Sacrifices their hopes and expectation of the Messias together with Gods frequent Messages and Admonitions by Prophets Thus the four Gospels of the New Testament describe the Life and History of Christ the acts of the Apostles shew how the Church was planted and continued the Epistles were written upon several occasions the Apocalypse is a Prophesie of the Church to the end of the world And if Scripture hath such reference to the Church and that the Penmen of Scripture were but particular members of the Church surely the Church cannot be vilified or neglected without great offence to Scripture or rather to God himself And therefore in my judgement there is yet one great daily continual Miracle in the Church which exceeds all and serves most abundantly for the confirmation of Christian Catholick Religion and it is this To consider all the Times and Ages of the world and all the parts of the habitable world and therein the several Religions professed and compare them with Christian Catholick Religion and they will all instantly vanish and come to nothing God hath ever had the guiding and a special providence in the protection of his Church it hath ever been accompanied with all Moral Virtues with paternal Civil government with fruits and blessings of Peace attended on with all humane Learning with the profession of all Arts and Sciences to consider how this Religion hath continued and been preserved in all Ages visibly successively notwithstanding many Persecutions and the cursed attempts of Gods adversaries To consider these things uno intuitu not to insist in singulars and particulars but take all things together in general and then they shall amount to as much as a Miracle above Nature in so much that a man may plainly say Hic digitus Dei est These things could not fall out in a naturall course but by Gods extraordinary Providence Here I did consider what Religion was every where professed through the whole world I found when those Religions began their progress and what Testimony they gave to Christianity and what they borrowed from Jewes or Christians and this I did for the satisfaction of those which are learned but for such as were simple ignorant they cannot but hear of the Navigations of this age how we have compassed the whole earth and finde that a great part of the world is not yet inhabited so the world in effect is but newly created this morning for it hath not yet once seen a revolution of the Heavens nay it hath not yet seen the sixt part of one revolution for it hath not yet seen 6000 years and take all the Monuments of the world we know and can point out their beginnings the most Ancient Monument in the world is not above three thousand yeers continuance we have our Merchants and Factors in all Nations under the Sun we have the Fruits the Spices the Druggs the Silk and commodities of all Nations it is easie then to hearken out what Religion is every where professed alas you shall finde them all barbarous and not worth the naming in respect of Christian Catholick Religion I cannot insist in particulars onely in generals for the distribution of times as Saint Matthew the first Evangelist divided the times by 14 generations so I do distinguish the time of the Gospell by three hundred yeers and mark the degrees how Religion hath been setled and since hath declined from the first integrity after our blessed Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus had laid the first foundation of his own Church in his death and passion then for the raising of walls and to finish the building it was necessary that there should be some conformity that the workmen labourers in laying their Stones upon that head-corner-stone should temper their Morter with their own bloud As then in the Birth of Christ there were miracles a vision of Angels and a Star appearing in the heavens together with the Massacre of innocents so in the Birth of his Church there were miracles his own resurrection a vision of Angels the coming down of the holy Ghost in a miraculous manner the gift of Tongues many miracles so was there great effusion of bloud for the first 300 yeers past in ten great persecutions and Martyrdom it self is a kinde of miracle to see such courage and resolution accompanied with all morall virtues and that man in the flesh shall renounce the flesh and scorning the world and the pompe thereof shall offer up himself as a sacrifice for the truth of his Religion and the honour of God and this to be done deliberately advisedly not out of rashness or any strong impression of melancholy surely this can be no naturall act for it is to renounce and deny nature in her own denne and therefore being a supernaturall work it can be no less then a miracle and this age lasted to Constantine the blessed Emperour After the Martyrs the next 300 yeers was the age of Confessors and excellent Writers men that for their sanctity holiness and great learning became lights in the Church and by their mortified lives by their preaching and writtings though their Letters were not written in bloud yet did they serve to convert the Nations and this age lasted to the six hundred yeer after Christ to the time of Saint Gregory the great After the Confessors the next 300 yeers was the age of Virgins here were those brave magnificent foundations of Monasteries the erection of Cathedrals where God might be served like a God with the greatest magnificence and that fond expectation of a temporall Messias might in some sort be verified by the great solemnity of Gods service and in this age lived many famous Founders here in England King Ethelbert King Osricus Ulfrune with others whom I doubt not but God hath rewarded In the next 300 yeers was the flourishing time of Laicks where the Kings were generally much given to devotion and piety where so many great Princes took upon them Religious habits and so many excelled in all virtue and piety as here amongst us King Alfred Edmund Oswald Canutus the Dane Edward the Confessor my blessed Founder and hereunto you may adde the Christian valour of Princes in recovering the Holy Land where Godfrey of Bullen was their chief Captain and this age lasted to the end of the twelve hundred yeer after the Birth of Christ. In the next 300 yeers began the School Learning to flourish then began Peter Lumbart and Saint Thomas Aquinas to be in request together with all the rest of the Schoolmen and thus much I will say in the behalf and honor of Schoole-Learning that it is the very Touchstone of all truth and it is impossible for any falshood to endure the tryall thereof And hereunto we may adde some military orders as Champians to fight in defence of the Church and though military yet were they Religious orders as that of Saint George in Windsor where I had the
Christmas day to give a Testimony to Religion that it might flourish in persecution as the Thorn did blossom in the coldest time of Winter though the Sun in so great a distance might seem to want heat to bring forth the sap so Religion should stand or rather rise up though Religious houses were pull'd down I never heard nor read that any Ancient Author did mention this Thorn which certainly they had not omitted if there had been any such thing and by the growth of the Thorn truly I did judge the age thereof to be much about the time of the dissolution of that Abbey I do accuse no man but if I may judge of the inward faith by the outward tokens and signes then I must needs say that it is high time the Church being now undermined to set up props and to raise up Buttresses for the support of Christian Religion and I bethought my self to whose office this did properly belong Christ being the head-corner-stone laid the foundation of his Church the Apostles did finish the building they were very carefull in the choyce of their successors the first thing they did after the Ascension of Christ was the Election and choyce of Saint Matthias and generally they had the Authority Posuit vos regere Ecclesiam Dei So then I did conceive that the generall care of the Church did belong unto them and where things were not setled and that there was no superiour amongst them that then it did belong to every one of them in particular but especially to the Eldest for so in the state of Nature the primogenitus had ever the care of Gods service and in the Law Aaron was the eldest brother to Moses and the High-priest hood was setled on him and his Sons and here I bethought my self that having been these ten yeers the ancientest Bishop in the Province I was bound in conscience to do my uttermost indeavour to strengthen and support Religion or at least to enter a Protestation and to make a Publick confession of mine own Faith that such as would might follow my example this I took as part of my duty and office