yet learned this wisdome nor known this knowledge of the holy The untying of this knot dependeth upon the right understanding of the wonderfull conjunction of the Divine and humane Nature in the vnity of the person of our Redeemer Col. 2.9 In whom dwelleth all the fullnesse of the God-head bodily that is to say by such a personall and reall union as doth inseparably and everlastingly conjoyn that infinite Godhead with his finite manhood in the unity of the selfe same individuall person who is both perfect God Luke 1.35 Pro. 8.22.23.25 begotten of the substance of his Father before all worlds and perfect man made of the substance of his Mother in the fullnesse of time And the reason why hee was borne of a woman Amb. in Luc. 24. as Saint Ambrose saith was Ne perpetui reatus apud viros opprobrium sustinerent mulieres least women should still suffer the Reproach of the perpetuall guiltinesse and blame in the sight of men Why Christ was borne of a woman for their first transgression for her yeilding unto the Serpent and the seducing of her Husband made her and all her sexe to be deservedly subject unto much Reproach And therefore though because the Mankind is more noble Christ would be made a man yet because Women should not be contemned hee was contented to be borne of a woman Aug. cont Faust Et sic formam viri assumendo de famina nascendo utrumque sexum hoc modo honorandum indicavit and so he did sufficiently honour both sexes the men by assuming the forme of a man and the women by taking his flesh from a woman that as a woman was the meanes to make him a sinner so she might be the instrument to bring him a Saviour but Licet secundum conditionem naturae natus est ex faemina Thom. p. 3. q. 31 art 5. tamen supra conditionem naturae natus est ex virgine he would beyond the condition of Nature be borne of such a woman that was a Virgin because it became not God to have any Mother but a Maide and it beseemed not a Mayd to have any Son but a God Barrad l. 7. c. 10. saith Barradius And so hee was made of a Woman of a Woman that was a Virgin and of a Virgin without the helpe of man But now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joh. 1.14 That we may truly understand this point how Christ was made flesh the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by our Evangelist doth plainly shew unto us as both Saint Chrysostome and Tolet do observe Mirabilem ejus conceptionem non virili virtute sed divina potentia eum esse conceptum his wonderfull Conception that hee was made not by any vertue of mans seed Two things to be considered for the understanding of Christs conception First Of the manner how Christ was conceived but by the power of Gods spirit and therefore we must well consider First The manner of this wonderfull and divine conception Secondly The matter or substance from which he was framed First Touching the Agent and the manner of the act how this substance should be framed and this Child
is no more able to expresse all the Mysteries and most excellent points that we might collect and learne from the Incarnation of Christ then one poor fisher man is able to catch all the fishes in the ocean sea And therefore thus much shall suffice concerning this discourse of the Incarnation Birth Life Death Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who is as hath been proved the true and promised Messiah the only son of God the brightnesse of his glory the expresse image of his Person heire of all things Heb. 1.2.3.4 c. more excellent then the Angels having honour glory Power strength Praise 2 Pet. 1.17 Rev. 5.12 Colos 2.3.1.18 Psal 2.8 Eph. 1.20.21.22 Psal 72.8.17 Phil. 2 9. Dignity Riches and Wisdome yea all treasures of knowledge and wisdome the heathen for his inheritance the Earth for his possessions and the Heavenly places for his seate far above all Power Might Dominion and Principalities with a Name given him above all Names at which every knee should bow c. Being the second Person in Trinity begotten of his Father from Eternity Gal. 4.4 in one Person the Son of God and very man Man Non exeundo quod habuit sed induendo quod non habuit not by loosing that he had but by accepting what hee had not our miserable nature conceived of a Virgin by the Holy Ghost called of his Father ever since the fall of Adam to be a Mediator between God and man desired of the Patriarchs prefigured in the Law foretold by the Prophets accomplished in the time of Grace manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit 1 Tim. 3.16 seen of Angells preached unto the Gentiles beleeved on in the world and received up into Glory For man hee became a King to rule a Prophet to teach and Priest to sacrifice CHAP. III. OF THE HOLY GHOST Wherein the greatnesse of Gods goodness doth appeare WHEN we think upon the infinite goodnesse of the great Jehovah how gracious he is in all respects amiable in himselfe placable unto men liberall unto all his creatures none is so stupid and dull as not to admire it in him such is the never-dying streams of the goodness of God it is like a boundlesse Ocean there is