r. Deor. p. 34. l. 8. r. hom 46. 31. p. 46. l. 6. r. Ascet p. 131. l. 1. r. Ioh. p. 147. l. 1. r. 118. p. 149. l. 6. r. haer THE DOCTRINE OF THE Holy Trinity CHAP. I. How Christ is the Son of God peculiarly by Eternal generation and not only by his Miraculous humane Birth How he is the first begoâ—ten and the Only-begotten Son That the Holy Ghost cannot be called a Son nor any Creature so as Christ is Why Heresies are permitted TO this Discourse following I am led by our Commenters inconsiderate if not malicious Exposition of that place Heb. 1. 2. Where it is said He hath spoken to us by â—or in his Son upon which words Heb. 1. 2. he tells us that Christ is therefore called the Son of God Because he was wonderfully born of a Virgin without the co operation of man and only by the miraculous Power of God 2. Because he was appointed to reveal the will of God c. This he learned of the old Arians who did just so expound those words as we find related by a Ath. de Decret Nic. Concil Athanasius Thus he wilfully leaveth out the grand and most principal reason of Christs Son ship and fasteneth on such shifts as are but frivolous in respect of the main and indeed are not proper to Christ but common to divers others For how is the Creation of Adam and Eve less Miraculous and Divine then this that the Commenter affordeth to the Son of God Is it not as wonderful to make a man of earth as of a woman And as much a Divine work to make a woman of a man as Eve was as to make a man of a Virgin And truly as much may be said of Isaac and Jâ—hn Baptist both conceived by Divine Power by such Parents as were naturally disabled from child-bearing both by age and sterility for Sarai was barren Gen. 11. 30. and she was ninety years old before she conceived Gen. 17. 17. So Elizabeth was both barren and stricken in years Luk. 1. 17. that is naturally indisposed for child-bearing so that their child-bearing must be confessed to be miraculous by Divine Power as well as Christs humane generation By this reason the Heathens might have called meer men the Sons of God for they affirmed that the first men did grow out of the earth or that they sprang from Trees and are therefore called by them Autecthones Aborigines indigenae and Terrae-filii as is expressed by the Poet. Juvenal sat 6. sat 13. Qui rupto robore nati Compositique luto nullos habuere parentes And Quondam hoc indigenae vivebant more Pers sat 3. Diodor. Sic. lib. 1. lib. 3. And another alluding to this fiction calls a lazy young Boy Vdum molle lutum Of which Heathenish error we read much in Diodorus who seriously and Historically affirmed the first men to have grown out of the earth and this in Ethiopia And to make this report credible he tells us that some Ethiopians must needs be so bred because they were seated in such a place as was inaccessable by any Forrainer and without any possibility of egress by the Inhabitants by reason of the steep Rocks and Sea wherewith this Land was inclosed when they had not any Boats or Ships for Ingress or Egress Therefore these Heathens upon this conceit might as well boast themselves to be the Sons of God as either Adam or Christ if we will beleeve this Commenter yet they ascribed the Original of men only to nature not to God And indeed our ordinary forming in the Womb and natural Births are as much to be accounted the Work of God and Wonderful as was the forming of Christ or our first Parents and would be so esteemed if it were not so common and ordinary The Psalmist Psal 139. 16. saith I am wonderfully made and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth The like may be said of the whole world which was so wonderfully created by God yet we call not the world the Son of God The Scriptures call Christ Priâ—ogenitum the first begotten Son of God because by his Eternal and Ineffable Generation he was before all the other Sons of God whether men or Angels who are also call'd the Sons of God The same Scriptures call Christ Vnigenitum The Only begotten Son of the Father because none other were so begotten as this Eternal Son of God was being by this Generation of the same Essence Nature Substance and Godhead that the Father is God of God Even as the sons of men are of the same specifical humane Nature and Essence with their Progenitors But men are not so the Sons of God as they are of their natural Parents because they are not of the same Essence and Nature with God for if they were then it must follow that man should be and properly be called God just as a son of man is called man To the second Reason That Christ is the Son of God because he was appointed to râ—veal the wâ—ll of God We say this is a so common to others for so Moses was Appoiâ—ted and did reveal the will of God so did the holy Prophets and after them the holy Apostles did the same And S. Paul who was most signally so appointed from Heaven tells the Asians Acts 20. 27. I have nâ—t shunned to declare unto you all the Councell of God Angels also declared and revealed the will of God and so doth the Holy Ghost as fully as ever the second person did and rather more because the Revelation of the will of God is by Christ himself referred and respited until the Holy Ghost should come and teach it as we read But the Comfoâ—ter Joh. 14. 26. 16. 13. which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send iâ— my name he shall teach you all â—hings and He will guide you idto all truth Yet Angels are not for this cause to be so called the Sons of God and to say that the Holy Ghost is the Son of God the Father or God the Son was long ago adjudged Heresie as we are told by Athanasius a Athan. Epist ad Serapion Hâ—retici aiunt filium spiritumâ—e â—e fratres quod pater est avus spiritus est nâ—pos patris filius fiâ—i quia spiritus a filio est filius a Pater â—e Hereticks say that the Son and the Spirit are brethren and that the Father is the Grand-Father of the Spirit and the Spirit is the Son of the Son and such conceits are by Epiphanius said to be Heresies of the b Ephiph haer 19. haer 53. Osseni and the Sam saei Finally those Anti Trinitarian Hereticks who heretofore taugâ—th the same which this Commenter doth although they would afford no better appellation to the Holy Ghost then to call him Ministâ—um Apostolum and Mâ—ttendarium i. e. a Minister an Embassador and Emissary of God yet they
Hypostases the Stations or Mansions of the God-head wherein it dwelleth and resideth for ever for this reason it is said Joh. 10. 38. The Father is in me and I in him i. e. The God-head of the Father is in in the Son and the God-head of the Son is in the Father and the God-head of the Father and the Son is in the Holy Ghost One God-head is communicated to all the Persons But it cannot be said that the Person of the Father is in the Son because the Persons are incommunicable wherefore as young Logicians reading or hearing of Vniversals and by their senses perceiving no things but Individuals upon inquiry where to finde these Genera Species they are taught that the residence or existence of Universals is only in particulars so young Christians are to know that the Abiding Mansion and Residence of the God-head is only in these Three Persons no where else If it be said that the God-head is every where and therefore not to be limitted or confined to residence in the Three Persons To this we answer that although it is certainly true that the God-head is every where yet the Existence or Residence of the God-head in the Three Persons doth not exclude it from any place nor confine or limit it within any bounds or in the least hinder its Vbiquity for albeit the God-head is really present in all places and more also although all places are contained inclued in the infiniteness of the God-head yet this God-head is no where but where it resideth in the Three Persons for these Three Divine Persons are also every where The Prophet saith of the Father Do not I fill Heaven and Earth And the Psalmist saith of the Spirit Joh. 10. 38 Jer. 23. 24. Psalm 139. 7. Joh. 3. 13. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit c. And the Son of God saith of himself The Son of man which is in Heaven and this he said in respect of his Divine Person when his body was not in Heaven but upon the Earth And when he was about to ascend into Heaven even then he said Lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. Neither doe those other passages in Scripture any way contradict the Ubiquity of the Divine Persons as when it is said Ex. 19. 20. The Lord came down upon Mount Sinai and of Sodom Gen. 18. 21. I will go down now and see c. And in the Gospel where it is said of the Father and the Son Joh. 14. 23. We will come unto him and make our abode with him As if the God-head or Divine Persons were not there before But these Speeches are to be understood of Gods appearing or manifesting himself in such places or to such persons where he is always really present but doth not alwayes shew or manifest his presence And in this the Ancient Expositors agree Chrysostom saith a Chrys Serm. de Spirit To. 6 Divinitas non migrat a loco in locum sed est de apparentia corporea i. e. God doth not go from place to place but those sayings signifie his visible appearance in some assumed body So St. Ambrose upon those words Gen. 3. 8. God walked in the Garden b Ambr. de Paradiso c. 14. Ambulatio Dei est praesentia apparens i. e. The walking of God signifieth only the appearing of his presence where he was truly present before and after them Fulgentius more home and cleerly saith c Fulg. ad Thrasim l. 2 Substantialiter ubique est Trinitas sed adventus Descensus sâ—gnificant manifestationem ejus i e. The Trinity is really or substantially every where but when it is said they came or descended these words signifie that God manifested his presenee there This is the reason of that Scripture-phrase so often used of the Lords appearing as Gen. 17. 1. The Lord appeared to Abram to signifie that God then manifested his presence there where he was before although he did not there appear before to Abraham This I trust is enough to shew the meaning and full importance of this considerable and weighty word Hypostasis Now touching the Coeternity of the Three Persons both the old and new Hereticks deny it for the Arians said d Athan in Decret Nicaen Concil Pater non semper Pater nec filius semper filius i. e. That God the Father was not always a Father and that the Son was not always a Son But St. Austin often opposed this Error and thus expressed his determination e Aug. de Temp. Serm. 131. 181. Deus non anteà Deus caeperit esse posteà pater sed sine initio Deus semper pater semper fuit pater semper habuit filium i. e. God was not first God and afterwards Father but ever God and ever Father he was always a Father and had always a Son Indeed Tertullian noteth that God was not always to be stiled * Tert. cont Herm. Dominus i. e. Lord though always God and Father and he observeth that in Scripture God is not called Lord until man was made And true it is that although the Father be from Eternity the Father of the Son or Word yet he could not be called either the God or the Lord of the Son but upon supposition of the Sons Incarnation and therefore not until man was created for as soon as man was made the Son of man was in the Loins of Adam John Crellius thus intituled his Book which he wret against the Trinity De uno Deo Patre i. e. Of One God the Father If his meaning were hereby to acknowledg God-head and Paternity to be Coeternal then it must needs follow that God must have an Eternal Son othewise he cannot be an Eternal Father for so St. Basil noteth g Bas cont Eunom l. 4. Si pater ante filium erat cujus pater erat si non filii i. e. If the Father were before he had a Son whose Father was he if not the Sons And although he be an Eternal Father of his Eternal Son yet he cannot be called the Eternal God or Lord of the Son as Epiphanius hath evidently shewed by distinguishing these two Appellations of Father and God thus h Epiph. in Ancor Deus vocatur Pater Filii propter aeternam generationem and Deus propter incarnationem i. e. God is truly called the Eternal Father of the Son because the Son was begotten from Eternity but he is called the God or Lord of the Son in respect only of the Incarnation of the Son just so the holy Psalmist speaketh cautelously in shewing that the Father cannot be called either the God or the Lord of the Son but only with respect had to the humane generation of the Son Psal 22. 10. Thou art my God from my Mothers belly as I have formerly shewed elsewhere King Solomon delivereth the very same Doctrine of the Coeternity of the