to which I was bound and obliged in conscience and to have neglected this I thought I should have greatly sinned then I did think my self bound to do the uttermost of my endeavours and when I considered that the custom of the Church in such like cases hath ever been to implore Brachium seculare to whom should I address my self but to your Lordship and humbly crave your assistance and furtherance herein and whereas formerly there was a course of Law for the punishment of open and scandalous blasphemers and that there were severall writs de Excommunicato capiendi de haretico comburendo c. There being now no Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction that your Lordship would be pleased to be a means to the Honourable and Reverend Judges to supply those wants and to settle a course whereby there may be a legall proceeding against these publick and scandalous blasphemers according to the true intent of the Law Thus both in composing this Treatise and for the Dedication thereof to your Lordship I have done no more then what I thought my self bound in conscience to perform and the rather to express my joy in some things which have lately hapned for living here in the Church-yard of Saint Margarets in Westminster which was the Church proper to the Parliament for here they kept their thanksgivings their humiliations and all other their solemnities when as in their time the Font was pulled down and so continued demolished and in ruines it is now set up again in a most decent and comely manner and I hope it will be an example for other Churches to follow so likewise they had a very solemn perambulation in Rogation week according to the old manner which had been omitted during the sitting of Parliament and Holydayes begin to be kept thus with joy and alacrity not without hopes of good times to suceed I thought fit to publish this Treatise as containing the grounds of Christian Religion for these are the two great and principall Mysteries which all others presuppose and herein if we should waver in the least kinde then Christian Religion would faile and come to nothing and by the publishing of these it will appear what satisfaction I gave in all the rest of the mysteries for these are the hardest and most difficult and as I have performed in these so let men judge of the rest and if God shall inable me and that I may have any competency of meanes to subsist together with the use of a library I shall then proceed in the rest God willing Thus much in generall though I am a stranger utterly unknown and never deserving the least favour from your Lordship yet I make bold to become a Petitioner When I undertook to write the History of the Church of England especially in the time of Henry the eight wherein there was the greatest Alteration and Change knowing that the Lord Cromwell your Lordships great Unckle was then in great favour for I have seen the Archbishops and the Lord Chancellor Audley their Letters unto him to desire his help in furthering their suits to the King and that he was then the only man imployed especially in spirituall causes for he did exercise the whole Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction under the King and by virtue thereof he took place of the Arch bishop of Canterbury which never any subject did and sat on the Bishops side in Parliament I thought it very necessary and fit to hearken after his writings and by the meanes of Sir Robert Cotton the great Antiquary now with God I had the perusall of his study where I read all his Letters Notes and Papers and where I found that it was the Lord Cromwell who made that Order in the Church that every one should learn in the English Tongue the Apostles Creed which may be some example and encouragement to your Lordship to defend these mysteries of our Faith and Religion which hath hitherto been my whole suit Amongst other Letters to the then Lord Cromwell I found one from John Fisher Bishop of Rochester a man famous for his devotion learning and courage when he was in far greater distress then ever I was I thank God for it the effect of the Letter was To desire his help for his relief the Letter is yet extant and may be produced What effect it took I cannot say but I do not finde that it was ever seconded with any other Letter which is usual in cases of distress nor did the Bishop complain at the time of his execution when he was beheaded and therefore I conceive he found some relief This hath encouraged me to become a Suitor to Your Lordship I shall not here acquaint you with any particulars for this were to be over-troublesome but I call God to witness that I know no man nor have I heard of any man that hath
Apollo who should reign after him at first he stood mute and after a second Sacrifice he returned this answer Me puer Hebraeus Divos Deus ipse gubernans Cedere sede jubet tristomque redire sub orcum Aris ergo dehinc tacitis abscedito nostris which in effect is thus much That the Hebrew childe which is God Almighty had commanded him silence and never after spake the Oracles Whereupon Augustus returned and built a stately and beautiful Altar with this Inscription Ara primogeniti Dei The Altar of the first begotten of God One of the Sibyls at that time living in Rome shewed Augustus a Circle near the Sun wherein there sate a Virgin with a childe in her arms and withall she told him that now was born a greater and mightier Prince then he Templum Pacis the Temple of Peace whereunto was annexed this Prophesie That it should so long continue until a Virgin should conceive at the birth of our Saviour suddenly it fell down whereupon there was another Temple erected Virgini pariturae To the Virgin that doth or shall hereafter conceive And to conclude some have observed that at the same time when Christ took our nature to honour man and make him equal with Angels such as had abused our nature such as were tainted with the most foul unclean and carnal sin all suddenly perished and the execution of death overtook them unawares My method hath been to confirm the Doctrine by Miracles and as the blessed Trinity is the highest and greatest Mystery of all others so for Confirmation both of that and of the rest of the Mysteries I did onely produce such Miracles as were done by Christ in the Gospel Now seeing to that Mystery I have added the Incarnation I will then here produce such Miracles as were done in the Church successively for Confirmation of Christian Religion in general for I should as soon believe that Christ never instituted a Church as that he should be wanting in the means to preserve that Church You shall then observe that no Church or State can subsist without government therefore in the last of S. John Christ appoints a governor in his Church and the first thing that is done by S. Peter was the choice and election of Matthias Act. 1. in stead of Judas Iscariot that so the number of the Apostles might be made up and the last thing which he did a little before his death was to appoint his own successor as it appears in his second Epistle The first great Miracle after Christs own Ascension was the coming down of the Holy Ghost in fiery tongues the effect of these tongues that they spake all languages the power and efficacy of these tongues that in one Sermon he converted 3000 Act. 2. But because men are most moved with things that are sensible therefore S. Peter cures one that is born lame and then 5000 believe Acts 3. 4. And as it falls out in Military affairs and in all governments some must be made examples of Justice for the terror of others so Ananias and Sapphira were strucken to death with his bare word Act. 5. And that it may appear that the powers of Hell could not oppose him Simon Magus can testifie Act. 8. And that it might appear how beneficial his power was to Mankinde he healeth the sick at Lydda and raiseth Tabitha from death at Joppa Act. 9. And all this was done the first year after the Ascension of Christ. And how much he prevailed in Rome may appear by a Heathen Author Cornelius Tacitus in the Life of Claudius I shall not need to prosecute this any further when it may appear by my Annals It is the practise of the Church that seeing S. Peter and S. Paul suffered both in one day and that they were the great and the chief Apostles therefore the Church doth never separate them See then the miraculous Conversion of S. Paul that there should be such a light and a voice to be heard and himself to be strucken blinde while he was in his heat of persecuting the Christians and that he should become such a Convert which is a far greater Miracle then that he raised up Eutychus from death Act. 20. or his prediction of the shipwrack or the casting away of the Viper without any hurt to himself which the very Heathen did acknowledge to be wonderful