no end of his Goodnesse and therefore Saint Bernard in admiration thereof breaketh forth into these heavenly acclamations saying Quam dives es in misericordia magnificus in Justitia munificus in gratia Domine Deus noster O how rich art thou in mercy how magnificent in Justice and how bountifull in Grace O Lord our God! For thou art a most liberall bestower of heavenly gifts Nam tu munerator copiosissimus remunerator aequissimus liberator piissimus Bernard a most righteous Rewarder of humane workes and a most gracious Deliverer of all that trust in thee yea so great is the goodnesse of God it is beyond expression beyond our imagination our words are beneath our thoughts and our thoughts far lower then the truth thereof Deut. 32.49 52. Yet as Moses from the top of Mount Nebo beheld the borders of the land of Canaan so if you please to ascend with me to the Mount of Contemplation I will shew you some glimpses of Gods goodnesses Certaine glimpses or shadowes of Gods goodness for he elected us before we were he created us of nothing hee redeemed us when we were lost hee preserveth us being found and that hee might bring us to eternall life hee hath given us the Author and Fountain of all temporall and spirituall gifts even the holy Ghost What the holy Ghost is 1 Joh. 5.7 Joh 15.26 Gal. 4.6 Psal 139.7 who is the third Person of the true and only God-head proceeding from the Father and the Son and co-eternall coquall and consubstantiall with them both Mat. 28.19 Isa 6.8.9 Act 28.25.26 He is call'd by the name of spirit proceeding from the Father and the son to shew the Essence and Nature that he is of for as the spirit of man must needs be truly of mans nature and is the most formall and Essentiall part of man 1 Cor. 2.11.12 So and much more it must be thought of the Spirit of God upon whom no Composition falleth And yet some have been so bold as most impiously to affirme that the holy Ghost was but a created quality or a godly motion in the hearts and minds of Righteous man Isa 6.8.9 Acts 28.25.26 But if wee do compare the words of Isaias with the words of Saint Paul they will sufficiently confute this damnabe â—rrour and most manifestly shew unto us this holy spirit to be the true and eternall God Besides the scripture saith That the spirit of the Lord filleth heaven and earth Sap. 1.7 whereupon Saint Basil Ambrose de S. S. l. 1. c. 7. Saint Augustine Saint Ambrose and others have most plainly proved against all hereticks whatsoever that the holy Ghost is a true God by Nature That the Holy Ghost is a true God by nature because that to be every where cannot by Grace belong to any but only to him that is by Nature God which reserveth this unto himselfe to be every where and therefore Saint Augustine writing against Maximinus an Arrian Bishop saith Aug. cont Maxim l. 3. c. 21. Epist 66. I cannot express how much I marvell what a heart you have so to extoll the holy Ghost as to make him every where present to sanctifie the faithfull and yet that thou dare deny him to be a God for is not he a God which filleth heaven and earth Also Dydimus in his booke Basil de spiritu sancto c. 22. and Saint Basil in his treatise De spiritu sancto declare that to be God Didym lib. 1. de spiritu sancto which can be in diverse places at one time Which thing is not agreeable to any creature But that the holy Ghost was present with the Apostles and Prophets in sundry parts of the world at one time no man professing the faith of Christ doth in the least doubt the truth thereof Wherefore it followeth that he is a God Job 33. Mat. 28.19 1 Joh. 5.7 Joh 14.1.16 1 Cor 3.16 2 Cor. 13.14 Psal 33.6.104 30 The Symbolum of Nice out of the holy scripture teacheth That the holy Ghost is hee that maketh alive and hee that together with the Father and the sonne is worshiped and with them is honoured therefore the holy Ghost of necessity must be true and everlasting God with the Father and the son in one only essence touching which point the holy Fathers powerfully did set themselves against the Hereticks and out of holy scripture stoutly maintained the same Plato Aristotle Proclus Suidas Orpheus Pherecydes Parmenides Porphyrius Numenius Amelius Chalcidius Avicen As for Atheists which deny the scriptures and are altogether ignorant of this blessed spirit if they will but look into the writings of