shall begin his reign until his apearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in flaming fire mentioned 2 Thes 1. 8. which assertion I conceive to be exceedingly injurious against the divine and humane Nature of Christ and also contrary to the Holy Scriptures For to deny the Kingdom of the Son or Word considered before or without his incarnation in his pure Divinity is all one as to deny his God-head for who can doubt but that he who is the Creator and the only and eternal God both doth reigne and hath reigned from the beginning of the World and shall reigne until the end thereof and after also to eternity and that he hath and doth govern all things in Heaven and Earth working together with the Father as himself saith The Father Ioh. 5. 17. worketh hitherto and I work and both these work by the Holy Ghost which is the Spirit of both The Kingdom of the God head is by divines thus distinguished 1. The Kingdom of power which even Heathens acknowledged in their supposed God O qui res â—ominumque Deumque Virg. Aen. â— Aeteruis Regis Impâ—riis fulmine terris 2. The Kingdome of grace whereby he reigneth in the hearts of the people inclining them to obedience by the Scepter of his Spirit against their carnal inclinations either lucriferous or voluptuous for this wee dayly pray Thy Kingdom come thy wâ—ll be done as on the contrary Satan or Sin is said to reign in the disobedient drawing them to evil 3. The Kingdom of Glory in Heaven in respect whereof the Son is expresly called The Psal 24. 7. King of Glory This I presume no Christian will deny But our question now is not concerning the Son as he is in his single and pure divinity or as he is God the Word or the Son of God But we must now consider him as he is The Son of Man and since his incarnation as he is Emanuel or the Word made flesh or the Anoynted of God or Christ for the pure God-head can not be anoynted because it is the anoynting neither could the Son of God be called Christ until he was incarnate nor can Christ be said to reign until he was made Christ that is until the Son of God by his humane nativity became the Son of Man For though the Son of God hath been a Son from eternity yet he was not Christ or Anoynted from eternity but his unction and title Christ began then as the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 4. When the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a Woman By this double consideration of Jesus wee may perceive the reason why the Scripture distinguisheth between God and Christ as 2 Tim. 4. 1. I charge thee before God and the Lord Jesus Christ and why we so often read The Lord Christ and the Christ or Anoynted of the Lora as Act. 4. 26. Ps 2. 2. The Lord Jesus in respect of his God-head is called Christus Dominus and the same Lord Jesus in consideration of his humane nature assumed is called Christus Domini i. e. he is both the Lord Christ and The Christ or the Anoynted of the Lord. So that we may truly say The Son of Man is the Christ or the Anoynted of himself as he is the Son of God These considerations being premised Our Question of Christs Kingdom is thus to be stated QUESTION Whether our Lord Iesus Christ ever yet had or now hath any Kingdom in and over this World FOr if it may appear that Christ formerly had and still hath a Kingdom here there will be no need of his corporal descending from Heaven in this fag end of the World to take possession of that which he had before and still retaineth Answer The answer to this question is That Christ now reigneth on earth and hath so done ever since he was Christ that is from the time that The word was made flesh that he reigneth in this world though his Kingdom is not of this world because it is not a visible reigning after a worldly way but in a heavenly manner he beareth not the Sword Material but a Spiritual Sword he raiseth not Armies of men but commandeth Legions of Angels his strong hold is Heaven his prison is Hell as 1 Pet. 3. 19. his Jaylors Divels his executioners Plagues Famines Winds Storms Serpents Wild-beasts evil Angels Sicknesses Deaths Temporal and Eternal his Laws are mild written in Milk the easie yoak of the Gospel his tribute and taxes are faithfulness and obedience his Kingdom doth not invade or disturb other worldly Kingdoms but establisheth them for he refused a worldly Kingdom when it was offered and refused to judg or arbitrate in a petty title of inheritance between two brethren much less will he in this world judg the grand titles of Monarchies and great possessions to be taken from the rightfull possessors to the use of Pretended Saints Let us see what the Scriptures say concerning the Kingdom of this Emanuel here on earth Isaiah saith of Christ as of a child born whom Isa 7. 14. he called In manuel which must needs be meant of the Son of God considered as incarnate That the government shall be upon his shoulders of the increase of his government and peace there shall Isa 9. 6. 7. be no end upon the throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it from henceforth for ever Surely Davids throne must be upon this earth although it signifie the Church whilest it is Militant Consider we next what David himself saith concerning this Son of David in that memorable passage Psal 89 I have sound David my servant Psal 89. 20. 27. 29. 36. I will make hiâ— my first born higher then the Kings of the earth his Seed will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the dayes of Heaven and as the Sun before me The David here meant must needs be this Son of David that is Christ who is often called David as Jâ—r 30. 9 They shall serve the Lord and David their King whom I will raise up and Ezech. 34. 23. My servant David shall feed them so Hos 3. 5. The children of Israel shall seek the Lord their God and David their King These Prophecies must needs be meant of Christ because the old David was dead before any of those Prophets were born Christ is called David because he was to be the Son of David and so is called by his Fathers name as o her children now are and the prophecies must needs be understood of the Man Christ because by his manhood only he is the Son of David and not otherwise nor can these sayings be verified of any other seed or Son of David Besides These speeches can not be meant of any worldly temporal Kingdom of David for that was taken of Davids posterity long before the birth of Christ and this David himself foresaw and confessed in the same Psalm But thou hast cast off thine Anoynted Thou hasi
as Christ is 1 2. Chapt. The Difficulties of apprehending the Mystery of the Trinity and other Christian Doctrines Of Philosophers Jews and Christians professing their ignorance in matters of Nature and Religion 8 3. Chapt. More concerning those Difficulties and of our ignorance in Theological Doctrines of the Trinity and Predestination and of the over-great boldness of some in handling those Mysteries 16 4. Chapt. That the Doctrine of the Trinity is obscurely delivered in the Old Testament Why the Septuagint concealed it The resemblance of the Trinity in things Natural and Moral The distinct proprieties of the Three Persons and their Unity Of the use of some Words in Religion which are not found in the Scriptures 25 5. Chapt. More of Words not Scriptural Of the Word Trinity and of the Word Person Why the Trinity is called Three Persons VVhy Baptism is administred in the name of the Trinity 34 6. Chapt. Of the Scriptural VVord Hypostasis The Grammatical and Theological signification thereof VVhy the Three Divine Persons are called Hypostases That the God-head resideth only in these Three Persons and not otherwise The Ubiquity both of the God-head and of these Three Persons 43 7. Chap. Of the Holy Ghost That he is one of the Divine Persons That he is to be prayed unto is shewed by Scripture and by practise of the Church That he is confessed in Creeds and invocated in Baptismes and Doxologies 53 8. Chapt. Of Scandals hindring the faith of the Trinity 1. By forbidding the corporal worship of the Lord Jesus 2. By disuse of the Doxologies and Creeds even in Baptismes 3. By dissolving the Order Episcopal ordained by the Holy Ghost Of Presbytery That it is no Scriptural order of Sacerdocy St Jerom's Epistle to Euagrius explained 63 9. Chapt. More of Scandals 1. By scandalous Ministers 2. By dis-use and abuse of the Lords Prayer Of Christs Earthly Kingdome and his corporal return before his coming to the last Judgment That prosperity in unjust causes is no sign of Gods approbation Of the Regal Stile Gratia Dei Something concerning publick Thanks-givings 78 10. Chapt. Of Millinarians and their imaginary fifth Monarchy That it is an Heresy against the faith of the Trinity Mr Mede's Argument for Christ's Earthly Kingdome is answered That Christs Kingdome shall last after the final Judgement and continue for ever 87 Sect. 2. Of Christ's Kingdom over all the World and every Creature That it ceased not at his death That neither the Roman Consistory nor the Presbyterian Vestry can be called Christs Throne How it is in this World and yet not of this World That the Policy of Christ's Kingdome is altogether unlike and divers from worldly Policy 96 Sect. 3. Of Christ's Kingdome and Acts in Heaven Of his Melchisedechical Priest-hood there The manner of his Intercession Advocateship and Mediatorship for us in Heaven That it is not by Sacrificing or praying for us there What Priestly Act he there performeth 110 Sect. 4. Of Christ's Session at the Right hand of God The difference between the Right hand of God and the Right hand of the Father with the abuses of that Article VVhy Christ withdrew to Heaven Of the re-building of Ierusalem and the Temple Of the Jewish Monarchy and their Pseudo-Messiah or the great Antichrist 122 Sect. 5. The signification of the Jewish feast of Atonement and of the High-priests entring the Sanctum Sanctorum and of the Mercy-seat sprinkling of blood Scape-goat and Jewish Sacrifices why God disliked them The signification of the Altar Of Jewish and Christian Liturgies 135 11. Chapt. More concerning Millinarism The dreadful and bloody Consequences thereof Of new Millinarian Saints and the Meek VVhat Earth or Land is promised to the truely Meek The Title of Saint unduely placed is an abuse of the Holy Ghost The Conclusion 146 The Preface HAving formerly discoursed concerning the absolute Godhead of Jesus Christ and shewed that he is the only and most high God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Divines use to say and the I am i. God absolutely and independently for an Antidote against the late Socinian commentary on the Hebrews It seemeth requisite and seasonable to consider the same Lord Jesus in his Relative Personality as he standeth in relation to the Father and so is the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father In the contemplation whereof I shall be necessitated briefly to discourse the Sacred Doctrine of the whole blessed Trinity and each several Person thereof And because this profound and mysterious Doctrine is far above the reach of our Natural reason and comprehension and therefore to be not only Reverendly but also Warily and Circumspectly handled it being confessed both by Heathen and Christian Writers a Tacitus Sanctius reverentius visum est de actis Deorum credere quam scire and b Cicero De Potestate Deorum timide pauca dicamus i. e. it seemeth more reverend to believe the power of God then to presume to pry into it and to speak sparingly and timerously thereof because as Origen saith c Orig. in Eze. hom 1. De Deo vera dicere periculosum est i. e. It is dangerous to speak of God albeit we speak nothing but the Truth I therefore do here most earnestly implore the assistance of the Father of Lights to illuminate the hearts both of the Writer and Reader that from him we may receive all needful evidence for our apprehension and for our faith in the holy Trinity which now we are to discourse of and to shew that there are Three Persons in the Godhead and that they all are Coëssential Coëqual and Coëternal Errata Page 5. l. 17. r. patre p. 9. l. 9. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 17. l. 19. r. Salvianus p. 21. l. 16. r. ipse p. 23. l. 9. r. Abulenses p. 24. l. 9. r. Idiotae p. 34. l. 10. r. contentiosius p. 41. l. 31. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 44. l. 24. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 60. l. 1. r. are that temple p. 69. l. 21 22. r. signing p. 75. l. 13. r. voted p. 76. l. 7. dele those godly p. 78. l. 10. r. in Marcione p. 109. l. 2. r. ne gentes l. 22. r. spirit p. 110. l. 9. r. whether p. 125. l. 2. r. lord p. 129. l. 15. r. premisses p. 130. l. 24. r. take p. 136. l. 22. r. the feast p. 137. l. 12. r. propitiation p. 147. l. 25. r. men p. 150. l. 5. r. women p. 151. r. them p. 153. l. 2. r. auri l. 12. r. devour l. 17. r. foul toad found p. 158. l. 2. r. Augustine p. 159. l. 4. r. paraechial l. 13. r. metuant l. 25. r. alio fastu In the Margin In the Epistle p. 4. l. 3 4. r. extinguunt In the Book p. 7. l. 1. r. Bas cont Eunom p. 11. l. 7. r. Dion Laer. p. 16. l. 2. r. Rom. 11. 33. p. 17. l. 3. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 21. l. 2.