Thus the Acts of the Apostles as they begin with S. Peter so they end with S. Paul and they leave him at Rome that both S. Peter and S. Paul together might suffer Martyrdome on the same day and together with them the Church was there left God forsaking the Jews came to the Gentiles and as all the Religion of the Gentiles had been formerly coyned at Rome so no doubt but the Roman Empire was a special means to propagate the Church As the Jews had their Types and Figures their Prophesies of Christ so the Romans had their Moral Virtues and their humane Learning in great measure onely as a preparation to Christianity And seldome are the Romans mentioned in Scripture but with some commendation insomuch that Christ himself would not come into the world and descend of the Jews untill the Jews first became subject to the Romans and Christ himself travelled in the womb onely to pay Tribute to Caesar and in his Preaching he preached obedience to Caesar and thereby setled that Empire then newly erected And Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor did what he could to set Christ at liberty and being inforced by the importunity of Jews to Crucifie him yet he washed his hands in his own innocency being thereunto forewarned by his wife that so she might make some recompense foâ—… the Tempting of Eve the Romans did likewise revenge the death of Christ upon the Jews destroying their Temple scattering them and making them no Nation S. Paul likewise thought it an honor to himself to be a Roman and claimed the Priviledge and did appeal unto Caesar And certainly the intercourse which the Romans had with other Nations did serve as a great means to propagate Christianity and I doubt not but in the Apostles time it was here planted in this Island of Britany Tertullian in the second Century makes mention of it though for any solemn Message for our Conversion or for any general Profession no publick notice might be taken thereof that might be respited according to the occasion of State and as it might stand with the Civil government and peace And here I made a History of the Church and examined all the several Miracles as they fell out and if whole Scripture in effect be but the History of the Church how God hath preserved it what wonders he hath wrought in it either in protecting his own people or for the punishment of sin Thus the Old Testament shews the manner of Creation the first Ages of the world Gods Judgements Gods Mercies the giving of the Law the instituting of
woâ—…d and the begotten word The word of God is imperfect without Christ. Man expostulates with God Blasphemers suppressed Whole man is made capable of God The division of the Text. The method Saint John ex ceeds Moses The comparison between both They both agree in particulars Moses Iohn Baptist. Christ. Saint John transcends Moses The heavy judgements accompanying the law The Gospell accompanyed with works of mercy The great difference between the beginning and ending of Scripture Of the name of John how imposed upon Saint John Baptist. A comparison of Saint John Baptist with Saint John the Evangelist The parents of Saint John and how he was recommended to be an Apostle How his mothers desire was accomplished Saint Johns prerogatives above other Apostles After Christ he did adhere to Saint Peter Saint John was the Evangelist of the Gentiles The occasion of writing his Gospell How he might come to the knowledge of this mysterie Saint John might be instructed by the blessed virgin At the annuntiation there was implyed the Trinity Saint John an Eagle As he was the beloved Apostle for he did ever Preach love Saint John was Boanerges Christs eternall generation A distinct Person The same Godhead The difference between God and man The three persons outwardly concurre The manner of the generation of the Word The mauner of the procession of the holy Ghost A prerogative of the understanding and will of God above his other attributes How the three persons agree in actions and attributes The Jews question answered God is known by degrees All mans knowledge is gotten by degrees Moses had some knowledge of this mystery The Trinity appears in the creation of the world The Messias must needs be a Person in the Deity God doth sacrifice to himself there are Persons in the Deity The seed of Abraham is more then man Isaac's sacrifice Jacobs expectation The faith of Moses The whole Law directed to Christ. The Jews had a tradition of our Baptisme And severall types of our Baptisme They knew the form of our Baptisme as well as the matter What Prayers were uâ—…ed at their sacrifices The câ—…ssation of the Law The Temple destroyed How the Jews fell by degrees Gods judgement upon the Jewes The Jewes no longer a Nation The method how to deal with the heathen The Atheist is the greatest impostor The infinite proofs of a Godhead The Metaphysicks acknowledge God and Angâ—…ls Influences The effect of influences The transcendentia discover God Every thing points out both an efficient and a final cause The leaâ—… inconveniâ—…nce must evâ—…r be admitted The first is ever excepted from the ordinary rank The Sun is a kind of corpoâ—…eall God The Mathematicks shew the wonders of God The wonders in Astrologie In Loâ—…ick all the preâ—…icaments predicate the Deity Substance 〈◊〉 Qualitâ—… Relation Action Passion 〈◊〉 Ubi Situâ—… Habitus The infinite proofes of a Godhead A particular instance for proof of the Deity God is iusiuite We acknowledge an Infinite yet we cannot conceive aâ—… Infinite God must be Infinite Without imperfection God is of himself Eternity Ubiqui y. Omnisâ—…iency Omnipotency Providence Constancy Immutability Gods Justice Mercy As every thing was made so it must depend upon God How causes may be free yet the effects necessary Mans weakness Every thing in man is bounded The difference of men n their intellectuals No comparison between God and man Mans natural Reason is bounded within the natural world The object faculty must be proportionable Our natural ignorance in natural things The same method in naturals as in supernaturals Mans natural knowledge discerns a supernatural world A supernatural light must fully discover a supernatural world Man 〈◊〉 naturally an ambition above nâ—…e Admiâ—…ation is a kind of natural faith The understanding must obey in believing as the will in performing A repeâ—…ition what hath been proved It is a greater wonder that Accidences should become Substances in God then that one Substance should become Persons It is a greater wonder that all Gods Attributes should be but one Attribute then that one Substance should be three Persons That Gods Justice should be his Meâ—…cy is as strange as the Godhead should be three Persons Gods Attributes as wonderfull as the Persons A brief of what hath been proved A digression upon the Mercy of God A conference with an Angel The Angels wonder at naturall things A conference with an infant in the wombe The wonders in nature The creatures are nothing in comparison with God Gods understanding and will produce Persons The authors private opâ—…nion The determinations or traditions of the Church are more then human The Church in effect doth translate The personality in the Godhead How the Persons are dâ—…stinct The Godhead being spirituall and infinite is imparted without loss Proofes of the Trinity in nature The Authors private opinion Footsteps ' of the Trinity Reasons in nature to prove the Trinity Gods prerogative may be examined A resemblance of the blessed Trinity must appear in every creature The knowledg and love of man what events it works The longing of women Two persons become one The understanding and love are causes as of union so of distraction How 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 extends The anâ—…pathy between the Author and the Socinians The excellent use of reason in Religion Dumb creatures catechise the Socinians God is mans Schoolemaster Man is the end of nature and therefore cannot end in nature How man stands naturally affecteâ—… in religion Faith presupposing nature A supernaturall knowledge must conduct us to a supeâ—…naturall end Gods perfection consists not in variety as the Creatures doth The effects of Gods power c. do not alwayes appear The excellency of Gods understanding â—…nd will What kinde of Persons there are in the Deity God only must reveale the Trinity What God did before the Creation Mans salva ion hath more reference to the Persons then to his other attributes The exceâ—…lency of Gods understanding and will Not Philosophers but Poets were the Priests of the Heathen The 〈◊〉 borrowed from the Jewes Reason may serve to direct Morall actions but noâ—… our faith This mysterie hath nothing contrary to Philosophy The great assurance or security which we have for our â—…aith Actions