Felle caret Rostro non laedit Optimum granum elegit Gemicum pro cantu habet Juxta flumiâ—a aquarum sedet Innocentia valet Volatu praestat Thom. Aquin. de proprietat columbae she wanteth Gall shee hath no bitternesse in her shee never hurts with her bill nor clawes she is full of Love and yet shee never sings any wanton tune but woo woo is her matutinus vespertinus cantus her mournfull morning and evening song and therefore the holy Ghost descended on Jesus Christ like a Dove to shew these dove-like qualities of this Lambe of God and to teach that we must be thus qualified like Doves if we should have and enjoy the sweet and comfortable presence of this Heavenly Dove this holy spirit of God Joh. 14.16.17.18.26 Rom. 8.15.16 Joh. 16.13 Eph 1.13 4 30. Rom. 8.23 who is in the hearts of the elect as the pledge of Christs presence the witnesse of their adoption the guide of their life the comforter of their soule the seale of their redemption and the first fruits of their salvation Secondly like cloven tongues of fire Secondly He appeared like cloven tongues of fire First Like tongues because as a Father saith Symbolum est lingua spiritus sancti a Patris verbo procedentis The tongue is a symbole of the holy Ghost proceeding from the word of the Father for as the tongue hath the greatest cognation 1. Why the holy Ghost appeared like tongues and the neerest affinity with the word and is moved by the word of the heart to expresse the same by the sound of the voice saith Saint Gregory so the holy Ghost hath the neerest affinity that may be with the word of God and is the expressor of his voice and the speaker of his will Joh. 16.14 that receiveth of him and revealeth all unto us Secondly Like cloven tongues 2. Why he appeared like cloven tongues because all tongues and all languages are alike knowne and understood of God and because this holy spirit can teach all men all Languages and the gift of tongues is a gift of God Thirdly 3. Why he appeared like cloven tongues of fire He appeared like cloven tongues of fire because the spirit of God delighteth rather in the zealous and the fervent tongues of saint Paul and Apollo's that warme the heart then in those eloquent tongues of Cicero and Demosthenes that delight the eares for this is the desire of Gods spirit to kindle the hearts of men and to set them on fire with the love of God and to make them zealous in all good things Indeed zeal derived 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a word that 's framed from the very sound and hissing noise that hot burning coales do make when they meet their contraries in any moystned substance and so zeal expresseth heat and zealous men are said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as burn or such as waxe fervent in spirit Acts 18.25 Psa 39.3 so as the Prophet saith The fire kindled and at the last I spake with my tongue zeal is the highest degree of affection good or bad therefore he that doth any thing moderately though hee may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Lover of that thing yet he cannot be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because a Zelot is so intensive Vt quicquid vult valde vult as that to all the objects of his affections he is excessively disposed Omnis animi impetus a ratione vel recta vel perversa proveniens ad destruendum vel ad sâ—uendum aliquid sub hoc verbo zelus significatur and most earnestly stretching himself to the very height of his abilities his love is fervent his desire eager his delights ravishing his hopes longing his hatred deadly his anger fierce his greif deep his feare terrible and so of all the rest of his passions he hath them all in the highest pitch so that such a man all the men in the world had most need to have his biasse right and to be furnished with that most necessary paire of spirituall endowments namâ—â— Wisdome and understanding Of wisdome understanding by way of digression first what they are two excellent graces and gifts to be desired above all the wealth of this world if wee would but consider the difference betwixt a Wise man and a foole that is void of understanding Now there are two sacred scriptures which do tell us what is Wisdome and Understanding for in the Book of Job it is sayd Job 28.28 Behold the feare of the Lord that is Wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding Deut. 4.4 5 6. And Moses sheweth the same also saying Behold I have taught you statutes and judgements c. Keepe therefore and do them for this is your Wisdome and your Vnderstanding in the sight of the Nations which shall hear all these statutes and say surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people Moreover Sap 7.22 concerning wisdome the wise man sayth that in her is an understanding spirit 2 Of the sundry properties in wisdome holy one only manifold subtill lively clear undefiled not subject to hurt plain loving the thing that is good quick which cannot be letted ready to do good Kinde to man Sap. 7.23 stedfast sure free from care having all power overseeing all things and going through all understanding pure and most subtill spirits For wisdome is more moving then any motion Sap. 7.24 shee passeth and goeth through all things by reason of her pureness 25. For she is the breath of the power of God and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty Therefore can no defiled thing fall into her 26. For shee is the brightnesse of the everlasting light the unspotted mirrour of the power of God and the image of his goodnesse 27. And being but one she can do all things and remaining in her lelf she maketh all things new and in all ages entring into holy soules shee maketh them freinds of God and Prophets 28. For God loveth none but him that dwelleth with wisdome 29. For shee is more beautifull then the Sun and above all the order of the stars being compared with the light shee is found before it so that as Menander saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wisdome is a more precious possession then all riches and therefore Nihil sapientiâ ardentius diligitur nihil dulcius possidetur nothing is loved nothing is desired more than Wisdome and though one man affecteth honour another desireth wealth and a third loveth his pleasure Aristot Meâ—a l 1. yet all men affect wisdom which as Aristotle saith is Cognitio primarum altissimarum causarum Cicero Tusc l 4. or as Cicero defines it Sapientiae est divinarum humanarum rerum scientia and it is the greatest glory and eminency of any man because a wise man in raggs is more to