many Learned Divines to which the learned Readers know how to have recourse and the unlearned will not need them nor indeed could understand them This little Treatise aimeth principally at the information of the ordinary rank of Christians and so of the most of whom Tertullian saith Simplices enim sunt ne dicam Idiolae major pars credentium Tert. cont Prax. That if by Gods assistance I may instrumentally promote their beleeving I have my desire for although they cannot understand the subtile objections of the Adversaries yet a good constant Christian may resolve with that generous Faith of the forenamed Father concerning the Mysteries of Christ which Jews and Heathens esteemed folly and as St. Paul saith The foolishness and the weakness of God 1 Cor. 1. 25. o De. Carn Chri. Natus est Dei filius non pudet quid pudendum est Mortuus est Dei filius prorsus credibile est quia ineptum certum est quia impossibile The Mysteries of the Son of God and the death of this Son of God which others account ignominious foolish and impossible the Christian doth therefore account most honourable credible and certain The same we confidently affirm of this Mystery of the Unity of the God-Head and of the Trinity of Persons therein although to unbeleevers it seem ever so improbable But yet God hath not left us altogether without the helps of humane reason by affording us many resemblances of this great Mysterie both in Nature and Morality As will be shewed hereafter CHAP. IIII. The Doctrine of the Trinity is obscurely delivered in the old Testament but cleerly in the New Why the Septuagint Translators concealed it from the Heathens The Resemblances of the Trinity and Unity in Nature The three Persons and their several Properties and joint Unity Why the Fathers used some words not found in the Scriptures SAint Basil observeth upon those words Bas Hexam hom 9. Gen. 1. 26. Let us make man that the Jews denying the second Person said That God talked to himself but what Carpenter saith he being alone would so talk or but with his instruments for if so then he must have said fiat homo i. e. Let man be made but here is faciamus i. e. Let us make which implies another Person and that no creature or Angel because he added In our Image And after our likeness for man was made in the Image of God not of Angels or any other creature Thus he Gregory Naz. also observeth Naz. Orat. 37. That the Old Testament speaketh evidently of the Father but obscurely of the Son And that the Evangelists speak plainly of the Son but darkly of the Holy Ghost because God would not ingage us in this part of Faith until the God-head of the Father and the Son were more cleerly manifested thus by degrees like the Sun-light illuminating man by little and little So Epiphanius noteth against the Pneumatici Epiph. haer 74. who denied the God-head of the holy Ghost that Moses plainly declareth one God and the Prophets two Persons in God and the Apostles a Trinity of Persons And we are told by St. Jerome a Proaem Quaest in Gen. That the Septuagint abstained from revealing the Mystery of Christ and his coming to King Ptolomy who set them on the work of Translation lest he being an Heathen should think that the Jews had two Gods and also because as Basil of Seleucia Bas Seleu. Orat. 9. noteth Gods appointed time for revealing Christ to the Gentiles was not yet come Indeed we finde in after times that both Heathens and Hereticks objected that the Christians had two or three Gods upon a confession of a plurality of Persons For Porphyrius called the Christians Trinity b Aug. de Civ l. 10. c. 29. Three Gods So the Macedonian Hereticks called the Catholicks c Naz. Orat. 37. Tritheitas as if they had three Gods but they were thus answered by Nazianzen That if the Catholicks were so because they confessed Three Persons then must those Macedonians be called Bideitae because they acknowledged two Persons viz. The Father and the Son The Arians confessed Three Persons but they denyed the Vnity of the God-head in them The Sabellians confessed the Unity of the God-head but denyed a Plurality or Duality of Persons therein both these Heresies are refelled by that speech of Christ John 10. 30. I and my Father are one as Prosp. noteth d Prosp Sent. 346. Vnum hoc perculit Arium Sumus hoc Sabellium stravit i. e. in that he saith One this siniteth Arius and in that he saith Plurally We are this confuteth Sabellius This observation he learned of St. Austin who against both those Heresies thus confesseth the Trinity e Aug. de qum que Haeres To. 6. c. 7. Gratias tibi Vera Vna Trinitas Vna Trina Veritas Trina Vna Vnitas For as the Error of Heathens was in beleeving a Plurality of Gods so the error of Jews and Hereticks was in denying a Plurality of Persons in one God Now that it may appear that the Mystery of the Trinity is not so far remote from humane capacity and faith as if to Reason it might seem altogether impossible God hath given us many resemblances thereof which are obvious and easie to be discerned which Similitudes must not be thought fully to correspond in all particulars to the Divine Trinity as we learn in Logick Omne simile est dissimile Nullum simile est idem Similitudo non Currit quatuor pedibus c i. e. Every like is also unlike No like is the same Similitudes do always halt with one foot But it will be enough if we can finde some one particular wherein they are assimulated We see that one man may sustain three several Offices or Persons as One may be a Merchant a Souldier and a Magistrate These are different Offices yet one man is all Marsilius Ficinus in his Preface to the Book of Mercurius Trismegistus tells us that he was therefore called Trismegistus i. e. Thrice Greatest because he was the Greatest Philosopher the Greatest Priest and the Greatest Prince So the elder Pliny tells us that Cato the elder was the best Orator the best Commander and Plin. Hist l. 7. c. 27. the best Senator here is one man is all these though every one of these Offices differ each from other even as the Father Son and Spirit are all but one God yet are Persons distinct one from another Dionysius Areop resembleth the Trinity to Dionis de Div. Nom. c. 2. three Lamps in a Room which though they be several and distinct yet the light of all is but one light Nazianzen compares it with Naz. Orat. 37. the Sun Sun beam and Light and to Fire Heat and Light and to the Spring Well and Stream and to the Arm the Hand and the Finger and to the Root the Body and the Boughs of a Tree St. Ambrose to the three
Ambr. de Dignit Hom. c. 2. Faculties of the Soul Vnderstanding Will and Memory St. Ierome tells us that Christ was therefore baptized in Jordan because that Hier. in Mat. c. 16. River represented the Trinity for that it was called Jordan because it issued from two Heads the one called Jor the other Dan All these Threes are severally distinct and yet unseparated in Nature One Sun One Fire One Water One Arm. One Tree One Soul And one Jordan Yet when we say the Three Persons are but of one Essence the Reader is to be informed that we are not so to be understood as if we affirmed that there is no Essential or Quidditative difference between these Three Persons for the Three Divine Persons must needs be distinct and different in some Essential difference otherwise they all must be confessed to be but One Person Therefore something there must be whereby the Father is Father and not Son and so in the other Persons to constitute them Persons distinct each from other For in Logick we learn that even the very Accidents have their respective Essence such as it is to make them what they are so must the several Divine Persons have and to this our Orthodox Divines consent for thus they write Personae habent unum esse absolutum Essentiale Naturale Sed diversum esse Relativum Personale i. e. The Three Persons have but one Essence absolute of their own nature but Diverse Essences Relative and Personal So that these several Essences or Acts and Quiddities are not in the absolute nature or God-head of them but in the Relative Personalities for they are all Absolutely but One God and yet they are distinct and several Persons they are intirely and truly One thing and as truly Three several things Which St. Anselm as it seemeth to me doth very acutely thus determine and express Anselm de incarn c. 3. Tres Res sunt una res viz. Vna res Absoluta Tres res Relativae In uno Communi unum sunt sc Dietate In tribus Proprietatibus Diversae sunt i. e. The Divine Persons are Three things and they are but One Thing viz. They are Three things Relatively but One thing Absolutely for in one common thing they are but One that is one in Essence or God-head but Three in Persons or Proprieties Thus he and much more to this purpose If it be enquired what those Propertics are which are peculiar to each Person and that do distinguish every Person each from other In this we are plentifully resolved by former Writers Richardus de St. Victore thus sets Rich. de St. Vict. de Trinit c. 15. and 25. down their personal Proprieties Pater dat solum Filius accipit dat Spiritus accipit solum i. e. The Father giveth only The Son receiveth and giveth The Spirit receiveth only from both There cannot be another Property or Person which neither giveth nor taketh for if so then we should be driven to confess a Quaternity of Persons instead of a Trinity Nazianzen sets down the Proprieties in these words Ingenitus Genitus Procedens i. e. Naz. Orat. 23. and Orat. 28. Basil Epist 349. Unbegotten Begotten Proceeding And St. Basil thus Paternitas Filiatio Sanctificativa potestas i. e. Fatherhood Sonship Sanctificative power for although the Father and the Son do Sanctifie yet they do it not immediately by themselves but mediately by the Holy Ghost who is the Spirit of Sanctification If therefore each Person have any one thing peculiar and proper to it self and incommunicable to any other of the Divine Persons this Property must needs prove it to be a several and distinct Person And if there be any one Person in the God-head which doth neither give to the Other nor receive from the Other This must needs prove a Person without any communion with the other and so the Vnity would be lost Now that it may by the Scriptures appear that there are several Proprieties in the several Persons and those incommunicable to the other Persons We read that The Son is the Image of the Father but it is never read that the Father is the Image of the Son or Spirit So it is said The Word or Son was made flesh but neither the Father nor the Spirit are ever said to be made flesh So the Son is called The only Begotten so is not the Father or the Spirit therefore the Ancient Writers called the Father Ingenitum Innascibilem Impassibilem i. e. Not Begotten not Born not Passible nor can the Father be said to proceed from the Son or Spirit But these Properties cannot be affirmed of the Son who is Begotten born and suffered nor of the Holy Ghost who proceedeth from the Father and the Son Besides these The Scripture doth cleerly declare the several Personalities in the God-head by our Saviours words Joh. 14 15. I will pray the Father and he shall send another Comforter Here is evidently a distinct Trinity I and He and Another As touching the Vnity of the Three Persons the Arians utterly deny it and therefore they expostulated with the Catholicks because in the asserting thereof they used some words which were not found in holy Scriptures as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Essence and Consubstantiality and they nick-named the Catholicks calling them Homousians because the Nicene Fathers had inserted the word Homousion in their Creed One Pascentius was so offended therewith that simply mistaking it to be the name of a man he required that the Church would anathematize or excommunicate Homousion as b Aug. Epist 174. Austin reports But Athanasius made this answer to the Arians b That they themselves used many more words c Athan. in Decret Nicaen Concil which were not Scriptural As That the Son was not always That the Father was not always a Father That the Son was Factura i. e. a Creature and that he was made of nothing whereupon one Sect of the Arians were called d Soz. lib. 4. c. 28. Exoucontii and that those frequent Arian words Homoiousion and Innascibilis were not found in the Scriptures and that the Catholicks were forced to use new words because the Arians raised new Heresies although among the Catholicks the self same Ancient Doctrine had continued immutable for upon the like occasion even the holy Scripture it self had assumed a new word as we read Act. 11. 26. That whereas before the Church-Members were called Disciples and Brethren now they are by a new name called Christians First at Antioch and this because false Brethren and false Teachers arose teaching Doctrines contrary to the Apostles and yet these Brethren were called Disciples and named themselves from men as John Baptists Disciples did and as those mentioned 1 Cor. 1. 12. said I am of Paul I am of Apollo I of Cephas c. therefore the Church to prevent a Schisme would have all that professed Christ to be called
by one new name Christians which is thought to be prophesied by Isaiah when he said Isaiah 62. 2. Thou shalt be called by a new name Finally because the Arians used the word Triousion teaching thereby that the Three Persons were of three several Natures and Essences therefore the Catholicks to assert the Vnity of the God-head in all and every Person most significantly used the word Homousion Thus Athanasius e Atha in Disput cum Ario. c. To. 4. Notwithstanding this true and just allegation The Arians perswaded Constantius the then Arian Emperor by Edict to forbid that any new words should be used in matters of faith and this upon a pretence of a Scriptural inhibition because St. Paul thus chargeth Timothy O Timothee depositum Custodi devitans 1 Tim. 6. 20. Hil. advers Const lib. 1. profanans vocum novitates But St. Hilary addressed this answer That St. Paul did indeed command Timothy to avoid novelties yet they were only profane Novelties Now you command us to avoid new words which are holy and tending to Piety which is all one as if you should forbid a new Antidâ—te against a new poison or a new War against new enemies Thus he But there are other new words of as great concernment which some have found fault with without cause as is next to be shewed CHAP. V. Of the word Trinity Why it is used the real Warrant for it in Scripture Why Baptisme is administred in the name of the Trinity And why the Trinity is called three Persons THere are some that cavil even at the word and appellation of the Trinity because they finde not this word literally in the Scriptures who yet cannot deny that the same thing and Doctrine is really found there but both Heathen and Christian Writers reprove such Wranglers as stand upon words when the thing it self is evident a Cic. cont Salust Vbi rerum testimonia adsunt quid opus est verbis And b Aug. Epist 174. dedâ—ct Christ l. 4. c. 11 Quid est contensiosius quam ubi de re constat certare de nomine And Bonorum ingeniorum indoles est in verbis verum amare non verba A good disposition and an humble Christian will embrace an old truth though clothed with a new word The Scriptural evidence for the reality and truth of the thing is cleer For at the Baptism of Christ the Three Persons did distinctly sensibly and separatly shew or declare their presence at one time The Father audibly by a voice The Son and Spirit visibly and therefore c Chrys hom 24. Antioch hom 46. 31. Idem Serm. de Epiph. To. 6. St. Chrysostom calls the Baptism of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Epiphanie or manifestation of Messiah and he also calls that Apparition Theophania i. e. the appearing of God And moreover tells us of this Festival of the Epiphany which even in his days was solemnized by the Church That is was kept for the commemoration not of the Nativity but of the Baptism of Christ and for this reason the Church of England appointed that on the Feast of Epiphany the third Chapter of St. Luke should be read as a Lesson proper for that day wherein the Baptism Luk. 3. 