confirm words The miracles and manner of working them confirm mysteries Works above nature confirm words above nature In the notes which are plundered and lost Forain Authors recommended No writings extant which contradict Scripture The Law ordained to Chrâ—…st Saint John Baptist his Testimonies of Christ. The prerogatives of Saint John Baptist. Severall miraculous acts of Chriâ—…t Mirâ—…cles of all severâ—…ll kinds Raising the dead the greatest of miracâ—…es The rashness and haste used in Christ's condemnation The wonders in Christs resurrection How the Text of S John may be understood The great use of Reason in Religion Reason an handmaid to Religion Reason and sense must join in Gods service Mysteries are to be adored not curiously to be searched into What God requires of the Creatures God gave some creatures liberty of wiâ—…l The fall of the Angels Man is a middle Creature between Angels and Beasts The Angels sin was greater then Mans. The flesh prevailed in man God used means What sins could not be in the infancy of the world The Devill tempts man The punishment of mans sin was small My book of he fall of man God doth ever use meanes The treasures of Nature Vegetatives Man alone not sufficient to satisfie for sin God and man must joyn in satisfying for sin All Gods Mercies are by Christ. A Person in the Deity redeems us No dishonor to God to be incarnate Gods infinite love Gods omnipotency Gods experience Gods Paâ—…lion The Mediator A new honor of God in his Title The dignity of the creatures by the incarnation The Incarnation is a settlement to the creatures S. John's testimony of the incarnation The incarnation proceeds from Gods mercy Gods Justice and Mercy reconciled in Christ. The occasion of the sin of Angels Christ was not to take the nature of Angels Why the second Person rather then any other should be incarnate How Gods words are verified The incarnation intimated in mans creation The first Adam and the second Adam The great mystery in Gods name The name of Abraham changed Several presages of Christs coming Christs God head prophesied A temporal Messias how improbable Christs coming to Judgment Two several Natures Similitudes to set forth the hypostatical Union The possibility of the Incarnation The consequences of the Incarnation How the natures were united No sickness could befall Christ. The circumstances of Christs Birth The preparatives to his coming The Gentiles Jacobs expectation The prophesies of Christ. The coming of of Eltah Herodians Christ no temporall Messias as he Jewes expected The time of his comming The manner of Christs comming Prophesies and preparatives among the Gentiles for the comming of Christ. A miracle to confirm the prophesie The fulâ—…lling of the prophesie The prophesies of the Sibylls The Sibylls speak very punctually of Christ. The Religion of the heathen a preparation to Christianity The Mother of Christ an espoused Virgin The generall taxing at the Birth of Christ. The effects which foâ—…lowed the Emperors Edict Why Christ was born in a common Inn. Christ was born in a stable Christ was born in the sixt age Christ was born at midnight What followed the birth of Christ. The martyrdome of the Innocents The keeping of the feast an argument of the truth A comparison between Christ and Moses Signs amongst the Gentiles for the coming of Christ. The Oracles having first acknowledged Christ after became dumb The Miracles which haâ—…e hapned in the Church S. Peters miracles Where Scripture leaves the Church A commendation of the ancient Romans The dignity of the Church The dignity of Christian Religion All other religions vanity A distribution of times The first ages after Christ. The age of miracles and Martyrs The age of Confessors The age of Monasteries The age of Laicks God will govern the world The contempt of the Church The devills policie Preaching should not exclude other acts of Religion The keeping of the Sabbath None should preach without much study Take heed of Apocalyptical Doctors The pulling down of Churches The Author ends abruptly
THE TWO GREAT MYSTERIES OF Christian Religion The Ineffable Trinity The Wonderfull Incarnation EXPLICATED To the Satisfaction of Mans own Naturall Reason and according to the Grounds of PHILOSOPHY By G G G Sancta Trinitas unus Deus miserere nobis O bone Jesu esto nobis Jesus LONDON Printed by J. Flesher 1653. TO HIS EXCELLENCY MY LORD OLIV CROMWEL LORD GENERAL MY LORD FIfty years since or thereabouts the name of Socinus and Socinians in Italy first began to be known They are a Sect so carried away with their own fancies under pretence and colour of adhering to their own Natural Reason that they deny the Mysteries of our Christian Faith and Religion which are indeed above Reason beyond the reach of Reason but no way contrary to Reason This Sect of all others I have ever most hated and detested the rather because they pretend Philosophy and humane learning to back and to second them which I know to be otherwise and so I hope I have made it appear and by Gods grace I will yet make it more manifest for about 45 years since I had a publick disputation against them and not resting there I did resolve to examine every Mystery of Faith and every Miracle wrought in confirmation of those Mysteries for so it pleaseth God that works above natural power should witness the truth of words above natural knowledge according to the Rules of Philosophy and I began with the first proving the fall of Adam from Paradise by Natural Reason Not that I was able to prove the manner of the fall as that it should be by tasting the forbidden fruit by the tempting of a Serpent but I shewed the truth and certainty of his fall by those many punishments of sin which are yet extant and may be seen in Nature And about 40 years since I set forth a book to that purpose and although I say it I had then the approbation and encouragement of those whom we did esteem to be the most learned men as Bishop Andrews Bishop Overall Bishop Mountaine and others Then I proceeded to examine the rest of the Mysteries and Miracles but especially the Wonders which Moses wrought in Egypt whether they were sufficient assurances to the Natural man for admitting and introducing the Mosaical Law I did likewise examine the Resurrection of the dead and the general Judgement and truly with these King James of blessed Memory was acquainted and did not dislike them I did then proceed to other Mysteries and I did examine the several Visions of Scripture in Daniel Ezekiel the Apocalypse how far they did agree together and how necessary it was that there should be such Visions to withdraw the Jews from their carnal conceits and their expectation of Temporals And after Scripture I did then further proceed what had continually hapned in the Church and in succession of times did serve for the proof of Christianity This I could not conveniently do unless together I should write an History of the Church how God had planted and preserved it And here I reduced it as much as possibly I could to this Island wherein we live but when once I came to the year 1517. being the eighth year of Hen. 8. then I made Annals and set down every year constantly and particularly what was done in the Church of England First I set down the then present state thereof what liberties they had in respect of our common Laws what Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and what great Revenues then what alteration did yearly befal the Church and so I had composed a great volume which I did forbear to print in this regard I thank God for it I did never flatter any man and I made a conscience to relate the truth and doing it I should have cast very foul aspersions upon some great Families which would have drawn much envy and hatred upon me whereupon I did resolve that it should not be published till after my death and then it should serve as a Memorial of my Studies and Labors and as a Testimonial of my Faith and Religion Thus far I proceeded before the late Wars began I hac then five several houses in my hand and a little houshold-stuff in each house and now I have not one in all England I thank God for it but in every house what with fire and plundring together with other losses my Notes and Writings miscarried a just punishment of God upon me for my sins And in regard of my great age I had thought never to have stirred any further but to have prepared my self for my grave and to desire God to be so merciful unto me that I might die in quietness and peace for my wants and troubles were great And while I was thus resolved it did plainly appear unto me that the Socinians did increase for I take no notice of any particular persons but of publick acts Some have been questioned before the Parliament for denying the Trinity and blaspheming