naribus ejus rest not in man whose spirit is in his nostrills and therefore least the like might be thought to be in these divine persons we find Power ascribed to the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Justia Martyr in expos fideâ— Cy il l. 8 cont Jul. Wisdome unto the Son and Goodness unto the Holy Ghost wheras indeed each one of them is of the same power wisdome and goodness as the others be so we say with Justin Martyr according as God hath revealed himselfe unto us both in his word his works that the unity is understood in the trinity the Trinity is acknowledged in the unity Moreover S. Cyril saith that the Philosophers have affirmed the Essence of God to be distinguished into three subsistences and sometimes to have delivered the very name of Trinity and the Jewish Rabbins Galaâ—in de ar can fide l. v. 2. c. 11. 12 as Galatinus saith have observed this mystery out of the Hebrew names of God that there are three in one but one in three Vide. N. N n celium iâ— pâ—â—â—mio p 20. and so Hermes Trismegistus affirmed that there was one divinity or deity in the Trinity in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was an intellectuall light before the intellectuall light A mind full of light and there was alwaies an enlightned mind of the mind and this was nothing else then the unity of these and the spirit which containeth all things besides this there is no God nor Angell nor any other substance because he is the Lord and Father and God of all things and all things are under him and in him Verbum ejus â—â—â—sectam â—â—sum insâ—◠〈◊〉 natura aqua secunda prolificam fecit aquam Quae verba quia sunt in eis quaedam carminum vestigia deinde restituta qui dam Orpheo vindicarunt for his perfect word existing and being fruitfull and a worker or maker of all things fallen in a fruitfull nature hath plentifully produced all things And then having sayd these things he prayeth unto this God saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Heaven the most excellent worke of the great God I do adjure thee and I do adjure thee the voice and speech of the Father which hee first uttered and spake when hee established all the world and I beseech thee by thine only begotten word and the Father which containeth or upholdeth all things be thou favourable and mercifull unto me There is no man but he would wonder to see in this Author the very words of Saint John and yet notwithstanding his bookes were translated by the Platonists a long time before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ And it is no marvell though we find sayings of his in diverse places which are not written in his Poemander considering that hee wrote six and thirty thousand five hundred and five and twenty Volumes that is to say Rolls of Paper Jambilicus in his 39. chap. of mysteries as Jambilicus reporteth This Hermes or Mercurius sirnamed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the greatest Philosopher the cheifest Preist and most prudent Prince of Aegypt he flourished before Pharaoh in the time of Moses and was called Ter Maximus thrice great because hee writ of the Trinity yea Saint Augustine affirmeth Aug. l. 5. c. 3. de haeresibus that hee did compose a booke whose Title was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the perfect word and that therein hee left written Monas genuit monada in se suum reflexit ardorem which is as much as if hee had said the Father begat the Sonne or the minde begate the word and from both proceeded the Holy spirit Also Theodorus the Platonist as it is in Proclus affirmeth that there are three cheife workers whereof hee calleth the one a substantiall minde the other a mentall substance and the third the Fountain of all life and Theodoret doth affirme That Plotinus and Numenius have collected out of Plato That there are three eternities Bonum mentem universi animam Goodnesse which answereth the Father that is the Fountaine of the Deity the minde which signifieth the Son and the soule or life of this whole Universe which is the holy spirit that as in the beginning of the Creation Gen. 1.2 hee presently moved upon the Waters to sustain the same so ever since hee spireth and preserveth every living thing and so Amelius and many others are as full and as plaine in this point as may be as any man may see that will looke into Nancelius his Proem