21. of Christ and this Apparition is declared for therefore it was called Epiphany because at this Baptism the Lord Jesus was by the Father and the Holy Ghost openly proclaimed to be That Son of God and that Messiah which had been before promised and Prophesied in whom only God would be well pleased and be at peace with man And surely that Heavenly and Mysterious Apparition of the two other Persons was also for a further reach and purpose namely to declare to the world that this Jesus was that man which was assumed into Personal union with the God-head and that this Emmanuel or God incarnate was hereby declared to be assumed into the number of the Trinity at that time Although in respect of his pure God-head and as he was God the Word he was One of the Persons of the Trinity before and also from Eternity And although this Emanuel or God incarnate was one of the Three Divine Persons at the first instant and moment of his Incarnation yet he was not so declared and manifested to be so until this glorious Apparition For this very cause it may with great reason be thought that in correspondence to this Apparition at his own Baptism when he afterwards prescribed the form and words of Baptism for all Christians He strictly commanded that they should be baptized In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mat. 28. 19. i. e. into the Name which signifieth that they should be baptized into the Trinity For name doth often signifie the very thing it self which is named as Divines call that word by which a thing is call'd Nomen Nominans and they call that thing which is named Nomen Nominatum Baptism is the Sacrament of our entrance and admission into the body of Christ so by those words Christ signified that he would have Christians to be by Baptism offered and tendred for their admission into the fellowship union communion and society or spiritual corporation with the Father Son and Holy Ghost and this himself had declared before when he thus prayed to the Father Joh. 17. 21. for all Beleevers That they all may be one as thou Father art in me and I in thee That they also may be One in us And so St. John telleth us 1 Joh. 1. 3. Truly our fellowship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and because this communion or fellowship is wrought by the holy Spirit being the Cement or Ligament by which we are to be united and joyned to the Trinity therefore St. Paul mentioneth the Communion of the Holy Ghost with Christians 2 Cor. 13. 13. And the fellowship of the Spirit Phil. 2. 1. Another evidence real we have by the words of St. John 1 Joh. 5. 7. There are Three that bear witness in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit and these Three are One These words do so cleerly declare both a Trinity in the God-head and an Unity of the Three that it is no marvel that the Arian Faction did raze them out of that Epistle in so much that they were omitted in divers Copies after the days of Arius But we finde them alledged before Arius was known by St. Ciprian in his Tractate De simplicitate Praelatorum pag. 164. in the Basil Edition of Froben And again we finde them cited by Athanasius to Arius himself in his disputation held with the said Arius at the Nicene Council as is set down in his Book entituled Disputatio cont Arium the words are found pag. 717. in the Basil Edition Ex Officina Frobeniana An. Dom. 1556. which Scripture was not then
excepted against by Arius himself And long after that time we finde these words cited by Fulgentius in his Book entituled Objectionum Arianarum discussio near the end pag. 87. of the Basil Edition An. Dom. 1621. Yet Fulgentius lived about 200. years after Arius was dead The rankest Arians at first used in their Doxologies to glorifie all the three Persons by name although with some words differing from the Catholick Custome but in their Baptisms they invoked all the Three Persons alike so as we now do And although Arius had taught his Sectaries to use other words in their Doxologies then the Catholicks used as Glory be to the Father by the Son with the Holy Ghost yet as d Theod. Her Fab. lib. 4. Theodoret very gravely observeth Arius himself durst not ptesume to alter the form of Invocation in Baptisms but baptized as the Catholick Church did In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost yet in after times his Sectaries presumed to change the Baptismal form of words prescribed by Christ as we find in Nicephorus and is by me elsewhere shewed There were some also which said that the God-head was separately and intirely existent alone by it self and not only residing in the Three Persons but was a fourth thing e Aug. Ep. 22 2. Quasi quarta Divinitas i. e. as a fourth Divinity which doth communicate and infuse it self into the Three Persons as St. Austin relates in an Epistle to Consentius so that these men would have the God-head to he thought to be a fourth Person distinct from the other Three so that instead of a Trinity we should beleeve a Quaternity of Divine Persons But this opinion cannot be approved for the God-head in their sence could not so be called a Person because it is as they confess communicable to the other Persons But as our Divines generally agree in this definition or description of a Person f Melancht in loc com Persona est substantia vel subsistentia individua intelligens incommunicabilis If the God-head be a Person then it must be incommunicable And if it be communicable then it cannot be a Person So likewise the Heresie of Nestorius who denied the Personal Vnion of the God-head and Manhood in Christ and thereby divided Christ making two Persons of One did thus bring in a fourth Person So the Heresie of Macedonius who denyed the God-head of the Holy-Ghost instead of a Trinity allowed but a Binity of Persons These Heresies so moved and disturbed the Church Catholick that for the asserting this holy necesary and scriptural Doctrine of Three Persons in one God-head they were forced to use this word Trinity There is yet another Quarrel about the word Person because this word is not found in Scripture to be so used as the Church both present and Primitive have applied it for even those that do confess that there is a Trinity in the God-head yet why this Trinity and these Three should be called three Persons is that that troubleth them Indeed the Scripture often nameth Three the Father Son and Spirit and it saith There are Three but even St. Austin himself often demandeth a Aug. de Trin. lib. 5. c. 9. lib. 8. proaen Tres Quid and Quid Tria For certain then there are Three but what to call them and how to answer when we are asked Three what the Scripture is silent and b Id ibid Magna inopia laborat eloquium humanum i. e. our language wanteth words to express it The same penury of words is noted in the Greek Tongue by Nazianzen who tells us c Naz. Orat. 21. Romana lingua non distinguit hypostasin ab Ousia hinc Personarum vocabulum introductum i. e. Because our Language doth not distinguish subsistence and substance therefore instead of a more proper expression we use the word Person to signifie Subsistence Observe here that Nazianzen calls Greek the Roman Tongue because Greece was then under the Romans and was therefore called Romania and the Inhabitants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the grand City Constantinople standing in Thracia was called new Rome and the Inhabitants of Greece were all subjects and some Citizens of Rome so conversing with the Latines which is the reason that we find so many Latine words even in the Greek Testament and in many other Greek Writers both Heathen and Christian Now because the Scripture saith There are Three and that we dare not say there are Three Gods therefore we call them Three Persons because we find not any fitter word to express that which without words we apprehend and beleeve Neither do we call them Persons as if we would have it thought that the Scriptures did so say but because the Scriptures do not gain-say it but if we should call them Three Gods then the Scripture will contradict us where it saith Hear O Israel Deut. 6. 4. the Lord our God is one Lord we therefore call them Persons that so we may answer in a word when we are asked What Three This is the resolution of St. Austin concerning the word Person used by the Latine or Western Church In like manner the Eastern or Greek-Church called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Persons and so our English Translation rendred those words Heb. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Image of his Person and so doth the Geneva both English and Latine Translation And if we should keep the Original word and instead of Three Persons call them Three Hypostases people would be little or nothing the wiser And Austin tells us that d Aug. de Tri◠l. 7. c. 6. They that call them Three Hypostases may as well call them Tria Prosopa i. e. Three Persons The Eastern Fathers have many words by which they express the Three Persons As e Naz. Orat. 28. 29. Basil Epist 349. and in Asset Nazianzen and Basil calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. i. e. Proprieties Subsistencies and Persons But the Latines generally call them Persons Indeed the Church was even necessitated and forced to call them Persons because of Heresies which used this very word and thereby miscalled the Divine Persons for the Samosatenians said that the Father and the Son were but one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. one Person and so also said the Sabellians that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. One Person and one Subsistence as we find in f Epiph. haer 65. Epiphanius And in g Chrys hom 32. Antioch Chrysostom And h Aug. de Trin. lib. 5. cap. 9. St. Austin himself in one place confesseth that he did not then know the difference between those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Substance and Subsistence but because he found that the Greek Church called them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. One Substance and Three 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
i. e. Three Subsistencies therefore the Latine Church called them Three Persons for they durst not say they were Three Substances left they should be thought to acknowledge Three Gods As touching the Scriptural word Hypostasis Heb. 1. 3. which divers of the Fathers Translated Substances as namely Hilary and Jerome and Austin rendring those words thus Qui cum sit splendor gloriae figura Substantiae ejus i. e. Who being the brightness of his glory and the figure of his substance The later writers did more accurately and critically translate the word Hypostasis by Subsistence and Person so that now the Reader may take notice that when Divines would express the Trinity they call it three Subsistencies or Existencies or Persons but when they would express the God-head Nature or Divinity of the Three Persons then they call it The Essence and Substance of God But of the word Hypostasis which is of very great moment in Order to apprehend the Mystery of the Unity of Essence and Trinity of Persons More in the next Chapter CHAP. VI. Of the word Hypostasis what it signifieth Grammatically That the Three Persons are called Hypostases because the God-Head resideth only in the Three Divine Persons The Ubiquity of all these Persons The Coeternity of the Father and the Son IN the beginning of the Epistle to the Hebrews we find three words which may afford Heb. 1. 2. us some direction in this mysterious Discourse of the Divine Person of Jesus Christ First He is called The Son of God This word implies also a Father-hood in God and Verse 3. as all natural Sons are of the same nature and Essence with their natural Fathers so must this Son of God be Coessential and Con-Substantial with God the Father Secondly He is called The Brightness of his Glory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 just as light is of the Sun and this word may teach us the Coeternity of the Person of the Son with the Person of the Father as the light of the Sun is Coetanious with the Sun it self Thirdly He is called the Character or the express Image of his Fathers Person or Hypostasis This word declareth the Sons Coequality with the Father as the Impression fully answereth the Seal in all Dimensions The Reader may here further observe that the Son is not called the Character or Image of the God-head of the Father because he is the same God with the Father but he is called the Character of the Person only of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for as the Seal and the Impression are two distinct things so are the Persons of the Father and the Son And as the Impression Image or Character represents fully the Sculpture of the Seal So the Son fully represents the Person of the Father therefore the Son saith If ye had known me ye should have known my Father also and Joh. 14. 7. 9. He that hath seen me hath seen the Father Now although the Son be the Image of the Father yet he is not the same Person with the Father which Person is here called the Hypostasis or Subsistence of the Father This word Hypostasis which our English commonly rendreth Person and the Latines sometime Substance and sometimes Subsistence or Existence is originally from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to place or establish and it is compounded of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which literally and Grammatically to the Letter signifieth a Sub-station i. e. that whereon or wherein one standeth that which beareth sustaineth or carrieth a Station a Stand a Mansion of abiding a Receptacle and the words Substance Subsistence and Existence are all from the original word Sto i. e. to stand And hence it is that some of the Fathers rendred this word Hypostasis Sub-stans as signifying a Suppositum or Substratum i. e. that which beareth another That Souldier which forsook his Standard or standing was called an Apostate The solemn Assemblies of Ancient Christians for Devotions because they were appointed to be at set times and in appointed places were called Stationes as a In lib. de Coron Militis Rhenanus noteth upon Tertullian Stationes Christianorum sunt Conventus ubi Stantes precarentur So the imperial Stations were places where the Emperour and his Army made a stand and rested after a March and Stativi signifyed places of Lodgings or Inns where Travellers stayed and rested From hence it may with great reason be collected that when the Divine Persons are called Hypostases the Scriptures do hereby intimate that the Three Persons are the Stations Mansions Abidings Rests and Receptacles of the God head wherein the God-head doth for ever stand and wherein only it is sustained and supported For the posture of the God-head is in the Scripture described by the word Stand as Psal 82. 1. God standeth in the Congregation And Amos 9. 1. I saw the Lord standing upon the Altar In Philo the Jew God is called for his Eternal Constancy b Philo. de Confus ling p. 324. Semper Stans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his words are and St. Austin in that pious book of his Confessions calleth God c Aug. conf l. 4. c. 11. Semper stantem i. e. Standing for ever and we are told in Clemens Romanus often that when Simon Magus boasted that himself was God he would be called Stans d Clem. Ro. Recog l. 2. 3. and we are also informed by the other learned Clemens of Alexandria that the Sectaries or Followers of this Simon worshipped him under the name Stans e Clem. Alex. stro lib. 2. Stantem Colebant It must be confessed that our most Holy and True God may justly be called Stans for his eternity immutable Constancie which is and which was which is to come who standeth Rev. 1. 4. for ever when all other false gods either are fallen already or shall fall and if we would know where to find this our God and where he resideth and where to address our selves unto him we must consider him in these Three Heb. 9. 24. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred Presence and Conspectus and Vultus Dei by the English and Latine Transl glorious Persons as in the Stands Stations or Receptacles of the God head as an Heavenly Tri-Parelion or three Golden Lamps wherein the One and Onely Light of the God-head abideth and from whence it shineth nor can we otherwise find our God but by the illumination which proceedeth from One or all these Persons The first Person is called the Father of Lights And No man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any man the Jam. 1. 17. Father save the Son and he to whom the Son Mat. 11. 27. will reveal him And both these Persons reveal unto us by the Holy Ghost He shall teach you Joh. 14. 26. and 16. 13. all things And He will guide you into all truth These are the