Christ yet I never heard that any were put to death or greatly punished I finde that the Fonts where we are baptized and make profession of the Trinity and the Incarnation they are generally pulled down I finde that the solemnity and joy at Christs Nativity was forbidden that Fasting in Lent and sorrow at Christs Passion were by publick Order neglected I found that all the Memorials of Christs Passion the harmless Crosses were demolished I found no honor was given to the Name of Jesus no setled form of Prayer but every one left to his own inventions nor was there any time appointed for prayers but onely a little preparation for preaching I found that in very many Parishes the Church-doors were locked up and there was not so much as any publick Meeting the Churches generally decaying and never repaired that many men would not have their children Baptized and that many were Dipped it should seem into some other Church for if they were Christians it is impossible they should deny the virtue and efficacy of their first baptism no more then they can deny the Original sin derived unto them from their first Parents And I will insist in one particular the White-thorn at Glastenbury which did usually blossom on Christmas day was cut down yet I did not hear that the party was punished certainly the Thorn was very extraordinary for at my being there I did consider the place how it was sheltred I did consider the soyle and all other circumstances yet I could finde no Naturall cause this I know that God first appeared to Moses in a bramble bush and that Aarons Rod being dried and withered did budde and these were Gods actions and his first actions and truly Glastenbury was a place noted for holinesse and the first Religious Foundation in England and in effect it was the first dissolved and therein was such a Barbarous inhumanity as Aegypt never heard of the like it may well be that this White thorn did then spring and began to blossom upon
Officers who were the very worst of men that with renewing Leases and putting years into lives they would have raised as great sums of money yet reserving the Rents and Inheritance to the State as now they have done by selling the Inheritance and truly we were very provident in improving the Church revenews I am at this time in wants I would desire of God no more to live upon then what I have raised and improved in Church Rents and what I have done together with others that I might have but according to my proportion so that in a maner pro tanto we were in effect Founders of the Church for we might have converted our improvement to our own private uses And that posterity might judge of the Clergy at this time that we were not so faulty or wanted courage which might occasion our Ruine there are two Common Lawyers who have done very ill offices to the Church Mr. Selden and Mr. Pryn and truly I did once think to have answered them both but when I considered that we did differ in the course of our Studies in our Method in our Style so that we should not have the same or the like weapons to encounter each other I did therefore forbear yet some of my intimate friends did it For Mr. Pryn he is pleased to write as bitterly as he could against Bishops yet could he not charge any one of them with Corruption or Bribery or any great sin no man is accused for ignorance or unworthiness yet it cannot be denied but the Gentlemen who were imployed for the buying of Impropriations whereof I conceive Mr. Pryn was a principal man did tempt Bishops with bribes with no other intent but to accuse them and to me in particular they sent twenty Angels in the business of Cicester but I thank God for it I had the grace to refuse it If a man were to write against other Professions suppose the Lawyers as God forbid any man should he might have found a hundred times more and worse faults then Mr. Pryn hath done against Bishops And on the contrary I dare boldly say that many Bishops in their own particular persons have done so many acts of Piety of Charity of Goodness as all the enemies of the Church taken together have not done the like They that did impeach us of high Treason onely for entring a Protestation they would never have spared us if they could have â—…ound any just cause of complaint against us Yet I confess that God would never have permitted us to have suffered in such a manner as we have done had we not provoked him with our sins and that I may be our own accuser I think our greatest offence did consist in these two things First that many of us did not spend our Church-means in a Church-like manner but converted them to our own private uses or otherwise misimployed them therefore God justly takes them away and permits Sacriledge we our selves having first offended in the same kinde for certainly Church-means should have relation as well to the uses as to the Persons and a Church-man in mis-spending them commits Sacriledge And whereas many excuse it in regard of their Wives and Children God forbid but regard should be had of them yeâ—… still with moderation I cannot excuse the excess of Apparel and some other courses of expence Yet this I must testisie â—…or a truth that speaking privately with some Bishops they told me and I beleeved them that they laid not up one farthing of their Bishopricks and this may appear â—…or many of them died very poor as Worcester Hereford Peterborough Bristol and not unlike but others will do â—…o Another great fault in the Church was the intolerable abuse of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction therefore God hath made us now uncapable of any Jurisdiction so just and wonderful is God in all his Judgements I confess in mine own particular I did as much desire and labour to reform it as any man could do yet I could never prevail Herein a little to excuse the Church I have it and can produce it at this time under the Kings own Hand and Seal wherein he forbids that any Church-man or Priest in holy Orders should be a Chancellor and this was the occasion of all the corruption of the Spiritual Court for the Judges at the Common Law have their Pensions and Allowances but Chancellors have none at all they live onely upon the Fees of the Court and foâ—… them to dismiss a cause it was to lose so much blood Now if they be naughâ—… in themselves then they must for their own advantage and prosit have Instruments and Agents accordingly so the Registers Proctors Apparators they were pessimum genus hominum Whilâ—… the Spiritual Court was onely governed by Church men and Priests as it ought to be and hath ever been so heretofore they haâ—… their Spiritual Benefices and Dignities to live upon and did scorn the Fees of the Court besides the holiness of the Profession kept them from bribing and corruption Little do men think how much they suffer by this one position That Church-men should not interpose in Civil and Moral affairs Whereas formerly Bishops and Church-men were onely trusted with Last Wills and Testa ments and granting out Administrations and certainly if therâ—… be any honesty amongst men it must be supposed to be rather in them then in others but there having been such an abuse it must be acknowledged that God is most just in all his wayes and what hatâ—… befaln us it is according to the deserts of our sin And now at length my good Brethren I will be no further troublesome unto you but onely make this small motion which proceeds out of my love Your Statutes do allow the Fellows to travel beyond Seas to see the state of the Christian world to better their experience whereby they may be fitter to do the Church and the State service at home Now I would fain adde some encouragement iâ—… this kinde and perswade you to be forward thereby to learn Languages and to enable your selves to do the State service and while you are in your Travel though you are not publickly imployed yet to do your Countrey what good office you can by way of information This is my suit to the Fellows in general but I do earnestly intreat the Master and the Seniors that they would be so far from abating any part of their allowance as that they would rather give them some addition towards their charge besides all brotherly assistance and furtherance This is the onely motion which I make but if any of your Members should offer me his help in my Study now that mine own sight and memory do fail me for I would very fain finish my intended course to give satisfaction to Natural Reason in all the Mysteries of Christian Religion truly if ever God should enable me I would reward him So GOD BLESSE YOU ALL. I rest Your loving Friend and Brother Godfree