Nancel in Proem Chalcidius Avicen which hee confesseth to have taken out of Eugubinus Thus we see how the Ancient Philosophers were all of one Opinion and judgement in the Doctrine of the Trinity The Gentiles did conceive a certaine kinde of knowledge and understanding though undigested and imperfect overshadowed as it were with humane reasonings concerning this mystery wherein they had so much knowledge as not only was able I say not with Clemens Alexandrinus to bring them to salvation but to make them without excuse in the day of Tribulation because that they knowing God glorified him not as God but also as doth exceede the knowledge of many which make profession of Christianity and will no doubt rise in judgement to condemn them in the later day Yet further God â—oe and indivisible as the Philosopers have affirmed the essence of God to be distinguished into three subsistences so likewise they have acknowledged the divine Essence to be only one impartible and indivisible For First Hermes Trismegistus teacheth Although many of the Ancient Philosophers through custome did celebrate the plurality of Gods yet notwithstanding they did acknowledge buâ—â—ne only true God by nature Du. Plessis That there is but one only God That One is the roote of all things and that without that One nothing hath been of all things that are That the same One is called the only good and the goodness it selfe which hath universall power of creating all things That it is impossible that there should be many makers That in Heaven he hath planted immortality in earth interchange and universally life and moving That unto him alone belongeth the name of Father and of God and that without blasphemy those titles cannot be attributed either to Angells Fiends or to men or to any of all those whom men do call Gods as in respect of honour and not of nature He calleth him the Father of the world the Creator the Beginning the Glory the Nature the End the Necessity the Renewer of all things the worker of all powers and the power of all works the only Holy the only unbegotten the only everlasting the Lord of everlastingnesse and the everlastingnesse it selfe Vnto him alone will hee have us to offer up our prayers our praises and our sacrifices and never to call upon any other Secondly Pythagoras teacheth Alledged by Cicero Plutark Clemens
of Orphaeus who is called the Author of the plurality of the Gods Also Phocilides Phocilides followeth him in these words There is but only one God mighty wise and happy And again Honour the only God And so Theognis Homer Hesiodus Sophocles Euripides Aratus and many others have delivered the same truth And as touching the Latins Ovid Ovid. in his Metamorphosis attributeth the Creation of the world and of all things therein unto the only one God Virgil in his fourth booke of Husbandry and in other places And Virgil doth ordinarily call him the King of Gods and men and he describeth him shedding forth his power to the uttermost Coasts of Heaven and earth and with his virtue quickning the world and all that is therein Thus we see that the Gentiles did conceive a certain kinde of knowledge and understanding though undigested imperfect overshadowed as it were with humane reasonings concerning God and that although through custome they did celebrate the plurality of Gods yet notwithstanding they did acknowledge but one only true God by Nature This Truth of the unity of the God-head The unity of the God-head proved from Scripture may be yet further proved and confirmed by expresse testimonies of sacred Scripture as heare O Israel the Lord thy God is one God Deut. 6.4.32.39 Isa 44.6 7 8. and therefore know you that I am God alone and besides me there is none other saith the Lord himselfe to shew the truth and certainty of the unity of his Essence also Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 8.4 6. We know that there is none other God but one and so wee finde the same truth expressed in many other places of the Scripture as Deut. 4 35 1 Sam 2 2 Psal 18.31 Isa 37 16 45 5 21 46 9 Hos 13 4 Mal 2 10 Mark 12 29 32 Rom 3 30 Gal 3 20 Ephes 4 5 1 Tim 2 5 Jam. 2 19. Reason sheweth that there can be but one God c Besides reason it selfe sheweth that there can be but one God for if there were more Gods then one then they must be either all without beginning or one must proceed from other either by creation or generation That they should be all without beginning is impossible for then it must needes follow that there should be multa principia prima dispâ—rata in una voluntate non convenientia many first causes and unequall beginnings that could never agree and be of the same minde and will and therefore to say they should be all without beginning is most absurd An unaswerable argument that there is but one God If one be from the other by Creation then is the second a creature and therefore but one God uncreated if one be from the other by generation then the first gave the second either a part or his whole substance if a part then is God partible and may be divided which cannot be said of such a