Father and the Son under the name of Wisdom Prov. 8. 22. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his works of old I was set up from everlasting I was brought forth just so doth the Psalmist express the Eternal generation of the Son Psalm 1103. Ex utero ante Luciferum genui te so was the old reading of those words in Jerome and Austin Brought forth and from the womb these words signifie that by Wisdom the Son is meant and the mention of the Womb of the Father doth signifie that this Son is of the same substance with the Father as children of the womb are of the same substance with their Parents and Before the morning Star signifieth that the Son was before time or any other Creature And that it may appear that by Wisdom the Son of God is meant the words of the Apostle will declare 1 Cor. 1. 24. where he calleth Christ The wisdom of God And as the Psalmist tells us that God made all things in wisdom So the Gospel tells us who this wisdome is viz. The Son The Word The Father created all things but he created them by the Son which St. John expresseth in these words Joh. 1. 3. All things were made by him that is by the Son or Word and this St. Paul doth clearly apply to Christ Col. 1. 16. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers so that even the most glorious Arch-Angels and Angels are but the Creatures of this Son of God and this Wisdom of God Finally These men that tell us That God hath not always a Son may as well tell us that God had not always Wisdom But as they dare not deny the Wisdom of God to have been from Eternity so neither can they without very great impudence deny the Word or Son of the Father to have been from everlasting I will conclude this Chapter with the words of St. Basil who thus argued against the Anti-Trinitarians out of the words of St. John k Basil Hom. 16. To him that shall say There was a time when the Son or Word was not you may answer If this speech be true which the Gospel delivereth In the beginning was the Word I pray when was that time when he was not CHAP. IIII. Of the Holy Ghost That he is one of the Three Divine Persons and that he is to be prayed unto which is shewed both both by Warrant of Scripture and by the practice of the Primitive Christians and of the Church of England wherein he is confessed in Creeds and invoked in Baptisms and Doxologies THe Macedonian Hereticks confessed the Divine Personality of the Father and the Son but they denied the Person of the Holy Ghost and there are some among us who although they will not openly deny the Divinity and Person of the Holy Ghost yet they are doubtful and suspensive therein And this because they cannot or will not finde that any Prayers in Scripture are used or directed to the Holy Spirit as they are both to the Father and the Son They finde the Son of God praying to the Father Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit And Forgive them Father they know not what they do They Luk. 23. 46. 34. find also St. Stephen praying to the Son Lord Act. 7. 59. Jesus receive my Spirit For the satisfaction of such as these who are neither maliciously nor obstinately wedded to this error I will endeavour to shew both the Personality of the most Holy Spirit and also that he is to be prayed unto and both these by the evidences and precedents of holy writ and by the practice of our of our owne Church and also of the Primitive Christians First That the Holy Ghost is a Divine and distinct Person in the Trinity as well and as truly as either the Father or the Son We find that the Scriptures record and report many diverse actions and operations of the Holy Ghost which must needs be the performances of a Person for He appeared as a Dove And as fiery Tongues He teacheth He leadeth into all truth He brought into the Apostles memories whatsoever Christ had said He decreed in a Council Acts 15. He forgiveth sins by the Apostles by whom he was received and entertained for that purpose Joh. 20. 22. He is an Advocate or Comforter He distributeth gifts He spake by the Prophets and in the Apostles He calleth and maketh Ministers Act. 13. 2. And Bishops Act. 20. 28. where the very Original word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I know not why our Translators rendred Overseers when in other places they Translated the very same word Bishops which is the very Text word without any alteration but only as it is formed to out English Idiom In a word this Holy Spirit is produced by St. John as a witness that Jesus is the Christ 1 John 5. 6. Secondly for Prayer We say that the Scripture doth evidently set down a Warrant and a Precedent of Prayer to the Holy Ghost which you will finde if you observe the words of St. Paul 2 Cor. 13. 13. The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Ghost be with you This is a Prayer and here is not only a mention of the Holy Ghost but indeed all these words Grace Love and Communion do relate principally if not only to the Holy Ghost for the Spirit is the Grace and the Love of the Father and the Son and the grace of Jesus and the Love of the Father are conveyed unto us only by the Communion and Inspiration of the Holy Spirit The Spirit is the Conduit of them and the Cement or Ligament by which our conjunction fellowship Union or Communion is wrought and by which we are joyned and united in one Mystical body or corporation with the whole Trinity and this is the meaning of that saying of St. John Baptist concerning the Baptism of Christ He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost for those that are Mat 3. 11. baptized into Christ are by this Spirit united to him in one mystical body and so become One with him and by this Union with Christ they are united with the whole Trinity and therefore there is mention of the Holy Ghost in the formal words of Baptism because our Union is wrought only by this holy Cement of the Spirit for this reason it is that the Apostle prayeth for the Communion of the Holy Ghost Communion signifieth a mutual union of the Spirit with us and of us with the Spirit Communio is as much as Counio or uni◠cum The Scriptures are so plentiful in precedents of Prayers to the Holy Ghost that you may find them at least in thirteen of St. Pauls Epistles and at the beginning of every one of them for thus we read Rom 1. 7. Grace
be with you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ This is a Salutatory Prayer as Expositors new and old generally agree and herein the Holy Ghost is in the first place and chiefly intended for he is that Grace and Peace which proceedeth from the Father and the Son The Holy Ghost is the very goodnesse and sweetnesse of the God-head as we are taught by St. Austin a Aug. de Trin. lib. 6. cap. 10. Spiritus est genitoris Genitique suavitas For without this Grace and Peace by the Communion of the Holy Ghost the Almighty God-head would be uncomfortable yea and terrible unto us If it be demanded why the Holy Ghost is not so particularly and openly mentioned in that Prayer as the other persons are by the words God the Father and the Lord Jesus In this we are resolved by the same Father writing upon these words b Aug. Exposit in Rom. Non adjungit spiritum quia spiritus est donum dei Gratia Pax sunt donum Dei i. e. He doth not expresly mention the Spirit because it is implied for the Spirit is the gift of God and so are Grace and Peace The Spirit and his Graces are not separated but they go together so that by mentioning Grace and Peace from God he must mean the Spirit of Grace and Peace for the Spirit is expresly called The Peace of God Phil. 4. 7. because it is also there said To pass or excell all understanding therefore it must be a Peace infinite and so must be God who excelleth all humane comprehension and that the graces of the Spirit are called the Spirit it self is evident by the words of St. John Rev. 1. 4. who there calleth seven Graces of the same One and Only Spirit because every one may be called Spirit Seven Spirits In a word The Invocation and Prayer to the Holy Ghost is meant in St. Pauls other Epistles where the very same form of words is used viz. Grace be unto you and Peace from God our Father c. which the Reader may at his leisure observe in perusal of all these places besides the formerly alledged viz. 1 Cor. 1. 3. And 2 Cor. 1. 2. Gal. 1. 3. Eph. 1. 2. Phil. 1. 2. Col. 1. 2. And 1 Thes 1. 1. And 2 Thes 1. 3. And 1 Tim. 1. 2. And 2 Tim. 1. 2. Tit. 1. 4. Philem. 3. To all these pâ—ecedents we may farther add the Baptismal form of words to which we are strictly obliged which are thus set down In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost which words many Divines doubt not to call a Prayer and Invocation of the Three Persons although it is more also as Ph. Melancthon and Beza upon those words In the name tells us it is Invocato patre filio Spiritu i. e. That it signifies the Invocation of the Father Son and Spirit and so saith the Interlineal Gloss in Lyranus and many others To these we subjoin the Practice of the Church in glorifying all the Three Divine Persons in her Doxologies which I trust none will deny to be Prayers when we say Glory be to the Father c. which certainly is a Prayer as much and as full as Hallowed be thy name Of these Doxologies St. Basil saith in the behalf of the Church Catholick and against Anti-Triâ—itarians c Basil Epist 387. Nos glorificamus sicut Baptizamur In Nomine Patris Filii Spiritus i. e. We glorifie God in the same form of words that we are baptized withal that is we glorifie all the Three Persons equally and alike And that the same Father esteemeth the Doxology to be a Prayer is clearly declared by him in another place where he thus adviseth d Constitut Ascet In precibus incipe a glorificatione i. e. he would have us always to begin our Prayers with a glorifying of God Another practice and usance of the Church present was grounded upon that place in the Scripture Act. 15. 28. for because at the very first Christian Council the stile of their Decree is thus set down It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us therefore in After-Counsels they began with a Prayer and Invocation of the Holy Ghost particularly saying Veni Creator Spiritus which was also so used with us and at the laying on of hands in conferring Ecclesiastical orders and in many parts of our English Liturgy and particularly in the Letany a Prayer is specially and singly addressed to the Person of the Holy Ghost thus O God the Holy Ghost proceeding c. which Letany I think all sober well advised Christians and uninterested in Schism will acknowledg to be an holy charitable Pathetical and Heavenly Prayer and besides our praying to the Holy Ghost the Church confesseth her faith and beleeving in the Holy Ghost as well as in the Father and the Son in the Symbols Apostolical Niâ—ene and Athanasian which Creeds are acknowledged also by other reformed Churches Moreover although we should pass by and lay aside all that is before alledged and that no more could be said for Prayer to the Holy Ghost but only this that the Apostle tells us of a Temple of the Holy Ghost This may be enough to satisfie the humble Christian for 1 Cor. 6. 19. doubtless that Person to whom a Temple is lawfully piously and Christianly erected the same Person may with the same Piety and Christianity yea and must be prayed unto and Ipse Deus Templum aedificavit Spiritui sancto nam Deus corpora nostra aedificavit Aug. de Symb. To. 9. lib. 1. c. 4. worshipped in that Temple and therefore the Holy Ghost certainly should be worshipped and prayed unto whose Temple all holy people are as we read 1 Cor. 6. 19. Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which Temple far excelleth all other worldly Temples it being a Temple made by God himself and made of the members of God And if we should build a Temple to Sacrilegi essemus Templum faciendo creaturae Etiam Angclo excellentissimo Aug. Cont. Serm. Arianor To. 6. n 18. any Creature though the most excellent Angel or Arch-Angel it must be confessed to be Idolatry and a sacrilegious robbing God of that glory and houour which is his peculiar and of which he saith Isa 42. 8. My glory will I not give to another In a word The bodies and souls of true Saints are not that Temple of the Holy Ghost which will continue and stand ever when all other mundane Temples although called by the names of Saints will be utterly demolished When King Henry the Eighth had un-Sainted the stubborn Saint Thomas Becket and had demolished his Shrine and Altar and secured all the rich Furniture Jewels Gold and Silver thereunto belonging Some Irish Romanists inquired to what Saints Patronage they might now for security dedicate their Churhces Answer was made that they should chuse St.
evers are for continuance of this world and for that which is promised after the end of this world But then it must be inquired what is meant by Christs delivering up the Kingdom And in what sence it is said that Then shall the Son himself be subject To which inquiries the reader may find a full and I trust a satisfactory answer in my former book printed An. Dom. 1655. Lib. 2. c. 10. If he peruse the tenth chapter of the second book intituled The God-head of Iesus Christ which I shall not need to reherse in this place fully but only briefly to touch First Christs delivering up the Kingdom doth not signifie his relinquishing or resigning but only a presenting of his Kingdom that is his Church his Spouse his Members and Elect so saith the Expositer c Aug. de Trin. l. 2. c. 8. Non sic tradet ut adimat sibi i. e. he will not so deliver it up as if he had deprived himself of it Just so the Father is said to have delivered all things to the Son Luc. 10. 22. as he was man and the head of his Church yet for all this delivering the Fathers Dominion over all did not cease As when a Prince committeth a Province to the Goverment of one of his Captains the Prince doth not thereby lose his Soveraignity as the Father delivered his people to the Son to be governed so that the Son re-deliver the same people to the Father but in better condition then he found them for he will present them righteous holy pure just and free from all sin or matter of reproof Christ received them to govern and he governed them so well that in the end he will present them to the just God-head to be rewarded and crowned The Church on earth whilst it is Militant is said to be Black and comely Cant. 1. 5. viz. Black by reason of some pollutions of sin and Comely because it is adorned with many graces but when Christ shall present it to the Father at the end of the world it shall be delivered up Comely and not Black So that this delivering is only a presenting of his Church which is his Kingdom as good Students after their labours are presented to the University as Candidates to be rewarded with the honour of Degrees or as Queen Esther when she was purified was so Esther 2. presented to King Ahasuerus This is all that reasonably can be gathered from the phrase of Delivering up the Kingdom Secondly The Subjection of the Son is thus to be understood We know that Christ as he is man is called the head of the Church Ephes 5. 23. And the Church is called The body of Christ Col. 1. 18. of this great body all holy Christians with Christ himself are members and parts for the head is but a part of the whole body so that Christ the head and all his Saints and members are joyntly but one mystical body or Corporation and so but one Christ So we read We are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5. 30. And Ye are all one in Christ Jesus Gal. 3. 