mysteries discovered by our Saint Iohn and secondly the Eagle renewes her age to betoken the long life of Saint Iohn or rather the eternity of such things as he prophesied in so much that it gave occasion to a false report for whereas Christ made only a supposition they conceived it as really true that Saint Iohn should not die and thus far indeed it proved true that he died not of a violent death as all the rest of the Apostles suffered Martyrdom but his Matyrdom it should seem was then when he did assist at the Passion of Christ and none other Apostle attended there but himself and no doubt but his then sorrow and grief might equall or rather exceed in virtue and power the Martyrdom of others And secondly that common fame and report of his not dying might thus far prove true that he died not in that age but lived to the beginning of the second Century being now very old as S. Hierome relates in his commentaries upon the Epistle to the Galatians when he could not goe of himself but was carryed by others to the Church or place of meetings he made no other Sermon but this Filioli diligite alterutrum quia praeoeptum Domini est si solim fiat sufficit it should seem being the beloved Disciple the love of Christ was so fastened and fixed in him that it made a repercussion and became an Echo and brake out into these termes of love Filioli my sons whom I so dearly love let not my love rest in you as singulars but impart it to each other that so you may be united and linked together in the Bonds and Chaines of love that as this love proceeds from Christ to me and from me to you so from you to each other among your selves that we may all lay hold on the Anchor of our hope Christ the Son of God who hath reconciled us to God notwithstanding our sins and transgressions I will now come directly to the Text which is the very keâ—…nell the marrow the Elixiâ—… of all Christian Religion and hath ever been received with the greatest admiration and astonishment and at the very naming of the words Christians were 〈◊〉 to bow and to express all possible honour and reverence The ineffable Trinity And the word was made flesh THe first word of my Text standing in the forefront and being a conjunction copulative gives me occasion to look back and mark the dependence wherein I dare boldly say that neither the large volumes of the Fathers nor the subtill and curious invention of the Schooles nor the deep and profoundest Divines can better unfold the mystery of this word then may be well gathered by the precedent and express words of this Evangelist onely here stands our weakness That as Moses having talked with God his countenance received that light that the Israelites could not behold the face of Moses so this our Apostle having leaned on the bosom and sucked out these mysteries he is now become Boanerges the son of Thunder rather astonishing the eare with wonder and amazement then distinctly informing the heart in things which are too high for the weak state and condition of man but I pray mark the first verse of this Chapter In principio erat verbum in the beginning was the word â—…ere is the eternall generation of this word not proceeding from Gods free will and election not supposing his determinate decree and purpose but a natural and a necessary generation equally existing with God in the moment of his eternity as the Sun and the light were together created the Soul and the understanding together infusect so is the generation of â—…his word equall in time and continuance with the deity Et verbum erat apud deum And the word was with God here is the distinction and relation of the Persons apud deum with God not as a property or quality not as an attribute or faculty but as a person distinctly existing and that by a different manner of generation from the Father Et deâ—… erat verbum And God was the Word here is the mutuall communication and participation of the deity for it is a property of the greatest good that it should be most fruitfull in his own kind and communicate it self in the largest and greatest manner now in the creatures we find some foot-steps of the deity as appears by their being moving order perfection but necessary it is that God should impart his own nature which nature though infinitely imparted yet still continuing infinite it can be but one and the same nature equally communicated to the three Persons three persons and one God If a man communicate his nature to his son this nature though still continuing the same in kind and condition yet must it differ in number in regard of the finitenesse of our nature the circumscription both of time and of place but it is otherwise with God for out of the infinite extent of his own nature one and the same deity the same in number the same in virtue and power is equally and totally imparted to the three persons in one blessed and undivided Trinity Thus much ad intra concerning the relation of Persons within themselves now ad extra in respect of the creatures it followes in the third verse of this Chapter Et verbo facta sunt omnia and without him nothing was made so that both inwardly and outwardly the deity of this Word appears inwardly in the coeternall existency and infinite participation of the Godhead and outwardly as together concurring in the creation framing and making of this world And having thus discovered the second person because we acknowledge another person in the deity take therefore the testimony of this second person concerning the third when the holy Ghost whom I shall send unto you from the Father the spirit of truth which proceeds from the Father he shall give testimony of me John the 15. 16. 26. these are the mutuall testimonies of Persons in behalf of each other and hereunto I shall adde what the holy Catholick Church out of other texts of Scripture doth undoubtedly demonstratively and most necessarily conclude Verbum a word must necessarily imply intellectum an understanding to conceive this word this understanding being alwayes active the word must be of like continuance and eternity and being active as there was an eternall so is there a daily and continuall generation of this word Hodie genui te This word being naturall to the understanding it proceeds not from any voluntary or free election of God but from the necessity of his nature and according to his nature so is it begotten in a spirituall and most unspeakable manner being in the understanding answerable to the understanding and of like extent It can be no creature seeing by it all things were made and created and being in the understanding it must subsist of the same nature which nature being
Philosophy which I know to be very little very little indeed and were my age fit for an encounter I would question their skill in Philosophy as here I will give you a little taste thereof And first see and consider the great difference and opposition between us The Socinian professeth that he doth not believe the Mysteries in Religion because he cannot understand them in Reason and I profess the contrary that I do believe the Mysteries in Religion revealed and much the rather because the Socinian cannot understand them in Reason Nollem ego in Deum quem tu comprehenderes That God whom thou art able to comprehend shall never be my God I will not vouchsafe to serve such a God I scorn to worship such a God I renounce such a God for he is too like thy self to be the true God This I am taught in Philosophy and even by the strength of Reason that God is Infinite and every way Incomprehensible And this I have learned of the Heathen who did erect an Altar ignoto Deo to the unknown God or to the incomprehensible God Surely there is a greater difference between the true God and man then that we should make God of like nature and condition with our selves as that we should think our selves to be able to comprehend him Before I proclaim war I have ever thought it a necessary point of Charity first to try how far forth the difference may be reconciled and so to go hand in hand as far as Honesty and Truth will permit us and when as once we become irreconcileable then to make an utter separation and every man to stand on his own guard That I may then deliver my opinion concerning natural Reason how far she is to be admitted in Religion I do not commend credulity nor would I have a man apt to believe but upon good grounds Memento diffidere is the first Rule in Policy though I confess as Mysteries are above Reason and that I would have Reason to know her distance and not to incroach too far yet would I have Reason to have full satisfaction for it is the guide which God hath given to man for his direction not onely in Humane and Civil things but even a little to prepare and direct him in his way to salvation and to make him capable of Religion whereof the brute beasts are not and though Religion be as far above Reason as the Heavens are above the Earth yet is she no way contrary to Reason but serves to