spirituall indivisible substance if the first gave the rest his whole essence then have all the same deity and so all must be the same God-head Secondly There can be but one infinite God is infinite and therefore but one because that which is infinite comprehendeth all things within the circle of it self Thirdly Deut. 6.4.5 Mark 12.29.30 we are charged to give unto God all our heart all our strength and all our soul if one must have all there is none left for any other Fourthly there is but one first cause of all things God is that first cause therefore he is but one Fiftly But one first cause Acts 17 28. Exod 3.14 God is summum ens the first and cheifest being as himself professeth I am that I am we have learned that of the Prince of Philosophers that there can be but one cheifest Being But one cheifest being Quia ens unum convertuntur because that being and one are all one Lastly It is impossible there should be many Gods for seeing it is absolutely necessary that hee who is God Why there can be but one God have all perfection of being in himself to make many Gods were to make them all imperfect and so they can be no Gods To allow of Polutheism then is to admit of Atheisme he cannot worship any God who acknowledgeth many Gods seeing there can be but One most perfect But one most perfect Tertul. l. contra Hermog c. 17. as but one first mover one first efficient and therefore this one God is so absolutely One that he is One alone besides whom there can be none other for we deny all number in the Deity Or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Only one unlesse you mean in the personall proprieties And therefore Gregory Nyssen saith well Quod in multitudinem extendere numerum Deitatum eorum duntaxat est qui laborant multitudinis deorum errore Nâ—ssen ad Eustach l. de Trin. Basil ep 141. ad Caesarium That to extend the number of the Deities into a multitude belongs only unto them which do erroneously maintain a multitude of Gods for the Catholick Faith is this That we should worship the Trinity in Vnity and the Vnity in Trinity that is The Trinity of Persons and the unity of Essence because all number is to be rejected from the Essence of God saith Saint Basil for the divine Essence is so simple and so numerically one that no diversity can be given The father the Son and the holy Ghost are one by nature whereby the very Persons do differ in regard of the Essence so that whatsoever the Father essentially is the Son is the same and the Holy spirit is the same How the persons are distinguished But now here wee must observe that although the God-head cannot be divided in its Essence yet the persons may be distinguished by their properties Quia hoc est proprium Patris quod solus est Pater quod ab alio non est nisi a se hoc est proprium Filij quod a Patre genitus est solus a solo hoc est proprium spiritus sancti quod nec genitus nec ingenitus est sed a patre filio aequaliter procedens for this is the property of the Father That he alone is the Father and that hee is not from any other but only of himself and this is the property of the Son that he alone is begotten of the Father alone co-equall unto him and co-essentiall and this is the property of the Holy Ghost to be not made not begotten but from the Father and the Son equally proceeding And therefore wee say that these incommunicable and proper operations of the persons do so make the true and reall distinction of the Persons that the Father cannot be the Son nor the Holy Ghost that the Son cannot be the Father nor the Holy Ghost That the distinction of the persons hindreth not the unity of
the Nature of the God-head although every person intirely holdeth his own incommunicable property and that the Holy Ghost cannot be the Father nor the son so that in a word all Three is the same Essence and yet neither of the three can be the person of the other Also from these inward actions or operations of these persons do proceed the nominall relations of the one unto the other as Father Son and Holy Ghost which do likewise make a true reall distinction of the Persons for the Father is not a name of Essence but of relation unto the Son and the Son is not a name of Essence but of relation unto the Father and so the Holy Ghost proceeding is not a name of Essence but of relation to the Father the Son therfore these names are so proper to each person that the name of the one cannot be ascribed to the other Ob. But you will say that the Son it called Father as Esa 9 6 He is said to be the Father of eternities Sol I answer that the name of Father is taken two wayes The name of the father is taken two wayes 1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Essentially 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Personally First Essentially so in respect of the creatures each person of the Trinity may be rightly termed Father Secondly Personally and so the first person only is Father because he only doth beget his son How the father is the first person Mat. 28 19. Joh. 5.26 Joh. 10.30.38 Mat. 11.27 Joh. 16.14.15 And here by the way we must