28. from these and the like sayings the Ancient Fathers collected this true and excellent Doctrine That Christ the head together with all his members or Church are to be accounted but one Christ which they called Christum universum and Christum totum and Christum diffusum and Christum plenum and Plenitudinem Christi i. e. The universall whole diffused and the full Christ or fulness of Christ as I have formerly shewed at larg Now when the Apostle saith that Then shall the Son himself be subject 1 Cor. 15. 28. his meaning is only this that all the members of Christ and so the Whole Christ shall be at the resurrection fully and compleatly and perfectly subject and obediently plyable to the will of God for then all the holy members of Christ shall be delivered up or presented to God pure spotless quit and free from all the dominion of the World the flesh and the Devil which before during this mortal life had some power in them whilst they were militant and in war by the Spâ—rit against the flesh but then Christ shall have put down all Rule all Authority and Power of sin so that they shall not be any longer militant but triumphant so that then and not till then the whole Christ that is not only himself as head but all his members with him shall be perfectly obedient and subject in all things to the God-head For before this delivering up or presenting this Kingdom or Church The whole Christ or whole body of Christ as it never yet was so it never will be compleatly and perfectly subjected to the will and rule of God because all the members of Christ will not till then be fully obedient for although Christ as he is man and as he is considered only by himself in his own particular humane person without relation to us was ever obedient and subject to the God-head yet this subjection of his particular self was only in capite i. e. a subjection of one part the head only but at the Resurrection when he shall present and deliver up this his Kingdom or Church then both head and members and so the whole Christ shall be perfectly and wholy subjected Finally although Christ himself as he is the Son of Man and in the form of a servant was ever subject yet the same Lord Jesus as he is the Son of God and in the form of God Philip. 2. 6. he thought it no robbery to be equal with God and therefore as he is God the Word or the Eternal Son of the Eternal Father in this consideration of his divine Person he never was nor ever shall be subject Indeed his Man-hood or Man-head is subject but in Christ there is another head and that is his God-head as we read 1. Cor. 11. 3. The head of Christ is God This head of Christ shall never bow it self to any but all knees shall bow to it Rom. 14. 11. Philip. 2. 10. for by this head he is said to be Over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. 5. and by vertue of his head it it said Heb. 1. 6. 8. Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever and Let all the Angels of God worship him This I trust is enough for clearing this doubt SECT II. Of Christ's Kingdom over all the world and every Creature that it ceased not at his death That neither the Roman Consistorie nor Presbyterian vestry can be called Christs Throne How it is in this World and yet not of this World That the Policy of Christs Kingdom is altogether unlike and diverse from Worldly policies Mr. Mede's argument above mentioned is grounded upon another false supposition besided the former alledged viz. That Christs Kingdom is not yet commenced or begun or that Christ hath not yet reigned as a King either in Heaven or Earth nor
nor the Holy Ghost were incarnate we answer that it is true that all the Three Persons equally govern and we further acknowledg that neither the Person of the Father nor the Person of the Holy Ghost are incarnate but only the Person of the Son yet we beleeve that the whole God-head and essence of the Father and of the Holy Ghost is incarnate in the Person of the Son This was affirmed by Christ when he said The Father is in me and I in him Ioh. 10. 38. and John Baptist had said before That God hath given him the Spirit not by measure Ioh. 3. 34. and St. Luke saith that Jesus was full of the Holy Ghost and St. Paul saith Col. 2. 9. In him Lu. 4. 1. dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily whereby it appeareth that the Dominion of Christ doth not in any wise exclude the Dominion of the other Divine persons although St. Jude calls Christ the only Lord God yet this word only doth not barr the Lordship or God-head of the Father and Holy Ghost because as our good rule in Logick teacheth us That Propositio exclusiva non excludit inclusa Next concerning the Priesthood of Christ he is said to be a Priest for ever after the order of Heb. 7. 17. Melchisedech if for ever then he must be a Priest in Heaven but if so then the Socinians tell us that Christ can not be the supream God because the supream God can not be a Priest This cavil I have met with before and answered a Lib. 2. c. 15. out of Arstin That Christ is a Priest only as he is the Son of man as incarnate and Emanuel but not as he is the Son of God or God the Word and so Prosper also resolved this doubt upon those words Thou art a Priest b Prosper in Psal 109. Non quatenus ex patre sed quantenus ex Matre natus est Sacerdos i. e. Christ is a Priest not as he is the Son of his Father but as he is the Son of his Mother But we are further told by the Socinians That Heb. 7. 1. p. â— 16. c. Christ was not a Priest till he was dead and that then his Priesthood began that the expiatory or satisfactory offering of Christ was not performed on the cross or on earth but in Heaven This they affirm because they will not beleeve that our Redemption was wrought by the death of Christ so blasphemously do they vilipend the blood of Christ whereas indeed the ultimate expiation or satisfaction consisteth in the death of Christ answering to the very words of the Covenant viz In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely dye and therefore the Apostle Gen. 2. 17. Rom. 6. 23. saith The wages of sin is death now if Christ dyed for us on the Cross he there also performed the expiation and paid the ransom for if the expiatory sacrifice were to be performed in Heaven then must Christ have suffered death in Heaven but the Apostle tells us that after his resurrection he dyeth no more This foul blasphemy Rom. 6. 9. is near a kin to that of Origen which St. Jerom reports a Hier. Epist 59. c. 4. That Christ was to suffer in the Air for the salvation of Divels and to suffer in Heaven also because we read of Spirituall wickedness in Heavenly places that so the inhabitants Eph. 6. 12. of al regions might be saved through Christs passions Thus he It being granted that Christ is now a Priest in Heaven it would be inquired of what order or kind his Priesthood is there in this we are certified that it is a Priesthood for ever and that it is after or according to the Priesthood of Melchisedech that is Christ is such a Priest in Heaven as Melchisedech was on Earth and therefore Christ in Heaven doth such Priestly acts as Melchisedech did on earth For Christ whilest he was on earth was a Priest but here his Priesthood was Aaronical i. e. like unto Aarons Priesthood because Christ did offer a bloody sacrifice even his own body and blood on the Altar of the Cross which he gave for a ransom for us Mat. 20. 28. For a propitiation Ro. 3. 25. for our Justification Ro. 5. 9. for our Redemption Eph. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. to bear our sins in his own body 1 Pet. 2. 24. that is to undergo the punishment for our sins paying the ransom of his own self for us 1 Tim. 2. 6. This bloody sacrifice of Christ was typified and only signified by Aaron offering the bodies and blood of Beasts But the sacrifice of Christ on earth was also unlike Aarons because Aaron offered beasts but Christ offered himself Aaron might not offer human blood nor might Christ offer the blood of Beasts whereupon it is said Heb. 8. 4. That Christ on earth could not be a Priest because he could not offer gifts according to the Law that is he could not offer Levitical Sacrifices of Beasts as the Legal Priests did because he was not a Son of Aaron or of the Tribe of Levi. But he might and did offer his own humane blood which was the Substance whereas the blood of Beasts offered by Aaron was but only the shadow Therefore they that tell us that Christ may not be called an Aaronicall Priest because he was not a Son of Aaron may as well tell us that he may not be called The Lamb because he was not literally a Lamb taken out of the Sheep-fold The truth is this As the Lamb was Ex. 12. 5. but the shadow of Christs Passion so the Priesthood of Aaron was but the shadow of Christs Sacrificing Priesthood This Sacrificing Priesthood of Christ ended at his death so that he is not any more to be sacrificed but his Melchisedechical Priesthood and only that order of his Priesthood must continue for ever St. Austin saith of the Iews a Aug. in Psa 109. Iudaei vident jam periisse sacerdotium secundum Ordinem Aaron non agnoscunt Sacerdetium secundum ordinem Melchisedech This reproof toucheth not only Jews but Romanists and Socinians The Iews expect a restitution of their Temple and Aaronical or Levitical Sacrifices Romanists say Christ is daily Sacrificed on their Altars Socinians say that Christ Offereth Sacrificeth himself Com. on Heb. 9. v. 12. p. 168. in Heaven not considering that his Priesthood is only like Melchisedech's now which was not a Sacrificing Priesthood for we find not that any Sacrifice was offered by Melchisedech on earth neither may Christ our Melchisedech be thought in any wise to offer Sacrifice in Heaven But of this more anon If Christ being in Heaven doth there Sacrifice for us it must also be granted that he there prayeth for us because no Sacrifice can be rightly performed without prayer but no good Christian may imagine that the mediation of Christ in Heaven is by way of prayer neither can we find in
or Advocation is Authoritative in Plenitude of power so that now the presenting of his glorious Person in Heaven is a sufficient Advocate his performance of the Law together with his Passion Death are the Plea and the tongues that effectually move for us because the vigor and efficacy thereof is and for ever will be looked on by the God-head as a full satisfaction to Divine Justice which Doctrine is singularly expressed by the great Apostle Ro. 8. 3. Who shall lay any thing to the charg of Gods elect It is God that justifieth it is Christ that dyed That is risen again who is at the right hand of God who also maketh intercession for us of which Right hand we are next to consider SECT IV. Of Christ's Session at the right hand of God The difference between the right hand of God and the right hand of the Father with the abuses of that Article why Christ withdrew to Heaven Of the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the Temple of the Iewish Monarchy and their Pseudo-messiah or the great Anti-Christ NO one Phrase in Scripture doth more express the Kingly and omnipotent power of Christ in Heaven and in Earth then this of his sitting at or on the Right hand of God for the understanding whereof I shall offer to the consideration of the Reader the four questions following First What it is in Christ that is so exalted To this we say That Christ consisteth of two ingredients viz God head and Man hood and that this sitting at the Right hand is not to be understood of his God-head but of his Man-hood as he is the Son of Man the Son of David the Son of the Virgin-Mother for by this humane nature he became passible subject to poverty hunger and thirst weariness injuries buffetings scourging and death therefore as by this part only he is said to be humbled to death the Death of the Cross so in this part only may he be said to be exalted for by his God-head he ever was at the Right hand of God and God over all blessed for ever As he Rom. 9. 5. is God the word he can not be said to be exalted but as the word was made flesh It is our nature only that the Son of God ennobled and carried to the right hand of God and we have shewed before that the prophecies of Christ's exaltation were said only of the Son of David that is of Christs humane nature for otherwise he is not the Son of David If it be said that we may not seperate his God-head from his Man-hood for this is to make two Persons of one and was the heresie of Nestorius To this we answer That it is true that the two natures of Christ neither can nor may be severed or divided asunder by any Real separation but yet they may and must be distinguished separated or abstracted mentally or Mathematically as School-men say that is we may in our mind consider one part alone without considering the other although both do really consist together as a Mathematician considereth the longitude of a body without considering the matter of it So we in this exaltation of Christ consider only his humane or assumed nature This is the judgment of the Ancient Church delivered by Theodoret a Theo. Dialog â—â—confu Sede De homine Christo dicitur i. e. That this Sitting is meant only of the Man Christ Secondly Who it is that so exalted Christ Whether the Person of the Father only or the Person of the Holy Ghost or whether the Son exalted himself To this we answer that the whole God-head and every Divine Person therein exalted Christ even the God-head of the Lord Jesus exalted the Manhood of the same Lord Jesus for there is but one God-head in all the Three Persons therefore all the Three Persons exalted the humane nature of the Son This truth the Scripture often sheweth though something mysteriously for David saith of Christ The Lord said unto my Lord sit Psal 110. 1. thou at my right hand That is The God-head of the Son of God said to Christ for David calls Christ His Lord only for this reason because the Lord Christ was to be the Son of David by taking flesh from David for otherwise how is not the Lord that said it Davids Lord as well as the Lord to whom it was said This is that Scripture wherewith Christ posed the Pharisees If David call him Lord how is he his Son David Mat. 22. 45. calls Christ The Lord in respect of his God-head but he calls the same Christ his Lord because he was to be the Son of David by his assumed humane nature His Divine Nature was Davids Lords his humane Nature was Davids Son The same David had said before of Christ God thy God hath anoynted thee with the oyl of gladness The meaning is that the God-head Psal 45. 7. of Jesus was to be the Anoynter and the Oyl and Unction of Jesus and therefore the God-head is called his God because the Lord Jesus by his God-head anoynted Christ or The Son of God anoynted and exalted the Son of Man So Christ on the Cross said My God my Mat. 27. 46. God why hast thou forsaken me Now did Christ speak to his own God-head The Son of Man spake to the Son of God which he therefore calls his God The forsaking here mentioned is not so to be construed or understood as if now in this agonie his God-head had quite departed from him or that the union of the God-head and Manhood were then dissolved far be it from us to think so but the meaning is that his God-head did now expose and give up and deliver the Manhood to death and left it to the will and fury of that People The God-head suspended and with-held protection from the manhood and did not send Legions of Angels to deliver him although the God-head was still united with the Manhood Thirdly At whose Right hand Christ is said to sit Whether at the Right-hand of one or of all the Persons of the Trinity This I conceive requisite to be examined because all our Liturgical Symbols or Creeds mention Christ's sitting at or on the Right-hand of the Father which is certainly true because every Person in the Trinity is the Creator and therefore the Father of all Creatures although only the Person of the Father is to be acknowledged to be Father of the Word or Son of God But yet this Symbolical expression doth not so cleerly declare this Mystery as the words of the holy Scriptures do wherein Christ is never said to sit at the right hand of the Father but at the right hand of God Now the right hand of God is the right hand of every Person in the God-head and not only the right hand of the Person of the Father So that the meaning of this sitting of Christ must be this That the humane nature of Christ is advanced to sit at the right