inlighten and to sanctifie Reason and to confirm Reason in her own Principles and grounds as the Heavens adde beauty and perfection to the Earth for neither Jewels nor beautiful flowers can be discerned or appear glorious without the light of the heavens Thus for all the Moral Law which is a great part of Religion Reason serves as an excellent Glosse or a Commentary for the Exposition Thus Reason being sanctified having a tincture of grace serves to draw excellent Conclusions and Theological Precepts out of the premises of Scripture but if we should know no more of God then Reason informs us surely we should be then very unreasonable for we should know nothing of the state of that other world since natural Reaon can make no discovery of a supernatural world If then we should know no more of God but onely so far forth as may be gathered by the works of Nature it would much shorten our knowledge of God and a little detract from Gods glory besides a preposterous course for whereas we are to govern and teach the dumb creatures who are onely made for our use and therein attain their own ends now on the contrary they should be our onely teachers to direct us to our last end and perfection if all our knowledge of God should be onely by their information and that we should know no more of God but onely so far forth as they should instruct us or catechise us and seeing that every day we learn more and more in the creatures for new qualities and secrets of nature are daily discovered it must hence follow that as yet we have not learnt so much of God as the creatures can teach us they are our very learned Schoolmasters and we are ill Proficients and thus contrary to all good order and form our Reason must be subject to their sense even for the knowledge of such things as do infinitely exceed all sense and all reason Nor is it possible that God should be so forgetful of man as to supply him with all the provisions of this world for his back and belly for his kitchin his wardrobe and yet should neglect his breeding and education to teach him at School and there to instruct him in his necessary ways and means to attain his last end and salvation Surely God is more merciful to the dumb creatures for they have a natural instinct in themselves sufficient and necessary for their preservation to conduct them to their own last natural end and what is wanting in them God hath commanded man to take the care and charge over them yea further God hath given them some priviledges as that they should take the benefit of a rest on the Sabbath that they should have some refreshing in their labours Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn that they should be priviledged from slaughter when they are breeding and God hath given them an ingenuity to be taught what is fit for their condition Thus the horse learns his pace remembers his way as knowing that his last end is to be a Traveller Thus is there a natural inclination in every thing to conduct and direct it self in attaining its own last natural end And surely God will be no less merciful to man in supplying him with such means as shall be necessary for his last supernatural end The world was created for man the Sun the Moon and the Stars have their continual motion for the fruitfulness of the earth and the preservation of this sublunary world and all nature tends to the use service and ministery of man Man is the end of nature and therefore man cannot end in nature or have a natural end by the course of this world and the continual succession he knows it can be but a passage he sees the bounds of this natural world the material heavens and then he concludes that needs above this natural world there must be a supernatural world thus over and above his natural knowledge which consists in a rational discourse he findes in himself wonder and admiration which may serve him for his knowledge of that supernatural world Thus he still looks up to heaven and by his aspiring thoughts his hopes and expectation he seems to cast up an Anchor to heaven and wants onely wings to fly up or a ladder to climb and that blessed Spirit which came down in the form of a Dove supplies him
with wings of grace and the Cross of Christ serves for his ladder or for Mathematical Jacobs staff to take â—…he height or to fathom the depth and breadth of Gods most hidden secrets while his own reason doth a little direct or prepare him for hiâ—… Christian faith for it serves as a ground or foundation upon which the beautiful building of Grace may be erected and therefore there was first a state of Nature which continued until Moses then succeeded the Law and the Gospel I will further adde by the actions and carriage of man it appears that God hath placed in him some Majesty and magnificence that he justly claimes more then a naturall descent for if you take the elements they are moved by their own naturall qualities and their highest ayme and intent is only to preserve their naturall beeing so the dumb creatures consisting only of elements they run the same course and have no higher ambition for they have no choyce freedom or liberty in their actions but are carried according to the strength of their own naturall inclinations only man by a prerogative of his condition hath a freedom of will and is no way tyâ—…d to the temper or inclination of Elements but bids defiance to Nature in her own denne professing Sanctity and Holiness renouncing Lusts Luxury Pride Sloath and other carnall corruptions and uncleanness to which nature wholly inclines and being Lord of the Creatures he will not be ranked with them he scorns to die like a Beast and seems to claim and challenge a more excellent condition then to lie in the grave or to be dissolved into dust though his body may for a time pay the wages of sin yet his Soul which is the better part of man neither sees nor feels corruption and in Gods due time both body and soul shall be again reunited together in a glorious resurrection Man having once made choyce of his actions and performed them he then reflects upon them reviews and begins to examin them when the check of his own conscience upon the committing of sin be it ever so secret gives him assurance that he must be accomptable for his actions the joy and comfort that he receives in doing good makes him confident that he shall not lose his reward the rare and admirable operations of the soul which exceed all naturall perfections do plainly demonstrate that they cannot proceed from nature for then they should not ascend higher then nature as the water will not rise higher then the Springhead and finding these effects in ourselves we are confident that God who ordained man to a supernaturall end the same God in his own goodness and providence will not faile to supply man with supernaturall means to conduct him to that supernaturall end for the means must ever be answerable and of like condition with the end otherwise they will not serve to conduct him As the Sun is discerned by his own light so God must only be known by the revelation of himself Thus in nature there may be some preparatives to a true Christian faith or we may be some way predisposed and thereby made more capable to receive the infusion of grace and this I have proved both by our naturall knowledge and by our morall actions yet this will not suffice but it is necessary that God himself should reveale himself and adde his by the act and exercise of the understanding from the will proceeds Amor as the heart is the fountain of all affection and thus is there some resemblance of the blessed Trinity in the manner and form of mans apprehension Come we then to look into Gods Attributes which some distinguish in this manner that most of the Attributes are operative some are not operative yet make for the perfection of the Deity but there are none passive such as they conceive are not operative are the eternity of God in respect of his continuance the ubiquity of God in respect of extention the immutabillity of God in respect of duration the constancy of his will as ever making choice of the best and so makes for the certainty of his resolution c. And these men are thus misled because they conceive the greatest perfection to consist in variety and because amongst the creatures such accidences as proceed from the Matter suppose all quantities they are not operative but truly I am otherwise perswaded for I think that there is but one best and that one best must be Gods nature for better it is to be operative then not to be operative God is actus purus nothing but pure form and it best befits and resembles the nature of spirits which are alwayes in action for to be not operative it comes neerer the condition of Stocks and Blocks which in doing nothing seem to incline to idleness and