remember that the Father is the first person not in priority of dignity or of time but of order as being the fountain of the Trinity communicating not alienating from himselfe the whole nature essentiall attributes of the God-head to the son and with the son to the Holy Ghost Now as touching the outward actions or operations of these persons Outward operations not altogether sufficient to expresse the differences of the three subsistences and why we finde they are not altogether sufficient to express their differences for as Nazian truly affirmeth of the three persons themselves Non possum tria discernere quin subito ad unum referar nec possum unum cogitare quin trium fulgore confundar so may we say of their outward operations that although they be affirmed of one yet may they presently be referred to all three Acts 20.28 1 Pet. 1.2 Joh. 1.3 1 Cor. 1.2 Psal 33.6 Eph 4.30 Opera Trinitatis adâ—extra sunt indivisa so we find them in many passages of the holy scriptures as redemption sanctification to the father creation sanctification to the son creatino redemption to the Holy Ghost So that indeed these outward works of the Trinity are so indivisible that we cannot so properly ascribe them to any one but you see that they may likewise be ascribed to any other And besides wee must observe that whereas the inward actions of these persons are permanent and necessary Outward workes voluntary these outward operations are transient and voluntary for that God in these things is Liberrimus Agens A free Agent so that he might have chosen whether to do them or not do them and therefore in all these works Election Creation Gubernation Redemption Sanctification Glorification there can be ascribed none other cause Psal 135.6 but Quia voluit because he would For whatsoever pleaseth the Lord that did hee in Heaven and in Earth in the seas and in all deepe places And therefore I say these outward actions and so likewise those Names which are given unto these Persons in regard of these actions as Creatour unto the Father Redeemer unto the Son Comforter and Sanctifier unto the Holy Ghost are not altogether sufficient to expresse the differences of these persons because they are common to all three in one Essence And yet we finde that when any Action is determined to the Father according to the manner of his existence as Father then do the Scriptures say a quo vel ad quem from whom Jam. 1.17 Prov. 16 4. Ephes 3.21 or for whom or to whom and when any action is ascribed to the Son according to the manner of his existence as son then do the scriptures say Per quem in quo Ephes 3.21 1.3 by whom or through whom and in whom and when any action is assigned to the Holy Ghost according to the manner of his existence as Holy Ghost then do the scriptures say Quo ex quo by whom Rom. 8.14 Joh. 3.6 and of whom and in regard of these expressions of the workes of God by such Phrases Basil de spiritu sancto c. 14. Saint Basil doth expound that place of the Apostleâ— in Rom. 11 36 Of him and through him and for him are all things to be a plain distinction of the three persons by the manner of their Actions as well as their existence because all things are of the Holy Ghost by the Son for the Father as the same Author speaketh And thus you see That although the divine Essence is only One impartible and indivisible Athanâ—s 2 Dialog de Trinit yet that there are three persons in this one Essence not that the Essence begets either Essence or person but because the person of the Father begetteth the Person of the Son and both Father and son do eternally spire and send forth the person of the Holy Ghost But now if any shall further enquire of the manner how the father begetteth the son and how the father and the son do spire and send forth the holy spirit Galenus l. 15. de usu partium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I must answer as Galenus did in a point far inferiour to this which is of infinite profundity How this is done if you enquire you will be taken for one that hath no understanding either of your own infirmity or of the power of the Creator And the fathers do often dehort us from the curiosity of explaining the manner of divine mysteries 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for that worthy Nazianzen saith Nazian Orat. 1 de Theolog. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You heare the generation of the son be not curious to know the manner you hear the Holy Ghost proceedeth be not busie to enquire how That we should not enquire too far into the manner of divine mysteries A finite understanding not possibly able to comprehend this infinite mystery And in another place he saith Let the generation of God be honoured with silence it is much for thee to have learned that he was begotten as for the manner how we grant it not to be understood by Angells much lesse by thee So that here wee must acknowledge it impossible that a finite understanding should comprehend that mystery which is infinite in its Glory and therefore when the minde soares high to conceive the truth of the unity