hand of the God-head and so at the right hand both of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that is The Son of Man is advanced to sit at the right hand of the Son of God or thus Mans nature in Christ is advanced above all Angels and Arch-angels and above all Creatures in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth and above all infernal powers and that it is in honour and power immediatly next to the supream God-head The mis-understanding of those words in the Creeds which mention Christ's sitting on the right hand of the Father hath occasioned a great abuse in mens apprehension for hereupon they haâ—e Phansied Three Seats in Heaven one for the Father and another for the Son on the right side of the Father and under both a third Seat for the Holy Ghost whereby they have advanced Christ above the Holy Ghost but we are well assured that it is both against our Christian Faith and also impossible that any one Person in the Trinity should be above the other because all are Coêqual and it is as impossible that any Creature should be above God the Creator for the humane nature of Christ is that which only is so advanced and that nature is a Creature This abuse was foreseen by St. Paul as may be thought and therefore by him care was taken to prevent it by those words He hath put all 1 Cor. 15. 27. things under his feet that is All creatures are by the God-head made subject to the man Christ it follows But when he saith all things are put under him it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him that is Although all creatures are now under the Man Christ yet neither the God head nor any Person therein are under Christ his Manhood is next in glory to God but in no wise above him or any Person in the Trinity The Fathers also took notice of this abuse and wrote against it Origen upon these words Sit thou at my right hand adviseth a Orig. in Mat. Tract 23. Ne describas sensibiles sessiones aut Cathedras Sedentes humano Schemate Patrem Filium est de Regno Christi and after him Austin tells us upon the same occasion b Aug. de fide Symb. Tale Simulachrum Deo in Templo Christiano collocare vel etiam in corde nefas est i. e. That we should not describe the Father and the Son sitting on seats as men do for the sitting of Christ signifieth only his Dominion such a Portraiture in a Christian Church or but in our very thoughts is unlawful Thus they Fourthly What is meant by the right hand of God This phrase is not proper but figurative and mystical because no person in the God-head hath-hands except the Son who only is incarnate and he it is that is said to sit Therefore the right hand of God must signify 1. Power 2. Happiness 3. Glory Christ saith Mat. 26. 64. you shall see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power The Psalmist saith At his right Ps 16. 11. hand are pleasures for ever more The Apostle Râ— â— 5. Eph. 1. 21. Philip. 2. 9. tells us Christ is over all far above all principalities and powers That to him every knee must bâ—w This implieth a Kingly Majesty by the ceremony of bowing the knee The full meaning is that Christ is placed above all creatures next to the God-head and hath fulness of Power Happiness and Glory There can not be invented a better expression of Christs glory then by this phrase of the Right hand of God for it implyeth both a Soveraignty above all others and yet a subordination to the God-head as Psal 45. 9. Vpon thy right hand did stand the Queen this because the Queen is above all the Kings people but yet not above the King So Solomon placed his mother on his right hand 1 King 2. 19. When we say Christ is subordinate to the God-head we must be understood to speak onlâ— of his humane nature for when we speak of the whole person of the Emanuel then with the Apostle we say it is no robbery to affirm him to be Philip. 2. 6. equal with God If he had been said to sit on the Left hand men possibly might imagine some Creature higher then Christ for whom the right hand was reserved but this is the right hand and highest seat it can not be said to him friend go up Lu. 14. 10. higher Or if it had been said as it is Act. 7. 56. That Christ was standing at the right hand of God without any other mention of his sitting it might have been suspected that he stood as a minister or officer only but this sitting implieth Authority and Supremacy over all Creatures for To which of his Angels said he at any Heb. 1. 1â— time Sit thou on my right hand By all which promises I trust it appeareth that Christ is the Supream Lord and King over all the World and all Creatures in Heaven and Earth and therefore surely he hath a Kingdom on earth If it be yet further demanded why this Throne of Christ is not placed on earth seeing the right hand of God that is his omnipotent power is every where as well on Earth as in Heaven and why Christ did not continue his visible residence and bodily presence here on earth as he now doth in Heaven To this we Answer First There is now no need of his bodily presence on earth seeing he hath not withdrawn the Presence of his God-head of which he said Mat. 28. 20. I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the World which Austin thus expresseth a Aug. in Ioh. Tract 50. Corpus coelo intulit Majestatem mundo non abstulit nam secundum Majestatem semper nobiscum est i. e though his body be absent yet his God-head or Majesty is with us which is the most noble part of Christ for therefore Divines call his God-head his Majesty because this word signifieth the supremacy Majesty is the Title of the Supream Magistrate we say The Kings Majesty and so when the supremacy was in the Consuls at Rome and when it was in the People then was this title given to each respectively we read both of b Tul. Orat. Majestas Consulis and Majestas Populi The God head of Christ is his Supream Majesty for The head of Christ is God 1 Cor. 11. 3. And yet his body which is in Heaven is not divided or separated from his God-head which is with us for his Divine and humane natures are eternally and inseparably united and joyntly govern all as the body of the Sun is in the Firmament of this material Heaven yet by his influence and beames moderateth the seasons on earth and so doth Christ though bodily in Heaven by the influence and beams of his Majesty govern all things here below Secondly Christ
might save for the poor They tell us that the forbearing of one meals meat That one Jewel or Ring or one trunck of apparrel would feed and cloth many poor Christians Origen * Orig. in Lev. hom 10. pronounceth a blessing on them that imploy the parcimony of fasting for feeding of the hungry for as one of our English Arch-Bishops used to say in homely Latine but with a good meaning g Rog. Archiep Ebor. Bonus Servatius facit bonum Bonifacium i. e. Good Husbandry makes good Hospitality Charity is now when there is most need of it waxen cold among us upon another reason viz. by the Scandals of two factions for the Romanists say that our Solifidians have made men uncharitable by requiring only a bare Dogmatical or Doctrinal faith And the Solifidians say that Romanists have made Charity superstitious by their doctrine of Merit certainly both sides err for although Almes-deeds cannot merit Heaven nor deliver us from sin and eternal death so as Christ doth yet they may and often do deliver from temporal Vengeance and temporal death as the perfect works and obedience of Christ deliver from eternal punishments The advice of the Wise Dan. 4. 27. and Honourable Prophet Daniel was to this purpose O King let my counsel be acceptable to thee and break off thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity The merciful distribution of Almes is called a 2 Cor. 9. 6. Sowing to signify that as the Earth returneth us our seed with increase so much more will God to our profit at least by with-holding deserved vengeance and giving us a longer time for amendment and happily will add b Joh. 1. 16. Grace for grace so that if the Grace of Charity be improved he will add the grace of faith and perseverance as he did to the Centurion Act. 10. 4. But then our Almes must be done without looking on our selves as if we were benefactors and doners unto God but as humble Debtors or Farmers paying and returning his due rent not with any presumption of redeeming or buying off our Sins but in the form of an humble Suppliant and Petitioner and with tears of Compunction just as a good man will give some recompence such as he can to his injured Brother as a Testimony and acknowledgement of the offence of his sorrow So a good Christian considereth his Almes as a part of his repentance Such Charitable distributions are of greater concernment then some will take notice of seeing our Saviour himself vouchsafed to be ministred unto by those devout Women Mary Magdalen Joanna Luc. 8. 2 3. Susanna and others not for any personal need that himself had for he did Miraculously feed more then 5000 at one time but as a pattern to us and for an encouragement he hath declared that what is given for his sake to his poor members is really given to himself He adviseth us a Luc. 6. 30. to give to every man that asketh this we should do least that poor Creature that is denied prove to be a poor Christ and then no marvel if our God stop his Ears at our supplications when we have stopped our Ears at his for the greatest and most honourable Christians are but beggers to him and every day do or should of him beg their daily bread This Christian duty is moreover sweetned by most gracious promises of reward as high as any other even with the inheritance of heaven when it is said Come ye blessed of my Father c. A great purchase for a small price and this not because Heaven is Vile or Cheap but because our Lord is gracious The old Testament calleth this Charitableness a lending to the Lord so doth the new Testament where Christ saith Do good and lend hoping for nothing again for if it be demanded Prov. 19. 17. Luc. 6. 35. how that can be called a lending which is an absolute gift the answer is that though it be a free gift to the poor yet it is a lending to God because he doth ingage himself to re-pay The Fathers translate the word Lend by faeneratur as lent to God upon Usury or increase which they call a Aug. Epist 215. immortal Usury as if the Scripture took notice of our covetousness thereby to invite us to works of Charity for our own profit The holy Woman Hannah said truly The Lord 1 Sam. 2. 7. maketh poor and maketh rich There is no doubt but that one grand reason why God permitteth so many poor to be in the World is to give us occasions and objects of Charity and this for the great benefit of the charitable giver for God needeth not our gifts no more then he doth our prayers We have more need to give then he hath to receive by the hands of the poor he could and can make all rich his great house the World is stored with provision sufficient for all his creatures If it were not he can supply defects and as Chrysostome notes he can rain down showers of Gold and all necessaries as we read in our own and forrain Histories of showers of flesh of Milk of Wool and of Rivers of VVine and Fountains of Oil as in Scripture of Manna and Quailes whereby it is apparent that the precept of Almes was intented for the benefit of the giver This is the reason that the Scriptures promise Treasures in Heaven and that the merciful are blessed and shall obtain Heb. 14. 13. mercy that our Almes are Sacrifices and Jam. 1 27. well pleasing to God certainly if Almes be Sacrifices then the Poor the Sick the Widow the Orphant and aged are the Altars on which his Sacrifices are to be laid The Apostle tells us That pure Religion is to visit the Fatherless and VVidows verily that Religion which neglecteth these duties is an impure Religion The ancient Fathers have left us many comfortable incouragements for it They say a Ambr. The man is blessed from whose house the poor never returns empty b Aug. That the charitable Almes-giver when he dies he departs with firm security and consolation c Chryst That at the great judgement the Saints and Angels will take notice of and commend their Charities That the poor whom they have relieved shall then openly declare them to have been their Patrones and Preservers as is intimated Luke 16. 9. That then Mercy will stand between them and Hell and will not suffer any of the merciful to pass that way Thus they But though neither Men nor Angels should then take notice of them yet it is most certain that the God of men and Angels will acknowledge and reward their persons and mercifulness And least we should be tired with long expectation of reward The Word of God seemeth to provide for that by promises of temporal requitals and those Mar. 10. 30. very considerable as we read Psal
41. 1. as Christ in the Gospel promiseth an hundred-fold reward in this time to them that for his sake leave Houses Brethen Sisters VVives Children and Lands which promise is warily to be considered because some Millinarians would have it to be meant grosly and literally as if for one house or one Father they must have an hundred houses and Fathers here a false gloss surely For I trow they expect not to have an hundred Wives neither doth the promise mention Wives though the condition do The meaning is That they who so part with estates and friends shall have both multiplied unto them for to them every true Christian Man and Woman shall be by love care and tender affection as so many Fathers Brethen Wives or Sisters ministring comforts to them The Fortunes and estates of one shall serve the necessities of the other All the houses of the faithful shall be open to them as if they were their own houses For therefore did the primitive Christians call one another Brethren and Sisters Act. 4. 32. The Apostles who left their nets instead thereof had all the wealth of Christians laid at their feet their wealth was common to the whole fraternity in so much that no man called his estate his own propriety Gal. 4. 14. Paul was entertained by the Galatians as if he had been an Angel of God or as if he had been Christ himself And this charity lasted a long time among true Christians Tertullian for his time reports a Tert. Apol. c. 39 Christianis omnia indiscreta sunt praeter Uxores i. e. That all they had was communicated to their fellow-Christians except only their Wives and that the heathens hereupon would say See how the Christians love one another But such Charity is now hard to be found as Christ fore-told nor may we in these dreggs and bottome of the world expect such temporal retributions God hath given some that men may know there is a reward but he doth not so reward all here least men should expect none other elsewhere St Ambrose saith a Ambr. de offic l. 2. c. 16. He knew some Priests who by giving to the poor increased more in wealth The Roman History observeth that the charitable Emperor b Paul Diac. in Tib. c. 2. Tiberius II. was rewarded here by finding vast hidden treasures as the poor Widow of Sarepta was also for relieving the Prophet but such returns are not now to be hoped nor are we to forbear the acts of charity although we find not such mundane retributions It is the good Counsel of St Austin That we should not thus say or think with our selves I will do good to some poor Christians that so my store may increase c Aug. lib. Homil. Hom. 18. Noli hoc quaerere messis tua seriùs venit i. e. expect not your reward here for that harvest will be much later VVhen one brought to Luther a legacy which a certain thankful Auditor of his had bequeathed him the poor man took it with trembling and said d Melch. Ad. in vita Luth. Metuo ne Deus his praemiet i. e. he was afraid least God did reward his labours in this world for verily the with-holding of rewards in this life is a certain pledge that charitableness shall be rewarded elsewhere Madam There is yet a more noble and Heavenly hospitality to be practised by Christians for the exercise whereof I here present unto you Three Guests worthy of admission into the Tabernacle of your beautiful body and Soul because the beauty of both was their gift as one saith a Ovid. Forma Dei munus They are the same Guests that were formerly entertained by your Father Abraham They are Travellers yea and Gen. 18. Wanderers and have suffered repulses in many places of the Christian World and by many persons among us even as our Christian Religion hath been abused by those who professed themselves to be lovers thereof just as Potiphars VVife Gen. 39. loved and yet persecuted Joseph And as the VVatchmen smote and wounded the Spouse even so some that should be the Watchmen of our Israel have uncivily Cant. 57. abused these holy Guests and thereby wounded the very head of Christianity I am firmly confident that you will joyfully admit them by faith and accommodate them by charity and piously treat and retain them with cheerful perseverance This treatise is as the knocking at the dore which is mentioned Rev. 3. 