sloth and if once it be acknowledged that all Gods attributes are operative then better it is to be fruitfull then barren rather to produce some fruits then none at all and these fruits to be rather permanent then transient and these attributes concern the Godhead it self for as God is the first efficient cause so is he the last finall to whom all is directed Now of all the attributes of God to speak according to the manner of men the Understanding and the Will are the most excellent and have the most wonderfull operations they are likewise the most inward and intimate such as cannot be discerned but by Gods own relation of himself and thus it fals out with man who was created according to Gods Image we can easily judge of mans strength of his age and other abâ—…lities but for his understanding and his will they are most private and secret to himself and I pray here note that Philosophers do seldom reckon the understanding and the will of God amongst his other attributes but they do usually supersede them as if they were eminencies and excellencies in God above the ordinary attributes for though they were all eternall and equally perfect in God yet did they not alwayes appear in their effects and therein God did moderate them and qualifie them as seemed best to his wisdom for before the Creation Gods Power did not appear in the effects Gods providence in governing the world did not appear when as yet there was no world to be governed the justice of God could not appear in any outward act when as yet no sin was commited the mercies of God could not appear in relieving miseries when as yet there was nothing but God himself all these attributes of God though they were eternally in God and every way alike perfect in regard of virtue and efficacy yet in the outward act in respect of the effects God appointed his time when first to manifest them and that according to measure and proportion for God did not work according to the uttermost of his Power he could have created many infinite worlds with the same ease and facility
last resurrection and these not done in secret but in the sight of multitudes and thousands all testifying the truth of things done the Jewes acknowledge the Gentiles confess the Apostles proclaim the Evangelists record many Millions of Martyrs seal with their bloud and all the world with joynt consent and harmony beares witness seen by our fore-fathers and left unto us together with their memory for the salvation of our own soules then these undoubted miracles must argue a supernaturall power in things naturall which if Reason confess as herein she is convinced that the wisdom and power of the teacher was supernaturall then must there be some supernaturall object though not appearing in nature yet answerable and agâ—…eeable to this supernaturall knowledge and power here then at length we have opened a gap to let in all the mysteries of our Christian faith and Religion yet lâ—…st we should be left to our own conjectures and presumptions lest the hardness of our heart should not easily condescend to things above our reach and capacity therefore truth beares evidence to truth the wonders of nature to the mysteries of grace as his deeds and actions were much above nature so it cannot seem strange if his Doctrine and Precepts far exceed our naturall understanding for his Words as well as his Actions were much above nature and therefore did aâ—…gue a powâ—…r above nature which is God himself Christ Jesus God and man the second Person in Trinity who came down and took our nature upon him to satisâ—…ie for our sins he it is that hath revealed these mysteries that so by Faith and Belief as our first Fathers fell from God by unbelief and presumption we might come unto him and through his mercy obtain our everlasting salvation Here I did examine all the miracles and the most remarkable things in the old Testament and first I did reduce all the Ages of the world to the Deluge where I did infer by many probabilities what past before the deluge for that it could not stand with the Mercies of God who created all things to begin with such an heavy Judgement as an universall deluge and because we have no other Records of those times but the Testimony of Scripture I did therefore produce necessary and demonstrative arguments for the proof of the Deluge and of Scripture together with some remarkable Tokens I did insist upon which must needs point out some former times before the deluge here I made good proof that the Eastern parts of the world must needs be the first parts inhabited I shewed the greatness of their Monarchies their continuance and dissolution I shewed how all other Nations issued from them and how they borrowed their Customes and Manners I shewed how the Hebrew was the originall Tongue of all the Eastern Languages by the roots and by the proprieties of that Tongue I did instance in all the Ancient Monuments and made it appear that the world could not be elder then the time related by Moses for the Creation For the Histories before Christ I did use Torniellus Pererius Salianus and all the rest for the time since Christ I had such Authors as were extant but especially I did rely most upon Baronius and Bibliotheca patrum and I do heartily wish that some younger man would undertake that task for I am aged and my short time which remains cannot suffice for such a work besides I have the infirmities of old age my memory failes me and I am past all imployments neither can I so put off all naturall passions but I confess it doth grieve me to thinke that heretofore having alwayes liv'd in great plenty God reward my founders for it that now I should be reduc'd to such poverty and wants but I hope God will raise up some other to compose such a History And leaving that task for them I will now only instance in the miracles of Scripture for confirmation of mysteries and first for the truth of Scripture it is a demonstrative proof to me that it should be the most Ancient of all writings and many ages exceeding the heathen Authors or Poets and this is an undoubted argument of truth for truth is the most Ancient and that which doth accompany truth that others should give Testimony to truth and none to oppose it for in these Ancient Poets we find somethings borrowed from the Jewes which makes for the confirmation thereof and none in effect did ever oppose them for had they so done surely we should have heard of their Writings as we do of their Warres and their Histories and no doubt there were many enemies which would not have omitted such an opportunity at this day the Jewes the Christians the Mahumetans all do acknowledge Scriptures without any manner of contradiction for in effect the heathen are utterly vanished and not to be seen or to stand in opposition It is true that at this day heathen there are but they no way partake with the Ancient Heathen neither in the same gods nor in the number of their gods nor in the manner of their worship only like upstarts because they must have a Religion for they cannot â—…ook upon heaven without some kinde of adoration therefore every one frames a Religion to himself and according to his own phansie either agrees or differs from others But because the blessed Trinity hath been only expresly revealed in the new Testament I will therefore insist only in the miracles of the New Testament and reserve other proofes and evidences for confirmation of other mysteries that we may take all by degrees and not spend our whole stock and store at once so then to instance only in the miracles of the New Testament if these had fallen out only in the Person of Christ there might have been cause of suspicion but the whole Law was only a preparation to his coming such Types Figures and Prophesies and in a word the scope and intent of the Law had no other relation and this will appear for that it seems scarce reasonaâ—…le that God should be served with the slaughter and offering up of unreasonable Beasts had they not relation to the sacrifice of his only Son and such infinite variety of strange ceremonies would never have been admitted had they not pointed out some extraordinary holiness to succeed this did likewise appear in the cessation of the Law for about a full age before the coming of Christ there was a cessation of Prophets and neither did God appear either by speciall messengers or by miraculous victories That the minds of men not being withdrawn nor having any other solace or comfort might wholly intend the expectation of the Messias whose immediate forerunner was Saint John Baptist and therefore whatsoever is ascribed unto him tends unto Christ as being his forerunner for he gives testimony to Christ and that three severall times in this one first Chapter of Saint John verse the 27. When the Priests and