20. At which when you have opened you will find that gracious promise to stand firm which is recorded in the Gospel That the Father and the Son and the Holy Comforter will come in unto you and make their abode and continue Joh. 14. 16 23. with you for ever I crave your patience good Madam whilst I relate unto you one other grand motive besides the above mentioned and my thankful acknowledgement of your many favours why I have used your name in the Dedication of this book St. Ambrose considering those words of Christ Math. 25. I was in Prison tells us That in the last judgement Christian Professors will be asked a Ambr. Serm. 64. whom they have delivered out of Prison In the beginning of the sorrows of this Land when the unmerciful Pentephobers raged among many others far better then my self I also was imprisoned and then first understood the words of Tertullian who said that b Tert. ad Martyr Câ—rcer est Domus Diaboli a Prison is the house of the Divel So much harshness and tedious restraint we suffered that truly my life was dwinling and I was even at Death's dore * The Lady Hewet your Dear and vertuous Mother who is now with God did much comfort me by her personal visitation But your self did negotiate and effect my deliverance The said Tertullian mentioneth c Tert. cont Valent. p. 375. Angelam i. e. a she Angel verily you were the good Angel that lead me out of Prison and thereby prolonged that Life which in just gratitude ought to serve you whilst it lasteth and I trust that this piece of your Christian Charity among the rest will be to your comfort remembred at the great day of the Lord. In Psal 41. 1. the mean time Davids Prophecy of blessings on the merciful shall be my Prayer for you The Lord deliver you in time of trouble The Lord preserve you and keep you alive that you may be blessed upon Earth and not delivered unto the will of your Enemies The same Lord multiply his favours on you here and augment his own Graces in you and in the end crown them with Glory So prayeth Madam Marsham in Norf. Your most obliged Servant EDM. PORTER The Contents of each several Chapter 1. Chapt. HOw Christ is peculiarly the Son of God How he is the first begotten and yet the only begotten That the Holy Ghost cannot be called the Son of God That no Creature is the Son of God so
although the Apostle had said that In the name of Jesus every knee shall bow for who could imagine that Christians should be forbidden by Christians to worship their God Or what plain man would beleeve the Incarnation of Christ were the Incarnation of the most high God or that the Incarnation were of such great concernment and joy when great men in Authority and prudent and professing godliness and zeal shall forbid the solemn memorial and celebration thereof as if it were in opposition to the Apostles and to the practise of our own and of the primitive Church and moreover to force it to be a day of fasting and so of sorrow We read that our Father Joh. 8. 56. Abraham rejoiced to see that day i. e. his Incarnation and Birth although it was not revealed to him what day of the moneth it should be nor what year nor indeed in what century of years The holy Priest Zachary at the news of it and the blessed Virgin-Mother also expressed their joyfulness saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel And My soul doth magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour The blessed Angels sing for joy although the benefit thereof belonged principally to men but their charity was like themselves heavenly rejoycing at pâ—ace on earth and good will towards men even those men who are sullen on the day of the memorial thereof even to working and fasting as if Christs coming in the flesh did no more concern them then it did him who said What have we to do with thee thou Jesus of Nazareth art Luk. 4. 34 thou come to destroy us The primitive Church ordained by Ecclesiastical Canon that if the Festival of Christs Nativity should fall on the Quarta or Pro-sabbatum i. e. on Wednesday or Friday which were kept as fasting-days through the whole year except only the fifty days of Penticost yet that on this Festival the Fast should not be kept as we read in a Epiph. cont Haer. lib. 3. To. 2. Epiphanius The other Eastern Fathers called that day b Basil n. 16. The universal Feast of all Creatures c Athan. n. 25. The principal of all the Lords Festivals d Chrys n. 11 and the Metropolis of all holy-days Secondly Another shrewd Scandal is given by the late omission and disuse of the Doxologie or glorification of the Trinity which now a days is by most incumbents quite left as if the Doctrine of the Trinity were not true although the ancient Christians and this Church of England so often used it as a confession of the true Catholick faith and in detestation of the infidelity of Jews Samosatenians Arians and Macedonians for although some of them did use a form of glorification of the Three Persons both privately and publickly even almost as often as they fetcht their breath as a Basil de Spirit c. 25. St. Basil saith yet it was with a disparagement both of the Second and Third Persons so as is shewed before therefore the Church Catholick was necessarily moved to glorifie all the Three Persons equally according to that form of words which Christ appointed in Baptisme But now we seldom hear the Ancient Doxologie at all rehersed in most Congregations and which is worse the rehersing of it is accounted to be prejudicial and dangerous to the reherser and it hath been confessed by one in mine own knowledge who is learned and Orthodox that although he approved of the Doxologie yet he abstained from rehersing it or from appointing it to be sung when others desired it so as it is set down in many places of those Hymns which are joined with the singing Psalmes which are yet in use amongst us more then the Liturgical reading Psalmes are although those singing Psalmes and Hymns were never authorized by any Legislative power and this he did not for any dislike thereof but for fear of offending some Reformers and thereby indangering his livelyhood Thirdly Another block of obstructions is That the Symbols of faith the Creeds are in most Congregations quite disused wherein the confession of our faith in the Trinity and our assent to all the necessary Doctrines of Christianity is expressed yet this is now omitted and even in Baptism also where it is most needful for although we finde not that the Creed was used in the primitive Church in their general Liturgies yet it was never with them omitted in the administration of Baptism G. Cassander observeth b Cassand in Liturgicis That the Nicene Creed in the days of Basil and Chrysostom was rehearsed at the time of the Eucharist only where none were present but only the Fideles i. e. Communicants So that Creed which we call Apostolical was always used at Baptism St. Ambrose tells us that at the three dippings in Baptism which was the custome in his time at Millan the person to be baptized was thrice asked c Ambr. de Sac. l. 2. c. 7. r. Credis in Deum Patrem Then Credis in Dominum Jesum And again Credis in Spiritum Sanctum To these three questions he answered to each severally Credo and so was at every several answer dipped thereby confessing his Faith in the Trinity and wee are informed by Saint Austin that the general custome of the Latine Church in his time was d Aug. Confes lib. 8. c. 2. That the Pâ—râ—ty to be baptized did himself openly in the Church if he were at age rehearse the Creed and declare his assent to the Articles of faith therein so that it was esteemed a sign of insolency and pride if a man would have another to rehearse it that so he might only signifie his assent and not rehearse it by himself personally And to this purpose he tells a story of one e Aug. Epist 67 Gabinianus who had a long time deserred to be baptized this man had one only Daughter and she fell sick her father then bound himself by vow to be baptized if his child recovered she did recover yet he performed not his vow then himself was struck blind and thereupon vowed again and received his sight and was baptized But would not then at Baptism rehearse the Creed by himself then he fell into a grievous Palsie which hindred his speech and was in a Dream admonished that this calamity fell upon him because he omitted the rehearsal of the Creed in his Baptism Then because he could not speak he gave up the Creed under his hand writing and was restored to the use of his Limbs but not of speech Thus he Surely the confession of faith ought not to be omitted at Baptism because Baptism is our submitting and restipulating to the Covenant of Grace which Covenant cannot by us possibly be performed but only through faith in Christ by which faith instrumentally we are united to Christ and in him to the whole Trinity So that the principal branch of this Baptismal Covenant is to be a faithful beleever I marvel
Hoc praestat timor Dei ut alios timores contemnamus and St. Ambros speaking of the burning of the Martyr Laurentius saith e Ambr. Serm. 19. n. 41 Maâ—or slamma intrinsecus est The fear of God overcometh all humane fears and the fire of Gods Spirits within us wherewith our hearts burn is more ardent then the flames of Tyrants as cruel Antiochus was told by a Martyr f Ioseph de Macab Ignis tuus frigidus est O Magister crudelitatis i. e. That the Tyrants fire was but cold in respect of this Heavenly flame Thus doth the Scepter and Kingly power of Christ appear most in our weakness and this is the method of his Kingdom in this world But of the carnal domineering insulting ruffling and ranting Kingdom which Millinarians dream of Christ saith My Kingdom is not of this World SECT III. Of Christs Kingdom and Acts in Heaven of his Melchisedechical Priest-hood there The manner of his intercession Advocate-ship and Mediatorship for us in Heaven That it is not by sacrificing or praying for us there What Priestly act he there performeth WE are next to inquire whether Christ since his ascensioÌ„ hath any Kingdom or Dominion in HeaveÌ„ what he hath done there all this while for the English Socinian Commenter on the Hebrews tells us that this Epistle is a The Preface a. 3. the History of Christ in Heaven which is true in part although himself have depraved it but so are also other parcels of Scripture as may thus appear in his ascension he was attended and proclaimed King by Angels as Justin. Origen Jerom. Ambros and Chrysost understand these words Ps 24. 7. Lift up your Psal 24 heads O ye gates or O ye Princes and the King of glory shall come in for although as he is the Son of God or God the Word he was in Heaven before yet his humane nature was not there before his ascension as is well expressed by b Ruf. in Symb. apud Cyp. Ruffinus Ascendit ad Coelos non ubi verbum Deus ante non fuerat sed ubi verbum caro factum ante non sedebat being there he is said to have a Throne and that for ever and Heb. 1. 8. ever Ps 45. 6. a Throne is Kingly but this Throne is also on the right hand of God so it is the highest Throne thence he is said to give gifts unto men Eph. 4. 8. as The Holy Ghost at Pentecost was by him shed Act. 2. 3. So he gave Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4. 11. to those more gifts are added Gifts of healing helps in government diversities of tongues 1 Cor. 12. 28. besides many other sanctifying graces to holy men and women He â—hewed himself to be in Heaven and at the right hand of God to the Protomartyr Act. 7. 56. out of Heaven he spake to Saul and restrained him from persecuting Act. 9. He is called a Priest an High-Priest and a Bishop he maketh intercession for us in Heaven Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 7. 25. He is our Advocate with the Father 1 Joh. 2. 1. And our Mediator 1 Tim. 2. 5. c. What Act of Priest-hood and what kind of intercession Christ performeth for us in Heaven and what is meant by his session at the right hand of God we will inquire anon but first his Kingly authority is to be shewed After the Passion and Resurrection of Christ and before his ascension he said All power is Mat 28. 18. given unto me in Heaven and in Earth These words are weighty The giving is meant only of a gift to his humanity thus That all power in Heaven and Earth which was naturally in the Son or Word before his incarnation is now by the God-head even his own God-head communicated to his humane nature being personally united with his divine nature so that now the Emanuel or Christ or the Word made flesh hath all power in Heaven and Earth the whole power of the God-head is in him There is nothing done by God either in Heaven or Earth but what Jesus Christ doth because there is none other God but that God which he is for he is the one and only God The Father and the Spirit are with him but one God whatsoever the Father doth he doth it by the Son and whatsoever the Son doth he doth it from the Father and by the Spirit and whatsoever the Spirit doth he doth it from the Father and the Son Christ saith The Ioh. 5. 17. Father worketh and I work this because the works of one are the works of both He saith again I can of my self do nothing 30. this he said because the Father and the Son are one therefore the works of the Son are the works of the Father also This is to be understood of the Essential or Absolute works of the God head but not of the Personal or proper works of each several person he saith again The Son can do nothing of himself but what he 19. seeth the Father do This is not so to be understood as if the Father did first perform a work to be as a Sampler or pattern for the Son to work by and then the Son after him should perform such another work but that the very same individual work of the Father is also the work of the Son for example The Father made the world so did the Son make the same world If this work be not the one and self same work of the Father and the Son then as Austin argueth a Aug. in Ioan. tract 20. Da mihi alterum mundum quem fecit Filius you can not shew me two worlds one of the Fathers making and another of the Sons making Indeed before the incarnation of the Son all the power in Heaven and earth was in the pure God-head residing in the Father Word and Spirit But since the Word or Son was incarnate all that power is communicated by the same God-head to the Son incarnate who is thereupon called Christ and Emanuel There is now none other King of glory but that God which is in Christ St. Iude calls him both The only Lord God and our Lord Iesus Christ Iude 4. Ioh. 5. 22. 27. therefore himself saith That the Father hath committed all judgment to the Son that is to Christ and this Son shall therefore in the end in his assumed and visible nature judg the world If it be said that his humane nature is a creature and therefore must always be subject to his God-head we answer that it is true but nevertheless the Emanuel i. e. The Divine and Humane Nature joyntly govern all things for so the body of a King is subject to the soul or will of the King yet the King consisting of a Body and Soul with both ruleth If it be said that the Father and the Holy Spirit do also reign and govern all things as well as the Son though neither the Father